Hi~ guys! -heart- It's that time of the fortnight again! It's Ivy J, here with another DCL chapter!
OMG, you guys are so awesome -heart-. When I wasn't updating, I really missed those wonderful little boosts to my ego called 'reviews'. Sometimes, I really needed 'em.
Again, I'm supposed to be heading into work this morning, but not for another two hours this time. They reeeeally like me working on Saturdays. So I have to be quick again. This'll probably be a fairly common thing now. Oh well.
Arear: OMG, you live! Yay! I've missed your comments! -heart- The Plantation actually gave me a lot of trouble, although I'm having worse trouble with the next quarter of story now, lol. I hadn't seen any 101 Dalmatians in FOREVER, and I didn't want it to be completely useless like Chateau Vitrearii. That chapter irritates me, now. I'm sorely tempted to go back and fix it. Later. Maybe once I'm done. I enjoyed writing the masquerade, but I enjoy even more that everyone had exactly the reaction to it that I was hoping for, lol. I could see Belle picking up on R/S, but I couldn't quite see her acting on it, which is weird. But that's okay! Yes, there are plenty more moments to come! Trust me :D Oh, and, BTW: You get bonus love for guessing right! :D You'll see!
Rose93darkness: I did love writing the puppies. It was so much fun. And I do like Anita and Roger, although during my research, I discovered that when the cartoon was released, they'd changed Roger and Anita's last name...probably because they didn't want anyone mixing them up with Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas. Buuuuut I decided to go back to their original name, because I though that was kinda silly. -heart- Anyway, enough of my rambling, I'm glad you liked it!
LadySYNdrome: Oh, trust me, it's coming. It's actually giving me trouble at this very moment, lol. Well, kinda. Sorta. More like the story surrounding it is giving me trouble. Deces Claves Luminibus is...well, truthfully, it's bastardized Latin. I got it proofread by a friend who remembers hers a lot more easily than I do mine. It's supposed to mean "Ten Keys to Light". It kinda gets the message across, but not really XD
A Seraphim Moon: I'm so sorry to hear about your uncle. I'm glad my story helped, though. Sora and Riku are getting there; slowly, but surely. I swear, it's coming. I'm trusting the comments I keep getting where people are all like, "This is so realistic because it's slow! -heart-!".
the-ice-cold-alchemist: Oh, yes. Roxas needed to be there. I had to. And no, as of yet, there are no plans to kill him off. That could change, I will warn you, but only if the story demands it. Like, hands-slamming-into-tables, temper-tantrums kinda demands. I have killed characters before...
And they weren't silent conversations, per say. It was more that funny kind of 'mind reading' that friends can do after they've known each other for a long period of time. It's that whole, "Oh, I know what you're thinking." thing. And I know! It's amazing, lol. Sora DOES have the ability to calm down and be quiet, lol.
Lavender Phantom Flame: Oh, I want to cuddle them too, trust me. lol. I adore Sora and Roxas. And I always thought so too, really. Granted, I have plenty of fics on my favorites where things happen that way, lol. Sometimes fast works, and sometimes it doesn't. And it's funny you should mention Antiform...-shifty eyes-
So, guys, enjoy the Kingdom of Roses! -heart-
Oh, and, by the way, just to warn people; there's some swearing in this chapter. I don't recall anyone having dropped the f-bomb before in what I have posted already. Well, it's happening now, lol. Be prepared. I think it only happens once in here...but it's gonna happen again. XD
The Kingdom of Roses, the last world on their path was called. It had that older air that Chateau Vitrearii had, with slightly duller colours than most places. In the middle of the forest, that had the effect of making things a little gloomier than expected. The black and white castles that had double-ended the world on the Navi-Gummi were nowhere to be seen.
"Well, that's a bit of a problem." Roxas commented, spinning around. "Are we lost?"
Donald scoffed. "We don't get lost, Roxas." He told the blond. "If we wander around long enough, we'll find something."
