Celestial: Hello everyone and welcome to thnis surprise update for Hyperdimension Neptunia Hearts!

Neptune: Bah! It's about freaking time! You left me in that closet all this time! You betrayed us! You went and started co-writing a story with other people! What do Crit Fail and PettyPunk have that I don't?

Nepgear: Uh sis, we shouldn't question Celestial's choices. You know he does write Danganronpa fanfiction.

Celestial: Nepgear is right, besides it wasn't that I abandoned this story. I just had a hard time coming up with ideas. You are all important to me after all.

Neptune: So you'll quit Oasis of Hope and work full time on this one?

Celestial: Not a fucking chance

Akira: Eh, it's fine bro. You do you...my story will still be told. Besides, I'm looking forward to what you do with Kazuki's story, it's so interesting so far.

Celestial: Why thank you! I had to chance his name from Takumi to Kazuki, you know, interference and shit, nbut I do hope you are liking it.

Neptune: Hey Celestial, why is it that you always pair your OC's with the bitch of the story? Daisuke and Hiyoko, Akira and Noire...you seem to be attracted tsunderes too. And that abandoned Date A Live story that you wrote was going to pair Yuno with Kurumi. What's up with that?

Celestial: That's none of your goddamn business! Anyway, its time to get on with the show. The official news about this chapter shall be at the bottom Authors Note! This is just a banter note, no news here haha!

Akira: Neptune you are totally wrong. He doesn't pair all his OC's with bitchy girls. Hisashi and Sayaka? Aiden and Wendy?

Neptune: Wendy is a boring character

Celestial: Shut the fuck up! Wendy is a saint, don't you dare talk badly about her you heretic!

Neptune: Yowza! Don't talk badly about a man's waifus, you'll be fearing for your laifu!

Nepgear: You forgot Jonathan and Veruca sis, she's kind of a bitch too

Veruca: Oh, I'm a bitch now, is that right? Well sweetie, I'm about to break your nuts!

Nepgear: Aaahhh...help me Celestial!

Celestial: Nope, that's all on you Ge-Ge. You pissed off the Ultimate Nut Specialist, now she'll turn your bones into peanut butter.

Neptune: Mmm, peanut butter!

Nepgear: Neptune no! Save me!

Hyperdimension Neptunia Hearts

Chapter 21

Daybreak Town

Akira let out a sigh as he leaned back against the trunk of the tree. It was a beautiful day, bright, sunny and cheery. He could be taking care of missions, but when a day like today comes around, it's better to relax. He sat atop a hill, overlooking the settlement below. The breeze was blowing softly, carrying with it the scent of fresh flowers. His clothes were being ruffled slightly, the wind on his face just helped him relax even more.

He had taken care of a nasty group of heartless the day before. Gathering lux was no easy task, but thanks to his friends, he was able to finish rather quickly. Despite being in different unions, he got along well with them. He didn't care that they were a part of Leopardis and Vulpes. He was just happy that he had friends to call his own. He let out a sigh, settling into the tree a bit more.

"What a nice day, no darklings, no heartless...just the soft breeze and sunshine," he said softly to himself.

"There he is, that lazy ass!" a female voice cried, causing him to open his eyes. They cleared up a bit, but he was able to see the one who had spoken.

"Hello Sabishii," he said casually, giving the girl a wave.

Sabishii was a beautiful young woman, standing at medium height. She had long waist length hair, raven black in color. The ends faded into a bright platinum. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt, with a leather vest over it. Over the vest she was wearing a piece of very expensive looking armor. The steel was glinting brightly in the sun, the golden etchings glittering in the light. She was wearing a pair of brown leather pants, and matching boots. Over her legs, she wore protective armor, polished to a shine. The most noticeable thing about her was the large ear like appendages coming from the sides of her head.

"Don't you just Hi me! Did you forget we were supposed to head to Wonderland today?" she snapped angrily. He rose to his feet, shaking the grass off himself.

"No I didn't, but you clearly forgot our agreement. The next time the skies are cloudless, is a day we'll take off. I'm not part of Anguis right now, I'm just Akira." he said firmly. Sabishii let out a growl as she approached him, her emerald eyes glowing vibrantly.

"I swear, there are times I just wanna tear you a new one, Akira."

"You love me anyway," the brown haired boy replied. He placed his hands on her waist, planting a firm kiss on her lips. Sabishii groaned, kissing the boy back.

"Can we please go a day where you two don't bitch and moan at each other? It's really grating on the ears," another voice said, causing the two to separate.

This came from above, from the tree Akira had been resting at moments ago. It belonged to a boy, about the same age as them, with orange-auburn colored hair. He wore a pair of black pants, and matching brown boots. He was wearing what looked to be a leather vest, over a long sleeved white shirt. He was also wearing a cloak over his shoulders, which was a dark violet, almost black color. Like Sabishii, this young man seemed to have animal traits. A pair of orange fox ears atop his head, along with a matching bushy tail, which was moving about lazily. He was munching on an apple, the fruit being littered with bites.

"Did you seriously have to follow me here? I thought you were doing a mission for your master?"

"I was, she gave me the day off. Said Ephemera would take care of it. Don't know why but she seems to see something in that kid that I don't, eh hell...what do I know?" he replied, taking another bite from his apple.

"Aw, is Foxy-woxy jealous that his girlfriend is paying more attention to another boy?" Akira asked jokingly. The kitsune swallowed his apple, shifting his body so his legs hung over the edge of the branch.

"Foxy-woxy is going to shove his keyblade up your ass if you don't cut the shit," he replied.

"Bah, don't be like that Kazuki. Anyway, it's a beautiful day...what do y'all wanna do?"

"Seeing as we're not on duty, how about we just walk through Daybreak Town? Maybe see what's up?" Sabishii suggested.

"Not a bad idea, been awhile since we've just walked through town. When we're not dealing with Heartless at least." Kazuki said, finishing his apple. He tossed the core aside, jumping down from the tree. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he decided to take the lead.

Daybreak Town was a hub of sorts. It was a town consisting of Keyblade wielders, along with those who wished to study the keyblade. It was a beautiful town, consisting of old brick and mortar homes. Most of the buildings were covered by bright blue roofs, contrasting the limestone architecture. Cobblestone walkways made up most of the paths in town. The biggest building however was the Foreteller's Tower, the clock tower that overlooked all of Daybreak Town.

