#riku taunt

[mythicalartistx]

KH Japanese Translations Part 5

Series where I discuss fantranslations I've seen of various scenes

< Part 4 > The other parts can be found under Part 4

Haven't done one of these in a few months 😅

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In DDD, Riku talks with Quasimodo about appearances and says this,

The Japanese text:

"People can't be only judged by appearance. I have a friend who saw through my heart."

*He using the term kokoro for heart here*

English: "Trust me looks can be deceiving. A good friend sees you who you are no matter what face you wear."

The line about the heart is taken out completely. They both basically have the same meaning, but the original shows people judge you by things more than just how you look and your actions. Sora saw through his heart and saw who he was despite having Ansem's face.

The English version just simplifies it instead. He states looks are deceiving and a good friend sees for who you are. They have the same meaning but one refers to the heart and more about other things to judge someone on.

At the ending of DDD after Riku returns from Sora's heart he sees Sora eating cake. Sora rushes over to hug him and Riku asks multiple things, I'm going to point out one of the specific things I thought were interesting.

JPN: Why are you having a party without me?

ENG: And why are you having a party?

I think it's kinda funny how normally he is sadden that he got left out.

In Monstro during DDD, Riku is asked if he has someone like Jiminy. He responds with this:

JPN: It seems like he's always smiling. Aitsu teaches me all sorts of things.

Now if you remember the other translation reviews I made or just know about the word in general, Aitsu means someone and can be in a romantic sense. However, it is considered rude if you refer a girl this way and often it is towards a guy. And he obviously referring to Riku as he says he and is referring to Sora.

Eng: That stupid grin he's always wearing— he's the best teacher I could ever have.

The only difference is that the English has a more teasing or playful tone when he refers to his grin as stupid, but still refers to Sora as the best teacher.

Then when Sora is in Traverse Town and is talking to Joshua he says,

JPN: That's okay! Even if we can't see each other, I'm always connected to Riku with my heart.

English: Don't worry he's with me— even when it might seem like he's not.

This is like way off 😭. Maybe it was just too gay for them to do it correctly?? Censorship I swear 😭. They both have the initial meaning of oh we're connected wherever we are. But the JPN says with my heart and it just shows how Sora connects with his heart to Riku's.

In DDD at the end of Sora's story he encounters Xigbar who taunts him and he says this.

JPN: "It's only because your heart is connected to others that you're able to wield that power. You're not a true Keyblade wielder."

"It's fine that my power comes from everyone's hearts." Sora responds.

ENG:

"You're strong because of the ties you have with other people. As if the Keyblade would choose a wimp like you"

"I'm proud to be part of something bigger— the people it did choose. My friends they are my power."

In Xigbar JPN line it shows more about the connection between hearts. And tells him he's not a true Keyblade wielder. I noticed a lot of the lines about connections of the heart get erased within translation. And in the English he taunts Sora and calls him weak. I wonder if there is a catchphrase that Xigbar says in the Japanese or this ft just didn't have it??

Now with Sora line I'm not exactly sure which part is which but I'm pretty sure it's his catchphrase. But it's interesting since in the English he just says his friends are his power which seemingly has the same meaning as the JPN. Except if you think about their hearts giving him power then when everyone lost their hearts it makes sense why he felt powerless.

Riku at the end of the Notre Dame world is told something by Esmeralda.

JPN: "Everyone has a few things they want to keep in their hearts. You should find the answer slowly for yourself."

ENG: "We all do that sometimes. There are things we need to keep separate from the world at large, at least until we have time to figure them out"

They both have the same meaning mostly. However using heart here probably has more impact like it's more secretive and probably closer to hiding the darkness. His arc is about facing his darkness and still trying to overcome and not being afraid of it. They both are vague but talk about eventually figuring it out/finding the answer. And this probably refers to darkness.

Also if you ship SR this could also refer to him liking Sora and not saying anything or being afraid that he does.

At the end of DDD when Riku decides to make a second dive into Sora's heart he says this:

JPN: "It's not good if I don't go. I want to go"

Eng: "I heard him call my name. He needs me."

It's not much of a difference but the meaning is actually big by choosing want it shows he wants to do it. The localization choosing need shows he's going because he feels like he's needed just cause his name was called and not a personal choice. They're both good in different ways.

In 358/2 days/KH2, Riku fights Roxas to help Sora. It is just before he gives in to the darkness.

JPN: "You're really aitsu's nobody, after all. I guess I have to trust DiZ." I'm not going to explain the word since I already have earlier in the post.

Riku then explains he is going to have to do it, in which Roxas ask what and he responds, "The power sitting in my heart...the power suppressed by my heart... Even if I'm no longer me...the power of darkness"

ENG: "So it's true. You really are his nobody. Guess DiZ was right after all."

"I have to release the power in my heart— the dark power I've been holding back. Even if it changes me forever."

As much as I like the original way of how he said to describe the dark power, the phrasing flows better in the official localization. They both are basically the same except the Japanese describes the dark power. Also Riku calls Sora Aitsu.

Now I skipped a few lines of dialogue and this is because I want to eventually talk about the famous taunt quotes they have are significantly different in the versions

Finally for the last one, it is the taunt quote

JPN: Riku, "What's wrong, Sora? Are you done already? Pretty pathetic."

Sora, "What are you talking about? You’re the one who’s losing"

ENG: Riku, "Giving up already? Come on Sora I thought you were stronger than that."

Sora, "Get real, look which one of us is winning"

And the change is really interesting. In the JPN the first line is pretty much the same. Riku taunts him for "giving up" or not being able to and cause him pathetic. The ENG says, he thought he was stronger than that giving off the same taunting vibe.

Then Sora's line is actually more about Riku loosing. You're the one who is losing. The ENG localization is similar but it's vague on who is or who isn't winning. But saying losing shows that Riku is losing. But if he says Winning it could mean one wins but the other doesn't necessarily lose.

Also I'm going to be doing Part 6 really soon it's about Vanitas since I recently talked about his backstory in the novels.

So...I don't like most Axel ships since he's being shipped with little kids, but the JPN makes it understandable why some people might ship it even though it's weird and not good... 11 year age gap 😭

So when he was dying in kh2 he says Aitsu and then uh Roxas when he fighting Sora he says why did it have to be you but in JPN he refers to Axel sacrificing himself for him and being gone.... Yeahhhhh it's weird and maybe changing it was a good thing for this case cause don't ship them they're friends and more like guardian and family dynamic if anything.

[suntoru]

─ ✰ STUPID CUPID!

─ SYNOPSIS: gojo's desperate to get something from you, his unoffical partner (you just don't know it yet!) on valentine's day. what a pathetic loser.

─ WARNINGS: swearing, gn! reader, pure fluff, not proofread, delulu gojo, valentine's special, high school au, 2.3k words

─ AUTHOR'S NOTE: guys IM SO SORRY FOR SPAM REPOSTING BUT LETS FUCKING GOOOOO TAGS WORK AGAIN!! i am a firm believer in loser loverboy gojo!! have some fluff to make up for the angst before c:

"c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!!! it has to be somewhere..." satoru hisses urgently, his desperation clearly palpable. his frustration mounts as he rummages through his locker, a chaotic cascade of seemingly endless cards spilling out.

pastel pinks and softly-laced letters, each one a potential hope dashed as he frantically sifts through them. with each piece he retrieves, his heart races a little faster, his anticipation building as he scans through the names written on each envelope. riku, hana, aoi, chiyo, akane, akari... yet no y/n?! where was yours? the absence of your name among the others sent a wave of panic coursing through him, his heart hammering in his chest as the pile dwindles. his stress starts to seep in as the pile of cards gets smaller and smaller, and the ones he did read get larger and larger. he bites his lip nervously, his fingers trembling as he searches desperately for even the faintest trace of your name.

surely, there had to be something, anything, to reassure him that you hadn't forgotten him on this special day. what if they really didn't?? had he not made his feelings clear enough? but... he was so sure he'd get one! even a sloppily written, coffee-stained, ripped piece of paper would do. he just wants to see your name, somewhere, anywhere, in this damn pile of pink.

his heart pounds in his chest as he reaches the bottom of the mound, his fingers trembling with a mixture of anticipation and dread. with bated breath, he picks up the last letter, his pulse quickening as he carefully peels back the edge.

emiko.

the name stares back at him mockingly, as if confirming you really hadn't given him one. with a heavy sigh, satoru lets the letter fall back into the pile, his shoulders slumping in defeat. even the plush teddy bear that someone had left in his locker seems to taunt him with its stitched smile, as if was purposefully picking a fight.

"wipe that smirk off your face," he mutters under his breath, his frustration bubbling to the surface. the though of sending it flying across the hall sounded pretty good right about now.

shoko's voice breaks through the silence as she and suguru enter the locker room, their curious gazes falling upon satoru's disheveled state. "wow, you got so many!" shoko exclaims, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the pile of chocolates and cards. she quickly crouches, snatching a few of her favourite in sight. gojo lets out a dramatic sigh, sulking with a pout on his lips. he hates valentine's day. how could he not get something from the love of his life? they're dating, y/n just don't know it yet. suguru cocks an eyebrow at satoru's crestfallen expression.

"what's the matter? didn't get one from y/n?" he questions, confusion etched onto his features. satoru lets out a dramatic groan, collapsing onto the floor in a mixture of frustration and despair.

