Chapter Text
When Ace walked through the door with his mom he was immediately brought over to the living room where he saw his dad. Who was watching a movie with a two actors that he slightly recognized from when he was younger. One had blond hair with purple tips the other had all black hair. He never really cared to learn actors names so he’s not able to pin point who they are.
When his dad saw him he practically jumped out of his seat backwards. Both Ace and his mom laughed at the older man’s misfortune. When he gotten back onto his feet he practically ran to hug Ace.
Ace leaned into the touch, being away from home for so long he forgotten how much he missed his parents hugs. Ace’s mom looked at the scene happily until she herself jumped when Ace started to speak.
”I heard Jack started working at the casino. Can he help me get lots of Thaumarks?”
The woman fumbled with her phone with how fast she took it out. She would have to tell her older son that his brother came home.
They gotten a letter from Yen Sid earlier in the week saying that Ace was coming back by the end of the week. The note also requested that they teach Ace some of the history that he would have missed out on and possibly reteach anything the he has only the basic understanding of.
All in all for the past week the Trappola family had been hectic in getting everything ready for Ace to start school at Night Raven College this fall.
Jack was barely able to say hello before their mother said, “Ace is finally back home.”
”Really?!”
”Yes, he was dropped off not too long ago.”
There was already sounds of stuff rustling around on the other end of the phone before their mother even finished her sentence.
”I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
”I’ll see you soon, honey.”
”Bye, mom.”
Turning back to her younger son and husband she tuned into an interesting conversation.
”There’s several ways to get to different worlds, I mostly learned how to use the shooting star because that’s what Master Yen Sid use.”
“That’s what he used to get here the first time, yes?”
”Yeah, there’s also the gummi ships which I use when I’m traveling with others. It’s like a rocket ship that is able to travel far enough and safe enough to reach the different worlds.”
“How is it able to do that better than rocket ships?”
”The materials, I guess? I don’t know. A few of my friends actually morphed their keyblades into vehicles, which I think is the coolest transportation method. They actually started to teach me it so I can do it but not in space yet.”
That’s when Ace’s mother joined the conversation, “Wait those weapons can change shape?”
Ace shrugged, it was honestly pretty normal for him considering Lea changes his Keyblade between the original form and chakras since he’s far more skilled in those weapons. “Yeah, they’re magic so as long as you can think it, then you can probably change it. At least that’s what Lea said, Aqua told me later that it’s much more than that.”
Ace’s parents nodded though still confused. So his mother asked a different question, “How was your training?”
Ace sat up with a smile on his face, “It was great, the first year was boring though.”
The older man looked at his son, “Oh, how so?”
”It was all about the technical stuff, we barely even used the Keyblade in the beginning months.”
Ace’s mother sighed, “Good.”
”Eventually we got to forms and I got to actually use the Keyblade. Sometimes we even went to a nearby world to have a more hands on experience.”
Both of his parents raised an eyebrow. His dad then asked, “What does hands on experiences mean?”
That made Ace pause, how does one explain the darkness without keeping the dangerous parts in the explanation. What is he supposed to say, ‘Remember the shadow things that once attacked, yeah I face some of those when I was deemed ready.’
No way was he saying that, the heartless part would have to stay out of it.
”It was mostly just sparing away from the training room.”
His mother looked like she was about to say something against what he said but before she did the door opened.
Jack came running in, and stopped in front of the couch.
“So you are back!”
Ace laughed as he went to hug his older brother. “Yeah, and I can officially say I’m better than you now.”
Jack messed up his hair laughing loudly, “No way.”
Jack than looked at Ace more seriously, “Did they make you do anything dangerous?”
”N-no, why?”
”I just remember those shadows, heartless, and wanted to know if you ever had to deal with them again.”
”NOT THAT SOON!”
”Anyways, I heard that I have to give you a crash course on the history here.”
Ace groaned at that but his mother piped up, “We asked him too since it would be weird if you came back from boarding school and still need a tutor.”
”Wait…You said I went to boarding school?”
His father nodded, “We had to come up with something, how were we supposed to explain our 10 year old son disappearing randomly.”
”That makes it seem like I was a terrible kid.”
His mother shook her head, “You left and we didn’t know how to explain it, besides it’s not like you going to be home that often. Just the holidays, and not even the entirety of summer since you would still be training.”
“Fine,” Ace grumbled.
Jack jumped into the conversation, “Anyways, I’m going to give you a crash course on history and mom and dad will tell you about recent events. Also we need to get you a phone.”
”I have a phone.”
Ace took out his gummi phone and while his parents seem fine with it Jack looked like the phone personally offended him.
”No, an actual phone that everyone has. Although this one seems like it would make a decent backup.”
”Why can’t I just use this one?”
”Because everyone would laugh at you, dummy.”
Before Ace could say anything about him being fine his dad spoke up, “It might not be a bad idea, you wouldn’t want anyone to know about the other worlds do you.”
Reluctantly Ace agreed to get a new phone, although he doubts anyone would question his phone considering he went to planets with a talking duck and dog and no one batted an eye.
“Why don’t you boys catch up and I start Dinner, okay.”
“Okay mom.”
“Yes mom.”
Jack then pulled Ace into Ace’s old room and started to talk about the history of Twisted Wonderland. When he finished the recaps their mother called them down.
During Dinner Ace learned about Night Raven College and Jack’s time there. It almost made Ace excited, since each room is like its own mini world which makes it interesting. Being able to go to Wonderland and Pride Rock the same day without having to change forms would be great.
But that was really the only thing he was looking forwards too, he knows many people from many worlds and sitting in a classroom would put him to sleep. To Ace, it just wasn’t worth it.
Of course he doesn’t say that to them but he thinks it. His parents look thrilled that he’s back, besides if he is going to stay since this worlds an anomaly than he might as well try to get a decent job.
After they talk about NRC Ace talks about the worlds he’s been to and the transformation he had done.
Once Dinner was done Jack and Ace went back upstairs to continue their lessons.
That’s how the weeks were spent and no matter how much Ace complained they sat somewhere and learned about his own world. Ace also went shopping for both clothes and items that he would like in order to fit in. Sometimes Ace gets stopped by people recognizing him so he told them the agreed upon story that he never approved of. Also he learned more about his home town so that hopefully no one would question him to badly at NRC.
He wrote to Yen Sid about the world and its history. He knows that’s not what his master wants but it’s not like Ace knows where to start.
Eventually, the carriage came and Ace had to leave for NRC so he hugged his parents once again to leave his house. Although this time it was harder to leave, when he was 10 the idea of traveling and not being held back to his house felt great. But now, after so many years away from home them coming back he remembered how much he missed his family.
Unlike before he would be on the same world but still very far apart. But since this might be the only way to get his mastery sooner he would have to shove down his feelings. Besides he already spent years away from his parents what’s a few months.
So he got into the carriage and set off to Night Rave College probably for the most boring year of his life.
