I lied in under my black covers as I watched the moon begin to rise again. For me it was just another day to slaughter Heartless, train, and run pointless errands for pointless things. I heard the familiar creak of the door as someone strolled into my room. I heard the same click of shoes I heard every morning. I groaned, as the whistling started with its same old tune. I pulled the sheets over my head and crammed the black pillow over it. Still I could hear the song. My face began to get warm with the ricochet of my breath against my silk blankets. I pulled my hair out from the protection that was horrible to begin with. The clicks became smothered by the thin black carpet in the center of the wooden floor. I yawned and rubbed my eyes but, made no move to get up. Soon the footsteps stopped and I knew why. I sighed dreamily and curled into a ball, going back to sleep. Though with the awful tune, that was going to prove harder than what I believed should be.
"Good morning Alexis!" I heard the regular jolly voice of my somewhat alive yet dead alarm clock that came up the stairs every morning just to do so.
"Mornin' Jack" I grumbled, my face shoved into the black pillow. I gripped the blankets tightly in my hand, keeping it around my shoulders.
"What a fine day to practice your magic again. I here that the cemetery in buzzing with Heartless." The skeleton stated, ripping the covers from me and forcing me up despite my objections.
"I think the earlier we start the longer we will be able to train." He stated spinning around as I trudge to my closet and pulled out the familiar small black top hat with a silver ribbon and flowers coming down the brim, a black dress with more silver trim and then black boots that I wore everyday.
"Sorry Jack I have to go see Doctor Finklestein today. He said he wanted me to run some errands for him before I leave again." I explained walking into the bathroom and placing my things aside.
"Oh that's too bad. I was looking forward to your new spell today. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait." Jack Skellington stated walking out of my room to give me some privacy. I shook my head and squeezed some tooth paste onto the bristles of my touch brush.
I wouldn't be coming back as far as I'm concerned. Tomorrow was my last day in Halloween Town before I had to leave to another world. I leaned against the counter, propping my head up with my hand, my elbow resting on the cool stone as I stared jadedly into the mirror, my eyes outlined in dark eyeliner giving me an almost sinister look. I spat out the aftermath of the paste into the sink watching it go down as I turned the faucet on. I wiped my mouth and striped myself of my night cloths. I pulled the ripped and torn dress over my head. I untwisted the one strap that held the dress in place. I fingered the skull button and tied the ribbon around my waist behind me. I loved the fact it looked like a Lolita dress that stopped a little above my knees.
Where was my next place going to be? Agrabah, no I've already been there. I heard that Atlantica was having problems and needed an exterminator for awhile. Maybe I should give that place a visit. Then what about the Hercules Cup at the Coliseum? What about the other worlds? I sighed and placed my head into my hands taking a deep breath.
There was so much to do. I heard that the Keyblade Master was here and all but, I didn't know where he was or if he even was even going to help this place. I mentally smacked myself. Of course he was going to help. He helped Wonderland, Deep Jungle, Agrabah, and won two Cups at the Coliseum that I had forgotten to enter out of my own stupidity.
I shook my head and grabbed my brush, running it through my blue-black hair. I placed the small top hat on the off to the side of my head with it tilted forward so it covered one of my grey eyes. I pulled on my boots and walked out into the world of my room. My hair was, as usual, curled into loose rings. I absent mindedly ran my fingers threw my hair as I thought over which world to go to. I picked up a cane that was leaning against the door where I kept it and shut the door behind me. I turned and locked it with my key necklace and then continued down the old stairs to the exit.
Jack must have left for the cemetery on a walk already. I thought to myself as I flicked the shiny black stick that was topped with a lion head which was pressed into my palm. I walked into Guillotine Plaza which was the town square.
It was a small area that was crammed with crumbling buildings that leaned in different directions, like gossiping women. The fountain gave off the green liquid that pooled to make a small pond in the stone bowl. Dusty, crumbling stone arches lined the entrance and exit to every which-a-away and iron wrought fences topped brick walls that circled the town square, guarding what was beyond them like locked doors from prying eyes. A single worn cobblestone path ran around the edge of the circle. Sighing I strolled over to the Lab Entrance giving a small knock with my fingerless gloved hand before opening the metal door, not waiting to be invited in.
