Keys (Worm/Nasu/Square/Disney Multicross)

[Blinktwice13]

Daybreak: Foretellers

"Sal-u-tations!" the Master caroled as he entered the room.

The four inhabitants looked up in various states of confusion.

"Ira, Gula, Aced, Invi. It pleases me to announce that I've found a fifth Foreteller to lead a new Union - Vulpes." The Master crossed his arms and gave off an air of smugness. "She's a little young, but has great promise."

"A fifth?" Aced asked, baffled. The mountain of a man wore shades of brown and the mask of a bear. Like the other Foretellers, he wore a hooded cloak, shirt, and robe. "Was this person kept secret from us? We all trained together-"

"And she came to me with her own skills. All there was to do was forge her Keyblade, and she was ready." The Master inclined his head. "She'll fit right in, I assure you."

"Will she now?" asked Gula. The youngest man there wore the mask of a leopard, and his robes tended towards yellow. "Seeing as you're announcing her and she doesn't even have the grace to join us."

Invi turned to Gula. "That may come later, Gula. Perhaps we should withhold judgement until we've met our new member?" The lone woman of the four wore shades of blue, and had a mask like a snake.

Ira folded his arms. "I will do so, but I must admit to being underwhelmed. Even Luxu, who is your direct apprentice and leads no Union, was present for his own… presentation." The last Foreteller wore a Unicorn mask with a bluish mane that went over his hood, and dressed in pale blues and whites.

"Wow. This really is a warm welcome. I'm flattered."

The Master reached under his hood to rub his forehead as the four turned to see Lisa - Ava, to them. "And here she is."

"Really? I haven't been hiding past a pretty simple illusion. Did none of you think to check?" Lisa asked with a sardonic grin.

Aced bristled. "Such underhanded tactics should not be used on allies," he growled.

"Mmhm. Which is why I did a little test of my own, to see if you guys were up to snuff. Congrats, you all failed." She placed her hands on her hips. "Name's Ava, by the by. I enjoy my little tricks here and there. Nothing harmful, you understand, but encouraging vigilance is hardly a bad thing, no?"

"Perhaps if we had known the test was coming, we would have done better?" Invi offered. "After all, we were just alerted to your very existence."

Ava hummed, placing a finger on her chin.

"However, such a warning would be against the point of the test," Gula pointed out. "To that end-"

"Unless she has been selected to serve as a direct subordinate to the Master, it is unlikely she has the authority to enact it." Ira's tone was cool and clipped.

Aced's attention focused on Ava. "Is this the case?"

Ava shrugged lightly. "Dunno. Am I?"

"She certainly acts like he does sometimes…" Gula muttered.

The Master clapped his hands. "Alright! Glad you guys are getting along!" he said in cheerful dismissal. "As of right now, the Vulpes Union has one member, as opposed to your own Unions. Invi, I'm sure you're glad to no longer be the only woman Foreteller. To that end, you can show Ava the ropes!"

Invi inclined her head. "As you request, Master."

"And how you've survived this sausage fest for so long, I've no idea. Kudos to you," Ava joked with a nod.

"Sausage… fest?" Aced crossed his arms, frowning in confusion.

"So our newest member is utterly uncouth. Lovely," Ira droned.

"Uncouth?" Gula and Aced exchanged an openly baffled look.

Invi giggled, placing her hand over her mouth. "One finds ways to cope, Ava. Shall we?" She gestured towards the exit.

The Master of Masters bit back a hysterical cackle as the two women walked past him.

Ira turned to him as they opened the door. "Master, it is rare that I do so, but I must ask your reasoning on this."

Gula hummed. "She certainly leaves an impression. That said, she carries herself like she knows what she's doing."

"Simple skill does not a leader make. However, I will observe and give advice as needed," Aced boomed.

"Huh. Easing up on her already, Aced?" Gula teased.

"Gentlemen, please. All will be well," the Master soothed.

The door re-opened.

"Yes?" Ira asked flatly as Ava and Invi poked their heads back in.

"Right, so I wanted to ask - Aced, right?"

The large man nodded slowly. "Yes, Ava?"

"Perf. So, is the mask a statement or something? You know, because bears? And you're a big guy?"

"I lead the Ursus Union, yes…?" Aced cocked his head to the side.

"I mean, love is love and all-"

"And with that, Invi can show you around." The Master of Masters' tone turned strangled with laughter.

"You may explain to me on the tour of our offices," Invi said quietly, tugging Ava out of the room once more.

The door shut.

Aced turned to the Master. "Master, what do bears have to do with 'love'?" he asked in complete bafflement.

"Search me," Gula muttered, rubbing his chin.

Ira let out a heavy sigh. "I truly hope you know what you're doing, Master."

"Setting the fox in the henhouse, apparently," the Master coughed.
____________________________________________________________________________

Invi gasped as she gripped her sides. "You did not! Oh, poor Aced," she mourned through the laughter.

"Hey, it's a fair question," Ava said with a shrug. "Going to guess things are a little more puritan around here, though, huh?"

Invi held her elbow while resting her chin in her other hand. "Mm. Well, discussion of romantic relations isn't so widely done, but obviously such bonds are formed. How else would children come to be?"

"Mm-hm."

"Of course, bonds such as you spoke of are equally possible," Invi continued. "With how long-lived we are, it's a moot point. Though…" She trailed off, dropping her arms. "The encroaching darkness is a concern."

"Hm?"

"We collect Lux to stave the dark away. Unfortunately, the Unions turn it into a bit of a competition." Invi shook her head. "The Master warned against it, but here we are. Aced and Gula are competitive in particular."

"The young guy with something to prove? The man-mountain who plays second fiddle to Mr. Unicorn? Say it ain't so," Ava snarked.

"Tell me, what are your plans for your Union?" Invi asked. "If you lack for members, I'm sure those of us with larger groups would gladly transfer some of our more senior members in to aid you."

"Well, I mostly came to inform Master of some incoming disasters, so this was kind of sudden." Ava still had trouble calling him 'Master', all things considered.

"Disasters?" Invi asked, taken aback.

"Kind of. They've been averted since I arrived, apparently." Ava kept walking. "Right now, I'm just trying to bring about the future I'm seeking. This far, Master and I are on the same page."

Invi started, then moved quickly to catch up. "Right. Well, in the clocktower, we each have an office and a space for our Unions to gather. There's one empty office remaining; I'll show you there."

"Mmhm. So… I have all of one kid for my Union. There's… assistants… but they don't do Keyblades."

Invi glanced at Ava. "Assistants? That's unorthodox."

Ava smirked. "I have a writer, a troubleshooter, chaos incarnate, and a trainer of heroes."

"...I am uncertain if I want an explanation."

"Would you rather I explain that or what a 'sausage fest' is?"

"I think I will survive without either," Invi said, voice finally turning dry.

Ava flashed a smile. "There we go. You'll fit in fine."

Invi couldn't help but smile back. "Oh, I know just who to send to you. You'll love him, I'm sure."

"Hm?"

Invi giggled. "You'll see."
____________________________________________________________________________

Lisa sighed as she looked at the back of her mask, furrowing her brow.

"Thoughts, Master?"

"Please don't call me that one-on-one, Ven," she chided. "It feels weird."

Ven jittered in his seat, full of excited energy. "Sure thing, Lisa. I can't believe I'm in a Union!" He clenched his fists in joy.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," intoned Fortuna. "You'll need to collect Keybearers and Lux to maintain your current standing, and you need that standing to keep close to V."

"So we're all in agreement that he's Beast V, right?" ZZ said.

Scathach shot her a look. "I informed you as much, yes."

Hans sighed. "ZZ, the point?" he said, cutting off the incoming tirade.

"Okay, cool, but Khepri was also Beast V, and he's definitely not her. So… who is he?" ZZ stuck her arms in the air.

"The original, or the other half," Fortuna mused.

"Um, what's a Beast? Like, besides an animal," Ven asked. "It doesn't sound very, uh, complimentary."

"It's not. A Beast is an embodiment of humanity's sin, made manifest to wreak havoc on mankind as a whole," Scathach explained. "These beings can come from many places. They can be constructs that grew beyond their masters, they can be ancient Divine Spirits, and they can even be humans who attained a certain level of power through certain means."

"But the Master of Masters helps people," Ven said slowly. "So how does that work?"

"Beasts all are categorized by their 'love' for humanity, but's it's warped by their sin. The Fifth Beast is categorized by Regret," Lisa explained. "And V said that his works all end up tainted by association and turn to ruin. Even with me here, there's no guarantee how much longer the Unions will last."

"Oh…" Ven looked down. "So… what was supposed to happen?"

"A Keyblade War, and the scattering of the Unions across the Worlds - or so we assume."

"Worlds?" Ven blinked.

"Well yes, there are many Worlds in this universe in the present day and age-" Scathach began.

"Not this present!" Ven said, sitting up. "If the World is in danger of being fractured, someone needs to get to the Council of Fourteen at Amaurot and tell them! The main reason they let the Master of Master found Daybreak Town is because he brought up Keyblades as an alternative to some dire strategies to push back the encroaching Dark!"

The room went quiet.

"Oh look, a plot twist," Hans deadpanned.

ZZ punched the top of his head. "SHUT UP!"

Fortuna knelt by Ven's chair. "Ven, please tell us everything we need to know about the World."

Ven went wide-eyed. "Uh…"

"Or we can keep explaining, and he can point out any further issues to take to V," Scathach offered with a flat look.

"That sounds more productive," Lisa remarked in a dry tone.

"Okay! So, we'll read off some words, and you can tell us if you've heard them," ZZ said as she pulled a pen and pad from… somewhere.

"Excuse me."

Ah, Hans, of course.

"First word! Heartless."

"Yeah, they're the main ones threatening us," Ven said. "They take hearts."

"Okay! Nobodies."

Ven scrunched his face up. "Noooo? I haven't heard of them, but that might be something for the Master?"

"Right, right. Table for when Lisa goes to V."

"Why me?" Lisa asked, frowning.

"Unversed!"

Ven gave ZZ a baffled look.

"Right… those came later. Way later. Nothing to possibly do with you!" ZZ scribbled on the pad. "Uh… Dream… Eater?" ZZ scowled. 'The Fuck?' she mouthed.

"Well, there's two of those. Spirits and Nightmares. The Chirithies that the Master hands out to help collect Lux are spirits, but Nightmares are Spirts that turn dark. Spirits protect sleepers, and Nightmares create bad dreams." Ven stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked his legs out. "What about Darklings?"

"Buh?" ZZ looked up, her exaggeratedly large spectacles bouncing on her nose.

"Where did you get those?" Scathach narrowed her eyes.

"In town! I used Lisa's pay," ZZ said breezily. "But back to the Darklings…"

Lisa scowled and cracked her knuckles.

"Darklings are people who fall to Darkness without being turned to a Heartless," Ven explained. He looked at Lisa. "So, new topic. When do I get a Keyblade?"

"...Ah." She drummed her fingers on her desk. "That is an excellent question. How does one get a Keyblade, aside from the Master of Masters?"

"I dunno." Ven shrugged.

Lisa stood. "Right. Well, time to go warn the Master and ask how the heck I get you a weapon so we can train you up to fight! Also get you a Chirithy…" she trailed off in a mutter. She frowned. "Wait. Chirithy."

Fortuna hummed. "It does seem suspect, I admit."

"Huh?" Ven tilted his head, clearly confused.

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure this will have no bearing on future events!" ZZ cheered.

"The more you say that, the less I believe you," Hans hissed.

Lisa and Fortuna exchanged a look.

"Regardless of our most chaotic seer, we have our course," Scathach said firmly.

"Okay. Ven, you wait here with the ladies. Hans?" Lisa stood, replacing her mask.

Hans sighed. "Very well. Do keep an ear out for us," he addressed to Fortuna.

Fortuna tilted her fedora with a nod.

"Good luck!" Ven offered.

Lisa sighed as she moved to the door and opened it. Then she stared.

Aced crossed his arms.

"Yessss?" Lisa asked.

"Tell me… what is a 'sausage fest'?" he asked in utmost seriousness.

ZZ let out a shriek of laughter as Fortuna twitched.

Ven leaned on his knees. "Huh?"

"..." Lisa grimaced. "It would seem my sense of humor has come back to bite me."

Scathach sighed, shaking her head.
____________________________________________________________________________

V cackled as he collapsed into his chair.

"Yes, yes, yuk it up," Lisa grumbled.

"Oh, you brought this on yourself," V said, waving his hand. "So tell me. What is it that you felt was so urgent?"

"So, apparently something's going to fracture the World…?"

"I'm aware."

Lisa squinted behind her mask as Hans' writing stopped. "You know."

"Oh, yes. I inferred it from the letter 'I' sent 'myself'. If you'd like to read it, I'm more than willing to share." V waved the pieces of parchment in one hand. "It's… illuminating."

Lisa moved forward and held out her hand. When she took hold of the papers, V didn't let go.

"V?"

"Consider this the first step of me keeping my promise to keep you in the loop." V's voice was even in tone. "And… keep an open mind." He let go.

Lisa frowned.

"Ominous," Hans commented.

Once this has been read, fortune's wheel will begin to turn.

Someday, I'll atone. Someday, the worlds will return. Someday, I'll be loved. But for all of this to happen, the First True Magic must move forward. The woman who gives you this letter is to be trusted above all others.

Abandon your plans for war. Abandon destruction. For the last time, embrace creation. When the time comes, you will understand. She will help you forge the future,and send a light forward.

He will come back to you, one day. Though it was thought impossible, you will find your salvation in them - with the bearer of this letter, with he that you trained, and with he whose light you sparked into existence.

This path had thorns, but we cannot regret it.

In the name given to me by my mother, I sign this.

The Master of Masters
Cain

Lisa narrowed her eyes. "So… what is this supposed to mean? After the worlds split, some vanish?"

"So it seems. I'm sure you have other questions-"

"You think that you're going to bring Abel back, don't you?" she asked briskly.

Cain slumped. "You could act a little surprised at the reveal of my identity."

Hans snorted. "And feed your ego?"

Cain's pouting was obvious.

Lisa sighed. "Look, V - Cain - dead is dead. Abel isn't coming back. Whatever this means, that isn't it."

"...I hoped that I could call an echo. A heroic spirit of him," Cain explained. "Though now that you point it out... It does clash with the rest of the letter." He sighed. "So much for that hope."

"Does it?" Lisa re-read it. "It says the First must move forward. What does that mean?"

"It means the First True Magic must pass to a successor," Cain explained. "Where it is now, it can't help anyone. Not in a meaningful way, at least."

"And where is it?" Lisa asked.

Cain shrugged. "Somewhere," he said airily.

"Do you know?"

Cain rubbed his hands together. "Well, I could tell you, but where's the fun in that?" He paused. "It's with someone who probably shouldn't have it," he amended.

Lisa sighed. "So we need to, what? Hunt them down and get them to pass it forward somehow? But it's on this side of the universe," she amended.

"Oh, yes. It left Gaia's Kaleidoscope quite some time ago," Cain agreed. "I'm sure we'll find the First Magician sooner than later. Those of this World are long-lived, but given the nature of the Magic, it will accompany their soul through Samsara."

"...we have to kill someone?" Lisa grimaced. "I don't like it."

"That, we can table for now. I have another plan I need to enact, and need you to do so. Once that's done, we'll begin the process of figuring out how to move the First forward so your friend can properly become… him." Cain sighed. "But if not Abel, who could he be to me…?"

Lisa shrugged. "Search me."

"Okay but really. You're not surprised?" Cain crossed his arms as Lisa set the letter down.

"Oh, I'm shocked. Just not going to give you the satisfaction," Lisa said with a grin.

"Uggghhh." Cain lolled his head back. "Killjoy!"

"Heh. You know, Mattias does act like you in some ways," Lisa noted.

Cain froze.

"Hm?" Hans looked up.

"Nothing, nothing," Cain said easily. "Just a stray thought." He paused. "Tell me about him? Not what he's done, but him as a person."

Lisa tilted her head. "Okay…?"

"Not now, you've already spent enough time on this. But… yes. Occasionally." Cain folded his hands. "So, was there anything else?"

"Ven needs a Keyblade and a Chirithy." Lisa placed a hand on her hip. "How do I get him one without you involved?"

"Oh, I just open a hole to the world of dreams and Chirithies just pop out. I can rustle up one for him fast enough. As for the Key… the rite of passage involves the apprentice touching the hilt of the Master's Key. There's some verbiage, but it's all ceremonial. The contact is what's most important." Cain shrugged, and clicked his fingers.

A pale portal of light opened, and a small, catlike plush walked out.

"Hello! I'm Chirithy," it said. "Will I be working with you?"

"No, you'll be working with my apprentice," Lisa explained. She nodded to Hans. "Alright, we're done here." She turned to Cain. "For now."

Cain waved her off. "Right, right. Also, don't tell anyone else. Your personal Servant is fine, but I want to wait on the rest."

"Sure." On her way out, Lisa paused. "So you're going to warn Amaurot about this, right?"

"Oh, sure. 'In some indeterminate time in the future, the whole World's going to go straight to hell.' I'm certain that'll go over well," Cain said dryly.

Lisa sighed. "I'll tell Ven you'll consider it."

"Mmhm." Cain waved her off.

After Lisa, Hans, and Chirithy left, Cain sighed.

"Honestly. Forget Lahabrea, Emet-Selch might throttle me if I came up and announced a threat that vague after the promises I made." He stood and looked out his window. "And after he entrusted his friend into my care? Oh boy."
____________________________________________________________________________

"So this is it?" Ven asked, placing his hand on the cloudwave hilt of Lisa's Keyblade.

"Should be." Lisa shrugged and her weapon vanished in a shower of sparkles.

Chirithy hummed. "Well, try to summon it."

"...how?"

Hans looked to Lisa.

"It's like…" Well, she couldn't say 'drawing on my power' or 'using Blue'. Both were borderline instinct. "It's like a sort of warmth that wasn't there before. Focus on it, and let it come out?"

"You sound so certain." Fortuna smirked.

Ven held his hand out, and closed his eyes.

"Ten munny says he just passes out," ZZ muttered to Scathach.

"...we don't have any 'munny'," Scathach replied.

"So we take Lisa's!"

Lisa slowly turned. "Motherfucker, you will not-"

There was a sound that cut through the air, as of a blade sliding from a sheath.

"I did it!" Ven cheered. "Uh, are reverse grips normal?"

"Pay up."

"Lisa!"

"Use your own funds."

Fortuna peered over the Keyblade. "Hm. Interesting. Definitely more angular than Lisa's."

"Mine looks like clouds," Lisa retorted. She placed her hands on her hips. "So. Practice that until you can summon it reliably."

"Yes'm!" Ven saluted, the wing-shaped Keyblade still in his hand. Since it faced away from his body, it gave a more imposing effect than just bopping himself on the head.

"And tomorrow…" Lisa grinned.

"Oh boy…" Chirithy whimpered.

"We start your real training."

Ven grinned back. "Can't wait, Master Lisa!"

"That's Lisa!"

 

[Blinktwice13]

A/N: Content Warning: Implications that Ansem is a pedophile. He's not, but people imply he is.
_______________________________

Wonder 3.3

Nines hung onto Pod's casing as she flew the small group upwards. Riley managed to keep her balance through whatever eldritch means she had, and Nightingale never so much as swayed. Emil floated on his own as they neared the two lamps in the center of the ceiling.

"We're nearing the target," Nines said as he held his earbud. "Nothing further to report as of yet."

"There'll probably be Heartless there. Nothing Pod can't handle with her basic gun, but…" Mattias trailed off. "The Large Bodies might take a couple of hits."

"Right." Whatever the Large Bodies were. Nines felt something odd as Pod began to close the last couple of feet.

With an agile leap, he righted himself as gravity inverted to bring him down towards the lamps. After he landed atop a blue pedestal next to a glass tube around a wick, he took stock.

Riley clung to the glass on the other lamp, wrapped around the cylindrical shape. Nightingale had landed neatly and was in the process of coaxing her down. Pod and Emil floated safely, though Emil was struggling to right himself.

"Need help?" Nines offered, holding his hands out.

Emil gripped onto the offered limbs, and gradually re-oriented to match the new gravity. Nines marveled at the feel of the hands on Emil's new body. Or was it old? Either way, it was different.

"All good up there?"

"Gravity inverted," Nines replied as he let go of Emil.

"Oh. I didn't think that would happen if it wasn't accessed through the woods or the Hatter's cabin…" Mattias sounded embarrassed. "I apologise; I'll be sure to mention that sort of thing in the future. Even if it seemed inconsequential, I should have said."

Two massive blobs of darkness appeared on the 'floor', coalescing into giant, rotund forms. The arms started well over Nines' head, and dragged the ground. Their stomachs were covered in armor, and small heads topped their engorged forms with blinking yellow eyes in blobs of black shadow.

"I'm going to guess those are Large Bodies," Nines grit out as he swung Cruel Oath from its place on his back.

"They sure are big enough!" Riley pursed her lips in thought. "Nightingale, we've learned all we can about the Heartless. The 'science' part of our excursion is over."

Nines blinked. "What?"

"Well, clearly I wanted to see what these things were and if I could make anything of them. They're just automatons, and repurposing them is out of the question!" Riley put her normal hands on her hips while her second pair of arms waggled their fingers menacingly. "These are nothing more than defective parts that won't serve as weapons, and only hurt the people trapped inside. So? We scrap them!"

Nightingale pulled out her revolver and spun the chambers. "Ready for surgery."

The Large Bodies waddled around, gazing upwards. The air split with a sharp crack, revealing a platoon of Crimson Nocturnes and Air Soldiers that swarmed at level with Nines.

"Emil, you light the lamps! We'll handle this," Nines said, gripping his blade. "Pod!"

The bullets tore through the smaller Heartless, scattering shards and ichor in their wake.

Riley knelt by a lamp as she extended the blades in her extra arms. "Unfortunately, I don't think any of my plagues or toxins are going to work here…" she said with a frown. "And here's me, without so much as a single minion! I'm getting sloppy in peacetime," she added mournfully.

Sharp cracks echoed as Nightingale emptied her gun into the back of one of the Large Bodies. "It seems they're far more durable than the average. Further, frontal assaults are flawlessly repelled."

Nines ducked under a fireball as the lamp next to him ignited. "Emil!"

"Give me a moment! I have to dodge these guys too!" Emil whirled, knocking two Air Soldiers away with his staff before loosing a stream of slow-moving black spheres that exploded on contact. The remaining projectiles sank through the air, down towards the Heartless that had yet to close. With a flourish of his weapon, the second light flared up.

"Grail! They're lit!" Nines shouted as more flying Heartless spawned from shadows. "Whatever you do, do it fast!"

A roar split the air, and Nines' eyes widened as he pitched forward, his back searing in agony.

"Nines!"

The lone Nocturne had circled around and launched a spell at Nines' unprotected flank, only to be obliterated by a black sphere from Emil.

Nines clung to the edge of the lamp's ornamentation, dangling above the ceiling as his back continued to smolder. A powerful grip hauled him back up as a massive arm lashed at him, missing by inches.

"Nightingale, bring him here!" Riley ordered, checking a pouch at her waist.

The Berserker leapt to her Master, mindful of Nines' injury.

"What happened?" Grail asked, his concern tangible through the comm.

A storm of darkness descended, shearing through the Heartless and flattening the two Large Bodies.

Emil hovered, expressionless. "Nines is hurt," he said distantly. Black spheres streaked with red danced around his body, loosing beams of energy at anything that moved.

Riley examined his injury. "It's… there's some damage here that I'm not… this level of tech is beyond anything I can easily repair in the field. I need my lab."

Grail went silent as Nightingale kept an eye on the surroundings.

Of course, that was when a massive shadow shot towards the ground below - or overhead, depending on perspective.
____________________________________________________________________________

Feathered batons speared into the floor around the table we stood on, the feathers standing high.

I looked up and saw a somersaulting figure land, then slowly stand to its full height. The legs had a parallel structure that widened and contracted as the body bobbed up and down, and the torso was round. The head was long, like a stovepipe, and the arms extended like folded streams of paper. Another pair of batons appeared in its' hands, and it began to juggle as its feet began to move in time to an inaudible beat.

With a sweep of its arms, the batons lodged in the floor simultaneously caught fire, and the floor vanished in an inferno.

"FUCK!" I shrieked, recoiling as the heat immediately invaded what little space was left.

Sora grit his teeth, and spun his Keyblade. "I've got it!"

"If we put this fire out, then we won't have the energy to help bring it down," Aqua warned.

Taylor glared at the Trickmaster as it raised its batons overhead, looming over the table.

Shit! That's the move it uses to dismiss the table from the fight! Getting up to it without power like Aqua's or Servant-level leaps will be impossible!

Sora plunged the Key down. "So I'll use a different spell!"

Before it made contact, I saw a small, pale hand lay itself over Sora's.

"NulFire!"

Rings of crimson engulfed the group as the batons came down with a sound like thunder, scattering us as the table merged with the floor below.

I rolled into the inferno, and tensed.

Nothing. The protection held firm, and I breathed heavily, my physiology filtering out the smoke.

Wait! The others don't have that!

True to form, I heard Sora and Aqua coughing as Taylor tried to make herself heard over the flames to find them.

"Nines is bad off," Riley said darkly over the comms. "So- Oh. On second thought, I can keep him stable. You keep up with tall, dark, and fiery down there!"

I stood as Trickmaster kicked Achilles away, sending him flying into Fou with enough force to tumble them head over foot. More batons fell, and I heard Joan snarl at a near miss.

I grit my teeth and clenched my fists. C'mon. DO something!

Streams of light speared into the Heartless' towering head, causing it to stumble.

I snapped my hand down. "FLOOD!"

Water shot from beneath my feet, roaring in a rising wave. The inferno banked, and I whipped my arms upward. Waterspouts tore through the air, scattering batons and fully extinguishing the blaze.

"Whoa…" Sora gasped, coming into view as the Water lapped at his knees.

The Trickmaster let out a chittering shriek as silver cracks worked their way up its legs. It stomped and splashed, but every attempt to reignite the fire was halted by jets of Water that I called from the ground.

"New plan," I growled. "It's mine."
____________________________________________________________________________

Ansem observed.

The boy had thought quickly, and prevented the Heartless from unleashing its full fury long enough for… this to occur. The blue-clad coward had clearly found whatever spine he lacked, and unleashed a force that far surpassed anything Trickmaster could bring to bear.

Thorned vines erupted, shattering tile as they climbed Trickmaster and pinned it in place, stopping its march and halting the juggling.

Ansem felt a distant interest in the fight below. The clash nearest him had turned into a one-sided slaughter with the fall of the black-clad boy - the automaton and mage had made short work of the remaining Heartless.

But below? There was still the occasional flash of magic and-

He stilled, his robe fluttering in an invisible gale.

The magus had shed his mortal form, and torn free of the magics of Wonderland.

In a pillar of blazing light, he returned to his true size, clawed hands sinking into Trickmaster. The pallid body loomed over the creature, wings like branches emerging from the back of his neck. Traceries of gold crisscrossed his body, but those were negligible.

This, Ansem mused, is a new development.
____________________________________________________________________________

I vaguely noticed Aqua and Sora's spells slamming into Trickmaster, tearing chunks from it as it struggled against my binding. I wrapped my talons around its paper-thin arms, and tore.

It shrieked as they snapped out of its shoulders like - well, like tearing paper.

I reached my hand back, and light began to circle and gather.

"HUP!"

I leapt backwards as a weight settled in my hand, followed by another on my shoulder. "Ready?"

Fou grinned. "Light me up!"

"As you wish," Da Vinci cooed near my ear, adjusting her glasses as she stood on my collarbone. "Uomo Universale!"

A blue haze enveloped Fou as I gently closed my fist around him.

"PERISH!" I bellowed, flinging him forward as the blue turned to white.

"PALUG BUSTER!"

The furry fiend began to rotate like a wheel, spinning into the torso of the crippled Heartless.

White-hot light erupted, and a column reached heavenward.

Fou bounced backwards, and I saw Trickmaster crumple.

It trembled, attempting to struggle to its feet.

Before I could so much as step forward, a black spear rammed through its head. Then another. Then a third. More and more, until ten spears impaled its body.

"I AM BEYOND DONE WITH THIS PLACE!" Joan howled in her tinny voice. It would have been appropriately terrifying, if I was of their size.

"Le Grondement… de la Haine!"

This time, black flames roared up the spears, igniting Trickmaster and consuming its dying scream. The chassis slowly fell apart, and a giant crystalline heart floated upwards as the darkness seeped away as smoke.

I set Da Vinci on the ground, and Wonderland re-asserted itself.

With a blink, I took stock of the ruined room.

A trio of Large Body corpses faded where Taylor stood, utterly nonchalant. Behind her, Aqua sheathed her Keyblade, frozen Nocturnes falling to the ground. Tamamo replaced the Yata no Kagami, a faint glow fading from the three women's bodies.

Sora slumped into Achilles' side as Cu stood vigil over a dozen fading Air Soldiers.

Apparently the Trickmaster had used the cover of flame to summon backup - and none of this had occured in the game.

I shivered.

Great.
____________________________________________________________________________

I exhaled as I drew my hands back from Nines' back, the combination of healing and repair magic working itself into the flesh and circuitry. In moments, pale skin existed instead of seared mishmash.

"Better?" Taylor asked.

I shrugged. "As well as I can get him."

Our heads snapped towards the door near the Queen's Path as a titanic yawn sounded.

"What a racket. Why, it's loud enough to wake the deaaaaaugh-" The Doorknob trailed off as his mouth hung open, and a light gleamed inside.

"...so the Keyhole for this world…" Aqua began.

Sora hefted his Keyblade and aimed it, light gathering. "Literal, but I can deal with it." The beam shot out, and down the Doorknob's throat with a sharp clicking sound.

Nines stirred in my lap as the Doorknob gagged, spitting forth a small, colorful block.

"What the fuck is this?" Joan growled, picking it up.

Da Vinci pranced over, and held out her hand. Joan forked it over. "Hm. Hm. Hmmmm."

We all stared at her.

"I have no idea!" she chirped.

Sora groaned, slumping.

"Gummi piece. It's half a Navi-G - it contains a partial starmap. The sibling is located in another Keyhole," I explained as Nines sat up.

He stretched, yawning. "Oh, wow. That feels a lot better." He hunched over. "Sorry for making you guys worry."

I ruffled his hair. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"We all are!" Emil flung his arms around Nines as the android gave a bemused look, eyes wide.

"And so your chapter here nears a close," a now-familiar voice purred. "But what of the next pages?"

I groaned as I stood and faced the cat. "Well, Cheshire Puss… that's something we'll have to find out. The more I learn, the more I understand… that I know nothing at all."

The Cat's mad eyes fixed on me, his tail swishing. "Oh? Oh? Is that truly so?"

Cu growled, stepping behind me. "Careful," he murmured in my ear.

Riley gave the Cat a speculative look that I did not like.

"Well, letting you wander the dark simply won't do. After all, the stakes are far too high! And it's not as though you give a whit about things like order." His grin widened. "Well. Order that does not benefit you, at any rate."

I raised my eyebrows. "So… are you offering advice?"

I stumbled as the Cat bounded forward, and wrapped himself around my shoulders like a fluffy stole.

"Oh, hardly. For now, at least. Whatever would I say when you don't know what to ask?"

A weight made itself known in my hand, and I lifted it to see what I held. A pink crystal striped with purple nestled in my palm, warm to the touch.

"Should you run across a conundrum that your know-little know-some self can't solve, or simply wish for a bit of refreshing madness… why not give me a shout?"

What.

"What is that, exactly?" Aqua asked.

"Is it your soul?" Riley made grabby hands at the crystal until I lifted it up and away. Nightingale picked her up and set her away.

"Do not touch souls," Nightingale said firmly.

"Throwing them is also poor form," the Cat said knowingly. "But no. Think of it as a calling card of sorts. Such a contradictory existence piqued my enduring interest, no more, no less."

"Lots of fancy words to say you want to be friends," Sora said as he crossed his arms with a small smile.

"Um, Cheshire Cat, sir?"

The Cat gazed down at Nines.

"I've never pet a cat before. May I?"

"Hm. Well, it's all the same to me, but don't go against the grain. It's most unpleasant." The Cat popped his claws and began inspecting them.

This triggered a round of petting the mad creature by Emil, Sora, and Nines. Taylor joined in after a bit of staring from me, refusing to meet my eyes as Tamamo snickered.

"Alright! I've got my data!" Da Vinci said cheerfully.

I blinked at her.

"Oh, don't be so surprised. I needed to collect information on the magics of this universe for my own purposes. And now, I'm happy to say, my research is complete." She smiled knowingly. "I'll have my findings for you soon enough."

"For?" Aqua asked, crossing her arms.

"To update his Magic Resistance, of course!" Da Vinci's smile took on an edge. "As though I'd permit what happened before to ever happen again."

I swallowed, hard. "Thanks, Leona."

She strode past me, pausing to give me a peck on the cheek. "For you Mattias? I'd move the world." She paused. "Well, I did that anyways," she admitted ruefully.

Taylor tilted her head in acknowledgement. "She has a point."

The Cat chortled. "Oh! I must drop in from time to time. Even Wonderland can become predictable in its unpredictability. If the chance arises for a change of scenery… well, one should take it, no?"

Joan grimaced. "And here I thought Sherlock was the worst thing back there…"

"...wait. There's no bottles. How do we grow back up?" Achilles slowly paled.

"Time?" the Cat offered. He leapt down, and trot over to the fireplace. "Or if that's in short supply, I've a secret stash of treats within. Oddly enough, unburnt. Fancy that!"

I sighed as Fou trot over. "Wait for us to eat some, furball!"

"I wasn't gonna!"
____________________________________________________________________________

The Cheshire Cat bade us farewell - or close to it - and we trudged back to the Shadow Border. After filing in, Riley latched onto Nines.

"Your physiology is incredible. I wanna improve it."

"Ah…?" Nines shot me a nervous look.

I rubbed my chin. "Leona?"

She smiled. "I'll oversee any plans or operations along with Tess. I'm sure you'll have the proposal written by the time I've finished compiling my report?"

Riley sketched a salute. "Right! Now, I'll be taking my patient back with me to give a proper diagnostic."

Nightingale snapped her glove.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but no," I said, staring down the Berserker.

She blinked. "I was merely going to assist the doctor."

I scowled. "Fou, go with them. If they try anything funny, stop them."

Fou stared up at me.

"I'm baking tomorrow."

"WELL SLAP MY TAIL AND CALL ME THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH!" Fou yowled, dashing through the Worldgate.

That began the grand exodus back to Earth-Bet as Tess charted the next destination. Riley, Nightingale, and Da Vinci went first.

As Sora began to queue up, I winced.

Truth is quite dangerous. If not treated carefully, it may well sink its fangs into you.

"Sora? Can I borrow you for a bit?" I asked.

Taylor's eyes snapped up to me, frowning.

"Achilles too, actually. You guys can keep going." I fiddled with my parasol's handle, running my thumb over the gems.

Sora and Achilles looked at each other, then at me.

I turned and lead the way back towards the quarters. From the sound of footsteps, they followed.

"Just so you're aware, Taylor is monitoring you and piping through any conversation," Tess murmured in my earbud.

I exhaled. "Thanks, Tess. I wanted to tell Sora alone first, though this is intel I'll need to share with everyone else sooner than later. It's… personal for him."

"Tess said something?" Sora asked, worried.

"We're being spied on by our friends," I explained. I took a seat on a bed. "You're going to want to sit for this."

Sora sat, and began fiddling with his necklace - a small crown-shaped charm on a chain. Achilles sat next to him, narrowing his eyes at me.

"So… given that it was in the middle of a live situation, I compartmentalized some information that you have a right to." I tapped my parasol on the floor. "It's distressing, but pertinent. Particularly to Sora."

"And I am here because…?" Achilles asked. His tone implied there was a right and wrong answer.

"Emotional support." I closed my eyes. "I saw Alice's kidnapper."

"You know who did it? But why lie?" Hurt colored Sora's tone.

"Because I needed us focused. Trickmaster threatened the integrity of Wonderland, such as it was, and we needed to put it down first." I bowed my head, and took my hat off. "You recall how I said I was aware of an alternate timeline?"

Sora nodded.

"In that timeline, as in this one, Riku was the one who abducted Alice. He used a Dark Corridor to escape."

Sora took a sharp breath.

"Shit," Achilles swore. "No wonder you wanted to wait." His eyes burned.

I opened my eyes a little. "Yes."

"Why?" Sora whispered. "Was he saving her?"

I grimaced. "...he threatened her to get me to let them go. Swordpoint, live steel. She fainted, and I… he said some things that made me pause long enough for him to run."

"What?" Sora asked, voice hardening. "What did he say?"

"He said 'she' told him that I was the cause of Achilles and Medea entering your life. That I was at fault for you changing, and that he'd never forgive me for it." Why lie? I shut my eyes again.

Sora made a choking sound. "That's-!"

"There's more. Unless I'm wrong… he's the one who opened the door on the Destiny Islands to cast himself into the Worlds at large."

The room was silent.

"That fucking-!" Achilles snarled, standing up.

"Achilles!" Sora's tone was pleading.

"You told me, Sora! He said it himself, that he wasn't afraid of the darkness!" Achilles was shouting, now. "If this guy agrees, then it must be true! He's the reason all those people are gone, why Kairi's body and Medea are out there, why your mother-!"

"I know!" Sora screamed.

Achilles quieted as Sora breathed heavily.

I gripped Ideal tightly. "So. That's what I wanted to tell you," I said woodenly. "He's working with Maleficent, a witch, to collect Princesses of Heart. He has no personal stake, but Maleficent is offering to help him find and wake Kairi, so he's holding up his end of the deal."

Sora visibly swallowed, eyes screwed shut. A pale hand appeared and began rubbing the back of his neck. It was the same one as during the fight.

Slowly, light illuminated a figure with red hair and blue eyes. She wore a white-and-purple dress. I couldn't hear her, but I saw her lips move.

"What's she saying?" I asked.

Kairi jolted and stared at me, mouth open.

Then she vanished.

"She was telling me it's not my fault. Then you surprised her." Sora sniffled. "But why? I told him. Mom's friends had a ship, and she was going to charm our raft so we could explore. Then we could fly with them. We were ready for an adventure. Not this. Never this."

I got up and moved next to Sora as Achilles dropped back into his seat. I exchanged a look with the warrior as I put an arm around Sora's shoulders. He didn't hesitate to mirror my movement, folding Sora between us.

"Riku… he's the one you and Kairi relied on, yes? He needs to be needed. You started growing up. So did Kairi. If you still needed him, it wasn't in ways he was used to, or could see." I felt myself smile ruefully. "I can understand the feeling, really. I… have an unfortunate habit of running from my demons to slay other people's."

"Still, what he did…" Achilles muttered.

"Do you think that robe guy has something to do with it?" Sora asked.

...that was a valid question.

"It's possible. His name is Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. Or it's what he stole. His true name is Xehanort, and he's an incorporeal Heartless of the man of that name." I paused. "He cast his body away to gain the power of time travel to enact his schemes. He can possess a willing vessel."

Sora's head snapped up. "Riku."

"I'm a threat to Ansem," I continued. "If something exists that can threaten him as he is, I can make it. So it's in his interest to make Riku believe I'm a threat to him too, to make him believe he needs the power of darkness - Ansem's power. This is theory, however. In the original timeline, he was strictly an observer. Maleficent was the primary corruptor."

"But Riku became his vessel nonetheless," Achilles finished grimly.

Sora curled up and let out a shuddering breath.

The door opened with a hiss, and a mass of people poured in.

Emil and Nines slung themselves over Sora's back, wrapping their arms around him. Taylor stalked around the bed and knelt in front of Sora, taking his hands in hers. Aqua got on the bed behind the boys and gently stroked Sora's hair.

Cu and Tamamo stood in the nearby corner, keeping watch. Joan stayed in the doorframe, arms crossed and glaring downwards.

"We'll fix it." Taylor's voice didn't permit uncertainty. "When we see Riku, we'll make him see sense."

"We'll see him, right?" Emil asked, worried.

"I…" I trailed off, sliding my hand into my pocket.

Aqua shot me a questioning look.

"We'll be circling around. If memory serves, there's a Jungle World, then an iteration of Olympus. A coliseum. After, we return to Traverse Town. In the original timeline, he showed himself there." I sighed. "I don't know if he will, acting as he is."

"Then we'll consider it a 'maybe'," Achilles said softly as he rested his cheek on Sora's head. "Let's not borrow trouble until it arrives."

I clenched my fist around the Cheshire Cat's summon stone. "We'll save him. No matter how deeply he falls, there's always a chance."

"Whether he likes it or not," Nines muttered darkly.

"Oh, we'll drag him kicking and screaming if need be," Tamamo chimed in with vicious cheer. Joan chuckled evilly, a grin splitting her face.

"What we mean to say is, Sora, that we're here for you." Aqua smiled gently. "And we have no intention of letting Riku fall through the cracks."

"Right." Taylor's eyes blazed. "If Mattias' theory is right, then he was addicted to darkness by Ansem. How much agency he has in his own actions is questionable. Whatever the answer is, we'll get him back."

"And if he's a jerk, we'll make him set things right and apologize until his lungs give out," Nines added in a grim tone.

"But only if he meant to do it!" Emil said hurriedly.

"This won't end in tears, kid," Cu said, finally speaking up. "You'll get your friends back."

"And that's a promise from legends," Achilles murmured, gently headbutting Sora.

Joan sighed. "Fine, fine. I guess I won't torch the punk if I get the opportunity," she said with exaggerated irritation.

I smiled at Cu, and he smiled back as Sora leaned into my shoulder, Achilles and the boys following.

Taylor gave a brief huff of laughter, and shook her head.

"So what was this I heard about baking?" Aqua asked.

I grinned.

"I call dibs." Taylor wore a look of utter seriousness.

"...cookies sound nice," Sora said quietly.

"You like cinnamon?"

Sora gave a weary smile up at me.

