onepassingnight | Choose Your Adventure...

Today is the day.

You may have come to the Land of Departure seeking strength, skills or chasing a dream. Or maybe you came because you're trying to escape something: a desolate world, crippling self doubt, or had nowhere else to go. Either way, it's been a long journey with Sora, training and learning and fighting to earn the right to earn the right to wield the keyblade, to earn the right to travel the worlds, to earn the right to be called Master. It's the answer to everything, it's what you've wanted, and it's going to fix everything. It just has to. Everything you've done so far has led up to this moment...

Scenario 1 - Apprentice

... You just hope you're going to live long enough to see it. You and Sora are hidden, kneeling in a dark corner of the castle in the throne room. The world is shrouded in darkness, and powerful shadows are clawing at the stained glass even now, clamoring to get inside. You've managed to get out with some minor scrapes, but Sora seems to be doubled over, hand clutching at a grievous injury. There are powerful enemies about, and dispatching even one has taken its toll. Sora isn't the type to give up, not by a long shot. But all he seems to be concerned about is getting you to kneel with him, grasping your hand and placing it over his as he holds the hilt of the keyblade.

At first, you don't understand. This isn't important, what is he doing, you can't be messing around right now, both of you have to get out. But a slow realization sends chills up your spine. He doesn't intend on leaving, or escaping right now. He intends on passing on his legacy. His keyblade. And the heir is you.

Sora's voice is steady and strong even if his hands are not, "You're ready."

Scenario 2 - Wielder

You've heard so many stories about different worlds, listened as Sora and the other wielders spun wild tales about the worlds they've seen: Deep underground caves filled with glittering treasure, confusing forest mazes filled with temperamental Queens of hearts and courts filled with card-knights, towns of everlasting night or cities caught in perpetual sunset.

And now that the ship's landed, you're about to see your first. The others have always been the one to tell the stories, but now it's your turn. Your first world. Your first keyblade. This is your story now.

Sora flashes you an amused grin as you both stand in front of door. His hand finds your shoulder. "Ready?"

Scenario 3 - Master

As you peer over the balcony overlooking the beautiful landscape clad in your new clothes, you realize that everything looks... completely different. Better, somehow.

Master. That's what they call you now. The students bow to you, the other masters regard you with more respect. But another challenge awaits you. Today's the day you take on new pupils.

Familiar footsteps come up from behind and Sora's gloved hand gives you a comforting pat on the back. There's something very close to pride in his eyes as he grins at you, "You ready?"

[ooc: Adult!Sora is an older Keyblade Master. And It's the day you become a Master/keyblade wielder. (Think of it as Sora's a knight and you're the squire/and or a fellow master}. No knowledge necessary of the KH universe. Feel free to deviate from the concept, change things in canon and wing it if you're unfamiliar, or even do multiple threads for each scenario! I'll follow your lead.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's just it. She's never understood his faith that she could be something better than she is, his confidence that there is good inside her somewhere, and not the rotted creature, the soldier who brings death and darkness and taints world after world. And even here at the end, her hand hovers without closing around the prize, her inheritance, until she can understand.

"I don't know!" It comes out louder, harsher than she intended, almost an accusation. She forces herself to a calm she doesn't feel. "So tell me."

If she can just understand, she can make herself accept it. Somehow. She can find that strength she doesn't really have. Someone thinks she can be an heiress of the light, as she should have been- how many years ago now?

Time to address her fears, his concerns. Time to bring out everything they've both avoided for so long. There isn't any other time besides now.

"It's... not about all the darkness in your heart." A long time ago, Riku and Namine, Mickey and Roxas- they all taught him a little bit about the heart, about darkness and light. Things he's never understood before. Things he's carried with him as he took Ami under his wing and prepared her for this moment. And it has been a concern that she hasn't been able to produce any powerful light, that her heart has so much darkness.

But that isn't all there is to Ami.

"It's about everything else you've got in there. There's way more to you thank just the darkness." Sora knows as much, because he's got a little bit of lingering dark in his heart too. Ami needs both darkness and light. Two sides of a coin.

"I wanted you to figure that out about you too."

Edited 2011-12-18 14:41 (UTC)

Sora... Ami's going to miss you. But she doesn't have time to dwell on these words, yet. There'll be time for that once the present threat is gone. She looks at the keyblade as though half expecting it to rebel against her, to jump out of her hands or maybe even burn them. Then she forces herself to close her fingers around it, to accept it.

