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moogle_workshop2011-06-10 12:31 am
breyzyyin.livejournal.com) wrote in moogle_workshop2011-06-10 12:31 am
{Fan Fic} Surprise Attacks and Fun Races
Username: Yin (of ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
breyzyyin)
Class: White Mage
Title: Surprise Attacks and Fun Races
Summary: A fic written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
airship_lounge Workshop Challenge: put a Final Fantasy character not already in the games into the Kingdom Hearts series. On a return visit to Neverland, Ven ends up befriending a new Lost Boy and a friendly traveler.
Characters/Pairings: Ven, Shelke, and Bartz are the main focuses of the fic...with mentions of several other KH, FF, and Disney characters as well.
Word count: 3,330
Rating/warnings: G. Spoilers for Ven's story in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.
Author's Note: Gah, I'm not...entirely sure how I feel about this fic. 0_0; Writing it was really hard for some reason, and if I'm at all honest--I'm not really sure I like how this story turned out. I apologize if any characters are too OOC or anything of that nature. By the end, I had such a huge block with where I was going with the set-up and dialogue that I nearly just gave up: a very, very HUGE thank you goes to my sister Breyzy for giving me a great suggestion on what to possibly write for the ending, otherwise I'm not sure this fic would have ever gotten finished! YOU'RE THE BEST, BREYZY! ♥ Also, since I haven't played FFV yet...I based Bartz's character more on his Dissidia incarnation (as I figured that would probably make sense in a way if he were to actually appear in the KH games given who is the character designer for that series! ♥).
----Legal Disclaimer: I do not own any of the games or any of those games' characters that are featured in this fic. They are the rightful property of Square-Enix.----
Ven stared out at the island scenery around him.
A part of him was surprised that he found himself back at Neverland this soon after having awoken...the story of how that even came to be quite a long and complicated one involving a certain other spiky-haired youth wielding a Keyblade (truthfully, he was still a little sketchy on the details himself though Sora swore that he would fill in all of the gaps once they had more time to talk properly).
The trees and other foliage in the immediate area blocked his view almost completely, though he could make out the sound of waves hitting the beach still on all sides.
Sora had mentioned perhaps needing more help for the final battle, and both of them (along with Riku and Kairi, who ended up joining them later on in their quest) had agreed it might be good to recheck all of the worlds' Hearts they'd traveled to as well. They needed to be absolutely sure that everything was going well before they set out for the final battle to save the rest of their friends. Ven, eager to help out for the sake of Terra, Aqua, and everyone else he'd come across--and having quite a few fond memories of this world in particular too, had volunteered to check out Neverland.
...He wondered if Peter, Tinker Bell, and the Lost Boys were close by or if they were off having another adventure. It would be nice to see them again, though he wasn't entirely sure of where to look anymore.
Frowning for a few moments in contemplation, he finally shook his head and smiled--figuring it couldn't hurt to scout the area still. He needed to check on the Keyhole anyways...which, apparently, was located in a clock tower of some kind. He hadn't actually seen that part of the world before on his previous trip here, and was quite curious as to how it looked since he couldn't help but imagine that a clock tower would look quite silly stuck on one of these islands!
Besides, who knew? He would probably run into Peter and the others soon enough in his search for it.
Taking a few steps towards where he could hear the rolling waves of the ocean the clearest from where he was standing, Ven barely had time to register when he heard sudden, quick footsteps running up behind him.
On instinct he brought out his Keyblade and brandished it in front of him, a fortunate move as it deflected--well, something: he couldn't see what was attacking him at all, but he felt the force of it connecting with his weapon clear enough…the impact reverberating throughout his body and causing his feet to get even more buried in the soft sandy soil of the island.
Squinting his eyes, he could almost make out what looked like the transparent shape of a smaller person right in front of him...though it was hard to tell as, when they moved quickly (as they were doing that very moment), their body became less defined and it was hard to get their form back into focus. From the footsteps on the ground mere inches from where he was standing, it seemed as if the invisible person (...A ghost? That couldn't be right.), was switching their footing around to try another attack.
Ven frowned, trying to figure out how to predict the move of an opponent he knew was there but that he couldn't quite see. Maybe if he kicked some sand upwards, it would make the shape more distinct at least...
"All right, you two...cut it out!"
A sharp voice cut through the air between Ven and his mysterious assailant, causing the Keyblade warrior to turn his head slightly to the side to see who had spoken. Apparently, the figure had also responded to the voice's direction, as the intended assault never struck him while he was distracted: the footsteps in the sand falling back into a more relaxed, standing pose.