"That's a yes, I think."
____________________________________________________________________________

The sky above was a curtain of black velvet, with no stars or moon. Clouds occasionally flickered violet with forked lightning within. Thorned, grey vines ringed the clearing, an unmarked stone dias in the center.

Ansem exited the Corridor, drifting towards the structure. Slowly, his robes fluttered in an ethereal wind. He reached the dias, and a sleeve reached out to touch it. There was a flash of darkness as shadows tinged red enveloped his 'body'. When his sight cleared, he entered the Chamber of Gathering.

Eleven seats ringed the black stone chamber at equal heights. Where the twelfth would sit was a staircase of darkly gleaming obsidian, too jagged for human feet to safely climb. Shadows swirled at the top, with the odd comet of red streaking across the clouds of pitch.

"Ooooh! If it isn't Potato-Sack, Seeker of Kiddies!"

Ansem turned to see the blonde man. His skin was stark white, and he wore garish purple lipstick. His mad green eyes glinted in the low light, a hovering will-o-wisp illuminating his red-yellow ensemble.

"Now Kefka, be kind. After all, I'm sure he has his reasons for grooming the boy. To use his body." A feminine giggle echoed as a woman stepped out of thin air. She had hair to her ankles, with twin skull patterns near the end of the curtain. Her outfit was striped and frilled, and she carried a lace parasol. A ribbon adorned her head. "Oh, who am I kidding? It's too easy to mock. Say what you will about Gilles, but he never tried to hide his depravity behind pretense."

"Enough." A man in a black, hooded overcoat sat in one of the seats. He lowered his hood, revealing a brown-skinned man with orange eyes and long, spiked silver hair. "The usage of a vessel is necessary for the Seeker of Darkness to physically manifest. His plan is the nearest to completion, so such mockery is pointless."

"Ahh, so he merely seeks to spiritually violate the child, not physically. That makes it so much better."

Ansem stood from his slouch, and the other three froze.

The man stepped down the obsidian stairs, shadows leaking from his boots. He wore a long, furred military coat. Gold pauldrons adorned his shoulders, and he staggered along as though bearing a massive weight on his shoulders. When he reached the light, his yellow eyes peered dully at them. He ran a white-gloved hand through his dark hair, smoothing a streak of white.

"Oh, don't mind me. I was just discussing strategy with our dear 'leader'," he said with a wry smirk. "I'm sure that you two indulging what passes for 'humor' at the expense of a glorified predator twice over is a much more constructive use of your time. I'll just await the hilarity to end, enjoying those silly things called 'standards'."

A light tapping came from behind him. Slowly the shadows parted to reveal a woman descending behind the man. She had long, pale hair. Her voluptuous body was covered in golden ornamentation that left her limbs bare as they resembled molten galaxies. Horns of the same material adorned her head. "We have gathered, Ansem. What news?"

Ansem finally spoke. "There is much to discuss." His hood looked up the stairs. "Will he join us?"

"I shall observe."

The black wind billowed around the Chamber.

"That's probably a no," Kefka drawled, slouching in his seat.

The scantily clad woman sat at the foot of the stairs, while the man in the coat took the seat to the immediate right of them. The woman with the parasol fluttered into the chair next to Kefka.

Ansem gestured, and a pedestal emerged from the center of the chamber floor. He approached it, and touched the ends of his sleeves to the edge.

The air above it flickered like static.

"Oooh, a show! Is it subbed or dubbed?" Kefka leaned towards the woman next to him. "Well, Frannie?"

"Hm, I'd say dub. After all, everything with Ansem is dubious." She paused. "No, that one was bad. Ignore it."

Kefka blew a raspberry. "Can't all be winners, Francesca. Better luck next time."

"If the peanut gallery would silence themselves?" The yellow-eyed man sighed. "I am quickly losing interest, Ansem. Make this worth my time."

"The children I encountered on the Destiny Islands have begun their journeys," the cloaked Heartless rumbled. "The one I have chosen to be my vessel took the bait the witch set. He is focused on his exceptionalism and found a figure to resent."

The image of Riku drawing into the dark with Alice flickered over the pedestal.

"Ooh. He can use a Corridor and a fancy sword. Impressive." Francesca stuck her tongue out. "Blehhh. He's a bore. Next!"

"The prodigy's magic continues to unfurl neatly. He unleashed a NulFire capable of halting an inferno," Ansem said as Sora's image appeared. "He is also capable of loosing Tornado."

"...those eyes look familiar." Kefka narrowed his own. "That's some talent for a snot-nosed brat to be slinging around."

"He also has the Keyblade."

The horned woman sat up. "So it's resurfaced."

"More than that. Aqua has returned from the Realm of Darkness." Her visage appeared with Joan's.

Francesca hissed. "How!? I saw her fall myself! Hell, when Old Man Walnut hijacked Studly Do-Right's body, I was there at the last fight against her and the Vulpes Foreteller! Lost a perfectly good body to her, too…" she finished with a grumble. She squinted. "Is that the Dragon Witch?"

"The rest of the group is a ragtag ensemble." Ansem waved a sleeve.

Nines' and Emil's images appeared.

"Ah, that world. Have we approached the warrior?" the silver-haired man asked.

"No, Xemnas," the horned woman replied. "It is… a lower priority. Our first resort is the Door to Darkness, the second is your Organization."

"We're gonna need that Keyblade War, mark my words," Kefka said, shaking a finger. "The Door's always been a long shot with how far the target is from it, and making a fake won't have the same 'oomph'."

"Regardless." The woman's eyes flashed red.

Kefka sullenly fell quiet.

Taylor and Tamamo appeared.

"She carries a level of power at least equal to Mara, if different in scope," Ansem announced. "The Fox also contains great strength."

"That's Beast Six, or part of her at any rate," Mara said as she leaned her arms on her knees. "Her Master has some level of power… she has the bearing of a Sorcerer."

The yellow-eyed man's eyes narrowed. "The reality-benders from your homeworld?"

"Just so. Call it a hunch."

Cu and Achilles' images appeared. "Mighty warriors. Certainly enough to pose a threat to Kefka, Francesca, or Xemnas."

"Not you?" Xemnas asked emotionlessly.

"I am incorporeal for now, so am safe," Ansem answered. "However, my greatest concern is this."

Mattias' outburst and transformation played out, along with his manhandling of Trickmaster.

The yellow-eyed man stood tall. "THAT is creation magic!" he shouted, light entering his eyes for the first time. "That is no mere conjuration! He breathed life into those vines, and structured them from raw chaos! The flood is more of the same!"

"The First True Magic."

The gathered looked up the stairs as two pinpricks of red flickered high above.

Nothing more was said.

"As I was saying," the man continued with wide gestures, "that is a level of raw power any Ascian would have taken a millenium to attain!" His eyes flickered, moving back and forth. "And moreover…" He trailed off, sitting down as his eyes closed.

"I see why you brought this to us." Xemnas inclined his head and crossed his arms. "His transformation in particular…"

"Hmph."

"Emet-Selch?" Ansem asked.

The yellow-eyed man leaned back and set his cheek on his fist. "Remind me to show you my own grand combat form sometime. I've no idea what you think it is."

"He is not Ascian," Xemnas stated firmly.

"Thus I have presented all observations," Ansem interrupted. "And now we deliberate."

"Ugh, what's to talk about? The Master of Masters is on the move, that traitor, and his little apprentices. The kid who you're not trying to get inside looks like they'll be a handy member of our merry band if Miss Honor Student doesn't get in his head." Francesca wiggled her fingers daintily.

"There are multiple Servants in play. I spotted Leonardo Da Vinci and Nightingale in play, alongside Jeanne D'Arc Alter, Achilles, Cu Chulainn, and Tamamo-no-Mae." Mara stood up. "The game has changed."

"Your game, perhaps. My Organization now numbers twelve, including Francesca," Xemnas said as he stood. "I have no further business here." He vanished into a Dark Corridor.

"Hm. Spikes is interesting, and both Resting Witch-Face and the angry godling seem like fun. Buuut I'm still resting off the kick back to the present fox-girl gave me, so I'll bow out for now." Kefka grinned as he vanished in a swirl of shadows.

Francesca folded her hands. "Hm. Hmmm. Two Sorcerers on our doorstep, with at least four Servants. Add in two Keyblades, and I am fairly sure that was Cath Palug at the end. Not great. But, we've got raw power, cunning, and an active plan on our side." She smiled. "We'll see how this plays out." The illusionist flickered out of sight.

Ansem didn't deign to speak, and merely faded away.

Mara looked to Emet-Selch. "And your thoughts?"

"Whatever the man is, he's inexperienced with the full range of his power. With the slightest training he could be a boon to us." The Ascian folded his hands as he leaned back, eyes lowered. "Mara, the things I've seen just from what Ansem has shown…"

The Beast tilted her head. "Meaning?"

"He has a complete soul."

"Those of us from afar do, yes," Mara acknowledged, inclining her head.

"Yes, but his is… moreso, somehow. That aside, he is also strengthening the souls of those around him. Every passing second he spent in Wonderland solidified it, making it… more. Closer to what the World was." Emet-Selch reached his hands out. "Imagine him at our side. He could single-handedly kickstart the rejoining. Or… or."

"Be a threat?" Mara's tone was pointed.

"Possibly, but that depends on our approach." He waved a hand dismissively. "If his power is as unbound as I think it is, he may well be able to germinate an entirely new World. One which my people can repopulate, with bodies crafted wholesale. I have never seen such pure Creation, divorced from light or darkness."

"I think you're putting too much stock in your shiny new toy." Mara stood and began to ascend the stairs. "Don't you agree?"

There was silence as she climbed into shadow.

Emet-Selch stood, and stepped forward. "Perhaps she's right. I may well be attempting to put my eggs into a basket I've yet to check the bottom of. Hm." He continued, then smiled slightly. "An interview is in order, it seems. Let's see if he's amenable to a little chat." His eyes narrowed. "That world will do, yes. And sneaking in would be child's play. All that would remain is separating him from the herd."

The Ascian waved in a lackadaisical manner as he sauntered into a portal.

"If all goes well, we'll have yet another path open to us. More options are always welcome."

It shut.

Red glinted in the shadows.

"...however did that power enter his hands? This bears investigation."
____________________________________________________________________________

I closed the door behind me, shaking my head. Da Vinci had been… thorough. I wouldn't know for certain until I tried tanking a spell back in the Worlds, but she hadn't failed me yet - my resistance had been upgraded.

Our room was an open field, the smells of spring filling the air. And smoke.

I looked around, and saw Cu standing in front of a grill.

He's cooking. That's good, it means he's not looking for an argument.

"I'm back," I called as I wandered in, dismissing my shoes and changing my outfit to jeans and a loose shirt with a ripple of air.

"I heard," Cu said distractedly. He had already changed into a form-fitting white t-shirt and pants.

I walked up behind him and dropped my chin on his shoulder. "Steak, huh? What's the occasion?"

His lips quirked. "Nothing too special. We'll be around for a few days this time. Tess found a safer route, though a bit longer."

"Yeah… risking the Border isn't a good idea," I agreed, reaching a hand up and playing with his ponytail.

"Mm-hm."

I sighed. "So… you wanted to talk?"

"We can talk now, during dinner, or after." Cu's voice was even.

Still good signs. I thanked every star that he wasn't the sort to hide his feelings.

"Now's best. I've been, uh, nervous." I lifted my chin off of him and stood back a step.

Cu paused. "Crap. I didn't mean to make you anxious, sorry." I heard the wince in his voice as he watched the meat.

"It's not you, I've been a mess."

"Which is what I wanted to talk about," Cu said sternly. "Things shouldn't have gotten to where they were in Wonderland. I know you, and your usual go-to with authority figures is a soft power move. Open moves like that aren't your style."

"Soft power?" I asked, bewildered.

"You're at your best when you have a system to play off of. Here, it was the Guild and then the PRT once you'd established yourself. Infrastructure, even a crumbling one, is something you can play to."

I stepped around the grill so I could look him in the eye. "Go on."

"You don't have the ability to deploy teams to tackle multiple problems, and there's no organization you can shelter under while you grow your own base. It might not have been intentional, but it's what you did here." Cu looked up at me. "I love you, and there's no good way to say this. You're a little bit of a control freak."

I slumped. "...the topic may have come up more than once in therapy."

"Just because you prefer the velvet glove over the iron fist doesn't change that," Cu said firmly. "That said, none of your usual tactics will work here. If you can't adapt, you'll keep hurting yourself and hampering your efforts."

"Uh?" I frowned.

"You talk, make yourself important, or apply a solution to existing problems. Even if these Worlds are smaller than Earth-Bet, they lack the existing infrastructure and grey areas to move around in. I've watched your collection of old Disney movies."

"...yeah."

"Black and white morality is putting it mildly. These worlds correlate to children's stories, and a lot of them involve either princesses or underdogs. Not burned-out cops trying to salvage a dying world, or superpowered thieves with standards." Cu's gaze was pointed. "Not to mention you're way more emotional now than you were when we first met. It's not bad," he quickly assured me, "but you lack the distance you had then."

I shifted. "Yeah. It was… before I had my memories, I had a to-do list. The more time I spent with you and everyone, the more… real it felt. Even now, I have holes, especially where my past lives are concerned. And at the start, everything was kind of… muted. Like I was going along with a script." I felt my face heat up. "Things really turned around when we got together. Like, the kids had helped before, but that was when I really started to…"

"To?" Cu plated the steaks.

"It's like the world was under a filter, and the longer things went? The more colors came through. I don't know how else to explain it." I shrugged.

"So I brought light into your life, huh?" Cu joked.

"Set, you're one of the things that makes my life worth it, no matter how crap things get."

He froze and stared at me.

"Too honest?" I grinned sheepishly.

"You can't just say that to a man, Matt," he wheezed, shaking his head.

"Yessir." I took my plate from him, and we sat on the couch after it sprouted from the grass.

Minutes passed as we ate quietly.

Cu leaned back with a satisfied grunt. "Good?"

I nodded and turned to lay down on his lap.

He sighed. "What I was trying to get at was… I don't want you to be a warrior. Not like me, or even Arthur or Galahad. That'd change you in a way that I don't want to consider. But you need to take more direct action. You can't rely on us to extend your influence, this time."

"So go out and apply all that training you guys gave me, then?" I sighed. "I just… how much escalation is too much?"

"Depends. Use your best judgement and go to town on Heartless is all I can say." Cu dug his fingers into my hair and began kneading my scalp. "Also, as we're here for a few days…"

I grumbled. "Fine. She's no Jessica, but I'll talk to Katie about it."

Cu chuckled. "That's all I ask." He smirked. "By the way, I asked Medusa to pick up a present for you since we were out when it released."

I blinked. "Eh?"

"Just because." He reached down, and picked something up out of the coffee table that appeared. He handed me a case.

I felt my eyes widen. "This is the Castlevania reboot! The one they got IGA to do after the last one flopped!" I glanced sideways. "They never did that back where… you know. Too much pachinko."

Cu smirked. "So I did good?"

I put the disc case on the coffee table and dragged myself up to him, pressing my lips firmly over his.

"Whew." Cu grinned widely after I finally let him go. "I did good."

I sat up, but stayed close to him. "Sure did." I clicked my fingers, and the disc flew out of the case and into the sprouting entertainment center. "Now you get to be my pillow while I see how much of this I can rush before the morning."

Cu sighed. "I suppose."

"Or before I get bored and decide to start messing with you."

He grinned. "Hmm. I reserve the right to nudge that timeline along."

I snickered, then pressed my cheek to his shoulder. "I'd expect nothing less."

 

[Blinktwice13]

Interlude: Oliver

"So let me get this straight. You've got a cute girl and her heroic spirit studhorse BOTH thirsty for you, and this is a problem?"

Jess clapped Cody on his shoulder lightly. "Cody, no. Be nice."

Noelle sighed. "If you're not interested, then that's your prerogative, Oliver. Nobody has the right to coerce you into a relationship."

Oliver fiddled with his coffee mug, staring down. "That's… not the problem, exactly."

The Travelers had gathered in a coffeehouse in downtown Houston, sans Jackie. She was spending time in Brockton with some of the youngest members of the Guild.

"We're listening," Mars said gently. "Right, guys?"

Luke shrugged. "I mean, is it the guy? Because I can get that."

"No." Oliver's voice was low.

Francis shrugged as his eyes met Luke's.

"I just… it's new?" Oliver seemed to sink into his chair. "I don't know what I want."

"New?" Cody echoed with narrowed eyes.

"You do remember what I used to look like, right?" A slight bite entered Oliver's tone. "And after, I mostly stuck with Noelle. Most of what I did after everything," he waved a hand around them, "was talking down civilians and being pretty enough to catch attention."

Oliver had not been an imposing or handsome man. He had looked like the mostly-grown version of That One Kid who was overweight with an unfortunate haircut. His power had changed that, and though he looked different… he didn't really feel much different. He could gain skills at an accelerated rate, both physically and mentally, but his mindset hadn't let him see a lot of time in the field.

Developing a level of diplomatic skill was useful in that he could defuse situations, but he lacked the confidence to utilize it in his daily life.

"Ohhh. Yeah, your dating life was pretty shit," Cody agreed.

"Cody!"

"Dude."

Francis gave Oliver a sympathetic look as the rest rounded on Cody. "You talked about this with Dr. Thorne?"

"Yeah, I have. Not the situation, but." Oliver stared at his hands. "So yeah. Didn't have a reason to expect anything, so this is a lot to parse."

"You should tell them," Noelle said, abandoning Cody to Mars and Jess' tender mercies. "I mean, you haven't been back for a few days, right? And someone needs to go to get Jackie."

"And if you're not feeling it, shortstack can shiv them if they get too pushy," Cody pointed out.

"We've been trying to break her of that." Francis glared at Cody.

"I don't think it'll devolve to that point," Oliver said, drawing on his diplomatic 'training'. "If nothing else, I can talk them out of it. Maybe." He scratched his neck. "I need to talk to Da Vinci anyways for more reading," he admitted.

"I don't see most of your work, so I forget you're doing a correspondence course sometimes," Noelle admitted. "How's it going?"

Oliver smiled, perking up a little. "I've made strides. My power recognizes magecraft as a 'skill', so I've been improving in the technical arena nicely. My circuits aren't bad, but they're nothing I'd pit against one of the Casters, I guess. Formalcraft helps round it out."

"Whatsit?" Jess squinted.

"Oh, formalcraft is magecraft, but adjusted to use external power rather than internal. It's a bit more complex than that, and looked down on in magus society on Earth-Magic, but I find it useful." Oliver's tone increased in confidence as he spoke. "I've managed a few Mystic Codes that run on it."

"...you've been at this for a couple months." Francis looked impressed.

"Yeah, I'm kind of proud of that." Oliver sat up, his smile growing. "It's not easy, but it's something I chose to do."

Cody smirked. "Know what I think?"

Everyone looked at him.

"I think this is something you'll have to choose whether you want it or not. So maybe you should spend some time in Brockton to find out what you need to know what you need to make the choice."

Oliver glanced downwards. "You think so?"

"He's got a point," Luke agreed reluctantly. "I'd feel better if one of us tagged along to watch your back."

"We're Guild, and they're guests." Jess crossed her legs. "I don't see a lot of people falling on their side if things get bad."

"Didn't she work with all the Spirits beforehand?" Mars asked. "So-"

"If she managed to work with all of them, maybe she's like Grail?" Noelle offered. "We could be making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Grail knows her," Oliver said.

Everyone turned back to him.

"Maybe I could ask him about what he thinks?"

Francis exhaled and pulled out his phone. After checking it, he looked up. "Well, they got in last night for a few days, so now's your chance. Though apparently that chick who rode herd on Lung is along too, so mind that."

Oliver stood. "I'm going to Brockton." He straightened his shoulders.

"Orrr you could stick around here and leave it alone." Cody held his hands up. "It's an option."

"I want to do something besides be passive or run," Oliver admitted. "And… it's not like I'm entirely uninterested. I just don't know."

"Well, here's hoping they're not assholes about it," Cody drawled.

Jess clapped the back of his head.

"We've got your back if you need us, Olly." Noelle smiled gently.

Luke flashed a thumbs up as Mars nodded and Francis laid an arm around Noelle. Cody rubbed the back of his head with a smirk as Jess huffed.

"Thanks guys."
____________________________________________________________________________

Oliver hadn't been in the Island Manor before. It had been there since shortly after the fight with Echidna-Tiamat, but there'd never been a real reason to go - his time in Brockton was spent at Ozymandias' Temple Complex or Castle Einzbern.

Honestly, he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting.

"Gangway!" Tamamo cackled as she surfed a force-field down the hall, Nero in hot pursuit. Oliver pressed himself to the wall as Alice - Narwhal - flew past, nodding and smiling in acknowledgement.

"Looking for someone?"

Oliver did not jump out of his skin.

Taylor Hebert was a terrifying person. Unfailingly kind to those who didn't draw her ire, quiet, and kept to herself. But terrifying. The battle with Khepri the Travelers had gotten drawn into was proof enough of that.

"Ah. Is Grail here?" He shifted. "I wanted to talk to him about something."

"Not Ritsuka or Fergus?" Taylor wasn't particularly expressive, but her eyes glinted with supernatural light. "What they did wasn't exactly appropriate, if outwardly harmless. If someone needs to talk to them…"

"No, that's not necessary. People have done worse for a laugh," Oliver quickly replied. "Like you said, it's harmless."

"Outwardly. A lot of things look less harmful than they are."

Oliver scrutinized Taylor.

She stared back, unblinking.

He relaxed, and shook his head. "I didn't mind it." He coughed. "But, um. I wanted to talk to Grail about them. I don't know them very well, and… I'm trying to think of an answer. So-"

"Getting information so you're not making the decision blind," Taylor replied in an approving tone. "He's in the kitchen with Shirou, baking. Just so you're forewarned, Fou is in there as well. Expect a ration of shit if he's feeling feisty. One or two of the boys might be in there as well."

"The boys?" Oliver asked.

"Sora, Emil, or Nines. Aqua's the other new face, but she's currently in her session with Katie." Taylor leaned against the wall, and crossed her arms. "You'll remember Joan, though thankfully she's less… less. And Achilles is new, but I'm sure he's reconnecting with old friends while he has a breather." She paused. "Though he could also be around Sora. He's pretty protective of him."

"That's good, isn't it?" Oliver asked.

"Mm. There's definitely a sort of older-brother or paternal bond there." Taylor shrugged.

Oliver nodded in understanding. "Alright. I guess I'll…?"

"Just walk. You'll get where you're going." Taylor smiled slightly.

"Thanks, Taylor." Oliver smiled back as he started off.

"Tell them to save me a few cookies!" she called after him.

Oliver waved in acknowledgement.
____________________________________________________________________________

"I AM NOT A CLEANING RAG!"

Fou flailed his legs as Grail happily used him to wipe up some sort of spill. "You smacked it over, now pay the price!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAA"

Shirou leaned against the sink with a carefully blank look, washing an empty bowl. His eyes met Oliver's, and his lips quirked in a slight smile.

"He's gonna get cinnamon sugar in his fur," a short, brown-haired boy pointed out.

Grail glanced up and grinned. "Oliver! I don't think you've been here before, but come in!" He sounded fairly jovial.

"RELEASE THE BEAST! RELEASE THE BEAST!" Fou screamed in his squeaky voice.

"Nope," Grail denied cheerfully.

"Oliver?" The boy looked up at him. "Oh, hey! I'm Sora, nice to meet you!" he said cheerfully.

Oliver couldn't help the smile. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm something of a student of Da Vinci's."

"Mm, I remember something of that nature. If you're looking for her, she's at Castle Einzbern," Grail said. "But she's busy I think… Flat or someone blew up a lab. So you might as well hang out with us for a bit!"

Fou went limp, and Grail lifted him up and clicked the fingers on his free hand. Whatever dirt had accrued on his body vanished as Grail flipped him on his back and scooped him into a single-arm hold.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you." Oliver approached the counter and leaned on it.

Grail's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Not sure what for, but if I can help, I'm glad."

Sora tilted his head. "Don't you guys know each other?"

"Nnnot well," Grail admitted. "There's people I spend more time with than others, and Oliver and I don't really run in the same circles."

"It's true." Oliver nodded.

"Is it Ritsuka and Fergus?" Shirou asked, finally speaking up.

Oliver glanced down as Grail frowned.

"Are they bothering you? They tend to mean well, but if I recall…" Grail trailed off. "Hrm. I honestly haven't kept up with them since everything started. But they're inherently good, so if you tell them to back up, they will."

"Fergus carried him around for a bit and he and Ritsuka both hit on him pretty aggressively," Shirou chimed in.

"How big is Fergus? Oliver's not super small." Sora crossed his arms and squinted.

"He's a hair shorter than Achilles, and a big lighter." Grail rubbed his chin. "Honestly, his muscles seem more obvious, but that's because he doesn't. Uh."

"Let's say he takes 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' as a challenge rather than etiquette," Shirou remarked dryly.

Oliver cleared his throat. "Anyways. I just wanted your take on the situation, since you're the person I know best who'd know them."

"...we barely know each other." Grail pointed out. "And I'm sure Da Vinci or Roman know Ritsuka better, and Cu would be the same for Fergus."

"Da Vinci is busy most of the time, and I don't talk to Roman much," Oliver demurred.

"So why not Cu?" Sora asked. "He seems friendly enough."

"Look," Oliver said, "if you can't help me-"

"Not what I'm saying." Grail leaned on the counter, and Fou's ears twitched in the one-arm carry. "I'm just trying to understand - why me?"

"Because you also had an overly-amorous Irishman after you for the better part of a month before caving?" Shirou's expression was unimpressed.

He flushed. "Th-that's! That's entirely different!"

"Mm-hm."

Oliver shrugged. "That's part of it. Also he seems to know everyone, regardless of how much time he's spent with them."

Fou sneezed. "I god sugar in by doze."

"How? I cleaned you off!" Grail scowled in consternation before clicking his fingers over the fluffball.

"Better."

Grail looked back up. "Well, what is it you want with them, precisely? That'll help me figure out what details are relevant."

"I don't know."

Shirou snorted "Of course."

"Hush, you. Your Nanashi's showing."

Shirou took the drying towel off of his shoulder and snapped it across Grail's lower back.

"Hey!"

Sora snickered into his fist. "So… they flirted with you. Are you interested?" He tilted his head. "I don't remember any families back home with more than two people together romantically, but I guess it's possible…"

Oliver blushed a little. "I guess I'm trying to figure out if I want to find out. If that makes sense."

Grail shot Shirou a dour look before turning back to Oliver. "That works. So…" He idly scratched Fou's belly as the little Beast gave a satisfied rumble. "Right. First, Sora. There's more than one polyamorous group here, so it's not common, exactly, but it does happen. It's also incredibly complicated, so would not recommend unless everyone's on board and really good at communication."

"Okay." Sora shrugged.

Grail's attention turned back to Oliver. "So. Which one first? I assume Mash had no part in it, and I deeply doubt Joan did. Or Sherlock."

"No, Sherlock seemed exasperated, and I haven't met Joan. Mash didn't seem upset, but I don't think she's interested in me," Oliver explained. "Um. Ritsuka, I guess?"

Grail's nails scratched into Fou's belly fur. "Right, Ritsuka Fujimaru. Last Master of Chaldea, survivor of at least two Grand Orders that I recall, and someone who managed to wrangle Heroic Spirits of all types and temperaments. Her personality is… well, she's easy to get on with, and brings different aspects to different situations. She's in control, but not controlling. It seems like she's decided to indulge in being more chaotic these days, with a side of heavy flirtation. I'd say she's a bit overly sex-positive, honestly, but it seems harmless enough. That said, she is also capable of emotional vulnerability, and has a talent to connect with the hearts of others on a fundamental level, even those who others would consider impossibly difficult."

"Yes, that's correct!"

Oliver jolted as golden motes coalesced into the form of a tall woman with blonde hair and a towering headpiece.

"Oh, Quetz." Grail was supremely unsurprised. "What's up?"

"Nothing, nothing! I just overheard you talking about my old Master, and I thought I'd eavesdrop." She gave a bright smile. "You know her very well. It's almost like you were right there with us!"

"Ehe." Grail scratched the back of his head as Fou rolled out of his arms.

"And Fergus?" Oliver prompted, not wanting to let the conversation derail further.

Grail's eyes darted towards Sora. "Uh."

"Oh! Well, to all the younger heroes, Fergus was like a reliable uncle! Much like how Cu is a reliable big brother," Quetzalcoatl explained, stretching her arms overhead. "Everyone who even looked younger was well looked-after."

"And then we had everyone else…" Grail muttered.

"Well, yes," Quetzalcoatl said with a shrug, dropping her arms. "Fergus has a deep weakness for women."

Oliver wrinkled his nose. "I don't think that I…?" He reached towards his head, with his close-shorn hair.

"Fergus is bisexual. He has a preference for women, but trust and believe, if a man is supernatural levels of attractive? He's going to try to 'get along' with them too." Grail spoke in a tired voice.

"Get along?" Sora echoed, confused.

"...please tell me I don't need to give you the talk," Grail begged.

"Talk?"

Shirou sighed. "About babies?"

Oliver felt a deep pity as Sora's brows drew together.

Quetzalcoatl perked up. "Let me get the diagrams~!"

"I know what sex is," Sora said flatly. "Mom gave me a book, there was a class in school, I know. I'm not eight."

Huh.

"So, yes, Fergus is, kind of, well, er, he gets, that is," Grail babbled, face scarlet.

"He's a slut."

Grail tipped over backwards, stiff as a board, as Fou sat smugly on the counter. There was a heavy thud as he hit the floor.

"VENGEANCE IS MINE!" the Beast cackled, bouncing up and down in place.

Quetzalcoatl let out a bellowing laugh, clutching her stomach as Shirou hung his head over the sink.

Oliver gave Sora a helpless look as the teen sat with a hugely unimpressed frown. Turning his gaze back to Quetzalcoatl, he sighed. "Does he have any other… characteristics?"

She wheezed, picking herself up. "Ah, yes. He's something of a party animal, but is also very broad-minded and accepting. He's generous, possessed of great vigor, and something of a glutton. His legend says he knew neither fear nor envy, and what I've seen of him in Chaldea reflected that." The goddess smiled benignly. "You could do far worse."

"A word of caution to this tale," Grail croaked from the floor.

Everyone stared in his direction as he hauled himself back up over the kitchen counter.

"He's humane and sincere. He doesn't sweat details. And out of everyone he slept with, only Medb or his Divine Forest Spirit wife could satisfy him on their own. Otherwise, it took seven women in a night to cool him off."

Oliver's eyes widened. "Ah." He swallowed nervously.

Sora raised his eyebrows. "But mister, I'm only fourteen. Should I be hearing this sort of thing?" he asked in a falsetto.

Grail rounded on him with bared teeth. "Don't you even-!"

Sora and Quetzalcoatl broke down laughing as Fou cackled, and Shirou shook his head with a smirk.

Grail's pleading gaze fell on Oliver. "Why this? Why me?"

Oliver shrugged. "Not my problem. Still, thanks for the information."

"No cookies for any of you," the Endbringer hissed.
____________________________________________________________________________

In all actuality, the snickerdoodles were pretty good.

Fortified with knowledge and cookies, Oliver made his way towards… well, wherever Ritsuka might be. From what he'd learned, she'd be the easier one to talk to.

Grail had told him that Jackie was out on the town with Nursery Rhyme and Kenzie, chaperoned by Dinah and Semiramis. Given the circumstances, there wasn't a reason to hurry her home.

He'd also told Oliver that Ritsuka was currently out on a walk in the hills (and why Taylor had made Crater Lake Island an idyllic homage to old Ghibli films, Oliver had no desire to know). Naturally, Oliver decided to make his way outdoors towards the more wooded parts of the property.

The path wound along, and the quiet and solitude was soothing. Before long, the sunlight was interrupted by the shadow of branches overhead, and soft breezes wound around the foliage. For several minutes, Oliver just… walked. And thought.

He liked being around people because they distracted him from his thoughts, but he also enjoyed solitude when he was overwhelmed. At that point, he itched for a distraction from ruminating on the situation.

Did they like him only for his looks? Well, probably. It wasn't like there was much else to like. He was a doormat with a milquetoast personality and limited interests, and none of those would be considered interesting. Not to mention he was just finally starting to feel comfortable in his own body. After all, with his power constantly adjusting to add features he perceived as 'attractive', his self-image had suffered under a lack of 'self'. After his power had settled, he managed to alter his body closer to something resembling who he was, but not the original. He had no desire to look like that again.

Even if that person was still who he was on the inside. Even if it was all a sham.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Oliver jerked into awareness as Ritsuka caught his attention. "Ah. Sorry, I was just…" He looked away.

She hummed. "You know, you bolted so fast the other day I wasn't sure I'd see you again," she admitted bashfully. "I was in rare form, so I'm sorry. I get a little over-the-top to compensate for when I'm dealing with a lot."

Oliver looked back at her, blinking rapidly. "You were?"

"Well, I'd just seen the best parents that I never had for the first time in years, after all but burying them by proxy. And I'd been missing one of my partners for a while, and then got her back. So… it wasn't a bad day, just overwhelming." Ritsuka shrugged with a small smile.

"Oh. Well, it was a lot to deal with, but no harm done." Oliver fiddled with his hands. "I've started to get used to drawing attention, but that was the first time anyone had been so… openly aggressive, shall we say."

"Really?" Ritsuka's obvious surprise rattled Oliver's nerves.

"I used to look like a pear with a bowl-cut. I gained a power that let me accumulate features I identified as 'attractive'. It automatically molded my form with those perceptions."

"Huh." Ritsuka crossed her arms. "So your superpower is… being hot?"

"According to the records, it was half of what the Thinker was going to use to infiltrate humanity. By assuming a form we would appreciate, it would get past our guards and influence us." Oliver put his hands in his pockets. "The other power I got was the ability to rapidly master skills. Before, I didn't have time to make use of it. Compared to the rest of our powers, it wasn't anything immediately major."

Ritsuka stepped forward, dropping her arms. "Go on."

"Luke had the ability to launch anything with incredible force. Mars could summon suns, Jess could project monsters, Francis could control the field with transposition, and Cody could rewind time in a limited manner." Oliver gave a wry smile. "Noelle took the other half of my vial. She turned into a monster that assimilated others, and could produce warped clones from her body. Warped in body and mind, that is. Someone had to watch over her, make sure she didn't lose control. That was me. Once we got dragged into Grail's line of fire, she was healed and I wasn't needed for that anymore."

"I see." Ritsuka's eyes were piercing.

Oliver shrugged. "I was the tagalong. Never really fit as anything but a second string, be it as a teammate or a friend. It was easy to go with the flow, just do what people wanted. The first time I really focused on a skill, it was diplomacy so I could function as something useful since we were out of the Guild's reach. Even that was only useful for handling the public, since Eidolon took us under his wing."

"And now?"

Ritsuka sighed as Oliver jolted, looking around.

Fergus materialized, leaning against a tree and gazing at Oliver with half-lidded eyes.

Oliver did his best to relax. "Now I mostly look into learning magecraft. It's a skill like any other, so my power helps."

"Fergus," Ritsuka said with a meaningful nod.

The warrior smiled. "Sounds like you're starting to find your own way."

"Mostly I do the homework Leona sends me, and keep my experiments to a low scale. She's invited me up here more than once, and I've thought about it…" Oliver trailed off. "But I couldn't."

"Why not?" Fergus asked. "A man needs to stand on his own two feet. That's not to say he shouldn't rely on friends and family," he amended, "but he should search for his own purpose."

"Sometimes it comes to you, and sometimes you never find it. But looking for something that makes you happy and keeps you going is important." Ritsuka scratched the back of her head. "After the Orders, it was adventure for me. Wandering the Textures of the World and seeing everything I could, I even traversed the Kaleidoscope. It's how I got to this iteration of what you call 'Earth-Magic'."

Oliver exhaled. "I don't know. Magecraft is interesting, I guess. But I don't want to just abandon the guys without warning." He grimaced. "I'm also supposed to bring Jackie home."

Ritsuka stepped forward. "If you're not sure where to start looking, I'd be glad to help," she offered in a somber tone. "Call it… trying to make things even after embarrassing you."

"People have done way worse for a laugh," Oliver replied dismissively. "At least you meant well, kind of."

Fergus grunted. "Now I actually feel bad about it," he muttered.

Oliver shook his head. "That wasn't my intent."

"Well, if you say not to worry, I won't." Fergus grinned. "So, given any thought to a nice, deep-"

"Some," Oliver replied as he felt his face heat up.

Ritsuka perked up.

"My answer is… I don't know."

Fergus arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I don't know either of you, and I…" Oliver trailed off.

"Limited experience, got it," Ritsuka acknowledged. "Well, we can work on the first if you're willing." She smiled. "The other can come later, when you're comfortable."

Oliver looked at Fergus.

He shrugged. "I'm not the kind of man who'd coerce someone into bed. If you decide you want it, my door's open and sheets turned down. If not, another friend's always welcome."

"I see." Oliver considered his choices. "...maybe it's time I think about my own career."

"Meaning?" Fergus asked.

He smiled a little. "Leona thinks I have talent, and I do enjoy what I learn from her. It could be worth a shot to see what I can make of Magecraft."

"Sounds like a plan!" Ritsuka cheered with a grin. "I'll get you a meeting with her ASAP."

"So you're staying," Fergus extrapolated.

"I'll need to get Jackie home first, but… I think so." Oliver crossed his arms. "I just need to tell the Travelers."

"...yeah, you're on your own for that," Ritsuka said with a shrug.

Oliver coughed out a laugh. "Thanks."

"Would you rather tell the Travelers, or tell Joanie that you might end up dating me?" Ritsuka challenged.

"Take the Travellers," Fergus hissed. "I came this close to getting turned into charcoal, and Ritsuka made the first move!"

"I need to tell Mash, too…" Ritsuka tapped her chin in thought. "I wonder what those two are up to?"

Oliver laughed again. "Regardless, I'd better start getting things moving." He smiled. "It's not like I'll ever be more than a few minutes away from them anyway, given the Guild's transport system."

"Good point," Ritsuka acknowledged.

"I'll escort you!" Fergus boomed with a wide grin.

"What!?" Ritsuka stood up straight.

"Have fun with Joan and Mash!" he laughed as he wrapped an arm around Oliver and began marching him back towards the Manor.

"Wh- Fergus you traitor!"

"I don't fear death, or any man. But Joan? Some battles aren't worth it," Fergus whispered.

"I thought you didn't know fear?" Oliver asked with a wry smirk.

"I don't. That doesn't mean I embrace suicide."

Oliver's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter as Ritsuka started to yell loudly.

He missed the small, fond smile Fergus wore entirely.
____________________________________________________________________________

"So that's what happened."

Noelle smiled as she took Jackie into her arms, the little Assassin fast asleep. "So it sounds like you've got your answer."

Oliver shrugged. "Maybe. At least I'll be doing something besides sitting around and looking pretty." He paused. "Not to say-"

Noelle shook her head. "You don't get out nearly as much as the rest of us, even considering the lower crime rate. Studying Magecraft has made you noticeably happier, and I think you'll thrive at Castle Einzbern." She turned to take Jackie to her room. "Not to mention it sounds like Ritsuka and Fergus are interested in getting to know you past your looks. That's a good sign, isn't it?"

"Maybe." Oliver followed. "I don't know what they'll find, really. You know me."

"You never had a chance to grow," Noelle pointed out. "Either you followed our lead, or your mother ordered you around, or some other circumstance stifled you. This time, you're making your own choice."

"I guess I am." Oliver blinked as Noelle smiled at him once again.

"For what it's worth? I'm proud of you, Olly."

He ducked his head, blushing. "Thanks, Noelle."

"Now, I'm getting this little scamp to bed. You can tell everyone else tomorrow, and we'll help you pack and move in."

"I don't have much," Oliver protested.

Noelle shrugged. "That's fine. I'm sure Jess and Luke would love to join me in putting the fear of God into those two."

"You do know that the Dragon Witch is going to be involved in some capacity?" he warned.

Noelle gave him an unimpressed look. "And?" Her eyes shone a subtle gold.

Well.

Oliver really didn't have anything to say to that.
____________________________________________________________________________

"Uh." Oliver stared at the gathered Servants (plus Ritsuka) as he stood in the Manor's foyer.

Joan glowered, Ritsuka wrapped in her arms. Mash simply gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Listen prettyboy. Master's explained your deal, and I'm going to allow you the grace of having a trial run." Joan's glare intensified. "That said."

Ritsuka sighed. "Sorry about this."

"When I'm on shore leave? She's mine," the Alter hissed.

"Okay." Oliver shrugged. "I'll be busy with my training often enough, and it sounds like your journey's just kicking off. Besides, we're friends for now. I haven't decided on anything else."

Joan pointed at her eyes, then at Oliver.

"Don't worry so much," Fergus boomed, slinging an arm around Oliver. "I'll keep an eye on him!"

"And a hand. And a di-"

"Joan." Ritsuka finally spoke up to chastise her. "Don't scare him off before we even get a chance."

"Well, this will be interesting," Sherlock muttered as he took the scene in. He gave Oliver a scrutinizing look. "Hm. There's certainly an untapped potential there."

"I'll try not to disappoint you guys." Oliver stumbled as Fergus tightened his grip.

"Don't worry about it. Just do your best at whatever you choose."

Ritsuka gave an impish grin. "And now you get to work with Leona. Fun, fun!"

Joan snorted. "Shit, I might actually pity him."

"Really?" Mash asked, visibly surprised.

"Might."

Oliver frowned. "Why? Her homework isn't hard."

Ritsuka opened her mouth, closed it, then frowned.

"Superpowers," Fergus reminded her with a wide smile.

"Oh. Ohhhh." Ritsuka's eyes widened. "Wait, how long have you-?"

"A few months?"

Sherlock's eyes narrowed. "That might be enough time to garner some novice-level spells…"

"I made some mystic codes?"

The group was quiet.

