Kingdom Hearts: SfE Part 2 - The Final Keyhole and the Mark of Mastery

"Oi, don't push around my crew." Eden groaned with some distaste. Walking on deck, she watched the two nobodies scramble about; She only eyed at one, Roxas. "Thirteen, come with me below deck, I wish to speak with ye."

 

"aye, aye...."Roxas followed Eden below deck, staying calm. "The ships ready to sail!"Kurix yelled to Riku. Riku nodded, taking the wheel.

 

Walking below deck, the Pyro snapped her fingers numerous times to try and light her hands like a lighter. Soon enough her index finger was covered with a tiny flame after some serious concentration. "So, Thirteen. Roxas... Um..." Rubbing a hand behind her head, she awkwardly tried to play cool. "How does it feel to be a uh... Nobody? Or you don't have to answer. I just wanted someone to talk to."

 

"Its alright. I don't mind talking...but..."Roxas couldn't help but chuckle. "I do admit your question is a bit interesting. Tecnicly we can't "feel" anything."he said. "But I know what you meant. Its kind of neutral. There are the good times where you can go through and not have to rely on emotions to get you through anything, being able to control the lesser nobodies, if there are any left at this time..."Roxas took a deep breath. "and then there are the downsides..."

"Nobodies can't feel emotions. Sure we don't have to worry about rage or sadness or fear... but... we can't feel happiness, excitement... passion..."Roxas frowned. "sure, we can try to fake it but... we'll never really experience it..."he said."The sooner Kurix realizes that the better. He's a nobody, he needs to learn early so it doesn't scar him later on..."he explained. "How he can act like a puppy when he's a nobody is beyond me..."he added, shaking his head.

But then again, he was the same. He was more connected to emotions when he was in Organization XIII. It might be because he still had a somebody. Roxas was connected to Sora, and Kurix was probably connected to whoever his somebody was. They were more tied to emotions, but still couldn't feel them personally. Roxas frowned, wanting to have actual emotions. He realized he was still with Eden, snapping out of his train of thought. "Sorry."he muttered.

 

"Its fine. I understand. I know what it's like to not feel anything. Tch, sometimes I wonder if I was ever a nobody with how much I don't feel. At least back at Earth." With a sigh she sat down on the stairs leading to the deck, leaning on her burning hand. "It's very hard to react... or it was. Roxas... Have you ever had someone die in your arms?" Eden knew the answer, yes, but was almost curious if he did.

 

"Sora had Axel fade in front of him..if that counts...."Roxas frowned at that. "but me personally... I don't think so..."he shook his head. "Not that I would remember much about my life as a nobody..thanks to Riku and that... that jerk..."he muttered. Crap, I'm doing it again... "Sorry, forget I said that."he said.

 

"Roxas... I want you to understand something." Holding his hand a bit tightly, she sighed. "I know your history. I know Sora's and Riku's and Kairi's... I know everyone's history, their timelines... It's complicated. But I know things you were forced to forget." Eden bit her lip, her grip tightening on his hand. "I know even Terra's story, Lea's... everything."

 

"So you know everything that happened before the heartless invaded Earth? while I do admit thats a bit unbelievable...in a universe like this I guess nothing can truly be impossible."Roxas gave a small sigh."after all, you seem to know things Sora and Riku don't know...and things they do know but with a twist. Its strange...but interesting."he said.

 

"Yes... Though, I do... Like I know why you uh... used to wield two Keyblades." Letting go of his hands, she gripped her own hands tightly. They looked thin and Eden looked a bit shaky, trembling even.

 

"Are you okay...? If you want to stop talking and get some air..."Roxas gestured to head back above deck, noticing the trembling.

 

"No no, I've had a lot of air. I... Did you notice how much we haven't been eating? I can't remember the time my body told me I needed to go to the bathroom, to eat, understand illness... Something feels wrong. I don't feel quite right..." With a heavy sigh, she curled herself into her knees. "I think something happened to us from being away from Earth."

