#(gives him a keyblade. as a treat)

[syneester]

MAKE IT WILD!!

[blue-eli]

Ink October day 27: Seldom

Not often; infrequently or rarely.

[yuri-is-online]

A really stupid idea I had and I can't even decide where I want it to go 😩

Anyone of the first years heard from a guy in their club that their boyfriends bestfriends roommates cousins friend has a thing for Yuu and a bad reputation for using love potions, suddenly first year of your choice is taking his bodyguard duties for Yuu even more seriously than ever and watching them like a Hawk until one day Yuu seemingly receives a nice gift package from an "secret admirer" and the boys panic, snatching the treat from Yuu's hand and chowing down themselves because they're dumb and impulsive and in love.

What follows is either;

A. The "secret admirer" was actually Grim who wanted to do something nice for his Henchhuman by making them tuna filled muffins as thanks for their service and now not only did they inhale the worst cake ever, got a tantrum throwing Grim to appease.

B. There was a love potion in those cookies, but whoever laced them is actually kinda bad at potionology and they're "Puppy love" potions, cue our freshman acting like The Prince from Mirror Mirror (2012) when he had a puppy love potion. His reputation at school will never recover from this but its worth it because Yuu now looks at him like he's the sunrise itself for taking that bullet for him.

C. There was no love potion. No shady business. Just normal brownies and now a very upset Yuu. Even if they understood his concerns, do you think between their allowance and Grim's appetite they want to hear excuses for them stealing food from Yuu!? He promises he'll make it up to them just stop hitting him! 💦💦

D. There was no love potion.2 but man. These pretzels...really suck. The freshman almost feels bad for whoever sent them because if this was their pickup attempt then they lost before they even began. Wait, what? Yuu made these to send as a secret admirer to their crush!? Now he's got even more complicated feelings about this whole ordeal while Yuu sulks about how the guy they wanted to give these to just said they suck to their face.

E. There was no love potion.3 but Yuu doesn't have to know that. Now the Freshman is free to "pretend" all his flirting and affection is thanks to those croissants AND play the hero. Its full proof! Until Ortho runs a diagnostic to find a cure for him and reveals that there was no potion that is. Hey, he can always try and claim a placebo effect, right?💦

F. The love potion was actually an aphrodisiac and now Yuu has t[I AM BEATEN TO DEATH BY KING MICKEYS KEYBLADE]

So the problem with this ask is that I really love all of these options and they could all work for a small fic for each of the options. That being said, there are specific ones that suit certain first years more than others.

A. The Great Grim's Perfect Surprise- Ace

Floyd is the one who gives Ace the heads up that someone with a bad reputation was interested in Yuu. And hey that was technically true! It's just that Floyd also over heard Grim bragging about the cupcakes he made and had a brilliant idea.

It's the worst possible case scenario for Ace, the cake tasted horrible, Grim is throwing a tantrum, Floyd is there and he brought Jamil to laugh at him too. This fucking sucks he hates his life man. Well until you shoo everyone out and shush Grim with some praise before turning your focus to him.

You're so concerned about him it makes his heart hurt. You get him something to drink and fuss over him for the rest of the day in a way that makes him fall in love with you all over again. Those half hearted scolds about there being better ways to get rid of poison don't land at all, doesn't matter how he does it he'll keep you safe and that's a promise.

B. Puppy Love Potion- Jack

The captain of the track team tells Jack and Deuce together, he knows the two of them are your friends and that they'll make sure you stay safe. Unfortunately he's not fully aware of how... delusional Jack is about how not into you he is.

The puppy love potion has him acting like even more of a puppy than usual. His tail won't stop wagging and he is actually smiling at you, thank the seven he's so willing to listen to what you have to say so you can keep him in Ramshackle until the potion wears off. He manages to reclaim his reputation just fine, Jack's a scary fucking guy when he tries to be and you'd have to be really stupid to mess with him when he's in a mood.

... not that you can really tell the difference between puppy love Jack and normal Jack when the Ramshackle Prefect insists on looking at him like that. He must really hate his tail.

C. How Dare You Eat my Food- Deuce

Same as before: captain gives the heads up, Jack and Deuce are really concerned, and Deuce decides to do something about it because he's in love and doesn't want to see you get hurt.

He doesn't realize there was nothing wrong with them until you point it out and he's beyond heartbroken. Please you have to understand he didn't mean it! Sure those brownies were really good and yeah maybe he should have realized that they were normal about half way through the pan but- he's so sorry! He's not above getting on his knees to beg for forgiveness and especially not from you.

There is a rule in Heartslabyul about returning things after you take them, so as soon as Deuce learns he took your food he's already planning on replacing it. Maybe you would let him borrow your kitchen? He won't let you help since he's fixing his own mistake but he doesn't see why you can't hang out. You'll get fresh brownies out of it and he gets to look cool Task failed successfully?

D. This is... Adequate I Suppose- Sebek

Only someone with an actual death wish would come up with this sort of plan in Riddle's presence. He's screaming, the paddock is on fire, and no one is really stopping him because hey idiot deserves it and also has anyone seen where Sebek went? Would have thought he'd have something to say too given that whole "crush he has on the prefect thing"

Well that's because he's too busy eating your pretzels with a trademark look of disgust as he tells you about what happened at Equestrian club today. These suck, he has such high standards for what you are worthy of and if it weren't for the potential danger posed to you he never would have-

Your wry disappointment silences him immediately, his look of concern and shock is really cute so it sort of makes up for how much his words hurt. He's aghast, you have someone you... admire? Someone you are too shy to confess to? And you made them something with your own two hands, he actually wants to cry he's so embarrassed, jealous, and in love all at the same time.

"You shouldn't have to do this. You- You are the one who deserves to be pursed. But if it is something you wish to do-" He draws himself up into a proper knight's stance, stiff as board and deeply determined to be seen as reliable. Safe. A... friend if you will allow it and something more if he could be so blessed. "-then we shall begin training immediately! Back to the kitchen, human!"

E. Placebo Effect- Epel

Only someone with an actual death wish would come up with this plan pt. 2 except Leona is a lot more reasonable than Riddle with how he handles it. He tells Epel to go check on Yuu while he goes to dump the guy on Crewel. That way he doesn't have to be the one to fill out all of the annoying disciplinary paperwork.

So he knows by the time he shows up at Ramshackle that there really is no threat to your safety but still... this sort of opportunity is just too good to pass up. And he's such a good actor too, if this wouldn't get him in trouble with Vil he'd rub it in his dorm leader's face.

See Vil! He doesn't need no fancy manners or etiquette, Yuu's flushed and charmed by his old fashioned gentlemanly behavior. He's holding doors, pulling out your chair, giving you all of the compliments he thinks about but never says for fear of looking uncool. He even gets to bake apple pie with you until Ortho calls his bluff. Sure, he should have some shame, but this is Epel we're talking about. He claims the placebo effect and pretends to be super embarrassed while gauging your reaction for any trace of disappointment.

If he's satisfied with how sad you are he just might make it up to you with a real date~

Like I was saying all of these prompts could really work for any of them and- huh could have sworn there was a sixth one. Weird anyway thanks for the ask!

...

....

..... ok so now that the coast is clear:

First thing's first, they're all mad as hell that someone tried to drug you with an aphrodisiac. That's so beyond disgusting, who does this guy think he is?

Ace's focus is entirely on you. He doesn't outright admit what's wrong, he actively teases you for being into him when you express concern as if it doesn't send a painful pang of arousal through him when you don't deny it. You have to make a move, he'll ask for it half serious half joke, but he wants you to do this because you want him and not as some sort of favor please don't say it like that- He starts taking shots at the other guy when he regains enough of his ego to flip you on your back and start taking the lead. Really, how stupid was that guy to think he had a chance when you only have eyes for him, prefect? Now don't you dare try to hide your cute expressions from him, he's been looking forward to this.

Jack is convinced he can just lock himself in his room and endure. He tries thinking of it as a training exercise, sure he might have had some... similar feelings before. Similar thoughts, painful dreams that felt real until he woke up alone, drenched in sweat, painfully unfulfilled and deeply embarrassed. But nothing can compare to the real you, he's almost angry that he ever thought that at all now that you're underneath him. He's so lucky that you're his mate, that he can bite into your neck and thrust into your body and have you accept him even as he locks you together in a sticky mess of sweat and slick. He's beyond embarrassed when he wakes up still balls deep with your fingers running through his matted hair. This would be the worst if he didn't have a cute, very human, bite of his own on his neck.

