Re: Kingdom Hearts: Hearts in Unison (Chapter 42 posted)
Oh is that so? I guess that excludes Maleficent, she would have been my first guess seeing other than Xehanort she has the closest ties to Riku's dark side. But I'm really interested in finding out who it could be.
I think that's actually a really good take on Ienzo, seeing that's how I'd imagine his personality to be like. I'm really interested in seeing his story unfold as well as getting a clear picture to why he's still helping Xehanort. I'm guessing it has to do with his thirst for knowledge.
Yes though even a game could convoy such information easily if they just added a few more scenes or optional dialog for the characters. Heck they could even go into it a little more in the journals.
Is that so? Well I can't wait. I can easily see her arrival as something that will cause even more confusion, also it will be interesting to see how she and Roxas will interact, seeing only she really would know of their friendship.
Maleficent is already scheming backstage while all this happens, yet with this she has indeed nothing to do.
It also doesn't have to be a connection to Riku's darkness, the connection alone already suffices.
There will be definitely some tidbits, but of course nothing too detailed since in the end Ienzo is a support and not a main character.
True that, although that seems not to be the strong side of the staff of the KH games, as I remember the older Final Fantasies to be filled with these.
The route with the journals is something I hope KH III does.
Well, due to circumstances, it won't really be an "arrival" per se, but the reasons for that are easily understandable shortly after her introduction.
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Now it's finally time for Number 42. More Roxas and Ven-fluff, but there's already something in the background that suggests things won't remain as peaceful...
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XLII. Do you trust me?
He even felt the slight urge to hum a melody, but decided against it in order not to wake his "twin-in-looks".
He looks exhausted. But that's probably no wonder as he had to suppress his own pain and confusion to tend to me.
As Ventus studied Roxas' sleeping form further he noticed with uneasiness that his expression was slightly unresting and strained, his left hand twitching a little against the fingertips of his own right hand.
Does he have a nightmare? Now that I come to think of it...why did I even awake? It was certainly not our hands reaching out and touching each other; I did not even notice that until I contemplated to lightly scratch my own chest.
Closing his eyes and reaching out mentally, Ven tried to get a glimpse of the outside, the heart of his host. Despite his heart being essentially asleep, sometimes he could faintly feel something from the other heart that saved him.
Maybe there's something that...ah? There...did that...wake my inner self up?
Far away, faint, but persisting and steadily becoming louder, Ven could hear an unsettling noise accompanied by a shaking rumble.
Wh...What is this? It's very low...but it's unsettling.
A low moan was heard and Ven re-opened his eyes, glancing now into a mirror image.
Roxas' blue gems stared back at him, somewhat sleepy and a bit confused.
"Ven? What's...happening? Why are you awake?"
"There is...something. It disturbed my sleep, but I don't know what it is..."
"You mean this faint rumbling?"
Ventus nodded slightly. "So you can hear and feel it too?"
"I do. For quite a while to be honest...and it keeps getting more intense and louder as time moves on."
The boy under the coat gulped. "As if it is..."
"...moving, yes. Or more specific, approaching us."
After finishing that sentence, Roxas noticed where his outstretched left hand was located.
"Uh? Wha? I...I don't remember reaching out before I went to sleep."
"Me...me neither." The wounded boy answered slightly embarassed.
Ven's look-alike nibbled on his lower lip a bit before speaking again.
"It's strange...yet still, it's not that I mind it in any way."
Roxas gave him a small smile.
It's true, I don't mind at all. I am just happy that I'm not so lonely anymore. We know each other for such a short time and I nonetheless already like Ven...he makes me feel alive, accepted and...errr, how to put it? I am also so intrigued about our so many similarities...and his ties to Sora. Why is his heart inside Sora's? Does Sora know him? And how and why did I apparently hurt him for a longer time...that...that bothers me the most! Mainly because I don't friggin know anything about that! I only came to know that Ven even exists now, almost two months after my life in the physical world ended...
The lingering feeling of guilt inside Roxas was still there, nagging at his conscience.
Before he had realized it however, his hand had ceased to touch the fingertips of Ven's and instead moved forward to cover the other boy's hand completely.
Ventus made a short surprised sound at this before his expression also changed quickly to a friendly, smiling one.
"I certainly don't mind as well, you proved to be a nice guy. Yet I am surely interested what draws us into these subconsious actions of contact. It's still all somewhat confusing."
"We are two on that boat." Roxas answered with emphasis, taking his hand away with a slight blush and slowly getting up from his lying position. "So, how do you feel now? Has the pain got better?"
His tone got more concerned again as he studied Ven's expression and slight movements under the coat carefully.
Hearing the change in tone the wounded boy's smile deepened.
"I feel much better now. Thank you. The pain is still there, but I can constantly endure it now. It's even better than before you even entered my heart, so your presence does help to improve the healing ability of my heart."
He managed to speak those words without any shivering or sobbing at all, bent on prevent Roxas from worrying too much.
"Really? That would be so great news..." Roxas answered, a bit surprised by Ventus' steady voice and deep, genuine smile.
"Really! See this so you'll believe me!" Ven exclaimed brightly, pulling the coat down to waist-height and, with a bit effort, lifted himself up into a sitting position right beside his "twin".
"Whoa, careful. Don't overstrain yourself." The young Nobody shortly flinched in surprise before turning sideways a bit to face his look-alike.
Another low chuckle of the other blonde boy followed. "It's really okay at the moment, don't worry." He stressed in a soft voice, placing his right hand on his right knee and turning to face Roxas as well.
"You certainly look better as well. Your complexion doesn't look like a white bed sheet anymore."
