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Ava was the easiest to track down.
On the day of New Year Eve she was in one of Daybreak Town’s many empty barracks, spaces available for anyone to use. The building had housed everything from markets to birthday parties, and for the last few weeks it was there that she’d been holding courses in what she knew best: illusion magic. These were open for any and all keyblade wielders, and this was not empty words; she extended the offer of training to every union.
It had led to displeased mutterings among the Vulpes. How was it fair that their leader educated everyone regardless of alignment when the other foretellers focused exclusively on supporting their own? Whenever Ava sensed this discontent in the air around her, she couldn’t help but guiltily feel that it was justified. There were many members in Vulpes, and because she dedicated both heart and mind to the task of gathering Dandelions she was not able to commit as much time to them as they deserved. If the Vulpes felt neglected it was because they were.
Regrets could not be allowed to distract her from fulfilling her role however. Teaching people magic was a good cover. Like this she was free to observe keyblade wielders from all unions without it seeming suspicious, and the very first illusions that the participants shaped gave her a picture of the quality of the heart behind the images.
A wielder with a bandana growled in frustration when her epic illusion of a knight fighting a dragon refused to solidify in the corners. Ava had already told her to start off small, but the girl couldn’t quite bring herself to give up her grand vision. A boy dressed in a clownish garb had spent most of the lesson conjuring forth gold, jewels and other sparkling things that he obviously liked to gaze at. Perhaps too much.
Right now the most promising candidate looked to be a boy in black, eyes obscured by a fedora pulled far down over his face. He had chosen a secluded corner to practice in and let his creation float freely around his fingers, a series of glowing orbs, perfectly spherical and shifting colors. Instead of making them as large as possible he seemed more interested in the patterns they could form and how swiftly these could shift from snowflakes to spirals, from flower to animals. The longer he kept on it the more seamless the transitions became. Lips contorted in a frown of intense concentration he gestured and the lights swirled upward, dancing around each other in renewed frenzy. His focus was so intense that it didn’t occur to him that the performance garnered outside attention and from more than the union leader. A freckled girl that Ava knew belonged to the Ursus union cautiously approached until he noticed. While the two of them struck up conversation he was keeping the illusion alive without looking. An impressive feat. Ava would have been the next to approach him, but then Aced barged into the room, straight through the dragon. The bandana girl cried out and her illusion evaporated.
«Ava», Aced called out.
All the rest of the illusions also disappeared now, as every person in the room whirled around toward the bellowing giant of a man.
The Ursus member slid partly behind the boy with the fedora, likely expecting one of her leader’s famous outbursts which nobody ever wanted to get in the crosshairs of. Ava tensed up, wondering if she had managed to piss him off somehow. Had she pranked him recently and somehow forgotten about it, or had someone else messed around in his armory and he just assumed…
«…Six o’clock tonight. At the hill. Be there.»
Aced growled the words with such menace that it sounded like he threatened to murder her, then turned and stomped off as loudly as he had arrived.
Getting to Invi was trickier.
She had joined a squad of Anguis on a hunt for a lizard heartless that terrorized the remote villages of Agrabha. It had been an arduous task tracking it down, but finally they stood before it. Summoning her keyblade she was ready to take the lead in bringing it down, but before she had mouthed a single spell there was a sound like a thunderclap and black hole opened up beneath the heartless feet. The Anguis members gaped in shock at the sight of their target being swallowed whole by the black void. Invi, who recognized the spell, was able to retain her composure, though it would be a lie to say that she wasn’t surprised. Aced jogged into view with beads of sweat falling down his chin.
«What are you doing here,» she demanded as soon as they were close enough to speak.
The explanation she received was a detailed description of how he had searched through the whole of Daybreak Town until he found someone who knew that she had gone to Agrabah. Once there he had been forced to bribe a merchant with a golden goblet he dug out of a cave shaped like a tiger…
«…Wait, are you talking about the…»
...Just so the man would point him in the right direction, then he ran here, tracking their footprints…
«…You ran? There are forty leagues of scorching desert between us and the city…»
Aced recoiled. At this point they were both used to her chewing him out because he’d done something that she considered idiotic and dangerous to either himself or the things around him. Eager to escape this terrible fate he sped up his words.
«Anyway, in a few hours there will be a thing happening in town and I want you to be at the hill. The master’s favorite.»
With that he summoned a portal back to Daybreak Town and jumped into it. Invi was left staring in bewilderment at the spot where he had been, the other Anguis members seeming even more at a loss of what had just transpired.
