EPISODE 22: HEARTS OF LIGHT OR DARK [PART 1]
Summary: A girl from ANOTHER world accidentally ends up in this World of Mana, when a festival will advance to unexpected results.
A/N: Ever since the FFVII crossover chapters for this story, I might as well make a Kingdom Hearts crossover chapter because I love the two prominent characters of the franchise and foreshadowing upcoming multiple KH-related fanfiction apart from the KH X CA crossover… Like the previous FFVII AU-ish chapters, Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cross Ange or any of its characters or original plot, excluding the original characters I created for this story. This is a spin-off series of the main 'Cross Ange: Living Hell' story. Please read that before here.
Cross Ange and all its rights belong to King Records (Japan), Sentai Filmworks (USA), and Sunrise/ Bandai Namco Entertainment (Japan). This fanfiction is meant for entertainment only and not for profit. This story contains heavy language, blood and violence, and mild sexual themes not for audiences under 16-18 years old.
Other worlds and multiple versions of those worlds exist in the form of stars of the endless sky through universes. However, the knowledge of worlds and the method of travelling must only be kept by certain people who can withhold these secrets from those who unknowingly break the world order and receive uncertain but dire circumstances for themselves and their worlds. And worlds would be divided by planes of existence: The Realm of Light, Darkness, and Between. In one of those worlds stood an oddly majestically but floating castle in the middle of a null void filled with dark clouds all over with brown halls and turquoise roofs on the outside. This world is called, by the people who found it but unknown of its history, Castle Oblivion. Inside this world, which only bears multiple white-marbled rooms, is a lone occupant who can only stay on strict orders without permission. Sitting on its chair as always and sulking in sorrow, accompanied beside a floating cage of a doll she made of herself but with angel wings to represent her prison, is a young girl with long blonde hair draping some strands over her right shoulder, sad baby blue eyes, and wears a sleeveless white dress reaching to her thighs and blue sandals. This girl is Naminé.
'Naminé. You are a witch who controls the memories of Sora and those who connect with him. Your power will benefit us for our goals and Kingdom Hearts.' Naminé remembers the one thing that has stuck in her heart and mind since she was found by one of the Organization XIII members who ordered her to remain in Castle Oblivion for their plans. But that scares and saddens her, for she knows what she can do and why Organization XIII needs her.
"…I…I don't want to." Naminé openly pleaded, solemnly rising from her chair to stand closer to the cage holding her doll, her heart weighed heavily for her imprisonment unless she must help the Organization XIII members who shall be assigned to monitor her and the castle until the Keyblade Wielder Sora and his friends Donald and Goofy will arrive. When she was told who would monitor her, Naminé was more despaired for she was afraid of one or two of them: Number XI, Marluxia and Number XII, Larxene, but mostly the latter for openly being sadistic even if she was in a good mood, not only because of Organization XIII and its goals but also because her involvement will further put her down.
'Sora…even if he met…I don't want to hurt you nor anyone…' Naminé prayed with a sniffle, tempted to cry despite being a Nobody. Like her first day, she would sometimes or seldom have a visitor from the Castle That Never Was visit her to see if she was obedient in staying in her room. But she noticed they had yet to arrive, making her believe that someone might be late or unable to attend…hopefully, no one would come today for what she wished to try.
'I wish…to leave…' With her heart pleading and her mind recalling Organization XIII's method of teleportation, Naminé nervously raised her right arm, opening her hand in front of her and watched as a large burst of dark blue, violet and black mists of smoke materialised in front of her from the pool of darkness formed onto the floor and rises like an impeding void of matching colours and dark energy manifested as a portal. Naminé softly gasps in surprise, not expecting but hoping that she can summon a Corridor of Darkness like Organization XIII. Yet, the more she stares at the Corridor looming over her…, the more determined and desperate she is to escape from Castle Oblivion and Organization XIII.
Slowly but hurriedly, Naminé crept closer towards her Corridor of Darkness while occasionally looking around in case someone could be spying or ambushing her right before she quickly jumped over the portal, closing her eyes just in case. When she did…her mind immediately felt shut, and her body felt light, despite knowing the effects of travelling through darkness.
"Naminé has escaped from Castle Oblivion?" The voice of Organization XIII's seventh member and the organisation's second in command, Number VII/ Saix, exclaimed to some of his colleagues called to attend this high-priority meeting by their Superior for what just recently happened at Castle Oblivion, all seated in their respective chairs, each having different heights but towering over platform multiple feet below them to hover in the air. "That's impossible. We recently found her right after Sora unleashed his heart."
"Maybe Little Miss Damsel decided to take a little stroll but ended up outside her home. Maybe in another world where not even the hero has gone to." Number II/ Xigbar casually and mockingly spoke his curiosity that unmatched his cocky smile with a shrug of his shoulder as the laidback Nobody he is, reclining against his seat.
"A world where not even Sora and his friends travelled? Ridiculous." Number IV and the Organization XIII's scientist, Vexen, scoffed with a stern sneer.
"Vexen. Did you forget of countless worlds depending on the Planes of Existence, whether in the Realm of Light, Darkness and Between? Sora hasn't been to most of them, so it won't be surprising if Naminé ended up in one of them." Number VI and the first younger member before their 13th member's arrival, Zexion, elucidated with a collected or bored frown with a glimpse of Vexen's face, initially scrunching his annoyance at his direction for the sarcastic response before he looked away from the others in anger.
"The question remains is HOW she manages to escape." Number V, Lexaeus enquired as stoic as he presents, like the earth element he represents. However, he and the others looked up to their leader and Number I when he spoke.
"That is the least of our concerns," Xemnas reassured, his emotionlessly soft but wise voice boomed the room. "Naminé's power with the Keyblade's chosen and those connected with him are crucial for our goals. We cannot let this go out of our hands." Briefly looking around the meeting room, Xemnas faced two of his subordinates who didn't say a word. "Number XI and XII. You both will locate Naminé and bring her back to Castle Oblivion before your mission starts."
"Huh? So, it's getting the little witch back as our last chore before the big deal starts. Fine…" The lone female member of the organisation, Number XII/ Larxene, rudely relented with a groan but shrugged her shoulders, already planning on how to get back at the witch for this mission. Aware of his silence but ignoring him for whatever else they need to know, the pink-haired, blue-eyed man who the Superior entrusted him with Castle Oblivion and Naminé for their mission of luring the Keyblade hero and his two friends, all for their goals in Kingdom Hearts, silently pondered for this situation with his attention facing elsewhere by looking down.
'If Naminé is outside Castle Oblivion, my plan to overthrow the Organization will shift if not break with unfortunate results.' Marluxia realised, secretly scrunching his fingers against his palms into fists. He better find Naminé soon…or his plans will fail before he can even start.
When her vision blackened from using the Corridor of Darkness for the first time, Naminé initially felt nothing, but she was sure she was falling from the sky and crashed into a cold ocean. After that, Naminé cannot recall yet feeling a slowly growing spark in her system to feel she was sleeping and resting on top of a soft bed, feeling the warmth for the first time since her awakening as a Nobody. Despite the excruciating and cold pain in her body, Naminé can tell in her sleep that she is still alive, so that is good. She was about to open her eyes when her ears and brain made out some voices talking or arguing. Still, Naminé is mentally terrified of meeting the first group of people other than Organization XIII and how most of them sound upset, possibly towards her.
"…Rush, you don't really believe that what Willy said is true?" A young man's voice enquired.
"A girl glowing a golden light before falling from the sky and crashing into the sea? That sounds ridiculous." A woman's voice mused in scepticism and displeasure.
"But how would Willy catch her if she wasn't falling from the sky?" Another boy's voice timidly wondered in curiosity.
"And despite ending up in the ocean, she only received minimal damage." A woman's voice softly noted, with Naminé feeling a man's big leather-gloved hand gently patting her head. Still, the sensation of someone touching her made her scared to flinch in her sleep. "It's a good thing Willy rescued her. If not, her blood and heart levels would've dropped an hour ago."
