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It was early in the morning, the sun rising over Daybreak Town as fellow keykids yawned and woke up to the sound of the usual bustle of their homes. A typical boy swung his feet off the bed, covering his eyes as he groaned at the sight of sunlight spilling on his freckled face from the window. “Augh–” he flinched from the sunlight.
He just really wanted to fall asleep again, but today was a busy day for him.
It was his last day in Daybreak Town after all.
He yawned and stretched any stress out of his muscles, and then moved on to the next room: a small kitchen with a small living room. Fit for teenagers at best.
A red haired girl sat on one of the counters, writing something down in a notebook. Her green eyes flicked up to the boy and with her mouth curling into a grin, she put her notebook away and moved down to the floor.
‘So, for your last day in Daybreak, what do you want to do, Sora?’ she signed with her hands.
The boy in response, shrugged, “I dunno Kairi, I’ve done...pretty much everything in town in the months I’ve stayed here I think,” he hummed, thinking with his hand on his chin.
‘Don’t think too hard, you’d get a concussion by then.’ Kairi grinned, making the boy splutter as the translation wheels turned in his head.
“Hey! Rude! Don’t make me not come back to visit you!” He pointed at her accusingly, making Kairi stick her tongue out at him.
‘I know you’ll show back up sooner or later! You love Daybreak!’ She put her hands down and knocked the wood counter behind her, and in a puff of sparkly smoke, her Chirithy fell onto Sora’s head.
“Ye– oh– Sora! Hi there!” Chirithy chirped, hanging down from Sora’s hair and hopped to the floor.
“Hey Chirithy.” He bent down to pat the dream eater’s head, looking up to Kairi. “Maybe...I should go say goodbye to everyone? Before I head off?” Sora suggested.
Kairi tilted her head and then nodded. 'Well, we all did prepare for this moment after all,' she signed and turned around. She grabbed her pastry cook hat and cheshire scarf, wrapping it around her neck.
“Food first, then we can do everything else!” Chirithy proclaimed below them.
Kairi rolled her eyes and went over to the front door, swinging it open with Chirithy and Sora behind her.
The boy was too busy adjusting his white headband before the sunlight pouring in from outside hit his face and startled him, “Ack! Come on not again!”.
After eating and doing all other errands that Chirithy managed to string up, Sora and Kairi went on to do what they needed to do: say goodbye to all the friends he made in town.
Sora didn’t exactly know it’d be so...hard, but his throat crumbled up together and it was tough to prevent tears from breaking through. He met up with the Sewer Kids, saying goodbye to Mog and the others. He had gotten multiple tearful hugs from them and threats towards him if he did not come back to visit. He laughed at their words and expressed that he would miss them dearly.
With a soft grin, Kairi gestured for him to finish up so they can meet up with the others. The boy waved to the leader and everyone else before running up besides Kairi, putting his hands behind his head as they walked through the streets in between the overarching houses.
‘You okay, Sora?’ Kairi signed, looking at him in curiosity.
Sora blinked and looked up, “Oh- uh…” He sniffed as he felt tears well up in his eyes, shrugging. “I dunno, I didn’t think...that goodbyes could be that hard," He quickly forced a slight smile, his hands fiddling with his bag.
Kairi tilted her head as they walked on. ‘Well. You have stayed here for so long, I think it’s a given that it would be rough for you to say goodbye.’
“I agree!” said Chirithy, poofing out of nowhere on Kairi's cap. “Saying a goodbye is not easy for anyone when they need to leave home, or in your case, A new found home,” Chirithy chirped.
“A home…” Sora trailed off, looking up towards the sky. Destiny Islands was his home, but he might as well call Daybreak Town his second one. He had made so many memories here, so many friends. Kairi looked to the crowds of wielders centered around the square in the middle of the town, elbowing at Sora's arm to turn his attention to them as she signed.
‘We all know you have to go back, to your family and your other friends. We have seen your homesickness, we know how it feels ...’
‘And we all want to see you off at least.’
Along the way, Sora started to cry again as he hugged other kids and his friends he had met along the way of his stay here.
After his own war, he was unchained from misusing the Power of Waking and was thrown into limbo in between realms, his heart couldn't take it and shattered to pieces. But... in that limbo, he sensed the faintest light. He wasn't sure how he could even describe it, but he followed the light and his heart was gradually healed along the way. Kairi’s heart and the others held the light of the past as much as any other person here in Daybreak Town.
Their connection...they're what made him strong.
