Chapter 46: Haunted Hollow

A/N: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. It is the property of Square Enix and the Walt Disney Company. I do not own The Dresden Files, which is the property of Jim Butcher. This is a creative project that I do not profit off of in any way, shape or form.

Hello, hello, hello my dear readers. I am very pleased that you've stuck with me for as long as you all have. We're moving forward to the next arc, going to an area that I can honestly say I have never seen before in any fanfic for Kingdom Hearts.

Let's roll!

Pete grimaced as he closed the Dark Corridor behind him. He had gone back to Pleasure Island, but there weren't nothing left to search for. None of the goons the Coachman had workin' for him had survived, or if they had, they hadn't stuck around. And all them donkeys were gone away too. He wasn't lookin' forward to havin' to tell Maleficent all this.

He looked around the room—there were a lot of folk gathered. Maleficent and good ol' Big Bad Wolf and the Phantom Blot. A few of Maleficent's little goblin helpers. That Olympus goddess Eris who was always making everyone argue with each other stared at him—ugh, her eyes were too small, there was something not right about here. And that twerp Seifer, uggh…Pete couldn't remember why they were usin' him. Oh well, might as well give his report now.

"Hey Maleficent," Pete said. "I got word from that weird island. There's nothin' there left to use. Might make a decent home base, since nobody's think to look for us there, but other than that, there's not much."

"And the Coachman?"

"He's dead," Pete admitted. "Them Keybearers were vicious. Backing him into the mordite fountain like that, it sucked out all his magic and then his life. That definitely ain't something Sora woulda done."

"No," Maleficent said. "You know as well as I that Sora would have struck the Coachman down, if he felt that he needed to. However great his compassion, it does not compare with his sense of justice."

"It's no real loss," Seifer scowled, crossing his arms. "That fat old clown couldn't keep up. He got himself killed in his first real fight? He would only have held us back."

"Hey, you were the one who got yourself knocked out in five seconds," Pete argued. "Don't go be throwin' stones, bucko."

"Enough! As it happens, I agree—for our efforts, we are now better off," Maleficent said. "The Coachman's demise only strengthens me. The fountain that extinguished his powers and life force transferred them to me, such is the nature of mordite."

"Huh?" The Big Bad Wolf said. "You mean you sucked out all his strength?"

"You're surprised?" Eris asked. "Hades thought much the same when he held such a blade against Zeus. His command of fire was impressive, but if he gained the powers of thunder, he would have been nearly on par with a Titan in brute strength alone."

Yeesh, and Maleficent was a powerhouse in her own right already. Pete shook his head. The Coachman hadn't been much—plenty strong in a brawl, but his magic was really limited to the one trick of turning bad little boys into donkeys. Pete wasn't sure if that would even work on the Keybrats. A lot of special magic only worked on the world it came from—Eris was still whining about how she wasn't nearly as strong as she had been on Olympus.

"So what happens now?" Pete asked. "Them Keybrats is only gonna get stronger."

"Let their strength be their own undoing," The Phantom Blot suggested. "With their recent victories, they may grow arrogant and in arrogance, mistakes can be made. Mistakes that cannot be easily undone."

"Eh, you got a point, especially if it was Sora or Riku, but these brats ain't as cocky as them other pipsqueaks," Pete shook his head. "Might not be as easy as you think."

"Cocky?" Seifer scowled. "They're two of the worst people I've ever known. Everyone treats them like they can walk on water, everyone thinks they're so special. Gah, those lamers wouldn't have anything if the stupid King didn't give it to them. They know nothing."

Pete turned his head away so that he wouldn't have to look at Seifer. The stupid kid was really getting on his nerves. Why Maleficent was willing to put up with him, Pete had no idea.

"I say we capture them," Seifer shook his fist. "And when we do, we do all it takes to break them. You didn't break Xion nearly bad enough last time."

"That will come, in due time," Maleficent said. "Now, we must prepare. There is much to be done. I have a task for you…"

oooo

"Tell me again, how exactly did you free the Blue Fairy's wand?" Jiminy asked. "I want to make sure I get all the details for my journals. I'm afraid I was a bit out of it at that point and that blast from Pinoc's Gummi didn't help matters. I banged my head something fierce."

Roxas grinned and took a bite of ice cream. They were…well, somewhere in the Lanes Between. They had patched things up with Pinocchio and Geppetto and then resupplied from a shop run by yet another Moogle. And now Jiminy was writing down everything that had happened. Xion was writing an abridged version of their adventure in a letter to Granny, the ice cream lady.