A brown-haired boy a few years older then Ven himself was staring right back at him with an amused look in his gray-tinted eyes, arms folded across his chest. Later on, the teenager would tell him in secret that he'd been trying to glare and look intimidating to fit in with his initial command...but that the sight of Ven trying to fight someone he couldn't see had been too hilarious for him to keep a straight face. He had a smiling quality about his facial features and body language that Ven couldn't help but like almost immediately.
As Ven was assessing the newcomer, the air nearby him began to shimmer. The boy started as, before his very eyes, a young girl with a short cropping of red hair around her face came into view. She was wearing a pink blouse and brown skirt that made her almost appear harmless in a way, though the two sabers she held in both hands were still quite intimidating. They vanished into the air quickly, the glowing cord that bound the two weapons together dissipating lastly and leaving a trail of light in their wake.
Unconsciously, Ven's cheeks reddened a little bit in embarrassment. Beyond his sparring matches with Aqua, he'd never actually fought a girl before. And she'd been quite capable with her combat skills too--much more than he'd ever been at her age. He was rather impressed.
"He is a stranger. I was just being cautious." Her expression was surprisingly blank as she stared at the newcomer as well, Ven not being able to tell if she was annoyed at his presence and intrusion or not.
"I've met your 'cautious' before too, Shelke. The knot on the back of my head still hurts!"
"...I always use the blunt side first just to be safe." She shrugged indifferently at the boy's comment.
"Well I guess it's good to know you don't go for the kill the first time you meet someone." From the exasperated-but-still-amused look on the youth's face, it seemed as if the two had this debate before. The brown-haired teenager tilted his head slightly to the side, a thoughtful look crossing over his features, "I still don't quite get how you do that. Turning invisible, I mean. It would be a really neat trick if I could learn to Mimic it one day!"
The girl, Shelke, shrugged again, "There's no real trick to it. I learned it from some of the fairies here, it's a magic spell they use to conceal themselves if they feel threatened...it can't be duplicated by normal means: it is given as a gift. And it took me even longer than you've been here at Neverland to finally master it." She eyed him wryly and joked in a dull tone, "I don't think you’d have the patience for it."
"...You're probably right!" the boy laughed, "Stealth isn't really for me anyways."
"Umm..." Ven couldn't help but suspect that the conversation would go on for a very long time at this rate if he didn't try to get the questions swirling around inside his head out, "I don't really mean to interrupt, but who are you two?"
The teenager turned his attention back to Ven, a pleasant smile stretching across his mouth once he remembered the other boy's presence.
"Oh, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?" he jerked his thumb at his chest and winked encouragingly, "My name is Bartz! And the quiet one over there," he motioned with his shoulder to the girl still standing near Ven, "Is called Shelke."
Shelke's expression remained impassive though she inclined her head slightly in a nod of confirmation to what Bartz had said, preferring to remain silent during the introduction portion of the conversation. Later on, Ven would realize that Shelke often preferred remaining quiet, a stark contrast to most of the other denizens of Neverland who enjoyed talking. ...It had become a "top secret" mission of sorts for Bartz and some of the Lost Boys to try and get her to open up more, and Bartz in particular often tried to draw her into conversations during his stay there--worried that her more withdrawn nature was making her shut out other people and new possibilities. He was trying to do so now, actually...noticing how quiet she'd become once their new acquaintance had gotten into the conversation.
"She's a Lost Boy." Bartz grinned, "It's an interesting title for her, don’t you think?"
"Umm..." Ven wasn't sure of how to respond to that, partially afraid of getting another attempted blow to the head if he reacted badly in the girl's eyes.
"...They weren't about to change the name just because a girl joined up." She shrugged again, a body language signal that Ven would later learn she was quite fond of using, not really caring about the triviality of Bartz's statement.
Ven was even more curious now and regarded the red-haired girl carefully. She hadn't been one of the Lost Boys he had met before...that was for sure.
As if sensing his regard, Shelke turned to stare at him with an aqua-colored gaze of her own. It was an assessing one and Ven couldn't help it when his cheeks warmed in response: he wasn't used to having girls around his own age giving him the time of day.
"You...know Peter then?" he stammered out, quickly finding the sandy ground right beneath his shoes insanely fascinating.
She didn't seem to notice his discomfort or embarrassment and nodded her head, "He let me stay with him and the others when I came here."
