Challenge 258

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

Challenge: 258 - The Past
Title: Of the Past
Word Count: 599
Notes: BBS spoilers.

 

 

 “Tell me who I was.”

Namine dares a glance up; the Superior’s gaze is steady, betraying nothing. She breathes. “I don’t understand.”

For a moment, there is silence. Then, “I want you to read my memories.”

What she finds is not what she expects. His mind is much vaster, much older than he seems to be. Everywhere she turns, there is darkness lurking. She follows the chains back through time and eventually, they lead her to the missing pieces. She traces circles around them, trying to see why they’ve been cut off from the rest. Finally, she takes a step forward.

There is a flash of light, so bright and so sudden amidst such darkness that it blinds her and she staggers backwards, unbalanced. Something cold strikes her shoulder, pushing her away. In that instant, she hears the clank of metal, the sharp sting of a blade and she sees—

--a graveyard. A thousand dead keys abandoned under one sky. The lands echo with stories of the past. Kingdom Hearts. A masked boy. An old man. A girl. Someone else…Roxas?

No.

He watches the memory unfold, his eyes sad, angry, resigned.

Ven.

A whirlwind of colours as lost memories rush forward, screaming for a way out. A body possessed. A heart invaded. The scene blurs as voices crowd her mind.

Well, I’m voting for you.

Travelling without your armour again?

The three of us will always be together.

There’s a reason no one mentions the war anymore.

You shouldn’t put yourself so close to the darkness.

Are you out of your mind!?

I want one of those Keyblades for myself.

 Accept the darkness. Embrace it, Master Ter--

Namine gasps as everything vanishes, pulled away so suddenly that it sucks the breath out of her.  She blinks, trying to clear her head as she stands, squinting into the darkness. “Who are you?”

He doesn’t answer immediately, studying her from his post by the pulsing mass of memories. Finally, “These are mine.”

“Not all of them.”

“No,” he agrees, wearing a small, bitter smile. “But he took what mattered most to me. I’m only returning the favour.”

Namine hesitates. “He wants it back. His past, I mean.”

He responds by holding out his hand. A Keyblade materializes, a miniscule light in the darkness. The bundle of memories behind him trembles and for the briefest instant, Namine sees another Keyblade, a darkness bound by chains of light.

His words are soft, a wistful whisper. “So do I.”

---

Namine watches silently as Xemnas studies it. “Is that it?”

“It was all I could find.”The lie comes easily; she does not have to fight to keep the truth from her face. “I’m sorry.”

Xemnas places the drawing on the table. He is neither disappointed nor angry, merely puzzled. “A sunset? What could it mean?” he says, already rising as he turns the questions over and over in his mind, searching for a solution.

After the door closes, Namine picks it up. She fingers the edges of the sun and it warms her fingers; the evening sky is cool, the crashing waves soothing.

Carefully, she peels off the memory. The paper flutters to her feet as she walks over to the open window, clutching the sunset tightly. Outside, the city lights blink at her, a mute witness.

In one swift movement, she thrusts her arms out into the air and lets go. The memory spreads swiftly, eagerly stretching wide before slowly beginning to fade. She watches.

When Namine closes the windows, all that’s left is the taste of salt on her tongue.

 

 

Comments

[kiaxet]

I'll just be over here, reassembling all the little pieces of my broken heart. ;~;

I've read this through about three times now, and every time I pick up on something different. What really stands out is the sheer emotion you put in the piece - hopeful and heartbreaking and very, very powerful.

Basically, I wibbled and I'm still wibbling and you're awesome.

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

Aw, here. Let me help you with that. :D

Thank you! That's what I was going for, more or less. In my opinion, Terra's part in the story was saddest, poor guy. And I like how BBS kind of leaves us with more questions than answers about the series. It's fun to explore.

Your wibbling is much appreciated. :) Thanks again!

[kiaxet]

/hands over the duct tape ;^;

If that's the case, you succeeded magnificently. And yeah, I completely agree - when Ven's ending is the happiest one, you know everyone's screwed. :/ As much fun as it is to explore, I'd also love to get some canon up in here, if only because Nomura is such a giant troll and he'll hang this over the fandom's collective head forever if he can.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE ENJOYING MY PAIN- I mean, no worries. ♥

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

*pulls out some tape with a foreboding sound* :)

Haha. It's like fans of the game are actually fans of sad endings. Because then we get to have more fun writing them. Or making up alternative ways to make the characters happy (because it doesn't work quite so well if the characters are already happy) Totally agree with you on the canon part though. So long as it isn't bad canon.

:DDD *hearts back* (I don't know how to do that!)

[wishingdreamer5.livejournal.com]

Wow, that was hauntingly good. It shows what Naminé is capable of, and that's a little scary. But that's what made this drabble so great.

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's cool that Namine's abilities are quite dangerous but she's not someone who enjoys using them that way. (Which kind of makes me wonder what it would've been like to have her as a boss fight in the game)

[manyissuesali.livejournal.com]

Umm...I'm going to steal this and make it my own, personal canon, mmkay? So lovely.

When I found out what happened to Terra in BBS, my jaw literally dropped and I started making little wibbly noises. Then I proceeded to curse Nomura because he is such an evil genius.

Also, I love the bit with Namine feeling the memory on paper and then peeling it away. That's just really cool!

I love the details in this one!

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

Haha. Sure, go ahead. Spread the fanon! :D

Yeah, same here. Except I was also wondering why I didn't see it coming sooner. I mean, they do look kind of similar. Terra and younger Xehanort, I mean.

Thanks! I kinda like picturing Namine using her abilities like that, especially on her drawings.

[synchroshatter.livejournal.com]

Even though you're limboing in just under the word count, how did you manage to pack so much into such a short piece?? I had to go back and reread it a couple of times, because I was still finding bits that I'd missed before. I think the way you manage to bring it all together works really well.

I really enjoyed this, even if it did bring back my "D : FOREVER" reaction to Terra's fate!

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Heheh. Actually, it was a whole lot longer at first and believe me, cutting it down to under 600 wasn't easy. But I had a lot of fun writing this, since I got to include both Terra and Namine.

Yes! The ending to Terra' story was just downright cruel. How does he manage to come up with things like that and be satisfied with it?

[iki-teru.livejournal.com]

The things Namine could find in there. Good lord, I imagine that particular head is like a labyrinth.

and this! Oh, this. I don't really think I could say anything that everyone else hasn't said already. Because this is just lovely and heartbreaking and have I mentioned how happy I am you've made your triumphant return to the comm? No? well. I am. There was a happy dance involved.

[06seconds-left.livejournal.com]

And what an amazing labyrinth it would be. Such fun to explore.

Aw, thanks! I'm glad people seem to like it. Wasn't sure if all the exam-induced stress affected the drabble. And it's good to be back, heheh. And good to be writing again. I've missed it so. And that happy dance is very much appreciated. :D