Chapter 36
Warm shades of the sunset painted the fortress. Hinata's shadow stretched across the balcony, looming over her. She walked alone. Her body ached with every step, but she didn't stop moving. There would be no rest until she found Thaanix.
The stairwell laid ahead, she could see it. Threads of darkness webbed out of it, sprawling between the bricks. Hinata pushed herself to go faster, forcing her dragging feet to run.
She reached the base of the stairs and looked up. The wide stairwell led to a pair of opulent doors, yet its seams were sealed with thick globs of darkness. Unmade threw themselves at the door, their bodies bursting into acidic goop that attempted to burn away at the wood, yet it did little but mar the polish. Specters of darkness stood at the sides of the stairs, watching, seemingly directing the Unmade to continue throwing themselves to their death.
"They're locked out," Hinata realized.
The dark specters turned their heads in unison and Hinata backed up, her blades flashing to her grip. Glowing eyes met with hers. Hinata let out a breath, her heart skipping and body shuddering at the thought of pushing into another battle, but she couldn't back down — not now.
"Let me through!" she yelled.
The front most specter twitched, its head falling forward as if it were a rag doll. Then in a rush, it flew down the stairs, its entire form a blur. Hinata leapt back, the shadow copy of herself slamming into the railing. The metal rattled, the sound reverberating around them. The specter whipped its head around, eyes and grin wide. Its feet shoved off the railing, sending it spinning through the air. Its arms transformed into blades, slamming down towards Hinata.
She blocked them, gritting her teeth at its sheer strength. Pushing it back, she sprinted away, getting distance between them. The specter hissed, just about to pounce again before Hinata's blade shot through its stomach. Smoke spat out of its mouth and it fell to its knees, its entire body wisping away.
Hinata's blade flashed back into her hand. She staggered forward, her knees shaking and threatening to buckle beneath her. With a trembling hand, she grabbed the movement potion from her belt and brought it to her lips. The contents were cool, refreshing, and such a shock to her burning throat that a violent cough sputtered out of her. The potion spilled, only a few drops making it down, but it was enough to loosen her muscles and take the agonizing edge off. She stumbled back towards the stairwell. If she recalled correctly, there were only three specters, which meant two remained.
Except they weren't there. Hinata blinked, looking up at the empty stairwell, then around the empty balcony. Nothing. She went up a few steps, slowly, hesitant. The dark seal on the door pulsated, beckoning her.
Then something whistled through the air. A blade sliced through her shoulder, spraying blood over the black stone. Hinata cried out, her voice hoarse and breaking. A specter gripped her shoulder and threw her down the stairs. She fell onto the pavement with a heavy thud, skidding across the bricks.
Her vision blurred and she grimaced, shaking her head. The specter seemed to say something, but whatever it said was lost to the ringing in Hinata's ears. It leapt from the stairs, going unnaturally high. Hinata scrambled away, summoning her shield just as the specter landed with a crash, sending a spray of broken rocks in every direction. The rocks bounced off the surface of the shield, then the shield disappeared in a flash of light, as Hinata was unable to keep it there for long. She pushed herself to stand, the specter glowering at her, breathing heavily.
"You're not going to stop me," Hinata said.
The darkness stopped. It smirked, the expression growing into a grin. "We're not trying to sssstop you," it said in a slithering voice that Hinata heard in her own head rather than out loud. "We kill you… Or kill her…"
Its voice made her head spin; like a snake coiling around her brain, whispering secrets. She swayed. "What…?" she asked.
"Wwwwhich isss it?" The other specter appeared. It walked over, dragging black blades across the stone. One of the blades had Hinata's blood smeared across it. "You… or her…?"
Hinata shook her head, closing her eyes tightly then opening again. "I'm not… I can't…"
"You can't possssibly defeat usss," one of them whispered in her mind. "Let ussss in the room and we will kill her."
Her chest heaved. "Why… Why would you…?"
"Ssshe's trying to kill ussss," one of them hissed. "Lock ussss out!"
"And you think… I'll help you?" Hinata asked.
"We know you want her dead…" they said in unison.
Hinata's breath quickened. "Get…" she started hoarsely, then broke into a scream. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
The specters hissed, their presence immediately withdrawing from her mind and leaving her numb. Her entire body lurched forward, nearly fainting, but the sight of the specters readying for battle forced her adrenaline to open her eyes. Black blades whistled through the air. Hinata glowed blue, using her warp magic out of habit to dodge out of the way and immediately regretting it as the magic tugged painfully at her chest.
She instead utilized her own blades, slicing the projectiles out of the air and sending them careening to the ground on either side of her. The specter continued sending one blade after another, replenishing them out of darkness. The other rushed Hinata physically, running towards her with a guttural roar. Its fists were enlarged and glowing, the movements ignited and charged as Hinata deftly dodged. Until she didn't.
A punch slammed against her chest, sending her flying back to the stairs. A brick jabbed into her back and she cried out with a gasping breath. The specters laughed and Hinata grimaced, scrambling further up the stairs. The specters slowly followed, enjoying seeing her writhe.
Reaching the top, Hinata weakly hit the door. "L-Let me in!" she begged, her voice cracking. "Than…" She stopped, closing her eyes tight. Sucking in a breath, she cried, "Keres!"
The darkness sealing the door waned and it creaked open. A dark excitement swelled in the air and the specters rushed forward. Something grabbed Hinata. It pulled her in and shut the door, locking the specters out.
Darkness enveloped Hinata on the other side. She fell to her knees, but she couldn't even see her hands beneath her. Everything was completely black. Heavy thuds rattled the other side of the door, causing the walls to creak. It masked Hinata's wheezing breaths and the sound of someone else's much softer, yet still quickened breaths.
Neither of them spoke. Hinata couldn't even begin to formulate the words. Her body quivered, cold sweat dripping down her head. Nothing seemed real. A fog stormed around her mind and the events leading up to that moment flashed and swirled in a mishmash of confusion through her thoughts. Her eyes fluttered, her body swaying, and in the next moment, her body gave out.
