This is something I've been working on for the past week or so. It was my first time doing a landscape, and putting it together really helped me learn a lot! "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." Psalm 139:9-10 © JasonKhera All done in Photoshop CS6
Thanks for the response Jiku Neon :), here's another one I did of Klade! This one is showing him in the middle of a battle. "Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:3 & 14 Klade © JasonKhera
Here's a head turnaround I did for Klade. It was the first time I ever tried doing one, and it definitely helped me apply the things I've been learning right now. It was a lot of fun to do :) Klade © Jason Khera
Thanks for moving it for me I was a little unsure because it was drawn digitally, but it still didn't seem to fit with graphic art haha. Yeah, anatomy and figure drawing are things I'm definitely trying to improve on right now, and totally see what your saying with the pose of the first picture. These are things I really want to make a priority for myself this summer. Thanks so much for the comment, it really means a lot! :)
Hey! I just wanted to share some stuff I've been working on. I like making conceptual art for a number of different mediums, mostly for animation. I also post more stuff on my tumblr and deviantart page, and I have links to both on my profile page. Thanks so much for taking the time to check it out :) Klade © Jason Khera Evan © Jason Khera Selah © Jason Khera
Thanks so much Sil! :) I was considering some other ideas for that final prologue when I was writing it, but decided on that in the end. That's so awesome how you interpreted it like that haha I never actually thought of that. Thanks so much :) It really means a lot, and I'm so glad you've enjoyed reading it ^^ I've been busier than usual lately so I'm not writing this as fast as I usually do, but more is definitely on the way.
Day 151: Assignment Part 3 Prologue: A Forgotten Memory “Hey grandma?” “Hm? What is it dear?” “Do you think we’ll always be together?” “What do you mean?” “Well…hm.” Kairi looked down, as her feet dangled off one of the ledges surrounding the Central Square of Radient Garden. The sea-salt ice cream in her hand was slowly melting, as a small drop hung off one of the bottom corners. Her grandma looked down at her with a warm, compassionate smile; the crows foot on the side of her eyes tightening. “Is something on your mind, child?” Kairi kept her eyes fixed on the ground. “You’re…you’re not going to be here forever…are you?” she said, lifting her head, letting the twinkle of light inside her big blue eyes face her grandma. The gentle, aged woman looked back out at the central square, watching the people walk across, going about their daily business. She smiled; as she thought of how to translate her years of wisdom into something the tiny princess-to-be could understand. “You mustn’t fear the space that stands between two hearts, Kairi. Even if the distance is worlds apart. Even if it seems like you’ll never see that person ever again. Maybe someday…you’ll have to understand exactly what I mean…but for now…remember this, child. No matter how far away the light gets…your hearts voice will always reach it…” _______ Kairi slowly raised her head, pulling her weight upwards, supporting herself with both arms. It was the middle of the afternoon, and Kairi was alone, just getting up from lying awake on top her bed. Her red hair was drooping downward, covering her sunken head, before being picked up by her will to arise. She slowly turned, looking out at the morning light. She had had that dream again; the one about being in someone’s arms. Slowly climbing out from under the covers, she sat up on the left side of her bed. “What am I…suppose to do?” _______ “Hey Wakka!” “Huh?” Wakka turned, noticing Selphie, walking towards him. They were both standing in the plaza. “What’s up?” he said. “You haven’t seen Kairi around, have you?” “No, I haven’t seen her all day.” Selphie looked down at the ground, keeping her eyes low. Wakka watched in confusion. “What is it?” he asked. Quickly, Selphie raised her head, looking back at Wakka with her eyebrows pressed low. She grabbed him by the arm, pulling him by force. “Eey-woah! What’re you doing?!” he said, fidgeting. “Just come on!” she said. _______ Kairi closed the door behind her, stepping outside into the fresh mid-day air. She reached into the pouch on the left of her waist, pulling out the small brown journal, and holding it out in front of her with both hands. “I better give this to Selphie…” she said, looking down at it. _______ The oranges rays of the setting sun gently graced the cheeks of Xion’s face. She was standing on top the bell tower of Twilight Town, alone. “What if…all this is because…I’m really just someone else? Or no one at all?” She lifted her head towards the sky, looking up at the purple shade that came from the opposite horizon. -FLASHBACK- “This Keyblade…it’s a sham. Worthless…” -FLASHBACK- “You were a mistake we never should have made.” -FLASHBACK ENDS- “Hey Xion!” Xion turned, to see Roxas, looking back at her, smiling. “Roxas?” she said, surprised by his unexpected arrival. He walked over, stopping next to her. “Don’t you have a mission?” “Yeah. They sent me here today,” he said, looking over at her. Xion looked back out at the landscape. “Really? Me too.” ________ “Ah—yeah. There we go,” Tidus was on the shore of the mainland, standing upright on his hands. Kairi was slowly making her way down the trail that lead to the shore. Stepping on to the sand, she took a look around, noticing Tidus. “Hey Tidus. What are you…um…what are you doing?” Tidus was grunting quietly to himself, as his arms were wobbling, supporting his weight from above. “Getting in shape—err. I’m—ah—I’m not letting Wakka get past me!” After saying that, he finally let his body fall back, planting his feet on the ground as he stood up straight. “Ahh…so what are you up to?” he said, facing her. “I’m just looking for Selphie…I need to give her the journal we’ve been using on the assignment.” “Oh man I haven’t seen her all day—Wakka either.” Kairi turned, looking out at the island, sitting alone in the open waters. “Do you think they might’ve gone out to the island?” “Maybe.” Even if Kairi wasn’t sure they were there, she wanted to go. She didn’t fully understand why, but it was as if something was calling her out there. “Alright, I’m gonna go check,” Kairi said, walking over to one of the wooden boats. “Okay. See ya later!” Tidus called out. “Yeah, thanks.” She said, smiling back at him. ________ Selphie knocked her knuckle against the wood of the door again and again. “Helloo!” she called out, before stopping, dropping her hand to her side. “I guess nobody’s home…” She was standing next to Wakka, in front of Kairi’s house. “Maybe she’s with Tidus,” Wakka said. “Do you know where he is?” Selphie asked, looking back at him. “He told me he was gonna spend the day training near the shore.” “Alright, let’s go!” Selphie said, quickly walking off without a moment’s hesitation. The two continued on down the mainland’s trail, walking side by side. “So why are you looking for Kairi?” Wakka asked. Selphie kept silent, looking down at the ground with an uneasy look. “Haven’t you noticed?” she said, looking back out at the horizon. “Something’s been bothering her lately.” Wakka listened closely, as his empathy awakened. ________ “Okay now—back to training,” Tidus said to himself. “Hey!” “Huh?” Turning around, he noticed Selphie and Wakka walking towards him. “Oh, hey guys.” “Have you seen Kairi?” “She just left for the island. She was looking for you.” Selphie stopped, turning her head towards the island. Her eyes filled with compassion, as she watched the sun, peering through its trees. “Let’s just wait for her to come back. Besides, I have an idea.” ________ Kairi slowly made her way down the wooden dock on the shore of the island. Once she reached the end, she took a seat, letting her legs dangle off the edge. She stared out at the endless sea that lay before her, completely forgetting the reason why she even went there in the first place. The giant orb that hung above the heavy clouds was moving at a quicker pace, as the sky was giving way to its golden hour. She sat there, motionless, listening to the peaceful melody of waves easing in and out of the sandy shore. The salty breeze touched her face, running across her cheek, and through the strands of hair she carefully pulled behind her ear. She kept her eyes locked on the scenery, without the slightest bit emotion on her face. It was in that moment, that her heart was able to mirror the light of a memory resting deep within her, a memory that she could not imagine, nor perceive by any of her senses. One where we she was sitting on the very same dock, watching the very same sun making its descent into the horizon. After moments of silence, locked in that very same gaze, Kairi’s eyes began filling with the warm salt water of tears, barely contained by the bottom half of her eyelids. Once the amount was too great, one drop finally fell, running down the left side of her face, followed by another, and another. Her emotionless stare never changed. Her eyes kept locked in place, as the tears continued to stream down her face, off her chin, and finally seeping into her lap. ________ “Roxas, why are we doing all this? Working for the Organization?” “What do you mean, why? So we can get hearts of our own, right? “Why? What do we need hearts for?” “I don’t know. But I figure once we have them, we’ll be in a better position to judge. Right?” “Maybe. I just wish I knew what I was doing here. How I got here…” Xion lowered her head, as the sea-salt ice cream she held in her hand slowly began to melt, a small drop hanging off a bottom corner. “I started having the strangest dreams,” she said. “Really?” “I can never remember what they’re about. I just wake up feeling like…like something is really wrong.” “Well, if it makes you feel any better, Xigbar said you and me were pretty special. “Exceptional,” he said.” Xion turned, looking over at Roxas, as the drop