"It was all Xion. She was incredible. The Blue Fairy's wand was stuck in this awful fountain," Roxas said. "And our Keyblades weren't working on it to free it. Xion realized that it was because it wasn't locked in the fountain, but the fountain had been built around it. So we had to break the fountain instead."

"That's right!" Jiminy said. "But how did you do it, exactly?"

"I…" Xion hesitated. "I summoned my claymore, but that didn't work. And neither did my shield. But…see, the fountain was made of mordite."

"That blasted metal again?" Jiminy shook his head. "I don't know where Maleficent is getting such weapons, but it's worrying to say the least. Wait a moment—didn't you report that, back during your adventures in Olympus, Hades was using a sword of mordite?"

Xion nodded and her face began to redden. Roxas frowned and reached out to pat Xion's hand. Her fingers were cool and soft to the touch. Xion had nice hands.

"Yes…and the only thing that works to break mordite is, well, more mordite," Xion said. She took a deep breath. "So…to smash the fountain and free the Blue Fairy's wand, I had to summon my mordite sword."

"What?" Jiminy asked. "You mean…didn't Master Yen Sid say that you weren't to do that again?"

"How do you even know about that?" Xion asked, her face reddening. "I…Jiminy, you weren't there back when…"

Her voice faltered and Roxas remembered just how it had happened. In some ways, it seemed like ages ago, but it had only been a couple of weeks, but still…Master Yen Sid's fury at Xion.

"Outside of the Power of Waking, that is perhaps the most dangerous thing any of my students has done! You are never to summon that blade again, ever!"

Xion's face fell in shame and Roxas grimaced. It had to be done…they hadn't had any other options…if she hadn't, then they never would have been able to free the Blue Fairy's wand. Pinocchio would have become a lifeless puppet.

"I know I wasn't supposed to," Xion whispered. "But Jiminy, if I hadn't done it…"

"Leave it, Xion," Axel said. "You don't have to put that in your journal, Jiminy."

"But that's the sort of detail I would never leave out," Jiminy said. "Axel, I keep my journals carefully. I organize all sorts of sections—chronicles of what happened, the friends we've made, monsters to watch out for…"

"Well, you can show some editorial judgement," Axel said. "And not put that in there—you don't need to tell Yen Sid what happened."

"Master Yen Sid," Jiminy admonished. "And I'm not going to hide anything Axel, you said yourself that keeping secrets only leads to trouble."

"And I also said—and you know darn well—that Master Yen Sid's been way too tough on the kiddos, especially Xion."

Xion's face reddened even more and Roxas scooted closer to her to wrap an arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him…she was trembling.

"Please…can't we just keep this a secret?" Xion begged. "Please, Jiminy? I don't want…anyone to worry…please…Master Yen Sid was so, so angry last time. I don't want him to know that I…failed him."

You didn't fail him! You're a hero! You were the one who saved Pinocchio, more than any of us.

Roxas tightened his grip on Xion's shoulder. She looked tiny, timid. Roxas ran his hand down her shoulder gently. He wanted to make her understand…why couldn't she see? She was smart and strong and brave and funny and sweet and kind. Xion was the most wonderful person Roxas had ever met.

"I am not one for keepin' secrets!" Jiminy said firmly. "Axel, I understand that you want to protect their feelings, but keeping rule-breaking a secret is only going to make it worse down the line."

"You're not my conscience," Axel retorted. "We're not going to lie, we're just not going to tell Yen Sid something he doesn't need to know."

"Maybe we should listen to him," Xion said. "Jiminy, you could be right about this…and I don't want to get you in trouble, either…"

"You're not gonna get him in trouble," Roxas said. He reached his free hand to grip hers again. "And we're not gonna let you get in trouble, either. Xion, you've done so much. And nothing bad happened—you're a hero, Xion. I bet just by being around you, that mordite sword is going to turn into a good sword."

Xion gave Roxas a small smile. It was shaky and uncertain, but it was a smile all the same. And that was so much better than hearing Xion criticize herself for things that weren't her fault.

"So, what's next?" Roxas asked, desperately trying to change the subject. "We helped out Pinocchio, but, well, I'm not sure who else could need our help Xion."

"Um…I'm not sure either. What do you think Jiminy?"

"Well," Jiminy held up a finger and then paused. "Actually, there were loads of times where we would just follow one of the lanes to find another world. For every world we returned to, there was a world we'd never been before. As it is, from what King Mickey tells me, I've already been to every world you've visited so far."

Roxas chewed his lip. They didn't have any answers.

"Let your heart be your guiding key…"

Roxas summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion and pointed them at the computer that controlled their ship. He inhaled slowly through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. Oathkeeper and Oblivion began to glow and then beams of light shot out past the computer, into the Lanes Between, taking the shape of a Keyhole.

