#maybe just retired in ventus

[rookanisstuff]

Young Rook Mercar watching her father’s troops in Ventus

[frotees-corner]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63170740/chapters/165631438

Chapter 19 is up! In which Neve has dug up some info on Lucani's last mission (as well as some other things) and shares her info with Rook, who later attends the opera together with Lucanis, Caterina and Illario.

Snippet: “Remember how you asked me to look into the circumstances of Lord Dellamorte’s retirement from active military service?”

Rook nodded. How could she forget? The night that had sparked that request was seared into her brain, resurfacing at the most inopportune moments and haunting her dreams. And while the latter were not exactly unpleasant, if she was being entirely honest with herself, the waking that followed certainly was (for several reasons that she preferred not to interrogate too closely). She should have refused the use of his given name, at least. It really was far too intimate, and she really should not enjoy the way his breath caught every time she said it. Aaaand she was getting distracted again.

She cleared her throat. “Yes, I remember. Did you find anything?” The smirk on Neve’s face was far too perceptive for her comfort. “I did. You may have heard that he stayed on for about 10 years after his initial obligatory turn and served as a Captain when he left, yes?” Another nod. She had gathered that much from bits and pieces of their conversation over the weeks. It was unusual for the heir of a house to pursue an active military career, when they already had a life of wealth and comfort and responsibilities ahead of them. Far more common for younger sons to take that gamble in an effort to make a name - and income - for themselves.

“Well, as a Captain, he was last stationed in a small garrison near Ventus. It had been fairly recently reclaimed from the Qunari, and they had just finished rebuilding. The invaders apparently didn’t like that, because they hit the place in a surprise attack, blasting the whole place with their cannons. Whole thing went up in smoke and burned to the ground, with barely a dozen survivors.” Rook stilled, eyes wide with alarm.

“Your marquess is said to have crawled out of there with severe burns and several gunshot wounds after trying to evacuate the barracks.” “Maker’s balls,” she whispered. No wonder he had trouble with fire and explosions. And here she had been fantasizing about his lips on her skin and his hands in her hair again (stop it brain!). She frowned, thoughts snagging on a memory. He had been reciting names when she’d found him, hadn’t he? Maybe the names of people he’d been trying to save.

[kettsuper]

this is going around again so here is some verse lore bc why not?

(copied/pasted from twitt)

vanitas is given his own body and a chance to be his own person thanks to sora and the castle scientists. not that he asked.

and off he goes to the land of departure, since he feels owed a place there. it obviously does not work out.

but while he’s there, his new heart has space for a lot more than just darkness and anger. unfortunately, he would like to feel like he belongs - especially as he sees ventus so joyful in being loved by terra and aqua.

they tolerate him but they clearly dont want him there.

the more he feels chafed the more he wants to f*ck them up, which would certainly have him expelled and/or beaten to a pulp.

he’s still strong, but this new form is much more human and *weak* compared to what he’s used to. he has to think of new ways to get what he wants.

which feels pretty unfair. he didn’t ask for this form, and he didn’t ask for the space allowed in his heart for things that aren’t darkness. it’s confusing and enraging and he starts leaving for days on end.

no one asks or even seems to notice.

—

the moment isa retires to his room for the night, he can sense another, familiar presence.

“can i help you?” he asks, continuing into his space. “i was just about to make tea.”

“i don’t want your tea.”

“then is there something else i can do for you, vanitas?”

he’s only met with silence. that’s fine. he goes and gets the electric kettle going, but vanitas has vanished before it boils. he decides it’s best not to tell anyone.

two nights later he’s already in his room when the dark portal opens behind him, but he finishes his page before turning around.

vanitas has his helmet on. for intimidation? protection? isa is loathe to fight in his room.

“you’re back. i assume you need something from me.”

“i don’t.”

“ah. a friendly visit for your old colleague?”

“i guess. i have questions.”

isa gets up from his desk and brings his cup over to the chairs and side table, taking one of the seats. after a lengthy hesitation, vanitas takes the other.

he asks about xehanort, predictably. isa has no issues sharing all he knows, until the questions become a bit more personal.

why did he betray the boss? how did he get accepted by the others? vanitas clearly picks up on his hesitation and vague answers, because he gets angry and disappears shortly afterwards, leaving most of his tea behind.

isa still keeps this to himself. mostly.

at breakfast the next day, naminé states it sounded like isa was having a conversation with someone. isa agrees that he was, but naminé doesn’t ask with who and he’s grateful. either she’s overly respectful or she knows exactly who it was.

this continues for a few weeks.

vanitas invites himself over, drinks isa’s tea, and leaves. sometimes they talk. if isa asks anything about vanitas it’s very unpredictable as to whether or not he gets an answer.

eventually he calls ven and finds a way to ask how it’s going with vanitas without being obvious.

he finds out it’s been a while since ventus has seen the guy, that his few belongings are gone and any attempt to reach out has been unsuccessful.

so who knows what vanitas is up to when he’s not breaking in to isa’s room, but isa doubts it’s working for him.

isa has been cautious not to share that vanitas has been coming around. it’s like he’s a scared animal, way too weary and easily spooked. he tests isa often, as though trying to provoke isa into kicking him out or getting angry. it doesn’t work, but isa can’t deny feeling frustrated from time to time. yet even when vanitas calls him names, steals his tea and even pelts a full mug across the room, isa does not show his anger.

maybe the kid reminds him too much of himself at his lowest point, and maybe he’s growing more sure that whatever vanitas is upset about, it’s understandable he is struggling. they’ve all been caught up in someone else’s game and now they’re just trying to figure out their lives on the other side of it.

after he feels he has gained some trust, he seeks out naminé. after all, she lives here too. he barely gets a few words out before she’s suggesting vanitas simply move in to their spare room, considering he’s around so much. (she’s curious and can also relate to not knowing where she belongs)

relieved, isa works with her to clear the space and set up at least a bed. they don’t want to make any assumptions, so they’ll probably just help with other furnishings if he does move in.

the next time vanitas shows up, which is that night because he’s there for tea like clockwork these days, isa wastes no time in stating that vanitas should move in.

it’s not even really a question. more like a “you should take the spare room” that sounds expectant and a hell of a lot kinder than vanitas feels he deserves.

after a long pause he mutters his agreement. instead of disappearing through a corridor that night, isa walks him down through the townhouse, a mini tour of sorts, and shows him the room he can have. the bed is basic but it has pillows and sheets and vanitas sleeps on something comfortable for the first time in a while.

and that’s how he winds up in twilight 😇

ohana means family, and family means no one is left behind or forgotten

[elswordimaginesdrabbles]

Lap of Gold

Liberator x reader

he feels ooc to me in this one

Noah story somewhat spoilers

Noah had quite the exhausting day. He'd listened to Ventus retell the adventures of the El Search Party in Varnimyr; Clamor wouldn't shut up afterwards, teasing the kid because of his childlike curiosity.

There was one thing left to do before retiring to his bed. The highlight of his time in Elrianode which was seeing a certain individual of the Landar camp.

That person happened to be you, brewing a vitality potion in your tent. It wasn't the wisest idea, seeing as you've set fire to it multiple times because of your shenanigans. Fortunately, there were many spares but you got scolded quite a bit.

