Crimson Flame

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Lucian tossed and turned in his bed all night. He couldn’t explain what it was, but a strange sense of dread kept him from sleeping. He sat up, and walked towards the window. There was a storm going on outside, but this was obviously no ordinary storm. He could see flashes of purple and black lightning illuminating the night sky, and in the distance, a dark orb hovered over the Paopu Fruit Tree they had all just been under.

His eyes went wide, and Lucian immediately threw on his shoes, and sprinted out the door without a second thought. As he ran towards the beach, a cluster of small, black creatures slithered out of the darkness, their glowing yellow eyes piercing through the shadows. The same creatures he’d seen in his dream, only now they were very real.

Immediately, the heartless turned their attention towards Lucian. Their clawed hands reaching for his heart, instinct kicked in. He grabbed a branch lying nearby, holding it like a makeshift sword. “Stay back!” he shouted, swinging wildly as the first Heartless lunged at him. The branch passed through the creature harmlessly, and it retaliated with a swipe that sent him stumbling backward.

Panic rose in his chest. The branch isn’t enough. “I can’t fight them like this!” He swung again, trying to keep them at bay, but the Heartless kept coming, surrounding him.

Then, deep within his heart, he felt it—a familiar warmth, the same feeling he’d experienced in his dream. A voice echoed in his mind, calm and steady. “The light is within you. Call to it. Trust in your heart.”

Lucian closed his eyes, clutching the branch tightly as the Heartless closed in. He focused on the feeling, the light he could feel deep inside, and the desire to protect his friends. He wasn’t going to let the darkness win—not here, not now.

A brilliant light erupted from his hands, forcing the Heartless to recoil. When he opened his eyes, the branch was gone, replaced by a shimmering weapon Lucian had never seen before. Its intricate gold and blue design shined even in the darkness of the storm, and Lucian felt stronger holding it.

The Heartless hesitated for a moment, as if recognizing the weapon, but Lucian didn’t wait. He charged forward, swinging the Keyblade with newfound confidence. Each strike landed with precision, and the Heartless dissolved into wisps of shadowy mist.

When the last of the creatures faded, Lucian lowered the Keyblade, his chest heaving. “It’s real,” he murmured, staring at the weapon in his hands. “The dream… it’s all real.” He was filled with a new resolve.

"Hoshi! Lucian! Levi! Morgan! Where are you!?" He heard Alias’ voice shout.

Lucian ran in that direction. “Hold on, I’m coming!”

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

I need someone to find Morgan and end up being her unintentional or otherwise, Hero... for a very specific purpose.

@Sadu

It begins. Sorry for posting it so late. You're all free to respond to the arrival of the Heartless. If you need to collab with anyone, like the Gummi Ship trio, you can start working on that if you haven't already.

@Crimson Flame

I already suggested it to Sadu earlier but you should be Morgan's hero. You both have magical connections waiting for you in Traverse Town.

@King Kindred

I’m up for it.

So, should Lucian also manifest his keyblade? Or was that an Alias thing?

Imaginarium: Be Careful What You Think Of

Name: Maxwell “Max” Hudson
Age: 18



Appearance: Max is a tall and lean young man standing at 6'3". He is physically fit, and has a, toned, well muscled, physique that he enjoys showing off. While he hated being forced to be on the football team, he admits it's done wonders for his body, and he enjoys showing it off. He still works out regularly to maintain it, just at his own pace, and not as intense, He has a fair complexion, and his face is free of blemishes and facial hair. His strawberry blonde hair looks messy, but he likes it that way, claiming that it adds character to his look. It appears to be longer on the top than it is on the sides, and it seems to go in many different directions. He doesn't wear any hair gel, since he doesn't like the feel of stiff hair. He has a round, boyish face with wide expressive eyes that are a deep shade of blue. He often has a smile on his face.

Max's choice in clothes changes with his mood. Some days, he dresses casually and wears a simple tank top and jeans. On other days, he wears fancier clothing. He does know how to sew and make clothes to suit his own tastes. He likes bright colors, but usually wears various shades of purple. His signature outfit consists of a light purple tight fitting tank top, and a dark purple cotton hoodie over it if it's cold enough. On the bottom, he wears a pair of blue jeans held up by a black belt with a metal buckle, and purple and white high top sneakers on his feet. He carries around a purple messenger bag to carry his things in.

Major: Art
Year: 1

Personality: Max is a cheerful and optimistic person who avoids dwelling on negativity. He’s outgoing, friendly, and emotionally open, expressing his feelings without shame. Affectionate and touchy with friends, Max values deep emotional connections and is always willing to be a shoulder to cry on. A hopeless romantic, he believes in the power of love and is driven by his emotions, which sometimes makes him impulsive and overly attached to those he cares about.

Though he’s creative and artistic, Max struggles with structure, preferring spontaneity over strict routines. He’s quick to stand against unfair authority and reacts strongly to reminders of his abusive past, often lashing out when pushed. Despite this, Max strives to live authentically, embracing his quirks and passions unapologetically. However, his overbearing nature and difficulty handling rejection can sometimes overwhelm others.

Max avoids alcohol entirely due to his father’s abuse, and he feels uneasy in social settings where drinking is involved. His hobbies include drawing, painting, sewing, and enjoying geeky interests like video games and Disney. Max is a loyal, compassionate friend who always wants to help, even if he occasionally goes overboard.

History: Max Hudson had a privileged but difficult upbringing. His father, Joe, a retired athlete from a wealthy and prominent family, had high expectations for him. From an early age, Max was forced to follow in Joe’s footsteps, attending elite schools and playing football. Joe firmly believed that sports built character, but Max despised it, feeling stifled by the relentless pressure and his father’s rigid notions of masculinity. Max’s mother, Kimberly, was the opposite of her husband. She was nurturing and wholeheartedly supported his artistic talents, often encouraging him to pursue his passions. Unfortunately, her disagreements with Joe frequently escalated into intense arguments.