It was the tallest man-made structure within Daybreak Town, easily towering over the others. It was a beautifully designed building, with a working clock. There was a giant pendulum swinging back and forth, keeping the clock's time. According to Master Ava, it also served to power the tower, as the back and forth movement generated electrical energy. The three keyblade wielders often times wondered who had built the tower, but they never got any solid answers.

"So, anything interesting happen? When we're solo I mean." Kazuki asked, ears twitching slightly as he walked. He was trying not to listen into Akira and Sabishii's whispers. It was rather hard when you had the acute hearing of a fox.

"Not really...I did help Cinderella out of a bind though. She gave me a special charm that boosts my magic. I also managed to make a D-link with her so I can use her magic in battle," Sabishii replied, showing off the glittering charm she had been given.

"Nice! I got one from Alice, she made it from these weird flowers she found in Wonderland's Lotus Forest," Akira said, holding out his own charm, which was hanging around his neck. Kazuki frowned, pursing his lips.

"Lucky, I haven't gotten jack,"

"You will eventually. Everyone in those worlds are so nice...I wish we could visit them more often," the sole female of the group said, earning an agreeing grunt from her boyfriend.

They entered the central plaza not long after. The winding paths of Daybreak Town lead you in all directions. The Fountain Plaza sat atop a long flight of stairs. It was a perfect workout for anyone who wanted to get some brief exercise in. The town wasn't sprawling with people, but those who had decided to take the day off were walking around, chatting with friends or showing off whatever items they had found.

"You know...I have a feeling these peaceful days won't last too long," the kitsune mumbled, causing Akira and Sabishii to look at him.

"What do you mean by that Zuki?"

"How many times I have told you to not call me that?!"

"Whoa man, it's just a nickname. You call me Kira all the time,"

"That's different man. Your name doesn't sound girly!" Kazuki snapped, earning a giggle from Sabishii.

"Yes it does, both of you have girly nicknames. It's kind of cute,"

"Shut it!" Akira hissed, glaring at the ravenette. She rolled her eyes, pressing her lips against his cheek. Kazuki mumbled a swear, taking a few steps forward, into the plaza. He looked around briefly, a smile on his face.

"I'll be back," he said, waving at his friends.

"What do you think he meant by that hun?" Akira asked, earning a shrug from Sabishii.

She took a hold of his hand, leading him towards the fountain. This was the local hang out to many people, they would just sit at the edge of the fountain and just talk. The plaza wasn't overfilled with people, so most could relax and watch the setting sun from there. She sat down, gesturing for Akira to do the same. She rose her hood up, fixing her hair so it wouldn't get messed up.

"Let me ask you a question. Has Master Invi been...more strict with you?" she asked curiously. Akira pursed his lips, leaning back a bit as he thought of his master.

"Not really, she's been kind as always. We moved on from physical combat to magical combat. She said that with a little more training, I'll be able to cast Grand Magic without strain."

"Hehe...you always did like magic. Still, I don't think it's fair that you mastered Ars Arcanum before me and Kazuki," the girl replied, causing the boy to shrug.

"Not my fault you two are slow on the uptake. Sonic Blade, Strike Raid, Ars Arcanum and Ragnarok are easy to master. Not a lot of people can use all four of those Light skills successfully though. Master Invi told me I was just overflowing with light and potential," Akira said.

"You sniff her panties yet?"

"W-what?" the brown haired boy sputtered, glancing up at Kazuki who had a smirk on his face. He was grinning mischievously, hands locked behind his head.

"Well I mean, someone as secretive as Invi must have some cute panties. Seeing as you are her only apprentice, you've seen them right? Are they cotton? Are they soft?"

"Kazuki you fucking pervert! Why the hell would you ask him that when I'm right here?" the raven haired keyblade wielder cried, pointing angrily at the kitsune. He shrugged.

"Because we both know you don't wear panties," he replied. Sabishii opened and closed her mouth, her cheeks tinging red.

"How...how do you know about that?"

"I didn't, you just confirmed it for me." he cheekily replied.

"Alright you, stop messing with my girlfriend. To answer your question, no, I haven't seen Invi's panties. Nor have I sniffed them, I respect my master. The same can't be said about you,"

"Fuck off, you're just jealous of my swag."

"Ugh...you've been hanging out in San Fransokyo again haven't you?" Sabishii asked, lips pressed into a thin line. Kazuki said nothing, instead reaching behind his back, producing 3 ice cream bars.

"Ta-da! This is what I left to get, hope you two like it!" Kazuki said, handing Akira and Sabishii one of the bars. They looked it oddly.

"Sea Green ice cream? What weird flavor is this?" Akira asked. Kazuki sat down beside him, taking a bite from the bar.

"Sea Salt Ice Cream. It's one of the new flavors, its starting to get popular around Daybreak Town. Mog is usually sold out by the time I get to him. Thankfully he had some bars set aside for me."

"Mmm...its sweet and salty...what an oddly delectable combination!"

"Superior vocabulary...you've been spending far too much time with Gula. I think you're starting to fall for him, I'm so hurt right now." the brown haired boy said, earning a glare from his girlfriend.

"If you keep talking like that, I might as well leave your ass here."

"A-anyway...what's the occasion man? You usually don't buy us ice cream unless we come back from a successful mission." Akira said, glancing at his friend. He remained silent for a moment, glancing out at the town.

"Well...I just wanted to celebrate...because I passed my Preparedness Exam!"

"You what?" the two cried out, earning a laugh from the boy.

"Yep! I passed it last night, Master Ava is preparing the next phase. Soon you'll be talking to Master Kazuki!" he said cheerfully.

"That is ass...no fair! Master Gula hasn't even given me the preparedness test!" Sabishii cried in annoyance.

"I'm still learning magic, Master Invi said my preparedness test was mastering Grand Magic. I haven't even mastered Firaza yet, I doubt I'll be ready any time soon. You're only taking your test because Ava is in wuv with you!"