"What kind?" Mash asked slowly.

Oliver thought, then felt his eyes widen. "Ah. Ritsuka has one."

Joan stared. "What?"

"Her bracelet?"

Ritsuka held up her wrist, revealing a thin silver bangle carved with esoteric text and set with staurolite. "This?"

Sherlock's eyes widened. "That?"

Fergus gave a great, booming laugh.

"I know it's not much," Oliver began.

"Oliver." Ritsuka cut him off. "This is a B-Ranked mana syphon."

"Meaning…?" Mash asked.

"Meaning it enables the user to utilize Formalcraft to craft high thaumaturgy, far beyond what their circuits could handle alone," Sherlock explained.

Joan gave Oliver a long look. "Huh. You might be worth keeping around after all."

Oliver stared at the bracelet. "I was just dabbling…"

"And yet you made a hybrid amplifier and specialized Code of incredible efficiency and rank."

The gathered turned to see Da Vinci approach with a wide smile and a savage glint in her eyes.

"The only reason I didn't kidnap you beforehand was due to Tess and Mattias laying down the law. This level of genius must be nurtured."

"It's just my power-" Oliver protested.

Da Vinci slashed her hand through the air. "That explains the craftmanship of the bangle itself, but the mystic element is utterly unconnected from your skill mastery. You're a natural born genius of crafting, and I won't see it wasted."

Ritsuka grinned brightly. "Go, Oliver!" she cheered.

Oliver stared, stupified.

Fergus jostled him playfully. "Looks like one way or another, you'll have plenty to keep you occupied!"

Sherlock folded his hands in front of him. "Hm. I'm curious about this power you mentioned…"

"Back off, detective! He's mine!" Da Vinci snarled, hovering over Oliver's other shoulder.

"Fergus! Rescue maneuvers!" Ritsuka ordered.

"Hup!"

Oliver found himself in a bridal carry, firmly in Fergus' grip as the man dashed off.

"Never a dull moment, eh!?" Fergus boomed with a wide smile as Da Vinci and Sherlock began to bicker.

He considered it as Mash and Ritsuka laughed, Joan's exasperated sigh somehow reaching his ears. Then he smiled up at Fergus.

"I could get used to it."
__________________________________________________________________________

A/N: And then people discovered Oliver had Uber's power, but gradual yet permanent. Honestly, with time to invest, he's got the ability to develop a varied skillset and get scary. As a note, the power helps him with the technical aspect of magecraft (enunciation, scribing, physical aspects) but is of no help with shaping energies. That's all Oliver, and exactly why Da Vinci is so intent on snapping him up to train. I won't be making him a major-major character, but he'll have his own fun with the remnants of Chaldea while Grail, Taylor, Sora and Co. are off doing Kingdom Hearts Things.

 

[Blinktwice13]

Jungle 4.1

"So it started with Sora climbing a tree, and showing Nines how to do it without jumping or acrobatics. Then it devolved into Taylor using her Magic to levitate people up into the damn thing, and the next thing we know? Everyone in the Guild under eighteen is in the tree. Somehow. Against all concepts of space, mass, and structure." Mattias shook his head in exasperated fondness. "I'm amazed Rachel went along with it, to be honest, but here we are."

Katie placed her notebook in her lap. "You don't seem unhappy about it."

"I needed a break," Grail admitted. "Baking with Shirou, spending time with Cu, and everything… the past few days were good."

"Mm. There's something I want to touch on that was mentioned before."

He frowned slightly. "Okay?"

"You said that earlier on, your emotions were more muted. Did you have similar problems with your last remembered life?"

Grail looked down. "I… don't think so?" He folded his hands in his lap. "I remember events, but it's… distant. Even after Scathach returned the first batch of memories, or after I reactivated the First, those memories feel… far. I remember intense feelings, but…"

"Far?" Katie made a note.

"Distant, I guess. I held onto the metaknowledge, and memories of my family. I barely remember my friends, though. Then there's my exes, but I prefer… not to."

"Understandable. From what I understand, the Moon Cell was a datascape. You were not physically there, but your soul was. To that end, your very soul was attacked and damaged by Archimedes." Katie wrote a little more. "What do you remember before the Moon Cell?"

"You mean my first death." Grail leaned back.

"It may hold answers, or may not. At the very least, knowing the person you were will help establish a baseline compared to you now." Katie reached up and toyed with her necklace for a moment in thought. "I have my own theories."

"Well… I kept to myself. A lot. I wasn't unfriendly, but I only took charge or was outgoing when I needed to be. I never avoided people, but I didn't reach out either." Grail frowned in concentration. "I was content, I guess. Getting sick sucked, though."

Katie paused her writing.

"There was a high chance of going into remission, but I had a bad reaction to treatment. It just… happened, overnight one time." He clenched his fists. "I never got to say goodbye," he admitted. "I closed my eyes alone in a hospital room, and woke up when some sort of program attacked me in the Moon Cell. Between I dreamed of Shiki, and that's how I got my Magic."

"You miss them."

"Of course I do," Grail whispered, shoulders slumping. "My mom, my dad, my sister. I had aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. They mattered."

Katie tapped her notebook. "I see."

"In the Moon Cell, I focused on survival until I summoned Da Vinci. Then I was able to relax, and I got curious. We explored, but I was hesitant. She's strong in her way, but I needed more strength. So I called Gilgamesh, and that…" He trailed off.

"In his own way, he gave you confidence," Katie noted.

"Apparently I had an ego in there somewhere, because he pushed hard enough and I started to snap. We really went at it sometimes, but… some kind of respect and care came of it. We're good now." Grail smiled fondly. "He's still an ass sometimes, but he's mine - you know?"

Katie smiled slightly. "I can see that. How would you describe your mindset upon reaching Earth Bet?"

"Um. I remember wanting to help people I'd remembered. To share my knowledge, and in some cases look out for them. Though I admit, just dumping it on their heads gave me some funny reactions." Grail snickered, before turning somber. "But it still felt… hollow. The more time went on and the more I interacted with others, the less I felt that way. I guess I can blame Cu for that." He smiled. "He dragged me out of the warehouse, and that's how I met Lisa. But most importantly, it forced me to engage with people outside of 'hero business', and…"

Katie nodded. "I see."

Grail sighed. "So… does any of this help what you were thinking?"

She leaned back. "Some. You seem to have an inclination to mirror those close to you in some regards. That isn't to say you lack a sense of self, but more that you incorporate aspects of others into your own behavior and thought pattern. I thought there may be an issue, but there isn't in that regard. Beyond that, we've discussed your own inclinations."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning your lack of knowledge is nothing new. You were able to empathize with Dmitri back when he was still Sleeper, and were able to cope with the Three Blasphemies handily. What makes this different?"

Grail fiddled with his hands. Katie waited patiently.

"It's because what I knew was wrong." He looked up. "No information is better than misinformation, because the latter forces me to re-examine all prior knowledge. It makes me question what I know, and what I can trust. If I'm going in blind, at least I know that I don't know. But this…"

"Finding out the Master of Masters was Cain helped, though?" Katie was curious about that. "I'm surprised that an established figure turning out to be something else entirely soothed your worries. Especially since he's the First Murderer, and part of the Fifth Beast."

Grail nodded. "You'd think so, but the amount of information on him was sparse to start. Knowing who he is helps me contextualize his behavior, and…" He shrugged.

"Once you could account for him, you felt safer." Katie frowned slightly. "Though that said, I would be wary about accepting his word as his bond."

Grail looked down. "Yeah…"

"But."

He looked back up.

"From what you described of the encounter, he had genuine fondness for you, and that is surprisingly hard to fake. There's usually a tell or two. So either the man is an actor without peer and is waiting to manipulate you, or he genuinely means you well."

Katie watched the emotions play over Grail's face.

"...should I try to trust him anyway?" he asked finally.

Katie smiled slightly. "That's up to you."

He stared at her for a long moment. "So…"

"I think it would be healthier if you set what you know aside. Let it inform you, but don't let it dictate your every choice." Katie set her notepad down on a nearby table. "You are intelligent and capable. You've faced far worse than the monsters you currently stand against." As she well knew. "You can do this, Mattias," she said, using his real name.

As she saw his resolve build, Katie Sato smiled once more.

"Right." He paused.

"Yes?"

"Katie… where are you from?" he asked.

She smiled, feeling an old amusement well up. "Oh, around. What matters is that I'm here to help."

"Help who?"

"Everyone, but… mostly you." She shrugged elegantly. "I've been a therapist for a long time, but something about you is… inspiring. I saw the fractures in your 'self', and decided to reach out to Yamada." Her smile turned coy. "Honestly, expecting Jessica to handle the entire Brockton Bay cell was ill-advised."

Mattias ducked his head in embarrassment. "Yeah…"

Katie shook her head. "Regardless, you are a guardian of those that live. Ensuring you are at your strongest is paramount." She grinned. "Helping you live a fuller, happier life is a pleasant side benefit."

Mattias laughed quietly, still sheepish.

"And with that, our time for today is done. I believe you will deploy again soon?"

He nodded, then stood. "Thanks, Katie. I appreciate the talk."

"I'm here when needed," she replied.

Mattias gave a small wave, then left her office.

Katie exhaled, and toyed with her necklace again. The points of the lotus petals dug into her fingers, centering her.
____________________________________________________________________________

Gilgamesh set the empty wineglass down on the coffee table, staring into space. His eyes were narrowed in thought, a slight frown on his face.

Papers were scattered across the coffee table, several pamphlets lain face-down. Rin had been thorough with the information she'd gotten him.

And Taylor had confirmed his concerns: Cain was active in those worlds. He had suspected from the description in Mattias' first report, but...

All of this painted a picture he didn't want to see. That shouldn't exist.

Gilgamesh leaned back on the loveseat, letting his head loll backwards as his eyes shut. At least he had the relative privacy of his room to mull over a plan-

"Gil! Enkidu's here!" Arthur called, opening the door.

The King of Heroes let out an irritated huff. "I see."

"'I see'? What, I come all this way-" Enkidu cut themselves off. "Hm. Gilgamesh?"

"Ah?" He sat up, finally looking at the two who had entered the room.

"You're upset." Arthur's tone was firm, but concern was plain on his face.

"Irritation, nothing more," he said, waving it away.

"Irritation, nothing. I know that look," Enkidu retorted, narrowing their eyes. "What's happened?"

Gilgamesh glared at the air in front of him, refusing to meet the eyes of either person.

"Gil." Arthur stepped forward. "Enkidu, what are you referring to?"

Enkidu folded their arms and tilted their head. "What, indeed? Gilgamesh, does this have to do with the Master you've taken such a shine to?"

"Enkidu," Gilgamesh warned.

"Ah. Thought so." Enkidu nodded. "He's worried. And pissed, from the looks of it." The being of clay smirked slightly. "That's the kind of fury that prefaced someone begging for death, if I recall correctly."

"All too unfortunate that the target of my ire cannot die, as would be polite," Gilgamesh bit out. "I had hoped, when I saw his arts used by another, that he had passed into reincarnation. But that seems not to be the case."

Enkidu tilted his head. "Wait. So he didn't have the First? Assuming we refer to the same person."

"It was the Age of Gods, before the Age of Man. It could have been the cornerstone of the Magic when it was codified," Gilgamesh said with a wave of his hand. "But no. Cain is alive and well. Taylor and Mattias have corroborated this."

"Cain? As in the First Murderer? The First Nephilim?" Arthur's eyes were wide. "Merlin spoke of him but once in my life, and only in a whisper. I don't know if she met him, but-"

"Our Merlin, here, is more likely a contemporary of that… filth," Gilgamesh snarled. "That said, the Wizard is playful, but he is capable of creating good in this world."

Enkidu sighed. "He was like this when we met him in life," Enkidu admitted to Arthur. "The thing is, the Divinities that cursed Cain were not of his domain, so he couldn't free him from the curses with the authorities granted by his kingship. And, well, Gilgamesh is not known for patience. The first town that went down to famine, he found himself unwelcome in Uruk and the surrounding territories."

"Regardless of his intentions towards Mattias, we cannot place our trust in that man." Gilgamesh picked up the papers on the coffee table, and placed them into a golden portal that rippled shut.

"And those?"

"...theories. Mattias had recounted…" Gilgamesh trailed off. "I will admit to holding more knowledge of the situation than I will divulge."

Arthur scowled. "If Mattias is in danger, we need to help him. We're his Servants - it's our duty."

"And your joy. Somehow, he's managed to endear himself to all of you, despite the differing personalities," Enkidu mused.

"As a whole, the majority of us are no match for Cain. He has claimed the title of the Fifth Beast, and the power associated with it." Gilgamesh moved into Arthur's personal space. "The only ones who might be able to defeat him are Fortuna and I. Perhaps Da Vinci, if she focuses on drawing on Mattias' Magic. The rest… he cannot be killed, but perhaps sealed."

Arthur didn't back down. "If you're so sure your findings are accurate, why not tell Mattias?"

"He is compromised already. Cain's tale is one he can empathize with, and he will not see the dagger until it is too late."

Enkidu coughed. "So what is your theory?"

Gilgamesh shook his head. "If I could trust you both to keep it secret, I would have said as much. As it stands, I will take my own steps."

"Such as?" Arthur crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Let me see if I can understand. You thought Mattias was Cain reincarnated, free of his memories and whatever curses he had. Which, of course, I'll expect you to tell me of in case I need to fight him. However, Cain is alive."

"So it seems. We also assumed he had the First Magic, but if Mattias has it, that's unlikely. He could spin things out of raw ether, but that could just be power from being one of the first members of the human race in his culture." Enkidu shrugged.

"...perhaps," Gilgamesh hedged.

"Gil…" Enkidu put their hands on their hips.

"I fear for him." Gilgamesh's voice was flat, cold. "If I'm right, then there is a true threat to him based on both the magics of that universe, and the information he has uncovered."

"Wh-" Arthur began.

"I will not permit him to be a tool or weapon to be used."

Enkidu's eyes widened.

Gilgamesh inhaled deeply, held it, then exhaled, forcing himself to relax. "I will speak no more on this."

"So what is your plan, o' king?" Enkidu asked, frowning. "You said it yourself - it would take Fortuna to match Cain alone. Assuming we aren't letting Mattias and Taylor at him if he actually acts."

A golden portal appeared, and slowly Gilgamesh drew a stone tablet from it. The cuneiform inscriptions shifted endlessly, and his eyes tracked the words.

"My treasury is absolute. Every relic, every potion, every material power lies within. Merely because I utilize it for artillery does not change this. I will bring the full power of its versatility to bear in this pursuit." His eyes swept upward to take in Arthur and Enkidu's shocked expressions. "I would not do this for myself, but I have grown far too attached to Mattias. He has sent events into motion that revolutionize and galvanize humanity as a whole. Beyond that, I…" He trailed off.

"You care for him as a person," Arthur said quietly.

Enkidu sighed, scratching their head. "Well, well. Things must be dire if you're using a strategy past 'so anyways, I started blasting'."

"Is that a quote?" Gilgamesh asked with a confused frown.

Enkidu slowly shook their head. "Watch some television sometime, Gilgamesh. It won't kill you, I promise."

Arthur placed an arm around the other king's shoulders. "Regardless," he stressed, "whatever you decide, we will support you."

A small smirk crossed Gilgamesh's face. "It is appreciated, Arthur."

Enkidu groaned. "Right. So are we done being serious and cryptic? Because I was promised baked goods before fearless leader hops back into this children's cartoon hell-verse."

Gilgamesh was unable to restrain the bark of laughter that erupted.
____________________________________________________________________________

"Hup, hup! Alright, everyone ready?" I called.

"Naturally," Aqua said with a nod. Joan just gave me a flat look before rolling her eyes.

"My everything hurts…" Sora grumbled, rolling his shoulders.

Achilles coughed as I looked to him. "Aqua put him through his paces in training yesterday."

Ah.

Taylor walked in, with Rachel Lindt and Cassandra Herren at her back. "Cerberus and Sigil want in."

Which also meant-

I grimaced as Lobo's huge nose nudged the side of my face, the Hessian sitting side-saddle with as sassy an air as a headless horseman could manage.

"Be grateful I'm not bringing all of the dogs," Rachel said forebodingly.

Sora gave her a curious look.

"Her power is dogs. Turning them into giant monsters, and understanding their behavior well enough to communicate on most levels," Cass explained.

"Oh, did we tell him yet? Please tell me we didn't," Tamamo asked gleefully.

"We have two adult dalmatians and ninety-nine puppies in the kennels. A present from Merlin," Rachel said, bluntly cutting Tamamo off.

I blinked slowly, then smiled. "Bless that man."

Cu and Tamamo made strangled noises of confusion as Rachel nodded solemnly.

"Without putting too fine a point on it, Merlin circumvented one of the more annoying fetch quests we'd have been morally obligated to tend to," I explained. "The adults were in Traverse Town, and their many, many children - adopted and otherwise - were scattered around the worlds."

Rachel's eyes narrowed as Lobo gave a nervous whine.

"Anyway!" I clapped my hands. "That leaves Nines and Emil. Where are they?"

"Escorting the last member of our little troupe," Cass replied with a smirk.

Cu scratched his chin. "So which of us is coming along this time?"

His question was rapidly answered as Asterios ambled in, Nines and Emil each seated on a broad shoulder.

I grinned. "Heya, big guy. Ready for a trip into the jungle?"

The Berserker's eyes sparkled as he smiled brightly. "Sounds fun!"

That's my sunshine boy.

Nines waved down with an embarrassed smile. "He offered a ride."

"He's so tall!" Emil whisper-shouted, eyes wide.

Even if they're teen-shaped robots or quasi-immortal magic weapons, kids are kids I guess. Shoulder rides from one of the two giants in residence are fun.

...Asterios may have carted me around piggyback on a whim, once.

I am a perfectly mature adult.

I motioned to the Worldgate, and the lights spun. "Alright, everyone into the Border." I paused. "We'll all fit, right?" I asked, shooting Lobo and Asterios a worried look.

"You'll be fine," Da Vinci assured me from her console. "It was made to handle a good number of people, and the space isn't an issue."

Asterios hummed as he set Nines and Emil down. "I haven't been on it in a while. This'll be fun!"

Nines waited as Emil went in, followed by Sora and the girls. After Aqua and the Servants save for Cu went in, he walked to me.

"Just so you know, Riley finished her modifications. We worked with a lot of the tech you used on Tess."

I frowned as Cu perched his chin on my shoulder. "We made an artificial brain and nervous system and crammed it in a shell of Endbringer material."

"And that's the material Riley used for subdermal plating and to reinforce my more inorganic parts," Nines replied. "Also, Tess activated my backup uplink to her own databases both here and on the Border. So, things are that much safer."

I exhaled. "Well, so long as you're okay with it and it doesn't endanger you."

Nines smiled. "It's fine. Well, that's all I wanted to tell you. Well, that and I can dual-wield now. Tess helped me update my combat protocols."

"...I see."

The android wandered through the portal as Cu silently laughed, his breath tickling my ear.

Da Vinci wandered over before I could move, and caught my eye. "So."

"Yes?"

"Your Magic Resistance is attuned, thanks to my research and Illyasviel's intervention," she said airily. "But that doesn't account for the irregularity we discovered."

I grimaced. "Leona…"

"Irregularity?" Cu asked, and I felt his frown pressed against my ear.

"Ideal. It was a Mystic Code, or so we all thought. A parasol, a rapier, a receptacle for crystallized concepts." Da Vinci narrowed her eyes. "The concepts aren't created though, are they? And it's been some time since a new one manifested. That weapon is either evolving, or forcing itself into its true form. You didn't create it, not as quickly as it manifested according to your reports."

I looked away, taking care to turn my head in the opposite direction of Cu's.

"Against the Nine, even the initial outpouring of your Magic should not have allowed the crafting of something of that level at the speed it appeared. And it is powerful, make no mistake - if the pattern holds, you'll have a full complement of seven crystals. As for whatever other aspects materialize…" Da Vinci trailed off deliberately.

Cu straightened his posture, and moved fully to my side. I let myself relax a little as he grasped my hand. "So it was something he had before Archimedes hurt him?"

"If it was, it never manifested in my sight," Da Vinci said coolly. "I suppose we could ask Gilgamesh-"

"Ask me what?"

Gilgamesh strode forward, an odd glint in his eye.

"If Ideal made an appearance in the Moon Cell." Da Vinci gave him a long look.

"Ideal?"

"My weapon." I held the parasol up, but it was closed.

"No, it did not." Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Because it appears to have been a part of his soul's superstructure for some time, but was in the wreckage left by Archimedes.

Gilgamesh went preternaturally still. "I see."

I felt Cu's hand tighten. "Oi. What's going through your head?"

Gilgamesh closed his eyes. "It's of no consequence. Regardless, I wished to speak with you before you left." He opened his eyes and stared at me.

"About…?" I tilted my head.

"Cain. Do not trust him."

I smoothed my face into a mask of indifference. "Is that an order I hear?"

Da Vinci's eyes flicked between us, her eyelids lowering.

"It is a request, made from one who has previous experience with the man." Gilgamesh stepped closer. "He cannot mean you well. Please, believe that."

"Shit. You're practically begging, aren't you?" I didn't need to look at Cu to imagine the expression of shock on his face.

"Lisa's with him, and says he's safe," I said cautiously.

"He is not a threat to her as he is to you. She can circumvent his curses, and he has no reason to have the plans I believe he has for you." Gilgamesh's hands curled into fists.

"What plans?"

"I'd be interested to know as well," Da Vinci chimed in, a speculative gleam in her eye.

Gilgamesh tightened his jaw.

"I'm not saying I won't exercise caution," I said slowly, "I just want to know what I'm up against. If he's faking his feelings, then he's really good at it. He just comes across as desperately lonely. Emphasis on the 'desperate'."

Gilgamesh exhaled. "I met him. Not in a War, but in my own life. I tried to break his curses with my own Authorities, but it failed. Once he brought an entire outlying village to ruin by famine, I exiled him."

"...you wanted to help him? When was this?"

He blinked.

"Pre-Enkidu? While you traveled with him? After?"

Gilgamesh sighed. "It was during my travels with my friend, yes. It was… early on."

Da Vinci hummed. "And yet you wanted to help him?"

"His power for creating things cannot be understated. I assumed the First that you wield was a sign of his legacy, but apparently I was wrong." Gilgamesh gazed at me, and I felt myself tense.

Wait, why?

"So you wanted him as an asset," Cu surmised.

Gilgamesh blinked, then nodded. "Just so. Such a person would be among the greatest of my treasures."

I reined in the temptation to flick his forehead. "And people…?"

"Aren't possessions," he parroted drolly. He reached into a golden portal. "Well, if I cannot convince you to defend yourself, at least wear this." He withdrew a ring and handed it to me.

"Uh?" I blinked at it. It held a softly glimmering ruby set in a silver band.

"Morgan Le Fay was infamous for enchanting items, especially rings. This one is a sort of tracker. I can use it to monitor your physical and emotional welfare. As far as reaching you when I notice something… well, none of us share a normal Master-Servant bond. I can force myself to your side easily enough."

Cu gave a low whistle. "So you're going to actually strategize with your treasury?"

Gilgamesh gave him a flat look. "I am capable of it."

"But you usually-"

"Brrap brrap, pew pew?" I commented facetiously.

Da Vinci choked back a laugh as the two men gave me utterly bemused stares.

"Aaand I think I'll head out," I said, sliding the ring on my finger.

Gilgamesh gave me a grateful smile. "Watch yourself."

"Even better, I'll watch him," Cu said as he led me by the hand.

"...acceptable," Gilgamesh drawled.

I caught Cu flipping the bird with his free hand as Da Vinci let out a cackle before we made it through the Worldgate.
____________________________________________________________________________

"You definitely know more than you said." Da Vinci pierced through Gilgamesh with her gaze.

"It is nothing that would bring him comfort," Gilgamesh conceded. "He was about to go on a mission-"

"So you'll fill all of us in when he gets back!" Da Vinci said with mock cheer.

"...should it become relevant." Gilgamesh's gaze was like ice on her newly grating nerves.

Sometimes, Da Vinci wished she could bring the full force of her genius to bear on the man, but they both knew each other too well. If Gilgamesh refused to talk, the only ones who might get an answer would be Enkidu, Arthur, or Mattias. And even that was only a possibility.

"Well, I won't clean this up if it bites you in the ass," she said firmly. She frowned. "It has to do with Ideal, doesn't it."

Gilgamesh turned on his heel and left.

Da Vinci sighed in irritation. "I'll need to go over those notes." She grimaced. "And without the use of Clairvoyance to interpret it. ...I really need to get on Mattias about being more clear about things in his reports."
____________________________________________________________________________

"Um."

The Border was deserted.

"They got bored and split up. They're synced into the comm system, though," Tess offered through the intercom.

"Thanks, Tess," I said gratefully. "Anyone nearby?"

"Sensors indicate Asterios took Achilles and the kids with him. Taylor and Tamamo tagged along. Aqua and Joan went with Rachel, Cass, and Hessian Lobo. The first group went down the trees towards what appear to be a set of cliffs, and the second descended toward what appears to be a camp."

"Those are some damn good sensors if you could tell all those details from as far as we are," I muttered.

"Yes, they even pick up sarcasm," Tess replied with sweet venom. "All the better to dock your pay with."

"I can make whatever I need," I huffed.

"Even video games?"

I scowled as Cu gently tugged my hand with a sly smirk. I let him lead me out of the Border, and blink at the change in light.

Oh.

"You parked in the fucking treehouse!?"

Thank goodness I'd gotten over any acrophobia a long, long time ago - it was built in the single largest tree in the jungle. One could see for miles thanks to the position and the slope of the ground.

"Huh, that explains the sensor range… it's a good vantage point," Cu noted.

"Vantage doesn't factor like that-"

I continued to rant as he continued to tug me along.
____________________________________________________________________________

Many things can happen in a few minutes.

"She's so cute!" Nines whispered, stroking the now-docile predator's fluffy tummy.

Taylor gave a slow blink.

"It was nice of you to calm her down instead of kill her." Asterios nodded at the leopard as she lay on her back, purring loudly.

Tamamo was busy laughing her ass off as Achilles stood in front of Sora with his spear drawn and a look of utter bafflement on his face.

Emil hovered by his master as the android cooed over the large predator as she rolled onto her front and hunkered down.

The leopard had tried to do as ambush predators do, but it had entered Taylor's range. Being a simple animal, Taylor had found it prudent to simply render her harmless rather than act with extreme prejudice.

Now that she could see it clearly, she recognized the animal in question.

In a jungle full of intelligent animals with humanoid intelligence, it was the lone realistic animal because there needed to be a predatory 'villain'.

"...so I guess we're just adopting Sabor now." Taylor didn't bother to add any inflection to her voice.

"Sabor? Is that your name, kitty?" Nines cooed, gently scratching behind the large carnivore's ears.

"I wonder if it's kind of like how Papa treated me like I was little when we first met…" Asterios mused. "He's still pretty protective, but at least he acknowledged I'm grown."

Taylor snorted. "That's just Mattias."

"True!" Asterios gave a cheerful smile.

Sora poked his head out from behind Achilles. "I wanna pet her," he grumbled.

"That is a giant cat. No." Achilles crossed his arms and gave Sora a long stare.

"I rendered her… not tame, but she won't attack us. It's a directive." Taylor shrugged as Emil finally descended to stroke Sabor's back.

Tamamo wheezed, clutching her stomach while tears ran down her face and her ears flattened as she shook in gasping laughter.

Asterios hummed, kneeling next to Sabor as she let out a puff of air. "So… what did you do?"

"Essentially, she's high. That said, she's still kind of feral where people who aren't us are concerned." After all, it wouldn't do to leave her defenseless against the likes of that bastard hunter from the movie. What was his name again…? It had been a while since she'd seen it.

...was this what it was like for Mattias all the time? Weighing people as 'characters' until he'd been exposed to them long enough for them to be 'people'?

Taylor shivered.

"Are you okay?"

She turned her head to look at Sora. He'd moved next to her where Asterios had been standing.

"Yeah. Just moral contemplation."

"Was what you did to Sabor bad?" Sora asked, furrowing his brow.

"Nnnot really? I could have done a lot of things. She'll…" Probably die after they leave, because of conflict with the locals. She'd resume standard operation and hunt.

"We're not bringing her with us?" Asterios asked, surprised.

"NO." Achilles held his arms in front of him in an x-shape.

"...let's ask Mattias!" Nines said after a moment.

"Good idea, he'll know what to do," Emil agreed.

Asterios merely gave a knowing smile.

"Honestly, that might be the best thing for her," Tamamo said after she caught her breath. "She's got 'starter villain' written all over her, and that's a big death flag."

Achilles stared at her.

Tamamo jabbed her thumb at Taylor. "This one spends a lot of time with Lisa Wilbourne, which means plenty of exposure to Hans Christian Andersen. Put that together…"

"We'll leave it up to our fearless leaders," Achilles finally said, sighing. "You can control her?"

"I can. I'll probably just direct her, though," Taylor replied. "I don't like controlling living things more complex than insects. Partly because of moral considerations, and partly because the more sapient they are, the harder it is."

"Alright. I don't- wait." Achilles' eyes narrowed.

At the same moment, Asterios' head snapped up, and Tamamo's ears perked. Nines frowned as his Pod levitated.

Sora pulled out his Keyblade as Sabor began to growl.

The insects nearby detected another human in the bushes.

Metal, gunpowder, aftershave. STRONG aftershave.

Taylor didn't move. Why should she? If the hunter wanted to tangle with them, he'd learn a painful lesson very quickly.

Though she wouldn't mind Mattias swooping in to negotiate a ceasefire…
____________________________________________________________________________

"Hello there!" The woman in the tank top and sarong seemed friendly at least.

"Hello," Aqua replied.

"Ah, you speak my language! Not like Tarzan, then…"

Aqua glanced around the inside of the tent. "Who?"

"PUT SOME GODDAMN CLOTHES ON!"

"Oh dear." The woman placed a hand over her mouth.

"BARK BARK BARK"

"Wh. What exactly is going on out there?" she asked.

"The people I came with are… rambunctious," Aqua said slowly.

"He needs to wash his hair."

"Oh, Tarzan must be out there!" the woman said. "My name's Jane, by the way. Jane Porter."

"Aqua." She smiled. "Let's make sure my friends aren't giving yours a hard time, okay?"

"Yes, we'd best see to the racket out there. I hope nobody's ruined any supplies…" Jane fret as she lead the way out of the tent.

Aqua blinked at the change in light level, and gave a heavy sigh.

Lobo was laying on his stomach, panting slightly. The Hessian pointed his odd swords at a man in front of Lobo, who in turn aimed a spear at him with a wary look on his face.

He wasn't wearing much. Just a loincloth and a very matted hairdo.

Joan looked fit to roast him, while Rachel just looked unimpressed. Cass sat on a stack of crates, scrolling through her phone.

"...where's Fou?" Aqua winced.

Rachel shrugged. "Dunno. Around."

"Right. So the wolf is Lobo, and the rider is a Headless Horseman. We call him Hessian," Aqua said quickly. "The girl on the crates is Cassandra, Cass for short. The one by the flagpole is Rachel. Joan is the one in the armor. Ladies and phantoms, this is Jane Porter. I assume that's Tarzan?"

"Yes, oh goodness. Tarzan!" Jane called.

"Danger!" Tarzan growled, staring at Lobo's large teeth.

The Hessian made a rude gesture, giving off an air of irritated judgement.

"Someone get the wild man some pants at least," Joan groused.

"Erm, unfortunately the only man around is Clayton, and he's of a different build than Tarzan. Also, all of his clothes are fitted," Jane pointed out with a slight blush.

Aqua sighed. "Tarzan, Lobo is our friend. He won't hurt you, Jane, or anyone else."

Tarzan backed away slowly until he came even with Aqua. She noticed he kept his center of gravity low, and moved on all fours.

The man looked up at her with inquisitive eyes before grunting.

"Oh, this is Aqua," Jane explained. "She and her friends are… well…" Jane trailed off.

"We're looking for friends, or failing that, a place of some importance," Aqua explained.

"It looks like a Keyhole. If we mess with it, we can secure the jungle from some kind of threat," Joan added in an irritated tone.

Rachel shrugged. "I'm here because Lobo needed a walk."

Jane looked at Cass.

"Moral support?" she offered.

"Interesting. You've quite the eclectic group," Jane said with a hesitant smile.

Tarzan stared at Aqua. He then let out a series of grunts and hoots. "Friends."

Aqua stared. "Excuse me?"

The wild man repeated the sounds. "Friends there."

Jane shrugged when Aqua turned her gaze to her. "I'm afraid I don't speak gorilla. Mostly I've been teaching Tarzan English. Clayton lost interest in it some time ago; I think he went out hunting today."

"I see. Hopefully one of our other friends can translate."

"There's more of you?"

"Three boys, a girl, a woman with fox ears, two men in armor, one in a top hat, and a giant with bull horns. Also a small white dog-cat-thing," Cass ticked off on her fingers.

"...oh dear."

Aqua glanced at Jane.

"Well, it's just that… your giant friend… well, if he's rea- oh, who am I kidding. Of course he's real. There's a wolf the size of my tent. Regardless, Clayton may take it as a challenge to, erm…"

"He's going to try and shoot Asterios?" Rachel asked, eyes sharpening.

The Hessian waved his blades wildly.

"...perhaps?" Jane offered meekly. "It depends on how human he looks, I think."

"...Mattias will turn your friend inside out." Rachel's voice carried dark promise. "If he's lucky. Asterios is like his kid. You don't fuck with Grail's kids."

Aqua swallowed, remembering Mattias' loss of composure when Sora was injured in Traverse Town.

"Alright, who wants to run a pool on how badly hunter boy gets maimed?" Joan asked.

Tarzan made a confused sound. Jane drooped.
____________________________________________________________________________

I floated down above the kids, holding onto my parasol. For a slight change, Cu hung on piggyback. He didn't seem perturbed or insulted, so I figured he didn't mind it.

I narrowed my eyes as I caught sight of a man in safari clothes hiding in the bushes, a double-barreled… shotgun? I think? In his hands.

"Is that a jaguar?" Cu asked curiously.

"No, a leopard." I squinted. "Holy shit that's Sabor."

"Who?"

"A villain. Well, she's a wild leopard, so not so much a villain as part of the local ecosystem in a story about herbivores as protagonists."

Everyone looked up.

"Yo!" Cu called with a grin.

"We're keeping her," Taylor said flatly.

I blinked.

"Taylor hit her with her Magic, and we're friends now," Nines explained. "She's so fluffy! I didn't think her coat would be this soft…"

"That was also me," Taylor explained.

Tamamo looked up at me with her face scrunched up, trying not to laugh.

"Right." I sighed. "Clayton, you have seconds to come out of there and tell me who or what you're pointing that at."

The hunter grunted and strode out of the bushes as soon as I made landfall.

"It seems you have me at a disadvantage," he said slowly, eyeing up the group.

"Okay. That's Achilles, from the Trojan War. She's Tamamo-no-Mae, a sun goddess from the far east. Girl in the dress is Taylor, she bends reality. Boy in black is Nines, the box is his Pod. Emil is the one in the schoolboy outfit, he does magic. Sora, the one in red, has a giant key and also does magic." Cu got down and stood at his full height. "This is Cu Chulainn, also known as the Irish Hercules. He and I just floated down from the treehouse up there by way of my enchanted parasol."

Clayton stared.

"Mattias Sanderson, pleasure." I gave a wide grin and shut my parasol. No need to antagonize him until he turned coat. Too much, at least.

"I see. I was aiming at the leopard. However, if she is your… pet… as of now, then I apologize for the presumption." Clayton inclined his head. "Would you accompany back to my camp? I think we may be of assistance to each other."

I smiled. "Sure." I slung my parasol over my shoulder. "We're looking for a place and some people."

"Have you seen my friends? Their names are Riku and Kairi," Sora asked, stepping forward.

"Or mine? Her name's 2B," Nines added.

I frowned a little when Emil kept silent, glancing downward.

Clayton spared the boys a brief glance. "Unfortunately, gentlemen, I've not seen hide nor hair of any such persons. All I've seen are animals, Miss Porter, and her wild man."

I did a quick head count. "Is Fou with the other group?"

Tamamo shook her head. "He was with us, but he shot up the cliff to see the waterfall."

I flared my power, and felt the answering pulse. "He's fine. He'll catch up with us later, I think."

"Right then. Shall we?" Clayton offered, gesturing towards the thicket before us.

"Oh! That camp!" Sora exclaimed. "Aqua and the rest are there!"

"There's more of you mad- I mean, lovely people?"

I smirked, and it was by the barest thread of restraint that I didn't summon the Cheshire Cat to redefine 'mad' for him.

"Sure are," Cu said, sliding his arm around my waist.

Clayton raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

I gave him a challenging smile. Eighteenth-century England wasn't known for its forward thinking, but I wasn't going back in the closet for the sake of an egomaniac hunter - let alone a goddamn Disney Villain.

"This way," Clayton said simply, not adding anything more.

We followed him, and I kept him in my sights the whole way there.
____________________________________________________________________________

Fou exuded an aura of smugness as he rode on the gorilla's back.

"So I says: T, we gotta check out this place! It was right there, right in the way to the watering hole," she said in a heavily accented voice. "And we meet this weird thing, kinda like T, he says she's Jane or something. Well, he meets her, I stay in the bushes because I'm sane. That guy with the shiny stick looked like bad news."

"Go on," Fou said languidly.

"Right, so T's been learning a thing or three over there, and last I heard? Well, saw. Over the cliff. Sabor got caught by more of those human-things. And they got her to calm down and, y'know, not eat faces and stuff! It's really something. Strange new world, I tell ya."

Fou glanced at the keyhole, set into the tree with a gathering of butterflies outlining it. "You don't say."

Well, he'd have something to tell his friends when he got back.

"Thanks, Terk. Just… maybe don't tell Kerchak we were here?"

"Pff, fuggedaboutit! I'm not gettin' yelled at by the big guy, and he'd flatten you!"

Fou smirked. "Oh, it'd be tragic if he tried."

"Right!? You're so tiny. And floofy!" Fou leaned into the nimble fingers, enjoying the scritches. "It'd be a real shame to have to scrape you off the ground."

"Sure, let's go with that."

"Aight, I'll get you close to the camp, but then you're on your own. You sure your friends will be there?"

Fou snorted. "Trust me. If I know Mattias and them, they'll be in the middle of any and all trouble."

"Then they'll be there!"

Fou snickered. "Thanks, Terk. It's appreciated."

"Fuggedaboutit!"

 

[Blinktwice13]

Jungle 4.2

It was just another day in the Realm of Darkness.

"SANZEN SEKAI!"

"MEGAFLARE!"

Yes, just another day, Mickey mused as the bullets of light tore holes in the Demon Tide, bringing it to a halt long enough for the orb of flame to make impact.

After that, it was the new business as usual, where Donald had fully embraced his tendency to 'explode first, ask questions later'. A tendency that the Demon King(?) Nobunaga gleefully enabled with her endless supply of armaments.

...there wasn't much left of the Demon Tide.

"Gawrsh, Donald, you sure showed those lil' fellers what for!" Goofy observed with a guileless smile.

The Great Statue God held a metal poker that had been slid between her finger and thumb, and on its end marshmallows dangled over the simmering flames.

"Ganesha, wherever did you get that?" Abigail asked with a tilt of her head.

"A GIFT FROM A PETITIONER."

"She means that the Goof gave it to her for standing watch last night," Nobunaga explained.

"She's been doing really well!" Goofy said.

Donald cackled madly, flames billowing as they devoured the last few fleeing Shadows.

Mickey gave a beatific smile as he checked the map they received from Ava. "Alright, that's the third obstacle. One more, and we've cleared the Enchanted Dominion. Now, Abigail and I will take point for this one-"

"Aww!"

"You've had your fun, Donald. Now I need to relieve some stress."

Fun fact! The Realm of Darkness was not conducive to emotional or mental health.

Also a fun fact! Helping explode armies of Heartless was incredibly cathartic. And good! It helped free Hearts back to where they belonged. That was nice.

Mickey needed some cheese in the worst way.

He startled as a small stick of string cheese was held out by Goofy, the knight smiling knowingly.

"Have I told you you're the best knight ever, Goofy?" Mickey asked as he accepted the snack.

"Well, it's nice to be appreciated," Goofy replied, offhandedly backswiping an ambitious Shadow with his shield.

Ganesha stirred. "THE MARSHMALLOW IS COMPLETE. FINISH THE SACRIFICE."

Abigail gently plucked the poker from where it sat, and held the toasted sugar lump towards Ganesha. It vanished into the void of the statue's mouth.

"You gonna be ready to stretch your legs any time soon?" Donald asked, planting his fists on his hips.

"SOON."

"Aaaand we're off. I'll take point!" Mickey said cheerfully, striding forward with his Keyblade in his grip.

"Your Majesty!"

The King kept walking, his friends - old and new - keeping pace.

By all that was good, he was ready to get out of this place.
____________________________________________________________________________

It was less than a half hour back to their camp. In that time… well.

There may have been some minor disturbances.

"I say! It's most unusual for a man of your caliber to be out and about in the jungle, wouldn't you agree?" Professor Porter smiled up at me guilelessly.

The miniature elderly man had rolled out of the underbrush and joined us about ten minutes in, with the only clue as to how he got there a sotto trumpet from the foliage. Which meant that Jane Porter's absent-minded father had been babysat by Tarzan's neurotic elephant friend, Tantor.

I couldn't see him coming to associate with us so long as Sabor and Clayton were around.

Speaking of, Fou had leapt out of the trees at the twenty-minute mark and claimed Sabor as his new riding perch. The big cat had stirred, then acquiesced to the more powerful, albeit smaller predator. ...for all he mostly hunted cupcakes these days…

"Well Professor, I'm not sure what makes you say as such-" I began.

"You're wearing a finely tailored suit of bright colors, and that parasol is a custom job if I've ever seen one," Clayton drawled. "Everything about you screams 'dandy'. In all honesty, I'd expect to see you at one of my sister's little parties rather than out here in the jungles of Africa."