"That's our next path," Roxas said. "Let's do it."

oooo

In his travels for the Organization, and then after that, as a Guardian of Light, Lea had seen his fair share of forests. The forests on the borders of Twilight Town were filled with oak trees and pine trees, and there were plenty of Heartless. The forest in the Kingdom of Corona was larger, denser, more wild—murkier too, given that it bordered a very large swamp. The most magical of the forests had probably been the Dwarf Woodlands, where he had never been personally, but Ventus had told stories about.

All in all, Lea was fairly certain that this particular forest was new to his knowledge. The air was crisp, and the leaves were browning with the coming of late autumn. The path he and the kiddos found themselves on was wide enough to be a road, but unpaved. But the biggest difference that Lea could determine was the fact that his awesome jacket was gone, replaced by a weird coat that reached almost to his knees.

"What the…" Lea said to himself. "Who changed my clothes?"

"I think this happened to Sora," Roxas said. "The clothes the fairies made for him blended in with some of the worlds he visited."

Lea could understand that in principle—there were some worlds that were practically on another realm of reality—Halloween Town, for example, was haunted by ghosts and ghouls and goblins. And Atlantica, while it bordered a regular kingdom with regular people in it, was filled with mermaids and talking fish—Kairi had told him stories that Sora had told her. But so far as he could tell, there was nothing overly magical about this world that would necessitate such a change.

"It's different…" Xion said slowly. That was putting it mildly—her jacket and trousers had been replaced by a dress that reached down to her ankles. The colors were far more muted as well—though that made sense, purple and bright blue would stick out like a sore thumb. Though that was nothing compared to the bonnet on her head—what, did people in this world have it in for girls who kept their hair short?

Roxas's jacket had changed too, almost resembling a suit and vest. If anything, it reminded Lea of the old-fashioned outfits he'd seen in the history books he'd had to read in school. Just how far back in time was this world, anyhow?

"Jiminy's guarding the Gummi Ship," Roxas said. "So, how about we find out where we are."

Lea looked left and right—the dirt road stretched on in both directions, but there was nothing in the vicinity that said civilization. Even the paths in Pinocchio's world had been paved. Lea shrugged and glanced at the sun. It was rising slowly towards their right—so that would be the east. And the path straight ahead must lead north. Well, it was better than nothing anyway. He started walking—ugh, the magic clothes had even changed his boots into…some sort of weird shoe with buckles. Roxas kept pace with him easily. Xion, having never worn a dress before, had to struggle before she was able to keep up.

After maybe a quarter of a mile, they came to a fork in the road, where a small fence post had been raised, with several wooden arrows sticking out of it.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Lea said. "Let's see…it says that there's a town called White Plains about twelve miles from here…ugh, that'll take all day, unless we double back to take the ship."

"What about this one?" Roxas asked. "Tarrytown…it looks like it's about three miles?"

"That doesn't sound so bad," Lea agreed. "That'd just be a few hours on a street like this. We'd be there by lunch. You doing alright, Xion?"

"Fine," Xion said, as she tried to get her bearings. Her voice was a little shaky and she shook her head roughly. "Really, I am fine. I can keep up…I just…it feels like we're being watched."

That was…probably true. Even if it wasn't Maleficent and her goons, or a pack of Heartless, this was the woods. There were plenty of things in the woods that would know you were there whether or not you knew they were there. Deer, squirrels, foxes, hawks… That was hardly stuff to be scared of. But then again…what if they were being watched, by wolves or bears or mountain lions…Lea suppressed a shudder. A Keyblade would be more than a match for any of that, but he didn't relish the idea of raising Flame Liberator against an animal that was just looking for a meal.

He glanced back at Roxas and Xion. They were strong, stronger than anyone had ever really given them credit for—but they were also tiny. A hungry bear wouldn't think twice of trying to make a meal out of his half-pints, and Lea was not about to let that happen.

"Let's form a line," Lea said. "Xion, you in front, Roxas you behind her, and I'll take up the rear. We got a lot of walking ahead of us, so let's make it a parade."

"A parade?" Roxas asked. "Axel, just how old do you think we are?"

"Not old enough to talk back to me, squirt," Lea said. He reached out a hand to ruffle Roxas's hair and then poked Xion in the ribs. Over Xion's giggles of protest, Lea gestured towards the road. "Trust me, walking's boring. But a parade will make the time go by a lot faster."

Roxas rolled his eyes and started marching. Xion got in line ahead of him and Lea brought up the rear. Animals attacked from behind and he was way bigger than either of his kiddos. Big enough that any hungry wolf or bear would think twice before trying to gobble up any of them. There was also the face that Roxas and Xion wouldn't have been able to see anything in front of them if he were the one in front.