fell, pummeling downward towards the ground beneath. “…Special just means different.” She lowered her head again, showing a look of despair. “Because I’m a mistake.” Roxas shook his head, looking back at her with empathy. “You’re not a mistake.” Xion looked back out at the scenery without saying aword. She paused, before rising upto her feet. “Well, we may both be exceptional, Roxas. But I don’t think we’re the same.” She turned, stepping away from him. As she made her way around the corner of the clock’s structure, she could here him call out to her. Even though it hurt her, she completely ignored him. She stretched out her hand, opening a corridor of darkness, and stepping through, taking one look back, second-guessing her sudden departure. The darkness swirled around her, then dissipated into thin air as she stepped onto the floor of her bedroom. She took a few steps forward, stopping in front of her only window, looking out at the empty black sky. “Ahh—err,” Xion grabbed the side of her head, as the flashes of forgotten memories collided with her already weary mind. -FLASHBACK- “Sora, let’s take the raft and go! Just the two of us!” -FLASHBACK- “I know I can always come back here…right?” -FLASHBACK- “…Don’t ever change” -FLASHBACK ENDS- She placed her other hand on the wall in front of her, still pressing her eyelids tightly together. “Why…?” she said to herself uneasily. _______ Kairi didn’t move an inch, as the almost hypnotic stare kept aligned with the setting sun, now reaching it’s final descent into the endless sea. She watched closely, as the final bits of light squeezed through, giving way to twilight. Her lips formed into a smile, and her lower eyelids slowly rose, as the tears began to come down ever more than before. “It’s okay. Because…no matter how far away the light gets…my hearts voice will always reach it.” She had no idea where those words had come from, but they were said nonetheless, and they were truer than anything else in that moment. The sun was completely under the horizon, and the sky was now painted with the glow of orange and purple. She wiped the tears from her face, and, slowly raising her head, looked up at the wide expanse of stars that were gradually revealing themselves. In that very moment, one shot past, then quickly disappeared into the endless sea of the night sky. She gasped quietly, with a look of surprise. Then, her expression slowly returned to a smile, as she got back up, and stepped back down into her wooden boat. _______ After she had finished docking into the shore of the mainland, she took a few steps onto the sand, noticing something off in the distance, near the entrance to the trail. “Heey! Kairi!” Wakka called out, waving a hand in the air. He was sitting in a chair next to Tidus, across from Selphie, surrounding a wooden table. On it, was a large white cake, surrounded by dishes. Kairi gazed at the set up in confusion. “What’s this?” she said, as she approached the three of them in confusion. “We wanted to celebrate completing the assignment!” Tidus said. “Yeah! And we didn’t want to start without you.” Selphie said. Kairi smiled, flattered by what her friends were doing. “Thanks you guys,” “Aww yeah!” Tidus called out, raising his fist in the air. “Enough talk. Let’s eat!” Wakka said. Kairi sat down, as they all began there little party under the night sky. Talking and laughing with another, she was able to forget about the sadness she felt earlier in the day. She had almost taken for granted the close friends she had here on the island, and how much they all meant to one another. Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie. They were all her closest friends, without a doubt. And they were also the bonds that she was able to have with her everyday. When she went to class each morning, or when she spent her evenings eating ice cream on the grass hill. After hours had past, the sky blackened, and the four of them eventually parted, going home for the night. Not once, throughout the whole night, did they notice the hooded man, hiding behind one of the trees that rang along the shore. The one who had been watching them the entire time. After they had already left, he took a few steps out, opening a corridor of darkness and stepping through without making a sound. “Pitiful…” he said slowly.
Haha! I will. Promise :)
Silent Maiden, is that you? e.e It means so much to hear that, thank you <3
Thanks so much man, it really means a lot :)
Happy Valentines Day! <33 In honor of the holiday, I've made a trailer for the the story! I've been working on this all week, revising it more times than I thought I would haha. My original plan was to release it alongside Day 151, but after reading it over again, I've decided it's still not ready. I know I can make it even better, so I'm not gonna post it unless I know I gave it my 100%. For now, I hope you enjoy the video :) If I can find a way to post it in a higher quality, I'll let you know
Thanks so much! ^_^ I'm glad you like it. Yeah, I'm planning on going all the way to the start of the events of Kingdom Hearts II Day 150: Assignment Part 2 Prologue: A Forgotten Memory “Yeah! The first time we found him, he mistook me for you! He even told me how glad he was that I was okay and everything!” Yuffie said. “He was always talking about finding his friends, and going back to the islands together,” Aerith said. Kairi couldn’t stop smiling. She was flattered by what she heard. “If you ask me…I’d say there’s a strong bond that ties you to each other.” Leon said. Kairi looked up at the night sky, as a shooting star ran by. It was the gummi ship, heading back to Hollow Bastion. “Sora…“ she said slowly. There was a long pause, as the four them looked up at the wide expanse of stars, hovering above Traverse Town. Yuffie looked back over at Kairi. “Hey! You aren’t worried about him, are you?” Kairi looked back down, facing the ground. “What if we…get separated again?” “Hmph.” Leon closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest with a slight smirk on his face. “There’s no need to worry, Kairi. Nothing can ever tear you two apart.” Aerith said. She titled her head to the side, smiling. “No matter how far away the light gets, your heart’s voice will always reach it.” Kairi blinked, looking back at Aerith with a curious expression. She turned around, bringing her head down. She thought long and hard over what she was telling her. Raising her head toward the night sky, she closed both eyes, remembering the warmth she felt in Sora’s arms. She took in a long breath, opening her eyes back up, and smiling. ________ Kairi stood on top the usual grass hill, as the light breeze of morning ran through her red hair. She was wearing her pink dress, laced with zippers, and a black hood. She could hear the soft sound of the untrimmed grass beneath her feat, swaying with the whisper of the wind. She looked out the entire mainland, as the sun's rays tinted the ground with orange, each house casting its own dark shadow on the ground beneath. "Kairi!" Kairi looked down, to see Selphie, making her way up the hill. "Hey!" she said with a smile. "How long were you waiting for?" Selphie said as he stepped onto the top. "I'm not sure..." Kairi said. Her face suggested she was trying to remember something. Her eyes drifted downward, then back over to her. "Maybe an hour" "An hour?!" "Yeah." Kairi said with a nod. "What were you doing for that long?!” “Just sitting here…” Kairi said slowly, as she turned to look out at the ocean. Selphie gazed back at her with curiosity. She cocked her head slightly, with a look of confusion, then turned, matching her view with Kairi’s. "Hey!" Tidus said, as he made his way up the hill, followed by Wakka. He was holding a sundial, about the width of his chest, with a ruler set on top in his arms. Wakka was holding a long, red pole, similar to the one Tidus used to use, in his left hand. Both of them turned, slowly stepping over to them. "Is everything here?” Selphie asked. "Yeah! Where do we start?" Tidus said. "We can start here if you'd like," Selphie said cheerfully. "Sounds good" Wakka said, stepping next to Tidus, and sticking the long red pole into the ground. All four of them stood behind it, facing away from the ocean's view. As they slowly brought their heads up, they watched the rays of light creeping over the mountains scattered across the mainland. The giant circle of orange slowly rose, higher and higher into the sky, it’s warmth touching the faces of each of them. Kairi smiled, as the light reflected a twinkle into both her blue eyes. ________ “Um…S-Saïx…” Saïx turned, looking down at the small, hooded figure looking up at him. “Xion-What could you possibly want at a time like this?” “Well…it’s just…I think I know where the imposter might be and I was-“ “Absolutely not.” “But I- “After yesterday’s performance, you deserve nothing more than to match the likes of you with that of your failure.” Xion looked down at the ground, clenching her fists as the frustration insider her grew and grew behind every passing moment. “Just give me another chance!” she yelled back at him. “We can’t afford to expend any more chances on you…” He turned, stepping into the opposite direction, but stopping to release one last utterance. “You were a mistake we never should have made.” Xion stood there, both in a state of shock, and despair. She sunk her head, as the combination pierced into the space where she knew a heart would be, if she had one. Coursing through her veins, throbbing in the back of her neck. The only thing that stopped her from bursting into tears right on the spot was the sound of a soft, familiar voice, coming from behind. “Xion?” It was Roxas, slowly making his way up the stairs of Twilight’s View. Too distraught to think of anything to say, Xion kept silent, before fleeing in the opposite direction. Her eyes were pressed tight with frustration, as her feet quickly tapped along each step of the descending stairway. “Is that really what I am? Am I just…a mistake?” She grabbed her head with both hands, clenching her teeth as the pain of uncertainty tightened its grasp