#back to scala we go

[pokeymonhearts]

#pokeymonhearts #soriku #pokemon #kingdom hearts #act 3 #radiant garden #ephemer #strelitzia #echo #AWW YEAH the gangs getting back together #back to scala we go #hope yall are ready for some ~mysterious exposition~ #also thanks to all the new followers and support ;; #its given me a new drive for this comic!

[goldensunset]

💎 lokiss

🔁 traumaadcaelum Follow

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💎 lokiss

i think a snickers would’ve fixed baldr tbh

🙅 traumaadcaelum Follow

hi! can you NOT make jokes about the worst massacre that’s happened here in centuries?? my girlfriend was murdered that day but i guess people like you just love taking advantage of tragedies for funny internet clout. i hope you lose your heart in another world.

💎 lokiss

she baldr on my dr until i bald

#get off my post i literally lost someone too

479 notes

💐 my-other-car-is-a-keyblade-glider

my missing brother, brani, is finally back!!!! i’ve been so so worried for forever. thank you everyone who prayed with me 🙏

#he is acting a little weird though if i’m being honest #freya speaks

5 notes

🌸 dandelioneater

🔁 the-fourteenth-original-darkness

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🍎 valkyrie-of-dreams Follow

sometimes i feel like my taste in men is bad and then i remember there are multiple secret societies entirely dedicated to thirsting after master brain

🔑 its-kee-not-kai

you ever see a post that just looks like someone swinging a keyblade at a flappy bugs nest

#kingdom hearts grant me the serenity to not look at the notes #courage to not look at the notes #and wisdom to not look at the notes

56907 notes

🌕 tardyfleetfoot

Asking for a friend what do you do when a cable car stops in midair and starts shaking and swaying on the wire while you’re in there up there way high above the ground? Time sensitive question asking for a friend.

3 notes

🌚 the-fourteenth-original-darkness

🔁 my-other-car-is-a-keyblade-glider

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🧜🏻‍♀️ ieatchesspieces Follow

let’s explore the nearby abandoned towns together!

108500 notes

🔑its-kee-not-kai

🔁 master-odin-retire-challenge

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💍 ladyofsilver-fountains Follow

it’s really awful how people are acting like it’s illegal to have a sense of humor anymore. even in the wake of tragedy, humans have always been humans. plus it’s been almost a year now. life goes on, you know?

👢master-odin-retire-challenge

the context for this post is op lost their job and reputation because they laughed at the funeral of a little girl named vör when the person giving the eulogy couldn’t be bothered to learn how to pronounce her name correctly. please for the love of light stop blindly reblogging things like this.

#oh ewww i hate people

239 notes

🌘 xehanerd

to the anon who just sent that long-winded ask: my blog is my space. if you don’t like what i post then move on.

#xe.post #delete later

0 notes

🌘 xehanerd

🔁 dajokerofscala Follow

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🌗 balancewillprevail Follow

It drives me insane whenever people frame it like Baldr 'succumbing to darkness' and going crazy was inevitable. Sure, darkness played a part in that tragedy, but it completely overlooks the reality of how Master Odin failed to take care of that child at every step of the way. The boy was lost in grief, and the adult who was supposed to take care of him shoved him in an asylum-like room alone? Are we really going to leave that part out in favor of pushing the narrative that people prone to darkness are simply evil at heart? He could have lived a happy life being himself if he had been supported and nurtured. It didn’t have to be this way.

🌕 tardyfleetfoot

Right? We could have saved him from his darkness! He was our friend….

🌗 balancewillprevail Follow

That’s… not at all what I was saying, but I suppose a stupid comment like this is to be expected from somebody with ‘darkness dni’ in their bio. Thanks for trying.

🐓 everyoneshutupplease Follow

‘darkness played a part in that tragedy’ not you sugarcoating what happened for the sake of pushing YOUR narrative that the thing that’s been killing people since the dawn of time can possibly be anything but toxic. how many people have to die before people like you get in touch with reality???

🌗 balancewillprevail Follow

Sounds about right from someone who went through the Scala Ad Caelum public school system. Have you ever tried reading a book other than what was assigned for class? Please check your natural-light privilege and ignorance. Thanks.

🪐 fenrir-fanatic

look out lads we got another conspiracy theorist ‘homeschool your kids’ dork lmao

🌗 balancewillprevail Follow

And do you read anything other than sigurd x reader fanfiction, based on the first seven posts on your blog?

📈 whats-your-favorite-staircase-to-heaven Follow

the notes on this post were so toxic staff just axed ‘em

#sent to me #thank you joker

0 notes

#unreality #less than 24 hours later here’s the dr one lol #kingdom hearts #khdr #kingdom hearts dark road #dark road #mine: kh

[kwoojii]

why Player/Brain (Plain if u will) is already a great ship

1) its angsty

player doesnt remember anything from their previous life, but dont you think theyd be curious? Brain holds all the memories, but brain knows that the tragedy would be overwhelming for player. This could lead to some potential dilemma on how to tell player. Alternatively, brain could also be blunt (as always) but this would still overwhelm player. This would lead to potential hurt/comfort and apology scenes between the two. Additionally, brain is the sole survivor in khml Scala from the tragedy of daybreak town. I would imagine its alienating and lonely, especially without chirithy. Seeing player must give him relief, but when player tells him they dont remember anything, brain is back to square one. Players memories, though forgotten, are not lost. The more the duo spends time together, the more they can grieve what was lost. Together they can make new friends and turn a new page, for themselves and the future

2) unlikely friends (therefore its funny)

Khux player is canonically not talkative and brain is not the type to talk bc hes friendly. I doubt brain saw player as a friend and player probably did not consider brain as a close friend. But with khml, theyre probably scrutinized for being the odd ones out in scala. Two outsiders (clodleth fam youll like this) finding company with each other, though they may have different views on how to make friends. Id imagine their friendship is a clumsy one, but theyd learn that they compliment e/o quite well. With their undying loyalty, grievances for ephemer and their friends, willingness to sacrifice themselves, and openness to learn about each other, i think they would trust eo the most in khml. They can also be hilariously blunt so bickering would def be their love language

3) brain (lol) and brawn

Brain sent player to go check out grand central station while brain stayed back to do the lore lifting, must i say more? You cannot tell me brain would be fascinated with players rusted starlight and send them out for data

4) default black and white duo/light and darkness duo

Default player is shown to wear white clothes with blond hair, meanwhile brain has black hair with black attire. We love our black n white duos (ie skuld/eph, xeha/eraqus, brain/eph, bugs bunny n daffy duck). They r aesthetically pleasing!!!

5) last bit, but they wouldnt even realize theyre in love this ship lives off the foundation of complete hurt/comfort and trust, not romance

They are slow burn to the max, if anything. They protect eo in battle ferociously, but only bc they need eo for their respective goals. They sleep in the same bed to comfort eo for nightmares but they arent friends. Brain cooks breakfast, but— 🤓

Anyway as khml comes out and we may not get any plain crumbs at all, pls remember me at my grave 😚🙏 i ofc will be sticking around for the plot. Im so excited for khml AAAA

#kingdom hearts #kh #khml #kh plain #kh brain #kh player #kh keykid #kwoo snack time #see my vision guys #i never usually talk here but this felt necesary #plain is so funny and emotional at the same time

[dark-frosted-heart]

The Fairytale Keeper's Final Assessment - Roger (Premium End)

This is the 1st anniversary event and is in his POV.

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this

Roger: Kate, I’d die of boredom without you. I’d miss you. So stay as a fairytale keeper.

Kate: Roger…

Roger: So, what are you going to do, Kate? Continue being a fairytale keeper? Or are you going to say farewell-to me.

Kate: I…

Roger: How about I give you an extension. I’ll wait for you at Crown Castle ‘til midnight. If you don’t want to be a fairytale keeper anymore, then you don’t have to come back.

Kate: Don’t need to come back…?

Roger: Yeah. I’ll just write “NO” on the agreement letter and that’ll be it. Alright, I’m heading out. Make a choice you won’t regret.

–

Alfons: So, you just abandoned Miss Kate? You’re the worst. Just like how the hunter abandoned Snow White. You’re a heartless, muscly glasses-wearing walking egoist!

When I got back to the castle, I grabbed Al, told him the whole story over drinks and he fired complaint after complaint.

Roger: You got some nerve hurling insults at me while ignoring how much of an ass you are yourself. Kate wouldn’t have been able to make a choice if I was there. And if I stayed, I would’ve been in trouble.

Alfons: Don’t tell me you were going to bring her back by force?

Roger: Hmmmm………?

Alfons: Oh this is not good. You’ll always be an egoist.

Ice clinked in Al’s glass of whiskey.

Roger: Al. I’m definitely egotistical, but that doesn’t mean my head’s empty. We’re all cursed, part of Crown, and killers. It’s a parade of misery and disaster. It would’ve been better if she stayed uninvolved.

Alfons: Well, I agree with you on that point.

Roger: And yet… There’s lots of things you can’t give up on. I’m sure the same can be said for you.

Alfons: … I don’t know about that. My glass is empty, so I shall be taking my leave. I hope that losing Miss Kate will make you fix your ways.

Roger: Haha, thanks.

–

How much time’s passed since Al left?

It’s not even because of my abnormally sharp hearing, but the clock sounds really loud.

(30 minutes ‘til midnight)

(What if Kate doesn’t come back?)

I’d definitely miss her a lot.

And then rationalize it as “it is what it is”.

(As we get older, we get a whole lot more decisions to make)

Five minutes ‘til midnight.

—The sound of Kate’s voice and footsteps reach my ears.

Kate: Roger!

(Ah…)

Roger: “Welcome back” Kate.

I looked up at the clock and saw that it was exactly midnight.

Kate: You must have felt a little worried. About how I might not have come back.

Roger: Well, maybe a little.

Kate: I was troubled. I mean…I have friends, and I was pretty useful as a postal worker.

Roger: Hm, I see. So why’d you come back with Liam?

Kate’s eyes dart side to side.

Kate: Well…um…it just happened that way.

Roger: I heard something like “tell it to Roger straight!”

Kate: !

Roger: Well?

Kate: The truth is…I couldn’t stand being alone so I went to see Liam at the Scala Theatre. I hung out with him…to kill some time.

Roger: Why?

Kate: Because…

Roger: Because?

Kate: Because…I wanted you to think about me of course.

Roger: …

Kate: Saying what you want, leaving everything to me… I…You know there was a chance we would've never seen each other again, right?

Roger: Yeah

Kate: You knew and yet you left just like that.

Kate started tearing up.

Kate: I thought…you’d want to spend more time with me.

(Really…this girl)

The day I met Kate, I tried to draw a line between us and have her live wisely.

A brief time at Crown as a fairytale keeper should’ve been enough.

(And yet)

~~ Flashback ~~

Kate: I still don’t have an answer on whether your betrayal was evil or not. Therefore— Can I not continue to think about it while being by your side? 

~~ End flashback ~~

Kate said that and tried to get to know me and Crown.

(Nothing’s changed since that day…)

(No, she’s been chasing after me incessantly)

(Ah, damn it…)

(Everything about her’s so cute. It can’t be helped)

I drew closer to Kate and pulled her into a hug.

Kate: Ro…ger?

Roger: I still want to be with you. Let’s stay together, Kate.

Kate: I’m not doing this because you told me to. I’ve…made my decision.

Roger: Pfft, hahaha. Nice. I love a woman who can think for herself. But, do you really know what this means? If we’re together, then that means you’re gonna be at my mercy.

Kate: Bring it on. I still want to know more about you and Crown. Besides…I still haven’t proved that love exists yet.

For me, love’s something that has no proof. So I don’t have any faith in it.