Noah tried his best to make his presence known, by clearing his throat right outside your little shelter. You were too immersed in pouring tiny droplets of substances upon other tiny droplets of substances to hear anything.

Clamor made his discontent known: 'Kid, that was the most pathetic attempt at catching someone's attention I've ever seen. I've lived thousands.'

The boy got flustered and hushed him. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the tent. Only then did you finally take notice of your visitor.

"Ah, Noah! I'm glad to see you! I'd tell you to come test my newly brewed potion, but I'm not sure of the side effects just yet," you giggled. He smiled softly and sat down next to you.

The faint bags under his eyes bothered you more than a bit.

"Have you been sleeping well lately?"

He shook his head, "I've been having some nightmares. Is it that obvious...?"

"Yes, and I have just the cure for it. A good night's sleep! Or at least a nap. Come put your head in my lap."

"Your, what?" mouth agape, he stared. Clamor was having a chuckle with their interaction and he made sure to let Noah know: 'You might as well confess at this point; the scene is set!' Since he was in front of you, he couldn't scold Clamor. Instead, his cheeks were tinted pink from his words.

"What, you've never laid your head in a lap before?" You seemed to be clueless.

"N-not really... but where did you get this idea?"

"I used to sleep in my sister's lap all the time when I was little. It helped a lot, especially when I was having nightmares," you shrugged. "It might feel a little sudden, but we've been talking for a while. It's fine right?"

He couldn't say no, because he didn't want to in the first place. Noah was a little reluctant to make the first move, but who wouldn't? A subtle encouragement from you was all it took for him to sigh and actually lay on your lap, closing his eyes.

"So I just have to sleep like this?"

"Yep, and don't be afraid. If you're having any bad dreams I'll wake you up, okay?" you let your hand pat his head, the gentle touch making him melt more into your thighs. It sent a shiver down his spine.

He was a little too nervous to fall asleep; he pretended to do so.

"Ah, I can't work on my potion like this... Why didn't I think of that before?" you whispered. To fill your time, you ran your fingers through his soft hair. "Good night, sleep well."

Of course, you didn't stop the touching and because of that his heartbeat was going haywire. Noah gulped, doing his best to keep calm.

You started humming a lullaby and he wanted so badly to doze off. No matter how much he wished it, he just couldn't.

"Hush, hush, go to sleep, little baby~"

"I'm not a little baby."

His curt reply startled you out of your trance.

"Gosh, I thought you were asleep. It's been a while, why aren't you?"

He opened his eyes slightly and looked up, only to realize it was a little embarrassing to face you in that position. He preferred total darkness to it.

"I can't... I don't know."

"Seems this isn't working out very well. I'll lay out a blanket and pillow for you, you can sleep in my tent if you'd like," you prepared to take him off your lap.

"I-I don't really want to get off you either..." he mumbled, pushing your hand away.

"Okaay... What do you want me to do then? Keep singing? Or maybe pat your head more?"

"Whatever you want," he blushed, his ears reddened as well. Clamor went to sleep not too long ago and he was very glad for that. He could have a little peace and quiet with y/n. "Why are you going this far anyway?"

"Because I love you."

He shot up, hitting your chin pretty hard. The two of you moaned in pain, holding your injured spots.

"That's one hell of a hard head you got there... This might leave a bruise, oww."

"I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me," Noah spoke, rubbing his head. He didn't know whether to ask more about your possible confession or not. The situation had turned a tad bit awkward with seemingly no way out of it.

"You must have been taken by surprise I know," you had your mouth covered, still hurting. "But how could I not love you? It's really easy to."

When you used the same words, he realized there was only one answer he could give: "I feel the same."

"You think it's easy to love yourself?"

"N-no-"

"Awe, I'm just kidding, don't get too flustered on me. I can't handle when you're this cute!" The compliment made his ears go even redder. "This is where I go in for the kiss, right?"

"I think, you're moving a little too fast?!"

To contradict his words, you inched slowly towards him and cupped his cheek with your palm. Staring deep into his eyes, he stared into yours; they appeared to glimmer in the dimly lit tent with certain intentions, or so it seemed to Noah. He didn't hesitate and closed the gap in between, with a light peck at the corner of your lips.

"You're such a tease~" you winked and glanced behind him. A silhouette was standing right outside. Would you let that interrupt the moment?

"Did something happen?" he was a little concerned at your lack of response. He was worried he might have done something to upset you, but quickly he disregarded the thought and kissed you once again, fully. He pulled you closer onto him by the waist; feeling daring, Noah gently ran his fingers across your back, over the fabric of your clothing. Did he want to tickle you? Well, two could play that game.

With your lips still on his, you smiled as your hands found his hips. And on they went! Relentless, you tried to find his weak spot. It didn't last long, since he attempted to push you away in a giggling fit.

"N-no, I'm sensitive-!"

"What are you two doing in there?!"

You and Noah were petrified. His face turned a few shades whiter and you gulped.

"S-sis? Did you need me for something?"

"Yes, but are you doing something inappropriate? Now's really not the time," her stern voice made you sweat.

"Of course not, we were just tickling each other!" right as you said that, Noah's thumb traced across the back of your neck. 'Payback', his innocent smile seemed to tell.

"Yuria is sick, I need some of your most potent potions, and yourself. Right now."

His hand dropped and so did the mood. Noah ran out of air, it felt like he couldn't breathe anymore. 'Not again, not now,' he was so afraid to lose everything he'd gained up until that point. He was so afraid of losing you. The tips of his fingers were numb and he was so very cold inside a supposedly warm tent.

He never wanted to go back to that empty headache, the chilly, lonely temple. Not when he had so much to lose.

A voice echoed in his mind, over and over. His descent into nothingness was interrupted by the feeling of tears on his cheeks and your desperate attempts at wiping them away.

The thoughts wouldn't stop, but by looking at your face he could distract himself just for a little while.

"Please, Noah, what's gotten into you? Are you listening? I'm really worried, you weren't responding," your speech was a little too quick for him to understand, but he had no time to ask.

The boy grasped your palm tightly and looked right at you: "Let's see Yuria," he squeaked out a whisper from his dry throat, coughing afterwards.

"Alright. But I'm having you rest right away."

Hand in hand, you two followed your sister to Yuria's tent. Once you were in the proximity, you heard a hilariously loud 'ACHOO!' coming from inside, followed by a sniffle.

"Okay sis, lay it on me."

"We suspect it's just a cold, but she's been like this for a few days. Symptoms are as such-"

"You know, it might be just a cold. Have you tried any of my weaker warming potions?"

"Not yet," your sister approached you and spoke quietly. "Is Noah alright? He looks like he just came out of his casket."

She was right, more or less. After crying, his eyebags had darkened and he was a lot paler than when he entered your tent.

"Yes, he'll be fine, if you let me do my job."

"No need to get sassy on me, go take care of him already," she shooed you away.

It was too late to do so, since the boy had already gone inside Yuria's tent. He was staring blankly at her sleeping form, not a single sound he made. You almost didn't want to bother him, but he was standing way too close for comfort to Yuria's sleep snot bubble, so you had to drag him away.

