Kingdom Hearts: Kingdom Hearts: Light Chaser

Sitting in the shadows of a courtyard wall, Chrys' head was planted firmly into the palms of her hands. Why did she have to panic like that? She had been all gung-ho about charging into dangerous situations before. It seemed strange to her that, now that she wasn't of the rather naive preconceived notion that she could resolve her problems peacefully, she was somehow only more afraid to rush into a fight. What had changed? Why had she suddenly become afraid to fight, when it had never seemed like a big deal before? There wasn't even a guarantee of a fight. Yet, no one had listened to reason before, and she was, at the very least, hesitant to walk into a group of people who, as far as they knew, had no more reason to listen to her than before. Unfortunately, her problems were hardly about to go away just because she ignored them. This sitting around wasn't going to last forever; there would be some kind of gathering or mission eventually, and she wouldn't be able to hide from anyone then. She gave a heavy sigh, frustrated at her own act of cowardice. But it was time to get back to doing something about it.

Chrys stood back up from the ground and started walking: It was better that those who remained of the ignorant be informed of her presence sooner rather than later. Inside was the best place to start, and if she was lucky she could run into someone who could vouch for her before she got back to the kitchen. ​

 

Kal merely listened to the conversation at hand, opting to stay his tongue. He set down his drink, staring into the brown liquid intently while he listened. New people to interact with..to form alliances..He needed that very thing. He wanted to find a way to restore his home. This was still all very new to him, foreign even."I don't like to sit around for long." He rose from his seat and glanced at his new friends."And I'm tired of waiting. We should find this Light Chaser individual and restore the balance." He said with a frown. How could he just wait around? There could be other worlds in danger and they were just twiddling their thumbs.​

 

Illiana seemed outraged by what he had said, but Boreas stood by it. "I would take my own brother down for some things cannot be forgiven. And if the King judges that my brother should die then so be it. The King is strict but fair." Boreas said. "And you mean to tell me that you will just forgive and forget about the fact that your brother is working for a man intending to wipe out all darkness including my people. You have tried reasoning with him and you failed miserably so it's time to make him face the consequences for his decision." Boreas was adamant in that regard she had had her chance to try and convince her brother to see reason and she had failed so diplomacy could go out of window for it didn't matter what she said her brother wouldn't listen.

"As hard as it may be to understand for you I love my family, enough to do the right thing when they go wrong as opposed to shielding them from the consequences as if they are children." Boreas said. He didn't say that it would be easy for him to do at all because it wouldn't it would hurt every step of the way, but he had to do it. "They would do the same for me and I'd ask that of them, I fully face the consequences of my actions. Does your brother realize the price that people will pay for the mad plan he is helping execute? Considering that he asked us who would be against such a plan my bet is he doesn't so you'll condone the death of thousands for the sake of family loyalty? You would support your family members no matter how heinous their actions, letting them stain your family name and you are angry with me for not following suit?" Boreas asked looking her in the eyes, he had a couple years on her and knew that made a difference in their perceptions of the world just like how they hailed from different realms altogether, but to condone such behaviour wasn't something he could do from no one.

He listened to her account of the war back home. Five thousand years of peace, that was impressive to say the least, their war had been going on for about 24 years before that there was still fighting but against the heartless, it was a different war back then. Should the current war come to an end he would be re-assigned to the old war. She had been sixteen when the war had ended and she had served in the war? Those child soldiers she mentioned, she had been one of them. No wonder she didn't agree with the way things had gone. He felt bad for the way things had gone for Illiana. "Children should never have been conscripted into that war you had going on even if it meant losing..." Boreas said, a thought struck him, with Take he had understood that all manpower was necessary just to survive against the dragons that had been different. The Council however seemed to do an alright job of not dragging children into this, he wasn't the best at judging ages but as far as he knew there were no children on the team, aside from Take, but he had been a soldier anyways and perhaps Tinarah or Aria but he could be wrong in that regard. "I can see now why you'd say you don't trust people, you've been a pawn in a game you shouldn't have been in. I myself didn't join the war before my eighteenth year as the King forbids it." Boreas said, Take shouldn't have been conscripted either but from what the kid had told him about the war it was a desperate fight for survival. But in a struggle for power, without utter annihilation on the line it was indeed an extreme measure that should not have been taken.​

 

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What Gero said about her nightmare problem was pretty much the same thing Torrin had told her earlier. She probably was the one to vanquish this creature once and for all, dispelling it from her body. If she could accomplish such a thing, maybe for once in her life she would have a peaceful night's sleep and not worry about those horrible nightmares coming to reality.