"Oh, Doctor Finklestein, I'm hear to start my errand running!" I called as I darted up the dirty stairs and into the Lab itself. As usual Sally was no where to be seen. I gave a smile around the room as I looked around. It was the usual metal floor and ceiling. The same walls lined with deteriorating bookshelves with broken-spine-books nearly hitting the top. In the center of one wall what looked like an operating table jutted out towards the center, like a hand reaching for something it couldn't quite grasp because of its restraints. I looked at the little podium to see a giant book in front a bulbous head in an old wheel chair.
"Darn it Alexis! I've told you not to shout in the Lab more than once you idiotic girl!" the doctor shouted at me as I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah we all know that you love it when I scare you." I said, waving my hand through the air. I heard the sound of clicking and a buzzing as the wheel chair began to move as Finklestein glared at me.
"Oh really, explain how it would and could do that if it even did scare me?" He asked folding his hands and looking at me expectantly. I smiled at the pointed nosed man and pushed off the wall.
"Well for starters you love the way your blood rushes through you, how your heart beats faster, attacking yourself from the inside, the shots of adrenaline that run up your spine at lightning speed then run down to your fingers and toes making you feel light headed, not to mention how your brain races through the possibilities of who or what it is, and last but not least the feeling if you're going to leave or stay, if you're going to run or fight, if you're going to live or die. That's why I think you absolutely love the scare that I bring you." I said, and every few words I had stalked closer to him, leaving me in front of him.
Doctor Finklestein gave an evil smile. "Sounds a little rehearsed, don't you think Jack?" He stated as my eyes grew to dinner plates as I turned my head to see four people standing there. I smiled and rubbed the back of my head.
Jack smiled and shook his head. "I liked it. She hit it on the skull." I crossed my ankles and clasped my hands behind my head, my cane still in my hand.
"So what are you doin' here? I thought you were heading to the cemetery." I said casually, relaxing slightly as I leaned on the cane, one hand on my hip. Jack nodded.
"I was supposed to be but, the ghosts won't dance so the Doctor is going to give them a heart to fix it. Isn't that great Alexis?" He exclaimed, smiling happily at me. I smiled and nodded, looking at the other three people.
One looked like an angry duck that was wrapped in dirty gauze, the other had a giant screw on the top of his head, a jack-o-lantern nose, and tattered cloths that all and all made him look like a silly Frankenstein. The last one was wearing a black and white shirt with black shoes and shorts, white gloves, brown hair, a blue eye and a pumpkin mask on top of his head that hid the other.
"Uh…Hi I'm Sora." The boy with the mask said giving me a wide grin. I smiled back at him and nodded.
"Name's Alexis but, call me Lex." I stated making a fist and holding it in front of me. Sora looked at me then my fist and bumped his against mine. I smiled with joy that I didn't have to tell someone for once what a knuckle bump was but, it just proved my suspicions about him and his companions.
"This is Donald and this is Goofy." The boy named Sora said, pointing first to the mummy then to Frankenstein. I gave a curtsy to them and Sora playfully bowed back as Goofy and Donald watched the little exchange. When we both straightened out we were grinning like idiots at each other for no reason at all.
"Do you two know each other?" Donald asked as Sora and I looked at him with dumbfounded looks.
"No, should we?" I asked throwing my cane over my shoulder like a club, the end of it in the air. Goofy shook his head.
"Nope but, ya sure act like ya do that's all." He stated as I looked at them. I looked back at the blue eyed boy as we shrugged in sync with each other. I looked to see Jack and Doctor Finklestein looking into a giant book that I knew only too well. I looked at the table and smiled.
"You need memory and surprise to complete it." I said over my shoulder.
"I have Forget-me-nots and a jack-in-the-box if you want them. I got them from Sally and the Mayor a few days ago." I explained placing them next to the other things on the table. Jack and the Doctor looked at me and I smiled sheepishly at them.
