Answers in the Veil
"This seems like a really bad idea Max," Webby said as she hid behind on the rocks in the bailey.
Max sighed, "Well, it's the best I could come up with okay...Stop pressuring me" he continued to watch as his friend Peej moved closer towards the large rotting fortress.
Despite the danger, this really was the best he could come up with at the moment. Maleficent was probably the only person with more answers then most. However it would be difficult to talk to her directly. But Pete on the other hand, he had to know something, perhaps a smidgen of where Sora could have gone after the Battle with Xehanort, perhaps even with the state of the forces of darkness. It was a risky venture, but Peej could be what it took to get the answers.
Peej slowly walked up to the castle, nervous and scared. However, the plan was gonna be simple. Get Pete to show up, and threaten to tell his wife Peg what was going on if he didn't cooperate. Simple as that...Nothing like the threat of a wife to make the husband scared.
"Come on Peej" Max muttered, holding his breath, "Come on...You can do this man"
"Um….H-Hello" Peej said his voice echoing across the grand castle.
Webby facepalmed, "This is a very dumb and stupid idea"
"Pop! You there...It's Jr"
Max bit his lip hiding behind the rock waiting for something to happen, "Work darn it...Work"
Finally, a dark portal opened up near the ledge of the castle, a floating rock appeared and on it, Pete himself was there. Confused, unsure of what was going on, the lumbering lard took a few moments to understand his surroundings before noticing his son. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of him, as the floating platform zoomed a little closer.
"Son?" Pete asked in shock before looking annoyed, "What in the blazes are you doing here?"
"Um...Wanting to know some stuff" Peej said, his body shaking violently as the tensions increased.
Webby and Max facepalmed at the same time, how thick could he get.
"You know-" Pete rolled his eyes, "Why do you come to me to see, I can't tell yuh nothing, I'm working for the Mistress of all Evil here, I ain't given you anything"
Peej sighed, "Okay sir...I'll just have to tell mom then"
"Peg! Is she here!" Pete looked scared now, they had him, "Uh-hey, hey...no need to tell those who need knowing"
Max snickered, he knew how much Pete was afraid of his wife. might have been a nice woman to many, but she was as fiery as she was fierce, and she wouldn't take anything from her husband. Thankfully for him she wasn't here but so long as he didn't know that then this could easily work to their advantage.
"Come on Peej just like we plan," Max hands were shaking, "Ask about Sora"
"Do yuh….Do yuh know what happened to Sora"
Pete looked taken a back, "Um…..No!"
"WHAT!" Max jumped from the rock, shocked and upset as he marched towards them now, "Oh come on, how could you not know your Maleficent goon, you should hear about this stuff"
Webby signed catching up to then, "Nice blowing or cover Max"
"Max?" Pete glared at the Goof for a second trying to put two and two together, "Well, well if it ain't the young goof himself! Ha! Ha! So...You taking on the route of your old man"
"Yeah, I am!" Max said looking proud, "And we want answers, we know you know what happened about Sora, or you gotta know"
Pete just laughed, "Well, even if I did know I won't tell yuh, but I honestly don't know...I just do what Maleficent tells me, I don't understand"
"No truer words have spoken"
A new dark portal emerge as another platform came with it. Max felt a chill run down her spine as he saw her. Maleficent, Mistress of Evil, dressed in her black robes and dragon like horns. She was both regal as she was malevolent. Holding a power stuff in hand, her magic would not be able to effect him or the others, yet she still managed to give off a power and aura about her that lived up to her title.
"What have we here" Maleficent smirked, "Loyalist of the King and the Keybearer, who seem to know nothing"
Max swallowed hard, "Uh, y-yeah….We want to know...what happened to Sora"
"That I cannot answer" Maleficent replied seeming unconcerned, "For as Pete said, we do not know. However all I can say, is that the forces of darkness do not end with me. There are others who are out there who to wield the great power. Search for the mighty heart, for it was someone who told me those stories as well. Surely others would know...Like the greater darkness"
"Greater darkness?" Max asked.