Aria continued to walk alongside Gero, listening intently to his words. Her eyes widened when he mentioned she was an actual princess and not just a princess of heart. "Me... a princess? A real princess?" She couldn't help but to smile a little and suddenly hug Master Gero. "Thank you for telling me," she half-whispered. To hear it from him instead of the Light Chaser was what Aria needed. Now she knew of her true heritage and where she had originally come from. Yet she made a different identity on Amerath; a farm girl who cared for every living thing and tried to see the best in others. She had learned humility, patience, to work hard, and how to help others. She wondered if she would have learned those lessons if she stayed with her parents and followed the ways of being a princess.

She let go of Gero, wiping a stray tear from her eye as she kept her smile. "Everything has been so confusing since my time with the Light Chaser..." She cleared her throat and continued on walking, enjoying the fresh air. "You looked like you wanted to say something more earlier... What did you want to say?" she coaxed in a soft voice.

 

Kidemonas kind of talked to himself about the program. Qamar wished she could understand it as well as he did, only so she could help him do something. He mentioned how she became more comfortable around the other Masters, but she didn't change much otherwise. "Hey, I did change." she pouted. "I'd like to think I'm more outspoken now, thank you. Don't forget, I almost always ran away from Master Kaio at the start. Then I started to talk back to him, haha." she smiled.

He wanted her to be more patient. Patience was something she had, but knowing that this project was almost ready, her patience was getting lower and lower in anticipation. He was going to tell the Council and then everyone could use it. He even made a quip about Qamar-proofing it. "Sorry I ruined my chances years ago when I ruined your other machine." she retorted with a light chuckle. "It's not my fault you passed out and didn't tell me how to work it." she turned her face away and stared at...the wall or something.

Something popped up into her head and she just wanted to know. "Those two students...are they like me? I mean, they're only here because..they lost their old Masters?" she asked, hoping that wasn't the case. "I hate to think that is what's going on, but to think that the Light Chaser would go and do such a tremendous amount of damage...he's worse than some of the bad guys I've met on my journey. Which, by the way, if you need more data, I can happily provide it. Seeing as I was there for almost everything major...except for whatever happened in Heroic Sanction." she nodded.

"Oh and if you manage to get a Dentro simulation, please let me know so I can kick his ass." she nodded.​

 

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The young boy waved to the others that Torrin had mentioned, and agreed with his greeter. Being a newcomer to the group, and the fact he didn’t know much on what to do with helping everyone; Lumen would need a little bit more training with the members. “Well, that girl seems really nice.” He said kindly, the boy then looked around until doing a double take when Torrin mentioned Gero, and his title as he spoke out, “T-That was Master Gero?! The Master of Masters?! I didn’t know that was him!” Lumen was both surprised yet shocked by what he heard, that was the leader of the Council. Then the teenage boy heard a small screech as he turned to the doorway when Kosmo flew in and perched onto his shoulder, as she purred while nudging her head next to her owner. “This is Kosmo, my best friend from home by the way. You guys have some sort of meals here? I’m kinda parched from my way here, Master Varos left me a couple miles away from the castle.” The boy said while he was looking around the kitchen for food, he felt like he could eat a full blown horse after that ride.

 

Chrys walked in not long after hearing Torrin speak and just in time to catch Lumen getting all excited over someone who was apparently the Master of Masters and asking about food. She hadn't found anyone else to vouch for her on the way back, but she wasn't going to give herself time to second guess her own actions again. "Yeah, a meal sounds pretty great actually. In the last 48 hours I've been accused of what basically amounts to witchcraft, chased out, and been knocked out and dragged here unconscious and against my will. Don't even get me started about all the ultimatums in there. I could eat." Chrys stepped into the doorway as she made her statement, looking around at and examining the kitchen.

She made it high priority to make note of any alternative exits.​

 

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Chrono merely offered a wave when Torrin had introduced him to the new new guy who had just entered the kitchen. He was certainly an energetic one, but what stuck out to him more was the dragon that had perched itself upon his shoulder. Seeing a dragon was not much of a surprise as it should've been any more, least friendly dragons. However, there was the thought of how Take would handle being around a dragon again. He seemed to be fine with Flammie in the brief times she was around.

Then came a third voice from the doorway. A quick looked revealed that the voice had come from Chrys, which lead to its own set of questions. Most noticeably 'Why was she here?' "There should still be something to eat." Chrono took one more sip from his, admittedly cooling, hot chocolate. First, two actual newcomers had shown up and now one of the Light Chasers' apprentices too. It made for an eventful morning at the very least.

 

"Impulsive is not....that's not the word. I am not impulsive!" she retorted, standing back up. She wandered over and stood next to Kide, staring at the screen. "I don't know their names." she said when he asked what two students. He mentioned how more worlds have disappeared and Qamar stared at the screen, lost in thought. More worlds were being lost....that meant they had a lot of work to do. A meeting was what Qamar had been waiting for ever since they got back. It was something she expected to happen, but it hadn't happened yet.

