Chapter 29
Life of Code
Stars whizzed by the Highwind, creating sparkling streaks of whites and golds across the backdrop of space. Hinata admired the sight when looking up from writing in her journal. She rested along the rigging ropes that attached up to the mast of the ship, finding recently that it served as a suitable secluded perch rather than being holed up in her room. This time, she didn't find herself completely alone. Riku sat beside her as a silent companion, watching the stars with a thoughtful frown across his face.
Hinata looked up from her journal with a sigh, closing it and spelling it away with a burst of blue mist. She leaned back against the rigging, the rope creaking and swaying from her shifting weight.
"I don't know how to feel," she softly said.
Riku's gaze drifted downwards. "I don't blame you."
"Do you think I'm being too harsh about her?" she asked, looking over at him.
"About Keres?"
She nodded.
Taking a deep long breath, Riku leaned forward, resting his hands between his knees and rubbing them together. "I don't know…Which I know doesn't help."
"It's fine." She ran her hand up his back, squeezing his shoulder. "How did you feel about your Replica?"
He didn't reply right away and she didn't rush him. She rubbed his back, looking out at the stars.
"He… was a lot like Keres," he slowly replied. "I felt bad for him, more than anything. He hated me, but I think at the bottom of it all what he really wanted was his own life apart from mine. And I couldn't give that to him. I didn't want to destroy him, but I didn't see another way. If it weren't for Castle Oblivion…maybe there could have been something that let him be someone else. Someone that didn't have to be my shadow."
"Like what?" she asked.
He shook his head. "I don't know… Maybe it would have ended the same way. But he didn't ask to be created."
"Neither did Keres…" she whispered, leaning back her head. "Maybe I am being too harsh. I just…don't know what else to do."
"I don't think there's a perfect solution," he told her. "You have to be ready to do what you have to do." He looked back at her. "That might mean destroying her, or we might be able to figure something else out."
Hinata nodded, thinking it over. After a while Riku rested back along the rigging and Hinata leaned her head against his shoulder. Neither of them said anything as they stared out at the stars.
"Right now… I don't want to figure anything else out," Hinata confessed so quietly she wondered if Riku heard her. "And I know that's wrong. I've never felt this way before."
Riku found her hand and squeezed it.
"Is that darkness inside of me?" she asked.
"It could turn into it," he answered honestly. "Which might be why Santa told you what he did."
"You and Sora have killed before, haven't you?" she asked.
He remained quiet for a moment. "Only because we had to."
"I guess that's the difference," she whispered. She breathed in deeply. "I'm kind of scared."
"Me too," he admitted. "But I know you. You won't give in to it. There might be nothing we can do for Keres, but I know when you're ready you'll be the one trying the hardest to figure out a way."
"When I'm ready," she agreed, squeezing his hand. "Let's hope I don't get the chance to kill her before that." She winced and brought her hand to her face. "Sorry, that was—"
"It's ok if that's what happens," he interrupted. "Sometimes that's what you have to do. No one would blame you for killing her without figuring something else out… It's just important you don't let it take you over. That's the dangerous part."
"The part that allows the darkness in," she muttered and Riku nodded. "I'll work on that…"
He rolled to his side and kissed her head. "I know you will."
Hinata smiled, blush warming her face. She gazed back at him, her eyes fluttering between his features. "Thank you."
"Ahem," Ben cleared his throat, standing on the deck below them. "I don't mean to interrupt the uh-private time and all, but DiZ sent a message I think you'll wanna see!"
"Alright, we'll be right there," Hinata called down, then looked at Riku. "I guess it's time to get back to it, huh?"
"You feeling ready for it?" he asked.
"No," she admitted with a laugh. "And yes."
Riku chuckled, beginning the descent to the deck. The rope bent and trembled from his movement and Hinata clung tight, well used to its sway. Once he climbed down completely, she swung over the side, hanging from the rung for a moment before releasing her grip and landing on the deck with a thud.
"Alright Ben," Hinata walked over to him at the Navigation, rubbing her hands together. "What's the message?"
Ben scratched the side of his head. "Well it was the strangest thing. DiZ said we can't go inside the mansion in Twilight Town. He said that when we land, he'll have me transfer all of you inside the computer." His fingers typed so fast across the navigation screen, it was difficult to see them. Lines of code and numbers danced across the screen. "So I'll need everyone on deck."
"He didn't tell you about this while you were connected in Halloween Town?" Riku asked.
"Not a clue!" Ben exclaimed. "Though we were pretty busy watching over you guys there."
