"What?" Axel asked as he stood before Ansem the Wise. They were within Ansem's study within the castle at Radiant Garden. Even, Ienzo, Dilan, and Aeleus were also present, similarly startled by Ansem's response.
"The name, Lillian, is one I haven't heard in a long time. It must've been about thirty years or so since I met her. But whenever I hear the name, I remember her appearance was the first of a series of events that ended in a murder within Radiant Garden." Ansem explained as Axel seemed surprised.
"My lord, with all due respect, but what murder are you talking about?" Ienzo asked as Ansem furrowed his brow in thought.
"It was before your time, Ienzo. Just before I took on Dilan, Even, and Aeleus, plus Braig as my initial apprentices." Ansem replied as Axel glanced their way.
"We're talking thirty years ago. Would've involved a woman with an accent, brown hair, and a Keyblade. Any of you guys commit anything from back then to memory?" Axel asked, looking at the former Organization XIII members.
"We would've been mere children then." Even replied.
"I vaguely remember those times." Dilan added as Axel sighed.
"You're really bumming me out here." He muttered.
"What prompted this questioning, Axel?" Ienzo asked, curiously.
"Master Yen Sid had me deliver an old Master's Tome to Aqua, Ven, and Superior before the old man retired. They were nice enough to let me sit in on part of the story. Apparently, something happened in the worlds thirty years ago involving Master Eraqus, this Lillian woman, and even Xehanort before he went all dark and betraying-like. Got it memorized?" Axel asked as Ansem shook his head.
"I'm afraid my memory doesn't serve me too well. I do know that the very mention of the name Lillian somehow reminds me of a murder that took place within Radiant Garden some thirty years ago." Ansem said before Aeleus stepped forward.
"Milord, wouldn't there be some kind of record in the archives?" Aeleus asked as Ansem looked at him with a look of realization and smiled warmly.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. Dilan, Aeleus, go to the archive room and see if you can find the records of a murder said to have taken place around thirty years ago. Ienzo, Even, check the computer and see if there is any information stored there as well." Ansem instructed, all four of his apprentices bowing and departing to carry out his orders. Ansem then looked to Axel as he rose to his feet.
"Guess I'll be heading back to rejoin the others. If they find anything, tell them to head to the train station in Twilight Town. We'll meet them there." Axel said, turning towards the door.
"Before you go, I have but one question to ask you, personally. As a king to his subject, why don't you come back to us? Why don't you remain here, in your homeworld?" Ansem asked, Axel pausing with his back turned him.
"Don't take it the wrong way. I'm not one to rip on this place. But I've got nothing to keep me here. No reason to stay. Out there though, I've got a reason. A guy with spiky hair and big feet gave me a reason to get out there. Besides, this isn't my home. It's Lea's home, and I'm not Lea. Nah, my home is wherever my friends are." Axel explained before turning towards Ansem who seemed to be smiling understandingly and acceptingly.
"Got it memorized?" Axel asked, tapping his head with a grin before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness.
…
Back in Disneylahn, Axel was still grinning as he finished recounting his conversation with Ansem to Aqua, Ven, and Terra.
"That's kinda concerning. A murder in Radiant Garden that took place around the same time Master Lillian showed up?" Ven asked as Axel gave a worried nod.
"Yeah, I know. Don't suppose it was Lillian who got axed do you?" Axel asked but Terra shook his head.
"No. It'd have been impossible. She wouldn't have been able to write the book, and Aqua, Ven, and I have very clear memories of having seen her during our training days. She couldn't have been the victim." Terra replied.
"Maybe…" Aqua said, a worried look on her face, everyone looking at her, "…maybe Lillian wasn't the one killed, but the one who did the killing."
There was an eerie silence in the old throne room.
"It…would explain why she went into exile." Terra muttered.
"And why she never attended any Meetings of the Masters with Master Eraqus, Xehanort, and Yen Sid at the same time." Aqua added.
"They might've gone after her had they known she was alive." Terra suggested.
"And Master Eraqus probably still had a flame for her so he wouldn't divulge her existence to them." Aqua added.
