Vector Gray

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Vector Gray
Kana	ヴェクトル グレィ (Vekutoru Gurei)
Type	Human
Role	Mercenary/Semi-Antagonist (KHL) Guardian/Vigilante/Protagonistic Ally (KHL II)
Home World	Hollow Bastion
Weapon	Zweihänder (can dual-wield while in a Form)
Attribute	Multiple (Main: Fire/Reflect)

Appearance

Vector Gray has unkempt black hair, dark green eyes, and very pale complexion. He stands at roughly six feet and seven inches tall, and often wears black or red clothes, sometimes giving him the appearance of a vampire.

History

Pre-KHL

Origin

Vector Gray was born on July 23 in Hollow Bastion, roughly sixteen years before Maleficent took over the Castle there. From a young age, it was clear that Vector had talent in various mental excercises and was also skilled in swordplay. He seemed in many ways to be a sort of prodigal child. A year after he was born, his parents gave birth to a girl, whom they named Freya Gray.

Over the years, Vector became renowned throughout the Worlds as a powerful swordsman in the service of Light.

Freya, who was equally skilled in using spears, polearms, and similar weapons in addition to water and healing magic, desired to be “part of something greater”, and after traveling to Disney Castle, became one of King Mickey’s elite guards—second only to the Guard Commander, Goofy.

Alas, this was but one of the numerous events that signaled Vector’s coming spiral into darkness.

Trouble with the King

A number of times, Freya invited Vector to visit and help her train the troops there. However, he argued with Goofy—and eventually, the King himself—about the validity of lethal force. He was welcome to teach them how to fight, but not how to kill. Before turning his back on the castle, he asked, “If you had to lose your life or your Heart, which would it be?”

Mickey thought that he had begun to understand Vector’s point of view when he answered that he’d rather lose his life—meaning that he’d rather die than become a Heartless.

However, Vector shocked Mickey to the core as he turned and said, “That makes one of us.” Vector then went on to explain that he believed he was strong enough to maintain control, even after he became a Heartless. Then, he would still be able to combat Darkness using its own power.

This was the second event that marked Vector’s coming grief.

However, the ultimate turning point would not come around until a few more years had passed.

Interlude

During the events surrounding Master Xehanort, Vanitas, the Unversed, and the X-Blade, Vector breifly fought alongside Aqua, and according to unverified rumors, the pair dated a few times before Aqua was lost to the Realm of Darkness. Vector himself has refused to comment either way, and since no one who's asked him twice ever got the chance for a third attempt, the matter has largely been dropped by those who commonly engage in gossip about such things.

First Battle for Hollow Bastion

At that time, the witch Maleficent, who controlled much of the power of Darkness, had set her sights on conquering the world of Radiant Garden—the world which, for the next few decades, would be known as "Hollow Bastion".

Invading the Castle with armies of Heartless, the Royal Family of the Heart sought for aid from Disney Castle—and within a day and a half, King Mickey’s Gummi Fleet of twelve hundred ships containing four thousand warriors and mages had arrived, King Mickey himself included.

Vector himself slew many Heartless, destroying some with his blade, and incinerating numerous others.

Freya and King Mickey were in combat with one of Maleficent’s Dark Keybearers, who was quite skilled and able to hold off each of his assailants. When the King attempted to use Strike Raid, however, the Keyblader leapt into the air and caught the Keyblade in one hand, twisted mid-air, cut Freya in half with it. Because Keyblades can’t normally kill humans—only affect their Hearts—Freya was turned into a Heartless. Her heart had been so powerful that her Heartless was a Behemoth.

The Nobody left behind, who would later begin calling herself “Reyxfa” (pronounced Rayks-fa), was eventually found unconscious.

Summoning back his weapon, Mickey continued fighting off the Dark Keyblader while the Behemoth left to attack other parts of the area. After a few moments, however, Maleficent appeared and then left with her Keyblader, just moments before Vector himself arrived on the scene.

Seeing only King Mickey holding his bloodied Keyblade and a woman remarkably similar to his sister, Vector incorrectly concluded that King Mickey had taken his sister’s Heart.

His vision turning red, Vector went into the first of many berserker rages, and tried to murder the King. He was, however, not powerful enough.

