She kept at the controls even after they passed through the asteroid field, landing with ease and standing. She walked over to the others, raising her fist as though she were about to punch him again. Sora whimpered and flinched, making Aanyx smirk slightly as her fist lowered. "Just thought I'd let you morons know that we're here."
With that she turned on her heel and walked out into the bamboo thicket she had landed in. She waited for the others this time, having successfully taken the rest of her anger out on the gummies on the way. In fact, as eerie as it was, she almost seemed...perky.. ..Sora was terrified at first, thinking it was a ruse...like the way a trapper hides the metal bear trap and lures other animals in with a scent...Sora trod carefully, always glancing at his female companion and waiting for those sharp metal claws to spring out and snap him again. They didn't however, and by the time the group had come to spot a clearing, Sora was back to his old self....minus the black eye, of course...
Aanyx was well aware of his paranoia, and was in fact rather amused by it. She was therefore disappointed when it was over, though at least she knew she'd gotten her point across...
Without warning Donald and Sora had taken off at the clearing, Goofy yelling something about ''look before we leap'' after them. Aanyx looked into the clearing in time to see a little lizard- thing jump out and start talking between Sora and what appeared to be a girl dressed in men's armor. "Okay, that seems fair." Sora agreed, nodding to the two. "What did you get us into this time, nitwit?" Aanyx asked. Sora twitched, but was at least man enough to not shriek this time. Irritated, she zapped him with more lightning. "OW! What was that for?!"
"For not answering my question, nitwit!"
"Maybe I would if you'd stop calling me that!"
"Fine, moron!"
"SORA! Not nitwit! Not moron! SOR- A!"
"Re- Tard!" Aanyx muttered, causing the two to start a sudden glare- fight. "Umm....are you two....like, a thing....? " the girl in armor asked quietly, and Aanyx threw up in her mouth, "Are. You. Serious? !? ! THIS moronic retard peeping- tom of an airhead? ! I'd much rather have a thing with my left shoe, thankyouverymuch !" The girl raised her hands in defense, "Just asking." Aanyx nodded, still attempting to swallow down the foul taste as she stood upright and offered a hand to the girl, "The name's Aanyx. How 'bout yours? "
"I'm Mulan- - Err, I mean, Ping." She said, her voice deepening at the last bit.
Aanyx rolled her eyes, "Sweetie, you can cut the act. I know you're a girl."
"How did you know? "
"Honey, I lived for two years with twelve guys. I think I can tell the difference." Aanyx winked before walking in a circle around Mulan, "…So you're joining the army, eh? Any reason? Guy ya like? Family honor? All of the above? "
"Ah- - family...sort of...I'm here to take my father's place..."
Aanyx "harrumph"- ed, "Well, if you're gonna be a chick in a man's world, ya might as well have another chick with ya, right? Count me in! Just give me ten minutes- - tops." With that she bolted straight through the bamboo, going far in enough until she could no longer be seen. She then proceeded to morph her outfit into the same as Mulan's, morphing her bra so that it was instead a vest that made her look flatchested. "The times I'd go for self- metamorphosis... " she muttered, tying her hair in a bun as she walked back to the clearing.
Sora gawked at her as she came into the clearing, "....Whoa...you look like a guy!"
"That's what I was aiming for, half- wit." Sora made to examine her seemingly flat chest, only to enjoy a face full of dirt as she knocked the weight from under him, sending him flying as she sent another round of electricity at him. "You never learn, do you dumbass? Now let's get a move on. The sooner we can win this war the sooner we can get out of here." Aanyx said, leading the way down the sloped path.
They made their way to camp, only for Aanyx to stop the others with a raised hand. "What is it?"
"....There's someone here..." Aanyx made her way around the tents, only to have something short and blond come barreling out with a cry of "HEEEEY RETARD!" Sora was tackled to the ground, and soon Aanyx had both whips out.
The seemingly child-like girl giggled, jumping around in an attempt to get an opening. Aanyx fallowed her movements, flicking her wrist once and lightly cracking her whip as it swirled around the girl's midsection.
"Aww man! Looks like ya caught me, Mommy...okay, i guess you win this time...oh dear, it seems i have no choice but to run away..." Kat giggled dramatically, cart wheeling away into the corner where her 'nee-chan' waited to take her through a portal in the same manner as before.
"That was well-handled, soldier." All five stood at attention as the captain came over, all echoing the same sharp "Sir!"
"At ease." He said simply, and they obliged as he continued, "We need generals like you, soldier. What's your name?"
"Onyx, sir--Onyx Twilight."
"Congratulations, Onyx. you are now a commanding officer....as for you....gentlemen...be prepared for any attack. There have been surplus surprise attacks from these odd cloaked figures...the three of you are now under Onyx's watch. And you," he paused to turn to Mulan, "You are a waste of time. Go home, soldier."
"But--"
"With all due respect, captain, i request that you give my friend Ping a chance. If he is required to be under my care, than so be it. Just give him a chance." The captain thought over Aanyx's request for a moment before nodding, "Very well. You get one chance. General Onyx, take your group and clear the mountain pass. Make sure you do so thoroughly, for the rest of this regiment is counting on you."
