> Kingdom Hearts: Masters of Tomorrow
>  by Golden Flare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Introduction
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Just what do you think you are doing, Eternal?"

"Just getting ready to make some friends!"

"...Tell me, Eternal, how does one become a powerful Keyblade wielder?"

"Work hard, learn, and use your Keyblade abilities to better the world!"

"And how do friends help you to become a powerful Keyblade wielder?"

"My parents taught me that there are things a solo wielder cannot do, so I'm going to make some friends to make my heart grow stronger!"

"Feh! That's something that parents tell their kids just so they won't be alone. Friendship is nothing but a distraction from studying. And making your heart stronger? Spare me. The Keyblade is more complex than the matters of the heart, it's all nonsense."

"..."

"It's your choice, Eternal Void. You can work hard and become a Keyblade Master, or you can play with other children and make nothing of yourself."



The sound of the bell roused you from your reverie. How long has it been since you've heard those words from Master Flintheart? Ten years, tops? Yet, you remember them clear as day; that was the day you decided to deny friendship from anyone who came close to you other than your parents. You sigh as you remember the tragedy that befell your family.

It had been exactly five years since they died in the prevention of the second Keyblade War; they were called in to help stop the mastermind behind it all, but ultimately failed. Eventually, one of the greater Masters defeated him and sealed his Keyblade away, never to be wielded again. You couldn't remember another day where you cried so hard, after it was all said and done, you moved in with your uncle and aunt, two non-Keyblade wielders, and they did the best they could to raise you, especially after all that has happened.

You pack up your things and head for the cafeteria, hoping to get your mind off of everything, luckily, today was Friday, so they were serving pizza. That seemed to brighten up your mood as walked a little bit faster to your destination.

Once you entered the hallways, you saw her.

Twilight Sparkle. Straight-A student, pretty, but rejected by everyone at Crystal Prep. Such a shame. It almost makes you want to ignore everything you learned and try to be her friend.

Almost.

You ignore the nasty looks the student body was giving her and make your way to the cafeteria. Once inside, you quickly get in line to get your food; a slice of three meat pizza, a side of french fries, and a glass of water. You find an empty table and sit down so you can enjoy your lunch. After you were halfway through your fries, a familiar voice spoke right behind you.

"Hey, pal."

Man, not them.

You turn around to see five of Crystal Prep's Top 12 Students: the Shadow 5. They're well known for their grades and athletics, but to you, they were nothing more than a nuisance as they annoy you every chance they get.

The one wearing the goggles and the one who spoke, Indigo Zap, smirked, "Miss us?"

"No." you simply reply.

"Aw, c'mon, don't lie!" Indigo said as she and her partners sat down around you, "You SO missed us!"

"No, I didn't."

"Face it, Indigo, he's more blunt than I am." Sugarcoat said.

"Yeah!" Lemon Zest exclaimed, "You gotta learn to relax!"

"I'd be more relaxed if you girls would just leave." you point out.

"Sorry, dearie, but you're just too much fun to mess with." Sunny Flare said.

"Shut up, you know you're not sorry."

"Hmph! How rude!"

"Takes one to know one."

Sunny growled in anger and frustration at your comment. The bell rang, indicating that lunch is over.

Indigo scowled, "This ain't over, kid."

They all left in a huff, leaving you victorious for once. You swiftly finish off your food and move on to your next class, the one you always dread after lunch: Gym.



After changing into your gym clothes, provided by Crystal Prep, you head on out to the training field. As the remaining students arrive, the coach blows his whistle to gain our attention.

"Alright, listen up!" he began, "Today, we're going to do some training drills with our Keyblades, those who do not have a Keyblade must run laps around the field." you heard some of the students groan, "You'll split up into groups of two, you and your partner must push each other's limits in combat. Remember, the Mark of Mastery exam is coming up, so give it your best shot. Go!" he blew his whistle again.

Quickly, everyone who had a Keyblade was taken and those who didn't ran the track, even the Shadow 5 had partners, all except for...

"Hey."

You turn your head to see the bipolar Sour Sweet.

"Hey." you say back.

"We're partners. Let's go."

"...Fine."

The two of us walked away from the group to get some privacy.

Sour adopted a smile, "Want me to go easy on you?" then she glared at you, "You wish!"

"No." your response surprised her, "I love a good challenge. Don't hold back."

For some reason, she blushed, but then scowled and summoned her Keyblade.





You admired her Keyblade for a little bit before you called forth your own.





You both got into your battle stances and stared each other down. One minute has passed, and then you two rushed each other, clashing in the middle. You held her there for a while until you pushed her back and attacked with your skill, Blitz, making you jump towards her as you delivered a few quick blows, not enough to beat her, but enough to catch her off guard. Then you followed up with Sliding Dash, knocking the wind out of her.

She had enough of your assault and cast Cura on herself, then attacking you with Ars Arcanum, pelting you with speedy blows and the skill ends with its own version of Blitz. You tried to retaliate with Fire, but Sour countered with Blizzara, piercing through your magic attack and freezing you solid. Sour then hit you with Quick Blitz, freeing you as it made contact.

You needed to end this battle fast, so you threw your Keyblade at her, initiating Strike Raid, but she narrowly dodges it. She tried to charge at you while your Keyblade boomerangs itself back to you, once it did, you caught it and started blocking her attacks. The last hit she makes on your Keyblade causes her to stagger, giving you the chance to rush up and swing at her head...only for you to stop right next to her face.

When she regained herself, she saw how close you were to defeating her, making her eyes go wide in shock.

"Looks like I win." you say.

As you dismissed your Keyblade, you noticed Sour blushing again.

"Are you okay? You got a fever or something?"

She squeaked and ran off, most likely to her friends, leaving you standing there, dumbfounded.

"...What just happened?"

You continue to ponder this as you go and find the coach to tell him the results of your battle.



















Kingdom Hearts: Masters of Tomorrow
By Golden Flare

> Chapter 1: At Dusk, I Will Think of You
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The final bell had finally rung and everybody in CPA were headed home for the weekend, especially you. But instead of your normal path home, you decided to take the scenic route and enjoy some of the sights Canterlot had to offer. You honestly preferred the quiet suburbs over the big city, where most of the Crystal Prep students live, the city was too noisy for your tastes anyway.

