AN: BEHOLD...THE CHONKIEST OF CHONKERS! xDDD But it's so worth it, because of all the good stuff I got in here! 3 EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! IM SO EXCITED TO FINALLY BE HERE! :D :D :D :D :) :) :) :) 33333 WE'RE IN THE...ENDGAME NOW!
End of AN!
Sora stepped out from the portal Terra had made - from Aqua's world, to Radiant Garden, and was immediately met with a sight that shocked him to his core.
The whole world was dark and stormy, like the night the islands fell, with streaks of purple lightning flashing across the sky. Except the clouds weren't clouds at all: it was swirling, wispy darkness itself, which was dropping Heartless down on the whole city! It seemed endless. There were Shadows, but also flocks of flying Heartless, too, that looked like reddish-black bats, and Darkballs and other variations of them, with fire and water and even rock bits around them. As Sora watched, a large, swirling orb of dark energy floated down out of the sky to touch the ground; wispy energy and tendrils twisted and stretched out, forming into a Darkside! But this Darkside was...incredibly tall. It roared and straightened up, and huge black wings burst from its backside!
Two more orbs fell to the city, and became strange, dark purple Darksides that also had bigger wings than the normal type!
"Let's go!" Terra's voice came, clear and strong.
Sora startled, turning to look at the man. "But there's so many of them-"
"Then we do what we can," Terra said firmly, his helmeted visor turning to look back at Sora. He paused, silent a moment. Then- "I think now would be the perfect time to try your own armor out, outside of training sessions. If you take a bad hit, it can save your life. Trust me."
Sora blinked. Then he nodded. "Oh yeah! Got it!" He raised a hand to his silver crown necklace, touching it with two fingers. It flashed brightly, and his armor formed over his body, minus the helmet. He gave his Keyblade a swing, shifting his arms and legs experimentally.
"Ready, Sora?" Ven said, eyeing his armor with a small smile.
"Ready," Sora confirmed.
"Okay - go!" Terra ordered, rushing down the dark street with billowing cape.
Looking around at the Dandelions in the second district, Kairi still felt the tensions.
But...it was lessening, now. The last few minutes had seen people starting to talk to one another, separating into groups and trios and duos - family and friends finding each other again (and more than just friends in the other sense; Kairi had also observed more than a few people exchanging some deep, heartfelt kisses!).
Most of the Dandelions were sitting around on the ground now, or taking up spaces on the various benches around the square - or filtering up onto the outer walkways. Just giving each other all some more space to breathe, and take in their surroundings, Kairi thought with a smile.
But as she looked out across them all, she spied something that made her smile fade.
In a corner beside the fountain, next to the wooden doors leading to the back alley behind the hotel (a neat little shortcut of a tunnel), there was a girl on her own. She was resting on her knees, her body slumped forward. Her head hanging, and her arms wrapped around herself. She had a head of shoulder length, shiny auburn hair with uneven bangs, and sickly pale skin. Though, from the way she was shaking (crying?) Kairi thought she might just be sick. But...
Kairi weaved her way through the milling crowds of Dandelion kids - survivors - until she'd reached the fountain. She approached the girl slowly, coming to a stop before her. "Hey," she said quietly. "Are you okay?"
The girl shook her head, her hair swaying.
Kairi took another few steps closer, and lowered herself to her knees in front of the girl to mirror her. "What's wrong? If it's something you don't want to talk about, that's okay! But, if it's maybe something we could hep you with-"
"It's not m-me, it's h-her..." the girl's high, trembling voice came. Quick, breathy. But she was talking, at least... "I don't d-deserve to be here, not when she isn't! Why did I l-live and not her? She was in that Data World with m-me, I k-know she was real, so why...? Why isn't she here now?" The girl raised her head, gazing at Kairi with a face of twisted grief and anguish. With desperation. "Why didn't they s-save her too?"
"Save who?" Kairi said kindly. "You shouldn't give up hope just yet; I'm not even sure if this is every lost Dandelion out there - and there's still the...actual fighters from the war that I know Luxu will do his best to bring back. As many as he can."
The girl gazed into Kairi's eyes for a moment, then her head fell again. She shook it, once more, with a long, sharp exhale. "We were only saved because of our Chirithies - because they protected us for all this t-time, right? So, then...she couldn't have been s-saved, either way..."
"Luxu's done some amazing things lately, you know - brought people across time itself, to give them another chance," Kairi spoke. "I'm sure if we talk to him about it, he can figure out a way to-"
"It's okay," the girl said, tight and quiet. "You're a nice g-girl - b-but you don't have to lie to me, too. I know the truth: my b-baby's dead."
"Huh?" Kairi startled. "Your- baby...?"
The girl gave a shaking nod, staring at the stone ground. "Cassiopeia."
"Cassi...opeia?"
"Y-yes..."
Kairi breathed. She reached out, gently touching the girl on the arm. Stroking her. Then she sat back and turned, raising a hand to gesture at Luxu, making very pointed and direct eye contact; the man came forward swiftly, stepping around the groups and sitting kids. He reached them in no time, sucking in a deep breath of air before letting it go again.
"What's up?" he said, looking between Kairi and the other girl.
Kairi looked to the girl again, herself, biting her lip. "Hey - sorry - I didn't catch your name. Could you-"
"Kat - Katerina," the girl supplied flatly, with a hitch.
"Kat, then," Kairi said, smiling. She glanced up at Luxu. "Kat here told me...in the Data World with her, she said she had a- baby? Her name was- Cassiopeia?"
Luxu's expression flickered. His lips parted, his eyes closing. He was still for a long time - then, he gave a slow nod. "She wasn't the first - probably not the last, either," his voice came, in a distant murmur, full of emotion. "Big surprise, right? You get a bunch of unsupervised teenagers, throw them into daily life or death situations, give 'em a whole town to run around in and live together in...stuff's bound to happen. That is the natural result, eh?" He took in and let out another breath, pained this time, and finally opened his dark eyes again.
Luxu lowered himself to the ground with the two girls. He fell forward onto his knees, reaching out to touch Kat's shoulder. Gazing at her hidden face intently now. "Hey...Kat, right? Can you look at me here for a moment?"
Kat sighed, then raised her head again, obliging him.
"Good," Luxu said quietly. "Your Cassiopeia...was she with you at the very end - when Daybreak Town fell apart? And how old was she?"
The girl shook her head fiercely, sucking in air. Then- "She was almost a y-year old! After that day, when the bell rang, and the war didn't happen - we thought so, anyway - me and my boyfriend, we- well- we thought it was past us! We thought we could l-live our lives out, from then on, t-together. Fighting Heartless and gathering Lux still, but...at least without a w-war things could stay peaceful for Daybreak Town, you know! For the Dandelions! And we were supposed to be the future, s-so I guess we sort of took that literally, and so after about a year of peacetime we decided to just-"
"I know, I know," Luxu said swiftly. "So she was a year old...when Daybreak Town fell apart? At the end? Just to confirm here?"
Kat nodded, blinking now - tears falling down her face now. "Yes. I just... One moment e-everything was fine, and then there was this storm, and things were shaking, and- BREAKING...and I just did what I could and I gathered her up in my arms and then- the roof came down on us and I can't...remember...what happened n-next...? Was there a light, or did everything go dark...?"
Luxu gazed at her for a long moment, his eyes searching for...something. Then he slowly raised a hand, summoning his Keyblade at his side. He stood up again just as slowly, like he didn't want to spook the girl. "Okay, Kat - could I just take a little look at your Heart here real quick? Please?"
