Chapter 4: The Party
As the two cousins got ready to head back, in a big hurry, Ienzo was the most panicked.
"Oh man!" Ienzo said nervously. "If Aunt Iris finds out what we've been doing she'll-"
"I know!" Surane said, not exactly clam herself. "She'll flip!"
They finished putting in all the sea shells they collected and swam off to the wall.
"What can I even be thinking?" Surane said sadly as they reached the wall. "I can talk to Axel and Sora, but not to her."
"Hey, come in Cous." Ienzo said smiling. "Look at me. I am possibly the worst magician and swordsmen in history, but that doesn't stop me from trying. Talk to Aunt Iris, Surane."
Ienzo smiled as he and Surane dived down, undid the lose bar on one of the water vents and swam through, making sure to redo the lid. They then prepared to climb up the vines to their respective room.
"See you in a few, Cous." Ienzo said. "Okay, levitation. I can do this." Ienzo jumped up and landed on his feat again. "Oh man."
Ienzo sighed and climbed up as Surane went after he got into his room.
Iris was walking around the outside of the palace, and she looked at the wall. She wished that she and Ventus never had to build it, but they had to keep Surane safe from Morgana. She looked at the sky and remembered her father, Aqua, Terra, and even Axel. If it wasn't for Leon being there, she never would have even suggested a wall.
"I miss you, Daddy." Iris whispered. "I wish you could be here to celebrate Surane's birthday with us." She then checked to make sure no one was watching, and she took off her shoes and put her feet into the water that came out of the vents. It felt so wonderful.
"Mom?" Surane asked from her bedroom. "What are you doing?"
"Um…" Iris said in a nervous voice. "Just cooling my feat. You know how stuffy it gets in there."
"Okay." Surane said and left the window.
"I'll be up in a minute honey." Iris called out.
Surane gulped and ran to her dresser to get her hair dried up. She was in big trouble if her mother found out she had just started getting ready! She managed to get her dress on and she put on her charm bracelets and put on a crown similar to her father's but more feminine. She looked in her mirror and saw that at least she looked relatively ready, so she just fell into her chair and relaxed, but not before making sure to hide her bag of sea shells under the bed.
"Surane?" Iris called out through the door. She opened and Surane bowed down.
"I'm ready." Her head piece then fell right off her head. "Oh man!"
"Well," Iris said chuckling. "Looks like you could use some help from your mother." Iris then had Surane sit down and she took the brush and began brushing Surane's hair for her.
"I see we're having a bad hair day." Ventus said as he walked in with Leon.
"If we were, you wouldn't be helping." Iris said as she smiled at him. "Would you."
"Well we just want to let you know that there are a whole lot of people down stairs-" Leon said grinning.
"Oh, we'll be right down." Iris said smiling. "Just give us two minutes."
"Right. Two minutes." Ventus said as he closed the door. Then he and Leon grinned at each other. "Now where have I heard that before?"
"Oh, there was the time Iris had to meet the royal physician to check on Iris, and she couldn't find her necklace." Leon replied. "Oh, and the time your uncle wanted to have dinner with you two before the wedding and she spent a good hour getting herself ready."
"Hey Dad! Hey Uncle Ven! Uh… I mean, your highness." Ienzo ran up. He was dressed in a version of his father's outfit, but in white.
"They'll be ready in two minutes, so let's get down there before my uncle decides to investigate the palace for a kidnapping." Ventus said as he ruffled Ienzo's hair.
As Iris continued brushing Surane's hair, she sighed.
"Put the brush down Mom." Surane said sadly. "It's pointless."
"Oh, you look beautiful honey." Iris said as she held her daughter's shoulders comfortingly.
"Do I have to do this? I mean, there are only a few kids in the court, and everyone besides Ienzo thinks I'm weird." By "everyone", she meant her second cousin Zack, Roxas and Namine's son. He had many good qualities, but Surane didn't like him as he took every chance he got to insult Ienzo's magical and swordsmenship failings, and he also had hidden insults for Surane's fascination with those stories about Merpeople, Heartless and Nobodies. Surane knew they were just stories, but still…
"Oh honey." Iris said comfortingly. "Everyone has trouble fitting in at your age. I know I did. I was a regular fish out of water." She said chuckling to herself about the partial truth in that.
