KHNG: Dark Past, Bright Future

Vanitas - Remnants

Looks like Ishiné's swept Kaijai into his storytelling style.  If you think I'm gonna follow the trend, you're straight-up wrong.  I don't know why I even subject myself to writing my story in this stupid journal; why would anyone care besides me anyway?  Whatever, I guess I gotta do it anyway.  Hey, if nothing else, it'll catalogue all the ass-kicking I've done!

Anyway, Joshua threw us headlong into his game which apparently took place in the realm of the intangable, because nobody in the entire square paid me any mind as they all walked right through my body.  The only other one there with me was me--a remnant of my past, clad in black and white, the symbol of the Unversed emblazoned on his helmet.  All throughout our fight, he just kept spouting used lines like, "I'm just getting started with you," "That really all you got?  Man, you are worthless," and "As far as I'm concerned, your job here is done."  Kinda reminds me of what a rebellious streak I had going when I was younger.  I guess now it comes as no surprise that I switched sides after all.

Anyway, midway through our battle, it was pretty clear I was losing.  That's when I heard Joshua's voice in my head, talking some nonsense about how I can't beat myself the way I am now and that I need to "use the darkness I don't want to use."  Well, it sounded like nonsense, but it actually did help.  It kinda brought to mind my own feelings, those emotions with which I used to form the Unversed--my sadness upon being just a part of someone else, my frustration at being controlled by the master--no matter how much I respected him--my anger at Ventus, my jealousy for his friends, all kinds of sappy stuff that I ain't exactly proud to admit I've experienced.  Anyway, I used that Darkness in my heart to unlock another power that laid dormant within me--the power of the X-Blade.  It turns out that ever since Ventus and I merged all those years ago, both he and I had imprints of the X-Blade itself on our hearts.  In battling and absorbing my remnant, I gained the ability to use this power, beating Joshua at his own game being a plus.

After the battle, I felt woozy and passed out, waking up on top of the building again with Ishiné, Kaijai, and Joshua.  Joshua admitted defeat and sent us on our way, wishing us luck with our quest.  We're now on our way to another world, having come up empty on Shibuya.  As much as I hate to admit it, I still do have some of those feelings I talked about before, but this time most of them are directed at the Organization, so hey, fuel for the vengeance fire.  At least I'll help the mission along.  I wonder though, why am I even going up against this Organization?  Am I just doing it because Ishiné asked me to?  Am I doing it because I'm so good at taking orders that a "favor for a friend" becomes obligatory?  Maybe the Organization just programmed me to join their ranks to infiltrate their little investigation.  Who knows...