Aced's Alliance Theory

[Sephiroth0812]

They are. That's why learning MoM could've been setting them up all along wasn't that big of a revelation to me.
I think (at least the general idea) is that they're the Eraqus of this scenario, wanting to do good but blinded by duties and dogmas.

They're also... what, Terra and Aqua's age? And they're already Masters with legions and unfathomable powers under their command, no wonder they screwed up big time.

That, or misplaced loyalty and attachment to their master and his teachings.
Again it might not be some inevitable "destiny" at work but someone setting up something to bring about a destiny favorable to him/her.

Aced, Invi and Ira seem to be Terra's and Aqua's ages (meaning late teens/early twenties perhaps), but both Gula and Ava as well as possibly, out of all people going by the trailer, Luxu, seem to be younger and more around Sora's age (or are they just very short, like i.e. Levi from Attack on Titan, lol).

Speaking about short and tiny, in the newest trailer during the CG-parts with TAV I noticed just how incredibly thin and fragile Ventus' arms look. It's especially visible when TAV all hold their Wayfinders together in a circle. He's really a skinny twig, lol.

 

[kirabook]

Well, in some cases making sure alliances can't be formed isn't necessarily bad.

Like in supreme court situations, each judge is supposed to be impartial and should judge not based on their own beliefs, but on the law. Their alliances (such as, being strictly tied to a political party and taking sides based on that and not based on the law) would only hinder justice.

If the Master of Masters isn't actually a bad dude, the rule could have been formed just to make sure they don't start ganging up on each other or pairing up their unions to take out other unions they don't agree with. That doesn't stop them from becoming friends like Gula and Ava though. Either way, the "no alliances" thing didn't help and all the unions attacked everyone else instead, which could be arguably worse.

If he's a bad dude, then yeah it's pretty sketchy. Setting it up so that the foretellers can't get TOO close to each other and naturally for alliances between them and their members sets up a perfect disaster for what happened.

But I also find that line of events very possible Seph. I really do wonder what exactly caused Gula and Aced to fight, and the aftermath right after. I originally though Gula had been killed, but obviously he's not dead and seems pretty blah on the war itself.

1. Gula and Aced kinda pair up to find the traitor
2. Aced invites Ava to join their number
3. Gula eventually breaks off the investigation with Aced because he finds him suspicious
4. Gula fights Aced, ending in his defeat and Ava witnesses it
5. Soon after, Invi's words probably related to the Master and his goals incites Aced to violence
6. Ava accuses Invi of making things worse

Or, it could even be

1. Gula and Aced kinda pair up to find the traitor
2. Aced invites Ava to join their number
3. Invi's words probably related to the Master and his goals incites Aced to violence
4. Ava accuses Invi of making things worse
5. Soon after, Gula breaks off the investigation with Aced because he finds him suspicious
6. Gula fights Aced, ending in his defeat and Ava witnesses it after just scolding Invi about the fight

 

[Muke]

Now that you've mentioned it, the thing I'm most curious about is Ava's line towards Invi -- "Didn't you think for a second that your actions will be making things worse than they already are?"Now that you've mentioned it, the thing I'm most curious about is Ava's line towards Invi -- "Didn't you think for a second that your actions will be making things worse than they already are?"

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Well, in some cases making sure alliances can't be formed isn't necessarily bad.

Like in supreme court situations, each judge is supposed to be impartial and should judge not based on their own beliefs, but on the law. Their alliances (such as, being strictly tied to a political party and taking sides based on that and not based on the law) would only hinder justice.

If the Master of Masters isn't actually a bad dude, the rule could have been formed just to make sure they don't start ganging up on each other or pairing up their unions to take out other unions they don't agree with. That doesn't stop them from becoming friends like Gula and Ava though. Either way, the "no alliances" thing didn't help and all the unions attacked everyone else instead, which could be arguably worse.

If he's a bad dude, then yeah it's pretty sketchy. Setting it up so that the foretellers can't get TOO close to each other and naturally for alliances between them and their members sets up a perfect disaster for what happened.

But I also find that line of events very possible Seph. I really do wonder what exactly caused Gula and Aced to fight, and the aftermath right after. I originally though Gula had been killed, but obviously he's not dead and seems pretty blah on the war itself.

