Twenty years ago, Enchanted Dominion; a small farming village in the countryside:
Medieval peasants, it must be said, lead mostly uneventful and mundane lives. Sure, there's always festivals and what-not, but all in all their existences are pretty routine and day-to-day unless Someone Interesting passes through. Like a knight-errant on a quest or in search of a quest, or something in that vein. Basically, it's not every day that something truly unforgettable occurs in a peasant village. The passing-through of a stranger dressed all in dark red, wearing a hood to conceal his face and riding a black horse that, while not armored and unadorned in any obvious way, is nevertheless not going to be mistaken for a common horse by someone who's worked with plough-horses all their lives.
The stranger never offered his name, and curtly turned down anyone who offered him a night of hospitality; the village wasn't big enough or popular enough to justify having an inn, and sunset was nearing. He only asked everyone the same question: "What do you know of the Evil Fairy's castle?" Most of the villagers could only give him the direction, a rough guess as to the distance, and a few generations-old rumors about the place.
That is, until one maiden pointed him in the direction of an old wise-woman who lived as a hermit several leagues away in the forest, whom it was said knew more than anyone about the Forbidden Mountain. The maiden saw the corner of his mouth curl upwards, and he dropped a few solid gold coins in her hand and, curiously enough, offered her a single red rose as a parting gift. The maiden, now several-times-over the wealthiest resident of the village, blushed and accepted his gift. Now, it's no secret that despite their beauty, roses are not always very nice-smelling, but as the maiden watched the Red-Hooded Rider gallop away to the south, towards the wise-woman's woods, she lifted the rose to sniff it.
It was the loveliest thing she had ever smelled, or ever would smell, in her entire life, and though it had no roots and she only kept it in a vase of water, it stayed just as vibrant as ever and shed nary a single petal in the twenty years that followed.
Present day, Enchanted Dominion; aboard the RGG Enterprise:
"You can't be serious!" Lea seethed, two seconds away from not-at-all-metaphorically spitting fire.
"I am dead serious, Lea," Dilan replied adamantly, "And I can give you a laundry list of good reasons why."
"Name one!" Lea demanded.
"Someone might recognize it! We–the Organization, that is, did operate here on occasion."
"Name one more!" the redhead obstinately challenged.
"Enough!" Dilan shouted, both figuratively and literally putting his foot down, hard. "I am the leader here, and I say that you will not wear that blasted coat off of this ship. For pity's sake, man, it's not as if you're stark naked under that thing."
Beat.
"Right?" asked Dilan, who suddenly seemed unsure.
"Of course I'm not naked under this coat," said Lea, "I just…you know there's a good reason I don't like to take it off around other people."
"Then we can get a new coat for you at the first garment shop we come to," promised Dilan, "Besides, it can't be that bad can it?"
Groaning and rolling his eyes, Lea unzipped his coat and pulled it off. "Oh my goodness!" gasped Ienzo, slapping his hands over his eyes.
"See what I mean?" asked Lea drolly. Under the coat he wore a plain sleeveless black shirt and black jeans, but under that…he looked absolutely skeletal.
"That is not normal," Aeleus remarked in a very concerned, slightly grossed-out tone.
"How is he functional?!" Ienzo demanded to know, still not daring to look.
"You sure you want people seeing me like this?" asked Lea, gesturing at his emaciated appearance.
"Fine!" Dilan snapped, "Wear the damn coat for now, but we're finding something to replace it as soon as we possibly can."
"Yessir, Cap'n Dreadlocks," said Lea with a salute as he quickly put his coat back on.
"They're braids!" Dilan seethed as he stormed off of the ship, "Now come on, we have to make tracks."
"If you fellows don't mind," spoke up Ienzo, "I'd rather stay on the ship. Tron's been detecting a discrepancy in the ship's weight since we left Radiant Garden, but none of the ship's internal sensors have located the cause. I'd like to search the ship manually–"
"Yes, fine," said Dilan, "Since you're staying, be a good lad and make sure dinner is ready when we return. We should be back by seven-o'-clock sharp." He glanced at Lea and added, "And make extra. I want to make sure he eats well."
"Hey, this is just the way my body works, okay? There's nothing wrong with it," said Lea defensively.
They had landed in a clearing in the woods, just a few hundred meters from the main road. Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Lea set out for the road, and when they reached it Dilan consulted his pocket computer. "Alright…Aeleus, you and I will head towards the castle, present ourselves to the king and queen and ask them if they know anything. Even, Lea, you two head the other way and ask anyone you pass."
"Why the castle? What makes you think the king and queen know anything?" asked Aeleus.
"Didn't you ever think Marluxia had an air of the upper-class about him? I always figured he was some high-born fellow; nobility, maybe, possibly even royalty. If any nobles mysteriously vanished around five years ago, that might give us a lead as to where Marluxia became a Nobody, and where he would have returned upon being recompleted," Dilan reasoned.
