Antipode Act 3: All That's Left

by MegaFlameHedge

After a year's absence, Riku has finally returned, joined by friends both old and new. However, much has changed. Twilight Town is in ruins, the Organization's hold on the worlds has increased, and as the final clash with the Nobodies draws near, a bitter truth will come to light. AU. Current World: Arendelle

62. Unions

Chapter 62: Unions

Snowflakes drifted from between gaps in the treetops. A frigid breeze brushed across Xion's cheek. It was as if Pabbie's words sparked a sudden shift in the atmosphere. A heavy silence hung over everyone, even the more rambunctious trolls. Then again, who could blame them? Xion might've lacked experience, and there were still many things across the worlds beyond her understanding, but even she could read between the lines.

Something had happened to Riku. Something bad.

A single snowflake drifted to the glass shard in Pabbie's hand, coating its surface with a faint, frosty pattern. What might've been pretty on a normal day only deepened the scowl on his face. He shut his eyes, shaking his head, and placed the shard down on a nearby rock.

"Thank you for bringing this to me, Kristoff. Now that I have examined the glass shard's properties with my magic, I've a greater understanding of Elsa's plight…and the prince's capabilities."

"So? Get to the point!" said Donald with a huff. "The sooner we know what we're up against, the sooner we can save Riku!"

…Right. The more time they dragged this out, the longer Riku suffered. Even if the exact specifics were lost to Xion, she couldn't fault Donald's bluntness. For now, she kept her head down, tugging at a sleeve as she watched the adults talk. A quick glance to her right, and she found Jim prodding at the frosty ground with a stick, a deep crease in his brow.

Pabbie continued, "It is as you said; this glass originates from a being with no heart. A…Nobody, you said?"

"Hey, I got a question," said the snowman.

Kristoff grumbled. "Now's not the time, Olaf."

"But if this prince guy's a Nobody, how come he's got a body? And those Heartless eat people's hearts, right? So I bet they're stuffed full of 'em by now."

Goofy squinted, scratching his head. "Y'know, he's kinda got a point…"

"You can discuss semantics on your own time," said Pabbie with a sigh. "More to the point, I believe I understand its corrosive properties now. I don't believe it's as simple as infecting a heart with darkness… More so, it reflects back the darkest and most repressed thoughts, memories, and emotions." He looked around, then spread his arms.

"Miss…Kairi, correct? Could I have your assistance? I would like you to place a series of barriers around everyone here and then use a weak magic spell to destroy the glass."

Xion jolted up straight, connecting the dots in seconds. "Wait, you can't! Nahxs' glass—"

But Pabbie raised a hand again. "I know, but I would like to demonstrate."

"Well…okay," said Kairi. "I think I know what you're getting at." And so, with a sweep of her arm and a burst of light, she called forth her flowery Keyblade and gave it a swish.

One by one, glassy barriers burst around the entire group, from the clusters of troll families to Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf—even a little one for Morph. The barriers formed a ring around the little glass shard.

Within her own barrier, Kairi stepped back, shut her eyes, and exhaled softly. A tiny orb of light swelled at her Keyblade's tip and then rocketed at the shard…only to bounce right back, ricocheting off of all of the surrounding barriers, only to catapult up to the treetops.

Another wave of her hand banished the barriers, but in their place, a smaller one wrapped around the shard.

"Very good," said Pabbie. "But as you see, even the tiniest shard possesses an innately reflective ability. To Keybearers, that is dire poison. Your greatest skills are but another weapon in the prince's arsenal."

Donald gulped, clutching his staff in both hands and pulling it closer to his chest. "But there's gotta be a trick to it! Maybe if we blast him from behind—"

Kristoff snorted. "A loudmouth like you? Nah. There's no way you'd get the jump on him."

"HEY!"

Goofy patted him on the back. "Aw, c'mon, Donald. We made it past Kurt Zisa, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but that thing didn't copy us! Why should he get to use spells we've spent years honing?"

Kurt…who? Xion fought the urge to ask. This wasn't the time! But she'd have to make note of it later.

"Hey, like it or not, that's what we're up against," said Jim. "Least you guys could've done was listen to me instead of throwing me to the sidelines. Didn't you guys notice how he kept changing his attitude whenever he talked to you guys? One minute, he'd be all cheery and friendly with Goofy, the next all strict and serious with the captain. He was obviously just playing to the crowd, but none of you cared."

More silence. Xion reached out for Jim, contemplating if she should do…something. A hand on the shoulder? An awkward, one-armed hug? Something to show support while the others exchanged awkward looks, like a kid who just learned the candy store was shutting down on their birthday.

…Weird metaphors aside, Kairi stepped forward, though her tense and tiny footsteps spoke volumes. "…Jim, I'm sorry. But you have to understand. We were stranded out there. At the time, we couldn't just brush off the first helping hand we got."

But Jim crossed his arms, looking the other way. "Yeah, yeah. But you still put way too much trust into him. The guy was gearing up to have you guys kill Elsa. He could've let all of us go find her and Anna, but he just had to tag along in my place."

Kairi, Donald, and Goofy all flinched. It wasn't hard to guess why, in light of Olaf and Morph's performance.