The pod sealed shut with a hiss, releasing a spray of steam. Velcia's body was suspended safely inside with the help of Sam and Lupe. Ben configured the holographic computer with a serious silence, making sure the pod would provide Velcia with all the medications and supplements she needed to recover, as well as monitor her vitals.
While one of his functions focused on that, another worried about his captain. He'd been given orders, each of them had. He intended to follow them, but he also remembered Lupe's promise. They wouldn't let the Organization take Hinata. Not again. He couldn't handle seeing his captain taken again.
Another function came up with rescue plans. His mind simulated piloting the Highwind into the castle itself. It would destroy the Unmade. And it's not like anyone particularly liked Maleficent's home in the first place. But that would also put Hinata in danger and likely damage the Highwind itself, which Sam wouldn't appreciate. He also considered gathering an army of their own. Maybe digitally created Unmade could take on the real ones in an epic battle. But that would take too much time and Hinata needed rescuing now.
While all these thoughts processed through his head, Sam and Lupe paced around the room, trying to formulate their own plan.
"I have to get back." Sam's shoes tracked dirt and blood across the pristine floor.
"I know," Lupe agreed. "It'd take too much time for you to climb back to her. And there's too many Unmade…" He bit his lip piercing, brows furrowed as he stared up at Velcia floating in the pod. "We need something quick. Something that would bring you right to her."
Ben's eyes lit up. There it was. "I know how to help her." He pounded his fist into his hand.
"How?!" Both Sam and Lupe turned their attention to him.
"Get Diz over here," Ben ordered. "pronto!"
A trickle of pain tickled Hinata's senses, prodding her back to consciousness. She twitched, grimacing. The sensation was unpleasant, but not entirely unfamiliar. She couldn't place it immediately. It felt as if needles were pricking her skin from the inside out, putting her back together, fixing her. The image of Riku appeared in her mind, faint, blurry. She remembered the green mist pouring from his hand, healing her in an excruciating and personal way. Darkness. Dark healing magic.
Air filled her lungs. It burned, filling her senses. She slowly regained her bearings. Cold bricks against her back. She laid flat on the floor. Her fingers curled against the brick, the dust gathering beneath her nails. She was in Maleficent's fortress, or at least, she had been before falling unconscious. Opening her eyes, a dark expanse of black greeted her. Few sunrays flitted through cracks in the vaulted ceiling, glittering like stars to Hinata's blurred vision. She tried to lift her head, it throbbed in response, but she saw a faint green mist. The mist of magic.
Her breath quickened and her head fell back to the floor, making her wince when it hit bricks. "Y-You're healing me…" She meant it as a question but it came out as a statement of realization.
"Who told you my name?" Keres asked.
Hinata's brow furrowed. "What—"
"I haven't told anyone," she said with a slight shake in her voice.
Hinata looked up at the cracks in the ceiling, the small amounts of light helping her eyes adjust to the darkness. "Santa. I asked him about you and he told me your name."
Silence met her in reply until Keres softly scoffed. Hinata heard her get up and the sound of her footsteps walking away. She didn't move. Even after being healed, her entire body ached and throbbed. Keeping her eyes open proved burdensome. The most Keres did for her was help her regain consciousness. It was enough. A potion remained strapped at her belt. If she could regain enough strength without being noticed, she could drink it and regain enough energy to stand and fight. Her finger traced the cool glass of the potion vial, but she didn't attempt to take it.
The details in the throne room slowly came into view, though still obscure in the dark. Turning her head, Hinata could see she lay in a pit of sorts. Two stairwells led up to a second level with a throne. That was where Hinata expected to find Keres, but couldn't quite find where she was. She heard her soft footsteps, but couldn't see her silhouette.
Coming here, Hinata had so much she wanted to say to her Replica. Layers of pent up resentment and pain, anger and even hatred. She'd dreamt about what she'd say if given the chance. The things she'd do to make sure the Replica understood all the damage she'd caused. It was a sickening feeling, and right then it wasn't there. This person in the room with her wasn't the person she'd been trying to stop.
"You had to follow me here, didn't you?" Keres asked.
"What else was I supposed to do?" Hinata asked in return. "Everywhere you go—"
"Destruction follows, is that it?" Keres interrupted, her voice rising and filling the room. "Look around! There's nothing to destroy here!"
"There's an entire kingdom," Hinata explained. "Completely frozen and defenseless against your Unmade."
"Unmade?" Keres repeated, scoffing. "Oh my god, you guys actually named them."
"So is that why you came here?" Hinata asked. "You thought there'd be nothing for your darkness to destroy?"
Keres went quiet. Hinata accepted it, her fingers toying with the potion still. She unclipped it from her belt and held the vial in her hand.
"I didn't know I'd make this many," Keres said eventually, quieter than before. "I was just… trying to get my mind back."
Hinata pushed herself to sit up. She grunted from the strain, breathing heavy, but she could finally see Keres. She sat along the edge of the second floor, her legs dangling down against the stone.
"That's why you're different," Hinata said. She looked towards the door that had stopped rattling since she'd woken back up. "Those dark beings, those were inside you. Velcia said they were tormenting you."
Keres straightened at the mention of Velcia's name. "The magician with the Keyblade. Her name was Velcia?"
Hinata winced. Perhaps that was an unwise thing to say.
"I'm… sorry for what I almost did to her," Keres apologized and Hinata whipped her head towards her.
She opened and closed her mouth. "I-It's… She's alright now," Hinata replied, trying to choose her words carefully. "But…" She took a breath. "I also don't think you should be blaming yourself."
"What?" Keres asked.
Hinata took a moment to form the words. "It wasn't you. I-I took forever to see it, but it wasn't. Those darknesses, they're the ones that were calling the shots every single time we saw each other. God, you're just as much of a victim to it as Riku was or Lea, and I didn't see—"
"No." Keres interrupted.
"W-What?" Hinata looked up at her. "What do you mean, no?"
