Prologue
A New Adventure Begins
High above Tortus, an imperial warship was slowly passing by as it traversed the sea of stars, when it deployed a volley of space probes across the realm of light. One of them flew down to that world, and upon entry, it landed with a loud crash like a meteorite. Grass, dirt, dust, grit, and smoke blew everywhere, and out of that crater emerged a machine. It was a probe droid, and it began searching the entirety of Tortus for any and all threats to the Niflheim Empire. Elsewhere, two figures were rushing down the grassy plains beyond Heiligh on what could possibly be chocobo back, until they came to a ridge. They were Yohko Mano and Rem, two dark hunters from Team KRRYYSSTAALL. Looking around carefully, after removing their safety goggles, they spotted the very meteorite crashing into the ground, sending the dirt and smoke upwards. Yohko took up what looked like binoculars and scanned ahead. Finally, she brushed at her comlink and activated it.
"This is Crimson Hairpin to Lightning Raven. Akeno, do you read me?" she called.
"Loud and clear. What do you have?" Akeno asked in response.
"I just managed to finish my search with Rem, and I don't see any other life readings, dark or otherwise," said Yohko.
"Well, there's not really enough dirt and grit to fill a large cargo hauler from any other part of Tortus. I just placed my sensors down, so I'll head back," replied the lightning priestess.
"Okay, I'll see you shortly. There was a meteorite that hit the ground near here, so I'll check it out, but it won't take me long," smiled the devil hunter.
"Yohko, please be careful," warned Rem.
"Hey, c'mon, Rem. What's the matter with you worrying about me? Do you sense something?" she asked cutely.
As if to answer her question, a vicious demon emerged and swiped at Yohko, sending her off her mount with a crash, then it broke the chocobo's neck, forcing Rem to run back for help as the other girl was dragged away to the demon's den. Far away, in Lugunica, Akeno made her return, followed by Kiba and Kenton who were also on chocobos that were on loan for the RGRO. The lead dark hunter strolled off to find the rest of his remaining friends, hoping to find out what was taking the repairs on the Ark so long.
"Lisbeth! Lisbeth! Lisbeth!" he called.
"What the hell took you so long!? Can't you see that I needed your help in repairing the Ark?" scowled Lisbeth.
"Alright, don't lose your temper. I'll come right back and give you a hand," replied Kenton, and he headed off into the base's command center.
"Don't try to take too long," she muttered, and went back to repairing the ship.
Kenton soon returned to the base beneath the castle, where the RGRO was now on high alert for any and all intruders. Mamoru was there, checking on the consoles, while Ami worked on her personal supercomputer.
"Hello, Kenton," he said.
"No sign of enemy activity out there, Mamoru. The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around," replied the dark hunter.
"Has Yohko come back to report in?" asked Usagi's true love.
"Sadly, no. She's gone off to check out a meteorite that hit near the outskirts," explained Kenton.
"With all this meteor activity, it's going to be almost impossible for us to spot any approaching ships from the Niflheim Empire," sighed Mamoru.
"Listen, Mamoru, I know that it might make both Usagi and Chibiusa upset, but I may have to leave. I'm not sure if I can stay in Tortus with you," he said.
"I'm so sorry to hear that," admitted the other man.
"Well, there's a massive price on my head. If I don't pay off my debts to that Saki Tenjoin, she'll have me turned into her own personal decoration, even after I won over Momo Deviluke's heart, which in turn made her cancel her harem plan," the dark hunter sighed.
"Being someone's prize is something both Usako and Chibiusa hate to no end, and having a bull's eye on your back is not an easy thing to live with. But you're a good man, Kenton, and I'd hate to lose you, just like how I hate to lose Sora, thanks to the truce he forged with me and Usako," smiled Mamoru as he extended his hand.
"Thank you, Mamoru," replied Kenton.
"By the way. I haven't heard anything from both Yohko and Rem," interjected Silica.
"You don't think…" gasped Kiba.
"One way to find out. Liz, you're with me. We're gonna find them," said the dark hunter.
They raced off into the night, and found Yohko lying on the ground while Rem defended her from some new monsters.
"You leave her alone!" she snapped, and fought them off.
Fortunately, her friends arrived just in time, right as another Heartless was about to pounce on her.
"No you don't!" cried Lisbeth, smashing it to nothing with her mace.
"Good work, now grab Yohko and let's pull back," he said.
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the Gruen Desert, Sora, Hajime, and most of their companions were now scouring a suitable way to pass through the endless shifting sands.
"Here's hoping we can keep Yue and Kaori from going at each other's throats like rabid wolves," sighed the spiky brunette.
"I hear you, but let's not say that about them," replied the rogue gunner.
"My thoughts exactly, guys. But on another note, Sora, you were right about how Kaori can make a difference for the people of Tortus, even though Yue has her doubts about her. But I know one thing for certain, thanks to Future Sight. We need to be ready for whatever the bad guys have planned for us. That also includes Ehit, thanks to what Hajime heard you explain to Miss Aiko, until Sephiroth struck down and killed one of his former classmates for being a terrible liar, just so he could claim his soul as his own. But now I can't help but worry about Kaori if she does meet the One-Winged Angel," added Shea.
"Unfortunately, I have. But then I felt strange. Like another presence took hold of me and made me speak to him about how he's wrong about the future being created by his hand. A future where he lives in eternal solitude, then waits for it to begin again so he can repeat the cycle," said Kaori.
"It'll never happen!" interjected Cody, catching everyone by surprise.
Even Yue, Tio, and the rest of their friends had to agree.
"Yeah. There's no way Sephiroth is gonna create a future where he'll be just like Ultima, the god we helped Sora and Clive defeat, even after he got his Dominant Soul Drive," added Kirito.