But still…was it really fair to place all the blame on them? Xion turned to Jim, hesitant. "Jim…I get what you're saying, but Xaldin was the one who struck Elsa. And besides, Hans leaving gave us the chance to figure out who he really was."

"Look," said Kristoff, "we can argue in circles about what we should've done, but that's not gonna get us anywhere. And right now, Anna's alone with Nahxs. Riku doesn't know his MO, and he's still sick from whatever Elsa's ice did to him."

"…Yeah, exactly," said Xion. "Plus, if Nahxs and Xaldin have been here for so long, they're established. And they know we discovered the truth. So if Amelia and Delbert are still back there…"

"Shoot!" Jim snapped his stick in two, bristling. "And there's no way he's gonna take it lightly. Even Zexion knows what we've been up to."

"And somebody had to send those creepy Nobody soldiers after us," Xion added. "Which means, even if we go back, they'll probably be on high alert. We can't just walk in blind."

"Yeah…" Kairi practically wilted at Xion's words, her face downcast and her posture slumped. "But what about Riku? If Elsa froze his heart, what does that mean for him?"

Pabbie turned the other way, hands clasped behind his back. "If the ice within his heart is not removed, then to solid ice will he freeze, forever."

"No!" Kairi stomped forward, voice quivering. "I won't accept that! There has to be a way to save him."

Pabbie peeked over his shoulder, a deep frown carved in his face. "There is but one: An act of true love."

Donald slammed his staff onto the ground. "But we already gave him a huge group hug!"

But Goofy pulled him aside. "Now, hold up, Donald. I think what Pabbie's tryin' to say is that it takes somethin' big to break the curse."

"You're pretty big."

"And we can go bigger!" said Goofy. "Now, what's the biggest way we can show Riku just how much we love him?"

Jim crossed his arms, hmm-ing to himself. "Self-sacrifice?" All eyes snapped to him. That was a tone-changer. He clarified, "You said an act of true love, right? There's no greater love than that."

…Everyone went quiet again. Self-sacrifice only brought one thing to Xion's mind. Someone dying. And that wouldn't solve anything! She was tempted to point that out, too…

But Kristoff beat her to the punch.

"Not really a sacrifice if your magic can heal us later. Kinda trivializes the whole thing."

Well, that wasn't quite how Xion planned to handle it, but she still heaved a small sigh of relief. Short-lived relief, though, as Pabbie addressed the group again.

"In all other instances of breaking a curse such as this, nothing less than a bold, genuine, and deliberate act of true love has ever restored the victim's heart. If you are to sacrifice something, it cannot be so easily undone or replaced. For such powerful warriors as yourselves, you may have to cross a threshold you have never dared face before."

More silence, but this time it was different. One by one, Donald, Goofy, and Sven, Kristoff turned their eyes on Kairi. Soon even the other trolls did the same. Jim cupped his chin in his hand for a moment, but then even he followed the others. And then it clicked.

An act of true love. Crossing a threshold. …Oh. Xion's cheeks warmed again. Ugh. Why did this have to happen? Was this some dumb Riku-based side effect of her changes?

Well, Kairi's cheeks seemed to redden just as fast, and she gulped. Even opened her mouth and raised a shaky finger. A small swish from behind forewarned the coming of another small breeze.

Then Olaf threw up his arms and said, "Fine! I'll smooch the guy!"

Xion bit her lip. She expected one of two outcomes. Outcome one: more awkward silence, grimaces, cringing, maybe some giggling. Option two: bickering, scolding…something loud and chaotic.

What she got instead was a metallic voice from behind blurting, "Well, at least buy me dinner first!"

That…wasn't a voice Xion recognized, but judging by the way Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Jim, and Morph all gasped, yelped, gawked, and turned around, they sure did. And then, when Xion followed their gazes and turned to face the newcomer—

Make that newcomers. Familiar ones, at that.

Because behind the big-eyed, gangly robot man who replied to Olaf, Captain Amelia and Delbert emerged from a dark corridor. Behind them, Zippy and Booper's twitching forms, and then…

"C—Chrysanthemum…" Xion squeaked out his name as he and Éclair followed the rest, and the portal behind them collapsed.

"Chris-mantha-watchum?" asked Donald.

"Hey, guys," Kairi whispered to Donald and Goofy. "Isn't that—"

Whatever she said next, Xion couldn't hear it over the happy squiggling noises of Zippy and Booper as they tackled her in a little group hug, and Xion happily hugged them back as the three of them fell on the snow.

Jim watched the scene with apprehensive confusion on his face and a hand hovering over his gun. "Uh, Xion…" The idea of friendly Nobodies must've been a huge shock to him.

So, hugging Zippy and Booper in each arm, Xion catapulted herself back on her feet right in front of him, startling Jim with the now much closer Nobodies. "Jim, these are my Dusk buddies, Zippy and Booper! They do dangerous spy work and also bring me snacks sometimes! Say hi, guys!"

Zippy and Booper opened their wide zipper mouths and made adorable hissing noises. Judging by the look on his face, Jim didn't adore them.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one, as Donald stomped his way up to Xion and shook his staff like a crotchety old person might shake their cane. "Hey! What's the big idea, Xion? Those things are still just—"

"Nobodies?" Kairi finished for him. "So does that mean we have to start hating Roxas and Naminé, too?"