"Were you worried about her? As you can see, she's fine. She needs some rest, but more importantly, YOU do. You look even worse than before."

Noah felt your hands on his shoulders; if it weren't for them, he believed he might've dropped to the ground. "...I'm a little tired."

"No wonder. Let's get you to my tent, it's getting late."

He was not as afraid, only anxious. Worried that it might all disappear, like it did before.

Even as he was tucked in by you and scolded by Clamor for leaving him alone, he couldn't shake it off. He didn't want to close his eyes; it was so easy to trick himself into thinking he was back there again if he did.

'Why do you look so grim? What's on your mind?' Clamor's had it with the teasing once he noticed he wasn't getting much of a response. His words were genuine, Noah knew.

"What if it'll happen again?"

'Ah, you mean the loop... There's a high chance it won't happen here, Elrianode is safe. It's beneficial to think of what ifs, yet in this case you are only hurting yourself.'

"Noah, please go to sleep. I'm here."

'What they said!!!'

You sat next to him, hugging your knees to your chest. You observed his exhausted expression intently, staring holes into him hoping he would magically lose consciousness. You knew of no intricate spells of the sort, neither could your potions imitate that effect. You were stumped.

You patted his hair and smiled sadly. His eyes suddenly found yours: "What if you forgot all about me? What then?"

Pondering, you answered with a question:

"What then? What would you like to know specifically? How I would react, how I would feel about you? It's difficult to think about, as there's so much I don't know. If I had met you in different circumstances, I'm sure it wouldn't have gone this path. But honestly, I think I'd fall in love with you again.

I'm just like that," you chuckled. He too smiled, mumbling that he was happy.

It took no genius to realize he fell asleep instantly.

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Author’s Note: For @palizinhas‘s birthday! Some RiKai, as Kairi goes to a Magic Knight Rayearth world--why I chose that for this, I don’t know (though maybe it’s because this whole thing was supposed to be a world-hopping, multi-chapter--that I don’t know if I’m doing anymore--and with other multi-chapters I’m writing right now, I’m running out of new worlds to send people to). But meh. Also, you don’t have to know MKR to understand this fanfic--but I hope you like it, honey.

I’m meh about this fic. Because it’s not the epic RiKai I promised you long ago--and it’s more Kairi-centric than anything--but I hope it’s still something.

I hope you’re having a great birthday!

-Shanna

Edit: Also, full disclosure that it’s been a while since I’ve watched MKR or read it.

Healing

As it had turned out? Sora, on his second journey, actually had been doing damage to the worlds in unlocking Keyholes (1). And now that he was retired after everything that had happened with the Master of Masters, Kairi and Riku had decided that they would go to the worlds he’d visited and lock them.

And Kairi in being desperate to prove herself, she knew, was the first one to leave in a gummi ship by herself… But since she had never flown one before, she should have accounted for the fact that she’d probably mess up on it.

And that was how she found herself in a new world, that—as far as she knew—none of her friends had ever been to before. And like Sora, Riku, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua had done in the past, she found herself getting involved in the world—Cephiro’s—massive problems and trying to help out there.

But maybe this world was destined to aid her in some ways, too… Because it was when Kairi was in a bath with the main girls involved in this conflict—Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, Caldina, and Presea—that Kairi found her thoughts returning to Riku. She’d liked him for a long time, she knew… But it was only recently that she was starting to think that those feelings had turned to love… kind of like what Hikaru felt for the kind and strong warrior, Lantis, it seemed.

“I think,” said Kairi, as she splashed the girl with the water powers, Umi, to see just how much water she could create to retaliate with, if she got too angry. “That you should be with Lantis then, Miss Hikaru. Life’s too short—and tragedy happens too much—to give up on your dreams.”

But it was here that the woman Presea—who had apparently been a guide to Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu in the past—laid down the law for Kairi, and seemed like she hated herself to do so. “Except that she can’t. Hikaru here might be the next Pillar of Cephiro. And day and night, twenty-four/seven, the Pillar must pray for Cephiro’s well-being. Otherwise, plants will fail to grow… the weather will only be vicious storms, and the country will fall to chaos. And if Hikaru were with Lantis, it could distract her from that… like the situation with Lantis’ deceased brother, Zagato, and the now dead Princess Emeraude.”

And so Kairi sank down in the water and stopped trying to give relationship advice. But if she was being honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she bought all parts of this tale. And with how awful it sounded—apparently Zagato had kidnapped his love, Emeraude, to try and save her from such a terrible fate and she had begged Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu to save her for Cephiro’s sake… only to turn around and try to kill them when they ended up slaying him, so that they had to end her in self-defense—Kairi didn’t know why anyone would want to preserve such a system. But it wasn’t her place to say. And what she needed to focus on was finding the Keyhole of this world…

And that’s how Kairi found herself in Fuu’s mecha with her. She’d reluctantly broken the World Order and told everyone here that she was a Keyblade wielder and looking for this world’s Keyhole in order to save it from Heartless… and Fuu had told her that she could come with her to look for it, while she patrolled against those from other worlds—it seemed—who were now trying to steal Cephiro for their own or to copy the Pillar System. And as they’d gone out into the Other Sky, Kairi and Fuu had witnessed this kitty-cat looking girl attack Hikaru viciously. "Okay... I think I can keep up most of your world’ story," said Kairi now, as she sent a Cure spell Hikaru’s way, and very nearly went outside to deliver some Keyblade action onto cat girl. “But what’s up with that girl who kind of looks like Hikaru, who keeps saying that she loves Hikaru but hates everything that she loves?”

"You're learning most of these answers as we are," Fuu answered, as she sent an impressive gust of wind towards the strange girl, that would have even impressed Ven with his Tornado spell. "I- I guess Hikaru was split in half somehow—because she hates herself for what we did to Emeraude—and Nova's the small part of her left, that feels any self-worth." Being split in two... now she could relate to that. And while she’d somewhat been criticizing this world before… she had to admit that a lot of it actually fit with her and her story. So, could it have been destiny? As a Princess of Hearts, was she supposed to save Hikaru from a terrible fate by adding another terrible fate onto herself?

Deciding to test that theory, as Kairi healed Fuu now—for now Nova’s mecha was coming after her—Kairi asked, "...What if I became Pillar?" "...I definitely, uhh, think you have the pure soul for it, Miss Kairii!” Fuu answered, as she punched this way and kicked that way—that somehow made the robot they were in do the same thing—"but you- you have to be chosen for it." This somewhat took Kairi aback... though, really, she knew she should've known. But she was trying to act like Riku had, when he'd had nothing but had still tried to find a way to save her years ago. But it seemed it wasn’t meant to be… unless she really tried for it, perhaps? Maybe she could stumble her way into some of this, like Sora had with being a Key bearer. "I'll test myself for the role, and see if I have what it takes… I’ll find this toxic water you spoke of earlier—in the chamber of the Pillar—and see if I can wade my way through it.”

And summoning a Corridor of Light through which she could leave—and somewhat ignoring Fuu’s raised eyebrow—Kairi prepared to do just that.