What we call love is a dysfunction of the brain or a misunderstanding caused by sexual desire.

That’s my definition of love—Kate wants to prove me wrong.

(It's like saying you stayed for me, isn't it?)

Whether Kate’s affections can be called love is something yet to be seen.

Roger: In the meantime, let’s kiss.

Kate: ……Huh?

Roger: Didn’t you hear me? Kiss. Kissing. You like that, don’t you? Kissing and being affectionate.

Kate: O-of course not!

Roger: I thought you really liked me if you kept chasing after me.

Kate: That’s because…it’s my duty as a fairytale keeper.

Roger: Such a hard worker. I’ll talk to Victor about giving you a raise.

Kate looked at me in annoyance.

(You’re so cute)

Roger: Well then, let’s start with this “again” form here. Let’s get along, Kate.

I held out my hand and Kate grasped it in hers.

Kate and I are connected.

Once again, with a certain temperature.

–

Fairytale Keeper’s Letter of Agreement From here on, Kate will continue her role as the fairytale keeper. Because she’s a valuable dog, or assistant, in my research on curses. Beyond that, I’m simply curious -Roger Barel

–

(Kate’s POV)

It was a few days after I chose to continue my role as the fairytale keeper.

I had suddenly received a notice from Her Majesty the Queen. Kate, I’ve heard much about your work. Thank you for everything. Therefore, I would like a reliable woman to assess something. Whether Roger, who is cursed, is suitable for Crown.

#ikemen villains #ikevil translations #roger barel #ikevil roger #ikevil #ikevil jp

[jokeroutsubs]

Interview with Joker Out's member Nace Jordan, from Slovenian magazine Kranjčanka!

"Enriched by a special experience"

We caught up with Nace Jordan, bassist of Joker Out, a week or so after the Eurovision show in Liverpool, a few days after the show in Zagreb, and just before they left for the show in Dublin, where they sold out their first show in twenty minutes… On stage, they kept company to the Irish performers.

The fact that this guy, who is otherwise from Mlaka (T.N: small village near Kranj), is fully booked, can be confirmed by telling you that he moved into a new flat in March of this year - he has been living in Ljubljana for some time now - but he has spent less than 14 days there until it was time for the Eurovision Song Contest. He still returns to Kranj at least twice a week to visit his mother and to stay true to himself: he decided to get a personal trainer a while ago, so now he also goes to Kranj to train there.

Nace Jordan came into contact with music in primary school. He first played the guitar, which he soon replaced with the bass guitar. "Around the fifth grade of primary school (T.N: 10-11 years old), I became interested in instruments and a classmate and I decided to start a music group. He bought a drum set and I bought an electric guitar. Then we quickly saw that there were no bass players. So I sold the guitar and bought a bass guitar," he explains. He has no formal musical training, but says he has been lucky that wherever he has gone in life, there has always been a good mentor who has been able to guide him.

I: How long did this primary school group last?

N: In those days it was a well-known Kranj band called Success. We did a lot of gigs. It's interesting that all the band members from that time are now living off music. They are, for example, the guitarist Nejc Ušlakar, Tajda Jovanović - also from Mlaka - who is a top classical singer and used to sing at the famous Scala in Milan; if I am not mistaken, she is now teaching classical singing in Dubai. We just created an environment for ourselves and stayed in music. The drummer and keyboard player, Aljaž Bernik and Miha Petrovič, have, for example, a very successful wedding band, called Pop Deluxe.

I: What came after primary school? (* (T.N: In Slovenia, primary school lasts for 9 years, from ages 6-15)

N: I enrolled at the then Iskra University, majoring in mechatronics, but just before graduation I started working - actually playing on a cruiser. By some chance I found myself at a jam session open mind in Kranj, where the Kranj drummer Rok Rozman was looking for someone to go on the boat with him. He was impressed with me, I auditioned and of course they weren't very happy at home when I confronted them with the fact that I was going to take my final exams the following year. I was just 18 years old.

I: Was that a cruise ship?

N: Yes. We were travelling in the Baltic Ocean. I remember that we started in Germany, in a port north of Hamburg, then continued on to Gdansk, St Petersburg and to the Scandinavian countries.

l: That was probably the only time you've been on a cruise ship of that kind, a tourist cruise ship?

I've had a lot of people ask me if I would ever go on holiday on a cruise ship. Probably not. But I would go and have another look at the one I played on.

I: When you came back to Slovenia, did you graduate from high school? N: I didn't and I still regret it a little bit. When I came back from the ship, I started working with the singer Katarina Malo. During that time, I was also taken under the wing of two musicians from Primorska (T.N.: a region in the South-Western part of Slovenia) - that's what I mentioned: I found myself somewhere and then a mentor came along. I learned a lot from them. They were David Morgan and Denis Beganovic - Kiki. The first one is a top jazz drummer from the coastal area, he organises a lot of stuff, and he also plays with Avtomobili (T.N. slovenian band), I think he even played with Plestenjak (T.N. Jan Plestenjak, a famous Slovenian pop singer) at one point. Whereas Kiki is a multi-instrumentalist. He's an extraordinary talent. He has worked with Kanzyani and other famous DJs and musicians from abroad. He has made a lot of music, and he also led the Big Band from the coastal region. That was a really nice period for me. I even moved to the coastal region for a short period.

I: Why music, why not football?

N: Certainly not football (laughs). It's the sport I'm least talented in, or rather, all ball sports fall into that context - be it table tennis or football; and, even though my surname is Jordan, I'm the worst basketball player in the world (laughs). Just two days ago, I met my first grade teacher, and of course the topic of music and Eurovision came up. She told me that she knew even back then that school was not for me, but that I would definitely do something creative in my life. It brought back memories of how bored I was at school and how I would rather draw under my desk than listen, even though I was not a bad student.

I: You haven't been a member of Joker Out for long.

N: Since last year. Martin Jurkovič, the original bass player, felt at some point that music was not his main path. He is also an extremely talented programmer and is studying in that direction. He wants to study abroad and decided to finish that chapter. I knew the lead singer of the band, Bojan, from some mutual friend groups before, and the guys were looking for someone who was around their age, professional, good at what they do, and they thought of me. And Martin was in favour of me coming into the group instead of him.

I: And did you imagine that the band would continue the way it did?

N: From the beginning I went into the band with a bit of hesitation. I even suggested a test period. I had learnt that there has to be chemistry between the members. And if we didn't get along with each other the way we do, we wouldn't have performed on the Eurovision stage. We would have had a fight otherwise.

I: Do you spend a lot of time together?

N: First there were the Eurovision showcase concerts, and now there is the summer concert tour in Slovenia. We also have quite a few problems, because we get a lot of calls from abroad. It's logistically difficult, so we're looking for a solution to link some of the concerts to the tour. After the Eurovision Song Contest, we really started to get noticed abroad.

I: Was this your first Eurovision Song Contest?

N: Yes. But I have been to EMA (slovenian national selection for ESC) several times before.

I: Was it as you imagined it would be?

N: Even better. I can say that everyone who has been through this kind of experience has told us that it will be really tough: there will be a lot of work, but that we should also expect crazy parties. But in the end, it was much less exhausting than we expected. In fact, we had such a busy schedule beforehand that Eurovision itself was almost easier for us afterwards. We were practically in the Arena for five days, the rest was socialising, interviews and other commitments. In principle, we like that.

I: You seemed to be well received.

N: We were lucky enough to have connected with practically all the performers. We were always in a good mood, which was seen and felt both in the performances and in the interviews, during the statements. We came home really enriched by a special experience. And it was really nice to see how the people at home supported us. After the first semi-final, we got some footage of how they were watching us and we were just amazed how behind Bežigrad (Ljubljana district), let's say, they watched the first semi-final show in an organised way. The energy was crazy, like at a match.

I: What about Liverpool? Was there any time to "play tourists"?

N: During Eurovision, not really. We were in Liverpool before, because we were shooting a video. I think it was after Barcelona, and we did a lot of walking around the city then. For those who like the Beatles, Liverpool is great.

I : How did it come about that you went to Eurovision in the first place?

N : When I came into the group, the guys and I immediately started talking about whether we would go to this year's EMAs. We decided to go. We knew we would definitely be one of the favourites because we have a really big and extremely loyal audience. Well, then the EMA didn't happen. The jury decided to make their own choice, from the five entries who had the most songs of the week during that year. And I think only two of us ended up applying. There was no EMA, and they sent us to Liverpool.

I: You mostly use Slovenian in your songs.

N: Of course. We have a few songs in English, but we mostly sing in Slovenian. We were talking about how we would work going forwards, and we agreed not to bother with the language. We are proud of our Slovenian language. It's really something beautiful when you see an adult Peruvian man or a five-year-old Spanish girl singing our song in Slovenian. In that moment you understand the athletes and you are proud to be Slovenian.

I: How is it on the street? Do people recognise you? You often hear: is that the bass player of Joker Out?

N: Yes, quite. Most of the time it's people who say something nice to you, or want a selfie. Of course, there are also some "admirers" who stick gum all over my car or leave messages. There's a good side and a bad side to being a public personality. Sometimes it requires of you to spend three hours taking photos - but if you enjoy doing something, that's not a problem either.

I: Do you think that it is actually the fact that you get along well in a group that "pulls" in the audience?

N: The energy between us is definitely something that is contagious. I don't know if it's what makes the audience really like us, but it's something that puts even someone who is in a bad mood in a good mood.

Translation by @kurooscoffee (jokeroutsubs). DO NOT REPOST!

#nace jordan #joker out

[organizationhimself]

just kinda having some thinky thoughts about how dark road totally rewired eraqus's character and what a phenomenal job they did.

like here's your problem you have. you need to take this cloistered old man who raised his students in the jedi way, somehow put up with Old Man Villainy being That Way presumably on the regular, lost every last iota of his shit and turned on the Apocalypse Child he adopted as well as his surrogate son who was infested with The Evil (which the series has long established as not necessarily being good or bad without context) to say nothing of the headtrip he gave his direct heir, and you need to reduce him to a version of himself as a child that is. like. fun. someone who has a genuine friendship with xehanort and is regarded by xehanort as someone who is a "sly fox," i.e. not the sort of buffoon who tests for mastery of the keyblade by child-proofing some orbs of light.

where do you even begin?

