Re: Kingdom Hearts: Hearts in Unison (Chapter 32 posted)
Oh, I see.. Well, it was just a offer, really.
Lol, I made you blush that badly..? xD I guess I found the right button to make you blush more.. xD *giggles*
Depending on how many chapters I have to post up without hearing anything from Nov I might take up that offer. So I presume you have decent punctuation and grammar skills? *ggg*
Not badly, only lightly. ;P
Still counts though.
Seph0812, I think it's about time we see Chapter 32, no?
Indeed it should, shouldn't it? Due to the displacements in recent times (and RL hogging me on the weekend) this release would be in the middle of the week.
Chapter 33 won't be there until February 9 though as I want other readers like KitKat, Key Wielder or Neko to also have time to get up to date on things. ;D
I think you're right.. It has been two weeks now. I think he'll post it up soon as he sees this.
Do you two form a sort of alert-duo now, rofl?
Kinda cute...
Like I said above, the next chapter definitely won't be up before 9th February, so that starting with the coming weekend we are firmly back into the two-week schedule.
Chapter 32 I do dare to say though might be quite an appetizer, so I hope ya all enjoy this. ^__^
And yes, the chapter title has a double meaning! *ggg*.
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XXXII. Enter the darkness
None of Sora’s struggles to enter his own heart and the black wall preventing his entry were noticed by his other half, who was residing within the wounded heart of Ventus currently.
It was in fact the total opposite mood compared to the happenings in the physical world right now, refreshingly calm and warm.
Roxas was also way too busy with his own thoughts and his focus on the other blonde who looked exactly like him.
Ventus was snuggling down in the black coat Roxas had covered him with while he himself sat to the left of him, his legs pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped around his knees.
It’s such a relief…Ven isn’t shivering that much anymore, breath normal and not a single agonized sob hearable. His pain apparently got down to such a level that he’s capable of sleeping peacefully.
Still, I wonder why he gets better so much now and why my presence out of all seem to strengthen his healing process…
As Roxas let everything that happened since he first set foot into Ven’s heart play out again in his mind, he catched himself closely and constantly watching the other boy’s fragile looking figure.
What the heck am I doing? Eh…now I am staring at him as intense as he did earlier when I took off my black coat…
Taking one arm up, running shortly through his own golden hair Roxas faintly blushed.
Why can’t I divert my eyes from looking at Ven? Is it because of worry he might get in more several pain again? Because of our identical appearance?
Thinking hardly over and over again he tried to grasp some explanation…he didn’t understand his upset mental state at all.
Why do emotions have to be so complicated?
When his inner retelling of the whole events that happened came to the point where the other boy asked him to be friends, he felt a sudden twitch and then some warm feeling inside his own chest.
Slowly but surely, Roxas began to realize that Ventus wanting to befriend him had affected him more than he initially thought.
That has to be the understatement of the month…I’m totally tense and…and…damn! What’s up with me…?
What is…this…warmth…here?
Roxas let his right hand slide over the left side of his chest, gulping.
Still not being able to take his eyes away from the sleeping, skinny form of Ventus he let his thoughts rush wildly once more, seeking for an convincing answer with his limited knowledge.
Damnit, I really should have asked Axel more questions on all those different forms of friendship and other emotions between people…my views are still so embarassingly limited and narrow…
The young blonde remembered when he saw Ven for the first time, lying there shivering and sobbing on the broken platform, the light of his heart being even slightly more bright than Sora’s, but also a tad more vulnerable and insecure. Otherwise, it was also noticeable how similar him and
Sora were.
Uh…if I would describe it graphically, Ven’s light would be like the pillow you cuddle in while Sora’s would be the blanket that covers and shields you.
Egh…what am I making for stupid comparisons here…
His eyes widened shortly after this as he finally realized what was really up with him. A state he had nearly forgot after the lonely times that laid behind him.
Yeah, that has to be it…this gentle warmness of Ven’s light attracts me…and me actually having earned true friendship with him despite all that happened makes me feel…happy.
The boy now tightened both his arms around his knees, slightly trembling in joy.
That’s really it…he, he accepted me, accepted me as a living entity and not just a tool to be used for the gains of someone. He’s a full being, too, someone who has a real heart…I…I am really so happy about this…and I can’t explain it better even to myself…
A broad, genuine smile formed on Roxas’s lips as he finally managed to take his gaze away from Ventus, his confusion remedied to a degree and content with what he had realized about himself.
As he let his eyes wander around he spotted Ven’s Keyblade lying on the stained glass floor at the exact same spot his armored apparition had dropped it.
His curiosity awakened, the former Number XIII of the Organization decided to take a closer look at his “twin’s” Keyblade.
As he tried to get up however he felt a short resistance. Flustered, Roxas looked beside himself on the right side.
He had been so much in thought and with his eyes fixated on Ven himself that he didn’t notice Ven’s right hand stretched out from under the black coat getting a hold on his right ankle in his sleep.
Roxas’s smile widened even more while he chuckled in a low tone.
What a clingy one he is…
Proceeding to gently remove the other boy’s hand from his ankle he caressed it between both his own hands a bit before putting it back under the coat.