Keres shook her head, getting up. "We weren't victims."
"Yes, you are," Hinata objected. She tried to stand, stumbling over. Shaking her head, she looked at the potion in her hand. "Look, I'm drinking a potion so I can—"
"No, you're not," Keres was there in an instant. She grabbed the potion and shoved Hinata back to the ground. She stood over her. "Do you think I'm an idiot? I know the only reason you're here is to kill me. Your little empathy trip isn't fooling anyone."
Hinata groaned, pushing herself up on her elbows. "I might have fooled myself a bit."
Keres shook her head in disgust, throwing the potion away and shattering it. She stalked away.
"If you didn't want me here, why did you pull me in here and heal me?" Hinata asked. "You could have left me to die."
"...You knew my name," Keres replied, her back to Hinata. "I wanted to know why."
"You could have killed me after you got your answer," Hinata said, but Keres didn't reply.
Settling on the silence, Hinata moved to sit up. It seemed to be the best she could manage and the most Keres would allow. She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin between them. As the silence stretched, her thoughts wandered to her team. She wondered if Velcia and Sam were recovering, if Lupe was handling the fallout. She imagined what sort of silly thing Ben would say to break the tension and if Jack would pester Ben for details about what happened.
Then there was her dad… and Riku. People she hadn't considered in her snap decision to stay behind. The two people she should have considered the most. Her locket weighed heavily from her neck. Discovering the Mysterious Tower's connection to the vision, it gave her confidence in her future; but for the first time, she wondered if it was possible for a future to be altered. She tightened her arms around her knees.
Looking up, she saw Keres back on the second level. She walked along the edge, silent, thoughtful, her hands fidgeting with a black bracelet around her wrist. Even from a distance and in the shroud of the dark, it seemed familiar.
"What is that?" Hinata asked.
Keres looked up at her and Hinata pointed to the bracelet. She covered it with her hand and looked away. "It's… nothing."
Hinata wasn't convinced. She kept looking at it. Between Keres' fingers a trickle of sunlight reflected off a glass bead. "Wait." Hinata said, tilting her head. "How did you…? I made those."
"We did," Keres corrected her quietly.
"So you made one for yourself?" Hinata asked and Keres shook her head. "Then…?"
Keres stared into the darkness, eyes lost in memory. "It belonged to James."
Hinata breathed in deeply, suddenly. A rush of emotions washed over her, one after another. She shook her head. "No, no, he… he had it when he…"
"I went back," Keres confessed. "Before you took him to Montressor."
"And you took it," Hinata finished, tears wracking her voice. Keres nodded. "He would still be here—"
"I know," Keres told her. "I know…" Her fingers toyed with the beads in the bracelet, the sight making Hinata sick to her stomach. "He's part of the reason I'm here."
"You had no right—"
"Oh, now it's something I did, and not just the darkness, right?" Keres yelled. "Which is it, Hinata? Am I a victim? Or am I a monster?"
"Maybe you're both," Hinata replied.
Keres glared, eventually looking away. "Maybe I am."
Hinata wiped away her tears, sniffling. "Was it the darkness?"
"What…?"
"James," Hinata asked. "Was it you, or the darkness?"
"I…" Keres looked down at her hands. "I don't know… This is the first time I've had my mind to myself since I was created. I'm still… figuring it out. I'm figuring a lot of stuff out."
Hinata looked at her. A copy of her, but somehow even without the darkness she was different. She saw that now. All this time, she'd wanted to destroy her. She trained for it in Eos, convinced herself it was the right thing to do even against her better nature. Now she had the chance, and she could barely bring herself to raise her voice at her. All she really saw was a broken soul.
"I don't think it was you," Hinata said softly.
Keres released a breath, her shoulders waning forward. "I don't think you get it." She glanced over at Hinata. "But, um, thanks… I guess."
"What don't I get?" Hinata asked and Keres sighed, hanging back her head. "Look, I'm stuck here. And I get the idea you aren't wanting to leave. This might be our only chance to talk without the darkness involved."
Kere kept her back to Hinata but eventually talked. "When those things were inside me I… I chose to give in."
"Because of what they'd do to you if you didn't," Hinata pointed out.
"Stop, just stop!" Keres raked her hands through her hair. "I didn't have to give in, alright?! I consciously, knowingly, made the decision every time, so I could feel good. So I could FINALLY feel whole! No one else mattered!" She turned towards Hinata, tears staining her face. Her chest heaved, her breath stuttering as she forced the words out. "James didn't… he didn't matter to me. Or else he'd still be here." She sucked in a breath and swallowed thickly. "So there's your answer."
Hinata shook her head, unable to stop. Sobs wracked through her chest, making it difficult to breathe. "I-I don't… I don't believe you."
"I don't care what you believe," Keres replied, tears thick in her voice. "But you've had a taste of it, haven't you? In your dream."
"I wasn't trying to feel whole," Hinata bit in reply. "I was trying to protect him. The darkness was the only option I—"
"But you chose it," Keres interrupted and she laughed bitterly, another tear falling down her face. "You know, they loved that moment. They said it proved how scared you were of us. That you'd be unpredictable after that and you'd do anything to kill me." She shook her head, pursing her lips. "And I drank it all up, because I—" she closed her eyes, furrowing her brow, "—I hated you. Everything was your fault. I lost everyone, everything that ever mattered to me. Those memories weren't even mine… and there you were coming after me like I was the monster for having nothing. You were trying to take the one thing I had. A life."
She roughly wiped at her cheeks and wet her dry lips, continuing, "And now, finally having a moment to actually think for myself, god, I see how ridiculous it all is. You're just as much of a victim in this as I was. You never asked for the Organization to make me. I'm the one that carved the trail of destruction. You've just been trailing behind cleaning up the mess."
Hinata listened to every word, quiet sobs causing her entire body to tremble. The darkness had been right. She'd become unpredictable, because she was scared of becoming Keres. There wasn't a single moment she stopped to think about the girl behind it all. So many people tried to get through to her and she pushed them aside one after another. How close she'd come to nearly becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.