YOU TRAUMATIZE THE UNGODLY HELL OUT OF HI--okay i'm getting ahead of myself, let's start with principles.

because eraqus is principled. he believes really firmly in the light in a way that's nearly sora-adjacent in its intensity, but the thing is that sora has this flexibility that eraqus was simply not raised to appreciate. yes, nomura, we understand you like the bright sunshine one and the wry brooding one, you did it with sora and riku, god knows what you did to axel's spine to fit him into the sunshine kid's mold next to isa as brooding anti-crybaby, and now we're doing the same thing to eraqus. ok. i love it when you're optimistic, let's do it.

so first we need confidence. easy; he's a smug little rich kid. worked for riku didn't it? (source: kh1 manga, and the fact that you cannot convince me anyone can maintain a kid with that build on a budget) but we also need to see how dark road changed him as a person. let's contrast his uptight stick-up-his-ass future with a present day class clown who doesn't take things seriously; a headstrong fighter who jokes that he'll just run away. and hey speaking of emotional damage, let's start easing into the inevitable terrible, horrific, unspeakable traumas we're going to visit on this defenseless creature with a little one as a treat:

HIT HIM RIGHT IN THE GRANDPA.

and there you go! we now have a source for eraqus's rejection of the darkness that is not simply a function of his career as a jedi keyblade master, but has an actual personal experience he can point back to in order to say "hey, darkness is the pits!! here is why." it sets the stage early for him to be already butting heads with xehanort, who takes a much more flexible look at the worlds and the way they work and is more willing to view things from the perspective that he is not an authority on the moral peculiarities of whatever world he is currently inhabiting.

xehanort is also a child of destiny [citation needed]. an isolated visitant who was born for finer things but never slept a day in his life without waking up with sand in his mouth until he reached out and took his fate in his bare hands and let it drag him all the way to scala.

where he met the blueblooded child of a keybearing legacy thousands of years in the making, just like his.

and suddenly what you have are unwitting equals. we're ready to set them both up at the chess board; eraqus's legacy is plain, he moves first and he makes no apologies for it because it's his birthright. but xehanort's half of the board is still buried in shadow, implied but never stated, never surrendered to eraqus's probing questions or revealed by his moves, but already aimed at a clash with destiny, fated, inevitable.

shall we say, already written.

and this is brilliant!! now we have a source for our "sly fox," a reason for xehanort to be extremely familiar with the way eraqus thinks (and not to star wars on main but the obi-wan kenobi series did something really similar to this narratively by using anakin and obi-wan's familiarity with each others' fighting styles to predict the actions they would take in a situation, and i will actually never be over it in my life, absolutely stealing it for a xehaqus fic sometime, just shamelessly mugging ewan mcgregor in the street for that solid gold good shit). not only that, but we also have an explanation for xehanort's motivations as described by kh3. he is not looking at the fight from the perspective of one of the pawns; he is looking at the fight as a player, deciding which pawn gets taken. selecting which rook to sacrifice in exchange for the queen.

and eraqus is opposite him, doing the exact same thing (sort of, kh3 was a little cerebral with that), but there's an important difference here that we'll come back to later on.

so, okay. we have a vague outline in the shape of a sunshine kid now. he has confidence tied to his role in society, his legacy gives him perspective, his trauma ensures that he will one day calcify against the darkness with such emphasis that he will unwittingly pad the therapy bills of an entire generation. so far so good.

but uh, yeah, his kids? he fights them? like okay, axel has his differences with his kids too but he's not trying to kill them (mostly). eraqus really definitely for real is, and ven is defenseless. so that'ssss...hard to square with the sunshine kid we're building, nomura, how do we explain that? we really can't handwave it as amnesia this time, we're not working with ansem the wise here.

(BALDR. BALDR IS HOW--

ok but wait wait wait, before we even get to baldr, there's something we can do:

make eraqus impulsive.

and i mean impulsive. make eraqus spoil for a fight with so much unmitigated howler monkey energy that he will fight his friends just to vent. (this isn't even a unique thing, riku and xion and even sora do it all the time, and we're not here to talk about ven's crimes against miners but it's clear that violence is a spoken language in kh.) eraqus is fluent, so we're making it so that all of eraqus's intensity and passion can be focused on a single point if xehanort pushes exactly the right switches in his head.

and then, y'know, yeah. make baldr slaughter all of his classmates, several of them right in front of him, because of unchecked darkness and baldr's own inability to see past his own grief and resentment for long enough to understand that all he's really doing is inflicting his own suffering on other people in a murderstorm of nihilism and bitterness. unrelenting trauma conga line, check.

and now we have almost all the elements. eraqus's principles can't allow him to accept darkness, both because his grandfather was lost to it and because it left him (by all accounts a bourgeois slacker at the bottom of his class, someone vidar doesn't even consider as a candidate for one of the lights despite what baldr has to say about eraqus as a light source) one of the only survivors of an event that completely resculpted his life and community. time to pack him off to the jedi temple land of departure to be least okayest teacher of the year, right?

well...no. we need eraqus to wait.

because he doesn't take on students. and doesn't, and doesn't, for decades. first he fights xehanort, and as we have established he is spoiling for that fight (white moves first!). and then when xehanort finally visits him to drop off that half-dead kid he found (ven was like that already shhh), he's kind of like politely like "oh, you have apprentices. they seem...bright," like he's congratulating eraqus on finally reaching a life stage that eraqus should have hit approximately 50 years ago, and eraqus is like "yeah yeah whatever shut up anyway YOU'VE got one too now right." (yen sid talks about the role of "seeker" like it's a different thing from "keyblade master" so that's where i'm extrapolating this distinction from, but regardless i don't think anyone ever seriously expected xehanort to take on students.)

my point here is that eraqus waited until the last possible opportunity to take on students. to carry on the legacy that was so important to him as a child, and to re-experience the closest thing to the camaraderie he had as a keybearer-in-training that he could ever have back. that is how impactful baldr's actions were for eraqus.

i'm veering completely into speculation now but i think eraqus was terrified. how could he not be? his class wasn't even taking the mark of mastery and still got decimated by it. how could he risk going through that again, but from odin's perspective this time? what guarantee would he ever have to avoid the same tragedy his master had failed to prevent?

so, NOW we know why eraqus's mark of mastery was a handful of light pinatas and a duel. (i like to think xehanort felt a certain level of professional embarrassment for him and wanted to make it just a little more like a real challenge.)

(this is a sidebar and i'm going to talk about my other blorbo for a second but terra has a beautiful dream of being a sly manipulator. that's why he doesn't worry about investing himself in villain schemes, because he assumes he'll see the snare coming before he gets his head caught in it, but it's never coming from directly in front of him like he expects. so this is a dream that will never come true, but he has it, and i think given what we knew about eraqus as early as blank points, its only possible source is a master who was strict and exacting, but--very occasionally--also a sly fox who secretly delighted in his students' nascent abilities to surprise and outwit him.)

back to the trauma, we also have, obviously, the explanation for eraqus's attitude towards terra, and later ven. terra is a tragedy in slow motion that eraqus has seen happen before. baldr was unable to control his darkness; it overwhelmed him, and eraqus does not have the context that xehanort does, that baldr was in some ways a product of his own darkness-shunning society. even if eraqus does have that context, i can't really see him agreeing with it--and even if he at one point agreed with it, he would have gotten that context from the same guy who last showed up at his house talking about kicking off the apocalypse for the vine.

so like. eraqus has never seen any damn thing in his whole life that doesn't confirm his bias against the darkness. does that make him innocent of parenting Incorrectly? no, he is a Bad Dad. does it explain his hopelessly unsuccessful parenting strategies? yes, it does.

what it reinforces is also that eraqus didn't want to have to fight terra and ven. the original bbs is honestly not very good about establishing this: he cries one Sad Tear. yawn. still child abuse, asshole! the stakes in bbs are also not very well established, because there's approximately six people in it and some of them are just the same guy over again, so we don't really have a sense that terra being taken over by the darkness is like...gonna mean something to eraqus that is sincerely worth the personal cost of killing him. since we're clearly no longer worried about ven, there aren't other students to protect (besides aqua, but she's a really hard sell on the "needs to be protected from terra with so much urgency he must not live another moment" front). there is no immediacy to ven's status as Apocalypse Child; if anything vanitas seems like the obviously more important threat, and maybe eraqus should be less concerned about weeding out students and more focused on vetting friends like Old Man So Clearly The Villain My Guy. bbs eraqus is just genuinely hard to like as a character.

but now we have dark road context.

and white moves first.

eraqus is not seeing terra or ven in that moment, he's seeing baldr. he's seeing the summoning of kingdom hearts that almost was, and he is gripped by meticulously prearranged, bone-deep, irrational, traumatized, unbridled impulse. the emotion must vent. the thing he was powerless to stop has returned to haunt him and he must resist it. he knows what will happen if terra strikes him down here and heads back out into the worlds in search of other hearts, other lights. he knows.

but terra resists, using the full spectrum of his strength without remorse, and it is only when eraqus's keyblade is ready to fall from his hand that he realizes the truth:

My own heart is darkness.

and when this happened in the original birth by sleep all i could think was yeah star wars dad!! nailed it your heart IS darkness you fuckin dillweed, about time!! what took you so long!!

but after dark road, this context is completely changed. eraqus is not just realizing that he fucked up.

he is realizing that he fucked up the exact same way baldr fucked up.

that he let his own grief and suffering cloud his judgment and guide his blade to strike out at his loved ones. that instead of finding a way to live with what's already happened to ven, what was long ago fated for terra, he turned his resentment outward and gave that darkness leave to consume them both whole.

but unlike baldr, eraqus regrets it.

it is that moment that xehanort cuts him down anyway, not because eraqus can't be saved the way baldr couldn't but because xehanort is cleaving away the last of his own attachments to the world so he can follow through with the rest of his plans, and i am SO NORMAL ABOUT THI

but okay anyway. eraqus has exactly one move left.

he can't see the board. unlike xehanort, he has no extra pieces of himself he can just bandy about; the warriors of light must assemble without any of his direct input, chasing the echoes of eraqus's students and pushing and pulling in reaction to xehanort's steady advance through the center. he has only one chance. he can't afford to waste it.

the kings are meeting in the middle of the board. the stalemate will come any moment, when they're both out of moves and out of time, leaving the fate of the worlds undecided.

and it is at this moment that eraqus pulls the same penultimate move that xehanort himself used on baldr, confronting him with the first victim his darkness ever struck down. eraqus almost doesn't have to say anything, at all, because xehanort has to know what it means. has to know what it says.

xehanort resists. the world is too far gone. too many horrible things can happen in it; it must be reset. not purged and filled with darkness, like baldr wanted, but returned to a state that can never mutate into the conditions that made baldr exist in the first place. that doomed all their classmates to die. it's too late.

For us, perhaps...but not for them.

and now we go back to the distinction.

the thing that makes xehanort's chess game different from eraqus's is that, for xehanort, it's only chess. the pieces he's moving have ceased to exist in his mind as individuals. they are pawns on a line of white and black squares, and they may weave away from his will here or there but they cannot be swayed from their march.

eraqus never forgets.

and it's actually eraqus's capacity for forgiveness that i haven't even touched on yet. this isn't a word i ever expected to associate with him, but eraqus spends dark road forgiving. five minutes after any altercation he's already forgotten about it. name-calling. arguments. rejection. opposition. full-on fighting.

murders.

when xehanort kills baldr, eraqus is still calling out for him to stop. when xehanort later strikes out at him with darkness (the thing eraqus is scared of the most!!), permanently disfiguring him, eraqus has already forgiven him before seeing him the next time in person.

he does not forget that baldr is a person in spite of his darkness, and eraqus doesn't want him to be killed for it. that terra is a person in spite of his darkness, and eraqus doesn't want to see it consume him. that ven is a person in spite of the darkness that was cleaved from him, and eraqus doesn't want to see it return.

(if you think about it the real tragedy is that we were robbed of him looking aqua in the eye and telling her that she isn't tainted forever, that it did not take her, and even if it had, that will always, always matter less than her finding her way back. i refuse to believe terra was not already made aware of these facts.)

but he also does not forget that xehanort is not a faceless player in the skies, impossible to convince of the significance of a pawn; he remembers that xehanort, too, is still a person.

this point is important because eraqus's last move is not a checkmate (I KNOW HE SAYS CHECKMATE but it is not checkmate), but it is calculated to produce something else: a concession. he doesn't need the board to support his win or xehanort's loss; he needs the player on the other side to put down the pieces and follow his beacon out of the dark.

and that is how nomura shows us our sunshine kid at last, fully formed, as he takes xehanort's burdens from him and spirits them both well beyond the reach of the board.

anyway yeah microwaving him in my brain along with axel (and also roxas and terra because if i don't collect all my blorbos AND their hot mess dads i'll never fill out my pokedex).