Skillfully, with the kind of jumps that only a wielder could do, Kairi jumped from stone to stone in this water… but it wasn’t enough. Some force was pulling her down, down, down, and she had just enough time to create a barrier around herself and glide away, before something disastrous happened. And atop her barrier, sat a white little creature that had been in the bath with them earlier. Mokona, if Kairi remembered its name right? "I think," the genius animal said, "You're trying to prove to Riku to Riku in particular, that you're strong as he is. But you don't need to be the new Pillar in order to do that. All I ask is that you aid the new Pillar when they awaken.”

Aiding… that was what she’d done on most of Riku and Sora’s quests in the past, huh? And while she hated that about herself—and always thought that she should do more—maybe what she did was for the best. Maybe it was who she was. "I'll just let Hikaru be Pillar," Kairi agreed, in knowing for sure that the Pillar would be her and not these people from other planets wanting to try out for that role. After all, to create such a powerful darkness as Nova, she must have had a wonderful light to her.

And that was exactly what Kairi said to Hikaru when she returned to Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu’s fight with the other nations. Kairi, in space once again, performed her Seven Wishes and Heart of a Princess attack to help even the odds, and was then flying in front of Hikaru’s mecha. "Hikaru… I know it may still be rough. But you need to accept bad things that you think you've done and still find a way to love yourself through them. You… despise yourself for what happened with Emeraude, and so you created Nova. And I- I came to this world I don't belong in, because I didn’t think I did enough for Riku and Sora before and was trying to make up for it here... When, maybe, I should have let myself revel in being the damsel in distress some, so I would have waited for Riku and we’d be here together right now.”

Hikaru must have understood where Kairi was coming from. Because days later, Hikaru—now Pillar—changed the system, so that Cephiro would be upheld by everyone who loved their country. And with her job done, when her own world was trying to call her back home, Hikaru allowed herself to reach for Lantis and tell him that she loved him.

And on that day, Kairi felt a hand with a new cast into it slip into hers. And she heard the words. "Great job, Kai! …But it turns out the whole Keyhole and Gate situation was taken care of long ago. We’re not needed after all. What do you say we go home?” Kairi grinned at Riku—and got so close to him, that wisps of his silver hair fell into her own face—and she tugged on his hand. "Let's."

Author’s Note: That’s based on the KHII manga, where Mushu thinks Sora—in unlocking the Gates—is unsealing the Keyholes from KHI and is upset about it. LOL.

Mokona can talk, because I’m going with the manga version where he’s actually the god of Cephiro… but a much kinder one here. Yep.

[kairibee]

Bruh, felt like I was working on this piece ever since KH3 came out...  but here ya go. Some fresh SoRiKai. Get it while it’s hot.

“Are you... are you dreaming about him too, Kairi?" In which Riku visits a sleeping friend in order to get some clarity. [Post Re:Mind. Sorikai.] Wish Genre: hurt/comfort AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23886133

“Master, I’ve decided I’m going to let Ansem the Wise study my heart.”

Kairi’s voice had been firm, and Riku knew she was not going to take no for an answer from anyone. Figures, he thought. Sora and her had always followed their hearts; always did what they wanted to.

Gazing down at her beside him, he felt his hands clench almost as if on their own. Mickey thought to argue against her but in the end kept silent and could only gaze down at the floor. Master Yen Sid had nodded with his distinct hum but was unusually quiet as well. The air in the room was heavy but Kairi stood firm. Her heart was set.

...

12:03 A.M.

Riku lay wide awake in his guest room at Radiant Garden. He had been spending more time here lately, working with the Restoration Committee, Ansem the Wise and Ienzo, trying to help decipher their data. To try and find some sort of key to finding Sora. The days felt long and fruitless, and it seemed no matter how long Riku spent here, he was no closer to finding Sora.

Ansem the Wise had prepared this room for him at the castle, and it was comfortable enough. The bed would creak when he moved sometimes but the mattress was soft and he liked how easily he could sink into it. It really was nice of him to let him stay here for so long.

Although Riku felt both physically and emotionally exhausted, sleep just would not take him. For what felt like hours, he had been restlessly tossing and turning. Hearing the bed often creak as he shifted.

For some reason, Kairi’s words from almost a year ago kept echoing in his ears. From the day she decided to let Ansem the Wise study her heart.  “I know... that the answer to finding Sora is in here,” she had said, hand placed over her heart. The key to finding Sora...

Riku thought that maybe Cid would be able to figure out something from the data they had recovered, but the endeavor turned out to be mostly fruitless. They couldn’t extract much at all from it.

“Sora, where are you?” Riku sighed. His best friend had felt so close at times, but as the days went on, he was no where closer to reaching him. Every few nights, Riku would have dreams about him. Dreams that always took place in the same dark city. Riku wasn’t ever physically with Sora in them but he could still feel him nearby, somewhere off in the distance. The Fairy Godmother had told him that these dreams might be a key to finding Sora, but every night they ended before they could give any real answers.

Riku groaned in frustration, shifting in the bed. He was laying on his back now, the back of his hand resting against his forehead as he fell deeper into his thoughts.

It had also been a year since Ansem the Wise started investigating Kairi’s heart. He and Ienzo were not yet able to uncover anything remarkable from it either. The key to finding Sora remained so elusive. Riku often wondered how Kairi was doing. Sure, she had been physically stuck in that stuffy laboratory for months, but was she at least dreaming? He had hoped that she was, that she was at least dreaming about something nice while this all was happening. Maybe she was dreaming about Sora, too.

The moonlight softly poured in through the bedroom window, and the curtains kept fluttering about from the outside breeze. Riku let out a yawn, and in a sudden swift movement, lifted his heavy form from the bed. Sleep certainly wasn’t coming, and he wasn’t going to wait for it any longer. His thoughts were too all over the place right now, and he was tired of having the same cryptic dream anyway. He needed to get some fresh air or something. As he began to make his way out of the guest room, Riku’s thoughts drifted to his childhood. To his best friends; images of Sora and Kairi flashing through his mind. A supercut of memories: of the three of them sitting on the paopu tree together, of the day they came up with the idea of the raft, of playing in the ocean. Memories of fishing together, of Sora challenging him to sword battles and losing, of teasing Sora about Kairi and watching his face turn bright red. It really did feel like those days would last forever, at the time.

Riku quietly closed the door of the room behind him, making sure it didn't creak too loudly. It was late and he didn't want to wake anyone in the castle. As he made his way down the long corridor, his thoughts continued to race. When was the last time the three of them were together, that didn’t involve destiny, or keyblades? When was the last time they all just hung out as friends? Riku couldn’t even remember, it must have really been that long ago.

He had missed them. His two best friends. It had been over a year now after all, since he had lost them both.

Riku couldn't remember the last time he had felt so restless. At the very least, he knew where he wanted to go tonight. It was an easy decision, as he had only one place in mind. So he made his way there, quietly walking down the dimly lit and winding halls of the castle.

...

“Kairi.” His friend lay there before him, eyes closed and expression neutral. Her lips were a thin line, features absent of their usual spark. He hadn’t visited her for a while now. He felt guilty, coming here with no good news. But he couldn’t help it tonight, he had wanted to see her. Ienzo and Ansem the Wise had already retired to bed it seemed, leaving a couple of loose papers and empty coffee cups around the laboratory. They also seemed to have tucked Kairi in with a blanket. At least she looked comfortable.

