Time to Rise Again

"Yeah," Luna responded. She only knew this world for the past seventeen years. It was her home, but she knew it was her time to leave. She was being called for something much greater.

"Let's get this show," Crimson said. He then moved to Cat. How he wished that they had more time to catch up about what they've been doing for the past few years. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, mainly because he trusted her. He put his hand on her arm. "Remember: 'We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance'. My dad told me that when he was alive, right after you...well, when I thought that you died."

 

A young man wearing a fur coated hooded jacket walked through Traverse Town with his hands in his pockets. His boots kicked up some dirt as he walked along the path towards the third district. He seemed to be in thought as he looked from left to right and back again constantly, it was like he was a tourist. He spoke to himself as he walked with his mumbling-like voice, "So, this is where granddad once lived". Continuing shortly after he approached the door to the third district and entered, unsure of where to go.

 

"Yes...though I suppose I should tell you what I know about Kuragari. He is from an unnamed race from my world. No one's named them because there's so few left. They have a feline appearance, though they have traits from both felines and canines. Most famous one is called Nanaki, he fought alongside Cloud in the wars on Midgar. They have an extremely long lifespan, easily covering centuries, though Kuragari is still very young for his kind. Stories of him surfaced around fifty years ago, but he started becoming known when he killed his brother in a rage and abandoned his home. I suppose he was roaming the Wastelands when he was transported here, same as I was," Asuka said. "Aside from that...he's smart. Capable of human speech, very good problem solvers, which is a shame that there's almost none of them left."

After she was finished speaking, she looked towards the entrance of the third district. She sensed a light aura entering, and tried to see where it was coming from.

 

Cat saw Asuka look towards the gate and she saw a man entering who looked somewhat like Leon used to.
She ignored him and turned to Sky.
"...so you really thought I was dead. Man, this... this just sucks. All of it. I'm just afraid that what happened to Sora and Riku is gonna happen to us or even something like it."
She just stood there thinking about what would happen if her old friend were to be consumed by the darkness.
No, it's not gonna come to that... EVER! Sky would never fall to the darkness... not now, not ever.

 

"Strange...his light is strong..." Asuka thought.
"I'll be right back. Finish any last minute preparations, then get into the sidecars. Two per car, don't even think about trying to start Fenrir without me," she said. She walked through the crowd to the young man, who looked strikingly similar to someone from her great-grandfather's stories. Not knowing how to start a conversation about Keyblades without attracting attention to them, she walked by him and quickly grabbed his sleeve, muttering, "Follow me" to him as she did.

 

Having been told to follow the stranger, he complied, but not without a attitude filled "Whatever". The girl he was now following had some similar points to people his granddad spoke about when telling him of the duties their family had performed in the past, present and will do in the future. He could feel something different though, it wasn't a power like his but it was at the same time.

 

Releasing his arm, Asuka looked around one last time to make sure they were far enough away from each other. She didn't feel like wasting any time, so she cut right to her point. "Are you a Keyblade wielder?"

 

"Who knows?", Leon replied with his sarcastic attitude as he corrected his sleeve to where it was. He looked the girl up and down, "You trying to be some kind of hero?", he asked trying to figure out the type of person she is and a simple guideline of her reasons, "Ain't that why people use Keyblades?".

 

"...I'm no hero," she said, looking down. Whatever fire had told her to approach the man had died, and she wasn't going to push him. "Just...forget I said anything."
Asuka started to walk away, back to the others. "Why did I feel like I needed to speak to him?...Is it because the light I sensed is as strong as all of theirs put together?" She swore. Memories that she had locked away started to come back, but she tried to block them out. She could feel the darkness getting stronger in her heart, but she didn't care just then.

 

Leon watched as the girl walked away, "Looks like I dodged a real big bullet there", he said as his Keyblade manifested in his right hand and he rested it on his shoulder before making it disappear again. "Either way, I'll probably catch up with her party sooner or later", he continued to think aloud as he watched the girl head back.

 

Asuka stopped walking. "That jackass..."
She had heard the sound of a Keyblade appearing and disappearing behind her, and she turned, looking back at the man. She felt the darkness retreat a little as she approached him once more. "So you are a Keyblade user, hm? What are you trying to be, the silent hero?"
As she said this, she closed in on him and stared him down.

 

"Whatever. I'm just passing through", Leon replied with his attitude again. He didn't feel like explaining himself, it wasn't necessary in the first place. Not caring what people thought about him let others see him how they saw him. "Besides, you don't want too many people tagging along if you're all travelling together", he added as he pointed a thumb at the other Keyblade wielders.

 

"Passing through?" Asuka repeated. "If you're passing through, then what's the harm of travelling with us? I hardly know them that well anyway, but Heartless...I'm pretty sure they consumed my world. As a fellow wielder, I'm asking you to join us. I can tell you're strong...and based on stories, you're probably one of Leon's descendants."

 

Leon was surprised but still tried to play it cool, "Good guess, I'm Leon III", he stated as he went over what she said in his head. "If you're from where I think you are then you'd know half the former Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. I doubt a world with members of that group would fall so easily", he stated remembering what his granddad told him about the origin of the name Leon. The old man wouldn't let something like that happen again, I don't think anyone he worked with would either.

 

Shinji looked around. "Well, better head and collect supplies then." he thought to himself. "Well, does someone want to come with me and carry the supplies?" he asked the others.

 

"I'll come. We're gonna need to be ready if we find anything dangerous back in her homeworld."
Cat felt that this journey could be dangerous. They could be split up... or worse. She didn't know what lay ahead so she prepared for the worst.

 

"...All of them are gone," Asuka said quietly. "My great-grandparents were the two that survived the longest, after their generation people forgot Shinra's crimes and fell back into a comfortable life with a new power source. My grandparents were the last real warriors left, them and two of Cloud's old allies. They're all strong, but...the pull of darkness is incredibly powerful."
Looking away once more, she said, "Our ancestors fought together once. They saved a world. If we fight together, along with the others, we could do so much more. So I'll ask again...will you join us?"

 

SHinji nodded to Cat. "Okay, let's go." He simply said as he walked through the door to teh First District, expecting anything that could happen at any time.

 

"I'll tag along with you guys too," Crimson said. "Luna; where are the best places to go?"


"Well, there's a place in the first district...and I have some emergency supplies at my house."

 

Cat walked with Shinji but she was still curious about Asuka and that boy who walked through the district. She wondered who he was and what he was doing here. He reminded her of Leon...
"Uh... i'm just gonna go check something. I'll be right back!"
She ran towards Asuka when she overheard their conversation about him being a Keyblade master and how he was Leon's descendant.
"Uh... I don't wanna butt in but... you're Leon's descendant no? Come with us. We're gonna try and stop whatever's destroying the world order. Besides, it's better for us to stick together. Alone we're weak and powerless but together we're unbeatable!"