//------------------------------// // Prototypes // Story: Balance // by BioQuillFiction //------------------------------// How many more people are you gonna pick up? As many as I need to. What’s so special about nephew anyway? He’s a runt. His heart, it’s rare. that’s it? Must be more than antique glass, cause that’s all it is to me. It’s at balance with it’s own light and darkness, he wields the X-blade despite the fact it was shattered into twenty pieces, and he controls Heartless without letting them consume him… in fact, it’s almost the opposite. The more Heartless he controls, the brighter his light shines to match his darkness perfectly. If he was to gain full control over the Heartless then he’d eventually free every heart trapped within every Emblem Heartless… including mine… I thought you said you made that fancy key out of your heart? I did… as a reminder. Of what? To never feel anything again. Not after…. Just get to work, how’s the experiment coming along? As good as can be. Though, I fail to see how ___ and ___ will play any part in this? They’re ______ ______. I can’t set foot on that world anymore because of that blasted heart, no darkness can. And they’re not ____ ____, they’re fakes made from some Dusks I ran into while out. I gotta say though, this is twisted… I like it. Still say we should kill the kid, but I’ll play along. You better, or you’ll find out what the term “Monster” truly refers to. I’ll be out, ___ will be keeping an eye on things while I’m out. Not that bitch again, she’s always crying. It’s so annoying, why does she always cry anyway?! Unlike me, to remember her past… and her mistakes. Then why do you keep her around? Simple, I recently learned she was… replaced… last of the ___ lost in darkness and now she has been replaced… It will be interesting when ___ takes her with him. I woke up to find Twilight was missing from our group cuddle. I managed to escape and walked off to find her. X was on a coat hanger, and I tried to hard not to laugh. Shut up! Sorry, but it’s kinda funny. I walked down the halls and I finally found her at the dining table, with metal sleeves similar to mine. “Are those…?” I ask, causing her to jump slightly as she now knows I’m here. “Oh, yeah. Cid called last night and I picked them up before my turn came up.” “They work?” “Cid said the trials worked perfectly, the only thing we’re having issues with them is the recharge. They need to be placed within a strong source of mana fo, well, self repair damage, and cover the whole body. Right now we’re using Manathulierm.” “Manathulierm?” “It’s an ore rich in raw mana. RIght now we’re using them as a ‘battery’ but I’m trying to make it so that it can self recharge, without the Manathulierm.” “How does my armor do it?” “Hard to say, it’s like it gets it’s energy from, nothing? I’m not sure.” Twilight put one of them on and pressed the button, unlike mine, her’s flashed purple she was in a purple version of Aqua's armor. “The one I’m using I’ve rigged to take mana from me, but what I’ve found out is that I can’t cast spells with it active.” “Might be draining too much mana then.” “That’s what I was thinking.” She pulled the button and the armor flashed, showing Twilight as she was without it… in her sexy pj’s. “I already gave the kids theirs, they’re flying around with them now.” “Figures. I’ll go check on them.” I reached the entrance, which was also a porch of sorts, and saw the kids on their gliders. “Hey dad!” Scootaloo said as she passed me. They were racing around the… house? After a bit, they all stopped and stood on the porch with me. All wearing their armors. “Aren’t these things cool!” Diamond Tiara asked. “They are impressive, they hold up well?” “Yeah! I hardly feel the impacts.” Button said. “My scales help against the pain, but this armor makes it like a patt.” Spike said. “Great. Have you kids even taken a break since I gave you these Keyblades?” I asked. “Not really.” Snails said. “Well, how about we all go somewhere then?” “Where exactly?” Rumble asked. “I was thinking… huh… what world would be fun…” Traverse Town had Leon and them, so Radiant Garden is out, I wanna give the kids a break, but the looks they’re giving me say otherwise… Maybe… “Take a break, I wanna check if the place I have in mind has anything coming up. If your moms asked tell them I promise I’ll be back soon.” I opened a portal and flew in on my glider. I soon found myself above the land of the Olympus Coliseum. I landed and took a look around. The coliseum was here, and I entered, finding Phile in the main lobby. “Hey champ.” He said without looking around. “Wrong guy.” “Wha?” He turned around and seemed surprised. “Oh, my bad. What do you want?” “I was wondering if you sold tickets to view any upcoming games?” “Sell tickets… why didn’t I think of that? Well, sorry to say, but we don’t usually let people view the games too close. Lot of the battles get real heated. Most take seat outside the building.” “Why not put up a magic barrier? Keep the fighters in the arena and the viewers can watch safely.” “Like finding a magic man that can pull that off is easy, not to mention paying them! Tell ya what guy, you find some way to either have someone make a barrier like that for me, I’ll let you, and whoever you bring with you view and enter the games free.” “What makes you think I’d enter?” “I see those scars on your arms guy. You don’t get scars like just by being scared.” Oh… right… ‘I’ll see what I can do.” I left the building. Where can I find a wizard that can pull this off? Maybe Twilight has something? Probably. I opened another portal and flew in. I arrived on the ‘porch’ and walked in. I found Twilight still tinkering with the armor, but Spike was with her. “Hey Twilight, can I ask you something?” She looked at me. “You weren’t gone long… good.” She looked like she just let go from holding her breath. “What was it you wanted to ask?” “Do you know any spells that place a magic barrier?” “Lots, why?” “This place I know of has amazing matches, but they don’t let people watch too close because the battles get to heated. If I find a way to get a barrier around the arena, the owner will let me, and whoever I