 

Roxas saw that Eden was concerned. "well, yeah. sure we haven't gone through things normal humans could go through and live but... maybe its the influence of the magic. In our garments, in the gummi.... maybe it helps us survive longer on the long journey."Roxas suggested.

 

"Magic can't suspend the human body for this long. We couldn't be thinning if that was true." She stood up, a bit too quickly. Eden's wobbly stance led her to almost fall down with a light head. Staggering around with what had been hoped a pacing motion, she fell over with dark spots in her vision.

 

"Hey, hey. calm down. Theres a logical explanation for this.... if this freaks you out we can have a full course meal and stuff ourselves silly the moment we enter the gummi ship."Roxas said, as if he was making a promise. He was suprisingly close to panic, not wanting Eden to break down physically or mentally.

 

With the clouds of darkness overcoming her vision, she could not see hear, or even feel anything. There was no peaceful Station of Calling, no land of dreams... It felt like a void. A complete and utterly horrifying void. Eden had blacked out into the blinding darkness of The Void. She wondered if the other Earthlings would join her in this panic attack like she had.

 

"Eden.... Eden! Oh great..."Roxas didn't know what was wrong, and definately didn't want to leave the girl like this. "We have an emergency down here!"he yelled to the group above deck.

 

Within the emptiness of the Void, an almost angelic fog surrounded the Earthling.
Within the light, it felt like a headache had formed. "The fuuuuuuu--" With a heavy groan, Eden lifted herself from the confines of the bed. She brushed away any dirt, performing her morning cleansing rituals with ease. Staring into her mirror, she put up her red hood. This however wasn't an ordinary hood, nor an ordinary outfit. Her hood had extended and split to have two tails, and she had a lovely short but long sleeved dress that slightly hid the thick ruffles of a red skirt. A single lighter red Gear donned her chest. "Hello Witch." She mused, walking to the outside.
With a hand raised, clocks appeared around her, flashing her to pirate ship that Riku had owned. She sat near the sitting wheel, rotting a bit from when it was struck by a hard wave. "Hello again." she smiled, tracing the soft wood.
An image flickered of Eden and her odd garbs, seemingly stuck in a single image that was quite static-y, but very clear. Not a word was spoken.

 

"what the hell...?"Riku and Kurix noticed the static image of Eden, Roxas rushing above deck. "Okay...whats going on?"Kurix asked. "no clue. somethings really wrong with Eden."Roxas said. "That doesn't explain this."Riku mentioned to the image. "ah!"Kurix saw a boat in the distance. "I think I see Valerie!"she said. Roxas kept an eye on the static image.

"Ugh...forget this..."Valerie had given up getting anywhere, sitting put with a much needed sandwhich. "I am starving..."she huffed. she saw the bigger ship approaching, gasping. "Oh, come on!"she huffed, getting to her feet. the groups ship approached her boat, Riku with an amused look on his face. "Need help?"Riku shoated. "No!"Valerie said. Suddenly, the duct tape she had covering a leak broke off. "Yes..."she sighed.

 

The image left, vanishing with a flicker.
Floating around seemed like the best option, but it wasn't the only one. Eden left the boat in a hurry, floating into a large red image of a clock she seemingly conjured.
Within the past, she landed upon the ground of a terribly odd world. The palette seemed to be comprised of earthly tones and bright water. Landing upon the almost glowing ground, she walked to find another figure.

 

"why do you guys look like you're about to have heart attacks...uh..figuratively, of course."Valerie gestured to Roxas and Kurix. "Its hard to explain... are you feeling alright?"Roxas asked. "asides from being really hungry and thirsty, I'm fine... at least, I feel fine. Its kinda freaky. Its like...video game physics."Valerie shrugged. "Well, glad to know she won't be going through whatever's happening to Eden just yet."Riku said. "what happened to Eden?!"Valerie asked, instantly glaring at Riku.