"You… You haven't deserved any of this," Hinata said with a quiet, shaking voice. She closed her eyes, resting her head between her knees. "I'm so sorry, Keres."
Quiet footsteps approached.
"I… I did want to kill you," Hinata confessed between her tears. "Everyone kept telling me what to do and-and I was so lost. Then after the dream, after what happened to James and Velcia, I… God, it didn't really matter anymore…"
"You almost gave in," Keres said softly.
"Yes," Hinata admitted with a sob. "I was afraid of becoming you. My dream made me realize how alike we really were."
"Killing me wouldn't make your problem go away," Keres told her, then laughed softly. "Trust me, I know."
Hinata sniffled, lifting her head. She wiped away her tears and looked over, seeing Keres sitting just a few feet away from her. Their eyes met and for the first time, Hinata softly smiled at her. "You're right. I… I see that now."
Keres started to smile back, but then looked away, her brows furrowing. "Then, what now?"
It took a moment for Hinata to settle her emotions. She looked away as well, letting out a soft shivering breath. A weight lifted off her shoulders. That conviction Lupe mentioned to her during their discussion earlier suddenly started to take its form. If she'd ever got back to her team, she'd be different now. She finally understood.
Sitting comfortably beside her Replica and coming up with a plan was never something she expected to do. For the first time, she began viewing her the same way she viewed Riku and Nobodies. Who she was and who she was under the influence of the darkness were two different people. Maybe that was wrong, according to Keres it was, but it helped her separate the things she'd done. If that's what it took to find common ground, Hinata didn't find it all that bad.
"How much magic do you have left inside you?" Hinata asked her.
"I still have darkness, if that's what you're asking," Keres answered. "Just, a lot less than before. It's like… a whisper compared to the screaming it was before."
Hinata looked over at her sympathetically.
"Don't," Keres warned her and Hinata looked away. "Staying here is keeping it quieter. It knows I'll force it out like the rest if it pushes too hard. But once I leave… It's only a matter of time till it's back."
Hinata nodded, resting her chin on her knees. "There's something I'm realizing I haven't asked."
"What?"
"What do you want?" Hinata asked.
Keres stared out into the darkness. "What do you mean?"
"You said it's the first time you've had your mind back," Hinata told her. "What is it you want?"
She was quiet for a moment. "I've never thought about it," she admitted. "When they're in me… I want to be left alone. In a place where no one can hurt me."
"But what about when it's just you?" Hinata asked. "You can think about it."
Keres idly toyed with the bracelet, spinning the beads with her fingertip. "I… want a life for myself."
Hinata recalled Riku's Replica. He wanted the same and Riku wished he could have given it to him. There had to be something she could do. She took a breath and nodded, thinking about it.
"Do you know who made the world like this?" Hinata asked after a while.
Keres shook her head.
"It took a group of really powerful mages," Hinata said, looking over at her. "Remember Merlin?"
Keres' brow furrowed. "The fireworks guy with the weird hat?"
"Yeah," Hinata laughed. "He's the one that froze the magic. I've seen him do it. But-um, I wonder if he might be able to do something for you. I mean, it's not too crazy to believe he could freeze your personal magic or something, right? Or, maybe my dad could put you in one of those pods in Twilight Town while we figure things out."
"You're… wanting to help me," Keres realized.
Hinata looked over at her. "Isn't that what you meant when you asked what now?"
Keres opened and closed her mouth, looking away. "I… I don't know what I meant."
"Then, yes," Hinata lowered her legs and turned towards her, "I'm wanting to help you."
"But, I… I've done… why…" Keres stammered, then closed her eyes. "Wait, if I leave, and my darkness—"
"We'll figure it out," Hinata assured her, a fond smile forming. "I have a pretty great team that will be ready to help."
Keres' eyes opened, a sheen of emotion washed over them. Hinata held out her hand towards her and she looked at it, unmoving.
"We won't give up on you, Keres," Hinata said and Keres looked up at her, a tear spilling down her cheek.
Hesitantly, Keres lifted her hand. Ever so slowly, she placed it in Hinata's, letting out a breath when Hinata gently grasped her.
"Everything's going to be ok," Hinata promised her and Keres wordlessly nodded. Pulling back her hand, Hinata reached into her pocket, pulling out her earpiece. "I'm going to let them know—"
"That won't be necessary," Luxord's voice resounded through the dark throne room.
They weren't alone.
"Show yourself, Luxord!" Keres demanded. Purple flames of darkness wisped to life around her as she stood up, and she stalked the area.
Rather than respond, Luxord snapped his fingers. Streaks of magic shot through the room, appearing akin to gray thorny vines. Hinata scrambled back, yelling to Keres to watch out, but there was nothing either of them could do. With a flash of white, the vines encaptured them and they were transformed into cards.
Silence fell over the room. Luxord stepped out from behind a column. He readjusted his gloves, stepping down from the second level as enlarged cards twirled in front of him, forming steps into the pit. He walked over to Hinata's card. She stood two meters tall, nearly matching him. He smirked, gripping the edge and giving the entire card a spin.
"I distinctly recall you telling me you meant to destroy this Replica of yours." He tutted and with a twirl of his hand, Keres' card ignited with magic. It lifted into the air and shrunk down with a flourish, flying into his palm. "You broke the rules."
A muffled, distant yell disturbed the quiet air, demanding his attention, and Luxord looked around, following the sound to a small earpiece discarded on the ground. He picked up the device, hearing the voice clearer and chuckled at the sound of their desperation.
"Luxord, leave Hinata," Lupe's voice came through the ear piece.
Luxord's brow raised. "Now this is interesting. Why would I do that?"
Lupe let out a breath. He talked with a firm, focused tone. "Hinata beat you at your own game back on Atlantis. She was given the chance to kill you, but she didn't take it."
A breathy chuckle broke out of Luxord, growing full. He turned away from Hinata. "She never would have killed me."