bring, view and enter the games free.” “What’s so special about these games?” Spike asked. “Well, viewing them would be good for you guys to understand combat better, and participating will give you some real battle experience outside of just practice.” “How are these games conducted?” Twilight asked. “Basically fight til someone gives up or runs out of steam. Heartless have been known to be ‘filler battles’ till the others that signed up fight whoever they get matched up with next.” “It would be a good place to really test the prototypes in combat. I think I can help, but you and Spike have to participate in these games.” “Why me?” Spike asked. “Cause you have scales and normally don’t feel much without the armor. With it on you hardly feel anything.” “Fair enough.” “I guess I’ll bring you with me.” It was a quick fly back to Olympus Coliseum, and Phil was still in the main lobby. “ Found your wizzerd Phil.” He looked at Twilight. “Well hello hottie~” “Married.” Twilight deadpanned. She grabbed my arm. “Married to him.” Phil sighed. “All the hot ones are. Well little lady, what can you do?” “Show me that arena and I’ll do what I can.” The arena was the same as in the games, if only much larger since it’s real. Twilight spent her time taking measurements and writing symbols down in heavy ink. When she was done she was covered in ink spots. ‘’Well, this should do it.” “And how’s it work?” Phil asked. “Just clap, then say, match start.” Twilight clapped. “Match start.” The ink symbols she drew glowed white, and soon, see through walls, kinda like glass, went up around the arena. “No one can get in or out until you clap again and say, mach over.” She clapped again. “Match over.” THe walls of magic glass vanished. “Well, that will work nicely. And I can do that?” “Yeah. This spell uses whoever’s DNA was mixed with the ink. I found one of your hairs on the ground, and I placed one of mine as well.” “Impressive.” Phil turned to me. “Deal’s a deal guy, you and whoever you bring can enter and join or watch the games freely from here on out.” “When are the next games anyway?” I asked. “We’re having some in a few days, but the matches to get you in without a pass are today and tomorrow. Getting a pass is a hassle, so lots of people try and enter on days like this.” “Great. Come on Twi, let’s get the rest of the family and have some fun.” Everyone was all looking at Spike and I as we waited for our opponent to get into the ring. “What’s taking the guy so long?” Spike asked. “Not sure.” I replied. “Match is gonna be a dunce if they don’t show up.” “Impatient, are we?” I turned around fast at that voice. It was Core, and one of his parallel versions, the yellow one. “Spike… get out of the arena.” He looked at me, ready to deny, but he saw the look I had and simply nodded. “What are you doing here?” “Merely participating.” The yellow Core said. “We can’t access your world anymore, thanks to that heart, but when we felt you were off world we had to take this opportunity.” “Simply put,” My Core said. “We require data on you… and to give you this.” Core tossed something at my feet. I picked it up. “A gold colored Wayfinder?” “I want you as strong as you can be, and a Wayfinder acts as a direct link to the hearts of those you care about, or have impacted you. Giving the wielder of it some extra strength.” “Why give me this?” “I don’t need it, not for a long time.” This was his? “Match start!” Phil said as the barrier went up. “Now, this seems unfair.” Yellow Core said. “This is a two versus two match.” “Let’s make it a one on one then.” My Core said, grabbing his yellow parallels hand, and she turned into a yellow version of his Keyblade. “Now, it’s fair.” He said as he summoned his normal Keyblade in his other hand. “How!?” “You’d be surprised what can be made into a Keyblade of Darkness. The yellow me is my attempt to artificially create what you have become.” I summoned X, and to my surprise, Fenrir appeared in my other. Need help? I feel we do. Same. “Fine.” Core went in for a strike, I blocked, and swung. He dodged, and went in for another strike. I blocked again. “So what have you been up to?” Core asked. “Why do you wanna know?” “You’re an important resource to me, and the fact your uncle can’t follow orders correctly has made me put him on a leash.” We jumped away from one another. “Why act so friendly? You clearly have bad intentions.” “You are vital to some plans I’m working on, you and Huxley both.” “What does he have to do with anything?” “Simple, his heart is rich with inner darkness. Pull the right strings, tune his vision… whisper the right words, and he will make the perfect puppet for my grand play.” I went in for an attack, all four blades were crossed. “I may not like Huxley, and I know he doesn’t trust me at all, but I won’t let you mess with him.” As we jumped away from one another I threw both X and Fenrir into a Reflect Raid. Core Blocked most of them, but one lucky hit and went across his face, creating a gash in his mask. “That’s one for me.” I say as I catch X and Fenrir. Core felt his mask, tracing the gash. “Impressive.” Core vanished, and I saw him appear in the corner of my eye. “But not enough.” He hit me with a swing from the back, and it sent me flying until I hit the barrier. It hurt to move… just one attack, how strong is he? I was using X as a cane to try and stand up. “D, damn you.” “Match end!” Phil said. “Winner, Core!” “I drop out.” He said as he disbanded both Keyblades. Wonder where his parallel goes when he does that. As he was heading towards the exit, he stopped right next to me. “You know it’s impossible to protect everyone. My advice, try and prove me wrong.” Core opened a DTD and walked into it. The DTD disappeared shortly after he entered. “Well then… Winner by forfeit, Zeke!” The crowed was at mix reactions about this, and my family quickly came to help me up. “That bastard.” I muttered. “Ended the fight in one attack… I just know he was holding back too.” “Let’s get you home.” Celestia said. “Whatever Core has planned, we all just need to become stronger.” “Even then… He already has an army… I may need to find help from… more than just where I’ve been looking.”