Return to Final Fantasy X-3 Chapter Thirty-Eight



Final Fantaxy X-3
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: BACK TO TRAVERSE TOWN

Author: Stormforce
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don't own either series.


Once the group was back on the Star Kingdom ship; Donald glanced at the gummi piece in his hand, and nodded as he made a decision. Buffy was already in the pilot's seat awaking the ship from its standby mode, and turned the seat around holding the new report in her hand.

"What's it say?" Goofy asked from his own seat, and yawned.

Buffy groaned when she looked the paper over, "We're still missing some reports, this one is nine."

"Well, that's just great. But Maleficent probably has the others, all we have to do is get them from her." Faith said setting her blade to the side of her chair, and leaned back, "Okay, let's here what this one says."

Report 9

Simply astonishing!

Today I had a guest from another world. He is a king, and his vessel is built of the material that composed the meteors. He called the pieces "gummi blocks." It seemed that my opening the door has opened a path to interworld travel.

We talked for countless hours, but one story in particular caught my interest: that of a key called the "Keyblade." The Keyblade is said to hold phenomenal power. One legend says its wielder saved the world, while another says that he wrought chaos and ruin upon it.

I must know what this Keyblade is. A key opens doors. It must be connected to the door I have opened.

D'Hoffryn

"King Mickey met him!" Donald shouted surprised, "When, and why didn't he tell us?"

"Right now I'm not worried about Mickey meeting this guy, I'm more worried about the other part." Tara said standing and holding her hand out for the report in Buffy's hand.

"What's wrong, baby?" Willow asked, but was worried about, most likely the same thing.

"The legend about the Keyblade wielder bringing chaos and ruin upon the world." Tara turned toward the guys, silently asking with her eyes if it was true.

Donald shrugged, "We don't know much about it, only King Mickey knows everything about the Keyblade... we know only what you know."

"I don't like the sound that," Faith eyed her blade, "I mean, I don't wanna be one who destroys a world with this thing."

"We won't." Buffy said forcefully, "There is no way we could, we're not evil, doesn't it take someone evil to destroy a world?" she glanced at Willow, who was staring at her, and one thought crossed both their minds, The twins!

"But an evil person can't touch the Keyblade, so how could that happen?" Goofy asked stiffling another yawn.

"Look, we can worry about that later. Right now, let's set course to Traverse Town, and have Giles to install the new Navi-Gummi we got from Neverland." Donald glanced around the bridge, and saw the girls nod.

"Yeah, okay." Buffy turned back to the controls, and set the auto-pilot, "I guess we can get some sleep, too."

"You're right," Willow yawned, "It'll take a while to reach the town.

That night as the guys slept peacefully; the girls were tossing and turning in their beds, and began dreaming. The girls opened their eyes to find themselves in a small dark room lit only by candle light, and could feel the darkness. But something else caught their attention, they could feel something warm growing more powerful, and for once -everything felt safe.

Footsteps caused the girls to turn to their right, and could barely make out two dark shapes in the dim light, but knew who it was. Tara smiled as she embraced her mother, and saw Willow doing the same with her own mother. "What are you doing here?" Tara asked as the two women sat down, motioning for the girls to do the same.

"We've come to tell you of how the darkness was born." Mythe spoke, and looked to Willow, and then Buffy, You haven't told them of your test have you? she spoke directly into their minds, startling both girls.

No, we haven't. Came their answers, We don't want them to worry. Willow said to her mother-in-law.

Just remember, when they find out, you're going to be in trouble. Shelia spoke and covered her giggles with a cough.

"Hey, how is Spira? Is the Heartless attacking our home?" Tara asked worriedly.

"No, Spira is fine, for now. We will tell you when Spira needs your help." Shelia closed her eyes, not wanting to tell the girls that everyone on the Farplane had to fight off a group of Heartless. She knew if the girls could just get to Maleficent, Spira could wait.

"Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light." Mythe began in a soft voice, "Everyone loved the light, but soon the people began to fight over it. You see, they wanted to keep if for themselves, and darkness was born in their hearts--"

"That's how it was born?" Faith interrupted, "Wait! How can a person keep light to themselves?"