"Roxas and Naminé don't…wiggle! Or hiss!"

"Yeah, but…if it's Xion, we should cut her some slack."

Slack like Jim's jaw as the Dusks shook his hand…with the gun still in it. It didn't get easier for him when Morph and the snowman came over to join in the greeting, adding even more bodies to the multipartite handshake.

…She knew the word 'multipartite,' apparently.

"Hi, I'm Olaf! I like warm hugs and turning ongoing tragedies into traveling roadshows!"

And then the robot man zipped over and shook the snowman's hand and said, "Hi, I'm BEN! I'm very disturbed by what you just said!"

Off to the side, Chrysanthemum whispered something to Éclair, who cracked a…very tight, almost painful looking smile. Weird. Donald still squinted at the two of them, too, while Goofy tapped his fingers together with a big, droopy frown.

Amelia glanced between the two groups. "Ah. Am I to assume that you're acquainted, then?"

"Not exactly," said Kairi, "but…they look a lot like two Nobodies Xiruk told us about once. Marluxia and Larxene."

Marluxia…and Larxene? Xion could feel the color draining from her cheeks. Xiruk…had mentioned those two before, but...

"…Are these the same guys?" said Donald.

Goofy tilted his head. "But didn't they die?"

"Um, NO," said Éclair, and all eyes fell on her in a flash. Including Chrysanthemum's. "…I mean, yes."

Olaf waddled up to her, shaking his head. "So they impaled you too, huh?"

This was…a lot to take in, let alone consider. Of course, Chrysanthemum and Éclair did say they used to work for the Organization. By all accounts, and through process of elimination, who else could they be, short of some secret members no one had ever heard of, who left a long time ago? But if that was true…

Xion wrung her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. Because if it was true, then…didn't that make them the same Nobodies who chased down Xiruk and Naminé for months? Who drove them out of the comfort of Hollow Bastion when they'd just started to feel at home?

Éclair—Larxene—whispered to…Marluxia, "Um, why is the snowman talking?"

"Forget that," said Jim, with a voice as sharp as about twenty knives. "Xion already told me about how you two ditched her. And from the sound of it, you've mostly been teaching her to kill. So. How 'bout you explain yourselves, before my friends here whip out their Keyblades and make you?" He raised his own gun for good measure. "And that's if I don't beat them to the punch."

Booper snatched the gun away in her mouth, catching Jim by surprise, and she offered it to Xion like a puppy playing fetch. Zippy growled at Jim when he tried to take it back.

But that didn't stop Donald. He brandished his staff, smoke spewing from the tip. Kairi winced and fiddled with a strand of hair, but soon even she drew her Keyblade again, even if she kept it at her side.

"I think you owe us an explanation."

Xion scanned the crowd. Nothing but anxious faces all around. Delbert, Amelia and Olaf, putting some distance between themselves and Marluxia and Larxene; BEN and Morph, both backing away from Zippy and Booper; Grand Pabbie and all the trolls, taking cover behind Kairi and Kristoff and the others… That, and then Booper nudged the stolen pistol into Xion's hands. She really didn't feel comfortable holding it. …Then Booper flicked the safety back on and did that mean Xion was holding a primed gun aimed right at herself until now?

Chrys—Marluxia cleared his throat. "Now, before anyone goes and shoots their eyes out, perhaps it would be best if we had a chance to explain ourselves. You see—"

Larxene stepped in. "He's Marluxia, I'm Larxene, we betrayed Xemnas like a year ago, bullied your replica and his witch girlfriend, and then they almost killed us in London #5 and now we're trying to play nice. So, who's up for a union?"

The trolls perked up. "LIKE A MARRIAGE?"

Marluxia and Larxene exchanged…unreadable looks. Larxene gave him this…really weird smile, or maybe a smirk. It conveyed…something unspoken, Xion was sure, but did she want to know it? That was up for debate.

Sven and Morph snarled. The tip of Donald's staff sparked.

Marluxia raised a hand and spoke before things escalated further. "You are right to be wary. I won't deny the hardship we brought to Naminé and…Xiruk, was it? Well, regardless, our near-fatality brought us a healthy dash of perspective. We share a common enemy in the Organization, and I sincerely believe that a mutual partnership will expedite their defeat and ensure that Xemnas is unable to see his schemes through to fruition."

Jim stepped forward (as much as Zippy would let him). "Oh yeah? If you're so reformed now, why'd you abandon Xion when she needed you most? Why wait until now to show up?"

Delbert replied, "Calm down, Jim. I understand your concern, but these two did save the captain and I from certain death."

"Moreover," said Amelia, "they've thoroughly explained their motivations, have provided invaluable intelligence, and are, if I understand correctly, the only ones to have successfully killed a member of the Organization in well over a year."

Everyone went quiet again. Well, mostly. Donald opened his beak, but a sharp look from Kairi shut it before he got a single quack out.

Well. Xion cleared her throat and straightened her posture. No sense in getting cold feet now. "It's true. …I was there. It's why we're here now. Xaldin's next." She gestured for Zippy and Booper to ease off Jim before turning her focus back to Marluxia and Larxene. "But if what you say is true, and you are Marluxia and Larxene…you should've told me."