"And it's suspicious that she showed up the night before the Six Nations Festival." The same distrustful-voiced woman further clarified.
"That's why I'll ask her myself so that we'll get the fucking answers." A man's voice, possibly the one comforting her, decided. Although the voice was surprisingly emotionless but cold, that again made Naminé shudder her fear, too afraid to wake up, and she heard the other people's voices muffling or groaning their apprehension for his stoic temper.
"Rush, you'll scare her with your behaviour." A deep, booming male voice objected with uncertainty.
"Red's right. Since you have bandages all over you, you are always angry and want to kill everyone, including your teammates, for no reason." The first boy's voice admitted with a nervous chuckle as if trying to lighten the mood.
"At least you got that damn right, Ammo." This Rush's voice coldly but proudly affirmed, again making the other people's voices soughed their mixed sadness, annoyance, or concern for his indifference when another unfamiliar man's voice reassured, trying to sound professional as a soldier despite their leader's terrifyingly dangerous responses… although his hand on her head is surprisingly soft and gentle. "Commander, let us talk with the girl. We'll get you the answers…"
Not wanting to hear more and delay what torture they would do to her, Naminé released a faint groan and yawn in pain, fidgeting against the sheets on the bed and tiredly blinking her blue eyes. However, the room's bright white light above her made her close her eyes with a muffled whine, nearly blinding her if not for the hand stroking her head to shield her eyelids from the light with a soft gasp from the gentle touch, seeing a black leather glove that helped reduce the blindness and reclaim her vision.
"Nod your head if you can open your eyes." Naminé heard Rush's voice reassuring her from above her, drastically different from when he talked with his people. Initially afraid of her predicament, Naminé could nod with a muffled whine of agreement and feel the hand unhurriedly moving from her eyes, closed for a few seconds until Naminé felt the hand resting on her forehead and slowly flutter her blue eyes.
Now seeing clearly and getting used to the white room's ceiling lights above their heads, Naminé glanced around her new surroundings to be a medical room, unlike Castle Oblivion's, with glimpses of the bluish-green curtains farther from her vision. The only face she can see looming above her, who could be Rush, is a tall and handsome man with short platinum blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and dressed in full white clothing from a white trench coat with faded-purple collars over a grey shirt and black tie and fingerless gloves with his left hand resting on Naminé's head and hair…
…but when she blinked her eyes once, Rush's appearance changed from what she saw into having bronze-blonde hair, white bandages shrouding his left eye and all over his from the neck down except for his right eye and left hand, which is the fingerless black glove on her head, different white clothing than what she saw earlier, most notably a pair of shorts above his knees revealing his bandaged legs and black combat boots, and a dangerously large and customised black gun hanging on his right hip. Unlike before, Rush's face bore an emotionlessly stoic glower that reminded Naminé of Saix or a cruel version of Roxas's dazed personality when she was told about his first few days in the Organization. But, his single right icy-blue eye is a dull blank with no traces of light and life, unlike the pair of matching blue eyes from that illusion…
Naminé softly gasped her astonishment at seeing the change in Rush's appearance, realising that the first one she saw was a hallucination and the bandaged form he has now is his real form. However, she immediately noticed something that made her frozen in surprise, confusing Rush, who saw his tamed pet cheetah tilt its head to its right in puzzlement. To Naminé…she senses Rush's heart is different than any other heart in her world or where she ended up now.
"Are you alright?" Both Rush's voice asking her and feeling him gently raising her to sit on the bed with his bandaged right hand and left gloved hand carefully holding her by her sides, luckily wearing her white summer dress, startled Naminé with a slight gasp and watched Rush slowly sit at the side of the bed, making sure not to bump both her and his pet cheetah also jumping at the end of the bed. Looking around the room again, she noticed the group of people who could be Rush's people, alongside a doctor and three nurses glancing at them with some glaring at Naminé in suspicion or jealousy on the nurses' faces, scaring her of them more than their leader.
"…Y…Yes." Naminé hurriedly and timidly responded with a shy nod towards Rush, seeing him subtly softened but still looking displeased or emotionless. "I'm sorry if I ended up here on accident. I…I don't remember how…"
"It's okay. Your arrival was unexpected and surprising; you fell from the sky and crashed into the ocean near our home, only to be rescued by our whale named Willy, who told us how he found you." Rush reassured, holding his left hand from Naminé's head to hold her back, feeling her strength nearly depleted to fall back on the bed. His words surprised Naminé, who looked around the room to see the people's reactions. Only Rush's cheetah, the giant man in red helmet and armour, the male doctor, the brunette boy with purple eyes, the boy in white with a large green phyton and tiny white albino snake around him, and the chainsaw-wielder woman with blonde and blue hair nodded and smiled their agreement, but the rest remain sceptical towards her.
"T…Thank you. My name is Naminé." Naminé bashfully acknowledged her appreciation, slowly and hopefully cheering up from the fear for her life after leaving Castle Oblivion and her world. "Are you…Rush?"
Right after Naminé innocently asks Rush, the two witness the brunette woman wearing a short version of the Organization XIII coat and the weapon man with the mask on his mouth instantly react in baffled anger just because she calls their leader by his real name, with the former ready her fists and the latter pulling out his purple staff from behind his back and scarf. But the two couldn't get closer to the bed when the other people, startled by their reactions, immediately pulled them back, with Naminé releasing a brief scream and unknowingly moving closer to Rush's left arm after he swiftly pulled her against him, also pulling out and aiming his gun at the two scary people being restrained by the others including the snake boy's phyton.
"Cynical, Apache, stop!" The blonde and blue-haired woman cried in shock at the rough behaviour, trying so hard to stop her friend and the masked soldiers named Cynical and Apache from harming the patient. "No fighting in the medical room!" The doctor scolded with such anger that even surprised his nurses and almost everyone in the medical room to stop Cynical and Apache from reaching closer to the bed guarded by an angrily growling cheetah.
"Cheese, calm your tits down," Rush spoke in such cold annoyance that made everyone, including Naminé, look at him in befuddlement. Although Cynical and Apache managed to shake the others from them, they could not reach closer to the gun hovering towards them. "I know we kill people, but you two want to kill a girl who I want answers from her arrival?" Rush further exclaimed or taunted.
"Rush, why do you pull your gun at us!? She knows your real name!" Cynical argued in anger and shock, pointing her finger at both Rush and Naminé cowering against his arm in muffled whimpers in fear after noticing how, although everyone could see how terrified she was, the nurses pouted in resentment and envy at her for being held by their leader.
"She must've heard our conversation in her sleep, and you guys said my name so loud, of course, that's how she guesses." Rush sighed and lowered his gun in annoyance, turning his attention from the surprised people to Naminé, who nervously looked up with another noise in fear for Rush's empty eye and the calmed cheetah lowering itself to lie closer to Naminé without eating her.
"Sorry about that. Yeah, I'm Rush, the Human Killer and leader of the Haven. This is my cheetah, Sheeta, and my team…" Rush surprisingly softened his tone but was still emotionless when he introduced himself and his cheetah, who meowed its response with a purr. But the two and Naminé look at the former's teammates to see them refusing or hesitating to introduce themselves, with Cynical and Apache remaining indifferent to sneer their suspicions. "…I'm not surprised they're suspicious of you that these cowards don't want to introduce themselves."
"Rush, you don't have to tell her like that!" The green-haired boy complained in aghast and anger. But, like everyone, he and Naminé froze in horror at Rush, who remained unfazed by shifting his stare from Naminé to his team and his grim demand. "Then say your goddamn names."
