Mandrel Mishaps
Summary: Seriously, what could possibly go wrong with a spinning needle? (Rira)(Akuroku)(Zemyx)
Author: Musical Enigma
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Got it memorized?
Note: I deleted this entire chapter, and no, I did not have a backup saved. Dear lordy. I hope this is up to par with what it used to be. Now that I spent three rushed hours rewriting it… Please be kind.
Prelude.
Once upon a time…
In a far off world in which a happy kingdom lived, there was noise, and music, and laughter. There was celebrating and partying so hard that college student of today wouldn't be able to rival the intensity if they tried. There was dancing and drinking and some off-key singing, for today, a lovely princess would be born.
Or so they were told.
Cheers were had and shots were downed in the overwhelming festivities that covered every corner of the town just outside the castle gates, as they had for the past week. Bartenders raised their prices for ale and board, gleeful at the booming business, and thieves came home with pockets full of stolen goods, equally gleeful at the distracted and inebriated.
One man, however, failed to see delight in the activity. The King of our happy kingdom couldn't help but harrumph at the activity below, seeing no reason to merry make when there was no princess to merry make over.
For the seventh time that hour, the King dared to peek his head into the room where his wife laid in obvious pain, several ladies in waiting and a midwife surrounding her. He was instantly shooed from the room (they literally threw a shoe at the impatient man), but not before he caught a glimpse of some of the most gruesome stuff known as childbirth.
For the seventh time that hour, the King ran to the royal restroom, eager to relieve his stomach of what little contents remained.
"You'd think he'd learn…" a small voice sighed in obvious exasperation.
The small voice belonged to an equally small person, and the small person was surrounded by eleven more equally small people. Seven grown and four toddlers, each tiny being wore a black cloak and had tiny wings that kept them hovering in the hallway just outside the door the King had recently evacuated. They helped to predict the weather, keep the King and Queen updated on the events of other worlds, and protect their majesties from magical threats. They were fairies, cunning and with a streak of mischief, about as tall as your thumb, and magical servants to the royal family.
And today, they'd been honored with the role to grant the newborn princess a gift each.
"Have you all planned your gifts?" The leader, a silver haired fairy named Xemnas questioned as a diversion to the Queen who was now yelling out some creative and colorful curses.
"What's a mother-fu—?" One of the younger fairies with fire truck red hair and wide eyes was cut off by a smart hand silencing his face. A pink haired fairy brought the group back on topic with the clearing of his throat.
"Well," the fairy, known as Marluxia began in a rather pompous tone, "I decided to give the child the ability to talk to flowers."
Silence followed this statement, save for one blonde fairy that couldn't seem to stop giggling.
"What's so funny?" Marluxia glared at the cheery man.
"Flowers," The man gasped, "You want her to talk to flowers? Blimey mate, the lass will have no friends if she's too busy acting insane and talking to shrubbery!"
Marluxia shot the jester a heated glare and turned to his other companions for reassurance, but they all had faces which suggested that they found his gift equally amusing. One of the smaller fairies, Demyx, finally burst into chortles of 'flowers!' as well.
"What's so funny about flowers?" Marluxia snapped at the child, who immediately burst into tears. Another of the toddlers, a slate haired boy, pulled the crying Demyx into a protective embrace and shot daggers at the pink haired one with his eyes.
"Marluxia just wants the kid to talk to him," one of the older fairies with an eye patch and long, grey streaked hair smirked, "He is a pansy, after all."
This turned out to be the breaking point in which all the fairies began to chuckle. Even the blubbering Demyx managed a few choked laughs between the snot and tears. Marluxia let out an indignant huff and opened his mouth to no doubt give some scathingly witty retort, but he was cut short by the midwife throwing open the doors to the previously off-limits room with a grin on her face.
"The Queen has given birth!" She cried out.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the castle and into the streets. Peasants raised their glasses to the new princess and kissed as though it were New Years. Ale and pocket change alike were drained within seconds.
Upon hearing the announcement, the King hurried back from his bathroom expedition, nearly running over the midwife in his excitement.
"How is she? How is my baby girl?" The King asked, clutching at the woman.
"Boy." She corrected with a mysterious smile.
"Boy!" The King gasped in shock.
"Well, boys." The lady amended.
Once again, an oddly rapid spread of the news occurred, which spurred on more drinking, if possible.