There was an audible gulp from Kairi's direction. "Or something might find us."
Everyone spun to face her. Large packs of Heartless seemed to materialize out of nowhere, popping out of the ground as they usually did. Several little Shadows dressed in knight's armour circled them, some riding on other Heartless shaped like miniature horses. A few looked like the Creeper Plants, except with the heads of roses instead of lilies. In place of their projectile seeds, they instead shot thorns.
The friends backed into a circle in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by Heartless. Sora looked around warily, carefully considering the situation. 'We might need the extra firepower.' He realized. 'Valor or Master form might be best...probably Valor, so that I don't take both Donald and Goofy away.'
"Goofy!" He called, pulling the Valor Orb out of his pocket. "I'm gonna need your help!"
Goofy glanced at Sora, then grinned and gave him a thumbs up, reaching out and placing his hand on the Valor Orb. The Save the King Shield and the Oathkeeper Keyblade clanged together, and the brunet Keyblade Master's back arched dramatically as he began to glow. Seconds later, Goofy disappeared.
But something suddenly went wrong.
Donald disappeared at the same time, abruptly and mysteriously. As the Court Wizard vanished, Mickey looked up, surprised. He knew how the Drive Magic worked...only Goofy was called on, so only Goofy should have disappeared. As the light dissipated, the group saw that Sora had turned a deep black colour from head to toe, as if he'd been doused in ink. The Keyblade had disappeared, but that didn't seem to deter the brunet at all. He leapt at the nearest Heartless, swiping at it with fingers that had suddenly been tipped in long, thick claws. The Heartless fell to pieces, and this new, dark-Sora darted, faster than the eye could see, to the next one.
Within a few minutes or so, all the Heartless had been taken care of. As the other four Keybearers watched, wary, Sora looked around as if expecting more to pop up. When they didn't, he whirled, lightning-fast, to face them. He canted his head slightly, almost as if curious, watching as the boys moved to stand between him and Kairi. His eyes, normally that impossibly vivid blue, had turned a bright, golden, pupil-less yellow.
'Heartless eyes.' Riku realized, his own widening in response to the thought. 'He looks like a fucking Heartless.' His blood ran cold, a shudder gripping him at the resemblance between the Keyblade Master and the beings of darkness they were supposed to be getting rid of. This wasn't right. At all.
"Sora?" Mickey's voice was cautious. "Are y'okay?"
That golden, expressionless gaze snapped to the mouse king for a moment. When Mickey didn't continue, Sora looked back up at the others, staring at them in an almost-scrutinizing way. They stayed that way for a few moments, examining each other closely. Roxas couldn't help but stare at those soulless pits of yellow, round gold coins set against deep black velvet.
But all of a sudden, those eyes were much too close for comfort.
"Shit!" Roxas shouted in alarm, jerking back and flicking the Essence of Turmoil Keyblade up between them. For Sora, who had been a good six feet away not two seconds ago, was suddenly right up in his face. Mere inches separated the two, their resemblance to one another adding to the unearthly nature of the situation.
"Sora?" Riku called softly. The spiky-haired teen appeared not to hear him, but he must have, because a moment later, he was suddenly standing before the silver-haired Keyblade wielder, just as close as he'd been to Roxas. Shock flickered through Riku's eyes; he hadn't been expecting this dark-Sora to move quite so fast. "Shit." He whispered without thinking, not even recalling that he was echoing Roxas. Those yellow eyes blinked at him, slowly.
A split second later, a flash of white light caused the darkness to dissipate. As it vanished completely, Sora was left in its place, his breathing deep and quick as if the adrenalin produced during the fight had all been released at once. He looked around, disoriented, brilliant blue eyes wide and slightly unfocused.
"Sora, are you okay?" Kairi asked, more than a touch of concern in her voice. The brunet teen looked her way, but didn't answer, blinking hard as if needing to wake himself up. He wavered slightly for a moment or two, then suddenly his eyes rolled back and down he went.