#eraqus #xehanort #kingdom hearts dark road #khdr #xehaqus #i would apologize for the length if i were sorry

[thetwilightroadtonightfall]

One of my pseudo predictions/ideas for khml is that it could involve a manhunt for Master’s Defender

Let’s say that Ephemera passes MD down through his family—four generations after him as Nomura mentions, til we get to present day missing link. He gives the specific instruction that it must be returned to Brain whenever he’s destined to arrive in Scala in the future (which might be mentioned in the Book of Prophecies). At the end of khux, Ephemera said he still considers MD belonging to Brain, so he wants to return it to its original owner.

But by the time missing link takes place, and Brain appears, what if the current wielder of MD (aka one of Ephemera’s descendants) refuses to return it, firmly believing that it’s their right to wield it rather than Brain.

This causes a stir within the family, as certain members would find this to be selfish, unreasonable, and going against Ephemera’s wishes. Along with just being dishonourable to Brain, assuming they respect him. Meanwhile, other members of the family end up agreeing with this wielder, believing that MD should stay in the family.

I can see this drama getting so out of hand that it spreads to Scala’s wider community, causing the wielder to go into hiding with MD, and leading to a widespread manhunt alongside other various conflicts. Maybe the game is about finding a missing link to the past in the form of MD, assuming that the titular “missing link” could be a physical item and not just a metaphorical or symbolic thing. As far as I know, MD and No Name are also the only keyblades to have chain-related abilities? Just as an added layer

Brain’s whole role in this is up in the air. I’m going to assume that he’d want to get MD back because of it being Ephemera’s wish (and he will get it back eventually, so it can be passed down to Eraqus), but I can see him getting exhausted by all the drama caused by it. Either way, he feels a sense of responsibility to try and fix everything that goes down

#khml #you’ve heard of sharing a keyblade: get ready for KEYBLADE THEFT!! #technical ownership of a keyblade has always been an interesting topic to me #I miss when keyblades had more sentience and could actually choose their wielder depending on the circumstances #I was talking about this with my gf and it’s actually insane how much potential ml has #there’s gotta be some wack stuff going on in this city in that family in the society #I just think this can be a really fun set up #my theories #my posts #(also still feels weird for me to use brain buuuut here it is)

[lightandfellowship]

KHDR Re:Write - Giving Urd A More Prominent Character Arc

The tl;dr:

Urd’s initial motivation: To explore the outside worlds and learn more about them.

Urd’s struggle: She realizes that when their mission ends, she will go back to her boring, normal life in Scala, once again forbidden to leave. This in conjunction with feelings of loneliness make her consider running away after their mission is complete.

Urd’s conclusion: The freedom to explore the worlds is still a motivating factor, but she realizes that protecting the worlds and sharing her experiences with her friends is her true desire, compelling her to stay in Scala and continue her training. Her loneliness can not be cured so easily, but her friends will help her work through it.

Below the read more is a rough outline of how I would implement this character arc into the story. Be forewarned that it's a fairly long and text-heavy post.

Four notes before we begin:

Rather than this being a full-fledged rewrite where I get to go ham and do whatever I want, instead my goal is to try and demonstrate how the game in its PRE-EXISTING state could have given Urd a more clear and satisfying character arc via fairly minor changes to the dialog, characters, and story. I want to see if this could have been possible without having to expend too much extra time and resources, since it seems like a lack of time/resources/budget is why her story got cut in the first place. So I won’t be doing anything drastic like creating entirely new episodes or anything like that. Same worlds. Same number of episodes. Same sequence of events. Same overarching plot.

Ideally, I would have liked to convey certain details about these characters and their story via secret reports/diary entries. Specifically, the sorts of details that would slow the pace down or feel a little too direct/clunky if addressed within the story itself. However, because of the self-imposed restriction I talked about in point 1 (i.e. no drastic alterations to the game or additions that would require extensive effort to implement), I won't be utilizing such a format, and so I will sometimes have the characters speak a bit more openly/directly about their feelings/thoughts than I otherwise would've liked.

Because I have a lot to say, I won't be providing summaries of the episodes I'm discussing as I explain my story changes. A fairly solid recollection of the game's events is...perhaps not required, but certainly helpful for understanding what I'm talking about and how I arrived at my choices.

I don't claim to know better than the writers or even be an experienced writer myself, this is just how I personally would approach giving Urd a more prominent character arc, because I think we can all at least agree that Urd didn't get enough focus in this game. If Urd's story hadn't been cut (presumably), I have no doubt that Tomoco Kanemaki would have come up with something better than what I'm proposing here.

But anyway, without further ado:

Urd's Motivation and Personality

During the flashback where the underclassmen explain their reasons for wanting to become Keyblade Masters, Urd says that it’s because she wants to explore the outside worlds and learn more about them. However, I feel that KHDR could do a better job of depicting this motivation throughout the game. Were it not for Urd directly stating her motivation in this scene, I don't think you could have ever reasonably guessed that this was her motivation based solely on her dialog and actions throughout the rest of the game.

She says her dream is to see the outside worlds for herself, and yet she rarely ever shows any particular interest in the Disney worlds that she does visit, or at least she’s no more interested than the rest of her friends are, which is to say: barely. It's a common gag/occurence throughout the game that the underclassmen are either disinterested or unsettled by the worlds and their inhabitants, and for whatever reason Urd is included in that. Sure, she’s on an important mission, but where’s the curiosity? Where’s the desire to learn more about the worlds? Shouldn’t that motivation bleed into her actions and dialog even a little bit? Even if she’s trying to reign herself back for the sake of the mission?

I think having Urd be just as indifferent/detached from the worlds as her friends is a misstep, personally. So in this rewrite, I am adjusting her personality a bit, in contrast to Hermod who doesn't really require any personality changes in order to have his arc make sense (to be discussed in his rewrite post). In short: I want her to be more excited and inquisitive in each world. I want her to be enamored by all the strange sights and sounds. I want her to get lost in thought as she analyzes some new find, her friends having to snap her back to reality and remind her of their mission. When the rest of the characters are awkwardly trying to ignore some oddity that's demanding their attention, I want Urd to be one of the few who actually shows genuine interest.

Like I mentioned, I know the characters are on an important mission and aren’t supposed to get sidetracked from their primary goal, but like, Vor and Eraqus were allowed to be curious and easily distracted by stuff, so I don't see why Urd couldn't as well, at least a little bit. I also think this personality change will provide more variety among the underclassmen, specifically in how they interact with the outside worlds.

Anyway, for the sake of not making this post any longer than it needs to be, I’m not going to list every dialog tweak that needs to occur in order to accomodate this personality change, just the most notable ones I can think of.

One last thing: it’s under-explored, but the game seems to suggest that Urd might be lonely. When remarking on how close Eraqus and Xehanort are, she says that she wishes she had a relationship like that herself. The implication seemingly being that she doesn’t feel like she has any best friends to share a special bond with. I think this desire for a friendship like Xehanort and Eraqus' may be further evidenced by the fact that she tends to tease Eraqus the most and is pretty friendly with him in a way that she isn't with the others, which makes me think that she's indeed jealous (in a nice way) of the relationship Xehanort has with Eraqus, and thus attempts to mimic their dynamic with Eraqus.

To me, Urd being lonely is too interesting of an emotional angle not to expand upon, even if the writers didn’t intend for her one-off comment to mean anything deeper. And I think her struggling with feelings of loneliness will synergize well with what I have in mind for her story.

Episodes 1-4: Establishing Urd's Character

The first dialog tweak: when Odin informs the class that they’re being sent on a mission to the outside worlds, in addition to Eraqus and Bragi expressing excitement at the news, I want Urd to be excited, too. She can still have her “Don’t sound so excited about it.” line, but maybe after she says that she makes her :3c face because she can’t hide her true feelings. Eraqus can reply with something like “Speak for yourself, Urd! Getting to see the outside worlds is a dream come true for you!”. Hermod and Eraqus can then have their usual lines of H: “Hey, this is serious! People are missing, you know!” and E: “Right. Sorry.”

As cool as the party member specific dialogs in Episode 3 can be, I’m dropping the mechanic where Episodes 1-3 let you choose your party member for the cutscenes. IMO, it's just bad for the story, because you can never focus on just one particular character and properly illustrate their unique personality; everyone's dialog has to be juuust generic enough to be easily swappable. Instead, in my rewrite, Urd is your assigned party member for Episode 1; perhaps she's even the one who requested to team up with Xehanort and Eraqus.

Not much happens in Episode 1 admittedly (it's mostly an exposition dump and premise setup), but in the very least it needs to establish and emphasize her love for exploration and learning. I think this can be easily achieved with the pre-existing Agrabah scenes. For example: when the party arrives to the outskirts of Agrabah and is attacked by Heartless, have Urd be disappointed that their first trip to the outside world was soured by their presence. When the party enters the abandoned city proper, have Urd express further disappointment that there’s no residents to interact with. Things like that. But obviously still have her be serious about their mission and the missing upperclassmen; she shouldn't seem selfish in her interests.

So Episode 1 is just kinda whatever, but It’s in Episode 2 that I definitely want her desire to learn and explore be in full force (she’s your primary party member for this episode as well. Which also synergizes with my Hermod rewrite—stay tuned for that, eventually). Everything in Wonderland is so strange and different and fascinating to her. The other characters find the world confusing and off-putting, but Urd finds it charming and unique. This does admittedly require Episode 2 to have some extra cutscenes/events since in the base game the only thing that really happens in this episode is the trial, and I think it’s still essential for Vor to be the party member in Episode 3 (where most of the Wonderland hijinks happen) since Vor doesn’t get much screentime in the second half of the game.

Two changes I would suggest: rather than the party waiting around indefinitely for the other underclassmen to show up to their meeting spot, and having the Cheshire Cat and Card Soldiers come to them, instead they get worried and decide to leave to go look for their friends, while running into these characters along the way. Then, take the tea party scene from Episode 3 and put it in Episode 2 instead, before the trial happens. You could even use this scene to foreshadow the trial by making it so that the White Rabbit fretting over his broken watch is because he doesn’t know what time it is and he fears that he’s going to be late for the trial. This will require some dialog tweaks in Episode 3 because the characters have an important discussion there that involves the Mad Hatter and March Hare, but it's nothing too hard to work around; maybe they just visit the tea party a second time, maybe they just bring up their interaction with them from Episode 2, or maybe they only talk about the Tweedles instead. There are multiple routes you could take to accomodate this change.

And rather than the Cheshire Cat directly telling the party that their friends are locked up, and the Card Soldiers mentioning the trial, instead I want the whereabouts of the other underclassmen to be more of a mystery that the party has to solve, with Urd being the one picking up on most of the clues just by being her inquisitive and observant self. Eraqus says it himself in some optional dialog that Urd has "always been good at figuring things out".

So ultimately, it’s Urd who realizes that the “trial” mentioned by the White Rabbit (because in this rewrite its the rabbit who mentions it instead of the soldiers), and the other “trespassers” mentioned by the Card Soldiers, are both in reference to their missing friends. (And maybe the Cheshire Cat gives the party a legit riddle too that they solve together, rather than being fairly straightforward in his hint like he is in the base game). Thus Urd paying attention and finding inherent worth in the strange and nonsensical world of Wonderland is what saves the day, her natural curiosity and collected knowledge about the world and its residents coming in clutch. This way, her motivations and personality can also be directly integrated into the plot rather than just being a character side story, and she gets the opportunity to shine, too.

And to tie in to the loneliness angle, I think some of the other underclassmen should be a little confused by Urd’s enthusiasm for the worlds they visit. Not in a mean or insulting or putting her down kind of way (they are friends!), but just a little at a loss for how to react when she expects them to understand her feelings and her point of view. The plot doesn’t need to highlight this too directly, just have Urd’s classmates being confused/unsure of something Urd says or shows them and then have Urd looking a little let down at their lukewarm reactions. Much like the underclassmen unintentionally leaving Vor out of stuff and underestimating her, I want this to be kinda subtle and under-the-radar. This would be mostly meant as set up for her arc later.

