Katie and the Embear

For the real Katie. Herself as a key bearer with her Keyblade, Ursa Aegis and her protector and companion the Embear. Hope the color scheme is what you were envisioning. 

Bio of Katie of DunBroch and her Dream Eater Spirit, the Embear.

As a young child in the kingdom of DunBroch, Katie lost both her parents to the claws and teeth of the demon bear Mor’du. Her mother hid her to keep her safe then went to aid her husband. The townsfolk agreed it was a tragic bear attack but they believed it was just the trauma that made Katie think it was the mythical bear. But even a little girl knows no normal animal attacks with such unprovoked fury and wanton bloodlust.

From then on she grew up in the care of the maids of the castle. She started learning the ways of horse husbandry shortly after. The stable hands knew a good horse could be the perfect companion to anyone with a heavy heart and troubled mind. The gentle steeds brought Katie out of her sorrow and she became a great stable hand quickly. It was in the stables she met the young princess Merida. Katie was working when the colt that would presented to the princess as her first steed was born. From that day on they spent a lot of time together in the stables caring for and training the colt and became close friends. Merida showed her the tricks to archery and together they had swordfights with the stable boys with wooden swords or broom handles.

But as time went on the two saw less and less of each other. Meridia’s duties as a princess often kept her away for days on end. The only times they saw each other was when Merida was able to get away and take care of Angus herself. When that happened their conversations were mostly Merida venting how she couldn’t stand her lessons. Still, it made Katie happy to know the princess trusted her as her confidant. The brunt of the princess’s frustration came after her mother announced the neighboring clan leaders would present their sons as suitors.

Then, the evening after the fiasco at the games, Katie witnessed Merida flee the castle grounds on Angus. Even from a distance it was clear she was crying. Concerned for her friend Katie ran after her. But Angus was running at a full gallop and there was no hope Katie could ever catch up. Now she was lost in the woods and it would be dark soon. Just as she was beginning to get scared she’d made a mistake a bright light caught her eye. It was a wisp! She’d heard stories about them but until that moment had never seen one. They were supposed to be benevolent guides. Maybe they appeared to show her the way to Merida and bring her and the princess home.

The wisps lead her deep into the forest. Just how far had Merida gone? The trees broke and a strange landscape opened up before her. A crumbling stone archway stood tall, an emblem of two crossed hammers etched into it. The wisps lead her further into the ruins of the abandoned castle then they vanished. Why would Merida be in there? Yes, she’d been upset but it seemed like an odd place to get away and make yourself feel better. Maybe the wisps brought her here for another reason. They were rumored to lead you to your fate after all. In the remaining light of day Katie explored the ruin. It felt so adventurous to explore but there really wasn’t much left. Rusted swords and chalices, dented armor and broken bows, overturned and shattered furniture was all that remained. Except for one thing.

By a strange twist of luck Katie’s gaze happened to fall upon a little wooden charm beneath pieces of rubble. Shielded by stone it was spared the touch of time. She picked it up. It as a carving of a bears’ head. As nice as it was, it didn’t seem like much if this is what the wisps had lead her here for. That was at least until it started glowing in her hand. Startled Katie dropped the ornament only it didn’t fall. It glowed and shrunk then clattered to the floor. The image was the same but somehow it had become metallic. She picked it up cautiously to examine it again. Somehow it had acquired a chain. Katie wasn’t able to speculate further before something remarkable happened. In a bright flash of light something appeared in her hand!

unbeknownst to her Katie had been accepted as a Keyblade Wielder. She marveled at this obviously magical treasure. It looked like a sword but wasn’t. the handle looked like a bow and arrow, the shaft, an intricate weaving of metal knots. at the top looked to be a wisp frozen in crystal and a shape of a bears’ paw print on the side. But again her musings were cut short. The air suddenly became cold and foul. Something moved in the shadows. Katie stood frozen in terror as the milky white eye of Mur’du glared down at her like a dead moon in an empty sky. What exactly happened next not even Katie ever knew. She remembered being afraid and trying to get away from the demon bear, using her new treasure as the only weapon she had to do so.

Suddenly when she felt too terrified to go on a blast of fire erupted from the Keyblade! The fireball hit Mur’du squarely in the chest, singeing fur and burning the mottled hide. The great bear howled with pain. Katie didn’t need to be told twice and she ran. Survival was more important than understanding. She tried to swing the Keyblade to make it spit fire again before Mur’du got over himself and pursued her. Instead a single wisp appeared. It danced in front of Mur’du’s face, ducking out of the way when he swatted at it, annoyed. How long the demon bear was distracted by the wisp Katie didn’t stick around to find out. She ran, unable to hear the pounding of her own heart over the phantom screams of her parents that echoed in her head.