Acting on instinct, Riku reached out, grabbing Sora's shoulders as he fell and kneeling. He shifted the brunet gently as if trying to wake him up, but the teen in his arms was already out of it. With a sigh, he ruffled his friend's cinnamon hair, lips twitched in a rueful half-smile.
Roxas knelt on Sora's other side. "Is he okay?" The blond asked. Riku nodded.
"Yeah, he's okay, I think. He's just unconscious." Another sigh caused the silver-haired teen's shoulders to rise and fall. He raked the fingers of his free hand through his hair, thinking. "But we need to find someplace where he can rest. It's too dangerous out here; the Heartless could come along again any minute."
"Riku! Roxas! Kairi!"
They all looked up. Mickey stood on a path at the edge of the clearing, Donald and Goofy to either side of him. Apparently, neither the duck nor the dog-creature was as affected by the misfired Drive as Sora was. The mouse king waved his Keyblade at them. "There's a house this way; it's not too far. C'mon!"
Carefully, Riku scooped the unconscious Sora up in his arms and stood, following Mickey as he went back down the path. The house he led them to was a small cottage, nestled against a cliffside. A river flowed in front of the little house, falling from a channel protruding from the rock of the cliff to turn a waterwheel. The group walked over the bridge and to the door, where Roxas knocked hesitantly. A tiny woman with grey hair pulled back into a bun answered. She was dressed all in green, with a short cape over her dress and a conical brimmed hat.
"Hello." Kairi greeted her, smiling. "We're terribly sorry to bother you, but could our friend possibly rest here for a little while? We were attacked by the...creatures, in the woods." She moved aside to reveal Sora. At the sight of the brunet teen, the woman at the door of the cottage gasped so sharply it was nearly a cry.
"Oh dear!" She cried, brown eyes wide. "Flora! Merriweather! Sora's here, and he needs our help!" She turned to hurry back into the cottage, revealing the tiny gossamer wings on her back. "Come in, come in, dears. There's a bedroom upstairs where he can rest." She called over her shoulder.
Two more older women came into the room, one from a side passage, the other from upstairs. When they saw Sora, they both gasped in the same manner as the first had.
"Oh my goodness! Yes, dear, just take him upstairs. Merriweather, show the boy where to go!" The elder, garbed entirely in red, shooed the third fairy back upstairs. She dipped a slight curtsey before she turned, leading Riku up to the second floor. Bustling over to one side of the bed in the upstairs room, she pulled the covers back with a flick of her wand.
"Just set him down here. Your friend, the girl, she said that you were attacked by the Heartless?" The plump, blue-clad fairy settled on a small stool, looking up at the silver-haired teen. He nodded absently, distracted as he gently placed Sora's unconscious form on the bed. The fairy drew the covers over the brunet teen with another magical wand flick.
With Sora settled, Riku looked up at the blue fairy...Merriweather, the red one had called her...with curiosity in his bright turquoise eyes. "How do the three of you know Sora?" He asked. "He told us himself that he's never been to this world before." He started to kneel beside the bed, only to find himself sitting on a chair that he could have sworn wasn't there a minute ago...Looking up at the black-haired fairy, he saw her smile cheerfully, the wand in her hand tipped with a blue light.
"Oh, we stayed and worked with the King's teacher, Master Yen Sid, for a little while before coming back here. We were there when Sora came, not so long ago. You're his friend...the one he was looking for, right?" Expression set in concentration, she tapped the brim of her hat with her wand. "Ri...Ri...oh, Riku, that's it!"
A soft, wry half-smile touched Riku's lips. "Yeah, that's me." He replied, rather amused by Merriweather's antics. Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and he looked up as Mickey came to the door. With a smile, the mouse king came over, making room for the red fairy, Kairi and Roxas, who appeared in the doorway moments later.
"I'm glad this happened here." Mickey admitted. "Riku, these women are the three good fairies. Flora," He gestured to the red one, "Fauna, and Merriweather. They're the ones who crafted the Drive Magic for Sora, so they should be able to tell us what went wrong."