They walked…and they walked…and they walked some more. It wasn't the first march they had taken on their journey—their time in the Land of Dragons was proof of that. But they'd had other people to talk to then. Working with Mulan and Shang and the other soldiers had made it be that much more of an adventure. Hmm, Lea hoped they were doing alright now, whatever had happened to them in the interim.

oooo

As much as he thought Axel's proclamations of it being a parade were kind of dorky, Roxas had to admit it made more sense to walk in a straight line then all around one another. And he got to watch Xion, which was very nice. She walked slowly in her dress, but that wasn't so bad…it meant that he got to spend more time with her. And while Xion rarely wore dresses…actually, come to think of it, other than some of her pajamas being nightgowns, Roxas was fairly certain he'd never seen her in a full-length dress before…she did look very pretty. The bonnet covered her hair, but it brought out her eyes. And she did have very nice eyes.

They walked and they walked. For the first hour or so, they didn't see any people—though once, two red foxes cut across the road with their babies. Xion squeed when she saw them pass. Roxas grinned. The foxes were pretty cute, but the way they made Xion so happy was even better.

They walked and walked and they walked. Two men on horses rode by, keeping their heads ducked, not bothering to return Xion's greeting of "Good morning!" That seemed peculiar to Roxas. And now that he thought about it…he felt that they were being watched too. He glanced over his shoulder. Axel's smile was wide, but his eyes were slightly narrowed, as if he was trying to remember something. Or spying without drawing too much attention to himself. Hmm…

They passed over a stone bridge and Roxas could clearly see his reflection. His reflection. Not Sora's, not even Ven's. His hair seemed lighter here than it did at home and it made the differences between him and Sora all the more pronounced. Light blond hair, not brown. Roxas exhaled slowly—he hadn't even realized he had taken a breath before they crossed the bridge.

A hawk soared overhead, crying out sharply. Roxas thought back to the Land of Dragons and the falcon that had been following them—the falcon that was in league with Shan Yu. Roxas raised his hands, ready to summon Oathkeeper and Oblivion, if he needed to. But no Heartless emerged from the shadows. The shadows themselves were actually starting to thicken as the sun started to lower in the sky.

They walked and they walked and they walked and they walked and then for a change of pace, they walked some more. Roxas was fairly sure he was getting a blister on his heel from one of these leather shoes his clothes had changed into. But there was a town in sight now. It was not a large town—it barely looked bigger than the town on Destiny Islands. But a town meant more people, and possibly someone friendlier than the people they'd met already.

At the edge of the town, there was a cemetery. There were a lot of tombstones, some of them simple headstones, some of them looked like crosses. There was a stone wall surrounding the cemetery. Moss and mildew grew in the cement between the stones. Roxas felt a chill go down his spine and he took another deep breath, not letting it go until they had passed the cemetery.

There were a lot of people bustling about in town, even though now it was late afternoon. Axel drew Roxas and Xion closer, muttering something about how he didn't want them to get lost within the crowd. Roxas slid his hand into Xion's and squeezed her fingers. She squeezed his hand back gently. Axel led them towards what looked like a stable, where several men were gathered.

"I'm telling you, I saw it!" One brown-haired man about Ienzo's age pleaded to his friends. "It was huge, a moving shadow! And it took down the one-eyed bobcat like it was nothing!"

"That bobcat's been tearing up the farms from here to Connecticut for three years! And you're saying a moving shadow got him?"

"I know it doesn't make sense," The man pleaded. "But I'm telling you, I saw what I saw when I saw it!"

Moving shadows? Yeah, that sounded like the Heartless alright. Roxas frowned. He wasn't sure what any of that had to do with what Maleficent was planning. But his heart had led them here, so there had to be some sort of connection. At the very least, the Heartless needed to be stopped before they started attacking people instead of just animals.

"It's the work of the fair folk, I say!" An older man with a very thick beard, proclaimed. "Them moving shadows is the work of the fair folk! Just like them to play tricks on good people who don't mean no harm to nobody!"

"But Thad's the only one who's seen these moving shadows," Another man said. "I don't know, Thad. I think you saw something, but I don't think it was the fair folk. A wolf could just as easily take down a bobcat, even one as cantankerous as ol' One-eye."

"It was bigger than a wolf!" The brown-haired man—er, Thad—insisted. "I know what I saw!"

"A panther, then?" The skeptical man suggested. "Goodness knows they're a beast to be feared. And they prowl around the shadows to be sure."

"It wasn't a wolf or a panther! It looked more like a man, but it wasn't a man!" Thad said. "Please…you have to believe me."