Cu snorted. "Honestly, I can't see it. He's crap at hobnobbing with socialites."

Oh no.

"That sounds like a story." Achilles gave a shit-eating grin.

"It is." Taylor shook her head. "Glenn was ready to murder you, and you don't even work for the PRT."

"The what?" Clayton glanced back.

"It's a government agency. I work in a department adjacent to it." I shot Taylor a cross look.

She ignored me.

"But… what happened?" Sora asked, frowning slightly.

"He had the audacity to say that the decorations were giving him a headache and suggested the expenditures for the function could be better put towards local shelters or providing permanent homes for the homeless." Tamamo snickered.

"...how is it bad to say helping people is more important than a party?" Nines asked, brow furrowed.

Clayton made a choking sound, and I turned to see him covering his mouth with one hand, his shotgun in the other.

He gave an audacious grin, eyes crinkled in mirth. "I wish my sister had been there to hear that." He shrugged. "Whether I agree with you is one thing, but a bunch of soft-palmed aristocrats ready for the fainting couch is always a sight to see."

The clearing opened to an ocean of tarp on tent-poles, masses of crates, and three large tents. A variety of experiments sat on long tables, there was a massive flagpole with the Union Jack, and Lobo napped with Hessian reclining on his back.

Cass sat on nearby crates as Rachel stared down a man in a loincloth, while Aqua and a woman who had to be Jane watched in exasperation. Joan stared at us with a disappointed look.

"How come hunter boy's in one piece?" she hollered.

Jane looked up at us. "Oh my goodness." She rubbed her head. "After the headless wolf-rider, this is less… ah… well! Hello, all." She gave a strained small.

I glanced at Clayton, and he stepped forward before I could open my mouth.

"Miss Porter, we found your father out in the jungle - unsupervised, I might add," he began with a dry stare. The Professor waved cheerily. "In this time, I met the party of colorful individuals behind me. The giant is Asterios, the woman with fascinating ears calls herself Tamamo, and the…" He frowned. "The silver-haired boy in black is Nines, and the one who isn't is Emil. The child with a normal hair color is Sora. The armored man with odd hair claims to be Achilles from Classical Myth, and the terrifying young woman who tamed a leopard by staring at it is Miss Taylor Hebert." He secured his shotgun with a strap on his body. "The other odd-haired man claims to be Cu Chulainn from the Ulster Cycle, and lastly our devotee of Mr. Wilde here is Mister Mattias Sanderson."

Wait a minute. Did he just?

Jane peered at me curiously. "Truly?"

"I mean, he's a great writer. The Importance of Being Earnest was a hoot and a half," I said cheerfully.

Clayton rolled his eyes. "Regardless, still no gorillas. As I can see, we have more guests-"

"Ah! The young lady on the crates is Cassandra Herren, Cass for short. The girl near Tarzan is Rachel Lindt, the… dog… is Lobo, and the man with no head is a Hessian. I think. The dark-armored woman is Joan, and this is Aqua." Jane rubbed her forehead. "This is… unorthodox."

I grinned widely. "Hey, at least the planet-eating demons haven't shown up yet!"

The British contingent stared. Well, Jane and Clayton did. Professor Porter was busy examining a sleeping Lobo's teeth. Tarzan and Rachel kept staring at each other, neither backing down.

Aqua gave a long, pained sigh. "Welcome back, Mattias," she said tiredly.

Sabor wandered over to Lobo, then laid down and curled up into his side. Somehow, Fou managed to avoid being dislodged.

Tarzan twitched, then leapt back, plucking a makeshift spear from the ground. "SABOR! DANGER!"

"It's tamed," Clayton said flatly.

Tarzan hooted and grunted frantically as Taylor interposed herself between him and the leopard.

"...that's gonna get real old, real fast," I grit out. A small sphere of pale blue light gathered in my hand.

Professor Porter blinked rapidly. "My boy, what is that?"

"Translation spell." And with that, I flung it at Tarzan, ignoring Jane's gasp.

I'd learned that while I couldn't create knowledge with my Magic, I could transfer what I knew with a crafted spell. Though, my spells were slower than something that could be triggered from a Crest or Code - I had to compose them in place of an aria or materials, so they were faster, but not instant. Something like the difference between what Shirou could do in Unlimited Blade Works versus the Gate of Babylon - the number of steps mattered.

I blinked the tangent away as Tarzan glowed momentarily, then his speech shifted.

"Sabor killed the humans that bore me!" he finished, breathing heavily.

The big cat let out a snore.

"She's an animal, Tarzan, and not like the gorillas who raised you," I said flatly. "She runs on pure instinct. Sabor is cunning, but she does not have human-equivalent intelligence - unlike the elephants and gorillas of this jungle, apparently."

"Also, I tamed her. She won't attack anyone anymore, unless they go at her first." Taylor didn't move.

Tarzan reared back on his haunches, eyes wide. "How…?"

"I cheated. I'm fond of cheating. It gets me what I want faster than playing fair," I said simply.

"Hmph. Unsporting, but I see the appeal," Clayton muttered.

Jane shook her head. "You just… gave him language?" Her eyes were wide.

"My power is creation. Any force, any matter, any concept - it takes time and will, but the laws of the universe shatter at my command." I smiled. "I cannot create knowledge, but gifting my own through a spell is simple enough."

"That said, I can't blame the boy for wanting revenge," Clayton pointed out. "Tame or no, she did murder his parents, leaving him to be raised by gorillas."

I shrugged. "At this point, the creature that did the deed might as well no longer exist. Taylor overwrote her original 'self' with that." I jabbed my thumb at the snoozing oversized housecat. "I do feel sympathy, but 'this' Sabor is not 'that' Sabor. Punishing her for the one before her is cruel at best."

Stretching the truth? Maybe. But I didn't want to deal with the fallout from going either way. And it wasn't a lie, exactly. Taylor had thoroughly Mastered Sabor. That cat wasn't hurting anything that didn't gun for her first.

Jane sighed, then perked up. "Still, this is a wonderful opportunity! Tarzan, you said you knew where their friends were?"

"WHAT!?"

I winced as Nines and Sora bolted forward from our group towards the jungle-dwelling man.

Emil stared downwards, but Asterios put a big hand on his shoulder and tucked the boy into his side.

I tried to rattle my brain for what might be up with him, but got distracted by the other drama.

"In the heart. Friends exist in our hearts," Tarzan explained.

Oh yeah. That. I'd almost forgotten that wonderful writing cop-out.

Sora deflated slightly. "Oh."

Nines squinted. "That's… not what we meant."

"Don't be too hard on him," I said. "He was working on a partial education in English when he was first asked, so I doubt he got the nuance."

Jane sighed. "Well, I'll put on a pot of tea, and we can decide what to do next." She gazed around the campsite. "A very large pot. And a crate of snacks, I think."

Sabor's feet twitched as Fou sat regally on her side, the dirt in front of Lobo's muzzle stirring in his breath.
____________________________________________________________________________

Clayton stalked off, Jane and the Professor having put their foot down about hunting the gorillas.

He wasn't as much of an ass as I remembered, but he still wasn't great. Nice job trying to out me with possibly-recent scandals, assbite.

Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet, author and playwright convicted for sodomy. I didn't know if I managed to play it off very well, but seriously? Because I let someone put their arm on my waist? Motherfucker.

Anyways.

I fiddled with my teacup, sitting apart from the ruckus in the main site. Lobo had woken up, and he and Sabor had dug into the pile of meat I'd conjured. Joan had her hackles up as Tamamo playfully needled her. Asterios, Sora, Nines, and Emil paid rapt attention as Tarzan and Professor Porter went on a tangent about the living things in the jungle - Tarzan oftentimes correcting the Professor.

Fou splayed out next to me, stirring as someone approached.

"Mister Sanderson?"

I straightened my back, smiling. "Miss Porter." I'd taken my hat off already, so I placed my teacup on its saucer and moved it behind me on the crate I'd staked out.

She took her seat as Taylor glanced at us from her place by the campfire, her gaze heavy until Cass jostled her for input on something Rachel had said.

"I do apologize for Mister Clayton's indiscretion," Jane said. "He should know better than to say such things frivolously."

"Well, Cu Chulainn did have his arm around my waist when I met him. And the man in question has been my partner for roughly a year, now." I took a drink of tea.

"O-oh. Partner?" Jane's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"We're seeing each other exclusively. Monogamous." Well, not quite, but she didn't need to know that I let him off the leash - so to speak.

"So… you're wed?"

"Courting, I guess." I gave a mirthless smile.

"Hm. Well, I can't say I understand it all that well, but he is a handsome man so I can't fault you myself." Jane shrugged. "Oh, it'd be the scandal back home, but I doubt wherever you're from has the same mores." Her expression turned to a conspiratorial grin. "Besides, we're all out here in the jungle. It's not like I'm going to tell Sarah Willingsby over tea and crumpets, now am I?"

I was startled into laughter, my eyes wide open. "Well, that's true." I grinned back.

"Everything alright?" Cu scooped Fou up, and leaned on me possessively.

"Delightful. I was simply making sure all was well in this corner." She paused. "I think I've accounted for all of you except Mister Achilles."

"He's napping," Cu said with a jab of his thumb. "He'll probably take watch in case those 'demons' Mattias mentioned show up."

"Ah, yes. Aqua said you were searching for some sort of site to safeguard the jungle?" Jane asked.

"Yeah. It's shaped like a Keyhole. See that weapon Aqua has?" I pointed to where she'd taken Sora aside and had started sparking green light off the end of her Keyblade. It looked like she was teaching Cure magic.

"Is that an oversized skeleton key?" Jane squinted. "It could be a trick of the firelight…"

"Nope. That's a Keyblade. When in proximity to a Keyhole, it triggers, and adds a layer of protection to a World - keeping the Heartless from drowning it in shadow," I explained.

"Hm. It would behoove us all to have that tended to posthaste, then," Jane mused. "Do we know where it is, or have any sort of clue?"

"I've seen it."

Jane peered at Fou. "He talks. Honestly, it probably says poor things that I'm utterly unsurprised." She sighed. "Well, I suppose this means I'm ruined for normal life."

I grinned. "You could stay with Tarzan. Learn how to speak gorilla, elephant, and all sorts of languages. Most of the animals here are sapient. It's the predators that act like, well, animals."

"I SAID that I've SEEN IT."

"Thank you, Fou. Where did you see it?" I asked.

"Near the gorillas' nesting grounds. Getting in without Kerchak's say-so will be messy." The floofy critter hunkered down in Cu's lap. "I've got an inside gal, but Terk probably can't convince him on her own."

"We'll ask Tarzan tomorrow. I don't want to just break into his family's home, but…" I trailed off.

"If the situation is as dire as you've indicated, desperate times call for desperate measures," Jane agreed.

"A little breaking and entering, or the whole jungle going up in smoke. Easy choices." Cu popped a bit of dried meat into his mouth and started chewing.

"Right. Erm. Who are Terk and Kerchak?"

I grinned. "Tarzan's best friend and the leader of the band of gorillas he hails from, respectively."

Jane nodded slowly. "I see." She stood. "And with that, I think I've had enough excitement for one evening. Good night, gentlemen."

I snickered into my fist as I waved her off, Cu moving his arm around me.

"You alright?" he murmured.

"Mm. Whether it's my orientation or lack of desire in most cases, people will find something wrong with me. It's annoying, but I'll deal."

Cu grunted. "I could still stab him."

"Well, he's got a rotten heart, so you still might."

"Eh?" He blinked rapidly at me, mouth slightly open.

"I'm saying he's probably going to get possessed and turn on us. Killing him early would alienate Jane and her father, so best to wait for the inevitable."

Cu shut his mouth.

"Is it inevitable?" Fou asked.

"Maybe not, but I don't feel compelled to save him from himself. That's more… anyone else's wheelhouse. I heal broken people. Monsters of ego and true selfishness need not apply." I shrugged. "I've never claimed to be a saint. Also, he's a threat to those I care about. That's a good way to lose sympathy points."

Cu inclined his head. "I figured. People like to talk you up as having some sort of savior complex, but it's more like…" he trailed off. "If a person hasn't hurt you and yours, then you're open to helping them. And you choose them, always. It's not about if they're salvageable, it's about what you want."

I looked down. "Is that bad?"

Cu chuckled. "You're asking the wrong man, Matt. I'm a warrior first and foremost. I enjoy a good fight, and many of my pleasures are considered vices. Besides, it's rare when you just pass over someone. So, close enough that it's easy to accept you as a 'good person'." He smirked. "It helps that your other impulse is to encourage what people call 'the greater good'."

"That's probably as good as it gets. I've been told that I have a fixation on being a 'good person', but…" I exhaled.

"Eh. To the people you care about, sure. Somehow, I can't see you caring about the likes of Jack Slash or Archimedes."

"Who are both dead."

"Funny, that." Cu grinned.

"Jack was half-dead when I got to him after Fortuna broke Shakespeare, and Archimedes was handled by a combination of Amy, Velber's infection, and being a catalyst for KHEPRI." I shook my head. "...I don't think I've actually killed anyone directly. Even Jack was a mercy killing, and my attempt to destroy him initially ended with him getting a neck brace."

"And you don't see Heartless as people," Cu noted. He sighed. "It's late. Want to bundle up for a bit?"

I looked up at the stars above us. "Sure. Stargazing sounds nice."

Fou wandered back to the main campfire, and Cu and I found an empty patch of ground. In a matter of seconds, a pair of mats appeared to lay on.

I collapsed on one while Cu took the other, lining it up next to me before laying down. As I stared at the stars, I felt him shift around until his head lay on my chest.

"Really?" I huffed in amusement.

"Mmhm." His breath slowly evened out.

I smiled at the stars as the conversations near the campfire wound down. Gradually, my eyes fell shut.
____________________________________________________________________________

Aqua smiled at her sleeping and watching friends.

Joan leaned against a crate, eyes fixed on the path to the watering hole (according to Jane). Achilles stood guard at the path to the cliffs, back to the fire but posture straight. Asterios starfished on a large spread of ground, the boys leaning against his side as a pillow while in sleeping bags. Rachel and Cass had their own closer to the fire, far enough to be safe. Sabor curled into Lobo's side, and Fou sprawled across the great wolf's muzzle. The Hessian laid on Lobo's broad back, feet twitching idly. Cu curled into Mattias' side, the Magician's face buried in his hair.

Taylor took a seat by her. "I'm pretty sure Jane let Tarzan into her tent."

"Mm. Clayton never came back." Aqua's smile dimmed.

"Tragic." Taylor looked utterly unbothered. "I'm more concerned that it's been a whole day and we haven't seen a single Heartless. If he's not the start point for the infestation, I'll eat Grail's hat."

"Isn't it usually…?" Aqua asked.

"Well, she doesn't have a hat, so one makes do."

The flickering flames slowed their motion until they froze entirely. The clearing was overtaken by an unnatural stillness.

Taylor smiled.

Aqua looked up, and felt her eyes widen. She hadn't seen the blonde in front of her for a decade, but she hadn't changed at all.

"Hey," Lisa said with a rueful grin. "Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me, huh?" She sat next to Aqua and folded her hands in her lap.

"What happened to you?" Aqua asked as soon as she gathered herself.

"Well, you know how it goes. Fixing a point in time to become an absolute has a price. The bigger the event, the bigger the cost." Lisa dragged a hand through her hair. "The first time, it got me time-locked from the end of the Age of Fairytales along with my entourage. I got out just in time to meet you on your journey. The second, it was just me for nine years."

Aqua stared, horrified.

"You didn't mention that," Taylor commented, smile gone.

"Eh. I wasn't aware, so it's not as big a deal as you'd think." Lisa glanced at Aqua. "It took me the entire year to pinpoint where you were in the Realm of Darkness, and I needed Luxu's help to arrange your pickup."

"...you're Ava." Aqua gave a breathless laugh. "That makes… so much sense."

"Didn't we say Lisa was Ava?" Taylor asked, frowning.

"Yes, but I thought your Lisa and my Lisa were entirely different people. Otherwise I'd have said something." Aqua felt her face heat in a blush. "And now I feel… somewhat foolish."

"Well, glad to clear that up." Lisa smirked. "So. I did promise to keep in touch, so here I am."

"Mm-hm. Any idea of when you're going to visit?" Taylor asked.

"After you're done here. I'm bringing everyone but Cain." She paused. "That includes Luxu."

"Why?" Aqua furrowed her brow. "I don't remember much of him, just that he tried to keep Terra from falling for Xehanort's scheme."

"He has his reasons. He'd have gone to save you, but, you know. Caught a bad case of the dead."

"What." Taylor's eyes widened in shock.

"He got better." Lisa groaned as she stretched her arms over her head. "It was a couple of months after our entire misadventure, according to Cain. Apparently his heart and soul can move bodies and reshape them. Cain got him someone braindead from Earth-Magic, and it took him a while to acclimate."

"Holy fuck."

Aqua nodded in silent agreement.

Lisa sighed, smiling at the still forms. "Good to see Asterios hasn't changed much. The big guy's a sweetheart all the way through, assuming you let him show it." She narrowed her eyes. "Is that the damn leopard?"

"Kitteh."

"Taylor, the fuck."

Taylor smirked.

"The fuck," Lisa repeated, a note of laughter in her voice.

Aqua shook her head. "Regardless, I'm glad to see you safe. After I fell to darkness, I just saw you warp in a haze of blue."

"Yeah, I managed to get back to Scala ad Caelum before the price kicked in." Lisa grimaced. "I wish I'd busted out earlier. The Realm of Darkness isn't someplace I'd wish on anyone, let alone you."

"At least I'm out now. And I have plenty of traveling companions. The Guild is lovely." Aqua smiled. "And Mattias seems to have something like a plan to save my friends."

"Sounds about right." Lisa stood. "Anyways, I'll just be heading on." She smirked. "Wanted to give someone fair warning about what was coming, and Fearless Leader was asleep."

"...Cain is Cain, but Mattias is 'Fearless Leader'?" Aqua tilted her head.

Lisa's grin was sharp. "Always and forever. Cain's done good for me, but if the cards fall and he somehow came into conflict with the Guild? My line's been drawn from the start." She paused. "That said, the chances of that happening are astronomically low. Now, if only I could get him to fucking talk to Mattias and own up to everything…" she muttered.

"Such as?" Taylor's eyes gleamed. "And you never mentioned Luxu's motive for coming to Earth-Bet."

"His baggage. And no, I didn't." She tapped Taylor's forehead, causing the other girl to swat at her hand. "And on that note… ta-ta!"

"Tattletale-!" Taylor started.

Lisa vanished in a flicker of light and laughter.

"She doesn't change, does she?" Aqua asked in a fond tone.

Taylor huffed in amused exasperation as the fire flickered, signalling the continuation of time's flow. "She really doesn't."
____________________________________________________________________________

"You yearn for the hunt. Bloodspill. Carnage. To take, to claim, to own unconditionally. It isn't fairness or challenge you seek, but death itself in your own hands."

Clayton's body floated in the air, ensnared in pitch-black smog.

"Your pride, your strength is tied to murder. Tied to dominance over others, proven by how many trophies you can stuff into your domicile."

Ansem's voice was hypnotic in tone, low and soothing.

"Darkness had already taken root in you, deep down."

A substance like tar slid from Clayton's lips.

"All it took for it to surface was one final push."

The smoke dropped the man.

"Let us see what the child and Magician make of you."

Black ooze spread from his feet, small bodies clambering out of the tar.

Satisfied, Ansem turned away, letting the shadows consume his form as he left the jungle.

With a sordid gurgle, Clayton broke the newfound silence, spitting coagulated night from his mouth in a stream of vomit. Slowly, he stood amongst the writhing Shadows.

His eyes were a solid, dully glowing yellow.
____________________________________________________________________________
I shot upright at the sudden screeching.

"What the FUCK!?" Joan roared, leaping to her feet.

Looking around, I took stock of the situation.

Everyone was awake and moving, and Cu stood close to me with Gae Bolg in his grip. I squinted, and spotted bluish blurs in the treeline.

"Powerwilds. Monkey-shaped Heartless that use fast, erratic movements and strong blows to attack." I stood up, holding Ideal in my-

Hands?

I stared at the two parasols, one with a red gem and the other with a blue.

"That's new," Cu commented. "I'd stick with one, personally."

With negligent grace, he swatted a barrage of purple spheres out of the air, spear twirling in tight arcs around his body.

"So they have ranged attacks?" he asked with a growl.

"No, those are Bouncywilds. They snipe from afar, but when they take damage they blitz the battlefield and start with a good old spray-and-pray. They're tan with red parts, and look like they have earrings." I flicked my wrists, and both parasols turned into rapiers, flashing a stark white momentarily.

Sora came crashing down on a Powerwild, his Keyblade's teeth tearing through it. Brilliant white bolts intercepted a series of projectiles, Nines' Pod providing cover fire as he began to hack a hole in the encroaching Heartless forces.

"Jane, in the tent!" Aqua called, raising her Master's Defender and calling down a vortex of lightning.

With a shriek, a Bouncywild tore across the ground, zipping around and loosing spheres that tore fist-sized holes in the soil.

Asterios stepped on it with a small frown, dissolving it with the force of the stomp. He clutched his Labrys in both hands.

Lobo howled and leapt around, Hessian tearing with blades and he with his claws.

"We need to warn Kerchak!" Tarzan roared, turning towards the cliffs.

Jane looked behind her, and ran into the tent, ushering her father in before her. "We'll leave this to you!"

A massive shaking came from the watering hole.

"We're splitting up!" I ordered. "Aqua, Joan, Rachel, Cass, Hessian Lobo, Asterios! You cover the campsite! Sora, Achilles, Taylor, Tamamo, Nines, Emil, Cu! You're on me, we're going after the source! Aqua, you're in charge!"

The Keyblade Master nodded as I chased after Tarzan, the rest of the group moving to take their places.

The twin rapiers hung heavy in my hands, the storm of potential brewing within.
____________________________________________________________________________

Aqua twirled her blade, deftly cutting through another Powerwild. "There's no end to them," she breathed as Joan skewered and scorched another on her flag.

A tree flew by, striking out with long sweeps that herded the Heartless into a group, only for Asterios to land in their midst, labrys flailing. Cass surfed through the air on a crate, holding on with one hand while she guided the massive tree with the other.

Rachel held onto Hessian as Lobo tore through the clearing, thorned shadows sweeping the area around his body. Nothing that came in contact survived, shattering and evaporating into smoke as hearts floated away.

Aqua tensed as the trees bowed in, then a massive shadow leapt into the air, landing before them.

It wore a pit helmet and safari clothes, black ooze seeping through the fabric. The right breast pocket bore a Heartless Emblem, the stitch-crossed heart dark against the tan shirt. One arm ended in a massive claw, and the other tapered into a three-tailed whiplike protrusion.

Aqua held her Keyblade before her as it whipped the air before it, six monkey Heartless emerging from black portals.

"Well, here's the boss," Joan growled.

Asterios let out a bellow, the air around him gaining a sudden weight as his kind eyes took on a sheen of madness, his mane slowly raising around his face.

Aqua pointed her Keyblade. "Let's go!"

Three more trees spun through the air with a shout from Cass, and Lobo howled.

With a sweep of her weapon, Aqua froze the ground before her and slid forward.
____________________________________________________________________________

The ten of us made it to the cliffs, where the last gorilla clambered over as Clayton took aim.

"STOP!" Sora yelled, swinging his arm.

The man froze, then spasmed.

"...Clayton?"

Slowly, he turned.

I felt my breath catch at the calcified yellow orbs lodged in his eye sockets, and his heaving, wheezing form.

Clayton retched, spatters of darkness flying from his mouth.

"Not Clayton!" Tarzan said urgently.

"This is over your paygrade, Tarzan. Go watch over your family," I said lowly, tensing into a crouch.

"Pay- No. I'll go," Tarzan agreed, dashing as soon as he spoke.

Clayton wrenched his neck, black spittle drooling down his chin as he rasped. His arm lashed out, and there was a sharp crack as a sphere of violet launched from his palm.

I felt my eyes widen as it tore through the air, closing in on Tarzan.

"Shell!"

Light enveloped Tarzan, and the projectile grazed the aura and veered off.

Sora let out a sigh of relief, and I saw the ghostly hand vanish from his own.

Clayton turned back to us and spasmed again, ichor leaking from his nose and ears.

"Did this…?" Nines whispered to me.

"No. This is new." I grit my teeth. "Before, he became host to the Heartless, but was still outwardly human. This…"

Taylor stepped forward, and with a swing of her hand the earth roared up in a wave of broken stone and dirt.

Clayton let out a blasphemous gargle, then leapt up in the air and backwards. With a distending of his torso, he disgorged a tide of viscous tar.

The creatures that emerged looked like Shadows, but taller, leaner. They had noticeably muscled forms, and their antennae were more zigzagged tendrils that emerged from backwards-facing horns.

"Shit. Neoshadows," I hissed.

Achilles snorted, spear in hand as he tapped the toe of one boot on the ground. "New name, same method. I won't give them a CHANCE!" He vanished, dirt scattering as the force of his charge scattered the Heartless.

Tamamo floated upwards, Yata no Kagami circling her. Emil stood on the air next to her, presenting his staff with a look of determination as light gathered in his eyes.

Nines reached behind him, gripping Cruel Oath and a longspear of some sort. His Pod's front opened, revealing a sixfold store of missiles.

Sora aimed his Keyblade, light gathering at the tip. Kairi's silhouette hovered behind him, her outline growing clearer by the second.

Cu twitched, glancing at the trees around us and nodding to himself with a gleam in his eye.

In the face of all this, Clayton let out a gargling scream, taking aim with his gun at superhuman speed as we all moved.

I saw the barrels glow, and the spray of violet lances shrieked forward in a cone of violence, ready to impale Sora, Nines, and Taylor.

With a swing of my left arm and cry of fury, I loosed Ideal, the words tearing out of my throat.

"IDEAL: DESTRUCTION!"

The wave of violet screamed from my rapier, and the world vanished in light.

When it faded, Clayton's broken body lay in a pit deep and wide enough to fit Asterios in.

I stared at the rapier in my grip, seeing the violet gem in the hilt. The paired sword had a gem of green, and to my sides floated Red Stasis and Blue Entropy, both in their own weapon. There was a momentary gleam in the air, but it faded as something tried to shimmer around my hands.

"...well steal our thunder, why don't you?" Achilles grumbled in amusement as the hearts fluttered into the sky.

A ragged cry came from the new pit, followed by several savage cracks.

Dirt erupted in multiple spots, until several hazes hung in the air.

Clayton levitated out, body flailing wildly, stopping only to swallow his shotgun whole as his jaw unhinged to an inhuman extent. He immediately gave a bellowing scream, black ichor sluicing out of his maw and embalming him in a cocoon that hung in the air.

"...not good," Taylor whispered as soft trilling came from the massive distortions of light, and the cocoon sloshed ominously.

I gripped my blades, and looked around.

Three invisible enemies, each larger than my Berserker. One transforming into some sort of abomination.

Well, shit.

 

[Blinktwice13]

A/N: I have Kingdom Hearts-ified a lot of FFXIV Lore. That's the warning.
_______________________________________________________________

Daybreak: Lux

"Okay, so let's see if I've got this right." Lisa's arms were crossed, and she tapped her elbow rhythmically.

Aced nodded, leaning against Lisa's desk.

"The 'titles' of the Foretellers are not their true names, but we're not obligated to share them."

"Yes."

"Further, not all the Foretellers are human, or as you call them, 'Hyur'."

Aced nodded. "Amaurot is a city renowned around the world for its peaceful nature, as well as the seat of what many consider to be the strongest race. Fortunately for all involved, they also tend to be the kindest. As a generalization, at least."

"Ascians." Lisa adjusted her mask.

"Just so. They tower over the largest of us, and their children are roughly my size. They can shift form to accommodate, but usually only do so outside of the city. It is a gradual process, and can take some time. Their other power is to draw on the essence of the world for their spellcrafting, and their ability to create is unparalleled. Until the Master of Masters, no magic of its like had been seen elsewhere."

Lisa felt her eyes narrow. "Create… energy?"

"Hah! It would solve much if we were able to simply prevail upon them for Lux, but no. Physical creations and effects alone, I fear. Though they can also invoke a great number of spells this way as well."

Right then.

"Anything else I should know about them?" she asked.

"Hm. They are extraordinarily long-lived." Aced shrugged. "Their span is beyond my counting, in all honesty."

"And if their bodies are destroyed, they can simply take a new one!" a cheerful voice cut in.

Aced frowned. "Master. It is not something I would concern Ava with, as the recorded incidents of that nature are limited, and the bodies in question were always… inert."

"So they can inhabit corpses?" Lisa asked, grimacing.

"No, the bodies have to be physically alive. Anyways, you're sure spending a lot of time on Ascians, huh?" Cain folded his arms and tilted his head, giving an air of amusement beneath his hood.

"We've covered the rest already. Ava is an apt student," Aced said with a slow nod.

Lisa smirked. "You're not too bad yourself, you big lug."

Aced gave a grunt of amusement. "High praise, I'm sure."

"So, pop quiz! Aced is…?" Cain held his hand out.

"Au Ra. They're draconic humanoids. The women are of typical build, but the men, well…" She glanced at Aced. "Are you average, or…?"

"In terms of height and broadness, I'm average. My horns curve enough I can conceal them beneath my hood, my robes conceal my tail, and I glamour my scales. It took some work to learn, but I believe I do passably." Aced rubbed his arms. "My people live further across the world. The Master himself chose me when he visited, and I have been here since."

Lisa let out a soft sigh. "Well, if you want to let your hair down around Vulpes, feel free."

"...I do not put my hair up?" Aced frowned in confusion.

"She means if you want to let your scales breathe some," Cain explained in a stage-whisper.

"Ah." Aced's frown cleared, and he inclined his head with a slight blush. "I will keep the offer in mind, Ava. It is kind of you."

Lisa waved a hand. "You've met ZZ, and I have friends with non… Hyur… attributes back home. It's literally no trouble." She glanced at Cain. "Does he have to hide?"

Cain shrugged. "Not really. He's the one Au Ra in Daybreak Town, though there's a couple in Amaurot. It's Ascian territory, but they'll house refugees as long as they need. There's some political unrest back East, so…"

"It is by choice. I am… uncertain as to whether the people of Daybreak would accept an Auri Foreteller. By now, it is second nature to apply the spell outside my domicile." Aced smiled. "But I will keep your offer in mind."

Lisa nodded slowly. "Right. So the others…?"

"Hm. Invi and Ira are Hyur, and Gula is a Miqo'te. I believe he is a sun seeker…?" Cain trailed off thoughtfully.

"So Hyur are our humans, Elezen are basically what we'd call elves, and Miqo'te are catfolk." Lisa placed a finger to the side of her chin. "Their ears angle back, emerging from the top of their heads, and they have tails."

"Don't forget the eyes and teeth!" Cain reminded her in a cheerful tone. "But yes, that accounts for the Foretellers… that you've met."

Aced straightened up. "You intend to introduce them?" he asked in surprise.

"I do. They'll need to work together. However, I have news!" Cain clapped his hands. "You have a whole new member for the Vulpes Union! I picked him out myself, I'm sure you'll love him."

Lisa sighed. "Well, I guess it had to happen sometime. Hopefully he gets along with Ven."

"Who doesn't get along with Ven?" Cain stepped out of the office in a lively manner. "Come on, come along!"

Aced chuckled. "He's in one of his moods. Best of luck, Ava."

"Thanks, Aced. And thanks for the primer. Take care." Lisa smiled and followed Cain out.
____________________________________________________________________________

There was a sound of rippling… not paper, but something… Lisa frowned.

Cardstock? Shuffling.

"And here we are!" Cain gestured jovially as they walked into the Vulpes Union's headquarters.

"Now… was this your card?"

"Whoa…!" Ven stared with wide eyes at the card held in the older boy's hand. Man? Very near, if not already an adult.

Lisa exhaled. Hopefully he wouldn't take her apparent(?) age as a challenge.

The man was slightly older than her, given the neat goatee. He had platinum blond hair, and sharp blue eyes. His ears were pierced, with two helix piercings on each. He wore an indulgent expression at Ven's awe of his sleight of hand.

"Dulor! Meet your Foreteller, Ava." Cain gestured to Lisa with excited energy.

"Ah, thank you. I don't believe we were introduced…?" Dulor narrowed his eyes.

"We weren't. Well, lots to do! I'll leave you to it." And Cain swanned out of the room.

He is far too happy. Up to something.

Dulor raised his eyebrows at Lisa.

"Ava, Vulpes Union." She took her mask off and lowered her hood. "Call me Lisa."

Dulor sketched a shallow bow. Now that she got a better look, he wore a black shirt, and a jacket and pants in silver-grey. "Pleasure." He stood back up.

"Yeah, Lisa's weird like that. Cool, but weird." Ven smiled innocently.

"Weird?" Lisa echoed.

"To my knowledge, Foretellers guard their identities jealously, concealing knowledge of their true faces and names to all but their closest disciples." Dulor bridged the cards in his hands, the snapping of cardstock punctuating his statement. "Given there are few members of Vulpes at the time, I suppose it makes some sense that you abandon that particular bit of protocol."

Lisa shrugged. "I do things my way. Have before I was a Foreteller, and if there's an after it'll be more of the same."

"Hey, show her your Keyblade!" Ven chimed in excitedly.

Dulor chuckled. "Very well, Ventus." His expression turned stern, and he held out his hand. In a flash of light, it appeared in his grip.

The charm at the end of the keychain was a silver-embossed playing card with a silver, stylized rendition of an ace of hearts. The chain was thin, roughly the thickness of a simple necklace, and deceptively strong given the size of the charm. The black handle went through a perfect gunmetal circle outlined with carved Roman numerals from one to twelve, set with the bar going straight through the 'clock'. The shaft of the Keyblade was sleek and gray, with carved suits along the length - club, diamond, heart, spade. The teeth were visibly designed in the shape of a second, minute, and hour hand of a clock, with each in order from the tip of the weapon.

"I call it Eleventh Hour," Dulor said proudly. "As you can tell from its appearance, I specialize in temporal magic, as well as effects relying on chance."

And there's the other shoe, dropping right on schedule.

"Time, huh?" Lisa hummed. "Small wonder the Master of Masters handed you over to me."

"Oh?" Dulor's gaze sharpened.

"I specialize in time and entropy." Lisa smirked. "So if there's anyone who could help refine your magic, it's probably me."

Probably. Assuming the Fifth gave her any insight into how this world's time magic worked.

This is fine.

"Ah. I was wondering what Lady Invi's rationale was, considering I completed the trials for her Union. Tell me, who was that man?" Dulor crossed his arms. "He was a bit… odd."

"Oh, just the Master of Masters."

Lisa savored Dulor's look of utter shock, eyes slightly wide and lips parted.

"Wait, what?" Ven gawked at Lisa.

Lisa smiled, held a finger over her lips, and winked.

"Be nice to the boys," Fortuna said, stepping out of the air in a swirl of silver light. "You'll be stuck with them for the foreseeable future."

"Oooh, new arrival?" ZZ materialized in a shower of gold sparks, perched on a table.

Dulor exhaled, blinking rapidly. "So it seems." He shook his head, and dismissed Eleventh Hour in a sweep of silver light.

"A gambler with a taste for rhetoric and affinity for time. Some emotional maturity, and a tendency to indulge those younger than him." Hans tapped away at his tablet, walking out of the air from behind Lisa and standing at her side. "Given the situation, he would make a good second for Union matters."

"Ven, is that alright with you?" Lisa asked.

The boy shrugged, recovered from the mild shock. "Honestly, I'm just happy to be here. If you want Dulor in charge, it's fine by me."

"Dulor?"

The man shrugged idly. "Honestly, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Erm. Who are…?"

"Hat lady is Fortuna. She's terrifyingly competent. Wings is ZZ, she sees the future and has a deep attachment to musicals from back home. The munchkin from hell is Hans, and he's a writer."

"Ah." Dulor nodded once. "I understand. Well, I accept your proposal. Though, I'm not entirely sure what my duties would include…?"

Lisa held up her hand, opened her mouth, closed her mouth, and lowered her hand.

The two hum- sorry, Hyur - gazed at her expectantly.

"...we'll make it up as we go along."

Hans gave a weighty sigh, only for ZZ to rap the top of his head with her wand as Fortuna hid a smile behind her hand.

"No respect, I swear…" Lisa groused.

Dulor chuckled. "All apologies, Lisa."

"Hey! I look up to you!" Ven complained.

"The only person you don't look up to is Hans," ZZ said pointedly.

Ven scowled. "I'm not that short! And you know what I meant!"

"What did I walk into?"

Lisa grinned at Scathach. "Welcoming the new guy."

The redheaded Scot sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Naturally."

"Heh. Well, it seems that the Union will be lively, at least," Dulor commented with a fond smile.

"So long as you're happy here," Lisa said, raising her voice over Ven and ZZ's bickering. She placed her hands on her hips. "Alright kids, play nice."

ZZ and Ventus pouted, crossing their arms and looking away from each other.

"Lively, indeed." Dulor reached out and ruffled Ven's hair, causing the younger boy to duck his head and laugh.

Lisa kept smiling.
____________________________________________________________________________

Lisa wandered into the almost-empty courtyard, pausing when she saw its lone occupant.

The man wore a black cloak identical to Cain's, but he had a more muscular build. Taller, broader, but his body language was also calmer. He gestured at the ground, and the air shimmered. Slowly, but faster than anything nature could pull, a bush grew into being. Roses with marbled petals bloomed, white shot through with lines of gray.

The magic was simultaneously familiar and not.

"Going to stand there?" he asked, amused. "I know I can be intimidating, but it's just gardening."

"You're an Ascian?" Lisa asked.

"That I am. The title our Master gave me is Luxu. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." He looked around, and lowered his hood.

'Luxu' had untamed spiky brown hair, a deep tan, and gentle brown eyes. For all appearances, he was a normal human.

"So… how does that work?" Lisa asked, walking forward. "I know it's not the same as the First True Magic, but apparently it comes close."

"The First True…?" Luxu frowned in confusion.

"It can draw anything from nothingness, Denial of Nothingness, or Ex Nihilo as the owner calls it. Energy, mass, concept, effect. Apparently you guys are limited to effect and mass, so I assume you use internal reserves." She paused. "Not that he doesn't, but he can convert energy into even more energy for a feedback loop until he can brute-force the Magic. Also he has a core to perpetually generate and store power…"

"Fascinating as that is, I can't think of anyone among us with that power. Neither Emet-Selch or myself could, and we were the strongest in the Convocation." Luxu chuckled nervously. "Once I was the 'Defender', but now it's 'Defector'. There's a bit of a sting there, but I have my friends so all's well."

"Uh. Sorry?" Lisa shrugged. "I just found out Ascians exist and got a cliff notes of what you guys are like. So is that your original body, or…?"

"Cliff notes?" Luxu murmured. "Regardless. This is my original body, sculpted with my magic so that I resemble a Hyur. It makes things simpler, in all honesty. We draw on ambient aether as well as our internal stores. Of course, it requires precise focus, or the spell misfires."

"Like backlash, or what?"

"Nothing so simple. The first gryphon was created when an Ascian attempted to make a lion and saw an eagle fly by. Our magics are strong, and once in motion will resolve on their own - even if it is not to the caster's original intention. If any were capable of this 'First' that you speak of, it would be either Emet-Selch or myself. Hythlodaeus is cunning, but he lacks the power for it." Luxu sighed.

"I take it Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus are friends of yours?"

"My dearest comrades. I left Amaurot as part of the price for Cain's assistance, and I do not regret it. However, I do miss them atimes."

Lisa frowned. "What, they can't visit?"

"Emet-Selch is the Architect. He creates and maintains the structure of the city itself, almost single-handedly. He could leave for some time, but I am… persona non grata, shall we say. Better for me to not get underfoot and spark yet another debate." Luxu's smile was wry. "Hythlodaeus works for him, so that would cause more of the same problems."

"Debate?"

"Amaurot is a pacifistic city. Any and all issues are solved through discourse. Lengthy, lengthy discourse. The very idea of violence is… well, not anathema, but very, very frowned upon. We can defend ourselves against those who threaten us and those we protect. We practice Creation, Rhetoric, and public service."

"Doesn't sound too bad," Lisa noted.

"Oh, it's a paradise. Or as close as anything real can get, truly." Luxu hummed. "So tell me, Ava… what is it that you've offered Cain that has him so excited?"

"Well, seeing as you're on a basis of names with him, you probably know about his curses."

"I do."

"I can get around them. It's hard, but I can. Well, not the one that makes people attack him, but the other one."

"I see." Luxu gazed at the rosebush. "We'll be expected to cooperate on some grand scheme Cain is putting into motion. He was aligned with two others of considerable power. One, the woman, I could likely outfight. The other… I would not cross blades with him if I could avoid it."

"You say 'was'," Lisa said slowly.

"Past tense. He said he would tell the both of us what the prior plan was sooner than later." Luxu crossed his arms. "So your power is to ignore curses…"

"Nope. It's to tinker with time. Not just stopping it, but I can go back, forward, and choose the result of actions that have an element of chance or risk. I can also dictate entropy - if I say something is inviolate, it becomes so. If I trace a line, I can destroy something so utterly it will never come back." Lisa put her hands on her hips. "So… what was the big plan Cain subverted?"

"Oh, that. Well, the Star on which we walk was dying. The earth rumbled, nightmares scoured the minds of Amaurot, and our dreams became reality. Monsters roamed, disasters struck. The initial plan was to sacrifice half of Amaurot's citizens, and use the gathered aether to invoke an embodiment of the Star to halt the calamity."

Lisa stared at Luxu.

"I dissented, thoroughly. Enter Cain. He offered an alternative: since our magics are mostly dark-aspected, we would collect a power source known as 'Lux' to counterbalance the effects that had piled up."

"So your magic knocked things out of balance, and the Unions collect Lux to fix it."

