Well this took way longer than expected. For those waiting for an update on Third Journey, it is coming. 8D Um, some serious OOCness in here from several new characters. ^^' I don't own Kingdom Hearts, reviews are loved!
Demyx shrugged out of his cloak, shivering s the cold sea breeze slipped over his skin. Xigbar stood beside him, spinning his knives absentmindedly as he waited for Demyx to get himself situated, his quick movements being due to his unspoken anxiety.
"Don't worry!" Demyx called over his shoulder. "I'll be fine this time. I'm more wary than I used to be. I'll get out if I feel weird." Demyx walked towards him and gently took his face in his hands. "Have a little faith. I'll run at the first sign of trouble. You hold things down here and develop more plans."
Xigbar kissed him quickly and then mussed his hair. "Hurry back, and take this with you."
One of the man's knives was forced into the blond's hand and he accepted it without question. Then with a smile, he turned and dove into the surf. As the cold water slid over his head, his body warmed. He wasn't sure why, but when he was in his merman form, the water only ever felt warm. That was definitely a handy thing about his body. With a powerful flick of his tail he was off, shooting through the water towards his destination.
But as he swam, he grew more and more nervous. There was no sound, and no sign of life; no fish, no calls that were normally soundless to humans but clear to him...nothing. Slowly, he brought himself to a halt and gazed around, doing a full 360 degree turn. Nothing. Nothing but deep blue water and deep black depths.
Should I turn back? he thought. This is more than a hint of danger. Something is obviously wrong here.
Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed him, literally, in his lower back. He whirled on instinct, lashing out with his tail, only to miss and be blind sided by his enemy. The smack of a think fin sent him careening through the water, screwing up his sense of direction completely. Before he could recover, he was smacked again, the force of the blow sending him into a hard and rough surface, scraping up his back. Had he actually fallen all the way to the bottom of the ocean already?
"Wait! Stop! Don't you recognize him?"
Demyx's eyes fluttered and he saw two shapes speeding towards him. That voice...I know it...but I-
"Ariel, it can't possibly-"
"Look at him Zidane! Look!"
Silence. Why couldn't he focus his eyesight? The two shapes remained blurred smudges of color, diligently refusing to focus no matter how hard he tried.
"But how is it possible..."
"Well maybe we would know if you hadn't beat him up so bad." The girl's voice was cross.
"Hey-"
Strong arms enveloped him comfortingly, cool lips pressing to his. "Oh my beloved. There's hope for us yet."
Beloved? Ariel...oh yes...the princess...my soon to be wife. How...how could I forget?
(INSERTBREAKHERE)
He woke slowly, awareness of the world coming to him in fragmented pieces. His body had reverted back to human and the bed he was lying in was warm and dry; quite a puzzling observation. Last he remembered hew as passing out in an ocean, so it didn't make much sense. The first time he tried to open his eyes, the light assaulted his senses so harshly he was forced to close them again, groaning as his head began to throb as a result.
"Oh? You're awake," came an unfamiliar female voice.
"It seems so," he mumbled, keeping his eyes shut to avoid putting himself in more pain. "Where am I?"
"The Palace of Atlantica. Don't...don't you remember who you are?"
"I know my name is Demyx. And...more recently that I was supposed to have married a princess."
The women laughed. "Oh she's queen now. She needed to ascend the throne without you. Your...do you remember you father?"
"I told you all I remember. That's it," Demyx said. "Now answer my questions. Who are you?"
"My name is Terra. I'm Ariel's cousin. Do you remember her?"
"She was the princess."
"Mmhm. And you were the prince. That was 17 years ago. Does that bring back anymore memories?"
Demyx thought hard, trying to remember anything from his past life, rolling around the words Terra had said in his head. The result...was nothing.
"No. I'm sorry. Will you let me go?"
"Don't be silly. Now that you're back, you have to marry Ariel and rule your kingdom," Terra said, voice quite firm and no longer so gentle.
"But I have a life! And I have friends that need me to protect them! And I'm currently in a relationship. With a guy!"
"Oh dear. That is problematic. I will go get Ariel and we will talk. Just rest your eyes for a minute so you can actually speak with her face to face." Demyx heard her stand and then walk out the door.
So we're merpeople but...they live in a dry area. This is strange.
Tentatively, he tried to open his eyes again. It didn't burn as much this time, and it was at that moment, he became aware of the dull ache in his side. Slowly, he turned onto his good side so he wasn't staring directly into the light, which helped with the pain in his eyes.