Doubtless, he would’ve continued until either of them were dead, but at about that time, Freya’s Nobody began to stir.

Another Keybearer—this one in the service of the King—asked if he should eliminate the Nobody, at which point Vector suddenly snapped out of his fury and killed the Keybearer with a Firaga spell before picking up his sister’s body.

As Mickey attempted to chase after him, Vector created a massive wall of flame, before he said, “You said that you would rather die than lose your Heart, you damned mouse. One day, I’m going make sure that you do. It will be as slow and painful as I can make it, I assure you!”

As the Nobody began awakening, she asked, “Brother, is that you? Why is everything so dark…?”

Leaping onto the spire of a nearby clocktower, he simply held her close and said, “Don’t be afraid, sister. It might be dark now, but the dawn is coming soon.”

A frail smile adorning her face, the woman went to sleep before uttering her new name: “Reyxfa.”

Vowing to keep her safe—whether she was his sister or not, Vector also vowed to take his revenge on King Mickey, never considering the possibility that he might not have all the facts.

Over the next few years, Vector drifted ever more out of the public’s knowledge, always hunting the King, but never aware of Mickey’s own regret for the incident.

Chronal Warp

A few years before Sora was chosen by the Keyblade, Reyxfa was found by Organization XIII, and because of her Somebody’s strong Heart (not just anyone can turn into a Behemoth, y’know!), they sought to recruit (read: kidnap and brainwash) her.

During a battle between Vector, Reyxfa, Xigbar, Luxord, and Saïx, Xigbar’s and Luxord’s powers over Time and Space somehow caused a space-time vortex that sent Vector and Reyxfa into the future.

When they reported their failure to Xemnas, he was suprisingly calm about it as he stated, “Ah, but Nobodies do not age as humans do; we become stronger over time. We will simply wait for them to emerge. And in the meanwhile, we shall become stronger, so that next time, we will succeed.”

Unfortunately for Xemnas, the pair would not emerge from the vortex for another decade or so, by which time almost the entire Organization had died out.

But, having been discovered by Lord Kami and his disciples, Vector and Reyxfa are once more on the run as they wander a new Legacy…

KHL

Hour of Darkness

During a battle with Lord Kami's Disciples, Vector and Reyxfa were separated. Vector was able to escape his enemies, but Reyxfa wasn't so lucky. She was brutally murdered by Xaelus.

Shortly afterward, he encountered and fought with troisnyxetienne, at which point he agreed to train her for a brief while. Afterward, though, he learned of Reyxfa's death at the hands of Xaelus while in Halloween Town. The identity of the killer wasn't known, only that he'd used a Keyblade.

Immediately suspecting that King Mickey was behind it, Vector Gray at that moment lost his sanity, and in his thirst for vengeance -- now made all the worse -- he became obsessed with acquiring the power to destroy Lord Kami; according to his logic, Mickey was hiding behind Kami and his Disciples. He would go through them (and anyone else he came across) to reach his goal, at which point, he'd take his own life, having achieved his new mission.

After attempting to start a civil war in Remnant Citadel to draw the King out of hiding (he didn't know Mickey was turned to stone), he met again with troisnyetienne.

Recognizing the madness in his eyes, she pleaded her friend to stop and rethink the situation, but blinded by hatred as he was, Vector was blind and deaf to her cries. They fought to a standstill, until Vector finally regained his senses. Impaling his sword into the ground, he begged his former apprentice to kill him; reluctantly, she agreed.

Chain of Souls

Vector survives TNE's deathblow, but is whisked to an alternate reality by the inherent dark powers of Remnant Citadel.

While adrift in the Realm of Darkness, Vector is confronted with his sins, and must defeat the physical manifestations of them if he has any hope of returning "home".

Each battle takes months in real time, but only hours in the time of Darkness.

After defeating Murder, Rage, Bloodlust, and Devastation, he nearly meets his match against Dishonor. However, by regaining his belief in himself, Vector annihilates this final opponent and regains both his faith and his honor. He then begins to teach himself a new style of fighting, since he had become a bit reliant on the Doppelganger. Once he feels as though he can face himself in the Realm of Light, Vector breaks the Chain of the Souls of those he's killed and returns to Halloween Town, before then traveling to Twilight Town so that he might rendezvous with Xashowd and troisnyxetienne.