"Sir!" All five saluted, heading for the other exit to the camp. When they reached the checkpoint just outside camp, they found none other than the same blond that had attacked sitting there waiting for them. "Aloha!"
"Way ta go, Kat. Who wouldda thought it would work?"
Sora looked from the giggling blond to the apparently proud auburn, thoroughly confused. "Wait a sec....you mean you just cheated your way into a higher position?"
"Well why not? and it's not like it was MY idea....and its not like i can go and say 'hey i just conned you outta a generalcy'...He's the one who thought I deserved it. And are you really about to kick all of us out and dishonor Mulan's family..."
"OH YEAH! Mommy, Nee-chan said that she's going to be a scout-ed-err....person....thingy...." Kat said, grabbing onto Aanyx's arm and tugging slightly so that her attention was brought back to the shorter Nobody. "Um...kay...?" Aanyx said, not quite sure what she ment by that. "We should get going...the Captain's expecting us to do this..." Aanyx nodded to Mulan before giving Kat a noogie, "See ya, Shortstop. We gotsa job ta do...."
Sora groaned, annoyed, and threw his keyblade down in the dirt. "Argh.....WHAT"S GOING ON HERE?!?!"
"What's wrong?"
"Didja forget how to swing your keyblade again?" Aanyx asked in mock sympathy. Irked, he swung the blade at yet another heartless, only to have said heartless be killed before his blade came in contact. "Why are you complaining, retard?" Kat rolled her eyes from her perch on a nearby pillar. "BECAUSE," Sora huffed, repeatedly hacking away at heartless that died just before he made contact, "I"M NOT DOING ANYTHING!"
"If ya looked up, retard, then you'd know why" Kat hissed. "Huh?" Sora made to look up, only to feel something--or someone--yank his hood over his eyes. "What the--hey!"
"Tisk tisk; what a boring, plain idiot. And you call yourself the Hero of this comic book." Finally managing to take the hood off, He looked up to find a girl with long silvery-blond hair and strange, neon-orange markings covering her over-pale skin. She wore a simple yellow sundress with an elegant dragon embroidered along the left side in red thread. "Konnichiwa!" She giggled, jumping off the stone pillar she sat upon and landing smoothly in front of him before twirling a small orange pistol into the leather holster attached to her thigh.
"Wait--who?"
"The name's Xcaiyet--commit it to memory." She cut him off with a cheesy stance, holding out a peace sign. "Ah; my normal one!" Aanyx chuckled, giving the girl a one-armed hug. "Normal? Your? You have TWO?"
"Haven't I told you, dumbass, that I'm NOT a mother? Or do you need me to break something else first?" Sora gave a high-pitched "NEEH" and shrunk back into the stone wall. Xcaiyet sighed, "Don't scar him for life, Ani. We need his brain functioning--not well, granted--but still functioning."
"I'm normal too!" Kat pouted, feeling thoroughly left out. "Kat, NO ONE in our 'family' is normal..." Aanyx chuckled. Kat opened her mouth to retaliate, only to shrug, "Fair enough.....now; ONWARD!!" she yelled, pointing to the last barrier they had to clear before they reached the village on the mountain. Sora looked from one to the other to the next, still as confused as ever, only to feel a hand on his shoulder. "Don't hurt yourself, Key-brat." Xcaiyet said in mock sympathy. "What the--hey! Wait a sec! You're that other Nobody!" "No, really?" She gasped dramatically, only to blow a raspberry at him, "Catch me if ya can, Key-brat!"
With that she took off, barreling past heartless upon heartless towards the village, Sora in hot pursuit. Aanyx and Kat exchanged a giggle as Mulan looked torn from Sora's fading image to the giggling duo. "Don't bother with the idiot, Mulan." Aanyx said, finally over her giggle-fit. Nodding, the three walked casually after the two, only to meet a very odd sight indeed.
Sora was jumping around in the snow, flailing around like the idiot he is while Xcaiyet giggled from her perch on the nearby wall. She then portaled to right behind him, snowball in hand, and proceeded to stuff said snowball down the back of his shirt. "GGGGNNNNNNNYYYYYAAAHHHHHH!!!! AH-OH-HA-HE-OUAH!"
Kat fell to the snow laughing, Aanyx and Mulan both doubled over, as Xcaiyet blew yet another raspberry, "Come ON! The old man moves faster than you!"
"Why you---GGGNNNNAAAAAHHHH!!!" He growled, only to squeal like a girl as she stuffed more snow down his back.
"C-come on, Xcaiy...heh-hah....I--ha--I think we've tortured the idiot enough....for now..." Aanyx said at last. "Aww but next I was gonna shove it down his pants!!" Xcaiyet wined, thoroughly disappointed. "As amusing as that sounds, the Captain's on his way, and I'm SUPPOSED to be acting mature here...but by all means, feel free to continue torturing him when the captain's gone." Aanyx sighed, jerking a thumb behind her. Sighing, Xcaiyet nodded, "Alright....C'mon, Nar-chan...Let's leave so that mommy won't get fired..."