There was a quiver in his voice that didn't make him sound particularly convincing, but then again, Roxas reflected, if you had never seen Heartless for yourself, it did seem a little weird. But…

"We believe you, Mister Thad," Xion said. "When did you see this shadow?"

Thad's eyes widened in relief, but before he could say anything else, a big booming voice called out, "Hullo there!"

Roxas turned around. Another man was approaching the group on horseback. He was tall, with broad shoulders and black hair. He wore a simple green vest over his shirt and had a hat that looked like a raccoon. Wait a second, that hat was made from a raccoon!

"Thad, I'm the one who tells the stories around these parts!" The man chuckled hearitly. "What are you doing, scarin' the newcomers?"

"It wasn't a story, Brom!" Thad argued. "I saw what I saw! And you're one to talk about scarin' folk!"

"Heh heh," Brom rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…I suppose so, but I don't mean to do it."

"Pardon me," Axel said. "Mind explaining what's going on around here? What's all this talk of shadows?"

"Newcomers!" Brom boomed. He grabbed Axel's hand in both of his. "It's nice to meet all of you. Name's Brom Bones!"

Brom Bones? Just when Roxas thought the people they met couldn't get stranger names, they always surprised him.

"Call me Lea," Axel said. "This is Roxas and Xion."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Xion said, holding out her hand. Her ears turned bright red when Brom took her fingers and kissed them gently in greeting. Roxas grit his teeth.

"A pleasure to meet you, miss," Brom said. "And you, Roxas was it? Well, welcome to Sleepy Hollow."

xxxx

Before he explained anything else, Brom insisted on stabling his horse for the night. Roxas watched as Brom watered his horse and brushed him gently. Xion helped him feed the horse from a bag of oats.

"Like animals, do you?" Brom asked. "They say there's no truer friend than a good dog or a loyal horse."

"I love animals," Xion said. "But I'm not sure I agree. My friends…are as loyal as anyone I've ever known. Or will ever know. I love them."

"Friends you say?" Brom asked. "Do your parents know that you're traveling with them? And they approve?"

"They are my family. We're just not exactly related. My…parents died. Axe..er, Lea took me in," Xion ducked her gaze, but caught Roxas's eye. She looked apprehensive. Xion had never been one to enjoy lying, even if what she said hadn't been completely untrue, depending on who you considered her parents. Roxas nodded reassuringly at her.

"I understand," Brom said gently. "There's no shortage of folk around these parts who lose their kinfolk and have to form new bonds. Why, just two years ago, ol' Wyatt Jones fell into the river and drowned. Left behind a missus and three little ones."

"That's awful!" Roxas said. Xion bit her lip, and she looked almost ready to start crying. Brom patted his horse on the snout and cleared his throat.

"It was," Brom agreed. "But Samuel, the man who was naysaying Thad earlier? He took a stand and brought the Widow Jones and her children into his home. He's a decent man."

"Sounds like it…" Roxas said. He caught Xion's eye again. They were shiny with tears. Brom's horse nuzzled her as she put away the bag of oats.

"Come along, you two," Brom said. "We better find Lea. And then a spot of supper, I'd wager."

Brom led them into an inn, where a woman much smaller than him, but still taller than Roxas and Xion greeted him warmly. She had blonde hair and wore a pink…dress that looked more like Aqua's clothes than anything else.

"Katrina!" Brom said cheerfully. "My beautiful wife!"

"Dashing daring Brom," Katrina said, pulling Brom's head down so that she could kiss his cheek. "My husband."

Over his shoulder, Roxas glanced at Xion and felt his own ears begin to redden. She smiled shyly at him and then went to sit next to Axel, who was at a table across the hall.

"New friends, Brom?" Katrina asked. "Isn't it nice to see new people in Sleepy Hollow?"

"Why yes it is, my dear," Brom said. "Yes it is. Now then, tell me you three, what brings you out to Sleepy Hollow? It's not often that we get newcomers this time of year. The harvest is already well underway, so you probably aren't here for farming."

"It's…uh…we're just passing through," Axel said. "We stopped here to rest. We're on our way to the…city. We're taking a ship down south, to stay with…relatives"

"Did you?" Brom asked. "But I was traveling south just this morning and I didn't pass you on the road."

"We got lost," Xion said. "Ax…Lea lost our map…"

Why did you have to go and introduce yourself as "Lea"? Roxas shook his head slowly. He was always going to be Axel to him, but it was awkward enough trying to remember it at home. Sooner or later, he was going to slip up and someone was going to notice, eventually.

"Well, you're always welcome here," Katrina said kindly. "You must stay, it'll be too dangerous to travel soon."