on her mind. “Who am I…really? ________ “Alright…steady…” Tidus was holding on to the sundial with both arms. His eyes were focused in carefully, as the triangular plane formed a shadow across the circular platform. Wakka was holding on to the long red pole, watching the angle of the shadow closely, before sticking it into the ground. Selphie carefully placed one end of a compass on top an edge of the shadow, slowly bringing the other end directly in front of the sun’s light. Kairi, watching only few steps away, reached into the small black pouch on the left of her waist. She pulled out the small brown log, and a small pencil. “Ready Kairi?” Selphie called out. “Mhmm” “It’s about…twenty-four degrees” Kairi carefully added the number 24 to a list of others, below a drawing of a triangle. Tidus let go, wiping off the sweat from his brow with his right arm. “Hey Selphie, after this let’s try doing the rest from the island, yeah?” “Sounds good to me!” she said in return. Kairi shut the log, tucking it away into the pouch. She looked back up, to see all three of them looking back at her. “Ready?” Selphie asked. “Yeah” Kairi said, nodding her head in return. They all turned around, beginning their walk down the hill. “So, the sun’s really far away, isn’t it?” Tidus said. “Yeah! Millions of miles in fact.” Selphie said. Kairi turned, looking back at the circle of light that hid behind the hill more and more with every step. “It’s crazy how we still get all that light.” Tidus said. “We can’t ever take it for granted, ya?” Wakka said. “That’s right…” Kairi turned back around. As the morning breeze carried through the small group, the sound of their conversation slowly faded away in Kairi’s mind. She laid a hand on her chest, sinking her head. Her heart was remembering something her mind had forgotten, and it made her wish more than anything that she knew what it was. _______ “Pitiful…” Saïx said slowly. He was making his way down the hallway of The Castle that Never Was, on the way back from his confrontation with Xion. Turning into his private bedroom, he closed the door behind him before taking a seat on the bed, reaching into a small drawer and pulling out a journal and pen. 358/2 Days Secret Reports: Day 150 Dealing with Xion As expected, the Duplicate is starting to show its limits. The Program showed promise, but a puppet is just a puppet: something to be toyed with until it breaks. I am utterly at a loss as to what Roxas and Axel see in that thing. How best to dispose of it merits my consideration going forward. Saïx paused, bringing his head upwards to face the ceiling, then back down to continue writing. As for our plans collecting bait, consulting the will of lord Xemnas will be needed before beginning. Xion’s actions reinforce that fact with every passing day. If we can proceed, then the first step will be reconnaissance. Saïx paused before lifting his pen for the next sentence. Sora. You will be ours soon enough. _______________ “Hey Kairi…” “Huh?” Kairi turned, looking over at Selphie, who was staring out the orange colored ocean. “You’ve been really quiet this whole time…is everything okay?” Kairi looked back over, keeping her eyes low. “Yeah. I just…have a lot on my mind…” Selphie took a few steps forward, stopping beside her, keeping her eyes fixed on the scenery. “It’s the assignment, isn’t it?” she said, looking over at her with a cheerful expression. “Yeah…” Kairi said, keeping her head in the same position. She was lying, and Selphie was able to tell right away. It had been hours since they first came down from the grass hill, and the sun was now approaching sunset. They had been all around the island, and were finally coming to their last measurement. The two of them were standing on the dock, while Tidus and Wakka were setting up the instruments behind them. “Hey! We’re ready over here” Tidus called out. Kairi and Selphie walked over to where they were standing. Tidus grabbed on to the sundial, making sure it was in the right position, while Wakka held on to the red pole, making sure it was aligned with edge of the triangle’s shadow. Selphie pulled out a compass and ruler, stepping over to the sundial. Kairi pulled out the journal and pencil, ready to write down the measurement. She turned, staring out at the sunlit waters. Her hair was swaying slowly in the wind, as her blue eyes kept locked on the orange light, slowly squeezing back into the horizon. “Ready Kairi?” Selphie called out. Kairi didn’t take notice. “Kairi?!” “Huh? Oh-yeah. Ready.” Kairi said, quickly looking back at the three of them. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Epilouge The ends of Riku’s black coat swayed with the cold breeze of night. Slowly raising his arm, he held it out as if he was reaching for something. His fist closed, as he remembered what it was like to grab on to the handle of a Keyblade. As the images of his stuggle with Xion flashed in his mind, he slowly brought his hand back in, opening it up as he looked into his palm. He reached above his head, and lifted up his black hood, revealing his face. The cold air was biting against his cheeks. Without any emotion, he simply stared out at the world of Beast’s Castle, silently. -FLASHBACK- “You only seem interested in running around and showing off that keyblade these days…” -FLASHBACK- “Let the Keyblade choose…it’s true master!” -FLASHBACK- “Maleficent was right.” -FLASHBACK- “Here, go play hero with this.” -FLASHBACK ENDS- He sunk his head, letting the wind carry through the ends of his black blindfold. He pressed his covered eyelids together tightly, gritting his teeth with frustration.
Day 94: Dreams This day is made up of a number of journal entries from different people, all written on the night of Day 94. Journal Entry: Tidus Man what a day! First, we went to school like always. Then, Wakka and I played blitzball until Selphie called us over to help find Kairi. I wonder what she was doing all by herself… Anyway, we all got to watch the sunset before heading back. Man, I need to shape up. Wakka got 5 goals past me at one point! Journal Entry: Wakka Today, me and Tidus went one on one after school. I was feeling pretty good, but our game got cut short when Kairi went missing. We were worried, but found her on the island, looking out at da ocean. We all thought is was pretty weird, but she was alright. Journal Entry: Selphie Today was such an interesting day! Once school was over, I tried looking for Kairi, but couldn’t find her anywhere. She wasn’t at her house either, so I decided to ask Tidus and Wakka for their help. We went through that plaza, and saw those cute little chocobos again, hehe! We decided to head out to the island, and that’s where we found her. She was just standing there, looking out at the ocean. I hope she’s alright. She’s been kind of out of it lately… Journal Entry: Ms. Trepe Class has been quite enjoyable so far. Everything’s moving along smoothly, and most of the students are working very hard. There’s one student I keep noticing, though. Kairi. She always seems to be distracted by something. I asked to her to read from our textbook today, but she had no idea where we were. I might have to have a talk with her soon. Journal Entry: Kairi I don’t know why…but I keep having this same dream, every now and again. I’m in someone’s arms. And there’s this…bright light. I can’t see anything, and all I can feel is this warmth, surrounding me. I have no idea who the person is, and before I can even try to figure out where I am…I wake up. But it’s not a sad dream at all. It’s the exact opposite. I feel so happy, and peaceful. But waking up makes it all go away. I went out to the island by myself today. Just looking out the ocean…it helped me think. Kairi was lying across her bed. She looked up, and smiled. Over at her window, she noticed all the tiny stars, shimmering in a mass array of millions, over the night sky. She smiled. She closed her journal, setting it down on the small desk next to her. She clicked off her lamp, and slowly brought her head down on her small, white pillow. She closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful slumber. Day 130: Stars Above Kairi slowly stepped along the mainland’s trail. She had just gotten out of school, and was looking out at the horizon. The sky was died orange and purple, as sunset fast approached. She smiled, and turned back around. She hadn't taken notice of the man who stepping in the opposite direction from behind. After spinning around, she ran into him with a thud. Puzzled for a moment, she stepped back, then looked up at his face. His red eyes looked down without the slightest bit of emotion. "S-sorry..." Kairi said nervously. It was the man with the long black hair. Without saying a word, he merely looked back up, and continued treading along down the path. Kairi turned around, watching him slowly make his way toward the shore. Watching his red cape swaying in the wind, she suddenly realized something. Something she had been wondering for some time now. -FLASHBACK: Day 84- “Hey…you guys go on without me.” Kairi stopped, as the others kept walking, then slowly eased to a halt, looking back at her. “Did you forget something?” Selphie asked. Kairi shook her head. “I’ll see you guys later” She smiled back at them, and turned around, heading in the other direction. Selphie turned to look at Tidus, who simply shrugged his shoulders in confusion. Kairi slowly made her way toward the middle of the mainland. Eventually, she made it to the grass hill where she and her friends would have ice cream in the summer. As the sun made its way into the horizon, stars began appear on the opposite end of the landscape. “The stars…” she whispered to herself. “They’re…other worlds…” -FLASHBACK ENDS- Kairi looked back up from her brief trance, and called out to the man, raising a hand up in the air. "Hey! Are you- He was already out of sight. Kairi sighed in disappointment, slowly bringing her hand back down. "Kairi!" "Huh?" Kairi turned around, to see Selphie in her school uniform, smiling back at her. "Hey! Wanna get some ice cream?" Kairi smiled cheerfully. "Sure!" ________________ The two of them sat on top their usual grass hill, perched high above the small town. Kairi took a bite out of her ice cream. "I love watching the sunset like this." Selphie said. The sun was just squeezing out its last bits of light, right above the horizon. Stars began to twinkle from above, as nightfall grew closer. Kairi looked down at the ground, and paused before speaking. "Hey Selphie..." "Hm?" Selphie looked over at her. “Do you ever think about all those other worlds out there?” “What about them?” “I mean, how many there are.” She lifted her head, looking up at the night sky. “Think about how separated we are from them.” The stars were sparkling across the entire dark blanket now. Selphie looked up as well, gazing at the immense spectacle. “Yeah…we are separated. But were connected too.” “Huh?” Kairi quickly turned to look over at her. “Just look at them” Selphie said Kairi lifted her head, taking another look at the stars above. “We can see them all for where we’re sitting, right?” “Yeah. That’s right…” Her eyes filled with wonder. “So they’re not as far apart as you may think…” Kairi stared for a long time, meditating on what she said. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Selphie, who was standing up. “I’m gonna head back now, okay?” “Okay. I’m gonna stay here for a while, so I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kairi said with a smile. “Okay…bye!” Selphie said in return, walking off into the distance. Kairi didn’t remember how long she sat there, looking up at the night sky, wondering about what was constantly tugging on her heart. About that thing she felt was up there, but completely out of reach. But in that moment, she suddenly felt like it wasn’t as far as she thought it was. She closed her eyes, feeling the cool breeze of night gently brush against her face, running through her red hair. There are many worlds. But they all share the same sky... _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Day 149 PREVIEW Riku stood silent, as his black coat, and silver hair swayed in the wind. He was standing on the paved road that lead to Beast’s castle. “Where is he…?” he thought to himself. Breaking his trance, he suddenly heard the clicks of footsteps, coming from afar. He turned around quickly. An organization member was stepping towards him. Suddenly the hooded figure stopped, bending its knees. Riku drew his stance, sticking his blade out toward it. Then, to his surprise, a bright light flashed from its hands, stretching out into a longer shape. As the light cleared, a keyblade appeared. Riku tightened the grip on his weapon, clenching his teeth. “There you are…” ____________________________________________________________ Day 149: Assignment Part 1 Prologue: A Forgotten Memory “What am I supposed to do…” Sora sunk his head, still mulling over all the things Namine was telling him. “Think, Sora. Think just one more time. About who’s most special to you…” She raised a hand, placing it on her chest as she spoke. “Call out to that piece of memory that glimmers faintly deep inside your heart.” Sora turned, facing who he thought to be his inseparable friend. The wind around him was blowing furiously, as he stood on the only piece of his homeland, surrounded by destruction. Namine lifted her head to speak. “No matter how far away the light gets, your heart’s voice will always reach it.” ___________ Kairi, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka were all sitting in their classroom desks, listening to Ms. Trepe give a lesson on sunsets. She was pointing to a drawing of different rays of light, drawn below a picture of a sunset on the chalkboard. "See class…light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest." The tiny scratches of lead against notebook paper filled the entire room. Kairi looked up, noticing Selphie who was sitting in front of her, scribbling away. She turned, gazing out at the rays of light that came through the classroom window. Tiny specks of dust were slowly descending, made seen by the rays of afternoon. She sighed. ________ Riku stood silently, as his black coat, and silver hair swayed in the wind. He was on the paved road that led to Beast’s castle. “Where is he…?” he thought to himself. Breaking his trance, he suddenly heard the clicks of footsteps, coming from afar. He turned around quickly, drawing out his dark blade. An organization member was stepping towards him. Suddenly, the hooded figure stopped, and stood quietly, staring back at him. Riku drew his stance, sticking his blade out toward it. Then, to his surprise, a bright light flashed from its hands, stretching out into a longer shape. As the light cleared, a keyblade appeared. Riku tightened the grip on his weapon, clenching his teeth. “There you are…” _________ Ms. Trepe stepped over to the front of the desk. “Today, you’ll all be starting a new assignment. You’ll be getting into groups of four, and, using the equations we’ve learned in class, measuring the distance of the sun from our world from different points of the mainland.” She held up a small brown book, similar to the one Selphie used for the summer assignment. “You’ll all be recording your findings in a log, and turning them in with a report.” Kairi looked over at Selphie, who smiled and nodded in agreement. They already knew they would be in the same group. She turned to her right, to see Tidus and Wakka, doing the same thing. Then, she heard the sound of a thud on her desk. She looked up, to see Ms. Trepe, looking down at her with a smile. “I expect good things out of you four,” she said, before moving along down the aisle. Kairi looked back down, to see a small brown log lying in front of her. _________ The hooded figure sprang towards Riku, immediately swinging its keyblade towards him. Raising his blade, Riku blocked the attack, pinning the two of them in a clash, as both blades gridded against each other. Sparks of light sprang out, at the loud ring of clashing metal. The two of them leaped backwards. Riku dismissed his blade, and took a step back, charging up a surge of dark aura. It was already running towards him. “Ha!” Riku released the blast, sending it hurling towards the hooded figure. It jumped high into the air, over the attack, sending its keyblade crashing down. Riku took another leap back, as the keyblade came down hard upon the ground, letting out another ring, as sparks of light erupted from it. The hooded figure looked up, to see Riku rushing toward it. “Erraahh!” Riku summoned his blade and swung it out with a flurry of quick attacks. He sliced through the air with quick precision, as the hooded figure raised its keyblade, bobbing and weaving, dodging and blocking the sharp edge. DING! DING! Each blade let out a loud ring, as they banged hard against each other. The hooded figure found an opening, quickly slicing through the space between it and Riku. He formed a dark shield, blocking most of the impact but also sending him sliding backwards. Dropping his arms, he slowly raised his head. “Huh?!” Riku looked shocked as he faced the hooded figure. -FLASHBACK- “Hehe-so you noticed. Okay, we’ll finish it together! I’ll race you!” “Huh?” “What, are you kidding?” -FLASHBACK ENDS- “What?!” Riku whispered to himself in a surprised tone. He focused forward, to see it charging forward for another attack. _______ “Eeyy…we betta get started on this quick” Wakka said, resting his hands on top his head. The four of them were all walking through the quad, toward the school’s exit. “Right!” Selphie said. She turned to her right, facing Kairi. “Kairi, do you wanna help me write up some plans tonight?” “Sure” Kairi said with a nod. “And you guys can gather the supplies, right?” Selphie said, looking over at Tidus and Wakka. “You got it!” Tidus said. “Alright then!” Selphie said, swinging herself around to face her friends. The three of them stopped, looking back at Selphie’s cheerful expression. “Let’s all meet on that grass hill, tomorrow at sunrise. Sound good?” “Yeah. I guess…” Tidus said, disappointed with how early it was. “Hey! No complaining about the time!” Selphie said, wagging her finger in front of Tidus’s surprised face. The four of them laughed, making their way out the exit, and along the trail that ran through the mainland. Epilogue “Tell me first…why you are dressed as one of us.” Riku began stepping away, speaking as he slowly approached the Keyblade sticking out of the ground. “To make sure my best friend…sleeps in peace.” He grabbed its handle, speaking as he pulled it out. “I don’t know who you’re supposed to be.” He raised it up. “But. You can’t fight fire with sparks. This Keybalde, it’s a sham” He threw it off to the side of the girl. “Worthless.” Looking down at it, she became furious with the words he was saying. “My Keyblade is not a sham!” She raised her head, yelling back at him. “What gives you the right to say that?!” Quickly, she picked her Keyblade up off the ground, and began charging toward him. With quick reaction Riku dodged the attack, spinning around the girl, and pounding his fist into her back. She fell face down on the ground, as her Keybalde dismissed itself. Riku stood up straight, looking back down at her. “Find a new crowd. Trust me. Those guys are bad news.” He turned around, and began stepping towards the exit. “Why? You’re the real sham.” Riku stopped when he heard those words. He paused, about to open his lips again, but stopped, lowering his head. -FLASHBACK- “You are weak. You need darkness.” FLASHBACK- “Hmph. So now the coward is playing tough.” -FLASHBACK- “Oh yes…you also stand in between the light and the darkness…” -FLASHBACK- “Fake? Oh no…” -FLASHBACK- “You’re not Riku anymore…you’re just a pawn of the darkness” -FLASHBACK- “Perhaps you are the one who is being fake.” -FLASHBACK ENDS- He spoke without turning around. “Fair enough. You could say I am…the biggest nobody of them all. He continued on, slowly stepping towards the large metal gate. As he made his way down the paved road, the only sound he could hear through the cold, quiet night was the loud wail of the girl he had just defeated.