The girl nodded, looking at the ground before climbing to her feet as well (with some help from Kairi). He arms fell to her sides, hanging there now.
Luxu aimed his weapon out at her, the end shimmering with a soft light...then, he lowered it, his expression shifting again. It was something Kairi would have put best as incredulity, maybe? Some strange mix of disbelief and...some other things.
"Hey - I think it's going to be okay, kid," he said softly. Surprisingly softly, Kairi thought.
"What? H-how can it ever be okay?" Kat said, blinking up at Luxu in bafflement.
"Because Calliope is fine. And she's fine because of you - because you did what any good mom does, and protected her with all your Heart when it mattered most," Luxu continued, grasping the girl's shoulder again now.
"What? Are you saying she's really-" Kat started, still sounding confused more than anything. More than hope, certainly...
"She's alive - around. Closer than you think, actually. Back where she came from," Luxu said.
"W-what? You mean-" The girl looked down at her stomach, clasping a hand there.
"No, not there." Luxu shook his head, pointing to the center of her chest. "There. Your daughter's brand new little Heart is safe and sound, inside yours. If you had her with you at the end, you must have taken her into your own Heart without even knowing it - to keep her safe, asleep. In the most comforting place she could ever be again."
Kat was still looking at him like he was joking - pulling the cruelest prank ever. A terrible lie. Then she blinked, and she breathed. "She's really h-here - with me again? B-but, is there some way to...?"
"Get her back out of you again? Yeah, I can think of a way or two," Luxu said, reassuring. Giving a smile. "But the simplest way...it might be the best way. Seeing as the first part of my theory was right, let's see about the second half - alright? If you'd let me help you again...?"
The girl looked up at him with shining eyes now, her lips trembling. She was starting to believe. "Please. I h-have to see her again, I have to hold her, I have to know...with my own hands...I don't c-care what you have to do or how you do it, just please...if she's still here...if she was saved, too..."
"Okay." Luxu breathed, nodding and stepping away. He ran a hand firmly through his hair, shaking his head. He stopped, glancing around himself. Looking actually embarrassed, kind of. It was sort of cute to Kairi. "Can everyone give me some room here, please? I need space to work! Especially if we're talking about a baby here!"
The Dandelions nearest did their best to migrate back across the rectangular district, filtering into the wider half near the alley some more, and the gadgets building that looked like a church on the outside for some reason (Kairi had never really known why). A lot of them even just went back into the alleyway itself, to free up more space for the rest, now.
Honestly Luxu probably didn't need even this much space, but...
"Thanks!" Luxu called out, before turning back to the girl before him. He raised his Keyblade again, holding it in both hands now. "Okay, now if I'm right, this isn't going to need any fancy stuff - just some good old Power of Waking to awaken and retrieve her Heart. If I'm right, just...god just let me be right, and we can just do this simple and easy for a change..." His weapon glowed with swirling blue energy, the end pulsed with a golden orb...
Kat startled, staring down at herself, where a pink light was growing in the middle of her chest - shining out, bright and shimmering.
In the next moment, it wasn't a Heart that emerged from the girl's body, Kairi saw immediately: it was a crystal. A pink, shimmering crystal gemstone, the size of her fist. It was like...almost like a Summon Gem, really? Or was it straight up a Summon Gem? A Heart encased in crystal to protect it...?
Luxu's weapon fired off a beam of light at the gemstone, there was the sound of a lock opening, and then the gem flashed with pure white light to light up the district!
As the light faded, the crystal melted away, revealing...a baby. A real, actual little baby, floating in the air, their eyes closed in a peaceful sleep.
Kat stumbled forward immediately to take the baby - her baby - into her arms. She held her baby to her chest, tight and close, her head bowed. The girl's tears fell onto the baby. After a few moments, she sniffled and raised her head again, looking to Luxu. Her lips quivered, spreading into a beaming smile. "T-thank you..." she choked out.
Luxu actually blushed, turning away and rubbing at his neck. "Yeah...well, just doing the bare minimum here..." he murmured out.
Kat looked down at her baby again, then she turned and moved to carefully seat herself down on one of the benches (a trio of Dandelion kids moved for her, staring at her and the baby in wonder and curiosity).
"Whew...so that was- a real thing that just happened," Luxu muttered, letting his weapon vanish and turning to Kairi. "Amazing world we live in, huh?"
"Yeah," Kairi said honestly, smiling at him. She stepped closer to the man, putting her hands behind her back. She leaned in toward him, dropping her voice low. "But if she's not the only one - aren't there others around here who need the same help? What happened to all of them? I can't imagine they were all able to do the same thing..." she whispered, sad and uncertain. She knew miracles were only miracles because they were rare in the world; not everyone got a happy ending, no matter how hard you tried, or hoped for it. Things like this, like Cassiopeia, like what Kairi had done for Sora, and for others, and things like what Luxu had done for Namine and Xion and the rest...those things were special and miraculous because they were so rare, and impossible, and yet were. But...in life, more often than not...these things were the exception, not the rule.
And, Kairi realized that, for all Kat's talk of a boyfriend - there was no boy around her now, was there? Had he not been a Dandelion, or-? No, he'd had to have been a Dandelion because she'd said he was in the Data World with her - and you sort of needed two people to even- you know! Do that kind of thing! But then why was there no one sitting over there with Katerina...? Did Kairi dare even go and ask...? Or was it just...another loss, another pain, another tragedy in this girl's story? A story Kairi couldn't possibly judge her for, either way!
Luxu shifted, catching her attention. His face darkened, suddenly, to an almost frightening degree. Then it cleared, and his face was just - vacant. Empty. His eyes were empty. No...haunted, and tired. He looked up at the twinkling night sky, his hands curling into fists that he then shoved into his pockets. "I said she wasn't the first..." he whispered. "Before the war, before Kingdom Hearts disappeared, and all the worlds fell except for Daybreak Town...and the Data World inside it...it was an easy problem to deal with. Their trusted Chirithies would convince them of the best option: to send them away to distant worlds, to be cared for there. If they couldn't, well...they got spirited away anyways, in the night."
"And after? When there was just Daybreak Town...?" Kairi said quietly. "When everyone went into the Data World, that would have left the real Daybreak Town empty, but still standing. So...were they all just- kept there?"
"No. Most cases, like Katerina said - we made sure to keep- parents and babies together. Moved them over into the Data World together," Luxu went on, in almost bored tones now. "With the end coming, no matter what - or so we'd all come to believe, to convince ourselves - it was 'the best we could do', right? At least let them get another year or two together in there. At least let them be together when the end came, even for them. They'd served their purpose, right? The Dandelions in the Data World had kept gathering Lux, which was used to rebuild the worlds and restore them from the darkness. So...that was it."
"You didn't try to find a way - talking to their Chirithies, moving them into the actual Realm of Sleep here? Surely there were sleeping worlds back then, if they'd all fallen to darkness and broken apart? Wasn't there somewhere to put them?" Kairi said, her voice breaking as much as her Heart in that moment.
Luxu straightened his head, and turned to look at her with those dark, dead eyes. "There probably was," he said. "but you're right - I didn't try to find it. I wasted two years fucking around, when I could have done something...found an answer back then, not now."
"But - you can use that time travel power still, can't you?" Kairi asked. "Like for Xehanort's friends, or- you can just bring them here, no matter what...happened to them?"