"What? That isn't it! I busted my ass getting ready for that test. Unlike you Akira, who is more magically inclined, and you Sabishii, who has more physical strength, I'm walking the middle path. My training is rougher than yours. I didn't see you take down an Ancient Dragon your own," the kitsune said, glaring at his friends. He took a bite from his ice cream bar, cringing a bit from the cold.

"I was just messing with you man, I know you've had it rough lately. Not to mention you've been taking the preparedness test longer, right? You had to pass the physical combat trials, as well as the magical ones. Master Invi made mention of someone who was taking theirs, didn't think it was you."

"Yeah, six solid months of nothing but pure hell...I've learned quite a bit, about myself and the world around me. I can't wait for you two to start though, who knows? Maybe if I pass my Mark of Mastery, I'll be able to issue yours," the kitsune said cheekily.

"Why? So you can fail the two of us?"

"Sabishii he wouldn't do that."

"Hehehehehehehe...yes I would,"

"I stand corrected...dick." Akira mumbled, returning to his rapidly melting ice cream. The three ate in silence, glancing out into the distance.

"Have you noticed something? The masters seem to be acting...a little weird as of late." Sabishii said, causing the boys to look at her.

"Weird how?"

"It's hard to describe. Master Gula seems to be keeping to himself. He used to be more open with me, about personal things. I was beginning to think we blurred the lines between master and apprentice. But that was far from the truth. I saw him reading this strange page, and muttering things about a traitor," the girl said, licking the cream off her lips. She had already finished her bar, and was chewing on the stick.

"Now that you mention it, Master Invi has been spacing out a lot. I usually get one or two things out of her. But recently she's clammed up. We used to joke around too, since I made fun of how serious she was. But lately she's just been in her own head. Maybe it has to do with Gula?"

"Hell if I know...what about you Kazuki? Has Master Ava been acting weird?"

Kazuki remained silent, as he thought of his master. Ava was the youngest among the Foretellers, being sixteen years old. Kazuki had been very surprised when she had revealed that to him. He found her very cute, and lovable. She was cheerful and friendly, making her popular among the other keyblade wielders. However, she had been acting weird herself. She was more jumpy than usual, and very serious. Kazuki had jokingly asked her why she was acting like a woman with Menopause and she had cursed him out. She had apologized repeatedly, but he had still been very surprised.

"She yelled at me last week, in my defense I made a poor joke."

"You always make poor jokes." Akira deadpanned, shaking his head.

"I really hope it wasn't a period joke, you seem to love those a lot."

"It wasn't...well it was a menopause joke if that confirms your question. Regardless of that, she has been acting off. She's way jumpier, she's usually cheerful and happy. Now she's just quiet as a mouse. I'm not sure what goes on in those Foreteller meetings, but she seems way more stressed than normal," Kazuki said, glancing back at the Foreteller's Tower. He briefly wondered if his master was up in a meeting at the moment. Akira clapped his shoulder, a smirk on his face.

"Well, if Master Ava is stressed, I know exactly what will take care of it."

"A-huh...what are you gonna suggest, a gondola ride? We're not going to France again." he said. Akira cupped his hands around Kazuki's ear, whispering something to him. His jaw dropped, the remains of his ice cream hitting the ground.

"What? Are you serious?!"

"Mhmm...trust me, when Sabishii is stressed, that's how I take care of things." he said, wiggling his brows. Kazuki flushed, shaking his head.

"No I can't! Ava is my Master, above anything else. I treat her with the utmost respect, even if we're...you know."

"What are you two boys talking about? I bet you are having pervy thoughts...men are all the same,"

"Wait a minute...you've done this with Sabishii haven't you? Is that why she wears a skirt on Saturdays?" the kitsune asked rather loudly. Sabishii's eyes widened, causing her to jump to her feet.

"You son of a bitch!" she shouted, summoning her Divine Rose keyblade to her hand. She held it above her head, bringing it down on the kitsune, who rose his own hand. In bright flash, Divewing appeared in his own, in time to parry her attack.

"Too slow~"

"Guys really? Keyblades are meant to be used to fight the darkness, not each other." Akira said, not at all surprised with his friends. It was a common occurrence between them.

"Don't try to be the middleman here, asshole! Why'd you tell him that? Now he knows we do things!"

"It was a joke, stop confirming things unintentionally...sheesh!" Kazuki said, pushing Sabishii back. She lowered her blade, which shook slightly in her grasp. Akira was about to say something, but instead jumped to his feet, pushing his girlfriend out of the way.

"What the-"

He blocked the hit with his arm, hissing a bit in pain as he pushed the Soldier heartless back. He held his left hand out, summoning his own keyblade. It was a beautiful blade, consisting of a square shaped guard, which was lavender in color, the crossguard being decorated with a bright star. The shaft of the blade was hour glass shaped, with a golden spiral around it. The cage near the teeth was brilliant gold, with the teeth being shaped like a shooting star, glittering in various colors. The top was shaped like the sun, with various sharp looking points. It had a golden chain with a ten pointed shooting star as its token. Pale gold, blues and violets could be seen on the weapon.

It was a Shooting Starlight Keyblade, the final form of the Starlight given to newbie Keyblade wielders. Akira was one of 3 keyblade wielders who had managed to evolve his to its final stage.

Despite the pain in his arm from the strike, the boy surged forward, delivering a speedy strike at the Soldier. He followed it with two jabs before throwing a diagonal slash at it, tearing it apart and releasing its captive heart. As soon as he did, several more appeared around them. He backed up slightly, glancing over his shoulder to Sabishii and Kazuki who were both in their own stances, ready to fight.

"Alright guys, you know the drill. Let's kick ass and take names!" he said.

"Sure, provided you leave some for the rest of us," Kazuki added, a grin on his face.

"Look alive you two, they're coming in hard." Sabishii said, parrying a strike. She swung back hard, delivering her own counterstrike.

Akira dashed forward, holding his keyblade up high. He brought a Thundaga down on the nearby heartless, stunning them enough for a Strike Raid. He threw his blade twice, which was enough to end the Soldiers. However, a larger foe had appeared, a Zip Slasher. He caught his blade in hand, moving toward it as fast as he could.

"Judgment!" he shouted, delivering three solid swings on the Heartless. It crossed its bladed arms, parrying each hit. It rapidly separated them, sending Akira back, keyblade flying out of his hand. His eyes widened in surprise when the Heartless moved forward, aiming to pierce his heart.

