IC: Ye big ol' plot-exposition post!

[hahahailtotheking]

[In this thread: The Kingdom Hearts cast cabin. The situation: Mickey Mouse and Aqua discussing what's been, and what is to come in their craaaazy lives. Of course, if anyone else wants to use this thread to have their characters duly informed, don't hesitate to tag in! The exposition-party is hereby open to all you little heart-kids!]

Comments

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

...

When I was there for real, it'd never exactly been a lively place, you know? But the memory copy of it was... empty. There was nothing there, nobody. Just me, the Heartless, and that voice.

It told me that the world was empty, because-- because my heart was.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

An empty world for an empty heart. That sounds just like the Realm of Darkness...

*feels hopeful that things get better though and continues to listen* What happened next?

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

It turned out the card-world wasn't completely empty... There was someone there I couldn't help but remember.

Her name was Maleficent.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

*and there's another name she had NEVER wanted to hear again...*

You've met Maleficent? She's steeped in darkness, a real villain. I can't imagine that any meeting with her ending well.

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

I know that now. I guess I knew it when I first met her... but she knew how to get under my skin. She knew what to say to get me doubting... I was already just dark enough for her to get a hold on me.

... But the Maleficent in my memory was just that. And I was done listening to her.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

When you fill your heart with darkness... it gives the darkness the chance to take over. Maleficent isn't the only one that would try.

*what with Hades, Master Xehanort, PETE...*

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

[he just. nods slowly]

... I defeated her, but when I left the card-world, someone else was waiting for me. The last person I ever wanted to see.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

*wants so much to challenge you to confront your darkness completely but, for now, will listen*

Who?

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

...

Ansem.

He'd been the one talking to me before. He said he wanted me to give in to the darkness again... to serve him.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

...Master Xehanort.

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

He's real big on that whole body-stealing shtick, apparently.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

*orz*

...it would seem so.

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

I wasn't gonna cooperate with him again, though. Especially not right then. When he couldn't get me to submit to him again, he gave me a couple little "presents". One, a set of those cards. All of them from my memories of worlds I'd been to - I was supposed to keep going through them, and I guess the plan was somewhere along the line, I'd see how outmatched I was and give in to the darkness again.

The other one was...

[his hand goes to his chest, curling over his heart]

Another dose of darkness.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

*DDD:*

Wasn't he just another memory?

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

[shakes his head]

To be honest with you, I'm still not sure what he was. But he was more than a memory.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

How did you manage to stay yourself within all that darkness?

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

... I had a lot of help from Mickey.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

Oh... *...heh*

Yes, I can see where he might be helpful. And Mickey does speak very highly of you too. I think he sees a lot in you.

*and this is a veeery good thing!*

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

[ducks his head quickly, bringing up a hand to scratch his cheek. WAIT WAS THAT A BLUSH]

...If it wasn't for him, and Naminé, I... I don't really know what I would've done. He didn't make it there in person until I was most of the way through, but... he was with me, the whole way.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

It sounds like he really helped you, and let you stop fighting alone.

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

I still needed to - defeat Ansem on my own. It'd been my decision to let him into my heart in the first place... I needed to be the one to defeat him. It was my fight to finish.

... I really had to talk Mickey out of it, though.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

He wanted to help, I take it? *chuckles*

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

... He's a really good friend.

[amasteredoath.livejournal.com]

He is. *nods in agreement*

And the fact that you're still here is encouraging of how your battle went too. But why do you still hold tight to the darkness?

[adawningoath.livejournal.com]

... Gotta back up a bit to explain that.

When I first turned up in the castle, it was right after Sora and Mickey'd sealed the door to the dark realm together - after Sora'd defeated Ansem the first time, and I'd gotten my body back.

Once I was free of Ansem, I figured - that was it, I was done with darkness. It hadn't brought me anything good, and I'd nearly lost everything.

Just... it wasn't that easy to get rid of. I'd thrown everything away to chase shadows... the darkness, and Ansem inside it, filled up my heart. And the Organization, they were trying to manipulate me too.

Mickey... mentioned the Replica they made of me, right?