Larxene raised an eyebrow and brought a hand to her hip. "And then what? We aren't stupid, kiddo. You've been buddies with the Replica for a while, haven't you?"

"Xiruk, you mean," said Marluxia, to Larxene's annoyance, "and I assure you we will apologize when the time comes—but, I should think the fact that we rescued your new friends speaks for itself, Xion. Regardless of who we were before, we have changed, and our intentions to aid you were sincere."

What was Xion supposed to think about all of this? She tugged at her sleeve again, searching for the right words, let alone the right feelings. On one hand, they were right. Their efforts to stop the Organization by far surpassed all but maybe Xiruk's in practicality. And he'd still only killed one on the way out. Marluxia and Larxene also trusted her enough to grant her access to classified Organization intelligence and did so with the full knowledge that she could've left them in the dust at any time and told Kairi and the others all about them.

…Even if they discouraged it. Even if they abandoned her. Even if Larxene…

Xion placed a hand over her cheek, feeling it sting with phantom pain. Imagine if Jim knew about that. The gun in her other hand began to weigh heavier. At least she wasn't holding it right.

Then Marluxia approached her, his expression soft, almost sorrowful. He brought a hand over his chest, speaking with a warm, gentle tone. "Xion. I apologize for the deception. We had intended to tell you sooner, but wanted to ensure that our identities would not be compromised in the process. I realize that does not erase our past transgressions, nor the fact that we left you alone and afraid amidst an Organization-controlled city, but I hope that with time, you will find it in your heart to forgive us."

"I…" Xion breathed in, then out. This was still a lot. And judging by the way Jim stepped between the two, he still wasn't buying it. But…

DiZ had spent a year treating her like garbage. He gave her orders and demands and accepted nothing less than complete compliance. He…never valued her.

At least with Marluxia, there was transparency. There was…some semblance of understanding. With DiZ, she was a puppet. With Marluxia, she was a teammate.

So Xion set a hand on Jim's shoulder and shook her head. "It's fine. I got this." She even gave him his gun back as a sign of good faith. Given the circumstances, this was no time to butt heads. "I think…it'll be okay, eventually. I'll still work with you, but if you try to hurt my friends… Well. You don't wanna get on Jim's bad side."

"…Uh, yeah." Jim twirled his gun. Or tried. He kinda fumbled it in the process. "So no more funny business."

To the others, Marluxia said, "And does anyone else object?"

Donald made a grunt, but deflated with a great big sigh and lowered his staff. The unused flame spell at the staff's tip sizzled itself out in the snow, much like Donald's temper. Goofy fidgeted with his collar, but made no complaints. Kristoff shrugged by Sven's side, neither seeming to fully understand this, while Kairi let her Keyblade fade with a flick of the wrist.

"No. You saved our friends, so…we at least owe you that much. And since you can use portals, maybe you can help us get back to the palace." She glanced between Marluxia and Xion. "Well, one of you. I need to get back there before Riku—"

"Before Riku what?" said Amelia, her ears back and eyes wide, though the fire in her voice died down fast. "He…did appear unwell, from what little we saw of him before our escape, but I had hoped it was merely fatigue."

"It would seem we've much to catch up on," said Marluxia, as he looked from the trolls to the makeshift…wedding altar. "Xion…I don't suppose you could catch us up to speed?"

A situation like this called for seriousness, but after all the tension that had hung over her head, after everything that had just transpired, Xion said with a titter, "Okay, so, Donald married that buff ice guy—"

"QUAAA-AAA-AAAACK!"

x.x.x

The sound of screaming jolted Anna from her bed. Only…no, it wasn't screaming. It was a loud "WAAAAAAAA." A baby's cry. Rubbing her eyes, Anna threw the blankets aside and hobbled toward the window. Below, a woman rocked her baby in her arms. Two guards stood beside her, ushering her towards the palace. But the snow continued falling. …No, it had resumed falling. Ever since Elsa fell unconscious, the air had stilled.

That… Was it good? Bad? Anna bit her fingertips.

That was a stupid idea. Why had she brought her hand so close to her mouth? Pulling her hand back, she shook it and blew on it…then slumped against the window. Her cold breath fogged the glass.

More snowfall meant Elsa woke up, didn't it? And while Riku and the others contained her, what did that really mean? Would it last? Was she…really going to become a Heartless?

And…what about the others? Anna's fingers drifted close to her face again, but this time, she didn't bite. She just…rubbed her chin. Gulped a few times.

Riku was in critical shape. Hans was a Nobody. If the others found out, they would turn on him. And then what? More fighting? Anna'd had enough fighting. All it ever did was bring heartache and loss.

Dozens had died in the coup only hours ago, and that Captain Amelia was still at large. Chances are, she was out rallying Kairi and the others for another attack right this moment. But this time, the attack wouldn't be relegated to an empty room or castle wing. They would come from the outside, with an entire palace of these freezing, helpless refugees between them.

Even now, Anna didn't want to believe that her new friends would go so far to destroy the Organization—to destroy Hans—but…

"But they are also desperate beyond the point of virtue and reason. You've already seen what happened to the kingdom the moment we turned our backs on them."