"nooo... what if they're giving chocolates to someone else?"

he whines, the mere thought of you bestowing your affections upon another causing a pang of jealousy to stab at his heart. he rolls around, letting out a quiet sigh. he imagines you shyly offering your affections to another upperclassman, causing his lips to tug downwards. it should have been his card you held, his name on your lips, your heart he captured leaving you starstruck. but instead, he was left with empty hands.

"sugu... am i dying?" he mumbles, drawing puzzled glances from passersby who can't help but observe his melodramatic display. "it hurrrrttts.... my heart..." he pouts, folding his arms in a manner reminiscent of a petulant child. shoko rolls her eyes in exasperation.

"get up!! you're embarrassing yourself," she chides, playfully nudging him with her foot. ignoring her, he lets out whimpers of sadness, fully immersed in his theatrics. but then, as if a switch has been flipped, he catches sight of you approaching down the hallway. panic washes over him at the thought of you seeing him in such a pitiful state. with a sudden burst of determination, he straightens up, leaning casually against his locker with an air of nonchalance. adjusting his glasses slightly and parting his lips in what he hopes is an alluring manner, he prepares to present his best self to you. suguru and shoko exchange a deadpan look, silently acknowledging the absurdity of the situation.

"hey," he greets you with a dazzling smile as you draw near, as if he wasn't just have a crisis about you seconds ago. you return the gesture warmly, and he can't help but swoon over you. you're so cute. his eyes are immediately drawn to the bag you're carrying, its baby pink hue and intricate design make his heart race with anticipation. is it a valentine's gift for a special someone? perhaps there's still hope that you'll choose him after all!!! he subtly tries to peek at it's contents, but to his dismay, it's sealed shut.

"you got so many confessions!" you remark in awe, taking in the massive pile of gifts surrounding his locker. it's only ten in the morning, and yet the offerings seem to overflow, spilling into neighboring lockers and filling the air with a sweet, floral scent. the space is thoroughly decorated, as if a unicorn had burst in and left its magical touch behind.

"did you get one from anyone special?" you inquire, and he quickly shakes his head, inwardly congratulating himself for his loyalty to you. (yes, he's that delusional.) "nope... not from who i wanted, yet," he sighs dramatically, gazing into the distance with a hint of longing. suguru and shoko, observing the exchange from a distance, can barely contain their amusement, stifling snorts as they eavesdrop on your conversation.

"hey, are you planning to confess to anybody?" he asks casually, though his heart is racing with anticipation. he subtly fluffs his hair and fixes his ocean-blue gaze on you, trying to gauge your reaction.

"hm? oh... i am, actually!" you admit, your cheeks flushing a pretty shade of pink as you attempt to conceal your embarrassment with a feigned cough. he resists the urge to scoop you up in his arms and pepper your face with kisses. nevertheless, his heart swells with hope, silently praying that the gift you're carrying might be intended for him.

"oh? and who to?" he feigns nonchalance, though every fiber of his being is hanging onto your every word, desperate for a hint of your true intentions. you look away, huffing softly, leaving him hanging on the edge of anticipation.

"it's a secret," you tease, sticking your tongue out before mentioning being late for your next class. with a quick goodbye, you slip away before he can protest. left alone once more, he slides down his locker, staring into the distance with a heavy heart. you... just left! does that mean the gift wasn't for him after all? his worst fears seem to be confirmed, and he feels the sting of disappointment threatening to overwhelm him.

someone else will get to make you blush, tenderly kiss your soft lips, and hold you close. but who could have possibly stolen your heart? he's the school's biggest heartthrob, after all. why couldn't he win over the only heart he truly desired? he's more handsome, smarter, and cooler than your crush, he convinces himself with a huff.

suguru slings his arm around his white-haired friend, giving him a playful noogie in an attempt to lift his spirits. "cheer up, 'toru. there are plenty of fish in the sea," he says, but satoru's mood only darkens further. he doesn't want anybody else; he only wants you. shoko sighs, rolling her eyes at the typical male cluelessness.

men.

as the day progresses, satoru slowly loses hope with each passing hour. he doesn't even have the energy to entertain the people who approach him, confessing their feelings with bowed heads. he smiles, accepts their gifts, and walks away, tossing them into his bag mindlessly.

he won't fall for any of them; not a single one truly understands him like you do. they only care because he's 6'3, and conventially stunning. but you? you go along with his silly antics, make him laugh until his stomach hurts, and only you can make him feel like he's floating on cloud nine. that's why he treasured having you as a genuine platonic friend... until his friends burst his bubble, insisting he was in love. it's only then that he realizes, oh shit, they're right.

the minutes trickle by, his anticipation dissipates, each passing class period making him lose hope that you'll ever confess. you're absent from his sight in every shared subject, from english to biochemistry, calculus to philosophy. with each missed encounter, his heart sinks a little lower, the disappointment weighing heavily upon him. when the clock finally strikes three fifteen, signaling the end of the school day, he finds himself trudging to his locker with leaden steps, the faint glimmer of hope dimming with each passing moment.

fingers trembling slightly, he slowly gathers his belongings, each movement drawn out as if in desperate anticipation of a surprise that never materializes. as he stands before his locker, the absence of your presence echoing loudly in the empty hallway, he can't help but wonder if you've already confessed your feelings to someone else.

in that moment, all he can do is hope—hope that whoever holds your affection will cherish you as deeply as he does, that they'll never bring tears to your eyes, and that they'll safeguard the innocent spark that ignited his own heart in the first place.

he plods homeward, shoulders slumped, his steps heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions. each footfall echoes a somber rhythm as he idly kicks a rock, the dull thud punctuating his melancholy thoughts. cupid is so dumb. his heart, burdened with a gravity far surpassing the load of his overstuffed bag, threatens to pull him into an abyss of despair. oblivious to the world around him, he fixates on the ground, unaware to the approaching footsteps until a familiar voice pierces through the fog of his depression.

"satoru!"

startled, he lifts his gaze to find you, breathless and flushed, struggling to catch your breath as you call out to him. your cheeks glow with exertion, your chest rising and falling with each labored breath as you double over, hands braced on your knees. it takes several moments for you to regain your composure, during which he can only watch, concern etched deeply into his features.

"i've... huff been trying to call you for... the past ten minutes! why didn't... you pick up?" you exclaim, frustration evident in your voice as you finally manage to catch your breath. he fumbles for his phone, realization dawning as he sees the numerous missed calls from your number, his heart sinking with a pang of guilt for inadvertently ignoring your attempts to reach him.

"oh... sorry," he mumbles, embarrassment lacing his tone as he rubs the back of his head. "what are you doing here? how did your confession go?" his attempt at nonchalance rings hollow, the weight of his own unspoken feelings casting a shadow over his words.

"actually… i haven't confessed yet," you admit softly, your gaze flickering away from his as you reach into your bag. you hesitate for a second, but take a deep breath as you try to calm your pounding heart. intrigued, he watches as you withdraw a delicate baby blue bouquet of lilies, with it, attached a card, adorned with intricate bows. the sight warms his heart more than he cares to admit, the lilies adorning the card outshining even the most extravagant displays of affection he's received.

"i know you probably have countless girls vying for your attention, but i wanted to take a chance," you confess nervously, your words tumbling out in a rush, unable to make eye contact. "i hope you don't mind that i chose blue instead of pink. it just felt… more like you." your vulnerability touches him in a way he hadn't expected, a swell of emotions rising within him at the sincerity of your words.

"i like you. a lot. i like your laugh, it's so pretty. i love seeing you smile, i always wanna be here for you. ...will you be my valentine, 'toru?" your voice wavers with uncertainty as you await his response, but when he remains silent, you meet his gaze, searching for any hint of what he might be feeling. to your surprise, his cheeks flush a deeper shade of crimson, his hand instinctively rising to cover his mouth as he struggles to find the words.

you almost feel like you've permanently short-circuited him when he gently cups your cheeks, a smile brimming with innocence gracing his lips.

"i thought you'd never ask," he murmurs, his lips forming a playful pout. he's tantalizingly close to kissing you, but then he deliberately pulls away, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips as he revels in your slightly annoyed expression.

"what?" he huffs, his thumb tracing along your bottom lip teasingly. "you teased me the entire day; don't you think it's my turn?" you're on the verge of offering retorting when you feel the gentle pressure of his lips against yours, drawing you into a tender, unexpected kiss. your cheeks flush with the rush of being caught off guard; he always had a knack for keeping you on your toes. he tastes like coconuts and cream and everything sweet, and you can't help but sink into his embrace.

your valentine. you can't think of anything sweeter.

...even if he does tease you for your sappy letter later.

© SUNTORU 2024. do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works on any platform.

[last-flight-of-fancy]

Started thinking about Riku-Kairi parallels and symbolism wrt the ending of kh2 so please hold while i get needlessly verbose about it-

specifically it started with this gif

and ofc adhd is as adhd does and started going down the rabbit hole of connecting the dots.

The act of reaching out a hand/hand holding is a recurring thing in kh, the vast majority of which is chock full of meaning and symbolism, and this is no exception. This is the culmination of The Hero's Journey part of Sora's tale, the return home, and the heartfelt reunion between long-seperated friends. fun fact the heroine's journey follows the hero's journey for the first third or so before continuing on. kinda like how kh continued on long after things seemed to be 'resolved'. weekly plug to look up Howler's Heroine's Journey essays if you haven't yet

The angle from which I am viewing this scene right now is in regards to ofc Riku, and his own iconic pose that we see the first time in the intro to kh1 (and many, many times since)

And this is where my riku-kairi-are-inverted-parallels-to-each-other brain starts barking like a dog because oughghghghggh same pose opposite side completely different body language- AHG.