Deuce's anger is made so much worse by him being horny. The other guy is terrified, everyone around him is terrified Deuce is aware he's gone full delinquent and he can't seem to stop. By the time you find him his knuckles are bruised, he's sweaty, with rumpled clothes, and taking great heaving breaths unable to deny the effects he's feeling and asking you to forgive him. Deuce has an idea of what he wanted your first time to be like. He wanted to take you out on a real date, he wanted to be honorable with you. He didn't expect you to be the one to push him back against the shower stall and take him just as quick and dirty as he feels. You're so beautiful, he's so powerless in the face of your naked desire and very eager to please. Just tell him what you want him to do; he's all yours.

Sebek can't lie about how he feels to save his life. All of NRC knows he's horny because he's screaming about how not horny he is right now and how much he doesn't think your flesh looks super supple, bitable even seven he just wants to- Lilia doesn't let him ignore those feelings after confirming you aren't the slightest bit uncomfortable being the center of Sebek's attention. He's shy, in denial. He is proud of his honorable intent and self control. But he is in love with you and with that love comes a deep, fathomless desire edged with obsessive devotion that all fae pride themselves in. He needs your guidance, he's unused to this. That obsessive attention hangs on your every gasp and moan, when he finds a noise he likes he hammers at the source again and again until you reward him with the most wonderful noise of all. When the potion has worked its way through his system the hunger still remains; his appetite is voracious. A potion is nothing compared to his own desires, hopefully this little accident left you prepared.

Epel's anger is also made so much worse by being horny. But Leona already dealt with the scumbag so it's not like he can work out his aggression on the creep... so won't you let him take it out on you? He's completely serious, the drug has gone straight to his dick and he's not interested in pretending like he doesn't want you prefect. No taking care of it himself won't work, no don't be shy it really can't be anyone else. You want a real man? Well he's right here and he wants you something fierce. Epel wouldn't be this confident if he didn't have so much adrenaline running through him, but he can't bring himself to be embarrassed when he comes to his senses and sees you bent over your desk and much more out of breath than him. He's going to be riding this high for the rest of the year, and he's going to make sure you feel it for just as long too.

[starlightwayfinder]

Do you have any headcanons about Ven you'd like to talk about?

Always!! Okay first, here’s the fluffy ones:

He gives good hugs. Really good ones. The kind you can just melt into! He brings a sunshiny warmth with him wherever he goes, both metaphorically and literally.

You could make him laugh with the cheesiest jokes ever. It wouldn’t be hard at all.

He can’t actually talk to birds/animals ‘Disney princess’ style, but they will let him get unusually close, or will approach him without fear. Terra and Aqua were baffled at first, but now they’re used to it and forget that other people will find it weird.

He’s got a decent book collection in his room. It’s mostly a mix of Keyblade history, astronomy, and fairytales. He and Aqua will sit together and have tea while they read.

He can and will fall asleep anywhere. Again, Terra and Aqua are just used to it by now.

He likes watching the sunrise almost as much as he likes stargazing.

He spars with Terra the most, and always gets upset that he’s holding back. Terra, however, is just trying not to send him flying by accident.

If he and Terra do roughhouse, (they are ‘brothers’ after all..) it’s very playful and all in good fun. Aqua just sighs and makes some comment about the friendship between boys. 

Unsurprisingly, Ven likes to feel the wind in his hair—which most of the time means going fast on his Keyblade glider. He would also love roller coasters, surfing, etc. 

He also loves flying and will go back to Neverland every now and then for more pixie dust.

He’s a fast runner and does pretty well in races on Destiny Islands, but he’s not a super competitive person, so he doesn’t care too much about winning.

He helps Kairi get into a training routine when she moves in. He becomes a bit of a mentor, but more in the sense of a fellow student/friend who already knows the ropes.

He has a cd player in his room for listening to his favorite songs. The others try to show him how to play music on his Gummiphone, but he doesn’t use it for much beyond taking pictures and the occasional phone call. He’d probably be a little shy about calls because it’s so unusual to him.

Since he was asleep for 10 years, he doesn’t know any of the new slang and has slightly outdated tastes, haha.

His favorite season is Spring, but he doesn’t dislike any of the seasons. You can bet that when the weather warms up, he’ll be outside enjoying the sun and looking for dandelions.

He enjoys all types of weather too—except for bad storms, which he’s always disliked.

He got a little bed for Chirithy that goes unused because they always fall asleep in his arms. 

And here’s the deeper ones:

Ven is overall a sensitive guy, which means he can’t stomach most violent or disturbing movies/games/etc. The problem with this is that he can’t stand being treated like a little kid either. I imagine he would be the sort to agree to watch something out of peer pressure… then be unable to fall asleep at night thinking about it. Finally Terra or Aqua has to step in and say “you don’t have to make yourself uncomfortable to fit in”. 

That sort of thing is frustrating for him in general. Thanks to everything that’s happened to his heart and mind, he technically *is* kind of younger—yet, it’s also just his personality and who he is. It’s not necessarily due to a lack of maturity. 

That being said, I think he’d be really good with kids—and I know I’ve said it before somewhere, but he would make a great camp counselor or something. Can’t you imagine him leading activities or songs with a group of kids?

He’s more shy in UX because he’s surrounded by older Keyblade wielders and used to being rejected by them (since he doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of physical strength or magical ability.) In BbS, he’s more outgoing because he’s been living with the same people for years and it’s all exciting and new. He’s always been an introvert, but he still loves making friends… It just doesn’t come quite as naturally to him as it does to Sora, and Ven’s more likely to think he did something wrong if someone dislikes him. 

In other words, he’s the sort of guy who would go to a party and end up sitting on the floor to pet the dog the whole time.

If someone does hurt his feelings, however, he’s quick to forgive them and try to restore the relationship.

Thanks to Ven being a more sensitive person, he’s very comforting and compassionate: a trustworthy friend to talk to when you’re feeling down. He’s especially nonjudgmental and a good listener. I imagine most of the guardians’ first impression of him is either ‘quiet and unassuming’ or writing him off as silly / immature. Typically, only Terra and Aqua see that deeper side of his personality—but if the opportunity arises, he gets a chance to shine.

Since he’s pure of heart, he really can’t wrap his head around *why* people would use the darkness/be cruel to others intentionally. It doesn’t click in his mind at all. He’s not ‘innocent’ in the sense of being *ignorant* to that sort of thing, but rather just never feeling the urge to act that way. Does that make sense?

He’s a genuinely good, sincere guy. I love him 💖

[kairithemang0]

Kairi and the fear of change and low self-confidence

It's a pretty popular joke now in the fandom that Kairi's useless. And sad to say, it's not wrong. And it's really sad to see, the downfall of Kairi was a quick one, it pretty much happened over the course of one game and stayed that way for the rest of the series.

What Kairi used to be was this sassy kid tomboy who would run around with her two friends playing games. Even then, she had an interesting backstory. No one knew where she was from, neither did she. She was found after a meteor shower and needed to adjust to being swept away from a life she now doesn't remember, and probably still doesn't.

She's a tragic character truly, but she also is afraid of change. That's really her defining character, she's holding onto a life she was comfortable with, but the world is changing so rapidly. Did she even want to go on the raft, or did she just want to be with her friends and was going along with it? She was comfortable on the island, she made a life for herself there but meanwhile everyone around her wants more.

Kairi wants to fit in, I think some amount of peer pressure is driving her to work on the raft. She, like everyone, doesn't want to lose her friends. And sure, she's friends with Selphie and Tidas and the others, but she doesn't spend as much time with them as she does Sora and Riku. They were probably her first friends when she arrived, and being so afraid of change, she stuck by them.

Of course, one of her most iconic lines is telling Sora to stay the same, because she trusts Sora to do that. She's already seeing it with Riku, that bit of aggression, he's starting to give into that darkness, and she can sense it. So, she wants to run with Sora

Sora, throughout everything, is her wall to lean on. She trusts him, she's close to him. I'm guessing she was always a little closer to Sora than Riku. Sora's not worried to grow up, he doesn't have a care in the world. He's fun, he's silly, it's what she needs. She needs that stability because I think the fact the first 4 years of her life, her home and family, have been wiped away, it's had lasting effects on her.