"P-P-Please, stop! It's alright! They don't want me to say their names because they're suspicious of me, so I must understand!" Namine begged, lightly turning to sit on her knees and waving her hands to hopefully reassure Rush from trying to kill his people. But unaware of Rush's team, Naminé noticed in surprise and sadness that Rush's face again bore serenity with a tint of understanding and sympathy for her, unlike how he presented to everyone in this room who looked at each other before Rush and Naminé with mixed expressions until one of them spoke.
"…My name's Tusk." The brunette boy with purple eyes introduced himself with a smile, alarming Cynical and Apache while the others sighed their relief. '…Tusk reminds me of both Sora and Riku.' Naminé noticed in curiosity, tilting her head to the side but nearly hitting Rush's arm and chest.
"I'm Moon, and these are my snake family, Ular and Hebi." The snake boy nervously but slowly happily introduced himself and his two snakes, with the phyton Ular wiggling its head and neck while the tiny snake Hebi waved its tail, seemingly waving themselves as a kind greeting.
"Red Death. Hang on…" The giant man in red, who Naminé was stunned by his form that could rival Lexaeus and Xaldin but not expecting his deep voice, greeted. Noticing her fear at him, everyone watched Red Death reach his hands to slowly remove his helmet from his head, revealing a surprisingly younger face of a man and long and spiky blue hair tied in a ponytail. "Sorry if my helmet's voice filter scared you." Red Death apologises with a cheeky smile; his voice drastically sounds younger than before.
"I am Hyacinth, the medic." The blonde and blue-haired woman with the blue robes nearly baring from her shoulders and chest and the chainsaw sadly introduced with a smile. Like Rush, Hyacinth also has blank blue eyes, but Naminé sensed the slowly growing light and life within Hyacinth's eyes, unlike Rush's. "I hope we did our best patching you up and get better."
"….Ammo. Sorry if we scared you?" The green-haired boy uncertainly exclaimed, scratching the back of his head and neck with his right hand. Naminé slowly calmed down from Rush's teammates introducing themselves, yet Cynical and Apache still refused to say their names despite already knowing earlier when the former pointed her finger at Naminé.
"She already knows my name and Apache's, so we don't need to tell her." Cynical objected, with Apache nodding his agreement. Naminé felt sad and afraid of her anger to the point of comparing her with Larxene.
"Then you both rather scare her with your complaints and scary eyes, making it difficult to answer my questions?" Rush jadedly joked, further disbelieving Cynical and Apache, while Naminé noticed everyone else looked and smiled at Rush in concern and apprehension about his personality and temper. "Rush! / C-Commander!?" Cynical and Ammo cried in anger in the former and shock in the latter.
Although their first impression was out of the blue, two of them may be unfriendly, Naminé could feel they were more trusted and friendlier than Organization XIII, especially Rush. His cheetah, Sheeta, slowly crawled closer and lay its furry chin on her lap and thighs, astonishing Naminé at first… but feeling Sheeta's soft fur purring attracts her to slowly reach her hands and start stroking Sheeta's head to hear more purring and see it closing its eyes in hopefully satisfaction, making Naminé giggle with a shy smile.
"N-Nice to meet you all." Naminé acknowledged everyone in the room, with Hyacinth, Red Death, Moon, and Tusk nodding their response while the male doctor waved a hand, smiling with appreciation. However, something she noticed got her curious to look at Rush with an uncertain frown. "Haven? …I don't know of a world called Haven." Naminé whispered, hopefully to herself, to not let Rush hear her…
'I knew it.' Rush affirmed with a glance at Sheeta's head still resting on Naminé's lap and knees, allowing the child to stroke her, glancing at her owner from the corner of their eyes with a brief nod. Apart from using the Light of Mana to confirm she didn't react to it as both a Norma and Mana-human, Rush had that assumption of Naminé being in another world from how Willy told him he found her from his nightly swim farther from the Haven's borders. In that case, Rush is glad of this timing not because of the Six Nations Festival…but because he knows who he has to see that could help him.
"Why is Rush acting kind to her?" Rush heard one of the three nurses whispering, a hidden peek from his single eye looked up to see them huddling away from his team and Doctor Voroton, snarling at Naminé blissfully unaware and continued comforting Sheeta, now rubbing herself against her to purr harder. He would rather watch his amusement of Naminé giggling her happiness and embracing Sheeta than the jealous nurses gritting their teeth at her. "I know he doesn't kill children, but still…"
"Why can't he be nice to us just because we're loyal to him!" Rush mentally scoffed his everlasting annoyance every single time he dealt with obnoxious fangirls, scooting closer to Naminé and Sheeta, attracting the former's surprise to stop and notice him starting to whisper near her right ear…
"Naminé? … I won't be surprised if you're from another world." Naminé froze, almost gasping in dismay at Rush somehow knowing her secret when he continued whispering away from everyone in the room doing their business or spying on them. "The Haven doesn't know that Sheeta and I have some experience ending up in another world. But I know someone who knows more about other worlds, and he would be the expert I need to help you as long as I want you to help me and keep this secret from everyone here, including my team. Is that okay with you?" Rush backed away, and Naminé saw the stoic but sincere expression on his half-bandaged face facing her, silently asking her to listen to him.
Naminé was surprised to find out that someone here also knows and has travelled to another world, wishing to learn more but unable to due to agreeing with him to keep this secret. However, initially afraid of him after she woke up in Haven, Naminé deduced that Rush might help her and see how he is secretly kind to her if he isn't provoked, just like earlier by his people.
"…Yes, please, Rush. Thank you." Naminé accepted with a shy nod and smile, wanting to help Rush and not be afraid of him. Surprisingly, unsure of the others, Naminé saw Rush faintly twitch his scowl into a subtly pleased smile, his eye faintly lit up to have a tint of light and life for a second, only to dim it back to its soulless blue blur towards the other people in the room.
"…Guys." Everyone faced Rush, now on his feet beside Naminé's hospital bed, to address them. "Because of her arrival and my suspicions, I want Naminé by my side for answers so she'll join us for the Six Nations Festival."
"What!?" Cynical gasped in shock, attracting the others' surprise at Rush's order and her reaction. "Why would you want to help an outsider? She could be a spy!" Cynical argued.
"Doubt it. She's too young and scared to fight like Moon – no offence." Red Death opposed with an uncertain frown, pointing his finger at Moon and his snakes, although the snake tamer watched Ular swiftly whack his head and chin at Red Death's hand and finger in anger. "Ow, Ular!" Red Death mewled in surprise at the action.
"…I can see she reminds me of me in a sense." Rush casually admitted, startling everyone watching their leader caressing his bandaged right hand against Naminé's head again, making her close her eyes and lightly release noises from her timid smile like a parent giving a child love. The thought of Rush being a parent made everyone muse in mixed concern, especially how Rush surprisingly changed his behaviour from what they remembered him as to being gentle with Naminé.
"Duh, you both have blue eyes and blonde hair, Rush. Like Hyacinth." Ammo teased with a chuckle from his grin even if Hyacinth tenderly whacked her sleeved hand on his head for his joke, unaware of what Rush was thinking when he closed his single eye. 'That's not what I fucking meant, dumbass.' Rush coldly sighed in displeasure.
"If that's what you want, Commander Rush…" Doctor Voroton accepted, looking at his leader and their prisoner on her bed to note the similar appearance between the two…for some reason, what he thought off with a proud grin may work in his favour in helping Commander Rush and see some funny reactions from his fangirls."…I know! Why not - to hide her identity and arrival from the Mana-humans outside Haven - you tell people you have a secret daughter!" Although Commander Rush and Naminé were faintly surprised, seeing the former's team and the nurses gawking their disbelief at him made him wish he could indulge in popcorn.
"Why would you think that, Doctor Voroton!?" The three nurses cornered Doctor Voroton, with one demanding the doctor, now chuckling his amusement for his tease, riling them further. "There's no way that would work!" Another argued.