And this matches their character arcs (as well as their respective combined arcs with sora) to a T as well. Riku's pose is the first we see, way back in kh1, and his hand is as much a taunt as it is an offer. Very befitting his relationship to sora in that game, which was coloured by a forged rivalry and intense jealousy (to quote the ultimania; Complicated Feelings) of/for sora.

(it is also notable that to date this gesture has yet to be resolved. the closest they've gotten is when sora grasped Riku's hand in kh2 on finding him- albeit in Ansem's visage.

Symbolically this is Sora attempting to accept the gesture, but this time it is Riku who fails to meet him halfway, too deep in guilt and regret to feel worthy of it. his hand is turned downwards, limp and unresisting.

And again in DDD when Riku grabs sora's hand/wrist in an attempt to wake him from his nightmares, but this time sora isn't capable of reciprocating. like two ships passing in the night, always reaching but never quite meeting)

(this one isn't quite as strong in the visual symbolism specific to the Riku Pose, but i did think it bore mentioning)

to return to the first gif however, for Kairi her posture is much less stiff, leaning forward with palpable releif at Sora's return. Honestly the fact that she holds out her left hand (which as far as i know is not her dominant hand) marks this as a very deliberate choice to parallel her as opposite to riku. and much like the rest of kh2's ending, it FEELS like a culmination, a completion of their arcs.... and most certainly isnt.

Which i mean to say, it's a mid-point. And the reason I say this is because of one little thing.

The seashell charm.

There's a sort of irony here in that the charm that was meant to reunite them in this moment is also symbolically like a wedge between them. A heartfelt and meaningful gesture, don't get me wrong! i love this scene and the genuine emotions within, but i do love chewing on the way this gains a slightly different meaning in the greater context of later story beats; specifically that of kh3.

With how pointed and direct the parallel is between kairi and riku in these scenes, it did make me pause for a moment thinking about kh3. i know we've all seen a thousand and one analysis' of the paopu scene at this point, but forgive me as i must do so again under this specific lens.

'how does the paopu scene relate to the hand extended gesture at all?' i hear you ask, and on the visual surface not much. it has more to do with sora and kairi's relationship arc through the games and, of course, the lingering loose thread that was the cave drawing.

The paopu scene is a touching recreation of that cave drawing, one enacted by a pair of kids who didn't know if they would live to see another sunset. It's also probably the most symbollically dense thing in all of kh and that is saying something so I'm going to try and keep my observations limited to just what is relevant to this post- and that would be the way that the paopu scene is a direct continuation of Kairi's 'you're home' gesture in kh2.

shooting stars are also a common recurring symbol in kh, and that's the symbol that ties these two scene's together. if kh1 is two disparate stars each trying to reach the other (the cave drawing, the seashell charm, the way their hands are seperated at the end of kh1), and the end of kh2 is that of the stars finally meeting (the single seashell star charm pressed between their palms), then the paopu scene is that of the stars passing each other by and beginning their own journey's anew (two stars held by crossed arms, each now holding a small piece of the other (bitten fruit) to show that their meeting may have been brief but it was meaningful)

it is in this way that kh3 quietly and tenderly closes out sora and kairi's combined arc, as two unlikely friends who then drift apart again, shining brightly for the shared experiance, Remind mostly serves to support that finality, tying up the last couple loose ends between them, and leaving the two far more comfortable with each other than they ever were while that arc was still ongoing (which i read as them no longer being uncertain as to what their relationship is; that of friends, and not whatever so many others around them had pushed and assumed)

(seriously look at how much more comfortable they are with each other the second the pressure to be something they're not is off. the awkwardness is completely gone i love it)

All of this is ofc still in parallel to Riku, who boasts no such star imagery (instead he has the iconic Heart of KH itself), and in fact while he symbollically continues to reach out to sora, physically he has completely refrained from doing so at all- in fact most examples of the Gesture in kh are deliberately invoked by other characters in order to bring riku to mind in some way (and often more for the players benifit than sora's)

axel in CoM,

(i have given up on tumblr gif search)

YMX in DDD,

which then immidiately cuts to riku in kh1 just to make it as blatant as possible that yes the reference is intentional (i guess CoM was too subtle somehow so they had to make sure this time)

and even Riku himself to Namine at the end of kh3, representing Repliku's final wishes in a funny sort of symbolism oroboros.)

and it's not a coincidence that the completion of that connection provides definitive closure to the arcs in question; that of namine to repliku, but also a little bit to riku himself. namine still has a role to play, but that role (i think) is more or less exclusive to her relationship with sora. namine and riku's relationship arc, background as it is, is complete, and now both are connected primarily through their incomplete arcs with sora.

(which makes the way that sora and kairi's example in kh2 is a complete outlier really interesting tbh. smth smth thinking your relationship is one thing and if it was that thing then yes that would have been the end, but it wasn't that thing and thus it wasn't the end smth smth comphet metaphor smth)

which brings us back to how riku himself hasn't really reached out to sora directly since kh1, the act that set off both of their journey's. The reasons for that are many- guilt, fear, a certainty that sora will not reach back and that he doesn't deserve it anyway- but despite that the Gesture is still subtly affirmed as being Riku's over and over again, never quite letting the audience forget it... because eventually this bit of symbolism so consistently portrayed throughout the series will reach its own conclusion, starting how it began with one deuteragonist reaching out to the other, and this time the other reaching back to complete the gesture.

[real-sizzlipede]

I love playing kh2 and tweaking every time riku comes on screen but my absolute most insane moments are on the mountain in the second visit to land of dragons bc one in the boss fight he’s so clearly Riku it’s insane from the stance to the blade to the taunt he does all being the smae as kh1 and com but also the fact that in the fight he rarely attacks Sora and when he does he does barely any damage and the does certain mannerisms in all the cutscenes surrounding this fight that are so him and then he like snaps out of it and then runs away and like bwaaaaah I love that gay so much 🥰🥰🥰🥰 riku my beloved

[yushiteru]

a quiet love

description: yushi x reader (the ways yushi shows you his love around others, very soft physical affection)

i think yushi is the type to be subtle in his affection, partly due to his introverted nature, but also because he values the sincerity in gentle touches and basking in the company of his loved ones. but that doesn’t mean he shies away from expressing his love, not at all.

the actress on the tv let out a choked sob as she tearfully watched her lover walk away. it was supposed to be the saddest scene of the entire episode, if anyone was actually paying any attention. 

the living room was abuzz, from sion and daeyoung demonstrating animatedly the baseball game they had gone to see that afternoon, to sakuya and riku who had abandoned their spots on the couch to be their sideline cheerleaders. only ryo remained seated in his spot on the floor, tipping his head back in infectious laughter at their exaggerated dance moves. 

the atmosphere in the apartment was lively, everyone winding down from the busy routines of the work day. 

you were lounging comfortably on the couch, sandwiched between the arm rest and yushi, his body radiating heat even through his thick hoodie and sweats. both of you preferred to sit back and watch the antics play out, yushi’s members providing more entertainment than the show now forgotten, serving only as background noise. 

as if he could sense the shiver about to course through your body from the cool breeze of the cracked open window, yushi reaches across you to grab the blanket folded neatly on the side table. he doesn’t make a big scene of unraveling the plush material, spreading it out, and laying it gently across your lap. the others hardly notice enough to give you two more than a passing glance. he doesn’t utter a word as he tucks in the fabric under your thighs and brings the upper half to wrap around your shoulders. making sure he hasn’t left any gaps uncovered where your limbs could be exposed, his eyes do a quick scan over your engulfed frame before settling back into his original position beside you. 

“it’s not even that cold,” you tease him in a quiet voice, even though you secretly love when he frets over you, something you would never admit to him lest he becomes embarrassed. 

‘still,” he lets out, the corners of his lips tilting upwards, “you should stay warm.” his voice is soft, but firm as if what he said was a fact, almost as if he found you a little silly for questioning his actions. 

“well, if i feel cold, i can always snuggle up with sakuya. he’s like a walking furnace. or a newborn baby.��� 

yushi’s eyes widen for a split second before processing your humorous tone. he narrows his gaze playfully, as if wordlessly scolding you for your taunting joke. you think that’s the end of it when he turns back to watch the others again, feeling content in the presence of your favorite people, when you feel yushi’s hand slide under the blanket. 

he’s still facing the front, calling out to riku that he’s doing the dance wrong, but his hand finds yours, intertwining your fingers, and giving a gentle squeeze as if to remind you again that he’s here and he’s yours. 

2.

“babies, bye! don’t push yourselves too hard and stay healthy~!” 

you bend down to slip your shoes on in the entryway of the apartment unit, loud echoes of “bye, noona! noona, see you later!” bouncing off the walls from different corners of the home. yushi is seeing you out, leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest as he silently takes in the image of you checking and double checking that all your belongings are with you. you’re sure you look a frazzled mess, not having noticed how fast the time had gone by with your boyfriend and his members, and now having to pay the price of rushing out the door to your next commitment. 

“okay, i have my keys, my phone, my wallet… i feel like something’s missing though. yushi have you seen my sunglasses i swear i just had – never mind, they’re in my purse. alright, i guess that’s it, i gotta go unless i want to be late – you know how seoyeong is, she might actually kill me this time. make sure to get enough sleep tonight, you have a big day of rehearsals tomorrow! and, make sure saku doesn’t stay up all night on his nintendo switch. i keep telling him, but he never listens. also–,”

your words are rushed, spilling out of your mouth like a running faucet, verbs and nouns colliding into each other until neither are comprehensible. you’re cut off though, by yushi who steps forward, bending his neck down to look you in the eyes. 