"Aww alright...." Kat sighed, taking the taller girl's hand and jumping up onto her back as she had done before. The two had just left when the rest of the troops came into view, and the captain began giving orders to several different troops. Aanyx tuned him out, however, and instead thought back once more to the Organization. Not many were left....not after the whole Castle Oblivion fiasco....Aanyx stole a glance at Sora. He didn't seem to remember any of it....did Nami remove those memories...?
"--'re dismissed." The captain said, snapping her back to reality. Not sure what was going on, she looked to Mulan for an explanation...only to find her, Sora, Donald, and Goofy huddled in a corner. '...what are they up to?'
She watched with mild curiosity as the group walked out of the village and into the nearby cave. "Odd....should I...? Naah; if the idiot wants to get in trouble then he's gonna get in trouble." Aanyx decided, returning to the Village and walking over to the Moogle shop...only to see a fiery arrow streak overhead.
"Archers! Get the townsfolk evacuated immediately!" The Captain barked, but Aanyx ignored the order. Instead she headed straight through the throng of oncoming heartless, morphing her whips into dagger-sized keyblades and cutting them down with ease until she made it to the entrance to the village.
In the blink of an eye she was accompanied by Xcaiyet and Kat, both in fighting positions. "We're here for ya, Ani." Xcaiyet muttered. Kat nodded.
"Why don't we give 'em a taste of caffeine?" Asked the short Nobody with a grin as she giggled manically and walked to stand in front of Xcaiyet. The wolf-girl pulled her precious Agent out, and Kat wrapped her small hands around it before Xcaiyet's covered hers. "Are you ready?" After a nod from Kat, Xcaiyet pulled the trigger, demolishing all the heartless in one twirl.
It was too late to save the town, however, as the flaming arrows had burnt every building to the ground. With a lazy, two-fingered salute from Xcaiyet the two disappeared and Aanyx left to find the Captain.
She finally did, only in time to catch the last bit of the conversation. "...set up camp here before leaving..." Nodding as though she knew what she was doing, she stopped next to Goofy as the captain stood and left. She then turned to her companions, "Sooo what now?"
"Do you EVER pay attention?" Sora sighed. Aanyx waved him off, "Nah. I just make stuff up as I go....makes things more chaotic that way!"
"Well, the Cap'n said that that Shan Yu guy headed for the mountaintop!" Goofy began. "But he said the troops need a rest first, so we're stopping here for the night. At dawn tomorrow we head up the mountain!" Sora finished.
Aanyx nodded, "Well then? Step to! Get a fire going!"
"You can't order us around!" Sora yelled. "Can't I? I'm your commanding officer, dumbass! And don't take that attitude with me or I'll run ya through!" Aanyx barked with a grin. "Gawrsh, I think we better do as she says..." Goofy muttered.
So, with heavy sighs, the trio left to build a fire. Aanyx let out another chuckle, leaning over to mutter in Mulan's ear, "How many idiots does it take to make a fire?" The two girls giggled as Sora ended up setting fire to his own foot as he grumbled and complained.
After the fire had finally been made, as well as a delightful stew that consisted of tree bark and some other stuff one of the troops had found--really, what was with men and not being able to cook? Ah well; at least Aanyx was fortunate enough to be able to morph it into a REAL stew....even though it still tasted kinda funny...--Aanyx found herself sitting on the southern wall of the village, gazing up at the stars.
"There sure are a lot of 'em, aren't there?" Aanyx acknowledged Sora's quiet remark by not jumping down and slugging him in the jaw like she first intended. Instead, she merely shifted on the wall so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye, "....I was once told....That for every star in the sky there is a world out there that still holds onto its light."
She paused to look at him then, "...It's kinda inspiring, really."
"Who told ya that?" Sora took it as a good sign that she hadn't completely turned him away, so he walked closer and leaned against the wall beside her. Shooting him a glare as she shifted away, Aanyx returned her gaze heavenward, "...An old friend..."
After a short silence, Sora looked up at her, "....Are we having a moment?"
"We were....until you ruined it..."
"Sorry."
"Mmnh." Aanyx muttered, jumping down off the wall and walking to her tent, "Get some sleep. If we're fighting some Warlord in the morning, you don't want to be dead on your feet. Trust me; I know these things." Sora watched her leave, confused. All through their journey thus far the girl had given him nothing short of a cold shoulder...but here....she was downright friendly....
Just what was going on with that mysterious girl, he had no idea. Now that he thought on it, he didn't know her at all. All he knew was that she needed to 'Find her Light' according to the King, and by staying on the same path as the Keybearer she would be able to do just that...
Giving the star-strewn sky one last look he left for his own tent, deciding to take her advice. Aanyx, meanwhile, had stood in the entrance to her supped-up 'tent'--really, it was more of a flat than anything--for that entire time, a scowl slowly forming on her face. Suddenly she lashed out one hand, her fist coming in contact with the wall.