"Besides, it's ridiculous of Commander Rush to have a daughter OUTSIDE the Haven." The third nurse secretly snarls at Rush's team, and Naminé watching their little spat with Naminé's innocence and fear made her more jealous of her than she initially had when they found her this morning. 'Rush should marry ONE OF US than have some little girl…'
"I don't mind." Commander Rush's immediate acceptance startled everyone in surprise, with Naminé and Sheeta looking at Rush, who glanced back at her with a faintly pleased frown twitching into a flat smile. "…Naminé's hurt and terrified in more ways than one, so I'll see she can keep the Haven a secret. And she does look a bit like me as a kid, so it won't be a surprise if people think I have a daughter."
"Right? And if Paul and Cecilia raised you as their grandson for thirteen years, what's wrong with you acting like a father for a girl for one day?" Doctor Voroton further affirmed, trying to please Rush as sincerely as he noticed how everyone would do towards him. But what he said, he knew who he meant, immediately aggravated Cynical, who yelled in fury. "Voroton!"
'At least I don't mind being a father than the fucker who never bothered…' Rush ignored Cynical's outburst but willingly hugged Naminé growing frightened again while Sheeta growled and grew tense to almost pounce at Cynical, mentally remarking what he thought about Voroton's suggestion. But after that, Rush blinked his right eye in surprise from sensing the sudden, painful sensation that shot through his heart, holding his bandaged hand against his clothed chest from Naminé's embrace. 'What the hell?' Rush mentally groaned at the growing pain in his heart that stayed for a few more seconds before it dimmed and faded to beat normally. Strange…
"…Um…" Rush heard Naminé weakly speak from below him, seeing the uneasy and shy frown on her face, looking up but relaxing against his left arm, embracing her. "I'll tell you why I appeared and fell from the sky. But I'm scared of getting hurt if people react badly when I do…"
"Don't worry; I only kill people that piss me off or for no reason. But the fact that you wanted to tell me can give me peace of mind for once. I'll take you to Granny to eat, where you'll answer my questions without being scared." Rush reassured, making sure not to frown too much at her and scare her more than everyone, mostly Cynical and Apache, by lightly stroking his bandaged hand against Naminé's head like a cat again. Seeing her calm down and smile with a giggle from the gesture slowly but surely made Rush pleased and satisfied with her assistance.
"Rush?" Rush and Naminé heard Moon's meek voice calling for the former, seeing him standing close to the bed with a hand on his chest. "…Can I be a bodyguard to protect Naminé for you if anything happens to us during today's celebration?" Moon's offer must be surprising for everyone else in Rush's team to stop Cynical away from Doctor Voroton, playfully avoiding her wrath, all glanced at Moon in surprise that grew from seeing Ular and Hebi nodding their heads, accepting his decision.
"Moon, what are you -?" Ammo wanted to ask, but Moon stopped him, further surprising the team by reducing his timidity and frowning a bit of determination.
"…I promised someone in a dream that I must be brave. So, I want to help the Haven and make everyone proud." Moon confessed, looking around to see their reactions ranging from surprise, confusion, and curiosity for his new demeanour, but Red Death subtly nodded his impressment, and Rush smirked his satisfaction. As for Naminé, she did realise this when Moon introduced himself…
…but her mind made her see the kind snake tamer as someone else she didn't think of for a second…an adult man with long silver hair, green or blue eyes, an eerily calm smile, dressed in black, red, and blue with a single large wing on his back, and fighting Sora in a familiar Coliseum with a sword larger than its wielder. '…Why does Moon… also remind me of someone Sora once fought?' Naminé mused her confusion, unaware of Rush looking at her from above with a faintly suspicious glower.
'I don't know why…but this feels exactly like when Rufus and I switched places. I better let Em know…' Rush recalled. Maybe since he's the expert on other worlds and keeps it a secret from everyone, Rush better hope that Embryo knows something about Naminé's situation. Maybe tease him about that other guy…
A sudden chill in his heart and the sensation of a shot in the mind alarmed Embryo, opening his eyes from closing them with a soft gasp, attracting Aya and Khalifa's confusion at seeing their father looking a bit surprised in his seat, leisurely reaching his right hand on his heart with a few, briefly silent panting. 'Three anomalies…one at Haven since last night, another just showed up in Arzenal, and one sneaking in Misurugi from the darkness.' Embryo detected, turning and rising from his seat to peek through the Dawn Pillar's massive glass window looming at the Misurugi Empire, the entire nation preparing for the Six Nations Festival with the other nations assisting them. Embryo wished he could laugh at their pathetic attempts to save their grace from its humiliation from their princess's exile with the so-called Holy Emperor's forced ascension. However, what he identified from his powers was more important than the festival. "…Three souls just arrived in this world from theirs." Embryo hoped he would be more prepared to assist and avoid the same dilemma when Rufus and Rush switched places from this World of Mana and Midgar.
As if on cue, Embryo sensed a Mana message from the one person he was openly hoping to see and happy to talk with, conjuring a Mana screen showing an email.
"Hey, Em. Sorry to bother you right before we're about to leave for the 'major celebration' -" Embryo subtly snorted a displeased smirk but continued reading. "But I think I got someone I need your help with. I have a girl named Naminé, who I can tell is from another world rather than being an Ancient Human, when she showed up by falling from the sky, and Willy the Whale found her last night. I ended up pissing Haven off by wanting to help her, which also pissed me off. I'm not THAT heartless to do something good for once…unless you also think that I am (ಠ_ಠ).
Hope to see you later…I rather help you with Naminé than deal with my team's constant bitching about me doing my goddamn job (-_-)."
Embryo finished mentally reading Rush's message, initially chuckling his amusement at the little symbols Rush added to his expressions as the deadly and always bored child he is. However, the content and what he guessed for the other caught his attention when he sighed his mixed feelings. "You're not the only one wanting to do some good for once, Rush….I'm still trying to change but must 'play my so-called role'." Embryo assured with a sad smile, faintly wiggling his finger to dismiss the Mana screen, safekeeping the message before resuming to look down on the people's preparations.
"Padre?" Embryo heard his daughter calling for him from the side, looking to his left to see Aya and Khalifa glancing at his surprise with innocent concern. "Are you alright?" Aya signed his curiosity.
"Ah…I am fine, children. I sensed some unexpected guests and surprises for today with Rush. I hope it's fun enough to entertain us outside the ordinary. Come, let us go to the festival." Embryo responded with a calm smile, trying to be poised towards his children as they readily left their home and headed downstairs for the festival, wondering about the two anomalies that would come to him and Rush.
…As for the anomaly in Arzenal, Embryo already planned how to investigate the cause and intervene if it's dangerous.
Naminé behaved herself as she helped Rush while she was in the Haven, or the World of Mana as Rush called this world's designated name, by pretending to be his daughter outside the Haven. As soon as she left the Haven Resort's infirmary while holding Rush's left arm and fingerless gloved hand, to her anxiety, Naminé saw most of the women eying their envy and wrath at her but unable to do anything out of fear of their leader's gun in his bandaged hand and only blue eye dangerously hardened in empty wrath at anyone who wants to harm her. Not even his teammates following them will stop him from almost killing these jealous women.
However, Naminé is grateful to Rush for willingly helping her by informing her what she needs to know about this world at his Norma grandmother, Granny's, restaurant for their breakfast before leaving for this Misurugi Empire. This world's history with the Light of Mana, the Norma and the Mana-human's discrimination against them, the Haven's secret goal, and the dos and don'ts. In return, Naminé told Rush about her world and being a Nobody. Despite that, Naminé is frightened of Rush being exasperated after mentioning Organization XIII locked her in Castle Oblivion for her powers.
The team had a quick breakfast, and all but Rush and Naminé changed into formal-looking attires, with Moon gently storing Ular inside a black duffel bag, possibly to hide him from the Mana humans, and headed to the Haven harbour to travel by its planes. Before leaving, everyone was greeted by the giant whale Rush told Naminé that this was Willy who saw and saved her from the ocean, amazing the girl Rush translated and spoke with Willy the Whale to reveal how relieved and happy it was to help and rescue Naminé and ask Rush to help her in return.