Max’s life took a dramatic turn when, during one of Joe’s outbursts, he slapped Max for doodling in class. Witnessing this, Kimberly filed for divorce and gained custody. For a time, Max thrived. He quit football, focused on his art, and enjoyed a supportive and creative home environment. However, it was not meant to last. Kimberly died in a car accident when Max was just 14. This event forced him to live with his father again.

Life with Joe became unbearable. Consumed by anger and alcohol, Joe became physically and emotionally abusive. He confiscated Max’s art supplies and enforced his expectations with violence. Max coped by maintaining a cheerful act in public, but inside he was miserable. He sought solace in friends, parties, and art, often sneaking out to escape the toxic environment at home.

At one party, Max met Robbie, a charismatic musician whose guitar was adorned with Hello Kitty stickers. They bonded over shared interests and quickly became inseparable. Their relationship blossomed, but Max, still closeted, kept it hidden from his father and peers. Robbie, who was openly gay, grew frustrated with the secrecy, and their relationship ended when Max couldn’t bring himself to come out.

Max’s final confrontation with Joe occurred in his senior year of high school. During a heated argument, Max revealed his plans to study art and, came out as gay. Joe, drunk and enraged, beat him and hurled slurs. Max fled the house and found refuge with Robbie’s family. With their support, he reconciled with Robbie and came out publicly, discovering that many of his friends had already suspected. Max vowed to stop hiding and live authentically.

Sadly, Max and Robbie’s shared dreams of attending college together were shattered when Robbie was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver—Joe. Although Joe survived, he was sentenced to prison for DUI and vehicular manslaughter. Max also discovered that Joe had hidden a large inheritance from his late mother, which he finally gained access to. While Joe’s absence brought some relief, the pain of losing Robbie, in the same way he lost his mother no less, left Max devastated.

Now living on his own, Max is trying to move on with his life. He is determined to honor the memories of his mother and Robbie by pursuing his art and staying true to himself, even though he’s still dealing with heartbreak.

Perks:

Artistic Talent: Max is highly creative, excelling in drawing, painting, sculpting, and sewing. His artistic eye allows him to visualize solutions and create beauty even in difficult circumstances.

Emotional Intelligence: He’s deeply empathetic and attuned to the emotions of others, making him a natural at comforting friends.

Optimism: Max’s cheerful and hopeful outlook helps everyone’s spirits up.

Loyalty: Once Max considers you a friend, he’s there for life—always willing to lend a hand or shoulder to cry on.

Quick Thinking: His impulsive nature allows him to think quickly on his feet.

Quirks:

Over-Affectionate: Max frequently expresses affection through hugs, handshakes, or casual touches, which can be overwhelming for people who aren’t used to it.

Clinginess: He has a fear of abandonment, and gets very attached to people he cares about, sometimes to the point of being overbearing.

Impulsiveness: Max often acts on emotions rather than logic, leading to decisions that can backfire.

Avoids Alcohol: He won’t touch alcohol due to his father’s abuse, and he feels uneasy in social settings where drinking is involved.

Distractible: Max can get lost in his thoughts or sidetracked by small details, especially when he gets artistic inspiration.

RP example

Max sat on the edge of his dorm room bed. His sketchbook sitting on his lap, with a half finished drawing looking back at him. He couldn’t quite get the hang of what he was drawing. A romantic scene of flowers and greenery, but for some reason everything felt wrong.

He let out a frustrated sigh and tossed the pencil on the bed. This was going nowhere. The silence was unnerving. He normally liked being around friends, music, laughter. Right now though, he was just alone with his thoughts, and they weren’t very good company right now.

His looked up at the framed photo on his desk. A picture of him and Robbie at a carnival. Smiling with that stupidly charming grin, their arms were slung over each other’s shoulders, and Max was holding up a plush unicorn Robbie had won for him. Max swallowed hard and quickly looked away. “Not tonight… I don’t need this right now…” he muttered, though his eyes welling up, and the ache in his chest said otherwise.

He stood up and started pacing around the room. His bare feet padding against the floor. His hands fidgeted, grabbing random objects, a loose thread on his sweater, the corner of the bedspread, anything to keep them busy.

“Alright, Max, focus,” he said out loud, forcing a smile that no one could see. “Let’s make something amazing. Robbie would want that, right?”

He grabbed the sketchbook again, flipping to a new page. He scrawled out a new landscape with floating lanterns, spiraling towers, and cascading stars. It wasn’t perfect, but it was alive.

For the first time that night, a smile crept onto his face. He looked at the photo again, his voice soft. “Still wish you were here, though.”

The room went quiet again, but this time, it felt a little less lonely. Max went back to his sketch. Even when everything felt sad, at least he had this—his art to dive into. His escape from his troubles, and a small piece of the beauty he believed still existed in the world.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

I can’t wait to see Lucian get his keyblade. :D

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Bring on the Heartless!

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Spoiler Tag just in case.

Kindred did tell me he looked like a young king Arthur type.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Disney wasn’t giving what I needed, so I made my own.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

I mean, I read it while it was being typed, so my butt is prepared.

Imaginarium: Be Careful What You Think Of

Ok, so normally I don’t like horror, and I nope out as soon as I see it in the tag…

This looks kind of interesting. And I’ve been looking for something I can use one of my preexisting characters in.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

<Snipped quote by Little Bird>

Assuming this is for the sunset conversation? I'm alright with it, but I've never done a collab post before. I'm assuming that it'd be done in a Google Doc or something similar, though.

@Bacon

That’s how I’ve done them.