And yet, Hans had also promised her, "This kingdom has seen enough bloodshed for a lifetime."

Anna stared through the glass at all the people she was sworn to protect, and felt the despair rising at knowing she couldn't protect them. Not even an army of Nobodies could.

A gentle rapping on the door snapped her attention from the window.

"Anna, dearest? Are you awake?"

Hans. For all her fears of the future, just the sound of his voice sent warmth swelling back into her heart. "Y—yes, I'm awake. But, ah, I'm…" in my pajamas, she almost said. It hit her immediately how strange a concern that was now that she was…married. …This would take some getting used to. She shook the doubts from her head and called more calmly this time, "You can come in."

So he did. And there he was: her love coming through an open door. He seemed gently surprised to see her in her nightdress, but at least her hair was fi—she glanced frantically to the nearby mirror to be sure—at least her hair was fine.

"Did you get enough sleep?"

No sleep would be enough. But she'd have to get used to that as…queen. Queen for now, until Elsa got better. But all she said was, "Yeah. It's just what I needed. How's Riku?"

Hans paused only a few feet away. "Riku is…stable. But still critical. If things continue as they are, I fear he won't survive the night."

That was…absolutely worrying! Riku was Kairi's true love, so of course Anna wanted to save him! …But what if she couldn't? What if Riku died in the Organization's care? Would Kairi even hear them out, or would she double down on her resolve and hunt down Hans and his friends to the ends of the Earth? All the Earths? And all of this because Riku had to go and protect her from Elsa—

Anna's eyes shot open. "What about Elsa?"

Hans sighed. "As I've said, if Elsa is to reincarnate as a Nobody, the worst of her condition is yet to come."

"But she's awake now, right? It's snowing again."

Hans looked past her, at the window, mildly startled to see the fresh snowfall. "I suppose she is."

"So, doesn't that mean she's a Nobody now? We can finally reason with her, and whatever she did to Riku's heart, maybe she'll know how to undo it!"

Hans didn't seem convinced. That alone worried Anna, because of course he'd know better. He took her hands in his and said as gently as he could, "Elsa is not yet a Nobody. That snow is proof enough. Were she to return to her senses and be reborn with all the power a Nobody is capable of, she would banish this winter in a fraction of the time that she summoned it."

"Then…do you know how long it'll take? Will she turn before Riku…?"

He released one of her hands and ran his through her streak of winter-white hair. "There is no way of knowing. If we are to prevent all-out war between this kingdom and the Keybearers, then we can only pray for the strength of Riku's heart…and the weakness of Elsa's."

But would the others get there before that? A part of Anna hoped they would, if only so Kairi could be with Riku. Maybe she'd even know a way to fix him! She had magic. That Keyblade. All of this was outside of their hands, but not hers, or Donald's. He carried a staff, for crying out loud!

But as quickly as those hopes manifested, they cracked. Because while it was true that they held the potential to save Riku, they also brought the greatest risk, not only to Hans, but to Arendelle's stability. If they wanted to end this without any further losses, they needed something big. Something definitive to quell the flames and show all her other friends that they'd be okay.

"…In the meantime," Hans continued, "I've rallied the troops. While I hope it won't come to it, should the others return, and should they take up arms, we'll be ready. The city is being patrolled not just by the infantry, but our Nobody forces as well."

If he was willing to expose his true nature to the public like that, then…this was serious, wasn't it? The Nobodies would only make things worse! At least, to Kairi and her friends. It painted such a terrifying image, and when Anna peeked at the window again and saw weird, spindly dragon things leaping from the rooftops, she grimaced.

There had to be a better way.

"Hans…I don't think that's enough. We can't just threaten them."

"It's not about threatening them, darling. It's about ensuring that this kingdom stands tall, even in the face of the most misguided of threats."

But Anna refused to accept that, and so she stood straighter, even to her own surprise, in the face of her husband's cynicism. "No. If we want to send a message to the others, we need to do more than intimidate. I know we said we'd wait on a formal ceremony, but we've already exchanged our vows. Don't you think it's time we make it public?"

This seemed to surprise Hans, as he kept quiet, even taking a moment to tap his chin.

So Anna continued, "Think about it, Hans! We can put on a big wedding. Let the whole kingdom know our love is real. And we can make it clear that Arendelle stands with the Organization, and that this doesn't have to be a bad thing! This could be the beginning of peace between you and the Keybearers!"

When Hans replied, he spoke slowly, as if her words were still just sinking in. "And when would you have us perform this ceremony?"

"Right now!" She pumped a fist in the air, then paused. She was still in her pajamas. "Well, before dinner. Soon enough that we can get the message across and still have time to save Riku!"

The way he looked at her…that smile creeping in so slowly, the light in his eyes rising like a new dawn, like all the weight of the past forty-eight hours was removed entirely, and he was again the bright-eyed, carefree prince that she fell in love with forty-nine hours ago.

"Anna…you're a genius!"

OHHH, HOW HER HEART DID BIG FLIPPY THINGS FROM HEARING THAT. …Despite…everything going on.

It seemed that Hans tried to rein himself in too, being mindful of the gravity of the situation. But even still…they were them. Of course their excitement still seeped through. And so, surprisingly, but also not surprisingly, Hans grabbed both of her hands again, looked deep into her eyes, and…oh. More heart flips. Lots and lots of heart flips.