The flight from the Haven to the Misurugi Empire took almost half an hour with Rush watching over Tusk, Moon, and Naminé looking at the clear blue sky from the plane's windows in awe, luckily away from Arzenal to scare her from Para-mails fighting DRAGONs until the plane safely landed at the Haven's secret air station away from the Misurugi Empire's knowledge. A quick ten-minute drive took the team to the Misurugi Empire, where Naminé looked around in amazement at the city's Light of Mana floating above the air like billboards, the vehicles hover above the road, and the people use Mana to easily carry their stuff instead of holding them. But, from what they told me about this world, Naminé must respect the world order and not be fooled by its temptations.
Rush's car parked closer to the other cars next to the capital that bore a massive open stage perched at the centre, and everyone walked out before walking through the packed centre of the Misurugi Empire, allowing the driver to drive away and wait until she was needed. Holding Rush's left arm and hand, Naminé glances around the bustling festival filled with court stalls containing different foods and drinks, games, sellable items and artifacts, people conversing with each other have different appearances and clothing.
"Rush? What is the Six Nations Festival?" Naminé asked, quiet to only let Rush's team hear her without revealing his real name to the people.
"Once a year, the world's six official nations come together in the Misurugi Empire as a gathering where people from different countries can learn about each nation's culture and other things. A bit of disturbance almost cancelled the festival early this year, but Misurugi quickly managed their situation for today. The Haven is not an official nation, but I'm needed because of my job." Rush composedly elucidated during the walk with stoic displeasure, Naminé could feel his hand holding hers, shifting his grip from gentle to tight without breaking her hands.
"I still don't get why the six nations would spend a day meeting other people from different worlds, including the world leaders," Ammo complained in annoyance. Naminé noticed and looked over her right shoulder to see him, Cynical, and Apache expressing anger towards the oblivious people happily minding their business, at the same time, Hyacinth was uneasy and apprehensive, as if she was trying to avoid eye contact with some people…
"If you guys don't like seeing your former nations, why bother following me?" Rush stopped the walk to turn and face his team in cold indifference and suspicion, alarming the team with Naminé anxious for both his demeanour and the others' mixed surprise and concern, but Cynical snarled her exasperation.
"We don't want you dealing with the world leaders and Embryo alone, even with having someone outside as your fake daughter!" Cynical hissed, pointing at Naminé cowering with a whimper against Rush, who pulled her against him and his bandaged hand holding his gun still hanging on his hip, surprising Cynical but still aggravated. "We won't let you get hurt, just like when you and your fake fiancé, Alice, fought that monster at the Harmony Gala!"
"Cynical, please stop. You'll have Rush kill you for saying things like that." Tusk pleaded, pulling Cynical's arm away from Naminé and Rush, startling the former while the latter leisurely removed his gun and resumed the walk with the others following him from behind. "Thanks, Tusk." Rush thanked in relief.
"But Tusk! There's no way this plan will work!" Naminé can hear Apache complaining to Tusk behind them, but luckily, none of the other people cared. "Commander Rush's shocking luck may have, but there's no way this can even fool the enemy!" The mention of the enemy reminded Naminé of Rush's warning in Granny's Leopard Lodge…
'Me and Embryo, or Em - as I would call him if we're alone and together - was SUPPOSED to be killing each other for what people remember he did for his sins, but sometimes he helps me with both giving me fun as a normal person and dealing with annoyances from people on our sides. One was a battle with an Unversed Em told me that was once from your world.'
"Ugh, there's the Human Killer." However, Naminé's thoughts broke by a voice openly groaning in anger and repulsion, looking up but immediately tensed in fear of seeing the other Mana humans sneering their negativity at Rush, not reacting to being verbally abused by the people, yet Naminé could guess how angry his team is from behind. "So, that's his so-called bodyguards."
"Why would such people work with a monster like him, like that giant man and those two women?"
"Shame; the beautiful women would make good housewives or maids." Cynical tried not to grit her teeth in rage, and Hyacinth closed her eyes to avoid looking at the rude men remarking on their appearances.
"Who's that little girl holding his arm?" Naminé felt Rush's hand tightening on hers right after the people's attention shifted to only the two.
"Does he have a daughter? How could someone like HIM have a child?"
"Wait, isn't he engaged with his fiancé who helped him fight that demon at Galia's Gala?"
"Maybe he already had a kid before their engagement, and it's that girl…"
"Sir, everyone's blindly convinced she's your daughter." Red walked closer and whispered to Rush's open ear from behind.
"Good, that can help with my case." Rush curtly acknowledged, not turning around to notice Cynical and Apache looking at him in mixed surprise, anger, and annoyance, just when a voice chimed in from behind.
"Ah, Human Killer!" Rush's team and Naminé stopped their walk when they looked up and saw what horrified Rush's teammates and the people who quickly went on their way rather than whisper their anger at Rush was the group of people who might be the world leaders by their regal appearances, walking towards them. "It is a pleasure to see you joining us for the Six Nation Festival. I presumed this is the first time you will experience our celebration as an attendee than a bodyguard soldier." The youngest member of this group, Naminé remembered Rush told her of this world's six leaders to know he was Emperor Julio Misurugi, greeted Rush with a proud grin, accompanied by his female bodyguard. Naminé heard Ammo growling in his anger, but no one noticed him from behind.
"Thank you for the invitation, Holy Emperor Julio. Yes, this is the first time I shall experience it, but I wish to still do my job in inspecting for any potential ambush and fights." Rush exclaimed, sounding professional but still frowning.
"Hmph. Everywhere you go, there's always an excuse for you to cause trouble and break our peace. Like the trigger-happy fool you are!" The portly man with black hair and a moustache in the white suit, Marmeria General Secretary, visibly scorned Rush in a fury and ignored Cynical, about to stomp forward angrily if not for Hyacinth and Ammo pulling her back.
"We'll see that YOU do not mess it up by your presence!" The King of Rosenblum threatened, not seeing Naminé almost hiding behind Rush but still holding onto his hand in fear. From sight, Naminé sensed that they and the Galia Emperor, Holy Emperor Julio, and Rosenblum King's wife and eldest daughter with the purple dress had strong darkness in their hearts, just like everyone else except some of them.
"Marmeria, Rosenblum, lower your voices." The Velda Dynasty Queen Parvati Velda, accompanied by her son and secret Haven spy Prince Seri Ranka Velda, calmly demanded. Her scowl towards her colleagues shifted to a pleasantly kind smile towards Rush. To Naminé, she sensed the queen's heart "Thank you for coming here and willing to protect us from harm, Human Killer. Please do what you can while you also experience the Six Nations Festivals." Velda Queen warmly approved with a hand on her chest and may be one of the few outside Haven who is kind to Rush as the Human Killer.
"Thank you, Queen Parvati." Rush the Human Killer bowed his appreciation, his bandaged face softened with a flat frown than earlier. Making sure to help him keep appearances, Naminé nervously stood beside Rush, still holding his hand, and silently bowed her greeting to reveal herself in front of the world council.
"O-Oh, who is this young lady?" The Endurant President Irijah enquired in surprise, initially looking at Hyacinth, who glanced away with her eyes trying not to open.
"Human Killer, do you have a daughter?" Emperor Julio asked Rush, but he couldn't answer when the other rulers started interjecting.
"To think that a murderous brat like you is a father…preposterous." The Rosenblum King sneered his repulsion but froze in shock at seeing Queen Misty looking at her father with a displeased frown, for the irony.
"Is this one of your stepchildren that your fiancé, Miss Alice, mentioned from my Gala?" The oldest man of the group, Emperor Galia, presumed with anger and suspicion directed towards Naminé, nearly terrifying her, but felt Rush's hand holding onto her to calm her down.