"Why wouldn't he want us inside the mansion?" Hinata crossed her arms. "It seems strange."
"Well you can ask him yourself in a little bit," Ben told her. "We'll be back in Twilight Town in just a few minutes."
"I'll go tell the others." Riku turned to head below deck.
Square particles of light spun through the digital air. The group appeared to be standing outside in the center of the mansion's garden. A faint wind brushed their cheeks, the smell of flowers teased their senses, but none of the details were focused. Behind the clouds, faint lines of silver streaked across the sky. The grass and trees around them swayed in the breeze, ever so slightly glitching, appearing hazy. Even the group themselves, as they looked around, weren't completely solid.
"Someone's been busy," Sam said, turning her hand in front of her. Fuzzy particles buzzed around her fingers from the movement.
Ben walked past the group, spinning while he walked and admiring the flourishing garden. "I knew he was adding things, but this is way more than I expected!"
"It's unstable," Sam replied. "Are we sure it's safe to be in here?"
"I don't think he'd bring us here if it wasn't," Riku pointed out.
"It's a work in progress!" Ben called behind him. "With enough time, this place will be paradise!" He picked a bundle of flowers to smell them, but they fell away into shards of code. "Ah, emphasis on the will be."
"It's incredible." Velcia held out her robes and spun around, entranced by the medley of particles. "Being in the arena was remarkable on its own, but this seems like so much more."
"It is," Hinata agreed, looking around. "It's different from the garden we made back in the real Twilight Town. He actually personalized it." She walked up to a stone fountain gurgling with glistening water. "It reminds me a bit of home."
"Makes sense," Sam said. "If he can make the digital world look however he wants, why not make it look a bit like home?"
"I'm just surprised, I guess," Hinata replied, turning to look over the mansion itself.
It didn't appear much different from the one in the real Twilight Town, except rather than falling apart, it appeared new. No dirt caked on the windows, no cracks in the walls. It appeared welcoming and regal.
The double doors leading inside swung open, drawing everyone's attention. DiZ stood at the doorway, poised as always.
"It is good to see all of you back in one piece," he told them, walking out into the garden. "It has been quite some time."
"Thank you for all of your expertise, along with Ben," Velcia replied with a slight bow. "I'm not sure we would have managed if not for your help."
DiZ bowed his head in return. "While appreciated, you needn't thank me. I did what was necessary. Though I am sure Dr. Finklestein would have conjured up something appropriate, especially with you and Sam at his disposal."
"Just accept the compliment." Sam shook her head.
DiZ hummed with a smile. "Very well." He turned and looked up at the mansion. "I am sure it came as a surprise to be transferred here when you landed. Much has happened during your absence and I'm afraid the mansion in the real Twilight Town will no longer be accessible for our needs."
The group looked between each other. Riku didn't seem nearly as surprised as the rest of them.
"It's because of Sora, isn't it?" Riku asked. "He's starting to poke around the mansion to figure out what's going on?"
"He is part of the reason." DiZ nodded. "Twilight Town was kept from Sora for quite some time. During that time, I kept the mansion under a barrier to keep Nobodies and Heartless from finding their way in. It seems, however, as Sora has made progress, so too have the Nobodies risen in strength and persistence. It was only a matter of time until they managed to break through."
"So you transferred everything here," Sam surmised. "Can't they still reach it from your computer?"
"For the moment, yes," he admitted, turning towards her. "Though it will not be a concern for long. Soon, this digital world will be inaccessible to anyone who is not currently in the present company. It can serve as your base, accessible from the deck of the Highwind whenever necessary."
"That's… amazing," Hinata said slowly. "But wait, what about all of our stuff back in actual Twilight Town?"
"It is here, just as you left it," DiZ replied. "Nothing personal remains in the ruins of the mansion."
"Can we personalize our rooms like you did out here?" Sam asked, getting excited. "Cause I have the greatest idea for a tool bench."
DiZ chuckled. "Yes, that can be arranged. However, for the moment, I humbly request your aid in making adjustments to the Highwind. While its perception filter will keep away the wandering eyes, there is no telling what the Nobodies would do if they discovered it."
"Oh"—Sam ruffled the back of her hair—"sure, I'll help with whatever."
DiZ bowed his head, then looked over his shoulder. "Ben? May I also count on your assistance?"
"Ready as always, DiZ Sir!" Ben stood straight, saluting before running over. The moment he reached them, the three of them disappeared in a flash of light..
"I guess we'll stay here." Hinata crossed her arms.