She might've giggled. It was hard to tell if they were literal giggles or head giggles in the heat of the moment. Wait, all giggles were head-based, but—oh, she knew what she meant!

"But, Anna…are you sure you'll be okay with this?" There was enough subdued excitement in his voice to tell that he wasn't getting cold feet. Just that he was concerned about her.

"I…yes, I'm okay with it. I suggested it…"

"It's just…this won't be a fairytale wedding. Not if we have only an hour to prepare—"

"Wait, an hour?!"

"…You said before dinner. It's 5:30."

Anna looked past Hans' shoulder and at the grandfather clock. HOLY SMOKES…

Well. They had a huge staff. And nobody said you couldn't have dinner after the wedding. Or, did the ceremonies come before the meals? It'd make sense, so nobody spilled food on their nice clothes beforehand.

"…It's fine," she said. "We probably still have leftovers from the coronation. You already look amazing, I've got a formal enough dress"—somewhere—"and then it's just a quick trip to the chapel, some music, and…oh boy, we're actually doing this."

She actually stumbled from the sheer suddenness and urgency of it all. Hans caught her, because of course he did.

"Anna, are you sure you're okay with this?"

Last time, she didn't grasp the full meaning of what he meant. How little time there was for this to work. But now that she did…she swallowed, took a breath, and said more collectedly than before, "It won't be perfect. But it doesn't have to be. The safety of our kingdom comes first. Everyone will know that Arendelle and the Organization stand hand-in-hand. We're not gonna lose anyone else."

x.x.x

"You've lost me," said Olaf, tapping his chin and squinting at the magic projection of the palace.

Everyone inside the trolls' underground cave-home groaned. Larxene stomped a thunder-charged foot on the ground and smacked (and consequently distorted) Pabbie's palace projection with every word, "FOR THE FIFTH. TIME…"

Kristoff stepped in. "Hang on. Larxene, right? Lemme try to explain this."

Larxene writhed and screeched further. "FINE! IT'S YOUR MIGRAINE, DUCK-LOVER!"

In all the frustration, Kairi still had to try not to laugh at Kristoff and Donald's reactions. Still, she admired how well Kristoff could keep it together. He spent all his life dealing with infantile rock trolls and speaking to a reindeer, so it made sense that he'd have the most patience out of anyone here.

He knelt down to Olaf's level and asked in the exact tone of kindergarten teacher trying not to snap, "Now. Olaf. What part of everyone's master plan to destabilize the monarchy and save the world from total darkness do you not understand?"

"Hmm… I think it's the part where we don't just show up with a megaphone and tell everyone that the magical rock-man says the bad guys are bad. Because, I tell ya, of all the magical rock-men I've met, not one of them has ever lied to me, and only one of them has tried to murder me."

Behind him, a handful of trolls held back one of their own swinging a muffler from the wrecked Gummi Ship dangerously near the back of Olaf's head. "EUSTACE, HONEY, IT'S NOT WORTH IT! THE DEMON IS IMMORTAL!"

Pabbie, who had been quiet 'til now, whether it was from the sheer chaos of such a large gathering or to collect his thoughts, cleared his throat, as if to reclaim the crowd's attention.

"I fear it's not so simple. Perhaps before this all began, my word would be enough, but between Queen Elsa's winter storm and the discomfort brought by off-world residents, most Arendellians fear magic and all that is linked to it." He placed a hand over his chest, and added, "Make no mistake. I do wish to help you. But if we are to succeed, we must take into account Nahxs' hold over the people of this world."

Right. And his charisma had nearly fooled Kairi before. Even if she knew better now, it was no wonder he'd wormed his way into the hearts of the native residents and off-world refugees alike. But despite this knowledge, and despite the dangers, Kairi raised a clenched fist not unlike Riku would do at a time like this.

"Whatever happens, I'm saving Riku. If it takes love, then fine. I've got two years' worth of pent-up love just waiting for me to set it free." And…sure, it was. Poor timing. The worst possible timing in fact, but in a roundabout way, it was just the push she needed. They'd both dragged their feet for far too long, and they'd flirted with danger more than they'd flirted with each other, but if she could make it in time—no, she would, and from there, she just needed to be herself. Be honest.

Everything else was the hard part.

"In essence," said Amelia, visibly worn from going over this plan so many times, "Our mission is five-fold. Save Riku. Protect Princess Anna. Save Queen Elsa. Depose Prince Hans. And prove to the people of this world that the Organization is not their ally."

Marluxia added, "Grand Pabbie's powers of telepathy—his memory projection and manipulation, specifically—has granted us this composite map of the royal palace and the guards' patrol routes, pieced together from the memories of myself, Captain Amelia, Larxene, and Doctor Delbert."

"But not me!" said BEN. "My brain's a computer, and you can't mind-read computers!"

Olaf maintained that insufferable, curious grin. "Please explain in minute detail what a computer is."

Larxene thrust her finger toward him, striking the ground with lightning mere inches away. "Hey, snowcone. Do us a favor and shut up."