"More or less. The Heartless came when we began to collect it, but they're a minor threat at worst." Luxu winked. "Most cultures have powerful practitioners of white magic, and can deal with them easily. I was the one for Amaurot, but hopefully they'll train a replacement."

"You're a healer?" Lisa asked curiously.

"Wardsmith, healer, capable of smiting a hundred Heartless with a sideways glance. I also do some marksmanship in my spare time." Luxu grinned. "And you?"

"I practice swordsmanship to supplement my destructive powers," Lisa replied. "Beyond that, I'm… I can use my Magic to tell the future and past to a degree. I also have the power to take information and extract conclusions at a superhuman level. I can get solutions from the smallest detail, but have to account for bias and the usefulness of the information in question."

Luxu nodded. "Useful, that."

Lisa sighed, then took her mask and hood off.

"Oh? Bucking tradition, are we?" Luxu teased gently.

"Yeah. If we're going to do the conspiracy thing, we'll need to trust each other. Besides, it's not like you're masked." Lisa inclined her head towards Luxu.

"As this isn't my true form, that is a matter of some debate." Luxu shook his head with a smile. "Regardless. If we are doing proper introductions…"

"Lisa Wilbourn of Earth. My codename back there is Tattletale. Wielder of the Fifth True Magic, Magic Blue, and world-class Thinker Parahuman." Lisa held her hand out.

"Codename…? Regardless, we Ascians go by titles when we have them. I still have the sign granted to me as a member of the Convocation." Luxu held a hand splayed beneath his chin, and a white emblem spread in front of his face.

Lisa's eyes traced the symbol, the lines twining into a stylized heart ensconced in wings, with letters in a language she didn't recognize. In the heart's center was a small three-pointed crown. She dropped her hand.

"Though my original title was stripped, I remain Luxu, the first Foreteller and direct disciple of the Master of Masters. My name…" Luxu hesitated.

"Luxu," Lisa began.

"My name is Helel."

...well THAT was sure a name.

Luxu - Helel? Shifted nervously.

"So like, are you an actual fallen angel or…?" Lisa frowned, tilting her head as she put her hands on her hips.

"No, he's not. Ascian names are thematic, I've found. The true ones, at least. Well, not to them, but we would recognize them as figures from our own myths."

Space seemed to pinch as Cain strode out of a hole in the air.

"So Dulor's settled in nicely, and you've met Luxu. Nice, nice." Cain crossed his arms. "Since I've got you as a captive audience, we can start discussing the plan. Well, the first part. I need confirmation that Ava can subvert my curse when she isn't a focal point. To that end, the less essential part will go first."

"Which would be?" Luxu frowned slightly, his sigil flickering out.

Cain held up a single finger.

Lisa and Luxu exchanged tired looks.

"Aw c'mon, is the lack of enthusiasm infectious? Lisa came like that, but I thought you were better than that, Helel." Cain planted his hands on his hips and turned his head upwards and to the side. His head immediately dropped. "In all seriousness, though, this is crucial." Cain's hooded gaze returned to Lisa. "After all, it's a key part in ensuring your friend comes to be as he should."

Her shoulders stiffened. "Mattias…?"

Slowly, Cain nodded. "Initially, I was going to give a Keyblade forged of his heart and one of my eyes to Luxu to safeguard. It would have let me see into the future based upon its own possible paths. The rest of the Unions would engage in a Keyblade war, sundering the World itself. The remnants, who you would send into the future, would rebuild, and set the stage for a conflict between thirteen warriors of dark, and seven of light. This is the plan that my brethren and I decided on."

"Why?" Lisa whispered.

"To attain Kingdom Hearts. It is the heart of all worlds, the core of all existence. In a word, the Root for our corner of the universe. However, it can be interacted with, unlike the endless oblivion of the Spiral. With the right magics, the very rules of existence can be rewritten. Curses sundered, lives rebuilt, and the very nature of morality and sapience redefined. Humans could be made 'perfect', devoid of blame yet retaining the power to reason. The End wished to repaint humans in an image of his own making, where they forewent spite, hatred, and every sin represented by vice and Beast. However, they would retain the power to defend themselves, and advance rapidly to become a transhumanist utopia." Cain grasped his hands behind his back.

"And the other races?" Luxu asked in a deep voice.

"Oh, they'd get to go along for the ride. The End is nothing if not fair. Though he is also something of a beginning. And Kingdom Hearts is a reflection of the Root itself, so the change would echo across all space and time, and all beings called 'human' would be affected. For whatever reason, he can't access it through the Realm of Dark, so he's seeking alternative methods."

"...so what's the answer you found?" Lisa moved closer to Luxu, who looked as pleased as she felt with this revelation.

"Grail. The man who will one day be known as Mattias Sanderson. He is my answer. He can strip my curses away when I have no more use for this power, and give me the chance to atone for all I've done, intentionally or otherwise." Cain paused. "He would also, hopefully, give me a place to be among others. Due to extenuating circumstances or overwhelming power, you two are the only ones I feel are safe near me."

"There's more." Lisa looked at Luxu. "I know you, Cain. What aren't you telling us?"

"It may have already happened, but I need proof. I can't…" Cain shook his head. "There are mistakes I will not repeat. What must happen first is the forging of the Keyblade. I will core my own heart for the base, establishing a connection to the one who will wield it. It will also carry my eye so that I can observe and see the truth of the future."

"...that sounds dangerous." Lisa held her chin with finger and thumb.

"Oh yes. Nega-Prosperity will certainly trigger. However, the 'how' it works explains why you can subvert it. Think of it as Murphy's Law - what can go wrong, will. However, that dictates that something must be able to go 'right'."

"And I can make that timeline happen, despite your curse."

"You did it once. This is the field test. Once is a miracle. Twice is something we can replicate." Cain's voice lowered. "I forge it for the use of one particular person. Luxu keeps watch and ensures backlash doesn't catch anyone else. You make sure it comes out right."

Slowly, Luxu nodded. "I can work with that. It'll take me time to set wards of sufficient strength, though." His eyes were intense.

Lisa huffed. "Alright, then. Looks like I'll have to look after you boys so you don't get yourselves killed."

"We're both older than you!" Cain whined, slumping and losing his serious air.

Lisa smirked. "Boys."

Luxu chuckled. "Well, this certainly won't be boring."

"We unfortunately live in interesting times." Lisa shook her head.

"...so we're doing this." Cain exhaled. "We're stepping around Mara, and going to circumvent the End, saving what humanity means in the process. Though some might say we're the villains for doing so." His head dipped. "Since you've agreed, and this space is as private as can be made…"

Lisa frowned.

"The Seventh Beast is born of Accusation - mankind's inability to shoulder their own flaws, and tendency to shift blame onto others. It is judgement for all sins. He is The Accuser, He Who Planted the Tree of Knowledge. It is he who rides the serpent, he who was the seducer of Eve. The one who tests mankind again and again, and too often finds them wanting. He loves humanity, and they disappoint him without fail for living down to his expectations. He is the sire of the First Nephilim - my own father." Cain drew into himself. "Samael, lord of Fallen Divinity."

The name echoed with strains of hatred.

Lisa took a shuddering breath. "We're up against the guy modern interpretations of Lucifer and Satan are based on."

"Yes."

"And we're not even sure this plan will work."

"Yes."

Lisa gave a brief, hysterical laugh. "Well, shit."

Luxu gave her a worried look as Cain looked up.

She bared her teeth in a feral grin. "So when do we fuckin' start? If we don't make sure Mattias exists, we can kiss whatever humanity means goodbye."

"As soon as Luxu gets his wards set." There was a smile in Cain's voice.

"I'll start composing them within the hour," Luxu said with a shallow bow.

Lisa kept smiling. "Keep in touch. I've got my own preparations to make."

She turned on her heel and made for her chambers. An overlapping timeline ought to give her the space and privacy to explain the situation to ZZ, Fortuna, Scathach, and Hans.

Lisa doubted they'd be happy. But damn if she was going to go into this blind.

She had too many people to protect.

 

[Blinktwice13]

Jungle 4.3

Riku dropped his hand from the crystalline coffin. Inside, Alice slept soundly, her face relaxed. There, among the others.

A girl in a powder-blue gown with blonde hair and a headband, hair done up in a bun. A girl with brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a bright yellow dress. A girl with flowing blonde hair down to her back in a tiara, wearing a dress of vivid pink. A young woman with pale skin, black hair, and red lips, in a dress of primary colors. And Alice, a younger girl with blonde hair in a blue dress with a white smock.

"And then there were two," Maleficent said in a satisfied tone.

Riku shot her a confused look. "Two?"

"Never you mind, child. Tell me, how do you find your accommodations here?" Maleficent gave a reassuring smile - though she looked as though she'd never tried to do so before in her very long life.

"They're alright." Mostly, the other members of Maleficent's group stayed away and dealt with their own schemes. With the viewing crystal Maleficent had used shattered, there were fewer and fewer reasons for them to congregate. "...was taking her the right thing?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Maleficent's eyebrows lifted slightly.

"That guy. He was going to save the girl, I think. He…"

"Is the cause of your troubles. I managed to see the flow of power between him and the revenants, before his companion shattered my spell." Maleficent frowned. "They are both of great power. Underestimate them at your peril, child."

"I know. The cloaked man said as much. He said…" Riku grimaced. "He said that he would hold a grudge for what I did." He looked up at Maleficent. "But I didn't do anything wrong?"

"Are you asking, or stating?" Maleficent folded her arms.

"...a little of both, I guess." He shook his head. "Anyways. What's left?"

"One more maiden of purest heart, and our designs will advance. Retrieve her, and we will commit our resources to finding your friend." She gave a dramatic sigh. "However, your other friend may well be lost. He's been travelling with the puppeteer's group, revenants and all. Add to that, the maiden with a key of her own is an old enemy of mine. I would not be surprised if she tried to sway him to her way of thinking."

"Way of thinking?" Riku's shoulders tightened.

"Light over darkness, that darkness is a thing to be destroyed and banished. And you yourself have made use of the darkness, have you not?" Maleficent gave a condescending smile. "So your friend may not be so accepting of that choice."

Riku balled his fists. "I'll make him understand. Sora and I have been friends since we were little. Together, we'll save Kairi. Then we'll find our adventure."

"Indeed. After all, you fought your way free of that Island, no?"

Maleficent smiled as shadows curled around the boy's head like a crown of haze.

"Yeah. It was the only way to get free." Riku turned on his heel and strode away.

"I must commend you. The boy's heart is thoroughly clouded," Maleficent praised.

Shadows writhed, and Ansem stepped out of a Dark Corridor. "It was a subtle working to lay the foundation, but he has taken to darkness naturally. Our coaxing will cement fear of the outsiders, and when the boy inevitably clashes with his friend, even the Keyblade Master will be unable to defuse the conflict." Ansem paused. "Placing her as a visible enemy may be ill-advised. She is patient and kind where those she considers 'victims' are concerned. He may be drawn to her. It could put our plans for the boy at risk if he questions us based on his own findings."

"Your plans," Maleficent sneered. "All I need of him is a pair of hands to retrieve the Princesses. You are the one who wishes to drench him in dark, for whatever reason." She shook her head. "Even if I were to lose him, I have already reaped benefit. Keeping him on would merely continue that."

Ansem did not respond, merely dissolving into the shadows.

"Little wraith," Maleficent scoffed. She turned away, and went to tend to her own designs.
____________________________________________________________________________

Aqua backflipped away from the large Heartless, ducking several projectiles from the trees. It lashed out with its whiplike arm, carving through the air and narrowly missing as she bent backwards with a return volley of small fireballs.

The Great Explorer - the name she gave it, based on the pit helmet and safari jacket - gave a gurgling rumble as its shadows oozed over the container, its yellow eyes boring into her. With a shudder, it lashed the whiplike arm around a tree and pulled, launching itself at her with its claw bared.

With a roar, black flames licked the ground around Joan as she parried the claw with her flag, jabbing her blade into the Heartless' portly form. Black ooze sloshed down, hissing into acrid smoke on contact with the flames enveloping her body.

With a savage chitter, more and more Powerwilds and Bouncywilds began to appear.

"We're going to be overrun," Joan grit out as Aqua aimed her Keyblade at the Great Explorer's head.

There was a bellow as Asterios charged, barrelling through and swinging his massive labrys in both hands, stopping to spin and chop. The blow carved through several of the smaller enemies, but more kept emerging.

Aqua tilted her head to avoid a purple orb from the treeline, then paused as she heard a loud trumpet. Her eyes widened as the Bouncywilds began to flee cover, and a large reddish shape burst into the clearing.

A gorilla hooted in rage atop the elephant's back, goading it on as the visibly panicked pachyderm performed a reasonable appropriation of a one-creature stampede. Quickly, they trampled through as Lobo leapt and bit while the Hessian lashed out with his blades from upon his back.

Lobo howled, charging the beastmaster with a glint in his eye. Shadowy thorns pierced the creature, transfixing it as Lobo leapt, carrying the Hessian blade-first in an earth-shattering tackle. Rubble streamed skyward as the Great Explorer was forced back, and Aqua caught sight of Rachel on Lobo's back for a split second before the girl was thrown off by a lunging Powerwild..

"Rachel!" Cass roared, speeding to her side atop her crate, the massive trees forming a protective barrier.

Rachel bled from a cut on her forehead, courtesy of the monkey-like Heartless, her face a mask of rage. She clenched her fist, and punched the gibbering monster to no avail. Her eyes widened as it raised its claws high.

With a shriek, it was torn from on top of her by the gorilla, which had leapt into the fray. It flew away, and Rachel found herself on the ape's back, wiping blood from her face.

"Fuck," she hissed. "Thanks."

The gorilla blinked at her uncomprehendingly, then let out a series of hoots.

Spires of bamboo erupted from the ground, narrowly missing everyone but Asterios, who caught the growth in one large hand. With a growl, he tore it from the earth and flung it at the Great Explorer, which had plunged its claw into the dirt.

The Heartless jiggled out of the way, and more monkeys shot out of spheres of shadow. It let out a gurgling hiss, eyes glowing.

"Alright," Aqua breathed. "Joan, clear me a path. I can finish it quickly if I close in."

Joan grinned. "Massive collateral damage, you say? Why, you only needed to ask!" Black flames whirled around her, and she let out a loud cackle as she planted her flag in the ground with a savage twirl. A downpour of blackened embers consumed the smaller Heartless in its path, clearing a way to the Great Explorer.

As Aqua charged, Rachel turned around. "Cass! Give me breathing room!" she ordered.

"Whatever you're planning, make it quick!" she replied, the trees whirling as she set down next to Rachel and the gorilla. Asterios, Hessian Lobo, and the elephant kept fighting, or flailing in the elephant's case, but the mounting forces began to push them back.

Inside the confines of flying debris, Rachel reached into her pocket and produced a crystal. It was stark white, with dark specks scattered within. She clenched it in her fist, and it began to glow.

"Merlin better be right…" she snarled, hoisting it overhead.

"What kind of video game bull-" Cass began.

"GIVE ME STRENGTH!"

A single bark echoed. Then another. Then four. Then ten. Then forty. Then eighty. Then a hundred.

A hundred and one.

A torrent of white fur scored with spots emerged from a portal outside the cage, growing rapidly into a sea of claws and teeth.

The Heartless vanished under the paws of the Hundred and One Dalmatians, enhanced by Rachel's power, only for the dogs to take wing and scour the clearing. In seconds, the rear of the party was left unmolested, with the addition of a comatose elephant and shocked gorilla.

In the meantime, Aqua's Master's Defender spun in her grip as she ducked the Great Explorer's whip-arm. Her palm hovered over the middle of the weapon as it began to glow with a silver-violet light.

With a battle cry, she lashed out in a whirl of violence, spinning through the prehensile limb like a saw through paper, scattering sparks of light.

The blade cut again and again, scoring radiant wounds on the massive Heartless' body. It quivered as it sank down, only for Aqua to grip the hilt of her Keyblade.

She raised one foot behind her as she stood beneath the towering form.

"Here I go! SPELLWEAVER!"

She pirouetted in place, a sphere of light gathering at the tip of her weapon as she hoisted it overhead. It trailed a luminous streamer that cascaded around Aqua, carving relentlessly into the Great Explorer as she spun around it, culminating in a tower of radiance that enveloped the Heartless and reduced it to a pile of sludge.

Even that shuddered for a moment until Asterios came crashing down with his weapon, forcing it into a new crater as deep as he was tall. Then it finally dissolved.

Aqua let out a sigh as she looked around, seeing Jane poke her head out of her tent.

The Englishwoman's jaw dropped as she gazed upon the utter destruction that had befallen her camp, and the new addition of one gorilla, one elephant, and far too many dogs.

"We won?" Cass offered.

Rachel ignored her, and handed a puppy to the gorilla, who began to gently pet it with a focused look.

The elephant twitched on its - his - back.

"...oh my."

Aqua let out a tired, amused huff.

"You think the others are having this much fun?" Joan asked as she sheathed her blade.

Aqua flicked her weapon, and the gash on Rachel's head vanished in a shower of green leaves. "I hope they're doing alright."
____________________________________________________________________________

Whatever Taylor had expected, it wasn't this.

As soon as the black mass had formed, a faintly shining wall impenetrable even to her Magic had enclosed it, Sora, and Mattias, with a second ring walling in the rest of the combatants and the three invisible giants.

Achilles ricocheted off the walls, flickering as he tried to build up speed to ram the inner one to no avail. He easily evaded the lumbering creature's swipes.

With a glance to confirm that the cocoon hadn't hatched, and Mattias had Sora by him and was comforting the boy, she turned her gaze on the enemy.

"True Administrator doesn't work on the walls. Guess it's time for murder."

Achilles immediately redirected into the stomach of one of the invisible creatures, lunging feet-first as dust momentarily outlined a reptilian silhouette. Cu Chulainn immediately followed, spear flashing red as he vanished into the dust.

Taylor twisted her wrist, and spires erupted from the dirt, stabbing into one of the remaining two heat hazes. Gouts of light shot from high up in pairs, spinning into the air before descending on Taylor.

With a tired sigh, she stared them down as they reversed course and slammed into their conjurer. The haze rippled, revealing an olive-shaded massive chameleon with a Heartless emblem carved into its pale underbelly.

The other invisible Heartless jumped, only to be impacted by a vortex of lightning that sent it sprawling away.

Emil flew by, reverting to his skeletal form as Nines pursued.

Taylor frowned as she returned her focus to the…

"Stealth Sneak!" Mattias called, looking away from Sora for a split second.

Stealth Sneak. Of course.

Tamamo floated behind her as Taylor clenched her hand into a fist, breaking the stone spires off in her opponent, causing it to slowly drip ichor.

"Do you need my help?" Tamamo asked in a wry tone.

"Not with something like this," Taylor replied. She clenched her fist, and the jungle rustled.

To be honest, she preferred this battlefield to Wonderland. With a natural landscape like the trees around her…

A swarm of ants, spiders, and flies surged forward, piercing through the outer wall.

She had considerable resources.

The invisible wall rippled with light as the creatures slowly poured through, each one insignificant enough to not register, but the swarm as a whole struggled.

"Hm…" Taylor watched impassively as her… platoon… approached her immobilized prey. These barriers were going to be tricky to work around.

The insects began to glow a vivid blue as they accelerated, their skittering becoming audible. The human-sized clump of reinforced insects slammed into the impaled Stealth Sneak, and the exterior gave way beneath hundreds of tiny legs and mandibles, revealing the oozing dark within.

The Stealth Sneak trumpeted, its strange shriek filling the air as it flailed helplessly.

"Brutal," Tamamo commented in mild approval.

"It shouldn't have gotten between me and my friends," Taylor replied coolly. Her eyes flickered with an odd light, and the bugs rapidly multiplied beneath a combination of the Fourth and First, blanketing the Heartless entirely.

The sound of vicious gnawing echoed over the battles fought by the rest outside of the innermost circle, until a crystalline heart floated above the carnage.
____________________________________________________________________________

Emil swung his staff, force sending the massive chameleon sprawling head over tail. Nines' blade was joined by a lance that he spun around his body, scoring deep cuts across its back.

Do you know where our friends are?

...jealousy didn't suit him. And now wasn't the time.

At least your friends are alive.

"Emil!" Nines called, planting his polearm into the ground, looping around it, and kicking his sword into the charging Heartless as Emil was startled back into focus.

Nines flipped back, the two weapons hovering behind him. "You alright?" Concern was plain on the android's face.

Emil stared at him, his face stuck in the smile he'd grown to hate before… everything.

Instinctively, Emil lashed out and transfixed the leaping Stealth Sneak on a pillar of black energy, running it through so it dangled in midair.

"Whoa." Somehow completely unafraid, Nines stared in awe. "Have I mentioned I'm really glad we're friends? Like, the 'you' I met back home was strong, but that kind of casual power…"

Emil stared at Nines for a moment, having missed the entire second half of the sentence.

Oh, right. I do have friends who are alive. They're here. It's not the same, but…

"Sorry! I've been feeling a little funny, but I'm better now!" Emil chirped. He turned to the Stealth Sneak. "... you know, I blew up a city once." The old, cold shame washed over him for a moment, only to be replaced with firm determination. "An overgrown lizard is nothing."

"Pod!" Nines called. The small robot opened its front casing, a brilliant yellow glow gathering, and he grinned. "You ready, Emil?"

Emil twirled his staff, hovering next to Nines and his Pod. "Yeah!"

The Stealth Sneak hissed, slashing its claws together and loosing a visible gale in the shape of a cross, tearing up dirt in its path.

Emil swung his staff forward, unleashing a pitch-black beam shot through with white sparks. "No, you won't!"

The two attacks collided, the wave of magic tearing through the air with the sound of shattering ceramics. When it collided with the Heartless, the sparks glowed brighter, turning into streams of light.

"Now, Pod!" Nines ordered as the Stealth Sneak shrieked and flailed, still immobilized on the black pillar.

"Executing POD Program R010: Laser," the synthetic voice pronounced.

A massive whirr was the only warning before a torrent of golden light slammed into the Heartless, tearing through its body. It blended with Emil's magic, shattering the shell hiding the heart within.

Even above the din, the sound of crunching echoed, but Emil didn't let it distract him until the heart flew into the sky.

"Nice work," Nines said with a grin. "We did it!"

Emil nodded, returning to his humanoid form as his body and clothes shifted seamlessly. He smiled back. "We did!"

Kaine, Yonah, Weiss… you. I'll never forget you. But I have even more friends now, so I'm not alone.

And who knows? Maybe… maybe someday there'll be a miracle. After all, I'm here.
____________________________________________________________________________

Slow.

Achilles hopped over the beast's tail as it swept beneath his feet, plunging his trusted lance through and pinning the creature in place as black ichor seeped out.

With a roar, he let go and set upon it, bludgeoning its back as he wrapped his legs around its midsection, his punches cracking the exterior effortlessly.

His eyes glanced sideways for a breath, reassuring himself that Sora was still safe.

A shadow passed overhead, and Cu Chulainn struck downwards with his spear, carving into the meat behind the creature's head. Well, not meat, given it cracked and spilled, but the position was the same.

The spear flashed out and to the side, Cu's foot driving the Heartless to the ground in a powerful kick.

Achilles met his eyes, and found understanding there. Though their relationships were vastly different, neither could let the separation from their master stand quietly.

"The sooner we gut this thing, the sooner we get in there. Call it a hunch." Cu's eyes blazed as he ground his heel down, pinning the Stealth Sneak in place.

Achilles stood, tearing his hero-killing spear from the monster's tail, only to sever it with a single sweep.

The Heartless shrieked, writhing impotently as Cu raised his lance for the deathblow. Wreathed in flowing red prana, Gae Bolg struck through the creature's head, tearing through the top and out the chin in a spray of dark liquid. The Stealth Sneak fell still, and its heart floated out of its rapidly dissolving body.

Achilles cast his gaze about, and gave a wordless snarl.

The barrier keeping them from the jungle had vanished, but the one between them, Sora, Mattias, and the strange object Clayton had turned into remained.

"...shit. That must be what's making the barrier." Cu's eyes narrowed. "Oi, lass-"

"I can send bugs through a handful at a time, but anything with any sort of real significance gets stopped cold." The Magician's voice echoed, frost creeping along the ground. "They're on their own unless Mattias manages to pull something out of his hat."

Cu and Achilles exchanged a brief look.

"MATT, I SWEAR ON THE DAGDA IF YOU DON'T-"

"BY THE BLOOD OF ZEUS AND HERA IF YOU-"

...sometimes, it was good to have a friend that operated on your wavelength.
____________________________________________________________________________

Mattias grimaced at the new yelling as Sora swallowed nervously.

"Are we stuck in here?" he asked.

"...probably." The First Magician stood taller, squeezing Sora's shoulder once. The three blades hovered behind them, the fourth in Mattias' hand. "I'll do what I can, though."

Sora nodded, feeling the shiver pass through his body. What had happened to Clayton was… was…

The pulsating cocoon of shadows dripped ichor, hovering in midair.

It's not over yet. Not by a long shot. Kairi's voice rang in his ears.

More and more, she'd woken up. She wasn't supposed to. Something had given her power, something that kept spinning outwards in a lazy tide that never retracted and kept pushing onward.

That same something had reached deep inside of him, bringing his already formidable (in his opinion) magic to new heights.

Mattias stepped away, and the blue rapier moved to his hand, the green in the other. The remaining two swords transformed into parasols and began to float in the air above the battlefield.

Sora gripped the Kingdom Key in both hands, jolting as water began to lap at his feet.

"It's going to be okay." Mattias' voice was steadier than it had been since he'd met the man in the alley in Traverse Town.

The cocoon rattled, and roared. Lines of violet crossed it, and fountains of ichor erupted in their wake. A single reptilian talon plunged down into the ground, scattering silver flames where it touched the Tide of Life. Another, another, another - it was a quadruped, whatever Clayton had become. With a shriek, the long neck snapped up, shattering the remains of the shell. At its end was a snakelike head, with the top half replaced by extending double barrels identical to Clayton's shotgun. A long, whiplike tail threshed the water, ending in a wicked blade. The Heartless' thin body jittered, ready to do violence. Black slick coated it, and-

Sora swallowed back a surge of bile, his body quaking.

Clayton's screaming face emerged in macro from its chest, eyes bulging and blank, jaw unhinged. With a shudder, the eyes erupted from their place on thin tendrils, blades emerging from the tops, fanged mouths enclosing them. A strange shape emerged from Clayton's mouth, rotating slowly.

"Fuck!" Mattias hissed, crouching. "A fucking minigun!?"

With a howl, Clayton's Heartless threw its head back, and the barrels spun, scattering violet particles into the air.

Sora wanted to scream as the sparks of destruction hurtled at them, but they stopped short in a cloud of red.

"Like I said," Mattias hissed, somehow audible over the Heartless' scream as it pounced.

"It's going to be okay."

He vanished, green lightning crackling across his body before he appeared feet-first in the forehead of Clayton's face, sending it crashing backwards as Water roared up into spiraling spouts. The lightning came from his left-hand rapier, and he pursued the Heartless as his right glowed a vicious blue.

Sora shook himself, and swept his Keyblade. "Aeroga!" Wind cloaked his body, and he charged. The Heartless sprayed more projectiles, but they clattered off of the violent gusts that protected him, and he closed with Clayton's face. With a quick roll, he dodged the eye-serpents, and slammed the teeth of his Keyblade into the spinning barrel, knocking it askew and rattling the entire body.

"Heads up!" Mattias called. Shortly after, a rain of violet light tore through area, slamming into the creature before him with multiple small explosions, leaving trails of smoke at the points of impact.

Sora rolled away as the Heartless thrashed, clawed feet kicking up spray. He held the Keyblade parallel to his body. "Thundara!"

Lightning crashed down, the grouping clustered around the beast's body in forked protrusions from midair. It let out a growling screech, jittering in place, otherwise unmoving.

Mattias appeared next to him. "That tail is nasty," he breathed. "And it hasn't loosed whatever the shotgun can do, yet."

"I think I got the… uh… minigun?" Sora swallowed.

"Nice work." Mattias peered at him. "You good?"

Sora gave a shaky laugh. "I think I might need to talk to Miss Yamada about this."

Mattias gave a sad smile. "Fair."

Kairi flickered into vision. "Break time's over, it's coming again!"

"Damn thing," Mattias snarled, and vines erupted from the ground to ensnare it.

The tail lashed, slashing through the plant matter as Mattias burst forward again, parasols following his movement and scattering violet bullets.

"Plan?" Kairi asked, hovering by Sora.

"Cover me!"

Sora dashed forward, and jumped into the air.

The shotgun centered on him, and with an eruption of darkness, a pair of black-iron projectiles hurtled towards him.

"Protera!" Kairi called out, a sigil appearing in front of Sora.

Sora reached for the power of ice to immobilize the creature, readying a Blizzaga, but-

"SKREAAARGH!"

The projectiles ground against Kairi's shield, and he, and he-!
____________________________________________________________________________

Somewhere, atop a stained-glass platform, two figures stood, and one floated in slumber.

One of vivid color turned to the other. "I suppose you should take this one."

The other, a cloaked figure whose head brushed the sky, turned. His white, birdlike mask glanced down.

The feathered figure grinned. "I'll be along when he's ready. You're less likely to break his body at this point."

Both gazed at Sora's sleeping form, face scrunched in distress.

We're all the same, really. Just aspects of his power.

"Thanks to that guy, huh?" The Esper-Sora chuckled. "One day, we're all gonna blend. I can't wait."

Likewise. Let us see if we can handle the power which defined an age.
____________________________________________________________________________

I felt my eyes widen as the projectiles neared Sora, black iron spinning in a vortex of death.

"SORA!"

Ice erupted from his hands, encasing the bullets, and engulfing the Heartless' main body. And then…

The ice rippled, greyed. It took on a metallic sheen, and Clayton's Heartless screamed as the weight of metal enclosing it crushed its lower body entirely. The shotgun-head flailed, clogged with solidifying liquid metal.

Of course, that was when Sora fell from the apex of his jump, limp with a stupefied look on his face.

I threw Entropy away from me, and clutched Enhance as the green lightning rushed through my body once more, giving me speed and strength on par with any of my Knight Servants. I flipped it into a parasol, slowing our descent as I caught Sora in my free arm, beckoning Water to us with my will.

He blinked slowly after the first splash, and shook his head after the second.

"Awake, are we?" I gave him a small smirk.

"Ugh. What happened? It felt like I lost control of the spell…"

"What was that?" I asked.

"Blizzaga? I thought it would work better than your vines…"

We touched down.

"...in hindsight, I really need to make more use of my creation magic." I frowned. "So the metal?"

"Metal?" Sora blinked.

Kairi's phantom flickered into sight. "Sora, look."

Sora's gaze followed her finger, and his eyes widened. "Uh."

The metal had engulfed the creature completely, expanding in massive prism-like structures at a steady pace.

"Uh, I don't know if I can stop it-" he said quickly.

I set him down. "You've done great." I paused. "Though we will have to figure this out later," I admitted.

Sora coughed in embarrassment. "Yeah…"

I grinned. "Again - you did good, kid." My grin turned feral. "My turn."

I reached out, and Entropy slotted back into my hand, Enhance crackling over my body. I felt the world streamline around me as I slammed the point of the Entropic Rapier into the prison holding Clayton's Heartless.

Blue enveloped the construct, and as though watching a time-lapse it rusted through. Red dust flickered off, and the point of my weapon impacted the Heartless. The exterior degraded, and-

"Destruction!"

A beam of violet shot through.

With a cataclysmic roar, the entire structure, Heartless and all, was consumed in a pillar of violet light.

There was a faint sound of shattering behind me.

Clayton's form knelt in the crater, eyes sightless. Slowly, his outline decayed, and a heart floated skyward. With a whisper, the last of the darkness was consumed in silver flame.

I jolted as arms wrapped around me in a fierce grip.

Taylor flickered into sight, frowning thunderously, hands on her hips.

"Uh."

"Next time, you make something to let us in," she growled, eyes sparking gold.

I glanced sideways to see Sora covering his face as Achilles held him in a bear hug, face buried in his hair.

"You guys did good, though! But I don't think I've seen magic like that before…" Emil said as he floated down.

Nines squinted. "I mean, it's magic, right?"

"It felt like the First," Taylor said bluntly. "Not as strong or versatile, but damn close."

I sighed. "You good, Sora?"

"Mm-hm." Sora dropped his hands and gave an embarrassed smile. "I think Achilles was worried."

"Next time I'm coming with you," he growled.

Tamamo snickered. "Looks like someone found his paternal streak over the past year," she teased.

"You're the last person to poke fun at that," Cu said flatly, finally speaking.

Tamamo turned her nose up. "Excuse you! Being an ideal mother is part of being a perfect housewife! I was completely ready for my own circumstances, unlike that ruffian, Mikon!"

"I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAVALRY!"

We all stared up at the top of the cliff.

Fou stood in front of an entire group of gorillas plus Tarzan, Kerchak and Kala - Tarzan's foster parents - at the forefront.

After a quick scan, I squinted. "Wait, where's Terk?"

With a trumpeting, I turned my head to see the gorilla in question atop a massive reddish elephant. Behind her was Cass. Rachel rode Lobo with Jane and the professor behind her. And behind them…

Aqua and Joan stood at the forefront of a mob of dalmatian puppies. Asterios smiled happily next to the proud parents of the massive litter.

Jane gave me an exasperated look.

"Ehehe…"
____________________________________________________________________________

"Okay, so that 'gun' guy turned into one of them Heartless?" Terk asked with a squint.

"Yes. A… rather unpleasant one." I rubbed my neck.

"Raise your paws if you aren't shocked," Fou drawled.

Every animal raised their front paw, except the elephant, who raised his trunk.

"Could we have saved him?" Sora asked.

I grimaced. "Whatever happened was too fast and complete for me to salvage Clayton from what he became. I'm good, but he was practically dead at that point."

"It's a shame," Jane said with a sad frown. She sighed. "I didn't care much for the man, but he deserved better than he got."

Tarzan sighed. "Friends live in our hearts. Clayton lost his heart. Without his heart, he couldn't see his friends."

Emil twitched. "That's true," he admitted. "If we lose heart, we forget our friends… and if we forget our friends, we lose heart."

Tarzan nodded, smiling. "Right."

"This is all fascinating," Taylor said slowly as we clambered up the waterfall, following the bridges of light I erected towards the cavern. "But how is the gorilla talking?"

"Hey, that's my question! How are these humans talking? All they do is make weird mouth-sounds," Terk retorted.

I raised my hand. "Guilty as charged. I gave Jane and the professor a translation spell to simplify."

"Yeah, the old guy and the rest stuck back with Kerchak and everyone," Terk noted. "Eh."

Fou sat on my shoulder with a smirk. "See? Right where I told you. Am I good, or am I good?"

"You're magnificent," I replied with a scratch behind his ears.

Fou preened.

"You'll give him a complex like that," Taylor drawled as Aqua giggled.

Finally, we made it to the cavern. The massive tree sat there, butterflies surrounding the keyhole-shaped outline.

"So this is the place…" Sora said slowly. He looked up at me. "Can you do it?"

I jolted. "What?"

"Um. I kind of want to wait until I get to Illyasviel for a checkup before I try my magic again," he admitted. Achilles put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why?" Aqua asked with a small frown.

"So…" I trailed off.

"He used an ice spell that turned into a metal superstructure when he lost control," Taylor answered. Her lips twitched into a minute frown.

"...magic doesn't work like that," Aqua said faintly.

"Well, no, but-" I began.

"No, Mattias. Magic. Doesn't. Work. Like. That." Aqua's eyes shone. "If a spell fails due to lack of power, it simply doesn't happen. Misconstruction yields the same result. What you're saying is impossible."

"Uhhh…" Terk elbowed Tarzan. "Any idea what they're on about?"

"No," he said simply.

Jane shook her head. "Well Mister Sanderson, it seems your group is prone to misadventure, hm?" She gave a weary smile.

Aqua straightened her back. "I'll tend to the Keyhole." The Master's Defender appeared in a flash of light. With a flourish, she aimed it, and a thin beam impacted the center of the portal. With a soft click, the light faded, leaving only wood and butterflies in the heart of the great tree.

With a squeak, a small Gummi piece fell from the space the Keyhole had occupied. I stepped forward and picked it up.

"And that concludes your business, then?" Jane asked.

"Yeah… for what it's worth, things should quiet down for a good while around here," I offered.

Jane huffed in amusement. "I suppose so."

Tarzan shrugged. "It was definitely… interesting."

"Uh-huh. Now can you please leave the jungle? Please? I'd like to go back to dealing with normal predators and stuff now," Terk begged.

I paused. "Wait."

Everyone stared at me.

"Where's Sabor?"

Taylor held up a finger and opened her mouth.

The leopard in question padded into the cavern, spat something at my feet, and looked up at me expectantly as she sat on her haunches.

The head of a Bouncywild slowly dissolved into nothingness.

"You are all lovely people, but please leave." Jane's voice was distant, and her eyes unfocused.

"I'm sure we'll be missed?" I squeaked.

"Very much so. Goodbye."

"And take your damn cat!" Terk yelled.

Sabor let out a loud hacking noise, and spat a hairball into the remains of the Heartless.

"Good kitty," Taylor said as she scratched behind Sabor's ears.
____________________________________________________________________________

We all piled into the Shadow Border, the residents of the Deep Jungle giving us a fond, yet enthusiastic farewell.

"Well that was an adventure. I'm going to bed," Cass said as she trod through the Worldgate.

The rest of us stood back as Rachel gave a sharp whistle, the tide of puppies flowing behind her back to Earth-Bet. Pongo and Perdita, the two adults, followed shortly after, Lobo in their wake.

The Hessian gave a salute and moonwalked in.

Asterios laughed behind his hand. "This was fun. I'm glad I came." He smiled at me, and wrapped me in a one-armed hug. "I'll see you back home; Galahad's been doing okay, but I don't want to leave him alone too much."

"Right," I said with a sigh. "I should check in on him…"

"You're busy," Asterios replied in an admonishing tone. "Let us take care of things for a little bit. You've got enough to deal with here." He nodded at, well, the rest of the adventuring party.

"And ZZ's going to visit soon."

I looked at Taylor.

"Lisa said she was bringing Luxu by, along with everyone."

I felt myself perk up. "Really!?" I couldn't help but smile.

Taylor huffed, but smiled anyways. "Yes, really."

Asterios jostled me. "See? Things will work out." He smiled. "See you at home!" And he walked through.

Cu stepped up to my side. "And that leaves…"

I turned to face everyone else. "I honestly have no idea what's going on with Sora."

"Or you?" Taylor narrowed her eyes. "Two swords, I get. But four? From nowhere?"

"Da Vinci said to expect seven." I rubbed the back of my head. "Destruction is like my attack spells, but on a far faster windup and cooldown. It skips the steps I usually need to take. Enhance is… well…"

"I'm starting to feel a little redundant," Cu snarked.

I kissed him on the cheek. "Seeing as I'm incapable of taking care of myself emotionally and still lack your battle instinct, I think you're safe."

Cu scowled. "The second part's fine, but the first…"

"Regardless." Aqua crossed her arms. "Neither Mattias nor I understand what's going on with Sora, and we need answers. Eraqus never described that sort of magic to me, and it wasn't in any book I read in the Land of Departure."

Joan snorted. "I'm putting my money on it being the idiot's fault."

I pointed at myself.

"Yes, you."

Cu bristled. "Oi."

Taylor tilted her head. "...what are the effects of Arcana Flood, again?"

"Arcana what?" Aqua narrowed her eyes at me.

"Arcana Flood is a sort of inborn power. Wherever I am, the powers of metaphysics deepen. Mystery, magic, whatever you want to call it. It's like I exude body heat that gradually intensifies the world I'm on," I explained.

"...I don't think that was my mom's Esper powers," Sora said slowly. He frowned. "And that explains why Kairi's awake…"

"What about your father?" I asked suddenly.

"Dad?" Sora's frown deepened. "He died when I was like, four. He was caught in a huge storm at sea. A waterspout cut him off from the rest of the fishermen, and when it vanished, all that was left were some sparks of light and broken wood from his boat."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Emil said gently.

"It… was a while ago." Sora glanced down. "It still hurts, because he was a good dad, but… I try to remember him like he was."

Taylor narrowed her eyes at me.

"Hey, I only know about Tina because he told me," I said with my hands up. "His father having some weird ancestry is my best guess."

"And then you amplified it," Joan finished in disgust.

"Not on purpose!"

"'Oops, I accidentally gave Sora powers like mine because of who knows why,'" Fou snarked.

Achilles sighed. "It could be worse, I guess?"

Sora giggled to himself.

"Something funny?" Nines asked.

"I guess you can teach me magic after all, huh?" he said with a grin.

I slapped my face. "Oh boy."

"Careful with that," Taylor warned.

"Yep."

"Should just be physical stuff," Cu pointed out. "So-"

Sora started laughing.

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah, yuk it up. I'm gonna see if Lisa knows anything…" I grumbled. I really hate being ignorant…

Cu gently squeezed my shoulder, and I shook my head.

"What a mess…"
____________________________________________________________________________

I sighed as I dropped my head on the counter.

"Sounds like a rough time," Da Vinci said in a sympathetic tone.

"I literally cannot remember a single prop- sorry, universe or timeline that involves that kind of magic. I know it has to be part of it."

"Mm-hm. And your blades?" Gilgamesh shot me a sidelong look.

"They mostly look the same as the original," I explained as they manifested in front of us. My hands flickered with a momentary weight, then returned to normal.

Gilgamesh plucked the one with the green gem, and held it close. He looked at the guard's design closely, frowning minutely.

"Is there something wrong?" Da Vinci asked, eyes sharpening.

"No, nothing," he replied.

I blinked as the two of them exchanged a long look. "What's going on?"

"Well, you see-" Da Vinci began.

"It's nothing to worry about. I'm simply keeping myself appraised of your progress," Gilgamesh said with a smile, clapping my shoulder as he stood.