As the series goes on, I think her confidence dwindles. She sees Sora and Riku making new friends, she becomes less of a priority. It's scary to her, like it would be to anyone. She's training to be a keyblade wielder, but she was outright told by Riku she couldn't come to help Sora. She definitely doesn't take it well, she knows she needs to keep training, but she still just wants to be there for her friends. She's watching them drift away, grow up, but she's not ready for that. She's scared, she's lonely, she's worried about losing her friends.

Over the series, Kairi hasn't made too many connections of her own. She also hasn't gotten the chance to but I'm gonna swipe that under the rug because. Well, that makes this less interesting

She's so stuck to these same two friends who are changing, Riku has changed a lot and while Sora may still be the same old Sora, but he has new friends, new people to care about.

Who wouldn't be afraid of being left behind? Especially after being told, she's not ready time and time again. It's gotten to the point where she's begging for her attacks to work, brain goes blank whenever she gets kidnapped. She's powerful, but she isn't treated like she is. It's definitely affected her way of seeing herself, feeling like she can't do it, that she's weak.

Sadly, I doubt we'll ever get a fully realized Kairi with a full arc. If she does though, I want it to be about finding people who aren't Sora to connect with, she has a bit of that with Lea but now Roxas and Xion are back, she'll be pushed away again. Probably the same thing with Aqua, her new master, who just got back to her old friends after 10 years and probably also isn't in the best mindset to raise a new keyblade wielder properly

And that just leaves Kairi. Still alone. Still hoping to get her friends back, who have all moved on

[chenoehi]

been thinking thoughts about KH3, MoM theories, etc a lot lately and this is my current brain rot:

All the Org XIII ancient keyblade wielders seem to treat Sora with either derision or kindness.

Eg. Marluxia and Luxord are friendly to Sora when they’re fading away. Marluxia thanks him and Luxord gives him a card to help him. Luxord was arguably never unkind to Sora prior but he was still antagonistic. Larxene isn’t kind per se but she shows a different side briefly and even smiles at him in the end, which for her actually seemed genuine.

Meanwhile you have Xigbar/Luxu and Demyx. Both of which are, frankly, bastards (affectionately! I love them your honor) to Sora in KH2, DDD, and KH3 even when they don’t need to be. Like, just thinking about Xigbar antagonizing the shit out of Sora in KH2/Radiant Garden and like Cardi B I’m wondering what was tf reason.

Based on what we know of him now, we can make educated guesses as to why he acts that way — his character file is illuminating and offers a lot of insight as to why he may feel differently about Sora, in addition to how nosey af we know Luxu is.

Demyx initially acts friendly but that’s really just him addressing Roxas imo which he makes pretty obvious by speaking directly to Roxas in KH2. And while he was objectively terrible to Roxas in terms of ditching him on missions in Days, he was never actually rude or unkind to him that I remember. For the most part he’s friendly with him both in game and in comics (that I know of). And he seemed alright with Xion.

Sora? Nah. He’s sarcastic as shit and while I love me some barbs, I tend to agree with the opinion that sarcasm is veiled contempt.

In fact contempt is the word I feel fits best for how both Xigbar and Demyx act/feel toward Sora.

But Riku? Demyx calls out to him in Remind and starts talking like they’re besties, he smiles at him softly — which is not at all weird or like his soft smile for Ienzo, no not similar in the slightest — and he gets up in his personal space, which, while not entirely unusual for Demyx, is in contrast to his interactions with Sora. It’s made a little creepy by the odd familiarity with which he’s treating someone he’s supposedly just met — and not even properly. (it’s actually crazy to me but rn I’m realizing the org members almost never introduce themselves to anyone lol Sora has no idea who these people are, like he literally doesn’t know what to call them so he just says “it’s org 13” bc names? what’s a name?)

And this single solitary interaction between Riku-Demyx for me is all just so strange because there’s few people on record in the games that Demyx is actually friendly toward. Xigbar, Ienzo, Roxas, maybe Xion, now Riku. That’s an ..interesting mix. I’m not counting Vexen because dude was finding every excuse to walk away from science boy in RG before getting sucked into the scheme via manipulation (and arguably his own ego, cause you know, he’s the only one who could pull it off bc no one would suspect him). He literally claims himself that he had no real friends outside of Xigbar and we know that association alone is 👀 At one point Axel speaks somewhat kindly of him, but then Demyx was saying how much quieter it was and how he’s glad the loudmouths were unalived in Castle Oblivion. Not very neighborly of him, but then again Axel and Zexion were friendly enough to bet on who’d die next only for Axel to axe (aheh) him so a lot of that backstabbing shit went on. So maybe he was cool with Axel but clearly not enough to be friends with him, even though he apparently wanted friends. (On another note, I still find it super odd Axel chose to defend Demyx to Roxas instead of piling on, we never even saw them interact. It’s weird.)

It’s unfortunate we don’t get to see Xigbar/Luxu interact with Riku on his own but, like with Demyx, I think he would be less bastardly than he is with Sora. Maybe it’s a keyblade master thing, maybe Riku’s just earned more respect, or maybe he just can’t stand that Sora is the ‘hero’ putting others (Riku et al) in danger constantly by needing to be rescued or protected — at least from Xigbar/Luxu’s perspective.

[superfan44]

Why Sora Should be Treated the Same as Superman (An Opinion Piece)

As I get older, I'm able to look at various fictional characters more closely, understanding more about why they're so iconic. A few years ago, I gained a renewed interest in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, seeing why so many people love its story, characters, and of course, its crossover element with Disney and Final Fantasy. I want to take a little look at the franchise's main protagonist, Sora, shed a light on him if you will. I feel you could draw some similarities between him and the DC Comics hero Superman (aka Kal-El, aka Clark Kent).

Now, I know this may seem like an odd comparison to some of you, but personally, I think it does kind of make sense when you think about it. Obviously these two have very different personalities, backstories, powers, and motivations that drive them. However, both are kindhearted, optimistic heroes from humble beginnings, with a strong sense of justice and morality. Not to mention a desire to help others and do the right thing.

Their respective actions certainly speak for themselves on that front, as they each go about it in their own unique way. In the comic book All-Star Superman, one issue sees him fighting a group of lizard men invading from the Earth's core. Then, in another issue, we see him stop a depressed teenage girl from stepping off a building, giving her comfort and support. Yes, he's got super strength and godlike powers, but he's also considerate, compassionate, and gentle enough to offer a helping hand whenever needed. Superman is a hero who inspires the best in all of us. He is, as filmmaker James Gunn once put it, kindness in a world that sees kindness as old fashioned. Even though he lives on a planet he wasn't born on, he still aspires to bring hope to that planet, providing them a light to show the way. Krypton made him the man of steel, but Earth made him human.

There are moments in the Kingdom Hearts series where we see a bit of that kindness mirrored in Sora as well. One minute he would be cutting down Heartless with his keyblade, the next he'll be enjoying good times with his friends, old and new. Whether it's dancing around with Rapunzel in the Kingdom of Corona, visiting Winnie the Pooh and his pals in the 100 Acre Wood, or helping to make Boo laugh in Monstropolis. He protects the world order and fights against the forces of evil, but he's also having fun along the way. There's a playfulness to Sora, a big smile on his face that warms people up inside. He's a brave young man who can easily form connections with anyone he comes across. There are still hardships to face, but he perseveres through it, showing that deep down, there is a light that never goes out. Even when it seems like he's on the verge of giving up, his friends are there to inspire him and lift him back up, just as he had done for them. He follows his heart, which is, and has always been, his guiding key.

You could say that these similarities are due to the fact that Sora and Superman are very much archetypal heroes. Joseph Cambel's hero's journey cycle (which also heavily influenced Star Wars) can be seen in both of their respective journeys. Individuals from humble beginnings who venture out into the wide world ahead of them, encountering various allies, enemies, and obstacles along the way. The journey ultimately leads to the heroes gaining greater powers and becoming more than who they were before.

It's also worth noting that another thing Superman and Sora have in common is that sometimes they are both willing to take great risks in order to save the people that they love. In Superman: The Movie, the man of steel himself flies around the Earth at great speed, turning back time to save Lois Lane from an earthquake. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora uses the power of waking to bring back Kairi after her body was destroyed by Xehanort, sacrificing his own life in the process.

