Tora Lyoji's Story

It was as if he was dreaming. Inside his dream, he saw a boy, much like himself. When he walked to himthe boy was smiling. Smiling the most demented one he'd ever seen. It scared him to say the least. The face became bigger and bigger until it ate him whole. Everything was dark. Everything......
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While looking up at the crescent moon that overlapped Traverse town, Tora let out a huge sigh. He turned to his friend wondering why they always lived so calm. Maybe it was because they didn't see the need to do anything. Being the wielders of the keyblade and not doing anything felt like a waste, but what could he say, it wasn't as if he wanted to pick a side. "What are we supposed to do today?" He asked Ryuukasu. "I mean, looking at the sky is fun and all but I'm starting to get really bored. We should do something."

Jericho walked out of an alleyway that had no other outlet, arriving in where he assumed was this Traverse Town he had heard of. Survivors of the heartless gathered here, bits of worlds adding on to allow their survivors some respite in the face of such loss. It could be considered an inspiring tale, really, if such losses did not unbalance the power between the Light and Dark, or have the potential to do so in a clear manner. He walked, his attire standing out rather starkly, which he realized but did not hardly care about, walking the streets, looking for residents to interrogate, to put it bluntly. He had purpose here, especially if his goal was still residing in the town, and spotted two boys on a bench. Lazy, undriven as they looked, they had to have some knowledge of whom he sought.

Approaching the two, he paused several feet in front of them, arms clasped behind his back, and addressed the two, his voice calm, terse, and his statement to the point, not wanting to waste time with the two more than necessary. "Hail, do either of you know whether Merlin resides here still or not? Or at least, if he does not, where his former quarters reside?" His face was unreadable under his hood, the eternal night more than hiding him within the shadows of the hood that was normally cast, and he analyzed the two, waiting for their response. He had work to do, and standing around ill suited accomplishing those goals at this time.

Ryuu had been enjoying his day completely, lazing about doing absolutely nothing. What more could you possibly want? Well his question had been answered slightly in the form of his younger friend next to him. "If you want something to do, go talk to the moogles maybe they've a deliver you could do, I'm perfectly content wasting the day right here relaxing" He said calmly, closing his eyes once more. Though again his peace was disturbed, but this time in the form of a stranger. He reopened an eye to look at the man, oddly clothed and hood up, the type of person you wouldn't keenly trust right away. He sat up a bit leaning forward into a slouch as he yawned off his laziness. "Merlin huh? I do believe he's still living here, but before I delve out his actual living quarters.." He paused standing up and stretching. "I'd ask why, you need to know?"

Ryuu was in no way going to give out where Merlin was living to someone he didn't know, and frankly didn't look like he could trust. "I'd like to help, but you look like someone I can't trust, I mean no offense you could be the nicest person in the world; but lets start with a natural assumption, you've got your hood up." He raised a single finger for that. "You obviously have an agenda with how you didn't waste time asking who we were, for all you know we could be the town's residential thugs!" He rose a second finger. "Third you said hail, I mean who says hail anymore? Tor, do you say hail, cause I pretty much just stick with Hi or hello personally." He said with a shrug as he raised a third and final finger. "Anyways, totally got off topic, What do you want with Merlin, and or his home?"

Akihiro woke up in a cold sweat. His eyes were wide open, his head pounding, and heart racing. He looked around and already knew he had been late, just like in his dream. He quickly got dressed and rushed out of his room passing threw the spiral staircase all the way down to the last floor. He passed pictures of various order members, some dead and some still alive. He kept running and panted until he reached the picture of the current leader. He made pivot and headed down the corridor towards her office and flung the door open, tripping on the hinges. "Oof." He grunted on the impact from the sharp pain that filled the crown of his skull. Slowly he got up rubbing the top of his head. He noticed the girl standing next to him and said, "Oh. Good morning Kianne."

Not soon after did the master clear her throat, stealing his attention from the girl. Quickly he bowed to her. "Good morning to you too, Master Orion. I'm sorry I'm late."
The woman's eyes pierced through him with her gaze as she said, "Well. You could have came later, I suppose." and gestured him to stand up straight. "Now then. As I was about to tell Kianne, I summoned you both for an important task. As you both know, the balance in the universe thus far have been equally divided into light and darkness. Just recently however I have felt a disturbance in this balance. I don't quite know what is causing it, but it seems the light is starting to be overrun by the darkness."

---

Tora's face frowned at his friends suggestion. He didn't necessarily like working for the moogels. You know, all work, no play, and definitely not enough pay. "I'd rather just stargaze." He said looking back up at the sky.
I'd rather actually see the stars up close.
He thought, remembering something one of the store owners told him once about stars. Each star out there is a planet. At least, that's what he was told. He would've wanted to see for himself whether that was true or not. Then again, getting off the planet and traveling made for a heavy workload. He let out a sigh thinking of how much his friend was rubbing off on him.

It wasn't long before something to do did come up as a strange man asked where old man Merlin was. He watched as Ryuu gave a plethora of reasons why they shouldn't trust the guy. One reason of course, being the main thing that confused Tora about him. "Hail? I've never heard someone greet someone like that before." Tora shrugged at the question. He waited for the man to answer Ryuu main question before he could decided for himself whether the guy was friendly or not.