Delbert scuttled between them. "ALTOGETHER," he swallowed that quick burst of fear, "we have a fairly complete map of the palace. We know for certain that Queen Elsa is being kept in the dungeon," he glanced at Kairi, "as you said Hans announced she would be when last you saw him."

"Right," said Kairi. "And Riku offered to fortify her cell with some Keyblade magic, so you'll need another Keyblade to unlock it."

"But should we unlock it?" said Kristoff. "Elsa's the reason Riku's in danger right now. If we do release her, it should be one of the last things we do in order to prevent another emergency love fest."

Marluxia cut in, "Only if you have a heart. That's why I recommend sending myself, Larxene and…the robot, perhaps, to release her. We have no hearts for Elsa to freeze, and were we to unleash her, she would devastate their army of Nobodies."

Xion said, "You'll still need a Keyblade to free her. Let me handle that while Kairi…" She swallowed nervously. For some reason. "…s—saves Riku."

Larxene pointed a finger at her from across the room, "Hey, Xion," and a small dark corridor appeared close enough to Larxene for her arm to vanish inside it, and a corresponding portal opened up behind Xion. She squeaked and turned around as Larxene's finger tapped her shoulder. Larxene continued, "Don't need a key if we don't need doors."

Xion had bumped into Jim while he was practicing twirling his gun, probably so he wouldn't embarrass himself like the last time he tried. He fumbled the pistol when she bumped him, but caught it and tried to play it cool. "And besides, we're gunning for Xaldin. Can't have ya losing your heart before you give him his early 'retirement.'"

Oh, that…inside joke again. The one that only Jim and Xion were in on and that Kairi really didn't want to understand.

But Olaf did. "Okay, retirement? Now I really don't know what we're doing anymore!"

Larxene's hand and eyes crackled with lightning. "YES YOU DO."

"No I do—"

BEN dove in and scooped up Olaf out of her firing range. "Trust me, little buddy, you do."

But Olaf just smiled wider. "I really don't."

BEN groaned. "Here's the rundown so far…" he pointed to everyone as he listed them, starting with himself, Marluxia, and Larxene, "I'm going with them to free the psycho ice queen," then he pointed to Olaf, Sven, and Kristoff, "you're going with them to keep your pal Anna safe," to Kairi, Donald, and Goofy, "they're going to make out with Riku," to Xion and Jim, "they're going to rip out Xaldin's skeleton and turn it into friendship bracelets," and to Pabbie, Delbert, and Amelia, "and they're going to get all regicidal on that Hans fella so we can all live happily ever after!"

Olaf glanced at the final group—Pabbie, Delbert, and Amelia—and had just one question. "…Why?"

Pabbie answered, the magical map of the castle shining behind him, "As we established earlier, Nahxs—"

"Who's Nahxs?" Olaf asked.

"HANS!" everyone screamed.

Pabbie groaned and tried again. "Prince Hans possesses the power of corruption and reflection." To further emphasize this, Morph floated beside him and transformed into a tiny version of Hans facing a tiny version of Kairi. The tiny Kairi launched a barrage of fireballs at the tiny Hans, who snapped his fingers and surrounded himself in floating, glass prisms.

The fireballs then ricocheted back, setting the tiny Kairi on fire, and she ran around flailing her arms and screaming comically.

"Morph, my armor is fireproof!" Morph changed back and made a taunting face at her. Kairi glared back at him and stuck out her tongue, but eh. He made his point. "But, do you see, Olaf? No offensive magic means no magic to reflect. All he's got left are his glass shards. …And his crazy sword skills." She remembered how Hans had battled Sköll. If that was just a fraction of his true power…

Delbert said, "Respectfully, you haven't seen the captain's 'crazy sword skills.'"

Amelia added, "Or the doctor's remarkable aim. Our mage-parasite prince may find himself outmatched by pure, physical skill."

Pabbie stepped in. "And should Nahxs still prove too powerful, your friends will have my support magic to keep them going. We shall see if this Nobody prince can reflect magic not used against him." Judging by his confident tone, he doubted that was the case.

"One problem," said Kristoff. "How're we supposed to rescue someone who doesn't wanna be saved? As far as we know, Anna's still head over heels for that freak, and I doubt anything we say is gonna change that."

"One moment, Kristoff." Pabbie reached for his wrist, pulling his hand out and setting the glass shard in Kristoff's gloved palm. "I've placed a memory spell on Nahxs' glass, not unlike when I modified Princess Anna's memories as a child."

"You did WHAT?!" Donald snapped.

Off to the side, Xion shrank back. Kairi couldn't blame her, given her own complicated history with memory.

But Pabbie carried on regardless. "It is a long, difficult story, and in hindsight, perhaps it was cruel, but at the time, it was a matter of life or death. However, in this case, I shall not be manipulating existing memories. The spell I've cast on this shard will simply reveal to her its origins, who used it, and why it was used against her sister."

"Well, that works for me!" said Olaf, ignoring the glare from Larxene. "Golly, I sure can't wait to see Anna again! And see her house. And her family. Oh! And maybe we can sit by the fire, and—"

F—Fire. …Oh no. If Olaf went in the way he is now, he'd melt. Probably in minutes.

Everyone else seemed to realize this too. Especially Larxene, as she was suddenly smiling very brightly. Marluxia nudged her to cut it out.