"Seeing as we have no other leads, we may as well give it a shot," agreed Even. "Come along, Lea," he said brusquely, turning sharply enough that his lab coat flapped as he set off down the road. Lea ran after him, and Dilan and Aeleus set out up the other way.
Twenty years ago, Enchanted Dominion; the Forbidden Mountain:
"Stay here, Prunella," he ordered his horse, a beautiful black mare with a splash of yellow on her forehead, as he tied her to a tree. "I'll be back soon, girl; just as soon as I find her," he said as he stroked her muzzle. The animal could sense the darkness of this place, and it was making her skittish, so her rider did his best to sooth her before he had to go. He was a willow of a boy, tall for his age but slim enough to have a scarecrow's bones. He wore boots, trousers, and a double-breasted jacket with a hood, all of it made of leather as red as blood. With his hood up and hiding his face in shadow, he grabbed a bundle from Prunella's saddlebags and set out up the mountain path.
Sometime later:
Reaching the castle had been easy. Finding a way in had taken some time, but once that was done he moved about unseen without effort. He had always been good at sneaking, if only because he didn't care to be noticed. Now, at this critical time, his years of introversion came in handy. It wasn't that he was worried about the guards; those he could deal with as easily as he flew from shadow to shadow. He just preferred not to give his adversary advanced notice of his presence.
Without a map he couldn't be exactly certain of his position in the castle, but his spatial comprehension was well above average and he was very sure that he was nearing the heart of the Evil Fairy's domain. He had not been wandering for too long before he saw a certain horn-headed shadow on the wall and heard a chillingly familiar voice. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but it didn't matter to him. She was there, within his reach at last. All he had to do was focus and strike. He crouched and carefully unwrapped his bundle, revealing two three-foot-long shafts and a crescent-shaped blade. He screwed the shafts together, affixed the scythe-blade to one end, and began creeping forward.
He peeked into the room, and saw her. Her back was turned to him, and she was chanting words that were nothing but gibberish to him. Green fire illuminated the room, but he took no notice of the extraneous details surrounding them. All that mattered was the woman before him and the scythe in his hands. He crept a bit closer, and when he was confident that he was close enough he rushed forward and struck.
Present day:
Dilan and Aeleus strode up to the castle gates, and as protocol dictated they were halted by the guards, who asked what their business was. Dilan opened his mouth to speak, and was abruptly struck by the realization that he had no pretense whatsoever for calling upon the king and queen. Fortunately Aeleus was there to prove, once again, that one need not necessarily be a motormouth to be a fast talker. "We are here to see Her Majesty, Queen Aurora. If you tell her that Sora sent us, she will tell you to let us in," he said confidently. So confidently, in fact, that despite not being entirely convinced the senior of the guards called up to one of the guards up on the castle wall to pass the message along. Only a few minutes later, the wall guard hurried back and shouted down that the strangers had the queen's permission to enter.
"Well done, old chum," Dilan complimented his friend as they proceeded through the gate. Aeleus accepted the praise with a dignified smile. Four guards escorted them into the throne room, and Dilan immediately recognized that the king was absent. Queen Aurora sat on her throne next to King Phillip's presently-unoccupied one, and she stood to greet them with a dazzling smile.
"Welcome, Outworlders. Any friends of the Keybearer will always be honored guests in this hall. Is there anything I can do for you?" Aurora asked.
'One strategically placed namedrop certainly goes a long way,' Dilan noted. He and Aeleus bowed lowly from the waist, and he said, "Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Dilan and this is my friend, Aeleus; we have come from the world of Radiant Garden seeking a misplaced colleague of ours. We know he came from this world, originally. He has vivid pink hair and may be well-renowned as a skilled scythe-wielder. We think he might have been some manner of noble, though we really don't know much about his past. He likely vanished mysteriously about five years or more ago. I know that you probably have a hundred more pressing concerns right now, but if you could tell us anything at all it would be a great help." Dilan concluded his request by bowing again.
Aurora looked thoughtful. "Hmmm. To tell you the truth…I'm not very familiar with all the nobles of this world. I was raised in the woods as a peasant girl for most of my life, and since returning to my birthright I've been more concerned with helping my husband manage the kingdom. Still…I don't know about scythe-wielders, but I've heard it said that the royal family of Rozera is famed for having pink hair. My husband, Phillip, should be back from his ride soon, he could probably tell you more. You're welcome to stay until then. Are you hungry? I can have the cook fix you something."
"You are most gracious, Your Majesty, thank you. It was a long walk in," replied Aeleus. Dilan had been on the verge of politely declining, but once again Aeleus proved to somewhat-ironically be the faster talker.