1. Gula and Aced kinda pair up to find the traitor
2. Aced invites Ava to join their number
3. Gula eventually breaks off the investigation with Aced because he finds him suspicious
4. Gula fights Aced, ending in his defeat and Ava witnesses it
5. Soon after, Invi's words probably related to the Master and his goals incites Aced to violence
6. Ava accuses Invi of making things worse

Or, it could even be

1. Gula and Aced kinda pair up to find the traitor
2. Aced invites Ava to join their number
3. Invi's words probably related to the Master and his goals incites Aced to violence
4. Ava accuses Invi of making things worse
5. Soon after, Gula breaks off the investigation with Aced because he finds him suspicious
6. Gula fights Aced, ending in his defeat and Ava witnesses it after just scolding Invi about the fight

See, such a rule would only be feasible if there is also a second rule that forbids infighting within the Foretellers as well.
Player's Chirithy claims that although they are competing, all unions are still supposed to work towards the same goal, in one statement chirithy even claims that all unions are "allies" by default:

Wait! Even if we're from different Unions, we're allies who share the same goal, and fighting is wrong!

Isn't "alliances are forbidden" a contradiction of this?
Except of course if this is a case of Aced trying to form an alliance targeted specifically at a single union and/or Foreteller, creating a situation exactly like you are speaking about with the example of the judges.
When he's shaking Gula by the collar Aced explicitly states that he doesn't know who the traitor is yet so against who would his "alliance" be targeted? How can he take action against something or someone without proof he's accusing the right perpetrator?
In this case Ava, Invi and Gula would be right to refuse such a course of action as that would also lead to more friction and a worsening of the situation.
So perhaps what Ava actually means by reciting this rule is that it is forbidden to form factions within the factions, although she herself would break this rule with her Dandelions, making her a hypocrite and the existence of partys within the unions also makes this unlikely.
It being forbidden for two or more unions to gang up on the others seems then to be the most logical choice.

In the last two browser-chi updates Aced comes over as an overly violent madman with borderline fascist views and in the final battle even admits to Ira that he "waited for the end of the world" and intends to rebuild it with him as its sole ruler. Looks like he succumbed to the greed for power big time in the end, possibly because none of his other approaches worked, not because he's inherently a fascist douchebag.

The whole setup in itself is already suspicious as if the unions are supposed to be allied and strive for the same goal (as Chirithy claims and Ava does muse in one of the trailers if they will really turn against each other), why do they compete in collecting the Lux in the first place? Who started that and why is it done in the first place? How can "collecting" Lux actually avoid the end of the world when competing over it is what causes the conflict that results in exactly the dreaded outcome in the first place?

As for what caused Gula and Aced to get antagonistic towards each other (if they aren't from the start and as theorized working together at first), maybe Aced eventually somehow finds out about Gula hiding information like i.e. the contents from the Lost page or him associating and working with Ava to search for Luxu? So far it seems Gula is the only one who knows actual passages from the Lost Page besides Luxu. If Gula's explanation doesn't satisfy Aced and/or if he feels betrayed it may cause a rift between them. It's also possible that, if the Aced/Invi battle happens first, Gula gets wary and suspicious of Aced because he's willing to attack a fellow Foreteller, cutting their ties and deciding to go on on his own, enraging the bear.
Aced is apparently easy to agitate and as we have seen in the final battles against the Foretellers, when Gula is not in his resignated/broken spirit mode he seems to be a rather laid back and easygoing guy preferring to do things his own way and often keep to himself (hence why he rarely ventures to the Foreteller's castle).
A personality like that may clash with a fierce one like Aced's given the right incentive.

Gula is "blah" on the war itself by the time we finally see him in a speaking role in browser-chi because at that point everything was already unavoidable, he admitted to Skuld that he tried to work to prevent stuff and find the traitor, but wasn't fast enough and thus has resignated.
"Nothing matters anymore" he says, showing that Gula most likely had his spirit broken. The reason he's so flippant and casually friendly during the actual war when the Player meets him is most likely because he knows everything is lost and he himself probably doomed anyways, he might as well enjoy the few time that is still left to have some fun. Thus that smile he wields on the battlefield might not be a genuine one but a mask.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Except that Nomura doesn't ship anything because he personally doesn't give a rat's ass about shipping.