Kairi thought to wrap Olaf in another barrier, but Donald beat her to the punch, flicking his staff at Olaf and surrounding him with…a little snow flurry? That was new. Just little snowy clouds drifting around him.

Donald said, "Never tried this before. Let's hope it works."

Olaf brought his hands to his cheeks, beaming. "My own flurry! That almost makes up for the time you impaled me!"

"IT WASN'T EVEN ME!" Donald shrieked.

"See, that's what every evil mastermind says! But I guess you're more of a slightly-malevolent, decentish weirdo."

"That's what his yearbook says," said Goofy.

Larxene's fingers twitched. Marluxia grabbed her shoulder and scowled, forcing her to relent.

Fortunately for her, a twist of thorny darkness overhead dropped those two Dusks…Zippers and Bongo, maybe? Well, either way, the two Dusks plopped onto the ground, wiggling and flailing. It was…kind of cute, maybe? Even if she was still used to thinking of Nobodies as the enemy. Even stranger, though, was the way Marluxia and Larxene reacted to their silent gestures.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding," she said, snorting.

"No, I don't think that they are," said Marluxia.

It only hit Kairi then. Could they hear the Nobodies? Were the Nobodies 'talking' the way that Sora and Aqua did with Ven? Whatever they were 'saying,' it seemed like Xion could hear the Dusks too, judging by her worried expression. Jim whispered something to her, likely wondering what was going on, and she whispered back. Jim didn't take this mysterious news too well, either.

Before letting anyone else overhear and inquire, Kairi finally stepped in. "What's going on, Marluxia?"

"Well, it seems your reindeer-loving friend was onto something."

"That ditz is getting married," Larxene added. "Like, right now. They're setting up a huge ceremony. Tons of civilians and off-worlders are gonna be there."

Kristoff's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"

Larxene 'tsked' and waved her finger. "Nope! Sorry, sweetie, but it looks like you missed your shot."

"Too bad!" said Olaf. "Maybe you should've cut your losses and married the duck."

Amelia covered her face with her palm, sighing through clenched teeth. "Ignoring these personal matters, this is certainly cause for alarm. A wedding ceremony means that Nahxs has an entire chapel's worth of civilians and refugees as his living shield."

Delbert added, "And it's likely that Xaldin and Anna will soon convene with Nahxs, which means that our targets won't stay separated for long. Time is of the essence! So, unless anyone has any other pertinent details to add…" He gestured at the air, making a swoosh sound with his mouth.

…Was that supposed to be a dark cor—

Three dark corridors sprung up all around Delbert in that moment—one each from Xion, Marluxia, and Larxene, no doubt—startling Delbert as he found himself surrounded by a trio of scary black ovals.

"Come along," Marluxia said, gesturing to the portals. "Take your pick. But as you said, we've no time to waste."

There was no cheer. No rallying cry. Only the simple understanding that time was not on their side. …And the much more sudden understanding that there was a lot less room to move around in than anyone expected. Three whole portals, fifteen people going through them, and suddenly the trolls' cave seemed a lot more cramped as everyone moved and bumped into each other like a crowd at a congested train station.

Someone stepped on Donald. Xion got a branch of antlers up her armpit. Goofy tripped one moment and came back up with a face full of Olaf's new personal flurry. Marluxia's hair was suddenly very goopy and alive—oh, he'd crashed into Morph. And, of course, Delbert was still trying to climb or crawl or squeeze out from between the backs of the three portals.

This had to be the most awkward mission deployment ever, but this was no time to laugh or quip about what might've been a normally comical situation. Despite the shoving, the grunts, and literal elbow rubbing, they passed through the darkness in time.

On their way out, Kairi could hear one of the trolls calling, "Bye-bye, kids! Have fun storming the castle!"

…Well. It was as good a cheer as any.

On the other side, they emerged on the frozen fjord. The very same fjord that Kairi once encountered that 'mystery Nobody' on. The irony wasn't lost to her. Yet now, the distant castle that once offered reassurance now left her heart throbbing from deep, agonizing dread.

There was much more room out on the ice. Everyone disembarked from their respective corridors, caught their balance or helped each other up, and all eyes naturally gravitated to the palace ahead of them. For as daunting as their mission was, Kairi couldn't deny that she felt the strength in numbers.

There was herself.

Donald.

Goofy.

Kristoff.

Sven.

Olaf.

BEN.

Morph.

Jim.

Xion.

Amelia.

Delbert.

Marluxia.

Larxene.

And Grand Pabbie.

Fifteen in all, all gazing at the castle on the other side of the ice.

The sprinkle of a snowfall became a shower. A frigid wind slapped their faces. The flakes themselves cast the palace in an unsettling veil. And to think that despite all this, Anna yearned to have a wedding…

Yet in the heart of this storm to be, Kairi could only hope and pray that by the time Cid and Ringabel arrived, it would all be okay.

TO BE CONTINUED

x.x.x

A/N: Surprisingly, an update that doesn't take several months! The next chapter is also nearly complete, so I may be able to update next week. We shall see!

Special thanks as usual go to chickenscrews for assisting in the brainstorming and doin' some initial editing and to MasterPrince for further editing. Heck yeah. B)