So, why do I bring all of this up? Because I believe that this is something that writers should keep in mind when tackling Sora, whether it's for fan fiction, comics, novels, etc. I've noticed this trend on the internet of people deconstructing the psychology of Sora and delving into the negative effects that his adventures have had on him. A few of them have even declared his optimism and playful smile as a form of "toxic positivity". While it does seem like an interesting idea, I feel like it's causing people to forget about why they love him in the first place. In some cases, there are those who end up going too far with that notion.

Not long ago, I stumbled upon a Kingdom Hearts fan fiction story titled Keys to the Kingdom. Basically, it reads as an alternate universe reimagining of the events of Kingdom Hearts 3. Even though it was well written, this version of the story gets extremely dark, depressing, and cynical. Not only that, but it also mistreats Sora in a somewhat disturbing way, portraying him as a tortured and tormented soul. While his arc in this does prove to be compelling at times, it was still very jarring, making for an overall unpleasant experience. The fic seemed to be so focused on beating this character down, so intent on having him suffer throughout, that it ends up losing sight of what makes him so endearing and likable. Or, to borrow a quote from the young keyblade wielder himself:

"You're so caught up in finding the shadows, you forgot about the light that cast them."

This doesn't feel too out of place with the "evil Superman" trend that was around for a period of time. The video game Injustice is a prime example of this, as it depicts Superman as a merciless dictator of a fascist regime, who rules with an iron fist and shows no compassion towards crime or his enemies. Even other creations like Homelander from The Boys and Omni-Man from Invincible are representations of this idea since they are basically evil Superman-types. Admittedly, I do give those two a little more leeway since they were made specifically for the stories they came from. They are not directly related to Superman other than having similar powers. Although this concept can be fun to tackle with an original character, I don't think it feels right to try to do it with the genuine article himself. That's not really who he is.

When making the first Superman movie back in 1978, director Richard Donner took it upon himself to do the big blue boy scout justice. He didn’t want the material to be treated with disrespect, nor to be seen as a joke. There's a word he used to emphasize this as a top priority: "verisimilitude". For those unfamiliar, the basic definition of it is the appearance of being true and real. Not only was that word hung up on the wall above Donner's office (which it was), but it also established the mission statement that many of the great superhero movies made in the years since then have followed:

Be truthful, honor the source material, believe in it, take it seriously.

This is the type of mindset that should be adopted by anyone who adapts any kind of preexisting work, especially when it comes to something like Kingdom Hearts. If you want a good example of how to write Sora in a way that showcases how great he is while also being faithful to who he is, there's another fan fiction story titled Starbound, created by my friend @skygent. An anthology with an overarching narrative mixed in, it uses the setup of Sora's disappearance at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3 as a way to examine the impact that he's had on all of his friends and allies. In a deeper, meta sense, it offers an analysis of the connection that fans of the franchise itself have formed with him.

The stuff that has been written so far for this fic is absolutely amazing. In fact, it's what led to my renewed interest in Kingdom Hearts in the first place. It has pretty much what you would want in a story like this one. Balancing a sense of scale, mystery, and adventure, but also quiet reflection. Offering some fun little twists, but still retaining the core essence of what the source material is all about. Through this story, we see various characters (including some not featured in the games) learning of and reacting to Sora's disappearance, remembering their encounters with him in the past. Some of them are even inspired to try and figure out where he is, willing to doing whatever it takes to help find him and bring him back home. Here, they demonstrate just how much he means to them, just as they all do to him.

To be clear, I'm not saying that Sora should stay exactly the same. In a series like Kingdom Hearts, we want to see those characters grow and evolve. With the things that Sora has experienced throughout the series, and with where we will find him at in Kingdom Hearts 4, it'll be interesting to see where he goes next. At the same time though, we also should remind ourselves that people love this character for a reason. As this young hero embarks on his newest adventure, he shouldn't lose what makes him who he is as a person. Instead of pulling him apart, I think Sora is someone who deserves to be celebrated. To be treated with dignity and respect, just as Donner did for the last son of Krypton. In the same way we've celebrated Superman over the years for what he stands for and represents, Sora should also be recognized in an equally similar way. Their respective core values and good morals, all the stuff that makes them heroes. It's these things that turned them into pop culture icons who remain with us to this day. It's why they will continue to be icons in the foreseeable future.

Two beacons, shining bright in the darkness. Never forget that.

[theblueprincess590]

The Winds of Youth-A Character Analysis of Ventus

Ventus began his story much like Sora, as a starry eyed youth who dreamed of broadening their horizons and seeing what lay beyond their small homes. Yet unlike Sora, Ventus had something to prove. Ventus wants to be an adult, wants to be his friend's equal and yet he is denied this time and time again. Everyone treats him like a child, they dote on him like an infant that needs constant supervision, They coddle him in his training never letting him from reaching his true potential, and worst of all they keep him cooped up in his room like a cage bird all while using their infantilizing of him to justify it. With his found family refusing to ever let him leave, to let him fight, and never teaching him anything more than the basics, The Land of Departure eventually becomes a prison surrounded by wind for the pure hearted boy. Making it no wonder that when the call to adventure finally arrived he grasped it without hesitation even if the hands that offered it were stained in filth and hate.

It is Vanitas who initially gives Ventus the push to leave his home and travel to other worlds. Doing so by nagging on Ventus’s insecurities and fears by implying his best friend Terra will no longer be the same person, that the earth will grow into a mountain higher than the winds can reach. However it must not be mistaken that Vanitas is just doing this out of cruelty. No Vanitas is using Terra to help Ventus justify his decision to leave. Vanitas is Ven’s darkness, his other half, and thus knows all that Ventus feels all he truly desires. He knows how desperately Ventus wishes to leave, to prove himself more than a child. So he gives Ventus what he has always wanted, a “justified” reason to run away, a chance for him to indulge in his selfish desires without any guilt. And this is ultimately Ven’s greatest failure.

Ventus left the Land of Departure not to save Terra but to indulge in his own desires of freedom. Terra was merely the just cause. After all if Ventus was really just acting out of concern for Terra then he would of voiced said concerns to Aqua or Eraqus, returned home after encountering Terra again in Radiant Garden, brought up the existence of a mysterious intruder in his room (which he only does when seeking praise from Terra and Aqua for “defeating” him), or most importantly of all he would of told Terra of the warning he received before Terra left when he had the chance but he didn’t because if he did he did then he would of lost his chance to prove himself. That is why Ventus continues his adventures after succeeding in his goal to find Terra because it was never about Terra in the first palace.

Yet the journey still holds a great meaning to it. Just like Sora’s adventures Ventus manages to make countless friends, each of who manage to help him grow as a person. Through the kindness of Snow White Ventus grows from one who needs protection to a protector  ultimately pushing him to save Princess’s Aruroa’s heart from Maleficent, which in term gives him the convention of a Hero that allows him to train alongside Hercules and Zack. Of course though it is not just strength that the Disney characters impart on Ventus but also wisdom and perspective. Through their adventures together Ventus learns what it means to truly have a dream, no longer accepting the aimless life he lived before and instead striving to become a keyblade master just like Terra and Aqua so he can truly be their equal. He learns what it really means to be a friend through the joy of Lea and Isa. Which in terms helps him come to better appreciate Terra and Aqua when he sees just how much their friendship made Stitch’s life better. And in the end discovers the true value of bonds when treasure hunting with Peter Pan, That a bond is not something physical but rather an invisible link that will always connect your heart to the ones you love. 

However these lessons can not protect Ventus from his cruel fate. He fights alongside Terra and Aqua in the Key graveyard despite his heart being weighed down by the tragic truth of his existence. Yet even with his inner strength Ventus only becomes a burden. Not only does his presence end up distracting Terra and Aqua but he is quickly incapacitated by Xehanort, reduced to a mere object by the old man yet again. And when he does manage to finally put up a fight in order to save Aqua he only ends up giving The Masked Boy what he wants. Vanitas reveals to Ventus that it was he who orchestrated this hero’s journey. Everything from the UnVersed to the disney world to Terra, Aqua, and Eraqus were set up by Master Xehanort and Vanitas to make Ventus stronger, so he could forge the X-Blade. From the very beginning Ventus was playing a rigged game, blindly following a shallow script of lies and deception all because it fed his ego, because it made him feel like a big man, like a hero. When in reality he was just a pawn. 