"She could be a Norma slave you break her body and mind to serve you, pretending to be your daughter as the most treasonous lie in history." The Marmeria Secretary boldly taunted with a proud grin that disgusted the other rulers and angered Rush's team, mostly Cynical, still in Hyacinth's grasp. "Marmeria!" Queen Velda scolded.
"I kill people, but what kind of people want slaves? They're not dolls broken into less than animals for entertainment. That'll make slave owners who enjoyed them worse than Norma, wouldn't it?" To everyone's surprise, Rush calmly responded with a stern glower at the Secretary's insults. The Secretary immediately grew vexed that he was about to raise and swing his arm intending to strike Rush, alerting him to pull and hold on to Naminé, protecting her from the strike while everyone reacted in bafflement, either planning to apprehend the Secretary or back away…
"Human Killer." A man's voice calling in displeasure from behind immediately stunned everyone, including the Secretary, with Rush and Naminé noticing the former's team and the world leaders frozen in horror, some of Rush's teammates and Julio's bodyguard expressed anger when everyone witnessed another man's arrival with long blonde hair, youthful facial appearance, dimly glowing green eyes and wears a rich dark green suit walking towards them alongside his two toddler children; an albino boy and his dark-skinned younger sister with long blue hair and green and black eyes. Initially shooting a dark frown before walking past the terrified Marmeria Secretary, the newcomer faced Rush with a pleased smile.
"I'm happy to see you and your team here. Oh, I don't know those two young men." The man greeted, his sincere smile faltered into a curious frown towards Rush's team, who reacted in bafflement or anger from Apache.
"Embryo…" From Apache's growling, Naminé silently sees the man in green with his identity. So, this is the Haven and Norma's enemy and creator. Something about him made her system blaring in such heat for what she sensed in fear. 'This man…his entire form and heart has powerful light!' Surprisingly, Naminé noticed how Rush was not afraid of Embryo, unlike everyone…rather, he was pleased to see him as much as Embryo was happy to see Rush.
"Thank you, Master Embryo. I'm glad I can see you and the kids, too. Those two are my veteran members, Tusk and Apache. They were elsewhere when you, Aya, and Khalifa visited the Haven, so you didn't know about them, but I recently informed them of that day." Rush faintly nodded and calmly spoke, pointing a bandaged finger over his shoulder, seemingly introducing Tusk and Apache, who looked like they wanted to fight Embryo in public.
"Hmm? It is a pleasure to meet you both." Embryo hummed in curiosity, giving Tusk and Apache a bow without seeing almost everyone looking at him in disbelief. Apache nearly growled harder, but Red Death stopped him with a hand, confusing Rush and Naminé. But when Embryo straightened himself and intriguingly glanced at Naminé, startling her with a gasp… "Ah…hello, again, Miss Naminé. It's nice of you to attend your first Six Nations Festival with your father." Embryo tranquilly greeted with a humane smile, unexpectedly shocking the world leaders, Rush's team, and Naminé for calling her Rush's daughter, but that also relieved her.
'Rush must've told him about me…' Naminé wondered, looking at Rush also glancing at her with a silent nod, signalling her to keep calm and act like a kind daughter. "…Thank you, Mister Embryo." Naminé bowed like a lady with a timid smile, spotting Embryo smiling in delight and Misty Rosenblum's eldest sister fuming jealously at her for greeting their father's master.
"M-Mast…" King Rosenblum nearly squeaked, but a glimpse of Embryo's warning glare hidden with his gentle smile almost made him scream, but he managed to hold himself. "…M…Mister Embryo. How do you know about the Human Killer's daughter?" Everyone can tell that his voice sounds forced when the King calls his master 'Mister', and Rush notices everyone but Queen Parvati, Misty, and Seri Ranka are uncomfortable about something that might have to do with calling their master 'Mister'.
"Why, as I am the Human Killer's superior, it is common courtesy to associate and learn about my co-worker that not even his people of the Haven know and why he kept his secret life. For the Human Killer, I will assist him with anything we need without breaking each other's trust, unlike people who would rather betray him and use his secrets as blackmail." Embryo addressed his servants after turning around to ignore almost all of Rush's team glaring dark daggers at their enemy, and their ferocity grew with his words. Ammo may have choked and grit his teeth in anger and embarrassment when Embryo said 'blackmail' like it is a disgusting word, but he saw Rush staring at him with a cold, empty frown that made Ammo want to piss his pants in fear…aware of what both knew and mean regarding that word.
"Human Killer, I'd like to talk with you and your team about something I detected that could affect today's events." Embryo glanced back at Rush and his team, now sporting a collected but serious frown that attracted Rush and his team's attention to bear surprise, with Rush only suspicious when he glimpsed at Naminé still holding his hand…
"Yes, sir." Rush accepted with a nod, alarming his team, who looked at him with disbelief but couldn't speak when he addressed them with his cold glower. "Come on, guys." Naminé followed Rush and walked past Embryo and the world council, making them step back from the Human Killer. Embryo gave the former two another silent nod but also secretly smiled with a blink of his right eye at Rush, who faintly smirked back before heading elsewhere with his team hurriedly following after them and through the oblivious crowd…
"I can't believe we had to meet Embryo again!" Right after they found a suitable spot to group up, which is the forest farther from the festival, Naminé watched in surprise at Cynical, Ammo, and Apache irritably reacted to the earlier scene after the former started complaining, with Rush, Red Death, Hyacinth, Moon, and Tusk joining her with the former caring less by his indifferent scowl and crossed arms, and the latter four smiling their bemusement.
"How and why did he know and help Commander Rush with this plan!?" Apache growled in vehemence, twitching his fingers for wanting to strangle the enemy just for speaking with the Commander like a friend.
"Rush? Hebi wants to know if you told Embryo about Naminé?" Moon translated Hebi, who hissed at his ear, asking Rush to open his right eye and look at Moon and Naminé.
"Only about her arrival in Haven. Everything he said earlier was his improv helping in my case." Rush admitted with a shrug, clearly astounding almost his team for not being serious regarding meeting the enemy again.
"Still, why is HE helping you!?" Ammo's demand was curtly answered by the irritated Human Killer looking down on him. "Because he wants to help, dumbass."
"But that's so wrong and weird!" Naminé can feel the same anxiety she had after waking up in Haven to her system after Ammo rebuked, curiously looking at the members not freaking out over earlier. "Rush, Red, Hyacinth, Moon, Tusk? What's wrong with them?"
"Don't worry about them. It's their way of worrying for Rush whenever his luck and weird ideas always go in his favour than what we planned, depending on his mood." Red Death reassured with a tired sigh and chuckle from a smile inside his voice-filtered helmet.
"Still, I'm always surprised how Rush got Embryo to help him if they're not killing each other," Tusk confessed with apprehension towards Rush looking down without seeing everyone staring at him. However, Hyacinth realised something that she almost forgot.
"Rush? Why did Embryo call himself your superior?" Hyacinth enquired what attracted his team's attention, only to see Rush blinking his right eye with a tint of surprise and uncertainty.
"Huh? I didn't notice until you mentioned it. Maybe I'll ask him…" Rush's whispered confirmation, however, did not help his team now gawking at him. Unfortunately, a gasp from Tusk caught them to follow his direction and noticed three more figures joining them from the festival, immediately alarming all but Rush, Naminé, Moon, and Hyacinth into battle positions with Naminé gasping in surprise after Apache readied his gauntlet's blades at the father surprisingly nonchalantly from being cornered without a fight alongside his children.
"You - !" Right before Apache got closer to Commander Rush and Embryo, about to get between them to punch the latter in the face, a left arm that almost hit his neck stopped him from proceeding, shocking him to look at the owner.
"Stand down, Apache. I need him for Naminé." Rush ordered.