"Excellent, I'll go to the kitchen right now; please, wait in the courtyard for now," said Aurora as she stepped down from the raised tier on which sat the thrones.
Elsewhere:
After hours of walking and two villages under their belts, Even had elected to stop and rest under a shady tree. Lea, who was really suffering the heat under his coat, was more than happy with the respite. As he lay out in the shade and panted away the heat, Lea's mind gyrated back to a focal point. 'Just say it, damn you,' he scolded himself, 'Just say "Even, man, I'm really sorry about burning Vexen to a crisp. I had my reasons, but it was still an unnecessarily dickish thing to do. Now that I can feel junk again, I feel really horrible about it, and I hope that someday, preferably someday soon, we can be not-as-awkward around each other. We cool?" Just say it, and get it over with. If he catches you staring at him too many times he's gonna get the wrong idea and think you're horning on him or something.'
That was what Lea told himself, and for a moment his resolve was ironclad. Then he made the mistake of looking at Even before speaking, and all he could hear was Vexen's anguished death-cries over the crackle of flame. He quickly averted his eyes, hoping that Even had not noticed his stricken expression. After a while, Even got up and he and Lea resumed walking. After they spied another village on the horizon, they heard a chirping noise and Even produced his pocket-computer. "A message from Aeleus," the Professor reported, "Apparently Marluxia may have been a member of the royalty in some distant country called Rozera. Something for us to inquire about."
Once they entered the village, they split up and began asking everyone they could find if they knew anything about a man with bright pink hair or the royal family of Rozera. The first to get any luck was Even when he struck up a conversation with a well-traveled peddler.
"The royal family of Rozera, you say? Well, it is true that the old royal House of Floris was renowned for their pink hair, but that line was extinguished some eleven years ago. Now the House of Kelley rules that land, and let me tell you it took them eight years of warring with the other noble in those parts for them to claim the throne, and Rozera is still recovering from that war," the older man informed Even.
"Eleven years ago?" Even asked. When the peddler nodded a confirmation, Even asked, "And how would one get to Rozera from here?"
The peddler pointed east. "Follow the road that way for about two days, and it'll join up to a bigger road that runs through most of the major cities in the realm; folks call it the High Way. It skirts around the Forbidden Mountain and eventually crosses the River Delbue, and if you follow the river north from that crossing for…oh, about four days on foot, you'll find yourself in Babale, the nearest Rozeran city to here. If you want to get to Rozera as in the capital of Rozera, you just take the north-eastern road out of Babale and follow that straight; you'll get there in about six or seven days on foot. The whole trip on foot from here sits around a month and a half or two even. Take you about three weeks on horseback. Careful though, if you should go that way. There's some who say the wilds in Rozera have been haunted ever since the Floris clan was wiped out. Wood spirits and such, or so they say."
"I see. Thank you," Even said with a bow.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the village, Lea was interrogating the local blacksmith about whether they had ever heard about any legendary scythe-wielders. The blacksmith, a bushy-haired woman to Lea's mild surprise, scratched her sooty cheek and looked pensive. "Well, there was a fella who passed through here 'bout…oh, twenty years ago I'd have to say, back when Pa was the village smithy. Said he needed a new blade for his scythe; said the old 'un broke while he was fendin' off brigands. Don' know 'bout legendary, but he's the only scythe-fighter I've ever heard of. Not countin' the occasional drunk farmhand, that is."
"Did he have bright pink hair?" Lea asked excitedly. This was the third village he and Even had passed through today, and this was the first he'd heard that sounded like a solid lead.
The blacksmith shrugged. "He kept his face hidden under a hood the whole time. Had a whole get-up of blood-red leather. Rode a big black mare; Pa heard the name, can't remember what it was but it sounded pretty. Started with a 'p'. Wanna say 'Princess' or 'Prudence' but I'm not sure."
"Hmm. Know which way he went?" Lea asked. It wasn't as solid a lead as he would like, but it was better than running around blindly.
"Took the road west to the next village. If you head that way, pay a visit to Mrs. Collins. She's always got room to put up a traveler or two, an' she's the best cook for hundreds o' leagues around," she advised.
"Thanks," said Lea as he ducked out of the blacksmith's shop and set out to look for Even.
Twenty years ago:
Hellish green flames. Bright light, smothering darkness. A splitting headache, made worse by the unbearable maniacal cackling that filled his ears. The youth forced himself to stand up from where he had fallen after bouncing off of a wall. Smoke wisped up from where the fireball had struck him in his chest. He used his scythe to steady himself. "That all?" he ground out through pain-clenched teeth. "Don't laugh like this is already over, you hag!"
