"Mickey!" I rushed in front of the heartless aiming for Mickey's back. Using Reflectega to block the small heartless claws. I winced, I hadn't damaged it at all and it still felt like too much. Like their little claws tore apart my heart every time I was near them, hurt them.
Mickey slashed at the mindless drone the second my reflect wore off, cutting the thing in two before it even hit the ground. The darkness fell to the ground like dark sand, a heart flew up into the air. Ready to re-complete.
"Are you sure the keyholes here?" I asked, worriedly. It had made sense because of all the heartless congregating here, but then again this could just be a swarm. We could be completely off.
"It's here!" Mickey killed another heartless, this one was armored, like a knight. It produced no heart. "You can feel the excess magic here, can't you?"
I can. But this world was particularly magic-filled, so excess here was a drop in the bucket. It hadn't helped that both of us hadn't stopped firing spells of our own.
A drone stood at my side, it didn't try to attack me and that seemed to go for the rest of the dark things. The other heartless, however, the ones who suspiciously didn't produce hearts, attacked me all they liked. Their claws dug into my skin, but still, I couldn't fight back. I don't know why I couldn't, other than my fear, which kept me glued to my spot at Mickey's side.
"(Y/n)! The keyhole!" Mickey warned me. I looked over to the waterfall, past the heartless attacking me, which I held my keyblade up to guard with, to see drones getting closer to the waterfall.
I rushed over past the knights and flying tops, through the heartless that resembled candles and butterflies to hold my key up to the opening, watching it appear as a heartless tried to attack it. I performed the locking motion I was taught before coming here.
But the keyhole disappeared?
I stood there in confusion as all the heartless attacking the keyhole turned to me, drones just staring while the colorful, marked heartless tackled me. Scratching and clawing at me. Blood ran down my skin at particularly deep cuts.
Mickey cast an Aero spell, and the heartless exploded into that same murky black sand. He held out his hand, which I took. "I didn't lock it," I told him. "They disappeared on their own."
"The keyhole must've moved itself."
Curious, I asked, "It can do that?"
Mickey nodded, "Yes, if the hearts of the people change they can affect the heart of their world, so the hearts of the people must've changed."
"So we need to find where the keyhole went." I thought out loud. Where could it be?
"Right! So let's get to work!" Mickey started north, towards the exit of the twin mountains. I quickly followed behind, not wanting to lose him.
"But we don't even know where it went, it could take forever to find now!" I exclaimed.
Mickey didn't acknowledge my complaint, "It's our job as keyblade wielders to protect worlds, no matter what. We may be here for a while, searching up and down for this world's keyhole. But if we have to, we will. To save these people from the darkness that's already invading their world." He helped me down a rough patch on the mini path.
"And anyway," His mood seemed to go back to its normal, happy state after being so serious. "We'll surely find it before the heartless, but worst-case scenario we'll just follow them and make sure we're the ones to lock it first!" I was baffled by how nonchalant he said that. What happens if we aren't first? What if this world falls to darkness with us on it? Didn't he just say people's lives depended on us now?
"Right." I smiled at him and we continued, using fire to light up our path as it got darker. I'd say on this world's clock it's the beginning of night now. Bad for us, because darkness thrives in dark places. And now everything's dark.
A clearing in the trees brings us to the back of a large house, covered in flowers and different, vibrant colors. People crowd the outside with fireworks, sparklers, music, and dances. My face lights up at the culture we could experience. "Mickey, can we? Please!" I bounced up and down.
He shook his head. "Influencing a world that isn't our own is dangerous. We can't get too attached to the world that's not ours. We have to make the least amount of impact possible, or people will start to question. Which will break the world order." Briefly, I wondered about the possibilities that could occur if the order was broken, what we could achieve. And I tried to hold my tongue, but the question slipped off my tongue.
"Hollow Bastion wasn't my home. And now Traverse Town, that wasn't my true home. But, that's okay?"
Mickey smiled sadly, "Some worlds are more fragile than others, this is one of them. Especially right now, with the darkness clawing at it."
Disappointed, I nodded. "Alright, Mickey. I understand."
He tried cheering me up, "Well, don't be too sad. We can still have a look around after we're done!" It worked.
A heartless blob appeared, swerving around in the ground, heading straight for a man and his toddler, a little boy with a sparkler. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and acted before Mickey had the chance, keyblade already in hand I held it up and watched ice shoot out from the tip of my blade. Freezing the ground under it, it hit the dark creature with an ice block and it crawled away. I flinched, I didn't kill it. Even unconsciously I couldn't kill it.
The man, still holding his child, froze for a moment before blinking. But the giant ice block I'd conjured had already melted with a little magic and the summer heat. He shook his head and went back to celebrating whatever event it was with his son.