"What do you mean, 'what went wrong'? Something went wrong with a Drive Form, Your Majesty?" Flora blinked at Mickey. Suddenly, a flash of understanding glinted in her deep brown eyes. "Oh, dear, you must be talking about Antiform. No wonder he's so tired."
"Antiform?" Roxas echoed. Flustered, Flora bustled to the door, turning around to face them.
"Come, dears. Let's talk downstairs." She led the group out of the room and down the stairs. Kairi, about to follow the red-clad fairy, paused at the doorway when she noticed Riku. He stood just on the other side of the doorway, looking back at Sora as if not quite comfortable with leaving him alone. With a soft smile, she gently touched his shoulder.
"He'll be okay, Riku. Don't worry."
Mickey, Flora, Riku, and Goofy sat around the small table in the room on the lower floor. Merriweather, Kairi, Roxas, and Donald were just outside the original circle, placed so that everyone could see pretty much everyone else. Fauna bustled around, refusing to sit until everyone had been fed and supplied with a cup of tea. With a sigh, the red-clad fairy sat back, setting her teacup down.
"You asked about Antiform?" She inquired. When several heads around the circle nodded, her head also dipped in response. "The Drive Form magic has its drawbacks. Positive energy is used to power the forms in use, all except Final Form, and when a large quantity of positive energy cannot be found – which is often the case – the magic draws on neutral energy and uses what it can, leaving negative energy. If too much of this negative energy builds up, it can meddle with the Drive process. Because of Sora's short time as a Heartless, this meddling takes on a specific form."
"Antiform." Kairi finished. Flora nodded at her, recognizing that she understood.
"When Final Form is used, it will draw on any energy it can get ahold of, and so it burns away the negative energy and then moves on to whatever else is available...including Sora's own life energy, if there is nothing else. One of the reasons why it shouldn't be used often."
Riku sat forward, resting his elbows on the table (much to Fauna's chagrin). "I remember once, when we were talking about his Drive Forms, he said that Final Form was always very tiring." He remarked. "He doesn't use it very often, although he did say it was cool when he did." A soft grin touched his lips. Merriweather couldn't help but giggle quietly. Flora glanced towards the stairs, smiling fondly.
"Yes, that sounds like something Sora would say." She admitted.
"So, you're saying that if he uses Final Form every once in a while, this won't happen." Roxas clarified.
Merriweather nodded. "That's right. It'll get rid of the built-up dark energy so that it doesn't muddle the other Forms."
"He probably knows that by now, dears. I think he just hasn't used his Drive Forms in a while, and so he's forgotten that he's supposed to keep track of the build-up." Fauna, satisfied at last that everyone had been served, finally sank into a chair next to Kairi.
Flora got to her feet, looking around to take in the group of guests before her. "Please, all of you. Feel free to stay as long as you need. You all are welcome in our home." She curtseyed to all those seated around the table before she hurried off, obviously needing to keep herself busy.
Sensing that the silver-haired teen was a little edgy now that the conversation was over, Kairi gently touched his shoulder. "Do you want to go up and sit with Sora, Riku?" She asked softly. He looked up at her in surprise before he shrugged a little.
"I don't know." He sighed, looking down at his hands. "There's just something about this place...not this house, but this world in general, that's familiar. I haven't been here before...but the feeling of this place is familiar. I've been around someone from this world before. And given who the people - other than you guys - I've been hanging out with recently are, that makes me uneasy."
"Welp, if you're that worried about it, Riku, then you might as well go up and sit with Sora. It'll make you feel better, won't it? To know that he's okay?" Mickey canted his head.
With another tiny sigh, Riku realized they were right. A half-smile touched his lips. "All right. I'm going." He relented, pulling himself to his feet. He disappeared up the stairs.