"But who did she kill…and why? It doesn't make any sense." Ven said.
"Maybe it's a frame up. I know I got pretty good at framing some of the members of Organization XIII for a few old pranks back in the day. By the way, Vexen looks hilarious bald, and Demyx had a lot more hair than he did when you saw him." Axel chuckled.
"Maybe Ansem's old records might have the answers." Terra suggested.
"But that could take them hours." Ven said but Aqua smiled a little.
"Well, we do have a great way to pass the time. And maybe that murder is explained in the book." Aqua suggested as Axel shrugged, moving to sit on the center throne.
"Dibs on the big chair." Axel said, sitting down as everyone did the same. Aqua then stretched out her hand towards the Arcana Librium, beginning the next chapter. It started with an image of Master Lillian on her dory, armored and sailing through the stars.
"While Eraqus and Xehanort crossed blades with the Traveler and Ultimecia, my pursuit of Millicent led me to a world I'd only heard mention of in passing from Oswald. The place he called his home and the place that called him King…
Lillian was perplexed as she found herself in a strange world with rolling hills and a long winding river. However, what perplexed her was the fact that there wasn't any color at all within the world. The entire world was completely monochrome. Even Lillian found all her own color had vanished.
"What a strange world." She commented to herself as she sailed down the river, bringing the boat in to dock at a pier next to a large wharf. As she tied off the boat, she noticed one of the world's residents was standing near the wharf. Suspecting something was wrong, she quietly turned towards her boat and raised a hand towards it. The boat then magically vanished into thin air, hidden by Lillian's spell. She then pulled up a hood attached to her jacket and started her way towards the figure. Her hood didn't completely obscure her face though.
"Hello there!" Lillian called, catching the attention of the figure. The figure was a short little creature, with a black body with two large round ears, a long and black tail, large feet inside of a pair of round shoes. His hands had three fingers and a thumb, both inside of a pair of white gloves. He also wore a pair of shorts with two large buttons on the front. On the whole, he resembled a large mouse.
"Oh, hello there!" the figure greeted as Lillian approached him, kneeling to his level.
"I'm new around here. I was wondering if you've seen anything strange or out of the ordinary?" Lillian asked as the figure pondered for a moment.
"Hmm…nope, sorry." The figure replied. Lillian gave an understanding nod.
"Right, thank you. I also don't suppose you could tell me where I am. I'm a little lost." Lillian said as the figure smiled and gave a nod.
"Why sure! You're in Timeless River." The figure said as Lillian blinked in surprise.
"Timeless River? Wait then that means this is…" Lillian said before remembering something, smiling at the thought.
"Something wrong?" the figure asked but Lillian smiled and shook her head.
"No, not at all. I just know someone from here." Lillian replied as the figure smiled at her.
"Welp, I best be going. Hope to see ya real-…" the figure said but was interrupted by someone screaming. (Battle Music Cue: Old Friends, Old Rivals – KH2) The figure spun around to see a pair of the world's residents, an anthropomorphic dog and an anthropomorphic duck, both running towards them as a small pack of Second Displaced chased after them.
"Uh-oh!" the Mouse yelped, quickly rushing to stand in between his friends and the approaching monsters. Before the Displaced could reach him however, he heard a gunshot and saw a fireball smash into the first of the Displaced, creating an explosion that obliterated a large swath of the Displaced approaching them but not all. Lillian then leapt in front of them, holding a flintlock-like weapon in her off hand. The flintlock looked like it was part of her Keyblade Armor and its hammer was designed like a Mark of Mastery.
"Stay back! I'll handle these things!" Lillian said as she summoned her Keyblade, standing at the ready to defend the others. The mouse noticed the Keyblade in her hand and his eyes widened in surprise. Lillian then launched forward with a lunge, skewering a Displaced on her Keyblade before starting to cut through the Displaced with the Keyblade. Without warning though, the Displaced turned and started running, causing Lillian to pause in confusion.
"Running away?" she asked before realizing something. She started chasing after the retreating Displaced, cutting down the ones she could catch.