Suddenly, you bumped into someone.

"Oof!"

"Sorry, pardon me!"

You noticed the voice almost immediately, it was Twilight.

"No, no, it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going."

You didn't give her a chance to respond as you just continued your trek home, if you'd stayed a little longer, you would have noticed the look of surprise and disbelief on Twilight's features. On your way home, you passed by the local farm owned by the Apple Family, your aunt and uncle go there every now and again to sample their delicious apple-related foods. In the front yard you saw a pre-teenage girl with red hair and yellow skin playing with a toy Keyblade, but her movements and posture were all sloppy.

Maybe someone here is a Keyblade wielder, you thought.

You figured you could offer some pointers for the girl, so you walked over as she was practicing and heard her sigh.

"It's hopeless, Ah'm never gonna be ah Keyblade Master..."

"Not with that attitude, you won't." you say, startling her.

"Who're you?"

"Tell me something, are focusing on heavy hits or speedy hits?"

"Um...speedy hits."

"Then you're doing it all wrong. Prep your legs up like you're getting ready to run a marathon, then loosen the grip on your Keyblade slightly, if you keep your fingers loose, you can increase your dexterity, thus allowing you to initiate more speedy and complicated combos, just let your momentum handle the rest from there."

"Thanks fer the advice, mister, but, uh, why are ya helpin' me? Aren't ya from Crystal Prep?"

You just smile, "I guess you could say, I have a soft spot for children. And you? You remind me of myself when I was your age."

"I do?"

"In a way, yes."

"Well, thanks again, mister."

"No need to be so formal, just call me Eternal, Eternal Void."

She smiles as well, "Okay then! Then you can just call me Apple Bloom!"

You chuckle, "Alright then, Apple Bloom. Maybe I'll see you around."

You took your leave, but not until you heard Apple Bloom shout to you, "See ya later, Eternal Void!"

You turn back and wave to her as you continue on, intent on getting home. When you turn a corner, a voice spoke behind you.

"Thanks."

You look behind you and see a country girl about your age smiling at you.

"Ya know, fer helpin' ma sister out back there."

You twist your body around to face her fully, "It was no problem. She has a lot of potential."

She chuckles, "Yeah, she sure does. Oh, Ah'm Applejack, by the way."

"Eternal Void."

"Nice ta meet ya. Ya know, it's funny, talkin' ta a one of our school's biggest rivals like it was completely normal."

"'Biggest rivals'? You mean, you're from Canterlot High School?"

"Yeah. Ya don't mind, do ya?"

"Not at all, I prefer to speak to somebody without their nose in the air."

That got Applejack to laugh, "Ain't that the truth?"

You chuckle, not having a good conversation like this in a while, "Yeah. Well, I better get home, my aunt and uncle are probably worried sick."

"Wait! Ah wanted ta ask ya something."

"Fire away."

"Well, since me an' my brother, Big Mac, are always busy with the farm and schoolwork, maybe you could come over and teach Apple Bloom some more techniques."

"Hmm..." you think on this; it WOULD be a good opportunity to get out of the house every once in a while, and you never cared what other people thought of you, so you thought this wouldn't be a problem, "Alright, I'll take your offer."

"Yee-haw! Thank ya so much!" Applejack smiles brighter than before, "Ya know, yer nothin' like the other students at Crystal Prep."

"Yeah, I'm not one who cares about the school's reputation, I just want to work hard, learn, and use my Keyblade abilities to better the world."

"If ya say so." Applejack turns around, "Welp, see ya on the weekend!"

"See you then."

As you and Applejack walk your separate ways, you can't help but smile at the conversation you two made, it made you feel warm inside, much like when your parents were still around. You continue to think on that while you head back home.



Once you arrived home, you explained to your aunt and uncle the plans you made over the weekend, making them smile.

"Aww! Our little nephew's making friends!" your aunt gushes.

You look to the floor, "I am NOT making friends..."

"Eternal," your uncle began, draping an arm around you, "don't you think it's time to let go of what Master Flintheart told you and just accept friendship into your heart?"

"I can't. Friendship is a distraction, and the Keyblade is more complex than a simple heart."

Your words seem to quiet the only family you have left in this world, making you feel a little guilty. But you push it aside, not letting the matters of the heart overwhelm you.

"I'm gonna head to bed, good night."

With that, you go upstairs, not hearing what your aunt and uncle were discussing when you left them.

"I blame that selfish mentor of his for making him this way." your aunt said, "My sister and her husband should've sent him to learn under Master Celestia or Master Luna."

"Now, dear, I understand you're upset about our nephew throwing away his childhood, but the damage is already done, all we can do now is be there for him."

"He's obviously bottling up his emotions so he doesn't have to deal with them, and he can't do anything about it because Master Flintheart," she spat his name, "poisoned his mind about the heart, that it was feeble and didn't matter."

"Be careful, Eternal could be hearing us right now. Besides, if you curse his name after he died preventing the second Keyblade War, our nephew will never let us hear the end of it."

Your aunt huffed and stormed into the kitchen, "He was better off dead anyway."

Your uncle sighed as he went to bed, letting sleep take you and him as a new day comes over the horizon.



You woke up early, ate your breakfast, and headed out to Sweet Apple Acres, luckily, you memorized the route you took so you could find it again. When you arrived at the farm, you noticed Apple Bloom waiting for you with her toy Keyblade in hand.

Guess the Apple Family must be early risers, you theorize.

"Hey Eternal!" Apple Bloom called out as she ran to you, "Mah sister said you'd be teachin' me new Keyblade tricks, is that true?"

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't have gotten up so early to do so," you say with enthusiasm, "now let's get started!"

"Yay!"

"Alright," you pick up a stick as a makeshift weapon, "now let's start with the basics..."

You showed Apple Bloom some basic swings and combos, how to have a feel for magic, and even block attacks. You were a good teacher, and Apple Bloom was an even better student, somewhere in your mind, you hoped to ask Applejack if you could take her under your wing once you become a Master.

Wait, where was this coming from?

Take a little girl under your wing?