“okay, yes, okay. will do. y/n you’re gonna be late,” he gently soothes you, crouching down to pick up the purse and umbrella you managed to leave on the shoe bench in your frazzled state. handing you the items, he nudges you to turn around to face the floor length mirror hanging on the wall. silently thanking him, you check your appearance one last time, brushing down any fly away hairs, and adjusting the lapels of your coat. the yells and laughter of the others travel from various rooms, reminding you of the warm welcome that awaits you upon your return. 

ss yushi holds the front door open for you, ushering you out like a mother duck with her duckling, daeyoung pops out from the hallway, rushing to get one last goodbye in. as soon as you step over the threshold, however, you’re suddenly pulled back in with a swift tug on the arm. flying around, you come face to face with yushi, who peers down at you through his eyelashes. 

“wait… think you forgot something,” he mumbles in a low, hushed voice. just as quickly as he spun you around, he plants a soft kiss on your lips, pecking you once and then a second time. before you can even react or kiss him back, you find yourself past the doorway and into the long hallway of his apartment building. flustered, you open your eyes again to see yushi waving timidly at you from behind the door, ears tinged a soft pink, while checking behind him to see if anyone saw what had just happened. 

it's moments like these, when yushi takes you by surprise with his bold affection, that you feel like the luckiest girl in the world. taking a minute to gather yourself, you hear daeyoungie’s loud voice yelling “hyuuung!” knowing it would be only seconds before the rest of yushi’s members start to join in on the teasing. 

3.

it was a really rare opportunity that you were given to join the members on their music video filming, allowed to watch behind the cameras as the boys film their scenes. you had never really stopped to think about how many people it takes to film a music video, but you realize pretty quickly it's a lot more than you would think. 

the set is busy, directors, makeup artists and costume designers hustling back and forth as they work to make sure every detail is without a flaw. you make sure to find a quiet spot in the corner, out of everybody’s way as you nestle a steaming cup of coffee and admire the perseverance of the members who have been retaking multiple shots over and over since the early hours of the morning. 

you don’t think you stood out amongst the crowd. you were invited by a staff member to come as long as you weren’t a distraction to the boys, especially yushi, and taking this responsibility to heart, you stayed quiet and unannounced. it was admirable to see in person just how diligently they worked, and you felt yourself beam with pride at yushi’s passion and determination. 

that is, until, the team was given a break to eat and rest before the second half of filming. almost as if your thoughts of him had summoned him, his gaze finds yours from across the studio and you startle, as if you were caught doing something you weren’t allowed to. it takes him a few seconds to register it is actually you he’s seeing before his face lights up and he’s booking it over to you. 

his arms raise slightly as if to instinctually pull you in for an embrace, but he lowers them once he’s right in front of you, the hesitance you know is from his shyness around the directors and older staff he respects. instead, he reaches for your elbow, fingers gliding down your inner forearm until they let go at your wrist.

“y/n? how long have you been here? why didn’t you say anything?” he’s smiling like you were the one thing he needed at that moment. “how long are you staying? do you want to come eat with us?” 

you mirror his expression, the hustle and bustle of everyone else around you fading into the background. switching the coffee from one hand to the other, you push your hair back from your face, suddenly feeling bashful in his endearment. 

“the producer-nim invited me. i didn’t want to distract you.” 

“if i knew you were here, i would’ve worked ten times harder,” he jokes. 

“you always work hard. i can’t stay for long, you should go eat.” yushi nods at your reminder and leads you to the dressing room where the rest of the members were already serving themselves the food that was catered for them. as you walk in, following closely behind yushi, sion is the first to notice you, exclaiming loudly for the others to see. 

once everyone had settled in around the table with their plates and cutlery, the boys wasted no time in bombarding you with questions, wanting to know if you saw them do this and that. you eagerly entertain all their questions, praising everyone for their acting and dancing, and making sure to compliment ryo on how grown up he looked.

as you stood up from your chair to grab some more napkins, yushi reaches behind himself, searching blindly in the air for you as you momentarily stand behind his chair. he takes hold of your forearms, pulling gently forward until you're leaning over his shoulders, arms manually wrapped around his upper chest.

smiling softly to yourself, you take the moment to rest your cheek on the side of his head before starting to pull back to complete your original mission. the presence of the team's staff members nearby making you slightly sheepish at the blatant display of affection from you two. before you can even get more than two inches of distance from yushi, his hands are already flying up to trap your arms in place, gripping firmly as if to tell you, to ask you to stay for just a moment longer.

unable to say no to him, you let him bring your other arm back around his chest, crossing at the wrists, and resting your body weight on his back again. finding your place in the conversation again, you try to hide the fact that your heart was beating a mile a minute, though your bright pink cheeks gave it all away. unbeknownst to you, yushi was sporting the biggest smile anyone had seen on him all day.

a/n: the last scene was inspired by a clip from a live where yushi had done the same to ryo and it made my heart shatter into a million pieces so i had to write something about it :')

[moonbaby26]

Title: It Could be Worse (quickie one off)

Doflamingo x GN!Reader. Smutty. Power imbalance, non con, dubious consent. Reader is a slave.

Fic Masterlist

It’s 3:00am. Your beloved King Riku has just rode by chopping down your neighbors while sobbing pathetically. Your house and everyone else’s is on fire. You hear the most menacing laughter that could ever be, rising above the screams.

You look up to see this emerge from the smoke of your former life.

Alarm bells are blasting and red flags are waving in your mind. But your remaining, desperate neighbors begin cheering immediately for their new savior.

This can’t be right, you think to yourself.

No, this is a nightmare.

Your nightmare.

You are promptly enslaved for years to come. But he’s extremely charismatic and he has a way of getting under your skin. You eventually convince yourself that you enjoy the small mercy of carrying his drink tray on those balmy Dressrosan days by his pool. If he pulls you into his lap to spill it all, that is what it is too. And on the nights he drags you up to his room as well, that’s just another service you’re allowed to do for your country.

He tells you that you’re such a good little patriot. And asks what he would ever do without exemplary citizens like yourself. He says these things with your legs around his waist and his sweat against your skin.

It could always be worse. As he flips you over again and a long tongue runs wet up the back of your neck, you think that surely it could always be worse.

You could have become one of Trebol or Diamante’s favorites instead. Or you could have been dead from day one like so many others. But he says you’re fun. He even likes that lingering taste of the pool water as his teeth are pressing briefly into your shoulder next.

You should be honored. You should be flattered. He even remembers your name as he’s soon growling it again with the bed creaking terribly.

He makes you thank him as he strokes you. You must also show your gratitude whenever he lets you have your own release against his bedsheets. That scent of your mutual orgasms is always so distinct. As is the stickiness of the trail of his cum across your back.

When you’ve done your duty and he’s laying down panting, there can be a temporary reprieve. Just a few minutes where he doesn’t look as cruel or frightening. He might even smile at you and grab you by the arm to lay you against his chest.

It’s not affection. He just likes the contact, even if it’s only the sweaty heat of your bodies laying together.

And then that moment will be gone as well. He’ll push you out of his bed because he needs to go shower. He’ll barely look at you as you gather your things and hurry for the door. He always has business calls to make and more important things to get back to, even this late at night.

But you might still hear a chuckle from behind you, though you know better than to ever overextend your stay here.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” He taunts you sometimes, with that playful intonation of a question. But really it means you must be there poolside for him again tomorrow. His soldiers would come looking for you if you were not. They would take you from your home at gunpoint. You’d seen it happen to others. They did not come back.

But hey, it could always be worse.

“Let’s go out to dinner tomorrow.” That deep voice stops you just as you were in the hallway and about to close his door.

Yes, it had finally become much worse.

(I type random shit instead of sleeping sometimes. It’s fun, I have no regrets. 🤣)

[xehanortsreport]

i love love love ansem but a lot of it is kinda in spite of how he's written and not because of it.

now, most of this is as a consequence of the franchise simply growing far outside of kh1 and ansem being shifted to a secondary antagonist as a result, but the change in his writing is still stark.

he's always been a darkness obsessed weirdo, but pretty much every game after 1 treats him as only this, or otherwise kind of relegating him to a physical manifestation of riku's trauma. and like, that's fine, he plays the role well.

but in kh1 there's this...mystique, and regal bearing, and a distinct intellectualism around him that kind of gets lost in later depictions. billy zane's performance is equally as dramatic as richard epcar's, but a lot more toned down. (though to be fair to epcar, he seems to adjust closer to this performance from DDD onward.)

he fairly whispers at times, a lot of the power in his voice comes from the restraint and controlled use of volume rather than just kinda. yelling all the time, which he does more of later.

you can tell he was and still is a researcher. he's observant and patient and even cordial, though condescending. it comes across less as uncomplicated malice and more as him just being upset that no one else grasps his magnum opus, no one else can understand him, everyone else is just /beneath/ him.

in later games, his taunts are just centered around "succumbing to darkness" and pretty much every line circles that same drain. but in kh1, it's more like he's gloating about his own superior understanding of the universe, of which darkness is but a piece.

like, just compare his lines from KH1 with his later lines. Here's KH1:

Yes he's throwing out his Darkness Lines, but I can't imagine DDD Ansem saying "perhaps this will enlighten you" lmao. Here is DDD and KH3:

i think a lot of it is because kh1 ansem was supposed to legitimately be a fallen sage king who went mad from The Horrors and like. i will die on the hill of that being a way better character than splitting him between xehanort and ansem the wise imposter. in my ideal world that plot point was never erased. anyway - they still could've kept that cool, cruel intelligence in him a little more.

to their credit, KH3 does kinda backpedal and restore some of his KH1 personality - as previously stated, Epcar cranks back his performance, and they even allow ansem to dabble in science again with his discussion on subject x (wow!) it's not perfect, he still gets pigeonholed into Guy Yelling About Darkness for half his scenes, but it was at least nice to see him with his original personality peeking through before he got banished into the void.

idk how to end this. ansem slaps if you're kh1pilled as much as i am. he should've been the one and only ansem. mad king truther over here.

