It's been a while since I've submitted anything, I know. I've been sick and lazy, which is totally a valid excuse.
This is my second Kingdom Hearts fanfic, the first I'm submitting to the site. Sorry to all of you who have me on alert for my FFVII fics. XD I just want to say that I've done a fair bit of research, but I'm not overly knowledgeable about the timeline of things in these games. Seriously, it's just confusing.
Anyway, this is my story/version/theory of how the Luna Diviner came to be. I know something along these lines is a pretty common theory amongst the fans, but I decided to write it out and see if I can have some fun with it. Saix is one of my favourite members of the Organization, and there are so many little things about him that have not been explained (the scars, why he is a berserker, how he got to be on Xemnas' good side, etc.)
This is mainly going to be a serious fanfiction, and I'll be trying to keep the Nobodies in character, but I may sprinkle some crack on it now and then. Just because I can.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners (Square-Enix and Disney), and the story of Isa is mine (although probably a common idea XD)
Chilly breezes flowed through the night air, the light of a million flickering candles and lanterns gave everything a ghostly feel, and all sorts of monsters and critters went about their business with an undercurrent of life and enthusiasm. There was no doubt about it; the spirit of Halloween was in the air. It was what kept the little town running, and it was the soul of everything that dwelled there. For the aptly named Halloween Town, spookiness never rested, and the jack-o-lanterns never went out.
Various individuals gathered in the down square, each one of them looking their part. Witches zoomed over children's heads on their flying broomsticks, cackling at an ear-piercing volume. People that appeared to be living corpses pulled off appendages with little disturbance simply for the thrill of scaring another person with the act. One man even juggled his two eyeballs for the sheer joy of it. It was all a sort of twisted jubilee that not many would understand, but the entire town's population adored.
Pushing his way carefully through the congested Town Square, a young man soaked in the displays with equal delight. He was neither a corpse nor a demon; in fact he looked normal to the untrained eye. It was only when he smiled that elongated canine teeth would be shown, giving hint to his identity. However, he was not hissing at bystanders or turning into a bat like the vampires he was often mistaken for. No, he was much different. His show was something to be marvelled.
On bare feet, he moved across the smooth cobblestone ground with much ease and grace. With his tattered dark cloak over his shoulders and long blue-black hair, only his pale face and arms differentiated him from a shadow. The clothes under his cloak were in equally bad shape – his shirt had no sleeves and his pant legs were torn up until just under the knee. Yet, he was a creature that held much respect in this little town that he loved so much.
A light tug on his cloak brought the man's eyes down to the ground, where two children looked up at him with excited and expectant eyes. Otherwise, their little faces were covered with grotesque masks. He smiled down at them, knowing fully what they wanted. They were looking for a fright. He walked along, the fabric of his cloak pulling from their hands. Disappointment was apparent in the children until he stooped to the ground a few feet ahead, and placed his hands down on the cobblestone. They looked on with anticipation before he suddenly whirled around on all fours, snarling inhumanly and snapping at them like a mad beast. For that moment, his brown eyes showed a savagery that could not be mimicked. He pursued them as they turned and ran, stopping only after a couple of feet. His sharp hearing caught their screams, mingled with laughter while they retreated.
He had a chuckle to himself before getting to his feet again. As he turned around, he bumped into a tall figure that was completely clad in black and with a hood on. He might as well have walked into a wall; the person did not seem fazed in the least bit. Looking up at the stranger, he suddenly felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck rise. Giving an apology, the dark-haired man moved around the person and kept going. As he glanced back, he noticed the stranger watching him from under the hood for a moment before disappearing into the crowd. Shrugging the unsettling encounter off, the young man walked on. He needed to get a good spot for what was to come next.
Music started up soon after, followed by cheers from the crowd. The main even was to begin, and the square filled with even more people. What then occurred was an elaborate parade, following no real defined trail as it wound through the town. The most frightening of the citizens took place in this show, jumping out and spooking those even with the steeliest of nerves. Skeletons and deformed clowns did flips and summersaults down the street, and monsters prowled along the edges for the crowd and made a show of pretending to lunge at random watchers. A witch even cast a spell that put a green burst of light in the sky, which soon turned into hundreds of individual insects that rained upon the square.
From his watching place on an old awning, the cloaked man laughed and brought a hand up over his head to shield himself from the falling bugs. He could see everything from this perch, as the crowd did not hinder his view. He watched as the parade went on and on, and eventually signs of the upcoming grand finale showed up. More skeletons and an abundance of all things pumpkin-themed were the cue that made the crowd go wild. Soon after, a scarecrow with a pumpkin head was carted through the square and set by the fountain. It sprang to life, danced around a little, and snatched a torch off an offering hand. It set its own body of straw on fire, pranced about some more, and dove into the green liquid of the fountain. After the flames disappeared completely, what rose in its place was a tall, skeletal man with a striped suit. Even more cheers rose from the crowd, then. The Pumpkin King had given his show, and it was undoubtedly a frightening one.