All that being said, I imagine Urd's loneliness isn't just because her friends don't always Get Her on a deeper level, it's also because she's not really open about her true feelings a lot of the time. Her official bio states that she's relied upon by the others, so perhaps she's too scared of burdening her friends with her own issues. However, relationships are a two-way street, and she's partially preventing herself from forming that close bond she desires because she isn't really letting herself lean on her friends when she needs them.

Episode 5: The Problem/Conclusion

So, to summarize, Episodes 1-2 need to establish her love for exploration and learning (and also give some brief glimpses at her loneliness) since she’s not present much in Episodes 3-4. Episode 5 is when her side story needs to officially complete. A rather quick arc, admittedly, but I think that’s what would work best in the framework of what the game gives us; the base game seems to suggest that her arc was supposed to end in this episode, anyway.

Events start to unfold when Urd realizes that once their mission is over, things will go back to normal and she will no longer be able to explore the outside worlds until she becomes a Keyblade Master. Something that might not occur for YEARS; heck, something that might not occur AT ALL if she fails her exam or if Scala's rules change. Thus, she starts to question whether she even wants to return home to Scala. What if, after their mission was over, she ran away? What if she got to explore to her heart’s content? She can’t imagine returning to her boring, normal life now that she’s gotten a taste of freedom. And maybe she can discover a way to cure her loneliness by finding fulfillment elsewhere? Perhaps it was Vor leaving in the previous episode that makes Urd realize that leaving is even an option.

Thus, in this rewrite, in Episode 5 when Lumiere offers Urd an invitation to stay in the castle, she actually seriously considers it. Of course Hermod and Xehanort are not happy to hear this, especially after what happened with Vor, and thus try to convince her to reconsider, but Urd is conflicted and doesn’t know what to do. She explains her concerns about being stuck in Scala forever, but is understandably reluctant to talk about how Eraqus and Xehanort’s strong bond has only reminded her of the closeness she desires and yet lacks. She loves her friends, but she doesn’t feel like she has a best friend who understands her on a deeper level, and she’s too scared of potentially hurting her friends’ feelings to admit this, so she keeps it to herself.

Xehanort doesn’t say it out loud, but he understands exactly the feeling of being stuck somewhere against your will and desiring connection and fulfillment in the outside worlds. He tells Urd that she should follow her heart on this. Hermod is taken aback and anguished at the situation, but doesn’t know what he can say to make Urd change her mind. They decide to just shelf the conversation for later so that they can focus on their mission of finding the culprits who stole the rose.

Vala witnesses this argument and decides to use what she's learned about Urd to her advantage (much like how Vidar witnessed Vor's conversation with the Mirror and then used that to his advantage). So when Vala finally approaches Urd, rather than trying to order Urd around (which didn’t make much sense as a tactic to begin with; that approach would have worked far better on Hermod, if you ask me) instead Vala tries to convince Urd that she can have the freedom she wants if she joins Vidar’s crew. She can explore to her heart’s content, with the benefit of having comrades at her side to keep her safe on her journey rather than having to run away and travel alone.

Vala, perhaps through her ambigious "vision" abilities, also correctly guesses about Urd's loneliness and tries to appeal to Urd’s desire to be understood by claiming that she and Urd are very much the same. They are both level-headed, analytical individuals who crave knowledge, and sometimes people are just too blind in their pre-existing beliefs to understand their (Urd + Vala's) "vision" of the world. However, Urd is unsure. She still doesn’t understand what Vidar is trying to accomplish, and as much as she wants to run away and find meaning elsewhere, if securing her freedom means having to harm the worlds alongside the upperclassmen, then she doesn’t want to do it. Plus, the thought of traveling the worlds with the upperclassmen rather than with her friends doesn’t sit right with her, despite everything.

Much like in the base game, Xehanort eavesdrops on this conversation, but this time Hermod has tagged along as well. In the base game, Xehanort alone eavesdropping on Urd and Vala doesn't really lead to much in the story as far as I can tell, because Urd reveals her conversation with Vala in the very next episode. I think this might be a dropped plot thread where Xehanort was supposed to sit on this secret information for a while longer before acting on it somehow, but in any case, it's no longer necessary for my rewrite, thus Hermod is now here as well. Perhaps Hermod initially tries to approach Urd right away, but Xehanort pulls him back and convinces him to stay in the shadows in the hopes that Vala will reveal something important about Vidar's plans.

As they eavesdrop on the conversation, they finally learn of Urd’s secret loneliness, and see that Vala might successfully persuade Urd to leave them just like Vidar did with Vor. Hermod simply can't let this happen, and so against Xehanort's wishes he bursts into the room, interrupting Urd and Vala’s conversation to grab Urd’s hands and tell her how much she means to him and their friends. He doesn’t invalidate her feelings, but apologies for making her feel so lonely. He never meant to make her feel like she was different or weird for her interests; he may not always understand her, but he thinks she’s amazing and brilliant. And he’s willing to help her in any way he can and support her in whatever she decides to do. Perhaps he and Xehanort even bring up how her interest in the worlds was essential to saving their friends in Episode 2, to show her that she's valuable and appreciated.

Hermod's impassioned and sincere speech along with her own misgivings about Vala's offer help Urd realize two important things. One, that she enjoys exploring the worlds so much precisely because she gets to share that experience with her friends; it wouldn’t be the same without them. Yes, maybe there’s still this feeling of loneliness inside of her, and maybe she still wishes that her friends and her were more on the same page about certain things, but sharing a laugh, fighting by their side, and just getting to spend time with them are still precious experiences for her, and not to mention, her loneliness would be so much worse if she didn’t have her friends by her side at all. It’s not perfect, but she still loves them dearly, and she knows they love her back. And who knows, maybe they’ll be able to help her work through her feelings now that the cat's out the bag.

The second thing she realizes, is that exploring and learning about the worlds and its people, though a big part of her motivation, is ultimately secondary to wanting to protect the worlds and its people. Which is what being a Keyblade Master is all about, really; a goal that can only be achieved by staying in Scala and continuing her training. And a goal that would certainly be jeopardized by assisting the upperclassmen.

I imagine Urd directly talking about at least some of her thought process here when she refuses Vala's offer and explains to her why, but the rest should probably just be implied. In any case, these two realizations make her change her mind about running away. As she says to Lumiere later:

Her home is with her friends in Scala, and she has the important responsibility of protecting the worlds she holds so dear.

And when Urd says “[The Beast’s] wish will come true, I know it.” she’s implicitly including herself in this statement. She knows she’ll gain her freedom one day and form the bonds she's looking for, she just has to be patient and believe in herself. Additionally, I want this line to now invite comparisons between the Beast and Urd: the Beast, lonely, trapped inside his castle, wishing for a genuine connection, ignorant of how he is surrounded by servants who love him unconditionally; and Urd, stuck in her little world of Scala, wanting to find fulfillment in the worlds outside, feeling distant from her friends despite them loving her deeply. Oh, and, perhaps Urd telling the servants to help keep the Beast's spirits up could parallel how Urd is now going to allow herself to rely on her friends for emotional support.

Finally, to make her untimely demise a bit more of a gut punch, I think it’d be fitting if Urd got to have some dying words. Maybe something like “But I never...got to...” Got to what? Become a Keyblade Master? See all her friends one last time? Explore all the worlds? Who knows, she doesn’t get to finish. That’s for your imagination to decide.

And yeah, that's my pitch. Thanks for reading this far. If you have any feedback, ideas, or criticisms, feel free to add on.

#khdr #kingdom hearts dark road #kh urd #kingdom hearts #rambling about dim path #ch tag: ur #khdr spoilers

[darkvolley]

Excuse the YouTuber in the corner I'm too lazy to switch to a different video but, it's probably a pretty easy conclusion to come to that KH might function off a somewhat stable time loop but nothing has really made it feel blatantly obvious than realizing that actually, since Ansem SoD sent Young Xehanort to Scala, that would mean there would have to be a starting timeline where the first SoD went back to start the loop, meaning there has to be a timeline where Xehanort never left Destiny Islands MEANING there has to be a timeline where SoD never existed, and as such neither did Xemnas and Terranort never happened along with basically everything else. So are we in fact confirming that KH does indeed function off a stable timeloop that never truly "started" somewhere and has just always been this way, or what in the world could have happened to still lead Xehanort to Scala without interference? Cuz now I have to wonder, if we're going by stable timeloop, then either Sora creates the tear in time every loop effectively creating endless ones over and over which could lead to a bigger problem(or not a problem at all if it's supposed to happen??) OR this is somehow the first deviation, which doesn't feel likely considering obviously Quadratum and Srelitizia being there seems to be decidedly factored into the equation here, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it hasn't been. Or maybe the problem is that Sora's genuinely not supposed to be there. Idk where I'm going anymore, but basically if time started somewhere and it hasn't always been a loop, how did we get HERE to the point in the screenshot where SoD/practically everything was able to exist to "create itself" essentially??? And I don't think that's possible without outside intervention, so it's gotta be a stable timeloop!

#(and heres how i can prove MoM is future Sora from the past cuz time loops back around!!!) no i dont wanna make it about that even tho i do #but also now i wonder how MoM meeting young nort even factors into anything when it feels like dark road is the reason he went down his path #like. what further push could meeting MoM have possibly given him that dark road didnt??? #especially since its before the exam #granted imo nort seemed so absent emotions wise from everything happening in DR that i feel like it didnt really affect him at all #i think some interal dialogue from him would have helped tremendously cuz hes just so blank during the whole story #like it does fit his personality as the quiet guy but like. it makes it look like he doesnt care about anything happening #so i mean. if he kinda didnt then yeah maybe the MoM meeting did help push him along #granted i dont remember half the dialogue and ive barely started the video the screenshot is from so like. let me cook before you correct me #i'll correct myself when i get there and remember all the dialogue lol

[pokeymonhearts]

#pokeymonhearts #act 3 #the adventure continues! #sorry updates are slow but thank you for continuing to read ;w; #back to scala we go! #master aced #radiant garden #soriku #eraqus #xehanort #there are so many characters now lol..

[otomefiend]

Alfons Sylvatica

Story Event: I want to steal you

Chapter 3 Premium

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

NSFW. Enter at your own risk cause it's getting Alfons-kind-of-steamy. That double-take comment wasn't an exaggeration. You know he's going to misbehave. Enjoy!

~~Part 1~~

Alfons: "Since Liam is not around, I don't want to waste this rare opportunity to do all sorts of shameless, dirty things to you."

Alfons: "Now that our mission is complete, let's extend our date. It's going to be a fun, fun night, am I right?"

Continuing to smile mischievously, Alfons took me to an unexpected place.

~~~

(The Scala...?)

This was the theatre Liam was affiliated with.

(Why are we here, of all places...)

Alfons: "Look, there's a poster of Liam."

Alfons: "Stage production of `Midsummer Night's Dream` with Liam being a stand-in for Puck."

Kate: "Oh, that's right."

On the poster, Liam looked more confident and had a broad smile.

Lady with curly hair: "I can't believe Liam is performing tonight. We're so lucky!"

Freckled lady: "Our love is going to reach him, I'm sure. Ah, he's so attractive..."

Alfons: "He's indeed the leading actor of the Scala. He could easily take over the whole country, based on his popularity alone."

The image of Liam as a ruler of Britain briefly crossed my mind, but the idea was so implausible that I couldn't help but laugh.

Kate: "It's nice to come here, but we don't even have tickets to the play..."

Alfons: "That's not a problem. I believe William is the patron of this theatre."

Alfons: "Just mention his name and you'll soon have a Royal Box or two, I'm sure."

Kate: "Hey..., wait a moment."

~~Part 2~~

Alfons shook his raven black hair and went to get the tickets.

His actions had always been surprising, and their meaning was difficult to grasp.

That's why I couldn't stop thinking about his words, wanting to know his true intentions.

(Actually... I might be glad I followed him here)

For me, a visit to the theatre, a place I loved, was a reward,

It would likely ease the sound of gunshots in my ears and the pools of blood in my memory, even if just a little.

Alfons: "I have two tickets, Kate. You're Count Rex."

He waved the tickets in his hand, staring at my face.

Alfons: "You're fond of the stage performances, yes?"

Kate: "That's... You're right..."

Alfons: "Then let's enjoy it. Come, dear Robin."