"I don't mind," Velcia said, still lost in wonderment. "I would very much like the time to explore this place. I'm still struggling to wrap my mind around it."
Hinata chuckled. "Me too."
They walked inside the mansion, leaving the lustrous garden behind. The doors swung shut and each of them went quiet in awe of their new surroundings. The foyer matched the regality of the outside. Marble columns lined the stairwells, a chandelier that had been shattered in the real mansion, now hung with dozens of dazzling crystals that reflected orbs of lights all over the walls. Their footsteps echoed against the polished tile and Hinata went on ahead, turning as she walked.
"This… I'm… speechless." She ran her hand up along one of the columns. Even though fuzzy and made of code, it felt cool to the touch, smooth and hard like she would have expected in the real world.
"Does it look like home?" Riku asked.
"A bit." Hinata continued taking everything in, her voice distracted. She pointed up. "That chandelier hung in my dad's study when I was a girl. But Lea broke it when he threw one of his frisbees inside." She brought the back of her hand to her mouth and chuckled. "He got in sooo much trouble. Aeleus wouldn't let him and Isa in the castle anymore after that. Which is when the sneaking in started and…" Her voice trailed off and her smile fell away. She noticed Riku look over at her and she cleared her throat. "Anyway, it's nice to know he remembered things like that. With how distant he is now, I've wondered if he even remembers what home was like."
Riku's expression softened. He squeezed Hinata's shoulder before walking to look further around the foyer. He grabbed the doorknob leading into the hall where their rooms were before. The door itself stood tall and arched at the top. It opened easily, revealing a large hall nearly double the width of the one in the ruined mansion. More doors lined the sides, leading into enough rooms for each of them to settle in comfortably.
"How much time does he have on his hands?" Hinata asked under her breath, eyes widened as she slowly entered the hall in awe.
"At least our door doesn't stick anymore," Riku said, opening the door to their room.
Rather than cobwebs in the corners and old scuffed books stacked in precarious piles, a cozy atmosphere washed over them. Warm golden lights were strung between thick wooden rafters lining the ceiling. A bed rested against a wall with a multi-paned window that overlooked the forest sprawled outside. Unlike the real world, the buildings of Twilight Town were nowhere to be seen. All that laid outside was an endless forest that disappeared into mist the further out it went.
"Now this looks like home." Hinata sat along the edge of the bed, looking over everything. "My old room." She pointed towards an oak desk built into the wall. "The amount of times I fell asleep studying there. When I was a little girl, I'd sit under it with the fluffiest blankets I could find. It was the best thinking spot."
Riku rested his hand against the desk, leaning down to peek at the space underneath it. He chuckled. "I used to do the same thing, but under my bed." He stood back up straight. "It was off the ground by maybe a foot."
"Made the perfect fort," she said, smiling warmly when he nodded.
"What about these?" he asked, picking off a picture pinned to a corkboard over the desk.
Hinata walked over and peeked at the picture in his hand. The faces were blurred, still fuzzy and undetailed from the particles. She squinted and leaned forward a bit, readjusting Riku's hand rather than grabbing it herself. "I think that's… me and Kairi with my mom."
Riku turned the picture back to get a better look at it. "I wonder if the picture will get clearer eventually."
"I hope so," she said softly, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "I'd like to see mom again. It's been a long time."
Riku carefully pinned the picture back. "I'd like to hear more about her too."
She perked up. "Yeah?"
"I don't know a lot about her," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "At least, I think I don't."
"I don't talk about her a lot," she admitted. "I should." She looked at the picture and the other pinned pictures around it that showed her at various ages with Kairi, Lea, or Isa. "I can't believe dad actually put these here. Or that he even remembered they were in my room. It's been years."
"From what I know about DiZ, he's the type of guy that holds the cards close to his chest," Riku told her. "He might not seem like he cares, but he does."
Hinata nodded, looking around the room. "I think you're right."
A clattering erupted down the hall, followed by Velcia's gasp. Hinata hurried out of her room, following the sound of scuttering feet into the foyer where she found Avan clambering away from a small cat-like creature. Avan hissed, his wings flapping uselessly as he slipped and scratched the floor beneath him. The plump cat ran on two stubby feet, a pink pouch hanging around its neck that swayed with every hurried step it took after Avan.
"Catch him!" a small cute voice came out of the creature and Hinata reached down and grabbed Avan without questioning. Her wide eyes stared at the creature as it stumbled to a stop in front of her. "Whew! Th-Thank goodness." It leaned forward on its knees, struggling to catch its breath.