"Came here?"
Another nod, "I don't...really remember much about the world I originally came from. All I know is that something bad happened and that I was running away with my sister." She frowned slightly, lost in thought, "I was...separated from her awhile ago. When I woke up after that, I had somehow ended up here in Neverland."
"...How do you think that happened?" Ven didn't mean to pry, but the story seemed pretty interesting to him. Sora had mentioned that some worlds had been destroyed or some people displaced due to the Heartless.
Shelke didn't seem to mind though, and while her facial features seemed slightly troubled, the words were rolling off of her tongue in a deadpan tone as if she'd recited them countless times before, "Shalua, my sister...she was pretty gifted when it came to science. I always assumed she maybe brought me here for my own protection after what happened to our home. I've been waiting here ever since hoping she'll come to find me." She turned to stare at her hands, adding in a quiet tone, "I've been here for years now."
Feeling guilty that he'd brought up what appeared to be a painful subject, Ven was about to stammer out an apology when Shelke looked him straight in the eye. There was an almost amused note in her voice when she added, "I'm probably older than you and Bartz, actually. You don't age on this world, you know."
"It's hard to wrap your head around when you look like a little girl though." Bartz mentioned jokingly, relieved that the conversation had turned back around to lighter matters. Shelke just ignored him, used to his banter.
Ven, who was himself technically a lot older than he looked too, smiled somewhat--while Shelke was quiet and a bit distant, he was getting the sense that she was a rather nice person all-in-all despite that...and not someone who didn't enjoy to converse if asked the right question. Besides, Peter Pan wouldn't let just anyone join the Lost Boys either...which said a lot about her character too.
"I know." He told her, "I've actually visited this world before. I think...it was probably before you came here, though. I met Peter, Tinker Bell, and some of the Lost Boys...but I definitely don't remember you being there." He blushed somewhat in embarrassment as he added under his breath, "I'd...probably remember if you were there. I'm not so sure I would've been able to block your attack back then."
Shelke raised an eyebrow at this in surprise. Later on he would find out that she had arrived at Neverland only a few months after his previous visit--so him being the age he was physically piqued her curiosity somewhat, though she didn’t say anything at this point in respect for his privacy. ...She did smile faintly for the first time in response to his last comment though.
"Oh!" Bartz looked excited at Ven's statement, "So you're a traveler between the worlds too then? There aren't too many of us!"
That surprised the other youth, "You mean you're not a Lost Boy either?" he asked.
From the friendly way he'd been talking to Shelke and his colorful clothes, Ven had sort of just assumed that Bartz was one as well.
Bartz shook his head and rubbed the back of it with his hand, "I'm afraid not. I just met them recently when I traveled to this world. I just go wherever the wind takes me."
His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the thin red sword that was hanging at his hip, "Actually, I've been trying to meet up with a friend of mine who is also traveling the worlds...just to say hello. There was talk of pirates being in Neverland, but they're definitely none she’d associate with. So I guess I'll be moving on soon."
He grinned, an eager gleam in his gray eyes, "Actually, I heard that there's another world that's pretty heavily influenced by pirates too. I figure that's going to be my next stop!"
Ven couldn't help but smile as well. The teenager's spirit was enthusiastic and very catching in a way, "That sounds like fun!"
Once all of this business was over...being able to travel between the worlds freely sounded like a great idea. Being able to see the friends he'd met along the way or having others to travel with too would be fantastic.
Bartz seemed pleased by Ven's reaction to his talk, though his expression changed slightly to a more serious one after he thought of something, "...But we probably shouldn't be standing here not letting you get any say in. If you’re a friend of Peter Pan's--you probably want to see him, right?"
Despite his initial rocky greeting, he had been enjoying getting to talk to Shelke and Bartz once they were off on the right foot. So much so that he'd almost forgotten his reason for coming here. Feeling somewhat foolish at the realization, Ven felt his face redden in momentary embarrassment again (something that was happening quite often in this conversation for him, he noticed regrettably).
Figuring that if anyone knew where the Keyhole was in Neverland it would be Peter, Ven nodded his head finally in response. Besides, it would be nice being able to reunite with him and the others too.
A knowing look crossed over Bartz’s face as he patted the shorter boy's shoulder amicably. Despite his carefree personality, Ven would later realize that the worlds-traveling youth was oddly perceptive about most things, "Great then! We can take you straight to him."
"Thank you." Ven couldn't help but smile once again, his earlier discomfort forgotten.