"Hey! Wait!" the Mouse exclaimed, chasing after her. The dog and the duck saw him running away and blinked in alarm.
"Wak! Your majesty!" the Duck yelped. (End Battle Music).
"Wait for us!" the dog added, the two chasing after him. Meanwhile, Lillian chased the Displaced to a lonely pier where she quickly found the source of the Displaced and slid to a halt with a scowl. Before her was Ultimecia, holding her side and laboring to breathe, an angered expression on her face. The Displaced were swarming towards her.
"You?!" Lillian asked as Ultimecia glared at her in annoyance.
"How unsurprising to have one of you appear here and now." Ultimecia replied, holding out one hand towards the Displaced. The Displaced proceeded to explode into sand and start flowing into her waiting hand, dissolving upon contact. Ultimecia seemed to sigh with relief as they did. Lillian noticed this and arched a confused eyebrow.
"Are you…in pain?" Lillian asked. Ultimecia stood upright, extending her wings.
"This world is bathed in the light. Almost unnaturally so. And as you well know, Darkness cannot survive for long in a place like this. Fortunately, it seems the Displaced are not so vulnerable." Ultimecia explained as Lillian scowled at her.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"The Displaced are neither Light nor Darkness. Time does not bend to either. And as the Displaced are born of neither, Light and Darkness does not bother them." Ultimecia said, absorbing more Displaced.
"But it does seem to bother you." Lillian said, attempting to see Ultimecia's future but was unable to, her eyes giving her a burning sensation upon trying, causing her to yelp, putting her hand to her eyes. Ultimecia chuckled menacingly.
"Fool. Attempting to see the future of one who hails from it is most unwise." Ultimecia said, crossing her arms over her chest. Lillian lowered her hand, glaring at Ultimecia.
"So you are from the future, and of the Darkness. What kind of horrors have my sister associated herself with? What does she stand to gain from aligning herself with the likes of you?!" Lillian asked. Ultimecia merely smiled darkly at her.
"She believes that she is using the Darkness as one would a poison. To understand it, to learn its weaknesses, so as to eventually kill it. It will be her undoing, and in the end, she will be the one that is used for Darkness." Ultimecia said but Lillian scowled and pointed her Keyblade at the villainess.
"Not if I can save her from herself…and the likes of you!" Lillian retorted before charging towards her but Ultimecia leapt clear, beginning to float atop a nearby tree.
"Did you think it would be so simple? To strike me down in such a weakened state? A locust like you should've known better." Ultimecia said tauntingly as the mouse, duck, and the dog arrived, freezing at the sight of the Time Witch.
"Whoa! Who is that?!" the dog asked. Ultimecia merely smiled darkly and pointed her clawed hand towards the ground, creating a swirling twister of sands (Battle Music Cue: Vim and Vigor – KH2).
"Long live the King." Ultimecia said towards the mouse who blinked in confusion. Ultimecia then vanished in a swirl of sands. The large twister of sand soon died down to reveal a massive and towering Displaced. It had the same general shape of a Darkside Heartless, but instead of the large empty Heart in its stomach, it was solid and had the hourglass insignia. It also didn't have the small wings or snake-like "hair" of the Darkside, instead having a single long strand down the back that seemed to flail about slightly on its own.
"Stay back! I'll handle this!" Lillian said as she dropped into her fighting stance. It resembled Aqua's only she held her Keyblade towards the front, and pointed upwards, similar to a fencer's dueling stance. She also held her flintlock pointed upwards, ready to use it at a moment's notice. The massive Week Displaced reared back a fist and punched the ground, creating a persistent cloud of sand that began to spawn numerous Second Displaced that started to scuttle towards them. Lillian sprung into action, lunging towards the fist, stabbing it with her Keyblade before leaping back and shooting a Firaga at it from her pistol. The Week let out a groan of pain and recoiled but the Seconds started charging towards her. Before she could react, the Mouse leapt into their path, its arms out to the sides.
