SMS

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

Hearing Rick being reassigned to safeguard her own world, Mai was a little disappointed at the decision. At the same time however, she was at least reassured that her friends and family would be safe under both his and Shahrukh Mirza's protection.

Some time after departing in the Gummi Ship, Mai spent a lot of time just trying to understand how the vehicle worked. Often asking crew members or Tocsax questions that popped into her head regarding the details and internal workings of their vessel. Some of their answers were helpful, some were not to her. However, the machinery fascinated her more than anything she had learned back in her world.

While she was lounging around for the day, she heard someone call for her that sounded like they were in a hurry. When she tried to find where the voice came from, all she found was a Corridor of Darkness in the middle of the room, with Mac and Cheese having just passed through it.

Being the last to pass through the Corridor, she was confused as to what was happening. The number of Nobodies alarmed her as soon as they came into view. Drawing her Keyblade, she immediately took her fighting stance while trying to assess the situation. "Why are there Nobodies here?" She couldn't tell if the Nobodies were friendlies or not given their current forms aiming in the general direction of the stranger and Seth. "And who's that guy facing Seth?" The girl could feel the hostility between her Nobody companion and the other person.

For the moment, Mai kept her silence and just watched how the other people in the area would act and react to what was happening. She wanted to make sure she didn't end up misunderstanding the situation. For all she knew, this could just be a joke or a training session. At the very least, her priority was to make sure her companions would be safe. Should the stranger or Nobodies try and do something harmful to them, Mai would react accordingly.

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

Will try to post by tomorrow hopefully. Final exams are killing me right now.

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

A good night's rest was enough to reset Mai, so to speak. The following day, Mai was all smiles and greeted everybody she ran into. She spent most of that day talking to her new companions, particularly Mac. His appearance had gotten her attention, and she had fun poking at his face here and there whenever he allowed. Seth earned her wrath when he pulled the whoopee cushion on her when they met in the library that one time though. Her beet red face seemed to have been the talk amongst the staff that were assigned to her that night.

For the rest of the week, Mai found herself in Rick and Cheese's company whenever they weren't discussing history. Cheese mostly because she was another female on the team, which helped ease Mai's worries about being with no one but guys on the mission. Rick, for being the first person to have her back when they were first brought here. She invited him for a drink once, and to her surprise, she couldn't hold her liquor very well. She didn't pass out or hurl her insides, but she certainly was wobbling back and forth a lot.

Right now though, they were brought before their Gummi Ship. Mai found the name intimidating, as well as the weapons that decorated it. A soft, "Woah...", escaped her lips and her eyes seemed to sparkle a little as the dozens of other Gummi Ships were called forth. It was the first time she was seeing flying vehicles, and it was quite the sight for her.

The tension between Mac and Cheese brought her back to the present. "Hey, you two. Let's avoid getting blood shed before we even leave OK?" Although Cheese seemed to have calmed down for the moment, she couldn't help but feel that Cheese still might have wanted to strangle Mac for his comment.

The girl wanted to redirect the conversation towards something else to ease the tension, but Cheese was already on that track. "So uh... do we know who the Princess of Heart is?" She wasn't sure if it was brought up before already, but now would have been a good time to confirm the identity of the Princess of Heart of that world so that it would be easier to locate her.

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

((Collab between SMS and Letter Bee))

While Shahrukh and Seth were resting, Tocsax began walking towards Mai, before saying to the silver-ish haired Japanese girl:

"So, how are you holding up?"

Mai took a moment before responding. "I'm not sure myself." A pause. "Everything still feels so sudden," she says as her left hand grips harder onto the blanket that was covering her. The girl looks up to her new companion and meets with his black eyes.

"What about you? Are you alright with all of this?" Another pause from her. "If we somehow fail, we might end up having to kill you." Her voice shaking a bit as she finished her sentence. "I know that I just met you and all, but something about this just feels... wrong."

Tocsax smiled at that.

"To be honest, I'm afraid of death, to know that I've regrown a Heart and must sacrifice it for the sake of someone whom I haven't met, well...let's just say that if I had not grown to love the Multiverse, I would have just...ran away." The eighteen-year old boy would then stare at Mai's very light green eyes.

"But it's funny, looking at you, I realize; people don't deserve to die just so I can cling on to life a few years longer."

Mai was speechless. "Of course he would be scared. Anyone would be," were resonating in her mind. At the same time however, she unconsciously says, "Is it really worth it?", outloud.

She never liked using a life for the sake of a goal. Even if it is this Multiverse that everyone talks about. Even if the life that's to be used is someone that she doesn't know. She'd rather have herself in that position. She knows that it's hypocritical of her, but that is how she felt.

The girl then stands up from the side of the fountain and onto the garden floor. "I won't let you die, Tocsax." Her eyes and words full of determination. "Somehow. Some way. We'll do this without us needing to get to that point."

Mai then smiles towards the boy. Perhaps the most genuine one she's had in a long while.

Tocsax beamed back, his heart feeling lightened by Mai's words.

"Thank you," he said, "and in exchange, I won't let you die as well." Because I like you, and you're beautiful.

"Very well. Let's get to finding those Princesses of Heart then," the girl starts walking towards her room. Unsure of what to do next, perhaps sleeping in for the day would help reset her negativity from the seriousness of everything that just transpired.

After passing by Tocsax, the atmosphere was interrupted by Mai's stomach suddenly grumbling. She felt the blood rush up to her face in her embarassment. The girl proceeds to try and cover her very red face with the blanket she was holding. "I- Uh... haven't had anything since this morning." With one eye peeking out from under the covers as she turns towards the boy, she continues, "I-is there any food available?"