Both me and Mickey sighed in relief. Before we heard the giant, strangled gasp of air that came from the left of us. A little girl with green glasses, dark skin, curly hair, and a cute white dress stood just a little in front of us, looking ready to explode from excitement.
I turned next to me, to Mickey to see how to handle this particular social interaction, but he was gone. Disappeared to avoid messing with the world order, probably. I mean, I haven't seen anyone with a food foot tall anthropomorphic mouse walking around, so I'm hoping that's why he just left me with this child.
"Wait! Miss fairy don't go!" The child called to me, thinking my looking for Mickey was me turning away into the night. I turned back to her, she's only a foot shorter than me so I had to look down at her.
Her mouth was in a wide-open smile and she looked at me, memorizing every detail. I did not know how to handle this.
"I'm not, I'm not a fairy."
She looked disappointed for a moment before her face brightened again, "Are you La Madremonte?"
"No?" I had no idea what that was.
"The girl of the letter?"
"No??" Again, very lost. While I was a girl I did not have a letter.
"The only soul??" She asked again, destressed.
"No???"
She took in a breath, leaned back on her heels, and looked at my keyblade sadly. "But your magic, I saw you save that man…"
I chuckled nervously, "That didn't happen. You were seeing things due to the darkness and all the fireworks and sparklers around. Sorry to disappoint you." She frowned.
"No, but I–"
"Have you seen my," I hesitated to say friend because at the moment Mickey was my supervisor, but I did so the little girl would understand me better. "Friend? I lost him and I need to get back to him before anything happens."
She tilted her head, skeptical, "What's your friend look like?"
I hesitated again, revealing too much could break the order, but I needed to find Mickey. Besides, she was only five, it's not like slipping up with her would impact too much, right?
"He's got big ears like this," I made motions to convey to her what I was talking about, "A tiny tail, oh! He's wearing big, yellow shoes!"
She stared at me long and hard for a moment, and I started to wonder if she thought I was the crazy one before her face lit up. "Pastorcita!" She exclaimed.
Stunned by her outburst I accidentally said, "Yes?!"
Which pulled her into another outburst of happiness, dragging me around the side of the house. "Don't worry Pastorcita, I'll help you find your sheep!"
"Huh?!" Sheep? I never mentioned a sheep. What did I tell her I was?!
We passed people dancing and having more fun, passing by a young girl beating two men at one time in an arm wrestle and a pair of twins, who for some reason were wearing the same thing.
The curly-haired girl dragged me to the front of the house, "Casita! I found the Pasorcita!" She exclaimed to the house.
Titles and windows moved as if the house was communicating back and the bespeckled girl began talking to it again. I stepped back, running into something. I turned around quickly, going to apologize.
The person grabbed me, dragging me away. I don't fight back because of the rudeness, and because I've only seen those white gloves on one person before.
He dragged me into the tree line and I looked at my supervisor. "Why did you leave me?"
He shushed me, holding his index finger to my mouth. Motioning back to the house where the young girl was now looking for me.
She ran in a different direction and Mickey took away his index finger. "I was searching the town for the keyhole, I didn't find it. But I couldn't let anyone see me, I don't look like the people of this world. You do."
Master Yen Sid had explained to me that when the time came, when I became an active master, I would have to take over all the worlds inhabited by people, while Mickey would take those with more leniency. This was to preserve the fragile order. I just didn't think that would apply now. Though it did make sense.
"Alright, I understand." I swallowed the lump in my throat, "But can you stay nearby next time? I think I got myself into trouble with a five-year-old while you were away."
Mickey chuckled, "I can see that."
I deadpanned, "it's not funny. I think she thinks I'm some kinda protective death spirit!" Mickey laughed more.
"Every world has its culture. Try not to question it."
He grew serious again. So I straightened up too. "The heartless are all going to congregate here soon, the keyholes not in town and it seems all the townspeople are here too. So there's no reason they'll go anywhere else."
"That's… How many heartless did you see?" I questioned, worried. "Can we protect them with just the two of us?"
"Not without revealing ourselves, even then, the darkness is clouding this world. It's not too much yet, but others will come. They've already found the keyhole once, we don't have time. Do you have any idea where it would be?" Mickey explained to me.
I furrowed my eyebrows, "Why do you think I'd know?"
"Talking to the people of the world your on can connect your heart," Mickey explained, "Though interacting with the people of the worlds is something we should avoid. when we do it might give us an explanation as to what to do or where to go."
Mickey looked me in the eyes, "So, did you feel anything?" I shook my head.
"No, I didn't know I was supposed to."
Mickey chuckled, "You shouldn't be looking for a feeling," he looked back to the still going party, "But we need to find the keyhole. It has to be in there." I looked back to the house, everyone was congregating inside, all the festivities around the house coming to an end.