Kairi smiled, watching him leave. 'I don't think he quite realizes how obvious he is.' She mused. 'I think the only person who hasn't picked up on it is Roxas, and that's because he doesn't really know Riku all that well.' She glanced around a little, catching sight of Donald and Goofy, who were bickering as always. She grinned. 'Or maybe Donald and Goofy, too.'
'I wonder how long it will take before Sora figures it out?'
It was dark.
That was the first thing Sora remembered thinking. He lifted his head, his eyes opening slowly, but that didn't help a whole lot. There was a square of moonlight shining in from the open window nearby, but other than that there wasn't any light in the room.
'How did I get here?' He wondered, looking around. 'Where is this place, anyway?'
He remembered the woods, and the Heartless. He'd called on Goofy, he recalled, to drive to Valor Form so he could help get rid of all the Heartless they'd run into. But what had happened after that?
There was a figure curled up in a chair next to the bed he was laying in. He stared at them, wondering which of his friends it was; it wasn't Riku or Roxas, the hair wasn't light enough for either of them. When a moonbeam reflected reddish pink light off the person's hair, he realized it was Kairi. As if she could feel the weight of his gaze, she stirred, waking. Her blue eyes glinted in the dim light as she looked around.
"Sora?" She asked softly. He smiled.
"Hey, Kairi." He replied. "What happened? Where are we?"
Kairi giggled. "We're in a cottage, in the woods we were in. You drove to Antiform by accident, Sora." She explained. "You collapsed on us when it was over and scared the hell out of us all."
When she said Antiform, Sora moaned and touched a hand to his head. "Oh, man, no wonder. I'm sorry." He apologized. "I completely forgot to warn you guys. How is everyone? Did I hurt anyone?"
Kairi shook her head. "Of course you didn't. It was a little creepy, but that's all."
"I'll take your word for it."
With a grin, the redheaded girl sat forward, gently touching Sora's arm. "Are you hungry? I think there's still some soup left over from dinner. I can go get some for you if you want."
Sora grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Could you?"
"I'll be right back." Kairi smiled as she left the room, creeping down the stairs so she wouldn't wake anyone. Her efforts were in vain, however, because when the bottommost step creaked, a silver-topped head rose from the couch.
"Kairi?"
"Oops." She winced. "I'm sorry, Riku. I didn't mean to wake you." Carefully, she stepped over Donald and Goofy, who were curled up on the floor near the stairs. As she crept over to the fireplace, Riku sat up.
"What're you doing down here?" He asked softly, raking his fingers through his hair.
"I came down to get a bowl of soup for Sora." She explained. At the mention of the brunet teen, Riku seemed to wake up all the way.
"Is he okay?" He asked.
Kairi giggled quietly. "Go up and ask him yourself." She replied. "He's awake."
A tiny smile, touched faintly with relief, tugged at the silver-haired teen's lips. He slipped off the couch and stepped around Roxas' makeshift bed, carefully making his way over to the stairs.
He stopped at the top of the staircase, looking into the darkened room. It took a second for his eyes to adjust, but soon enough he caught sight of Sora, leaning back against the pillows of the bed, head turned slightly as he looked out the window. What little light shone in the window gilded his skin and hair with silver, giving him an odd, washed-out sort of look. The tiniest of smiles toyed with his lips as he gazed out at the night, blue eyes fixed on something Riku couldn't see.
Relief. A soft breath left the silver-haired teen, and his eyes closed momentarily. A knot of tension that had been balling itself up in his chest abruptly fell apart and melted away. Where the knot had been, a soft humming sensation started up in his chest, a not-entirely-unpleasant feeling that he vaguely remembered from all that time he spent in the Old Mansion, watching over Sora's sleeping form in the pod.
The sigh drew Sora's attention, and he glanced up at the door. "Kairi?" He called, softly. "Is that you?"
Riku laughed quietly. "No." He replied, walking in and taking the redhead's vacated seat. "She's still getting you food. I figured I should come up while she was busy."
"Oh. Hey, Riku." Sheepish, Sora sat up, rubbing the back of his head as he grinned. "Sorry."
