Kingdom Hearts: Consumed by Darkness

Chapter 34

"Alright, kid," Cid said, giving him a playful nudge. "I gotta admit, you've got quite the eye for this stuff. How 'bout you come up with a design of your own? Let's see what you can do from scratch."

Helios blinked, caught off guard. "What? No, no—I just made some tweaks to your design. It's only because your blueprint was so solid that I could even manage that."

Cid burst out laughing, shaking his head. "Now, don't go butterin' me up, kid. Flattery'll get ya nowhere." He leaned over, tapping a few keys on the console and opening a fresh design program, the blank interface flickering to life. "Go on. Go a little crazy with it. Show me what you're made of!"

Helios felt the faintest sense of apprehension. He hadn't exactly planned on going this far with ship design—he'd only meant to help a bit and keep up his cover. But seeing the genuine excitement in Cid's eyes, he realized he couldn't back out now.

With a small nod, he took a seat and let his fingers glide over the controls. As he worked, ideas began to flow, fueled by both instinct and the thrill of creating something new. He hadn't expected to enjoy designing so much, but he quickly lost himself in the process. Shapes and configurations started to take form as he sculpted the ship in his mind, and bit by bit, a unique Gummi Ship began to emerge.

The ship took on a sleek, futuristic design with deep white, black, and blue tones—his favorite colors. He liked the contrast between the dark body and metallic blue highlights, which gave the ship a crisp, dynamic appearance. The cockpit was spacious, with room for four passengers and a transparent canopy offering a full view of space, a decision inspired by memories of stargazing in Nightfall.

As he continued, Helios added aerodynamic wings, extending them from either side and accenting them with metallic blue edges. Twin engines nestled into the rear of the fuselage promised stability and impressive speed, while maintaining a certain elegance in their streamlined design. But he didn't stop there. He wanted the ship to have defensive capabilities, so he embedded small turrets and rockets along the sides and under the wings, each positioned to stay low-profile until needed.

The final touch was a unique shield mechanism—a layered energy field that could protect against both physical and magical attacks. And to top it all off, he incorporated a warp drive that could allow it to jump between star systems with ease. He felt like a key element, something that would set this ship apart and make it a formidable presence.

When he leaned back to examine his creation, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. The ship looked striking, a perfect blend of power and elegance. For a moment, he imagined himself piloting it through the cosmos, free to explore the endless worlds that lay beyond Radiant Garden. With it, he wouldn't need to rely too heavily on the corridors of darkness.

Cid let out a low whistle, his eyes wide with admiration. "Kid... that's one helluva design. I mean, just look at it! You're damn good at this. Ever thought about working in ship engineering full-time?"

Helios gave a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I appreciate it, Cid, really. But... Merlin took me in when I had nowhere else to go. I owe him a lot, and I can't just up and leave now."

Cid chuckled, giving him a good-natured slap on the back. "Ah, that old coot got lucky findin' you first, didn't he? Well, I won't twist your arm, but if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me. With talent like that, you're wasted as an apprentice."

Helios managed a smile, though part of him couldn't help but wonder what his life might have been like if things had been different. Maybe he would have ended up an engineer in Nightfall, building shipd and planes for real, his parents proud to see his work. The thought brought a pang of sadness, and he quickly shook it off, focusing instead on the here and now.

Cid leaned over the console, saving the design. "Tell you what—if I can scrounge up enough Gummi Blocks, we'll see if we can make this beauty real. Wouldn't that be somethin'?"

Helios's eyes brightened. "You'd really build it?"

Cid gave him a hearty nod. "Hell yeah! Can't leave a ship like this sittin' in blueprint limbo, now, can we? I'll keep ya posted, kid. Who knows—maybe one day, you'll be takin' her out for a spin."

They both shared a laugh, the camaraderie between them warm and easy, and for a moment, Helios felt the weight on his heart lighten. Cid's enthusiasm was infectious, and Helios found himself genuinely looking forward to the possibility of seeing his design brought to life.

But then he glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing just how late it had gotten. The night had fallen fully, casting a peaceful silence over the workshop. Cid seemed to notice as well, stretching his arms and yawning.

"Whew! Didn't realize we got so caught up in it," Cid remarked, chuckling. "Guess that's what happens when you're workin' on somethin' worth doin'. But you should get back to Merlin's. Don't want the old man thinkin' I kept ya hostage here."

Helios nodded, feeling a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration from the night's work. "You're right. Thanks for... all of this, Cid. It's been... well, incredible."

Cid waved him off with a grin. "Don't mention it. You keep workin' on that talent of yours, kid. Something tells me you're gonna do big things."

As Helios stepped out into the cool night air, he couldn't help but feel a strange mix of emotions. Part of him felt the pride of creation, the joy of connecting with someone like Cid over a shared passion. But another part reminded him of his true purpose here, the dark path he'd committed to. He couldn't waste time having fun designing ships. If he had time then he should be training his magic and getting stronger.

The streets of Radiant Garden were quiet, the city bathed in the gentle glow of lamplight as he made his way back to Merlin's cottage. He couldn't help but wonder what his parents would think of him now, creating ships, working alongside Cid, finding small joys in a world that wasn't his. He had thought that avenging and resurrecting them was the only thing he'd ever want, the only thing that could drive him. And yet, here he was, taking pride in work, forging bonds with people like Isa, Lea, and Cid.

No, he reminded himself. These connections... they're temporary and unimportant. I'm here for a reason.

As he neared the cottage, Kurai's voice slipped into his thoughts, its tone filled with an almost mocking satisfaction. "So you made a little ship design, hmm? Perhaps you're considering a career change after all."

Helios rolled his eyes but kept his response level. "It's a skill, Kurai. One that may prove useful in the future. Nothing more."

Kurai's tone softened into something sly. "Ah, if that's what you'd like to tell yourself, so be it. But remember, attachments like these, even as you gain your so-called skills, can bind you in ways you may not foresee. I'm simply reminding you."

Helios took a steadying breath, forcing himself to keep calm. "I know what I'm doing. This doesn't change anything."

Kurai's chuckle was low, mechanical, and dark, a shadow on the edge of his mind. "For now, maybe. Just be sure that you don't let your purpose waver. It seems my repeated warnings are not being taken seriously so next time I shall extract a price."

With that final, chilling warning, Kurai's voice faded, leaving Helios alone with the weight of his own thoughts.

As he slipped back into the cottage, he found the rooms dim and quiet, with only the faint glow of the moonlight filtering through the windows. In the stillness of the night, he felt a creeping uncertainty, a small but persistent question he couldn't quite banish.

Was he truly strong enough to walk this dark path without compromise?

He shook the thought off, settling down on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. Attachments were a risk. Kurai was right; bonds could be exploited, and turned into weaknesses.