Master?

You never cared for any of that, and yet here you are, thinking about it.

What was happening to you?

"Eternal?" Apple Bloom's voice pulled you from your thoughts, "Are ya okay? Ya spaced out on me."

"...Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay then."

"I think that'll be all for today."

"Alright, Ah'll go tell Applejack we're done."

Apple Bloom went into the orchard to do just that while leaving you to ponder what the heck just happened to you.



The next day of the weekend arrived faster than expected, and after teaching Apple Bloom a little more, you decided that it was time to take a break. An elderly woman with lime green skin stepped outside and called out to Apple Bloom.

"Apple Bloom! Time fer dinner!"

"Okay Granny!" Apple Bloom called back, then turned to you, "Sorry, I really wanna learn more, but..."

You smile reassuringly, "It's okay, your family comes first."

Your words brighten Apple Bloom's spirit, "Thanks, Eternal!"

She runs into the house as you get ready to leave.

"Hey."

You were stopped by a group of girls, but they weren't the Shadow 5, nor were they from Crystal Prep, and you were pretty sure they looked suspicious of you. The one who spoke was the girl with the rainbow hair.

"So you're the guy we heard about from Applejack."

You had to assume that they were from CHS as well as Applejack, meaning you had to choose your words carefully, "Look, I don't want any trouble, I was just leaving."

The rainbow haired girl gets in your face, "You may have fooled Applejack, but not me! I'm watching you, buddy!"

"Rainbow Dash, take it easy!" the fiery haired girl said, "If Applejack said he was okay with her, then he's okay with us." she approached me, "I'm so sorry about Rainbow, she tends to act without thinking."

"It's okay, I'm used to that kind of hospitality." you said.

"Really? Why?"

"Because five out of the Top 12 Students of Crystal Prep hate my guts."

"Why did you say that like it was a completely normal thing?" Rainbow asked.

"Cause that's the norm for me."

"Wow. You must've done something to peeve them off."

"Nope, just don't care about the things they care about, that's all."

"Then what DO you care about?"

"I'm not going to answer that, because I feel like this is an interrogation."

"So what if it is?"

"Rainbow..." Sunset chastised.

"What? It's just a question."

"A scathing question." Sunset points out.

"If you two are going to have a spat," you begin, "I'm just gonna be on my way, gotta get home in time for dinner."

With that, you step aside and leave the group, heading home.

Still...

You can't help but feel like you're going to see them again very soon.
> Chapter 2: Future Masters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Friday


The weekend was long over, and the week progressed just the same as any other; you breezed through your classes, the Shadow 5 kept bugging you, but something that seemed out of the oridinary...was that Sour Sweet was nowhere to be found. Not all week, not even during the weekend, and that's the best time for her to bother you. And for some reason, nowadays, the Shadow 5 were giving you the stink eye, not that they haven't before, but this was different.

It was pure, undying hatred.

What's going on?

You would have to ponder on that later, today was the Mark of Mastery exam, and all of the school's wielders were lined up outside, you were no exception. But...for the first time in your life, you seemed excited for it. You always deliberately failed and didn't care, so why do you care now?

The sound of the whistle squeals through the air before the coach speaks, "Alright, listen up! Today you all will be examined for the Mark of Mastery, so I expect you to give it nothing but your level best!" he shifts his gaze to you, "That goes double for you, Mr. Void." you hesitantly nod, "Now, I'm sure our honored guests, Master Celestia and Master Luna," he waves a hand towards the aforementioned Masters, "did not come all this way just to see the greatest students of Canterlot fail to be up to the expectations of the Mark." in your vision, you saw the two Masters roll their eyes.

Master Cinch, who was next to the coach, stepped forward, "Is everyone ready?" everyone, including you, nodded. "Then let the examination begin." she held out her hand and produced her Keyblade.





It always unnerved you how Master Cinch's Keyblade could look so sinister, almost as if she was...

Nah. Couldn't be.

She used her Keyblade to summon orbs of darkness to train the wielders with, but out of the corner of your eye, you saw Master Celestia whisper something, then all of a sudden, the orbs of darkness had a light within them. Did she whisper some kind of incantation? Either way, the orbs started acting wildly, like the light was disorienting them.

One of them headed your way, so you summoned your Keyblade and destroyed it in one fell swoop. You grit your teeth and ready yourself for quite a challenge, as do the other wielders. Together, you all destroyed most of the orbs, but a good portion of the wielders were disqualified from the Mark of Mastery. In the end, all that was left was you and four other wielders: Twilight Sparkle, Frosty Orange, Ginger Owlseye, and Taffy Shade.

"Well, that was quite unexpected, but one must keep a still mind in even the most trying of circumstances, I did not plan this, but it shows that some are not yet worthy to be called 'Master'." you could see Master Celestia and Master Luna scowl at Master Cinch's words. "Now, on to the final part of the exam."



You and the others lined up and was met with one of the Shadow 5; Twilight Sparkle vs. Sugarcoat, Frosty Orange vs. Indigo Zap, Ginger Owlseye vs. Sunny Flare, Taffy Shade vs. Lemon Zest, and you vs. Sour Sweet. Your opponent is looking away from you, like she believed you'd turn her to stone with one look.

"Hey." you said.

Sour turns to you.

You really think this is a bad idea, but...

"...Sorry."

That confused her, "For what?"

"Whatever I did to make you run off like that last week."

"You're still thinking about that? What, do you live in the past or something?"

"Got a lot on my mind."

Sour was rendered quiet by your words, "You? Of all people?"

You smile mirthlessly, "Guess so."

"Now remember," Cinch speaks up, "this is not a competition, nor a battle for supremacy, there are no winners, only truths; for when two equal powers clash, their true nature is revealed."

You figured out that the time for talk is over and called your Keyblade, everyone else did the same and you readied yourselves.

"...Begin!"

And so you did.



The battle between you all went well; you weren't paying attention to the others, and with good reason, Sour Sweet didn't make it easy for you, in fact, it's almost like she got even better since last week. Were your words some kind of reassurance that she needed?

Man, I ask myself a lot of questions. you thought.

