Out of Context Snippets

Unless

Fandom: Kindom Hearts
Story: Iliana and her posse discuss their new enemies, the Unless, and try to figure out what they are.
Context: Rough draft of a (yet to be written) KH fanfic, post-KH3

-----

"So... what are we supposed to call them? They're not regular Heartless. In fact, they might not even be Heartless."

Iliana shrugged, rereading what she had written another time before tapping her head against the back of the pilot's seat, "Great question... I've started referring to them as the 'Unless' in my notes. Y'know, since they look like both Unversed and Heartless smooshed into one."

"The 'Unless,' huh?" Lea let out a humored scoff, "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"Sounds better than 'Heartversed,' at least." Azrael grinned a bit.

Iliana rolled her eyes, "What do ya want me to call them? The Ooger Boogers?"

"Nah, nah. Unless is fine." Lea stifled a laugh, "Any idea where these things came from at all?"

"Time for an English lesson." Iliana grinned a bit, "Y'know how the word 'unless' is usually followed by a dangerous idea?"

"... You're saying they're impulsive?" Azrael raised an eyebrow.

"... Sure." The amusement in her expression was gone, "Anyway, I was thinking they might've mutated to survive outside of somebody's control. My own 'unless' for the situation, you could say."

"Mutated?" Kairi chimed in, "Is that even possible?"

"I guess so." Iliana tapped her nose with her pen, "How else could they be as violent as Unversed, but also as mindless as Heartless?"

"Makes sense. It might've been a last minute ditch effort to survive after the war." Azrael hummed in thought for a second, "You think it's possible that someone else might also be responsible?"

"A new adversary? Nah. We got rid of the Norts and the world paths are closed, so we can rule out two options. I doubt they have someone keeping them on a leash."

"So we have feral mutations on the loose? That's fantastic." Lea grumbled.

"We should warn Yen Sid before it gets worse." Kairi piped up with a half worried look, "In case he might know something about what's going on. Someone could be trying to follow in Master Xehanort's footsteps."

"I'm sure the old coot knows by now." Iliana huffed a bit, "Since he knows all or whatever..."

"Still. Just in case something is amiss." Lea shrugged, "We'll find a source, shiny new Xehanort or not. Might as well try."

Iliana looked reluctant, but caved, "Fine. We'll go see what he has to say."

-----