He wishes he could have done more to help their predicament out, being stuck in another worldline was not ideal for anyone. His friends understood and just talked with him as their final goodbyes, reminiscing on times they had together: losing out on multiple medal pulls, getting a top ranking within Lux collection, getting stuck in Agrabah for the thousandth time, etc. Sora was finding himself laughing at all of this, loving the happy memories streaming into his heart. It made him feel warm that he had caused so much joyfulness.
Kairi decided to join in the conversation, signing away at the other keykids, ‘I bet Sora’s siblings would find it all hilarious. Especially Lauriam.’ She grinned as Sora elbowed her.
“Hey! I’m not telling my older brother about all the dumb stuff I did! You’re lucky I won’t spill my guts about your secret crush on Xion once I get back! Medal hoarder!” Sora stuck out his tongue to Kairi.
The girl glared back at him and shoved her scarf in his face, making him fall backwards.
“Aw come on!” He howled with laughter, sitting up on the ground, glancing to Kairi.
She was huffing with a bright red blush on her face, ‘Do not dare!’ Kairi puffed her cheeks and looked away.
Sora grinned widely, “No promises, Kai.”
He got up to his feet and placing his hand over his heart as his mind track moved on to the next thing. “Y’know, I wonder…” he hummed.
Kairi tilted her head seemingly understanding what he’d talk about next. 'I know he will come, he always did for me. Dream or not. You did declare he is your dearly beloved once or twice in your sleep anyways.’
Sora’s head snapped up, his eyes widening. “ Kairi!!! ” He screamed and chased the girl out of the fountain square who seemed to be having the time of her life.
Their surrounding friends looked on to the two, smiling to themselves. Kairi always had the struggle of making friends before Sora showed up, only doing her daily missions and stuck with her Chirithy. There always used to be a ghost hanging on her back, the burden of being saved in a war they all can’t ever remember again except through nightmares. People have joked before in calling her “Player,” but she started to gain her own identity and own sense of will. It only grew once Sora literally fell into Daybreak Town and she took him in. That bond of friendship, along with the mysterious ‘Dearly Beloved’ that Sora tended to speak about, did many wonders.
As the hours went on, the sky was still a deep hue of purple as daybreak transitioned into morning. Dandelion seeds scattering across the air with the wind.
Sora sat amongst the edge of the cliff that looked over the town, his eyes watching the clock tower, “Kairi, do you think they’ll remember me when I get back?” He muttered as his hands strummed against the grass now. He didn’t get an answer in return by the girl, which prompted to turn his head around to see where she went. What he did not expect was a batch of white hair and light blue eyes staring right back at him, and a familiar red scarf.
The boy looked to be out of breath, but a smile adorned his face. “Hey...Sora. I made it just in time, huh?” he chuckled.
Sora jumped up from the cliffside and ran over to the other, “Wh-?!” He gasped as his hand gently brushed against the boy’s cheek. “You’re here…? You’re not…” It was impossible to hold back tears now.
The boy who protected him for so long, and persistently stayed in his heart to be his strongest guiding light, he was actually here in front of him. Sora’s mind flashed back to when he first actually saw the other boy, within the loud tornado of heartless in the Keyblade Graveyard. A simple “ Need some help? ” that set off a million bells in Sora’s heart. Ever since then, he thought about the bond he had made just as a little kid, not the one with Ventus, but the one with the mysterious ghost that laid in his heart and spoke to him within his station of awakening. Sora promised as a child that he would be his knight in shining armor. Despite how cheesy it sounded, it did set their foundation of the years to come for when Sora was in need. Their love and quiet interactions in the heart and dreams went higher than Sora could ever dream of.
A sob broke past his lips as he gathered the shorter boy in his arms, hugging him tightly. “You’re actually here, Ephemer...you’re actually here...” Sora gripped onto him.
“I’m here Sora, I’m so sorry I took forever to get to see you.” Ephemer mumbled into his chest, a grin started to form on his face, “At least I get to see you off though.”
Sora looked down at him with shining eyes, “You’re really something else…” he laughed quietly as he took in the sight of his own...partner here right in front of him.
The Dandelion’s light of the past, and his personal light of the past.
Ephemer blushed a bit and smiled enduringly, “Kairi went off to go get something quickly, I think she noticed me so she left us alone.” He pulled away from Sora but still kept the closeness between the two. “I don’t think I have enough words to express how I am feeling right now, Sora. But I want you to know that you mean absolutely everything to me. That your heart is apart of mine. A lot has happened but...I think you’ve faced a lot of your fears along the way. We don’t have all the time in the world to tell our stories, but I am so happy that I get to be here with you in this moment. I love you Sora, I love you so much from the stars and back.” Ephemer breathed in as tears dotted his eyes. “Our dreams and thoughts together, from ever since we first met in your heart. I think that is all worth it to me. We’ve earned that connection together.” The boy took Sora’s hands and held them with his own, “Sora, you’re my light just as much as you think I'm yours.”