"We have deliberated and reached a decision. You all performed exceptionally..." that seemed to raise everyone's spirits, "...however, there was one disappointment," they all smirked, except for Twilight, knowing it was you who failed. "Eternal Void..."

Other than Twilight, they all glanced at you, smugly.

"...is the only one who has shown the Mark of Mastery."

And then looked at Master Cinch in shock, especially Twilight.

"The rest of you failed to meet up to our expectations. But you all know the age old saying: better luck next time." she turned toward your direction, "Master Eternal, you will be granted permission to certain knowledge, please wait here for further instruction."

With that, the three Masters and the coach left, leaving everyone who failed to wallow in their despair and frustration.

You?

You hardly registered anything anyone said after hearing Master Cinch say that you passed the Mark of Mastery.

You just...don't understand how you could.

You don't know how you were supposed to feel.

It's like all of the emotions you kept bottled up inside were resurfacing all at once, adding your confusion and shock into the mix, makes a cocktail of stewing bitterness.

"So you're finally a Master now, huh?"

You look up and see Indigo and the rest of the Shadow 5.

"Guess you're not the wimp I thought you were."

You lowered your head back down, "Sorry..." you began to walk pass them, "...but I need some time alone."

You went to a different part of the field, leaving the Shadow 5 confused in your wake.



You sat down on the grass, thinking about your current predicament; you're a Keyblade Master now, but you didn't want to be and at the same time, you did. You couldn't understand yourself anymore and you don't know why. The only thing that could make this worse is that you deliberately went against your Master's words and made some friends.

"Why do you despair, young Master?"

You crane your head to the left to see Master Luna standing next to your sitting form. You turn your head away as she sits with you.

"I just...don't know." you answer.

"But I do." Luna says, making you look at her again, "The words of your mentor, Master Flintheart, has ruled your life for years to come, now when something new came along, like companionship, it clashed with all that you knew and it's taking a toll on your heart's strength." you were about to say something, but Master Luna put a finger to your lips, "And don't tell me that the matters of the heart are feeble. The heart is important to everyone, it's gives us the strength to persevere, to push forward and drive us to great heights towards our future. Believe it or not, you put your heart into your work as a Keyblade wielder time and time again, you just didn't realize it."

Master Luna's words hit you close to home, you never thought of the heart that way in a long time. You wanted to make friends when you were a kid, but after what Master Flintheart said, you didn't want to anymore, and now here is Master Luna, basically telling that his words were careless and wrong, that you tossed your childhood aside for nothing.

"But...I became a Keyblade Master. That's gotta count for something, right?" you ask.

"Yes, but only because you unwillingly allowed friendship into your heart."

"When did I—"

"The Apple Family."

And just like that, it suddenly clicked; you became a Master because of the Apple Family, but you don't resent them, you actually felt...grateful.

Wait, "felt"?

"Do you understand now?" Master Luna spoke, pulling you out of your revelation, "Friendship is Magic. That's a saying we at CHS live to uphold. Hopefully you'll do the same."

You look away again, "...I'll try."

Master Luna noticed you were still upset. Then she had an idea on how to lift your spirits.

"Hey Eternal...let's fight."

"What?"

Master Luna stood up, jumped backwards from you, and summoned her own Keyblade.





"Come at me."

You stared at her for a moment, then smirked as you called your Keyblade to your hand as you stood up as well.

"Now we're talking!"

"You're gonna be sorry!" you declare, getting into your battle stance.

From afar, Master Celestia watched her sister pull the new Master out of depression and get psyched up. After half a minute, you two charged and clashed your Keyblades against one another.



"I don't understand, Master Cinch! How did I fail?!"

Twilight pleaded with her principal/Master to figure out how she of all people couldn't have passed the Mark of Mastery exam.

"Sorry, Twilight, but the three of us decided fairly that most of you were not worthy of the Mark of Mastery."

"But Eternal?! I'm sorry for saying this, Master Cinch, but he hasn't been taking his education seriously, let alone his training to become a Master, HE'S the one who should've failed!"

"Not according to Celestia and Luna." Cinch muttered.

"What...?"

"I'm going to be honest with you, Twilight, but what I say stays between us."

"Of course."

"Celestia and Luna had me beat 2 to 1, if had my way, you and the other three would've become Masters, and Eternal would've failed. But, Celestia and Luna thought otherwise and outvoted me." Cinch turned to face Twilight, "We will discuss your reexamination another day, now, I have things to do. Good day."

With that, Master Cinch walked back to her office, leaving Twilight behind to think about her principal's words.



Master Luna fell onto her back as her Keyblade hit the ground next to her, you were still raring to go, not exhausted in the slightest.

"Are you tired?" she asked, "Because if you're willing, we can call this a draw."

Her words made you laugh, and soon she began to laugh as well. Master Celestia came out of her hiding spot and walked over to the two of you.

"Really, my sister?" she began, "What you drew is a big 'L' on your forehead, for 'loser', 'lame', and 'laughable'."

You shocked by how a well known Master can just throw childish insults around like that like it was completely normal.

"Oh, c'mon, Tia!" Master Luna whines, "Isn't this where you cheer me up? Say things like, 'you're just having a bad day', or, 'that's what you get for pulling punches on the newbs'."

"Oh, so you wanted me to lie, Lulu?" Master Celestia quipped.

Master Luna sighed, exasperated, "You see what I have to deal with?"

You all give out a good, hearty laugh, once again feeling that same warmth from before, but this time, you think you know what it is.

"Well, we'd better head back to Canterlot High School, our students are probably wondering where we are by now. Come, sister."

"Of course, Celestia." Luna stood up and walked away from you while both dismissed your Keyblades.

As you watch them disappear behind the building, you chuckle mirthlessly for the second time today.

"Must be nice...knowing who your friends are."
> Chapter 3: Keyblade Graveyard Horizon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After school let out, before you could go tell your aunt, uncle, and the Apple Family the good news, there was somewhere you had to be. You went beyond your usual route, even went beyond Canterlot itself, to your destination, a desert that had strange weapons embedded in the ground, but they weren't just any old weapons, they were Keyblades.

This was Canterlot's Keyblade Graveyard.

The place where your parents did battle with the evil mastermind and perished.