"Xehanort, the Heartless, do you think I was not made aware of this from what few spies I still am I able to conger" Maleficent said, chuckling hautly at her own superiority, "Though I admit, the whereabouts of your father, and more importantly the Keyblade Master, is something even I do not know. The fact that you don't either tells me he either perished in battle, or perhaps is missing. Personally I hope for the former, so I can destroy him myself when I escape"
Max shuddered feeling power in her words. "Y-Yeah, well...Um….."
"You are in Ansem the Wise's castle correct" Maleficent said pointing to that Castle, "It is filled with information beyond which I used to control the Heartless, his reports being the most prominent, perhaps those would have the answers you'll seek...Other forces of darkness, during my tenure, tried to steal that knowledge from me...Do not think I hold a monopoly over such powers".
"Yeah well, what do you want us to tell you" Webby declared showing defiance.
Maleficent smirked, "Funny enough your response and look was all the answer I need. Despite my defeat your victory seems hollow, still the forces of darkness are not crushed, merely weakened, simmering in the shadows as they do to grow strong. It might take time, years, decades, maybe even tomorrow, but we will rise ...The darkness always does, so long as there is light"
Max clenched his first.
"Yeah well...My dad will stop it"
"Your father" Maleficent chuckled, "Not the Keyblade Master, didn't he promise to protect hm"
Max took a step back.
"Yes," Maleficent smirked, "I know of that promise, but I can also sense it in your heart, a growing anger towards the boy. Believe me, I know it to well...He has not returned the father he has stolen and returned him to the son. A pity...For a thought someone like Sora would honor that…"
"ENOUGH"!"
Max turned to see Leon, Scrooge and the others arrive, his heart sank. He was definitely going to be in trouble when all of this over. They all had very mad expressions, and that did not bled well. Peej got behind Max in fear as Webby bit her beak nervously.
Maleficent though just smirked, "Ah, Leon, rugged as always, and his pathetic little gain of resistance fighters"
"We aren't that anymore" Yuffie yelled, "We got back to our home, and were going to make it better"
"Ah, I see, the power of governing now befalls you, and all the burden that will come with it. How sad, be happy though that me and my Heartless remain safe behind this barrier, or my vengeance would have been swift and painful as your humiliation of me"
Leon scowled, "You'll be there till you turn to dust"
"FOOLS!" Maleficent roared a bit of her power showing off, Leon and the others stepped back, a twinge of fear in their eyes. Even behind the magical barriers did the evil witch still have the stamina and strength to remind others that she truly was mistress of evil. With a sigh, she calmed and spoke softly yet again, "The point remains, you have defeated me for now yes, but so long as I'm still alive, I can still be a threat. Your Keyblade wielding hero did not have the strength nor the courage to do what needed to be done and that in lies his ultimate failure. He left you, and everyone else must deal with the fallout. For darkness is not the monopoly of one person, even me. You'll have other enemies coming for you soon enough"
With a laugh Maleficent vanished leaving Pete just standing there unsure what to do.
"Uh, well uh ...By son" Pete ran off.
Max just stood there in silence, "We uh...Oh boy...I'm sorry"
"Oh you better be" Scrooge said wagging his cane in his face, "What you did was dangerous at best, stupid at worst….Or would it be dangerous at worst stupid at best….Regardless, what were you thinking"
"I mean I was looking through the castle and since it used to belong to Maleficent and Peej is Pete's son I thought we'd have a spy"
"Yeah, Spy stuff" Webby replied.
Scrooge slapped his beak, "That's not how you spy," He took a deep breath, "Look Max, I know you want to find your father, we do too...But this is not the way, especially letting Maleficent know what's going on in the world, believe me...It's not worth it"
Max frowned.
"Come on lass," Scrooge said, "We'll be staying here for a few more days anyway, maybe you can help...Supervised!"
"Yes sir"
Max looked back at the Castle and continued to head out. Maybe he'd look around for those reports, he'd at least try that. Still, he wasn't even closer to finding his dad, not by a long shot.