He added aloud, again fixating his gaze on the other boy who now sat upright beside him, observing every slight change in his expression with caution.
Ventus lowly laughed at this. "If you say so. Gotta assume that's a good sign, huh? Even this..."
He carefully let his right hand slide over the long cut on his left hip, flinching as his fingers rubbed over the bare skin.
"...has got a bit better."
Roxas' eyes flickered a bit at seeing his look-alike flinch in pain, his posture stiffening.
"I'm so sorry for that." His whisper was very low, but since they were right beside each other Ven could hear it clearly.
"I know you are. Don't continue to blame yourself. You are already helping me and atoning for your mistake with this." The wounded boy answered in a soft, friendly tone, now surprising Roxas by gently placing his left hand on the other's right shoulder.
"It's just that it really bugs me to see you in pain so much; and I can't even explain why. And speaking of it, you shouldn't overstrain this as well by placing your hand on my shoulder!"
Shortly shaking his head in confusion, Roxas proceeded to bring up his own right arm, gently and utterly carefully caressing Ven's left shoulder with the fingertips of his right hand over the stab wound.
He can't explain why, oh my, while he looks like my age his mindset is clearly way younger. Ventus thought with slight surprise as he made his enjoyment of Roxas' treatment clear by blissfully closing his eyes for a short moment and humming happily.
"Eh?" The young Nobody blinked dumbfounded at the change in Ven's behaviour.
"I can tell you why. Not only because of guilt, but also because you came to care for me. I can see it in your eyes. It's also a natural thing for friends to care about each other." The boy with the maimed heart continued, returning Roxas' fixating gaze now.
"Y...Yeah. I guess I still don't exactly know the full meaning of being friends with someone and what parts it all includes." Roxas retorted meekly, almost sounding a bit ashamed.
"I would say no one knows the full meaning and all parts that it can include." Ven said, his free hand sliding over his bare chest before he shortly rubbed his chin. "After all, there are different forms of friendship as well."
As I had also to learn during my journey before everything...fell apart for us in the end. Terra...Aqua...I miss you so much...
The rumbling noise was heard again, significantly nearer, which let both boys shortly cringe in their sitting positions.
"What is this?" Ven asked warily.
"I don't know. But I don't like it one bit and I fear that if it reaches your heart you will be badly hurt." His look-alike answered, his expression worried and alerted.
Ven's eyes widened at this, giving Roxas a perplexed look as the young Nobody raised his head a bit higher, listening highly concentrated.
"It-it frightens me. Why? What is that?"
The sudden outburst and Roxas shoulders trembling increased Ven's confusion even more.
"Roxas, what?"
"You have to move, your heart can't stay in this part of Sora's heart any longer!"
Ventus question was interrupted by Roxas quickly turning towards him and gripping him by both shoulders while speaking hastily.
He flinched in pain as the other blonde boy's hand now squeezed the stab wound on his left shoulder.
"Ouch.. That's not possible, my heart is still asleep to the outside. The only reason you can talk with me is because you are
inside my heart. I also can't wake up fully while still in here as then the heart of my host would immediately feel all the pain my heart feels. I can't do that to it."
Realizing what he was doing Roxas immediately let go of Ven's shoulders, delivering an apologizing expression.
"Then I'll move it."
"What?" Ventus blinked and tilted his head aside, even more confused.
"If you can't do it, I will take your heart and move it out of the way. This rumbling noise, I can feel it now better. It is dangerous, a mass of swirling energy, like a storm. It frightens me but we can't sit here and let it hit us. Ven, I don't want you to be hurt so badly again; you have just now recovered a bit and I won't allow that to be undone!"
The wounded boy just stared at his look-alike with big eyes for several moments, his arms now tightly closed around his own bare waist, making him look more fragile than he actually was.
"M-Move my heart? You?" He cursed himself that his voice was so meek and insecure.
Roxas slowly came to understand what he had now actually asked of his new friend, which made his wary, insecure reaction reasonable.
It's not even the fact that I once tortured his heart. No, I am actually asking him to put his very life, his essence, into my hands. But this rumbling, no, no, it's getting steadily louder, our time runs out!
Gulping, he moved his upper body a bit nearer to his 'twin'. He tried to let his determined attitude to do something overplay his fear completely and convince Ven of his sincerity.
"I know I am asking very much of you right now. I will only take your heart into my hands and move it to another platform inside Sora's heart so that energy storm doesn't hit you. Nothing more I swear. Do you trust me, Ven?"
"Of course I trust you. That is not what worries me. If that storm is truly targeting us it may also have homing capabilities and if you do get outside we won't be able to interact in any way anymore. Furthermore, if this energy is dangerous for me it is surely also for you."
Roxas felt that strange, warm feeling inside his own chest again and couldn't help but smile at Ven's outburst.
"Don't think of the worst case scenario yet. Even if it does have homing stuff, I'll find a way to counter it. I won't let your heart get more damaged than it already is! Of course we can still communicate, although then only through thoughts. Remember the sleeping spot I made you? The jacket you use as a pillow and the black coat are made from my memories, and when you hold on them it connects us.
Yeah, figures that this energy is surely also bad for me, but there's a difference between us right now, as I am more healthy and can possibly dodge it often. But real thanks for your concern."
"Ah! Yes, I almost forgot about this." Ven shortly tugged at the black coat that still covered his body from the waist down.
Roxas now displayed a more playful grin.
"Speaking of it, while I move your heart to another spot you should rest some more I think."
He leaned forward a bit more, this time very gently placing his hands on Ven's bare shoulders and affectionately, but also firmly pushing the wounded boy down into the 'pillow' again.
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