Luxu blinked. His face flooded with emotion again, with color. He nodded. "Yeah. I think so. Not sure if we're going to need specialized Replicas, for newborn Hearts, or...if I could find another solution. But I can try. I will try. Whatever it takes."
"Luxu-"
"Hey - do you think a person could be someone's Medium?" Luxu interjected, with a rough laugh.
"What?"
"I'm just saying - to a newborn baby, to a newborn Heart, what counts as 'a deeply personal object' to them? And what even counts as an object, really?" Luxu went on. "From talking to Lauriam and Elrena, from how they got here, I don't even think a Medium has to be an actual, physical object. Like a hat or a scarf. It could be a flower, or...a lightning storm. Or the wind. Those are facets of nature, yeah, but they are real properties of matter, energy, and existence, you know what I'm saying? Figure that's why they worked, still. Their elemental magicks were deeply personal to them, ingrained in their fighting styles and weapons, and that counted. So...do you think the very mother and womb that a baby came from could count as their Medium? Wouldn't that be something, huh? All poetic and shit: a mother herself and her love brings her baby back to life."
"I'd like to think it would," Kairi answered, sighing. She raised a hand to her chest, curling her fingers. "That does sound amazing. And I think-"
Suddenly, the world flashed around her in a white light, everything falling away.
Images filled her mind, flashing by - Radiant Garden, Sora, Riku, all the others - so many Heartless, all around, falling from the sky like dark rain, endless, massive and towering-
Please...if you can hear me: they need HELP!
The voice echoed in Kairi's mind and Heart - Namine's voice - distant and distorted, like hearing her through a hazy dream, from a half-awake state...
And then the void vanished, and the world came rushing back again.
Kairi turned to Luxu, who was just lowering a hand from his forehead with a pained look. "Did you just-"
"Get a brain blast of a message from Namine? Yeah," Luxu replied swiftly.
"We have to go, then!" Kairi said, lowering her hand to her side, curling it into a fist.
Luxu nodded. "We do - we will." he coughed, turning and stalking away, looking all around him and raising an arm. "ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY LISTEN UP! I think it's about time we got you all out of here and back into the real world again!" He summoned his Keyblade and slung it forward, immediately conjuring a pink orb of a portal...gate thing again. Was that really just what portals between the real world and dream worlds looked like? He looked over at Kat, on the bench with her baby still. He beckoned to her specifically. "Come on - mothers and babies first. It's going to be fine, no pain, just warmth and light and fuzzies and goodness! When you come out the other end, you'll be someplace safe. A place for Keyblade wielders!"
"W-where? Is something happening again?" Kat asked instantly - as did many other, nearby voices.
There was an aura of tension again - and concern now. Wariness.
"You'll go to Scala Ad Caelum - Ephemer knows the place," Luxu said loudly, a bit impatiently, staring around himself. He nodded to the "boy", as Ephemer himself came forward quickly. "It's a whole ocean world of clean, beautiful cities on water - and it was a place for generations of wielders to not only train, but live and thrive! It'll be perfect for you kids, alright? I promise!"
The Keyblade Wielders all stared at Luxu. They looked at each other. Mutterings and voices echoed over top one another.
"You still haven't told us what's going on!" a voice called out.
Luxu sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing you need to worry about - I'm going to go and handle it...as soon as we get you kids squared away! So help me out here, okay?"
"Is it the Heartless?" a girl shouted. "They came from the future, right? Are they here?"
"Yes - it's the Heartless, okay? And a whole world is about to suffer from them if we don't get things moving here!" Luxu exclaimed, glaring at the girl in particular.
"What can we do to help?" another girl called out, with two-toned, red and blue hair in a ponytail.
"What can you do to- NOTHING!" Luxu yelled. "Get it through your heads, PLEASE: the whole war was a fucking scam - a lie, alright! NONE OF YOU kids should have had to fight - especially the ones who actually did! And you never will again! So just - fucking stay out of it and just be kids, living the happy little lives you actually deserve! You deserve to be free, to be normal. No trauma, no grief, no Keyblades! Just...finding a place in the world, like anybody else! So go through the portal and do that, for the love of god! Or I'm going to start casting some magic again here!"
All the wielders looked to Ephemer, in the silence that followed.
Ephemer looked back at them all, seeming surprised and sad, more than anything. But he drew himself up, tugging at his scarf. "I'm sorry, but what Master Luxu's saying is all true!" he said loudly. "What we were fighting for, the Unions, all of it was planned for us by the Master of Masters. The war was just a part of his scheme, and us? We were just playing our parts for him. We were made to hate each other, to fight each other! And we Dandelions...maybe we weren't really the lucky ones after all, for being spared. Chosen to continue on. But we're all here now, and we all have a chance to make better lives for ourselves - free and true. No more Unions, no more fighting, no more grief, and sadness, and anger! That, at least, is something I KNOW Master Ava would have wanted for us...and what Master Luxu wants for us, too. It's what Ava tried so hard to do - to undermine the Master of Master's plans...FOR OUR SAKES! So please...let's head into the future together. A peaceful, brighter future! A future with no war - a future BEYOND war!"
The Dandelions slowly started to obey, moving toward Luxu's portal thing.
Ephemer strode through the crowds, reaching the lone Kat (and Cassiopeia). "Hey. What do you say we take her someplace better?" he said, smiling down at the baby. "Scala's a beautiful place, with more free living space than you could dream of, by now. Not to mention, it should still have everything you could need to take care of her. We can get her some blankets, get you to a fireplace - anything you're going to need. There's plenty of shops."
Kat looked up at him, uncertain. She looked to Kairi - then to Luxu. She nodded, rising to her feet. She strode carefully over to the portal, stopping before it. Ephemer came up behind her, placing a hand on her back. Kat still looked to Luxu again, lingering. "You promise it's safe?" she spoke.
Luxu looked taken aback, for some reason, in that moment. Then he nodded and flashed a wide smile. "Safest place anyone could ever be right now, yeah. I promise."
Kat looked to the pink orb, and raised a hand to it. It flashed brightly, and she and her baby vanished into particles of light.
Luxu blew a breath of relief, setting his hand on a hip. He nodded to Ephemer. "Go with them; look after them. I'll inform some people about the situation, and we'll check in on you after things are over."
Ephemer gave a nod. Then, a grin. "That was my promise to them." He looked to Kairi, his grin shifting into a heartfelt smile. "Thank you - Kairi. You and...Master Luxu, both. Even if this isn't everyone yet, it's more than I could have dreamed of."
"You're welcome," Kairi said simply, smiling back. "And, hey: as soon as this is over, I'll grab Skuld, and Amaya, and tell them- you're back."
The "boy" looked back at her, clearly touched. "Thanks again, then, Kairi. I'll look forward to that," he said - which was probably one of the most understated things ever. Then he turned and walked toward the portal, vanishing into it with the others.
Kairi and Luxu remained, until Second District's denizens filtered out - down to nothing. Not a soul left but them.
Luxu twirled his weapon and aimed it at his portal again; it shimmered with energy, its core flashing orange. "Alright - you ready? We've got to stop by Yen Sid's for a second, and probably old Eraqus, too, but...then we're off to save a world. It would just really suck to leave a bunch of kids on an empty, pristine world and not tell anyone they were there, you know?"
Kairi nodded. "Right. Good thinking. Let's go!"