A ball of ice sailed forward, freezing the Zip Slasher in place. Time seemed to move again, allowing Akira to flip out of the way, catching his keyblade in his hand. He spun it around rapidly, flames swirling at the end of it. He brought it forward, taking aim at the frozen heartless.

"Firaza!" he shouted. The spell exploded from the weapon, sailing forward with unparalleled speed. It burst upon contact, the skies darkening a bit as a plume of fire swirled around the creature.

"Holy shit!" Kazuki cried in surprise.

"Thanks for covering me man, I almost died to that thing!" Akira said, earning a confused look from the boy.

"That wasn't me." he said. Before he could respond, Akira turned his blade, using it to block a strike from the heartless.

"Damn, the darkness sure is sending their strongest today!" Sabishii cried. She parried an attack from her own opponent, a Chill Ripper. It was the same kind of Heartless as the Zip Slasher, rather it had blades of ice instead of blades of steel.

"You're telling me, I haven't fought one of these in awhile," Kazuki said, pushing against the Dual Durandal he was fighting off. He grit his teeth, angling his blade. He spun around, driving a lightning infused kick at the creature, making it stumble back.

"Remember your training! Our masters taught us how to fight things like this, don't let them over take you and don't be afraid to back off if you have too. Last thing we need is anyone losing their hearts," Akira said, backing away from the Zip Slasher.

He tightened his hold on his keyblade, running into the fray again. His foot glowed with light as he dashed forward, sliding across the ground. He swung his blade too and fro, jumping back and forth. The Zip Slasher wound itself up, about to use its spinning attack. Akira twisted his body, using a handspring to dodge the spinning attack. He landed in a roll, quickly jumping to his feet, just in time to block another strike.

"This is insane! This one is faster than the one I fought in Wonderland!"

"Heads up!" Sabishii cried out. She pushed the Chill Ripper back, aiming her keyblade at Akira's opponent. A medium sized ball of light burst from it, striking the heartless in the chest.

"Thanks! I owe ya!" he cried. Light spells were one of the strongest magics against the Heartless. Sabishii was so far the only one that could use Light/Lightra and the final stage Lightga. It always helped when they were in a pinch.

Akira moved forward, taking advantage of the Zip Slasher's stunned state, unleashing several strikes on it. He threw an upward swing, launching the creature into the air. He followed it with an aerial combo, strike after powerful strike, building the light in his weapon. He planted his foot on its body, using it as a springboard sorts. He spun around, aiming his keyblade at his opponent.

"Ragnarok!" he shouted. His keyblade jerked back, a ball of light bursting from it. It exploded into hundreds of little meteors, all spinning around and pelting the Slasher. Akira landed on the ground, returning to his original stance, gauging the creature.

"It's still gearing for more?" he mumbled, gritting his teeth. The Slasher zoomed forward, and Akira quickly angled his blade, in time to block both blades, sparks raining around him.

"Remember your speed, its your greatest ally." Sabishii thought to herself, as she ducked down. The Chill Ripper was swinging too and fro, hoping to land an icy hit upon the wolfskin. She jumped back several paces, away from its range of attack.

She spun Divine Rose around her hand, quickly dashing forward. She broke the Chill Ripper's guard, making it stumble back. She hissed angrily as she jabbed at its chest. She spun on her heel, slamming the blunt edge of her keyblade at its sides, an audible crack filling the air. She jumped back, avoiding the Heartless' counter attack.

"Okay...I'm not that good against ice based attacks. Thankfully, I can counter with my fire magic. I should be able too..."

Her eyes widened as the creature stabbed its icy blades into the ground. Hundreds of small icicles shot out of the ground, making her scream in surprise. She jumped back, trying to avoid them, but ended up slipping on the ice. The Chill Ripper moved forth, pulling its arm back, about slash the girl across the chest.

Clang

Sabishii expected pain to spread across her body, but felt absolutely fine. Her eyes opened, a gasp escaping her lips. The Chill Ripper's path had been stopped by another keyblade wielder, a Sleeping Lion keyblade in their grasp.

The young man seemed to be a bit older than Sabishii, but not by much. He had lightly tanned skin and straight blond hair. He wore a regular black tee shirt, with a matching pair of blue jeans and black combat boots. He pushed the Ripper back, launching a Fira at it. He turned to Sabishii, holding his hand out to her.

"Are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah I am...t-thanks." she said softly, taking his outstretched hand. He nodded, handing her Divine Rose back.

"These things are dangerous, its best we take care of this one as a team. Heartless have appeared all around town, so I'm afraid I'm your only backup."

"It's alright, my name is Sabishii...thanks for the save,"

"Any time, saving pretty girls is part of my agenda. You can call me Adam." the boy said with a smile. He moved forward, throwing a hard swing at the Chill Ripper, knocking it back.

"Light, give me power!" Sabishii cried, holding her blade level with her shoulder. She let out a battle cry, racing toward the Ripper. She threw five speedy jabs at its chest, ending her combo with an upward slash.

"Phoenix Strike!" Adam cried, jumping into the air. His Sleeping Lion burst into blackish purple flames, throwing a powerful downward slash at the heartless. It let out a cry of pain as it slammed into the ground, the bricks cracking from its weight. The boy landed on the ground next to Sabishii, both holding their keyblades forward.

"Fira!"

The twin balls of fire swirled around each other, melding into a single orb that burst upon contact. The Chill Ripper let out another anguished scream, bursting into dark wisps, a crystalline heart rising from its remains. Before they could claim victory, several Soldiers appeared around them.

"Oh come on!" the ravenette wolfskin cried angrily.

"These are the smallfry, come on we can deal with them!"

"Goddamn it!" Kazuki cried, as he did his best to parry each strike. The Dual Durandal was starting to wear him out. Unlike the Slasher and the Ripper, this heartless' armor was thicker and stronger. Its blades were much more durable, thus making each strike hit harder.

While Kazuki was confident in his abilities, he knew he wouldn't last much longer against it. He ducked again, avoiding a cross slash, only to take a firm kick to the chest. He hissed in pain clutching his chest, backing away as the Durandal aimed another spinning slash.