[goodwhump-temp]

Nanase Riku Whump | IDOLiSH7

1x01 Exhausted 1x04 Nervous, coughing fits, brother issues, crying 1x05 Exhausted, collapses, unconscious, asthma reveal, hospital, nervous 1x06 Smacked 1x08 Brother issues, sad, shoved, inhaler broken o7, near attack 1x09 Brother issues 1x10 "Kidnapped" (show) 1x11 Brother issues, stalked (by the gang) 1x16 Nervous

2x01 Coughing, nervous, exhausted, paralyzing anxiety 2x02 Bad asthma attack, refusing treatment, restrained/forced 2x03 Hospital, crying and coughing, dissapearance questioned, flustered as fudge, emotionally sabatoged by Tenn, pain, sad 2x05 Brother sabatoge/issues, confrontation, asthma attack 2x06 Coughing, reading mean comments, emotional anguish 2x07 Depressed 2x08 Depressed 2x09 Feeling rejected 2x10 Frustrated (11:20+) 2x11 Nervous, emotional 2x14 Brother issues

3x03 Shoved, coughing fit 3x04 Argument 3x06 Brother abandonment issues 3x09 Insomnia 3x10 Jumpscared (19:40), ghost medium 3x11 Face squeezed 3x15 Slams into person, nose hurt, held back/choked, "asthma attack", slapped 3x16 Face bruised from slap, bandaged 3x18 Brother issues 3x20 Worried, voice chokes on stage, monster traits revealed 3x21 Illness taunted/bullied, guilt, crying 3x25 'Crying' (over food) 3x26 Insomnia, manipulated

[howdomaddie]

on sora’s time in the sleeping worlds and coming to terms with other’s pain

so, i was recently rewatching a playthrough of the kingdom hearts series from a YT channel i particularly enjoy and had some thoughts when it came to dream drop distance. the player had quite a bit to say about the overall plot of that game, and that seems to fall in line with how i’ve seen a lot more people than i thought view DDD as well--that it’s not that great? i totally get being frustrated with the real organization shenanigans because the planned time travel was a bit much but…idk, i’ve never really been into KH for the villains and their schemes. DDD has always kind of been one of my favorites, so as i was rewatching this playthrough of it, i was thinking over why it gets the flack it does story-wise, and why i still think it’s good beyond that.

i’ve always loved riku’s arc, and i loved sora in DDD, but i was honestly “meh” on it until this current rewatch when i was thinking over it all again, and keeping in mind other things in the series better. and now i think i’ve cracked it--i figured out a nice little piece for why sora’s arc works, even if it’s subtle and possibly not fully intended.

and…bear with me here…but it’s partially because of re:coded

STAY WITH ME, I PROMISE I HAVE A POINT!!! it’s below the cut since this will be long, but hear me out: sora in DDD is going through the same things that data sora did in re:coded, and proving that he will always come to the same conclusion about how to handle the pain the others in his heart have gone through (maybe someone’s discussed all of this before, so sorry if i’m just rehashing a well-known point, but…wanted to share my thoughts, haha)

okay. so, in order to really talk about this, let’s revisit what are probably the most important sections of re:coded, and what they do well on a story-telling level.

in the last quarter or so of re:coded, data sora is brought back to help mickey and friends find the meaning of the second message that’s appeared in jiminy’s journal: “Their hurting will be mended when you return to end it.” data sora ends up arriving at an illusion of castle oblivion, and is goaded along by a data version of roxas to go deeper into the castle. this data roxas taunts him about how he’ll never remember the people he encounters in each part of the castle, poking and prodding data sora along through all the revisited worlds.

in one of the earliest rooms (destiny islands i think), data sora has a conversation with the data version of riku that has turned up. data riku shows him a vision of riku and kairi from the events of KH1. afterwards, data riku asks what data sora would have done if he’d known this. and data sora answers immediately:

[ ID: an image of data sora from kingdom hearts re:coded. he has a determined expression on his face, and his clenching his fist as a show of conviction. the subtitles read: "I would’ve helped you, of course. Both of you! I’d’ve figured out how to undo the hurt." End ID. ]

data riku seems pleased with this outcome, and he eventually goes on to say: “Just follow your heart, and you can change the lives of not one, but many.”

as data sora goes deeper into this version of castle oblivion, he only comes across more pain in his heart as he forgets the people he meets. he may forget the people themselves, but the doesn’t forget that he met someone as he goes through the castle.

[ ID: four images from kingdom hearts re:coded. data sora looks sad and pensive as he says this to data roxas, placing a hand over his heart: “But still, I’m frustrated that I’ve forgotten them. I feel moments of loneliness. You said there would be no hurt feelings, but I AM hurting. When the memories are gone, they just leave a hole. And having that longing inside me hurts.” End ID. ]

data roxas eventually confronts data sora about what he’s come to terms with in the castle: that some of that pain he’s feeling is what helps him connect with others, to truly empathize with them. data roxas sees this as a sign that data sora passed his test, to see if he could come to terms with the pain in the hearts he’s most closely connected to.

data namine soon confirms that the real sora carries around a lot of pain that isn’t his own inside his heart--and that he’s found a way to face the suffering all of these disparate parts of himself had to endure. he’s already equipped to face it and help those he’s met that have been lost.

something that i think i’ve come to appreciate more is that as he’s gotten older, sora has ended up becoming really emotionally intelligent. he’s an extremely empathetic character, and always has been. after all, he gave a piece of himself to someone to fix their broken heart when he was still an infant.

[ ID: an image from kingdom hearts birth by sleep. a four year old sora looks upset as he holds ventus’s heart in his hands and asks, “Are you sad?” ]

we all know that his empathy and ability to connect emotionally to others is kind of sora’s whole thing--his friends are his power! but it makes sense that sora’s able to face the pain and suffering characters like xion and ven went through because he is such an open and caring person.

what struck me as critical in all this as i was thinking over what sora goes through in DDD are the instructions namine gives for how to handle the pain of others that sora is holding onto.

[ ID: three screenshots of data namine and data sora from kingdom hearts re:coded. data namine explains to data sora: “There’s only one way to deal with that [pain]; you face it head-on and then you accept it. And if it happens that the hurt is too great for you to bear it alone, well, then you turn to a friend close to your heart.” End ID. ]

this is less a “do this thing for the first time” to me--it’s data namine reinforcing something that data sora (and the real sora by extension, obviously) already knows very well. there is strength to be found in the bonds you share, and that if you need it, you can always rely on the friends you’ve made. this was made apparent through the entire series but this serves as a reminder that yes, sora has been doing the best thing he can. he has remained true to his heart, and is willing to rely on those he cares about.

we know that being alone and only relying on yourself is not the best thing to do in the series--it’s part of what drives riku to darkness in KH1--so that’s why this is a reassurance that sora already knows how to face this sort of pain.

so. WHAT on earth does this have to do with dream drop distance, you might be asking. well, it all stems from the YT channel i was watching this series playthrough from. the channel is PlayFrame (highly recommend looking at their stuff!) and dan, the one playing through the series, had a good take on re:coded's story: he liked the general themes being played with at the end of re:coded, but was upset it was not happening to actual sora. and that sentiment stuck with me as i got to DDD in the series playthrough, and that’s the lens that i viewed sora’s side of the story through.

anyway. let’s dive (ha) in, shall we?

at the end of re:coded, king mickey writes that letter in a bottle that gets to sora in the post credits of KH2 to explain the revelations from the end of re:coded. sora knows now that he’s the thread that will save people like roxas and xion and aqua and ventus, and he knows what data namine was wanting him to eventually face.

at the start of DDD, sora is aware that he needs to face the pain of others that is currently residing in his heart and find a way to save those that have been lost. he is primed with that knowledge, and likely wants to face it the way data sora did.

why do i think this? well…it's in the true secret ending of BBS, first off. sora acknowledges the contents of the letter (likely mickey explaining re:coded and asking him and riku to meet with yen sid), and knows that he was shaped partially because of the BBS trio and the pain he has in his heart from others.