Sora leapt forward, slashing and twirling his Keyblade, cutting through several Heartless at once and blasting the others away with an explosion and lightning bolts!
But...they just kept coming.
He ducked and batted a Neoshadow away with an armored arm - then he paused, grinning to himself. The armor really did help, didn't it? He turned and slid forward in a blur of motion, kicking through the Neoshadow with burning energy, disintegrating it. he hopped to his feet again, stumbling and huffing, his free hand going to his knee.
He straightened up and looked up at the sky - seeing all the Heartless still coming out of the stormy sky. More and more and more...
There was never going to be an end to it, was there?
Maybe it was all just-
A flaming spiked chakram flew past him, striking a Large Body and exploding, sending it flying backwards.
Sora whirled, seeing Lea hurrying up the street. The man raised a hand to summon his weapon back - well, one of two. "Hey!" Sora said, drawing himself up and racing to meet him.
"Yo, Sora!" the guy greeted, giving him a little salute and a grin. "Don't stop moving, or the darkness will overtake you - got it memorized?"
Sora felt a surge of emotion in his Heart. Not his feelings - couldn't be. But... "Got it," he replied brightly, grinning back. He leapt forward in a flash, slashing his weapon.
Lea leapt back and out of the way, gaping in shock and confusion. "HEY, what's the big-"
Sora came slashing down through a lunging Neoshadow, landing with a heavy thud of his armored boots. He stood up again, turning back to the guy.
"-idea..." Lea finished. He let out a woosh of air, waving one of his weapons about in his hand. "Don't scare me like that, okay? A little warning next time would be appreciated!" He paused, then laughed and shook his head. "Still not used to even having a Heart that can get the bejeezus scared out of it again..."
"Keep moving and you won't have that problem," Sora replied, raising a fist to thump at his armored chest.
"Now you're just rubbing it in," Lea retorted, exasperated. "But - gotcha. I'll take my own advice." He turned and quickly threw out a weapon, sending it spinning through several approaching Heartless.
"Let's go, then!" Sora said, turning to race down the streets.
Lea followed after him swiftly, his weapons at his sides.
They turned a corner into a small plaza, with a little fountain and some benches, surrounded by shops and multiple intersecting cobblestone streets - where one of those Darksides was waiting for them.
It was one of those weird purple ones, instead of the usual black ones. Though, Sora was sort of glad Terra and some of the others were the ones handling that huge black one with the wings, that stood taller than any of the buildings by a huge margin!
Sora immediately ran at the Heartless. It slammed its arm down on the ground and sent out a shockwave, which he jumped over, continuing forward. He went into Ars Arcanum, his blade glowing with light as he began to rapidly slash and bash away at the Heartless's hand!
Lea stood back, throwing his weapons at its face from afar, calling them back repeatedly and doing it again. Every time they hit, they detonated with great explosions that flashed in the night.
Sora came out of his special attack with a final crashing blow, drawing his breath in and straightening. He looked up at the Heartless just in time to see its other arm come swinging around for him! He jumped up into a high backflip, sailing over it and coming down again. Then he ran forward and leapt up high, soaring into the air again. He drew his blade back and slashed at its face directly, twirling and flipping around, leaving streaks of energy in the air that staggered the giant Heartless. He gave one last twist in the air and put all his might into a fierce kick, sending the Heartless falling back to the ground with a crash!
He dropped down onto its torso, twisting his blade around and stabbing it straight down with a burst of energy!
Lea flipped up onto it as well, slashing and twirling madly, enveloping the whole Heartless in flames!
They turned and nodded to each other, then leapt up high into the air as one. Lea spun his chakrams in front of him, as Sora did the same with his Keyblade. Sora thrust his weapon down at the Heartless, sending out a beam of white energy; Lea sent out twin streams of flames from the face of his weapons down at the enemy as well.
The Heartless writhed and roared, trying to get up again, raising an arm to block their attacks - whether on purpose or not! It gave another roar, its chest hole lighting up, and a barrage of purple energy orbs flew out of its chest for them, homing and gaining speed as they came!
Sora cast Reflect, while Lea twisted in the air and darted off to land on a nearby rooftop.
The energy orbs missed Lea, and thankfully only hit Sora's barrier, exploding on contact.
But the Heartless wasn't done; it did the same move again, and then again, and again - filling the air with over a dozen orbs!
Sora held his barrier in place in the air as the assault came; he was sent backwards in the air, his barrier cracking and straining. He cried out, its surface shimmered, and then it exploded outward with power, casting the orbs away into the air. He dropped down to the ground again - and immediately had to roll away from a slamming hand of the Heartless's! Sora retaliated with a Firaga, which struck it in the chest and caused it to jerk backwards with a great flash of light and orange fires.
Lea spun and hurled his weapons out from the side, hitting the Heartless in the side of the head and burning right through it with a burst of smoke!
The Heartless shuddered, raising its arms, and then it exploded into nothingness.
Sora let a breath go, but didn't lower his weapon. Or his guard.
Lea came leaping down to land beside him, letting out a breath of his own. "So, do you think this is ever going to-"
A roar echoed out, and they both turned to see the towering winged Darkside being felled - by what looked like the combined efforts of Terra, Ven, Dilan, Cloud, and someone's magical blasts from below (Aerith's maybe? She was the best mage Sora knew!).
"-end?"
"Haha, yes!" Sora exclaimed. "Now nobody has to worry about that thing anymore, at least."
"Don't break out the cakes and coffee just yet; it's not over until that icky sky is blue again - or at least not all icky with darkness," Lea said with a sigh.
"Right, I know! Just-"
Purple lightning bolts flashed in the sky again, streaming down and curving to meet one another from different directions. The clouds burst open, and a dark orb flew down again from them. It came down rapidly, stopping above what looked like the central square - where Terra and the others all were. It grew and burst open, revealing a huge, armored wolf-looking Heartless! The monster landed on the ground with a heavy thud that resounded across the city, shaking the ground itself.
"Well that doesn't look good for them!" Lea exclaimed, alarmed.
"Let's get back there and help them out, then!" Sora said, already running forward.
"Hey, kid-!" Lea called after him.
If he was going to tell Sora not to help his friends-
Another huge orb came dropping down, right in front of Sora!
He skidded to a stop, gasping. Staring as the orange energy exploded out of it, revealing a new, rapidly forming Heartless.
It was a huge, quadrupedal beast Heartless, of purple skin with magenta tendrils, and glowing blue lines along its flank and on its face. It had a long, thin tail with spikes on it, and around its two front legs were...metal chains? Like it had escaped from somewhere? But Sora didn't see any kind of emblem on it that would have marked it as some kind of- artificial experiment or-
"LOOK OUT!" Lea's voice shouted, as the giant Heartless leapt forward with slashing claws in a blur!
The Heartless's clawed limb slammed into Sora, sweeping him aside!
He rolled and stopped in a clinking of armor, gasping for air. Wondering what had even hit him, really... He got to his feet again, wobbling. He looked down at himself, seeing cracks in his armor now - but it was still in one piece, mostly-
The Heartless leaped at him again, suddenly!
Sora dove out of the way this time, rolling and coming up with his weapon in hand.
The Heartless slammed into and broke through the front of a shop building. The roof and walls caved in on it, dust kicking up. Darkness exploded, blue flames rippling off the monster, casting the debris away and freeing it. It whipped back around, its tail tearing up more of the building without care, its glowing eyes fixing on Sora and Lea again.