To be honest, he was regretting everything he had done. Now, he was trapped here with his own kind, a new identity, an army closing in on his loved ones, and he wasn't able to do a thing about it. Never in his life that he remembered could he think of a time being so useless. There was no chance of escape; the merman that had attacked him had been strong and he was in no shape to take on more than one of him. He didn't doubt that he would have to fight his way to freedom, and if he tried against so many, he would most likely die. Not most likely. Definitely.
"Demyx?"
The door to the room opened and in walked a tall woman, long red hair twisting down her back in flaming waves. Her face was heart shaped and to be honest, she would be quite beautiful if he was actually into girls. Her bright green eyes matched her shimmering emerald dress, which hugged her form like a second skin.
"Do you remember me?" she asked, drifting over the cool tile with dainty steps.
"Your voice is all," Demyx told her. "And that you're a Queen."
"That's a good start. And Terra told you that you are the prince so we obviously must marry," Ariel said, sitting down in the chair that had probably been used by Terra before hand.
"I won't." Demyx sat up, though it pained him to do so. "i have a lover. We are as close to being married as we can be, if the marriage of two men was accepted and we had time to do so."
Ariel's delicate features turned to disgust in a heartbeat. "I had hoped my ears were deceiving me when Terra had told me of this. Apparently, they hadn't."
"It's true," Demyx said, somehow finding the courage to stare the overbearing women in the eyes. "I don't remember anything you have told me. I have memories of what has happened since that time I woke up on a distant shore and in that time, I have fallen deeply in love."
"Well...that doesn't matter to me, nor this nation. This is your kingdom, whether you like it or not, accept it or not. Remember it or not. You will not leave!" she hissed, anger making the air in the room tense.
"A country will die if I do not go now! Does that not matter to you?"
Ariel laughed, a cruel sound. "Of course I don't! Atlantica is not afflicted with the problems of the countries on land so why would I care?"
"I hope I never loved you," Demyx hissed. "You're a despicable creature."
"Then enjoy rotting in a dungeon!"
With that, she turned and stormed out the door, slamming it in the process.
Demyx collapsed on the bed, his rising anger dying away and with it, his determination to sit back up and endure the pain. Xigbar. Save me. I've met my people and I don't want my past life! With this thought, came the realization that he could escape, if he could find where Xigbar's knife was. This was a dry area after all, so Xigbar wouldn't drown if he transported him here. Filled with a new found hope, he pushed himself up again, wincing all the while. Who knew how long he would have before Ariel returned with her guards?"
As if on cue, the door banged open and in strode...a boy of fifteen, or so it appeared, and that wasn't saying much. He shut the door, and then looked at Demyx. His hair was a dark blond, most of which was pulled back in a ponytail though a few stray hairs framed his angular face and sharp blue eyes. His arms were bare due to the white tank top and deep blue vest he wore, and the tight matching pants didn't leave much for imagination.
"We don't have much time, I'll help you get free," he said quickly.
"W-What?"
"No questions. Now get up, I can heal your injuries long enough for you to swim," he instructed.
"I won't need to. If you give me the knife, I can escape," Demyx told him.
"It's right there." The boy pointed to the desk and there lay Xigbar's knife. Demyx was so happy he could have sung, but instead he snatched it up and with a flick of his wrist, tossed it into the air.
It flashed brightly for a second, and suddenly, there was Xigbar, looking angry and pissed, and definitely ready for battle. Upon seeing no one but Demyx and the other boy, he relaxed, a little, and turned to his lover.
"What is going on?"
"Um..." Demyx started. "I don't have time to explain right now. But we really need to go. Quickly."
Xigbar accepted that without question and grabbed his knives but before he could transport them, the other merman spoke.
"Take me with you. Please. I...I know who you are Demyx, I know what you are, I know why Ariel is angry and...I'm like you. You can't leave me here! They'll kill me when they found out you've escaped and that doesn't even compare to what they'll do to me if they discover I...am like you," he whispered, eyes frantic.
Xigbar held out a hand as he wrapped his other arm around Demyx. "Grab on kid, and don't let go. It's always hard the first one."
He stared at the outstretched hand before gently placing his own in the firm grasp. Xigbar pulled him tightly to him and then with a flash, they were gone, and just in time. As soon as they were gone, Ariel stormed in once more only to see an empty room, devoid of a prince and a guard.