Jericho looked between the two, their attire hardly notable when it came to knowing people of power such as Merlin, but looks were often times deceiving. The questions were sound, if a waste of his time, but these two were at least intelligent enough to remain silent as to not undermine each other in their interrogation, which he smirked at, an unseen gesture, in which he was glad. They need not know he was entertained, rather than stunned or annoyed at their refusal to aid him in his task. He remained in place, deciding to respond to his three reasons first rather than bother answering the second question first, which would be a rather backwards way to answer the question, so he resigned himself to playing a game of twenty questions with the two lads, starting with the three statements.

"One, hoods are useful for travelers who need not have their identity spread openly, as in this day and age, such things bring about trouble. You need only ask, as I hardly have anything to hide. An old habit, of course." He shrugged, moving on, letting his hood fall as if it was mere accident it would do so at this point, which it hardly was. "Secondly, you two hardly look like thugs of the town, and even if you were, you could hardly cause me harm, even if I did intend such for other people. And as for your names, it is rude to ask of one before giving ones own name first. Thirdly, hail is an old phrase, common in my homeland, one that I will not release its use of lightly. It functions as a hello, so I need not worry about its antiquity." Their last question, of why he wished to see Merlin, was one that he could speak days of, and not fully answer, but none present had the time for that, so he made it brief, clearly.

"I assume you are familiar with Orders of Light and Shadow, who would seal or throw wide the gates of Kingdom Hearts? They cannot function without each other, one casting the darkness in which the other so readily uses. The brighter and stronger the light becomes, the stronger the shadow, and if light fades, so does shadow, replaced by utter blackness. Of course, this is an eternal conflict at this rate, one I seek to strike a balance to, which requires the knowledge and archives of Master Merlin. A Twilight cannot be reached without knowledge." He looked at the two, watching them closely and gauging their reactions, waiting to see if they were liars or speakers of truth, arms linked behind his back still.

Ryuu listened to all the ex-hooded man had to say. Though the reason for needing to reach Merlin's home just made him shake his head. "Twilight, you want to achieve a balance between light and darkness.." Ryuu looked to Tora who was ready to shake the man's hand, which made him sigh. "Tora, put your hand down" he said rubbing at the back of his head. "Well regardless, you want to learn from Merlin's books a way to achieve twilight, even if both parties disagree on it." which was a safe assumption. Ryuu knew of the darkness, and there was no way it'd come to a compromise with the light just because someone waved a book around. "Alright though your desire is obviously one that is going to go no where, I suppose I can let Tora show you the way, I'm personally gonna stay right here. I mean I still don't really trust you, but if Tora wants to possibly get beaten by some stranger then go for it. I on the other hand, I'd rather just relax here, going to Merlin's place with all it's musty old tomes; it's too much work for me." He said moving back to the bench and reclining on it.

Ryuu didn't much care what Tora did, if he took him to Merlin, he was quite sure Merlin could handle the stranger if it really came down to it, but personally he just wanted to laze about why help a stranger when you could sleep the day away? He was sure Tora would complain if he stayed, but he figured this new stranger wouldn't care. Ryuu still thought something was off with this guy, if just his desire to reach a compromised balance between light and dark, there was something else, but he didn't have the energy nor the desire to waste what energy he did have on figuring it out. "I suppose wake me if you survive and make it back Tora I'll still be here"

Jericho noted the rather heavy amount of distrust and skepticism from the lazy boy, nay saying his 'desire' before it could really reach any sort of fruition, and decided to mildly dislike the fellow. The Tora boy on the other hand was more agreeable, to say the least, and was being civil in both manners and action. Before he could put his hand down, he grasped it firmly and shook, but not attempting to crush it or anything, inclining his head formally. "Jericho, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Sir Tora." He often used such mindless honorifics because they often flattered, and could not be taken offense to on most days, so they were safe to use, and it was not a waste of his time at all to do so, hence his use of them. Both of them brought up him not being able to convince the Orders to stand down, and he laughed easily, retaking his position of his arms linked behind his back, calmly replying. "I'm afraid neither need to agree with me to see this done, although it would be mildly helpful, and most surprising if they did."

Jericho addressed the one that didn't trust him still, an understandable standing, a calm expression on his face. "Sir Tora needs not fear from me, he has not intended me any ill will or clear harm. As long as I would travel with him, even if it as brief as to Merlin himself, I would not willingly allow harm to befall him. Of this, you have my solemn word." He spoke truth, as he would indeed defend the lad should it be necessary, as he had something he needed and he would be traveling with the boy to see Merlin. These two were curious, and he had a minor feeling they would not part ways here, never to see each other again. Even if their travel differed, he would simply cross paths with them again. He turned to Tora again, inclining his head. "Whenever you are ready, Sir Tora."