'I can't....do this....Not for what needs to be done....' She thought, flopping on the bed. Her mind wandered to Roxas, and--to her dismay--her conscious took it upon itself to show her all the similarities between him and his other.
"...No..." Aanyx muttered, sitting up and thunking herself on the head. "....I can't get to know him. End of discussion. Because then, when the time comes.....if the time comes....i won't be able to do it..." The next morning Aanyx--the typical middle-of-the-night person--was greeted by the over-cheerful Sora...and it wasn't a pretty picture...
"Go~od morning, Aanyx!" Sora greeted with a cheerful wave. "And what's so good about it, you bug-eyed, over-cheerful, fucking sugar-kitten of a freak-child?" Aanyx grumbled, though to the average ear it would sound something like "Andwutsogoodboutit, you....eyed...cheerful....fuck...sugar-kitten....child?" For whatever reason, Sora flushed crimson, "Uhh....."
"Exactly." Aanyx grouched, shuffling past him to head towards the water basin. "Listen, about last night--"
"What about it? You upset it wasn't with Kairi?"
"--I realized--wait WHAT?!" Again the keybearer's face turned a deep crimson, and Aanyx let out a loud laugh. "You realized...? Go on--unless you're about to make some sappy love confession, cuz it was a one-time deal." Aanyx, slowly waking up, knew full well what their conversation sounded like, but she rather enjoyed tormenting him....
His blush grew into a darker scarlet as he stammered, "W- well, I just realized that I don't really know you that well...."
"Would you lift your head up? I'm up here, not at your feet...that was last night......and stop doing that thing with your hands, will ya!" Aanyx said, slapping at his hands when she realized he had been poking the very tips of his index fingers together again and again as he spoke.
Poor Sora was so flustered, he could barely keep up with it all. "Okay, so I've been told that I'm amazing...but honestly? Ya look like you're about to faint, for crying out loud!" It didn't help the fact that he just realized they were standing in a concealed corner of the village, either....
"What, cat got your tongue, or somethin? You were plenty loud enough last night..."At this point all of it was intentional. Aanyx wanted to see how far she could get before he passed out. What? It's not her fault her daughter's boyfriend is horny 24/7 and made up the whole 'Innuendo Game' to begin with! Nor is it her fault she was raised in a world that was always night, thus making her a night- person.........
"Uh...I....Th-that is..." Sora stammered, looking around frantically. "COME on; I know you can do better than that!"
"Bu- - wha- - I mean- - "
"Do you WANT my whip up your ass? Then speak up! Unless you WANT to be punished..." Sora let out a high- pitched whimper and collapsed to the ground like a marionette without strings, causing Aanyx to grin triumphantly. "Score! Aanyx one; Nitwit nada...."
With that and a mischievous grin she propped Sora up against the wall, walking back into her tent to change into her armor. As she changed, a handful of the soldiers, who had been listening in since the whole 'Sugar- kitten' bit, suddenly heard her give a frustrated sigh, "Now where the hell are my pants....they've gotta be around here somewhere.....I didn't move around THAT much....."
Whistling the first tune that came to mind (which happened to be Spoonful of Sugar) Aanyx exited her tent in a cheery demeanor just as the sun's first light graced over the snow- covered land. She then saw Sora walk up, flustered at the wet trail down his pants- - okay, so she MAY have kinda splashed some water on him for good measure....but come on! He woke her up! And she doesn't really like being conscious before the sun anyways....- - "Aww, did the ickle Keybearer has an accident? " Aanyx giggled as he stormed straight for her.
"You did this on purpose!"
"Did I? I think it's clear to all of us that YOU are the one who did that, Sora....unless you're about to go accusing me of being in your pants..." Sora blushed, but didn't call her on it.
Instead, he ended up borrowing an extra uniform, claiming he couldn't just borrow the pants. As the group headed up the mountain, Mulan pulled Aanyx aside, "....You weren't REALLY in his pants, were you? "
"Of course not! But he DID wake me up....I felt the need to repay his kindness." The two girls shared a giggle before continuing onward, and soon they had made their way to the top of the mountain. Shan Yu waited at the very peak of the summit, seemingly alone. "There he is! Let's get 'im!" Sora yelled.
Aanyx stopped him with an outstretched hand, "Halt!" The ground rumbled as thousands of rapid thrusters came into view. "....Okay; NOW you can go and kill yourself." Aanyx said, seemingly pleased with herself.
"Ooah!" Sora gaped at them all. "...There's too many to just simply fight...." Mulan muttered. Catching onto her train of thought, Aanyx grabbed one of the rockets from one of the other soldiers, handing it to her, "You sure as hell better not miss."
Mulan took the dragon- shaped rocket with a nod, running straight for the oncoming heartless. "PING! ARE YOU CRAZY? !" The captain yelled after her, but Aanyx stopped him by grabbing at his arm. "Wait captain! Ping knows what he's doing."
Nodding, they all watched on as Mulan stuck the rocket into the snow, aiming it for the mountain's peak. The rocket shot out, hitting the side of the peak directly. The ground shook once more as the force of the rocket caused an avalanche, and, eyes widening, Aanyx grabbed the closest person by the hand and ran for shelter behind a nearby rock, discovering a cave that was blocked from view.