---

Things like these are exactly what I don't like about the whole shipping mess in general.
Just because Gula and Ava are implied to be somewhat closer and friends and just happen to be of the opposite sex they have to be together in a romantic way!?

So, as to answer DefiantHeart's question: No, that wasn't specified nor confirmed in any form anywhere, it's just shipper's wishful thinking and the usual "people of the opposite sex can't be just friends"-thought chain at work.

For a series called Kingdom "Hearts", there sure is little to no romance lol.

But on a more serious note, the common theme that I'm seeing here with all the Fortellers (maybe except Ava), is that, they're all confronting Aced because he's not being cooperative. Aced on the other hand is trying to cooperate with all the Fortellers (except for Ira for now) but he's going about it fairly aggressively. Ironic that the scape"goat" is symbolised by a Bear.

 

[kirabook]

See, such a rule would only be feasible if there is also a second rule that forbids infighting within the Foretellers as well.
Player's Chirithy claims that although they are competing, all unions are still supposed to work towards the same goal, in one statement chirithy even claims that all unions are "allies" by default:

Isn't "alliances are forbidden" a contradiction of this?
Except of course if this is a case of Aced trying to form an alliance targeted specifically at a single union and/or Foreteller, creating a situation exactly like you are speaking about with the example of the judges.
When he's shaking Gula by the collar Aced explicitly states that he doesn't know who the traitor is yet so against who would his "alliance" be targeted? How can he take action against something or someone without proof he's accusing the right perpetrator?
In this case Ava, Invi and Gula would be right to refuse such a course of action as that would also lead to more friction and a worsening of the situation.
So perhaps what Ava actually means by reciting this rule is that it is forbidden to form factions within the factions, although she herself would break this rule with her Dandelions, making her a hypocrite and the existence of partys within the unions also makes this unlikely.
It being forbidden for two or more unions to gang up on the others seems then to be the most logical choice.

In the last two browser-chi updates Aced comes over as an overly violent madman with borderline fascist views and in the final battle even admits to Ira that he "waited for the end of the world" and intends to rebuild it with him as its sole ruler. Looks like he succumbed to the greed for power big time in the end, possibly because none of his other approaches worked, not because he's inherently a fascist douchebag.

The whole setup in itself is already suspicious as if the unions are supposed to be allied and strive for the same goal (as Chirithy claims and Ava does muse in one of the trailers if they will really turn against each other), why do they compete in collecting the Lux in the first place? Who started that and why is it done in the first place? How can "collecting" Lux actually avoid the end of the world when competing over it is what causes the conflict that results in exactly the dreaded outcome in the first place?

That's the thing, they technically are all allied together at the start at least. The end goal is to protect the light, but they probably all feel that means something slightly different. Or even believing in something slightly different. Maybe it can be compared to Christianity, how there's the Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, and even Catholics, etc etc. SO many, but they pretty much all believe the same thing or read from the same book right? Yet, there is plently of disagreement to be had there, especially between Catholicism and Protestantism. People died over those fights.

But yeah, it's totally plausible that Aced is not only trying to form alliances to figure out who the traitor is, but he's trying to gang up on say, Ira's faction. Invi, Ava, and Gula would not partake in that.

As for what caused Gula and Aced to get antagonistic towards each other (if they aren't from the start and as theorized working together at first), maybe Aced eventually somehow finds out about Gula hiding information like i.e. the contents from the Lost page or him associating and working with Ava to search for Luxu? So far it seems Gula is the only one who knows actual passages from the Lost Page besides Luxu. If Gula's explanation doesn't satisfy Aced and/or if he feels betrayed it may cause a rift between them. It's also possible that, if the Aced/Invi battle happens first, Gula gets wary and suspicious of Aced because he's willing to attack a fellow Foreteller, cutting their ties and deciding to go on on his own, enraging the bear.
Aced is apparently easy to agitate and as we have seen in the final battles against the Foretellers, when Gula is not in his resignated/broken spirit mode he seems to be a rather laid back and easygoing guy preferring to do things his own way and often keep to himself (hence why he rarely ventures to the Foreteller's castle).
A personality like that may clash with a fierce one like Aced's given the right incentive.