Tora ignored half of what his friend said. He was the type of guy to give respect and kindness to people until proof was presented that they weren't deserving of it. Still, this guy must have been from one of those old language types of worlds with knights and dragons because he put sir in front of his name. The more the man talked, the more Tora couldn't make out what was being said. He just gave a slight nod here and there. "Alright Jericho, lets get a move on then. Don't know when Merlin's going to decide to switch houses again. See yah Ryuu."

He continued on to lead the man towards Merlin's place. "Oh and by the way. You can just call me Tora. Either that or Tor. After all, we're buds now, aren't we?" He chuckled. He gave a brief explanation of where they were walking seeing as the man looked new to the area, letting him know of the different shops and stores as well as the people who ran them. The tour ran all the way to the third district, through an alleyway, and into a red door with the symbol of fire on it. Tora whipped out his keyblade. "Fire." He muttered and the door opened. He turned to Jericho. "Alrighty. Now all we have to do is go through this door and his house will be over the moving stepping stones. Watch your step though because the like to move."

Once inside the door, Tora hopped over the stones and knocked on the wizards door. "Hey." Bang Bang Bang. "Merlin!!! You in there?"
The door opened slowly but there was no one to be seen inside. Tora turned to face Jericho. "Well he may just be hiding so lets go in."

---

Akihiro couldn't help but to smile at Kianne's words. It gave him hope in the fact that this wasn't a goodbye. It was just a mission.

"You're right dear." Master Orion said, "This isn't a goodbye." She looked at Akihiro. "Come here boy." He slowly walked to her and knelt down so she didn't have to get up. "I gave you your name for a reason. You never stood up to most of my expectations because of your laziness, but you always surprised me by your actions. I expect the both of you to do the same thing here." At that moment the boy leaped and forced a hug on her mostly to hide his own tears. "I'll do whatever it takes master." He said, his voice a little cracked.

Master Orion gently pushed him off. "Do not cry. You're a man. Act like it." She said as she whipped away his tears. "Now. The both of you remember. Whatever happens from here on out there is not such thing as failure. Only bumps in the road. I believe in you just as you believe in me. You two are the pillars of light now."

With her speech, Akihiro got up and nodded his head. "Are you ready?" He asked Kianne, more confidence showing in his voice.

Jericho nodded, bowing slightly towards Ryuu, a smirk appearing briefly on his face. "Fare thee well then, prince of the bench." He turned, robes billowing behind him as he strode calmly after Tora. The lad was much more pleasant in company than the other one was, which was a relief since, rather than head straight for the realm of Merlin, they went on an entire tour of this town. Not what he requested, but he did not say a word of negativety to avoid ruining his chance of reaching Merlin and his resources. He had to hope the old man would want to cooperate, but he was prepared for the worst, should the man not decide his cause was worth aiding. It was a grim thought, certainly, but he did not wish for conflict, as it would be a gross waste of time and energy having to square off against the wizard, and Tora himself as he no doubt would be inclined to side with Merlin instead of himself. When told to use either Tora, or Tor, he shrugged. So be it, then. "As you wish, Tora, I will refrain from using Sir."

The boy producing a keyblade was quite the unexpected event, and Jericho made quiet note of the design and way he held the blade as he opened it. Interesting, that the doorway to Merlin required a keyblade to access then, and that this young man knew the pass phrase to find entrance into the realm. Of course it was not some tower alone, a series of floating, broken apart, platforms stood before him, and Tora adeptly went across them, and Jericho found himself following right behind him. When he knocked and opened the door, Jericho could not help but assume that was not a good sign, hand clenching briefly before relaxing. "What reason would Master Merlin hold for hiding within his own abode? Either he is not home, or there is something amiss. Regardless, we shall cross the threshold then." Jericho calmly walked in, arms linked behind his back, his voice raised and carrying clearly into the home of Merlin, using the same phrases as before. "Master Merlin, I seek audience with thee!"

Tora looked at Jericho in amusement. "Oh, you don't know? This is Merlins second home of use. The other place being a world he calls Hollow Bastion or whatever. I'm pretty sure he teleports from one area to the next at will so he should be here if you call for him." He turned and walked around searching for a book to read on fire magic. He loved those types of books. It was the first spell the wizard ever taught him after all. Seeing as you have to use it in order to gain access to his living area here. Was Traverse town really that bad of a place? Nah.

"Master Merlin, I seek audience with thee!" Jericho called.
Just like Tora said, with a huge puff of smoke and a little cough, Merlin basically popped out of nowhere. "Cough, Cough. Yes. What is it?" He said fixing his glasses.

---

With the bright flash of light, it almost felt as if he was being spun around and flattened as well as stretched. Akihiro had never felt any sort of thing like this before, but he knew one thing. He didn't like. It happened in a flash. In one moment they were in Master Orions office, the next they were in a realm of rainbowish shinning colors, and finally, they were in the middle of what seemed to be a harbor of some a mountain or something. "Kianne..... I'm gonna..." He then ran into the cliff area where he almost became reintroduced to his last meal. That was, until he saw some kid riding on what looked like a hover board. "Uh.... Do you have any idea where we are?"
(ooc: I'm going to go re-watch treasure planet in order to make the planet more fun for you guys. Aren't I nice XD?)