[ ID: screenshots from kingdom hearts birth by sleep of sora speaking to kairi on the destiny islands. he says, "I have to go. I am who I am...because of them." End ID. ]

i think that the mark of mastery exam in DDD was really a chance for sora and riku to do some self-reflection and consider what may or may not be holding them back from becoming classical keyblade masters. in BBS, master eraqus says this of the mark of mastery exam:

Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery. Not one but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates...but this is neither a competition nor a battle for supremacy--not a test of wills, but a test of heart. [...] Remember, [ for Aqua and Terra's duel ] there are no winners, only truths, for when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed.

eraqus's words are admittedly more specific to the exam aqua and terra had, but the idea that what's being tested is the person's heart seems very relevant to sora and riku in dream drop distance. they both have a chance to reflect on themselves, and who they truly are.

we know how riku’s arc goes: he finally realizes that he does have the power to protect what matters to him, and that darkness in his heart is not something to fear. it does not make him any less worthy to wield a keyblade, nor does it keep him from being a keyblade master.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of riku and sora. sora’s arm is slung over riku’s shoulder and he is beaming. riku doesn’t seem to believe what he’s saying: “Really? I’m a Keyblade Master?” ]

but what about sora? first off, i do agree that first and foremost sora never really cared about the results of this mark of mastery--he's never needed the "master" label, nor does he think riku needs it. but he goes through with it especially to help riku finally overcome what doubt he still has.

anyway, outside of Overall Series Plot happening to him in this game and the contrived reason he isn’t also named a master, what does sora come to realize? well, it’s what data namine wanted for him: to face the pain inside him head on, and to rely on those close to his heart when he couldn’t do it alone.

what do i mean by this? let’s go world by world to see.

starting with hunchback, since we visit traverse town twice:

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora, who is looking at the camera. he appears thoughtful as he says of quasimodo: “He can’t let his heart be a prison.” ]

sora realizes that quasimodo is putting up walls in his heart that keep him from being hurt--walls that, in turn, are becoming something of a “prison”. they’re what keep quasimodo safe, but also keep him disconnected from others and is an excuse for why he doesn’t leave notre dame cathedral. 

at the end of sora’s time in this world, quasimodo has opened himself to others, and decides to not keep his fears from holding him back. as sora processes this information, of course, we have the villains telling him that his own heart is now a prison for someone else--ventus.

i don’t think this is true for sora and ven’s situation, and that the organization is just trying to make sora question himself. sora welcomed ven into his heart willingly to keep ven safe--it’s been a very long time, yes, and sora will eventually need to help ven return to his body, but sora’s heart isn’t a prison.

sora opened his heart when he was very young to ventus--and he has continued to be open and compassionate to basically everyone else. he sees the good in people, and believes in them far longer than others. it can make him too trusting at times, but it undeniably saved ven.

after hunchback, we have the grid and prankster’s paradise, and these should be easy enough to figure out.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora and quorra. sora is holding quorra back from attacking, and quorra says to sora of rinzler (originally sora’s friend tron), “He’s a program, Sora. Programs don’t have hearts.” End ID. ]

the grid for sora is all about his relationship to tron and making rinzler remember who he truly is. quorra is pretty quick to throw in the towel on sora’s attempts to reach his friend’s heart, but sora keeps trying--and eventually, he does manage to have a breakthrough. he helps tron fight off his reprogramming, and remember their friendship. he’s able to touch tron’s heart and remind him of what’s important--he just has to give tron the time he needs, and eventually help him regain his sense of self.

my, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts three of sora, xion, and axel. sora has his hand on xion’s keyblade, and is persuading her not to hurt her friend axel--trying to remind her of who she really is. ]

there’s one quote from the jeff bridges character that i feel is important to note here:

That’s the thing about programs. Mess with the code just a little, and their whole nature and memory can change.

sora’s time in the grid helps him understand a bit more of what “copies” of him can be going through, and honestly is an important part of why he is able to help xion and roxas in 3 (at least to me). xion’s suffering is tied to how the organization used and abused her, and them tampering with her memories is why she starts off on their side in 3. but sora, good boy that he is, manages to break through to her with a little help from roxas--just like he needed the right thing to reprogram rinzler and help him remember that he was tron all along.

as for prankster’s paradise…

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora and xemnas confronting each other. sora looks determined as he exclaims, “But if Pinocchio could be given one (a heart)--shouldn’t you be able to have a heart inside you, too?” End ID. ]

the fact that nobodies do actually have hearts is confirmed towards the end of the game, but it’s clear sora has already mostly figured it out on his own. i’ll touch on it a little more later on, but sora knows that roxas has his own heart, living on inside his own--it’s a reminder of how roxas still exists, and how much of his own person he is outside of sora. he respects roxas's sense of identity as of the end of KH2, which leads him to act the way he does when faced with xemnas here.

xemnas is still putting on the show here that nobodies are beings without hearts, and sora knows that is blatantly untrue--why else would roxas feel the things he did if that was the case?

the other three worlds--traverse town, the country of musketeers, and the symphony of sorcery--do the same thing that data namine did in re:coded. they reinforce the things sora already knows about connecting with others, and relying on their strength when he can’t do things alone.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora talking to neku in traverse town. when talking about neku denying that he said he needed shiki, sora says, “What? Why? You said you need her. That’s a good thing.” End ID. ]

sora says it directly to neku in the revisit to traverse town: it’s good that neku admitted to needing shiki around. sora has always trusted in people to rely on him and to return the favor, so he sees none of the shame that neku feels in admitting that he needs other people.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of mickey and donald. mickey looks to the camera as he says, “Goofy’s right. As a team, we can do anything!” End ID. ]

the recurring musketeer motto of “All for one, and one for all!” when sora joins mickey, donald, and goofy in protecting princess minnie is another reminder of all this: sora knows the true value of teamwork with his party members, and how important donald and goofy are to him. they are his friends for life, and they’ll be at his side the way he’s at theirs. he reassures them the way they reassure him and always have.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora, looking wistful as he talks about riku: “I’ve got a friend out there who will help. He’s always picking up the slack for me.” End ID. ]

sora’s belief in riku is something that’s shown throughout the entire game, and the symphony of sorcery is just one example of many in truth--but sora has never doubted riku or even kairi and the others. even if he can’t see riku, even if his friends are a million miles away, sora knows that they have his back.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora in traverse town, looking happy and patting his chest as he says of riku, “Don’t worry. He’s with me--even when it might seem like he’s not.” End ID. ]

for the Overall Series Plot happening in DDD, this is very good for sora to remember--riku becomes a dream eater to protect sora in this game, so a friend helping from afar is quite literal. (i think it’s also important to remember this when thinking about the ending of kh3, and where sora has found himself. he still has people who love and care for him, even if they’re a million worlds apart from each other.)

anyway, now we come to the heart of the matter. has sora ended up in the same place as data sora? can he accept the pain the different pieces of him went through, and help them? as of kh3’s ending we know he’s helped them, but what about DDD? had he done it by the end of that game?

[ ID: three screenshots from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora and xion. sora asks who xion is, but trails off before he finishes asking. in the final shot, sora sheds a tear over xion. End ID. ]

sora comes face to face with namine and xion, and while he doesn’t connect with them, really, he does seem to feel their pain.

the most apparent interaction that leaves its mark is, of course, when he encounters roxas.

[ ID: screenshots from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora speaking to roxas, saying, “Roxas, you’re you. We’re not the same. I wanted to tell you that.” End ID. ]

at the end of KH2, sora has accepted that roxas had a clear sense of self, and was his own individual in spite of being sora's nobody. because sora is fully aware that roxas has his own heart and strong sense of, sora can firmly insist that roxas is his own person. roxas respects this, and opens his heart to sora, to share the truly terrible things that happened to him. and sora faces it, the way he needs to.

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts dream drop distance of sora, where sora looks angry and upset about what happened to roxas. He clenches his fist, and asks, “Did they cause all this pain?” End ID. ]

sora has faced roxas’s pain and suffering, at least. sora knows how the organization used and abused him, and how diz did the same. and sora is ready to face the pain the others in his heart are carrying--or, at least, that’s what i believe.

when riku encounters ansem the wise in sora’s heart at the end of the game, what ansem says is something i think kind of ties everything together:

Sora was the only one able to return to his human form without destroying his Nobody. That is a statement to the love in his heart for other people, and the bonds that tie them together. Perhaps…he has the power to bring back the hearts and existences of those connected to him--to recreate people we thought were lost to us forever. [ … ] Sora has a heart like [ a child's ]--uncorrupted, willing to see the good before the bad. When he sees the heart in something, it then becomes real. When a connection seems broken, he may have the power to mend it. [ … ] He has touched countless hearts, he has accepted them, and he has saved them. [ … ] All Sora needs to do is be himself and follow wherever it is that his heart takes him. It is the best and only way.

after the opening section of kh3 in olympus colosseum, what’s the thing that sets sora off on his journey?

[ ID: a screenshot from kingdom hearts three of sora, donald, goofy, and jiminy cricket in the gummi ship cockpit. sora looks determined as he says, “The others are following Aqua’s heart, so I’ll follow Roxas’s heart!”  End ID. ]

his desire for roxas to truly be his own person. during DDD, sora came to truly understand just how hard roxas fought to be his own person, even moreso than knew at the end of KH2, and wants to follow through on what he said to roxas directly. roxas, to sora, deserves to be his own person as much as sora does. and so, following that desire, sora sets out on this final leg of the Dark Seeker story arc.

so many people move mountains to make roxas beign his own person a reality. not even just roxas, actually, but xion and namine too--all because sora understood that roxas had his own heart, memories, and history. he saw roxas’s suffering and still pushed through to make sure his nobody got the life he deserved.

sora faced what pain he could, and did everything in his power to undo the suffering the people connected to him were feeling--and when he couldn’t do it himself, he let others help him. just the way namine (and her creation, data namine) wanted.

im sorry this is so long and kind of rambly--but i feel like i finally get sora in DDD outside of the organization’s plans for him, and that the off hand comment from this lets play i’m rewatching actually ended up being true. if you made it this far down in this silly post thanks for reading, hope you're having a good day ;u;

[darkcrowprincess]

Soriku: Trapped in a dream

*most of my knowledge of kingdom hearts comes from reading manga, the novels, and watching cut scenes and some of the game play on YouTube. So I apologize if I get some lore wrong or character powers wrong. I never played the games*

Riku was running with their "daughter" in his arms. Funny how that word was an impossibility a year ago. Yen Sid said she wasn't really a "daughter", more of a possibility. Just like how Yozora too was like his "little sister" was a possibility. Something that could happen in the future for them, him and Sora. Sora. Everything was always because of Sora, the good and bad. Riku wouldn't have it any other way.