Gula is "blah" on the war itself by the time we finally see him in a speaking role in browser-chi because at that point everything was already unavoidable, he admitted to Skuld that he tried to work to prevent stuff and find the traitor, but wasn't fast enough and thus has resignated.
"Nothing matters anymore" he says, showing that Gula most likely had his spirit broken. The reason he's so flippant and casually friendly during the actual war when the Player meets him is most likely because he knows everything is lost and he himself probably doomed anyways, he might as well enjoy the few time that is still left to have some fun. Thus that smile he wields on the battlefield might not be a genuine one but a mask.

Yes, I'm thinking if Gula breaks off with Aced after the Invi fight, it's because Gula probably believes Aced to be the traitor. He's probably compiled all these hints and clues that Aced is up to no good. He thinks Aced's fight with Invi, who is probably one the most book-abiding foretellers in their group, is the final straw or his definite proof. In reality, Aced is just way too hotheaded and self-righteous.

I have more to say, but work is over sooooo I have to go driving

 

[Sephiroth0812]

For a series called Kingdom "Hearts", there sure is little to no romance lol.

But on a more serious note, the common theme that I'm seeing here with all the Fortellers (maybe except Ava), is that, they're all confronting Aced because he's not being cooperative. Aced on the other hand is trying to cooperate with all the Fortellers (except for Ira for now) but he's going about it fairly aggressively. Ironic that the scape"goat" is symbolised by a Bear.

Not when you count in the Disney characters as well, but the main issue here is certainly that "Hearts", and by extension emotional attachment and loveare neither limited to romance nor has it to be put in there or given center stage as if it is a requirement to have.I

It's not only that. Another common theme is apparently that they're apparently all trying to do the right thing and save the world in their own way but due to the "traitor"-threat hovering over them like a sword of damocles they are (understandably) not completely upfront and honest about their methods, leading to friction which eventually reaches a breaking point.
With this, I'm actually convinced that my assumption that there is no single traitor but that they all inadvertently become "the traitor" at some point during X[chi]'s timeline (Ava being the last one with doing the strike that starts the war) isn't too far off and the actual traitor is the one (or the faction if they are more than one person) who set this all up and took measures to ensure "destiny" comes out as stated.
The MoM and/or Luxu are certainly suspects, but it is also possible that they both or one of them is not involved at all, as I recall in the beginning of X[chi] there was talk about "Seekers of Darkness" who hide among the five unions and who are the true forces responsible for the spread of Darkness.
It is exactly Aced's aggressive personality (and him apparently having some severe problems controlling his temper) which make him look more suspect as when emotions get too intense that is a seedbed for Darkness. I remember Master Spockanort once explaining that negative or aggressive emotions in itself are not bad at all but neccessary, it is when these emotions get too intense and out of control when things get dangerous.
So far, out of the Foretellers none embodys that better than Aced.

That's the thing, they technically are all allied together at the start at least. The end goal is to protect the light, but they probably all feel that means something slightly different. Or even believing in something slightly different. Maybe it can be compared to Christianity, how there's the Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, and even Catholics, etc etc. SO many, but they pretty much all believe the same thing or read from the same book right? Yet, there is plently of disagreement to be had there, especially between Catholicism and Protestantism. People died over those fights.

But yeah, it's totally plausible that Aced is not only trying to form alliances to figure out who the traitor is, but he's trying to gang up on say, Ira's faction. Invi, Ava, and Gula would not partake in that.

This is pretty probable I'd say as they each have their own copy of the Book of Prophecies and its content can be interpreted differently.
When conversing with Skuld and Player in the final update of Browser-chi, Gula alone can come up with several different interpretations for some passages and admits he followed wrong clues and probably misread (or outright didn't understand) some pieces of the book.
That's just one of the Foretellers so it stands to reason that the other four might have had similar experiences and each of them came to a different conclusion on several parts of the book.

If anything it just shows that we got another puzzle piece of a puzzle where there still many pieces missing.
What can be said for sure is that Aced, although aggressive and upfront, certainly was not a fascist-leaning powergrabber from the start.