"I get the feeling this thing's going to be a lot harder to take down than a Darkside..." Sora murmured, tightening his grip on his weapon.
"Ya think?" Lea responded, hurrying over to Sora's side again. He took a step back and raised his weapon in front of him, his eyes fixed on the creature's face. "Maybe we should get some backup..."
Suddenly, a flying, glowing figure of a pinkish aura came down from above, swinging a huge weapon with spikes on the end of it. They bashed the Heartless on the head, and a rush of blue flames spread out to envelop its body, as a shockwave rippled out below it from the force! The building's debris was vaporized, and the ones next to it were blown apart too, collapsing. The figure flipped up off the Heartless, sailing down to land next to Sora and Lea.
Then, in the next moment, a huge swirling shuriken of energy flew down to strike and spin against the Heartless's face before flying back into the air - where it was caught by a twirling, flipping Yuffie! The girl came down to land on Sora's right, doing the splits and striking a pose before getting up again.
"And the great ninja Yuffie nails her heroic entrance, dazzling and enchanting those she's saved - the monster's would-be victims!" the girl said to herself gleefully. She sidled up to Sora and gave him an elbow in the ribs, along with a grin. "Hey, dude - nice armor!"
"Hey!" Sora replied, beaming at her. "And, thanks!"
"Isa..." Lea spoke, turning as the other figure rose up tall - the one with the huge weapon.
Long blue hair hung, framing a face with an X scar, and eyes of strange, pale glowing yellow. Almost like the Heartless themselves, Sora thought.
Lea gripped his weapon tighter, his eyes narrowing intently at the other man's face. "Isa...are you- still you?" he spoke, tense.
Isa turned his head, gazing at Lea with those pure, empty eyes, that aura fluttering around him. Then, the man gave a single, slow nod.
"That is so awesome..." Yuffie said, in hushed tones.
"Okay," Lea murmured. "Let's do this, then."
Sora didn't really know what was going on - but he was glad for the backup!
The four of them faced the Heartless together.
They ran forward to engage it before it could make another move against them! It swept its yellow eyed gaze across them, then blitzed forward and swung a claw of purple flames! They all leapt up over it, flying past the Heartless and scattering: Lea hurled his chakrams at it from the left; Isa swung and dragged his spiked weapon against its right flank; Sora came down in front of it and gave a swift uppercut at its face before backflipping away again; and Yuffie went high, doing a strange rapid motion with her hands before slamming them together. Smoke burst out of her hands, and suddenly there were two dozen copies of her hovering in the air!
The Yuffies? all twisted and twirled, then flew down for the Heartless with weapons poised and glowing!
The Heartless raised its head and leapt up at them, going into a spinning frontflip like a buzzsaw, casting off dark energy! It tore through several Yuffie clones, causing them to disappear in smoke! The others slashed at the monster's sides as they passed it, throwing their weapons as one. The Heartless came out of its spin, hovering in the air for an eternal moment.
Sora thrust his Keyblade upward, sending out a quick beam of light for its underbelly!
Lea threw his chakrams up at the same spot - and Isa...the guy bent his knees and rocketed up into the air, spinning and twirling his weapon with a crimson glow. He roared out and gave a mighty upward swing, striking the Heartless's underside!
The Heartless's body shuddered, energy waves flew out across the sky - and then it shot up high into the air, flying dozens of feet up past Yuffie's clones!
The clones all disappeared, and a single, real Yuffie dropped down next to Sora with a triumphant noise. She held her weapon low and then cast it upward, spinning with blue energy toward the Heartless.
Sora, Lea, and Yuffie's attacks all continued assailing the Heartless-
But it wasn't enough!
The Heartless began to fall again, faster and faster - until it slammed into the ground like an anvil, rocking the earth, shattering stone, and sending out dust up and down the streets!
Sora braced himself, coughing and holding an arm in front of him.
He squinted through the dust, and saw those yellow eyes...shift into burning red?
Isa's glowing frame flew at the Heartless from the right, swinging his great weapon at it again!
Those eyes darted away and around Isa in a streak of crimson, and then Isa was suddenly sent flying down the street, skidding on the ground.
Yuffie twirled her weapon and raised it high, causing a mini tornado to form out of green magicks; the dust was sucked up and cast out into the sky, clearing the street.
But the Heartless...it was invisible?
Invisible, except for those red, glowing eyes!
Sora held his weapon up before him, gritting his teeth and preparing himself. He shifted his stance-
And suddenly, a white light shined in the sky, casting away the dark clouds and purple lightning!
All of it was swept away, revealing the normal, blue skies again, clear and true.
A thin, powerful pillar of burning white energy flew down from above, striking right in front of the castle - the central square? Then suddenly there were waves of white energy washing out across the city, like ripples in a pond! They raced over the buildings, down the streets, pulsing and warbling - and disintegrating the Heartless they swept across! Even the giant, invisible Heartless in front of Sora - he watched it get enveloped in the energy waves as they repeatedly passed over it, he watched as it began to glow bright from within...and then it exploded into smoke with a fading roar!
They didn't affect anyone or anything but the Heartless, it seemed like.
After a few moments, though, the waves ceased, and the pillar in the city's center thinned and disappeared.
Sora looked at Yuffie, and Lea, and Isa (who now looked normal again - and with a pretty shocked look on his face). "Okay, now we definitely have to get to the square!" Sora declared, beaming and racing off with renewed vigor.
The others followed after him, keeping up!
It didn't take them long to navigate the empty streets now. Soon enough, Sora was rounding a corner and running out into the open square. He looked around it, then down into the plaza itself, the lowered ground with the four ramps. He saw a lot of faces he recognized, of course - there was Terra and Ven, Cloud, Aerith, Dilan, Ansem The Wise - and two that hadn't been there before. One of them was Master Luxu, and the other-
"Kairi!" he called out, stumbling as he made to dispel his armor, while at the same time racing down the ramp!
She turned swiftly, spotting him - her face breaking into a beaming smile. "Sora!" she cried. Then she was running forward, too - coming to meet him!
They did meet, there in the square, at the foot of the ramp; Kairi kept running, even after Sora stopped, slamming right into him and hugging him around the neck!
"Oof! Good to see you again, too!" Sora gasped, hugging her back.
Kairi held onto him for a long few moments, before finally letting go and pulling away. She gazed at him, in the eyes, smiling still, her own blue eyes shining softly. Her hands traveled down his arms, to grasp his.
"So, I guess if you're here now, then that means you helped those people in the Sleeping Worlds you wanted to help...?" Sora went on, smiling back at her.
Kairi nodded. "Yes. Luxu did most of the work - but, yeah, we did. Though, we got back here so fast because we also got Namine's message," she added.
Huh? Namine had sent out some kind of message? Well, made sense that Sora wouldn't have heard it: he was obviously already here! "That's good - we really needed some reinforcements. But, uh, who were the people you helped, exactly? You didn't exactly say..." Sora hedged.
Kairi tilted her head at him, her smile shifting. "The Dandelions."
"The- Dandelions? Like, Ven and Lauriam and- from the Keyblade War?" Sora said slowly.
"Yes, those Dandelions," Kairi said, with great satisfaction in her voice. A joy, a relief, an excitement shining on her face, too. "We-"
"Hey, stop making goo-goo eyes at each other and come over here!" Luxu's voice called out, interrupting. "We need to make a plan of attack here before I possibly kick a bucket!"
