Kingdom Hearts: World Keeper [Re:Joined]

Bond

They normally wouldn't treat me this way. I feel how my heart is about to burst out of my chest. My fingertips are tingling. I'm not able to stop all three of them. Not now. Especially not now... Whatever their plan might be. Or with whom they may side with. My pupil?

Glimpsing over, her arm still shows the red scratch marks from before but judging by the way she's holding it, it does not seem to hurt. She doesn't even seem to move at all.
Hold on, no way.

"How- you're moving?", he asks me in complete confusion, now standing before me, clearly in distress. Blank staring. That is all I can do. That is all we both can do. I don't understand anything anymore. But, I know I'm not alone. He is just as perplex as I am.
Staring at myself yet again, it is almost as if I can read my... I mean, his mind. He took another breath to repeat his question, but he stops so we look at each other in silence.

"I thought we didn't want to be a teacher. Yet, you're taking in a third one."
"I know."
"Because she reminds of him, I take?"
"They- They seem so similar, yes. I knew you would notice."

He turns away from me and I realize, this situation is too much for him aswell. Mumbling about it being a cruel joke. I agree. The way he breathes... the way he walks.

"Are we enemies now?", his voice broke. Seeing his disappointment shine through like this is new to me. Have I ever behaved this way? It is almost as if I cannot recognize myself. Deep inside, I know that he is thinking the same. We never thought that the guardians and I would be on the same side one day. It was not supposed to be. As much as I want to avoid eye contact, I cannot leave this question unanswered: "I suppose."

Ansem and Xemnas' heads suddenly turn away from me. Xehanort stares at me. All three are filled with disappointment. Or is it anger? A corridor opens behind Ansem, as he wanted to leave.

"Why do you refuse to join us?"
"To work with people we know that will never be able to forgive us? I could not live with this."
Xemnas...

"We do not belong on their side. And neither do you. Never will."
Ansem...

"How are you supposed to know if you don't try?"
No! Viola stay out of this! With great effort she slowly stands up. I do not dare to pull her down again, as much as I want to. Despite being in pain, she still manages to face my versions: "Forgiveness isn't always needed for a bond."
They only stare at her. Numb faces.

Instead of talking back, they move towards the portal. Before he disappears in the darkness, Ansem calmly adds: "You should leave as well. People apparently go missing here."

Catching Xehanort looking back at us with worry in his eyes while going through- This sight broke me. He does not share their mindset. But he doesn't want to separate himself from them. He is indecisive. Back then, I would interpret it as a trait that is unhelpful. But now. I wish I was.

After this, I was nothing but exhausted. My motivation drained far enough to the point where I just decided to follow Ansem's advice and leave that place. There is always a different time to repair the crack at the castle. I know it is wrong to not explain to Viola who the men were and what we were talking about exactly. She wouldn't understand. Yet she kept asking.

Admittedly, I do like her persistence. I told her they were old acquaintances and that we used to work together. Without focusing too much on this topic, I immediately asked her about her arm. She claimed it felt rather numb but it was 'nothing to be dramatic over', when she lifted it however, the red scratches weren't as visible as before but... bruises appeared. Weeks had to pass, until they fully healed off. She didn't want me to be held responsible for it, she repeated seemingly every day. But this was my fault.