The three started walking through the forest with Shelke, who was more familiar with the area, in the lead.
Bartz glanced over his shoulder at Ven and remarked casually, "By the way...what's your name? I think in all of the commotion earlier you forgot to mention it."
"It's Ven."
"...Ven. Peter's talked about you once or twice, I think." Shelke spoke up from in front of the group, keeping her eyes focused forward.
"He has?" he was oddly touched to hear that.
A nod was the only confirmation she gave.
Feeling a bit braver, Ven decided to ask another question, "...You mentioned your sister earlier, right? Did she ever come back here?"
"..." Shelke's silence was a pretty definite answer all on its own. Ven felt foolish that his curiosity had gotten the better of him.
"Hey, no worries!" Bartz seemed to pick up on both of their moods, "I'm sure she's probably looking for you as we speak, Shelke. Give her some more time."
Jumping over a particularly large tree root, neither boy could tell if Shelke had heard him and was simply choosing not to respond or what.
"I told you before, didn't I? If I happen to see her later on, I'll be sure to tell her where you are."
Feeling a sudden burst of inspiration from Bartz's attempt at comforting Shelke, Ven chimed in, "My friends and I...we travel the worlds too. If any of us find her, we'll do the same."
A pause in their walking then...Shelke turned to stare at the two boys with a level gaze, and neither were sure if she was going to say anything or perhaps try to hit them again for being annoying.
"It's just..." Ven's thoughts went to his friends, the closest thing he had to family, and his voice seemed to become a tiny whisper, "You shouldn't give up yet."
A hand squeezed his shoulder hard and Ven looked up, surprised to see that Bartz was looking down at him with an impressed look on his face. Whatever emotions had been playing on his face and in his words earlier, he couldn't help but smile weakly in response to the sympathetic gesture from the friendly teenager.
"...I know." Shelke's tone was surprisingly confident when she finally decided to speak up, "If she's capable of doing so, she'll find me. I won't give up on her yet."
"And who knows? You might be trying to find her yourself someday, right?" Bartz asked, that same playful and knowing twinkle in his gray eyes.
She smiled thinly, "Maybe. I can't wait around forever, after all. And traveling does sound rather fun."
Bartz laughed, "I knew you had an adventurous spirit somewhere in there! Couldn't be a Lost Boy without one."
Shaking her head slightly, Shelke sighed in mock exasperation, "We probably should get moving though. There are a few Heartless spawning areas nearby that it's better to avoid if we can."
She started forward again, the group falling into a peaceful silence for a little while.
"Hey, Ven." Bartz whispered jokingly once he thought that Shelke was far enough away, "I have it on good authority that Shelke only attacks boys she thinks are cute!"
"Umm..." Ven glanced forward to see if the girl was listening in on the conversation, though her body language didn't give anything away, "Didn't she attack you too?"
"...My opinion goes down if they can't dodge though."
Bartz grinned conspiratorially, "Shelke's cracking jokes left and right now! You're a good influence, Ven."
At first, it seemed as though Shelke possibly hadn't heard that last part as she continued to walk forward without comment, but after a few seconds she shrugged her shoulders yet again as if not quite sure how else to respond to her two companions anymore.
Ven smiled to himself and Bartz laughed, racing past Shelke and yelling out to the two over his shoulder, "Hey! Since we're all heading in the same direction...let's make it a fun race!"
Without really giving it much thought themselves, both Ven and Shelke shared a slight smile with one another and started to pick up their pace in order to outrun Bartz (who was darting along quite quickly now). His enthusiasm certainly was infectious, even when it came to those who were perhaps a bit more reserved at times.
Since she was a lot more familiar with the terrain...it wasn't long before the girl got ahead of both of her traveling companions once again as they headed in the direction of where Peter Pan and the other Lost Boys were: Shelke leading the way silently while Bartz and Ven laughed out loud behind her, close on her heels.
breyzyyin)Class: White Mage
Title: Surprise Attacks and Fun Races
Summary: A fic written for the
airship_lounge Workshop Challenge: put a Final Fantasy character not already in the games into the Kingdom Hearts series. On a return visit to Neverland, Ven ends up befriending a new Lost Boy and a friendly traveler.Characters/Pairings: Ven, Shelke, and Bartz are the main focuses of the fic...with mentions of several other KH, FF, and Disney characters as well.
Word count: 3,330
Rating/warnings: G. Spoilers for Ven's story in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.
