"It's just…When I really need you, I'll know you'll be there."
Chapter Sixteen: The Black Waltz
"Wow…Is this the Zanarkand Palace?" Ashley asked.
Roxas, in the car that Saix drove, looked up at the domes and spires of Yu Yevon's palace. It was all aglow, with the bronze exterior and the well-lit interior. The gates that surrounded the palace were high and made of iron and stone and were well-guarded by green clad warriors that served as the king's guards. The dimming sunlight gave it an almost fiery appearance and made the place even more beautiful than usual.
The skyline was the same, with the many domed towers reaching the orange-reddish skies of twilight. As they traveled on the overpass leading to the A-South boroughs, Roxas could see the sunset on the northern ocean. Like any Zanarkand sunset, it was beautiful and was something that you could eat ice cream to. That immediately gave him a hankering for Sea Salt Ice Cream, but it was squashed when Axel turned up the music, as he sat in the front seat.
Saix glared and said, "No to your 'emo' music!"
"What? This song gets me, man," Axel told him.
Roxas sighed as it was a song called "Without You." Axel had recently broke up with his girlfriend, Fjorm of the Queens of Ice, and he was rather…inconsolable. So, he kept listening to 'emo' music, wore all-black and dark makeup, almost like he was in mourning. That or Fjorm being in an emo rock band finally got to him.
To trio's chagrin, Axel started singing. Horrendously off-key.
"Without you…uh-I can't breathe! Without chy-you…I CAN'T…BRE-EE-EATH!" Axel screamed/sung.
Saix quickly shut it off, yelling, "ENOUGH!"
"What, man? Why can't I wallow in my despair?" Axel asked.
"Just talk with Fjorm. I'm sure she'll have you back," Roxas said.
"Yes…please do so, Mister Axel," Ashley added, uncovering her ears.
"Quiet you!" Axel said, pouting.
Kingdom of Rêverie, deep woods…
"C'mon, you two! Hurry up!" Jacqui said, flying off ahead of Ventus and Ella.
Ella, dressed in the pink gown and covered by a cloak she found in her stepmother's wardrobe, walked carefully as there were many snow pits in the forest. Ven followed with Paolo going off ahead. He stood close to the young woman in a protective manner as she was terrified of Heartless coming after her. That and they wanted to follow the path of light created by the compass very carefully.
"So, why did you want to go to the ball so badly?" Ven asked.
"Well, I've…I've never been to a ball before and I always wanted to know what was outside of the grounds. My father didn't let me go out as he said it was for my protection. And my stepmother says the same, but…" Ella replied.
She suddenly stopped, holding her cloak closer to herself. Ven turned to see that she looked paler than before, even though parts of her skin was dotted darker in places where cinders and soot marred it. He approached and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Oh, um…I'm sorry. I just felt a little chill," Ella told him.
"A little? Well, I would've thought a lot since all you have on is a dress and a cloak," Ven said.
"And you're wearing woolen clothes and nothing else," Ella retorted.
Ven looked at the clothes that he left with from Traverse Town, his wool clothes that he wore to keep warm at the resistance's hideout. It was still the simple long-sleeved, thick black and white wool shirt, pants and boots. He didn't feel awfully cold, but it was probably because he was used to the cold.
Feeling a strong tug at his heart, Ven heard Paolo screaming at him, "What's taking you two so long? We're at this clearing. Hurry up!"
"Okay! Okay! We're coming!" Ven yelled back.
Ella didn't question it and the two resumed walking. They stumbled onto a clearing, with the entrance having an old fountain and stone bench. Past it was a large clearing in the forest and beyond it was the forest's edge, leading to a dirt road.
Paolo and Jacqui waited for them in the trees above and he said, "Finally! I was hoping that you would hurry."
"Why?" Ven asked.
"Because, there's something off about this place…" Paolo said.
Ven took a step forward, not at all sensing any danger. The instant his shoes hit the dirt in the clearing, darkness suddenly welled up and a torrent surged towards them. Ven was pushed back and flew back towards Ella. The compass in her hands suddenly burst with light and it pushed back the darkness.
It hissed and Ven could see a draconic being slipping away. A whimper and Ven saw that Ella had gotten hurt. Her dress had been ripped in places and her cloak had been taken. Cuts were on her arms and face and it looked like the Heartless had tried to fight her. Ven looked at his attire and saw that his clothes were also in a state of disrepair. He was also hurt, feeling quite tired and seeing bruises and cuts on his arms, face and exposed legs.
"Wh-What just happened?" Ven asked.
"The darkness…it was trying to destroy us…" Ella said, shaking.
She clutched the compass to her chest and said, "Step-Stepmother was right. I shouldn't have left the chateau…The Heartless are just here to destroy me…I can't go to the ball…Not anymore. It was a foolish dream…"
"What are you talking about? We can still go, right? We just have to get some new clothes, that's all," Ven said.