At least that's what Vanitas wants Ventus to believe. This “Coming of Age” Story may have been written by a Dark Imp but that doesn’t mean Vanitas has the right to decide its value. The path he followed may have been a lie but the friendships Ventus formed and the lessons he learned were anything but false. Ventus got stronger not because of Vanitas but in spite of him. It was Snow White, Cinderella, Jaq, The Three Good Fairies, Lea, Isa, Minnie, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Hercules, Zack, Phil, Stitch, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Mickey, Eraqus, Terra, and Aqua who shaped Ventus into the boy NO the Man he is now. It was them who imparted on him the values that gave his hearts strength, that helped him push forward past the darkness, and that gave him hope, love, and Dreams. Not this Shallow Shadow. Which is why Vanitas can never defeat Ventus. Vanitas made no effort to understand others, no effort to connect with others, and no effort to change himself. He simply remained the same, a spiteful parasite that sought conflict and conflict alone. He visited the same worlds as Ven and yet never once formed a connection of his own, only filling the worlds with more hatred and violence. Even his pursuit of Ventus and the X-Blade was just to instigate further conflict with a second Keyblde war. And Because of his unwillingness to change Vanitas could never understand Ventus, even when his heart was bare to him in their final battle. Vanitas could only see Ven as the lesser half, unable to understand why he put so much value in his friends, why this wayward boy was so ready to die for them. And because he stay the stayed the same, because he indulged himself in violence and ignorance Vanitas lost to the only bond he ever had. As it was the shared D-Link between himself and Ventus that ultimately destroyed Vanitas.

Ventus began his journey with selfish intention masked as richness ultimately resulting in his free spirited time of youth coming to end through harsh truths. And yet he was still able to grow from it. Because just like Sora Ventus is at his core a kind and heroic person with his heart open to all. He sought not only strength but connections allowing the bonds he formed to change him, gifting him with great ideals and power through every new command, keyblade, shotlock, D-Link, and Command Style earned. All of which help him grow from a shelter child to a true Man, one who always puts his friends before himself, reaching for the first time in the series the complete understanding of the power of friendship “My friends are my power ands I’m theirs”   

[soratsuart]

Some one just left some very nice tags in this post and it motivated me so I'm writing this instead of getting ready for Christmas dinner:

About Chrome in Twisted Wonderland, I think it's fun if they first arrive in the world before the game events so they get to learn a bit about the world before enrolling in NRC for investigation reasons, like. Maybe they arrive during previous year Magishift tournament against RSA so they can enter the school and explore, and that's how they learn something is wrong here cuz why are their previous enemies treated as heroes here and they have statues and everything ???

I also think it'd be great to have them meet the Diasomnia family during this moment. Like. They probably catch a glimpse of Silver and think that's Riku who as long as they're aware is supposed to be searching for Sora around the worlds he visited or in QUADRATUM depending on when I decide this crossover takes place, so of course they're going to be confused. Try to talk to him and get startled cuz that's not Riku but the similarities are amazing. Also this might catch the attention of the other members of the dorm cuz people usually only approach a bit because of Malleus (though at a safe distance cuz of fearing him), but Chrome only notices him and his similarities with Maleficent after clearing the misunderstanding with Silver and the other reason they don't give away they have no clue who Malleus is is cuz Sebek (there cuz the event allows him to see his liege, remember this is before he enrolls) yells at them because of their disrespect or something, idk, Sebek style

Point is Chrome gets their initial information source from this meeting cuz of Sebek yelling about Malleus and also because Malleus and Lilia probably notice they got a lot of magic (KH characters in general would be so OP in this game) and ask if they're planning to enroll next year or something, maybe talk a bit about the dorms and specially Diasomnia since that's theirs. Chrome comes back to Yen Sid later with the news of this world and it's decided they're enrolling as cover to investigate. My child has never been to school before, this can only go well.

Also on the topic of enrolling, Chrome probably needs fake documents for that which means they also need a legal guardian there. Unfortunately, Chrome has no family and the amount of legal responsibilities the KH adults take for kids are close to zero, which means they don't have one. So, for these cases I always find it hilarious to put Ansem the Wise as their guardian (why not Yen Sid? Idk man, he barely leaves that tower, maybe it's cuz his crazy powerful magic would be suspicious in a parent-teacher meeting). He has to monitor Chrome to make sure the assimilation of their heart and the recovery of their memories goes well anyway, so it might work. Also, because of the sheer awkwardness since Ansem gave them the Nobody treatment during his DiZ phase and was fucking mean to them, so there's that. Love me some nuanced relationships. Also helps push my Chrome and Ienzo siblings agenda (something something, when you both have grown up as Nobodies and have spent longer without a heart than with one)

Anyway, that's all for now, next time I might rant about how Twisted Wonderland connecting to Kingdom Hearts universe would affect the world and the matter of light, darkness, Heartless and keyblades and how it'd be seen in TWST (aka, my many headcanons about world building)

[ihave-83-protons]

3 and 4 for Roxas in the KH character asks!

3 - Do you like how canon treats them?

HHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGHHHH okay little mindless blond is born and wakes up in A Place and gets pulled into a cult my Mr. "I can Give You Purpose" and doesn't know that you're supposed to open treasure chests and looks up at Mr Fire truck like "okay I found it"

little blond boy hear "we're Nobodies"

"well that's not very nice :/"

little blond boy has One Person be nice to him. feed little blond boy ice cream. little blond boy has pupils in his eyes now. he has friend.

red hair friend die??? gone??? I'm not supposed to have feelings but I'm sad??? kaplewie my other is in a flower pod now I sleep too

new kid? her first word is his name? now he has two friend. thats double the friend. he feed her ice cream. maybe......... they can all have ice cream.......

I wake up why are there seashells on my bed?? :0 friend got then for me??? friend!!

oh. other friend dead. :[ I thought...... we could all have ice cream togethe- :OOOOO YOU'RE ALIVE??!!!!!! FRIEND!! ALIVE!!! WE MUST HAVE ICE CREAM TOGETHER WITH OTHER FRIEND BECAUSE THAT IS HOW I SAY I LOVE YOU!!!!

we're all friends now! I hope it stays this way :]

oh no angst :[ borrow my keyblade!! my friend is so smart and im happy I can help others friend!!

scribble scribble I have a diary

one plot later-

what the fuck. what the fuck is everyone talking about. I'm just trying to live. I'm trying to enjoy what I can, I'm trying to make sense of everything around me and I've only let it all slide for this long because I wanted to focus on the people I care about.

now the person I've defended is being evasive. I don't know what I did wrong. I'm terrified i hurt her.

and the other? the one that showed me what a friend is? the first person to show me compassion? the first to treat me as more than a number? a person I trusted?? has been lying through his teeth to me about our best friend?

I don't know who to trust. I don't Know anything. how is that fair? how?

I don't even know who I am. I have a right. to know who I am. he knows the answer. he's the one person who's supposed to Be there for me, that's what friends Do.

...who am I kidding? where did I think I could go?

I'm leaving. I'm leaving everything I've ever known to try and get some semblance of an answer to Anything.

what a joke.

...

at least... I still have my other friend. even if I've hurt her and she's been avoiding me. I don't know why. I want to make things right. but she offered me our usual. that means... we're at least still going to be there for each other.

at least I still have Someone to trust.

...why are you talking like that?

you don't sound like yourself.

I thought I was confused before.

why are we fighting? why... why is it that even your face isn't the same?

you're so important to me, you're all I have, I...

...

you're hurt. you-... who are you...? why... do I feel like my chest is folding in on itself?

I'm cradling you in my arms as I listen to your dying wish. you're familiar. you feel like home. but I don't know your name.

I'm willing to die, too, if it means getting you back. if it means fulfilling your last wish. because I can't think of any other way to live, I was wrong to cast aside the other that meant so much to me, I want the three of us to go to the beach like we promised, I want to live, i-

why? why, why, why? who's this New person? why are you trying to stop me? can't you see this is all I have?

why should I give everything up when I've lost so much for this stupid boy that's the reason for Everything? all the suffering, the heartache- I'm not even supposed to have a heart.

get out of my way. im pleading through my teeth just-

fuck you. how many times to I have to knock you into the ground? how many times do I have to beat you?