Kairi startled, jerking her hands away and whirling around. She glanced at Sora, then raced for the middle of the square to meet with the others.
Sora went to join them all quickly, trying to act normal after realizing he'd sort of just been totally holding hands with Kairi in public...! Not that that was the most important thing to focus on right now (and he had already actually been kissed by her in front of his friends before too), but- anyways! Yeah!
"Right - sorry - what's the plan here, then?" Kairi spoke quickly, eyeing Luxu with a level of warmth and respect that sort of surprised Sora. But, then, he guessed they must have been doing a lot in those Sleeping Worlds, since he'd obviously found her, and then they'd gone on to find and help the rest of the...Dandelions.
Sora was just happy to see her softer side back again, at least for Master Luxu. Honestly, he liked her when she was all fierce and strong and- well- but he also liked her kindness, her compassion, her understanding side, too. He really liked it...
"Well, that attack I just pulled off just about drained my reserves to almost empty," Luxu was saying, sighing as he looked at Kairi. "It was already getting lower and lower after the Sleeping Worlds, and then the whole fight with my Master just sucked it down waaaay more than I'd have liked it to be. And now, after saving the Dandelions, and what I just did..." He shrugged, spreading his hands at them all. "I'm not getting away with throwing up a giant city-enclosing barrier again. Not with that level of strength or complexity. I mean, I could manage a medium strength, basic one, but even that, I'd say I'd only be able to hold it for about half an hour or so. Maybe less. I'm on fumes, guys."
Kairi leaned over and patted the man on the arm. "You don't have to do everything for us - there's a lot of people here who can pick up the slack. And - what about Amaya? Didn't you say she was about as strong as you?"
"Yeah, but she's not here, and I'm not sure if she's quite that-" Luxu began.
A dark portal suddenly opened up, and out of it came-
"Oh, hey, Riku!" Sora said, waving and grinning. "Guess what? Kairi's back - again!"
Riku stopped. He turned his head - facing right toward Kairi. He hesitated, then he gave a small smile. "I noticed before you even said anything. I sm- sensed her Heart. It's hard to miss."
"Wait, sorry, were you going to say you smelled me?" Kairi said loudly, stepping forward, her face etched with incredulity. And maybe a bit of offense.
"Hey, I bet we all smell - we've been doing a lot of non-stop fighting recently, and-" Sora started quickly.
"No, I wasn't going to say that - way to read into things, Kairi!" Riku interrupted, setting a hand on a hip and turning away, waving his free hand. "Pfft."
"Actually, you-" echoed the familiar voice of Cognis.
"Shut up!" Riku exclaimed over her, his face flushing.
"And that is still a thing that exists..." Luxu's voice came, tight and controlled, as he looked at Riku. He looked really tense, like he was actually grinding his teeth and everything now.
"Hey - remember: no racism!" Kairi said firmly, jabbing him in the arm with a finger.
"Ow. Right. Because across time and space, after all the terrible shit I've been and done, the one thing I'm not going to want to let anyone call me is racist..." Luxu murmured out, looking away.
"Uh, yeah! Racism is pretty awful!" Kairi exclaimed. "And pointless, and stupid, and irrational, and-"
"I get it - I know!" Luxu exclaimed right back, throwing up his hands. He winced, lowering them and reaching over himself to rub at his shoulder. "Can I just have five seconds to try and come to terms with the fact that-"
"Oh...of course the source of that power would be you!" a voice called out, rough and low.
"Huh?" Sora turned, as did everyone else. He spotted a guy up on a rooftop, overlooking the square. It was a guy in a Radiant Garden uniform, with long dark hair and wearing an eyepatch. Oh, right: that was the actual guy, Braig, wasn't it? The guy Luxu had- well- done a terrible thing to, and taken his life and body from him. Like Xehanort had to Terra.
Luxu turned too, his gaze lifting to the man on the roof. His hand shook and curled at his side, Sora saw - then it relaxed again. "Yep!" he called out, in a high, cheery voice. "I'm sorry to disappoint you!"
"Braig - come down here, if you would!" Ansem called, stepping forward.
The man, Braig, shifted on the roof and sat back on it in a lazy position - an arm raising, holding a glowing magic arrowgun. "No offense, boss, but I think I'll stay up here for now - with these right here in my hands! You know I'm a good scout; I can pull lookout duty for those Heartless whatever-you-call-its!"
Ansem frowned, but then he nodded. "As you were, then!"
Braig raised a hand, giving a thumbs-up. "Thanks, boss man!"
"Fucker's going to shoot me in the back the first chance he gets..." Luxu muttered darkly. "It's not enough to have to worry about Heartless, or Maleficent, or that other Darkness...god fucking dammit Ihatemylife..."
"I'm sure he wouldn't-" Kairi started softly.
"It only takes one, good, surprise shot," Luxu cut across, surprisingly fierce, his voice low. "And with as beat to hell as I am right now...one good shot will take me out, one way or the other."
"Then go to Land of Departure! Rest, get some potions in you!" Kairi said, in an insistent tone. "It doesn't sound like you're going to be much help here as it is, does it? So just go. Or go to Scala Ad Caelum and help look after the Dandelions!"
Luxu blanched. He sighed heavily, ending in a cough. He wiped at his mouth, shook his head. "Look, I just..." he began.
"We're not alone Luxu! You're not alone anymore! Just get that through your head! You don't have to-" Kairi started furiously, grabbing the man's arm.
Suddenly, bursting light and warbling noises filled the central square.
Sora whirled, staring all around himself as Light Portals started to appear all over!
Out of one portal came Ira, Invi, Skuld and Elrena!
Another, near that one: Lauriam, along with Strelitzia.
A third portal to Sora's left opened up, and striding out of it together were three armored figures. The helmets vanished in flashes of light, revealing those kids - Xehanort's friends: Urd, Hermod, and Vor!
A good distance off to the right - Aced and Gula, the other two Foretellers, and ancient Keyblade Masters. Both of them stopped, turning to look back at the portal suddenly.
"Is she coming, or are we just leaving her behind...?" Gula spoke.
"I'm sure she's-" Aced started.
A roaring noise of an engine echoed, and then a motorcycle came flying out of the portal - and atop it was Kana, her hair fluttering, her laughter ringing out. She spun around Aced and Gula before skidding to a stop, planting a foot on the ground sharply.
"Tell me I didn't miss any of the fighting! It looked incredible in that vision!" the woman exclaimed, staring around at them all, her lips spread into a wide, sort of scary grin.
"Yes, you did, actually," Luxu said flatly. "Sorry. Go pout about it up in the-"
A new light suddenly flashed in the square, drawing all eyes to it.
Sora stared in confusion; it wasn't a round, Light Portal, it was more like a...glowing, shimmering golden, rectangular - doorway? A doorway of light? "Huh...?"
A lone shape emerged out of the strange doorway of light - resolving itself into a familiar figure, at least. A girl, of short black hair and pink eyes that seemed to glow. She held a Keyblade down at her side - but raised it up to stare at it for a moment, frowning. She shook her head and smiled, then, lowering it again. "Thanks, I guess..." she murmured.
"Huh?! E-Erin? Don't tell me that's-" Riku exclaimed, starting forward.
"Don't tell you what?" the girl who was definitely Erin replied, starting forward as well. She met Riku in the middle.
"How can you be here? What-" Riku sputtered on.