And right now, you were going, not just to pay your respects, but to tell your parents the good news.

Even though their Keyblades were all that was left of them, part of you liked to believe that their souls lived on within them. After what felt like a mile of walking, you finally made it to your parents graves: their Keyblades. You got down on your knees and stared at them.

"Hey mom. Hey dad." You say with no response from the weapons, "Guess what? I'm a Keyblade Master now. I know, crazy, right? Bet you two never thought that I'd be one." Still no response. "And I've got some more good news, I might be taking somebody under my wing soon...if her family will let me." Nothing. You sigh, "I really miss you guys. I wish things didn't have to be like this, but it is what it is." Nada. "Well...I should probably get going, got things to do, after all."

You stand up and get ready to walk away, only to come face to face with the last person you wanted to see.

"Hey."

Indigo Zap.

"Hey..." you repeat cautiously.

She sighs, "Look, I'm not here to pick a fight. I'm just here to pay my respects to my dad."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah. He died trying to stop that mastermind from creating the second Keyblade War."

"...Guess for the first time, we actually have something in common."

"What makes you say that?"

"Both of my parents died trying to stop him."

"...Oh."

The two of you were quiet for a moment.

"Hey, um, if you want, we can hang out later today, maybe try to get to know each other better."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Don't know, I guess because I feel like we're kindred spirits or something."

"...It'll have to be way later today, but I'd like that."

"Really? You mean it?"

You smirk, "When do I never mean what I say?"

Indigo smirks back, "Good point, Mr. Serious."

You two chuckled at each other's playfulness. You don't understand why you're making peace with one of your most hated rivals, but looking at it from another point of view, do you really want to start a fight when there shouldn't be one?

"Well," you began, "I gotta be somewhere, so I'll see you later today."

"Okay, later dude." Indigo said.

"Later."

You left without a moment's hesitation, leaving Indigo to grieve for her father like she wanted to do when she got here. Though, if you stuck around a little longer, you would've saw the blush on her face. She turned to face her father's Keyblade.

"Dad...I think I'm in love."



You made it back to Canterlot and headed for the apple farm to break the news to the Apple Family...and hopefully make Apple Bloom your successor.

Wow, was I always this blunt? you ask yourself in your thoughts.

Before you knew it, you were on the porch of the Apple's humble home, making you a bit anxious. You raise up your balled-up fist and knock on the door thrice. It took a few moments, but the door opened to reveal Applejack.

"Oh, hey there, Eternal!" she said with a smile, "What brings ya here?"

"Well..." you rub the back of your head, "I've got some good news and something I wish to ask you. May I come in?"

"Sure! C'mon in!"

Applejack steps aside allowing you in, prompting you to oblige. You immediately notice the five girls you met over the weekend in her living room.

"Girls, Ah'd like ya ta meet—"

"Eternal Void. Yeah, we've met him." Rainbow grumbled.

Guess she's still not fond of me, you thought.

You sat down in a nearby chair and take a few deep breaths.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced, I am Rarity," the white-skinned girl said, then gestured to the yellow-skinned one, who just waved, "And this is Fluttershy."

"So, what's this 'good news' ya wanted ta tell me?" Applejack spoke up.

"...I passed my Mark of Mastery exam. I'm a Keyblade Master now."

A collective gasp filled the air.

"He's just like us!" the pink-skinned one declared.

"Wait, what?" you ask, dumbfounded.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet," Rainbow began, "we're Keyblade Masters, like Pinkie Pie said."

They all summoned Keyblades of their own. First Sunset Shimmer.





Then Rainbow Dash.





Then Pinkie Pie.





Then Applejack.





Then Rarity.





And lastly, Fluttershy.





You were astonished by this, these girls have Keyblades, and a wide variety of them!

Applejack chuckles, "Guess we left him speechless."

You shook yourself out of it, and spoke again, "Okay, now about the thing I wanted to ask. There's no easy way to say this so I'm gonna come right out with it. Applejack..."

The girls looked at you, expectantly.

"...Would it be alright if I made Apple Bloom my successor?"

They all looked at you wide-eyed, not expecting you to ask that.

"I'll understand if you say no, but I thought it was worth a try—"

"Show us your Keyblade."

You look at Rainbow in surprise, "What?"

She forcefully jams her Keyblade into the wall next to your head, a loud clang filling your ears, "Show us. Your Keyblade."

You were scared now. You've never seen anyone this serious before.

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack chastised, "Have ya lost yer mind!?"

"I knew this guy was trouble the moment I laid eyes on him! Show us your Keyblade, or I'll end you right now!"

"If you're going to kill me, can we at least take this outside?" you say in fear.

"We will, AFTER you do what I say and call your Keyblade."

With hesitation, you raise your hand forward and summon your Keyblade, doing exactly what Rainbow said. She looked your Keyblade over thoroughly and glared at you.

"I knew it." she growled.

Rainbow pulled you out of your chair and pushed you out the front door, ignoring the protests of her friends as you tumbled down the steps, leaving you in a daze when you hit solid ground. You tried to stand up, but Rainbow's Keyblade forced you back down.

"Rainbow Dash, stop it!" Sunset yelled out from the door.

"No way! He's gotta go!" Rainbow raised her Keyblade over her head, ready to strike you down.

Was this the end?

Were you going to see your parents again in the afterlife?

Won't your aunt and uncle be worried about you?

Rainbow brought her Keyblade down...

"Eternal!"

SHING! CLANG!

...Only to be blocked by another Keyblade.





"Indigo!?" you say in shock.

Indigo pushes Rainbow back as the latter's friends come outside.

"Hey, did you lose it or something!?" Indigo asked Rainbow.

"More Crystal Prep wielders!?" Rainbow asked in annoyance, "Get outta my way!"

"No!"

"Indigo, Eternal!"

You turned to see the rest of the Shadow 5 rush to you and indigo.

"Girls," Indigo began, "tend to Eternal's wounds, I'll deal with them."

"W-Wait!" you protest, "Rainbow Dash is the only one who attacked me, the other girls were trying to stop her!"

Indigo looked back at you, "You sure?"

"Positive, don't hurt the others!"

