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The Kingdom Hearts Series Character Files released on February 20, 2020. This handy book contains information about more than 200 characters and highlights memorable scenes. It also features nearly 50 short stories written by Tomoco Kanemaki, revolving around characters who are deeply involved in the overarching plot.
We'll be sharing translations of all of the stories, and you can read the first three today.
Big thanks to goldpanner for her hard work in translating!
It was dark.
There was nothing but darkness.
No, not even darkness... it was just nothing.
If the place Aqua fell was the Realm of Darkness, then where had I been? Had I even existed? Surely I… well, I probably had. I just have no idea where. I did exist as the being behind Xehanort, but my sense of self—my heart—was sealed away. My heart was somewhere in this realm.
Perhaps it was a Realm of "Nothing," devoid of even darkness. A realm without light or dark. Darkness cannot exist without light, nor light without darkness. That's what that place was like.
I wasn't asleep like Ven. It wasn't the Realm of Sleep—or a dream—it was a realm that existed in “nothing.” And so, pain, sadness, and hatred all became an onslaught to oblivion. I was writhing in pain in the middle of it. Perhaps that place is something like the realm of the Unversed. A void that swallows all, even sadness and pain. A realm where hope and joy never existed to begin with.
But despite their similarities, a void is not darkness. Nothing is born from it. And so in that world, I could do nothing but endure. I could no longer remember my actions, which had manifested in a lingering will. Well, maybe that proves that I wasn’t just waiting. I was believing, holding on to a promise.
Sometimes I still think about it. Is the power of darkness truly something we ought to revile? Right before my eyes, the boy I once bestowed with a Keyblade grew up, and now he controls the darkness while following the light. Why wasn't I able to do that?
And, there was a heart that nestled close to me. It quietly kept encouraging me. It is thanks to that heart that I stand here today before this grave.
Master, were you able to forgive me? Or should I spend my life atoning? I don't expect an answer to that question, and I know that forgiveness is not to be expected for my sins. It's presumptuous of me to even think I could already have earned forgiveness, the definition of weakness.
"Terra, Ven! Let's have some tea," Aqua says with a smile, and Ven turns to me. I think these two have probably forgiven me. I still can't forgive myself, though.
"Terra?" Aqua looks at me, seeming slightly worried. I let out a breath carefully, so it doesn't sound like a sigh, and smile.
"...I'd like some cake, so long as it's not sweet."
"Galactic Caramel Pound Cake, then," Aqua replies. "I haven't made that in forever."
"I want a preserved strawberry tart," Ven says with a grin.
"The Master loved that one… and Terra didn't," Aqua says with a little smile. Her expression turns slightly sad.
We will always carry the sadness over our Master. But we aren't alone.
The three of us will go stargazing again.
We'll look for shooting stars.
We'll never be apart again.
Ventus Story: Fragments of the World
I really didn't remember anything.
A part of me has always been missing. It's because of what Xehanort did to me. That missing half is Vanitas—I already know that. I think a bunch of memories came back to me that time, but they feel like they belong to somebody else. I’m not sure what to make of it.
I have memories from before I woke up in front of Aqua and Terra, but they're hazy.
Aqua and Terra meant everything to me. I wanted to fight for their sakes. But, in the end I fell asleep, and the two of them fought for me instead. When I finally woke up, I felt like… there was a lot I never understood.
Maybe I still don't really understand.
But I do know that Aqua and Terra are by my side. That they're protecting me. And that because of this, I want to protect them too.
At this point, I'm used to not understanding things. Frankly, I don't even know what I don't know. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m still missing something. But then again, maybe it's just that I'm not understanding things and I'm actually not missing anything at all. But even that seems like it’s beyond me.
Just...put an end to me.
They didn't do it in the end.
They couldn't.
That's why I'm standing here now. When the χ-blade was formed, I thought I'd fade away with Vanitas. I still don't think that would have been wrong.
Maybe the Master knew more about the real me than he ever let on, all the things I don’t know about myself. But now he’s gone, so I guess we’ll never know.