This would make protecting them easier, but if we wanted to check the house we were running out of time to get in.
"We should go then," I stepped out of the treeline quickly, trying not to draw attention over here.
"I can't," Mickey reminded me. I sighed, "I'll go alone then. Inspect the house and find the keyhole, you keep everyone safe."
Mickey nodded and disappeared into the treeline. I walked closer to the house, my golden keyblade turning to sparks and disappeared in my hand. I slipped inside with other adults and kids before someone shut the door. Everyone was in the courtyard with an opening for a walkway up some badly placed stairs, a glowing door stood at the top of those stairs with a smiling old lady holding a candle at the top.
I scoot around the people, finding my way to the empty kitchen, summoning my keyblade I hold it up, hoping the keyhole will be attracted to it. Like a magnet or something.
Nothing in the kitchen. Pantry. Nothing. Worth a shot but I expected this. Bathroom, occupied. But also empty. I hear the murmuring of the crowd the whole time.
I need to check upstairs, but it's open ground up there, no doubt someone in the crowd will see me.
I poke my head out to check the courtyard, silently the people are leaving. This was surprising, it was such a festive night and they all look disappointed. The old lady moves to the glowing room with her face on it, disappearing behind it. I feel sympathy for her, she looked so sorrowful.
The stairs dismantle themselves behind her and I have to double-take. The house moves by itself? Like Master's tower is it magic? Or does it have its own consciousness?
Whatever it is I don't want to stay here long enough to find out. I take the chance while no one is looking and rush across the courtyard, finding myself in a dining room. No keyhole but there are stairs. Perfect. I sneak up the stairs, being extra quiet with the newly somber and quiet atmosphere.
The upstairs of this house consists of glowing doors with the family members' faces on them, along with some imagery of them with something. Like flowers or barbells. I hold my keyblade up, seeing if it'll match any of the doors, but no keyhole appears. The glowing doors don't hold the keyhole. I sigh as quietly as I can while still trying to clear the growing pit in my stomach.
There's a worn, blue wooden door at the end of the hall that stands out from the rest. It's so suspiciously out of place compared to the others that I walk closer to it, I could hear crying from the other end of it. Despite my better judgment, I open it. I can't leave someone crying.
Inside I find the girl from earlier, balling her eyes out on her bed. I walk closer to her, sitting down on the bed with her. She looked up from her fetal position slowly, eyes becoming as wide as saucers upon seeing me.
"Pastorcita?" She whispered out, as she did another round of tears came from her eyes, a sob escaping her.
I panicked, trying to remember what Dad or Papa would do for me when I was feeling sad. I thought back to that day two years ago and brought her in for a hug, rubbing her back.
"It's okay, everything's going to be fine." What was I supposed to say? I didn't even know what was wrong. Not to mention she now knows someone trespassed into her house no problem. Not the best comfort for a child.
"No, it's not! Pastorcita, I didn't get a gift! I let my family down!" She started gasping for air, tears stained through my shirt. I held her tighter and she did the same, my shirt in her tiny death grip.
"Why didn't casita give me a gift? Am I not good enough for a miracle?" She lifted her head, and it seemed like it took all of her strength to do, with how much she was shaking and crying still, "Can't you give me a gift? I'll take anything. I just, I just want to make mi familia orgulloso." She sobbed again.
A lump formed in my throat. Empathy flooded my veins. And my grip on her loosened. I know what she's feeling. And I have no idea what to say to her. The words rush out of my mouth, unfiltered by my brain.
"A gift is only there to accentuate what's already there. What's already special. If you didn't get one, it means you don't need one to be special and to have others see how special you are." I broke away from her, standing up. My keyblade summoned itself to my hand and I walked towards the door, smiling back at her as I left her to think, seeing the tears drying in her eyes.
"Thank you, Pastorcita," She whipped her eyes.
"(Y/n)," I corrected her, "I'm (Y/n)."
She smiled, sniffing, "I'm Mirabel."
Mirabel. It means Wonderful. It's also one letter off and a switch from being miracle. Funny. "Mirabel, I just want you to know," I started to tell her, breathing in, "A miracle means nothing without the people behind it," I thought of Master, of Mickey, My fathers, and Denzel. Briefly, an old memory of my mom and Sora flashed into my head. But I haven't seen them in years, so the only thing that flash does is make me feel something I can't describe, not sad or nostalgic, not happy either.
"Just remember that, Wonderful Miracle Mirabel." I waved her goodbye before shutting the door. My chest felt lighter.