"It's okay." He leaned forward, gently ruffling the teen's soft spikes. "How're you feeling?"
The brunet chuckled a little. "I'm okay. I guess I just needed a rest after Antiform. I usually do...it's exhausting. I'm just glad nothing happened to you guys while I was out of commission."
Riku scoffed, typically cocky. "We can take care of ourselves, you know." He reminded the younger Keybearer.
"Well, yeah. I know that." Sora protested. "That doesn't mean I can't worry."
A soft voice came from the doorway. "It's sweet of you to worry, Sora, but I thought that was my job." With a tiny grin, Kairi came back into the room, a bowl on a plate in her hands. The brunet grinned.
"You can share."
With a giggle, she sat down on the edge of the bed, setting the plate on her lap. "Well, I suppose." She relented. "But how about you start to help lessen my worry a little and eat something?"
Sora chuckled. "I kinda need the bowl if I'm going to eat."
It was quiet for a few minutes after Kairi handed over the remnants of the soup from dinner. After a few moments, Sora looked up, surprised to see that they were both watching him. "What?" He asked, blinking.
Kairi and Riku exchanged glances. "Nothing, really." The redhead assured him. "I think we're just reassuring ourselves that you're really okay."
"I think you would have been just as worried if one of us suddenly turned into a Heartless version of ourselves and ripped a dozen Heartless to pieces with our bare hands." Riku added, one brow arched wryly. Sora blinked again, startled now rather than surprised.
"Is that really what I look like?" He asked.
"You go black all over and have yellow eyes. Sora, what would that look like to you?"
The brunet winced. "I never knew that." He admitted. "I've never seen Antiform before, and there's never been anyone around to see it and tell me."
Kairi blinked at him. "You've never seen it before?" She asked. Sora shook his head.
"It's almost like I...I tune out, when I go Antiform." He explained. "I don't ever remember what happens while I'm in Antiform. I'm not sure why...it's almost like I regress or something. I don't need to think; I need to react. So I don't remember anything." He shrugged a little. "To be honest, if it's really as creepy as you guys say, I don't think I want to be able to remember." As he set the spoon down again and yawned, Kairi giggled a little and took the bowl from him.
"Go back to bed, you." She ordered. "We'll see you in the morning, okay?"
Sora smiled. "I'll try." He replied, leaning back against the pillows. "G'night, guys."
"'Night, Sora." Riku smirked slightly, ruffling the younger teen's hair. He then stood, following Kairi out of the room and back down the stairs. Quietly, the redheaded girl shut the door, then tiptoed down the stairs and around the sleeping figures on the floor. She gently set the dishes in her hands in the washtub, then crept over to the couch, where Riku had lain down again.
"Hey. Mind if I sit?"
Blinking in surprise, the silver-haired teen pulled himself into a sitting position, making room for the girl on the couch. "Sure, Kairi. What is it?"
Kairi sent him a secret, knowing sort of smile. "How long, Riku?"
"What?" The inquiry caught him off-guard. 'What does she mean by that?'
Her smile broadened, as if by his noncommittal answer he confirmed her suspicions. She canted her head slightly to indicate the upstairs, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her arms on them. "Sora, Riku. You've been antsy all day unless you've either been sitting with him, or known for a fact that he was okay." Her eyes softened. "And it's not just today, either. So how long has it been?"
He stared at her, momentarily stunned. Damn it, the girl saw far too much. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he remembered that she always had. "I don't know for sure." He admitted. "I only really began to realize it after we got separated...after he and King Mickey sealed Kingdom Hearts. I...I had a lot of time to myself, to think." He looked down at his hands. "And then after I met DiZ, and I took on Ansem's face...at first I felt like it was a penance. You know, like it was something I had to do to make up for betraying him before. But then..." Taking a moment, he couldn't help but laugh. "You know I've always been...kind of arrogant. Proud of myself...of the way I look, the way I dress, the way I fight. But I was willing to give it all up, to make sure that Sora was alive, and whole, and able to go back to you." He gave a tiny smirk as Kairi giggled. "Because, of course, that's how it was supposed to work."