Riku let out a sigh, leaning against the cold wall for a moment. Crossing his arms, he slowly lifted his head up to look at the ceiling of Ansem’s laboratory. His childhood friend was right there in front of him, and yet she had never felt further away. It was strange how someone so familiar to him suddenly seemed so foreign. He missed her wit, how she would grin at him, and how easily laughter escaped her lips.

“I feel like there’s so much I want to tell you,” Riku let out finally. The girl before him lay still as ever, but he was determined to let out what had been weighing on his chest for so long.

“We haven’t found Sora yet,” he admitted lowly, voice seeping with shame. He couldn’t help but look at her after that, to check for any sort of reaction from her but she hadn’t budged an inch.

“But Aqua, Ventus, and Terra are searching the realm of darkness, and Xion and Roxas are having their memories examined by Naminé . They’re all busy and working hard. Even the Radiant Garden gang are at it every day, trying to decipher important data.”

Riku forced out a small laugh out of pity. He uncrossed his arms and brought them down toward his sides. The tension he was feeling made him tightly clench his hands. “Guess you’re wondering what I’ve been doing? Well... to tell you the truth, I... don’t know what I’m doing.”

Riku set his eyes back on his redheaded friend again, a deep sense of pleading and urgency behind them. She was still distant, and unmoving.

“Are you... are you dreaming about him too, Kairi? Every night, I’m in a strange city looking for him. There are tall buildings all around, the sky is dark and I feel someone watching me from above. I don’t know who they are, or whether they’re a friend or foe.”

Riku suddenly remembered how Aerith had asked him earlier, whether he would tell Kairi about the dreams he had been having. Telling her while she was sleeping was the same thing, right? Riku didn’t think he had the courage to tell her otherwise. About these dreams that continued to lead him nowhere.

“The fairy godmother told me this might be our only shot at finding him... in dreams.”

Riku felt a little strange all of a sudden, carrying on a one-sided conversation. His friend hadn’t budged one bit, while he kept unburdening himself in front of her. A sad smile surfaced on his lips.

It felt exactly like two years ago, when he had carried her sleeping body across the worlds, desperately searching for a way to restore her heart. He remembered feeling so desperate to help her. He was so desperate he even let Maleficent of all people help him. Riku shuddered at the memory. Back then, he used to talk to her too. Things had felt so awkward between them. He knew Kairi felt it too. Maybe that's why he was so talkative to her, as she slept. It was easier that way. He brought up Sora a lot, and told her about the worlds that he had visited. Riku kept talking about trivial stuff because it distracted him from the real issue at hand. He was trying so hard to dance around the fact that, deep down, he knew he should be apologizing to her. For everything. He messed up back then, had taken her home away from her. Pulled her away from Sora, too.

Riku was tired of it being like this. He was tired of talking at her. But it was all he could do for now.

Maybe they could have a real conversation someday soon.

“I don’t know what it all means,” Riku admitted. “ I don’t really know where to go from here. But Kairi, you were so sure of what you had to do. It was easy for you."

He let out a chuckle as he gazed at his sleeping friend. His eyes shone with a sense of fondness. Sora and Kairi would always move mountains for each other. They were always so sure of themselves too, ever since they were little. Riku had once felt jealous of their bond. It seemed so long ago now but it was still a hard truth for him to swallow. For a long time, Riku felt unsure where he fit in with them. He always felt like he was observing his friends, rather than actually being with them. While they were attached at the hip, he was off in the distance.

Of course, he no longer felt this way. He knew that Sora and Kairi had a special bond. And while he was still their best friend, his bond with them was different. Not any less remarkable, but different.

For a second, Riku thought he heard a stir from his friend but as he looked down, he noticed she was as still as ever. The blanket Ienzo and Ansem the Wise gave her had somehow slipped off of her shoulders however. Delicately, as if not to disturb her, Riku lifted it back up to her shoulders, making sure to tuck the ends in so it wouldn’t slip down again. He then took a seat on the chair next to her, looking down at his hands in deep contemplation.

“I wish I could have been there for you,” he admitted. “I’m to blame for not protecting you from Xehanort. This never would have happened had I,” Riku’s eyes winced shut, “... had been there for both of you.” The whirling guilt inside of him was finally starting to well up. Riku couldn’t remember the last time he actually let himself feel his emotions.

“I’m sorry, Kairi,” The pain and guilt he had been hiding for so long, from Mickey, from Yen Sid, his friends, from himself, was surfacing.

The past year had been... a lot. It had been lonely. He felt lost. And most of all, he missed his friends.

Riku remembered crying in front of Kairi only once before, when they were both much younger. They had gotten into some silly fight he couldn’t remember the details of. He remembered Kairi’s chubby kid-cheeks stained with tears. Knowing how he was as a kid, he probably fooled her into believing something he had made up and ended up upsetting her. He remembered the two of them holding onto each other furiously, after he had apologized to her. Faces hot and wet from crying. Here he was, crying in front of her again. The heaviness he had felt for so long was slipping from his eyes, sliding down his cheek, and falling into the palm of his open hand. It became harder to see, his hands in front of him blurring out of focus. Maybe... he just needed to let it all out.

As Riku closed his eyes, he let his doubts, worries, and fear wash over him. He had to take it all in, in order to get through it. Become a witness to the pain he was feeling.

It came first in the form of the memory of Sora and Kairi sitting on the paopu tree together. Riku had brought all of their friends out to the islands that day for a beach party; to celebrate their return home. It was supposed to be a happy day. The sunset scene had started to sour, however, and Riku watched again as Sora disappeared with the sun that evening. Just like before, Kairi was distraught, crying into Riku's chest, as the darkness set in and the rest of their friends watched on with worry. His arms awkwardly went around her, trying to bring her some sort of comfort. Anything. But he felt just as upset as she was, and nothing he did in that moment alleviated either of their pain.

More memories came to Riku's mind. This time, of watching Sora set off on his own to find Kairi. Sora was so sure of himself then, so positive that he would return. Riku watched again as his friend turned away from him, and aimed his keyblade at the giant dark keyhole that had enveloped the sky. Even still, Riku believed in him; knew that Sora would come back home someday. But as his friend's figure disappeared in front of him once more, Riku was left on his own. The image of his friend's back etched deeply into his memory. Even now, he was still left waiting for his friend's return. Kairi's departure appeared to him next. A memory that took place in Yen Sid's study. Riku clenched his fists as Kairi made her decision to go to sleep, in hopes of finding Sora. He had already lost one friend, and the thought of losing her too was too much for him. She was so sure of herself though, her voice firm and facial features sharply set with determination. ”I’ll see you soon, Riku,” Kairi’s voice echoed in his ears. She was smiling, and Riku tried his best to say a casual goodbye. They never really had much of a chance to talk to each other; losing Sora was too much for either of them. There were still things he wanted to say to her, but Riku watched as she faded from his view again, leaving Yen Sid's study with Donald and Goody beside her. And so, Riku witnessed once again, his two friends setting off on their own perspective journeys. Every single failure, setback he had faced finding them over the last year rushed through his mind. But he knew he had to witness it all, in order to get to the other side of the pain. Riku just had to believe, just like his friends had done before they went on their own journeys. He had to believe that he would be the one to find both Sora and Kairi. That he would reunite with them both. Somehow, believe that he would find a way. He remembered just how sure of themselves they were, both of their hearts set in stone; both so determined to find each other. His best friends' optimism was rubbing off on him. Riku just needed to be reminded of it.