Jacqui landed on Ella's shoulder, asking, "And where are we supposed to get new clothes? Artes can't do…!"
"Someone needs help in the clothes department?"
A bright light appeared, at first appearing as a fog and coalescing at the stone bench. The light faded and Ven gasped as there was an older woman dressed in blue sitting there. She held a small wand in her hands and he remembered Master Matoya mentioning creatures called "fairies" who appeared to people whenever they were in need, sometimes for good, sometimes for evil.
Ven summoned the Wayward Wind and the fairy said, "Oh, that weapon…You're a Keybearer, correct?"
"How do you know that?" Paolo asked, perching on Ven's left shoulder.
The fairy looked at him and said, "You don't have to use that. I'm not the enemy."
"But you just came out of nowhere! Who are you?" Ven said, quite distrustful as the only fairy he knew of was Maleficent.
"I can't believe…not anymore…" Ella said, crying as she was terribly shaken up.
The fairy looked and said, "I'm Cinderella's fairy godmother."
"A 'fairy godmother'?" Ven asked, not getting it.
"Yes, a 'fairy godmother'. Like a summoner's 'guardian', I watched over her since she was a child. I've also was the one who told Lord Soubirous about how special she is and I can see that you can sense what she is," the Fairy Godmother told him.
Ven looked to the crying Ella, who had gone over and cried on the Fairy Godmother's lap. She patted Ella's head and said, "There. There. Dry those eyes. You can go to the ball looking like that."
Ella looked up and said, "The ball? But, I can't…Neither of us can…"
"Yes, you can. You have a guardian and a Cacciatore and your own power. You will be fine. Go to the ball and have a good time. You'll be back before your stepmother does," the Fairy Godmother told her.
Ella looked to Ven and he said, "Um…well…"
The godmother and Ella got to their feet. Patting the wand in her hands, the Fairy Godmother said, "Hmm…what were those words again? Oh! I got it! Bibbidi-bobbity-boo!"
"Uh, aren't those the names of those Wyvern Sphere Z villains? Why is she calling their names?" Paolo whispered.
Ven shrugged and was immediately amazed to see the light coming from the wand hitting a nearby pumpkin patch. One was hit and rolled their direction. It grew larger as the fairy waved her arms upward and turned into a stagecoach with horses.
'Whoa…Molecular manipulation using Light Artes? Cool!' Ven thought.
Ella ran towards it and was equally amazed. As the pair checked the carriage, the Fairy Godmother smiled and waved the wand again. Light particles surrounded Ven and Ella, changing their attire from the tattered rags to a white princess ballgown with glass slippers for Ella and a white and gold princely raiment for Ventus.
"Whoa! My clothes! What did you…?" Ven asked.
Ella rushed to the fountain and took a look at her dress and slippers. The Fairy Godmother gave a warning, saying, "Head to the ball. Look for the prince there. And Ventus, please protect her."
"Um, okay? But how do you know my…?" Ven asked.
"And when the clock strikes midnight, everything will return to the way is way. So, please, be wary of the time. It's currently 10:15 p.m.," the Fairy Godmother told them, ignoring Ven's question.
Ella grabbed Ven's arm and she went into the carriage with their Animi and Ventus. The stagecoach took off, heading towards the dirt road. As the coach left the area, the Fairy Godmother looked to the skies and said, "May he protect her from the storm that's coming."
"Mother, are you actually going to go with that ugly…thing?" Anastasia asked Lady Tremaine.
As they waited in the vestibule of the palace, watching as other nobles and wealthier citizens went into the ballroom, Lady Tremaine started contemplating sending Cinderella with that man's boss, the woman named Maleficent. She was promised that they would get riches, more power and notoriety in the kingdom and even get the King's attention. And their standing would be much better than it was. So, sending Cinderella off for the good of the family would be a great thing, she thought. But then she'll lose a bargaining chip with the government. Choices.
"Well, I don't see why we gotta keep her. The army and the guards are all capable of fighting Heartless. We don't need her!" Drizella said, awfully loud.
"Quiet," Lady Tremaine told her.
"Yeah. I don't see what kind of 'powers' she has. All she knows how to do is cook, clean and sew," her daughter in green added.
Anastasia agreed, not seeing the point in keeping their stepsister around. Lady Tremaine hushed the pair and said, "If we're to get recognition from the kingdom, then we must keep Cinderella around. But, at the same time, I do not want that prince taking a glimpse of her, robbing you two of your chances at the kingdom."
"Yeah, but only one of us can be queen and it's going to be me!" Drizella said.
"No, me!" Anastasia argued.