"It's only about noon," Axel said. "I think we can probably get in a couple more miles."

"Storm's a-coming," Brom shook his head. "I saw the clouds on my way into the stables. Thunder and lightning more likely than not. You'll want to stay off the roads."

"Fair enough," Axel said. "But we've answered your questions, so now it's time for you to answer a few of mine, if you don't mind. What's going on around here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you think he was just joking, but I happen to believe Thad saw something in the woods," Axel said. "I've seen my share of monsters. Anything here that shouldn't be?"

Brom and Katrina looked at each other. At the next table over, three men playing cards raised their heads. Roxas recognized Thad and the old man who had gone on about the Fair Folk…whatever those were. Some sort of fairies?

"Well…tonight is Halloween night," Brom said. "Tonight is indeed a night for spooks and specters…and there's not exactly a shortage of legends in this town."

There was something in the way Brom said that…or maybe the twinkle in his eye that made Roxas pause. He frowned and tried to get Xion's attention, but she didn't seem to have noticed. But from the look in her eyes…she wasn't happy.

oooo

"There's many a monster afoot in this town, many a beast in the woods!" Brom said, in a booming voice that was almost a song. "I have heard many a tale, and I wouldn't forget them even if I could!"

"Wolves and bears used to be common in these woods, but now they're rare," Brom sang. "There are other monsters in our Hollow though, come and see them if you dare!"

"There's the ghoul of Major André," One of the men playing cards sang. "From a noose did he swing, and revenge is his play!"

"Don't forget the catamount of course, a panther the size of a horse," Another man sang, "Sheep and goats and pigs, they're all his food! In a single bite, he will eat you, of course."

Xion felt a chill go down her spine. She wasn't…this was all pretend right? Just part of the song? But then again, even Samuel has suggested that a panther had been responsible for killing the one-eyed bobcat. Maybe there was something to all of these stories.

"The scariest of all," Brom said. "Why, my friends, it is none other than the Headless Horseman!"

Xion felt her hands go clammy. What was Mister Brom talking about? She felt for her necklace…the one Roxas had made for her. It was the best she could do to reach for him for comfort without causing a scene.

"Beware the Headless Horseman!" Brom said. He looked at everyone in the inn, flashed a shiny smile and then began to sing for real:

"Just gather 'round and I'll elucidate, on what goes on outside when it gets late! Along about midnight the ghosts banshees, they get together for their nightly jamboree. There's things with horns and saucer eyes. Some with fangs about this size!"

Brom held his arms out about three feet apart. Fangs that size…Xion gulped. Only the very biggest Heartless had teeth or claws like that. She felt her knees begin to quake together and she clutched her necklace so tightly, it began to hurt her fingers.

"Some are fat and some are thin. And some don't even wear their skin! I'm telling you, brother, it's a frightful sight, to see what goes on Halloween night!

"When the spooks have a midnight jamboree, they break it up with fiendish glee! The ghosts are bad, but the one thats' cursed. It's the Headless Horseman! He's the worst! That's right! He's a fright on Halloween night!

"When he goes a joggin' 'cross the land, holding his noggin in his hand, demons take one look and groan, and they hit the road, to parts unknown! Beware, take care, he rides alone!"

Brom was enjoying this…far too much. Xion felt as though she might throw up. It was one thing to not think these things were real but…no, Xion had seen far too much to doubt there was any fiction in this song. Roxas looked very uneasy. Axel's face was…unreadable. Brom began dancing around the room, giving one-armed hugs to several of the people in the inn. They were all his friends, weren't they…and they joined in the song.

"And there's no spook like a spook that's spurned! They don't like him and he's really burned! He swears to the longest day he's dead, he'll show them that he can get a head. They say he's tired of his falling top, he's got a yen to make a swap! So he rides one night each year, to find a head in the hollow here!

"He likes 'em little! He likes 'em big! Parted in the middle or a wig! Black or white or even red, the Headless Horseman needs a head!

"With a hip, hip and a clip pity clop, he's out looking for a head to chop! So don't stop to figure out a plan, you can't reason with a headless man!"

Roxas was rubbing his throat, his eyes half-closed, his expression grim. Axel was glaring at Brom and the other singers, but Xion could see him tapping his leg to the beat of the song in spite of himself. She felt faint…and the cut on her neck burned. That had been where Seifer had cut her when she'd been captured by Maleficent and the Phantom Blot. She'd been tied up, helpless…useless…she hadn't been able to do a thing to save the baby turtles or the mama turtle from the Big Bad Wolf…And there would have been nothing she could have done to save herself if they had decided to kill her outright, instead of leaving her tied up next to one of the Phantom Blot's bombs.