Gula had to be needlessly uncooperative about it.
«You are only making a fuss about this holiday event because the Ursus union is organizing it,» he said with his arms crossed in the “I’m not in the mood” position, and turned to the nearest window with the ”I rather gaze out into the gray sky than keep humoring this discussion” expression.
Aced huffed.
«Aren’t we supposed to be allies? Observing and acknowledging my union’s hard work is simply good sportsmanship.»
«Says the most brutishly competitive lux collector we have. If it was me standing there telling you to acknowledge a rival union’s hard work you would just be snorting at me.»
«I would not.»
«Definitely would.»
«Look,» Aced pulled frustrated nails down the unmasked portion of his chin. «I’m not planning to make this a public showing. I have no intention of using your presence as gloating on behalf of Ursus, if that’s what you believe. It would just be a private thing between the Foretellers. On Master’s hill.»
Gula gave him a puzzled glance.
«What’s in it for you then?»
His mouth contorted in distaste. To Gula, admitting confusion was tantamount to chewing bitter bark, and in the social interactions that had him end up confused Aced was an egregious common denominator. The man did not make comprehension easier by responding with a lot of ums and ahhs and continuing to scratch his chin until angry blush marks blossomed across it.
«I want you to see their work. That’s all.»
That couldn’t be all if the flustered bumbling was any indication, Gula thought. Then again, Aced sometimes had trouble phrasing simple things, and he was obnoxiously proud of Ursus. Gula might have continued trying to shoo him off, but got an idea. Had he not been wearing a mask Aced would have seen his eyes sparkle with opportunistic glee.
«Alright, hear me out. I’ve been running some synthesizing experiments recently, and there’s actually some materials in inaccessible places that I wouldn’t mind having some assistance getting…»
«…Deal,» Aced boomed.
«You say that before I had a chance to tell you exactly what I’m asking for,» Gula cooked his head.
«Whatever it is, no matter how many pieces, I’ll get it.»
«I’ll start drafting a list then.»
If Gula would have been the type to purr in satisfaction he would have done so at that moment, but leopards simply weren't that kind of cat.
«Remember that you have to show up there in time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to track down Ira before…»
«…Aced.»
Gula’s call turned Aced around as he was just about to hurry out of the chamber.
«What,» he asked, shifting impatiently.
Gula held up two fingers.
«Food and blankets. It’s going to be cold, all of us are going to miss dinner, and I know that you haven’t had the forethought to take into consideration any of that.»
«What do you take me for,» Aced sneered, looking a bit too self conscious.
«Just make sure that you have those things prepared,» Gula said then turned to his new task of writing down all the materials he would have Aced gather in the upcoming month.
Ira would almost always sit in the tower with his book of prophecies, reading or just resting his hands on the pages. Even when he hadn’t any immediate question to seek an answer for he liked to have it within reach.
Aced announced himself by knocking three times, but Ira was absorbed in reading and didn’t really register the noise until the door crashed open with a massive force. He shot up from his seat, because much like how it would have been if the visitor was a real bear he instinctively wanted to make himself as tall as possible in a vain attempt to intimidate. Aced’s yellow glass eyes caught onto his red ones, and he expected the man to encroach on his personal space and vent some grievousness that he felt was their appointed leader’s responsibility to handle. Against his expectations and in stark contrast to the bombastic entrance, Aced’s behavior turned subdued, fretting even. Ira looked on in fascination as the man who would boldly stare down the deadliest darkness averted his gaze. The tension in the air puttered out steadily until Ira finally asked outright:
«Are you wondering about something?»
That loosened Aced’s tongue somewhat and he began explaining why he had shown up. Ira listened with growing disbelief, wondering if the synapses in his brain were perhaps misfiring.
«A lightshow?›
Aced nodded.
«My union has worked hard on it. They wanted to do it as a way to highlight the way Daybreak Town has been decorated for the New Years festivities. You remember that it was Ursus’ responsibility this time, right?»
Ira nodded, still fighting disbelief. Not because the concept of a lightshow was preposterous, but because it was Aced who wanted to invite him to one. Ever since he aired suspicions of a traitor in their midst their relationship had deteriorated, and it had always been a tumultuous one.
«You want all other union leaders to watch it,» he felt he needed to clarify.
Aced set his jaw in the manner that meant he had also set his unbudging opinion.
«They deserve that, and I kind of told them you would.»
He averted his gaze again.
«You…»
«…I would also ask you to recommend your Unicornis members that they watch it, but you won’t have the time.»