Day 84: First Day of Class Kairi twirled around, looking in the mirror; wearing her new uniform. She looked up at her hair, running her fingers through the back of it. It was starting to gain a bit of length, much to her surprise. “Kairi!” The voice came from outside. She went over to her bed, climbing on top, and opened up her window, looking outside. The morning breeze ran through her hair, as the sun shined bright upon the islands. She looked down, and saw Tidus and Selphie, standing in front of her house. They were both wearing their school uniforms. Selphie held a small white purse, laced with pink, holding a keychain of two golden stars, and one of a small moogle. Tidus had a small blue backpack held over his shoulders. “Hey guys!” Kairi waved, looking down at the two of them cheerfully. “Hurry Kairi! We’re gonna be late!” Tidus said. “Kay” Kairi nodded, going back inside, then downstairs, grabbing her badge-colored purse, then heading out the front door. She ran up to the two of them, and followed from behind as they walked down the mainland’s trail. Selphie looked over at Kairi. “Hey Kairi, do you know who the class instructor is this year?” “Hmm…” Kairi looked up. “No idea” she said, looking over at her. “Eyy!” Wakka called out from afar. He was farther ahead on the trail, waving at them. “Wakka! How you feeling man?” Tidus asked. Wakka stretched out his collar, right above his loosened tie. “Uncomfortable brudda…” he said with an uneasy look on his face. The three of them laughed, looking up at the building ahead. Destiny Islands Academy. By: Blacksun30 (Member at KH13.com) _______ The beeps and clicks of a working device filled the empty room with its only sound. The walls were blank, only bearing a light blue haze. If you listened closely, you could also hear the sound of floating bubbles, coming from that very same device. -FLASHBACK- “Why do shun the darkness?” -FLASHBACK- “You have no choice…” -FLASHBACK- “Please don’t give up. Believe in the light” -FLASHBACK- “You’re afraid of the darkness.” -FLASHBACK- “Riku! Fight! Don’t let him win!” -FLASHBACK - “I know you can feel it…the grip I have on your heart…” -FLASHBACK ENDS- “Hey. I’m back” DiZ and Namine turned around, looking at the young voice that called from behind. They took a long look at his change of appearance. “You’re eyes can’t lie, can they?” DiZ said. Ignoring the comment, he looked up at the large pod, where Sora was floating in a peaceful slumber. “How’s he doing?” “He is stable, and progressing steadily. However, much still hangs in the balance.” DiZ said. Namine took a few steps forward. She looked down, keeping her hands close together. “The Organization is at work” DiZ added. Namine raised her head, smiling at him; staring straight into the black blindfold that covered his eyes. “Will you be alright, Riku?” _______ Kairi, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka were all waiting anxiously in their classroom desks. "I wonder what were gonna do today" Tidus whispered, leaning in from his desk. "Probably go over our summer work" Kairi said quietly. Selphie turned around in her desk. "Yeah! Or maybe even-- "Good morning class." A woman's voiced called from afar. The four of them looked up, as heels clicked along the ground, stepping in front of the green chalkboard. It was the instructor. She was wearing long, black, boots, that led up to a black skirt, and black blouse. Attached to her collar were two wing-like flaps, laced with gold, and a maroon tie that went down the center. Her dark blonde hair was in a ponytail, with hair dropping down from both sides of her face. She fixed her glasses, and placed her hands on her hips. "My name is Ms. Trepe. I'd like to welcome you all to a new year of school." She smiled. "Today we'll begin by going over the summer assignment." The sound of shuffling books and papers filled the room, as the class pulled out their summer work. ______ "One would suffice that Sora's fate lies in the actions of all those connected to him" DiZ said. "Are you giving me another choice?" Riku asked sternly. "His nobody is interfering, capturing Sora's memories as his own. Without him, Sora will not be able to awaken. I doubt there is any choice here at all" Riku turned around. "Where do I find him?" DiZ paused before speaking. "He is the Organization's thirteenth member." Riku stepped out, without saying a word. -FLASHBACK- “Controlling you is effortless…” -FLASHBACK- “You should look…look at what you truly are!” -FLASHBACK- “My dark shadow lingers…” -FLASHBACK- “Can I face them?” -FLASHBACK- “…someday…” -FLASHBACK- “You don’t want to?” -FLASHBACK- “Someday!” -FLASHBACK- “You know I do…of course. And I will…” -FLASHBACK- “I will return!!” -FLASHBACK- “You gotta just remember to be brave…” -FLASHBACK ENDS- ______ Tidus stretched out his arms, letting out a sigh of relief. "Ahh. Great first day" He was walking alongside Wakka, Selphie, and Kairi, down the mainland's trail. "Yeah, I guess our promise really did help!" Selphie said cheerfully. Kairi looked up at the orange sky. She smiled. “Hey…you guys go on without me.” Kairi stopped, as the others kept walking, then slowly eased to a halt, looking back at her. “Did you forget something?” Selphie asked. Kairi shook her head. “I’ll see you guys later” She smiled back at them, and turned around, heading in the other direction. Selphie turned to look at Tidus, who simply shrugged his shoulders in confusion. ________________________________________________________________________________________ And a shout out to Quistis Trepe from Final Fantasy VIII for joining the story! Read more: http://kh13.com/forum/topic/40230-3582-days-kairis-story/page-3#ixzz2HesmmOp1
Day 50-51: Light Day 50 “Sora, some of your memory’s links, are deep within the shadows of your heart, and I won’t be able to find them. But don’t worry. You made another promise to someone, who you could never replace. She is your light. The light within the darkness.” Sora smiled. Even though he couldn’t think of who this person was, the things he was hearing were more true than anything else in that moment. “Remember her, and all the memories lost in the shadows of your heart, will come into the light.” _________ Kairi slowly made her way down the trail that lead through the town’s gardens. She stopped, looking up at the morning sky. A light breeze ran through her hair. She could see the petals of wind slowly float by, carried off into the distance. Without reason, and without warning, a sudden, warm feeling ran through her. She closed her eyes, and smiled. “You know----?----with ----all along” “Finally-------together-------” ……… “I didn’t want----just forget----you--------“ “----darkness-----swallowed me” “----brought me back” ……….. “The light--- --------- “No matter how deep the darkness…..” “….a light shines within” She looked back down, staring at her small hand, and closing it in a fist. “A…light?” “Kairi!” Kairi turned to see Tidus and Wakka running down the trail. They made their way to her, panting and out of breath. Tidus looked up first. “Hey Kairi, have you seen Selphie? We’ve been looking for her all morning!” “What?! Is she okay?” “We don’t know…” Wakka said, looking down at the ground. “She wasn’t at her house?” “Nope. We’ve checked almost everywhere” Tidus said. “What about the plaza?” “That’s where we’re going now. Can you come help us?” he said. “Of course! Kairi said with a nod. She followed the two of them down the trail that led into town. _________ “Greetings kupo, you look like your lookin’ for someone. How about somethin’ from the shop to help then, kupo. C’mon, whattya say, kupo? Kairi, Tidus, and Wakka were all staring back at the little moogle, without the slightest bit of interest in buying anything. “Have you seen a girl, about dis high, with brown hair and a yellow dress?” Wakka asked. “Sorry, can’t say that I have, kupo” “Thanks anyway” Kairi said, walking off with the rest of the group. The three of them walked around the entire plaza; asking all the different shops, looking everywhere they could think of. “Man, where could she be?” Tidus said. “Who knows…” Wakka said. “Aw, you’re so cute, aren’t you little guy? Yes you are…” “Huh?!” The three turned around, to see Selphie, smiling and laughing, holding her hand out towards a baby chocobo. “Selphie!” Tidus called out. She turned, looking back at her friends with a smile. “Hey guys!” she waved over at them. She was standing in front of a chocobo breeder’s stand. “Where’ve you been? We’ve been looking all over for you!” Tidus said. “Oh, really?” she had a surprised look on her face. “I got up this early this morning. After taking a walk around the town, I came here, to check out the baby chocobos, see?” She bent down, petting it on the head. “Aww, so cute!” Kairi cheered, leaning into the pet the tiny chocobo. “Wark!” it called out in a tiny, high-pitched voice. The four them giggled. The two of them got up, following Tidus and Wakka back into town. _________ The sun’s afternoon rays were shining bright upon the town’s trail. Selphie and Kairi were walking together, behind Tidus and Wakka who were far ahead of them. “You know Kairi, I was thinking...” “Hm?” Kairi turned to look at Selphie. “…when I was walking around town. Remember what I said before? About our memories, and how they keep us together.” She