Avan didn't appreciate the capture and wriggled in Hinata's grip, until seeing her face. He stopped and narrowed his already narrow eyes, sniffing her. With a sudden movement, it leaped out of her hands onto her shoulder and looked around the room as if searching for something.
"If you're looking for Sam, she went with DiZ and Ben to fix the ship," Riku told the little dragon.
Avan growled and went to jump from Hinata's shoulder, but the little cat poofed into a cloud of pink smoke and reappeared on Hinata's back, capturing Avan in its small but apparently strong arms. It hopped off Hinata's back, lowering gently to the ground as if it were a weightless stuffed animal.
"I'm-uh, sure you have a lot of questions." The critter turned towards them. It stared up at them with two lilac colored lines that Hinata assumed were its eyes. "I'm Chirithy. It's nice to finally meet all of you."
Hinata lowered to her knees. "You know us?"
"It's a bit of a long story," Chirithy replied, seeming like it wanted to scratch its head but couldn't while holding a rather irate Avan. "We've been here for a while-"
"We?" Riku asked.
Thudding footsteps from upstairs cut through the discussion.
"Did you get him?" a man's voice called from the balcony.
Everyone looked up and saw a young man leaning far over the railing. They barely saw his face behind the fluff of his wild dark hair, but then he stood straight and pushed it back, revealing a nervous, yet excited grin.
"Oh, hey, you're all here!" He looked between them. "Well, most of you anyway."
Grabbing the railing, he lifted himself over it and jumped to the bottom floor with them. His heavy boots caused a resonating thud that he winced at momentarily before beaming another smile. He appeared glitchier than the rest of them with strings of code randomly erupting around him. It was a detail he seemed to notice as he stuffed his glitching hands into his jacket pockets.
"I'm Lupe," he greeted. "And you already met Chirithy."
Avan wriggled out of Chirithy's clutches and climbed up Lupe, settling in the fur lined hood of his jacket. Everyone stared at Lupe in a bit of shock. He stood taller than them, with long legs covered with ripped black jeans. Various piercings decorated his face, particularly up his ears, matching the goth aesthetic of the rest of his outfit. Despite the dark apparel-his stance, his face, and even his heterochromatic eyes were relaxed and kind.
"So, I'm sure us being here is a bit of a surprise," Lupe took it upon himself to fill the shocked silence. "DiZ warned us about that. We sort of hoped he'd be here to smooth things over."
"He's-um"-Hinata motioned towards the garden, closing her eyes and trying to get her words straight-"working on the ship." She chuckled a bit awkwardly. "I'm sorry, you know DiZ? Exactly how long have you been here?"
Lupe looked at Chirithy, whistling. "Gosh, I don't know, maybe three, four months?"
"Months?" Hinata repeated.
"Are you certain it's been that long?" Velcia asked.
"DiZ never mentioned anything," Riku said, walking over to Lupe with his arms crossed.
"I completely get the uneasiness," Lupe assured them, putting up his hands. "I would be worried too. But I promise we come in peace."
Chirithy sighed, shaking its head. "That is such a bad line."
"Well, yeah," Lupe chuckled, his grin growing when Hinata and Velcia smiled. "But point is, Chirithy and I don't know how we showed up. DiZ found us in the other digital Twilight Town and brought us here. He told us that we should be able to help with your mission while he figures out how to help us."
"That does sound like something DiZ would do." Velcia brought her hand to her chin. "If you don't mind me asking, what do both of you need help with?"
"That's where things get complicated," Lupe admitted, ruffling the back of his hair. "We're not completely sure."
"We don't know how we even showed up in a digital version of Twilight Town," Chirithy added with a little hop. "Or where we were before."
Lupe nodded with a hum, momentarily seeming sullen about it before shrugging. "We'll find out eventually. In the meantime, we're happy to help out how we can here."
"I know what it's like to forget where you came from," Hinata said, becoming more relaxed. "I hope my dad can help recover whatever you lost."
Lupe seemed momentarily surprised by her sentiment, then melted into a warm smile. "I appreciate that." He put his hand to his chin. "If DiZ is your dad, you must be Hinata. He mentioned you were his daughter." When she nodded, he smirked and looked at the others. "And let me guess, you're Riku, and you're Velcia?"
"That's right!" Velcia nodded emphatically.
"So DiZ told you about us?" Riku asked, arms crossed and back straight.
"Nothing too personal," Lupe assured him. "Just enough to get a handle on who each of you are and what you're working towards." He looked at Velcia and placed his hand on her shoulder. "By the way, your work to get them out of the nightmares was amazing."