Author's Note: Gah, I'm not...entirely sure how I feel about this fic. 0_0; Writing it was really hard for some reason, and if I'm at all honest--I'm not really sure I like how this story turned out. I apologize if any characters are too OOC or anything of that nature. By the end, I had such a huge block with where I was going with the set-up and dialogue that I nearly just gave up: a very, very HUGE thank you goes to my sister Breyzy for giving me a great suggestion on what to possibly write for the ending, otherwise I'm not sure this fic would have ever gotten finished! YOU'RE THE BEST, BREYZY! ♥ Also, since I haven't played FFV yet...I based Bartz's character more on his Dissidia incarnation (as I figured that would probably make sense in a way if he were to actually appear in the KH games given who is the character designer for that series! ♥).
----Legal Disclaimer: I do not own any of the games or any of those games' characters that are featured in this fic. They are the rightful property of Square-Enix.----
Ven stared out at the island scenery around him.
A part of him was surprised that he found himself back at Neverland this soon after having awoken...the story of how that even came to be quite a long and complicated one involving a certain other spiky-haired youth wielding a Keyblade (truthfully, he was still a little sketchy on the details himself though Sora swore that he would fill in all of the gaps once they had more time to talk properly).
The trees and other foliage in the immediate area blocked his view almost completely, though he could make out the sound of waves hitting the beach still on all sides.
Sora had mentioned perhaps needing more help for the final battle, and both of them (along with Riku and Kairi, who ended up joining them later on in their quest) had agreed it might be good to recheck all of the worlds' Hearts they'd traveled to as well. They needed to be absolutely sure that everything was going well before they set out for the final battle to save the rest of their friends. Ven, eager to help out for the sake of Terra, Aqua, and everyone else he'd come across--and having quite a few fond memories of this world in particular too, had volunteered to check out Neverland.
...He wondered if Peter, Tinker Bell, and the Lost Boys were close by or if they were off having another adventure. It would be nice to see them again, though he wasn't entirely sure of where to look anymore.
Frowning for a few moments in contemplation, he finally shook his head and smiled--figuring it couldn't hurt to scout the area still. He needed to check on the Keyhole anyways...which, apparently, was located in a clock tower of some kind. He hadn't actually seen that part of the world before on his previous trip here, and was quite curious as to how it looked since he couldn't help but imagine that a clock tower would look quite silly stuck on one of these islands!
Besides, who knew? He would probably run into Peter and the others soon enough in his search for it.
Taking a few steps towards where he could hear the rolling waves of the ocean the clearest from where he was standing, Ven barely had time to register when he heard sudden, quick footsteps running up behind him.
On instinct he brought out his Keyblade and brandished it in front of him, a fortunate move as it deflected--well, something: he couldn't see what was attacking him at all, but he felt the force of it connecting with his weapon clear enough…the impact reverberating throughout his body and causing his feet to get even more buried in the soft sandy soil of the island.
Squinting his eyes, he could almost make out what looked like the transparent shape of a smaller person right in front of him...though it was hard to tell as, when they moved quickly (as they were doing that very moment), their body became less defined and it was hard to get their form back into focus. From the footsteps on the ground mere inches from where he was standing, it seemed as if the invisible person (...A ghost? That couldn't be right.), was switching their footing around to try another attack.
Ven frowned, trying to figure out how to predict the move of an opponent he knew was there but that he couldn't quite see. Maybe if he kicked some sand upwards, it would make the shape more distinct at least...
"All right, you two...cut it out!"
A sharp voice cut through the air between Ven and his mysterious assailant, causing the Keyblade warrior to turn his head slightly to the side to see who had spoken. Apparently, the figure had also responded to the voice's direction, as the intended assault never struck him while he was distracted: the footsteps in the sand falling back into a more relaxed, standing pose.
A brown-haired boy a few years older then Ven himself was staring right back at him with an amused look in his gray-tinted eyes, arms folded across his chest. Later on, the teenager would tell him in secret that he'd been trying to glare and look intimidating to fit in with his initial command...but that the sight of Ven trying to fight someone he couldn't see had been too hilarious for him to keep a straight face. He had a smiling quality about his facial features and body language that Ven couldn't help but like almost immediately.
As Ven was assessing the newcomer, the air nearby him began to shimmer. The boy started as, before his very eyes, a young girl with a short cropping of red hair around her face came into view. She was wearing a pink blouse and brown skirt that made her almost appear harmless in a way, though the two sabers she held in both hands were still quite intimidating. They vanished into the air quickly, the glowing cord that bound the two weapons together dissipating lastly and leaving a trail of light in their wake.