Kidemonas went on to explain what the communicators had been used for. "Er...Master, did you have to listen to everyone's communications through them? Like...when I told Master Aster about Adalric?" she asked, looking a little irked. "That sounds kind of like an invasion of privacy. Like, did you hear the conversations Aria had and other...stuff?" she looked a little embarrassed. "That's really gross, Kidemonas...I...I mean Master." she backed up, covering her mouth. "Sorry..."​

 

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Take had almost fallen asleep. Or maybe he had fallen asleep. Or perhaps he was so not used to the feeling of meditation that the feeling felt similar to drowsiness. He had enjoyed the silence in a way, only able to hear Nini's snoring before he started to hear footsteps and voices heading his way. But it didn't mean he fully processed anything until he heard someone greet him. The boy opened his eyes and turned to look over and saw Gero, whom he expected as much since he heard his voice and could recognize that. He didn't realize Aria was with him, he stretched a little and said,"Oh, hey. Good morning to you too... and you too, Aria." he looked back over towards the stones and said, "I followed Nini here and have just been... well, thinking. I've been doing that a lot lately..." he paused and clarified, "I mean I always think I just... don't think... hm..." he looked confused before saying, "Mourning? I'm not sure if that's right... um, do you know who made this? Whoever did was far more considerate than I was... I don't think I'd have made anything." he realized he was talking a lot and just kind of stopped and stayed in silence for a bit of time before he realized he did have something else to say, but held back from it since he didn't know where the conversation would go anyway.
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Torrin's reply drew his attention. A harsh narrow of his gaze followed before he shook his head."I've had enough of 'gathering my strength '. While we sit here and twiddle about, the Light Chaser could have caused another world to fall." He said with clenched fists."If you want to sit around and dawdle, that's fine." He said. He rose from his seat and saw his way out of the dining area. He was upset, and understandably so. He lost two homes to this and he was afraid of another loss.​

 

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“It won’t go to my head,” Aria promised with a shake of her head. “I still think of myself as the girl who grew up on a farm, and learned to work and fight with all my might.”

She was curious with the other news he had, but he told her he would speak to her of it later. She wanted to protest and have him tell her now, but she noticed where they were walking to and who they saw. Aria gave a smile and a friendly wave, “Good morning.” Aria raised an eyebrow when she noticed what was behind Take. Images of her past so long ago flitted in her mind... the gravemaker of her dear adopted cousin she never met. Aria stepped closer, seeing the names on each of the gravemakers. Her smile gradually fell when she read Mika’s... there was that familiar pain in her chest again.

“I think it was Illiana,” Aria replied with a crack in her voice. “She wanted to show me something... this could’ve been it...” She approached Mika’s gravestone, crouching down in front of it and gently touched the surface with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes stung with tears as she glanced to the friendship bracelet from her dear friend. Sfter all this time, she unclasped it from her wrist, draping it over the stone. “This was very thoughtful,” she mumbled as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

 

Illiana kept walking while keeping her temper in check. "And you mean to tell me that you will just forgive and forget about the fact that your brother is working for a man intending to wipe out all darkness including my people. You have tried reasoning with him and you failed miserably so it's time to make him face the consequences for his decision." She stopped immediately before turning her head to a small lake. She took a deep breath before choosing her next words. "You don't think I know that?....." Illiana clenched her fists. She closed her eyes. "Of course you think that. I'm not giving the full story so of course you don't understand. Besides, even if I tell you the full story, your opinion wouldn't change." She opened her eyes before turning her head toward the ground. "Just thinking about these past two years.....He....He must've been scared....Scared he would live out his days there......Scared he wouldn't be able to come home again and see our family and loved ones.....Everyone gave up hope that he was still alive....I almost did as well but a part of me couldn't let me believe them. Hell....I've made sure I kept myself off the grid to forget. I even wonder if people back home think I'm dead. Yet....these scars...." Her fists starting shaking as her voice started to tremble a bit. "The scars.....The scars he left on me.....it's a reminder of how I couldn't keep him safe.....How-how....how I let him down as his older sister...." A single tear dropped to the very earth she standing on. She felt her nails dig into her hand as the other grasped her left shoulder, digging her nails straight into her very skin. "Koa has been through too much.......He's confused...Lost....angry....scared.....sad.....so many emotions of pain and suffering." Boreas had then asked her another question. "You would support your family members no matter how heinous their actions, letting them stain your family name and you are angry with me for not following suit?" "I want to help my family!! It's my job as Koa's sister to help him see right and wrong just as my parents did for me!! It's my duty to keep him out of trouble!!! My duty to make sure he's happy!!! My duty to keep him safe goddammit!!!" Illiana shouted at a volume she could barely control. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. She grabbed her head with one hand as she leaned against a tree.