7 days left to go before summer vacation is over! I can't Wait to spend it with the people I care about most. maybe today we'll finally go to the beach! oh, and exploring things in our town we thought were mundane-

...i love my friends. I'm lucky to be happy with my life.

but why do I feel like I'm going crazy? I'm... seeing things other people don't.

who are you? you seem to have some answers. hi! this is weird, do-

what's happened to everything I've loved and adored?

...i was never meant to exist? what the hell is Wrong with you? how could you say that? even if it is true?

what do you mean it's all a lie?

lies, lies, more lies-

I Just Want To Live.

why don't I have that right?

why do I have to give Everything up for this Stupid boy I've never met? that's somehow the reason for all this?

what the hell have I done to deserve this?? I Deserve to Live. what gives any of you the right time take that from me?

...

what Was real?? any of it?? none of it?

look at that face. I guess... he did nothing to deserve whatever's going on, either. and he still has... people who care about him.

not like I can say the same.

not like I have anyone or anything left.

...youre lucky. looks like my summer vacation's over.

4) do you like how fandom treats them?

hehehe sweet baby emo boy 🖤 poor thing :[ emo baby!! 🖤

thanks for the ask!!!! ���

[pageofheartdj]

Do you just randomly come up with AU with no proper logic, just cool details and scenes?

Anyway I was listening to The Ballad of Star Butterfly (loved the show, too bad it got bad) and now I have Lucifer and Alastor as Moon and River and Charlie as Star♡ Lucifer and Charlie already have cheekmarks, how handy xD

So anyway maybe Mewni would be like Heaven and monsters like demons. So we can still have 'racism' subplot xD (which would be fun since technically Lucifer would be monster lover, but yaknow, less outlawed and destructive xD Maybe the ally kingdoms are rulled mostly by his siblings and his kingdom is relatively new and less bigoted and his family pressures him to comply and he is like Fuck You and marries monster/demon xD)

Charlie would be sent to study on Earth(and away from politics) with her dragon horses Razzle and Dazzle, since she is VERY enthusiastic to learn about other realms. Vaggie would be Marco xD(maaaybe Carmilla is the adopted mom and a demon in disguise like her daughters and Zestial, that's why she is sent to them.) Keekee would be like a familiar pet, a magic wand but in keyblade form xD

Still don't know if mewberty?(dont remember much from the show xD") form should be fairy like or angel like(or maybe a mix. Lucifer's colors change from white to yellow and Charlie's from blue to red), but Charlie would collect aaall the teens xD (and Lucifer too but give extra chase to Alastor cause they were already kinda 'dating' xD)

And I have that one other scene in my head with newly wed Lucifer dealing with a Threat and like Moon who made a deal with Eclipsa wanted to make a deal with corrupted Eve(why not make Lilith her pair for extra sadness cause what if the four of them were friends and Eve got 'posessed' by Roo and Lucifer and his allies(Sins) had to 'restrain' her while Lilith travels in search for a solution, while Adam treats all demons as Evil for this). But Alastor beat him to it, not wanting Lucifer binding himself to her(btw his magic is red, and green perma adds after this). And then cool shot with both of them combining Alastor's knowledge and Lucifer's magic to defeat the Threat.

And that's it, I have no idea about the other enemies and further politics and family dramas and stuff xD Just these cool concepts flying in my head xD

[tanjiromenon]

hopelessly devoted.

(sora x reader)

warnings: panic attacks, sora being the sweetest dork in all the world, NOT proofread!!

“how lucky am i..?” sora murmured, a hand tracing down your cheek with utmost care and gentleness. he revelled in the glow the moonlight gave you as it touched your skin, almost as if it were flowing over you like a silk blanket, as odd as it sounded. the calmness of the moment was interrupted by your light snoring coming to a stop, and the sound of a tired hum escaping you.

stirring ever so slightly, the keyblade wielder felt your breathing quicken ever so slightly, until you opened your eyes - most gracefully, might he add. with a yawn and a small stretch, your eyes landed on sora, who was still peering down at you, with a soft smile on his face. “enjoy your nap, sleepy head?” he mused with a tilt of his head.

feeling the weight of your head leaving his lap, sora watched as you sat upright, yawning again before facing him. “yeah, it was peaceful.”

“well, i’m glad! i’ll be your pillow any day, if you need it!” sora grinned from ear to ear, holding his thumb up as you giggled softly, letting out the most beautiful of sounds.

god, he was totally and utterly smitten with you and everything you do.

“thanks, sora!”

looking over up to the sky, your eyes landed on the all too familiar sunset that graced the town , yet the small smile that decorated your face dropped upon realising that you had been in a state of slumber, and turned back to sora, bewildered. “how-“ groaning and dragging a hand over your face, you sighed. “..how long have i been asleep?”

..

fearing the worst, your mind raced as you thought about what punishment you’d get from xemnas now that you’ve slacked off from the job. what do you do now? how bad will the punishment be? is sora going to get hurt? oh god... why didn’t he wake you up? why did he let you slee-

your partner shrunk ever so slightly under your questioning glare, and a hand rose to his neck as he rubbed it; letting out a laugh to help ease the tension between you both. “i just- didn’t want to wake you; you looked so peaceful!”

no response.

“4 or 5 hours, give or take?” his awkward grin did little to calm your rising panic, however, and he rushed to grab your shoulders, rubbing down to your arms while tilting his head in front of yours, keeping eye contact with a concerned expression. “hey! hey, tell me what’s on your mind, love.”

the growing fear continued to rise as you tried to spit out what you wanted to say, though it only came out as a mixture of panicked sounds.

sora frowned, raising his hand up to your chin; and feeling you flinch under the touch of his thumb and his index finger. turning your head to face his again, his frown continued to grow as he saw the way your eyes were squeezed shut. “open your eyes, y/n, it’s okay. no one’s gonna hurt you.” and with that, you pried your eyes open to look at sora.

his smile brought you back to a sense of calmness. “there we go.” he chuckled as he caressed your face with his hand, wiping a tear that you didn’t know escaped your eyes.

“you’re safe when i’m here, y/n.”

admittedly, the comment from sora brought up a spike of shame from within you. you hated being treated like a damsel in distress. you really did. “thank you, sora.”

you heard another small chuckle escape him. “i’m here for you, you know? any day you need me, i’ll be here.”

“i keep forgetting i’m not a part of the organisation anymore, i just get worried sometimes, that’s all..” sora hummed in understanding, smiling at you softly before placing his forehead against yours; closing his eyes as he stroked your face on either side with his hands, as he hummed to you a tune reserved only for you; one that always brought you comfort.

feeling the movement of your face accommodate the shyest of smiles, sora pulled back to look at you.

oh, he would do anything for you if it meant he got to see you smile.

“you’re the most beautiful person i’ve ever laid my eyes on, y/n..” his eyes searched yours, almost as if he was gazing into your soul.

wiping the snot from your nose and sniffing, you began to laugh. “snot and all?”

sora grinned as he placed a chaste kiss to your lips. a silent promise to himself to stay hopelessly devoted to you for the rest of his life.

“snot and all.”

[peony-pearl]

@khoc-week

Day 3: Connections

Nimue starts off her story with two main connections: her mother, Estelle, and her love, Yen Sid. However, after her home is swallowed by darkness because of Yen Sid's tampering with her experiments, Nimue finds herself alone in the Realm of Darkness for three decades.

The first person she makes a new connection with is Merlock. They quickly become a fearsome duo on their journey so Nimue can take revenge against Yen Sid and Merlock can benefit from the spoils of the sorcerer's magic. Over time, their alliance deepens into a friendship that neither are willing to admit, and yet it's obvious to everyone around them that they're operating on a level no one else can.

Chaos finds Nimue and Merlock at the behest of Maleficent, who has been betrayed by Merlock. However, when he finds them, he has no real interest in turning them in, as that means the fun will be over. He tags along on their journeys, intrigued to watch them as they either succeed or crash and burn spectacularly on their mission.

