Journey to the Past [Ansem the Wise, pm to join]

[Deleted]

"This place doesn't even feel familiar."

After arriving in a blue luminous hue, Jasmine followed where heart felt it needed to be. Something told her this was the place; she was thinking about it before she left Traverse Town, but it didn't feel the same. It was daunting. In her humble brown gown and tan hajab, she felt at lost in the market; there were people here! She shouldn't be surprised at how much the world has grown; it's been years. Still it shocked her how the place of nightmares where she shut out for years had transcended above it. It gave a false sense of security knowing what had happened here some time ago; perhaps she needed to evolve like everyone else present and move on. 

But a single name put her anxiety to rest; his name could bring a smile to anyone faces. He was the change and light that save her and this world, "Sora." 

You never cease to amaze me. 

He was the first domino to drop; it was evident his influences inspired others to revive this world. 

I wish I could meet those who did this. 

The cold chill she felt once disembarking vanished with a warm flush; she could just feel the radiant warmth and love put into the worlds restoration. Light was RAINING in a light trickle. Patting the corner of her eye dry, Jasmine sighed before carrying on with her mission. Perhaps those dutiful wonders took over the castle; it would be nice to step foot in there without seeing Maleficint's touch.  

After asking several helpful denizens, Jasmine was pointed and instructed a route to the castle. She never had to travel there; actually she never left the castle during her momentary stay. After Sora destroyed the darkness the Princesses held back, he called it a Behemoth, Jasmine was hesitant in exploring the corners and halls of the castle. Even with their presence, the heartless still lingered, and Jasmine was mediocre with tapping into her inner light. Also she had a right to be fearful of the creatures knowing all the damages they done; being too naive and foolish can render her in another deep sleep. 

She frowned remembering the dimly light halls. The Heart of Agrabah clutched to her clothes as she stood at the foot of the stairs. Her eyes scale them to see the main entrance. 

"Jasmine, pull yourself together," she was nearly hunching like a meager homeless. The Princess saw a spitting image in her people; they used to cower before her thinking she was too holy to look in the eye; they found themselves sub-human and unworthy. It was a hard habit to coax them out of. Although she was born to 'power', she would hang it over them arrogantly. Here she was letting memories of the past loom over and over-power her. She shouldn't give the darkness, the heartless, Maleficent, or Ansem have power over her. It was a human reaction, but she needed to solidify herself. 

                                          You're a Princess. 

                                         A Princess never slouches. 

                                         A Princess stands tall for she 

                                         represents her family name and

                                         her people. 

In this case, she not only stand and walk as Jasmine, Princess of Agrabah, but Jasmine, a Princess of Hearts. If she took the role seriously, she represented not only Agrabah, but all worlds and light. Although hardly anyone knew of their existence, she practiced to be a good example. If the Arabian Moon wanted to start a campaign in best of all worlds, she cannot let darkness shake her. After all, she wasn't afraid for herself; she feared what darkness who do unto people and what they would make her do. 

To those who seek them out, they weren't people anymore, but trinkets, pieces to a whole. According to Sora, together with just six of them their hearts forged a keyblade to unlock hearts. Despite being versed with swords, Jasmine wasn't aggressive in nature; it didn't set well to be a weapon. 

That's why she came here to discover the purpose of the Princesses of Hearts. Belle would've gotten a kick of exploring the library. What else was left of that place, that haven of darkness, Hallow Bastion? 

Once reaching the door, she was taken back not to see any guards. Were they shifting shifts, or were there more reforms to this world beyond her imagination? Standing in the middle of the Entrance Hall, she looked about lost. 

"Hello," she voice echoed; the stairs only led to a upper level, and if her memory was correct the library wasn't far. How much did she remember? Following curiosity, she ventured, while occasionally calling out to anyone.

[Deleted]

"Confounded contraptions!" The man shouted, as yet another sudden blast of air rushed out to escape from the winding aged pipes, blowing sharply into the former sage kings face as he traversed the forgotten halls. "Hodgepodge of scrap metal, rusted layabout of cobbled parts." He muttered to himself lowly, angrily, dreadfully. Anger at the state of his world, anger at the betrayers, anger towards the king who left it in such disarray. Constantly, the memories and thoughts kept returning, kept plaguing, kept replaying.

Gone were the days where the soothingly delightful smell of wondrous flowers filled the air. Gone were the laughs and giggles of innocent children. Gone were the pristine and radiant fountains.

Gone were the gardens. The beautiful...beautiful gardens.

He remembered with increasing bitterness the moments in which he viewed his subjects once more. The days of secrecy, viewing a distraught populace from within. Observing the faces behind those scarlet rags, they were no longer smiling. They were frightened. Their king, gone. Their safety, uprooted. Their sanctuary, torn down. Each day leading into the next, survival the only thing on their miserable minds. Were it not for the efforts of those few brave souls, the remnants of that once pristine world might have been lost all-together to those dark hordes.