"What? A photographic memory helps." I stated casually waving my hand through the air and walking towards one of the book shelves. I read through the titles that I had memorized their facts and stories. I looked at a page that was stuck between two of my favorites and pulled it out. It looked like a picture of a bear with a red shirt with some other animals like a tiger and what looked to be a piglet all walking on two legs.
"That's where it went!" Someone yelled next to my ear. I turned to see Sora looking closely at it. I smiled at him and began to roll it up. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw me push the lion head on my cane back and pushed it in the hollow space. He looked at me with the same expression as I smiled evilly back.
"You need this for something Sora?" I asked innocently, pushing the head back into place with a click and turning on my heel so that Sora and I were chest to chest. The boy looked shocked but, nodded his head.
"Yeah, I need that piece for a book." He explained, not moving. I smiled again,
"Good then maybe I can get something for it, from you that is." I replied deviously while I danced out of the way. Sora smiled mischievously and lunged for my cane. I spun it around and hit him in the small of the back, though it was lightly.
"You're going to have to try harder than that good sir." I teased, landing with my feet slightly spread so that I could dart in either direction. I smiled at him, putting the cane in front of me with both my hands on it and cutely cocking my head to the side. He flushed bright red; no one else was paying attention to us so I was thankful.
Sora gave a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head, "What is the price for it then?" He asked. I smiled and strolled forward, flicking my cane that carried my ticket back and forth. I stopped directly in front of him and gave a mischievous smile. I circled him like a wolf and it's prey. When I stopped in front of him again I gave a grin and shrugged.
"I don't know." I stated like a child. I clasped my hands behind my back and smiled. Sora looked at me and smiled too.
"So then can I just have it?" He asked hopefully. I cupped my chin and tapped my index finger on my lips. Sora gave me a smile that almost made me give it to him, but, that's where the almost comes in. I smiled and motion him to lean forward. He does as he's told and I put my lips near his ear.
"Don't worry, I'll think of something." I stated coyly, giggling and hopping back two feet. Sora stood with his arms crossed, his cheeks red with a blush over them. I smiled and walked back to him. I gave a cute smile.
Suddenly I hugged him. I felt him stiffen and I giggled again. I pulled away and patted his spiky head. His face was clearly scarlet by now.
"Don't worry Sora. It won't be too bad." I said deviously, leaving Sora to stare off into space wide eyed. I snickered and walked over to the ghost-like Heartless on the table. I knew they were Heartless but, what would happen if it had a heart? I wanted to see what would happen. But what if it backfired? What if the Heartless didn't want the heart though, could they reject it and if it did work and then what would happen if it did? I played with one of gloved hands of the Heartless like a child and their toy.
"Hey don't touch that!" Donald shouted at me as Sora put his hands on my shoulder and pulled me back from it. I rolled my eyes.
"I can protect myself you know." I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Still Donald went into a full blown lecture as Sora kept me in place. It felt strange to have one of his gloved hands on my bare shoulder, the other one didn't bother me so much. I shifted a little under his grasp as I leaned back into him. I reached over my shoulder and his to pull one on his wings. It worked!
"Hey!" Sora shouted, waving his hands back to smack me off. I smiled and darted away.
"Thanks for the entertainment you guys. I hope you find the heart!" I said dancing towards the window. The others looked at me then at the three little kids throwing the heart back and forth as they ran out the door.
"Darn those hooligans! Bring me back that heart!" Doctor Finklestein shouted at them as I smiled and pushed myself up and onto the iron window sill. Sora looked up at me when he heard the clang of my boots against the sill. I began to untie the back of my dress and let the dress fall, leaving me in a tutu like skirt which was black that stuck out towards the ground though ever so slightly and adorned with silver lining the edges with a strapless shirt that was also black with silver ribbons that lined the top and ran down the fabric like veins, stopping wear the tutu started and leaving some moth-eaten bows to mark the end, some tight like stockings that were striped black and silver with narrow, tattered oval like holes leading up and down the front and back, showing some of my legs. I smirked as Sora's jaw dropped, I giggled at the funny face he made.