Xion winced as the memories returned…her desperate attempt to keep King Mickey from being captured exhausting her own magical reserves…Seifer disarming her of the knife she had tried to use to free herself…the skeletons binding her so tightly the ropes cut into her skin. The skeleton spider dangling her and then dropping her down onto the hard, concrete floor…the blows to her face from Pete and the Big Bad Wolf…Little Shelby breaking her nose out of spite…and then the terrified screaming as the baby turtles watched in horror as their brothers and sisters were eaten alive…

She shook her head fiercely and bit back a cry. Xion doubted even Roxas and Axel would have been able to hear her anyway. The entire inn seemed to be signing along to Brom's song. Or at the very least, clapping along. It was so loud now, she could barely hear herself think.

"Now if you doubt this tale is so, I met that book just a year ago. Now I didn't stop for a second look, but made for the bridge that spans the brook! For once you've crossed that bridge my friend, the ghost is through! His power ends!

"So when you're ridin' home tonight, make for the bridge with all your might! He'll be down in the hollow there, he needs your head! Look out! Beware!

"With a hip, hip and a clip pity clop, he's out looking for a head to chop! So don't stop to figure out a plan, you can't reason with a headless man!"

With a final whoop, Brom held up his vest above his head. Against the candle burning on the table, it made his shadow look…like a man without a head.

Xion fainted.

oooo

Lea cursed under his breath when Xion slumped in her seat. Drat that Bones and his ridiculous song. Roxas gave a small shout of alarm and was at Xion's side in an instant.

"Wake up, wake up," Roxas begged. "Please, Xion, please get up!"

"Oh my goodness," Katrina exclaimed. She knelt down beside Roxas and placed a hand on Xion's forehead. "Are you alright, dear?"

Looking at her properly, Katrina looked to only be about Aqua's age, and it was almost a little strange to hear someone who wasn't that much older than Xion call her "dear." Then again…she looked tiny…and helpless and that stupid bonnet had fallen off her head. Lea knelt down and pressed a hand to Xion's forehead. After the longest fourteen seconds of his life, Xion began to stir.

"I'm…fine…" Xion mumbled. She looked very tiny. Lea fought the urge to scoop her up, which would only draw more attention. "I'm fine…"

"I didn't scare her that badly did I?" Brom asked. His voice was shaky in alarm. "In all the time I've told those stories, only one other person reacted that badly…"

Brom trailed off and Katrina glared at him. It was so fierce, it almost made Lea feel sorry for Brom. Almost. Several other of the inn's patrons were also standing up, their concern apparent on their faces. Xion's face reddened when she realized she was the center of attention.

"She's frightened, Brom," Katrina said. "You and your stories…couldn't any of you see she wasn't enjoying it?"

"It wasn't that," Xion lied. "My…bonnet was too tight. I'm sorry I worried you all."

Brom opened his mouth but Xion held up a hand and excused herself to a washroom so she could splash some water on her face. Katrina linked their arms and walked Xion away, nodding politely to Lea.

"What did I tell you?" Thad called from a far table. "Them's spooks and shadows are real! It ain't something to just tell stories about!"

Lea exhaled slowly. That was definitely something he could agree with in principle, but unfortunately, it was also his best lead. And from what Kairi had told him, way back when they'd been training together, her own grandmother had used to tell her stories about the Light and the Darkness inside peoples' hearts. It sounded uncomfortably like a very abridged telling of the Keyblade War.

"So you've got your stories…" Lea said, taking care to choose one word at a time. "You said someone else reacted badly. Who was it?"

"Ichabod Crane," Brom muttered. "He was the schoolmaster here, he was. Only here for a season. And he was one of the most superstitious folk I ever met."

"Is it really superstition," Lea asked, "If there's really stuff out there?"

"The man would throw salt over his shoulder if he spilled any," Brom said, and there was venom in his voice. "He believed just about anything you told him. And all that superstition to keep ghouls away? It was to keep Crane from what he deserved, if you ask me. He wasn't a good man."

"Wasn't?" Roxas asked. "What do you mean wasn't?"

Lea's eyes narrowed and he let his hand dangle to the side, ready to summon Flame Liberator if he needed to. Brom's own eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't know what happened to Crane, but I'll swear on the Bible it wasn't me," Brom said cooly. "He vanished a year ago, tonight. Personally, I think he just had a scare and took off for greener pastures. I don't reckon he came to a sticky end, but it serve would the gold digger right, if he did."

Brom glanced at the back of the hall of the inn. It was where Katrina had led Xion to get washed up. They hadn't come back yet, but it was clear that Brom didn't want to be overheard. Several of the drinkers and card-players had apparently taken the hint and were having very loud conversations, none of them with malice and from what Lea could overhear about "purple cows" mostly nonsensical.