"What's wrong Keyblade Master?! Don't you want to play!" Taunts the playful yet cruel voice of the Master of Masters.

At the sound, Riku runs faster down the dark corridor. Serena unresponsive but safe in his arms. Her hair brown like Sora's, but long and straight. Like how his hair was when it grew long. She was a tiny thing, even for a child. She reminded him greatly of Sora at that age. Which added to the fierce need to protect her.

Dark shadows and piercing light chasing after him. Reaching grabbing claws, they almost have him. Barley they miss. He had to keep her safe and find Sora. He had to get all three of them out of here. Normally he would stand his ground and fight.

"You can't run forever Keyblade Master!"

However he would never risk Serena and Sora. Especially not with this strange new power in this strange new world. So he kept running, making quick turns here or there. Yet the darkness and light kept after them. Hungry for them. The next quick turn leads into an open room filled with thick purple mist. Riku can hear the Master of Master behind.

The mist is too thick. Riku can't figure out where else to go.

"Why keep fighting Riku? When I can give you what you always wanted!"

Riku turns angrily to face the danger, Braveheart appearing in one hand, holding all of Serena's weight protectively in the other. There's no where left to run, so he must stand his ground now. So he will face what comes. Even if it costs him. He's done it before. What's one more time?

Yet when he does turn angrily to face the danger, his eyes widen in surprise. Instead of an onslaught of darkness and light preparing to consume them, or even the Master of Masters mocking him. Instead of that, he's in another room. The quick change of setting causes him to freeze. Adrenaline still pumps in his veins. His sea green eyes anxiously dart around at where they are, and he realizes with shock this room was familiar. Not only was it familiar, but it was somewhere that's suppose to be safe.

"Riku?" Says a voice filled with love, comfort and worry.

Riku feels a cold nail like sharp shivers run up his spine at that voice. A voice he would recognize anywhere. A voice that was always with him and in his heart.

"Sora?" Riku replies back, confused at what ws going on, but a part him always felt safe in Sora's presence. Sora was in their bed in Yen Sids tower. In sleep clothes. Riku's clothes. He looks fine, tired and waking up from sleep. But over all fine.

'Not recovering from being frozen in ice' Thought Riku, confused. Still a part of him lowers his guard. It's Sora. No matter what he's safe with Sora.

Sora yawns, rubbing one fist into one eye to help wake himself up more. " What are you doing up? And carrying Serena?"

"I-I I was." Riku says confused and uncertain. Sora smiles at Riku to reassure him. He comes up and hugs him. Their time traveling future daughter in between them. Safe and protected. But still dead asleep to the world. Riku stares down at her in worry and fear. Sora cups Riku's face, making him look at him,"Hey its alright, shes just sleeping. Having a beautiful dream."

Sora gentle as can be, takes her from Rikus arms than lays her on their bed. Tucking her in with the soft blue comforter. Both him and Riku stare down at her peaceful sleeping face. Sora than envelopes him in his arms again. Tugging him close. Heart to heart. Being so close Riku can hear the soft melody of their heart song. Two hearts beating as one in tune. He leans his head on Sora's. Riku wants to get lost in the embrace.

"I don't understand what's happening," whispers Riku. He wants to feel safe. He's with Sora, so why wouldn't he feel safe? Yet he can't shake his instincts. His battle ready instincts that have always kept him alive.

"There's nothing to understand. Your with me Riku."

"Yes bu-ut." Riku stutters. Part of him wants to get lost in Sora's and just relax. But he can't. He is a Keyblade master. A fighter. And the fighter instincts in him won't be silenced. Questions fill his head rapidly. Like, "How did he get here?" And like, "How did you recover so quickly Sora?" But there's one question that's haunting him the most.

While still holding Sora (if this really is Sora he thinks darkly), so as not to alert him to any of his thoughts, Riku asks softly,

"Sora tell me something, and be honest. Who is more important? Me or Serena and our friends?"

Sora looks up, and answers without hesitation.

"You of course Riku. Who else would it be?"

At those words, Riku knew for sure. Sora smiles at Riku. He leans up to kiss him.

Riku does something he never thought he'd do in a million years. He stops Sora from kissing him. He puts a finger to his lips and stops him.

Riku smiles down at the confused and pouting Sora, "What's wrong Riku?"

Riku gently pushes Sora away from him, and goes to Serena. He picks her up in his arms. She still lays deep asleep. Turning back around he faces an adorably confused Sora.

We a laugh in his voice Riku says,"Even in my dreams Sora, your still my light."

Sora's face falls at that and turns quickly to shocked and confused. Everything stills. The soft music playing from their heart song becomes silenced. As if holding its breath. Pointing his keyblade to the ceiling, he uses his dream eater powers to wake from the dream. Keyblade shining light covering everything. The last thing he sees before being covered with light is Sora's face. Even if it's just a dream, he hates that look on Sora's face. He looks sad, wishing Riku could just stay. Riku wishes he could too.

[mythicalartistx]

Sora thought Riku was so cool that Sora copied a lot from him

Riku put his hands behind his head, while 4yo Sora does that then too, he obviously got that from Riku

Sora and Riku would both taunt each other

In this manga image, Riku has big shoes while Sora has normal?? size shoes— sandals at that.

It's also just known that Sora always thought Riku was cool and admired him, as in the novel he states how he worshipped him... which is just hard to not think how cute it is he thinks that.

I always looked up to him. He was only a year older than me, only a bit taller, but he was better at sword fighting, and he always looked cool, and I practically worshipped him. My best friend Riku.

[agermanpotatoe]

A Kingdom Hearts - What if...? This is actually part of a different project which I'm not willing to share with people (cough), but goofing around with the Data Greetings made me think once more. Looking at the Dark Inferno(?) heartless, which is known as a special boss in KH, I thought of an alternate battle strategy used by Anti-Aqua. In this case, we don't really just have a darkling Aqua, but a corrupted Aqua that has strong hints of Xehanort/Ansem in her. After losing her Keyblade she doesn't use the Demon Tower but instead her own heartless, a Guardian wielding two blades (a nod to her own and Eraqus' blade). Riku and Sora fight Aqua together in the beginning, Riku with his original Keyblade which shatters in this fight. Sora will use the Master's Defender which seems to send some of Aqua's and Eraqus' thoughts and feelings to his heart. But after a while, the Guardian enters stage two, a cold, blue state that enhances its speed and agility. Riku will take the blow that is meant for Sora, losing consciousness and his Keyblade. Sora screaming for Riku is making the Guardian hesitant. Aquanort chuckles at Sora's attempt to fight with an old and used blade like the Master's Defender and scoffs at Aqua's attempt to summon them of all people as help. Sora is not having it though, determined to save Riku and get Aqua's body back. Aquanort starts another attack, increasing the level once more, making the guardian almost explode with dark power. But Sora realizes that the Guardian is reluctant, even fighting against the commands the corrupted Master is giving it. In a split second, the Guardian seems to slightly redirect its attack, so Sora can find the heart in the body of darkness. It sends its light and power out to Sora, reassuring him that he can win and that it'll help him. It jumps back, keeping Aquanort and itself in place, refusing to lift the empty blades. Xehanort's angry words curse the Guardian for its uselessness, taunting and belittling it for still failing its one mission (tapping into the darkness that would constantly grow in Aqua). But Sora stops him, claiming the light the Guardian had passed onto him. Instead of holding the Master's Defender, Rainfell appears in a gush of water, his magic increasing heavily, even changing his clothes. The key reacts to its owner's heart, and Sora can feel the warmth of the light guiding his actions. A beam of light touches the Guardian. Aquanort tries to stop it, but the Guardian grabs her, forcing the both of them to disintegrate in the light, taking the darkness away with them, leaving Sora on the unending ocean, surrounded by stars.

I haven't made the last part into a comic, but I thought this says it all. Just another What if...? from Andrea's book. Huge thank you to @drangeax for always pushing me into these sorts of directions (and beyond *cough*). Mods used: Expanded Data Greetings Expanded Boundaries Data Greeting Plus Fully playable Terra and Variants Happy weekend everybody and hugs and kisses <3

[musedriven]

@dnangelic

she gives a small smile, her fangs still mostly hidden though she does not cover them with her hand this time. a small sign of her comfort around him. " I mean it! he's really talented and charming! even more talented than you I bet. " she teases, taunts almost as she looks up at him. " y'know, if he wasn't so adorably shy he might even make a better thief than you. "

she sighs wistfully as she fiddles with the hem of her sleeve. her cheeks a flushed pink as she pictures Daisuke's own flustered face. ' -- as cute as the rest of you ' he once had said before running off after his own cute little squeak. she wanted to run after him; to give chase and devour every adorable thing he did when he got flustered. but she did not want to scare him away either. he already seemed so frazzled and she didn't want to get her hopes up too much. he reacted similarly with Risa and Riku in the past, but what if he just wasn't actually interested? after all; he first sounded so neutral in response to her question from that same conversation. ' they're rabbits ' just little charms nothing especially fancy. maybe she was being too hopeful; reading too much into it. still... her heart beat so fast when he was around. her world seemed brighter when he smiled. maybe a little hope wasn't a bad thing to have.