She nods to you and turns back to her opponent, readying her battle stance as Rainbow did the same.

"Should we help her?" Fluttershy asked.

"No." Applejack said with finality in her tone, "Rainbow started this, she has to finish it." she looked at your crumpled form and her expression softened, "Eternal...you've really taken a liking to Apple Bloom, haven't cha?"

Indigo and Rainbow stared each other down and charged forward, Keyblades in hand.
> Chapter 4: Tension Rising
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indigo Zap held her Keyblade firm in her grasp in front, her body is in a fencing position with her free hand behind her back. Her eyes glance at opponent, Rainbow Dash, with fire in her eyes. Rainbow Dash shows anger, holding her Keyblade near her in front, lowered her chest near the ground to have more weight on her legs. Without waiting for them to make a move, they ran at each other.

Rainbow held her blade outwards while Indigo hold hers tightly close to her mid-section with the outer edge still in front. They met in the middle, Keyblades clash against one another with every hit between blades. Neither couldn't get any more than one hit, either they block or parry.

Rainbow Dash used Sliding Dash, short gliding at Indigo with Gull Wing's edge point straight ahead. As if Indigo knew this, she waited for the cyan girl to get in range before sidestepping to the left, letting Rainbow pass by before the cyan girl stopped a few feet away. Indigo used Aerial Slam to short glide and swing upwards, sending Rainbow in midair before Indigo did a mirrored uppercut again to make her go higher and end it by slamming her down, sending Rainbow into a crash landing.

The cyan girl was slowly getting up while Indigo descended. Dash stood tall before going to her stance, Zap doing the same before lunging forward at Rainbow. Dash just sidestepped while blocking Indigo's attack, sparks flew when their Keyblades crossed. They block and parry once more, if they're slow, they either use acrobatic movement to dodge, or get further away, or counterattack.

The battle was fierce; Rainbow and Indigo had similar abilities, like Thunder spells and attacks related to Thunder: Heaven's Sword, Thunder Raid, but one difference between their power was that only Indigo had Dark Thundaga. Crystal Prep is well known for teaching its students dark magic, and truth be told, you knew a few dark spells, too. Sour kept casting Cura on you to completely heal your wounds while you watched the battle unfold, but even as a Master, she hasn't reached Cure's full potential, so the damage you've taken didn't recover fast enough.

Rainbow, on the other hand, was getting impatient, her left hand balled up into a fist. "That's IT!" she raised her Keyblade in the air and shouted, "THUNDER!" as spoken, a large bolt of lightning fell above Indigo.

Unable to dodge it in time, Zap got hit by the spell, making her body spasm. "AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!" she screamed. After the spell ended, she slumped low to the ground, using her Keyblade as a support. Heavily breathing feeling her strength slip away little by little, her legs tired already from exhaustion, gritting her teeth from an unexpected ailment. Stun! Indigo thought, feeling her body completely immobilized. No!

"Gotcha!" Rainbow declared as she ran up, electricity cloaking her blade, initiating Heaven's Sword; she ran past her, Keyblade out, and sliced her, creating an electrical explosion, "Let's go!" she then decided to follow up with her throwing her Keyblade at her with it still cloaked in electricity, using Thunder Raid.

You had to get in there, both of them may be Masters, but everybody reaches their limit at some point, Indigo and Rainbow are no exception.

Stun had wore off, so she blocked the incoming Keyblade. Indigo counterattacked with Dark Thundaga, her jumping into the air and swung her blade out towards Rainbow, making it shoot five-way bolts of dark electricity. Rainbow got hit, making her body spasm like Indigo's did.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!" Rainbow shrieked.

"HA! How does it feel on your end?!" Indigo gloated

Rainbow's spasm ended, and she slump low, trying to shake her head from the effects, She's good...for a Crystal Prep student. she thought. She lifted herself up, her hand tightened on her Keyblade in complete hatred. So much anger, so much hatred that she held back, has made her agitated more. But this ends here. she points her Keyblade at Indigo, a large amount of darkness has overtaken her Keyblade's shape, "Vanish!" Rainbow yelled as she rushed forward, slicing Indigo once, then jumping in midair and commanding several swords of darkness to spear her, this skill was Dark Barrage.

Indigo tried to maneuver out of range, however, she didn't account for her sudden pain in her leg. Seeing her right ankle swollen, she was shocked. Oh, no! I can't move! her thoughts end there as Rainbow follows up with Dark Firaga. In one last attempt to save herself, she raised her blade up, praying that she blocks the attack.

You had to stop this fight now.

Ignoring Sour telling you to hold still, you run into battle, Keyblade in hand, ready to put a stop to this. But someone else beat you to it; as Indigo was about to become a dark flambé, a young man you've seen around the farm blocks the assault with a Keyblade of his own.





"STOP! BOTH OF YOU!" he thundered.

"Big Mac!?" Applejack said, incredulously.

He swung his Keyblade outward and continues to yell at them, "THIS MAY BE ALLOWED AT SCHOOL, BUT NOT ON MY FARM!" he turned to you when you were about claim responsibility, "I saw what happened, this wasn't your fault."

"But..." you muttered.

"No buts, you're the victim, not the crook." he shifted his gaze to Rainbow, "Unless you're gonna keep picking a fight, you might as well get off my farm."

Rainbow scowled in your direction before taking her leave, making a motion with her two fingers, meaning, "I'm watching you". Applejack and her friends ran to you as you dismissed your blade.

"Ya okay, partner? Are ya hurt?" Applejack asked you.

"Other than my pride, I'm fine." you quip.

"This ain't funny, ya could've been killed."

"It wasn't his fault, AJ," Sunset interjected, "Rainbow Dash was the one who lost her cool."

"Ah know, Ah just didn't want Apple Bloom's mentor ta perish."

"Applejack, I know we've only known each other for a week, but you couldn't have been that worried—" you stop yourself when Applejack's words finally registered in your brain, "Wait, what did you say?"

"Ya heard me. Ah'm takin' yer offer and lettin' ma sister be yer successor."

You felt warmth filling you inside your heart. Maybe Master Flintheart was wrong, maybe the heart DOES matter.

"Wait, successor?"

Oh, boy...

