Me: I was bored and look what popped into my head!
Seth: Heaven forbid you actually do something constructive with your life.
Me: Exactly! I own nothing but the plot since Seth disowned me!
Seth: I believe it was the other way around…
Me: on with the show!
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
With only a flash of irritation crossing his features, Zexion opened a portal. The fact that he was ordered on such a pointless mission grated on his nerves; any one of the neophytes could have gone on recon. But no. He was the one stuck with the mission.
Reading over the mission files for the umpteenth time, he frowned.
There was no objective.
No return date.
Another cloak and dagger mission. Perfect.
Summoning his Lexicon, he slid the manila folder into the book and dismissed it; no need to be carrying around useless papers.
Looking around him, he was able to see nothing beyond the trees. They towered far above him and blocked any traces of light. Leaves fell gently around him and he glared at them with such intensity it was surprising they did not randomly combust.
According to the map he was given, there should be a castle around, but heaven forbid he actually receive a simple mission for once!
With a shrug, he set out to his right, even if he found nothing, he would be able to burn off some frustration.
Several hours later, he was still as lost as ever. No- not only lost- he was being followed.
Images formed in his mind and he frowned at his over-active imagination. There wasn't a threat he couldn't handle, right?
A crackling laughter sounded to his side and his Lexicon came unbidden into his hand. So there was something formidable in the woods, he thought mentally preparing for a fight.
However, the creature that jumped at him caught him by surprise.
"Suzaku?" he asked in surprise.
The phoenix cawed in indignation at his name and fluffed its plumage. For unknown reasons the bird has followed Axel home one day and Xemnas has decided the bird was to stay with them. With an unlimited supply of Phoenix qualities at their hands, they'd begun research into immortality. So far none of the Dusks they'd used were immune to death.
The bird was the size of a small dog and it pecked at Zexion's heels. He ignored the phoenix.
The trees around him were growing closer together and were thicker than those he had first encountered. With deduction skills an idiot should have, he realized he was going the wrong way.
Turning around, he backtracked to his starting point.
Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the ring of people until he was almost on top of them.
Cursing his carelessness, he quickly hid behind a tree.
"Well I know there was something there," a voice hissed.
"Now Serverus-"
"Don't give me that look, Albus; surely you felt that as well. That magic was something strange."
Zexion frowned as he pondered those words. If his magic was that easily detected by this world's inhabitants… he shook the thought from his mind. If the time came, he would have to destroy the heartless, but until then, he would lay low.
Or so he thought.
With a loud caw, the phoenix soared through the air.
"Ah, Fawkes," a voice said humorously, "have you completed what I asked?"
Zexion weighed his options then he stepped from behind his tree.
For a few seconds he went unnoticed, but the sight before him was a strange one.
The ground was charred black and a man was kneeling by the circle. Beside him, a man stood looking around with bright eyes. On his shoulder the phoenix perched happily and cawed as it caught sight of Zexion.
In an instant a dozen wands were pointed at him. The report had warned him about that, but a fat lot of good it did now.
"And who are you?" the man by the char asked.
Ignoring him, Zexion turned to the man with the phoenix and inclined his head.
From the way the rest of the group kept casting uncertain looks in his direction, it was safe to assume this man was the leader.
As he walked cautiously up to the edge of the burn, he let out a low curse.
The stench of death and fire hung in the air and his gloved hand came back ashy when he touched the ground.
"You haven't answered my question," the greasy haired man spat out.
Standing slowly, he weighed his options. So far, he had no idea how potent the magic users in this world were, nor if his spells would have any effect or not. Best to avoid conflict for the moment.
"Zexion," he answered.
The phoenix sored through the air and landed at his feet. Two black oil spots looked up at him, then back to the long bearded man. For a second nothing happened, and then the man strode forward with a large grin on his face.
"There's no need for alarm. You see Fawkes has brought us help."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Me: And that's all for now!
Seth: That was a bad pun in there.
Me: Perhaps but no one got the reference aside from our bestest friend in the whole wide world!
Seth: I hate you all.
Me: Great! Reviews make a happy author. Happy authors come from California.