-000-
Max laid down on the bed in the room in Ansems Castle.
He felt humiliated.
How could he think Maleficent of all people would have any good information on where his father was or Sora or anything for that matter. Anger festered as Max mind just felt frustrated causing him to just pace back in forth in his room. He breathed heavily and tried to calm himself, being upset wouldn't get him anywhere. His dad wouldn't want him to be mad anyway, or even at Sora, still, bitterness.
Scrooge of course gave him a firm talking too. Thankfully he couldn't just go back home, even if wanted him too. They were going to be here for a few more days to get the details on how to help Leon and the others rebuild.
Still, he thought about what Maleficent said. Other forces of darkness, it means that even if Sora had beaten Xehanort there were other things out there. Worse things maybe. Things that were after his dad. He wondered if his dad was fighting those forces of darkness right now. Anxiety was already building up inside just thinking about it.
Despite not wanting to run into anyone Max opened the door and began to walk down the hall. Only to immediately run into Yuffie before he could walk even a few feet away.
"Ugh, Yuffie" Max jumped back in shock, "Oh uh, h-hi, I am just you know...Walking...Getting the old legs moving, that sorta thing"
Yuffie just shook her head and smirk, "Blowing off steam, yeah, I've been there, believe me...It feel good. I mean yeah, being mad isn't but, blowing off steam by walking is good"
"Yeah-" Max chuckled nervously, "I guess, sorry for earlier, I guess it was foolish but I really, really just wanted to know...You now"
Yuffie nodded, "Yeah, I know how you feel. I know, I know cliche adult stuff but it's true. I know what it's like to feel frustrated all the time"
Max raised an eyebrow just wanting to hear.
"See, back in Traverse Town, I always got so frustrated because we weren't doing anything to stop the Heartless. Maleficent was spreading that darkness all over, and I was mad at Ansem for pretty much giving up my home all those years ago. Thankfully I had Leon and Cid and Aerith and everyone else, but still I felt like I wasn't even doing anything. Even when Sora showed up I still felt like I wasn't doing anything meaningful-"
Max flinched a bit at the mention of Sora, however did find it sorta funny how he wasn't the only one who felt frustrated even when he was doing something.
"But all in all ...It worked out, I mean sure we had to do the hard work so I can't say get lazy, but it did work out in the end.''
"So, what are you saying?" Max asked.
Yuffie shrugged, "I don't know, just...Just have a little faith I guess"
"Faith! That not much to work with" Max said sounding more annoyed now, "Faith in what, some kid who didn't know anything about how a Keyblade works, I mean I don't know anything about it either, but if someone gave me that power, I know one thing, no one would trust me with it. So why should I have faith in Sora huh! Only person I have faith in is my dad, and I don't even know where he is!"
Yuffie sighed, "I know...Guess your right on that front, I didn't have much faith either but like I said in the end, it worked out. We did the hard work sure, but it still worked out".
"Well sometimes things don't always work out" Max grumbled.
"Yeah," Yuffie shrugged, "But, what's the point of being cynical?"
With those parting words Yuffie just walked off leaving Max alone to just stand there, letting the words repeat themselves in his head for a bit.
Something, ha, if it were something then his father would have been home by now just like Sora had promised. He wished he could have some sort of faith. Only faith he had really was just in himself to try and find a way to get his dad back home. He needed to find a way to stand out, but how.
Best to just keep pressing forward.
-000-
"Hey Max, feeling any better" Webby asked as she went through another book.
Max just sat down and sighed laying his head on the table.
"That bad huh"
He just nodded
Max was allowed to walk around the Castle, so he decided the library would probably be at least the safest place to go. Webby of course had been going through a bunch of books over and over again. Trying to learn as much as she could about really anything. Of course so much studying was not in his forte, though he did wish
"Well cheer up, I've got a whole lot of research done," Webby said as she took out her bag a bunch of junk piling on the table, "Mostly about Hollow Bastion history mind you, though Ansem the Wise sure did keep a lot of records, mostly about the heart. Who would have thought something so magical would look be so complicated".