«I won’t? How soon is this happening?»
«About half an hour.»
Ira sighed and pulled a hand through his hair.
«I have a lot of work on my plate,» he started.
Aced gritted his teeth and seemed to be at battle with himself for a second.
«Please.»
«I didn't expect him to have the foresight to provide food and blankets,» Invi said as she strolled up to the crest of the hill, Ira in tow.
«You can thank me for that,» Gula replied from where he had settled on a red and white checkered blanket draped across the grass.
He was leaning his arm on a pile of additional fabrics, in all manner of different materials and colors, and had been conversing with Ava who dropped a bunch of wisened flower stalks that she had absentmindedly plucked off the ground and waved happily to the other two. Even in winter the hill was covered in emerald grass, though the dandelions that the Master had always loved to pluck and blow out over the cliffside were withered.
«The bear’s powers of persuasion are truly without compare,» Gula nodded towards Ira, who promptly didn’t respond.
«He isn’t here himself,» he instead asked, scanning the surrounding shrubbery as if they somehow hid Aced behind them.
«He is supposed to assist his members during the show,» Gula said. «You just missed him dumping these blankets and a food basket on us before jumping through a portal.»
«So he never planned to attend himself,» though Ira was gentle in all of his manners, there was a touch of exasperation in the way he shook his head.
«To be honest I’m still in a state of disbelief,» Invi sighed while slumping down beside Ava. «All of the trouble he went through just to make the four of us come here – now, why do you look like this situation is filling you with suns and rainbows?»
This directed toward Ava who was hiding a large smile behind the sleeves of her robe. Their youngest blushed.
«Can’t help it, I don’t remember the last time we gathered together for something other than a meeting. Well …»
She fiddled with her thumbs. After a while Ira coughed.
«That’s true. It has been years,» he said and shuffled awkwardly in place.
Ava clapped her hands together.
«Let’s make the most out of it.»
Invi nodded, then turned to Ira and patted the spot beside her. Immediately self conscious about the way he was still standing stiffly while all of the others had sat down, he slowly bent down, gingerly as if the act of sitting on the ground was something he had forgotten how to do. Meanwhile Ava pushed the basket into the center of the blanket and rested her hand on the lid.
«Before we proceed, I’ll have you guess what kind of food he brought.»
Invi and Ira gave each other puzzled glances, though Gula was immediately game, tapping a finger against his chin in consideration.
«He wouldn’t have had much time to prepare. You know what he said when he came to fetch me? “Things would have been far less stressful if lady snake hadn’t decided to travel to the other end of a desert when…”»
«…Perhaps the bear man should have realized that informing four busy people of an event less than a day in advance would be…»
Invi inhaled through her nose and cut off the scolding of the not-even-present person.
«That’s why I’m going to guess sandwiches,» Gula finished. «All of them with ham.»
«But he wouldn’t want to get the vegetable lovers complaining to him the day after,» Invi shoot in, closing her eyes and conjuring the image of Aced, stressed, throwing together their meal. «So he would grab all the random greenery he could find in the refrigerator and shove it in.»
«Hearts preserve us,» Ira mumbled.
Ava snickered and Gula smiled.
«There’s probably so much salad that it is falling out,» he added.
Invi huffed.
«He has never figured out what goes well with what either, so it will likely be an experimental experience.»
«Maybe there was still some apple pie left that he could have put in for dessert,» Ira suggested in the same tone that he would have said “there is still hope”.
«Let’s see how well you all did,» Ava said, patted a drumroll on the lid, put her hand down…
«That’s a baguette,» Gula called out when she brought her hand out. «That is ham sticking out of it.»
«In between a thick layer of spinach,» Invi added, «lettuce and … is that red cabbage?»
Her sigh was somewhere between weary and fond.
«I didn’t even know we had that. What will you bet it’s months old and has been laying forgotten in the very back of the refrigerator until he…»
«…It doesn't necessarily have to be quite as bad as you fear,» Ira gently interjected. «It looks edible.»
«Check and check on Gula and Invi’s guesses,» Ava said while fumbling to put the baguette down in her lap without the contents spilling out. As soon as that was done, with a somewhat messy result, she located a napkin and wiped off white sauce that had stained her fingers, then she turned towards Ira. «As for you,» she said and produced a foil wrapped cake-ish thing in the soggy process of defrosting. «You were almost right, but I think this is cranberry.»
Ira tried and failed to resist chuckling.
Invi peeked down into the basket and made a sound of relief.