"Terra, Ven! Let's have some tea," Aqua says with a smile. Her saying that here, at the Land of Departure, feels like being back in time. She'd bake cakes, the Master would eat them happily, Terra would grimace at the sweet ones, and I'd eat myself full because anything Aqua made was delicious and made me happy.
We can't go back to those days, we have to keep moving forward. I turn to find Terra giving a pained smile, just like he used to.
"...I'd like some cake," he says, "so long as it's not sweet."
Aqua beams at him. "Galactic Caramel Pound Cake, then. I haven't made that in forever."
She's so strong, smiling like the old days.
"I want a preserved strawberry tart," I say. It's something our Master liked.
"The Master loved that one… and Terra didn't," Aqua says with a little smile. Her expression turns slightly sad.
In our hearts we carry sadness over our Master, and I know it won't fade for a long time. Whatever is missing from me most likely won't fill in for a long time yet either.
But, I'm not alone now.
I don't want to be alone any more.
The three of us will go stargazing again.
We'll look for shooting stars.
We'll never be apart again.
When I was in the darkness, I'd think back to those peaceful days of training, when we were protected by our Master. I was calm and content during the time spent training alone with Terra, but I feel Ven's arrival added a different kind of warmth.
Ven held his wooden sword in his left hand.
"Yes, that's the defense stance. There's no offense without a good defense."
The Master was giving Ven lessons as Terra and I faced off nearby, hearing without listening. The sound of clashing wooden swords, breaths getting ragged, pattering sweat, the Master's voice.
"Master! How about we take a break?" I directed this at everyone with a smile. That day I baked… oh yes, a preserved strawberry tart. The Master's favorite. "Ven, come help me get the tea ready."
Back then, it hadn't been long since Ven had woken up, and it seemed like he wasn't entirely there. He didn't reply when spoken to, and he never smiled. He could follow instructions, and it was obvious he had held a sword before.
He didn't wake up properly until a practice match with Terra.
"You're trying too hard to move your body. You need to learn to let your body move you. Right?"
Terra raised his wooden sword. Of all the imitation Keyblades he had made, this was the best by far. He even carved his name into it.
He stood up, and cleared his throat.
“In your hand, take this blade. And so long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, it's wielder you shall one day be made."
He raised the Keyblade, mimicking the Rite of Succession.
"Being a Keyblade Master is all I've dreamed about."
"Well, you're not the only one," I corrected. It was our dream—our goal.
Terra knelt in front of Ven, holding out the wooden Keyblade.
"I know. You, me, and Ven all share the same dream. Here, Ven, this is for you."
Ven reached out silently and gripped the wooden Keyblade. It seemed as though he was smiling faintly, the first time I'd ever seen it.
"Huh? Then what are you going to use, Terra?"
"I'll take the one Ven was using for now. Then I'll make a new one."
Terra took the wooden sword Ven had been using, and ruffled his blond hair with the other hand.
"Isn't that nice, Ven?"
"...Thank you."
Those were Ven's first words.
"Ven!" Terra and I cried out in near unison.
"What's with you two?" Ven looked back and forth between us, puzzled. I pulled him into a hug automatically. Terra continued to ruffle his hair from beside us. "Stop it, Terra, Aqua. Come on already—I'm not a baby, okay!"
We looked at each other, and burst out laughing. It drew an embarrassed laugh out of Ven.
It was the first time the three of us had ever laughed together.
And then, after a long, long journey, we've returned home.I understand now that this land—and Master Eraqus—protected us. The Master was always with us.
I wonder, can we ever return to those peaceful days? Yes, I'm sure we can, if we create them.
"Terra, Ven! Let's have some tea," I call out. Just like me, they’ve completed long journeys. We’ve come home together.
"Terra?"
A sliver of worry creeps in. Terra hasn't said anything. But, then he turns to me."...I'd like some cake," he says, "so long as it's not sweet."
That's right. I'd like to bake something. I haven't done that in a long time. "Galactic Caramel Pound Cake, then. I haven't made that in ages."
"I want a preserved strawberry tart," says Ven.
"The Master loved that one… and Terra didn't," I say with a smile.
We've lost our Master, but we aren't alone.
The three of us will go stargazing again.
We'll look for shooting stars.
We'll never be apart again.