It was only when she was effectively trapped that she realized just who it was that she'd saved, and she let out a groan, half- tempted to begin digging through the snow that had packed up in the entrance.
"...Wh- why did you save me? " Sora asked, out of breath from their run as Aanyx slid down the side of the cave wall. She looked up at him, "Oh trust me; If I'd've known it was you I wouldn't've bothered."
He chuckled slightly, walking over and sitting next to her with his feet out in a narrow V shape, "Ya know I would've believed that....if it weren't for last night." Aanyx shifted away with a 'humph', but Sora continued, persistent as ever, "Ya know what I think? I think you're just TRYING not to like me."
Aanyx snorted, "Oh yes, because I secretly swoon over air-headed brats with hair that defies all logic." He chuckled, shuffling over again so that he could still see her face, "I bet you're just scared to get to know me. Cuz I'm awesome."
Aanyx punched his foot--the closest limb she could find--and rolled her eyes, "Dream on, dumbass." Sora removed his feet out of her arms' reach but still continued, "Then if I'm wrong, why've you been avoiding me?"
Aanyx wasn't expecting that one. She froze, stuttering for a second before standing and walking to the other side of the cave, "...Just...." She heaved a deep sigh, "Don't go sticking your nose into my life, okay? It's complicated enough as it is without having to explain it to YOU..."
Sora shot her a look, standing as well, "But how can I help you if you don't trust me? Isn't that why you're here...? So that I can help?"
There was a short silence between them as Aanyx shook from the cold; the cave was cold and damp and with the only exit blocked by a wall of snow the cave was only getting colder.
"The key is in the eye of the beholder..." She said mysteriously, seemingly more to herself then to him. She then turned to him at last, "L-let's get a f-fire going....it's already cold as it is and with the snow right there my guess is that it's only going to get colder..."
The two managed to get a fire going--thank Kingdom Hearts they still had magic--and sat in an awkward silence on either side of it; the crackling of the fire the only sound between them. Sora tried several times to start up small talk, only to meet empty stares and sometimes not-so-friendly remarks.
She was waiting for him to ask about her life again, but surprisingly he didn't. "....Have you ever heard...the story...about the man that sold his soul for immortality?" She said at last, the silence finally having gotten to her.
Sora shook his head, slightly dumbfounded that she had actually been the one to start the conversation. "His name was Dorian Gray. He was a wealthy, handsome man in life...despite his...corrupt morals, if you will. But as he aged, he began to fear that shadow; that Hand of Death waiting for him."
Aanyx shifted, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, "He grew so afraid of his end that he had a portrait made of him in his early twenties--still old enough to be considered of age but at the same time still young and handsome. He took the painting and sold his soul to the devil--for every last sin; every last wrinkle that should have befallen onto Dorian, the painting consumed. He was a walking work of art with no fear of anything. But he grew cocky; he ended up making his fiancée commit suicide, among other increasing debauchery."
"What happened to him?" Sora asked. Aanyx shot him a look for interrupting, but answered the question nonetheless, "He continued to live as he did for quite some time--committing nearly every sin imaginable. But as his portrait grew more and more hideous, Dorian found he dared not look at it any longer. He hid it away in his childhood playroom, covered for good measure."
"Well does he die?" Sora began to grow impatient at her circling explanation. "Naturally. Even the noblest of men soon walk the path of the dead."
"But how? If he doesn't age--"
"The portrait ages for him. but that doesn't mean he's got no weakness."
"Then what IS his weakness?"
"Love." The answer was so simple; so obvious in her tone, that it caught Sora off guard. "He fell in love....then what?"
"He looked at the painting."
"Huh?"
"He tore the sheet off and looked at all he had done in life. But as he looked at the grotesque rotting skeleton that was once himself, and it looked back at him, the magic became undone, and he rotted away."
Sora made a face, "What's with the gruesome story?"
"There was a point to the gruesome story, dumbass."
"Which is...?"
"That even in the darkest of situations, during fights that seem near-impossible, there is always a way inside the stronghold. Even the tallest of trees must eventually die out." Aanyx stood then, hearing voices outside calling their names.
Sora toppled over into the snow, having been yanked out by the hand, only to find a face-full of snow as Aanyx was brought out after him. "MOMMY!!!" Kat cried, latching onto Aanyx's leg as the taller girl walked out, looking around. "…Where is everybody? Did they get covered in the avalanche?" Xcaiyet shook her head sadly, "….We….we got found out, Ani. The troops went on to the city for the celebration."
"Lemme get this straight….Some Yo-Yo brain spilled the secret, and so all the guys that pissed their pants in fear are now taking OUR glory?" Aanyx asked in a strained tone, fists clenching over her whips. "Ani, calm down. We don't want your blood pressure to go through the roof…..again….." Xcaiyet sighed, pulling Kat out of her swinging range.