She never knew how far or how long she ran. Distance was her only hope. Finally, exhausted, she took shelter in the hollow base of a tree, her senses alive for any twig snap that might be Mur’du. With the adrenaline wearing off and her legs having turned to pudding Katie finally allowed herself to sleep. That night, she dreamt a long forgotten dream. After her parents had been killed, Katie had fantasized about a friendly bear that she could play with and would protect her. It was small enough to be a companion but big enough to ride like a horse. In those daydreams Mur’du would sometimes show his ugly face but her friendly bear would be there to keep her safe. Even being half the demon bear’s size, her bear would stand up tall and roar with all its might until Mur’du ran off into the forest, never to bother her again.

In this dream though the bear was different. Its colors were unlike any bear she’d ever seen, like a light burnt-brown with oranges and yellows in the strange stripes and markings a long its body. Its front paws only had four claws and its back feet weren’t clawed at all. Its eyes were pitch black orbs that seemed to emit a warm sparkle from deep within. It guided her through a forest in springtime. Walking by its side Katie didn’t feel scared or worried about anything. Somehow she knew this strange beast would keep her from all harm with its sharp claws and kind eyes.

The next morning golden sunlight graced the forest. Unsure of what else to do, Katie wandered, hoping to find her way back to the castle. She didn’t know how to get to the castle from there yet somehow that part of the woods looked familiar. It didn’t take long to feel as if she were going in the wrong direction. Great. No idea how to get home in the forests where Mur’du was supposed to live. For all she knew the treasure she carried belonged to him somehow and he’d be wanting it back. As if to confirm her fear, Katie could sense that something was watching her. She held the Keyblade tightly, hands quivering and heart fluttering unpleasantly. But when she turned, it was not the demon bear in the clearing behind her. Impossible! It was the bear from her dream. No, not a dream, a premonition?

The Embear turned and started walking away. Once the shock and bewilderment of what she was seeing wore off, Katie ran after it. The bear never made a sound. Even its footfalls were silent. Katie followed it, and as evening fell the sunset outlined the silhouette of the castle. She was so happy to have made it home safely she ran as fast as she was able, only to skid to a stop. She couldn’t just let the dream bear guide her to safety and then not say anything. Only when Katie turned to thank it, the Embear was gone. It didn’t even leave footprints to suggest it ever existed. Had it not then? Had she imagined the whole thing? There had to be magic around. The strange item in her hand was proof of that. She knew for certain she hadn’t imagined the terror of coming face to face with Mur’du again or the very real fire that had come from the Keyblade.

Days passed. Merida had had quite an adventure of her own too. Mur’du was dead and the queen and the princess were closer than ever before. But Katie kept the events following the wisps to herself and the Keyblade well hidden. Life resumed its sway. However, her daydreams of the Embear continued. She imagined it was friendly and loyal, a good listener and fun loving companion, just as she did when she was a child. But she never dreamed of it or saw it again.

Just when she was beginning to accept that was the only adventure she was ever going to have, a speck of blue light caught her attention one day. Abandoning her duties, Katie ran after it. A long chain of glowing wisps lead her through the forest. The trees were so thick only scattered beams of golden sun could pass through. Finally the last wisp disappeared. And at the end of the trail, was the Embear, sitting tall and proud and waiting for her. Katie was so delighted she ran right to it and threw her arms around its slender neck. She didn’t care how her dream bear was there now, she was just glad it was real. it was warm, like a it had just been sitting in front of a fire. The Embear nuzzled her in return then stood up and started digging in the soil. Something glittered blue between its claws. Katie picked it up. It was a small, star shaped crystal that seemed to glow from the inside.

Suddenly it started shining brightly! The world was enveloped in white light and it felt like she were getting jerked around all over the place, like being on the back of an unbroken horse. But as soon as it began the strange ride was over. Katie opened her eyes to find she was no longer in the forest. The Embear was still there but everything else had changed. And that began the next chapter of her adventure.

What the wisps had lead Katie to was a star shard, an enchanted item that could travel between worlds, one of the few of its kind. With just a touch it had taken her to the world of Radiant Garden. it was there she met Leon, Yuffie, Aerith and Cid. Having experience traveling between worlds and possessing knowledge of Keyblades they provided her the help and guidance to begin life on a new world and understand what it meant to be a Keyblade wielder. Leon and Yuffie trained her how to fight. Aerith was her teacher and Cid showed her how to work with gadgets.

The Embear remained  a constant companion. Just like her Keyblade, Ursa Aegis, the bear of fire would appear whenever Katie summoned or needed it. She didn’t really know where it went when it wasn’t at her side. Perhaps it retreated back into her dreams where it had been born. Regardless, it was always there when she called. Katie visited a few other worlds using the star shard, but none led her back home. Perhaps it was like the wisps and knew where she needed to be for it always returned her to Radiant Garden. She missed DunBrach dearly along with her stable duties and of course her best friend, the princess. But at the same time accepted that perhaps this was the only place where she could walk a path of greatness and fulfil her destiny as a wielder of a Keyblade. After all, there were still many worlds to see and other keyblade masters to meet. Adventure awaited her. And with her dream bear at her side, Katie was ready to take on anything.