Yes, I'm thinking if Gula breaks off with Aced after the Invi fight, it's because Gula probably believes Aced to be the traitor. He's probably compiled all these hints and clues that Aced is up to no good. He thinks Aced's fight with Invi, who is probably one the most book-abiding foretellers in their group, is the final straw or his definite proof. In reality, Aced is just way too hotheaded and self-righteous.

I have more to say, but work is over sooooo I have to go driving

It would certainly add up and fit well with Gula's own words that he might "have followed the wrong clues" as when he dedicates effort to expose Aced as the traitor he is certainly wasting time running into a totally wrong direction and when Aced gets wind of Gula apparently directly working against him things will only get worse.

It is also interesting to see how each Foreteller apparently follows a totally different approach and methods to solve the crisis, and each one does so in a way that inevitably arouses the suspicions of the other four.
The approach we know most about is apparently Ava's as her plan centers around her Dandelions who are composed of members of all unions and are led by Ephemer.
In Aced's case we know now some glimpses in the form of that he apparently wants to do things totally outside the box and established rules, but still seems to have the same end goal in mind. Furthermore, we know that during the end game he turns into an overly violent douchebag who favors a fascist like approach for a radical solution.
In Gula's case we so far only know about the final outcome and that his approach apparently has at least to do with delving even deeper into the lore and extract new clues from it according to the last update of Browser-chi. He is also the only one who apparently knows at least some paragraphs of the lost page, how he does being still unknown.
Other than this though, we know nothing about what actual methods Gula uses and how his initial relationship with the other Foretellers is. That he apparently prefers to keep to himself often and live in an old warehouse in Daybreak Town instead of the Foreteller's castle might give some food for thought though.
Information on Ira's and Invi's agenda and methods on the other hand haven't yet been revealed at all, so it remains to be seen how they try to expose the traitor and save the world.

I know that one, lol. I've also sometimes a tab with the forum open at work. ;P

 

[Luffi45]

I don't think they were technically in allegiance with each other, so there was nothing to break. It does seem like they might have disagreed on something (which is why Gula mentions 'She's always right'), but in the end, there doesn't appear to be any malice between them. Not like there is between some of the other foretellers.

You know, I had always thought that Ava and Gula might be in some sort of relationship and that's why he had said "She's always right", but now I'm convinced if this scene is ever voice acted, we're going to see more of an "Everybody(Xion and Roxas) thinks their right!" when the sea-salt trio was imploding. Maybe when Aced approaches Ava to join his and Gula's alliance, she realizes that she and Gula have accidentally entered an alliance, and "breaks up" with him. This causes Gula to break off his and Aced's alliance, thinking he can only trust himself. Aced gets mad, shaking Gula and shouting "We don't even know who the traitor is", Gula draws his blade on Aced and tells him to get lost, they fight, Ava witnesses the whole thing. Ava realizes that the foretellers may not be able to stop the war and begins forming the dandelions. Gula, upset over losing his alliance with both Aced and Ava, when asked about Ava says "She's always right" sarcastically, about her not wanting to be in an alliance. Later, Aced approaches Invi about an alliance. I don't know if we have actually seen who started this fight, but it's possible that upon him asking her, she believes that Aced is the traitor and straight attacks him, seeing as she previously assumed it was his fault when he and Ira argued before. Otherwise, she rejects him in such a way that enrages him and he attacks. Either way, after the battle, Ava completely gives up on the foretellers and devotes completely to the dandelions, but not before she scolds Invi for making things worse.

 

[appleboy82791]

You know, I had always thought that Ava and Gula might be in some sort of relationship and that's why he had said "She's always right", but now I'm convinced if this scene is ever voice acted, we're going to see more of an "Everybody(Xion and Roxas) thinks their right!" when the sea-salt trio was imploding. Maybe when Aced approaches Ava to join his and Gula's alliance, she realizes that she and Gula have accidentally entered an alliance, and "breaks up" with him. This causes Gula to break off his and Aced's alliance, thinking he can only trust himself. Aced gets mad, shaking Gula and shouting "We don't even know who the traitor is", Gula draws his blade on Aced and tells him to get lost, they fight, Ava witnesses the whole thing. Ava realizes that the foretellers may not be able to stop the war and begins forming the dandelions. Gula, upset over losing his alliance with both Aced and Ava, when asked about Ava says "She's always right" sarcastically, about her not wanting to be in an alliance. Later, Aced approaches Invi about an alliance. I don't know if we have actually seen who started this fight, but it's possible that upon him asking her, she believes that Aced is the traitor and straight attacks him, seeing as she previously assumed it was his fault when he and Ira argued before. Otherwise, she rejects him in such a way that enrages him and he attacks. Either way, after the battle, Ava completely gives up on the foretellers and devotes completely to the dandelions, but not before she scolds Invi for making things worse.