"Yeah, it's not like you can put the sun in your pocket... that burn you to death... not to mention it wouldn't fit anyway." Buffy said getting a giggle from the older women.

"The darkness spread," Shelia continued, "swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived...in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness."

"How can light be in darkness? I thought if it was dark there was no light to be seen." Willow tried to puzzle it out, but got a headache for her trouble.

"You may not see it, but in every darkness there is light." Shelia told her daughter, Just like there is still light in your twins' hearts. she said into Willow and Buffy's minds.

"And in light, there is always darkness waiting to be released." Mythe spoke glancing from Buffy to Willow, "Remember, not all light is good, and not all darkness is evil. Even in light lies the heart of evil, and in darkness lies the heart of love."

"Now, back to the story," Shelia grinned at the former summoner.

Mythe nodded, "That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open. And the true light will return. So, listen, my children, even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away. Do you understand, girls?"

"Not really," Buffy shook her head, "But, all we have to do is believe, right?"

"Yeah, and in believing, the darkness won't win."

"You are right, daughter." Shelia smiled, "Just remember, let your light shine in the darkness, and you'll always keep the darkness at bay."

"Now, it is time for you to wake. We believe in you, and we love you." Both women stood and embraced each of the girls, and kissing their foreheads.

When the girls woke, the ship was hovering around Traverse Town; Donald had put the ship in standby, and set the alarms as he and Goofy waited for the girls. When they appeared, the town was still quite, but it also had more people, and small animals around -more worlds had been destroyed.

The one thing that made them smile was Pinocchio and Geppetto sitting on the steps, and staring into the night-time sky -at least they had made it here safely. The group waved at the older man, and wooden boy as they stepped into Giles' shop, and found him behind the counter.

"Hey, Giles, how ya been?" Faith spoke as she hopped up on the counter, and began swinging her feet back and forth.

"Fine. What about you?"

"Well, you know, just the usual, killing Heartless here and there."

"Plus we have something for you to install in our ship." Buffy said and watched Donald had the gummi over.

"Okay, I'll install it, just wait here." Giles started out the door, and stopped when Buffy followed, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you. That's my baby, and besides, I wanna know how to install these things, ya know. I'd like to do some work on the ship sometime, and from watching you work, I'll know how."

"Yeah, okay. Come on."

The others watched Buffy and Giles disappear through the door, and knew when Buffy learned how to install gummi's, they were going to need stronger seatbelts. Willow sighed, she knew it was Buffy's way of not thinking about what they weren't telling their lovers, and frowned.

Should they tell them? Willow still didn't think so, it would worry them too much. And if they knew, then they would try and stop whatever was going to happen, and she couldn't let that happen.

"No frowing." Goofy smiled when Willow looked up.

"How can you guys be so cheerful?" Willow asked and thought about Mickey, "We still haven't found a sign of your king, aren't you worried?"

"Aw, phooey." Donald shorted, "King Mickey knows what he's doing."

"The king told us to find the key bearer, and we found you girls. So as long as we stick together, it'll all work out okay." Goofy smiled once more, "Ya just gotta believe in yourselves, that's all."

We believe in you. Willow heard her mother say, and felt warm arms wrap around her neck, and heard a whispered 'I love you.' from Tara. "I love you, too." Willow whispered back, feeling a little better than what she had been, but still worried about the things she knew was to come.

"I installed that navigation gummi," Giles said as he entered the shop with Buffy behind him, "Buffy told me what you're up to, and I don't like it. Ya know, that place is crawling with Heartless." he crouched down behind the counter, and rose with another gummi in his hand, "Here, take this with you."

"What is it?" Tara asked looking at the red and white block.

"It's a Transform-G. It'll make the ship go faster, Buffy can install it when she has time." Giles said causing everyone but Buffy to pale just a little. Buffy bounced up and down shouting happily.

"Oh, yeah! Time to make my baby faster!" Buffy shouted.

Giles' eyebrows shot to his hairline, "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea." He said to himself as the group thanked him, and left the shop.

"Let's take this stone to the Fairy Godmother." Tara held up the red stone, and started toward Merlin's house.


Continue to Final Fantasy X-3 Chapter Forty


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