You forgot about the Shadow 5.

You turn to face them, "Look, I can totally explain."

"Enlighten us then." Sugarcoat ordered.

You sigh and explain everything that happened in the past week, from your encounter with Twilight to your training with Apple Bloom. The Shadow 5 were surprised that you associated yourself with people from Canterlot High, but Indigo just chuckled.

"So...you're a Master for not even twenty-four hours and you already want to have your own student." she stares into your eyes, "You've got confidence. I like that."

"Indigo...?" Sunny uttered.

"We still hanging out, or what?" Indigo asks you.

"Yeah, we are." you turn to face Applejack, "Hey, Applejack, I'll be back later on, okay?"

"Sure, we'll be seein' ya."

"See you later."

You leave Sweet Apple Acres with the Shadow 5 in tow, hoping that you won't have another incident like this for a while.

...Then again, you should've known better not to tempt fate.



You and the Shadow 5 spent some time around town, then stopped at a local cafe and got to know each other a little better; Sour Sweet's been having a fallout with her dad because of her disability, Sugarcoat is blunt because her parents are sticklers for the truth, Indigo Zap wants to be as strong as her dad was, maybe even stronger, Lemon Zest is working on her own music, and Sunny Flare is studying hard to appease her mother, Master Cinch.

That last one surprised you to Tartarus and back.

"Master Cinch is your mom!?" you spout out.

"Surprising, isn't it?" Sunny smirked.

"'Surprising' is an understatement for what describes THAT!"

Sunny giggled, "Told you messing with you is fun."

You folded your arms and pouted, making the others laugh at your expense.

"You know," Lemon began, "you're not so bad after all, I don't know why we kept hounding on you."

"Yeah, me neither." you said.

"So, can we put it behind us?" Indigo asked.

"Well...you DID save my life when you could've watched me die...hmm..." you hummed, leaving them in suspense, "...Okay, I guess I can forgive you guys."

They all released a breath they didn't know they were holding.

"Seriously? You guys were THAT worried I'd say no? Man, the world must be ending or something."

Before anyone could respond to that, you were yanked out of your chair and thrown on the ground.

"Again!? Really!?" you shout.

A Keyblade was pointed at your face, and it looked awfully familiar.





"Show me your strength. Prove to me you're worthy of the Mark."

"Twilight!?" you say in shock.

"Get up." she swings down, only for her blade to meet solid ground as you roll out of the way.

You call forth your Keyblade and ready your battle stance, "I don't wanna hurt you, Twilight."

She didn't respond as she charged forward, attacking you with Blazing Sword while you blocked with a Reflect spell, sending beams of light back at her, but she blocked with a Renewal Barrier spell. Twilight was best known for her skills as a mage, the only way she would fight blade to blade was with any type of magic. She retaliated by casting Firaga at you, you tried to cast Blizzard, but Twilight's spell broke through yours.

You jumped out of the way to avoid some major burns, and cast Thunder, but she rolled out of its path and cast Icicle Spear, summoning several sharp pieces of ice that surrounds her opponent and propelling them toward you. You cast Reflect again, but the icicles broke through, stabbing you from multiple directions and causing you a lot of damage. You struggled to stand up as Twilight casually walked to you.

"Is that really all you've got?" Twilight asked, "I don't know what Master Celestia and Master Luna saw in you. But as far as I'm concerned, you're finished."

"HEY!"

CLANG!

Sunny clashed into Twilight's Keyblade with one of her own.





"Get out of my way, Sunny Flare."

"Sorry, dearie, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

"You misunderstand. It wasn't a choice."

Twilight pushed her back and cast Blizzaga while Sunny fought back with Firaga, the two spells meeting in the middle and creating an explosion. You shielded your eyes with your Keyblade as the smoke cleared, revealing Sunny and Twilight trading blow for blow with Twilight adding a bit magic in her strikes. You tried to stand, but someone held you down.

"Don't get up, you're hurt." Indigo insisted.

"But Sunny—!" you object, but Indigo cuts you off.

"She can take care of herself, right now we gotta get you outta here."

Indigo and the remainder of the Shadow 5 help you up and you all escape under Twilight's nose as she continues to fight Sunny Flare.



Sour casts Cura on you multiple times as you limp back home with Indigo and Sugarcoat on either side of you. Suddenly, you five are stopped by Twilight's brother, Shining Armor, who held his own Keyblade.





"Twily says you're the only one who passed the Mark of Mastery." Shining said, "Let's see how strong you are!"

He holds his Keyblade front of him pointed towards your group as a ball of swirling energy grows from its tip. The ball exploded and sent several beams of light at you, this was Ragnarok.

"Look out!" Lemon shouted.

The attack came right at you all, but was destroyed by Sugarcoat wielding her Keyblade.





"Go. He's mine." Sugarcoat ordered.

The remainder of your group knew Sugarcoat was serious, so none of you argued as you escaped.



After that, you were headed home with the girls until you all were stopped again, this time by Ginger Owlseye and Taffy Shade.

"Oh, come ON!" Sour screeched.

Ginger and Taffy summoned their own Keyblades respectively and prepared to battle.









"I got this!" Lemon said as she summoned her own Keyblade.





You will never understand how someone as upbeat as Lemon Zest could possibly have a Keyblade that appears so dull.

"But it's two against one! How can you handle that?!" You shout.

"One will have to stay while the other goes with you."

You look at Indigo and Sour, both wearing scowls and blushes.

"What's it gonna be?" They both said.

You knew that this was not going to be easy.
> Chapter 5: A Piece of Peace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a lot of thought in a short time span, you made your decision...the girl who at first been cruel to you, but warmed up to you and tried to protect you from harm. It wasn't really that hard of a choice.

"...Let's go, Indigo."

Both girls gasped, Indigo in surprise and Sour in shock of who you chose. Sour soon had a bit of a sour look (no pun intended) before she joined Lemon in battle. Indigo beamed in happiness at your choice, but quickly hid it as you turned to her.

"Ready to go?" you ask.

"Yeah." she answered.

She went to your side and propped you up, you two of you limping to your home as you gave her directions.



The sun was beginning to set as the two of you arrive at your house, neither one of you eager to say goodbye.