Boreas had then chimed in after Illiana's comment of her prior experience in her war. He had given her his condolences on that. "It was either that or have someone else in my family be shipped off to war. Feel free to make any guesses on who that other was." Her mind drifted back to the day she had drafted herself into the war. The way her parents looked that day, the confusion on her brother's face, every detail that occurred that day, she remembered vividly. Boreas had understood where Illiana's distrust had stemmed from. "'A' game? More like two. Three if you count this one." She took a couple more deep breaths. "Our king had knowledge of our special unit. The minute he saw us walk onto that field.....Hmph....The look on his face was almost priceless. Our Parliament thought they had the upper hand but we brought them back down like the foul pigs they were." She clenched her fists for a moment before jumping onto the tree that she had been leaning on. "I'm done with this. Forget our little 'chat'. It has no use to you nor any use to me at this point. The end will still be the same. Any knowledge of the other is just a nuisance at this point." She jumped to another tree before saying one last thing. "I don't intend to stay long. Once my brother opens his eyes to what's around him.....game over for me. Whether that game over is life or death......who knows? I'm just here to make sure he gets back home safe and in one piece." With that, Illiana sped off, jumping from tree to tree as fast as she could. The fact that I'm doing this for free.....that's more than enough for this council. They don't need me as much as Atmos convinced me they needed. Still how did she manage that? Another thought for another day I suppose...Yet who would've thought the young soldier would go off the grid and head into the mercenary business? Funny.....Almost makes me wonder what Lady Fortune has in store for me next?

She made her way over to the graves. As soon as she landed on the tree branch, she had seen two visitors there. Aria and Take? Interesting combo. She made sure to keep quiet as the two were having a conversation. Take had wondered just who had made these graves. Aria had then assumed Illiana had made them. Saves me the trouble of speaking. Gero had then walked over to the two, asking Aria to give him and Take some time to chat. I rather not to stick around. Before she could move, she had felt a little dizzy. She grabbed onto the tree to steady herself. You're fine Illiana. It's probably nothing. I'll have to brew some tea later for this. Illiana had then left the graves making her way to her room. She jumped from the branch and into her room. She walked out of her room, grasping her head. Illiana decided to walk around a bit. She put her hand back at her side as she walked.

 

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“Of course." Aria wiped her tears from her eyes and stood up. She then approached Take and gave him a nice, warm hug. "I've been meaning to do this since we met up." She smiled a bit and then bowed to Master Gero. "I guess I'll see you later." With that, she nodded to the two and then headed off back towards the castle.

 

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Take appreciated the hug, more than he'd probably like to admit, and if he were at a better angle he probably would have hugged her back, but it didn't matter. When she left he gave a slight wave and said in reply, "See you later." he looked over back towards the grave markers curiously. He wasn't expecting Illiana of all people to make these, but he supposed he didn't know her all that well for this to seem unlike her. After a moment or two Take grabbed at the grass a bit and plucked it out and sighed, "When you gave me the keyblade I was at a graveyard. You told me that it would give me the power to protect people so I wouldn't feel that loss again..." he let go of the grass and it blew away in the wind as he continued, "I don't feel more powerful or more capable... I feel less so..." he grew quiet once more before he finally stood up. The action causing the little cat to open their eyes and lift their head to see what he was doing before settling back.

The boy turned towards the older master and looked up at him and said, "I can't exactly blame you for this since you weren't around as long but... I just don't understand why after all the dangers were presented that no one told me. I understand why you didn't tell me before, when I was on my homeworld. But... after everyone was so worried about finding and protecting The Seven... I don't know why I wasn't told then." he played with his wrist for a second before stopping and shaking his head, "This is all I've been thinking about. I feel like a broken record... asking this question over and over. But everyone keeps saying it was caused they were ordered not to tell me. But I just don't get it."
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While looking for food, Lumen then heard Kal walk out in frustration, Torrin was right though but at the same time, So was Kal. They needed to make haste to save the worlds, however must be prepared for it, one can’t go blindly in unprepared to fight. Otherwise you’ll lose. Then Kosmo gave out a startling screech as Lumen also heard a Keyblade being summoned, he looked over confronting Chrys. The boy panicked when he heard Torrin talk to the girl, so he decided to step in. He hurried over towards the two and blocked Torrin’s path with his arms opened up. “No way Torrin! Don’t you lay a hand on her! I don’t care what she’s done, and maybe it’s real bad. But it’s never too late to change. So if you wanna hurt her, you gonna need to go through me.” The young boy said with confidence while Kosmo sorta helped by getting in a fighting position. Lumen didn’t care if Chrys was working with the Light Chaser at one point, he wasn’t gonna let one of his friends get hurt nonetheless. From learning with Master Sanda the boy learned to be kind to one another, even when people have done bad things, everyone makes mistakes, it’s just natural. In case of emergency, Lumen summoned his Keyblade if a fight was going to occur. He doubt Torrin was gonna hurt him in this scenario, the teen was new after all.