Hmmm... I see why you came to the conclusion that Ava and Gula were in some kind of relationship. However, I doubt this is the case. Romantic relationships happen very rarely in KH. And when they do appear, they're such an unimportant part of everything that's going on. Romantic relationships are virtually just footnotes at best in KH. I feel like it would be uncharacteristic of the series. After all, the evidence you're basing this off of could easily have an entirely different meaning. I guess we'll have to wait to know for sure.

Anyway, everything else you've said seems to be plausible.

 

[DarkosOverlord]

I do believe Kairi and Sora's bond has been quite important in a number of occasions, from Sora turning back from Heartless state to him creating a path to the Organization's castle, not to mention the door to the Light that saved him and Riku.

 

[BlackOsprey]

Hmmm... I see why you came to the conclusion that Ava and Gula were in some kind of relationship. However, I doubt this is the case. Romantic relationships happen very rarely in KH. And when they do appear, they're such an unimportant part of everything that's going on. Romantic relationships are virtually just footnotes at best in KH. I feel like it would be uncharacteristic of the series. After all, the evidence you're basing this off of could easily have an entirely different meaning. I guess we'll have to wait to know for sure.

Anyway, everything else you've said seems to be plausible.

The word "relationship" doesn't exclusively denote the romantic kind. Gula and Ava could've just been closer friends with eachother than the other Foretellers, which would probably mean a lot in a series that's all about friendships.

 

[appleboy82791]

I do believe Kairi and Sora's bond has been quite important in a number of occasions, from Sora turning back from Heartless state to him creating a path to the Organization's castle, not to mention the door to the Light that saved him and Riku.

The word "relationship" doesn't exclusively denote the romantic kind. Gula and Ava could've just been closer friends with eachother than the other Foretellers, which would probably mean a lot in a series that's all about friendships.

I see what you guys are saying. I guess I just assumed that he was referring to a romantic relationship. I just think a boyfriend/girlfriend type of relationship is uncharacteristic of KH. KH is all about strong friendships, like you guys are saying. Even the relationship between Sora and Kairi isn't really a romantic relationship. I see it more as a strong friendship. After all, Sora cried when he was reunited with Riku. He didn't come close to such a strong reaction when he reunited with Kairi.

 

[BlackOsprey]

I see what you guys are saying. I guess I just assumed that he was referring to a romantic relationship. I just think a boyfriend/girlfriend type of relationship is uncharacteristic of KH. KH is all about strong friendships, like you guys are saying. Even the relationship between Sora and Kairi isn't really a romantic relationship. I see it more as a strong friendship. After all, Sora cried when he was reunited with Riku. He didn't come close to such a strong reaction when he reunited with Kairi.

I would bring up reasons on why Sora acted like that, buuuut I feel lazy so I'm gonna chalk it up to the ever-useful "KH2 had sloppy writing" clause.
I figure KH never seems to go with "romantic relationships" because it prefers to explore the intricacies behind a bond, rather than just applying the usual romance cliches and calling it a day. KH1's Sora-Kairi relationship is probably on of the better examples of this.

... I mean, take out the raging hormones and cliched sensational cues, and a positive romantic relationship is but a strong, devoted friendship.

 

[appleboy82791]

I would bring up reasons on why Sora acted like that, buuuut I feel lazy so I'm gonna chalk it up to the ever-useful "KH2 had sloppy writing" clause.
I figure KH never seems to go with "romantic relationships" because it prefers to explore the intricacies behind a bond, rather than just applying the usual romance cliches and calling it a day. KH1's Sora-Kairi relationship is probably on of the better examples of this.

... I mean, take out the raging hormones and cliched sensational cues, and a positive romantic relationship is but a strong, devoted friendship.