After what felt like ages, Riku eventually opened his eyes to the laboratory around him. The same papers lay around, the same used coffee cups, same ceiling and floors, but he felt different somehow. Lighter all of a sudden, as if the weight from his chest had finally been lifted. As if he was seeing from a fresher set of eyes. A moment of lucid clarity. Riku let out a chuckle and turned his gaze towards his sleeping friend, smiling fondly at her. She looked cozy in that blanket. “Thank you,” he let out with another quiet laugh, lifting himself up from his chair. “You guys had it right all a long... I just need to follow my heart."

Riku would find his best friends. He would do it no matter what, no matter the setbacks he had faced over the last months. He would be the one to ensure that they both came back home safely. "Next time we see each other, we'll all be together. I promise, Kairi.” Riku was suddenly reminded of what the Fairy Godmother had told him, just a few days ago. When he had felt distraught and downtrodden, disappointed that the data Cid was working hadn't provided answers. "You can always make your wish come true, dear."

This time, as Riku silently said goodbye to his sleeping friend, he was conscious of the fact that he was the one setting off on his own journey now. Confident, his heart set in stone. He would find his friends on the other side. His dreams held the key, just like the Fairy Godmother had told him, and it was finally time to follow their trail of breadcrumbs. His mind felt lucid and clear, his heart open to the path set out in front of him. Time to realize this wish.

[a-crack-in-the-universe]

Endless Grief

Mysterious Tower feels like a cage. Aqua paces around the small rounded room (a cell, if she is honest with herself) she has been placed in, longing for Terra, wide-open space where she can roam free, and darkness. She and Ventus had been brought to this place by the light keyblade wielders, after they had ‘rescued’ them days before. Since then, she has chosen to remain in the room they allotted her, refusing to venture out and talk to the wielders. Why should she mingle with the enemy, after all?

Terra… gods, her heart aches for him, though she is loath to admit it, and is filled with a deep terror over what they could be doing to him. She misses him every day—the comfort and familiarity she felt in his presence, the joy and carnal pleasure he brought her. She would give anything to have him with her here now—maybe then she would feel less alone and afraid. At the same time, though, she is angry at him for leaving her like this and would gladly kill him if he were here.

She is painfully aware that she could just leave this place, as she is so powerful that no one could stop her if she chose to do so, but she cannot hurt Ventus like that. It is strange—usually she would not care about anyone else’s feelings, but it makes her uncomfortable to think of him being in pain in any way.  

She knows that she shares a strong bond with Ventus. She felt it when she first saw him when Terra was taken from her. A strange, beautiful pain and joy, as if she were coming face-to-face with something she had not realised she had been missing for all of this time. She does not know what to make of it. Part of her lights up with recognition; another part of her is dismissive of it; and yet another part of her just wants to forget it all and revel in the darkness.  

oOoOo

‘Aqua?’

It is Ventus, come to see her. She looks up as he edges into the bedroom with wide eyes, as if he thinks she will do him harm. Her? It is unbelievable. She would never hurt Ventus. Or would she?

Yes, she would, if it means getting out of this prison and finding Terra again. Nothing is more important than that. Right? Besides, Ventus is scared of her. That is enough to make the anger and hurt rise through her again. Why should he be afraid? What has she done to make him feel that way?  

She fights back the confusion and pain that stabs her heart and says coldly, ‘Yes? What do you want?’

He falters, his face falling as he sees the anger in her eyes. ‘I—Master Yen Sid wants to see you. He wants to talk about what’s been happening. He—’

He stops at the furious look on her face. Thankfully it is not directed at him, but rather at the old retired master. Master Yen Sid had been the one who had forbade Mickey from rescuing her before it was too late. She knows that now, thanks to Ventus. Why should she take the time to talk with someone who had betrayed her so badly? (And besides, she suspects that if she does go and talk with him, she will do something drastic—such as murdering him with the darkness she has at her disposal or throwing him into the Realm of Darkness so that he can see how he likes being stuck there for over twelve years.)      

‘I do not want to speak with him,’ she says without turning around. ‘You may tell him that.’

‘But—'  

‘Go and tell him that and leave me alone.’ Please… She tries to ignore the part of her that urges her to turn and beg him to stay. That part of her is weak. That part of her will only bring pain and loss down on her again. Still, a stray tear streaks down her cheek as Ventus silently leaves her alone.  

oOoOo

She does not know what she is feeling or why. She knows that she loves Ventus like a brother, and longs to mend their relationship to how it was when they were both living in the Land of Departure with Terra and Master Eraqus. But at the same time, part of her is determined to push him away. She is dangerous and filled with darkness—what if she hurts him? She could not bear that. And she also could not bear to see the condemnation on his face when he realises the things she has done—which he would quickly discover just from seeing the truth in her eyes.

She has other visitors aside from Ventus. Almost none of them are welcome. The Mouse comes once, his eyes filled with guilt and sorrow. He tries to explain himself and ask for forgiveness for his role in her corruption, but she is not having any of that. She knows that she will never forgive him for his inaction and abruptly tells him so. It cost her everything and she cannot forget about it so quickly.

Mickey is saddened by her angry admission (for they had been good friends once), but he accepts it and leaves her alone. He does not come to visit her again, much to her relief.    

Sometimes the boy Riku visits her, along with Kairi, the Princess of Heart she met once years ago in Radiant Garden. Kairi is now a keyblade wielder herself, much to her surprise, and is currently training with Merlin and another boy named Lea in Radiant Garden. Riku is now a Keyblade Master, having passed his Mark of Mastery Exam shortly before she joined the Organization. They both hover at her bedside (Riku carefully placing himself slightly in front of Kairi) and look incredibly nervous, as if she could suddenly snap and attack them both.

They are all very wary around her, something which sets her on edge. At least in the Organization it could be used to her advantage. Here they just tip-toe around her as if she could burn them and do not let her behaviour truly affect them.

Sora (the boy with the spiky brown hair) is the only one who does not visit her. Not that she cares. It is because he is too busy travelling with Donald and Goofy in their Gummi Ship, protecting the worlds. Ventus speaks very fondly of Sora, who was after all the person who gave his heart refuge when it needed it most, and also healed it when it was shattered by Master Xehanort long ago. She would be lying if it did not upset her somewhat. Ventus used to act that way toward her, but now all he does is act wary and afraid.

She wonders if it is her fault. She has become something dark, like Vanitas and she does not hate it. She likes the darkness—she likes how it makes her feel powerful and in control. When she had first been brought into the Organization, she had felt so helpless and broken. Then when she had embraced the darkness, it had gone away and she had felt more powerful than she had ever felt before. 

Terra would understand, she knows. He would tell her that she is beautiful, that the darkness in her is beautiful. He would not fear her. He would accept her.

Deep down, she wants to have that same acceptance from Ventus. But she has seen the way Ventus acts around her, and she does not think it likely that he will love her the same way as he did before.