"I'm not letting you fight for my home, not by yourself!" the Mouse replied as Lillian blinked in surprise.
"You're going to get yourself hurt!" she said but the Mouse suddenly thrust his left hand towards the Displaced, throwing a glowing pearl of Light Magic at the Displaced, destroying one of the Seconds, forcing the others to halt their advance and surprising Lillian.
"We can do this together!" the Mouse said, turning to smile at her over his shoulder. When he did, her eyes briefly glowed and she saw something that made her blink in surprise for a moment before smiling determinedly.
"Alright then. Together!" she said, thrusting her hand out to the side, summoning a large glowing blue-purple dome of hexagonal magic tiles to seal herself, the Mouse, and the Displaced within it while keeping the Dog and the Duck outside. Lillian and the Mouse quickly split off in opposite directions, Lillian barraging the Displaced with Blizzaga spells fired from her flintlock, and the Mouse throwing Pearls of Light, disorienting the Week. As Lillian circled around to the beast's right side, she saw its Hour Glass insignia starting to glow with purple energy. Realizing it was charging up for a powerful attack, she quickly turned towards the Mouse.
"En-Thunder!" she shouted, the Mouse suddenly gaining an electrical charge to his hands. He looked at his hands curiously for a moment before quickly throwing a Pearl at an approaching Second Displaced, the impact of the pearl releasing a chain of lightning that destroyed two more Seconds near it. The Week then let out a roar and released a barrage of twelve glowing gold and purple bolts of energy that started homing in on Lillian and the Mouse. Lillian quickly threw up a Reflega barrier around her that absorbed the bolts, but to her surprise, she saw the Mouse quickly running away from the bolts leaping and rolling from side to side, evading the bolts which crashed into the ground, missing him completely. Lillian and the Mouse regrouped in front of the Week as it punched the ground again, conjuring more Seconds. The two charged forward again, Lillian stabbing and shooting at the Week's wrist while the Mouse leapt onto its arm, charging up towards its shoulder.
"Watch out!" Lillian called just as the Week's long tendril down the back coiled around and struck at the Mouse. The Mouse leapt off, narrowly avoiding the strike and landing right in front of the Week. Thinking quickly he reared back both hands and fired two electrified Pearls at the Displaced's Hourglass insignia, causing it to roar in pain. Lillian and the Mouse quickly leapt back. The Week stepped back, its Hourglass insignia glowing again, but this time it fired off six large gold and black orbs into the air. Lillian and the Mouse quickly leapt away in opposite directions but when the orbs impacted between them, they exploded into a small swarm of Seconds.
"Uh-oh!" the Mouse yelped in alarm, quickly getting surrounded by the Displaced. Lillian was quickly surrounded as well.
"Your majesty!" "Look out!" the dog and the duck yelled from the other side of the barrier. Lillian knew she couldn't reach the Mouse in time and the Week was rearing back both fists for another strike. The Mouse looked around in alarm, no means of escaping at all. He quickly shielded himself with his arms but just as the Week moved to strike, the Mouse let out a bright and crisp white light, causing everyone, even the Week and Lillian to shield their eyes. Lillian squinted from behind her arm at the light but what she saw made her grin. The light faded and the Mouse opened his eyes in surprise to find all the Seconds had been destroyed and the Week was in a daze. But clutched in the Mouse's right hand was a long curved shaft decorated in white stars, a guard made of two shooting stars, a tooth shaped like a star and crescent moon, and a keychain shaped like a crescent moon. The Mouse marveled at the weapon in surprise for a moment before Lillian hurried up to him.
"Now's not the time to stare at it! Use it!" she said, pointing her own Keyblade at the Week. The Mouse followed her lead and pointed the Keyblade at the stunned Week. Both their Keyblades began to glow at the tips, a light shining from them before they fired a concentrated beam of light at the Week's Hourglass icon, causing cracks of light to rip through it. The Week roared in pain as the cracks covered its entire body before it finally exploded in a shower of gold and purple sands that disappeared almost instantly (End Battle Music). Lillian sighed with relief, quickly looking around but saw no Displaced. She quietly dismissed her weapons and the magic dome just as the duck and the dog came running up to the Mouse.