"It doesn't matter," Lupe countered. "The fact is, by your own code, you owe her a debt. Leave her here and it's paid."
"Is that so?" Luxord asked. "And you know my 'code' so well, do you?"
A white light flashed from behind him and Luxord spun around to see Ben with Hinata's card tucked awkwardly under his thin copper arm.
"Well enough to buy us time," Lupe replied, a smirk in his voice.
Ben put his free hand by his head, wiggling his fingers and sticking out his tongue at Luxord just as the white light flashed around him again, beaming him and Hinata back to the ship.
Lupe stepped back from his desk, his hands still locked in a death grip around the edge of his desk. They'd done it. Hinata was back. His heart pounded hard in his chest and his shoulders rose and fell with each breath. He pried his fingers off the desk, taking small notice of the way they digitally glitched in response to his panic, and raked them through his mess of sweaty hair. That had all been too close.
"You did it! Chirithy cheered softly with a little hop on the desk. "They'll be back soon."
Lupe looked at Chirithy, a smile tugging at his mouth before falling. Without saying anything, he went to the door of his lab, work station, whatever it really was — he still wasn't sure what to call it and placed his hand along the sensor. It scanned his hand with a bright blue light and with a chime, the door slid open. As if on queue, a white light flashed in the center of the following room where Sam and DiZ already awaited him. The light left Ben behind, along with a tall, flat playing card with Hinata printed across it.
It floated beside Ben, bobbing up and down with a soft purple glow. Sam went up to it, Lupe noticing her metal arm dimmed and heavy at her side. She lifted her hand and reluctantly touched her fingertips to the card.
"Is she… aware?" Sam asked.
A slight shake to the card in response seemed to give them their answer and Lupe felt a disturbed chill course through him.
"Shit," Sam whispered. "How do we get her out?"
"It does not have Luxord's magic to sustain this form," DiZ replied, remaining near the back of the room with his hands behind his back. "We should only need to wait."
"Don't worry Hina!" Ben assured her, talking loud and slow as if being in a card inhibited her understanding. "Everything will be ok!"
"Ben, god," Sam chided, covering her ear with her good hand.
Lupe huffed out a soft breath of a chuckle. Then he looked at Hinata. He ran his hand up the side of the material, feeling the tingle of the magic beneath his fingertips. "Let's get her to a room. That way she'll be able to rest once she's out." He glanced over his shoulder. "And Chiri, do you think you can look after her?"
"Can do." Chirithy nodded. "I'll let Jack know, too. I'm sure he'd like to keep her company."
"Great idea," Lupe said with a soft smile.
"I will be awaiting your return," DiZ said, pausing until Lupe looked at him. "There is much for us to discuss."
Sam glanced back at Lupe and he noticed her look, but he replied respectfully, "Yes, sir."
He carefully guided Hinata's card out of the lab and through the library. Sam and Ben trailed behind, everyone quiet and heavy in their thoughts. Or, at least Lupe thought they were all going to be quiet.
"He better not try to blame this on you," Sam grumbled under her breath.
Lupe peeked over his shoulder at her and smirked. It was sweet of her to consider. He still wasn't entirely sure who was to blame for the way the mission went. Too many variables still to consider. But she didn't need to worry about that.
"Why?" he asked in a tone that attempted to lighten the mood. "Cause I'm the new guy?"
She didn't take the bait for the joke. "We were in way over our heads from the beginning. Just cause a couple of magicians thought we could do it didn't mean we were unstoppable. And I—" she blew out a rough breath. "I tried to say that, but no one wanted to hear it. Then Velcia and Hinata had to go and throw themselves away, it's not like either of us could have stopped them." She stopped for a moment, huffing and gathering her words. "If he tries to even say it's our fault, I'm gonna—"
"Sam," Lupe cut her off, stopping and turning around. He smiled, giving her upper arm a gentle squeeze. "You don't need to worry about this. I'll handle it."
She looked around the library and sucked in her lips shortly. "This really sucked."
Lupe laughed. "Yeah." He pulled her into a hug. "Yeah it did."
Sam hugged him tight, her mechanical arm dangling at her side. Ben fidgeted beside them before joining in on the hug. Lupe chuckled, readjusting his arm to add him in, too.
"But we made it," Lupe told both of them, all of them still hugging, giving each other a much needed comfort and reassurance.
A pulse of magic burst behind them and all of them turned around to see Hinata fall out of the card. Lupe rushed to catch her, but didn't quite make it in time. She broke her fall with her hands and knees, gasping for breath. Her stomach convulsed and she scrambled towards a vase, gagging and vomiting inside it.
Lupe quickly looked away, giving her whatever privacy he could. Hugs and questions could wait till later.
Ben went over and pulled back her hair for her as she threw up, his other hand patting her back. "He—" Hinata croaked hoarsely, her head just barely out of the vase. "He got Keres…"
"That's the first thing you have to say?" Sam asked. "Not, thanks for saving me guys. Or, I'm sorry for abandoning you!"
Hinata swallowed, cringing at the taste. "I-I'm sorry. But I was just getting through to her." She wiped her mouth with her shirt. "Sam, I almost got her to come back with me."
"Oh shit," Sam realized.
"Do you know where Luxord will take her?" Chirithy asked, plodding beside Hinata. Reaching into the little pouch hanging around its neck, it pulled out a mint for her.
She shook her head. "No…" She took the mint from Chirithy with a small, thankful smile.
Lupe frowned. "Let's take it one step at a time then. First, we get you two cleaned up and rested. I'll talk with DiZ and figure out our next move."
Hinata looked up at him, then quickly averted away when he looked back. "Um, that sounds good. Thank you… Lupe."
"Of course," he replied right away, smiling gently when she feigned a peek towards him. She strained a smile in return, her cheeks flushed. He closed the distance between them and knelt down to be beside her. The faint scent of the vomit in the vase wasn't pleasant, but he ignored it. "I'm just glad you're ok, Hina."