"Katrina is my wife, and I love her dearly," Brom whispered. "But I wasn't the only one…Crane just wanted her for her family's money. I told that story to give him a good scare, and he deserved it."

Ah, a lover's feud. Lea grit his teeth. Nasty stuff when you got down to it, but even the nastiest feud was the stuff that Heartless usually dealt with. There had to be something else causing them to appear in this world. Along with any other monsters or spooks or ghosts or…whatever the hell they were.

"And for what it's worth," Brom said. "I am truly sorry for frightening your friend. She's a very sweet young lady and animals take to her. With due respect, Lea, she is not one for dishonesty. The fear was written on her face as plainly as the Commandments were etched into stone."

Roxas and Lea glanced at each other. Yeah, that was definitely true. Lea looked back at Brom. There was a shininess in his eyes…wait, was he about to cry? A big, strong tough guy like Brom?

"What's really the story of the Headless Horseman?" Roxas asked. "Why would he have it out for anyone in the first place?"

"Well…" Brom said, "If you do really believe there's something to the story…"

"In my experience, there's always something to a story," Lea said. "So, out with it."

"They say he was a Hessian solider," Brom said. "Lost his head to a cannonball in the War. Haunts the Hollow looking for his lost head. Uses a jack o' lantern as a replacement in the meantime. If you believe the story, that is."

Lea grimaced and rubbed his own neck unconsciously. That was…honestly, it wasn't even going to make the Top Ten of "Scary Stories That Are Totally Real" considering everything else that had happened to him. But still, it seemed to spook Brom even in spite of himself. Hmmm…

Lea felt a twinge in his heart. He wanted to check on Xion.

oooo

The autumn air was bordering on cold and it stung against Xion's face as she splashed herself with water from a barrel. It was nearly nighttime, which did not make Xion feel good at all. The nice lady, Katrina patted her gently on the back. Xion splashed more water on her face and felt the nausea she'd felt fade.

"Are you sure you're alright, dear?" Katrina asked. "You still look a little clammy."

"I think…I'm alright, ma'am," Xion said. She was feeling a little bit better…but she wanted Axel and Roxas. "Thank you. You're very kind."

"I'm certain that Brom didn't mean to scare you the way he did," Katrina said gently. "There isn't malice in my husband's mischief, but he can get carried away…but maybe this will make him see sight."

"I don't think he meant it either…" Xion said. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"Heh," Katrina said, patting Xion on the shoulder. "You're very sweet."

Xion looked up at Katrina. She was so kind…so gentle…Xion paused for a moment. She wanted to go back inside but something stopped her. It was…too quiet. Even during the quiet moments in the woods this morning, there had been the chattering of squirrels and the chirping of birds. And there was always at least a little bit of noise in towns. But this absolute stillness…something was wrong. A chill went down Xion's spine. The nausea returned, worse than ever.

"Are you sure you're alright…what…what is that thing?!"

Xion dreaded turning around, but she did it anyway. There…sitting on a horse in the middle of the street…the lone being on the otherwise empty, empty street…was a very large man. Larger than the Coachman, larger than Aeleus or Dilan or Xemnas…but she couldn't see his head…

"I…the legends are true?!"

Of course they were true. Every other tale she'd ever heard had turned out to be true, at least within the borders of its own world. Xion took a trembling step forward, stepping off of the porch of the inn. She shook off Katrina's hand on her shoulder, resisting with all her might the nice lady's effort to pull her back to safety. She held out her hand and summoned her Keyblade.

"What in the world?" Katrina shouted. "Is that some sort of witchcraft?!"

Xion ignored the outburst. She could hear Katrina screaming something but she couldn't hear it over the pounding in her ears. Her heartbeat…

The mounted figure…the Horseman…Xion took another step forward and then another. The chill in the air was nearly suffocating. But the warmth from her Keyblade gave her strength. Her Keyblade…Kingdom Key. It was almost like holding Roxas's hand. Or Axel's hand. Or even Sora's hand.

Her friends were her power…

Xion swallowed hard and stared at the Horeseman. Then…he charged.

A/N: There we have it, my dearest readers! As you may have guessed from my username, I've long had a soft spot for monsters. Mind you, I've always preferred Sasquatch to ghost stories. Unfortunately, I'm not nearly as well versed on cryptid lore for New York as I should be.

With that being said, I hope you all enjoy this! I've never actually seen Disney's rendition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow beyond a few sing-along clips.

Thank you for reading, my dear, dear readers! Leave a comment if you're so inclined! Please, tell me what you think!

I appreciate each and every one of you!