"Boys!" The King cried, stricken with delight. Boys! They would be proper heirs to the throne, able to carry on the royal name. He wouldn't have to beat up any unworthy suitors, or deal with a dowry. He would, however, have to return the dresses, the tea set, and the pony…
Pushing those thoughts aside, the King ran into his wife's room and met his sons for the first time. As he kissed his wife feverently and marveled at the sight of his sons, the fairies all hovered around. Well, the fairies that hadn't dropped from the sky at the shocking news hovered around.
"So…" Xemnas cleared his throat slightly, bringing them all back to reality, "I suppose some new gifts are in order?"
The following morning had the King and Queen in the grand throne room of the castle, seated high above the privileged elite amongst the many worlds allowed to dine with the royalty in celebration of the new princes. Before a meal was to be had, however, came the fairies' gifts to the future monarchs of the land.
One by one the fairies flew up and bowed to the King and Queen. The spectators held their breaths in anticipation. A person seated in the branches of a tree outside the window fell out, hit with the wave of importance that this precession held.
The first fairy, Xemnas, flew up to the finely crafted cradle in which two identical boys laid. The only difference between the two boys was the slight difference in sandy blonde hair; one held a darker hue and the other a lighter. Xemnas took a deep breath before beginning.
"I grant to you," the audience leaned in with anticipation, "hearts!"
The crowd was silent, but Xemnas's smug face conveyed that he obviously figured they were too shocked by the pure genius of his gift to respond properly.
The pirate fairy followed with a roll of his eye and a grin. Catching the babies' attention with a silly face which had them laughing, he set about creating sparks of purple that not only made the newborns' eyes sparkle, but the crowd awe as well.
"You two are gonna be superb shooters." The man granted, making the sparks fade away.
The Queen opened her mouth as if to make an objection that her children might shoot their eyes out, but the surrounding applause from the crowd and her husband drowned her objections out. As the fairy named Xigbar left the crib, Vexen, a magical little bugger with long blonde hair took his place above the babies.
"Let you be logical," Vexen said, "let you be brilliant. Let you understand the workings of fine potions, the rationality behind magic, the—"
"Time's up!" the blonde haired jester cried, shoving the largest member of the group at the fairy. Vexen let loose a very unmanly squawk as he was plowed over by 200 pounds of pure muscle. Looking worse for the wear, the longhaired blonde fairy returned to line, shooting evil glares at the jokester.
"I suppose I'll go," the large fairy with wavy brunette locks known as Lexaeus sighed, a determined grimace on his face, "Let you be kings of DANCE!"
The man's companions all stared rather blatantly at him. Gathering his courage, Lexaeus pirouetted his way back to the line, showing exactly how serious he was about the art form. He then glared, as if daring one of them to question his passion. To everyone's immense relief, no one did. Well, no one did out loud, at least. The Queen was having second thoughts on these wishes, seeing as her sons were now bound to become ballerina's who shot at people. Next up was a fairy with long blue hair and a permanent scowl.
"Fear is for the weak," the man growled, "you shall not know it."
The fairy turned dramatically away from the cradle. All previous, albeit hesitant, applause died out. Probably because the blue haired fairy continued growling, scratching behind his ear and muttering about fleas as he left.
"Nice way to lighten the mood, Saix love," the blonde jester known as Luxord chuckled. He made his way up to the crib in an almost lazy, inebriated manner before settling himself on the side and staring down at the twins as if they were squids or something equally unpleasant. One of the babies blew a snot bubble as if to confirm the ickier aspects of children.
"You young lads shall be gamblers," the man announced, looking away from the two, "proper risk takers, if you will." He looked about to put on a show as Xigbar had, but thought better of it (thank goodness) and flew back, teetering slightly to the left. Marluxia shot the man a weary look that said 'when did you possibly get drunk?' but it was ignored. As the pink haired fairy made his way to the cradle, however, he was run over by four over excited and impatient toddlers who seemed to forget how to count. So the flower affectionate man pouted and held back as the kids had their fun.
"Their eyes are so bright!" The crybaby from earlier, two-year-old Demyx, observed as he wiped his nose on his companion's sleeve. Said companion, the slate haired fairy known as Zexion, wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Good observation, Demyx," four-year-old Zexion responded, trying to ignore the moist feeling in his cloak, "Babies usually have bright eyes, but they fade with age."
"Aw, but they're pretty!" Demyx whined.
"Look!" The female of the group named Larxene cried, pointing towards the final member of their squad, "Axel's got a crush!"
"I do not!" The aforementioned fairy scowled, glancing back at the twin he'd been staring at before (rather unabashedly, at that) as if to assure the newborn that he was lying.