"Oh!" Velcia sheepishly pushed her hair behind her ear. "It was nothing. I'm just thankful I was able to help at all."
"It was a lot more than nothing." Hinata bumped Velcia gently with her hip, sharing a soft smile with her.
"Thank you," Velcia replied softly.
"Thinking of it though"-Hinata looked towards the doors leading to the garden-"my dad did mention having something he thought would help on our mission. But he said it wasn't ready yet and he'd reveal it when it was. I guess I just didn't expect it to be actual teammates."
Lupe laughed. "Well, in his defense, I can't leave the digital world. So I won't be able to actually go places with you."
Hinata watched him, amused by how animatedly he talked with his hands. Then the realization of what he said hit her. "Wait, you can't leave?"
"Heh, yeah, when DiZ found us, we were nothing more than several lines of code," Lupe explained. "I'm not technology savvy so I couldn't tell you how or why or anything really to explain it."
"Like I said, it's a long story," Chirithy said.
"Then how does DiZ think you'll be able to help?" Riku asked.
"We'll just have to ask him ourselves when he gets back," Velcia said with an assured nod to herself. "But everything aside, it is lovely to meet both of you. It was a surprise, but a welcome one."
Lupe beamed with an adorable grin that seemed infectious across the group, even causing Riku to crack a smile. "Likewise!"
Sausage sizzled on the stove, the smell just as tantalizing as it would be in the real world. Lupe leaned against the counter, his hair tied back out of his face, but with every movement strands fell loose. He stirred the sausage, giving Riku room to add chopped onions and peppers.
"Man, you're a natural at this," Lupe commented as Riku sprinkled various spices into the mix.
Riku exhaled with a half smirk, continuing to work.
"I can't imagine what food will taste like in a digital world," Velcia said while she filled up glasses of water from a pitcher. "Surely it wouldn't taste exactly the same."
"It is different." Lupe turned around, crossing his arms with the spoon sticking out until Riku swiped it from his hand. "Sort of… blander, but it's not bad."
"And the texture isn't as dense," Chirithy added, toddling atop of the dining table setting out silverware while Hinata handled the plates.
"You can remember what real food tastes like?" Riku asked.
Lupe chuckled. "Yeah that is confusing, isn't it? I don't remember much, but there's moments I do. Sensations and feelings, but not the actual events."
"That's how it was for me too." Hinata placed the last plate.
"And were you able to retrieve your memories eventually?" Chirithy asked.
Hinata hummed with a nod and a soft smile. "It took a while and I've learned that there's still more I need to recover, but yes. Hopefully you will too."
"I'm sure we will." Lupe snagged a sausage and popped it into his mouth.
"Is it too much to hope some of that food's for me?" Sam walked through the doorway, smears of oil splotched over her arms. She stopped midstep, eyes widening at the sight of Lupe and Chirithy. "Um…?"
Lupe quickly swallowed, coughing a bit before he managed to wave. "Hey! You must be Sam."
Sam pursed her lips and darted her gaze to Hinata.
"DiZ has apparently been hiding them," Hinata replied simply.
"Of course he has," Sam sighed, continuing to enter the kitchen. "Um, well, nice to meet you both, I guess? You're…?"
"Chirithy"—Lupe motioned towards his cat companion, then to himself—"Lupe. It's nice to meet you too. I guess all we're missing then is DiZ and—"
"Lupe!" Ben burst into the kitchen, Jack flying in tow, barking excitedly. "Oh it's so good to finally see you face to face again." Everyone turned to look at Ben and he slowed to a stop. Chuckling nervously, Ben asked, "What?"
"You knew?" Sam asked.
"Well, I mean, maybe?" Ben shrugged, inching around the edge of the kitchen before running towards Lupe and jumping into his arms.
Lupe stumbled back in surprise, but caught the robot, laughing. "Hey Ben, long time no see."
"Um, ok, we're backing up." Sam shook her hands in front of herself. "Who, what, when, where, I need answers."
Ben hopped out of Lupe's arms and settled into a seat at the dining room. "Weellll"—he leaned back in his seat, placing his feet on top of the table—"it all started back on Bentopia—"
"Seriously?" Sam asked.
"He's right," Lupe admitted with a smirk, moving out of the kitchen and to the table. He sat along the edge, his hands in his pockets.