"But instead, he went looking for you." The redhead's brows arched. "Because he couldn't come back home without his best friend."
Riku shook his head, fighting a smile. "He's an idiot."
Kairi giggled. "Of course. That's half the reason we love him, isn't it?" When the silver-haired teen didn't respond, she nudged his arm gently. "Right?"
"I guess you're right."
When they left the cottage the next morning, the fairies waved kerchiefs from the windows of the cottage as if sending them off to some glorious and dangerous war. Sora couldn't help laughing at the thought, and tried to imagine it; himself, Riku, Roxas, King Mickey, Donald and Goofy in old-time knights' armour on horses, with Kairi riding sidesaddle in one of those long, fancy dresses.
"What?" Riku inquired, arching a brow at him. Sora shook his head.
"Nothing. Just...thinking."
The walk through the woods was pleasant and uneventful, especially after the Antiform disaster of the day before. There were small pockets of Heartless, but nothing as substantial as the pack from the previous day.
And the sight of the castle through the trees made Kairi sigh.
It was the lighter of the two castles portrayed on the Navi-Gummi. Tall and spindly, with thin towers and a grand drawbridge over a cleft in the main path to the castle. Brilliantly-coloured banners flew from every spire.
"Think that's where we're trying to go, guys?" Sora asked with a grin. Riku smirked.
"No, Sora. We're headed for the other castle. You know, the one behind this one."
He laughed when Sora turned to him, confused for a split second before the sarcasm hit him. "I don't see a- oh, you're an ass, Riku." He pouted when everyone began to laugh. "You guys are so mean."
"But you love us, don't you, Sora?" Kairi batted her eyelashes at him. "Just like we love you." Her eyes then twinkled Riku's way. "Right, Riku?"
He caught the emphasis and knew what her intentions were before the words even came out of her mouth. "If you say so, Kairi." He replied mildly, just to get her to glare at him.
"Y'know, we're not exactly doing much good out here." Mickey commented pointedly. "Let's go and see Aurora, shall we?"
"The visitors, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Robert." Princess Aurora set her embroidery aside and stood, dusting the bits of silk off her skirts. Once she was satisfied that she looked presentable, she walked into her sitting room to greet the new arrivals. At the sight of those 'visitors', she gasped.
"Keybearer!"
"Hi, Princess Aurora." Sora waved a little, a smile on his face. "How are you doing?"
The blonde princess turned to her chamberlain. "Leave us. These are dear friends, and honored guests."
The young man bowed and left, though Kairi noticed out of the corner of her eye that he didn't quite close the door all the way. There was a crack in the doorway about an inch wide.
"It's wonderful to see you, Keybearer Sora." Aurora sank into an ornately carved chair, gesturing to the rest of the room. "Please, everyone, sit."
As always, Riku hung back, preferring to get his encounter with this Princess of Heart over and done with. When she caught sight of him, it took her a moment before she glanced Sora's way, a spark of something unsettled in her eyes.
"It's okay." He smiled. "Princess, meet my best friend, Riku."
The blonde princess' look of uncertainty vanished, replaced by a warm smile. "Of course. Please, take a seat."
As he did so, a maid came in from another room with a tray of small delicacies. With a curtsey, she left the room again. Another brought in a workbasket full of thread in rainbow colours and some thin cloth, before leaving the same way the first did. Watching them, Aurora gave a soft, almost-exasperated sigh.
"To answer your question, Sora, I'm doing just fine." She replied. "I'm not quite used to all of this fluttering and fussing over me, but otherwise, everything is wonderful."
Goofy blinked at her. "You're not used to bein' waited on, Princess?"
"I remember the story." Mickey chuckled. "Your parents hid you away when you were just a baby, right, Princess?"