She let out a trembling breath. "I… I'm so sorry. I…" Her voice cracked and she sucked in a breath, tears welling up in her reddened eyes. "I never should have… I just…"
His expression softened. "Hey, there's a lot to talk about, but it can wait, okay?"
She nodded, licking her lips. "Ok… Is Velcia…?"
"She's safe in a pod," Ben explained. "Just like you ordered, captain."
"Thanks, Ben," she replied.
Lupe looked her over while they continued talking. She, Velcia, and Sam each returned stained with blood and black dust. Sweat soaked through their clothes, their hair, dripping down the sides of their faces and creating thin streaks of clear skin. Through all their training the week leading up to this mission, none of them came even close to looking like this. A few scrapes and cuts, sure. Even a mishap that required Sam getting stitches and a healing spell, but nothing that could have even begun to prepare them for this.
And both Hinata and Velcia had thrown themselves deeper into the chaos, putting themselves and everything in jeopardy in the process. Lupe couldn't wrap his head around that. It angered him, scared him, and made him question his place in all this. Looking at Hinata, he was relieved she was back. He'd been wanting to scream ever since she pulled the earpiece away. That could have been it. She had to have known that. He heard and saw bits and pieces of what happened after that from the scans. Those dark creatures nearly destroyed her, Keres had every chance to, and if anything in their plan went astray, the Organization would have her again.
None of that happened though, and he could sort through his pent up emotions about it later. At that moment, Hinata needed his support and she could barely hold herself up above that vomit filled vase. His Keyblade flashed to his hand, catching everyone's attention.
"Chiri, can I have Minnie?" Lupe asked, holding out his hand.
Chirithy opened its little pink bag and pulled out an ornate golden medal with a hand painted illustration of Queen Minnie across it. The blue gem settled along its edge shimmered as Lupe grabbed the medal and slid it into an engraved deck attached to his blade.
Hinata noticed the artwork of Minnie but didn't say anything. She tilted her head, but watched Lupe in silent curiosity as he stood up and pointed his Keyblade towards her. With both hands on the hilt, Lupe breathed in deeply and released the spell. The medal illuminated with a brilliant glow, its light spiraling around the Keyblade and forming a pearl at its tip. The pearl floated over Hinata, raining sparkling orbs down over her that absorbed into her skin. She sat up completely, holding her hands out in front of her and watching as the scrapes and bruises faded away.
"Thank you," she told him.
"Don't mention it," Lupe replied, popping out the medal and giving it back to Chirithy before his Keyblade flashed away. "It should help you get to your room at least."
She nodded, about to try standing on her own before Lupe held out a hand and helped her up.
"I-um, should get back to DiZ," Lupe told them. "He'll want to hear about what happened."
"Are you sure you don't want us there?" Sam asked.
"I'll be fine," Lupe assured her, putting up his hands and giving the best grin he could muster given the way he was feeling.
"Lupe, I," Hinata started, frowning and eyes looking away in thought, "I should be the one to talk to him. Things went wrong because of me. Not you."
He wasn't expecting to hear her say that. "No, Hina, it's…" He rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip piercing, buying himself a moment to think. Pressing his hands to his chest, he explained, "It's my job to answer to this stuff. I'm supposed to be the coordinator. Yeah, things went south, but it's not just you, and it's not just me. A lot of things went wrong for a lot of different reasons. And me and DiZ are gonna figure it out." He looked between them all, trying to be reassuring against their worried faces, "It'll be fine. And then we can have a movie night at my place when we're all doing better. Alright?"
All of them looked between each other, unsure. Then Ben went to Lupe's side and lifted his arm to hang it around Lupe's shoulder, but barely reached because of their height difference.
"Don't you worry about ole Lupe!" Ben told them. "If anyone can handle DiZ, even at his most grumpiest, I bet it's him!" He left Lupe's side and spun on his heel, lifting up his hand for a high-five. "Leave the girls to me and Chiri, Lupe! We'll look after them."
Lupe looked at him like one would at an adorable puppy chasing its own tail. With a chuckle, he started to walk, giving Ben the high-five he was waiting for as he went past. "Thanks, Ben. I'm counting on you."
They muttered amongst themselves as he left. The warmth of the library transformed into the cold hard metal of the labs. It matched Lupe's emotions, too. Whatever warmth he'd gathered from the others flitted away with every step against the hardened metal floor. He stopped in front of the final door to the lab. The portals to the other realms swirled beside him, their color casting over him.
Breathing in deeply, he blew out the breath, counting the seconds, and trying to force himself to relax. Standing there, preparing for a debriefing, it felt familiar to him. As if it were part of his life before all this, but the more he tried to place it the further the details went out of reach. All he really knew was that this position wasn't new to him. The expectations, the responsibilities weighed heavily, but the burden wasn't new. They belonged to him.
He pressed his hand against the sensor and the door slid open with a hiss. None of the lights were on. DiZ's silhouette stood at the long desk at the far end of the room, between the doors that led to Lupe's and Sam's separate workstations. He was stiff, imposing, his darkened form illuminated by holograms of everything Lupe saw during the mission. Scans and maps scrolled in front, large screens floated on either side of him, nearly taking up the entire lab and replaying various key points throughout the mission.
"Do we have a deal?"
"I made sure to bring plenty of ethers—"
"Lupe, I… I can't do this."
Lupe walked into the lab with slow, deliberate steps. He knew DiZ would want the details of the mission, but these recordings showed so much vulnerability for each of them, for DiZ's own daughter. He'd hoped to get the chance to talk to DiZ before he saw this. Hearing and seeing it all replay around him in such a chaotic form, his breath stuttered and he swallowed hard. His hands went behind his back, hiding the way his fingers glitched.
"Sam, I'm here! You see the underside of the wing?"
"Hinata, bird coming from behind!"
"Take care of them, Lupe. I'm counting on you."
