points of divergence from canon:
• aqua and terra are both 20
• they all age during the 12 year span of time that leads to kh3, making ventus and vanitas 28, and aqua and terra 32, when they all finally meet again.
• we have no idea what we wanna do with the “vanitas is in kh3” thing in terms of making it make sense but he’s there and he’s not just a replica of his old self, maybe something about him persisted through ventus’ dreams during his 12 year nap
• ventus ages while he sleeps and he has several vivid dreams in which he grows as a boy into a man and goes on dream adventures. vanitas is there and grows with him.
• vanitas is much more chilled out as an adult, but his new maturity and quietness only makes him a more threatening villain
• less “feels” more genuine character bonding and development
• xehanort’s motives are consistent, actually mean something and make sense even if his actions are still “hm traumatize children for my goals i must”
• eraqus and xehanort are bitter exes who can’t quite quit each other (well - mostly eraqus can’t quit xehanort)
• vanitas doesn’t just die because “He’S tHe DaRkNeSs.” shut up vanitas you’re a traumatized edgy teenager let’s get you a therapist
• disneytown is basically celebration, FL - which is to say a seemingly really nice fun utopia but it is actually a horrifying crapsaccharine dystopia
• there is no olympus (hercules) world in this AU, but we’ve added the kingdom of the sun (the emperors new groove) and the windy city (the incredibles)!
• terra and aqua have home worlds that aren’t the land of departure - hawaii (lilo and stitch) (yes really) and enchanted dominion (sleeping beauty) respectively
• the AU is named for the fact that in this AU we replace the seemingly too-modern-for-10-years-ago keyblade gliders with delightfully clunky, primitive gummiships.