"Fuck." he mumbled.

"Believe in your abilities Kazuki! I know you have what it takes to win, you always do!"

"Master..." he said softly. The Durandal sprung forward, jumping into a spin slash. Kazuki angled his keyblade to take the hit, only for it to fly out of his hand. It clattered to the ground, several paces away from him. He tried to grab it, but the heartless stood before him. It let out a chuckle of sorts, striking its blades.

"Okay, what do I do now?" he cried out. Akira deflected another hit from the Zip Slasher, glancing at the boy.

"Kazuki! Hang on, I'm coming!" he cried, releasing the boy had lost his weapon. The Zip Slasher jumped before him, causing him to stop.

"Out of my way!" he shouted, aiming a Thundaga at it. It absorbed the spell through its blades, breaking the spell apart.

"Dammit...this is not how it ends! I haven't told her that I love her yet,"the boy thought, gritting his teeth angrily. The Dual Durandal moved forward, one of its blades aiming for his chest. A blinding light blocked his vision, making him hiss.

The Heartless let out a piercing screech, in apparent pain. His vision cleared slightly, seeing the sizzling smoke coming from the ground before him. A fire spell?

"Kazuki, take it quick!" a familiar voice cried out. He turned his head towards it, in time to see its owner throw something at him.

He held his hand out, catching the weapon with ease. He spun it around, throwing a downward swing at the Durandal. He smirked as he moved forward, sliding across the ground as he grabbed Divewing off the floor, holding it tightly in his right hand. He looked at the weapon in his left, Vulpes, the keyblade of his master.

"She's always saving my ass isn't she?"

"Alright buddy, time to end your life in the name of the Vulpes Union!" he cried out.

If his enemy could attack with two blades then why couldn't he? He threw a slash with Divewing, breaking its guard. He followed with a horizontal slash, aiming a jab with Vulpes. He crossed his blades in time to guard against the Durandal's counter attack. Pushing back against its force, he aimed Divewing forward shooting the heartless with a fireball.

"This is it!" he mumbled, bending his knees slightly.

He sprung toward, quickly breaking its guard. He followed with a double horizontal slash. He crossed his blades, unleashing a Windstrike on the Durandal. He continued his combo, throwing slash after slash upon its armor. Kazuki growled as he slammed his leg into the creature, throwing it back to the ground. He landed in a roll, running straight for it, rapidly crossing his arms. Sparks enveloped both blades, growing in strength the closer he got to the creature.

"Sparkstrike!" he shouted, finally making contact with the Durandal. He growled as he uncrossed his blades, channeling the lightning magic through its body. The spell exploded, sending the heartless flying back, breaking part of the fountain clean off. Kazuki panted for breath, holding his blades akimbo, awaiting another strike. The battle between them had ended, then moment he saw the captive heart sailing into the air.

Akira let out a growl, pushing the Zip Slasher back. He panted a bit, feeling the sweat pouring from his forehead. This had been the toughest Zip Slasher he had ever fought. His magic was beginning to run out, and he didn't have any Ethers on him. More heartless seemed to be surrounding them by the minute. He didn't even know how many of them had appeared in Daybreak Town. This was the first time an invasion like this had happened.

"Fucking shit," he mumbled, taking out some of the nearby soldiers. The Zip Slasher however didn't move, its body was tinged black from the various Firaga and Thundaga spells it had taken. It too was tired, but it seemed as if something else had attracted its attention. It moved toward the stairs quickly running up them.

"Hey! Come back here you asshat!" Akira cried, sprinting after the creature.

"Akira!" Kazuki cried, following after his friend. As soon as he ran up the stairs, a magical barrier rose up. One of Daybreak Town's many defenses, to keep the heartless concentrated in one place.

"Damn!" the kitsune hissed angrily.

"Kazuki!"

The boy stopped, turning to face his master who had finally caught up to him. She was a bit tired, but still rearing to go. He held his hand out, turning Vulpes around so she could take it.

"Thanks for the save Master, but Akira ran off before the walls came up. A little late on the upkeep by the way," he said almost jokingly. Ava pouted her lips, raising her blade up.

"It wasn't my fault. We got trapped just outside the tower. The others are dealing with their own hordes around town. It seems the heartless attacked today because everyone is out on an extermination mission. Its why most of the key wielders are gone." she replied, destroying a nearby shadow. Kazuki followed up with a Thundara spell, eliminating some of the nearby enemies.

"Little bastards, I thought they followed their instincts and didn't plan shit,"

"Some of the lesser heartless use instinct. The stronger ones though...those are the most dangerous. Let's hurry, if we can clear the plaza, we'll be cleared to move on." Ava replied, standing back to back with her apprentice.

"Erm...hey sweetie, this may be a bad time but, you wanna go on a date tonight?"

"Huh? You're asking me that now? Kazuki!"

"You know what they say, love is at its strongest in the heat of battle!"

"Literally no one says that! Gah, let's just focus on this okay?" Ava cried in embarrassment. The kitsune chuckled, a smile appearing on his face.

xxx

Akira raced through the streets of Daybreak Town, hoping to find the Zip Slasher. He had been slowed down by a few Hook bats and Rapid Thrusters, but they were quickly dealt with. Now he had made it to another one of Daybreak's popular outings, the Outlook. It was an area which was built upon a hill, and overlooked both Daybreak Town and the rest of the surrounding area. It was a popular date spot, one he had visited with Sabishii many times.

The outlook had two sections, the large landing, which was contained a fountain, and various benches. There were bright oil lamps and small flower boxes, along with the main attraction, a beautiful fountain, dedicated to Master Ira, leader of the Foretellers and the leader of Unicornis. There was a set of stone stairs, leading up to the outlook itself. The fountain landing was where he found the Zip Slasher, and it wasn't alone.

There was girl, fighting it on her own. She looked worn, a few cuts on her arms. She was blocking each strike with grace, throwing speedy ones of her own, but never staying for too long.

Her fiery orange hair flayed wildly as she fought, the white dress she wore was torn in places, revealing areas of milky white skin. He noticed various cuts on her legs, her long white boots being ripped and torn in places. A few droplets of blood were running down them, from a particularly nasty cut on her thigh. What impressed him even more was the keyblade in her hand, a Shooting Star, just like his own. Her cry of pain pulled him out of his own thoughts.