"Uh huh-" Max just grumbled, "Still can't believe it though, we come so close and yet so far"
Webby shrugged, "I mean heck you've seen are worlds there are all sorts of bad guys"
"Yeah, but we can handle them, these are the forces of darkness, they almost destroyed everything we love...and my dad"
"Then like your dad we just keep moving forward"
Max gave a slight chuckle, "Yeah, dad would say that wouldn't he"
He looked down at the table to see all the books and junk that was piled onto the table. From what little he could see, there were several charts, graphs, and other weird things that he just didn't understand. With a sigh, he really started to wonder if he was just over his head. He wasn't his father, not some brave knight. Granted even his dad probably wouldn't understand half of this science stuff anyway, but that didn't make him less for it.
Still, Yuffie's advice to have faith, it just seemed to sting. Faith in what? A kid who couldn't even keep a promise to protect his father. Even his father was alive, the fact he wasn't here was enough for Max to know not to have faith in Sora. Beside's why should the fate of the entire universe be placed on the shoulders of one person period let alone one kid who was around his own age.
That sort of reliance not only felt wrong it also just felt dangerous.
Webby signed, "Max I know your worried about your dad and you wanna prove yourself and all that but don't get so wrapped up in it that your head goes wacko"
"I know, I know!-" Max said sounding frustrated, "Already broke up with Roxanne because of it...That and other reasons"
"Other reasons?"
Max shrugged, "I kinda...I don't know...Slowly lost the attraction for her...Now don't get me wrong, she's so nice and sweet and all...But I don't know...The uh...attraction...was gone by the end anyway"
"Okay," Webby looked confused but shrugged it off, "Well still, don't get to wrapped up in it you should-"
"Hey what's that" Max quickly eyed something and picked it up, it was a tiny little star thing, 'I've seen this before...A picture, the King had it"
"Oh yeah, that's a Star Shard, I found it Scrooges garage"
Max examined it closely, it was shiny and pretty looking.
Webby kept going, "Apparently it was an old device the King used back in the day to travel between the worlds"
"Does it work," Max asked, sounding intrigued.
"Nope"
Max just frowned, "Oh"
"But I thought it would be cool to have, I mean come on, looks cool"
"Yeah I-" Max stopped as he heard something coming from upstairs, he quickly got up and went to find out what was going on. He asked Webby to stay were he was incase it was dangerous. Part of him wanted to get Scrooge, but perhaps he could do this on his own.
Slowly he climbed up the stairs, voices started getting a bit louder now. He was close to the assailants and wanted to know what was going on.
"Anything?" One said.
"No"
"Keep looking"
"I am don't yell at me"
"Just be happy the witch isn't here, her dominance of this place prevented us from entering the castle for nearly a decade ...The superior was not pleased from what I can remember"
"We need the research so we can-wait-hold on-I think I found it...Yes! Found it!"
Max saw them, individuals in hooded coats, sneaking around the library, trying to steal something. He needed to do something, but what. Looking around, he tried to find something that could distract them. Maybe a sword, or a shield. However the only piece of armor was far away, so he had to improvise.
"Hey!" Max shouted, throwing a book at one of the coated peoples head.
"Ouch!" one of them yelled, "Insolent brat! Wait maybe this book is the one...Nope"
Max now was up against the three of them.
"Max!" Webby ran towards him, with a grappling hook at the ready, "You don't think you were going it alone"
"I can take them Webby"
"Please don't go all loner on me"
"Whatever"
Max tried to charge but was pushed back by a magical force against one of the bookshelves.
Webby dodged the others attacking, her pace was quick and agile.
"We've been compromised" The lead person said, "No matter, we have other means"
As the dark portal opened the assailants tried to make their escape, and in his fury Max chased through going after them.
"Max!" Webby shouted.
But it was too late, through the portal he went.