Unconsciously, Ven's cheeks reddened a little bit in embarrassment. Beyond his sparring matches with Aqua, he'd never actually fought a girl before. And she'd been quite capable with her combat skills too--much more than he'd ever been at her age. He was rather impressed.
"He is a stranger. I was just being cautious." Her expression was surprisingly blank as she stared at the newcomer as well, Ven not being able to tell if she was annoyed at his presence and intrusion or not.
"I've met your 'cautious' before too, Shelke. The knot on the back of my head still hurts!"
"...I always use the blunt side first just to be safe." She shrugged indifferently at the boy's comment.
"Well I guess it's good to know you don't go for the kill the first time you meet someone." From the exasperated-but-still-amused look on the youth's face, it seemed as if the two had this debate before. The brown-haired teenager tilted his head slightly to the side, a thoughtful look crossing over his features, "I still don't quite get how you do that. Turning invisible, I mean. It would be a really neat trick if I could learn to Mimic it one day!"
The girl, Shelke, shrugged again, "There's no real trick to it. I learned it from some of the fairies here, it's a magic spell they use to conceal themselves if they feel threatened...it can't be duplicated by normal means: it is given as a gift. And it took me even longer than you've been here at Neverland to finally master it." She eyed him wryly and joked in a dull tone, "I don't think you’d have the patience for it."
"...You're probably right!" the boy laughed, "Stealth isn't really for me anyways."
"Umm..." Ven couldn't help but suspect that the conversation would go on for a very long time at this rate if he didn't try to get the questions swirling around inside his head out, "I don't really mean to interrupt, but who are you two?"
The teenager turned his attention back to Ven, a pleasant smile stretching across his mouth once he remembered the other boy's presence.
"Oh, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?" he jerked his thumb at his chest and winked encouragingly, "My name is Bartz! And the quiet one over there," he motioned with his shoulder to the girl still standing near Ven, "Is called Shelke."
Shelke's expression remained impassive though she inclined her head slightly in a nod of confirmation to what Bartz had said, preferring to remain silent during the introduction portion of the conversation. Later on, Ven would realize that Shelke often preferred remaining quiet, a stark contrast to most of the other denizens of Neverland who enjoyed talking. ...It had become a "top secret" mission of sorts for Bartz and some of the Lost Boys to try and get her to open up more, and Bartz in particular often tried to draw her into conversations during his stay there--worried that her more withdrawn nature was making her shut out other people and new possibilities. He was trying to do so now, actually...noticing how quiet she'd become once their new acquaintance had gotten into the conversation.
"She's a Lost Boy." Bartz grinned, "It's an interesting title for her, don’t you think?"
"Umm..." Ven wasn't sure of how to respond to that, partially afraid of getting another attempted blow to the head if he reacted badly in the girl's eyes.
"...They weren't about to change the name just because a girl joined up." She shrugged again, a body language signal that Ven would later learn she was quite fond of using, not really caring about the triviality of Bartz's statement.
Ven was even more curious now and regarded the red-haired girl carefully. She hadn't been one of the Lost Boys he had met before...that was for sure.
As if sensing his regard, Shelke turned to stare at him with an aqua-colored gaze of her own. It was an assessing one and Ven couldn't help it when his cheeks warmed in response: he wasn't used to having girls around his own age giving him the time of day.
"You...know Peter then?" he stammered out, quickly finding the sandy ground right beneath his shoes insanely fascinating.
She didn't seem to notice his discomfort or embarrassment and nodded her head, "He let me stay with him and the others when I came here."
"Came here?"
Another nod, "I don't...really remember much about the world I originally came from. All I know is that something bad happened and that I was running away with my sister." She frowned slightly, lost in thought, "I was...separated from her awhile ago. When I woke up after that, I had somehow ended up here in Neverland."
"...How do you think that happened?" Ven didn't mean to pry, but the story seemed pretty interesting to him. Sora had mentioned that some worlds had been destroyed or some people displaced due to the Heartless.
Shelke didn't seem to mind though, and while her facial features seemed slightly troubled, the words were rolling off of her tongue in a deadpan tone as if she'd recited them countless times before, "Shalua, my sister...she was pretty gifted when it came to science. I always assumed she maybe brought me here for my own protection after what happened to our home. I've been waiting here ever since hoping she'll come to find me." She turned to stare at her hands, adding in a quiet tone, "I've been here for years now."