One could never be too safe when Aanyx's blood pressure got too high….in fact, the last person to try and get too close wound up with a black eye, broken nose, and lost several teeth…
Aanyx took several deep breaths, visibly calming. Once she appeared back to normal she turned to look at the others. "Well? Which dodo was it this time?" She asked impatiently, looking from Donald to Goofy. "Mushu." Xcaiyet and Kat said at the same time, pointing to the little red lizard-like dragon. Aanyx's eyebrow raised, "Mushu?! Great; the nitwit's brain—or lack thereof—is contagious. Next thing ya know I'm gonna start sprouting nonsense like my brother after he sniffs a sharpie…." Aanyx trailed off, walking to the edge of the cliff…
…Only to freeze mid-step as she felt the ground shake. Her seaweed eyes widened, and she watched with a sickening lurch in her stomach as not only Shan Yu, but thousands of Huns and Heartless surfaced from beneath the snow. "DA--MMPH!!!" Aanyx began loudly, only to have Sora's hand over her mouth. "Quiet! Do you want them to hear you?!" He said in a loud whisper.
Aanyx scowled and threw him down into the snow, digging her foot into his chest. "Did I say you could touch me? No." She removed her foot and turned to Mulan and the others, "We have to warn the captain. Looks like Shan Yu's on his way to the city. And who knows WHAT he'll do when he gets there!"
"Shang! The Huns are alive!" Aanyx frowned as she watched Mulan attempt to convince the troops. She had changed into her normal clothing, her hair once more in its long braid. She stood in the throng of gathered townsfolk, knowing full well that even if she tried to tell them, none of these people would pay her any mind.
It was like trying to convince Axel to willingly jump into the pool back at The Castle That Never Was.
Not. Humanly. Possible.
Hearing a loud scuffing set of footsteps, Aanyx tensed, keeping her eyes on the procession ahead as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the right. There it was again. A burly man; wearing boots, from the sound of it….
Aanyx stole a glance in the sound's direction. Nothing out of the ordinary, save for a large multi-person dragon puppet dancing up behind the troops. Frowning, she fallowed at a distance, keeping to the crowd.
And then people began to panic.
Aanyx shoved her way through, calling her whips to hand as she went with a yell of "'Scuse me, pardon me, coming through, MOVE!!!" while shoving past the throng of screaming bystanders. Finally making her way to the front, she got there in time to see Shan Yu himself dragging the emperor off, his Huns closing the doors and locking them.
Scowling, she ran up, helping the others defeat the heartless. Aanyx then ran over to Mulan, who was bleeding, and gave her a potion. Nodding in thanks, Mulan led the way back towards the doors, where Sora, Donald, Goofy, and a handful of the soldiers had grabbed one of the statues and were using it as a battering ram.
"They'll never reach the emperor in time…" Mulan muttered frustratedly. Aanyx perked up, "Unless…" After whispering her plan to Mulan and receiving her nod, Aanyx gave a loud whistle, "GUYS!" All of them turned to look at the two. "…We've got an idea." Mulan said, taking off. Aanyx took off after her, knowing that Sora and the others, at least, would fallow.
Aanyx couldn't help but grin to herself. This was going to be good…..She was lucky they took their time with it, for if Sora caught her morphing up the outfits he would most likely throw a fit.
And we couldn't have that….yet….
"So what's *huff huff* this great idea *huff* of yours?" Sora asked, doubled over. Aanyx grinned, extending a folded up kimono.
Be a man!
We must be swift as a coursing river
Be a man!
With all the force of a great typhoon
Be a man!
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!
"…You have GOT to be kidding!" Sora wined, looking down. He now wore a sky-blue kimono with a sort of midnight-purple trim on the neck. The under-dress was a sort of cream color, while the wrap around his midsection was a pale blue, its cord the same midnight-purple as the trim.
"Oh come now, Key-Brat!" Xcaiyet huffed, "It matches your eyes!"
"And your name!" Kat added. Aanyx had gone to 'find them equipment' and left Sora, Donald, and Goofy in the care of Kat and Xcaiyet, who took it upon themselves to make the three as girly looking as possible. Xcaiyet was just finishing Sora's makeup when Aanyx returned, carrying a crate of something or other. She grinned, looking over the boys, "Not too shabby....Though..." Her head tilted to one side as she walked around Sora, "....For concubines, they're all rather flatchested...." Her grin widening, she pulled the top off the crate, "so then; melons?"
"Hell no! He'd have these, for sure!" Xcaiyet countered, holding up two apples. Sora's eye twitched as the grinning girls walked back over.
"What the--Hey! Lemme go!" Without warning he was suddenly knocked to the ground, hands and legs pinned down as Kat forced said fruit down the shirt of his dress. She twisted them this way and that until, seemingly satisfied, she nodded and got off him, and the other girls let him up. Sora pouted, grumbling as he stood and dusted off his dress, "What's the big idea, huh?!"
"Nothing. Just making you the Uke you are." Aanyx replied with a shrug, earning a pair of high-fives from her 'daughters' as she walked off. "I want the others as girly as possible!" she added over her shoulder. "What about you?" Sora asked, earning three glares. "I'm going to get dressed. Like I can count on you lot to act girly on your own..." Aanyx shook her head before disappearing behind the curtain Mulan had set up earlier.