"Yes you do!" The three-year-old girl squealed.
"Do not!" The four-year-old growled.
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
Redhead and blonde glared at each other and Zexion, taking his duty as the mature one in the group, gave his gift despite the loud bickering.
"Let you be wonderful schemers," the slate haired fairy granted.
"And and music!" Demyx cried. Zexion raised a questioning brow at the boy.
"You know, play music!" Demyx elaborated. Zexion buried his head in his hands.
"They're gonna play music!" Demyx continued to try and explain, despite his frustration.
Figuring that was good enough, the older fairy dragged the blonde one back into line as he continued to try and clarify what he meant. By now, Axel and Larxene had stopped bickering (Larxene having won by forcing Axel to say 'do too' after she turned the tides with a 'do not') and the young girl decided it was her turn for a present granting.
"Hmm…" She tapped her finger on her chin thoughtfully before sending Axel a wicked smirk, "They should be pretty."
"They are pretty!" Axel growled, a fierce blush covering his face for some reason unknown to him.
"Prettier," the girl elaborated, "it'll make things easier when they're married off."
As Larxene flew away, Axel's tummy felt funny. He wasn't sure if he was going to throw up, but something was not happy in there. Shoving the feeling aside, he let his eyes linger on the babies. Or, more specifically, on the lighter haired baby who wasn't smiling as much as the snot-bubble one. Thinking back on Larxene's present, he began.
"You guys should marry for love," he all but whispered, "Don't let rules tie you down."
With one last glance, he flew back to the line and Marluxia finally made his way forward. But just as he reached the crib and smiled down at the twins, there was a loud thunderclap and the room instantly darkened. Screams echoed throughout the castle and town beyond. As the darkness cleared, a tall woman draped in black with a scepter and a crow could be seen.
"Maleficent!" The Queen gasped, instantly pulling the crib with her children closer to her.
"Hello, dear sister," The lady sneered, taking deliberate steps toward the royal family, "did my invitation get lost in the mail?"
"No, I—"
"No? You didn't plan on inviting me at all?"
"I didn't say—"
"But I have a gift for the little princess as well." The woman mocked hurt.
"Princes." The King corrected.
"That's what I said." Maleficent sounded peeved, turning to her in-law.
"No, like in boys. Princes."
"Boys?"
"Yes, twins."
"But I thought it was to be a girl?"
"We all did."
"What a surprise!"
"I know!"
"Congratulations, now where was I?"
"You were about to curse my children."
"Oh yes, thank you."
The Queen sent a fierce glare at her husband. The King mentally noted not to get his sister-in-law a Christmas gift this year. The twins took turns rolling on their bellies and back. Someone sneezed. Maleficent turned to the babies.
"What I give you," the woman said in a chilling voice, "is a curse. On your sixteenth birthdays, let it be that you prick your fingers on the mandrel of a spinning wheel and die!"
The Queen gasped and the King shouted out orders for his guards to arrest that woman. But she disappeared into thin air, her crow flying away with the scepter in its claws. The witch's disembodied voice rang through the hall in this farewell:
"But sixteen years is a generous amount of time…I doubt I'll be able to wait."
The dark smoke cleared to reveal the King and Queen clutching each other desperately. The Queen turned a pleading eye to the remaining fairy.
"Please," she begged, "do something."
So Marluxia flew above the crib and, after a deep breath, granted his gift to the royal children.
"Let you not die upon pricking your finger, but fall into a deep slumber from which you shall wake with true love's kiss." The pink haired fairy spoke solemnly.
"That is the best you can do?" The King asked.
"Well…" Marluxia stalled, but luckily Xemnas saved him by pointing out the obvious.
"If the prince's stay here, their lives will only be jeopardized. Let us take them to a safe location. They can grow up, hidden away from that witch." The older fairy insisted.
The Queen picked up her sons, cradling one in each arm. She kissed the darker haired boy on the head and murmured 'Sora' and did the same to the other, muttering 'Roxas.' The babies were then taken by the fairies and flown away as the King and Queen cried at the loss of their only children. Everyone suddenly lost interest in partying after that, and a day of mourning took place of the previous celebration.
Despite all the tragedy, one person seemed relatively happy.
Or rather, one fairy...
"I saved their lives!" Marluxia sang heartily, adding in a little jig to accompany it.
This, reader, is where our story begins. With twelve fairies and two princes. With curses and clandestine operations.
This, reader, is the story of Roxas and Sora.