Weeks pass like this, and she begins to wonder why she does not go already. Because of Ventus, she tells herself. But if Ventus will not accept her, why should she stay for him?      

oOoOo

One day, she has had enough. It is time for her to leave this place and these enemies and go and find Terra again. Then they can continue doing what they’d been doing before this mess occurred. She would like to bring Ventus with her, but she knows that is not possible. Ventus fears her. It is clear enough by the way he has been avoiding her. He must hate her for handing him over to Master Xehanort. Why would he want to go anywhere with her? 

He certainly will not want her to stay. And no one else will be upset if she goes away. They must surely think that she is a monster, and that she will destroy them all eventually. Yes, leaving is the best course of action, for everyone involved.  

Unfortunately, when she walks to the end of the staircase, she finds two keyblade wielders waiting there. There to stop her from leaving, she assumes. She crosses her arms in anger as they face her with grim faces.

‘You cannot keep me here against my will,’ she snaps at them. ‘It is not your way.’

‘That’s true.’ Riku steps forward. ‘But it’s also not right to let you go when we know what you’re going to do. We can’t let you cause chaos in the worlds.’

‘What makes you think that I will do that?’

‘The look on your face,’ he says. ‘I know that look. I’ve seen it in the Heartless. You crave darkness and won’t stop yourself from bringing it into the worlds.’    

‘Master Aqua, please listen to us,’ Kairi begs. ‘You’re sick. You need help. You can’t just leave!’  

‘You do not know anything about me, or what I have been through,’ she snarls. ‘Nothing at all. You cannot tell me what to do!’

(Truthfully, she is not sure that she knows anything about herself anymore, either. All she knows is that she has become something dark and dangerous. Something they would not understand or tolerate.)  

‘Trust us,’ Riku says. ‘Let us help you.’

‘I do not trust any of you,’ she says coldly. ‘You abandoned me in the Realm of Darkness; when I called for aid you ignored me and let me be tortured by Xemnas. I would rather go back to the Organization than spend another minute longer here.’

She turns to leave. No one stops her. Except—

‘Aqua, wait! Don’t go!’

She turns her head to see Ventus—or someone who appears to be Ventus—coming to a halt in front of her. His hand reaches out pleadingly to her.

Foolish boy. Does he truly think he has a chance of stopping her?

She scoffs at him. ‘Why? There is nothing for me here. What do you think—’

‘Because…’ He takes a deep breath. ‘I want you to stay.’

To her surprise, he grips her wrist with his hand and places a trinket in her palm, before backing away from her. It’s made of green glass and shaped like a star. No—a wayfinder.

‘See this?’ he says. ‘You made one for each of us, as a symbol of our friendship. You said that they represented an unbreakable connection and if we had one of these we would never be torn apart.’

An unbreakable connection…

‘You promised us we’d always be together. Don’t you remember?’

She stares at the trinket mutely, and all she can see is the jagged pieces of her own falling into the sand. It makes her want to weep. Before she knows it, she is clutching it to her chest, feeling as minuscule and worthless as she did in the Dark Margin. 

Her entire body trembles with emotion. Ventus takes a careful step toward her, and then another. She does not try to stop him, can only stand frozen as he comes to a halt inches away from her.

‘Listen,’ he says desperately. ‘I don’t care if you’re like this now. I don’t care if Terra is like this. I’ve missed you so much--I--I just want my friends back.’

That’s when the dam breaks.

‘Oh, Ven…’ 

Suddenly she is crying deep, wracking sobs that reverberate through her entire body.

The other keyblade wielders quietly leave the room to give the two friends some privacy as they cling to each other with thirteen years of grief spilling down their faces.  

She does not know how long they stand like that, clinging to one another. Minutes? Hours? She only knows that time fades away around them until they can only sense each other and nothing else. She can hear herself crying as she clutches Ventus to her chest with her entire being. Strange… It feels so strange. She has not cried in a very long time. Not since Xemnas had found her at the Dark Margin and turned her into a creature of the darkness. It… feels good. Like something has been released inside of herself.

Ventus does not react badly to her strong grip; in fact, he burrows his head into her chest.

Finally, the sobs die down, and they both draw away, though they do not let go of one another. They just gaze at one another silently, daring the other to speak first.    

‘I—I know you’re hurting,’ Ventus finally says. ‘I’m hurting too. But—don’t shut us out. Riku and the rest—they’re not our enemies. They don’t want to hurt us. They want to help us. Please give them a chance.’

She cannot believe that, even now. No matter what she does, she will never forget the worst moment of her life, which only occurred because they did not help her. For so long, it has been drilled into her that they are the enemy; she will not change her opinion of them so quickly. But she can see that it means a lot to Ventus, as she sees the desperate look in his eyes, and so she reluctantly gives in.

‘I… All right.’

Ventus’ face lights up at her words; he hugs her tightly, not noticing her flinch at the gesture.

‘But I still do not trust them,’ she tells him. ‘What if they stab us in the back?’

‘Don’t worry,’ he tells her. ‘They can help us get Terra back. They won’t hurt us. They need us.’

‘I have no interest in their war,’ she retorts coldly. She just wants Terra, and Ventus. Nothing else matters to her but them. She has had enough of being used by other people for their own gain and wants nothing more than to pursue her own goals, wherever it may lead her.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Ventus says. ‘They’ll help us anyway, even if we don’t fight. It’s the best chance we have.’

He is right about that, unfortunately. They cannot rescue Terra by themselves, however much she wants to. Reluctantly, she nods at him. He smiles again in relief and hugs her. ‘Thanks, Aqua. I swear you won’t regret it.’

She hopes she will not—or else she does not know what she will do.      

[rebelcourtesan]

KH4 Wishlist (SPOILERS)

Finished Kingdom Hearts 3 and I have to say its a stellar game.  Definitely the gave we’ve been waiting for years to arrive.  And I’m looking forward to the second installation, though I do have a wishlist.

Below are spoilers for Kingdom Hearts 3.  Do NOT read any further if you haven’t finished the game and/or don’t want to be spoiled.  

THERE BE SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

1.  A Smaller Cast of Characters (excluding World/Disney characters)

    Don’t get me wrong.  I love the characters of Kingdom Hearts, but the problem is that it became congested with too many characters with their own stories and plots.  Some characters are actually extensions of other characters.  Roxas/Ventus/Sora and then there’s Naimine/Kairi.  Not mention Riku/Replica Riku/Darkness Riku and Xehanort/Ansem/Xemnas/Young Xehanort and so on.  You see where it can get confusing.

The cast needs to be reduced by about 75 percent so we have a more simple story that’s not convoluted web of plots and backgrounds.  The best solution to this is to let these ‘cut’ characters retire to their happy endings or be reduced to background or minor characters.  Let Lea/Axel, Xion, and Roxas live happily together in Twilight Town with Haynar and the gang.  Have Ansem and the redeemed members of the Organization do research on Radiant Garden.  Pick a core cast and expand that cast’s backgrounds and slowly introduce new characters. 