She returned moments later in a slightly less extravagant kimono-dress. Her under dress was a light khaki while the kimono itself, forest green in color, was sleeveless to expose the tighter long sleeves of the under dress. The trim on the neck and the tie were dark navy, the wrap a sort of charcoal color. Her hair was, for once, down, wavy and reaching to her ankles, while the sides of her hair were twisted up with a portion that tied back behind her head in a green ribbon.
Sora's eyes widened as she stepped out, and he continued to gawk at her as she walked over and applied her face makeup. Her hand went to her ankle, and in a lightning-fast reflex, a small dagger dug into the wooden pole to Sora's left. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Aanyx said icily, and Sora turned around to allow the finishing touches to be made to his costume.
Aanyx and Mulan led the way to the large wooden pillars, taking their scarves and pulling them around, so that it looked like they held a pair of reigns in hand. The boys fallowed suit, and soon all of them were climbing up using their scarves and knees. When they reached the rafters they climbed in one at a time before dividing into two teams--the girls and the surprise attack. Aanyx grumbled to Kat and Xcaiyet, "I don't see why I can't be part of the ambush...."
"Because you need to embrace your inner girl, Mommy!" Kat replied as they headed off to wait in the shadows. "Okay. Any questions?" Mulan asked in a whisper to the other 'girls'. "Yeah. Does this dress make me look fat?" Donald said in the same whisper. Aanyx hit him over the head with her fan, placing a finger over her lips with a warning glare.
Aanyx sighed, walking out at the head of the procession. She gave a fake girlish giggle, keeping her fan over the bottom part of her face as she bat her eyelashes and fanned herself. She heard Sora nearly trip behind her, making her scowl into her fan. If that idiot ruined it now....
"Concubines...." The burly guard on the left winced. The one on the right drew back slightly, "CONCUBATING concubines...." Aanyx turned her head in his direction, trying VERY hard not to glare over her fan. For whatever reason, he gave her a sheepesh grin and a small wave.....right as Sora lost an apple. The red fruit dropped to the ground, making Aanyx wince. As the guard reached down to grab it, she brought up her knee, effectively making his head shoot back into the door. Three more guards came rushing in, as well as several heartless. Pulling out her whips, she grabbed two guards at once. "So I'm a concubine, am I?" She growled, raising an eyebrow. "THUNDAGA!" She yelled, making both whips glow with her magic as the guards cried out.
She saw the ambush crew jump into the melee, and grabbed Sora by the back of his kimono, "Leave the smallfry for the others! We've got to save the emperor!" Aanyx stopped short at the door, pressing her ear against it. She opened it cautiously, tensed and ready for an attack should it come. Finding none, she opened it wider and waved the others through, "Come on, come on, comeon!" After making sure her party were all assembled and heading for the next door, she charged foreword, making the front of the procession just as she reached the last set of doors. She, Sora, Mulan, and Goofy all lifted the large barricade, and once more Aanyx made sure it was safe.
"Though the wind may howl, the mountain will never bow down to it." She heard the emperor quote, both backs to the doors. Aanyx grinned, getting a running start. She jumped at the door, knocking Shan Yu down by her momentum. "Go!" Sora and Goofy came up, each grabbing the emperor by the arm, "Sorry, Your Majesty!" Sora said as he and Goofy threw their scarves over the wire that held lanterns from there to the first story on the other side. They slid down, keeping the emperor aloft between them both, and Shan Yu growled, "You! How DARE you!" Aanyx chuckled, "Aw gee, I'm sorry. Did you want to slide down, too?"
Aanyx dodged his strike with a smug grin as Mulan and the others ran up. Shan Yu saw the captain and growled once more. "You! You're the one that made me loose EVERYTHING!" The two fought, the odds leaning more and more towards Shan Yu as it progressed. The others tried interveining several times, though every time they found themselves surrounded by heartless. "I'll squash you like a bug." Shan Yu growled, only to have a shoe thrown at his head. "No!" The balcony went silent as Mulan glared at the War Lord. She then grabbed her hair, pulling it up into a bun. Shan Yu's eyes went wide, "The soldier from the mountain?!" He let out an aggrivated growl, rounding on the now-panicking girl. Aanyx sighed, grabbing her by the wrist, "And now he's after you! Smart move, really!"
The two ran back through the hall and into the antechamber, where Aanyx threw her towards the pillar. "Don't move until the last possible moment, you hear? I don't care if he comes straight for you!" Aanyx hissed as Mulan pressed her back against the wood. She nodded shyly, eyes wide. "Trust at least that I have a plan, alright?" Aanyx asked, her tone slightly softer and more reassuring. "I won't let you die, either."