This is very well said. Bringing this back to the subject... I think what you're describing could definitely be possible between Ava and Gula.

 

[DarkosOverlord]

I, on the other hand, don't see anything weird in the infamous "crying over Riku and not Kairi".

Riku was nowhere to be found. And he was always like that, or in the hands of bad guys. Never since the beginning there was a moment when Riku was "safe", while Kairi was for extended periods of time. So, that's a giant load of psychological tension, enough to make you cry.
Furthermore, he could've been dead, as many peope from Saix to Roxas treated his fate with mystery, not giving precise answers about him.
Lastly, Sora received on top of all of that a huge shock value when he realizes that whom he believed was Ansem all along was actually Riku, with another face. Kairi was still the same, and he had time to prepare for meeting her. But Riku? No.

So, yeah, I don't see anything weird in him crying over Riku and not Kairi, and all of this if we ignore that crying, well... it doesn't mean anything? Still, comparing the two reactions is kinda unbalanced as they're on a total different level from one another.

Sora shared a Paopu with Kairi, and he did a dogeza in front of Saix for her (anyone who knows about Japanese culture and the red string of fate knows just how important these things are, more than crying).
And CoM's dialogues are just a confirmation of how much important is Kairi for Sora, the only person that made his memories coming back.

On the topic... I already spoke my mind about Ava and Gula: I personally don't think they're in that kind of relationship, but it all comes down to the same thing: we know too little about them as individuals.

 

[Muke]

^^^

It's still stupid.
"Oh hi Kairi you have changed."

"I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU RIKU, BE MY WIFE" *cry*

 

[DarkosOverlord]

^^^

It's still stupid.
"Oh hi Kairi you have changed."

"I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU RIKU, BE MY WIFE" *cry*

*shrugs*

I don't think so.
I cried a lot of times for people whom I wasn't romantically involved with, I didn't love them.
I cried when I saw my brother surviving the tumor, I didn't cry when my gf came back to my town. Because there was a completely different tension behind the two individuals.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

The one thing that's intriguing about Aced's alliance is that, Ava is doing a similar thing herself... the only difference is, it's with the followers as opposed to the other Fortellers. Maybe Ava's dandelions is a by-product of Aced's alliance idea.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

The word "relationship" doesn't exclusively denote the romantic kind. Gula and Ava could've just been closer friends with eachother than the other Foretellers, which would probably mean a lot in a series that's all about friendships.

The bolded part really needs to be made sticky and put above any thread/topic that deals with the direct connection between two characters, especially if they're of different sexes, as there is apparently much of a problem with remembering that fact in some circles.

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That being said though, I'm somewhat amused that after Kirabook and I took the topic back to what it is about it still comes back to the whole romance-mess and yet another round of whining about Sora's reaction to Riku in KH 2. Priceless, lol...

I, on the other hand, don't see anything weird in the infamous "crying over Riku and not Kairi".

I'm actually with you on that one. People just ignore the actual reasoning as to why it happens like that exactly and some get "uncomfortable" about Sora and Riku being both guys.
When looking into Sora's personality in particular it should especially not come as a surprise that he tends to gets emotional in general with people he is close to and not just with a single person. xD

Another problem is of course if one views the scene only with shipping goggles on or something similar in the back of the head.

^^^

It's still stupid.
"Oh hi Kairi you have changed."

"I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU RIKU, BE MY WIFE" *cry*

I really don't see what's so "stupid" about it.
The scene makes absolutely sense in context and I certainly won't repeat the reasons again as they have been already stated.

I cried a lot of times for people whom I wasn't romantically involved with, I didn't love them.
I cried when I saw my brother surviving the tumor, I didn't cry when my gf came back to my town. Because there was a completely different tension behind the two individuals.

This actually goes back to the very topic of "love" not having to be of the romantic/sexual type to be capable of being called "love"

Crying for people you aren't romantically involved with but still feel very close to is also totally valid and not "weird" or anything. Better that than having the emotional range of a toaster. ;D

The one thing that's intriguing about Aced's alliance is that, Ava is doing a similar thing herself... the only difference is, it's with the followers as opposed to the other Fortellers. Maybe Ava's dandelions is a by-product of Aced's alliance idea.