"The same holds true for all of us. Our new clothes have also been able to give us new transformations," smiled Asuna.
"Not to mention mine and Yumi's Shinobi Transformation," said Asuka.
"Speaking of, what does your crystal ball say about your future with Sora, Shea?" wondered Yuffie.
Shea thought for a moment, but then an image of a bunny girl who looked most like her, but had the power to use the Keyblade appeared in her mind.
"Our future will actually be a lot brighter than I imagined," she admitted.
"You mean…?" asked Myu.
"Let's save that for another time. We've gotta hit the road," Sora interrupted politely.
But even after falling asleep that night, Sora was plagued by a nightmare. He saw the god of the very world he was visiting standing over everyone and everything that was destroyed by him, Ehit, God of Creation.
"You and those who desired the power of these traitorous liberators have failed. Now I am a true devil," he said menacingly.
"All you've done was for nothing at all," added Sephiroth.
Sora awoke in horror, which made him walk out of the tent so that he could look up at the stars again.
"No. I won't let this world be destroyed by that mad god, even though Hajime wants nothing more to do with it, because he's adamant on returning to his old homeworld," he told himself quietly.
"You won't… Not without us, Sora. And those nightmares you have are what make you be more hateful of Sephiroth. Sure he may have killed those he saw as his allies, and even though you saw people die by the hand of a greater evil, you still pressed on, despite all this pain and torment. But you also found your own form of closure with them, because you refused to let them consume you, as well as accepted that those you cherish put their lives on the line for your sake. But I still remember why you hate hearing the words 'We had no choice.' It's because you refuse to let another tragedy like Saphir, Nehelenia, and Galaxia's death happen again. That it'll break you so horribly you'll end up freeing Vanitas so that he'll destroy the real you forever, rather than seal you inside your heart for all of eternity," explained Shea, who joined him despite being in her nightclothes.
However, the kind bunny girl held him close, just as he did during her training with Yue after she was frozen from the neck up to her legs.
"The way you held me in your arms, and the fact that you refused to let anyone's call for help go unanswered, it's what I saw in my dreams, and the visions I had thanks to Future Sight. You were the ultimate treasure I was looking for. Also, when I was freezing, you were able to restore my body temperature to normal levels, because you hate seeing girls feel cold. As for the rest of your friends, they'll never die. You made certain of that with Weiss, after what Ruby and Yang told me," she continued.
"I know that all too well, the moment Cinder tried to kill her with that burning lance. But after risking my neck for her, that led to Jaune dying by her hands. An action that still haunts Weiss. But I took not just her grief, but also the rage, anguish and sorrow that Ruby, Blake, and Yang had over his death, and I channeled it all into a personal hatred. A hatred that gave rise to Divine Equestrian, just like Goku did after Krillin fell at the hands of Frieza," he replied quietly.
"Yeah. But you'll always find a way to give any of us that little push to keep going. Particularly Tio. Even though she can be off her rocker, she won't let the wounds she receives stop her from doing what she feels is right. Fighting back against those that would dare harm Hajime or any of us," she assured him.
"I agree. But I spoke with Master, and he's agreed to let you give any of us that push, Sora," added Tio.
"And the rest of us will make sure to watch over him while you're with any of our friends here," finished Kirito.
Sora nodded, and saw all of his friends assembled before him, even though Myu was only a child, just as Yui still was. Finally, he blinked heavily to hold back the tears that would come to his eyes.
"Okay then. We'll head out after Hajime gives the word," he declared, and walked off.
"Tomorrow morning, we will head to Gruen. Make sure you're prepared," called Hajime.
"YES SIR!" the whole party cried out, almost as if he were a captain in the army.
Fortunately, everyone made sure to have their training be put to good use, even though Rebecca, Chisato, and Ruby were ranged fighters, even though the red-cloaked huntress would sometimes step up and fight the monsters up close and personal after turning her weapon into it's scythe form. But, as night arrived, everyone made sure to set up shelter in their own tents or temporary cottages, thanks to the capsules Bulma Brief provided them.
"Sora, I want to ask you something? Why'd you choose to stick your neck out for me?" Kaori asked after she finished her intensive training in healing and self defense.
"I don't know, I just kind of felt like it wouldn't be fair for you to be just treated like dead weight by Yue. Besides, there's no way any of us are gonna allow Sephiroth to take another soul, even though he's someone I hate to no end," replied Sora.
"I hope you're right, Sora. But I wonder how Hajime would feel if I decided to be with Cody instead," she admitted, her eyes filled with uncertainty.
"I'd help him understand. And to tell you the truth, I was in a state of disbelief after Leafa told me to let you join us. That way, you'd gladly make a difference for the people, but at least Sora was right to let Shizuku know that if she ever needs some extremely intensive training, he'd come to her side and give her some harsh yet friendly reminders about why she must be ready to choose one of the three options we have after we're brought to or beyond the breaking point," said Yue.
"And it's with that reasoning that Sora chose to create a third option to go with the other two after we receive that push. One, take back what you've lost and fight back. Two, give up and accept defeat. Or three, his new most personal favorite, reach deep within yourself and unlock another part of yourself you've never known about. After all, we helped Hajime choose the third option, even though you accepted Sora's promise of how we'd be there for him," added Ruby.
"And Sora taught me a very important lesson about how you can turn things around, even after Hajime was hurt by that Hydra in the Bottom of the Abyss. He gave me a new kind of strength I never knew about, as well as took what he saw personally, despite the many wounds he received," admitted the former vampire princess.
The white mage was surprised, but at least she understood why Sora would sometimes take things very personally after seeing his friends get hurt. However, the new lessons she learned seemed to give her a new kind of drive, despite knowing that the competition between her and Yue would be fierce in the days that would come.