Owen has been in Traverse Town for several months, keeping eye on the wife and infant son of his employer, David Xanatos, after an experiment with some Heartless proved disastrous. Knowing that Fox and young Alexander are safe (which was Xanatos' one order to Owen), Owen is now eager to go out and search for him. Nimue asks him why he is so eager to follow the orders of a master he no longer serves - Owen does not flinch when he answers that Xanatos is more than a master, but treats Owen as much as family as Fox and Alex. Chaos is also drawn to Owen, and soon finds out why, as Owen is the alter ego of his old friend, the trickster Puck.

Mint is a disgraced princess who has lost her title, and is bound and determined to get it back. She and Nimue often clash on the subject of leadership, but Mint's resolve and fearlessness garners respect. (I made her hair the wrong shade of pink I'm sorry)

Hollander is a scientist who was once Ansem the Wise's partner, both in research and romance. However, when Ansem decided to abandon the experiments on the heart, Hollander was deeply upset. The scientist went on to aid Xehanort and the apprentices to set up their laboratories, but when it came time for them to destroy Radiant Garden and form Organization XIII they left him behind. In an effort to perfect his own experiments, Hollander used himself as a test subject, and is now slowly succumbing to the Darkness.

Magnifico is found when Owen can sense his presence locked inside of a mirror (as Puck himself has ties to a magic mirror). Magnifico is given the opportunity to join and reap the spoils of Yen Sid's magic if he chooses to aid their cause. He and Nimue bond over lost homes.

Harle is a mysterious girl with the appearance of a jester. She is cool, collected, intelligent and quick with words. Her dark powers are intriguing and very strong, yet she has an air of maturity and romanticism. She enjoys spending time with Chaos, Puck and Mint making mischief, but she is also a reliable source of wisdom for Nimue and Merlock. She probably has the most brain cells of the group alongside Owen.

Finally, there's Roxanne, who has been studying to be a sage of the light, but after a chance altercation with Nimue and Merlock (where she touches Nimue's keyblade), she finds herself able to summon her own keyblade. It's a symbol to Yen Sid that Nimue still has some light in her heart, and when Nimue sees she has accidentally bequeathed to this girl, she can't help but see herself when she was young: stalwart and innocent and daring. Nimue gives Roxanne a hard time when they cross paths, but Nimue can't bring herself to hurt the girl, and instead does what she can to guide her towards becoming an effective and courageous master.

[wodniars-void]

I'm dying to hear about "the lingering will is becoming a person and terra has to cope with that." (for the WIP game!)

hihi Cori!

Since I went into the general gist of things in the other ask I thought I'd pull a couple bullet points from my outline and talk about them here!! Since there's a few images and it got a bit long, I'm sticking it under the cut <3

first, straight from my notes:

I think one of the interesting things about the Lingering Will is the balance of being an object with being a person. It's a construct- a living suit of armor, hollow metal and magic. And yet it moves and thinks and feels, and ultimately chooses to sacrifice itself. I choose to represent that dichotomy with its pronouns- part of its personhood comes from its inhumanity, and i feel like It pronouns mesh well with that. Some people choose not to use It pronouns because they feel dehumanizing, but that's exactly why the Lingering Will uses them. Its inhumaness is an important part of it. There's less thought behind it also using they/them, mostly vibes. But it definitely prefers It/Its.

Next is a character interaction and dynamic I'd love to explore:

Roxas has direct, personal experience with the kind of thing Terra is dealing with. So since Sora isn't around, Terra reaches out to him. And despite how things are weird between them, because Xemnas (and Ven), it's a very earnest and personal conversation. Terra very genuinely wants to understand Roxas' perspective on finding his identity, especially separating who he is from Sora, and very few people have ever listened to Roxas.

For most of his life, people lied to Roxas about who he was, where he came from, his feelings and memories, even his friendships (im looking at you, DiZ & twilighttown.exe). So his point of view is very focused on honesty. Come what may, Terra should be honest with LW about what's going on, how he feels, what the possibilities are. He should never dismiss what LW has to say, and he should never lie to it, even to "spare its feelings". Now frankly Terra is a pretty poor liar so this isn't necessarily a problem, but it gives Roxas a space to express his feelings about what he went through, and hope that someone else will be treated better.

It's not all doom and gloom though- there's joy in becoming! Growth like that is beautiful and wonderful and so, so worth it. Having someone to lean on is so important when you're figuring yourself out, so Roxas also encourages Terra to be that person for LW. The little things can matter so much, and they're even more meaningful when you have someone to share them with.

This is the other character interaction I think would be really fitting:

Lea has had a pretty tumultuous time with identity and personhood himself. He understands that dissonance between Somebody and Nobody, or in Terra's case, Somebody and Construct. He also understands, in a way, what it's like to grow a heart where previously there "wasn't" one. And in being friends with Roxas and Xion, he's watched them grow up and change and figure themselves out. He's sort of the Terra parallel here, where Roxas is the LW parallel.

Their conversation is a lot more uplifting- Terra should be proud of LW and its growth, that all that heart business is just as or more complicated than it seems, and it's not a quick or easy process but the first step is the hardest. This is the space where Terra is able to confess his concerns and worries and be heard and understood, because Lea really does get it. Most of it, at least. He emphasizes patience and openness, because identity can be really messy, and he doesn't want someone to make the same mistakes he did.

(side tangent: Lea being one of the oldest active keyblade wielders is something I don't think people talk about enough in a serious capacity, because Nobodyness aside age does bring life experience that the others simply don't have. He's fucked up and burned out and hurt others and grieved and healed in ways others haven't purely because he's been around a little longer, and his life has been Messy. He also has a greater grasp of the weight of being a keyblade wielder because he made the active choice to become one, and had a different life to compare it to. So while things may be kind of awkward because of his past, he really does have some uniquely valuable perspective and insight to offer.)

Okay last one. The Lingering Will is a mouthful so i had to come up with a different name at least for convenience:

I thought a Latin word would go really well with TAV's theme, and I wanted to attribute an "element" to it too. So I went with Animus, or Soul/Mind, because that's kind of what a "will" is in kh. Xehanort calls the Lingering Will a "wretched spirit" and asks "why does your mind resist?" which also contributed. Frankly the metaphysics of a "will" are best left for the theoretical Lingering Will presentation I'll make someday, but I felt Animus covered those concepts while fitting the themes.

(also, I love The Adventure Zone: Balance, and the Animus Bell is a bit of inspiration as well <3)

Thanks so much for the ask Cori, and I'm totally down to talk about more! It's a great way to figure things out, really :3 One of these days I'll give it a proper go but for now it's just my doc and these posts lol

[aeonphantasia]

To all the akuroku shippers (and to my own amusement lol), I made a small summary of all the times Axel and Roxas met and spent time together throughout the KH 358/2 Days game because i feel like the movie version didn't do justice to them. It's a very small outline and i'm already planning to do a more detailed breakdown in the future to showcase how their relationship has changed through that one year. Hope you enjoy it!!

Also, I want to dedicate this to all the akuroku fans out there who have written beautiful fics about these two. I know there's an akrk discord where you meet and discuss about them. I made this for you, for reference if you want as a thanks for all your wonderful works!!! (I would tag you all but i'm a bit shy, so you know who you are!)

n.b. the days marked with a ! indicate an important milestone in their relationship.

PART 1 - here.

!DAY 255 - THE LONGEST DAY Axel meets Xion in C.O. and asks her to leave and forget everything. Axel meets Roxas for ice cream. (This is where the famous ‘why the sun sets red’ scene happens). Roxas wonders about Xion. Axel lies and tells him she is on an important mission. Roxas feels Axel is not being entirely honest and he too seems like is not himself. Xion finds the truth about herself. 

!DAY 256 - NEWS Org.XIII has a meeting discussing Xion who has left. Xemnas forbids anyone to go look for her. Roxas is disheartened. After his mission he is alone eating ice cream. Roxas wishes Axel would be there with him. Axel stands hidden in silence on the clocktower, observing Roxas. 

!DAY 257 - HOLLOW Roxas sits alone on the clocktower. He’s sad. Wonders where his friends are. Roxas seems sure Axel is avoiding him. 

DAY 276 - DISORDER After a long time, Axel joins Roxas on the clocktower. Axel resolves they will go look for Xion the next day. Axel is worried about Xion too.

DAY 277 Brief meeting in the morning. Roxas looks for Xion. 

DAY 278 Brief meeting in the morning. Roxas looks for Xion. 