Feeling guilty that he'd brought up what appeared to be a painful subject, Ven was about to stammer out an apology when Shelke looked him straight in the eye. There was an almost amused note in her voice when she added, "I'm probably older than you and Bartz, actually. You don't age on this world, you know."
"It's hard to wrap your head around when you look like a little girl though." Bartz mentioned jokingly, relieved that the conversation had turned back around to lighter matters. Shelke just ignored him, used to his banter.
Ven, who was himself technically a lot older than he looked too, smiled somewhat--while Shelke was quiet and a bit distant, he was getting the sense that she was a rather nice person all-in-all despite that...and not someone who didn't enjoy to converse if asked the right question. Besides, Peter Pan wouldn't let just anyone join the Lost Boys either...which said a lot about her character too.
"I know." He told her, "I've actually visited this world before. I think...it was probably before you came here, though. I met Peter, Tinker Bell, and some of the Lost Boys...but I definitely don't remember you being there." He blushed somewhat in embarrassment as he added under his breath, "I'd...probably remember if you were there. I'm not so sure I would've been able to block your attack back then."
Shelke raised an eyebrow at this in surprise. Later on he would find out that she had arrived at Neverland only a few months after his previous visit--so him being the age he was physically piqued her curiosity somewhat, though she didn’t say anything at this point in respect for his privacy. ...She did smile faintly for the first time in response to his last comment though.
"Oh!" Bartz looked excited at Ven's statement, "So you're a traveler between the worlds too then? There aren't too many of us!"
That surprised the other youth, "You mean you're not a Lost Boy either?" he asked.
From the friendly way he'd been talking to Shelke and his colorful clothes, Ven had sort of just assumed that Bartz was one as well.
Bartz shook his head and rubbed the back of it with his hand, "I'm afraid not. I just met them recently when I traveled to this world. I just go wherever the wind takes me."
His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the thin red sword that was hanging at his hip, "Actually, I've been trying to meet up with a friend of mine who is also traveling the worlds...just to say hello. There was talk of pirates being in Neverland, but they're definitely none she’d associate with. So I guess I'll be moving on soon."
He grinned, an eager gleam in his gray eyes, "Actually, I heard that there's another world that's pretty heavily influenced by pirates too. I figure that's going to be my next stop!"
Ven couldn't help but smile as well. The teenager's spirit was enthusiastic and very catching in a way, "That sounds like fun!"
Once all of this business was over...being able to travel between the worlds freely sounded like a great idea. Being able to see the friends he'd met along the way or having others to travel with too would be fantastic.
Bartz seemed pleased by Ven's reaction to his talk, though his expression changed slightly to a more serious one after he thought of something, "...But we probably shouldn't be standing here not letting you get any say in. If you’re a friend of Peter Pan's--you probably want to see him, right?"
Despite his initial rocky greeting, he had been enjoying getting to talk to Shelke and Bartz once they were off on the right foot. So much so that he'd almost forgotten his reason for coming here. Feeling somewhat foolish at the realization, Ven felt his face redden in momentary embarrassment again (something that was happening quite often in this conversation for him, he noticed regrettably).
Figuring that if anyone knew where the Keyhole was in Neverland it would be Peter, Ven nodded his head finally in response. Besides, it would be nice being able to reunite with him and the others too.
A knowing look crossed over Bartz’s face as he patted the shorter boy's shoulder amicably. Despite his carefree personality, Ven would later realize that the worlds-traveling youth was oddly perceptive about most things, "Great then! We can take you straight to him."
"Thank you." Ven couldn't help but smile once again, his earlier discomfort forgotten.
The three started walking through the forest with Shelke, who was more familiar with the area, in the lead.
Bartz glanced over his shoulder at Ven and remarked casually, "By the way...what's your name? I think in all of the commotion earlier you forgot to mention it."
"It's Ven."
"...Ven. Peter's talked about you once or twice, I think." Shelke spoke up from in front of the group, keeping her eyes focused forward.
"He has?" he was oddly touched to hear that.
A nod was the only confirmation she gave.
Feeling a bit braver, Ven decided to ask another question, "...You mentioned your sister earlier, right? Did she ever come back here?"
"..." Shelke's silence was a pretty definite answer all on its own. Ven felt foolish that his curiosity had gotten the better of him.