His hordes.

They have persevered, yes. But no thanks to their foolish monarch, who had inadvertently harbored their destruction under his own roof. Hopelessness was no longer etched across their faces, but neither were the smiles of joy. All these thoughts plagued Ansem the Wise as his cane shakily carried him towards the library, whose doors remained a pearly white, untouched by the wickedness of that vile woman Maleficent. 

An aged hand brushed the door with nostalgia, before pushing it open slowly. The room remained aglow, as it always had. The collections remained completely intact, adorning the entire room with its countless volumes. From atop the second level, the former king strode slowly with his cane to support him. They were all still there, the countless novels and works. They were intact. They were intact. Inanimate objects, incapable of feeling, preserved. The hand gripped around the cane furiously, tightening with rage.

A collection of worthless trinkets, these you save!? Yet the people are nothing but fodder!? 

A pitiful exhale, and the grip was released. The failings of a fool and the unforgivable acts of Xehanort echoed with each title that was stacked oh so neatly upon the shelves. Maleficent and...."Ansem"....they perverted his findings. All at his peoples' expense. 

Here, surrounded by knowledge, the man never felt more incompetent, never felt more idiotic. Another title, and another. The fingers danced and danced, scanning this way and that, until he could take no more. He had to withdraw one. But which? Would it matter? 

Without a care, the free hand swiftly withdrew a novel, only for it to glide through interrupted fingers at the sound of a...voice? 

The head turned, and attempted to glance downward to the first level. The doors were still shut. Was it possible? Was it another figment? Another plaguing reminder?

Shaking his head abruptly, the man bent down with irritation in an attempt to reacquire his dropped novel, all-the-while ever curious as to possibility of visitors.

Ha! Visitors.

Even a researcher such as himself could see the folly in such a thing. It was as ludicrous and foolish as he was.

As he still is....

[Deleted]

Her call was returned in pure unsettling silence; she could practically fill time tick by and dust collect in the seemingly abandoned castle, "I guess this place hadn't recovered as they said, or no one's here right now."

Hopefully they wouldn't mind her intrusion; there wasn't a notice or a sign to stay out, and no one told her she needed to request attendance. That would be appropriate for a kingdom, but it looked like this world fell away from that era long ago. Rulers fell as darkness and Maleficent overrun it, and with her gone, the people took matters in their hands. It was a brave tale, but sad how worlds can still be stained and eroded. Agrabah withstood it all: Jafar's short live tyranny, the heartless in the streets, the common bandits and madmen, Jafar AGAIN as a Genie, and the current transition of their princess becoming the next sultan. She was able to live past it all, the worlds; her life became so busy and congested the truth was shoved out of the way. From time to time while she rode Carpet with Aladdin, her large eyes would smile at the stars thinking of them: Sora, Donald, and Goofy, but those were always spare drifting moments before being whisked into reality.

It felt unfair how many can simply move on like nothing happen, while the people here live with a constant reminder. Although external forces brought it upon them, their will fought for perseverance. "I hope someone was here for them."

Sora?

Walking up the stairs, she wondered how much the boy grew. He must have it's been years. She'd always dreamed of the best for him: happy smiling, while zipping through worlds. With simple wishes, she lived through him and wished him well. How long would it be before they run into each other? It didn't take long for her to wind up back-

She stopped once reaching the top staring down the dully lit hallway. It felt foreboding even if it was just ghosts of Hallow Bastion. Peering through, she called out again only to hear her voice bounce off the walls.

"No one," she was apprehensive going there. In mid pace, her arm stretched out, but she called it back; her hand balled up uncertain, "I should've came with Rajah."

Gazing to the left, she spotted a door; the princess can scout out this floor before moving towards another part of the castle. She walked briskly with caution. Although the world had defenses, Jasmine wouldn't drop her guard for heartless. She didn't want to gamble how tempting her heart could be for them. With a swift turn and yank, she stepped through the threshold and closed the door with a loud click.  The echo made her skin jump; her alarmed eyes stared at books and more books.

"So it's still here," this would be up Belle's alley, but why was she surrounded by books? Lightly on her toes, she spun around finding only one exit, the way she came, "it can't be that SMALL!"

She exclaimed when she nearly tripped; a growl huffed out of gritted teeth as she glared at the assailant, a book, "Tch, talk about a hazard. The least they could do is put it up."

Her eyes rolled, while she chastised and picked up the poor thing. Clicking her teeth, she searched for its designated spot. It was obvious; the book was color coded and had a collection, "there."

With a simple offering, she heard a click, and the shelf moved to reveal more of the labyrinth.

"So that's how it works, secret keys to secret doors."

Her anxiety about the daring visit melted away when it became a treasure hunt. What other riddles and prizes lied within the library? Her lips pursed in contemplating before spreading with a satisfied smirk as she strolled onward. "Now let's see how interesting this can be."