"See ya! I got a group of kids to catch." I said clicking my boots and having the heels pop off. I kicked the rest of the boots off leaving me in ballet like shoes except they had small leather sole with some tattered cracked leather and torn fabric, not to mention the carved roses that lived in the material. I smirked at Sora and gave a salute before flipping back and landing on a roof a few feet away and running towards Oogie's Manor.
"Alexis!" Sora called after his shock wore off. I looked over my shoulder and smiled.
"I told you! Call me Lex!" I yelled, doing a cartwheel then a round off onto another roof. I waved at him and took off again laughing like a kid in a candy store. Sora turned to the others, "Guys, we have to go after her. She doesn't have a weapon." He said as Goofy nodded.
"I don't know Sora. She didn't seem so defenseless toying with you." Donald said teasingly.
"You looked pretty…I don't know…"
"Shut up Donald!" Sora yelled, cutting him off and glaring at the mummified duck. Donald laughed at the 14 year olds' frustration.
"He's right though Donald she just might need our help." Goofy said butting in, saving Sora from anymore embarrassment. Sora and Donald nodded in agreement.
"I don't think she's totally defenseless," Jack said coming up behind Sora and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Actually I know she isn't I've taught her every kind of spell. Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Aeroga, Graviaga, Curaga, Stopga, and not to mention she has a few of her own. When I offered to teach her she accepted happily. When I saw her actually cast. She outlasted me. Her endurance is amazing. I just recently figured out that she had created her own spells. I still haven't seen them though." Jack Skellington explained as Sora looked up at him.
"Still she'll need help. I don't care how good she is." He exclaimed summoning the Kingdom Keyblade and striding out the door with Goofy and Donald running after him. Jack shook his head with a smile on his face as he heard the shouts of and angry duck and a caring boy.
I stopped at the cemetery gate. I could hear people arguing behind me as I watched the moving tub with the little thieves- though I had no room to talk- go down the curly hill also known as the Moonlit Hill.
"Lex, Wait up!" I spun around to see Sora and his friends run up towards me.
"What the heck are you guys doing here? Go back to the Lab. I'll deal with this." I looked back to the hill to see it recoiling back.
"Dang, you know what I don't have time to waste. The little idiots are getting away so we need to go…now!" I yelled pulling them to the back of the cemetery. I watched as Wight Knights and Gargoyles filled the place. I sighed,
"When will they learn?" I clapped my hands then pushed them to my sides to so they made a horizontal line. Sora and the others jumped into their fighting stance when my spell popped out of my hands. A black bubble grew around us, protecting us as its mist swirled around and around in a dome like shape.
"Come on!" I shouted raising my hand in the air. "Thundaga!" I shouted bringing it down on every heartless with amazing accuracy. Not one bolt was wasted. The blood curdling screams they gave off heart me ears but, I was used to it enough by now. I don't know how but, I always survived the screams and the agony they shot at me. I watched as they fell one by one into dust and smoke then the familiar mini explosions that signaled that they had passed. I walked out of the bubble and stood in the middle of it. I stared emotionless in front of me at the coffin that would take us to the next area and just that much closer to the manor.
"Go." I said, turning back and grabbing Sora, pushing him to the coffin.
"Go. Get the heart and kill Oogie. I can't go. I have to stay here." I said as Sora stopped. He turned to look at me, grabbing my wrists and making me stop. I pulled free.
"What? What do you mean?" He asked as I pushed him down into the stone coffin that was also the passage into another zone. I had to admit Sora was strong, he wouldn't go down.
"I'll explain later." I said grabbing the edge of the lid and pulling it with all my might.
"What about the torn page?" I looked down at him, forgetting that I carried something he wanted, something he needed. I smiled deviously. I sighed and pulled up my cane.
"If we live I'll give it to you." I said smiling and jumping into the coffin next to him. "You will still owe me Keyblade Master." I laughed, closing the lid over the four of us but, not before I saw Sora's shocked face.