The girl laughed, shaking her head and brushing at her hair. She held her Keyblade up again. "I dunno - I just heard that message and saw that a world really needed some extra help, and I wanted to be that help, and then...this thing gave me a path here, I suppose?" She shrugged her shoulders.
"Are you sure about this?" Riku said quietly. "You just got your life back, you-"
"Hey, what, do you think I've been sitting on my ass sipping champagne the past few weeks?" Erin said, half teasing, half serious. "I've been risking my life for my own world, thank you very much - and I'll come and risk it for someone else's, if I've got the ability to do it! Just like you and Terra did for mine! That's the whole reason I'm even allowed to be back in the world of the living, remember? So let me repay the favor, alright?"
Riku stood silently, struggling. Then he sighed, and nodded. "Okay."
"Not that I needed your permission or anything like that - but thanks," Erin replied, crossing her arms - her whole Keyblade swinging across her body in the process.
"Sorry..." Riku offered feebly, blushing now and bowing his head. "I just- you're a friend, you know that?"
The girl grinned now, her eyes shining. "So are you - but you never saw me whining and trying to stop you from interfering in my world-"
"That's because you were dead!" Riku said, in a high voice of disbelief.
"Exactly!"
"...That doesn't even make- sense..."
"And that is how I win, and you lose," the girl said sweetly, turning away and stalking off to join the rest of them in the center of the square. "Hey, Kairi! Sora."
"Hey," Kairi greeted, giggling.
"Hey," Sora echoed, giving Erin a smile. "Good to-"
Light swirled in the square again, near the middle this time: out of it strode...eh, the time traveling Xehanort, and the woman, Amaya, friend of Skuld, and also a Dandelion. And also...apparently she'd been a lot of things, was the point! Anyways!
"Sorry we're late," Amaya spoke out, her voice calm and ringing. She turned her head, giving a pointed look at Xehanort - the young time traveler one. "We got...held up."
Xehanort flushed, turning his head aside with a little "pfft" noise. Then he spotted his friends, and immediately stalked over to them, his face flashing with alarm. Worry. Fear. "What are you three doing here?" he hissed. "Are you trying to throw away your lives as soon as you got them back?"
"Whether we want to keep being Keyblade wielders or not," Urd started, clear and firm. "we decided we couldn't just sit back and wait while people were in trouble."
"And now you're here, aren't you?" Vor spoke up, stepping up to Xehanort. "We're all here together. The way we belong."
Xehanort looked at Urd, then down at Vor, his lips parting. His eye twitching. Then he looked to Hermod. "Tell me you're not actually still this stupid. I don't remember you being this stupid - but then, loss and longing can taint memories, can't they?"
Hermod shrugged, flashing a smile and putting his hands in the pockets of his long green robe. "I don't want to jinx us, but I just figured, you know...one last hurrah?"
Xehanort blinked at the other boy. "...Oh my goodness you actually are, and always have been, this stupid."
"Yeah? And what are you doing here, you little shit?" Luxu spoke up, striding over to face the young man. The young Xehanort. "What do you think you're gonna do? No powers, no Keyblade?"
"He does have a Keyblade again - and access to his powers," Amaya spoke calmly. "He broke his seal."
"WHAT?" Luxu exclaimed.
"He broke it to save Riku's life," Amaya stated firmly.
"Actually, it was more to save the lives of my friends - and yourself, of course - but-" Xehanort began.
"Quiet, child," Amaya scolded, turning with narrowed brown eyes.
"He did...save my life, actually," Riku spoke up, raising his hand awkwardly. "He was a bit of a dick about it, yeah, but - come on, he's Xehanort, right? I knew Ansem- err, his Heartless pretty well, and we all know how he was. Right?"
Everyone stared at Riku.
Riku probably felt it, blind or not, from the force of all those gazes alone. Because he definitely cringed in on himself, dropping his arm limply to his side. "...Forget it?"
Sora snickered, unable to help himself. Kairi couldn't help a giggle, either, so Sora felt better about himself in that moment.
"Ahem," a woman's voice was cleared, and heeled shoes stepped forward. It was- Invi, right! The ancient master, with the long, shimmering hair of lilac. "Just to confirm, we all received the same message, then?"
"From Namine? Yeah," Luxu nodded. He looked around, frowning. "But where the actual hell is she? And what the fuck is wrong with YOU?!" he went on furiously, striding toward Lauriam suddenly. "My Master fucking threatens her, and you just - what - left her sitting alone at home?!"
"I wasn't aware your Master threatened her, obviously," Lauriam defended, in even tones - though his eyes narrowed, after blinking in surprise. "I did leave her and Roxas behind at my place, though, yes. I didn't think you'd be any happier to see them come here with me. About as unhappy as I am that Strelitzia here managed to convince me to let her come along, I imagine..." he concluded, with a little frown down at his sister.
The girl in question flushed, but raised her head and tried to look firmly back at the man.
"Alright..." Luxu said, slowly relaxing again. Nodding to Lauriam. "Well, in this specific circumstance, yeah, I'd prefer it if she came here, actually. So - Namine - if you're screwing around in my Heart again, I am actually giving you permission to come here. Right now, in fact."
He waited, looking around himself, raising an arm to gesture.
A long silence filled the square.
"Are you crazy or something?" Kana called out, in amused tones, her lips curving.
Luxu whirled, gritting his teeth and glaring at her. "No. I'm just- where the hell is that girl?!" he shouted out in frustration - and a little worry, now.
"...Waiting for the perfect moment to make a really, really awesome and dramatic entrance!" a high voice echoed out across the square, from everywhere and nowhere. "Because if there's one thing I actually learned from you, Luxu, it's PRESENTATION!"
A Light Portal burst to life on one side of the square, and out of it came...lines of trooping, blade-wielding silvery beings! Nobodies, right?! They marched out and spread out into a half-circle. Then came a flood of squiggly, flying forms. And then, twirling, flipping pink-colored Nobodies, wearing bell bottom pants, beanie hats, and with singular, long strands of flesh hanging from their heads that looked like braids of hair!
"What the..." Elrena started, unable to even finish her sentence.
Finally, Namine came bursting out of the portal, her arms raised, swirling with icy mist, as she did a spin that flowed a long blue dress around her. She wobbled and righted herself, almost falling over, her heels clicking. "Dammit - ow!" she swore, glaring down at her feet. She growled, then lifted her foot and ripped off her heel and tossed it away. Then she did the same for the other. She straightened up with a swinging mess of hair in her face, turning back to look at the portal. "Roxas, come on, your cue was like twenty seconds ago!" she hissed out toward it.
"Oh...sorry..." echoed the lone, dull voice. Roxas came trudging out of the portal, looking around himself. "Hi."
A dozen of those odd sword wielding Nobodies broke their line, moving forward and adopting a spiral pattern of smooth motion around Roxas. The pink female looking Nobodies flipped and twisted toward Namine, leaping over her and grasping each other's hands and legs to toss each other about in intricate routines and-
"NO, NO! STOP - JUST STOP!" Namine cried, raising a hand and shaking her head fiercely at them all. "Just forget it, everybody, it's too late now! We tried, but...it's- it's not going to work out anymore! The timing is all off!"
"We would still like to dance," came a soft, female voice on the air, with a strange sensation jolting through Sora's Heart and mind.
"You're Dancers, that's all you do!" Namine exclaimed, exasperated.
"Exactly."