Now standing up, the youth was surprised to hear Ventus grumble a bit disappointed in his sleep.
Suppressing more chuckling, he shortly turned and bent over his look-alike from above.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be right back.” He whispered.
What came back was a sort of an approving grunt, the wounded boy apparently having subconsciously understood Roxas’s words.
That was enough for him though..now he could go and satisfy some of his curiosity by checking out Ven’s Keyblade.
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Not long ago, Terra had adjusted to the attack pattern of the dark tendrils, dodging them on a regular base while steadingly floating down the ocean-like abyss.
He spotted a bright light from afar, an approaching stained glass-platform with the big figure of the silver-haired teen named Riku as the dominant picture.
So it’s true, it is his heart…seems like my gambit for a safe retreat worked.
Terra gritted his teeth, he didn’t
want to do this but he needed a backup plan in case Master Eraqus and he would ultimately fail in the end nonetheless.
He could not and would not allow for himself to be completely gone, not as long as Aqua and Ven are suffering!
Another dark tendril flew at him.
Dashing aside again Terra changed into a fast dive towards the stained glass platform as he heard a faint, far-away outcry of pain.
Huh? What’s that?
A noise as if somebody was strangled was heard briefly before an unsettling howl surprised Terra even more.
As he landed on the platform he had no time to waste to look at the pictures. For some reason the dark tendrils were getting weaker and about to retreat.
Deciding to go on the offensive a bit Terra raised a hand, blasting one of the tendrils with a Firaga-spell.
Terra chased after the retreating darkness over several more walkways and platforms of Riku’s heart, occassionally blasting it with an offensive spell.
He couldn’t afford diverging too much energy on this battle here as his efforts to keep Master Xehanort at bay and preventing his heart from being totally overtaken were essential to him even being able to go on. Master Eraqus wouldn’t last long against Xehanort’s now immense power alone.
The darkness now formed a wall-like form before another walkway leading away from one of Riku’s platforms.
Terra didn’t intend to back down and fearlessly rammed through the dark wall with a shoulder-tackle, causing another pained outcry from far away.
Taken further from the momentum, he stumbled forward on the new walkway, which was totally different from the ones before.
Blackened and cracked, it’s stained glass had colors of black, dark red and an unsettling blue.
Dark feelings and negative emotions crashed down on him as Terra recognized the total change of atmosphere.
Uh…what a horrible feeling…this, this can’t be Riku’s heart anymore.
Pressing on, Terra reached a blackened, totally shattered awakening platform.
As he looked around, a cold feeling ran down his spine as he spotted the only bright thing around here.
Horrified, he took two steps back as he recognized the eerie white glowing symbol on the floor.
N…No, it can’t be…the Unversed-symbol?
Suddenly, a cold, mocking sounding voice echoed through the air, ridden with spite and pain.
“Pfft…now look who we have there. Out of all idiots it has be you to invade here…it’s a wonder how you can be even still around in some form!”
Hearing that voice Terra realized in absolute terror to whom it belonged.
It’s…it’s him, how’s that possible?
“You! It can’t be…I feel exactly the same, how are
you even able to be around?”
A faint, dim cone of light shined down from above in the middle of the platform a moment later as a swirl of darkness erupted from the ground, revealing a big black leather-armchair with a young boy in a black and red-colored bodysuit sitting in it.
Vanitas…! No…how…
Terra’s terrified mood intensified as in his head images of Aqua and Ven appeared…and another one of Riku…
As he shortly shook his head before he focused on the dark heart before him again, Terra noticed the dark boy’s actual shape.
While Vanitas was slouched in the armchair almost relaxed, both arms resting on the armrests, his dark bodysuit was heavily damaged and ripped in several places, revealing parts of the boy’s oddly pale skin and a whole load of bruises, some of them apparently bleeding.
He was still wearing his trademark mask, but the thing was heavily damaged as well, a big chunk of it shattered on the right side, revealing some strands of spiky, jet-black hair and a very unsettling right eye in a golden color.
Just…just like Xehanort’s…ghhh.
Terra hissed in an angry tone, finally deciding to divert a bit more energy to this situation nonetheless.
He stepped forward two more steps and summoned the memory of Earthshaker, the blade manifesting in his right hand.
With another angry snarl Terra pointed the Earthshaker at Vanitas, the tip of the blade at the exact same height as the boy’s chest.
“What the hell are you doing here? Why are you even still alive? What have you done to Ven, you bastard?” He yelled.
The boy in the armchair completely ignored Terra’s outburst, now cackling gleefully.
“Ah…Ahahaha. That’s splendid…simply splendid. The fact that you still exist somehow can only mean that the old fart somehow failed to fully archieve his goal. Haha.”
The young man had to forcefully restrain his anger to prevent a situation like in the Purification Facility of Radiant Garden where he mauled Braig. It took Terra very much willpower to not hit Vanitas with an energy blast from his Keyblade right away..
“Answer me, you little piece of shit!!!” He instead barked at the pure heart of darkness, shaken by his own barely restrained anger.
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