"Your majesty!" "Are you alright?" they asked as the Mouse turned to them with a smile and a nod.
"Uh-huh, sorry about worrying ya fellas. But everything's A-Okay now…except…" he said, looking at the Keyblade in his hand.
"Say, isn't that the same thing his Majesty has?" the dog asked.
"Just like King Oswald's!" the duck added, causing Lillian to blink in surprise.
"King Oswald?" she asked, turning towards them. They turned towards her as well.
"Do you know him, ma'am?" the Mouse asked as Lillian gave a nod.
"He's apprenticed to Master Yen Sid of Disneylahn, right? A Keyblade Apprentice, right?" Lillian asked, all three of them nodding.
"Uh-huh. He's my brother." The Mouse replied as Lillian smiled warmly at him.
"So that makes you…the Prince?" she asked but the duck and dog both laughed.
"Aww, I'm just a cabin boy. I'm no Prince." The Mouse replied. Lillian crossed her arms over her chest with a knowing smirk.
"I remember hearing them call you 'your majesty' once before." Lillian said as the Mouse glanced away with a slight tint of dark gray in his monochrome cheeks, blushing.
"Aww shucks, that's just because I-." the Mouse said but Lillian knelt down on one knee to his level.
"You were willing to risk your life to protect your friends. To protect someone you didn't even know. That's not something to be idly dismissed. You acted like a proper leader. It's no wonder the Keyblade chose you." Lillian said, placing a comforting hand on the Mouse's shoulder.
"Chose me?" the Mouse asked.
"The Keyblade doesn't let just anyone wield it. It is bound to the Hearts of those it chooses. And after seeing you stand against that monster, I can see why it chose you. You have a heart that is strong with the Light. I would encourage you to learn to wield the Keyblade properly. But to do that, you will need a Master to show you how." Lillian said as she pulled back her hood.
"Who are you?" the Mouse asked as Lillian smiled.
"I'm Lillian. Oswald's my classmate. What's your name?" Lillian asked as the Mouse glanced away slightly in embarrassment.
"M-M-M…" he stammered, earning a curious smile from Lillian.
"M-Mortimer." The Mouse replied softly. Lillian seemed mildly disgusted with the name.
"Mortimer? Mmm, that doesn't sound quite fitting for a Prince. Mortimer…hmm." Lillian said, tapping her chin in thought before smiling at him.
"Let's see, what would be a fitting royal name? Hmm…" she thought to herself aloud.
"Walter!" the Duck suggested.
"Roy!" the Dog suggested. Lillian's eyes then widened and she smiled in realization.
"Mickey! What about Mickey? Mickey Mouse?" she suggested as Mortimer thought on it for a second but quickly smiled.
"Mickey…I like it!" he replied as Lillian then rose to her feet and summoned her Keyblade.
"Alright then." She said. Mortimer realized what she was doing and quickly dropped to one knee with his head bowed slightly. Lillian's Keyblade then began to glow with light.
"As a Wielder of the Keyblade, guardian and protector of the Light and the Worlds, I hear by name thee as Prince Mickey Mouse…" she said, tapping his right shoulder.
"…To study and learn the secret art of wielding the Keyblade. To protect the Light and those aligned with it. To hold strong against whatever threat the Darkness may throw at you…" she said, tapping his left shoulder before holding it directly over his head.
"…to protect the Worlds from Darkness, and above all else, to protect Kingdom Hearts and its secrets from those that would abuse its power or use it for evil…" she said as an orb of light started to glow at the tip of her Keyblade.
"…and with the power of your Heart as your Drive, the Keyblade as your weapon, and the Light of Kingdom Hearts as your guide, let the power of these elements come together and forge for you the armor that will forever mark you as a Keyblade Wielder, and one day as a Keyblade Master." Lillian said as the orb suddenly burst, revealing a simple round badge with the Mouse's seal on it. Mickey looked up in awe as the badge hovered down into his awaiting hands. In a flash, the badge vanished but now Mickey was clad in a suit of Keyblade Armor designed to fit him. His helmet even accommodating his ears.