"But, sir!" Apache pleaded, constantly looking at Commander Rush and Embryo, unfazed by the ambush. But one look at Rush's icy stern glower staring straight into Apache's eyes… stunned him in aghast, with Rush's team and Naminé spotting from their location to shudder in their horror. For the thirteen years of living and fighting in Haven, Apache couldn't help but be afraid of Rush's single eye, which never showed life as everyone does whenever Rush looks at someone. Just a single glare from that eye can make everyone falter and fear as if it can freeze and shatter people's hearts and minds more than his sadistic beatdowns like a thunderous and blazing blizzard shall burst out of his eye and hands. But why? Why does he look at everyone, no matter who and what, with an empty eye? Why does he also use it on those on his side!?
"Rush, wait!" Naminé begged and flailed her hands, trying to stop Rush from losing his temper again and killing Apache just by staring him down. Instead, without shifting his attention from his soldier, Rush lightly moved his left arm that almost hit him earlier and started weakly patting his hand against Naminé's head and face, muffling her surprised noises like being petted by a cat. Unaware of everyone, Rush may have smiled a bit while playing with Naminé, aware of her trying to calm him down as he does for her before he stops and looks away from Apache to Embryo, who was slightly concerned about Rush's behavioural antics.
"Embryo?" Rush jadedly smiled, surprising everyone, while Embryo faintly smiled his relief and amusement before Rush led Naminé to stand closer to the enemy. Naminé felt Rush's mismatched hands tenderly holding her shoulders but relaxed in his grip. "Thanks for wanting to help me with this, man. I hope you at least give me something good while you help Naminé."
The sight of Rush interacting and even thanking Embryo made Cynical hold her fists, intending to punch him, Ammo exaggeratedly stuck his tongue and made a puking expression as a joke but got painfully slapped in the face by Ular, who emerged from Moon's duffel bag, and Apache grit his teeth harder that he can feel his gums bleeding in wrath and his eyes nearly grew out of his sockets out of rage. 'Don't you dare get close to Commander Rush!' Apache mentally roared but couldn't say it from unknowingly angering Commander Rush again.
"Thank you for notifying me before everyone found out," Embryo exclaimed, his smile faltering into a serious or dangerous frown, whispering to Rush outside everyone's ears. "I wished to mention this earlier, but please let your team be on everyone's guard because of the anomaly I detected that will appear in the festival as Naminé arrives in the Haven. Another anomaly just appeared at Arzenal, but I sent some assistance that won't have casualties there."
Rush initially blinked his right eye in surprise but looked at Naminé looking up in confusion, moving his right hand from her shoulder to gently caress her head. It must be those Organization XIII guys that Naminé told him could be looking for her…no fucking hell would Rush let them take and break her. "Alright. And another thing? …." To almost everyone's horror and Naminé, Embryo, and his children's curiosity, Rush boldly and gently grasped his hand on Embryo's and whispered closely to the other's right ear, collecting his attention to furrow his glowing eyes until he blinked his eyes in shock once Rush finished whispering and pulled back.
"…W…Why?" Embryo asked, almost choking in shock, but Rush remained calm or sad.
"I don't know. But when I talked with Naminé after she woke up this morning, I felt like she might be from the same world or maybe she knew him – not to mention, they're from the same company." Rush confessed, initially smirking his amusement when he teased to make Embryo smile his displeasure before Rush frowned again, his voice bearing serious and a tint of sadness. "…But I thought about you when I almost asked her because I know you should be the one to…" Embryo glanced at Rush's expression and his bandaged hand softly holding his in bewilderment, but more to his offer and the reason…like always, Rush can surprise him with his hidden kindness to the point of almost crying in public.
"That's very sweet of you, Rush." Embryo accepted with his other hand holding Rush's bandaged hand still grasping his, ignoring the other's team glaring at them holding hands in traumatising reactions before both men removed their hands with Embryo facing Naminé. "Naminé, please follow me and my children, and we'll see how we can help you with your predicament." Embryo offered.
Naminé sadly glanced at Embryo in concern but felt Rush lightly tapping his hand at her back as comfort. Although hesitant due to people telling her about him and sensing his dangerously powerful and overflowing light through his body and heart, Naminé remembers his surprisingly honest kindness towards Rush earlier and hopefully has no regrets if she can go home. "T-Thank you…Mister Embryo." When Naminé shyly nods, instead of similar cruel smirks like Marluxia and Larxene, Naminé sees a sincere but also sad smile on Embryo's face before Naminé feels she is gently held by her hands and led deeper through the forest by Embryo's children.
"Aya said: Please follow us, Big Sister; we'll keep you safe, like real soldiers." Embryo's youngest daughter innocently reassured Naminé, who noticed his son was mute by signing until the three children disappeared into the forest. However, what they unknowingly signed and said immediately infuriated Cynical and Apache for initially believing that the enemy's children were mocking them.
"...Thank you, Rush." Rush heard Embryo say what even surprised him to look back at him, seeing Embryo smiling, Rush noticed that it was sadder than normal. "For this and what you said back there." Rush was even confused but said nothing when everyone watched Embryo following after his children and Naminé. Ignoring his team loudly expressing their relief but still angered to see Embryo, Rush mused his puzzlement. What did he say earlier? …Well, if something he unknowingly said made Embryo pleased with him, he could go with it.
'Unlike before…I want to at least respect his wish.' Rush mentally prayed, turning his attention to his team, who flinched from seeing Rush coldly frowning, his usual sneer and lifeless eye for a serious mission. "Seems we'll have someone barging in the party, guys. We'll be ready for the kill." Despite receiving an order, Rush's team couldn't help but be afraid for their leader, while a few are still livid at the enemy helping him.
"Alright. What I'm doing is simply looking at your memories." Once Naminé and Embryo found a suitable place in a forest clearing and sat on the soft grass with Naminé seated on her knees across Embryo's, the latter calmly instructed the former, surprised to learn the method. "Since Rush told you about the Light of Mana, the Norma, people's behaviour regarding them, and me, I want you to know that I can do magic beyond Mana, and one of them is to see and manipulate people's memories and souls, even from different worlds." Embryo elucidated.
'I didn't know that someone else can also manipulate memories.' Naminé mentally gasped in surprise. Does Embryo have the same powers as her? "I don't know how you'll see mine." Naminé nervously defended, feeling Embryo gently holding her hands with his…his hands felt soft like Rush's but also squishy.
"Don't worry, Naminé. This method will not hurt you, for I'll ensure you'll be unharmed…" Embryo reassured, being gentle since Rush informed him of her fear of Haven when his team arrived in Misurugi, which is not surprising but still concerning. Once Naminé slowly calmed down, Embryo started using his power by letting his green eyes glow brighter to hide his pupils but still looking at Naminé who was surprised if not for Aya and Khalifa comforting her as Rush would earlier, his vision changed from the present to vivid shows of memories…
'What? These look like someone else's memories…' Embryo noticed in bewilderment but remained watching more of Naminé's memories. Some show the adventures of a spiky-haired brunette boy travelling to different worlds and wielding a key-shaped weapon, Embryo knows what that is, allying with two odd but powerful mascot characters, while some have the same boy with his two best friends from their islands, a silver-haired boy and the auburn-haired girl resembling Naminé. The end of Naminé's memories show her in a white interior castle by some people wearing long revisions of Cynical's hooded robes, but it looks more of her locked up in this castle…
"…Now I understand why you're concerned; your memories aren't yours." Embryo deduced once he dismissed his visual memory-reading power, dimming his eyes' glow until his pupils were shown, seeing Naminé's shock slowly reduced into sorrow when she lowered her head.
"…Yes…I'm a Nobody and a witch who can control the memories of someone and those connected by him." Naminé confessed, feeling like she could cry but still holding onto Embryo's hands. "Because of my existence, Organization XIII locked me up and will use my powers for whatever they will do to him…I'm scared to harm anyone, but I'm more scared to be alone and trapped like my heart."