The girl had been struck by the Zip Slasher, he keyblade being sent out of her hand. It landed several feet away from her, stabbed into the ground. She was panting, her eyes widened with fear she tried to reach for her blade. Akira sprung forward, summoning his own as he moved forward. He brought it down, taking aim at the Slasher.

"Blizzaga!" he shouted, freezing the creature in place.

He took a hold of the girl's discarded keyblade, bringing it down on the Zip Slasher. He followed it with a hard hit from his own, following with a second and a third hit. The Slasher rose his arm up, parrying his attack, aiming a strike to his heart, which Akira was quick to guard against. They pushed against each other, ending in a stalemate.

Akira looked around for a moment, a smirk working its way onto his face. He angled the keyblades, allowing the Slasher to dash past him. He aimed both keyblades up, the air begun humming as he channeled his magic through the weapons. Blue crackles of lightning gathered at the ends of each keyblade, sparks zooming between them. The Zip Slasher moved forward, causing the boy to strike.

"Thundaza!" he shouted, his voice being drowned by a deafening bang. The shockwave was enough to send the boy flying back, the air was buzzing with electrical energy. Akira could feel his hair standing on end from the high gathering of magic. He glanced up, seeing the Zip Slasher had been entirely paralyzed by the spell. He rapidly stood up, grabbing the keyblades, twisting his body as he threw both of them in a double Strike Raid. He continued his attack, the light gathering between the blades with each strike. He took a deep breath, preparing to end the battle once and for all.

"Final Judgment!" he shouted. With each swing of his weapons, more light burst forth, searing the Zip Slasher. It let out a scream, trying and failing to guard against its attacks. Akira swung hard, shattering its iron blades, pieces of metal flying in all direction. He spun his keyblade around, ending the fight with a Zantetsuken, the funneling light running the creature through.

"Hah...take that," he spat, watching the Slasher fading out of existence, its captive heart disappearing moments later.

"Wow, that was so cool!"

Akira stiffened at the voice and rapidly turned around, expecting another heartless. He was only met with the girl from before, who was kneeling on the scorched ground. He frowned, rapidly closing the distance between them.

"Are you alright?" he asked, voice laced with concern. She gave him a shy nod, breaking eye contact.

"Um...I didn't know you could use two." she said softly, glancing at his hands. He glanced down, noticing he was still holding her keyblade. He cleared his throat, holding it out to her.

"I uh...didn't know I could." he replied. She carefully took her blade back, checking it over for damage. While she did, Akira reached into his pocket for a Hi-Potion.

"Here, this should take care of your wounds. I would use Curaga but I'm kind of out of magic power." the boy said, a sheepish look on his face. She reached for his hand, taking the potion from it.

"Thank you."

Akira waited until she started drinking to look away. The plaza was entirely empty. It was then that he noticed the magical barrier was still up, meaning the town still wasn't cleared of heartless. He glanced back toward the Foreteller's Tower, which was a lot farther than it had been earlier.

"My friends are gonna kill me. I left them behind to deal with that stupid Slasher," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"But if you hadn't, I likely would have been killed. So thank you for coming after it, you saved my life," the redhead said, giving Akira the biggest smile she could muster. The boy flushed in embarrassment, looking away.

"Ah...it was nothing...I'm just a regular ol' keyblade wielder. Swing swing swinging away at the darkness. Hehe...erm...here, let me help you up." Akira said, holding out his hand. She took it, being pulled back onto her feet. She glanced at her outfit, frowning when she saw all of tears.

"This was my new dress...it took my brother forever to earn enough money for it," she said sadly.

"Well...at least you're alive right? You can always get another one. By the way, my name is Akira. It's nice to meet you miss."

"Oh...hello Akira, I'm Strelitzia. It's good to meet you, your from the Anguis union right?"

"That's right...and you're from Unicornis right? My friend Kazuki mentioned your name once," Akira replied.

"You know Kazuki? Master Ava's personal apprentice?"

"Mhmm...we're best friends. In fact, I happen to be Master Invi's apprentice, and our friend Sabishii is Master Gula's apprentice." he said.

"I...wow, I'm sorry...I shouldn't bother you." she said, quickly turning away from him.

"Huh...why? I haven't done anything wrong have I?"

"You're Master Invi's apprentice! I'm just a normal girl, I don't have the right to talk to you!" she exclaimed boisterously, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Strelitzia, I'm a normal person too. Just because I'm Invi's apprentice doesn't mean we can't talk. Just forget about it okay? Right now we're just two keyblade wielders. Let's just focus on beating all the heartless." he said, earning an nod the girl.

xxx

"AAAAHHH FUCK!"

"Any reason why you had to shout?" Sabishii cried, glaring at the kitsune sitting beside her.

"Yeah...I wanted a day off and ending up fucking working. I'm pissed as hell!" the boy replied angrily. Akira chuckled, brushing some hair out of his eyes.

"I know the feeling man...I didn't think we'd end up fighting heartless. But damn those things were tough. That Zip Slasher was unlike anything I've ever fought. And I took Phil's challenge at the Olympus Colosseum!" he said, a tired look on his face.

"You're telling me dude, I had just come back from the Enchanted Dominion on an extermination mission. First thing I see is this big ass Piranha Plant heartless straight out of a video game. Thankfully I made it on time to save Sabishii here," Adam said, earning a blush from the ravenette. Akira glared at the boy, tightening his grip on Sabishii's hand.

"You weren't the only one Adam, if I recall correctly, Akira saved his own damsel," Kazuki said, glancing at Strelitzia who had yet to say anything. She was hugging her Chirithy tightly, hair covering her eyes.

"So, what's up with the girl? She hasn't said a word, she didn't take a hit to the head did she?"

"No Sabishii, she didn't. She's uh...in her own world I think,"

"She's fine, Strey is just...really shy." Kazuki replied, this seemed to cause the girl to flush, as her ears were glowing a bit red.

"So, you two know each other?" Adam asked curiously, earning a shrug from Kazuki.

"We're acquainted." the kitsune replied.