brought her head up to face the sky. “Maybe it’s more than that. Because…sometimes…we forget things. But, that doesn’t mean our memories are gone.” “What do you mean?” “Sometimes…you, or Tidus, or Wakka, remembers something for me…that I forgot. And when one of you tells me, then I remember! So that means…the memories were never gone, just somewhere inside me that I couldn’t see. Do you know what I mean?” Kairi looked down at the ground. She knew exactly what she meant, much to her surprise. It was like her words were speaking to apart of her she didn’t know. “You were thinking a lot, weren’t you, Selphie?” “Hehe. I guess…” Selphie looked back at Kairi. “If our memories are lost in the dark, then each of us can be the light that brings them back! Especially with our promise” Selphie smiled and turned back around, continuing her walk down the trail. Kairi stood in place. She looked up at the sky; at the sun that was shining down upon her. “The light that brings them back…” she thought to herself. “C’mon Kairi!” Tidus called out. Her friends were far ahead of her on the trail. “Oh-” She looked back down. “Coming!” she said, running over to them. The sun was inching closer to its orange tone of dusk. Petals of the wind flew by, carried off into the distance, landing softly in the gardens of the mainland’s town. “When I turned into a Heartless, you saved me, remember? I was lost in the darkness. I couldn’t find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things—my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me. But then I heard a voice—your voice. You brought me back.” “I didn’t want to just forget about you, Sora…I couldn’t.” Day 51 “C’mon Wakka I’ll race you!” “Haha-oh mon. Let’s go!” “Hehe-wait for me guys!” Tidus and Wakka ran ahead along the shore of the mainland, followed by Selphie. She turned to look out at the shore, and noticed someone standing there, looking out at the ocean. It was Kairi, all alone. She stopped, and walked over to her. Her eyes were closed, and her hand was held close to her chest. Selphie was surprised by her sudden trance. She opened up her eyes, and looked out at the island. “Selphie…what you said yesterday…about the light. What if…the person who’s supposed to be your light…isn’t there” Selphie looked over at the island, thinking over what she said. “Hmm…well, I don’t think its about whether there with you or not.” Kairi turned, looking at Selphie in surprise. “Huh?” “If someone’s your light, then your hearts are connected. And that means, no matter how far apart they are, they’re still with you.” Kairi looked back out at the sea. She couldn’t think of anything to say. She just stared out at the sea, and the sun, approaching dusk. “So no matter how deep into the dark someone might be, as long as they hold on, with their heart, a light shines within.” Selphie smiled, and looked over at Kairi. “C’mon, lets get some ice cream.” Kairi smiled, and nodded. The two of them turned, and started walking back. Kairi kept walking, but turned to face the island. The light of sunset shined bright upon its trees, and glistened on the water that surrounded it. She gave a faint smile, then turned back around. “I didn’t want to just forget about you, Sora…I couldn’t.” “That’s it! Our hearts are connected. And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that’s what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness…a light shines within.” ________ A star-covered night sky hung above Kairi’s head, as she walked back to her house. She reached the front porch, and opened the door, stepping inside. “I’m home!” she called out. It was completely silent. “Huh?” Kairi said to herself in confusion. She looked down at the ground, where a small package was lying on the floor. There was a note attached. Kairi, sorry to leave you alone for the night, but town hall’s meeting should be running late. Supper’s on the table, and I’ll be back by morning. Your school uniform came in today! Sleep well, and do take care. The Mayor Kairi smiled, and opened up the package, looking inside with wonder. She reached inside, and pulled out a white collared shirt, holding it up in the air. She looked inside again, and saw a blue skirt with a plad design, a matching tie, two black shoes, and dark blue socks. -Epilogue: 358/2 Days Secret Reports: Day 51- The Replica Program continues apace, but something has gone wrong at Castle Oblivion. The Dusks returned with word that none of those we dispatched survived - but the news came in fragments. I still know too little to extract the truth. I doubt Axel would be among those lost, but I must plan for the worst. First, I must locate the Keyblade master. Saïx looked up, setting down the pen and small journal. -FLASHBACK: Day 49- “Xemnas…her memories were wiped clean…is that right?” Saïx was leaned up against a wall, his hood covering his face. Xemnas turned around slowly, looking over at him. “Correct…” “And if that’s true…then that means….it’s only a matter time…” -FLASHBACK- Saïx closed the book, setting it inside a small drawer with the pen. He got up, stepping out into the hallway. “At some point…he may need some…incentive” _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Day 84 PREVIEW Ignoring the comment, he looked up at the large pod, where Sora was floating in a peaceful slumber. “How’s he doing?” “He is stable, and progressing steadily. However, much still hangs in the balance.” DiZ said. Namine took a few steps forward. She looked down, keeping her hands close together. “The Organization is at work” DiZ added. Namine raised her head, smiling at him; staring straight into the black blindfold that covered his eyes. “Will you be alright, Riku?” Read more: http://kh13.com/forum/topic/40230-3582-days-kairis-story/page-2#ixzz2Gb57WNw2
Thanks so much man! It really means a lot :) Yeah, I wanted to communicate the fact that so many different perspectives were all connected to the same event. Oh yeah and the black ha----d--aad--asadqw----qrq *SYSTEM ERROR* eqweqwe *MESSAGE NOT RECEIVED* Day 49: Thalassa Shell “Oooh-kay! Independent study time!” Selphie called out. Tidus, Wakka, and Kairi were all lined up, facing Selphie. “Tidus-you’ll be looking for marine life in the waterfall pond” “Right!” Tidus said with a nod. “Wakka-you’ll be looking for plantlife” “No problem!” Wakka said, putting up a fist. “And Kairi-you’ll be collecting the seashells” “’Kay” Kairi said with a nod. “Sounds good-hehe. I’ll make sure to write down everything in our log, and when it’s finished, we’ll put everything together in this book!” Selphie held out a small, brown book, flipping through its blank pages. “Let’s meet back here in an hour, okay?” The three of them nodded in return, and went their separate ways. It was well into the afternoon. The sun was shining down on the island, heating up the sand, making the ocean water clear enough to see the floor beneath it. Kairi walked along the shore, beginning her search. After about a half an hour, she had a well-sized handful of seashells. She walked over to the wooden bridge that connected the smaller island. Once she made her way across, she set them down in a pile, right next to the papou tree. She turned around, making her way back to the shore. ____________ “Yoo-Tidus? Have you found anything yet?” Wakka was looking through the bushes that surround the small waterfall. “Not yet!” Tidus called out. He was standing in the small pond, staring down at the water, right below the waterfall. The two of them heard some shuffling in the distance. “Hm? Did you here that?” Tidus asked. They both stopped what they were doing, and looked up, listening closely. “I don’t see anything…” Wakka said. They waited a couple seconds, without moving. “Must just be the wind or something” Tidus said, as the two of them went back to their search. _____________ “Xemnas…her memories were wiped clean…is that right?” Saïx was leaned up against a wall, his hood covering his face. Xemnas turned around slowly, looking over at him. “Correct…” “And if that’s true…then that means….it’s only a matter time…” Xemnas turned back around, looking out at The World that Never Was, from the windows of The Round Room “Indeed…it is… _____________ Kairi looked down at the sand. She noticed a small thalassa shell, right below her feet. She smiled, picking it up. It was one her favorites to collect. “Oh-Kairi!” Kairi turned around to see Selphie, calling out to her. She was looking through the small brown book with confusion. “Have you seen the log anywhere?” Kairi shook her head, walking towards her. “This is so weird! I know I put it inside the book, but now, I can’t find it!” she said. Kairi took a quick look around. “Oh-there!” Kairi pointed over to the dock. The log was leaning against the wooden stairs that led up to it. “There it is!” Selphie said. She ran over to it, grabbing it, and placing it back inside the book. “Thanks Kairi.” “Sure” “I don’t understand. How did it get out?” “Must just be the wind or something….” Selphie looked up at the sky, trying to feel a breeze. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt the air so still. ______________ “Hold still little fish!” Tidus was holding a small camera, pointed down at the water. He was struggling to get a clear shot. “Ey, we have to check in with Selphie now” Wakka said. “Huh?!” Tidus looked up with surprise, accidently taking a picture of Wakka. He looked back down at the water, to see no fish. “Aww mann!” “Hey guys, how’s your search been so far?” The two of them looked over to see Kairi, walking towards them. “Great!” Wakka said. “Ehh..” Tidus said. “C’mon, let’s check in with Selphie” she said, turning back around. ______________ The four of them laid their findings out across the sand. “Hm..I think this is enough!” Selphie said, scribbling away on the log. She pulled out the small book. “Hey Tidus-let me see those photos” Tidus handed her a short stack of photographs. Selphie shuffled through them, trying to find the best one. Some of them were fine, and some were mistakes, but one in particular caught Selphie’s attention. “Huh?” she asked. “Whats…this?” “What? Let me see” Tidus said. All three of them huddled around Selphie, looking down at the small photograph. On it, was the picture Tidus mistakenly took of Wakka. It was a bit blurred, and titled to the side. On the right, was Wakka, standing in front of the camera, on the ledge that curved around island, leading into The Secret Place. On the left was the shore of the island, and the ocean, stretching out into the horizon. Behind Wakka’s shoulder, out into the distance, was a large, door-like makeup of darkness. A dark corridor, in mid-formation. “Ey…I never saw dat…” Wakka said slowly. “What do you think it is?” Selphie asked. “I don’t know” Tidus said without interest, sitting back down across from Selphie. “Oh no!” Selphie looked up, to see Kairi, shuffling through her seashells. “Where’s….where’s the thalassa shell?!” “What’s wrong?” Selphie asked. “I found a thalassa shell earlier…and now…its gone!” Kairi said, leaning back, with a sad look on her face. The four of them were silent, noticing how troubled Kairi was. “It’s alright Kairi….we’ve got all the shells we need” Selphie said Kairi looked away. “Yeah…I guess you’re right…” She kept her head low, still saddened by the loss. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, to see Selphie looking back at her. “Hey Kairi, it’s going to be sundown soon…you know what that means, right?” Kairi smiled, knowing exactly what that meant. ________ “She may be of good use to us…in due time” Xemnas said nothing in return. “And Xion?” Xemnas took a long pause, before speaking. “Eventually….the puppet will play her part” he said slowly. _________ The orange sun shined bright upon the mainland, glistening over the water, making a halo through the trees of the island. The four of them were sitting on top the grass hill, eating their sea-salt ice cream. Kairi was staring down at the ground, stilling mulling over the fact that the shell she found disappeared. "Yeah I heard some other kids talking about him too! They say he wears a golden gauntlet on his arm!" Tidus says. Kairi looked back up with surprise when she heard him say that. "What? That's crazy" Waka said as he takes another bite. "I wonder what he's doing on the islands then...it doesn't sound like he's from around here," Selphie said “Who?” Kairi asked. “I don’t know…some mysterious man. No one has any idea who he is” Tidus said. Kairi looked up at the sky. It’s been a few weeks since the last time she saw him. -FLASHBACK- “A fruit that brings together people’s destinies...if only…” He threw the star-shaped fruit aside, and turned around to walk away. Kairi looked up at the man’s face, getting a clear glimpse for the first time. His red eyes lacked any sign of emotion. He simply walked past her, without looking down. -FLASHBACK ENDS- “You know guys, we only have a few weeks before school starts!” Selphie said. “Oh man! I’m scared…” Wakka said. “Yeah…I kinda am too” Tidus said. Kairi looked over at the three of them, with a reassuring smile. She turned, facing them. “So if we’re scared, then lets make a promise!” “Huh?” Tidus asked “What for?” _________ “What you said back there kinda got brain...uh…thinkin’. Whenever you make a promise that’s super duper important, maybe it gives you the courage to face the scary stuff!” Goofy said. Sora looked up, thinking over what he said. “Courage…” He looked back down, nodding with confidence” _________ “Alright! Let’s do it!” Selphie said, getting up off the ground. “Hehe. Even if we get scared, or in trouble, or even if we get separated!” Kairi said. She stuck out her hand, followed by the others. _________ “Whatever happens, we’re friends!” Sora drove a fist into his other hand. He let go, and placed a hand on top Donald and Goofy’s. “All for one, and one for all!” Donald yelled out. _________ “All for one, and one for all!” Selphie called out, her hand resting on top her friend’s. They all smiled, feeling the confidence of their newly made promise. They turned towards the landscape, watching the sun make it’s final descent into the waters. The stars were beginning to appear, one by one, high above the sky. If you watched closely, you could see one in particular, shining brighter than the rest. It was Castle Oblivion, where Sora was about to face Marluxia. _________ Epilogue Footsteps tapped along the hallway of the castle. A door slowly creaked open, as Xion walked over to Roxas’s bedside. She brought down her hood, smiling down at him. In her hands, she held a small thalassa shell. “I went to a new world today Roxas, you should’ve seen it.” She glanced down, then back up again. “It was so beautiful.” ______________________________________________________________________________ Day 84 PREVIEW “Hey. I’m back” DiZ and Namine turned around, looking at the young voice that called from behind. They took a long look at his change of apperance. “Your eyes can’t lie, can they?” DiZ said.
Day 27: Oblivion Kairi woke feeling refreshed, and full of energy. She had a smile on her face, as she sat up in her bed. She turned and looked out her window. The morning rays were shining through the glass, and onto Kairi’s bed. She threw back the covers, and rushed out her room. _________“Selphie!” “Oh?” Selphie turned to see Kairi, running towards her. She was on the trail that ran through the town’s gardens, holding the jump rope she used to always practice with, but only recently, lost an interest for. “Kairi…you’re alright! How are you feeling?” “Great! I feel completely fine now. You all carried me back home yesterday, right?” “Yeah! Me, Tidus, and Wakka…we were wondering when you were gonna wake up….you just collapsed on the beach all of sudden” Kairi nodded with a smile, “Thanks Selphie,” “Sure! No problem” Selphie smiled back. “Do you feel like going out to the island again today?” “Hmm…my parents are taking me school shopping today, but maybe we could go after? “Yeah! What about Tidus and Wakka?” “They should be finishing up their ball game now!” “’Kay, I’ll ask if they want to come to” “Great! Bye Kairi!” “Bye!” Kairi waved goodbye, as her friend walked down the trail, into the horizon. _________ “Yoo-you sure I’m doing this right?” Wakka said. He was sitting with his right leg curved over his head, arms stretched straight out. “Yeah! These stretches are sure to get us in his shape for the games!” Tidus had his back curved on top of rock, trying to bend it even further. “Hey guys! Do you wa….uh…what are you doing?” Kairi said walking up to the two boys, with a confused look on her face. “Getting in shape for the games!” Wakka said, oblivious to how silly the two of them looked. “Um…okay…well....Selphie and I are going out to the island later today, do you guys wanna come with us?” “Can’t. Gotta keep training” Tidus said bluntly, as a crack could be heard from base of his spine. Kairi was still confused, but didn’t make any effort to persuade. “Uhh, I don’t know Tidus. I think we’ve done enough training for today” Wakka said, getting out of his awkward position. “Ehh..err…aahh” Tidus got up slowly, shaking out his arms and legs. “Hmm…maybe you’re right. Alright! We’ll come too” “Great!” Kairi said with a smile. I’ll be out in front of the water in a little bit, I’ll just wait for you all there.” “Okay” Tidus said. “See ya Kairi!” Wakka said. “Bye!” Kairi said, waving as she walked away. ________ Kairi made her way down the trail, then ran out to the shore. She noticed something. She slowed down, and stood still, staring at the man who was standing there, staring out at the water. It was the man she’d seen before. His red mantle, and long black hair were swaying in the wind. The light reflected off the gauntlet on his arm, making it shine. Kairi was hesitant, and not completely sure what to do. She wanted to ask him who he has, if he was from the islands, but she wasn’t sure if it was the polite thing to do. “A fruit that brings together people’s destinies...if only…” he said, still looking out at the ocean. He threw the star-shaped fruit aside, and turned around to walk away. Kairi looked up at the man’s face, getting clear glimpse for the first time. His red eyes lacked any sign of emotion. He simply walked past her, without looking down. Kairi went over to the fruit, and picked it up off the ground, holding it in her hands. She stared down at it for a long time, thinking over what the man said. An enfolding warmth came over her; giving her an assuaging, almost nostalgic feeling. It was so strange to her. “Why do I feel this way?” she thought to herself. A tear ran down her