"You?" Surane said as she stood up. "No way. I'm just so scared I'll make a complete fool of myself."
Surane walked to the balcony and starred out at the sea.
"Surane," Iris said. "This isn't just about the party, is it? Is there something you want to talk about? You know that you can always tell me anything."
"Well okay." Surane said. "There's one thing. It's kind of weird and impossible, now don't freak, but what I dream about more than anything else is to-"
"How's it coming?" Ventus asked as he walked out to the balcony. He then looked at Surane. "Oh honey. You look beautiful."
"He's right." Iris said as she smiled at Surane. "We'll talk later, honey. You'll have a wonderful time tonight."
As Ventus and Iris came down, Ventus gave the band the thumbs up sign.
"Announcing, Princess Surane!" Vexen called out. Surane walked down and was smiling nervously.
"I can do this." She said to herself. "I can do this."
Surane walked down and Zack bowed respectfully.
"Princess." Zack said. Surane nodded her head and then walked to Ienzo as he waved excitedly at her.
"Surane!" Ienzo called out. "I mean, Princess!" He had trouble with formality, another thing Zack teased him about.
The two talked for a bit before one of the only other boys at the palace asked Surane to dance. She accepted, and Ienzo ran to his parents.
"Mom, Dad!" Ienzo said as he got his sword ready. "I've got it this time. Now, I'll just aim my sword, and there'll be sparks that say 'Happy Birthday Surane' on them!"
"Sweetie, are you sure about this?" Rinoa asked. "I mean, your eyebrows just grew back."
"I can do it Mom!" Inezo said excitedly. "Trust me!"
Ienzo aimed his staff at the ceiling just as Surane and the boy were dancing under it. He then muttered, and the energy… backfired! Ienzo was flung into the wall, and he wasn't moving that much.
"Oh, Ienzo!" Iris said as she ran to him. She picked Ienzo up, and he looked singed and dazed, but otherwise okay. "Ienzo, are you okay?"
"Do I still have my eyebrows?" Ienzo asked in a dazed voice.
"Yes." Iris said as she wiped some soot away from his forehead.
"Then I'm okay Aunt Iris." Ienzo said before falling unconscious.
"Oh dear." Rinoa said. "And he was so excited about this try too."
"Hmph." Zack said smirking. "If you ask me, Ienzo should think about a career change. He obviously can't handle the pressure."
"Hey!" Surane called out angrily. "Don't talk about my cousin like that! If he keeps up practicing, he could rival a Fortuneteller Heartless and a Samurai Nobody one day!" Surane then realized what she said and put her hands over her mouth.
"And what exactly is the point of rivaling something that doesn't exist?" Zack said smirking.
"Zack, that's enough!" Namine scolded her son, but the damage was done. Tears ran down Surane's face, and she ran up stairs.
"Surane!" Iris called out, but it was no good. She walked after her. Things had not gone as she hoped.
Chaos: I remember sitting with you underneath the tree of life, we listen to every fainted cry, of the creatres there on the day the world began,
Iris: looking at everything I've lost, and almost everything that I've loved, I hold them all tightly in my arms, wondering where i am, so please tell me where to go.
Surane: all of the answers you seek lie hidden in the sun, if i hadn't met you my life would've been in the darkness forever,
Aqua: in my wings are the power of immortality,but by meeting you my whole life as changed, you give life to me, hope to me, strength, in to my life, all this time these twelve thousand years, i know Aishiteiru! (I love You!)
All four: eight thousand years from the time I've meet you my love grows strong than ever before, words cant say of this time I've been waiting to shared my love with you, I'd give you my life, I would give you the world to see you smiling everyday, one hundred million and two thusand years from now Aishiteiru! (I love you!)
Chaos: I want you to know since you came in my life, everyday, every night you gave light into the darkest sky~,
All four: All... These... Twelve thousand years... I've... Been... Loving you~ Oooooooh~...
Surane: hope you all in joy the song,(we were in a singing mood) take it away Aqua
Aqua: Alright! Chaos dose not own the little mermaid or kingdom hearts, but she owns Iris and Surane belongs to SuraneSpiral!