"I am right!" Ben pointed upwards. "Back in those days, I didn't have a mind of my own. Not after Captain Flint stole it from me so I couldn't tell anyone about his treasure trove, which if you think about it—"
"Ben, please, for goodness sake," Hinata interrupted, smirking when Velcia and Lupe snickered.
"Alright, alright," Ben sighed loudly. "Without a mind, I often slept the day away if I wasn't out hunting the land for various trinkets to add to my collection. You know the collection, Hinata. Anyway! During a dream I met Lupe and we danced and danced the entire night away. But then, I woke up and he was gone! Never saw him again. Until suddenly, out of nowhere, DiZ tells me he's found someone in the other synthetic Twilight Town! And who could it be? None other than, LUPE!" Ben wiggled his hands towards Lupe as if he had just completed a musical number.
Lupe chuckled while everyone else stayed quiet.
"That's… interesting?" Sam said slowly.
"Dancing?" Hinata asked, looking at Lupe. "You remember it too?"
"I thought it was a weird dream," Lupe admitted, scratching the side of his head and causing more hair to fall loose from the bun. "I had a lot of them before I woke up in what I thought was the real Twilight Town. Between all of the crazy dreams I've had, dancing with a robot didn't seem that bad."
The group fell silent. Ben's chair squeaked, feet scuffed across the tile floor, Sam's fingers drummed across the countertop, and the sausage sizzled away in the pan. Suddenly, Riku sputtered into a laugh. It was quiet at first, his shoulders shaking with stifled laughter, until he couldn't hold it in. Everyone else followed suit one after another.
"I don't suppose," Hinata asked amidst her laughter, "you'd show us?"
"I'd thought you'd never ask!" Ben hopped up, his chair falling behind him. "Oops!"
Everyone looked at Lupe and he snickered and shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
"I'll even put on the music!" Ben tapped open his chest compartment and pressed a few buttons.
A warbled classical tune filled the room. Lupe gave a bow to Ben, the theatrics causing snickers across everyone. Being so much taller than Ben, Lupe had to bend down considerably to reach the robot's level, but he managed it all the same. They waltzed around the dining table, bumping into chairs and walls, much to everyone's great amusement.
Riku shook his head with a smile, bringing the food to the table. "When you're done, the food's ready."
Lupe gave Ben a grand spin, before dipping him. Velcia and Hinata clapped while Sam and Chirithy simultaneously shook their heads with amused disbelief.
"Thank you, thank you!" Ben bowed over and over again, while Lupe chuckled and found his seat.
As Lupe sat down, the hood to his jacket jerked around with a growl. Sam eyed it with mild concern while Lupe smirked. "It took you longer to wake up than I thought it would."
Avan peeked his groggy head out of the fluffy lined hood. After a few blinks, he noticed Sam and chirped excitedly for her.
"Oh my gosh, that's where you've been?" Sam asked, coming over and catching Avan in her arms. He nuzzled his head under her chin, trilling in almost a purr. "Yeah I missed you too."
Chirithy sighed. "He's a tough one. I've been chasing him all over the place!"
Sam chuckled. "You and me both. DiZ said he'd look after him while we were gone." She sat down beside Lupe. "Thanks for keeping an eye on him."
Avan curled up on the table between them, perfectly content.
"It was no trouble," Lupe assured her, lightly scratching Avan's head. "He gave us something to do, right Chirithy?"
"If you say so," Chirithy replied.
"Would you look at this?" Hinata rushed to the middle of the library that sprawled out around them. "This is unbelievable!"
"It looks a lot like the one in Hollow Bastion," Riku said, watching Hinata gush over every detail with a look of adoration on his face.
Shelves upon shelves of books filled the massive room. A spiraling staircase led to a second level and stained glass windows overlooking the misty forest outside. Hinata ran her hand along a table set near the stairs.
"This reminds me of where I used to study," she told the others as they caught up to her and Riku. "Dad would let me work in here when home got too distracting. Well, in the real castle library, anyway." She looked around with a nostalgic gleam in her eyes. "This one is different."
"Will the words eventually become clearer?" Velcia asked, flipping through the pages of one of the books. "I would love to pour over them someday if they do."
"It should," Sam said, peeking at the book while she also scratched Avan's neck from his perch on her shoulder. "The only reason it's all so fuzzy right now is because DiZ is building more before polishing anything. If he could stop adding more rooms, he might be able to make this"— she lifted her hands, showing the particles around them—"stop."
"It didn't used to be this big," Lupe told them, following along with his hands in his pockets. "Chirithy and I were here a couple weeks ago and all we saw was his lab."