Embryo furrowed his face into melancholy as he watched Aya and Khalifa, also saddened for Naminé, slowly embracing her for a hug from both sides, surprising but cheering Naminé to smile her appreciation. "…Unlike other versions, I know the feeling…" Embryo whispered to himself, his hands still on hers.
"Naminé? Please let Rush protect you in this world." Embryo instructed, surprising Naminé to look up. "I can't say much about his people – except Moon and his snakes are the second best, but Rush is the one who will do anything he can to make you safe. He makes everyone see him as a sadistically childish boy that both our people want to destroy or restrain. But to me, he's the only one besides me that can see the truth in anything and anyone."
"What?" Naminé softly gasped.
"This world – that I created but unable to fix the flaws that happened – unknowingly but willingly grow the darkness in people's hearts for their desires of the Light of Mana I gave them. They heartlessly threw away their daughters and friends who don't have Mana to have everything they want, blindly calling the Light of Mana 'their light'. The Haven, although the people who care for Norma girls have better lives than those outside, unfortunately also have their hearts growing the darkness which targeted Rush all his life, indirectly wanting to shackle his heart for their desires of him…" Embryo explained, his mouth hardened in sadness, anger, and guilt but trying not to tighten his grip and accidentally hurt Naminé's hands when he spoke about his mistakes in this World of Mana. "I'm doing everything I can to fix my mistakes, no matter what…but I'm glad and relieved you showed up in this world and met me – instead of other versions of this world and me."
"Other versions of you and this world?" Naminé asked in confusion, hearing Embryo chuckling from his smile.
"Heh, this might confuse you, so I'll stop. Oh. Rush wants me to ask you this, and I wish to know…" Embryo remembered with a faintly but surely worried and curious scowl, collecting Naminé's puzzlement when she listened to Embryo's [silent] question.
"…I don't know anything about that, but I think I might guess a few people related to this from the memories I collected." Naminé shook her head, not realising the question, but noticed that it must be important for Embryo, who dimly scowled in sadness, unknowingly making her sadder and concerned. "I'm sorry." Naminé apologised.
"It's alright. Thank you for your honest answer." Embryo shook his head with his smile, retaining his sadness but no meaning ill, relieving Naminé to sigh and close her eyes with a timid smile, which made him feel pleased…but also concerned when his lips twitched in uncertain and fear. 'At least Naminé is kind to me and Rush, like Moon…except 'his past life'.' Embryo saw a memory of Naminé's friend fighting a familiar swordsman in a Coliseum, and he prayed that she would NOT know what would concern him more for the snake tamer.
"Padre." Embryo and Naminé heard Khalifa calling the former to see his children now standing in front of their father, confusing him to remove his hands from Naminé until Aya and Khalifa signed and spoke the same sentence with the latter pointing a thumb at Naminé. "Kingdom Hearts/ Kingdom Hearts!" Naminé and Embryo froze in dread just by that sentence, the former gasping in dismay and the latter gawking his mouth to almost scream in horror.
"Aya, Khalifa! You can't say that out loud!" Naminé watched Haven's enemy trying to stop his innocent children from saying the same word, perplexing them from watching their father freaking out, disbelieving that the children knew about Kingdom Heart out of nowhere… But for some reason, despite being afraid and worried about his powers and light, Naminé couldn't help but smile with a slight giggle. Whether how dangerous or not, Rush can deal with Embryo as a person would than sworn enemies.
"Rush." Rush's team heard Embryo's voice calling the former from the forest and saw Embryo's family and Naminé walking towards them, immediately tensing Rush's team as if he was begging for another confrontation. However, everyone watched Naminé hurriedly run away from Embryo and happily wrap her arms around Rush for a hug, surprising everyone, although Rush was startled with a pleased smile. "Hey, hehe." Rush chuckled, curiously but willingly hugging Naminé like a father-daughter hug, which secretly made him glad.
"I have checked, and she is safe, I'll let you know more after the Festival. Sadly, she doesn't know anything about what you asked me to enquire her…" Embryo informed, first watching his children running towards Rush's team, who backed away in fright and anger, but Moon happily reached his hands for the children, his smile shifted into a sad frown, which Rush also understood to express the same until Embryo notified with a slowly angry sneer. "Until she can return to her world, please protect her even from the person who will visit us during the so-called proud festival. I sense we'll have a similar dance as the Harmony Gala."
"…If it's like that night, that'll be the fun I wanted for today." After a few seconds of pondering, Rush accepted with a grim smile, hiding it from Naminé, who he turned around but again held her right hand with his left hand.
"At least you didn't joke about Alice being Naminé's mother earlier. Otherwise, I would slap you." Embryo recalled with a sarcastic smile, turning around to walk out of the forest and head back to the ongoing festival.
"Come on." Rush grinned with a chuckle, ready to accompany Embryo with Naminé and the others following them from behind, with Moon holding Aya and Khalifa's hands like a big brother to his little siblings. "Okay, I was tempted, but it'll make everyone and Haven more suspicious than normal, and I know that'll piss us off." Rush teasingly whispered what made Embryo scoff with annoyance but amusement from his smirk.
Unaware of the oblivious people mindlessly enjoying their festivities, they didn't notice the lone figure watching them from the roof of one of the apartment buildings. Just when he stepped out of the Corridor of Darkness, he dismissed it after splitting from his colleague, Marluxia immediately snarled his disgust from the heavy sensation of this strange world's atmosphere, taking note of the people blissfully enjoying themselves with green glows of light, Marluxia detected it as artificial than the light he knows in his world, manifesting as holographic screens or holding their objects instead of using their hands. Something like this would be Number IX/ Demyx's ideal of doing everything he wants to be the lazy member he is.
"This world seems vile, filled with nothing but darkness in their hearts," Marluxia noted, remembering to document his findings for Vexen regarding this world located in the Lanes Between when he spotted a group of people emerging from behind the giant open-air stage and the forest, recognising the target of his mission accompanying them.
"Ah, there you are, Naminé…hmm?" Marluxia curiously blinked his blue eyes at something that stopped him from ambushing Naminé, who didn't notice him spying from afar due to the people possibly helping her out of good heart, though unlikely to some of them due to their disgustingly boring and suspicious expressions on their faces towards her and the bandaged man in white holding her hand with his fingerless gloved left hand than his bandaged right hand, chatting with the blonde haired handsome man in the green suit and exquisitely dim glowing green eyes. A giant man in full red armour and clothing, a brunette woman who shamelessly wears a sleeveless and short modification of the Organization XIII Black Coats, another but blonde and blue-haired woman wielding a chainsaw, a green-haired boy who seems to act mighty like Vexen as the inventor, a timid boy with a white snake around his neck and holding hands with two toddler children, a brunette young man looking around their surroundings during the walk, and the masked man with weapons around him glaring murderously at the two men with Naminé but mostly the man in green.
Out of the group, what caught Marluxia's attention the most from detecting what he sensed of their spirit and heart was the bandaged man in white, his friend in the green suit and the two children holding the snake boy's hands.
"Oh… A man with the body and heart of such vastly powerful light, another who unknowingly absorbed every one's darkness pursuing him, yet also barred his heart from it with his strong will, and children of powerful darkness but not corrupted." Marluxia presumed, his surprise at the unexpected sight and presumption slowly but shifted to darkly smile his amusement, anticipating what he shall unleash. "How interesting."
A/N:
- This chapter and the next take place between Kingdom Hearts 1 and 358/2 Days, and before (Re:) Chain of Memories
- Other than the KH1 Sephiroth cameo in Moon (due to the second FFVII X CA chapter), Naminé's remark about Tusk reminding her of both Sora and Riku was because, apart from Tusk and Sora's similar personalities (minus the former's accidents), Tusk and Riku share the same JPN seiyuu/ voice actor: Mamoru Miyano.
- I didn't think this would be the longest chapter I've ever written in this story (not surprised if there's more to come).