"You think Lisa has answers?" I asked him.

He paused. "Most likely. What she'll share is up for debate, however."

"Oh, she'll tell me," Da Vinci said with a gleam in her eye.

"She's a Magician and a Keyblade Master to boot," I pointed out. "Not to mention - Tattletale."

"I am omnipotent. Your argument is invalid." Da Vinci leaned on the counter with a smile and both eyes closed.

Gilgamesh shook his head and walked off.

I sighed as Da Vinci inspected the blade Gilgamesh left behind.

"Hm… I wonder what the last three will unlock?" She smiled brilliantly. "It's exciting! Your soul's finally starting to really heal."

I blinked at her. "Huh? I thought-"

"No, no. Summoning Fortuna in her current form simply stabilized you. This is you returning to form. Whatever this is from, it's completely you - no involvement of Magic whatsoever." Da Vinci handed the Enhance rapier back to me, and I dismissed all four.

I swallowed nervously. "I sure hope whatever Illya finds with Sora tells us something," I muttered, changing the subject.

"Mm. Maybe we should have her check you, too?"

I shook my head, then felt a hand slide through my hair from behind and make me nod.

"He means yes. Time for an appointment!" Cu's voice was that sort of darkly chipper which meant I shouldn't argue.

"...yes, Setanta." I sighed.

His hand slid down the back of my neck, and I felt his chest against my back as he looped me into a hug. "Good man, Mattias."

Da Vinci smirked, and flicked her wrist while making a soft snapping sound with her mouth.

"Oh, it's mutual," Cu interjected cheerfully.

I leaned back and laughed a little. "Guess so. So…"

Da Vinci blinked.

"Has Ritsuka met Ton yet?"

The genius paled slightly.

"HOLD UP, WHY DOES THAT BOOK SOUND LIKE THAT BASTARD!?!?"

"Hold it down, Senpai, hold it!"

"JOAAAAAAAN!"

"...fiddlesticks." Da Vinci drooped.

"Girls, girls, wait!" Roman screamed in the background.

"Who are these people, Doc!?" Ah, hello Rain.

Da Vinci began to bang her head on the counter.

"Feeling better?" Cu asked in an amused murmur.

I slowly turned to look him in the eye.

He smirked devilishly.

"Have I told you I love you, today?"

"I think you just did."

He quieted my laughter with a kiss as Sabor's roar echoed through the Manor.

Yeah, things will be okay.
____________________________________________________________________________

"Alright, we made it!" Lisa cheered.

"I'll finally see my prettyboy again!" ZZ pumped her fist, jumping in the air.

Luxu frowned, his brown eyes betraying his unease. "Why am I here?"

Fortuna smirked at Scatach, who sighed.

"Well, your family's home got torpedoed by Ansem," Lisa explained. "Erk."

Luxu's gloved hand tightened around her throat. "Run that by me again."

"Your wife's on a boat going towards Traverse Town with her friends," Hans explained in a droll tone. "We didn't have a chance to tell you, seeing as you were absent during and after the fall of the islands."

"Where is my boy?"

Lisa pointed at the Worldgate with a wide grin. "I assume you still have visitation rights?"

"I was killed by Beast VII, then had my family threatened if I returned in a new body. I'm not exactly divorced."

"Achilles has started playing father to Sora, though," Fortuna noted.

Luxu inhaled, then exhaled. "So long as someone has. Why is he on Earth-Bet?"

"Oh, Grail took him in."

Luxu relaxed minutely. "Given his nature, that's helpful. How did he find him?"

"Oh, the whole history he knows? Revolves around your son's journey as a hero to stop Xehanort." Tattletale's shit-eating grin didn't give an inch.

"Stop… Xehanort. The man who used the Keyblade our Master forged for Grail eons ago."

"Yep."

"The man currently allied with Beast VII. Or his fragments, at any rate."

"Yup!"

"My son is going to fight him." Luxu's voice was dangerously calm.

"It also looks like he unlocked his Ascian powers! Arcana Flood, gotta love it." Tattletale's eyes shone.

Luxu gave a wordless growl, then pinched the bridge of his nose after he let her go.

"Shall we?" Lisa offered in playful mockery, bowing slightly as she gestured towards the Worldgate aboard the Border.

Luxu slowly nodded.

"Aww. I love reunions!" ZZ squealed.

Hans began to write.

Scathach sighed. "Here we go…" she murmured.

Lisa kept grinning as Luxu walked through. She hadn't said anything so he'd be keyed up enough that he'd reveal himself immediately. One of her 'co-workers' keeping secrets from people who needed them was bad enough; she wasn't going to deal with a second.

"Shall we?" Fortuna asked, an amused glint in her eye. She knew exactly what Lisa was up to.

"Homeward bound, ladies and gentleshrimp!" Lisa called, pointing a finger skyward.

Hans kicked her shin as they went through, letting time resume.

 

[Blinktwice13]

Interlude: Luxu/Helel

The first thing Luxu was aware of on Earth-Bet was the architecture. It was a fascinating mix of technological marvel and ancient splendor. The massive room was made of stone, but the sheer amount of gadgetry would have been at home on a world like Radiant Garden.

As he looked around, he frowned beneath his hood. The place the gate was held seemed to be utterly undefended. That wouldn't-

"And who might you be?"

The air pressure intensified as Luxu took in the dark-skinned man with eyes like the sun. He draped himself in a fine cloak, and held a staff with a curved head. The air took on an element of danger as he stood.

"Whoa there, Ozymandias. He's with me." Lisa made herself known, stepping around Luxu with a wave of her hand.

The man relaxed slightly. "Tattletale. It's been a few weeks, but your workshop remains unmolested."

"Good to hear," Lisa replied with a grin. "How's Mimi, by the by? And everyone?"

"As far as 'everyone', it varies. Mattias continues to flit from person to person while at home, but still focuses on his Servants, Taylor, and his newest fledglings. Mimi is well; she visited Elle and her compatriots not long ago and returned the better for it. Semiramis maintains her vigil from above, and we continue to enjoy our working relationship with the Protectorate." Ozymandias smirked. "And you?"

"Oh, you know. Playing at a shadow war against Beasts Three and Seven, getting frozen in time, manipulating the past, saving what I can of a world that was obliterated." Lisa grinned. "The usual."

"She also took on her own students," Fortuna interjected with a tilt of her hat. "The worlds may never be the same."

"Oh? Where are they?"

Lisa's smile fell. "Lost. Part of the reason this is a visit and not me coming back is because they're all still out there somewhere. I've made some headway, but…"

Luxu cleared his throat.

Ozymandias raised an eyebrow at him.

"Can you tell me where to find Mattias? I would like to meet him." Luxu folded his arms, back straight.

"I'm sure you would," Ozymandias replied coolly. "However, despite Tattletale vouching for you, you are still an unknown and inside my Temple Complex. You have yet to even introduce yourself."

"I am Luxu, apprentice to the Master of Masters and fellow Foreteller of Ava's - or as you know her, Lisa." He gave a shallow bow from his shoulders.

"Hm. I am Ozymandias, King of Kings and Pharaoh of Egypt." The ruler gave a slight smile. "Though I'm sure that is not all you are, I bid you welcome to my Temple, Foreteller."

"WHERE'S GALLY!?" ZZ flit overhead, peeking rapidly left and right.

"The kennels with Asterios and Rachel, last I hear-" Ozymandias began.

"YEEEEEEEE-"

Luxu watched in quiet amusement as the winged woman shot through the air.

Ozymandias stared for a moment, then threw back his head in resonant laughter. After he subsided, he shook his head with a smile. "I should have expected no less," he said in rueful amusement.

"I need alcohol," Hans announced, making himself known.

"Whiskey, straight," Scathach added, stepping through.

A raucous ruckus came from the way ZZ had flown. In short order, no less than eight teenagers and a grown man charged down the hallway, ZZ in hot pursuit.

The man in her arms looked utterly content, for all his stoicism.

"THE BITCH IS BACK!" one of the girls hollered.

"Excuse me?"

"NOT YOU!"

"Besides, you're Cerberus now, remember?" the dark-haired boy reminded the young woman with blunt features.

"Guys," the second-oldest man interjected, herding them towards Lisa.

"Holy shit, you look like you fell out of one of Dragon's DnD campaigns," a blonde in a leather jacket commented with an excited look.

"Careful, she might give us a sidequest," a girl in a hoodie snarked.

"About time you got back," said another girl with curling brown hair and a flask strapped across her body.

The tall girl with long hair and glasses just gave a slight smile and stepped forward, walking right into Lisa's arms.

"Intro time," Lisa said as the man in blue scrutinized Luxu with a piercing gaze. "That's Aisha, Alec, Rachel, and Brian, hoodie is Cass, jacket is Vicky, flask is Amy, and this is Taylor. The first four were my team in the bad old days, the last three are heroes, and Cass is just happy to be here."

"Yay." She twirled a finger in the air.

"And you must be Mattias," Luxu said with a nod.

"Guilty as charged," he replied mildly. His gaze moved to Fortuna, and his features softened.

The woman stepped forward, and he flickered through the air and flung his arms around her.

"Missed you," he muttered into her shoulder.

"Missed you too," she replied, squeezing him back.

"Hey, what about me!?" ZZ wailed. Her eyes widened as she and her 'Gally' reappeared next to Mattias and Fortuna, and were shortly looped into the hug.

"Better?" Mattias teased.

"Yes," Galahad answered in a bland tone.

Ozymandias coughed, getting the attention of the group.

"Charming as your reunion is, it might be best to retire to the Island Manor?" he offered. "The facilities there will lend themselves more readily to a reception."

Mattias snorted. "You're just mad because Ritsuka charged through here chasing Ton, aren't you."

"I am not 'mad'. I am appropriately displeased," Ozymandias retorted. "My former Master ran through my halls like a hoodlum, wielding Fergus mac Roich like a battering ram with the aid of her Shielder, and Joan of Arc set things on fire aided by Sherlock Holmes, with only poor Oliver to try and restrain them."

"See? He's mad." Mattias gave a decisive nod, earning a cackle from ZZ and a snort of amusement from Fortuna.

Lisa huffed in amusement. "C'mon. Also, we need to introduce Luxu to Sora. And give you a crash course in more magic shit from the other side of things."

Mattias' gaze sharpened. "I understand the latter, but why the former?"

Luxu didn't have time to dodge as Scathach tugged his hood backwards.

The Magician's eyes widened as he took in Luxu's appearance, shortly before they narrowed in fury. The air felt like what Luxu could only assume the floor of the ocean resembled in terms of pressure.

"Down boy," Lisa said as she stepped out of Taylor's arms and in front of Luxu. "There's reasons for everything."

"I assume they're good," Mattias whispered in a voice that could chill bone.

Taylor, meanwhile, had gone unattended, and Luxu felt incredibly uncomfortable as the sensation of pinpricks began to appear across his body.

"Taylor," Lisa warned without looking.

"...they're related?"

"Luxu will explain." Lisa still didn't turn her head.

The girl's eyes flashed gold. "He better. Sora's hurt enough, especially if we're right."

"And if it's unsatisfactory, we'll feed him to my garden when you're done with him," Mattias offered in a too-sweet tone.

Taylor's expressionless face gave way to a small smirk as the sensations stopped. "I can work with that."

Luxu exhaled slowly. At least his son had found a place to belong after the fall of the Islands.

"...wait, who's he again?" Vicky asked, finally speaking up.

"Ten bucks on Sora's deadbeat dad," Aisha commented.

"No contest. Same hair and skin color, similar bone structure around the eyes?" Amy squinted. "Also, we still haven't gotten an answer on why his soul is doing the weird crap it is. Illya's stumped. He's got answers."

Luxu remained silent, raising an eyebrow. "In case any of you get ideas, I can easily match either Taylor or Mattias."

"He's not kidding," Lisa interjected. "So before anyone gets hasty, let's go home and talk over a nice mug of tea."

"Not coffee?" Taylor asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm feeling indulgent." Lisa smirked.

Luxu felt Mattias' gaze on him as the group moved away, unrelenting in its pressure. For whatever reason, the First Magician did not trust him at all.

He could still work with that. He'd handled worse.
____________________________________________________________________________

"So."

Mattias leaned against a chair, gazing down at Luxu as the man sat on a loveseat. The room he'd chosen was small, with a crackling fire in the corner.

Lisa had been corralled away by Taylor and their friends, to her visible discomfort. The Servants had, somehow, managed to be of even less help.

"Sora never told me your name, but would you be his father?" His tone was mild.

"Yes." Luxu said nothing else.

"And I suppose you leaving when he was four was due to being recalled by Cain?" Mattias' smile was utterly frigid.

"In a way. I returned after my part in trying to halt Xehanort's scheme, only to have my current body perish at the hands of Samael, and my family threatened should I attempt to contact them again." Luxu met Mattias' eyes.

"Samael?" The man's voice turned hesitant.

"I believe you would know him as Beast VII." Luxu gave a wry smirk. "You can see my conundrum."

"Yeah, I can." Mattias glanced down, disquieted. A small bangle on his wrist gleamed in the firelight, and he frowned.

"Surprised?" Luxu asked dryly.

"Yes, honestly. The you in the alternate timeline… your connection to Sora was tentative at best. You were a bitter old man who played the role of the fool, having jumped from body to body using your Keyblade to carry the Gazing Eye on behalf of your Master." He exhaled. "And you're not using any magic I can sense…"

Luxu frowned. "No? And why would I need a Keyblade to appropriate a body?"

Mattias blinked rapidly. "Buh?"

"I am an Ascian. Surely you know what that means?"

"...no?" Mattias seemed to wilt before his eyes.

"I see." Luxu sighed through his nose. "There were a great many races before the world fell. The Elezen, Hyur, Miquo'te-"

Mattias let out a loud groan.

"Yes?" Luxu asked, feeling mild irritation.

"Of course! One of the MMO's! I never looked at those so-!" He gave an irritated snarl. "No wonder. Sorry."

Luxu's eyebrows rose. "...MMO?"

Mattias averted his gaze, cheeks flushing. "...I don't know your timelines, just that they existed. And some key words."

He chuckled. "I see. Well, you don't know what an Ascian is?"

"No."

"What of Amaurot?"

Mattias tilted his head. "Isn't that from that book 'Utopia'...?"

"It was rather utopian, yes. The home city of the Ascians, and where the majority of us lived. Our lives spanned eons, and our differences paled in light of all we held in common. We were the strongest of the races, and among the largest." Luxu gave a small smile. "We could use our magic to resemble the others, but in our true form we towered above the others. Some of us would loom over the outside of your Manor."

"Whoa." Mattias' eyes were wide.

"We drew on the aether of our surroundings to create. It is not unlike your 'First Magic'." Luxu opened a gloved hand, and a stemless flower bloomed from the air, falling into his palm. The petals rustled on impact.

"Strictly material?" Mattias' eyes narrowed.

"Yes. We - that is to say, I - cannot create energy nor purely conceptual objects."

Mattias frowned.

"I am the last living Ascian." Luxu's shoulders slumped. "Cain is… something. Lisa is what we would call a Hyur, and the others…" He shook his head. "There were no other survivors that remained in our time."

"Samael?" His eyes narrowed. "That's one of the initial names for Satan or Lucifer, depending… In some traditions…" He trailed off, muttering.

"The Beast of Accusation." Luxu nodded. "He sundered my homeworld, creating the fragments you traverse today. It was not intentional, but it occurred nonetheless."

He blinked as he felt a weight on the loveseat next to him, and looked at Mattias' frowning face.

There was a moment of quiet.

Luxu shook his head. "Regardless. The other ability Ascians wield is to transfer bodies upon death, and sculpt the host into their choice of visage. I managed to create a machine that produces clone bodies for my use, so as to avoid the question of ethics. They are inert until I occupy them, no more sentient or sapient than bacteria."

"So that's how you survived Samael showing up and putting his boot through your face, metaphorically speaking," Mattias mused.

"Metaphorically speaking," Luxu agreed.

"So is your name actually Luxu, or…?" Mattias gazed at him inquisitively.

"Ascians of rank tend to go by their titles. For example, my dearest friend was Emet-Selch, the Angel of Truth." Luxu smiled fondly. "He, Hythlodaeus, and I were inseparable. Hythlodaeus was an inveterate trickster, Emet-Selch was brooding and grumpy, and I was the warrior with a heart of gold. Or so they said."

"Meaning…?" Mattias leaned on his shoulder with his own.

Luxu blinked. "Well, I was a member of the Convocation of Fourteen. Before I joined Cain, I was known as the Defender. After, the Defector. Emet-Selch was the Architect. Hythlodaeus did not hold a seat, but he was skilled and cunning in his own ways." Luxu smirked. "Emet-Selch and I were the strongest of them, though."

"You think he could have survived, too?" Mattias asked.

"If he did, I have not seen him since the Sundering." Luxu shook his head. "No, I don't think he survived."

"I'm sorry."

Luxu glanced at Mattias. In all fairness, he hadn't been sure what to expect.

"Quite the turnabout of opinion," he murmured.

Mattias blushed. "Yeah… sorry. I let faulty intel color my opinion, and that was before I found out you were my friend's father." He paused. "So, about your magic?"

Luxu sat back. "Yes?"

"What does a misfire look like?"

"It will continue, and blend intent and distraction. The first gryphons came about when a man tried to make a lion and saw an eagle."

Mattias went pale. "Oh."

Luxu smirked. "Yes. 'Oh'." He paused. "What happened?"

"So Sora tried to cast Blizzaga, lost control, must have involved his Keyblade - the Kingdom Key is partly grey metal - and encased a powerful Heartless in a continuously expanding metallic structure."

"...most magics of the current day cannot create things as complex as metal." Luxu frowned. "How long has this been going on?"

"Not long. Uh…" Mattias blushed again. "It might, uh. Be my fault. I wouldn't be surprised if he went all Esper either, at this point."

Luxu stared.

"Look man, shit just happens around me, it's a thing," the man babbled. "Magic gets more magic, hidden heritages activate, etcetera!"

"Pff."

Mattias blinked.

Luxu doubled over, laughing into his fist.

"Jeez…" Mattias sighed, but seemed to relax.

"Ah… I needed that." Luxu rubbed his forehead. "...how's he been?"

Mattias grimaced. "We've been doing our best. He misses his mom, his home, and his friends. It doesn't help that his best friend kind of opened the door to darkness-"

"What."

"Or that the girl he kind-of-liked who is his other best friend decided to stow her heart in his chest for safekeeping-"

"What."

"And then there's the fact that Ansem's interested in his progress, and is trying to take over the idiot friend's body most likely-"

Luxu placed a hand over Mattias' mouth.

"Mmph."

He took a deep breath, held it, and let it out.

Mattias gave him a sheepish look.

"You and Cain are far too much alike." Luxu paused. "Though you yet have an… innocence… that he lacks."

"Eh?"

"Congrats, you pass."

Luxu jolted as Taylor loomed over them.

"Did the charm go off?" she asked.

"Oh! No, it didn't." Mattias shook his head quickly. He paused. "You know, you never told me your name."

"Sora knows me as Haruhiko, but that's the name for the life I wanted to lead." He gave a wry smile. "Apparently Ascians are named for beings either of utopia or of power. My name is Helel."

Mattias sputtered, leaning away. "What."

"Funnily enough, Lisa had a similar reaction." Luxu smirked.

Taylor snickered as Mattias slumped.

"So, about Sora…"

Mattias perked up. "Oh, right! Should we-"

Taylor vanished.

"...did she go to-?"

"Probably." Mattias gave a sheepish smile.

Luxu sighed, then looked at Mattias.

Past the surface.

"What the fuck." Fury boiled his veins as he bared his teeth.

"Wh-"

"Your soul. It's in tatters. Not to mention-"

No. No, that wasn't his place. One of the few things Lisa had told him was that Cain had told him next to nothing, and it wasn't his place to remedy his 'Master's cowardice.

Even as the man across from him continued to compile his heart from the shards in his 'self'. The riot of colors coalesced as Luxu watched, emotions dancing across the fractured fractals.

"Oi, who's this?"

Luxu watched as the blue-haired man leaned over Mattias, loose scraps floating from one heart to the other with ease. He blinked, and the physical reasserted itself fully.

"This is Luxu. I guess he can see souls…?"

"Not as well as my friend did, but yes." Luxu exhaled. "My question stands, you know."

"Uh. My soul was materialized, and I took a Noble Phantasm to the face and almost died." Mattias rubbed the back of his head.

"I see. Have you harmonized with No Name?" Luxu asked. He seethed, clenching his fists.

"The one responsible is dead and gone, by the way." The blue-haired man spoke up. He eyed Luxu. "Cu Chulainn. And my question still stands."

"Luxu." He inclined his head.

"He the kid's father?" Cu asked bluntly.

"Yeah. He caught a bad case of dead, and Beast VII decided to be petty and threaten the Islands if he went back." Mattias rubbed the back of his neck, evading the other question.

Cu glanced at Luxu.

"I can possess bodies. I have a cloning machine to make copies at need."

He nodded. "Got it. So what's important about the big creepy key?"

"It will help his heart settle, at least." Luxu nodded at Mattias. "As for his soul…"

"It's healing, according to Illya. I've got some sort of weapon tied to it, and it's still developing." Mattias held his hand out, and a rapier appeared. It had a blue gem in the hilt, and a silvery guard with intricate design.

"I see." Luxu sighed.

Taylor reappeared. "He's in the training yard. I had to seperate Nines and Emil from him. Aqua knows, by the way." She paused. "I told Achilles ahead of time. He's… okay, I guess. We'll see how Sora takes it."

Mattias stood. "Have you seen Zee and Fortuna?" he asked Cu.

Cu crossed his arms. "I have," he said easily.

Luxu snorted. "I don't think he's leaving your side anytime soon," he commented, amused.

"Perceptive, aren't you?" Cu glanced from Luxu to Mattias. "We'll talk about that key later."

Mattias wilted. "Fiiine," he whined. "Don't like it…"

"Interesting, considering it was made for you."

Luxu smirked for a moment as he followed Taylor from the room, Mattias audibly freaking out behind him. Then he took a deep breath.

How to- no. No, he wasn't Cain. He would tell Sora the truth, and let him make the decision. His son deserved that from him.

...though, he wasn't unselfish enough not to hope for forgiveness.
____________________________________________________________________________

Taylor came to an abrupt stop somewhere outside on the island. The path was densely wooded, and the sun hung low in the air. "Hold on."

Luxu did as he was told, only for Mattias to peek over his shoulder. "What gives?" asked the Magician.

Cu Chulainn stiffened, stopping right behind Taylor. "That's not prana."

The flow of energy washed over them shortly after the announcement. Luxu grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

Mattias stepped out from behind him. "Is Lisa with them?"

"I… think so?" Taylor narrowed her eyes. "You don't…"

"I think she's trying to help him get a hold of his powers with secondhand knowledge. If she thought Luxu would hold out on Sora, she'd tell him, but this doesn't feel like anger."

Luxu glanced at Mattias. "You're certain?"

Mattias shrugged, then squinted. "Ah. Uh-huh." He started to walk. "Coming with?"

"Uh…" Cu stared after him as the blue-suited man strode down the path.

"Kairi explained. Lisa's trying to get him to replicate the accident that shut down Clayton's Heartless."

"...who?" Luxu started walking after Mattias, Taylor and Cu close behind.

"The girl best friend who stored her heart inside him," Mattias explained.

"...when outside of the proper body, hearts slumber. If they do wake, then only their vessel can perceive them." Luxu kept an eye on Mattias.

"Buddy, shit is weird around me. I gave up asking questions on certain things a long time ago. I'll eventually find out - likely in the most traumatic way possible - and deal with it then."

Taylor shook her head, drawing Luxu's attention. "I don't know what's worse, that you're resigned or that you're right."

"And yet you're seeking the answers to your past?" Luxu asked as they reached the end of the path.

"Oh, I found those. I don't know them yet, but Cain definitely does. We'll see if he decides to tell me before it bites me in the ass." Mattias' tone was just this side of cheerful, with an undercurrent of exhaustion.

Luxu tightened his lips and didn't reply.

"Don't get me wrong, I know he cares about me. Or I think he does. What is obvious is that I'm one of the many, many people he's fucked over, willingly or otherwise. He wears guilt like a mantle."

"He does care," Luxu responded.

Cu glanced back at him. "Do you know what he's hiding?"

Luxu opened his mouth, then closed it as they fully entered a clearing. Sora (it had to be him, had to) was slowly generating a silvery blob under Lisa and Aqua's combined watch. He exhaled.

"I have my own sins to atone for. You're Cain's responsibility." He stepped past the rest of the group.

"Can't argue that," Mattias ceded gracefully. "Just… nudge him a bit, hm?"

Luxu glanced back. "I'll help Lisa kick him along," he replied with a slight smirk.

Mattias smiled, and motioned him onward.

Aqua and Lisa stood a few feet from Sora as he manipulated the metal, Achilles keeping an eye on the path. The hero's gaze narrowed as Luxu stepped forward.

"Company," he said in a cool tone.

"Sora? What're you doing?" Mattias squeaked.

Luxu glanced back, and beneath a semi-transparent veil of illusion, Mattias winked.

"Oh! Uh, just seeing what I can do with this magic," the boy said, setting the metal down.

"That better not be quicksilver," Mattias warned, the illusion scattering into the air.

"It's more a 'concept' of metal than raw material," Lisa said with a glint in her eye. "So no heavy metal poisoning, not to worry."

"Heavy metal poisoning?" Aqua echoed with a concerned look.

"It's bad." Taylor's body flickered and reappeared by Aqua's side.

"Painful, drawn-out, and often fatal," Lisa chirped.

Luxu looked over the sphere. "Definitely a mixture of fire, earth, and water-aspected aether. This world's particularly rich in the stuff, and nicely balanced as well."

"His fault!" Lisa chimed in, pointing at Mattias.

"Hey!" The Magician crossed his arms and pouted.

"Can't argue it if it's true," Cu said gently, draping an arm over his shoulders.

"Um. Lisa said you could help with this?" Sora gestured at the metal helplessly.

Luxu stared at him. He was taller, obviously. Still had a decent amount of baby fat, given he was in his early teens. Had his mother's eyes and build, but Luxu could still see the body he'd sculpted in Sora's own. He blinked.

"I can." He cleared his throat.

Sora tilted his head and crossed his arms. "Are you okay?" He frowned. "You look kinda upset."

Luxu closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "It's complicated."

Achilles scoffed. "That's one way to put it."

"Achilles, you know this guy?" Sora asked in surprise. "He looks kind of familiar, but…"

"Well…" Mattias trailed off.

"Luxu?" Lisa's voice was gentle, but unyielding.

"It's a form of magic only usable by Ascians," Luxu began. "You draw on the ambient aether to construct matter and spellwork from pure energy. An important aspect of this is visualization, and when focus is lost the end result will vary. Ascian magic doesn't cease, it just changes."

Sora stared at him. "But if only Ascians can use it… is that another word for Esper?"

Luxu shook his head. "No. Espers are from a younger, smaller world. Ascians would have called the original Espers 'Primals', if they were allowed to finish dreaming them into existence."

Sora looked at Mattias. "Is this something you gave me on accident, or…?"

Mattias grimaced. "For me to have done that, I'd have had to forge some kind of direct connection. That's how Lisa and Taylor ended up with the Fifth and Fourth. Taylor was easier because she has a chunk of my soul in her, or a structure I attached to it at any rate. Point being, those were still extrapolations of existing power structures."

"Uh-huh. So how does the Fifth come from my Thinker power?" Lisa asked, moving it forward.

"Well, it's a mix. Your power is observational in nature, and Hans' story expanded it to include the lines of death. My power latched onto both, and well… here we are. Taylor's is a mix of her magecraft, my Lesser Grail, and her Queen Administrator." Mattias assumed a didactic pose, wagging his finger in time with his speech. Cu's arm remained in place.

"Fascinating. How does this concern Sora?" Taylor's expression was supremely unimpressed.

"Well, for me to have that kind of connection to Sora, I would have had to try and directly empower him. Since I haven't, that means my Arcana Flood just woke up something already there." Mattias turned to Sora. "That being, this power probably comes from your father. If he never used it around you, that was probably because there wasn't a call for it."

"While it isn't the only way to forge a connection, your reasoning is sound," Luxu agreed.

"Mm-hm." Achilles' stare sharpened.

Luxu took a deep breath. "Ascians were known for two things. One is their affinity for creation magic. The second is the power to persist after death and take on new host bodies."

Sora blinked. "So…" He looked up at Luxu in clear confusion.

"Until now, I was the last Ascian." Luxu shook his head. "Now it's you."

Sora's eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and-

"Ah, fair warning?" Mattias cut in.

Both looked at him as Lisa barely bit back a giggle.

"Remember that horror story I told you about Khepri?"

Sora dropped his arms, regaining some of his composure. "Yes…?"

"The thing that got him was worse, and held you and your mother's wellbeing over his head. Going back would have been a very bad idea," Taylor finished.

Mattias pointed at her and nodded vigorously.

Sora looked down, then back at Luxu. "So you're…?"

Luxu nodded. "I am."

He squinted. "So… whose body…?"

Achilles raised his eyebrows. "Good question."

"I created a machine a long time ago that produces an empty copy of this body whenever the current one expires," Luxu explained. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh." Sora blinked rapidly. "So… what happened, exactly?" He reached up and grabbed one of his arms across his body.

"I'd failed to save Aqua's friend from being possessed, but was still a present threat to the villain's patron. He came to the islands after my return, and cornered me in a storm. I could have fought him off, but not while protecting the islands." Luxu swallowed. "So I let him destroy that body. He said he would be waiting for my return, so... "

"So you stayed away." Sora's voice was soft.

"I hated it. I wanted to stay with you and your mother, but that choice was taken from me." Luxu shook his head. "I may not have the power to intervene with souls like… like an old friend of mine, but I managed to return Tina's power to her."

"So you're how Mom got her magic back." Sora kept eye contact with Luxu as he stepped forward.

"I had hoped my absence would protect the two of you. As I recently found out, I was wrong." He punctuated that with a glare at Lisa, who assumed an innocent expression.

"Wait. When did you find out?" Achilles asked with a frown.

"Moments before my arrival here."

Sora looked downward. "So you know about Riku?"

"Lisa gave me the 'what'. Mattias intercepted me, and we exchanged our own information. He gave me the… abridged version of the 'how' and 'why'." Luxu grimaced. "Among other things."

"Sounds about right," Lisa mused with a smirk. "Ow!"

Taylor drew her hand back from pinching Lisa's ear. "Stop being smug."

"That's like asking her to stop breathing," Mattias mocked, appearing to Lisa's other side with his hands on his hips.

"You're right and you should say it." Lisa stuck her nose in the air, still smirking.

Luxu shifted his weight again. "So. If you'll allow me, I'd like to help you learn to control this part of your magic."

Sora stared. "And?"

"And?" Luxu echoed.

"That's it?" Sora gripped his arm tightly.

"I…" Luxu straightened his shoulders. "It's been ten years since I last saw you. I know that you've likely moved on and laid my memory to rest. I don't know what place there is for me in your life, anymore."

"But if you had one?" Sora's voice was soft.

"Then I would gladly stay for as long as I could." Luxu slumped. "Sora, I-"

He cut himself off as his son wrapped his arms around his middle, burying his face in his chest.

"Huh. He's taking this well," Lisa mused over Sora's muffled sobs. "Ow!"

She rubbed the back of her head as Mattias and Taylor dropped their hands.

Aqua smiled gently. "I think we should leave them be," she said, gesturing to the path back to the Manor.

"You guys go on ahead, I'm sticking around." Achilles placed a hand on his hip before Luxu looked down and wrapped his arms around his boy. "I'll make sure they get back in one piece."

"Right, then." Mattias walked by, gently touching Sora's shoulder as he passed. "Cu?"

"He's kept his distance," the warrior said mildly. "I wouldn't have noticed it if you hadn't pointed it out."

"He's using one of his treasures, but he can't hide from me. Or you, when I give you that power." Mattias' voice faded as he kept walking. "Shall we?"

"Heh. Diplomacy or…?"

"We'll see when we get there."

There was a brief gust of wind, and Luxu couldn't sense anyone but Achilles and Sora.

He stood there and held onto his son for a long time.
____________________________________________________________________________

"So do we call you Haruhiko, or Luxu, or what?" Achilles asked gruffly.

Luxu shrugged. "I'll answer to either," he replied in a light tone, smiling. He sat next to Achilles as Sora sculpted element after element in their rawest form.

"...he was never going to not forgive you, you know. It's who he is."

"He's grown into a good kid. I wish I had been there to see it." Luxu placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward. "I'm just glad I didn't end up missing everything."

"So what happens when you go back?"

"I hide in Lisa's time bubble, and when she and Cain make their visits, I get her to take me along." Luxu sighed. "There's not much else I can do. Samael is stronger than I can safely fight with an audience. Even without, I'd lose if I stayed to the end. I'm strong, but even with his wound he's stronger."

"I see." Achilles flopped onto his back and stretched out. "I'll let you keep watch. You'd probably know more of what to do than me for this."

"Most likely." Luxu gave a wry smile. "That said… thank you."

"Hm?"

"For watching over him. I know it wasn't for anyone but yourself, but I still feel gratitude for it."

"Anyone but myself, huh?"

"He's a good kid. Easy to love." Luxu's smile grew gentler.

"Yeah, he is. Still a little soft-hearted, though." Achilles folded his hands behind his head. "Kind of surprised he's holding up this well, considering."

"He can hear you, you know," Sora called, dropping his hands from a sphere of shadow and letting it dissolve.

Luxu chuckled. "Apologies. But you've gotten a feel for the base manipulations?"

"It feels like a lot of the spellwork Mom had me do, but deeper. It uses energy from both me and my surroundings." Sora walked over and dropped between the two men. "And honestly, I've kind of gotten used to impossible things happening. Not… completely… but enough that this is fine."

Luxu and Achilles exchanged a glance.

"Okay, so it's a lot. But you're here, you love me, and you're helping me. It's… I'm processing." Sora slumped into Luxu's side. Luxu put an arm around him. "It helps."

Achilles made a sound of understanding. "That makes sense."

And it did. Sora had lost so much, that getting something back - even something as unexpected as his father - did help. Or so Luxu presumed.

"So. Impossible things?" Luxu asked.

"Mattias in general. He's… strange. He has a lot of power. Every time I think I've seen everything he can do, something new and weird comes out. That doesn't even touch on him as a person, though; he can be kind and calm then freak out and go straight for violence. Then there's the Manor. Fou is always up to something, Taylor emotes like cardboard but you always know what she's feeling, and the Guild in general just…" Sora laughed a little. "There's so much bizarre stuff happening, but it's really… comforting, I guess. It's crazy, but nobody gets hurt, and if there's a fight it gets resolved quickly. And the whole thing is geared towards helping people."

"That's about what I got," Achilles agreed.

"It's a safe place. I'm glad that they found you, after." Luxu gently rubbed the top of Sora's head.

"Me too." Sora flushed as his stomach let out a loud growl. "Uh."

"Guess it's that time, huh?" Achilles teased.

"Shut up," Sora groaned.

"Hey, it's nothing new. You get like this after barehanded training too, remember?"

Sora rolled to his feet and stomped off towards the Manor. "I'm going in." He paused. "You coming, Dad?"

Luxu blinked rapidly, then mentally shook himself. "I. Yes, of course." He smiled and stood. Then he looked down. "Need a hand?"

Achilles rolled to his feet in one inhumanly smooth motion. "I can manage," he replied with a grin.

The three of them started walking.

"Well, we've got a lot to catch up on," Sora said in a lighter tone than Luxu had heard from him before. "Luckily we're here for a few days."

"Mm. I have nowhere else I'd rather be."

Achilles shot Luxu an unreadable look that faded into a grin. "Good answer."

"To what question?" Luxu asked in polite bafflement.

Achilles just chuckled as Sora and Luxu exchanged confused looks.
____________________________________________________________________________

The red-eyed blond glared through Luxu as he stopped outside of what looked to be the dining room.

"Go ahead," he said with a nod to Sora and Achilles.

Sora squeezed his arm before wandering in. Achilles stayed.

"I think I'll stick around," the hero drawled. "Someone needs to keep an eye in case Mattias needs to get drawn in."

The shorter man gave a derisive sneer. "This doesn't concern him. Worry about your own Master."

"I mean, he is Sora's father. So you can say I am, in a way." Achilles smirk grew. "So what's the King of Heroes' big problem with this guy?"

"It doesn't concern you, either." The king's tone grew colder, somehow.

"If you have something to say, do so. I've missed a decade with my son; I won't waste another minute on petulant children," Luxu bit out, finally running low on patience.

Golden portals opened behind the man, and Luxu mimicked the effect behind himself. His Keyblade appeared in a flurry of white sparks, clenched in his grip.

Morgenstern was a slender weapon that appeared to be carved from marble. The chain was faint silver, with an opaque star at the end. The handle looked to be three pairs of feathered wings enclosing each other, the shaft of the weapon was inscribed with flowing, wordless script, and the head of the weapon had the six wings acting as three teeth on either side.

Achilles leaned sideways. "Be right back." He vanished in a blur of air.

The man snarled in irritation. "It seems our time is short. Tell me, do you know of what Cain did?"

"You'll need to be more specific," Luxu murmured. His eyes widened as a golden chain looped around him, and the other man hauled him close.

Harshly, he whispered into Luxu's ear, eyes flickering around them as a shroud draped over the two.

"...yes." Luxu locked eyes with the king. "I know what he did, and how he did it. And to answer your question: what you fear cannot happen. It is impossible on both a physical and metaphysical level."

The man's eyebrows rose imperiously.

"I was there."

With widened eyes, the chains fell and turned to light. "I see." His eyes narrowed. "What is his goal, then?"

Luxu shrugged, dismissing Morgenstern. "Redemption. Hope. A place to belong." The shroud fell away.

The gold portals closed. "Hmph. I suppose we'll see in time." The man gazed at Luxu. "My name is Gilgamesh. Tell your 'Master' that I will be keeping an eye out for him." His eyes narrowed. "And if his designs turn against Mattias… I will find the answer I could not all those years ago."

He turned on his heel, and began to stride into the dining room. Right into Mattias.

"WHAT DID I FUCKING SAY."

Gilgamesh flinched. "Trinket-"

The man went flying, a cackling ball of white fluff attached to his face.

Luxu stared at Mattias' beatific smile.

"Sorry you got held up! Dinner's this way."

Someone cleared their throat.

"Don't worry Arthur, I told Fou not to hurt him. He's just going to get dragged on a ride around the house for a few. Embarrassing, but nothing bad," Mattias said in a placating tone.

Another blond man sighed, shaking his head. "Mattias."

"I told him to leave well enough alone!" Mattias crossed his arms and pouted.

"Since when has giving orders to Gilgamesh ever worked out?" Arthur crossed his arms and leaned forward.

Mattias opened his mouth, then shut it.

"Dad?" Sora called.

"I'll just…" Luxu began.

"Go ahead," Arthur said with a gentle smile. "Taylor and Cu spread the word. It's good to have you with us."

"Hm?"

"You're stuck with us!" Mattias chirped, obviously eager to leave the previous conversation behind. "Welcome to the Guild."

Luxu stared for a long moment, then shook his head and laughed quietly. "As you say."

Mattias grinned as Fou bounded back into the room, Gilgamesh stumbling behind him. The king gave Mattias a sour look, then sighed.

"You gonna behave?" Mattias asked challengingly.

Gilgamesh gave him a half-hearted glare. "You are impossible." Under the exasperation, Luxu heard a trace of fondness.

"Gilgamesh."

The king's gaze turned to him.

"For what it's worth, he's guardian to my son. Trust in that."

"Eh?" Mattias blinked rapidly.

Gilgamesh's gaze softened slightly. "That will do, I suppose. Now, we're late for the evening meal. Come along." He walked forward, sliding an arm around Arthur's waist as the other man rolled his eyes with a wry smile.

"IT WAS YOUR FAULT!" Mattias howled, stomping his foot childishly.

Luxu let out a bark of laughter as he followed the Magician into the room.

He found an empty seat next to Sora, Achilles on his other side.

"Is everything okay?" Sora asked.

"I didn't hear some of it, but it looked like it got resolved." Taylor materialized in a seat across from them, a balding man to her side. He gave a slight wave and a tired smile.

"Luxu." He inclined his head.

"Danny. Welcome to the madhouse. Membership's free, and retirement not allowed."

Lisa hummed cheerfully as she took a seat next to Taylor. "You know, almost everything panned out exactly how I figured it would. A little tension, Mattias getting needed information, you reuniting with your kid, Gilgamesh getting his worries placated somewhat…"

"So what's missing?" Mattias asked as he took the seat to Luxu's other side.

Lisa's gaze grew distant.

"Oi. She okay?" Cu leaned over Mattias with a worried look.

Taylor's eyes narrowed. "Tattletale?"

Sora tilted his head. "Does anyone else feel that?"

"Feel what?" Achilles glanced around the room.

Luxu hissed, peeling his left glove off. Red light flickered on the back of his hand, resolving into a pattern of interlocking wings as it dimmed into a mark.

Lisa slowly gave a wide grin. She held up three fingers. She dropped the first.

"Oops," Mattias squeaked.

The second fell.

"Mattias," Taylor growled.

"I just stuck a cloaking spell on him so he could visit Sora whenever without Lisa! I didn't think-!"

The third finger went down, and Lisa pointed behind Luxu.

He looked back.

Gold light finished coalescing, and the redheaded woman stepped forth. Her hair was a strange blend of pink and crimson, and she wore a long red coat. Under she wore a white shirt, black tights and black boots. On her head was a tricorn hat with golden embroidery.

The woman stretched her arms overhead with a light groan, then dropped them. Blue eyes blinked out of a scarred face. "Well, well, what have we here? A gathering of heroes? Cu Chulainn, Achilles… didn't think I'd see you two in one place again." She shrugged. "Not unless you were at each other's throats or something."

"Who." Taylor's voice was flat.