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
The screens flickered away and the light bloomed back to half intensity. Even at half, Lupe's eyes blinked rapidly to adjust. DiZ remained at the desk, poised, silent. It was difficult to get a read on him. Over the course of the months they'd known each other, Lupe tried to figure out who the man was behind the shroud. He'd learned little things. His ill timed humor and liking for sweets. The soft spot he held for his daughter, yet still detached in a way that told Lupe he seemed prepared to lose her or himself someday. From what little he'd been able to glean from the past mission reports, they'd come close to losing each other before — they'd come close to it today.
"Sir," Lupe began, standing tall. "I'm ready for any questions you have."
DiZ sighed, his head hanging forward. Then he laughed. He laughed! Lupe's mouth scrunched. There was that ill timed humor DiZ had the habit of rearing. The full, deep laughter filled the lab, bouncing off the metal walls and itching in Lupe's ears. It wasn't the sort of laugh that filled him with mirth and warmth. His nails scratched against his palm, still hidden behind his back.
"I do not believe I know of a question that will make sense of this," DiZ told him once his amusement had settled. "From what I have seen, each of you performed with what you were provided. Each of you made misguided mistakes."
Lupe's entire hand glitched behind him, the braided bracelet Hinata made him fell to the ground, clinking against the floor. Inhaling through his nose, Lupe bent down and picked it up, stuffing it into his pocket without a word.
DiZ peeked over his shoulder at him, but didn't acknowledge the movement or sound. He waved his hand, bringing up a recording of Velcia summoning the shield. It replayed slower than Lupe recalled it happening. Hinata readied her shield at Lupe's warning of the bird swooping down. Behind her, Velcia watched with widening eyes, mouth falling open in a soundless scream. Lupe could feel her horror, it gripped his heart, shaking his breath. Her entire body ignited with brilliant, blinding magic, and the barrier flashed in front of Hinata.
"Without enough magic reserves," DiZ began to explain, "Velcia's power drew from her own existence. Much more and I fear she would have deteriorated herself entirely."
Lupe darted his eyes to DiZ. "She didn't realize it would happen."
DiZ shook his head, his hand to his chin. "She was warned by Merlin himself and by all of you. I am unsure where her overconfidence stemmed from. It is not like her."
It wasn't overconfidence. Lupe knew that much. He didn't know what it was exactly. Hinata could have protected herself. She had her shield at the ready, but perhaps Velcia didn't notice it. Maybe she was in such a panicked state, she thought it was the only way. He recalled their discussion on the rooftop. She told him she'd do anything to protect Hinata… Maybe he should have taken that more seriously.
"Will she recover all right?" Lupe asked.
DiZ hummed. "I am hopeful she will. You all were wise to bring her to the pod when you did."
"It was Hinata's idea," Lupe replied and DiZ nodded.
"I believe I do have a question for you, after all, Lupe," DiZ said, swiping his hand and sending the screen away. "How would you assess today's events?"
There it was.
Lupe's gaze wandered the room, it may have been a familiar responsibility but it was still daunting. He started from the beginning. "We didn't have enough preparation. At the Mysterious Tower, we had the chance to feel an environment without magic but it was only for a moment. It wasn't enough to learn how to complete an entire mission in it. If we had more time, we might have copied the effect here, trained with it in the simulator until everyone was acclimated to it."
DiZ nodded and began to walk with his hands behind his back. "Go on."
"Velcia had a limited amount of time to create potions for the mission. Since Maleficent approached us a couple days ago, she's been working almost nonstop on making potions, but she didn't know what would be useful and was limited on her time and supplies. She utilized them as a way to fight for a portion of the mission but ran out midway through, and overextended herself shortly afterwards."
"So you believe all of you should have been allocated more time before the mission?" DiZ asked.
He found himself wondering why they weren't given more time to prepare. A week, at least, should have been suggested. Instead they were rushed one moment after another. They never stood a chance. That grainy, pixelated feeling grated at his fingers and he rubbed them together.
"I know with Keres there, we felt we needed to rush," Lupe answered. "But if given the chance to go back, yes, I think more time to prepare would have changed things."
"I see," DiZ said, continuing to walk. "What else?"
"Scans were useful, so were the earpieces and recordings," Lupe went on, trying to also add in a few positives. "We all work well together on a personal level."
"However?" DiZ asked.
"It's superficial on a team level," Lupe admitted, scratching the side of his face. "We all want to protect each other, and that works well to a point. We've seen it work when we train here. But we're not all focused on the same goal. Everyone's focused on their own personal issues, rather than working towards something together."
DiZ hummed, nodding. "And do you believe this is what drove Hinata and Velcia towards their extreme actions?"
Lupe bit his lip piercing, rubbing it between his teeth. "Yeah. I do." He let out a soft breath. "I also think that's where I messed up, too."
"Oh?" DiZ asked, looking over at Lupe.
"I knew Hinata wasn't thinking straight," Lupe admitted, ruffling the back of his hair. He motioned towards the desk where the holographic screens had been. "She said it herself. But I pushed for her leadership, especially when it came to Luxord and her past with him. I was concerned about seeming like I was forcefully taking control and damaging the balance, but I realized there wasn't much of a balance to begin with. We're a group of friends, but what we need to be is a team. I see that now."
The corner of DiZ's mouth moved with the slightest hint of a smile but Lupe wasn't sure if it really was one or just a twitch of a muscle. "I see. You have been very informative, Lupe."
"I'm just glad everyone's back," Lupe admitted, then he paused. "Is-uh, anyone gonna tell Riku what happened?"
DiZ chuckled. "Are you concerned about his reaction? He knows enough. I am sure Hinata will inform him when she is ready. They are used to these 'close calls', as Hinata puts it."
Lupe huffed out a soft breath, sort of smiling but not feeling the happiness behind it. "Makes sense." He shook off the visual stress, realizing DiZ was doing the same. "Thanks, by the way, for coming here on such short notice. We're lucky you were able to re-upgrade Ben's scanner like that."