" he really likes art; maybe I can slip him a new art set! some fresh paints and a few canvases to work on. you steal art a lot; do you know a good brand for paints? "

[fantasiallamarcia]

thinking about the comments under the riku and xion scene on the beach in days. how someone was like, "this shows riku's growth, how he's learned to be understanding, to be kind, and how he's one of the only people who really humanizes xion" but... not really?

because riku's whole thing in days is dehumanizing himself. and seeing xion as an extension of that. he sees himself as nothing more than a means to an end, in order to wake-up sora. and that's what he asks xion to see herself as, essentially. he asks xion to dehumanize herself, to see her death as a worthy sacrifice, the way he's going to see either his fall into darkness or death - because, yes, he does imply that the fight against roxas could kill him to mickey. that doesn't mean he doesn't treat her with kindness. but i think a lot of riku's actions are, even tracing them back to kh1, the way he wants to be treated.

he treated kairi with unconditional devotion. he decided, fuck it. if i have to ally with dark forces in order to do it, i will. just to save her. and he rubs this fact in sora's face. which. on the surface, you can see it as another thing he's taunting him about. yet another point of "i'm better than you". but riku in kh2 admits that he's always been jealous of sora for following his heart. which leads me to believe that, as fucked up as it may have been... that was riku's cry for affection. he wanted sora to be as devoted to him as riku was, before he decided to up and leave with donald and goofy. which. if you know the lyrics to sanctuary. i need more affection than you know? yeah.

so when he treated xion like that, in giving her time to think it over, i do think he meant it with genuine kindness. just like i think he meant saving kairi with genuine kindness. but i also think that's his way of asking for love in return. he isn't able to admit it - not in the beginning, and even still after the end of kh2 - but he wants it.

[regnantlight]

❝ Just fear me, love me - do as I say and I will be your slave.❞ [ you're not safe from him :^) ]

Her neck was taunt from the pull upon her chin, tilted up like the maneuvered joint of a doll, as Riku's hand kept her gaze locked upon the cold ocean of his eyes.

Fear him—that was easy enough. She already did. Him and his distorted reality and possessive hand and stained shadows.

Love him...

"I already do," she replied in a quiet voice that was trapped between truths and lies. Fear and obedience and the childlike scribble of something just barely resembling love. Was it love if she didn't have a choice?

"I already do," Zelda repeated, stronger this time, a hand tentatively placed over his wrist, "so stop this. Stop her. You have what you want—Riku, please. Do not let her destroy my home. If you love me, stop her."

[kosmic-arts]

It is Once Again Time To Complain About Things That Don't Matter

358/2 days is definitely one of the better written kh games, but don't let that fool you. its not like the bar was very high to begin with (i am only partially joking).

i love days, but there is so much wasted time and space in that game. i despise how much characters fainting, falling asleep, having amnesia, and gotdamn brainblasts, are constantly used as plot devices because the writers don't know how to organically move characters along to the next plot point(this goes for all of kh, not even just days). the entire novelty of days is getting to play on the bad guy's side while getting an intimate look at all the cool badass org members, and yet you hardly get to know any of them over the course of the game. barely any time is taken to flesh them out, which is a complete travesty btw, and even axel- who is one of the major supporting characters- ultimately takes a backseat to roxas and xion's emotional angst. its good emotional angst, but theres no reason for it to overwhelm the entire game. and honestly, even roxas himself takes a backseat to xion's even bigger emotional angst! roxas hardly gets to know who or what he is, whats going on, or what for. roxas is a complete passenger, and as time goes on i struggle to see the value in that, even if it does feed into the overall themes of his story and his own emotional angst.

because, look: xion was a passenger as well; she had no choice in her situation, only the illusion of one that riku offered her. and yet, she still was allowed a moment of agency. roxas tried to do the same after xion's death by going to kill the organization(which frankly, he could've killed every last one of them- get real), riku stops him and refuses to explain or reason with roxas to get him to consider another way. riku just proceeds to taunt him. whwhy i find it hilarious that riku took pity on xion because she reminded him of kairi, but the guy who's literally his best friend's nobody whom he is currently fighting to save-... he acts like a bitch to, and refuses to give him any of the same consideration that he gave to the girl. what the fuck is that

what is with the complete and utter disrespect of roxas in his own game- >>specifically<< by the people who should be his allies. remember that bit at the end of days where roxas is about to leave and confronts axel for answers, and practically pours his heart out begging axel to help him?? axel refuses to tell him who sora is and that he’s sora’s nobody, etc. ok.. maybe he’s afraid of getting shot by the organization because it’s classified information. no, fuck that. its a major part of axel’s character is that he puts his own desires and wants before his job or duty. and! he also cares a great deal about his friends, even above his own wellbeing. he helps xion escape the organization when he was on that mission with xigbar. he didn’t even have an excuse to protect himself when xigbar interrogated him for letting xion go- axel could’ve gotten shot then and there for helping the traitor. he straight up put his neck on the chopping block for xion’s sake.

so then, why now with roxas, does he refuse to do anything at all to help him? he’s done shit before like lie to roxas in a vain attempt to make him happy- axel cares about him! he wants to help him, especially when hes sad- and in this final moment, roxas is in complete despair. axel could’ve very easily been like “well i cant tell you,, but maybe some other guy could… uh idk his name starts with an R”. god almighty it would’ve been so easy to just nudge roxas in a direction while still covering for himself if he was still worried about that. but no, completely out of character, axel just abandons roxas to possible execution(of which he would likely be the one to carry out) by the org for rebelling, without even giving roxas the slightest lifeline to find the answers that he deserves.

man i just lost the entire topic going on an whole ass side tangent…. what even was the topic to begin with idk im complaining about days. i'll proceed with a spicy hot take! get ready. when xion died, all memory and evidence of her existence shouldn't have been erased. yes. as depressing of an idea as it is- like, her friends aren't even allowed the luxury of cherishing her memory when she's gone, i think we all know why it was a bad move in the long run. xion getting wiped from existence was a poorly veiled excuse to avoid having to explain why nobody talks about her in other games- while also just straight up being able to get away without really mentioning 99% of what happens in 358/2 days to begin with. even as a kid i knew this was shit and i still think it's shit now, and the fact they had to pull a memory wipe trick like this is even more proof that the writers of kh are absolutely abysmal at tying their stories together or thinking ahead at all. or more like, they shot themselves in the foot daring to implement important plot details into spin-off titles in the first place. chain of memories started this trend, and even that game had to pull the memory wipe trick at the end of the game so as to not stunt players who didn't happen to own both a ps2 and a gba.

its a really asinine trend that has indisputably ruined kh with each installment. like, you can't be serious. in order to understand the main villian's(xehanort) motivations, i have to play 2 games and a casino, to have a full understanding as to why this old fuck wants to blow everyone up. for the longest time, i didn't understand why xehanort was concocting this decade long masterplan to attain kingdom hearts, UNTIL i happened upon the kh wiki. this is so sad you cant make this shit up you can figure out within the space of kh1 why ansem wants kingdom hearts. he's a power hungry mad scientist that went batshit insane in pursuit of knowledge. a classic victor frankenstien-esque character archetype. its so easy! I understood that without issue even as a child. too bad they couldn't just do that again with the next major villian! tbf, even xemnas' goals were extremely simple-...... until they added in the bit where he was lying to the entire org about them not having hearts or the ability to feel and yadayada... what was he trying to accomplish with that stunt again? don't get me started how stupid xemnas lying is. you've gotta be shitting me. like, are you saying that intelligent scientists like zexion and vexen wouldn't figure out such an obvious lie? what about lexaeus? luxord? really?? these aren't stupid people. at least one of them would have figured it out. would've been a good opportunity to give marluxia a reason to have been trying to pull a coup(besides wanting power???) because he figured out xemnas was a manipulative fuck and marluxia decided to take initiative and overthrow him. i love marluxia, but damn, the entire time i was playing com i had no idea what the fuck his motivations were.. why does he want to take over the organization... was that ever mentioned? …huh

but wait wait, i just went on another massive side tangent. i want to go back to talking about xion. i would've much preferred if we got to see moments of roxas and axel struggling to come to terms with losing one of their only friends. like, how would axel handle being completely powerless to save her, and frankly unable to even be there in her final moments? maybe he would've turned on the organization much sooner, because how could he ever continue working for the group that split him apart from the 2 people that really matter to him. that'd be interesting. roxas could eventually cool down, and simmer into a depression AND NOT GET THROWN INTO A SHITTY SIMULATION BECAUSE RIKU SHOULDVE BEEN NICER TO HIM. huh what- and maybe roxas might feel inclined to give up, but meeting with namine could be some reassurance to him because she tells him all that stuff about how he won't disappear and there's hope for nobodies like them!! honestly, just seeing the characters having to grapple with the pain of their past and actually talk about it instead of vaguely wincing about things they feel but can't remember would've been so much better. i get it, it's a mildly entertaining trope- characters suffering emotional wounds they don't remember receiving, or acting in strange ways in deference to old traditions they can no longer recall... yeah i get the appeal, but it doesn't make for a very strong story in the long run, especially with an event as major as xion's sacrifice. why can't characters be allowed to grow from their past and have character development. i like it when a character's history influences them in meaningful ways that isn't entirely superficial.

heck man, idk. you get the point. days is full of amazing ideas and has a fantastic premise, but like all things in kh, it struggles to hold up as soon as you examine it with the barest amount of scrutiny. thanks for coming to my ted talk.