Velcia hummed, placing the book back on the shelf. "Then it's likely he added all of this in anticipation of us coming here."
"That's a ton of work in a short amount of time," Sam pointed out. "Though, I guess he would have had that time with everything that went down in Halloween Town."
"Do you know how to get to his lab from here, Lupe?" Hinata asked.
"Yeah, sure thing." Lupe led the way up the spiral staircase.
The group followed to the second floor. Hinata continued to admire every detail, whispering memories to Riku and pointing out various things that reminded her of her childhood: a bouquet of flowers Kairi picked as a little girl sitting in a crystal vase, their favorite bedtime stories stacked on a desk, even Hinata's first training blades hung on the wall. All of them were merely digital recreations, but Hinata was enthralled all the same.
Between her musings, she found she hadn't been paying much attention to where Lupe was leading them. At some point, the wooden panel floor turned into metal. The bookshelves were replaced with computer screens and windows of data. Lupe came to a stop in front of a metal door with a glowing blue orb in the center.
"He's right through here," he told them, about to open the door.
"Actually,"—Hinata stepped forward, putting out her hand—"do you think I could talk to him alone first? Sorry, I hadn't expected to, I just—"
"Totally fine," Lupe assured her. "We'll just chill out here for a bit. I even convinced DiZ to download a few games on the computers out here."
"Did you really?" Sam asked, already turning towards the computers.
"What sort of game?" Velcia followed suit. "Is it anything like the DVD we watched?"
Hinata chuckled. "I guess I'm leaving them in good hands." She looked towards Riku and sent him a nod that he returned. "Be right back."
She placed her hand on the glowing orb. It pulsed with a light and gave a chime before the door slid open with a hiss. Hinata stepped through, allowing the door to slide shut behind her. She expected to be met with darkness as she had grown accustomed to in Twilight Town. Instead, while the room was considerably dimmer than the rest of the mansion, she could clearly see. Various screens were projected around the room, each glowing with data and diagrams. Hinata walked further in, hearing her dad muttering to himself, seemingly unaware of her presence. She found him studying a slowly revolving hologram of one of the creatures they encountered on Halloween Town. He scribbled notes in a journal and Hinata smiled to herself, finding it a bit odd that despite the array of technology around him, he still chose to write notes by hand.
She cleared her throat and DiZ stood up straight and looked over his shoulder, taking a moment to find her. With a chuckle, he turned around completely and with a whisk of his hand, the screens blipped away and the lights bloomed, fully illuminating the room.
"Hinata," he greeted. "I apologize, I was enthralled with my work."
"As always," she teased with a half smile, looking around the lab. "Even this place looks a lot like home."
"I am surprised you remember my lab." He watched her, his hands going behind his back. "Though I imagine you feel similar, but with other details around the mansion."
"I do." She nodded, still turning and taking it all in. "I can't believe you built all of this."
DiZ hummed with a smile. "After creating a copy of Twilight Town, synthesizing another environment became much simpler. The groundwork had already been laid. I do hope it will serve you well. With this place at your disposal, it should prevent what occurred with Bane from ever happening again."
Hinata paused and turned towards him. "I… didn't even think about that. Is that why you created this place?"
"It is one of the reasons." He nodded. "I realized there is no telling when you will need to retreat at a moment's notice. This can serve as a haven and prevents entry from outsiders."
Hinata wasn't sure what to say. She smiled softly, but it fell as she looked down at her hand, watching the particles dance around her fingertips.
DiZ filled the stretch of silence, "I understand that if I had managed to create this sooner—"
"There's no way you could have known what would happen." Hinata put down her hand. "None of us did. But…the fact that you did this now…it means a lot."
"Of course," DiZ replied.
Hinata looked back towards the door, vaguely hearing the others chatting amongst themselves along with the chimes and beeps of whatever game they played. She smiled to herself, thankful they seemed to be having fun.
"It sounds as if you've met Lupe and Chirithy," DiZ commented as he pulled back up a hologram of the creature from Halloween Town.
"Yeah," Hinata chuckled, crossing her arms. "They were a surprise. Thanks for the heads up that we would meet them."
"Of course." DiZ smiled over his shoulder, making Hinata roll her eyes fondly.
"Lupe mentioned you found him and Chirithy in the other Twilight Town…how is that possible?" she asked. "They couldn't be there unless you added them, right?"
"I was just as confused as you when I discovered them," he told her while he swiped his hand and brought up different diagrams. The golden medal from Game Central Station floated on the screen, lines of code spilled out the sides of it. "Until I realized the source of their code. It was not of my creation, but rogue code from the medal you and Riku retrieved during your mission in Game Central Station."