"You can call for Room Service," spoke Tocsax. "I'll instruct you on how to do so, if you'll permit me."

And with that, he walked to where Mai's room was, ready to teach her how to use the intercom...

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

@Letter Bee I'm up for it. Though I'm at school still, so maybe later tonight?

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

@Letter Bee Oh, my bad. Not sure why I wrote passageway when I meant doorway. Lemme fix that.

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

How long has she been in this room? An hour? A day? She wasn't sure.

After being led here by some staff members, Mai has spent however long she knows just staring at her feet as she sat on the bed with the blanket covering her body, as the unnatural coldness of the room still bothered her.

Her mind wasn't calming down one bit. Perhaps the silence and her isolation from anyone else from being in the room were contributing to it. She didn't know what to do. A part of her still didn't believe anything that had happened a little while back.

"Maybe... this is just a bad dream..."

Mai closes her eyes.

...

And after some time, opens them again.

"Still here..."

Mai lets out a soft sigh before she decided to stand up and take a look around the room she was in. The room was rather spacious, definitely much bigger than what she was used to. Beside her bed, a desk and chair pair were present. The chair's design looked very foreign to her, but it looked sturdy. The desk was big enough to let her lay out several pieces of paper across it, and housed a small lamp by the edge.

The rest of the room looked comfortable enough for her to walk without her sandals on. The softness of the carpets were relaxing, if a little ticklish to the bottoms of her feet. As she walked through the room, she made sure to keep the blanket she was using to cover herself wouldn't fall off. One of her steps however, suddenly sank what felt like half an inch. Mai catches a soft click sound from the wall at the far side from the front door of the room, which was the wall right in front of her.

A small part of the wall pushed back, revealing a hidden doorway that's big enough to fit one person. Curious, Mai walks over to the other side, and a large open garden greets her. The smell of nature and flowers were refreshing to her, as if she spent a long amount of time away from it. Small soft steps until she eventually reached the fountain at the center, where she sat on the stone sides while observing the water as it was cycling through the fountain.

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

He was joking?

"..."

Mai felt her face slightly redden up with her eyes open wide. "O-oh god, did I misread him?" She brought up her hands to her face, in a vain effort to try and hide her expression. "This is so embarrassing!" She even made a big speech and all. Although she genuinely did believe in her own words, she apparently didn't even have to say a word to get Seth to take the situation seriously. All the unneeded attention she suddenly got from her actions were coming back to haunt her. Surely, this'll be an event that she won't forget anytime soon.

Before she manages to faint on the spot, a hand lands onto her shoulder that brought her back to reality. The girl looked to the person it belonged to and was taken aback by what he said. A soft, "Thank you, Sir Fredrick," escaped her mouth before bowing as low as she could towards him. A part of her wanted to cry, but she knew it wasn't the time for it. What she needed to do now was to focus on the task at hand. She had to know whatever details she needed so that when the time calls for it, she wouldn't mess up.

From the corner of her hearing, she heard Seth say that he would require no payment to function, for his involvement in the quest seemed to be personal. "Is he looking for someone?" She kept it to the back of her mind to try and bring it up later on. If they're going to be comrades, she'd like to know what his motives and objectives are at least.

...

Things were easier to swallow this time, but something caught her attention. "Thirty thousand men and women? Do they even know what they're getting themselves into?" If she understood what the emperor meant correctly, said 30,000 people will fight with them should they encounter non-Heartless enemies. "I don't think there is a need to involve innocent lives here." She's seen too many innocent lives fall already, 30,000 is not a number that she can just ignore. "Are we not more than enough already?"

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

Got @Letter Bee's permission to post again. I felt like my previous post didn't give much freedom in terms of interaction with the other characters, so I whipped another one up to maybe help.

Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse Redux [No Longer Full]

There was one other thing that bothered Mai however. "Seth is going to be my bodyguard?" She took a quick look at the boy with the white hair. She couldn't tell his age just from his looks, but he carried experience with his aura and composure. Since they were just thrust into this situation, she didn't expect him to start protecting her like what Tocsax was saying. If anything, she felt that she could handle herself on her own and isn't worthy of being protected by someone else.

His attitude... wasn't something that she liked however. Maybe he wanted to make light of the situation, but his tone bothered her more than anything since it felt like he genuinely thought that they weren't going to succeed. "I don't like this either, Seth." A brief pause. Mai clenches her fists before continuing, "But if we're going to do this, we need to keep our chins up."

She slowly walks up to him and looks at him straight in the eyes. "If you need something to believe in, then believe in me at least." She wasn't so sure of herself yet, but part of her believed that she has to be, and if she has to pretend that she is sure of herself to get others to act, then so be it. "I will see this through until the end. Should my body be no longer able to move, then I will find some other way to get it done. You have my word on that. But for now, I need you."

Despite her words, her fists were shaking. She was scared. Scared of it all. Everything still felt so bizarre and unbelievable to her, but if this could somehow stop all the fighting, she was willing to take that risk. She has seen enough pain and loss throughout her years of fighting as a New Shinsengumi member that it surprised her that she could still feel fear and worry.

The girl was hoping that the person who was brought with them would have gotten the message as well. His name was... Fredrick? Tocsax mentioned another name earlier on alongside Seth's, and it seemed logical that the name Fredrick belonged to the other man in the room who was holding onto a bottle of wine.