!DAY 296 - CONFESSIONS Brief meeting in the morning. Later, Roxas and Axel sit on the clocktower. Roxas wants to look for Xion in C.O. Axel confesses that’s where Xion comes from. 

!DAY 297 - CONTACT Axel and Roxas go to C.O. Roxas collapses. He wakes up next to Axel in Twilight Town. They briefly see Xion but she runs away. Roxas questions her actions. Axel seems reluctant. 

!DAY 298 - FRACTURE Roxas witnesses Saix ordering Axel to bring Xion back with force, considering her a traitor. Axel promises he won’t hurt her. Roxas has been ordered to find the impostor (Riku). During his mission he finds Xion and begs her to come back, which she refuses. After trying to grab her, she summons her keyblade. Axel, who was secretly witnessing the scene, charges towards Xion and they have a fight which Roxas tries to stop. Axel knocks Xion unconscious and brings her back to the castle. Roxas catches up to him asking for an explanation and accusing him of not keeping his promise not to hurt her. Axel remains indifferent. Roxas is cross with Axel.

!DAY 299 - SORA Roxas learns from Xemnas about Sora. When he’s greeted by Axel, he ignores him. Axel keeps ignoring his guilt towards Roxas and the lies he’s telling him, convincing himself that that’s what being a nobody means. Yet, he feels something is not right. ‘Roxas doesn't trust me after the whole Xion incident, but I can't tell him the truth yet. So I keep lying. It's no big deal when you're a Nobody. There's no guilt, no feeling at all. So why does it still sting, just a little, when I lie to him? All my dealings with Roxas give me this bizarre illusion of humanity.’

!DAY 300 - SHUTDOWN Axel and Xion join Roxas for ice cream. None of them speak a word.

!DAY 301 - VACANT PLACE Roxas eats ice cream alone. He starts feeling tired. Axel doesn’t know how to talk to Roxas. 

!DAY 321 - WANING POWER Roxas and Xion have ice cream together. Roxas complains about the way Axel treated Xion and he’s mad at him as far as calling him ‘jerk’, which takes Xion aback. She (very sweetly) explains to him that if it wasn’t for Axel she wouldn’t be here with him now. Roxas is still cross. (The little dialogue they have is actually very sweet and emphasizes my HC that Xion is very aware of the feelings Axel and Roxas have for each other.) Roxas: I can't believe that jerk would actually attack you. Xion: So he's a jerk now? (Roxas says nothing) Xion: Roxas, I wouldn't be sitting here with you if Axel hadn't done that. (Roxas still says nothing) Xion: He's your best friend. Roxas: So are you. Later, Xion meets with Axel. She is worried about Roxas, and Axel tells her (very rudely) it’s because she is absorbing his powers. Once again, Axel states that they are best friends and can’t take decisions on her behalf. 

DAY 322 Roxas has ice cream on his own and wishes he can meet with his friends again like before. 

DAY 324 Roxas has ice cream alone. 

!DAY 352 - SUNSET Brief meeting in the morning. Axel is worried about Roxas. During his mission, Roxas fights a powerful nobody. Just before the final attack Axel appears and stops the fight revealing the mission to be a setup: Xion and Roxas were actually fighting each other. Later they eat ice cream together. They enjoy their time together and Roxas proposes the three of them to run off so they can always be together. Roxas promises to never forget these memories. ‘Me and Xion and Axel had ice cream. The sunset was beautiful.I don't have to write anything else down, because I'll never forget this day.’

!DAY 353 - RESOLVE After his mission, Roxas is back at the castle. He learns that Xion has disappeared again and Axel let her go without stopping her. Finally, Axel tells Roxas the truth about Xion and how he would trade her to save Roxas’ life. Roxas is very upset. He thinks he can’t trust Axel anymore. (I cannot NOT include their dialogue because it is extremely powerful and emotional). Roxas: What happened out there? Axel: Look, nothing. Roxas: Xion's gone! How is that nothing? Axel: It's just like Xigbar said. I couldn't stop her from going. Roxas: Don't give me that! Why not? Axel (crossing his arms): Roxas... Xion is like a mirror that reflects you. Roxas: What? Axel: The Organization made her to duplicate your powers. She's a puppet Roxas: Have you gone nuts? Xion's a person, not a puppet. Axel: She's smoke and mirrors, Roxas. And when I looked in the mirror... It wasn't you I saw. Roxas: I don't know what you're talking about, but Xion is Xion. You can't expect her to be me. Axel: That's not what I mean, Roxas. It was only a matter of time before somebody had to break the mirror. Roxas: You mean destroy her. (Axel looks away) Roxas: Answer me! Axel: Roxas, if somebody doesn't, you'll... You won't be you anymore. Roxas: I'll always be me! Your best friend--just like Xion! Axel (shaking his head): Roxas, you're...you're not seeing the bigger picture. Any of it. Roxas: Ugh, forget this. (Roxas starts to leave) Axel: Roxas! (He runs away) Axel: Why can't you understand…

!DAY 354 - TRUTH Org.XIII has a meeting. Xemnas orders Axel to capture Xion once again. Roxas is against it. He is angry at Axel for keeping the truth from him for so long. Roxas wonders if he is a puppet too. 

!DAY 355 - UNSAID, UNHEARD Roxas meets Axel and the two have a bad confrontation. (Again, I’ll let their dialogue do the talking. This is the best piece of writing of the entire game. I call this ‘The Break-up’). Roxas: Axel. Axel: Hey, Roxas. (They stand silent for a moment) Roxas: You find Xion? Axel: Like it's gonna be that easy. Roxas: I know… (Axel says nothing) Roxas: Have you been keeping the truth about her from me this whole time? Axel: ...Not the whole time. Roxas: When did you find out? Axel: Oh, I dunno. Somewhere along the way. Roxas: Didn't get it memorized, huh? Axel... Who am I, really? (Axel says nothing) Roxas: I'm special, like Xion. I know that. (Axel remains silent) Roxas: But the Organization wanted me out of the picture. Axel: Yeah... They did. Roxas: Is it because Xion copied by Keyblade and they didn't need me anymore? (Axel continues to say nothing) Roxas: And you feel the same way. Axel: No, you've got that part wrong. You'll always be my best friend. Roxas: Best friends are honest with each other! Who am I, Axel? (Axel looks away) Roxas: Xemnas said me and Xion are connected to Sora. Who is that? Tell me! Am I a puppet like Xion? Axel: No… Roxas: What, then? Axel: You really think the truth is going to make you feel better? It won't. Roxas: What makes you so sure? I have a right to know who I am! How did I get here? Why am I special? Where did I learn to use the Keyblade? I deserve those answers! Axel: Roxas… Roxas (sighing): Are you gonna tell me or not? Axel... Who am I? Axel: You've just gotta trust me, Roxas. (He turns around) Roxas: I don't. Axel: Hey, c'mon… Roxas: If I can't get answers here, I'll get them somewhere else. Somebody knows where I came from. That'll be the person I trust.

Roxas leaves. Outside of the Castle, they meet one more time. Axel: Your mind's made up? (He stops) Roxas: Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know. Axel: You can't turn on the Organization! You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you! Roxas: No one would miss me. (He walks away) Axel: That's not true... I would.

DAY 356 - PLACE TO BELONG Axel meets Xion and they fight. Axel brings Xion back and then he collapses from fatigue. 

!DAY 357 - TEARS Roxas and Xion fight. Xion disappears into the light. Axel finds an envelope. Inside, there’s a ‘WINNER’ stick. 

-END.

[razorblade180]

If you're still taking KH questions, what are your thoughts on Namine, Riku Replica, and Vanitas being their own trio called the Lost Trio?

I honestly don’t know how that dynamic would turn out. Namine feels like she would still harbor guilt about existing and Repliku would surely comfort her, but would Vanitas just be a jerk about it!? 😂

Is it a tough love situation? Repliku isn’t the happiest of people either. Maybe Namine would cheer him up but she might get sad too!

It all really comes down to how would Vanitas treat them. Would he adopt a more snarky and abrasive type approach of attitude a bit similar but worse than KH1 island Riku? Honestly it would be cool if all three of them had an identity crisis going on and the arc is being whatever they decide to be and see how that influences their dynamic.

I’ll take any excuse to give Namine a keyblade because let’s be real, if anyone would be a master of all types of magic, it’s her. Spell Weaver Namine would be insane. People would forget who they’re fighting 😂