KHL II

After having somehow survived his battle with TNE, Vector returns to Twilight Town as a much more amiable person.

Quotes

The following is a list of quotations associated with Vector Gray.

Battle Quotes

“Burning Rave!” (Just before using Burning Rave)
“Burn in Hell!” (Just before using Burning Rave against a foe with a Keyblade)
“I’ll tear you apart!” (Just before using Ars Arcanum)
“Terraform!” (Just before using Terraform)
“This is the end!” (Just before using Shatterstroke)
“You’re in for the shock of your life!” (Just before using Electric Frenzy)
“Shocking, isn’t it?” (Just before using Thundaga)
“How does it feel, vermin?” (When using Reflega)
“It’ll take more than that, fool!” (When using Curaga)
“Suffer!” (When using Demiga)
“DIE!!!” (When dealing the finishing blow)
“Dragon’s fire!” (in the Form of Dragons)
“Crow’s rage!” (in the Form of the Crow)
“Shadow of the Night!” (Gestalt von Geist)

Victory Quotes

“You never stood a chance.”
“You’ve just been wasting my time, worm!”
“How pathetic.”
“What a joke…”
“C’mon Reyxfa, we’re through here.”
“I pity you.”

Defeat Quotes

“I can’t afford… to lose…..”
“No!” (just before finishing blow is dealt)
“Damn you!” (when defeated by a Keyblader)
“Finish me… you bastard…” (if and when defeated by Mickey)
“I’m sorry…..”

Out-of-Battle Quotes

“I have now but one reason for living. And if you hurt so much as a hair on her head, then all the fires of hell shall be but a dying ember to the wrath I shall rain upon you.”

“If you take even one more step towards her, I’ll shred you to pieces!”

“Your troubles don’t concern me—what do I care about the fate of Agrabah?”

(mutters) “That damnable mouse was here, I know it.” (shoves a person against the wall) “Where is he?!”

Vector: (with Maleficent) “You want me to help you take over Disney Castle? Why should I?” Maleficent: “Because I’m going to help you kill King Mickey in exchange.” Vector: “Kill the mouse, eh?” (appears to think about it before drawing his sword) “I’ll kill him on my own terms, thank you very much. Now get out of my sight while you’re alive.”

“Let’s roll.”

Vector: “Give me just one good reason to trust you, Keybearer.” Sora: “I helped save your sister!” Vector: “And it was because of your friend Hercules that she needed saving!” Sora: “How’s it his fault?” Vector: “Hades might be an insufferable babbling oaf of a God, but he always keeps his word. If Hercules had simply given up for once in his supposedly heroic life, Reyxfa would’ve been left alone!” Sora (outraged): “But otherwise, he’d have taken Kairi!” Vector (drawing his sword and preparing to fight): “That would’ve been your problem, not mine.”

Fighting style and Abilities

Main article: Vector Gray/Abilities

He has a number of non-magic based abilites, similar to Sora's limit abilities in Kingdom Hearts (Sonic Blade, Strike Raid, Ars Arcanum, Ragnarok, and Zantetsuken.

Fighting with his zweihander, the Doppelganger, Vector's general combat method lies in what the Germans call a blitzkrieg: a completely unrelenting assault of such speed and power that nothing can stand against it for long. Vector will always slash at his foes with so much power that they have as much of a chance as being crushed as being slashed.

Vector also knows how to perform various spells, namely Fire, Thunder, Demi, Cure, Reflect and Aero.

Personality

Pre-KHL

Before his sister died, Vector Gray was an entirely different person from the one known of today. Back then, he was much like the prominent Keyblader Sora—kind, caring, polite, and somewhat naïve, though more intelligent.

KHL

After Freya’s demise, however, Vector became withdrawn, volatile, rude, and a metaphorical “loose cannon”. Now prone to berserker rages during which it was extremely difficult to calm him down, Vector considers himself “Empty”, as he feels that no one is able or willing to help him. Once, he stated that he was—for all practical purposes—a Nobody. However, when he was proven wrong because he has a heart, Vector grew even more bitter, since he was “Not even Nothing—less than Nothing.”