~~~

We were shown to the Royal Box, something I had never been fortunate enough to experience before.

While I was admiring the luxurious environment, the announcement that the play was about to begin carried through the theatre.

Before long, a spotlight flashed on the stage --.

(Oh...it's Liam)

Liam appeared as the fairy Puck, flying, jumping, and wreaking havoc on stage.

The audience was mesmerised by his performance and the venue was filled with cheer.

Normally, I would forget about everything else in my daily life and become completely engrossed in the show,

....but lingering anxiety and fear were holding me back from enjoying it fully.

The more I tried to forget, to concentrate on the stage, the more I became entangled in the dark sensation.

(...I'm so frustrated. Liam is giving his all)

(I really want to enjoy the wonderful performance that everyone at the Scala is putting on)

It hurt to have a shadow cast over the things I loved.

Feeling sorry for myself, I looked down,

-- only to see Alfons' hand intertwine with mine at the same time.

(Huh...?)

~~Part 3~~

His leather-gloved fingers intertwined with mine.

As I instinctively turned to look at Alfons, who was sitting next to me, he whispered softly.

Alfons: "...it doesn't make sense if you take your eyes off the stage. You should look straight ahead, don't you think?"

(Well, of course that's true but...)

I leaned over to Alfons and whispered so as not to disturb the people nearby watching the show.

Kate: "....Alfons, why are you holding my hand?"

Alfons: "I told you before, didn't I? `There's nothing more enjoyable than a love affair that has been snatched away from someone else`."

Alfons: "-- as it happens, this seems like a perfect place to make a move."

Kate: "... perfect place?"

Alfons: "This is your favourite stage; Liam, whom you trust, is performing in front of you. So whatever I do..."

He lifted my hand and kissed the tips of my fingers.

Alfons: "You have no choice but to be quiet, don't you?"

Kate: "Hey, this is a theater. Don't mess with me......nn.."

The lips that had left my fingertips now touched my ear.

His wet tongue ran over its rim, followed by his hot breath... and then."

Kate: "...a-ah"

The soft, coaxing bite made me jump in my chair.

Alfons: "Shhh. I told you to look ahead. Besides, Liam will notice, won't he?

Kate: "....ngh."

~~Part 4~~

Prompted by his words, the moment I turned my gaze to the stage, I could feel his fingers slip between my legs,

His nails traced over my skin, leaving a stinging trail behind.

Taking pleasure in my response, the tips of his fingers teased my sensitive parts in a circular motion...

(...ngh, no, not here...)

Alfons: "...do you feel it? It's okay if it makes you feel better."

Alfons: "...forget everything and just enjoy yourself."

His fingers tightly squeezed my bud through my underwear.

I was desperate to keep my voice down so that people around me wouldn't notice.