Raising his bony hands to silence the crowd, Jack Skellington grinned a little. "Thank you, my friends." He said with a loud voice so all could hear. "But let us not allow the festivities to end yet. The night is young, and we all have plenty of tricks up our sleeves." He appeared to be enjoying this just as much as the spectators. Enthusiasm was part of his charisma. While the crowd was cheering in approval, Jack looked around carefully. "Isa?" he called out once everything quieted again. "Where is Isa?"
Everyone seemed to glance about for a moment until a shout of greeting came from the cloaked man on the awning, and he waved his hand with a grin. Jack chuckled and crossed his long, thin arms before tilting his head.
"Is the night too warm for fur, my friend?" he asked, followed by bits of laughter through the masses. "You don't look very scary."
Isa shook his head and laughed along with the rest of them. "Just saving it for an opportune moment." He called back over the crowd, confident in his words. Jack grinned and gestured widely with his hands.
"Bring us back into the celebration with a howl. Sing to the moon for us!" The Pumpkin King then said, the whole crowd shouting in agreement. At first the cloaked man shook his head and raised his hands in reluctance, but everyone's persistence paid off. Isa stood carefully on the awning and swiftly climbed to the roof of the small building. By the time he reached to top, his skin had already been replaced by thick, dark fur, and his slender face had shifted shape to form a long snout. Whatever clothes failed to cover revealed the form of a large canine. Gripping the shingles with long claws, the beast threw his head back and howled loudly towards the sky. It was long, haunting, and the sort of deep and passionate note that could only come from the depths of a wolf's heart. It drifted over the square, the town, and for miles further.
With many more cheers for the canine's song, the crowd enthusiastically returned to the festivities. Spooks and frights continued into the night, lasting for hours on end. This was what they lived for, and all they knew.
Finding a suitable place to sit, Jack Skellington finally rested his feet after a long night, and basked in the peace and quiet. The only sounds came from far off, the citizens still celebrating in the square. The sounds were distant, and that was good enough for him. Seated on a large slab of rock, the Pumpkin King rested his round chin in one hand as he found himself staring blankly at the massive obsidian sky and the hovering crescent moon. Oh, how awful this new habit of his was. Many nights he would break away from the celebrations just to sit alone. He would ponder and brood, usually over the whole idea of Halloween and the celebrations. Some days he feared that he may be losing interest.
The sound of someone approaching tugged Jack away from his meditations, and he straightened up. Turning his head, he spotted the familiar outline of canine shape, almost lost against the darkness. Slightly relieved, he relaxed a little.
"Is this where you've been hiding away?" Isa asked with a light-hearted tone while slinking over and seating himself on the grass next to the rock. "People are starting to wonder where you disappear to, Jack." Even in the guise of a massive wolf, Isa was very much human. So much, in fact, that his clothes remained on his body and his voice was unaltered. It was quite a sight to behold.
"Even the Pumpkin King needs quiet time." Jack responded, a sigh lining his words. He was content to leave his response at that. "What about yourself, my friend? What brings you out here?"
"The children are malicious just as much as they are full of curiosity." The werewolf replied, his lips pulling into a sort of smile. "They tug on ears and tails quite harshly when they want to."
Jack chuckled lightly, finding himself staring at the sky again. "Must be frustrating."
"It's not so bad, but sometimes it's good to get away from it."
Then, they fell into silence for a moment, both staring at the massive moon in the sky. During this time, Isa let his body change back into that of a human, as it was how he felt more comfortable. He was content to stare up at the giant silver arc in the sky. Being what he was, seeing the moon gave Isa a strange sense of comfort. Not a sound was emitted, and they listened to the celebration carrying on in the distance. Only in a town like this could fear and happiness be so tightly intertwined. Finally, Jack broke their silence.
"Out of curiosity," he began, causing Isa to look at him. "do you ever feel... bored with this place?"
"Not one bit. I'd like to see what else is out there, though. Travel somewhere new, get a fresh start." He smiled to himself. "Why do you ask?"
"I just worry whether or not people are still enjoying Halloween as much as they used to. What is the point of all this trouble if people want something different?" It was clear to Isa that Jack was bothered by something, but he was not being direct. Rather than asking, he shook his head in response.
"Listen to that, Jack." He said, nodding his head back in the direction of the festivities. "If that's boredom, I'm not sure if I want to see otherwise. People know what they want, and don't hide it away." He sent Jack a knowing look, and the skeletal man sighed.
"I suppose you're-" He stopped mid sentence, and looked in the direction of the town. The screams coming from the square had taken and entirely different pitch. Isa's sharp ears had caught it first, and the werewolf as already getting to his feet. Jack gestured for him to relax. "It's likely nothing but a good scare." However, the unsettling new screams continued, coming from many people. It was not the kind of terror in which one found thrilling and amusing, but one of a different breed.
"Something's not right." Isa stated, beginning to walk back at a quickened pace. He looked back to Jack, who seemed reluctant. A shrill scream, louder than the others, hit their ears. Before another second could pass, they were running full speed for the square.