KHL II

Inexplicably surviving TNE's last attack to him near the final battle of KHL (which should have been a deathblow), Vector returns a psychological fusion of his previous and pre-KHL selves: while he is still somewhat withdrawn and hot-blooded, he's a much more amiable person to be around. He has both the pre-KHL self's positive outlook and the KHL-self's experience and "battle-rage" -- a mental state that makes him very similar to the way he was in KHL, but more easily controlled.

Relationships

Family: Blake Gray -- legendary ancestor, forged the Doppelganger sword and was the most powerful merc in history; Johnathan and Elizabeth Gray -- parents (both deceased, taken by Heartless); Freya Gray -- younger sister (deceased, killed during the First Battle for Hollow Bastion while in the service of H.R.M. King Mickey); Deneve Gray -- daughter, alternate future timeline; Aqua Gray -- wife, alternate future timeline.

Friends and acquaintances: Cloud, Leon/Squall, Jack Skellington, Jack Sparrow, Xehanort's Heartless, Xion, Saïx, troisnyxetienne, and Delacroix (acqaintance).

Enemies: Organization XIII (except for Saïx and Xion -- the ONLY Keybearer he's never hated or had issues with), King Mickey, Ansem the Wise, and just about anyone with a Keyblade (except Xion).

Strengths

Vector is a skilled tactician able to anticipate the moves of most opponents, fast, highly skilled with his magic, and has good reflexes.

Weaknesses and Fallacies

Vector believes that he is loyal to himself before anyone else, gives in to his temper easily, and is unable to control himself during fits of rage (to which he is easily prone). In addition, he will sometimes blind himself to any logic other than his own, and is often very rude to people who even barely annoy him.

Forms

Drive Forms

Abilities list: Vector Gray/Abilities#Drive Forms

After watching Sora's interactions with his friends and discovering the secret of the Drive Form, Vector has created his own.

Other Forms

• Data Form (Space Paranoids)—circuitboards are black and dark red.
• Retro Form (Timeless River)—wears a simplified version of the Oranization XIII robe and is monochrome.
• Terror Form (Halloween Town)—looks like Michael Corvin’s hybrid form from Underworld.
• Vector doesn’t have Aquatic or Beast Forms, since he never goes to Atlantica or the Pride Lands.

Etymology

"Vector" was chosen for the character's first name for two reasons: 1) it often is a synonym for "point" (as on a graph or coordinate plane), and thus in some ways is fitting, also because in various other works of fiction, "Vector" refers to air-based abilities. 2) it sounded cool.

"Gray" is the color that is roughly a median between white and black--in this case, Light and Darkness. Since Vector is not firmly alligned for either group, but indeed battles with and gives aid to both, Gray is a fitting surname.

Themes

KHL

Vector's theme music is the song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day. He chose this song because it resonates within him, speaking of broken dreams, as all of his are. It also is about loneliness, something he understands all too well.

His battle theme (used in regular fights) "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll" by Judas Priest. Again, chosen for it's fast and relentless pace--something also seen in his fighting style--and also because the lyrics help him to focus and control his anger.

His boss theme (used at the Coliseum, or when fighting powerful opponents) is "Seek And Destroy" by Metallica. It's chosen because it allows him, in part, to remember his reason for fighting--and indeed, for living--constantly while in battle, and makes him all the more dangerous as it also feeds his rage. (Our brains are on fire with the feeling to kill, and it won't go away until our dreams are fulfilled...)

KHL II

In KHL II, his new theme song is "... And Justice for All", by Metallica; it shows a significant change from his previous self in that he now understands what it's like to live a life without justice, or a life of corrupt justice. (Seeking no truth, winning is all; Find it so grim, so true, so real)

His new boss theme is also Metallica's "Disposable Heroes", signaling his lack of tolerance for those who think they stand a chance when they don't. It also revives some of his dormant rage. ("Bodies fill the fields I see, the slaughter never ends")

His standard battle theme, however, remains "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll".

For complete lyrics to the Metallica songs, see this site.

Other Appearances

Vector has also appeared in The League of Abstraction story, and may make appearances in the Nightverse and will appear in the Final Remnant story as Vector Zero.