Ava isn't really building up an alliance, more like an entirely new faction and Aced does accuse her in front of the player during one of the Browser-chi updates that she's just making a "power-display".
The difference between Ava's actions and Aced's though is, up to now, that we know for what purpose Ava's actions are and that her Dandelions are exactly not a power-display as Aced wrongly assumes but to not even take part in the whole conflict/crisis.
Ava is also not truly leading the Dandelions by herself, as Ephemer is stated to be the "leader" of the group while Ava only gives information and guidance, possibly to avoid the notion/impression that she's building a "private army" besides her union.
In Aced's case though, we do not know why and for what purpose Aced wants to build his "Triple Entente" of three Foretellers. That the aim is to gang up on Ira's faction (or both the not included other Foretellers)/expose the traitor or to forcefully keep order are all just assumptions/theories.
We also do not know how the scenes go together timeline-wise as when Aced gets first "rough" with Gula he explicitly states that the traitor has not been found yet and uses "we" in his address, implicating that in some vein Gula and him do work together for a time.
In this case though, how can Aced decide who to want an alliance with if he can't be sure that one of the two he chooses actually IS the traitor? Or does he make the alliance-proposal much later when he does think to know the traitor's identity?
Or is the whole thing just a test to gain insight on how the other Foretellers tick and used by Aced to gain more information/clues towards the traitor?

We also know that each Foreteller does have a copy of the Tome of Prophecies and that each of them may interpret the statements written in it differently.
In the very first trailer for X Back Cover (where only the awakening platform and the Union sigils are shown), each Foreteller speaks a sentence:
Ira (Unicornis) says "Our books are missing part of the story - The Lost Page" => begs the question how they or at least Ira know a page is missing in the first place. Ira is also scolded by Aced for revealing the existence of a traitor to the whole group, does that indicate Ira was the first to know?
Invi (Anguis) says "I found the traitor." => pretty straightforward, but without context we can't say if she really did or if she only thinks she did. Furthermore, Invi so far clearly remains the most mysterious Foreteller so it is even more difficult to build up a scenario for her.
Aced (Ursus) says "I don't believe there is one among us." => indicating that Aced starts off not believing this part of the prophecies or interpreting it differently, like possibly that one or more Foretellers inadvertently become a traitor perhaps or that there is one but not truly among their group of five?

In that vein, Aced with his alliance-proposal in combination with deliberately going "against the Master's teaching" could be just him testing the waters about how flexible and of independent thought the other Foretellers are or if they are "slaves" to their books and the teachings of their Master. Maybe Aced is actually the one who suspects foul play from the beginning, but due to his hot temper and inability to make his point convincing/clear enough combined with the stubborness (and possibly ignorance/blindness) of the other Foretellers gets increasingly unhinged and more radical in his methods because he doesn't know how to deal with it otherwise. In the final battle at the Badlands Ira accuses Aced of disrupting the harmony, but by now I am wondering if this accusation can be leveled on other Foretellers as well.

To conclude the Foreteller's first spoken sentences in the very first Back Cover trailer for completion sake:
Ava (Vulpes) says "Are we really going to turn against one another?" => that one was repeated in the second trailer and indicates that Ava is, at least in the beginning, also disbelieving like Aced but with her there is already a worry present that there might be more to it after all.
Gula (Leopardus) says "It's written on that page that one will betray all" as the last one speaking => this is a more general assessment made on the content, stating only that there is one person that will betray all. It is neither specified that this person will be specifically from the group of five Foretellers nor who the "all" refers to which are affected by the betrayal. The "all" could refer to the Foretellers as a group, or the whole world and all its inhabitants as a whole.
What has to be taken note of is that Gula at least in a vague/general vein knows what is written on a part of the Lost Page, tying in somewhat with the finale of Browser-Chi where he recites whole quotes from some passages of it to Skuld and Chirithy. How does Gula have access to that information and why is he (apparently so far) the only one to have this access?

 

[Muke]

Yes, it does make sense, but I just feel like "you have changed" is kinda... lacking emotion?
I know this is a strange 'comparison' to make, but it's like your sister wasn't to be found for 2 weeks or so and when you finally find her, you go: "You have changed, but I'm glad you're back."

i'unno