"...Rider-class Servant. Francis Drake." Mattias sounded exhausted.

"Yep, that's me. King of Ghosts, King of Storms, El Draque herself. Where's the booze at?" she asked, raising her voice. "And which one of you scallywags am I saddled with?"

Luxu stood.

She glanced up at him. "Tall, huh. And you are?"

Luxu motioned in front of his face, and the sigil of his former station emerged.

"Ah?" Drake blinked.

"I am the Defender of the Convocation of Fourteen. The Freeshooter, first disciple of the Master of Masters, the Foreteller Luxu. You may call me Helel." He gave a polite smile.

Drake gave a low whistle. "Freeshooter, huh. You a marksman?"

Morgenstern appeared in his grip, and with a twirl split into two handguns. Each carried three pairs of angelic wings pointing back from the barrel, which could be said to be something between an overly large pistol or a sawed-off shotgun.

"Hah! Stylish and gaudy. I like it!" Drake grinned.

Luxu's sigil faded, and Morgenstern flickered away. "I'm sure we'll get along… somehow." He turned his attention to Mattias.

"Eep."

"What was this about a spell?" he asked serenely.

"Oh, he probably did what he did for me - made a concept of 'Beasts can't track them outside of direct sight' and slapped it on you," Lisa said airily.

Luxu stared.

"You get used to it," Sora said with a shrug. "Oh hey! Rib roast!" He dug in.

"Hey! Give me some of that!" Drake snapped, making grabby hands at the table. Space warped, and she blinked as she found herself in a chair, plate and a cup of alcohol in front of her. "Whoa. Good service," she praised after a moment.

Luxu sat down and stared at Mattias, who shrugged sheepishly.

"I wanted to help?"

Luxu slowly smiled. "I'm going to be hearing a lot of that, aren't I?"

Sora nodded as he gave an affirmative hum.

Mattias scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

Luxu sighed. "I was afraid of that," he muttered amusedly. Then he dug in. He'd finally gotten his son back after all - no point in wasting time on frivolities.

 

[Blinktwice13]

Gladiator 5.1

Cu Chulainn was not a complicated man. That isn't to say he was simple, merely that he was straightforward. His likes and dislikes were apparent to those who spent any amount of time with him. He favored the outdoors, a challenging fight, good food and drink, and company that was pleasing to the eye. It wasn't like he hid his appreciation of these things.

To that end, his reaction to Mattias' new attire didn't require prophecy to foresee.

"Uh… Cu? You good?" Mattias tilted his head as he waved a hand in front of Cu's face.

He wore form-fitting pants, a slick pair of boots, and a sleeveless overcoat that went down to his ankles, open from the waist down. His exposed collarbone indicated he didn't have a shirt on beneath the coat- and yes, that was a hood to the back. Fingerless gloves adorned his hands. His hat and suit were nowhere to be seen.

To top it all off, it was the exact color of Cu's own skinsuit that he wore to battle, down to having similar highlights in silver.

Cu Chulainn was a possessive bastard once he staked a claim. He was that way with Emer, and he was no less towards Mattias.

Him wearing his colors like that? Did things.

By Aengus Og, this man will be the death of me.

Cu swallowed twice. "I'm fine," he croaked.

Mattias fiddled with his gloves. "I can change back, if it's a problem…?"

"I think it's the exact opposite of a problem, Mattias," Medusa cut in with a lascivious purr. "You look fantastic."

Mattias squinted. "I don't recall him ever…"

"The suit was charming, and your other outfits were either casual or you strolling around in your Endbringer form," Taylor commented. She raised her eyebrows. "Whose idea was this?"

He flushed. "I asked Sabah for a new outfit idea. One that would look good without compromising my mobility, since I'll be doing more frontline fighting."

"The suit didn't work?" Taylor asked.

The suit worked fine. It was cute. This was considerably more distracting.

"You try to run in those kind of seams. It was a miracle nothing tore, and I still had to get rid of that outfit once we got back." Mattias crossed his arms before lifting one to smooth his hair out of his eyes.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "I wear a dress to fight. A magic dress. Maybe take a cue?" She smirked. "Or not. I'm enjoying seeing him at a loss for words for once."

Cu coughed. "It's. It's good."

"Seriously? I wear less to bed!" Mattias' cheeks reddened slightly.

"Take the compliment," Medusa advised. She smirked. "It's a nice change, Mattias. And I'm sure half of it is because he was besotted with you in the first place."

Mattias dropped his arms and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sabah recommended the colors?" Taylor narrowed her eyes.

"...that may have been my idea." Mattias glanced away, a small smile on his face.

Medusa gave a throaty laugh. "Oh, you knew exactly what you were doing."

Cu leaned forward, and pulled Mattias towards him by his wrists.

"Alright, you lot." Tess walked forward. "We're getting ready to depart. The world we're at looks to be made of some sort of cloudstuff, and has… vaguely Grecian-inspired architecture."

"Olympus." Mattias shook his head. "Hopefully we can clear it in one go. I'd rather not return repeatedly until we find the Keyhole through some sort of tournament series."

Cu grimaced. "Olympus?"

"Please don't remind me," Medusa breathed. "That was enough of a nightmare once."

"...I'm getting the feeling you're not talking the Disney version," Taylor drawled.

"No." Medusa didn't continue.

"I'm sure this will be at least thirty percent less traumatizing," Mattias consoled. "So… who's coming this time?"

"I'll go along. I admit to some morbid curiosity." Medusa paused. "I believe it's for the best we don't get Heracles involved."

"...you're probably right." Mattias grimaced.

"I'll be in attendance."

The five looked up.

Colin crossed his arms. "I admit to some curiosity as to how these worlds function. Further, I've recently upgraded my Knight Arm and wish to test it."

Colin Wallis, alias Armsmaster. Cu had to give the man some respect; he made all his own weapons and trained with them. He'd also been an integral part of multiple advancements on Earth-Bet.

"I'll be going as well." Sakura Matou smiled winsomely as she ran her fingers through her hair. "It wouldn't be fair for Medusa to deal with whatever's on the other side alone."

Mattias puffed up indignantly. "I wouldn't just leave her to-!"

"Not intentionally, but you do have a tendency to get sidetracked," Sakura replied soothingly. "And there are a lot of moving parts before we even touch down, aren't there?"

Mattias slumped. "...maybe."

Cu snorted. "Sora has new powers, Achilles is also connected to this place, and Aqua's going to be looking for a friend of hers."

"Mrgh." Mattias winced. "She won't find him. Zack Fair's been dead for a while, and I don't know the details of it."

Cu raised his eyebrows. "You told her that?"

"...not yet." His lover sighed and shook his head. "I'll do something about it soon. Very soon."

Tess gently pat his shoulder. "It's not an easy duty to tell someone their loved one's gone."

Colin inclined his head. "I haven't had the misfortune of acquiring that burden, but I can sympathize."

"Who's Zack Fair?" Taylor asked.

"Depends on who you ask. Some say a member of a paramilitary organization called SOLDIER from a city called Midgar, by way of some places. It's a world of its own. Others would say an aspiring hero that trained alongside that world's Hercules." Mattias looked down. "Either version was a good man. He deserved better than what he got."

Cu pulled him into a hug. "If he's dead, we'll find out what happened. If he's alive, we'll find him."

"...well, it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong," Mattias admitted, leaning on his shoulder. "We'll find out when we get there, I guess." He sighed, then Cu felt him frown against his neck. "...where are you touching?"

"I'm not renowned for my self-control, Mattias."

The women began to laugh as Colin deliberately averted his eyes.

"...mrg." He still smiled.
____________________________________________________________________________

I let out a low sigh as I watched Luxu and Sora say their goodbyes.

"So the spell you did…"

I glanced at Lisa. "It should work. I'd put one on Cain too, but I'm not sure how well it would hold."

She smirked. "Good to know."

ZZ tiptoed towards the Worldgate, Galahad tucked under her arm. Somehow, the man managed to keep his body ramrod straight.

I felt my eyebrows raise.

"Hah! So we're taking a hostage, are we?" Drake grinned, planting her fists on her hips.

Luxu stepped back from Sora. "Are we?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

Galahad blinked.

"No, we're not." Lisa stepped forward. "ZZ, down girl!"

Her head whipped around, and she gave a feral snarl.

Lisa stepped back, hands raised. "Sorry, boss." She grinned at me.

There was a sharp squeak, and Galahad fell on the floor as Fortuna lifted ZZ by the back of her neck. She smiled at us as ZZ giggled helplessly.

"And back into the fray we go," Hans intoned.

Scathach glanced at me, smiling slightly. "Give Merlin my regards when you see him next."

"He's in Traverse Town," I replied.

She smirked. "Hoh?"

"Sounds like a detour in our near future," Lisa said giddily.

"It's our next stop after Olympus." I put a hand on my hip. "So I suppose we'll…?"

Luxu nodded as Sora gave him one last hug. "If not sooner." He smiled down at the boy. "I do need to go. There's things that we both need to do."

Sora stepped back. "Yeah…" He looked down.

"If things get hairy, I can contact the boss here," Lisa assured him. "And he can get ahold of me. Your dad isn't that far."

Sora perked up a little. "That helps."

Luxu ruffled his hair. "It won't be forever. With any luck, your mother will be there as well." He sighed. "And won't that be a conversation…"

Achilles appeared, looming over Sora's shoulder. "Best of luck with that," he offered, clapping Luxu's shoulder.

Lisa gave an audible sigh and rolled her eyes when I looked at her.

I raised an eyebrow.

She arched hers.

I squinted.

She widened her eyes.

I felt myself mirror her.

"Exactly."

"...dare I ask?" Fortuna dropped ZZ as Galahad tugged her free.

"Probably not," Lisa and I chorused.

"Get out," Taylor deadpanned.

Lisa pouted playfully. "Fine, I see how it is." She grinned. "See you soon?"

"Definitely." Taylor smirked back.

Luxu waved with a small smile as he went through first. "Stay safe, Sora. Take care, all of you."

Sora waved back, rubbing his eyes and sniffling. Achilles gently ruffled his hair as he gave Luxu a surprisingly fond look.

"Well, it's been a fun couple of days, but time to get to work! Let's see what kind of plunder these 'Heartless' have on them," Drake said with a cackle, following suit.

"Do we tell her they tend to drop 'munny'?" Hans asked.

"Do you want to deal with the fallout?" Scathach replied as they strode in.

"Goodbye, my knight!" ZZ mock-sobbed, fluttering a handkerchief as she levitated away.

Galahad waved back with a slightly forlorn look as she left.

"She'll be back. We'll make sure of it," Fortuna promised. She looked to me.

"We'll make a trip to see Eva at some point." I smiled. "Look after them?"

"Always." She gave a shallow bow from the waist.

Lisa hummed a jaunty tune, turning on her heel at the Worldgate. "Taylor, I leave the hero thing in your capable hands."

"So it's a day ending in 'y', then." Taylor crossed her arms.

"Naturally." Lisa grinned. Her smile gentled as she looked to me. "And for you… keep being true to yourself, and don't lose sight of that. No matter what."

I felt myself flush. "Really? That's a little sentimental, isn't it?"

"Hey, I'm allowed some sincerity," Lisa rebuked. "Besides, it's good advice. It's how you helped save this world, after all." She winked. "Love you guys! Ta-ta!"

And they were gone.

After a moment, Tess turned to us. "Alright, it's your turn. The Border is docked outside the gates to a massive coliseum. I haven't tried to explore, so go wild I suppose."

Cu grinned. "A coliseum, eh?"

Achilles smirked at him. "Want to see how many heads we can break?"

I kept myself from sighing. Somehow.

"Not into the bloodsport?" Taylor asked in a droll tone.

"Not… particularly?" I shifted. "But if it makes them happy, I won't complain."

Medusa tilted her head at me, Breaker Gorgon secured across her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll keep them from killing anything they shouldn't."

"I'll help," Sakura offered cheerfully.

"A world wholly devoted to feats of arms…" Colin mused.

"Hm! So we shall go on to greater conquests!" Iskandar smiled broadly. "I look forward to it!"

Nines rubbed the back of his head. "I fought in an arena once. It was… kind of surreal."

I bet.

"I think I'll sit out unless something bad happens," Emil said as he fidgeted.

The group moved in through the Worldgate, but I was held back.

"So." Joan's yellow eyes pierced into mine.

"Um?"

She jerked her head at Aqua.

"I was wondering… do you know what became of Zack? He was a friend of mine from before I fell who trained on this world." Aqua folded her hands in front of her.

"Maybe." I took a deep breath. "Nothing good. He wasn't around when you left the Realm of Darkness in the original timeline. His friends are, though. One will be there, and likely either in or the cause of some trouble. Cloud Strife. He has a giant sword, and spiky blond hair."

"...so he's gone," Aqua said sadly.

"Maybe. I'm going to keep an eye out." I shivered. "Honestly, there's something there that might be scarier than Hades."

Joan raised an eyebrow. "Scarier than a god?"

"Sephiroth. Everything around us has escalated in response to our presence, so he could have access to a spell that kills worlds or worse."

"The Sephirot?" Joan squinted. "Whomst?"

"Bastard with silver hair past his ass, a sword as long as Asterios is tall, and galactic-sized mommy issues," I deadpanned. "Some would call him a villain of great power. I kind of pity the guy, inasmuch as I can pity someone who pulls the shit he does. He was a designer baby who got injected with space parasite juice and the lifeblood of a planet. He imprinted on said parasite on finding out about it, and it all went downhill from there." I paused. "Probably a massive oversimplification, but you get the idea."

"So a superpowered scrub. Good to know," Joan drawled.

Aqua frowned slightly. "Would he know what happened to Zack?"

"He's one of two surefire sources. The other is Hades." I shrugged. "We'll pick our poison when we get there."

"Right." Aqua straightened her shoulders. "I'm ready."

I nodded. "One way or another, we'll find out what happened."

Joan snorted. "Better be worth it." She didn't argue, though.

"Best of luck," Tess called as we walked through.

We'd probably need it.
____________________________________________________________________________

Yellow eyes gazed from afar.

"For what it's worth, I had considered a disguise. The local, for irony's sake." He huffed irritably. "But to be honest, I'd like to imagine I've a shred more dignity than to stoop to that." He smirked. "So we'll see if the boy lives up to his potential when confronted with a direct approach."

Emet-Selch placed a gloved hand under his chin.

"Now then. Will you reveal to me a path of lesser tragedy? I do hope that at the very least… I won't be bored."
____________________________________________________________________________

I blinked as we stepped into the light of day.

"So where do we start?" Sora asked.

"Fight club's that way," I said, pointing at the main gate. "I'll jump in if something goes terribly wrong, but otherwise… I've got other plans at the moment."

"Do you?" Cu raised his eyebrows.

Aqua stepped forward. "You think we'll find out anything by joining the tournament?"

"The entry-level one? Not really. Maybe a higher tier." I sighed. "Okay, huddle up!"

Everyone turned to me.

"We're breaking into teams. Colin, Iskandar, Taylor, Tamamo, Sora, Achilles. You guys try to get in on the ground floor with Philoctetes. He's a satyr who trains heroes and runs the 'Games'. Aqua, Joan, Medusa, Sakura. You're with me; we're going to look for clues on the whereabouts of two people: Zack Fair and Sephiroth. Aqua knows Zack, and I've given both her and Joan a description of Sephiroth. Cu, Nines, Emil, you can take your pick."

Cu raised his eyebrows.

"You love fighting, and team one is going to see the most action. I wanted to give you the option."

He smirked. "Medusa?"

She inclined her head.

"Watch after him for me, yeah?"

"Of course." She smiled gently. "He's in good hands."

"Don't worry. We've got his back," Sakura said, leaning on my shoulder.

"...I want to try fighting," Nines said after a moment.

"I'll go with Mattias." Emil stepped towards me.

"So that's that. Colin, you and Taylor are in charge. Sora, hold back on your more… complex magic unless you need to use it. I don't know if it's more draining, but-"

Sora nodded. "I'll be careful, and only use it if I really need to."

Achilles grinned. "He'll have Cu and I around; probably won't happen."

Tamamo sighed, her ears drooping. "Well, we're cursed. Here we go."

"It's gonna happen now," Taylor agreed.

Colin adjusted his helmet. "I request that I be allowed to utilize my new prototypes before we delve into deep magic against the inevitable threat."

I sighed. "Aaaand break. Recon team, we're going through the east gate, you guys want north."

Taylor gave a salute and lead the larger group through the door.

Emil gave me a nervous look. "They'll be okay, right?"

"They have a Magician, several powerful Servants, and an experienced hero. They'll be fine," Sakura said soothingly.

"And we have a Keyblade Master, a trained magus, and Servants of our own," I added. "Nobody along on this joyride is helpless."

"Including you," Aqua said as she lightly elbowed my arm.

I rolled my eyes as I opened the gate in front of us.
____________________________________________________________________________

"What do you mean we can't enter!?" Sora exclaimed.

The group stood outside the arena gate, inside the vestibule. Philoctetes, the satyr Mattias had told them of, stood on a small pillar so that he was just taller than Sora and Nines.

Phil put his hands on his hips. "It's the rules! First off, you've got so many summons out that they'd never be allowed in the ring." He pointed at the sign above him. "No lethalities, no outside help, no summons."

"Summons…?" Taylor asked, frowning. She had a feeling she knew where this was going.

"Yep. The gal with the ears, those two lunkheads, and the mountain behind you are all Summons. They have that kinda air about 'em." The satyr nodded, stroking his chin.

Cu Chulainn's face split into a snarl. "What!? Then what am I even here for, if I can't fight!?"

Achilles growled. "Stinking little…"

"Then we got the rest of ya. Helmet guy might qualify, barely. You might have some potential, girly. But the kids? Nah. No way!" Phil held his arms in an 'x' before his body. "This is a fight for heroes, and you two? Don't cut it."

Sora balled his hands into fists. "You haven't even seen what we can do."

Nines nodded. "We've been in combat several times, and have taken part in saving multiple worlds from the Heartless."

"Multiple worlds, sure. Not seeing it." Phil jabbed a thumb at a massive block to the side. "Say, you think you can move that?"

Sora glanced at it. "...maybe."

"Oh?" Phil chuckled. "This I gotta see. Tell you what: I can't let your fancy-dressed friends participate, but if you move that block? You, the miss, armor boy, and your buddy can have a ticket into the main circuit."

Sora's lips quirked into a slight smile. "On one condition."

Phil crossed his arms. "Yeah?"

"You give them the good seats," he said, jerking his head toward the Servants.

Cu grinned. "Might go pester Mattias if that's the case, but I appreciate the offer."

"Eh, sure. No skin off my nose, especially since-" Phil began.

Sora extended his hand, and the air rippled. "Zero Gravira."

The massive block of stone slowly lifted into the air, and Phil's jaw dropped.

"And… push," Sora chirped, nudging it away. It floated gently until it hit the wall with a low grinding sound. Then it slid downwards with a rumble.

"What the…" Phil croaked.

"Aqua taught me that one while I trained with Dad," Sora whispered in Taylor's ear.

She smirked. "Nice." She leaned forwards. "Put plainly? Sora and I are mages. We might look scrawny, but underestimating us is a mistake."

"I'm an android. I possess no small amount of physical strength," Nines added.

Phil slowly looked up at Colin.

He shrugged. "I am what I appear to be. I make all my own gear and train extensively."

The satyr sighed. "Oy vey. Fine! Not like any of you could take Herc, but a deal's a deal."

Sora glanced down at the bare floor, then back to Phil. "So…?"

"Good seats for your friends." Phil jumped down, and rummaged in a small opening in the wall. He pulled out a golden stylized ticket patterned with clouds and a lightning bolt. "And this is yours." He smirked. "Don't think I've met heroes like you guys before, but I can admit when I've stepped in it. I'll be keeping an eye on you."

Iskandar grunted, frowning. "And what're we supposed to do?"

Achilles hummed, then grinned. "Hey, we're not allowed to go in the ring, right?"

"Yup." Phil crossed his arms.

"Well, it's not like you can't give them a good strategy before they get in there," Achilles said, pointing at Iskandar.

Iskandar blinked, then smiled widely. "I can work with that!"

Tamamo sighed. "I wasn't really looking to fight, but… I guess I can see what's going on around here." She smirked. "I'm sure there's plenty of interesting things happening among the spectators."

"Mm, yeah. You do that, and I'll find Mattias," Cu said.

"So what's the tournament like?" Sora asked.

"Well, you guys qualified for the Cloudburst Cup. You'll be fighting Heartless for the most part; Hades decided to make peace with the rest of the gods by putting in fodder for heroes to clean their blades on," Phil explained.

Taylor and Sora exchanged a look. "I see," she said coolly.

"The other cup is advanced. The Thunderhead Cup is a bracket of the most experienced warriors." Phil grinned. "The winners get to face off against the current champ - Sephiroth!"

Taylor narrowed her eyes. "You don't say."

Sora paled slightly. "Um?"

Taylor nodded. "Cu?"

"And that's my cue!" Cu put his hands on his hips. "Well, I'm off to find Matt. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Tamamo tittered. "I'm going to go see what I can dig up about this Hades guy. He's probably not too tough."

"If he is, you have my permission to go all out." Taylor gave Tamamo a meaningful stare.

The fox priestess and Irishman exited the way they had entered.

Phil's eyes were wide. "You think she's gonna pick a fight with Hades? He's the god of the dead!"

"And she's a solar goddess from a country where she's in charge." Taylor gave a supremely unimpressed look.

Phil went pale. "You let the foreign equivalent of Zeus go after Hades!?"

Taylor shrugged, seeing no reason to correct him. "She's also a grand trickster, bar none. And a powerful sorceress."

Phil let out a low wheeze.

"If you let us fight, we'll call her off?" Achilles offered.

That just earned him a glare.

"Where's Herc when you need him…" Phil grumbled.

Sora slid his hand towards Taylor palm-up. She lightly slapped it.
____________________________________________________________________________

I sighed through my nose. The place we'd entered looked like a shopping district, and we'd split up even further. Aqua and Joan had headed towards the food stalls, and Medusa and Sakura had dragged Emil to look at local jewelry and other commodities.

I thought about checking the betting house, then dropped the idea.

"Where do I even begin…" I muttered. I needed some sort of heading before I could even get started. Sephiroth didn't even show until all the Cups were completed, and getting an audience with Hades would be a nightmare - especially since I'd bet money Taylor had most of Maleficent's coterie running scared after her stunt in Traverse Town.

Well, money has no real value to someone like me, but-

"You seem lost in thought, my good sir."

I blinked rapidly, losing my train of thought.

"Over here."

I turned to see a yellow-eyed man in a dark military outfit with fur along the trimmings. He had reddish hair with a white streak.

...I had no idea who he was.

"Hi?" I offered.

He smirked. "I bid you salutations as well."

We were both quiet for a long moment among the bustle of the market.

I inhaled. "So… I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're not from around here?"

"How astute. Would it be too bold to assume the same of you?" He continued to size me up, body seeming to slouch under an invisible weight.

"Yeah… look, is your back okay? That posture can't be good for your spine." I waved a hand at him.

"My posture and its effects on my physique are of no consequence to you, rest assured." He gestured with a gloved hand. "So tell me: what is it that you seek? Perhaps we two may be of some help to each other."

...eh. Why not?

"I'm looking for information, maybe a person if they're alive. Name of Zack Fair." I rubbed the back of my neck. "And you?"

"Entertainment, I suppose. There's a few other chores you may be of use in accomplishing, but I have yet to make up my mind on that."

Ohhhhkay.

"You certainly seem to be on the back foot, don't you?"

"A bit," I admitted. "I think you have me at a disadvantage."

"Oh, that's natural. Most people find themselves in that position where I'm concerned." The man let out a slight chuckle. "Though, you seem to at least have some manners compared to them. It's… refreshing." He tilted his head. "So tell me, what information do you already have? Or if you are as lost as you seem, what price would you pay for said knowledge?"

I worried my lip. "Can we find a place that's a little less…"

His eyes glinted. "You fear being overheard? My, my. Your excursion must be of a more clandestine nature than I assumed, given your movements."

"A little. Also, standing in the middle of a market isn't really conducive to conversation of any substance." I shrugged.

"Hm. I suppose I can agree to that. By your leave, then."

I started walking, and kept an eye on the stranger. His gait was unhurried, and his gaze swung to encompass his surroundings with a detached air. It was a little like… the sense that I got was of a master artist observing a gallery full of work by middle schoolers. Whoever he was, he was definitely sure of himself.

We made our way to a small open garden with a single bench. It was completely deserted.

"Huh. Didn't think a place like this would be open," I muttered.

"Oh, you'll find refuge where you make it, I think." The man smirked again, and sank onto the bench. He pat the empty seat next to him. "Now, sit. Let us speak awhile, you and I. I'm sure we've much to teach each other." The last part held the slightest inflection of irony.

I sat down, and manifested one of Ideal's facets in parasol form, setting it between my knees and twirling its point in the dirt. The green gem twinkled in the midday sun.

He raised an eyebrow. "An interesting weapon. The enchantment attached would enable any sorcerer to enter the melee with confidence. Still, it doesn't seem as though you intend to draw it…?"

"Mattias. And I don't, it's just… it helps me focus. Takes the edge off of my anxiety sometimes."

"Mattias? Ah, we're doing introductions, then." The man smiled. "Unfortunately, this one's name isn't so freely given. You'll need to earn it properly."

"How so?" I asked.

"Tit for tat. You give me information, and I respond in kind. Should what you tell me sufficiently impress or amuse, I will answer your questions. If not, I will simply choose a subject of my own." He paused. "I will, however, deal honestly with you regardless of the outcome."

...I could work with that.

"Alright, hit me. What would you like to hear first?"

"So eager?" He smirked. "For one still finding his footing, 'tis most curious."

I gave him a dour look. "C'mon, now." I sighed. "Jeez, it's like talking to Alexandria back in the day," I muttered.

"Whom?" His eyes sharpened.

"She's a superhero back home. We started kind of as enemies because she was part of a huge conspiracy to save the world through unethical means. Her superpower was to be basically indestructible, have colossal physical strength, fly, and be hyperintelligent. What happened was, I gave her means to accomplish her goal that didn't involve stuff like human experimentation." I grinned. "It took me a while to impress her and earn her trust, but I did. My healing powers definitely helped."

The man paid close attention out of the corner of his eye as he rested his chin on folded hands, gazing ahead and away from me. "You would be a practitioner of white magic, then?"

"So one of my powers is to summon water. Well, not ordinary water. It acts on an atomic level to repair any and all damage to living tissue, and to enhance it as well. It works to undo damage and shore up weaknesses. Then we discovered it also burned away curses with silver fire; that was fun to find out."

His eyebrow rose. "Hm."

I held my palm out, and a globe of Water appeared, swirling into existence.

"I assure you, my body is whole," he said flatly.

"Your back?"

"'Tis as hale as it could be." He gave me an unimpressed look. "I do not require charity."

I shrugged. "If you change your mind, the offer's open." I let the Water slip through my fingers.

"I will keep it in mind. Tell me, what was the threat to your world? What pushed this 'Alexandria' to such dire lengths?" He didn't seem bored, but he wasn't exactly jumping up and down either.

"So, humans had the ability to wake to powers. But those powers weren't theirs. A giant alien shed fragments of itself, and hid away in multiple dimensions. The fragments would attach metaphysically to specific humans during traumatic events, and grant them abilities. It was all part of a cycle of experimentation to see how these powers could be used. Mostly in conflict."

The man's eyes narrowed. "Go on."

"These powers drove conflict by meddling with the minds of those attached, and so a culture of heroes and villains emerged. The entire situation was complex, but the conspiracy was to ensure humanity's survival at the end of the project. The alien was strong enough to destroy all iterations of a world. That's what it did at the end of a cycle. It had a partner, but it was killed - and the partner was the brains of the operation."

"Leaving the brawn."

"The incredibly depressed brawn who was searching for purpose. It was kept under illusions by an ally of mine, and when it came time, we killed it."

"What became of the fragments that were shed 'pon the populace?"

I sighed. "They would have run wild and torn reality apart."

He hummed. "So you destroyed them, of course, given no other options."

"Nope!"

The man turned to stare at me. "Pardon?"

"I made this cute little critter whose power was to manage the fragments, and had it influence them with my Water. Therefore, all the parasitic powers turned into symbiotes." I grinned widely.

"I… do not know what I expected." He hummed. "Truly a great boon, this knowledge - for it is wholly useless. Nevertheless, we had a bargain."

"Eh?"

He smirked. "Which would you know: the fate of the Fair, or this one's name?"

"Any way I could earn both?" I asked.

Okay, so I was having fun. Just sitting and shooting the breeze… it was a lot less stressful than having to worry about what direction the next threat was coming from. And unlike the inhabitants of the last two worlds, this guy wasn't someone I knew like the back of my hand.

"Greedy, aren't we?" he mused.

"Actually I'm just having fun talking to someone instead of getting dragged into yet another punch-out."

He quirked an eyebrow, and smirked. "I can appreciate conversation, assuming my partner isn't a bore," he agreed. "Very well. Tell me… hm." He rubbed his hands together, sitting up slightly. "Tell me how you came to bear the scars on your soul. The furrows and gouges bear the signs of an infernal conflagration, and I find my curiosity… piqued."

I blinked. "You can see those?"

"It's a gift of mine, you see. Always, I've had a talent for the magic of souls present and past. Your answer, Mattias?"

"...so, this is my third lifetime. That I remember. I lived one, got sick, and died. My second took place inside a datascape called the Moon Cell. In there, I discovered my Magic - a power of creation. It lets me create matter, but also things like energy and even concepts themselves. I can't create knowledge, and I can't alter things directly. To get around some of the energy costs, I forged a link to the Root of All Things so I could… borrow blueprints?" I shrugged.

The man's gaze was piercing. "I saw a structure of that nature. It seems to be shaped as a goblet. An oddity, that."

"Yeah, a Holy Grail. I had two, but had to give one up to survive - the Lesser Grail. It went to someone who became a dear friend. The one I kept is the Greater." I swallowed. "In the datascape, I was a naked soul. I was caught with my guard down, and burned to death."

"That sounds traumatizing." The man took on a calculating air. "Such an experience would scar the mind as well as the body."

"It was. I have defenses against it now, but I still dislike fire in general. But that's where the scars came from. The man who killed me pursued me to the new world, and raised all manner of nightmares. He corrupted heroes of old, summoned calamitous Beasts, and ultimately became the source of the greatest threat we faced."

"Something you feared more than the man who scorched your soul? I simply must know what sort of creature inspires that sort of terror." The man's eyes glittered.

"A goddess of control. She supplanted the world with her own image, overwriting it into her fantasy utopia. A Beast born of Regret. A version of my friend if she and I had never met. There was a titanic battle. I nearly died again, but my friend saved me, and we defeated her alternate in the end. Then we kept improving the world we lived in." I shrugged. "Finding new power sources, supplying materials for new tech…"

"Hm. An interesting tale, to be sure. Unfortunately, it is utterly useless to my own designs. You do have potential, I'll admit, but only time will tell if it will matter." He sounded vaguely disappointed. "Still, a bargain is a bargain, and you have provided ample entertainment if nothing else." The man in military garb stood. "The soul of Zack Fair - his heart included - is in the Underworld. A hole appears in his torso, so one assumes he was stabbed." He paused. "I gathered the information as I overheard you on your entrance to this world. I've been watching you, hoping… well. It is a moot point. Life is full of disappointments as well as surprises." He shook his head.

I rubbed my chin. "If his heart and soul exist, then thanks to the nature of this world…" I muttered.

The man shook his head. "He's dead, unless you're a necromancer of some sort. Even one as talented in the field as I cannot reincarnate a mortal soul without great preparation and foresight."

I shrugged. "I mean, I can just make him a new body? If I have his heart and soul, then that's all that's missing."

He paused.

"It wouldn't be possible back home, but the rules are different here. Death is far more finicky and less finite."

"Interesting," he said slowly. His eyes narrowed and took on a fey light.

"I mean, I told you. I can make anything." I spread my hands. "Just a matter of time and effort."

His gaze turned to me, piercing again. "As I said, that is very interesting." He paused, seeming to consider something. "Very well. Before I offer my name, I have one last question."

"Shoot." I smiled up at him.

He returned with a mirthless grin. "What do you see yourself as?"

I fiddled with Ideal. "I…"

"Contemplation? Will wonders ever cease," he murmured in a mocking tone.

"Some would say a hero, but I don't really feel like one. I just like helping people. Healing them if I can. And besides, heroes save everyone." I scowled. "There's people I wouldn't save, and would be happier if they were gone. And I don't care about everyone equally, that's stupid. I love my friends and family most."

"And if the option came to save a world unknown to you?" For a moment, his snide manner dropped.

I shrugged. "If I could without hurting people I love, sure. And it's not like that isn't an option, assuming I have a good timetable to work with."

"I see." The man looked away, a strange expression flickering across his face. "We'll have to see, won't we?" He gave a tired sigh. "Your answer satisfies me more than you know. And with that, a deal is a deal." His eyes turned back to me.

"In my life I've gone by many names and titles. My true name is something I would not give to you upon a first meeting, and I doubt you would understand the significance of such at any rate. However, having managed - somehow - to earn more than a mere pseudonym… you may call me Emet-Selch."

I felt my head snap up. Multiple responses came to my lips.

But you're dead? The Architect of Amaurot!? An Ascian!

The one that came out was: "Helel's grumpy friend?"
____________________________________________________________________________

He froze.

That was a name he had not heard in eons.

"Pardon?" he said slowly, turning to face Mattias once more.

"Uh, yeah. Helel, Foreteller Luxu, bearer of Morgenstern? The Defender? Wait, shit, Defector. Yeah, that's what he said…" The creator trailed off, mumbling to himself. "Not to mention you look pretty lively for someone who's supposed to be dead…"

"Please clarify this for me: are you implying that you are Helel? Or were?" Ice crept into Emet-Selch's voice.

There were certain things he had no humor for, not even while playing the part of an old friend.

"Huh? Oh, no," Mattias waved him off. "I met him a few days ago when he came to visit his son."

For the second time in the conversation, Emet-Selch felt his world tilt on its axis.

"So he survived Amaurot and the World getting shattered-"

How does he know this-

"And lived for a long time, like Ascians do - and I knew it, that if he made it that his equal probably did too-"

Alive, and he thinks me dead!? But-

"So then he got in Xehanort's way - he's an asshole, Samael too - and Samael tracked him down after, killed his body, threatened his wife and kid-"

What.

"Which, unsurprising given the asshole's the one who smashed the World in the first place-"

...what.

Emet-Selch held up a hand, mind awhirl. "Mattias. Cease. Prattling."

The other man's jaw shut with a click.

"You speak of things of which no mortal from the modern day can possibly know. ...I require proof that this is not something you learned from some long-forgotten record." Emet-Selch's eyes met his.

Mattias hummed, rubbing his chin. "I can try to get ahold of him. Failing that, I can assume his form for a minute?"

The Architect stared. He believes so strongly that he saw him? He thinks he can communicate with him!?

"Oh, I can shapeshift. Perks of my soul jumping into an alien superweapon to save itself." Mattias shrugged. He paused. "Oh. You didn't know he was alive either, huh?" He grimaced. "Sorry. I, uh. Get carried away."

"You don't say," Emet-Selch said faintly. He shook his head. "Regardless… what is this about a son?"

It was impossible for the power of their homeland to breed true, but at the least the child might have a scrap of potential compared to the chaff the Worlds produced. If Mattias spoke true on his… on Luxu's survival.

"Oh, yeah! He found out that his family got scattered when Xehanort's Heartless got involved and somehow got his son's friend to open the door to the Heartless and stuff. So, I've been looking after his son without knowing much about him, and my Arcana Flood kind of kicked in. Eheh."

Emet-Selch began to massage his temple as he gazed down at Mattias. "Arcana what."

It's like dealing with Hythlodaeus but worse, because instead of active trickery, he's a mere puppy of a man. An easily distracted pup that has just discovered it has a tail.

"Arcana Flood. It's like my body heat, but for my soul. Everything around me deepens in magic power and potential. So… Sora kind of has Ascian powers now?" Mattias shrugged. "You know, like you do."

Emet-Selch stared at Mattias, face expressionless.

The child. Had the power. Of their people.

"You believe this."

"I mean, unless messing up an ice spell while swinging a sword and having the ice turn into a metal prison is normal…"

Emet-Selch was a master of playing to his audience. A manipulator who engendered trust on the basis that he did not lie. And yet.

And yet.

This buffoon, who simply sat and chatted the time away as though they were old friends, so easily turned his entire world upside down.

And the worst part?

He may well have the power to save the souls Hades had preserved from the Old World.

Emet-Selch stared at Mattias.

"Hm?" The moron smiled guilelessly.

"I am uncertain whether to admire or despise you," he said flatly, tone lowered to his true register.

"Sure you are," the manchild teased.

...somewhere, Hythlodaeus was laughing.
____________________________________________________________________________

Aqua glanced around the stalls, eyeing one that sold pitas stuffed with meat and vegetables. Getting food would at least give her something to do… honestly, Zack's trail had all but gone cold. If she knew where Hercules was, or what he looked like in the present day, she might have something. But as it stood…

"Um, excuse me?"

She turned.

The woman wore a black top that bared her midriff, black pants and boots, and what looked to be the lower half of a long coat from the waist down. She had reddish eyes and long, dark hair.

"Have you seen a guy with spiky hair?"

"You're gonna need to be waaaaay more specific." Joan placed a fist on her hip.

"So… blond hair, big sword, about your height," the woman said with a nod at Aqua. "He's my age."

"So, young." Aqua hummed. "I don't really know…"

"I'd bet you cash that our resident motormouth does, though," Joan pointed out.

"Who?" The young woman's expression turned hopeful.

Aqua shook her head. "I guess it's time to track down Mattias. My name's Aqua, by the way. What's yours?"

"Tifa. Tifa Lockhart." She extended her hand, and Aqua shook it. "And you…?"

"Name's Joan. Unless I talk to you, don't bother me. If it's important, talk to Miss Goody Two-Shoes." Joan turned on her heel. "Alright, time to go find the guy. Unless we have a lead for your missing person?" She glanced back at Aqua.

Aqua sighed. "Not really."

"You're looking for someone too?" Tifa asked, leaning forward.

"Yes. He's a friend I made the last time I was here, almost a decade ago. His name's Zack," Aqua explained.

"Huh. Zack…" Tifa trailed off, her eyes narrowing in focus.

"Walk and talk, ladies! We're burning daylight!" Joan barked out.

"And I say to myself: follow the yelling, and there they're found," Cu snarked as he wandered up. "Where's Mattias?"

"Track the leaking mystic bullshit. And you have a Servant bond besides!" Joan snapped.

Cu had the grace to look somewhat abashed. He perked up on noticing Tifa. "And who's this young miss?"

"Tifa." She gave a sweet smile. "Keep your hands where I can see them and I won't have to knock your teeth out."

Cu gave a low whistle. "Right then." He grinned.

"Cu," Aqua warned. "Why aren't you in the tournament?"

"Servants count as Summons. Not allowed," he replied in a dour tone, expression darkening. "Also, found out where that fucker Mattias warned us about is. Sephora or something."

"Sephiroth?" Aqua asked.

Tifa stiffened, eyes widening.

"Yeah. A match with him is the prize for the Thunderhead Cup. Colin, Taylor, and the boys got into Cloudburst. And get this: this incarnation of Hades stuffed the lower ranks with Heartless as cannon fodder as a 'peace offering' to Olympus." Cu tilted his head. "Stop me if you've heard this one before…"

"It's definitely a trap," Aqua said with a shake of her head. "We'd better help Tifa find her friend fast."

"Sephiroth…" Tifa whispered, narrowing her eyes. She looked up. "Can either of you fight in the tournament?"

Cu and Joan pointed at Aqua.

"Erm. I can, and Mattias might if we ask. The last person who could… I don't know if she's really qualified to fight like that." Aqua held her chin in thought. "But why?"

"Because Sephiroth is… it's complicated. But he and my friend Cloud are connected, and he won't leave Cloud alone. The only way he will is if…" Tifa swallowed. "If he's gotten rid of."

"Well!" Joan clapped her hands with a vicious grin. "If it's a kill the bastard party, you've come to the right place!"

Cu nodded firmly. "True, true. We're old hat at that."

Aqua sighed. "I wish I could disagree, but even before I joined up with these guys…"

Tifa stepped forward. "So you'll help?"

"Hey, if you told me you wanted a fucker dead in the first place, this would have been way less painful!" Joan smirked.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll make sure the bastard's put to rest and help find your friend. Cloud, right?" Cu folded his arms. "It sounds familiar… Mattias'll definitely know about it."

"Thank you. I was worried I'd have to handle it on my own, but it's good that there's help. Though it is a little worrying that-" Tifa began.

"We're agreeing to help because we know Sephiroth's bad news. Our source is… accurate. I hesitate to say reputable, but accurate." Aqua turned to Cu. "So?"

Cu closed his eyes in thought. "Right. Huh, he's a bit… huh. Okay, I've got a heading." He frowned. "But the area he's in is weird. It feels… new? Like as though he made it, but not quite."

"Do you think it's Luxu?" Aqua asked with a frown.

"It isn't Sora. We left him with Taylor," Cu replied. He sighed. "And now I'm worried about what that fox is up to…"

"Tamamo? Why?" Aqua asked as they started walking. "She's always been polite and-"

Joan began to laugh.

"...here's hoping I didn't walk into something troublesome." Tifa straightened her shoulders.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Cu said loudly, motioning them along.
____________________________________________________________________________

"Hello!" Emil greeted happily.

The small child in front of him turned to face him. They wore a hooded robe of thin cloth, with a wavy fringe that cast their face in shadow. It was faintly purple, almost white. "Hello?"

"Are you lost? You're kind of young to be on your own."

She - her voice sounded feminine, at least - shook her head. "I'm well. And you?"

"Oh, I'm with some people," Emil replied, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder.