"Whoa!" the dog and duck both remarked in awe at the sight of Mickey in his armor. Lillian smiled down at the young Prince. The moment was interrupted by a clapping sound nearby. They turned to see a familiar face.
"Well done you two. I knew you had it in you."
"Master Yen Sid!" Lillian yelped, bowing to her master as he approached, wearing his conical hat. Oswald was at his side.
"Your majesty!" Mickey, the Dog, and the Duck all yelped together at the sight of Oswald.
"How long have you been here, Master?" Lillian asked, standing up.
"Just arrived, but we saw the whole thing. I've been keeping an eye on Mort-err-I-mean Mickey, for some time. I've known for a while that Mickey's heart had been chosen by the Keyblade. It was a simple matter of waiting for it to manifest itself." Yen Sid explained as Oswald, Mickey, the Dog, and the Duck spoke amongst each other.
"Then you knew that the Displaced and that woman were here? Why didn't you do something?" Lillian asked as Yen Sid smiled gently at her.
"Sometimes being a Master is knowing when to act and when not to. In this case, I had to see how Mickey handled himself. Had you not been here, then I would have stepped in and assisted. But this was just as good a test for you as it was him." Yen Sid replied as Lillian looked towards the four as they talked amongst themselves.
"I understand, Master." She replied.
"One critical mark though, it's typically frowned upon for Apprentices to awaken Keyblade Armor for Initiates like Mickey. But I'll ignore it. Saved me the trouble and you got him a new name to boot. Mickey…hmm…has a nice ring to it." Yen Sid complimented as Lillian blushed a little.
"It just seemed a bit…happier than Mortimer." She replied.
"I'll take care of things here, Lilly. You still have an exam to take." He said as Lillian nodded understandingly.
"I understand, Master." She said, pulling up her hood. Before she could start away, Yen Sid cleared his throat.
"It's Ultimecia, by the way." He said, causing Lillian to pause, looking over her shoulder at him.
"Huh?"
"That woman's name. According to Professor Shantotto, her name's Ultimecia. She contacted me to let me know Eraqus had a run in with her. Don't worry, he's fine." Yen Sid said as Lillian nodded understandingly.
"Thank you, Master. I just hope it isn't too late to stop her and my sister." Lillian replied before running off towards the Wharf, not noticing that Mickey had seen her run off. Lillian soon arrived at the Wharf, approaching the dock where her dory remained hidden. She raised her hand, her dory reappearing in the water. As she approached the boat, she heard someone calling out to her.
"Wait!"
She turned and saw Mickey running up to her, back in his usual clothes but with his badge taking the place of one of his trouser buttons. Lillian turned towards him with a smile.
"What is it, Mickey?" she asked.
"I just wanted…to thank ya. I don't know if we'll see each other again, but ya helped me protect my world and my friends. But know that you're always welcome here." He said as Lillian knelt down to his level, briefly closing her eyes to hide her eyes' glow as she looked into his future. What she saw, made her smile wider.
"I can't say whether we will or won't, Mickey. But I foresee that you will become a great leader, both here and in worlds beyond, and an equally great Keyblade Master. The Light will be your companion, among others. Including-…huh?" Lillian said, opening her eyes and furrowing her brow at what she had seen. She had seen Mickey standing next an assortment of silhouettes made of light, and a light that resembled the spark from her dreams.
"What's the matter?" Mickey asked but Lillian smiled at him.
"It's nothing. Something you'll have to see for yourself in time." She said, turning to leave. Mickey smiling as she boarded her dory and cast off, sailing down the river to leave the world, the world fading to black as the chapter came to an end.
End Chapter 11.
Lillian's giving Mickey his name is a direct reference to the real life back-story for how Mickey got his name. Lillian Disney, the wife of Walt Disney, (and the namesake of Lillian in this story) had proposed the name Mickey instead of Walt's original Mortimer when Walt was first creating him back in 1928.