Again and again, I was drowning in so much sweet pleasure that I forgot where I was --.

~~~

The play ended to a loud applause,

As soon as I got up from my seat, I rushed to Alfons feeling indignant.

Kate: "Ugh, Alfons!"

Alfons: "What's the matter? Are you so overwhelmed with emotions after a wonderful performance that you want to scream?"

Alfons: "In that case, I'll scream with you. It sounds like fun."

Kate: "... that's not it!"

Alfons: "Then you must be eager to express your gratitude to Liam?"

Kate: "...ugh, why did you do that?"

Kate: "In the theatre, and in front of Liam..."

Alfons: "Ah, that's what you meant."

Alfons: "It seemed you couldn't concentrate on tonight's show, so I thought you'd appreciate my effort to entertain you."

(I couldn't concentrate on the play...)

(...I tried not to show it on my face)

I felt miserable, unable to enjoy the performance as I was dragged down by my own dark emotions.

At that moment, I was desperately trying not to be noticed by anyone.

(However, if Alfons... had noticed)

~~Part 5~~

I felt miserable, unable to enjoy the performance as I was dragged down by my own dark emotions.

At that moment, I was desperately trying not to be noticed by anyone.

(However, if Alfons... had noticed)

Was the earlier behaviour an attempt to keep me from feeling down?

I wavered between thinking that it couldn't be true and feeling that it might be --

Kate: "... thank you."

Alfons: "..."

(Why am I thanking him...)

Alfons: "Haha! My dear, you truly are a pervert, aren't you?"

Alfons: "I took you to a decrepit building and then played with you in a busy theatre, and you're thanking me?"

Kate: "---! Please, don't be so eager to make fun of me."

(You're always so random and halfhearted, so phantom-like, hiding your true intentions, and yet...)

*flashback starts*

Alfons: "That man needs to forget the reality."

Alfons: "You're starting to realise that, aren't you?"

*flashback ends*

(I'm sure he's not insensitive to the subtleties of people's hearts)

When I wanted to protect the dream of an old man who lived alone with the ghost of his dead wife,

I sensed that Alfons shared my feelings.

Kate: "There was a reason for dragging me around and messing with me, wasn't there?"

Alfons: "Why do people think everything must have a lofty reason?"

Alfons: "It doesn't matter what the reason is. I just fill my life with pleasure and excitement because it's convenient."

Kate: "...."

Alfons: "What's with that wistful look on your face?"

Alfons: "Could it be that you've lost your heart to me?"

Kate: "That's..."

(Why can't I just deny it right away?)

Alfons: "Ah, Liam is already making his way here."

Alfons: "There, he found you. He seems happy to see you."

When I struggled to find the words to reach reach him, Alfons smiled at me like a demon teasing a mortal.

Alfons: "Then I'll leave you be."

Alfons: "If you feel like doing something fun behind Liam's back, please let me know."

(Ah...)

Alfons' silhouette faded into the darkness and disappeared from view like a phantom.

As if catching the lingering scent of illusion, my eyes kept chasing him.

Epilogue

#why is this so sexy ❤️‍🔥 #ikemen villains #ikevil #alfons sylvatica #ikevil alfons #ikevil story event #fan translation

[archiveikemen]

Liam Evans 1st Birthday Campaign: Story (2023)

His POV

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection. I do not own any of the original content. Please support CYBIRD by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

❥･• Warnings and FAQ

Candles placed on a round cake based on how many years someone has lived.

The star of the day responds to the birthday greetings with a bright smile.

A picture-perfect birthday filled with joy, like in a painting.

And yet, to me, that’s something so distant — it was frightening and impossible.

…

≪ Setting: Kate’s Bedroom ≫

A new morning dawned, and my lover was sleeping peacefully in my arms.

I loved to stare at Kate’s face as she slept.

(... Cute, cute, cute. … I’m starting to want her.)

I lifted the shirt that was only thrown over her body, and her supple breasts spilled out.

The kiss marks that covered her breasts looked so incredibly sexy, I couldn't hold myself back from kissing their rosy peaks.

(Oh, they’re getting pointy. … Can she feel it even when she’s asleep? Ah… so cute.)

When I took one of her nipples into my mouth, Kate's body shivered.

Kate: … Nn, ah… Liam…!?

Liam: Mm, you’re awake? Good morning, Kate.

Kate: W-What are you doing… ah…

Liam: Hm? I was craving you because you looked so sexy and cute.

Kate: Nn, ahh… haa… Liam, stop…

Liam: Hm…?

Kate: There’s something I wanted to tell you the moment I wake up. So I need you to stop.

Liam: Something you want to tell me? What is it?

Kate: Your birthday is coming soon, right? I heard it from Harrison.

(Ah…)

Kate’s words reminded me that my birthday was just around the corner — on the 6th of September.

Kate: Shall we spend your birthday together? I want to celebrate with you.

Her suggestion made my heart flutter like an idiot.

(Really? I want to spend it with you too, I want to be together.)

(...)

(... But)

Liam: … I have rehearsals that will end late that day. So… I’m not so sure yet, I guess.

Kate: … Is that so?

Liam: … Mm. Anyway, I want to continue from just now. I can’t wait any longer. … Come on, you feel the same way, don't you?

Kate: Ah… hey, Liam… Nngh, ahh…

…

≪ Setting: The Scala – Backstage ≫

And then came the 6th of September.

The stage rehearsals that had been going on since morning came to an end, and it was already rather late into the night.

And yet, I couldn't seem to bring myself to leave.

(Ever since that time… I’ve been avoiding talking about birthdays.)

I never once had my birth celebrated… and that was to be expected.

Just by being alive, I caused hurt to many people. I dare not imagine myself to be deserving of being celebrated.

When I joined Crown, Victor and Harry tried to celebrate my birthdays. I couldn't have been happier, and yet I constantly made excuses to avoid those celebrations.

(... Because I didn't know what kind of facial expression I should have while being celebrated.)

(And…)

It’s like once you taste something delicious, you can never forget that taste.

Once you receive a hug from someone, you never forget that warmth.

Once you’ve opened up your heart, you can’t stop yourself from expressing your true feelings.

If I were to be celebrated on my birthday, I would most definitely remember that warmth.

(... I’m… scared to death… of that…)

Kate is someone greatly important to me. If it’s her celebrating my birthday, I’ll make sure I never forget it no matter what happens.

Every breath and blink, I’ll remember every last detail.

Whenever I thought of such bliss, an endless amount of fear would surge up inside me.

— What if I lost that?

I had long grown accustomed to wallowing in despair and loneliness.

I saw my own life as something insignificant, having a fake smile plastered on my face and barely getting by.

Happiness felt out of reach, and love was no more than a dream.

The sole purpose of my existence was to breathe and avoid causing others displeasure.

(That was how I used to think…)

With her own hands, Kate gave me what I had given up on a long time ago.

(I can’t give up again.)

(I never expected that… knowing what happiness feels like would be this frightening.)

Tom: Why the long face, our star actor?

I felt someone lightly tap the back of my head, and I turned around to see Tom, the representative of The Scala, standing there.

Tom: Happy birthday, Liam.

Liam: Thanks. You know it’s my birthday?

Tom: Yeah, you’re always reluctant to go home on your birthday.

Tom: Also, there’s a mountain of presents waiting for you in the hall.

I smiled, and Tom deliberately dangled the keys to The Scala in front of my eyes.

Tom: HOWEVER, as much as I feel sorry for you, I need you to head home. I have a date tonight, I can’t leave if you don't.

…

≪ Setting: Streets of London – Night Time ≫

(Tom was in such high spirits while kicking me out of the theatre.)

After being kicked out by Tom, I walked through the streets of London alone.

(... Hm?)

I noticed a family celebrating on the terrace of a cafe.

(... Ah, it’s a birthday cake.)

A child took a deep breath and blew out the candles with all his might.

Father: Thank you, Tony.

Tony: Why are you thanking me on my birthday, papa?

Mother: We became much happier because you were born. We’re very grateful for that.

Mother: And birthdays aren't only for you. It’s also a day for everyone to express our gratitude for meeting one another.

(...)

Liam: Birthdays are not just for… me? (surprised)

In that instant, it felt as if the raining that had been constantly falling inside of me suddenly stopped, giving me a sense of relief.

(I spent the whole day avoiding my birthday and only focusing on my past wounds.)

(But… what about Kate’s feelings?)

(What about the feelings of Kate, who wanted to celebrate my birthday with me…?)

(... ggh.)

Liam: … What am I even doing?

Liam: … I’m really a failure in every aspect…

I thought of Kate’s words to me.

In times like this, she would always smile and say,

— No matter how many times you’ve tried, it’s always okay to start over.

Liam: Kate…

I started running as fast as I could.

…

≪ Setting: Crown Castle ≫

Liam: *pant*... *pant*...

I sprinted through the hallways and headed straight to the dining room.

…

≪ Setting: Dining Room ≫

Liam: Kate…?

(... She’s not here. Is she in her room?)

…

≪ Setting: Kate’s Bedroom ≫

Without even knocking, I burst into her room…

Kate: … L-Liam?

Liam: *pant*... *pant*... this is…

Her room was decorated, and sitting on the table was a cake with cat ears.

(... Why did you do this for me? I… I was ignorant of your feelings…)

As I remained stunned and staring at everything, Kate gave a troubled smile.

Kate: I thought that I was being annoying. I had a feeling you didn't want to celebrate your birthday.

Kate: But I really wanted to celebrate, because it's your first birthday after we started dating.

Liam: Kate…

Kate: I did all of this on my own accord. So… would it be wrong if I wanted to continue with this celebration for my own sake?

While she laughed and spoke, she saw through all my feelings of hesitation and anxiety.

(Seriously… I’m no match for you.)

(But… I don’t want to depend on your kindness forever.)

(I want to be sincere towards you.)

I embraced Kate’s soft and smaller body with both arms.

Liam: Thank you, Kate. And… I’m sorry for running away.

Liam: I… I was terrified of being celebrated… and knowing how it feels to have a birthday with you in it…

Liam: I was foolish and all I could think of was the possibility of me losing all of that… it scared me.

Liam: But if I keep running away… I’ll be stepping all over your kindness and feelings.

Liam: I don't have the option to do that, because I love you.

I said all that in one breath, and Kate’s fingertips touched my back as she returned the hug.

Kate: … Mm. Thank you for coming back. Hehe…

Liam: Hm…?

Kate: You must've been hurrying to come back. Your back is soaked with sweat.

Liam: … Mm, that’s right. … Haha, I look so uncool right now.

Liam: Even though I look this uncool, can I still ask you for a kiss…?

Instead of words, Kate answered by putting her lips onto mine.

That one kiss made me so happy that I wanted to squeal.

Kate: Nn…

The playful kiss grew deeper and deeper, and we moved onto the bed.

Kate: Ah… L-Liam… there…

Liam: Mm-hm. I’ll give it lots of kisses…

Wanting to compensate for all the unease I had caused her, I repeatedly gave love to all of Kate’s favourite spots.

Positioning myself over Kate, I thrust into her,

Kate: Hnng, ahh…

I mercilessly targeted the spot that drew sweet cries of pleasure from her.

Kate: Ahh… so good…

Liam: Haha, you’re so tight. … Mm, me too. I feel so good inside you, Kate.

Even the wet noises sounded good because they came from Kate.

Kate: Ah… Liam…

Liam: You’re going to cum? … So cute. Go ahead, cum for me. … Come on, you love this spot.

I played with her wet cunt with my fingers while continuously thrusting into her at the same time.

With a high-pitched scream, Kate’s body trembled as she reached her orgasm.

Her moistened eyes, and her body hot from the pleasure… I loved everything about her.

Liam: … I’m so happy.

Kate: Will you become happier for my sake?

(Ah…)

My happiness was immeasurable, but that happiness was accompanied by an equal amount of pain.

(But I’ll accept all that pain and anxiety together with the happiness.)

When I nodded in response to her question, Kate’s face lit up and she smiled.

Kate: Happy birthday, Liam. I love you from the very bottom of my heart.

…

≪ Setting: Liam’s Mind ≫

I had a dream.

All the people I’ve harmed in the past, all the people whose lives I’ve taken… they were all pointing their fingers at me and yelling at me.

They yelled, “I wish you were never born!”. And I desperately tried to run away from them.

And then, I heard a voice coming from somewhere.

It was the voice of someone I love dearly.

So I desperately ran towards that voice—.

…

≪ Setting: Kate’s Bedroom ≫

Liam: … (startled)

I regained my consciousness.

Kate: Oh, are you awake? Good morning, Liam.

Kate: Fufu, it’s rare for you to be asleep. I couldn't help staring at you.

Liam: …

Kate: Is it too stuffy? You looked like you were having trouble sleeping well. Should I open the windows?

I noticed that Kate was wearing a lovely outfit, different from her usual clothes.

Liam: … Why are you dressed like that?

Kate smiled at my absurd question, my mind still weighed down by my dream.

Kate: I just felt like dressing up.

Kate: Even though your birthday is already over, today is still another special day I’m going to spend with you.

(Ah… right.)

(This is reality.)

(Mine, and mine alone.)

I hugged her and kissed the crook of her neck.

Her body felt warm.

What existed between Kate and I, was the reality I loved.

(Hey, Kate. To be honest, I still fail to see my own worth.)

(I still can’t say that I’m glad I was born.)

(Sorry.)

(But…)

(But I don't want to give up on myself.)

I don't want to deny the miracle that’s your love for me.

(I don't want to give up on me, the man you love.)

Liam: I want you to make me even more aware of this painful yet blissful reality. Because I love everything about it.

I heard Kate gasp a little before responding in a soft voice.

“Mm.”

Her response fell on my heart like a gentle rainfall, moistening it and giving it life.

There was no one else I knew who could make me so incredibly happy with such a short and simple response.

Kate: … How shall we spend our day today?

Liam: I want to eat the cat themed cake.

Kate: Actually, the cake isn’t sweet. It was made to suit your taste.

Liam: That’s the ultimate best. I also want to take a good look at the decorations in the room.

Kate: There are some parts of it that I didn't do a very good job at, so… please go easy on me.

Liam: And then we’ll go on a date while you’re wearing this dress. I’ll be your escort.

Liam: Before that…

Liam: Let me love you, cutie.

The two of us laughed and tumbled onto the bed.

The man reflected in the eyes of my lover was so stupidly happy…

He was happy beyond measure. He was alive.

❥ Letter

#ikemen villains #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #otome #ikevil birthday #liam evans

[psianabel-writes]

Brain (& the Union Leaders) - Fragments of the Past

(Originally written for the Brain Zine :3 ... let's dive into some early Missing Link Brain thoughts.)

[AO3]

"... don't sleep like that."

A gentle push made Brain jolt awake, a groan leaving him as he slowly lifted his head up from the table. He adjusted his hat and blinked a few times, but since this wasn't enough to get himself going, he rubbed his eyes.

Still, the tiredness lingered. And his sleeping position was definitely something he felt in his neck and back.

"Rough night?"

Brain leaned himself backwards in his chair, not bothering to turn to Lauriam standing beside him. Lauriam had all rights to grin and he could practically picture that this was happening right now. 

It wouldn’t be the first time Lauriam found him passed out on the desk, hovering over some book he read too long into the night.

"What are you doing here anyways?" Brain asked him, still not looking at him as he massaged over his neck that definitely took the most damage in this.

"Oh you know, unlike others, I wake up early after a good night's sleep." 

He desperately wanted to roll his eyes as he finally looked up to Lauriam, seeing his grin playing on his face. 

Brain's eyes shot open.

He was met with a dark room, unfamiliar, cold, unwelcoming. His heart rate spiked for a brief moment, still seeing Lauriam's image in front of his eyes, but as it vanished as fast it came, he calmed again, slowly rising up from the bed he lay on. 

A sigh left his lips as he reached for his forehead. A dream, merely a dream … ?

His eyes swept across the room, though it wasn't much he could make out, he remembered where he was now. Right, the room he was given in this town he woke up. Scala ad Caelum they called it. Even though he had been given this information, it didn't quite stick - everything felt unreal, getting pulled out from a doomed world into one where everything seemed to be fine.

Maybe his heart hadn’t caught on yet, still being in the alert mode he was back in Daybreak Town. Maybe it was the fact he simply couldn't remember anything that happened in between. A hazy memory of meeting someone, unable to recall their face, let alone conversation - and the next thing he knew he woke up in this unfamiliar town meeting an unfamiliar face. 