"Well everyone, we've given the all clear! Daybreak Town is once again free of Heartless!" the voice of Ava said, causing the keyblade wielders to let out a sigh of relief.

"Ugh...finally. Being on standby sucks...now that we're free, you wanna go on that date?" Akira asked, causing Sabishii to frown.

"I'm tired, I know you were looking forward to it but I just wanna take a shower and go to sleep." she said, standing up. The boy frowned, but shrugged it off.

"Mmk, we can go out another time. Nice work sweetie, you did great against the Ripper. Sorry I couldn't help you,"

"It's fine, you did save someone's life, so you are forgiven. Let's meet up after work tomorrow. It was nice meeting you Strelitzia, you too Adam. I'll see you all later," the raven haired wolfskin said, hastily departing.

"Uh...is she okay?" Kazuki asked, ears twitching slightly.

"Hell if I know, she's always like this after a long grueling workout. I can't blame her. Ugh...it's too early to go home." Akira mumbled.

"I should go, I need to report my mission findings with Master Ira. Have a goodnight everyone, thanks for bailing me out earlier Master Ava."

"Of course, I do hope you think about my offer,"

"I will, be seeing you." the boy said heading in the opposite direction. Akira didn't say anything, glancing at the horizon. He glanced at Ava, who had remained standing, looking rather out of place.

"So, you offered him a ticket into your secret society, I'm so insulted."

"Huh?"

"I'm messing with you Master."

"Ha, the look on your face was precious!" Kazuki said, pointing at the annoyed looking girl.

"How can you tell? She's wearing a mask." Strelitzia said, causing the two boys to look at her. She rapidly looked away, not saying anything.

"A-anyway, I am sorry Akira. I can't explain things to you just yet, especially because you are Invi's apprentice. But you'll know soon enough. Regardless, I felt the need to get us all a little something. Sadly, Sabishii and Adam left before I could hand theirs out." the young woman said, pulling out four ice cream bars.

"Ice cream?"

"Sea Salt ice cream. I blame Kazuki, he got me addicted to it." Ava said, handing Strelitzia her's first. She looked at it oddly, taking a small bite from it. She licked her lips slightly, going in for a second bite.

"Guess she likes it." Akira said, watching the redhead intently.

"Of course! Who doesn't love Sea Salt ice cream?" the kitsune said, having already eaten half of his. Ava shook her head, as she sat down beside the boy, who took a hold of her hand.

"Um...Master, I've been giving it a lot of thought. Your offer I mean...I didn't think I was strong enough. I wasn't...I'm still not. If it hadn't been for Akira, I would have died today. You should have seen him, he came in and stopped that Slasher in its tracks! He even fought with my keyblade!"

"It was nothing Strelitzia. I couldn't let a pretty girl die, now could I?" he said, giving her a smile.

"Down boy, you're a taken man." Kazuki said, earning a hard punch to the arm from his friend. He bit his tongue, not wanting to scream in pain.

"Have you arrived at your decision?" Ava asked, a hint of seriousness in her voice. Strelitzia nodded, turning to fully face her.

"I did...please Master Ava, allow me to be your apprentice. I wish to get stronger, so that I may one day defend my friends. Even though I don't have any, I...I wish to have the power to save those in need!" she cried, clasping her hands together, a pleading look on her face.

"Whoa what? You offered her apprenticeship? Shouldn't it be Ira who asks her? I thought what we had was special Ava!"

"Oh hush up...you passed your preparedness test, and are about ready to take your Mark of Mastery. If you pass you will no longer be my apprentice. I wish to teach the way of the keyblade to as many people as I can. That way, we'll be well prepared." Ava replied, taking a small bite from her ice cream bar.

"Prepared for what?" Akira asked, curiosity laced in his voice.

"It doesn't matter, I'm glad you've accepted my offer. For now, continue following Master Ira's teachings. Learn everything you can, I shall teach you things you haven't covered yet."

"T-thank you." Strelitzia said, giving Ava a smile. She turned away, softly munching on her ice cream. Akira finished his, his eyes firmly trained on the horizon. They all remained silent, just watching the setting sun.

"You know...you're wrong."

"Hmm...what was that?" Strelitzia asked, glancing at Akira. He pulled the ice cream stick out of his mouth, turning to face her.

"You said you didn't have any friends. I know we just met, but I consider you a friend. No matter what, even if we never speak again, you'll still be my friend."

"Do you...do you really mean that?"

"Mhmm...I do."

"Heed what he says Strey, he's completely right. I remember my early days in Daybreak. No one liked me because I was a kitsune, I was made fun of for my ears and tail. But Akira strode right up to me and told the boy bullying me to fuck off. Said he'd shove Starlight so far up his ass he'd become the next Shooting Star keyblade. I knew from then on we would be the best of friends." Kazuki said, earning a laugh from Akira.

"Hey, Bilbo Dickbreath was asking for it...wonder what happened to him, he just disappeared one day."

"Sometimes, people fall to the darkness of their hearts...they become Darklings. I believe that's what happened to that boy...it's a shame really." Ava said, frowning slightly. Kazuki wrapped his arm around her, holding her tightly.

"Sorry to hear that Ava, he was part of Vulpes wasn't he?"

"Yes...our Unions have lost members before, but I treat everyone like a friend. I've lost 100 members since we were first formed. I always hold them close to my heart, hoping they return. I know it's a fleeting dream." she said sadly.

"Hey, you aren't going to lose anymore people okay? I won't let that happen. Once I become a Keyblade Master, I'll take on my own apprentice. Then they'll take their own, so on and so forth. We'll have loads of friends! You'll see." the kitsune said reassuringly. Ava smiled, placing a kiss on his cheek. Strelitzia gasped, dropping the remainder of her ice cream.

"You two...what?"

"Yep, those two are going steady. Won't be long until both of them are screwing around. If we're lucky we'll have little foxes running round by next year." Akira said jokingly. Kazuki grabbed a hold of his friend's hood, pulling him hard into the fountain. A loud splash filled the air, as the flailing boy tried not to drown.

"Son of a bitch!"

"That's what you get for talking shit, asshole," Kazuki growled, bearing his fangs.

"I'm gonna fuckin kick your ass!"

"Go for it then shit for brains! You ain't shit!"