Hinata walked up beside him, staring at the medal with a confused furrow to her brow. "You mean the medal we got for you had people inside of it…? How?"
DiZ shook his head, his hand going to his chin. "I am still unsure how it happened. I broke down the code inside the medal to integrate into the Heart Encoder. Remaining code became archived and forgotten. Once the synthetic Twilight Town became active, however, it grew and reacted in ways I had not expected. It was as if, even though digital, the town developed a heart of its own. The entirety of my work station became its vessel and I believe that is when it discovered Lupe's and Chirithy's code in the archives."
"And it built them inside the town," Hinata said softly and DiZ hummed with a nod. "Are they…real? Or just coded memories of people, if that's even possible."
"I suppose that is a question you should answer yourself," DiZ told her. "When you were in Game Central Station, would you consider the people you encountered there to be real?"
Hinata thought about it for a moment. "...I would."
"Then Lupe and Chirithy are very much real."
"I'm glad." Hinata softly smiled.
"As am I." DiZ whisked away the screen and turned towards Hinata. "Their company has been rather appreciated."
"I can imagine," Hinata laughed. "They already fit in with the rest of us."
DiZ smiled and their conversation fell to a lull. "Was there anything else you wished to discuss before we brought in the others?"
Hinata's face scrunched, the lightness in her chest falling away. "Yeah, actually…" She took in a deep breath, her hand running up along her arm. "Did you see what happened when we met Santa?"
He was quiet for a moment. "Yes. Ben did share his feed with me."
"Do you have anything to say about it?" she asked.
He readjusted his posture, taking a long breath. "I admit, I am still collecting my thoughts on the matter."
Hinata's throat tightened and she nodded. DiZ placed his hand on her shoulder and she placed hers over his. "I am too."
"Recent events have given all of us much to think about."
"They have," she agreed. "I don't even know where to start."
He squeezed her shoulder and Hinata shut her eyes tight.
"Thank you," she whispered, unsure exactly what she was thanking for, but the sentiment still seemed important to express.
His hand slid away and Hinata remained still. She heard his footsteps against the metal floor as he went towards the door.
"I believe you have everything you need," he said. "Your path is yours alone to decide. And no matter where it leads, you will have my unwavering support."
Opening her eyes, Hinata turned around to find him standing by the door, patiently awaiting her to be ready for the others. She sighed with a shaky breath and strained a smile, hoping it would help ease away the anxiety festering in her gut.
"You've changed a lot," she eventually replied.
DiZ hummed. "I suppose I have. Or perhaps I am returning to the man I used to be."
"It's nice to have my dad back."
DiZ seemed surprised by her words, looking away with a soft half-smile.
Hinata crossed her arms, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Um, we should probably let the others in. I think we're all curious to know how Lupe and Chirithy are going to help out."
"Of course." DiZ placed his hand on the orb in front of the door.
With a pulse and a chime, the door hissed open and everyone looked up from their games. DiZ greeted them with a bow of his head and stood aside with his arm out, welcoming them inside to the next step of their journey.
**Author's Note: "Did I ever dance with an android named Lupe?" -B.E.N, Treasure Planet
Yes, I knew the connection and I am so curious who all caught the reference right away. But NO, that is not why he is named Lupe. It was a happy coincidence!
Anyway, with the elephant out of the room, thank you all so much for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it and are looking forward to seeing where things are heading from here. Things should be moving at a faster pace now as the hunt begins!
I have been SO excited for everyone to meet Lupe. If you follow me on Tumblr, or know the incredible creator, AmyHayaNora, you might recognize him already. And you might also already know that he does not technically belong to me, but to the lovely Amy. She is one of my dearest friends and I was heavily involved during the creation of her OC, Lupe. We talked about him daily! Different details, physical appearance, his voice, his story, and then on to, what if he met Hinata and co? What started as fun little headcanons quickly grew into full stories, shipping, snippets, and eventually I brought up the idea that he actually join Hinata's canon. He fit in SO perfectly! There was a place that needed filling in Hinata's team and Lupe seemed made for it.
Amy agreed instantly and has been involved with him becoming part of the team. So I have full permission and encouragement to use him in this story. If you'd like to see amazing art of him, go look up AmyHayaNora on Instagram and Tumblr. She's such a beautiful and wonderful person. She deserves all the love in the world.
We hope that all of you love Lupe and are as excited as we are to integrate him into the team. Have a wonderful week!**