The girls and their cat Animae started fighting, hitting at and pulling at each other's hair and clawing. Those around them passed them by, shaking their heads in pity and glaring in disapproval. The nearby guards came to break them up and Lady Tremaine spotted someone in white entering the vestibule. It was a girl and a boy that looked like a noble. The girl seemed oddly familiar as her hawk Anima flew past and into the ballroom. The boy's was that of a falcon and only the nomadic tribes had those.
Drizella and Anastasia's attention was turned to them, all while being restrained and reprimanded by the guards. When they were freed, they asked their mother, "Who is that girl, Mother? Do we know her?"
"I don't know…but she certainly is…Hmm…There is something familiar about her," Lady Tremaine told them.
Ven grinned, seeing that Ella was quite happy. She was amazed at everything in the Crystal Palace and it was exactly like it's namesake. Crystals hovered high above, lighting up the ballroom. Fountains flowing with water had spires of Water Crystals in their centers. At the far end of the room was a closed off area, flanked by Light Crystal shaped like cloaked women holding staves.
There were also tiny crystals that floated from the marble floor upward, towards the larger crystals. Ven noticed that they seemed to swirl around Ella, making her look so very ethereal. The nobles in the room also saw what was happening and they started to whisper approvals. Jacqui said, "Wow, this place is beautiful."
"Yep. It is. Kinda looks familiar, though…" Paolo mentioned.
Ven didn't see how. He never left Traverse Town before or even the world he lived in. But things haven't made too much sense lately and he had a few times where things felt familiar, including meeting Ella. But he never met someone like her before.
"Oh, hello there."
A raven-haired young man in a white, gold and red princely garb approached and he greeted the two with a smile. His Animus was that of a white lion and he radiated royalty. The man took a look at Ella and said, "Oh. Do you mind if we…? Does your date mind?"
"Oh, um, he-he's not my date…um…" Ella stammered, face flushed red.
Ven shook his head and told him, "Um, we're not dating. I'm just, um…What am I supposed to be doing?"
"Guarding her," Paolo reminded him.
"Oh. Well, Sir Guardian, do you mind if I dance with your ward?" the man asked.
"No, he doesn't mind, Your Highness," Paolo answered.
The prince, Prince Jean, thanked him and asked Ella if she wanted to dance. She readily agreed and the two went off, dancing as the orchestra began playing a waltz. Ven smiled as he watched her dance. She looked so happy and carefree with the prince.
"It's like before…" he muttered.
"Before what?" Paolo asked.
Ven shook his head, not getting why he said that. He never knew Ella before and she was the first one he met in that new world. And if he had known her, wouldn't she have recognized him by now?
As she danced, the world seemed to revolve around Ella and the prince. They didn't pay any attention to those that wanted to dance with either of them. Light started to swirl as Prince Jean and Ella spun in the waltz. Ven gasped, seeing light coming from Ella's hair and skin, floating around and the light itself was pure white, something that Master Matoya had said was a forbidden element by the Sanctum. If he was right, the light coming from her was Pure Light, one of seven that came from the weapon that destroyed the world long ago.
"That light! It cannot be," Lady Tremaine gasped, watching as Cinderella danced with the prince.
She said nothing to her daughters, who was crying in their wine glasses they obtained in the nearby dining hall. Withdrawing and heading into a back corridor, filled with windows filtering in moonlight, Lady Tremaine said, "She is ruining my daughters' chances at getting the prince and becoming queen."
"So, you want me to step in?"
Lady Tremaine saw the man that appeared to them, Oogie Boogie. He was still dressed in those rags and he smelled rather awful. With a grin, the rather ugly man said, "If ya want my partner's 'services', you're gonna have to give up on controlling that Cinderella and hand her over. She'll be much better off with us than being a scullery maid with you."
"H-How dare you insist I treat my stepdaughter…!" Lady Tremaine said.
"We already know all of this."
Black and green flames appeared to Lady Tremaine's left and she backed away, thinking that the flames would jump and consume her. The one who stepped out of them was a pale, horned woman in all black, holding a staff with a green gem at it top. A raven Anima was perched on it and the woman stroked her feathers, almost as if it was for comfort.
"I assume that you are Maleficent," Lady Tremaine said.
Maleficent nodded and replied with, "And you're Lady Tremaine Soubirous. I see that my cohort, Oogie Boogie has spoken with you about our terms regarding your stepdaughter and what we can do to help one of your daughters become queen."
She looked outside through the window and saw the forests of Rêverie. With a sinister smile, the mysterious woman told Lady Tremaine, "I can make it so that one of your daughters, preferably Anastasia, to become queen. Just give us Cinderella and I can make the dream you've had for a while come true."
"Yeah. What's there to lose? You barely have a tie with her and all she is to you is a reminder that you've never had that man's love. He gave it all to his first wife and Cinderella looks just like her," Oogie Boogie said.