A pulse of magic came rushing around the house and I almost fell over. This was Stopza. Time stopped around me for this world, the only conscious beings now would be keyblade wielders and those unaffected by time. Like Heartless.*
"(Y/n)!" I heard Mickey shout. I looked down to the courtyard where a bunch of heartless drones crowded around, looking straight at me. Mickey charged in and started destroying the weak creatures, but three of them jumped right for me.
I panicked, they haven't yet attacked me. The drones at least. I cast Reflectega again, just as Mickey slashed one down. The other two bounced off my shield and Mickey got another on its way down.
I didn't know what to do, why were they here? I checked everywhere and couldn't find the keyhole, and the residents of the town had left. There was no reason for them to specifically target this place.
Another one jumped at me, or past me. It flew over my shoulder and tried to scratch at Mirabel's door. It was a knee-jerk reaction when I grabbed it by the antenna and threw it back down to the ground floor.
I cried out in pain, closing my eyes and breathing in and out as sizzling, burning pain shot through my hand. The darkness of that heartless had burned right through that first layer of skin.
I cast Cura and watched as the skin healed itself, disinfecting. The pain went away too and I sighed in relief.
Then the thought came into my mind, that heartless was trying to get to the door behind me. Was he after Mirabel? Was she a child of light? I sensed a lot of light within her, but creeping darkness surrounded her. Children of light were pure, weren't they?
So, the other option comes to mind. I turned around and tapped the door with my keyblade, a spark erupts. I looked at the door with shock.
"Mickey! I found the keyhole!" I shouted in my shock at finding it so abruptly, knowing only he would hear me in this timeless world.
He looked up to me, "Good! Then seal it, quick!"
"The Stopza hasn't run out yet though! It's closed!" I exclaimed. Looking between Mickey who was still taking care of the heartless on the ground and the door.
One of the drones hopped off of Mickey's keyblade and flew into the air, coming back at me and the door. In my indecision over what to do, along with my ever-growing panic, I yelled out in surprise and moved my keyblade towards it. The heartless bounced off the balcony, as, without knowing it, I had cast Reflectega again.
I stood up though, as I felt a pulse of mana come back out from the center of the courtyard. The stopza had worn out, this was my chance.
I hopped off the side of the balcony, not finding enough room to lock it from the space. I landed in the middle of the air, casting a spell to make me a platform before I held the keyblade up. A heart appeared below me and completed itself as I brought my keyblade up and made a locking motion familiar to my heart.
I gently fell after it was done, and Mickey finished off the remaining heartless left. I smiled. I did it, I closed my first keyhole.
"Mickey, I did it! Did you see that?! I did it!" I exclaimed, jumping around trying to get his attention.
Mickey smiled at me, and I thought he looked happy. But his eyes said otherwise, and as they flickered to the blade in my hand he became quieter. I frowned, that expression again.
I've decided. I want an answer to that expression. I want an explanation.
꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂
"Master, I wanted to ask you something." I stood in front of the old man's desk. Mickey had gone down to the Gummi Ship, master Yen Sid had sent him away when he sensed that I wanted to talk to him alone.
"And what would that be?" He stared into me, a questioning look in his wise eyes.
"It's master Mickey. Is he upset about me training to be a keyblade wielder? I know I'm young but it seems like he's always been supportive." I voice my honest feelings.
Master shook his head, "Mickey has no qualms about your training. His problem lies elsewhere." Master explained to me.
I pouted. "Where?"
Master sighed, a hand reaching up to play with his beard.
"Your keyboard has a longer history than even I know," he told me, "Many wielders before you have taken that hilt, Mickey happens to know the fates of two."
I exhaled in surprise. Summoning my keyblade. The box-like silver handle, the red wrapping on the golden blade connecting it to the hilt, the crown keychain.
I can't imagine anyone else with this blade but me.
"I thought keyblades were unique to their wielders?" If they don't come from a world or the heart of another person.
"Your keyblade is different. It's a twin blade to another, one made of light." I snapped my head up to lock eyes with my master.
"My keyblade is of darkness?!" I exclaimed, almost dropping it.
Master nodded, "Yes, and those who wield it have met terrible ends because of it."
"Which is why Mickey looks so sad when he sees it," I finished master's thought, looking back down at the blade, clutching it harder in my hand.
"Indeed. But you're different, in three years not once has the darkness touched your heart." I smiled, my stupid fear seems to have saved me.
"I believe that this blade has finally found its home. An unshakable heart to wield it and bring balance to the tides of battle." I nodded along with master.
To fight for the light. That's what I have been trained to do. And with this blade, even if it's made of darkness. I will do it.
"Thank you, master."
He smiled, "Anytime, my pupil."
I go to leave and catch up with Mickey, pulling on the door handle before I hear one last thing.
"You did a good job today, (Y/n), May your heart be your guiding key."
I turned around, smiling as I finished the phrase, "And let your soul get you there."