«He didn’t forget to pack plates, thank the light.»
«Only spoons to eat with though,» Ava pointed out.
Invi shrugged.
«Sandwiches, I shan’t be too fussy.»
«Is it alright with everyone if I check each one before choosing which to eat,» Gula asked while taking a plate from Invi who had begun handing them out. «I’ve seen Aced put blueberry jam on salmon and would rather not risk my palette picking at random.»
«It’s alright with me,» Ava replied. «I’ve always enjoyed new tastes.»
«Oh I know, you tasted that salmon.»
Ava was still chortling at that by the time she'd put all of the baguettes on display on top of the basket. They settled on her and Ira getting the sandwiches with the most dubious substances, while Invi and Gula got to pick between the two with marginally identifiable contents. They all bit into their food at the same time, and just perhaps extra attention was paid to Ava and Ira’s reactions.
«I think it’s some kind of nutty mustard,» Ava swallowed a large bite, making delighted sounds.
In comparison Ira took on the stoic expression that he sported whenever he fiercely wanted to conceal his thoughts, chewing slowly, but after some internal deliberation one could see him make a mental shrug, then he took another bite.
The game around the food and the eating itself took up enough time for dusk to settle with its accompanying chill. The mist that was common in Daybreak Town all year swept in and clung damp to their garments. Grateful for the blankets they cleared away the food, wrapped themselves and settled close. Invi and Ira took one each, Invi moving close to him and draping hers over their legs while Ira hung his over their shoulders. Ava and Gula wrapped the largest one around themselves to share, just in time for the tower to sound six o’clock
Ava was the first one to go “oh”, pointing down toward the streets. Lights rose like bubbles, as brilliant as lux. At the same time lamps lit up the darkened town, each windowpane, roof and chimney adorned in bulbs that shifted between green and red. Soon their town was a shining beacon in a darkened plain.
«I can see why he wanted us to see it from up here,» Invi murmured.
«Agreed, it really is a spectacular view,» Ira whispered back.
The orbs began moving with a purpose, creating patterns. Spruces and snowflakes twinkled and gleamed. Ava gasped.
«What is it,» Gula asked.
«I think I just realized the brains behind this light show,» she replied, playfully vague and fully aware that it would drive him nuts.
He pushed at her until she promised to tell him later, then they went silent and resumed watching the streets flood with light and color. Magically conjured snow rushed through the roads in the shapes of horses and sleighs, figures danced on the square beneath a shower of sparklers. Invi leaned forward, a gaping mouth peeking out from over her scarf.
«You know, she said. I had thought for a long time that it would be fun to do something like this again, like when we were younger. A few times I wanted to suggest it, but at least one of us would always be busy. After a while it started feeling fruitless to try. It felt impossible.»
Impossible because whenever she met one of the others the fear that they could have fallen to darkness pushed into her mind like a nail. Now when she had Ira beside her, could listen to his steady and calm breaths, saw Gula and Ava curled up, totally at ease in each other’s presence, and was watching the light show that hopeless and lovable Aced had run through a dessert to make her attend, the possibility of a traitor felt so absurd that it made her want to cry.
Ira sighed.
«I’m afraid I might be the one most responsible for making it so. For a long time now I’ve put work before everything else.»
Invi squeezed his arm, sensing his incoming bout of self deprecation.
«We are all partly responsible. I’d given up on the possibility of us spending quality time together, then Aced comes along and pulls it off just like that. Honestly, I’m jealous.» She gave off a shocked laugh. «Aced is making me jealous, who could believe it?»
«He should have been here as well,» Ava said. «It doesn’t feel complete without him. Or Luxu, or …»
Her gaze stopped being spellbound and fell to the wilted dandelions on the ground. Gula squeezed her shoulder, murmuring something in a low voice.
«We have to be grateful for what we do have,» Ira said. «And we should … at least plan for another activity together that he can participate in.»
«You know the ironic thing about that,» Gula said. «If you ever try to strong arm him into something like this he would probably decide that he isn’t interested, and you would never be able to convince him otherwise.»
«Indeed,» Invi said. «Our bear is as hopeless as the rest of us.»
«We should tell him to go into hibernation and relax once in a while,» Ava quipped, back in her usual chipper mood.
A particularly grand flash from the show pulled their attention back in. Invi leaned further into Ira who wrapped his arm around her to make sure she wouldn’t freeze. Ava and Gula were also pulling their blanket tighter around them. All of them avidly watched as the orbs floated higher, covering the sky.