That silenced the Evil Fairy. She narrowed her eyes and spoke coolly, "I refrained from vaporizing you thinking that you might offer me some amusement. But if you're just going to be sore and ill-mannered about this, I suppose I have no use for you." She hold up a hand and summoned another fireball, and he could feel the concentrated evil energy rolling off of it. No doubt, if this one connected there wouldn't be enough of him left to taunt her, let alone retaliate. "Before I destroy you, you uncouth boy, I demand you tell me why you would intrude upon my domain?"
"I've come to kill a hag and save a princess," the youth replied, trying to keep his voice steady and, if at all possible, respectably deep.
Maleficent did not seem impressed at all. "A little young to be slaying evil sorceresses and saving fair damsels, aren't we?" she asked in a saccharine tone.
'Have to keep her talking,' he thought. "Why don't you save the mockery for later? Do as you wish to my body but leave my pride alone," said the youth. He lifted up his scythe and assumed a ready stance. "Say, you're a knowledgeable old hag, aren't you? I'll bet you I can show you something you've never seen a human do before."
"Oh? And what, pray tell, would that be?"
"Ah-ah," said the youth, wagging a finger, "That would be telling. But if I do show you something you've never seen a human do, will you answer one question before you kill me?" 'Almost there…'
"Hmm…very well. What would you like to know, little boy?" asked Maleficent.
"Princess Hanna…where is she?" asked the youth. He narrowed his eyes at the sorceress, "Now hit me with your best shot, hag!"
"Tch," was all Maleficent had to say before she flung her fireball at him. He threw his hand up, and massive thorny stems exploded through the ground to form a barrier between them. The fireball slammed into the wall of briar-thorns and burned through them, but too slowly. The youth appeared atop the wall, and with a gesture several thorn-stems burst out of the wall and snaked through the air towards Maleficent.
With a dismissive wave of her hand, Maleficent made the entire growth burst into emerald-green flames; the youth quickly jumped off and alighted on the floor. He ran at her with a howl on his lips, swinging his scythe through her. She melted into smoke and reappeared several feet away. She pointed her scepter at him, and an invisible force slammed into him, smashing him into the wall and pinning him there.
"Not bad, boy," Maleficent scoffed, "But that's nothing new to me. I have known of humans with Fey blood in their veins before. Though it's been quite an age since I saw one who had developed his abilities as well as you seem to have. Suddenly it almost seems a shame to kill you…almost."
"Alright, fine. I'm clearly outclassed," the young man admitted, "Look, all I really care about is the princess. If there's anything at all that I can do…any price I can pay…." The youth dropped his scythe and gave Maleficent a truly withering glare. "…then name it."
Maleficent cocked her head and stared quizzically at him. Then the corners of her mouth curled up in a sinister grin.
Present day:
"Rozera, huh?" asked King Phillip. At his beloved wife's request, he agreed to meet with these two strangers in his study. He was now perusing his shelves in search of a certain book. "I know I put it…somewhere…right around…here!" he finally exclaimed as he spotted the right tome and plucked it from the shelf. He cracked it open and leafed through the pages until…
"Ah, here we are. Yes, Rozera is a kingdom a few hundred leagues east of here on the other side of the Delbue, one of the wider rivers in the realm. It was founded about five-hundred years ago by the House of Floris," Phillip read aloud, "Eleven years ago, King Rudolpho IV was assassinated, which triggered a civil war that ended eight years ago with the House of Kelley taking power. The kingdom has been in a sorry state ever since…and yes, the old Florises were well-known for their bright pink hair. Said to be a sign of the unique heritage that gave them the power to establish their kingdom."
"Your Majesty, if I may?" asked Dilan, holding out his hand. Phillip gave a courteous nod and handed him the book.
"What do you mean by their 'unique heritage'?" asked Aeleus.
"Well…" Phillip began, but then the three men all felt an ominous rumbling through their feet. Then they heard shrieks and crashes and other sounds of violence in the distance.
Phillip was already running towards the door when a servant threw it open and stumbled in. "You Majesty, there are Heartless in the castle!"
Even as the harried man said this, pools of darkness appeared on the floor, and the aforementioned abominations arose from them. Shadows and Soldiers, mostly, but a handful of Armored Knights as well.
"Ah, bugger," groaned Dilan.
"Quite," agreed Aeleus.
Elsewhere:
"Ienzo, I think we might have a problem," said Tron's voice over a loudspeaker. Ienzo was poking his head into a vent, looking for any clue as to why the ship was fifty kilos too heavy.
"And what might that be?" he asked, pulling himself out, standing up straight, and dusting himself off.
"The ship's sensors show a pack of hostile creatures approaching our position."
Ienzo froze. "…what kind of creatures, Tron?" he asked warily.
"Nobodies."
A/N: Cliffhanger! And at two for the price of one! Suck it, muwahahahahahahahahaha!
Thanks to my reviewers: erikfinnvladimir, tuckeyhunger99, sailorsenshi13, Luna Lillyth, and Guests.