The blonde nodded. "I was raised as a peasant maiden. I would be much more comfortable in the kitchen or the laundry." She shook her head, a tiny smile on her lips. "The maids were appalled when I walked into the scullery and asked if there was anything I could do to help."
"I can imagine." Kairi giggled.
Glancing the redhead's way, Aurora smiled again. "Phillip laughs whenever I do something like that. I think it's wonderful that he doesn't mind a princess able to cook her own meals and clean her own chamber."
Roxas blinked at her. "Really?"
"He fell in love with Briar Rose the peasant maiden." She explained with a chuckle. "He doesn't at all mind when she comes back every once in a while."
Sora grinned. "That's awesome."
"Now, if only you could get the servants to feel the same way." Mickey laughed.
"Exactly. It's so wonderful to be understood." Aurora sat back, looking the seven of them over curiously. "Now, Keybearer, have you come because of the Heartless?"
"Well, we didn't actually know the Heartless were still active here." The brunet teen admitted. "We really just came to visit. But since they're a problem, we might as well take care of it while we're here."
"You'll do us a service if you can."
Surprised, everyone looked to the door, where a young man with sandy brown hair stood in a black-and-red outfit. Walking forward, he took the blonde princess into his arms.
"I felt I must come up and meet your guests, Aurora." He explained.
Aurora smiled. "Prince Phillip, meet the Keybearer, Sora, and his dear friends."
"Hello, Your Highness." Sora reached out and took the prince's hand when it was offered. Phillip gave a warm smile.
"So, you're the famous Keybearer."
The brunet teen blinked. "Famous? Me?"
"That's the second time someone's said that to you, Sora." Riku couldn't help remarking with a smirk, earning himself a glare.
Philip chuckled, taking a seat for himself near Aurora. "I heard your offer for assistance with the Heartless. We're honored that you all are taking such a personal interest in our safety." His cheerful manner dimmed somewhat. "We've been holding them off as best as we can, but it's taken lives from the village, lives that will be needed during the summer harvest."
Sora drew a troubled frown. "The Heartless have been killing people?"
"Using them to bolster their own numbers, or perhaps for a purpose no one has guessed yet. We have no way to be sure."
"Where have they been comin' from? D'you know?" Mickey asked. Philip glanced down at the tiny mouse king, but to his credit he didn't flinch.
"Some of those who have come back have said the Heartless fled towards the Forbidden Mountain." He explained.
Riku's eyes narrowed. "The Forbidden Mountain?" He echoed, something odd in his voice. Both Sora and Kairi glanced at him curiously.
"We should probably go check it out, then, right, guys?" Roxas didn't seem to have noticed anything funny. Sora gave a distracted nod.
"Yeah, probably." He replied, looking back at Philip. "How can we get there?"
The sand-haired prince gave a relieved smile. "The Three Good Fairies would know best. I have travelled that way only once; and I was rather distracted at the time." He smiled warmly at his wife, who looked down with a soft smile of her own. "They live in a cottage in the-" He cut himself off when he glanced back to see the Keybearers looking at each other with grins on their faces. "I suppose you have already been to see them."
"Ahyuk, yup, that's right!" Goofy chuckled. "We went to see them when we got attacked by the Heartless in the woods."
"Well, then. I suppose you are well on your way." Phillip came forward, hand outstretched. "Thank you, Keybearer. We still are not entirely used to dealing with the Heartless after all this time. Your assistance is very much appreciated."
Sora mimicked the gesture, shaking the prince's hand again. "We're glad to help, Prince Philip."
I always thought the Drive Gauge depletion should tire Sora out. So since it's been a little while since he went Antiform, I took it to an extreme :D I adore Antiform. I think the idea is so cool. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it's so epiiiiiiiic! -heart- Except for the fact that you can't use the Keyblade, items, or reaction commands. That kinda sucks. But everything else is so cool! -gushes like the fangirl she is, lol-
Anyway...
So, thus is chapter 21. I can't wait to see your guys' reactions! :D
Love,
Ivy J.