Lady Tremaine thought about it and a sudden welling of guilt came. Shaking it off, she said to Maleficent, "If you can assure that one of my daughters, hopefully Drizella, becomes queen, then I'll give in to your demands."
Maleficent's grin turned to a vicious, sharp toothed smile and she said, "Then it's a deal."
Ballroom, Crystal Palace…
"Ven, I think we should go. I think it's almost midnight," Paolo warned.
The boy looked around for a clock and didn't see one inside of the ballroom. But the time was confirmed when the bells of the palace's clock tower started to chime. Ella and the prince stopped dancing and she seemed to tell him that she had to go. Just as she was about to leave, someone screamed and the crowd parted to reveal that a nobleman had been attacked by something.
His eyes, yellow and glazed over, looked up at the crystals above. His chest, where his heart was supposed to be, had a giant hole in it and his Animus was a pile of crystal dust. Guards rushed in and another scream led to a woman who was slumped over against a wall, her eyes also yellow and a gaping hole in her chest. The guards came in and people started screaming, shouting and running as the man and woman's bodies were taken by darkness and turned into Heartless.
"Oh no! Everyone, just remain calm! Please!" the kingdom's prime minister told the panicked crowd.
They pushed past each other, and the prince grabbed Ella, running into the room beyond the curtain. Ven followed in the chaos, not seeing a torrent of darkness coming into the ballroom. In the next room, there was a massive crystal, light blue in color, and an altar before it.
Prince Jean had placed a pendant, shaped like a heart, onto it and words appeared above the altar. Ven at first couldn't read it as it was an unintelligible script. But after hearing the prince speak to the crystal, he could see the words, "Danger", "Darkness", "Traitor".
"Oh no. It's not possible for darkness to enter this palace. Not unless someone opened their heart to it," Prince Jean said.
Light came from Ella and Ven's clothes and they reverted back to the tattered clothes from before. The prince and Animus noticed and he asked, "Wh-What? What just happened? What happened to your clothes?"
"Um, long story, but how can we get Ella out of here? The darkness can't…" Ven said.
Humming and Prince Jean's attention was turned back to the crystal. He nodded and more words appeared. This time, they were "Princess", "Pure Light", "Pure Heart", "Protect at all cost".
"A heart of Pure Light? I thought women with that were all killed by the Sanctum," Prince Jean said.
"Your Highness!"
The Prime Minister and several guards entered the chamber. The guards, armed with weapons such as rifles and swords, stood in front of the prince, not even paying attention to the frightened Ella and defending Ventus. Prince Jean ordered for some to protect Ella, with the Prime Minister asking, "Why? She's no one."
"She's a Princess! One with Pure Light! Protect…" Prince Jean said.
Ven quickly summoned the Keyblade as darkness burst from the entrance, taking out the guards in one fell swoop. The crystal's light protected the prince and the prime minister and the light in Ella's heart created a barrier. Ven tossed the Keyblade at the darkness and it dispersed, splitting into two.
One went behind the crystal and the other behind Ella. Ven rolled behind her, wanting to protect her. But, Ella pushed him out of the way, getting hit by the darkness and shattering into tears of light.
Eyes wide, Ven screamed, "Ella!"
The darkness behind the crystal attacked, but it raised up a stronger barrier to defense itself and its prince and prime minister. The one that attacked and shattered Ella rushed for the crystal and struck it like a spear. The barrier was pierced and the crystal broke like glass. That unleashed powerful darkness that filled the chamber and Ven was caught up in its torrent.
"Ventus? Ventus? Ventus! Don't give up!"
"Who?" Ven asked, vision fuzzy.
He could see a young boy, dressed in blue and black, sitting on his knees at his right side. Darkness swirled everywhere and Ven felt terribly weak. The pale boy, with his fire red eyes, stared and kept shaking him to wake up.
"You can't sleep here! Wake up!" he said.
"Wh-What?" Ven said.
A mysterious force helped him up and the boy grinned, saying, "There. Now, you have to get out of here!"
"Where's 'here'?" Ven asked, shaking his head to clear it up.
The boy was miffed and said, "You really are out of it, aren't you, Ven? You're in the dark part of the Lanes in Between! You gotta wake up and fly out of here!"
Holding his head and not seeing that he was covered in Keyblade Armor, Ven couldn't shake the massive headache he had. The child sighed and told him, "I'll get you out of here, then…"
Darkness covered him and the boy's shape changed into that of a giant, horned, lupine beast. It snatched up Ven with its claws and belched out a beam of dark energy. The beam struck what seemed to be a wall, breaking it and revealing a path of orange light. A roar and a leap, the beast entered and traveled the path, taking Ventus with it.
Oh wow. A different way for the ball from Cinderella to end…Wonder if Cinderella or the others from that place are still alive. And who or what is that beast that rescued Ven? Is it an ally or an enemy or something in between? And are the others okay? Stay tuned and review!
-miano53