"Where are you?!" Shan Yu snarled as he ran in. He let out a growl and charged at Mulan, who sat there like a sitting duck until the last possible moment. She dived off, but Shan Yu still ran straight into the pillar, knocking it free to break through the wall. Aanyx, having morphed her kimono into a shorter dress and capris, ran out from behind the pillar Mulan rolled to. Grabbing the girl once more, Aanyx led the way onto the pillar as Shan Yu attempted to get his bearings. "Onto the roof!" After making sure Mulan had gotten up safely, she jumped up herself, making sure to make the broken pillar fall to the ground below. "Mushu!" "Way ahead of ya!" Was the dragon's reply, having already gotten hold of a kite with wings.
Aanyx watched as he flew off, only to scream slightly as Shan Yu's fist came smashing up just behind her. "We need to keep him up here, ya hear? Whatever it takes." Aanyx said, running to the other end of the roof as Shan Yu attempted to get up. When he finaly managed to do so, he instantly went after Mulan. Scared, she pulled out the only thing she had left--her fan. Shan Yu gave a satisfied chuckle, "Looks like you're running out of ideas." He lunged at her with his sword, only to have her use the fan as a shield. Snapping it shut on the sword she twisted it out of his grasp, gabbing onto the handle and pointing it at him, "Not quite."
Growling, Shan Yu made to lunge for her again, only to find his shoes melted to the roof. Aanyx grinned, turning to Mushu, "Ready Mushu?" The little dragon ripped the kite off, revealing a large firecracker, "I am READY, sista!"
"Go!" Aanyx commanded, running to Mulan's side. Mushu lit the fuse to the firework strapped to his back, letting it take off as he grabbed onto the small dagger dug into the roof. "Getoftheroof, getofftherroof, getofftherroof, GETOFFTHERROOF!" Aanyx said quickly, grabbing Mulan and jumping off the roof as the firework exploded. She grabbed a lantern as she went, Mulan doing the same just to her left, and the two slid down to where the others were waiting. "WHOOOO! HA HA HA!" Aanyx laughed at the top of her lungs as she went, grinning as she somersaulted mid-air and landed right beside Sora, who flinched. "Ah-ah! To for flinching!" Aanyx teased, slugging his shoulder not-so-lightly on the shoulder.
"Heey!" He wined in protest, rubbing his forearm. Aanyx merely blew him a raspberry, sticking her thumbs in her ears and wiggling her fingers while crossing her eyes, "Nee ner, nee ner! You've got no wiener!" Mulan, Donald, and Goofy all gave her O.O looks, while Kat and Xcaiyet began to giggle mercilessly. Sora flushed, "H-hey!"
"What? It's true, skirt-boy!"
"Am not!"
"Oh that's right. It's a wedding kimono--much more macho!"
"That. IS. Enough." The two froze as the emperor came down the steps towards them, the atmosphere sobering at once. The emperor gave them both a look before turning to Mulan. "....I've heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You took your father's armor...Ran away from home...impersonated a soldier…joined the imperial army...destroyed my palace! AND!" As he listed the things she had done, his tone became more and more sharp, making Mulan wince. His tone got softer, however, as he finished, "You have saved us all." With that he bowed down to her, making her eyes go wide. She turned to the other troops around her, who bowed as well, to Sora, Donald, and Goofy, who were already on their knees, and finally at Aanyx, who smirked at her before dipping low into a curtsey.
"If I may...Your Majesty..." Aanyx muttered, still in her curtsey. The emperor looked up at her, and she stood straight once more. "I'm afraid it was my fault that your palace was destroyed....But I'm willing to pay for expenses, if you wish."
"With what munny?" Sora muttered behind her, making her step on his foot. She then pulled out a small pouch made of suede, extending it to the emperor, "I believe this should cover it..." The emperor opened the bag, and the palace behind him began to glow a faint green. The rubble flew back into place, repairing the building back to its original state.
Sora gawked at her, and she winked, "Never hurts to have a little magic on hand." Aanyx was just glad that no one had noticed her hands glowing, too.
She once more pretended to listen as the emperor talked with Mulan, offering her the Sword of Shan Yu. When she touched it, however, it began to float, glowing in white sparkles as it hovered there. Sora pulled out his keyblade, and the wind swept around him. Aanyx couldn't help but laugh at how stupid he looked as he did some kind of fancy jump, pointing his keyblade at the sword with a determined look on his face, as though by doing this he would learn the meaning of life....
...either that, or like he was trying to take a shit.......
...either worked...
When the lightshow was done, Aanyx slapped him on the back, "Wow. Now all you need is a whole bunch of other sparkly princesses and you can go to a theme park and dance around with all your pretty lights!" She laughed in a mock excited voice. Sora glared at her before turning to Mulan. "You have to go now?" "Yeah. But we'll be back soon." Sora replied, jabbing his thumb at his chest. Aanyx snorted at the cocky pose and turned to grin at Mulan, "Stay outta trouble, kay?"
"You two be nice!" Sora added to Mulan and Shang. Aanyx thwacked him upside the head, "Thank you, retard!"
"HEY! I thought I told you not to call me retard!" Sora wined, rubbing his head. Aanyx snorted, "Fine, you incompetent idiot." With that she turned on her heel, walking back towards the gummi ship.