"Hey, no worries!" Bartz seemed to pick up on both of their moods, "I'm sure she's probably looking for you as we speak, Shelke. Give her some more time."
Jumping over a particularly large tree root, neither boy could tell if Shelke had heard him and was simply choosing not to respond or what.
"I told you before, didn't I? If I happen to see her later on, I'll be sure to tell her where you are."
Feeling a sudden burst of inspiration from Bartz's attempt at comforting Shelke, Ven chimed in, "My friends and I...we travel the worlds too. If any of us find her, we'll do the same."
A pause in their walking then...Shelke turned to stare at the two boys with a level gaze, and neither were sure if she was going to say anything or perhaps try to hit them again for being annoying.
"It's just..." Ven's thoughts went to his friends, the closest thing he had to family, and his voice seemed to become a tiny whisper, "You shouldn't give up yet."
A hand squeezed his shoulder hard and Ven looked up, surprised to see that Bartz was looking down at him with an impressed look on his face. Whatever emotions had been playing on his face and in his words earlier, he couldn't help but smile weakly in response to the sympathetic gesture from the friendly teenager.
"...I know." Shelke's tone was surprisingly confident when she finally decided to speak up, "If she's capable of doing so, she'll find me. I won't give up on her yet."
"And who knows? You might be trying to find her yourself someday, right?" Bartz asked, that same playful and knowing twinkle in his gray eyes.
She smiled thinly, "Maybe. I can't wait around forever, after all. And traveling does sound rather fun."
Bartz laughed, "I knew you had an adventurous spirit somewhere in there! Couldn't be a Lost Boy without one."
Shaking her head slightly, Shelke sighed in mock exasperation, "We probably should get moving though. There are a few Heartless spawning areas nearby that it's better to avoid if we can."
She started forward again, the group falling into a peaceful silence for a little while.
"Hey, Ven." Bartz whispered jokingly once he thought that Shelke was far enough away, "I have it on good authority that Shelke only attacks boys she thinks are cute!"
"Umm..." Ven glanced forward to see if the girl was listening in on the conversation, though her body language didn't give anything away, "Didn't she attack you too?"
"...My opinion goes down if they can't dodge though."
Bartz grinned conspiratorially, "Shelke's cracking jokes left and right now! You're a good influence, Ven."
At first, it seemed as though Shelke possibly hadn't heard that last part as she continued to walk forward without comment, but after a few seconds she shrugged her shoulders yet again as if not quite sure how else to respond to her two companions anymore.
Ven smiled to himself and Bartz laughed, racing past Shelke and yelling out to the two over his shoulder, "Hey! Since we're all heading in the same direction...let's make it a fun race!"
Without really giving it much thought themselves, both Ven and Shelke shared a slight smile with one another and started to pick up their pace in order to outrun Bartz (who was darting along quite quickly now). His enthusiasm certainly was infectious, even when it came to those who were perhaps a bit more reserved at times.
Since she was a lot more familiar with the terrain...it wasn't long before the girl got ahead of both of her traveling companions once again as they headed in the direction of where Peter Pan and the other Lost Boys were: Shelke leading the way silently while Bartz and Ven laughed out loud behind her, close on her heels.
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I haven't played DoC but I remember reading that Shelke's body isn't able to physically mature, so the way you made her a Lost Boy and tied that in is AWESOME. And I love your Bartz (haven't played FFV either orz, but he's so cheerful and nice here). And I love how you made it so that he came to Neverland because he'd heard rumors of pirates. It seems like such a perfect detail.
Ven was super adorable too. All his blushing ahahahaha.
I enjoyed reading this a lot! I'm seconding Breyzy's suggestion for a sequel with Faris in Port Royal. XD
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I'm glad you liked the fic and all of little details I put into it trying to tie Shelke and Bartz into the KH world! Hehe, I really want to play FFV soon...I love Bartz in Dissidia, and I hear he's even better in FFV so I'm mightily eager to play that game later! XD I'm glad that I wrote him likable in the story: he really is just a super cheerful and nice character. :D ♥
Hehe, I've always found Ven to be an adorable sweetheart for some reason (haha, I can sometimes be super-hard on some of the original KH characters...but I quite like Ven for some reason! *huggles him*). ♥ Him blushing a lot just makes total sense to me somehow, I'm glad you liked that part! :)
I'm really glad that you liked the story overall! Hehe, I might just have to write that sequel with Faris in Port Royal now once I finally do get to play FFV. That could be insanely fun if I work up the courage and can write her character correctly. XD