Chapter Text
Pre-Prologue
(Tori)
Tori called everyone together. They all knew, more or less, that Akio was not in these worlds—perhaps in the Realm of Darkness? Perhaps on the other side, beyond their reach? But certainly not…
No. Tori knew the truth. He had been right. Akio had told her the truth—or rather, some miss-matched version of it. Said he was going to find a door the the past because it was destined. Fought Haru and left. After that, never to be seen again.
Master Yen Sid told her that it had been but a ruse, and that he had been in on it—that Akio had been fading away, that the old Master had known all along, before Akio even did, that he was the Master of Masters. It was true. No one but Haru believed her when she shared, and everyone was too furious with Yen Sid to speak to him. And besides, he left the tower to her, and faded away himself...gone, too, before any more questions could be asked.
Well. Tori knew the truth now. More to it than that, even. Because...in grief, in despair, came the reminders of memories she herself had erased...and she felt like they deserved this truth, whether any of them believed it or not. She hoped, at least, Haru would…
“He’s gone, everyone,” Tori said. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“Tori, it’s not your fault,” Haru said, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her close.
Tori allowed it for a moment before pushing him gently away. “You don’t understand. It is my fault. Because I tried, I really did, to save him. And it wasn’t enough—it wasn’t enough, even with me here,” her voice faltered.
Kairi sighed. “I think this has us all very tired, and not thinking clearly—”
“Please, listen to me. This is the only chance we have,” Tori insisted. “I want to tell you all the truth, now that I know it, too.”
“I’ll listen,” Haru said.
Tori looked at him and gave a soft smile and nod.
“You see, I watched this cycle repeat, over and over, and I wanted to try to fix it. I watched Akio try to fix it so many times. Going through time, all time, trying to get back home, to fix it so that he could have a life too...I guess I…” She looked down. “No. I need to start at the beginning. Even if you don’t believe. Even if you don’t understand.”
She summoned her Keyblade, holding it limply at her side. It flickered for a moment before showing its true form...the X-blade.
“Huh?” was the collective gasp through those who knew what it was.
“I’m not a human at all. Tori’s the name that I chose. I came to be a human one day, and inserted myself into Akio’s story. First, just through online messages, until I formed a human heart. Then, I placed myself into the worlds as though I’d always been here, and made everyone, even myself, forget that it was ever otherwise. Before that, for all time, since the beginning and to the very end...I have always been...Kingdom Hearts.”
“But...why?” Haru asked. He didn’t sound angry. Perplexed.
“I remember a set of words said, once upon a time...Oh how the moon loved the stars, and the stars loved the moon—if only they could touch, if only they could touch…” She put a hand to her heart. “Time and time again, cycle after cycle, tiny change after tiny change, Akio tried to get back home, to do it right, to fix it, to be with Haru. Always Haru. Always begging me for help, please take me home, please help me make this right...he summoned me once on his own, and chased me down the rest, hoping that I would be the way...A beautiful, painful story, and I was jealous, maybe, that someone besides me had that love...I wanted it for myself.
“I wanted to be part of your story, Haru—yours and Akio’s. To be loved like you were.” Tori looked at him. Confusion, of course—this was Haru. Her beloved Haru. “I thought, if I was here, I could fix it all. Because no one ever tried to use Kingdom Hearts now. But...the thing is...I wasn’t able to fix it anyway. Because I didn’t know…” She looked away.
“We can get him back, I’m sure of it,” Haru said.
Tori looked over at Haru and smiled softly, sadness filling her heart. “I wanted to come here to say that I’m sorry everyone. And that I wanted to say ‘goodbye’.”
“”Goodbye?’” Sora asked hurriedly.
Tori nodded. “I have to try again. This time, I’ll get it right, I’m sure of it.”
“Wait—Tori!” Kairi shouted as everything faded to the Keyblade Graveyard.
She pointed the X-blade at the sky.
“Tori! No!” Riku shouted. So many Keyblades were summoned.
But one was that surprised her, until she saw where he stepped. Haru stepped between her at the others. “Tori. Let me help.”
“Haru?”
“You don’t have to do it alone. If we can’t save him now...let’s save him in the next life, together,” Haru cried.
Tori slowly nodded and extended her free hand. Haru took it.