cheek. “Huh? That’s weird…” she said, wiping it from her face. “Kairi!” Selphie called out, running towards her, along side Tidus and Wakka. Selphie stopped in front of her, noticing the papou in her hands. “Oooh-what are you doing with a papou fruit? Thinkin’ about sharing it without someone?” she teased, leaning in towards Kairi with a smile. “…Am I?” Kairi said, looking down at the fruit with confusion. “You tell me!” Selphie said with a smile, leaning back out. “C’mon!” She said, running towards the wooden boats that were docked near the shore, followed by Tidus and Wakka. Kairi remained still, looking down at the fruit. She thought it over again, but realized there was nothing, rather nobody, on her mind. “Must just be my imagination” she said, dropping the fruit, and running towards the boats. The four of them rode out towards the island. The sun was glistening on the water, making reflections on all its small movements. Kairi watched the mainland slowly getting smaller, and smaller, as she rode away from it. She took one last look, then turned around. _____________________________________________________________ Epilogue: Day 49 “Saïx!” “Xion-there you are.” “Saïx, what’s going to happen to Ro-“ “You needn’t worry about Roxas. Today, you’ll be doing reconnaissance in a new world.” “……” “Don’t get your hopes up. His chances of awakening are unlikely. Come see me when your ready to go.” Xion sunk her head, and slowly walked away. She couldn’t understand the feeling she felt, but she felt it nonetheless. A lump in her throat, and a tightening in her chest, right where a heart would be, if she even had one. -FLASHBACK- “I don’t remember it too well, but Axel said he took me here my very first day with the Organization. And then he brought me some ice cream again after my first mission. Said it was the “icing on the cake.” “A little something else.” Roxas nodded is head, and smiled. “Exactly” “You guys must be close” “Axel’s my first friend” “Your…friend?” Xion paused, and looked down after learning this new word. “Roxas, do you think I could be a friend?” Roxas grinned, and looked over at Xion. “When Axel gets back, let’s ask him. Then all three of us can have ice cream together!” Xion looked over at Roxas and smiled. “Okay!” -FLASHBACK ENDS- Xion walked back over to Saïx. “Saïx, where’s my mission today?” He looked down at her, with the lack of emotion that constantly hung on his face, then back up. “The islands…”
Day 26: Fading Memories “You know Kairi-he really did look everywhere for you,” Leon said. Kairi looked down at her feet, with a nervous smile “Hehe-really? “Yeah! The first time we found him, he mistook me for you! He even told me how glad he was that I was okay and everything!” Yuffie said. “He was always talking about finding his friends, and going back to the islands together,” Aeris said. Kairi couldn’t stop smiling. She was flattered by what she heard. “If you ask me…I’d say there’s a strong bond that ties you to each other.” Leon said. Kairi looked up at the night sky, as a shooting star ran by. It was the gummi ship, heading back to Hollow Bastion. “S---“ “Huh!” Kairi woke with a shock. She was on her side, facing away from the window. “Err…” She grabbed her head. It was aching, for no apparent reason. She sat up slowly, and rubbed her eyes. She tried looking down at the floor, but her vision kept blurring. As she tried to stand up, she felt all the more dizzy. “Whats…what’s going on?” ________ “Take the hint. I told you to go home” “Not until I rescue you and Namine” “I don’t remember ever asking you to rescue me…” “Did you forget? Kairi’s there…waiting for us both to come home” “You’re the one who forgot. I told you at Kingdom Hearts when we closed the door…take care of Kairi” “……” “Give it up. I’m not going back to the islands-for anything.” “It’s not just for Kairi! What about the rest?!” “You can have those losers….already forgot ‘em” “That’s enough!” “What about you Sora….do you actually remember…what they all look like?!” “Of course I reme-….oh….” ________“Kairi!” “Huh?” Kairi turned around slowly, still dazed and confused. She saw the blurred image of Selphie running down the trail that runs through town. “Kairi, what are you gonna do to-….hey, are you alright?” “Yeah…I’m…I’m just a little dizzy…it’s no big deal” Kairi rubbed her head. “Are you sure?” “Yeah” Kairi put her hand down and nodded. “I’m fine” “Okay…do you wanna head out to the island today? Tidus and Wakka are busy practicing for tomorrow’s game.” “Umm…sure” Kairi wasn’t totally paying attention. She was lost in her own thoughts. She felt there was something wrong, like something was happening, beyond her control. Selphie wasn’t convinced; she gave Kairi a confused look, while Kairi looked back down at the ground. “Selphie? Aren’t we... missing someone?….you know, from our group?” “Yeah, we are! You don’t remember?” Kairi looked back up with surprise. “Really?! Who is it? What’s his name?” “Riku, remember? You told me he was far away, and that he has a lot do before he can come back” “Oh…right” _______ “So what if a person without a heart is destroyed-a Nobody like you or me? Does some part of us remain? '“As if. We’re not even suppose to “be” in the first place. What’s there to leave behind? “Then whoever it was at Castle Oblivion-“ “Gone” “And I’ll never see them again?” “Nope” Roxas sunk his head. He finally had the answer he was looking for, but it only deepened the sudden emotions he felt. If Axel was that person, then that means he would never see him again. “Oh…” he said slowly. Xigbar turned and looked towards the dark corridor. “You coming? “Huh? Oh…yeah” Xigbar walked through. As Roxas began to step forward, a sudden pain rushed through his head. He squinted his eyes, dropping his knee as the sharp pain intensified. “Nngh?! What’s going on….” _______ “You know…we still haven’t started our summer assignment” “Huh?” Kairi turned to see Selphie, smiling back at her. The two were sitting on the sand, watching the waves sway back and forth on the white sand of the island. “Hehe…what was it again…umm…an independent study? Something like that” Kairi was listening, but still lost in her own thoughts. She looked over at the smaller island, connected by a wooden bridge. She saw the papou tree; its long trunk that stuck out sideways, leaves swaying with the wind, and the star shaped fruit that hung from it’s top. “Errr...” A sharp pain suddenly ran through Kairi’s head. She squinted her eyes, grabbing the side of her head. “Kairi! Are you alright?!” Kairi tried to focus in on what was going on, but before she could do anything, she was unconscious. _________ “Where…where am I?” Kairi sunk into the very depths of her heart; into the very stillness of its quiet sanctuary. It was a scattered dream, that's like a far off memory. Or perhaps, a far off memory, that’s like a scattered dream. “S---- let’s take the raft and go! Just the two of us!” “Huh?” “Hehe-just kidding” “(laughing) What’s gotten in to you? You’re the one that’s changed Kairi” “Maybe…You know, I was a little afraid at first…but now I’m ready! No matter where I go or what I see…I know I can always come back here…right?” “Yeah., of course” “That’s good….S----….don’t ever change….” It was in this place, that Kairi could here the faintest sound, a voice, that was both as far as the worlds among the stars, and as close as the waves that crashed beside her. It was the voice of a boy. “Who are you?” _______ “You can’t give up, you’re friends! Tied together-” Donald held up a finger, counting each person. “Sora! Riku! And!....and….” he crossed his arms, putting his head down as he tried to remember the name. He turned to look up at Goofy. “What was her name?” Goofy rested a hand on his chin, confused in the same way Donald was. He was just as unable to give an answer. “Hmm…” Jiminy said. “It seems our memories are fading mighty fast,” He jumped up in anxiousness. “Sora, we gotta hurry! I bet Riku will come around…if you just talk to him,” Sora smiled at the show of optimism. “You’re right. We three were never apart. Me and Riku….and Namine.” _______ Epilogue Footsteps tapped on the roof of Twilight Town’s bell tower. A girl in a black coat slowly stepped towards the edge, and sat down. She looked out at the landscape before her. The sun was nearing dusk, and the orange rays shined through the surrounding hills, down upon the town beneath. She could hear the whistle of a train going down the tracks; the roar of its engine as it let out its smoke. “No matter where I go, or what I see…I know I can always come back here….” Xion looked down, with a smile that hid the loneliness she felt at the absence of her newly made friend. “Right?”
This is a trailer-like compilation of different clips surrounding the character Zuko, from the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. It covers his relationship with his uncle, his own banishment, confrontation with his father, and his profound reconciliation. Michael Dante Dimartino, Bryan Konietzko, and the all the other artists on the Avatar staff have created one of the best displays of redemption I've ever seen on an animated series. I hope you enjoy watching it, thanks for reading :) Name: "Archangel" Artist: "Two Steps from hell" Album: Archangel
No worries man, keep in mind, it's inspired from the movie Inception