Brain shook his head.

Everything was confusing and nothing he could fix right now. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and gathered his boots, doing a quick stretch before he stood up and walked over the sole source of light of this room, turning on the small lamp standing on the desk there.

He had done this many times before. Back then in Daybreak Town. Even if it was just this small action, a wave of familiarity washed over him.

Brain closed his eyes.

"Here you go."

Brain almost flinched as Skuld suddenly stood beside him, placing a cup of tea on the table before taking away his empty mug that stood there for quite a while now. He turned to her and saw her smile, mirroring her expression as he took the cup in his hands.

"Hey, thanks." 

The warmth emerging from the drink flooded through him immediately, making him instantly remember how long he had been sitting here again, losing himself in the work he wanted to do.

"Someone has to make sure you don't dehydrate. You do know it's night already, right?" 

"I … uh." He took a look at the lamp beside him, being the only light source in the entire Foreteller’s Chamber. "... Ah. Yeah."

"Brain…" An exhausted sigh came from Skuld and she quickly shook her head. "What will we ever do with you?"

He could only chuckle at this. 

Minutes must have passed before Brain moved again, a sense of stiffness in his limbs as he finally decided to open his eyes again and pulled out the chair to sit at the desk. 

Only as he saw the half-filled (empty?) cup of tea from last night he noticed the smile on his face didn't vanish, the memory clinging onto him - anything that would help him trying to settle in. Anything.

He reached out to the cup, the long-gone warm tea whirling inside. It definitely was a bad idea to drink this, he didn’t even know what came over him as he took a sip of it, instantly feeling regret at the terrible taste.

Still, any lingering sleepiness that resided in him left. The goosebumps all over his body shook him back to reality.

Right, where did he left off last night -

Closed in front of him sat his old Rulebook he got way back when from Master Ava. The cover wasn't as smooth as it was when he got it, dog ears filling the pages by closer inspection. So many times he had read it, trying to make sense of this unreal task they were assigned to, so many times he went over the content with his … friends.

Brain reached out to the book, his palm laying on the cover.

"How much longer are they going to be?" Ventus asked in an almost whining voice, kicking his feet under the table. "They said to be right back…"

"It's only been an hour, relax." Brain answered him from his table further away. "But it's not a lot of ingredients, so it should be soon."

A hum came from Ventus and he set his elbow on the table, staring down onto the book lying in front of him. It didn't take a lot for Brain to figure out that Ventus wasn’t very thrilled to stay here and catch up on his readings before he got to join Ephemer and Skuld in the ingredient hunt again. But after their discussion about Shift Pride, Ephemer wanted for him to re-read the Rulebook they had been assigned to. Just to get everyone on the same page, so he said. 

And while Brain didn't exactly check on him every passing minute if he actually did it, it became apparent that Ventus … kind of didn't.

"Do you have any questions so far?" Brain didn't turn to him as he asked, his focus more lying on the equipment that was set up on his table. Just a bit more, then he had to wait for Ephemer and Skuld to return with the ingredients for the next batch of Spirits.

"Um… no…" 

Brain furrowed his eyebrow. 

"Okay."

A short moment of silence passed as Brain worked on the last piece, then turned to Ventus in his seat.

"What chapter are you reading?"

"I …" Ventus frantically turned a few pages back, apparently searching for the chapter title. "Ah… yes! The one about assigning new Leaders to the Unions!"

It might not have been a lie, but Brain still let out a deep sigh. This wasn't working. This entire thing wasn't working.

His thoughts went back and forth between 'He's too young for this' , 'Master Ava, what have you been thinking' , 'Granted, this chapter is written confusingly…'. But nothing would solve any of this.

They were a team, they had to work together. And if someone was struggling, another had to cover their struggles.

"Ventus." Brain stood up and walked towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The boy looked up to him, his glossy eyes telling Brain enough about his state right now. "You can tell me the truth, you know." 

His expression didn't change and Ventus only let out a small "okay" before he turned his head back to the book. 

Nothing was easy and neither was this, especially if he was that young, and Brain didn't want to linger longer on this than it needed to be. He instead pulled the next chair closer and sat himself beside Ventus, the boy looking at him with confusion.

"Okay, Ven, how about I read it to you?" Brain flashed him a smile as he laid his hand on Ventus's Rulebook, moving it into his direction. The suggestion made Ventus beam and the boy let him happily take the book.

"I'd like that!" 

Ventus shuffled in his set and gripped the edges, letting his legs kick back and forth. It made Brain chuckle and he leaned towards him, letting him look into the book that way. 

"From the start?" He asked and Ventus nodded. "Well, okay then. Chapter 7, the assignment of the new Leaders…"

He let out a heavy sigh as he opened his eyes again, leaning backwards on his chair as he rubbed his eyes, trying over and over to get rid of the images out of his head. 

Everything about him clung to the past, his body heavy from whatever time travel shenanigan he went through. If he were to find a word for all of this, it might as well be called jet lag. 

He didn't - couldn't - find rest. Not in sleep, nor awake.

Air. I need air.

Brain shook his head. This wasn't working. 

Taking another deep breath he stood up again and walked towards the window at the end of the room, opening it wide. The fresh night air breezed right through, prickling on his skin, filling his lungs with a pleasant cold. 

Yet with the sight right in front of him he stood still, the jumbled mess of his thoughts taking a step back. The morning sun slowly traversed over the dark roofs of the town, bathing the plaza in a welcoming light, reflecting in the water of the fountain that stood proud in the middle.

Brain couldn’t keep his eyes away from the statue that depicted his friend. His hands gripped the edges of the window frame, turning his knuckles white at the force - only as he started to wince he stopped, averting his eyes finally.

He didn't want to think. He lifted himself up to the ledge and sat down on it, leaning on the window frame. Yet the thoughts still came.

"So that's why I'd like to have a little chat. With the replacement."

The wind gushed through the grassy fields of the hill they stood on, chilling the atmosphere that already grew cold by the topic Brain just brought up.

Ephemer's gaze was hard on Brain's back, silence overcoming them. But it didn't last long as Ephemer took a step forward, calling out to him.

"Brain -"

The thoughts were heavy. Brain wanted to say something, anything, really. They had so much to discuss going forward, how to handle this situation, and yet -

Brain looked up to Ephemer, his eyes glistening with worry.

"Brain, listen to me." Ephemer placed a hand on Brain's shoulder, the feeling more heavy than he anticipated it to be. Equal worry was in Ephemer's eyes as their gazes crossed, a mutual understanding between them that neither had before with anyone else. 

Ephemer handed him the list of the names again and Brain took it with a deep sigh, opening the Book of Prophecies to the page where he initially pulled it from to place it there again.

"No matter what happens, we stand together. Master Ava wanted us to work together and so we will." 

Closing the Book again, Brain nodded. "Ven doesn't know any of this. At least, that's what I think. … He's too young for any of this." 

"How do you plan on telling him?" 

Brain crossed his arms and tapped a finger on his elbow. "If he truly isn't aware, then there must be errors in his story of becoming a Union Leader. Unless he's lying, which I don't think he will. We're all friends."

"Then he would see on his own that there is something wrong …" Half mumbling to himself, Ephemer nodded along. "That way he wouldn't lose the trust in us and we might be able to get to the bottom of this."

"I knew you would get me." 

Ephemer let out a chuckle and Brain couldn’t help but to crack a small smile. This sympathy towards each other assured him this was the right choice to tell Ephemer all about it. He knew he would understand him, he knew he could trust him. 

He knew that whatever happened they could stand together and face any problem.

"What about Lauriam?" 

Brain shortly paused before speaking up once more. "... Later. Once we figure out more, I'll tell him." 

Again Ephemer nodded at the idea. 

"Well then." Brain turned to the cliff side of the hill, releasing his cross arms. "Chirithy? Can you do me a favor?"

"Brain?" A loud knock at the door made Brain frantically open his eyes again, holding onto the ledge to not fall out of the window as he got shaken out of his memories. "Are you still in your room?" 

The muffled voice behind the door Brain recognized, belonging to the man who he first met arriving in this town.

"... Yes?" He held himself steady, taking a deep breath to calm his startled heart. 

"The Headquarters welcomes you in half an hour. Don't miss it." The voice vanished with the sound of footsteps following, having Brain drop his head with an exhausted sigh.

The sun tickled his cheek, it had risen enough now to fully enlighten the plaza - who knew how long he actually sat here, lost in memories of days long gone according to everyone living in this city. Yet his memories were still fresh, burning in his head vividly.

He tilted his head to the statue again. The pride it emitted he could feel deeply - Ephemer's words rang in his head again. 

No matter what happens, we stand together.

The keyblade in his hand he once wielded held high, his head lifted to the sky. 

Brain couldn’t keep his eyes away from his friend, until finally a smile played on his lips and he jumped off the ledge back into his room, grabbing his hat from the stool he placed it on. 

"I will do my best, Ephemer. I promise you that."

With his head held high, Brain left his room, his heart swelling with the memories of his friends.

#kingdom hearts #khux #union cross #KH Brain #Ephemer #Ventus #Lauriam #Skuld #fanfiction #my work #zine work #im glad that even after 1.5 years later this still could be as canon as it gets lmao

[goldensunset]

ik what nomura says but in my mind i break down the kh series/timeline into arcs like this:

arc 1: khχ, χ back cover, khuχ. the age of fairytales and its end

arc 1.5: khml. once the game is actually out i will might be able to sort it into either one or two but for now it’s going in between

arc 2: khdr and bbs. the stories of xehanort and eraqus and the dying legacy of scala ad caelum

arc 2.5: kh1. yeah this one is kind of a stand-alone to me as the first ever game. i know 0.2 is kind of happening at the same time but i’m sorting more by metanarrative focus here and sorry but those three kids and ansem are their own deal

arc 3: com, days, kh2. the story of organization 13 and the existential tragedy of the nobodies and replicas

arc 3.5: coded. i actually do not know a lot about this one (sorry fake fan moment) but i can only assume it’s chronologically between kh2 and ddd? from what i understand instead of furthering a particular narrative it’s sort of a character study stopping point between them. let’s just breathe and analyze the state of things

arc 4: ddd, 0.2, kh3. revival of the organization and master xehanort, tying up plot lines. so you thought you were done with all these villains? you fool. it’s all coming together now. now we will finally wrap it up. maybe

arc 4.5: kh3 re:mind (counting it as its own thing bc i said so), melody of memory. ok NOW we will finally tie things up while also continuing to transition into the next saga!

arc 5: kh4. we do not yet know exactly what’s gonna happen of course but it’s clearly and officially a marked beginning of something new. and also going back to the chronological beginning featuring many characters from arc 1

#kingdom hearts #which uh. also serves to illustrate how wild it is that a lot of people just don’t pay attention to the first several #i mean i understand if you’re not a diehard but it’s just like ooooh that’s the whole entire beginning…

[wasntadandelion]

Hey Guys! It seems we have a theme of TWINS in Kingdom Hearts Missing Link-

Lets dig up that "Brain's Doppelganger" and "Brain and Luxu are Twin's Theory" and dust it off for two seconds-

We got Ramus and Freya, who are two people who are one of twins.

Also the Luxu stealing Brain's body theory makes no since, like think about it- Brain's body would still age- Your body go poof when your heart goes traveling- Brain acts as if he was just in Daybreak Town when he wakes up in Scala-

It doesn't hold water when you start to think about it

Also it makes Luxu's secret report not make since-

But the Twin theory?

We've had the "Two Brains" theory for a LONG time, and one twin dressing up as another has always been a thing (Had a teacher who hated twins because that kept happening to him) Luxu could freely walk around Daybreak Town dressed as his Brother-

Also it would be really funny with how Luxu forced Brain into the Future-

Luxu - "Bro I'm saving you"

Brain - "No, I'm waiting for my friends!"

Luxu - "Nope, your coming with me-"

Brain - "LIKE HELL I AM-"

Luxu knocks Brain out-

Brain wakes up in Scala-

Brain - "That Mother F-"

Anyways, I'm gonna go re watch all of Union X, I'll be back with more-

#kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts union x #khux #kh #brain #kingdom hearts missing link #luxu

[mythicalartistx]

The KHML trailer has us all wondering....

WHO IS SHE!?

Skuld is X theory and bloodline theory/ Necklace Theory also mentioned

And I'm going to be analyzing and deciphering who I think she is.

In KH UX Ephemer goes to an era in the future and founded Scala ad Caelum

Skuld also came there when they both traveled through time.

And we know that they are the parents to Xehanort.

In Dark Road, we see a dark haired girl who looks like Skuld give blue-coated person, "player" Xehanort.

Then child Xehanort tells Player that he had dreams of Player's friends and states there was a dark haired person kind of like mom.

Then player reveals that Xehanort has the same bloodline as his friend Ephemer.

Now wait, what does this have to do with this girl?

Well this girl could also be related to Ephemer or Xehanort.

NOMURA also revealed in a previous interview when the first trailer — the 2022 ML trailer got released that it is four generations after the character Player arrives

If she is that means she could be a relative or sibling of Xehanort. And what if this relative or the relative's descendants eventually goes to destiny Islands after Xehanort leaves.

And that's why I think Riku might be their descendant who is also Ephemer's descendant. It explains him being Light and him having a necklace that relates to Light which he gives to Sora.

It explains why Riku is seemed as special.

Then I also think Player might have reincarnated into Sora... But that's for another time.

Now we get to Skuld. Now she is an interesting case especially since many people including myself think she is X as in Experiment X from the reports in KH3

The person that Lea/Axel and Isa/Saïx snuck in Ansem's research area to see. And they planned to save her, but she disappeared. And that's Saïx whole reason for how he is in the organization but he got lost on the way.

But X was clearly stated to be younger so maybe she went to where Ansem and his apprentice were first. Then Luxu got her and sent her back to the time right before ML era.

Or Ephemer and Skuld traveled through time again after the silver haired person was old enough to take care of everything. Skuld just looked young or maybe they just used the term girl because that's what she was.

Skuld arrived at Radiant Garden where she lost her memory and Ansem did experiments on her. Then Ephemer arrived after four generations in the future after Brain arrives and after Player arrives.

Luxu then takes Skuld to the ML timeline after player and Brain arrives and Xehanort is born.

And Missing Link will be the key to these questions the hidden chapter that probably will be forgotten to many in the KH world.

Anyways Kingdom Hearts Missing Link Hype

#kingdom hearts #kh #riku #skuld #brain #ephemer #KHML #missing link #kingdom Hearts missing link #khml trailer #kingdom Hearts trailer #kh trailer #kh ephemer #kh skuld #kh union x #kh union cross #kingdom Hearts mobile #Kingdom Hearts missing link hype #I'm so excited for this #Okay if bloodline theory/ necklace theory ends up being true and we get to see a child Riku with necklace I'll be SO HAPPY #I remember seeing someone debunk necklace theory and I was like okay like they're clearly aiming at people who like the theory