Chapter Text
“Why do I have to come along?” Vanitas complained, dragging his feet as he followed after Ienzo. The aforementioned scientist stifled the third sigh that day and turned around to speak but was cut off. “I mean, they’re adults. They can take care of themselves. They don’t need me to follow along.”
“That’s because you need to get out more,” Ienzo replied, smiling straining as he tried to keep his cool.
“I get out.”
“Being a part of the Restoration and Heartless Extermination Committee does not count as ‘getting out’ Vanitas,” Ienzo sighed, unable to hold that one back. “I will discuss with you later about your hermit habits, but right now, we’re helping them get new clothes.”
He gestured to the other three who were walking alongside them. Loz shifted uncomfortably. He’d been wanting the two of them to stop arguing for a while now, biting the inside of his cheek to stop the tears he was almost certain Vanitas would make fun of him for. He didn’t know why, but there was something about the way that boy carried himself that just radiated “I will point out your deepest insecurities in front of everyone and laugh at you for it”.
Vanitas shrugged at his legal guardian and walked off in a totally new direction. “Sounds like a ‘you’ problem. Count me out. I’m going back home.” He gave Ienzo a quick finger and continued trudging off. Before he could get far, a figure bouldered into him, knocking him to the ground.
A young woman, roughly about the same age as the Remnants, knelt over Vanitas and attempted to pelt him with punches. Keyword: attempt. Her strikes only met the palm of his hands as he caught her attacks. The woman grit her teeth and tried to push harder. Her efforts were only met with laughter as Vanitas kicked her off of himself, launching her a few meters to the side.
Everyone created a wide circle around the two as some of the Radiant Garden Guards made their way over to separate the two. Loz could immediately tell from how Ienzo shook his head that this happened before. He turned his attention back to the two, now watching as Dilan and Aeleus pulled them apart.
“Please do not cause any more public disturbances,” Aeleus grunted, wrestling with the young woman as she shouted curses at Vanitas who, in turn, only egged her on with a smile.
“Or what?!” she screamed at Aeleus. “You’ll jail me? You know he’d just visit me then! Being anywhere near that thing will only lead to your doom! Just let me take care of him here and now!”
“Go ahead!” Vanitas yelled back. “Even without powers I’m still stronger than you! I could tear you apart! Limb from limb!”
The raucous lasted maybe ten more minutes at most before everything went back to normal. Yazoo watched as Dilan dragged Vanitas away with a sparkle of interest in his eyes. “Hey Kadaj,” he whispered. “Are you sure we should be avoiding him? He’s kind of like us, in a weird, twisted way.”
Kadaj shook his head. “I’m sure. I don’t like how he spoke to Loz this morning. And last night, he was far too invasive. I think he can read minds or something.”
“What do you think Loz-” Yazoo began to ask, only to look around dumbfounded. Their brother was missing. Neither of them had seen him leave, and apparently neither had Ienzo.
Loz sat on a cobblestone curve, resting his forehead on his knees that were pulled up to his chest. The words Vanitas shouted were still on his mind, both from his earlier fight and from what he had said to Loz that morning.
“What? Like I’d make fun of him for crying,” Vanitas sneered. “There’s so many better things to poke fun at! Like his lack of intelligence and brawn over brain. He’d make a great paperweight.”
His brothers had stood up to Vanitas but were either laughed off or ignored. That whole morning had been the worst! Trying to cut his budding anxiety, and failing, had only built up this breakdown. Loz let out a shaky breath, trying to calm down, but was interrupted by a stone that was sent flying next to him. He turned to who kicked it only to be looking up at the young woman who beat the snot out of Vanitas earlier.
She stared out at the scenery before them with a calm expression. But Loz could tell by the way she furrowed her brow that frustration still flowed strong within her. Sighing, she took a seat beside him, looked over, and smiled. The woman gave him a small wave and asked, “Mind if I sit with you?”
Loz gave her a hesitant look and waved back. “Yeah. I mean, no! Go ahead. Sorry.”
She chuckled at his response and held out her hand to shake. “Don’t sweat it! Names Skuld. You?”
“Loz,” he replied, taking her offer. They shook hands and returned to silence.
“You friends with Vanitas?” she asked. “Didn’t look like it. Especially if you’re all the way out here.”
Loz bit his lower lip, stifling another round of tears. He quickly shook his head and looked away, hiding his face. Skuld took notice, her eyes filled with sympathy. She gave him a light pat on the shoulder.
“Yeah, he can be a real pain,” she hummed. “I don’t blame you. He say something? Or did he hurt you physically?”
He shook his head. “No, he didn’t hurt me. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Skuld nodded, dropping the subject. “I haven’t seen you around here. And I’ve been living in Radiant Garden for a while. Are you new? You and your siblings?”
“How did you-?”
“You all have the same face, same clothes, and have silver hair. I just assumed. Am I correct?”
“Yeah. And we also haven’t been here before. We’re from far away. Really far away.”
Skuld hummed, her gaze turning towards the cityscape. She almost seemed to be looking at a different view altogether. “I’m also from far away. Sadly, I don’t exactly know what happened to it. I know it’s gone, and I remember some of my time there. How long have you been here?”
“Two days.”
“Wow! You’re really new! I’ve been living here for about ten or fifteen years.”
A smile pulled at his lips. “That’s a big difference! Is it ten years? Or fifteen?”
She smiled in turn. “I don’t know. Been too long! You lose track after a while.”
They talked back and forth until the sun started to fall towards the horizon. Learning more about each other and the worlds they originated from. Loz learned that Skuld was something called a ‘Keyblade Wielder’ from Daybreak Town. She explained with much enthusiasm her adventures defeating monsters that stole people’s hearts.
Loz didn’t quite feel comfortable just yet talking about what he and his brothers did. Something in his chest twisted when the conversation eventually drifted back to Vanitas.
“You don’t trust him,” she muttered. “And you really shouldn’t. He’s a True Darkness, a really bad and evil entity that takes people’s bodies and forces them to do things they don’t want to do.”
Loz shuddered when she turned to look at him with a steely gaze.
“He possessed my friend Ventus. Forced him to kill my other friend, Strelitza! He feeds off negative emotion and makes little creatures that run around and create chaos! If you can, don’t let him get in your head. I’ve been told he’s powerless now and on a tight leash, but I know his mind games. Don’t trust him.”
He nodded quickly, a tight feeling within his gut. He didn’t have the heart to tell her…
…that he and his brothers have done something similar.