"I am grateful as well," DiZ told him. "Though I will say it does not have the same viewing capabilities as the previous upgrade. It will serve missions well. He should be able to perform emergency extractions whenever needed."
"It will come in handy a lot," Lupe said, offering a smile then a breathy chuckle. "But, now that everything's calmed down, do you want me to run out and grab a couple sea salt ice creams? My treat."
DiZ actually smiled back this time. "The offer is appreciated, but I insist you head home and rest. You may not have been on the battlefield itself, but the mission was just as strenuous." He walked past Lupe to leave the lab. "Rest well, Lupe."
The door slid shut behind him and Lupe was left alone in the lab. He swayed side to side, his weight shifting from one foot to the other. Finally, he was actually alone with his thoughts; no one talking in his ear, no one to watch over, no one looking for his opinion or guidance. Now he stood in the aftermath and he had to figure out how he felt about it.
His legs trembled slightly. If the floor were any more comfortable than hard metal, he would have considered collapsing into an exhausted heap right there, whining for Chirithy to bring him a drink as if he were a petulant child — because sometimes it just felt cathartic to act that way. The floor wasn't anything more than metal though, and with a little effort he could get to his apartment and have the entire night to sort through his knotting thoughts.
So that's what he did. He dragged his feet and left the lab. With Ben's assurance of taking care of the girls, Lupe went straight home. He'd check on them tomorrow. DiZ was right. He needed rest and he was reaching a limit of his own.
The streets of the synthetic Twilight Town were busier than normal. Maybe the festival was still going on. Lupe didn't have enough of a mind to care about it tonight. His hands remained hidden in his coat pockets, a smoking cigarette hanging from his mouth. Normally he'd be right out there in the middle of the festivities. He had been the night before with Anice. She was always up for a good time around town, especially during the festivals.
Lupe had a stray thought if she'd be out tonight, but didn't focus on it for long. The thought of crashing on his couch overrode it and his footsteps quickened against the pavement. It wasn't long until the stairwell to his apartment rattled beneath his feet. His key ring clanged against the lock, slipping from his grasp and falling to the ground.
"Dammit," Lupe cursed under his breath, picking them up and trying again. He wasn't sure he could even blame that fumble on his glitching hands or the fact that he was struggling to think straight.
The door squeaked open and he fell in, his legs catching his fall in a stumble. He closed the door and leaned back against it, releasing a long, heavy breath. The silence in the apartment was as nice as it was unsettling. After the day he'd had, silence didn't feel right, but he also didn't think his body could handle any more unexpected chaos.
A plume of purple magic poofed in the kitchen and Chirithy jumped out of it, landing softly on the tile. "Ah, there you are," Chirithy said, toddling over and reaching up for his hand even though there was no way its short hand would reach. "Come on, let's get you to the couch."
Lupe swallowed hard, running his hands over his face. With a soft chuckle, he asked, "What if I just stay here forever?"
"You'll feel better at the couch," Chirithy answered simply, its tiny paw gripping a bit of his pants. "Come on."
Lupe whined, but followed, making sure to toss his cigarette in an ashtray on the countertop. The top half of his body didn't want to stay up straight, but he made it to the living room and fell onto the couch. Grabbing a pillow, he smushed it against his face and released a muffled scream. Chirithy hopped onto the cushion beside him, gently patting his leg in comfort.
Out of breath, Lupe tossed the pillow away, his chest rising and falling. He leaned his head against the back of the couch and stared up at the ceiling.
"No one listened, Chirithy," Lupe started softly.
"I know." Chirithy replied, matching his tone.
"Why did Velcia…" Lupe started, then groaned, his hands going to his face. "Hinata was right there!"
"She was," Chirithy agreed.
"Hinata had her shield ready!"
"She did."
"Why would Velcia make one?!"
"I don't know…"
"She…! Gah! She could have killed herself!"
"She could have."
"And Hina… What the hell was she thinking? Going after Keres? By herself? Did she want to get herself killed? If Keres hadn't pulled her in—"
"Why did Keres save her?" Chirithy interrupted.
Lupe paused. He'd been asking himself the same question. He raised his hands helplessly, letting them fall limply beside him. "I don't know…" He lifted one hand onto Chirithy's head, the plush fur soothing between his fingers. "I don't know."
Chirithy brought its paw to its chin, pondering something over, but didn't say it out loud. Lupe continued running his fingers through Chirithy's fur, running it through his fingers as a form of distraction while he continued to stare at the ceiling. He could go on all night with his questions and all of them would ultimately be pointless. In the end, none of them were ready. They were pushed into a situation that was above their pay grade and they were paying the price for it.
A sudden movement from Chirithy caught Lupe's eye. He lifted his hand and watched Chirithy climb up into his lap. Chirithy faced him and looked up at him with its small lavender eyes. Two tiny paws went to the sides of his face.
"You did the best you could, Lupe," Chirithy told him. "And next time you'll do even better. Because you'll learn from this. You all will. So, don't give up. Ok?"
Lupe's throat tightened and he pulled Chirithy in like a child would to a well loved teddy bear. He buried his face in the warm fur and murmured, "Thanks Chiri."
**Author's Note: Thank you so much for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! I have been planning Enchanted Dominion for so long, it was daunting for me and scared me for a long time. So to have it finally finished is strange! There's this feeling of, well now what do I do? Ahaha!
The answer to that is, well, finish the story, of course! And I plan to! I'm really hoping with this hurdle overtaken, I can focus more on regular updates. I'd love to update once or twice a month. Let's get this series finished!
Thank you to each and every one of you that have stuck out with me this long. Whether since the beginning or along the way. You are amazing and I appreciate you. And thank you for all the messages and comments, especially recently. They have given me so much encouragement.
Next week will be a bonus guest chapter from my husband. It's going to be from Luxord's point of view, of what he did in Enchanted Dominion. It's a bit shorter and has some fun moments. It gave us a good chuckle and we want to share it with you guys. So be on the lookout for that next week!
Have a wonderful week! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Here's to many more!**