"Well...guess this is it." you say.

"Yeah..." Indigo said, downtrodden.

You noticed this and cupped her face with a hand, making her jolt in surprise, "Hey, we can still hang out, it's not like this is goodbye."

Indigo blushed, "Y-Yeah, but...I guess...I'm just..."

You knew what she was trying to say, "You don't want to leave just yet."

Indigo shook her head.

You smile, "You wanna hang out at my place for a bit? Maybe...stay the night if you want?"

Indigo blushed even deeper, "Yes...I mean, yeah, yeah that sounds good."

You turn away from her to open the door, but then Indigo punched your arm, making you look at her in shock, "That's for scaring me back at that farm."

You look down, "Sorry..."

Just then, she kissed your cheek, "That's for...choosing me."

You look at her and smile before opening the door to your home and allowing Indigo in. The whole night, you and Indigo watched TV, played video games, and ate dinner, all while your aunt and uncle watched you two with a smile. When the time came for sleep, Indigo wanted to sleep in the same bed as you, but made one thing perfectly clear the moment she grabbed you by your shirt:

"No funny stuff, got it?" she said with a glare.

You nod speedily as she let go and you two spent the night together. She was warm, very warm, not only that, she left you warm on the inside too. You didn't know what this feeling was...but you kinda liked it.




The Next Day


You woke up to the sound of your bedroom door being knocked upon, but Indigo remained asleep. Groggily, you got up and went to the door, but when you opened it, you saw something shocking: Twilight, Shining, Ginger, and Taffy standing before you with what looked to be their parents, the latter group tried to stifle their giggles as you were still in your sleepwear.

"Did we come at a bad time?" the women that looked similar to Twilight asked.

You rub your eyes and sigh, "No, no. So, what's going on here?"

The man next to the woman nudged Shining, "Go on, apologize, young man."

The woman then nudged Twilight, "You too, young lady."

They both sighed and said begrudgingly, "Sorry, Eternal."

"Ginger, that goes for you and Taffy, too." another woman that looked to be Ginger's mother ordered.

The two girls said, "Sorry."

"...Uh, you know what? Water under the bridge." you say.

"Hey, Eternal, what's the peanut gallery doing here?" Indigo said, finally waking up.

"Apparently, their parents found out what they tried to do to me yesterday...somehow, and told them all to apologize to me."

"Well, how about that?" Indigo mused, "Oh, that reminds me, we should see if the girls are alright...after breakfast, of course."

You chuckle, "Yeah, alright." you turn to the group at your door, "Look, we've got things to do today, so..."

Twilight's mother smiled, "That's fine, we have to go anyway," she then scowled at her children, "we have punishments to sort out."

Twilight and Shining stiffened.

The group then left the house, leaving you and Indigo standing at your bedroom door, until Indigo started smelling the air, which was filled with your aunt's cooking.

"Is that...pancakes?" she asked.

"Blueberry chocolate chip." you answered, "My aunt makes THE best pancakes in Canterlot."

Indigo smirked, "In that case...race ya there!"

She rushed out of your room, not realizing that she was still in her pajamas. You giggle as you follow her, not caring that you were in your PJ's as well.



Once breakfast was done and over with, the two of you went to the homes of the other Shadow 5 to see how they were holding up after yesterday's events. Turns out, the other wielders did a number on the girls, as their parents told them they were laying in bed, resting off their exhaustion. Also, with the events of yesterday, you slap your forehead when you realize that you forgot to tell your aunt and uncle about your passing of the Mark of Mastery, you resolve to tell them later today.

"Welp, guess we got the whole day to ourselves." you say.

"Yep, seems like it." Indigo agreed.

You two were quiet for a time until you spoke again.

"You wanna...go on a date—"

"Yes!" Indigo noticed what she just said and tried to play it cool, "I mean, yeah sure."

You smile as you grab her hand and run to the park with her in tow. You two played, ate ice cream from the ice cream man that drove by, and sat down by a tall tree to relax, enjoying the morning that was soon turning into an afternoon. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as Indigo received a call from her parents telling her that it was time to come home and work on her afternoon chores, you two said your farewells and went your separate ways.

Once you did, you remembered something that you needed to do. With nothing else stopping you, you immediately headed for the Apple Family's farm.



After arriving, you walk up to the door and before you can knock, the door opened to reveal Apple Bloom with giddy smile on her features.

"ETERNAL!" she leaped onto you and knocked you on the floor of the porch, "Is it true?! Are ya really gonna make me yer successor?!"

You cough from the impact, but were able to lean up into a sitting position, "Ugh, yeah. But I was hoping for it to be a surprise."

"Sorry, pardner, but Ah can't lie to ma family." you saw Applejack standing at the door frame, looking at you two in amusement.

You sigh, "May I come in?"

Applejack giggles, "Do ya need ta ask?"

She steps aside as you stand up and walk in her home with Apple Bloom eagerly following close behind you. When Applejack closed the door, she called out through the house for her brother and grandmother to see Apple Bloom experience The Bequeathing, a ritual of Keyblade wielders that allow others to be able to wield a Keyblade of their own. As soon as the family piled into the living room, you cleared your throat and mentally prepared yourself.

"Alright, Apple Bloom, are you ready?"

She nods rapidly, but you stop her.

"No need in giving yourself a headache."

Apple Bloom smiles sheepishly as you take a deep breath, call out your Keyblade, and spoke:

"In your hand, take this key, for as long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be, and then you'll find me, friend; no ocean will contain you then, no more barriers around, below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."

You hold out your Keyblade to Apple Bloom, who slowly moves her hand closer to your key with eyes of wonder. Soon enough, she grasps its handle, officially becoming your successor. The Apple Family cheered as loudly as they could, nearly splitting your eardrums.

Granny Smith put a hand on your shoulder, "Quite the spectacle ya put on there, sonny! From now on, yer part o' the Apple Family!"

"Eeyup." Big Mac said.

With that, you felt like everything was going right for you; not only did you gain a possible girlfriend and a successor, but you've also earned your right to be called a member of the Apple Family. All in all, you were happy...

...That is, until, the Friendship Games finally rolled around.