 2. New Protagonist

    I might get flamed for this, but bear with me.  I like Sora as much as anyone, but while playing KH 3, his personality grated on me.  I understand he’s the protagonist with the heart of gold and boyish charm, but watching him interact with the other Disney characters was like eating spoonfuls of sugar and washing it down with syrup.  I understand that his ability to make friends with whomever he meets is a special ability that makes him stand out in Kingdom Hearts, but it gets annoying after a while to constantly hear him introducing himself and his companions over and over and over and over and over again and again and again!    

Don’t get me wrong, there were good moments such as when he, Donald, and Goofy jumped on Davy Jones for stabbing will Turner and when he was upset at the idea of losing his friends showed a rare depth of character for him.  .  

But for too long Sora has been like this KH savior with no flaws save for not being as bright as others.  His personality has changed very little since his first introduction way back in the first KH.  In fact, he was more interesting in KH1 because he had self doubts about his capabilities which he overcame to confront Riku and regaining the Keyblade.  

I feel that Kingdom Hearts series is in dire need of a soft reboot, and the best way to do that is to replace Sora as a protagonist.  He’s had a good long run across six games and 17 years, but now it’s time to pass on the torch to another. 

3. Aqua as the Next Protagonist

 I adore Aqua.  She’s a mature, beautiful, talented, brave, and loyal female character in Kingdom Hearts.  My favorite play through of BBS is playing through her storyline and I wish there was more worlds for her to explore.  I enjoyed the scene when she insisted on trying on the glass slipper in Cinderalla’s world to buy time for Jaq to free Cinderella.  When she went to Olympus Coliseum she was flirted with by both Zack and Phil.  

The interactions with other World characters would be far more interesting when the protagonist is a capable young woman and not a ragamuffin boy who gets slotted as the new kid and friends.  

What Aqua has that Sora doesn’t, is that she has more of an edge in her backstory.  She spent ten frickin’ years in the Realm of Darkness!  That has got to carry some scars for our blue haired warrior maiden and it could have even corrupted her.  The experience could have given her PTSD, (GASP!  A female character with PTSD that isn’t the result of sexual assualt?).  She could go on a journey to other worlds to find a way to remove the corruption or to find Sora who has disappeared at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3.   

By extension, Aqua need not go it alone . . .

4. A New All Female Trio

Again, assuming they go with Aqua (or a female protagonist), instead of iconic Disney characters like Goofy and Donald accompanying the lead, let’s have female characters go on the journey instead.  Of course, your first thought would be Minnie and Daisy, but they wouldn’t be well suited as Aqua’s companions.  

For starters, both characters are female version on their love interests.  Hell, they were originally created so Donald and Mickey could have girlfriends.  Besides, both of them are rooted in the Disneyland world with their respected paramours.  The more suitable companions would be Disney women who don’t have love interests tying them down and would make for excellent comrades in battle.

Merida from Brave could offer range attacks and support.  She has a bold spirit with an impetuous nature that could offset the other women and sometimes get them into trouble.  I can see her hopping on a Gummi ship just for the adventure of traveling to other worlds.  

Elsa would be the ‘mage’ of the group with Ice magic.  She would bring diplomacy and calm that could clash with Merida’s fiery personality.  You’d have to convince her to leave Arendelle behind for advantage, since she’s the first Disney Queen who isn’t the mother of a princess nor evil.  

We need more positive female friendships for young girls to emulate.  Setting aside Disney characters, the bromance in Kingdom Hearts has been done to death with Riku/Sora, Riku/Mickey, Sora/Donald/Goofy, and many many others.  Very rarely so we see the female characters together in the same room and hold a positive conversation with each other.  Yes, we know, guys can be the best of friends to each other and girls, but how about we see girls being besties with each other.

5. Maturer Storylines that aren’t so Heart centric       

That being said, let me explain.  As I mentioned before, watching Sora interact with Disney characters has been like eating raw sugar.  It’s sweet, but sometimes it was terribly too sweet.  

When I say mature, I don’t mean Adult Situation, Sexual Content, or Gore and Violence.  I mean a story that deals with darker themes than just the power of friendship.  Just as dealing with loss, betrayal, self-doubt, trauma, and conflicted feelings.  

Aqua could go from world to world to experience an array of emotional problems and come from it a stronger woman, mentally and emotionally, with the support of her companions.  It would give her the strength to overcome her past traumas from her time in the Realm of Darkness.  

We keep getting hit over the head  about Hearts connecting people, which is a powerful message, but good grief, it gets old after a while.  I get it, it’s in the title Kingdom Hearts, but can’t we focus on something other Hearts?  Connection between people is important, but there are other connections other than friendships.  Brotherly or sisterly love, parent/child, rivals, enemies, lovers, comrades, coworkers, etc.   

6. Let the Protagonist have more Influence in the Worlds

In Kingdom Hearts 3, the worlds I enjoyed most were the ones that didn’t follow the central plot in their respective films.  These are all popular movies most people have already seen prior to playing the game and I found myself becoming a little bored when I see the same scenes replay themselves in the game.  

On a side note, I really appreciate the care and detail that Square Enix put into recreating these iconic scenes.  I REALLY REALLY DO!!!  Especially with Pirates of the Carribean.  But I wanted to see more interaction between Sora, Donald, and Goofy and not have them be observers to the story.  In some worlds, they were outsiders looking in, especially in the Frozen world or tag alongs as they were in Tangle and Pirates.  

The best worlds were Monster Inc, Big Hero Six, and Toy Story which didn’t follow the movie plots, but had their own stories for the game.  Sora and gang has better interaction with these groups of characters.  Buzz was suspicious of them, they were practically adopted by the Big Hero Six, and helped Sully and Mike protect Boo and save the company. 

Best moments for me was when Sully and Mike threw Vanitas through the doors and Jack Sparrow’s bad breath sent Luxford overboard.  

  6. World Wishlist

Assuming that I get my dream team of Aqua/Merida/Elsa, these are the worlds I would love for them to explore.

Tron Uprising - it’s still considered canon, though it lasted one season.  I can see Aqua wearing blue circuits, Merida green, and Elsa with yellow. 

Zootopia -  A world with a transformation magic. Aqua is a blue bird, Merida a bear, and Elsa as a snow leopard.  

Star Wars - Team up with Ahsoka Tano to take down Separatist droids and/or Sith. 

Marvel Universe - Meeting the Avengers

Gravity Falls - I can see the DreamTeam aiding the twins in an investigation of a new mystery of the town.

Wreck -It - Ralph - Let’s have video game characters meet iconic video game characters.  

DuckTales (2017 Reboot) - Aqua has already met Scrooge McDuck, I can see him enlisting her to help in a quest.

Mulan - Always a plus to see strong women teaming up with others.  

Gummi Bears - This old gem deserves some love.

Last - Let this Journey be more about Self-Growth

Heroes save worlds and people, but the hero’s journey is about discovering what one is capable of.  Discovering and drawing lines, overcoming challenges and fears, and finding inner strength.  

Let’s see a protagonist learn a lesson from each world she visits and take that lesson into her core and reaches the end of her journey as a stronger person.  Let this journey be one of self-discovery and not just to oppose a growing threat, though it would be alright if there was one lingering in the background.

Aqua’s journey could be to conquer her own darkness, much like Riku had in his own journey.

That’s all I have for this wishlist.  Or maybe I just outlined a Kingdom Hearts fanfic.  *shrugs*