Even her powers can't help Sora, not right now. But there is one last thing she can do.

"Even if you aren't there to see it," she promises him. "I'll definitely take out this enemy." She has a long history of settling old scores. And if this costs her someone she could almost call a friend, if that weren't such a potent word, she won't forgive it.

Sora looks up at Ami in surprise. This isn't... what he wanted to happen. There's only one last part of the ceremony he needs to perform, just a small murmur of words and the keyblade will be hers to use but... he's more worried about what she intends to do with it when it is.

"Ami, don't be crazy- there's too many outside. You gotta get to the ship while you can."

She can't just leave the enemy who did this, alone. They took too much from her. She doesn't care if there are a thousand. She may have no confidence in herself as a person, but she has power, now.

"Are you telling me to run away?" This is not a thought that's pleasing to her, so much so that she's even arguing it here and now.

"No... I should've known you wouldn't." It's never been in her nature to run away. Sora just exhales, shaking his head a little. There might even be a hint of a resigned smile.

Time for him to perform the ceremony. To say the words, to pass on the keyblade. If she'll fight, it'll be with a fully realized weapon.

"In your hand, take this Key.
So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be.
And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then.
No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."

And it's as simple as that. When Sora finishes, Ami may feel the transfer of power, may feel just a subtle shift in energy. But this particular keyblade now belongs to her. It's hers to wield, and so is its power.

She can feel it as she kneels beside Sora: a new power inside her. A warmth. Even amid her thoughts for him, she notices it. She takes a deep breath, as though breathing it in. This still shouldn't be happening; but she has to make herself realize and believe that it is, or she won't be able to do what she has to.

Then comes the real question. Face serious, she looks down at him. "What about you?" There should be a way still, shouldn't there? A way to get him out, to make this moot and unnecessary, to undo it and laugh at their own pessimism in thinking he was done.

But she knows there isn't.

Edited 2011-12-19 22:06 (UTC)

There's something satisfying in letting his fingers slip from the keyblade, leaving it in Ami's grasp. It looks at home in her hands. She's going to be taking really good care of it, he knows she will.

"There's just one thing I need you to do for me..."

It's too late for her to promise anything without hearing it; or maybe it's not too late for her to give meaning to a promise. Mercury nods, face still serious. She's listening, even as she starts to slowly stand.

"What is it you want?" The words are ungraceful, but at least she's acknowledging his request. At least they're considering.

A nod. That's all Sora needs.

"Help me up." He's not sure about how well he's going to do once he's on his own two feet, but he'll deal with it when he gets there. He gives her a soft chuckle that nearly ends in a grimace. "If you're going to fight, it'd be pretty lazy of me if I just sat around all day, right?"

[That, she can do. Mercury holds out her hand for Sora to take, and helps him to his feet. He's injured, she doesn't need a doctor's eye to tell her that; she'll have to watch him in the battle to be sure to heal him.

That's... fine, she realizes with a mild sense of surprise. Funny, a year ago, she'd have let him fight without concerning herself with that. Four years ago, she'd have tried to stop him so the injuries wouldn't be worse. Which is she supposed to truly believe?

It doesn't matter right now. As soon as Sora's on his feet, Mercury squares her shoulders and raises her head.]

Let's go.

[He's on his feet and suffers a sharp intake of breath, but after that, his breathing evens out. He's obviously favoring one side, but he's still on his feet by the time that Ami lets go, so he'll count that as a victory.]

[There are scarping noises, claws along the walls. At every window, there are the silhouettes of black monsters, all seeking a way inside.]

[Sora nods.]

Ami.

[The colorful pieces of stained glass come clattering down ahead of them as a large hulking shadow squeezes into the window on the far side of the throne room. There's still a considerable distance between them and their first enemy. Enough time that Sora can speak:]

After we get out of this... we can visit a new world.

You can pick.

Edited 2011-12-20 03:46 (UTC)

[A new world.

She doesn't know how to feel about that. She's asked if there's really a point in defending and clinging to a dirty and broken-down world. But to leave it behind...

No. Not leave behind. Visit. Like she always wanted to, reaching out and reaching beyond and having all those new experiences waiting for her. She nods.

It means he plans to be there after this. That even if he passed her this weapon, he doesn't plan to lay down and give up. He thinks there's a future to plan for. With that, she can fight freely and fight at her best.]

Let's finish this first, then!

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