Sora felt like his heart was hammering against his chest, that was a lot he just heard, and he appreciated it so much. “Ephemer...I promise. I will help you when I get back to my family. I learnt a lot and I know our connection is strong…I will get you back somehow.” Sora pressed his forehead against the boy’s, his aura literally stemming with hope.
Ephemer chuckled, “I know you will, you do defy destiny at all its odds even if you say you don’t.” He stepped away, looking to the sky. “I think you need to head off now, you’ve said all your goodbyes.” The boy gave him a closed eye smile, as the wind gently rustled through his hair and scarf.
Kairi showed up again and ran up besides Ephemer, giving him a smile before looking to Sora. ‘Finally I made it back, sorry it took me a while! At least I didn’t miss you leaving yet. Here Sora, It’s a gift from all of us.’ She signed quickly before giving Sora something light in his hands.
It was a Heartbinder. It had a white lux symbol imprinted on the deep blue, slightly ancient of use but it fit their age.
‘A sign of hope, whenever you’re in trouble.’ Kairi beamed, ‘Even if Eph is with you, you can’t depend on him all the time you know!’ she shrugged.
“Kairi you–” Ephemer was cut off by Sora’s sniffling, showing he was crying again.
“I don’t want to say goodbye to you guys…” Sora mumbled.
“Sora...You know I’ll be in your heart. Kairi too. You’ll find your way back here without risking your own life, It’s practically a given.” Ephemer convinced. “It’s okay. You’ll be home and you’ll see us again.”
The boy looked to the two, “Y-yeah you’re right. Man, I really cried a lot today huh…?” He sniffed as he wiped away his tears. He breathed in, raising his hand as energy flowed out of his heart and into his palm. A bright flash of light occured and his Starlight keyblade laid in his grasp, glowing with golden intensity. Ephemer and Kairi watched on as Sora raised his keyblade up, Chirithy also watching behind Kairi’s legs with tiny tears in their eyes.
Sora closed his eyes as he imagined his brother and sister and all his friends, and his islands, his whole home. The keyblade was glowing brighter as a pathway was starting to be forged, eventually a line of light shot out of it and created a light corridor, ready for Sora to step through and leave Daybreak Town.
Sora walked up to the portal before pausing and looked over to the three. “Thank you so much...goodbye!” He waved as he bittersweetly smiled. Kairi and Chirithy waved back to him as Ephemer watched on, closing his eyes as he felt his body fade off. Sora felt Ephemer’s heart following him. He turned and took a deep breath, walking through the portal. Everything flashed white as he felt himself fall, a shooting star across Daybreak Town.
He was still saying a goodbye.
Kairi watched on as Ephemer disappeared beside her, a hand over her chest. “...May your heart be your guiding key. See you soon Sora,” she mumbled weakly under her breath.
---
A star crashed into the sea, whilst the sun was just rising on the early day. A strawberry blonde girl sat straight up on the shoreline, her eyes widened as her sketchbook fell to the sand. She scrambled up to her feet and called out to someone. A boy with black spiky hair showed up alongside two others with long pink hair and short silver hair. The girl pointed out to the sea and they all froze, the boy with pink hair scrambled off to the town on the island in a hurry.
Sora coughed out water as he surfaced in the waves, looking around as his eyes were adjusting, his breath catching in his throat as he realized where he was. He quickly swam himself over to shore, his eyes meeting two very familiar ones. Green and Blue. They were both in tears as they quickly gathered a soaking Sora up in their arms. Orange and Pink obscuring his vision as he laughed with absolute glee, he was home. He was with his family. His older siblings.
Once he was eventually put down by his siblings, other friends and family filed in to make sure he was actually there. Alive and real . His once heart roommates gave him a tight hug each besides the one with black spiky hair, tearing up at the sight of him. His siblings came back towards him and hugged him once again, before dandelions entered their own vision. They pulled away from Sora as a faint image of Ephemer whisked around the boy, drying him up with the wind. Sora looked to his light with awe, not saying a word as Ephemer wrapped his red scarf around the boy’s neck and pulled him down to press a tender kiss against his lips before disappearing into the wind.
The boy watched the dandelions fly away as he touched his lips quietly, his other hand on the scarf. As Sora felt his siblings presence behind him, he smiled.
A promise is a promise. He won’t say goodbye to that.