Both boys summoned their keyblades, preparing for a spar. Ava sighed, glancing at Strelitzia who was still shocked at what was happening.

"Would you like to talk more about your apprenticeship? It would be better than seeing these two idiots kill each other."

"But...but isn't Kazuki your..."

"He'll be fine...come on, maybe we can find some material to patch your dress." Ava said, holding her hand out to the girl. Strelitzia warily took it, a smile on her face. Her Chirithy climbed up to her shoulder, hanging on tightly.

xxx

"Akira, yoohoo...earth to Akira, can you hear me?"

The boy glanced away from the city below him, turning to face Uni, who had been trying to get his attention. He turned around to fully face her, leaning back against the railing. He noticed Noire was standing beside her, a worried look on her face.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

"Not with Lastation, but something is definitely wrong with you. We've been trying to get your attention for the last ten minutes. Neptune needs a bit of help with shares. I figured since I'm so generous, that we could go and help her," the raven haired goddess said, a smug smile on her face.

"I see...well, we can leave soon if you want."

"Okay...something is seriously wrong. It's been three days since you talked to Anonydeath, is what he said still affecting you?" Uni asked, looking annoyed.

"No...that isn't it...I just had a weird day dream. It felt almost like a memory. Funny thing is, I don't remember doing anything like what happened at all...but it felt way to real for it not to have happened." Akira said, placing a hand over his beating heart. The CPU's shared a look, both being confused.

"Well, what did you see?"

"My best friends...Sabishii and Kazuki. We were fighting heartless, there was another girl too...Strelitzia, and Master Ava. I was...preparing for something...some sort of Preparedness Test. Kazuki was apparently taking his Mark of Mastery exam." he said.

"Mark of Mastery? Preparedness test? What are you talking about?" Uni asked, clearly confused.

"I believe this is all keyblade related. If I remember correctly, the Mark of Mastery is an exam keyblade wielders undergo, in order to become Keyblade Masters. At least that's what Histoire said." Noire replied.

"I just...I don't understand...Sabishii and I broke up months ago...but in that memory, it seemed as if we were still together. It was so vivid, so real! I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Hmm...well if it felt real, then that means it happened right? Your head might not remember, but your heart does. Maybe its a memory from your heart." the CPU Candidate said, earning a laugh from the boy.

"Guess so...when did you become so smart Uni?"

"Pfft...what are you talking about? I've always been smart!" she boasted, a proud look on her face.

"So...what else did you see? Was I in your memory?" Noire asked, a smug look on her face.

"No...a much cuter girl was though, and she had twin tails too. All dressed in white and bright teal eyes. You know...now that I think about it, she kind of looks like you."

"I'm sorry what?"

"Forget it...there was one more thing. I was wielding a different keyblade...the Shooting Starlight." he said. A moment later, he clutched his chest, feeling a sharp sting in his heart.

"Akira! Are you okay?" Noire cried, taking a hold of his shoulder. He grit his teeth as the pain slowly melted away. He sighed, straightening up.

"I'm fine...but I think I know what that was." he replied. He held his left hand up, summoning forth his keyblade. Just as he thought, it was the same one from his memory. The two CPU's gasped, backing away from the boy. He looked at the hilt where the name Starlight was still written.

"Shooting Starlight...my keyblade's true form."

"It's so pretty...I'm so jealous! I want a keyblade now!"

"Come on Uni, you don't even fight with a sword, I think you look better with a gun anyway." Noire said, earning a growl from her sister.

"You only say that because you want a keyblade if your own!"

"Pfft...as if, keyblades are fickle, why would I want to waste my time with it? My rapier is fine, thank you very much. Anyway we don't have much time, are we gonna go to Planeptune or aren't we?" the goddess cried, causing Akira to frown.

"Don't get all pissy Noire...sheesh, you really need to get laid. It would help with your mood swings during the day."

"WHAT?!"

"You've done it now Akira, you better run, and fast." Uni warned, noticing the steam coming from her older sister's ears. The boy wasted no time in running, resting his keyblade on his shoulder.

"Get back here you asshat! I'm gonna kill you!" Noire shouted, simultaneously transforming into Black Heart. She shot into the basilicom after her boyfriend, earning a sigh from Uni.

"Can this day get any worse?"

A/N: Well everyone, that's the end of this chapter. You might all be wicked confused, and that's because this chapter serves to set up the arc that follows the next one. That's right, once I get around to writing the end of the Hyperdimension Neptunia arc, we'll move onto Akira's origins. I felt the need to at least start things now, by giving you all a window into the past. You'll all get to see what life was life for him as well as some other new stuff.

If you haven't noticed yet, I did start another story for the "Hearts" series, Fire Emblem Hearts, which centers around Kazuki, Akira's best friend, as well as Sabishii, who happens to be Akira's ex girlfriend. You all know her as Shiina. She wll make an appearance in Fire Emblem Hearts soon. I dunno when I'll pick this story back up, but it will be sooner rather than later, I hope.

Finally, the keyblades that are featured in this chapter are familiar ones. Akira's Shooting Starlight Keyblade is the final form of Starlight, the starting keyblade in Kingdom Hearts Unchained. I know, it might be a little too earlier for him to have this strong ass keyblade, but eh...he unlocked a memory of it and it evolved. Whatever.

Sabishii's keyblade is one called Divine Rose, hers also being in its final form. I thought a beautiful girl deserved a beautiful keyblade. Trust me, you all think snhe's a bitch for cheating on Akira in the past, but you'll know the truth soon enough.

Kazuki's keyblade happens to be one called Divewing. It is a keyblade from Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, one that took may ages to get. It was a cool blade, figured I could give it to him. If you want more of Kazuki, do check out Fire Emblem Hearts and let me know what you think! It isn't necessary to enjoy this story but eh...it expands the universe I guess.

Anyway, that's it for now. I hope you liked this brief glance into the past. I'm super stoked to be using Kingdom Hearts Unchained stuff in this story. It's such a good game, and I'm sad that I didn't get to play it too much. I'm a proud member of Vulpes, and I'm getting the hang of it haha. I used to have the game a long time ago on my old phone but I had to delete it, I only recently came back to it, forgot how long and annoying the tutorials are haha. Anyway, I'll see you all later!