"Hm?" Medusa walked to join them, leaving Sakura to examine a table with handcrafted ornaments. "Who's this?"

Emil shrugged. "We just met. I'm Emil, and this is Medusa."

The girl tilted her head. "Like the Gorgon? Hercules slew her a few years ago."

Medusa's lips twitched downwards slightly. "We share a name, but I doubt we have much else in common."

The girl nodded. "I agree. You're far more beautiful than her. Honestly, I wasn't expecting her to look like that. More like a caricature than a beauty or monster."

"That's a big word for such a young girl," Medusa mused. "You must be ahead in your studies."

"You could say that," the child replied, dragging her foot across the ground. "You can call me Agape."

"That's a pretty name," Sakura chimed in.

The girl ducked her head. "Thank you, Miss…?"

"Sakura. Nice to meet you." She smiled. "If you're on your own, would you like to spend some time with us? We're just wandering around, but we might get some food later. You're welcome to join us."

"...it's kind of you to offer," the girl said slowly.

Medusa's head snapped up. "Cu Chulainn's on the move. It seems he reconvened with Joan and Aqua, and they're moving towards Mattias. Something might have transpired."

Sakura gave a slight frown. "Emil, can you look after Agape if she comes with us?"

"That-"

"I can!" Emil pulled his staff out. "My barriers are top-rate."

"Good. If things are starting to escalate this soon, I don't want to leave her unattended." Sakura glanced at Agape. "I'm sorry, but can you please come with us? If there's a situation I'd feel better if you were close enough to protect."

Agape looked at the magus and Servants for a long moment. "Okay. I don't mind." Her voice was soft, but certain.

"Don't worry Agape! We can talk, and hang out, and be friends!" Emil said excitedly.

Agape looked at him again. "Friends, huh?" She seemed to consider something. "Okay. I don't have a lot of friends."

Emil smiled and hummed as the young teen and little girl followed Sakura and Medusa.

He didn't notice the two women exchange a look - well, as much as they could while one was blindfolded.
____________________________________________________________________________

Tamamo smiled brightly. "Hello and greetings, young man. It's ever so nice to make your acquaintance."

The blond with searing blue eyes glared at her in suspicion. "And you are…?"

"Oh, no one of consequence! But if you're asking, please call me Tamamo-no-Mae. Tamamo for short!" The fox leaned forward conspiratorially, smiling behind her long sleeve.

"Uh… huh. Look, I'm looking for someone. I was supposed to meet him here…?"

"Oh! Him! Well, he's a touch indisposed." Tamamo let out a sharp tut. "So I'm afraid that if you're looking for a contract, it will be with me."

"You don't look like a god. No offense." The young man crossed his arms, the massive slab of metal on his back moving slightly.

"Of course not! I'm a goddess. Or part of one. Either way, I'm far more versatile than that washed-up hack," Tamamo scoffed. "Surely, he is nothing compared to his other iterations…"

"Whatever. I need to fight Sephiroth and get rid of him. You give me that, and my services are yours."

Tamamo smiled widely. "Why, you've found the perfect person to talk to my dear! Tell me, why are you pursuing him? Might it have something to do with a Zack Fair, perhaps?"

The man stiffened. "How do you know that name?"

"It seems we experience but a scant degree of separation. You see, a friend of mine is a friend of his from years in the past. We're seeking him on her beha-"

"He's dead." The youth's voice was like iron, shutting down the conversation.

Tamamo's ears twitched. "Well, that's one way to get confirmation. Shall we assume that Sephiroth-"

"Yes. It wasn't supposed to happen ag-" He cut himself off. "Anyways. You get me in to fight Sephiroth, and I'll take whatever job you're angling for."

Tamamo hummed, folding her hands below her stomach. "What to ask, what to ask… well. That could work. After all, the boor desperately needs to go, and we can't raise a hand to him. Tell me, do you plan to kill him in the arena?"

"Accidents can happen."

Tamamo smiled. "Then you would need to get there first, no?"

The mercenary narrowed his eyes. "What are you proposing."

"An alliance, of sorts. Our interests are aligned, and so my offer, request, and condition are all rolled into one. Permit me to requisition aid for you in reaching Sephiroth, and assistance in dispatching him." Her smile widened. "You have everything to gain, and nothing to lose."

The blond snorted. "That it?"

"Mikon~"

He sighed. "Fine. Take me to whatever fighters you have lined up."

Tamamo gave a slight bow, smiling gently. "Of course."

Her ears twitched again as she sensed Cu Chulainn moving towards the area she had been avoiding. Something that could dampen Mattias' aura was to be treated with caution until she could get some backup - and lo and behold, backup was en route.

She stood back up. "Might you have a name, mercenary?" she asked with a coquettish smile.

He stared her down, then turned his head away. "Cloud Strife."

Tamamo clapped her hands once. "Excellent! Our bargain is struck. I'll inform the Keyblade Master and Lord of Miracles of your cooperation."

Cloud's eyes widened. "Those are, uh. Some titles."

Tamamo let out a giggle. "Of course! I don't do things by half measures after all." She began to stride in the direction where her friends were converging.

"...one last thing," Cloud said as he followed along behind her, footsteps crunching in the dirt.

"Hmmm?"

"What happened to Hades?"

"Oh, he's been detained. The dear man was… gracious… enough to take our pet for a walk!"

"A walk?" Cloud muttered.

Tamamo let out a sharp cackle.
____________________________________________________________________________

Hades flattened himself against the stone wall, eyes darting left and right. Pain and Panic's whimpers of terror and agony echoed through the caves of the Underworld.

The looming Lord of the Dead, with his mane of flickering blue and garbed in smoke, was reduced to peering around corners in search of… it.

In the far, far distance, Cerberus let out an anxious whine. Maybe, maybe if he got there-!

"Hey."

Slowly, he turned his head up and to the side.

Pebbles clattered to the ground as Fou's claws dug into the roof of the cavern, a massive aura of violet and blue clashing around him. A thread of silver flame extended from his neck and wrapped around the arm of the ghost Hades had called to serve - a dark-haired puppy of a man, who looked slightly bewildered but otherwise alright with the circumstances.

"What's good, toots?" Fou's tiny mouth split his face in an unnaturally large, toothy grin as his aura began to shatter the ceiling.

"AAAHAAAHAAAHAAAAH!" Hades continued to scream as he ignited the bottom of his robe and propelled himself like a jet through the tunnels of his underground kingdom, its curse doing absolutely nothing to halt his pursuer and its passenger.

Heartless appeared and were instantly shredded by the aura surrounding the, the Beast and its charge as it surged across any surface, the aura giving it the power of flight when ground ran out.

"Wooo!" the spirit of Zack Fair cried in excitement. "Get 'im, lil' doggie!"

"Why are you running!? wHy ArE yOu RuNnInG!?"

"AAHAHAAHAHAAAAH!"

 

[Blinktwice13]

A/N: Warning for borderline emotional breakdown and non-graphic body horror.
_______________________________________________________________________

Gladiator 5.2

"In the search for greater mutual understanding, I must ask you: why are you like this? What malady befell you to make you this way?"

I gave Emet-Selch a shit-eating grin. "I have no idea what you mean."

His eyes narrowed. "This. The instance I gave you my name, you immediately regurgitated a bevy of knowledge to which you should not be privy. I am uncertain if I even caught all of it due to processing the larger revelations. The knowledge of a name is the only reason I haven't dismissed you out of hand as a madman."

I snapped my fingers. "Ooh, I got it!"

Emet-Selch took a deep breath. "And what, exactly, have you got? A modicum of composure? A sliver of tact? Or, powers forbid, the slightest increment of restraint?"

"Mm, nah. I figured out how to give you proof!" I held my elbows to my sides, and my hands palm-up at shoulder height.

A warm weight settled in my left hand, and I instinctively closed it slightly. Hm… smooth?

I glanced to the side.

Cu gave me a fanged grin as he rested his chin in my palm, my fingers resting on his cheek. "So who's the new guy?"

"If you intend to refer to me as an associate, know that I have no intention of joining your little band." Emet-Selch's expression was just this side of thunderous.

"Yet."

His eye twitched. "I beg your pardon."

"You have no intention of joining us 'yet'," I explained. "You'll get there. I know these things."

"We shall see." Emet-Selch crossed his arms. "So. What 'proof' could you possibly have that would sway me in such a decisive manner?"

I lightly pat Cu's chin, and he stepped back so I could plant my hands on my hips. "Simple. You can see souls, right? That's rhetorical, my memory isn't that bad," I cut the Ascian off as he opened his mouth.

Emet-Selch inhaled slowly. "Very well. What is it that you wish me to see? And at this rate? For your sake, it had best be something within an hour's walk."

"Sora."

Cu glanced at me. "You sure about that?"

"Mattias!"

And… there came everyone. Like, everyone. Medusa, Sakura, Emil, Aqua, Joan, Tamamo, and three others. Huh.

"Who or what is a 'Sora'?" Emet-Selch's eyes narrowed. "It would behoove-"

"It's the name of your best friend's fourteen-year-old son." I made sure to make my tone as faux-sweet as possible. "And given you're the only other Ascian in existence, the closest thing you're going to have to a nephew for a good while."

The ancient being stared at me for a long moment.

"Mattias, who is this?" Aqua asked after a long moment.

"Emet-Selch, Architect of Amaurot."

The man in question let out a groan of irritation. "Permit me to try and follow the tangles of your logic. As we have established, I see the souls of others. You wish me to look upon the soul of 'Sora'. If he is Ascian in any regard, I will know it on sight. That will confirm his heritage. Further, you assume that souls follow similarities along familial lines. This is… primarily correct," he admitted grudgingly.

"So given his age, if the structures of his soul that correspond to his Ascian heritage match those of Luxu's - and I doubt you'd forget-"

"I have not forgotten my friends for a single day of my considerably extensive life. Not since my world died around me in fire, chaos, and blood." Emet-Selch's voice dropped, and a thin coat of frost crept along the ground.

I paused. "Then Sora should be all the proof you need. At the very least, he'd prove that Luxu lived at the time of his conception." I narrowed my eyes. "There is… one more question I have."

"What." The ice under his feet crackled.

"How long have you been alone?"

Emet-Selch met my eyes. "Define 'alone'."

"Without friends or family."

All that earned was a sneer. "What part of 'my world ended in fire, chaos, and blood' is beyond your comprehension? Seeing as you know so much."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "...I went at this pretty badly, huh."

Emet-Selch gave me a suspicious look.

"I really didn't mean any harm, but it's obvious I've upset you. I'm sorry." I inclined my head. "And… that was all I knew. I made assumptions based on a fistful of anecdotes, and I shouldn't have."

For several long moments, there was silence. Someone behind me tried to break it, but I heard Aqua hush them.

Then, there was a long sigh. "Maintaining even a semblance of rage at you is pointless at this juncture. You acted in ignorance, rather than malice - so it is possible to correct you, at least." I glanced up as he narrowed his eyes. "Further, it is difficult to lie to me. I can see into your soul and your heart, such as they are. Whatever the facts may be, you believe what you speak is truth. To that end, the boy may well have the confirmation to your answers."

"...such as they are?"

The man tilted his head with a frown. "You do not know." He hummed. "Curious. Still, 'tis not my place to speak on; not yet at least. You will want to do something to stabilize your heart, however. It draws strength from your bonds, but the fractals have yet to properly coalesce. It will remain extant, but your moods and memories will not solidify until it is made whole."

"...oh. So we're good?"

The people behind me shifted nervously.

Emet-Selch gave a slight smirk. "I leave you with no more animosity than I approached you, and a great deal more interest. You are reasonably well-intended, which is more than I can say for most I've encountered. Do try to temper your behavior to match, hm?"

I coughed in embarrassment. "I'll… work on it."

"Please do." He turned on his heel and seemed to swat at the air with his hand as he held his arm in place. "It is likely I'll see you again before our time in this pale imitation is done. Ah, and you should be aware of an oncoming calamity." Emet-Selch glanced back, this time with a wider smirk. "At this point, I might actually be troubled if you were to perish."

As he strode back towards the main gates, the garden around us flickered and faded, leaving us crowded in a shaded alleyway.

"Well that sure happened," Tamamo piped up. "Also, Sephiroth's fighting in this 'Thunderhead' Cup. The kids qualified for 'Cloudburst', and Servants can't fight at all."

"What was that?" Sakura asked with a frown.

"A fun mix of creation magic and spatial distortion. He made this alleyway into a miniature garden for the duration of our conversation." I exhaled. "He's not someone to trifle with."

"Think you made a good impression?" Medusa asked.

I shrugged. "Eh?"

"Anyways." Joan crossed her arms. "Can we fucking leave? It's claustrophobic as hell."

"Right! Two at a time, out, out!" I felt Cu's chest press into my back.

"We could stay back for a minute-" he murmured in my ear.

I reached behind me and put my hand around the back of his neck. "Behave and I'll figure out something nice for later."

He kissed the nape of my neck. "I'll keep it in mind."

The blond with the giant sword shot us a mildly exasperated look.

"That's the Lord of Miracles, by the way," Tamamo muttered in a teasing tone.

"...Cloud?"

His eyes went wide. "Shit."

I narrowed mine. "...Cloud Strife? And Tifa Lockhart?"

"You know us?" Tifa asked.

"I should go," Cloud said slowly.

I pointed at him. "Nope."

He froze. Not because of magic, but because Tifa was in his way.

"We're gonna find a nice place to sit and talk, and we're going to share information. Because reasons."

"What reasons? Not that I'm disagreeing," Tifa cut in, holding Cloud by the upper arm.

"Because Emet-Selch, Angel of Truth, who swore not to lie to me… name-dropped a 'Calamity' he thought could threaten me. After I told him about other world-ending threats I'd faced." I raised my eyebrows. "Does that sound familiar to either of you?"

"Damn," Tifa swore, pulling Cloud behind her. "He's right. Come on, let's get moving."

To his credit, Cloud kept pace but didn't make her let go. He gently squeezed her hand with his free one in reassurance.

As the rest of the group quickly filed out, Cu sighed into my neck. "You'll explain just what has you riled this time?"

"It's bad. Scion that has magic level bad."

His body tensed against mine. "Noted." He looped an arm around my waist and we walked forward.

I felt my eyes narrow at the little girl who stuck close to Emil. As I glanced up, I met Sakura's eyes. She tilted her head with a look of suspicion. I shook my head once, and she nodded in response.

"Emil, who's your friend?" I asked in a kind voice.

The girl stiffened.

"Her name's Agape," Emil replied cheerfully. "We just met!"

"Hello," Agape whispered.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," I replied in an airy voice.

That name really is on the nose, Kamadeva. Or it's Mara now, isn't it?

She froze as we walked past, looking at me from beneath her hood.

"Aren't you coming with us?"

After a moment, she relaxed and started walking.

If she's not going to start trouble, I won't borrow it. With her power restrained as it is, I could crush her long before she could become a threat. Let's see how this plays out.

"...so about that Key," Cu said as we got out into the market.

I nodded. "I'll bring it into play. Though I'd really like to know the why of it…"

"You and me both." He gently squeezed me closer.

'Agape' glanced at us and tilted her head. Then she looked back to Emil as he happily chattered away at her.

"Right," I said, raising my voice. "Anyone know a place we can talk shop?"

Cloud shrugged. "I have a room in an inn, but I don't think it'll hold us all."

Tifa shook her head. "I just got here today."

"And the rest of us were wandering the Market," Aqua finished with a sigh.

"I know of a place," Agape offered quietly. "It's safe, and you won't be spied upon by the people you're scared of."

I blinked. "Really?"

She nodded. "We're on the lower levels of Mount Olympus, but still within the realm of their - the Gods. Assuming complete privacy is impossible, but alien powers won't be able to penetrate consecrated ground. There's a library nearby held in trust by Athena. Finding a place for you to talk in there shouldn't be too hard."

I grinned. "Thanks, Agape! That's a huge help."

She looked away. "...it's not that big a deal," she replied softly.

As we started towards the library, I tugged free of Cu and reached into a small dimensional pocket. Agape tensed up until I pulled out one of the cookies I'd made with Taylor and the boys during our last shore leave. I held it out to her.

She looked at it for a long moment, then gently took it from my hand. It went under her hood, and I heard soft chewing.

"It's good."

Cu took my hand as I followed Agape to the library, and the rest of our group kept close.
____________________________________________________________________________

Achilles grinned as Iskandar outlined a series of offensives for the fighters, punctuated with plenty of badass arm-folding and air-punching.

The four humans- well, two humans, one hybrid of fantasy races, and one android (did Taylor still count as human at this point…?) were cleaning house. Taylor and Sora provided room-clearing power backed up by Nines' Pod for pinpoint strikes, and the android himself paired well with Armsmaster to keep any stragglers from getting through the barrage of magic.

Honestly, between Sora's ice, wind, and lightning, and Taylor's butterflies, they'd made it through half of their matches in an hour.

"They're good."

Achilles looked to the side.

Tall guy. Redhead, strong features, brown leather armor. Short blue cape, blue eyes. Built, focused on punching most likely. Sword at his hip, not a primary weapon. Relaxed, friendly.

"That they are," Achilles said after a moment. "I trained the brown-haired kid for a bit. Not the magic stuff," he added with a grin, "but I gave him some tips on how to move and hand-to-hand."

"And you're not down there because you somehow qualify as a Summon," the guy mused.

"Well, Servants are echoes of people that once lived. I died a long time ago before I was called back and connected to him." Achilles' smile turned soft as he looked down at Sora from the stands.

"You seem pretty lively to me."

Achilles laughed. "I'd like to think so. The power that called us back isn't standard for where we're from. We're way stronger than people on their first lives, but… we're alive in our own way. We have the power to change, now. Be more than ghosts or memories, you know?"

"That's great. I'm glad for you. Uh, right. I should introduce myself," the guy said, going from happy to bashful. "Name's Hercules, but my friends call me Herc."

Achilles stared at him for a long moment before bursting into laughter.

"What?" Hercules groaned, drooping.

"Ah, sorry. I've got a friend with almost the same name, and you two are nothing alike," Achilles answered once he caught his breath.

"Wait, really?" Hercules perked up. "I'd thought it was pretty unique, all things considered."

"Mm, guess not. Well, just you and him at least. And he's even bigger than you are, but way more serious. Though he's also not-so-secretly a softie," Achilles confided. "He's got a way with kids. There's some young girls who adore him, and he's pretty decent at the foster-father thing."

Hercules grinned. "Well, I'm honored to share a name with that kind of guy. So is he a hero like you?"

"Hero, huh? Honestly, if you want to define 'heroic'... the two I'd say most qualify in our group would be Aqua and Taylor. Mattias, maybe, but he's more interested in looking out for him and his - it just so happens they want to protect the world. If he liked enough people who wanted otherwise… eh."

"...Aqua?" Hercules blinked. "Wait, does she have blue hair? Fight with a huge key?"

"Yeah?" Achilles leaned his arms on his knees. "You guys know each other?"

"Gosh, it's been years," Hercules said wistfully. "I haven't seen Zack or her for… honestly, I'd almost forgotten her. It was when I was still training under Phil that we met. Heh, I wonder if Zack ever got that date before…" Hercules' expression dimmed.

"Before?" Achilles asked.

"Accidents happen in the ring." He stared downwards. "Hades stepped in to clarify it, but I know that what I saw was no accident. You don't 'accidentally lift a guy into the air with a blade through the chest." Hercules let out a weighty sigh. "It's... he didn't break the rules, so the gods don't do anything. My hands are tied unless Sephiroth acts out again."

"Sephiroth? Mattias talks about the guy as if he's some sort of monster," Achilles mused. "If he has a history you can bring in, he'd probably know it."

Hercules perked up. "You think so?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah. The guy is scarily well-informed. It's when he's going blind that we have to watch out, but he's strong enough to make up the difference. Heck, I'm not sure I'd want to fight him seriously." Achilles paused. "Jury's out on whether that's because of his own power or because his partner is scary in his own way."

The stadium rocked as smoke enveloped the ring.

"And with yet another victory, Team Bet hits the semifinals!" Phil's voice called out. "Soon we'll be hitting a real fight against a real hero - against Hercules himself in the final match!"

"I'll ask Taylor not to mess you up too bad," Achilles teased.

Hercules scoffed. "Who?"

"The girl in white who could probably hand any single member of the pantheon their behind and make them thank her for it."

Hercules glanced down at the ring. "She's that strong? Really?"

"Armor guy has a spear that spits grey mist that eats through everything I've seen down there, and all sorts of gadgetry that he goes through like lightning. Silver-haired kid dual-wields and has a hard-light projecting box that makes giant hammers and crap. Sora uses elemental and defensive magic like it goes out of style, and I taught him Pankration myself - not to mention that magic sword he has doubles as a focus." Achilles smirked. "She's still the scariest one down there, and possibly in our group. Including me and a literal sun goddess."

Well, it was a bit of an embellishment, but…

"Whoa." Hercules grinned. "Well, if she wins? I'll make her earn it."

"You do that," Achilles said with a friendly elbow to his arm. He frowned slightly. "Wonder what those guys are up to… they were looking for Zack, so if they found out he's dead I can't see it going over well."

Hercules nodded. "Yeah. Poor Aqua. She didn't seem interested in him like that, but they were friends. And he left someone behind too. He talked about her once or twice - Aeris? No, that's not it…"

"...Aerith?" Achilles' eyes were wide.

"Yeah, that's it." Hercules nodded. "Poor girl. I couldn't find her anywhere on Olympus, so I don't know if she even knows."

"Shit." Achilles rubbed his face. "...here's hoping Mattias figures out some kind of miracle before we head back to her town, then."

"Small world," Hercules mused. "So how likely is that miracle?"

"Fifty-fifty."

"Zack is dead. You do remember that, right?" The lighter version of Hercules raised his eyebrows.

"Just wait until you meet Mattias. Then you'll see exactly what I mean."

"Hmph, Alright. I'll take you up on that."
____________________________________________________________________________

I folded my hands as we sat on a series of pedestals inside the library. "So. We've got an incoming planetary threat, if I'm right." I opened my hand in front of me, and the floor shimmered.

Sephiroth stood, leaning against the wall as he gazed down a corridor with catlike eyes that shone in the dark.

"That's him," Cloud agreed. "Sephiroth. In another life, he was a First-Class SOLDIER. Now? He's some sort of amalgam of darkness."

"Cloud, Cid, Yuffie, Aerith, Zack and I - we were born in Radiant Garden. But we all had dreams, or echoes of the past. Past lives? It's hard to say. They've always been there, but over the past week or so they've gotten clearer." Tifa shook her head. "Sephiroth had been a problem for a while. He just showed up one day, formed of darkness itself. That said, a week ago I wouldn't have gotten what you meant." She turned her gaze to me.

"So what do you mean? And what does this mean for Zack?" Aqua asked.

"Zack is dead, but his heart and soul are still extant." I tilted my head. "If I can get a hold of him, I can craft a new human body for him with ease and speed. It's not like Dragon where I had to worry about keeping her connected to her network."

Cloud and Tifa stared.

"Something on my face?"

"You get used to it," Sakura said with a small smile.

"Could you do that on a widespread level?" Agape asked, speaking up for the first time since I'd given her the cookie.

I shrugged. "Sure? It'd be easier for me to set up a recurring ritual to read and adjust to the subjects, give it a self-replenishing core set to expire on completion, and walk away."

Agape stared at me from beneath her hood. "I see," she whispered.

"Wow…" Emil gasped.

"Oh, children. You've yet to see what he's capable of on a large scale." Medusa chuckled. "If this creature is as dangerous as he says, you might get the chance."

"It's Jenova. Or JENOVA, depending," I muttered.

"Who?" Joan scowled.

"So she's effectively nameless. The title she has is from the race she wiped out - the translation I recall is-"

"The Calamity from the Sky," Cloud finished as he stared at Sephiroth's image. "Back in that world, that life, her cells were mixed with mako - treated essence of the world's lifeblood - and used in a treatment to create super soldiers. Zack was one. I underwent the treatments, but never served. Sephiroth was infused in vitro."

Aqua took a sharp breath. "That's-"

"Inhumane? Yes. Thankfully we don't have a Hojo equivalent readily available for this. He was the doctor who performed the experimentation in question," I explained. I frowned. "I…"

"Soon, mother. Grow strong from the aura. Soon, our Reunion will come."

I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"Mattias?" Cu placed his hand on my shoulder.

"It's me. I did this." I stared down at Sephiroth as the fleshy tendril gently caressed his face, extending from his open shirt before retracting. "I can't turn off Arcana Flood, and if I leave this is still going to happen."

"I don't understand," Tifa said slowly.

"My presence.., my magic infuses things around me, makes them more. Makes them whole, or greater. It latched onto Sephiroth and now he's a catalyst to bring JENOVA into this world." I wrung my hands. "I am so, so sorry. I'll do everything I can to fix this, I swear." My eyes scrunched shut.

"Well, that puts joining the big boy's cup on the back burner. So, tell the class what JENOVA does, again?" Tamamo leaned on her folded hands.

"She cannibalizes planets. Her flesh infects, mutates, and controls biological life. I'm not sure if it would work on the gods, but it's not a risk I want to take. And any puppet can make more, in theory. Any SOLDIER was a possible puppet. I…" I held my hand out. "Cloud, come here. I can at least banish her influence from you if it's there."

Cloud didn't ask further questions, eyes steely. He stepped forward, and I invoked a sphere of Water into my hand and placed it on his bare arm as I stood in one smooth motion. It sank into his skin, and the passive blue glow of his eyes brightened as silver flames spread across his body.

"Cloud!?" Tifa stood up.

"It's fine, Tifa. I don't hurt." The flames flickered and receded, and his skin had a healthy glow to it. "Feel pretty good, actually."

"So no Geostigma this time…" I muttered.

"Geo-what?" Joan leaned back. "Layman's terms, Magician."

"It's a sort of allergic reaction to having her cells in the body. The planet rejecting people with that infection in it."

Aqua's eyes brightened. "So your Water treats her as an infection?"

I blinked.

"Oh. Ohhh. That's useful," Sakura said, catching on. "It'll be a good defence to keep JENOVA's influence from spreading when we bring the fight to her."

Tamamo gave a slow, indulgent smirk. "And now at least one god is informed of all this, and why we're going to be putting our collective boot up the ass of everyone's least favorite mama's boy."

Everyone turned their attention to her.

Agape nodded. "Athena will know, now. And with your spell, she has actionable proof. Whatever acts you take against Sephiroth will go unpunished."

"So now we just need to bring the fight to that bastard." Tifa punctuated that with a punch of her fist into her palm.

"Not Sora. He and the kids are staying out of this." I paused. "Taylor I can't keep out, but him, Nines, and Emil. Agape too."

Agape stared at me for a long minute.

"You're a kid, and that's even assuming you'd want to be there - which I'd bet you wouldn't," I continued.

She placed her hands on her knees. "That's fine. They can protect me so I don't get hurt?"

"That seems wise," Sakura agreed.

"So that's that. Who goes where?" Aqua asked.

"You, Tamamo, Taylor and I do the most damage at range. Cloud, Tifa, Cu, and Medusa are best close up." I looked to Medusa. "Harpe will help a lot, here."

She nodded with a smile. "Duly noted."

"Joan is multi-range, and Iskandar and Achilles are mobile. Colin and Sakura…" I trailed off.

"Colin should stay within range of me. I can deploy quick barriers to keep the pressure of of him," Aqua said.

Sakura smiled. "I'll fight at range, thank you."

"That's best," Medusa agreed coolly.

The two women faced each other for a moment.

"We're not taking losses. I'm going all in from the start," I said firmly.

"That's a bold assumption." Cloud's voice was low. "JENOVA is dangerous."

"I can be worse. I will be worse." I bared my teeth, and let my arms flicker into marble with flickering talons at my fingertips.

There was a flash of light, and the Gazing Eye of No Name appeared in my grasp.

Aqua took a sharp breath.

"I'm bringing my A game. I refuse to accept any form of victory by this thing."

Tifa sat up sharply. "Same here."

Tamamo gave me a contemplative look. Her face slowly split into a wide grin. "Well, if it comes to that, how can I put in any less effort?"

Cu grunted. "We'll flatten her." His gaze on me was fierce, protective.

We all stood.

"I'll do my best to keep them off balance. Joan-"

"Yeah, yeah. Burn it all down, right?" The Avenger grinned. "I've got your back, Aqua."

"Don't worry, Agape. We'll be safe. I'll make sure of it!" Emil placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder.

Agape remained silent.

Aqua nodded at me. "I'll get in touch with Taylor and let her know."

Cloud looked around at us, and nodded. Slowly, he smirked at me. "Alright everyone. Let's mosey."

I returned my arms to normal, and slung the No Name across my shoulders. Inside, I felt the four weapons rattle in expectation, and new slivers slowly coming into being.

As I turned to lead the way with a spool of glittering thread unwinding from my hand, I was struck by a stray thought.

"Wait. Where's Fou?"

Tamamo cackled.
____________________________________________________________________________

"Soooo… this is the way out, right?"

Hades shuddered in terror, pointing as he dangled in the grip of a massive claw of blue-violet aura.

"Think that means yes," Zack said as he floated at the end of the tether Fou had made.

"Neat! Pretty dark in here. Good thing we have such a helpful lamp." Fou's phantasmal claw shook Hades menacingly.

"Please, I am begging you, don't come back. Please?"

"Eh. I'll think about it. Seems nice, might build a summer home."

Hades let out a miserable groan.
____________________________________________________________________________

"So… you left."

Cloud looked away. There were still preparations to make, and Aqua, Sakura and Mattias in particular were setting a series of traps through the city to protect the civilians.

"Cloud. I know it can't be because of what we found out. Talk to me." Tifa stepped forward. "Why?"

"He told me. Threatened you guys. I… the only reason I came here was to finish this, once and for all. To be free of him. And now he's not even himself anymore, but a puppet to some alien virus."

Tifa sighed. "We can protect ourselves. Leon too, for that matter."

Cloud grimaced. "Yeah. It wasn't my brightest idea, in retrospect."

Tifa tilted her head. "Are you just saying that?"

"No. I mean…" he rubbed his face. "I don't know what I mean. I wanted you guys safe, and just…"

"We want you safe, too." Tifa gently touched his hand. "Sephiroth's strong, but we can still help."

Cloud nodded. "Yeah." He chuckled. "And now we're up against a nightmare from a lifetime ago and a galaxy away, with people we barely know at our backs."

"Really? I was under the impression we didn't know them at all," she teased.

"Aqua was Zack's friend. That, I remember. And Tamamo made me a bargain that we'd work with them to take Sephiroth down. She called Mattias the 'Lord of Miracles', probably as a joke. But even as a joke… I don't know what Mattias did to me, but I feel lighter and stronger than I have in months." Cloud ran a hand through his hair. "I'm willing to give them a shot."

"Me too." Tifa smiled. "And they must have made quite the impression for you to like them."

Cloud shrugged. "They seem like a friendly bunch. And if they can keep a local god busy for any amount of time, that says something about competence."

"What?"

"Apparently their pet has been keeping the Lord of the Dead busy. I'm going to assume there's bad blood between them or something."

Tifa gave Cloud a wondering look. "I can't see someone with a title like that having patience for a pet. Do you think the poor thing's okay?"

"From the impression I got, we should be asking the opposite," Cloud shot back with raised eyebrows.

"Whoa." Tifa blinked.

"And with the magic Mattias threw around casually? Yeah." Cloud shook his head. "Maybe we'll be lucky and only fight a nascent JENOVA, rather than what was in the crater." He paused, then scoffed.

"Yeah. But we'll be fine." Tifa smired. "After all, I've got to drag you home so Yuffie, Aerith, and Cid can chew you out."

"And by 'home' you mean Traverse Town." Cloud shook his head. "Maybe I'll sign on with those guys. They look like they could use a good merc."

Tifa lightly grabbed Cloud's ear. "No."

He smirked. "It was worth a shot."

Tifa shook her head in fond exasperation as Cloud leaned in and she let go. With a giggle, she kissed him.

"I missed you," he admitted.

"Missed you too," she said quietly. "Don't run again?"

"I won't."

"Promise?"

He smiled. "Promise."
____________________________________________________________________________

The boy stood outside the ring, scuffing his shoes in the dirt.

He did bear a passing resemblance to Luxu's preferred Hyur guise…

Why am I hesitating? What holds me back? If I don't see what I've been promised, it means little. Simply that the Magician was given a well-crafted lie to believe.

Emet-Selch grit his teeth.

Because if I see what I've been told is real, then it becomes true. And a great many things must be weighed in the balance.

He shut his eyes, and then opened them, staring straight at Sora.

His breath caught.

The boy's soul was a compound, the edges blurring between the components. One part was Hyur to the bone, with the flexibility and adaptability that implied. Another was tied powerfully to light and wind, some sort of elemental force. The last two…

Helel's light shone brightly in this boy's soul. It blended with the elemental and Hyur almost seamlessly, but he couldn't mistake it for anything else.

Helel lived, or did fifteen years ago. The soul was young enough that giving voice to an age was child's play. He paired with a half-Hyur, half-Summon woman and gave life to this child.

If that was true, then the severance from the boy at Samael's hands was also likely true.

If Samael knew of Luxu's existence, then he concealed it from Emet-Selch. To that end, his tale of the Master of Masters sundering their world could also be a lie, and so Mattias could have spoken true.

And if that was true, then what could he trust-

"Uh, mister?"

Emet-Selch's gaze wrenched upwards, and the weight of his burdens had never felt heavier.

Sora looked at him, openly worried. "Are you okay?"

"I am perfectly fine. All is well, and never you mind about it." Emet-Selch shook his head. "To think…" For the second time in a day, he found himself lost for words.

I alone remain of the world. I bear the burden of returning what was, be it by wrenching that which is into a bloody vortex of rejoining, or by invoking a new land entire. The life of every Hyur, Elezen, Miqo'te, Au Ra, and Ascian that was lost rests on my shoulders.

But that is no longer true, is it? Luxu, my friend. You do not know it, but I persist. Where are you? Where can I find you?

Not for the first time, Emet-Selch felt the weight of years upon centuries upon eons of loneliness on his heart.

"Hey."

He looked upward, and Sora gazed at him with the same expression Luxu would favor him with whenever he fell too deeply into melancholy.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Emet-Selch gave a high-pitched chuckle. "Talk, you say. Speak of how everything I knew was a lie, lovingly crafted to blind me? Speak of how my entire world turned to ash and debris in the span of a night, scattered into the empty darkness and crushed into stars? Speak of the pain and desolation of being the last real thing from my home?"

"You too, huh?" Sora's voice was gentle.

Emet-Selch blinked at him rapidly. "I beg your pardon, child?"

"I lived on a chain of islands. They were beautiful. The days were bright and sunny, and you could hear kids laughing almost everywhere you went. People got along pretty well. Not that bad things never happened, but the good outweighed it." Sora's voice was soft, wistful. "And then the Heartless came."

Emet-Selch straightened slightly.

"I fought, but it was too late. They had a foothold in the world's heart, and… it was gone. One of my friends was taken by darkness, and the other sacrificed her body to hide her heart. Only one person stayed by my side, a guy like a second dad to me. I only have it on someone's word that my mom made it out. I don't know if anyone else did." Sora gave a sad smile. "So I know what it's like to lose everything, even if only for a little while. I was lucky."

"How so? In what regard can any of that be seen as luck?" The bitter humor Emet-Selch would normally cut with was absent.

"I met Mattias." Sora's tone was full of feeling as he said that, as though stating a simple fact, like air was to breathe. "He wanted to help me - just because - and he's stayed by my side this entire time. If he decides he likes you, then he'll stick around and do whatever he can to keep things together." Sora chuckled. "He's kind of a mother hen like that." He glanced downward. "And thanks to him, I met a lot of other people. Taylor's stern, but she's got a sense of humor under it and she really cares. Nines is kind of awkward, but really kind sometimes - even if he has a mean streak. Emil's just good, and always ready to help someone. Joan's aloof, but not that bad, and Tamamo's really funny. Cu's warm and friendly, and Aqua's a great teacher. Not to mention everyone else." Sora looked back upward with a smile. "So yeah, I'm really lucky that I met them after the worst happened."

"I see. So it is the bevy of connections you've forged in the wake of tragedy that makes you consider yourself fortunate." Emet-Selch gazed at Sora.

"Yeah. Someone told me there was a way to fix all of it, and even if that failed that they'd make a way." Sora smiled. "Take a guess who."

...even if superficially, he understood. And with a soul like that…

Sora held his hand out, smiling. "I'm Sora. Would you like to be friends?"

It was like looking back into the past, but only for a moment. The differences were too great, and the present asserted itself.

The Architect slowly drew himself up. He gently clasped the child's hand in one of his own.

"My name is Emet-Selch… and we will see." His voice was low, tired. The events of the day were nothing he could have foreseen.

"...Hades?" Sora said softly, eyes widening.

Nothing he could have foreseen at all.

"Hh. Heh. Heheheheh…" His shoulders shook. "He really is still alive, then. That Helel." A pained smile overtook his face. "Truly, I have missed him. More than even my own words can express."

Sora stared up at him. "But he said…"

"All these years, I have toiled in solitude to bring our world back. A scant half decade ago, and…" Emet-Selch shook his head.

No, that knowledge would put the boy in danger. But. But. But.

He released Sora's hand, and let it slip from his grasp.

"I do believe we will see much more of each other. You, I… and your Magician friend." Emet-Selch gave a wry smile. "I came with questions, and leave with far more answers than I could anticipate." He paused. "Should you seek sanctuary… I have crafted one on the edge of night. An echo of a memory, half-faded from my mind and held onto by the skin of fingertips. You will know it by feel. You sense my power here, do you not?"

"I. Yeah, I do." Sora blinked. "Your magic, it-"

"'Tis the magic of our people. Use it judiciously, child. It is not a toy, and misuse can be fatal. 'Twould not do to lose your first body at such an age." He reached out and gently ruffled Sora's hair before dropping his arm. "I've seen you and taken your measure. Our home would have welcomed you with open arms, of this I am certain." Emet-Selch gave a grim chuckle. "And now the sole remaining question: what am I to do with Mattias Sanderson? He holds answers to many of the trials ahead, but he himself is a conundrum wrapped in a mystery."

Sora frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? He likes helping people, and has way more power than he probably should. Nothing complicated about that."

Emet-Selch paused, then laughed. "Ah, from the mouths of babes and fools comes wisdom profound for mine own cause. 'Tis in my best interest to learn that and swiftly, for my sake."

"So we should tell my dad you're, uh. Around?" Sora grimaced. "Maybe not the right words…"

"I would take it as a favor of the highest order. I believe he will find my sanctuary quickly, once he knows to look." Emet-Selch inclined his head. "I still have much to think on, but you need not fear me. I am no enemy of yours."

Not that I can leave Samael's side so easily. Even wounded, his power still outstrips mine. His gaze is elsewhere, and in that regard I am fortunate. However… an ear at the throne of dark could be of value to these children who desire to repair a damaged universe, mayhaps.

And should he ask, I can merely imply that it is yet another manipulation. He knows I desire Mattias' power for our council, and once I impart the scope of that power to him, that may grant me some leeway. After all, some light sabotage to remove the less tasteful members of our convocation by the Magicians' hands would not go amiss.

He narrowed his eyes in thought. Though, that would only exclude myself, and possibly Mara. Samael will require proof of value… perhaps by way of dispatching the others? In such a case, tipping the scales in their favor would need be subtly done, but…

"Looks like you're doing some heavy thinking," Sora teased, having finally regained some balance. "I've got another fight ahead, so I'll leave you to it."

Emet-Selch blinked, then frowned. "I suppose you've given me much to think on, both directly and indirectly. However…"

The ripple of power caught his notice.

"Be on your guard. A calamity comes, and this world is ill-prepared. If you are caught up in the coming conflict, I cannot guarantee your safety."
____________________________________________________________________________

The black wing erupted from his back, drenched in fluid.

"It's time…! It's time, Mother! Our reunion… is now!"

With a crouch, Sephiroth launched himself through the ceiling in a pillar of swirling unlight, dark radiance engulfing him as he rose.

Slowly, his consciousness faded.

Mother was free.
____________________________________________________________________________

Tendrils lashed through the stands, scattering the panicking crowds. The ring split down the middle, and a tower of flesh studded with blinking eyes resolved into the torso of a giant woman. She smiled as tears of blood oozed down her body.

"Sora-"

Sora swept his Keyblade out, only for a gloved hand to land on his shoulder.

"Child, you must get away. If such is required, I shall shepherd the other children to you, but do not battle that creature. It is beyond-" Emet-Selch was cut off as his eyes widened.

The towering goblet that slammed to the ground was stark white, smooth. There were thirteen floating symbols etched in white light, with a throne at the back closest to them. It dwarfed the arena - ring, stands, and all.

Toward the back, there was a flickering image, hidden behind the throne.

The man floating over it raised his arms, crossing them at the wrist in front of him. A massive black key hung under his palms. Seven shafts of light dangled behind him. His coattail fluttered in the wind.

"Hey. JENOVA."

The woman-creature rippled, veins streaking across her body as she gave an indulgent, amused smile.

"Bitch. Grand Grail: Form of the End. Primordial Song: Eternal Tide of Life."

The gleaming water flowed from the towering vessel, and poured over the rim to flood the arena. It rushed up the seats, crossed the floor, and defied physics as one of the rapiers behind Mattias gleamed indigo.

Blue. Red. Violet. Green. Indigo. Orange. Yellow. The seven colors shone from the blades behind him, and white light ran up and down the Keyblade before him.

Emet-Selch watched in shadow as others joined the fray, rushing to defend the fleeing populace.

He watched as silver fire climbed the tower of fleshcraft that was JENOVA, drawing a shriek of fury.

And he watched as Sora hurtled headlong into battle, waiting for the moment when his intervention would be most needed.

He would not allow the son of his last living friend to die. Even with the way his world had all but shaken apart... of that much Emet-Selch, Architect of the Fourteen, could be certain.

That, at least, he could accept as truth.