"Ugh...do whatever you want - but it's over, okay? Just- OOF!" Namine's words were cut off, as Luxu suddenly teleported straight in front of her - and then grabbed her into a hug. "Luxu, are you trying to choke me to death?! I just got this body!"
"Oops - sorry - of course not! It's just-" Luxu backtracked, immediately letting her go and stepping away.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just - uh - can we all focus here now?" Luxu said, coughing loudly and turning away from Namine.
Namine beamed, hugging him tight from behind before letting go again. She looked around the square, her smile growing wider still. "People actually came!" she said excitedly. Relieved.
"Yeah, apparently they did," Luxu agreed, with a note to his voice that sounded a lot like the same kind of pride Sora's mom had with him, when he did something great. "So you really did all this? Reached out to all these people?"
"Yes! It wasn't just you and Kairi - I reached out to all the Hearts I could, tracing one to the other, asking them to come and help us! Even Hearts connected to other Hearts," Namine said with satisfaction.
"Well good job. Now-"
"Oh, that's not everyone."
Luxu did a double take. "You have more?"
"Do you want more?" Namine said.
Luxu looked around again. He shrugged. "All things considered - we might need the extra help, yeah."
Namine grinned. "Then I might have more. It depends on who actually answers my call...we just have to wait a bit, I think."
"Alright, then-" Luxu started.
A shining light suddenly flashed in the sky, coming down like a- an actual, blue comet of energy!
Everyone turned, drawing weapons and tensing.
The comet hit the ground with a flash...and when it faded, three figures were in a heap on the ground. Three people Sora recognized!
It was King Mickey, along with Goofy, and Donald!
"Oh, good! We made it, fellas! And it looks like just in time, too!" Mickey exclaimed, untangling himself and leaping to his feet. Goofy got up as well, helping Donald to his feet too.
"I hate that blasted thing..." Donald croaked, glaring at the Star Shard in Mickey's hand.
"I dunno, I think it's kinda fun," Goofy said with a smile. "It's excitin', at least!"
"There's one more," Namine remarked, with a little giggle into her hand. "Now what about..."
She looked around the square. She held her breath, then raised a hand, showing all five fingers. She started to count down. "Okay, watch this: five...four...three...two...one!"
Silence. Stillness.
"Shit," Namine huffed, stomping her foot and lowering her hand.
"Hey - what'd I say about cussing? If the school calls me up one more time, I swear to fu-" Luxu started.
"You do it all the time! You are literally doing it in this conversation!" Namine argued.
"There is no conversation about this. Just, for once, do what I-"
"What the-!" Riku exclaimed, catching Sora's attention. Riku raised his arm up sharply, as a light flashed in his palm. His Keyblade appeared with a woosh, blowing at his hair. The weapon vibrated, glowing, and then Riku swung his arm out jerkily, aiming the weapon out into a clear space in the square.
"Uh, Riku, what are you doing?" Sora said, staring.
"It's not me, it's the- Keyblade!" Riku said.
"Let it do what it wants to do," Terra said calmly, starting forward. "Trust your weapon, Riku."
"R-right? Sure, fine...Okay..." Riku murmured out quickly, taking in a breath and letting it go again. His arm steadied, his grasp on the handle relaxing somewhat. "Alright, do whatever you're even-"
The end of the weapon swirled with light, and a beam shot out of it. It stopped at some random distance away, in mid air, and the air flashed there like the beam had hit an invisible barrier. A blue and white light bloomed on the ground, rising up and shining, forming an archway - no, a doorway. Then, the light began to fade, and an actual door took shape? A door of gold and white, with gemstones in it, and a fancy handle. It looked almost like the doors in land of Departure?
"That's weird," Sora said aloud. "Wonder what it leads to?"
Or...was it the other way around?
The door suddenly swung open with a scraping noise - and a figure burst out of it...twisting and stumbling, before falling onto the ground in a tangled mess.
"Ow..." came the low, moaning woman's voice as she rubbed at her ankle. "That wasn't the greatest-"
"...Aqua?" Ven said, staring.
Master Aqua, with those wings and horns and that long, long tail and all, suddenly looked up sharply toward Ven - and then to Terra. Then, she froze. Slowly, her eyes began to move around the square, taking everyone else in.
"There's another one," Namine said, pumping her fist to herself alone.
"Um...Master Aqua, you didn't look like that last time I saw you...?" Kairi started, hesitant and shocked. "What..."
"K-Kairi?" Aqua looked right at Kairi, her lips parting. Her cheeks flushed deep pink. She blinked at Kairi for a moment. Then she just dropped her head and literally threw up her hands, slumping on the ground. "Fine...I guess this is just how everyone gets to know about it..." she murmured through clenched teeth. Pointy teeth now, right, Sora remembered at the sight of them again. Aqua reached for her feet, tearing off and tossing her shoes across the square. Then she got up again, her long, black and blue gown flowing around her legs.
Aqua looked around, then turned to one side, hiding her tail behind her back and raising her hands to cover her horns. "PLEASE can everyone stop staring...!" she begged, in strained tones.
Terra nodded. Then he elbowed Ven pretty firmly.
"Ow! Hey, you were lookin', again, too...!" Ven grumbled out.
Kairi suddenly beamed, racing up to her Master and hugging her. "Aqua!"
"K-Kairi..." Aqua smiled uncertainly, lightly hugging her back. "Hi...I-"
"That's an amazing dress - where did you buy it?" Namine's voice exclaimed, high and breathy. "I neeeeeeed it!"
"O-oh, I- I didn't buy it, it was tailor made. For my..." Aqua clenched her jaw again, glancing around. Then she sighed. "...my coronation. That I am still mad at some people for ruining!" she went on tightly, her eyes glaring coldly at Terra.
"Coronation?! Wait, are you a-?!" Kairi exclaimed.
"Yes, I am a- a queen! Can we not go into it right now?" Aqua pleaded.
"So you were a princess this whole time?" Kairi went on, gushing. "I guess I wasn't the only warrior princess after all, huh, then, was I?"
Aqua waved a hand. "Oh, shush!" She pulled away, turning on her heel sharply. "Now: WHAT is going on here? All I heard was Namine asking for help - and an image of Radiant Garden in my mind. I wanted with all my Heart to come and help, with how urgent she made it sound, and then...that door appeared for me, and I was here."
"Uh - well, I guess your old Keyblade really wanted you here for this one," Riku murmured. The weapon flashed with light in his hand, as if in agreement with his words.
Aqua stared at her old weapon with a measure of fondness in her eyes, for a long moment. Then she gave a small laugh, and a nod. "Well...thank you," she said quietly. "But that doesn't explain why-"
"Maleficent decided to come here and try to steal my home again," Kairi said quickly. "Our home," she added, with a look at the residents of the world. "She got the Ultima Weapon. It's-"
"I know - I met with Ven and Terra earlier," Aqua stated. "And Riku..." she added.
"Wait, Riku? What was he even doing in your world anyways-" Sora began.
"We're not going into that right now, either," Aqua said firmly.
"Yes - we need to come up with some plan to defend this world, sooner rather than later," Cognis spoke up, as her form shimmered and took shape next to Riku.
"What is that?" Ira said, tensing and whirling to stare.
"...Darkness!" Lauriam hissed, his eyes narrowing to blue slits. His Keyblade appeared in his hand with a flash, and then, in a swirl of rose petals, he teleported - straight in front of Riku.
Where he swung his sword for Riku's neck before anyone could even react!