Disclaimer: I don't Kingdom Hearts or Fantasia. They belong to Disney and Square Enix.
Thank you for the reviews. They make me happy. I'm glad you like that Xigbar is from Hawaii. Depending on how I feel about the ending to this, I'll have a connecting story with Xigbar or another Organization character.
-----The Deep Past
"Wake up, sweetheart," said a very gentle voice, accompanied by the sound of a violin. Every single chord was toned with complete flawlessness. Not a single note wavered. Without any notice or hesitation, the song began to change from a pleasant serenade to an upbeat bolero.
"Aww mommy I was sleeping!" cried out a sleeping, six-year old Dyme.
"It's time to get up, Dyme. Daddy's waiting for you at the table," laughed his mother. Sometimes Dyme wondered who was the child, him or his mother.
"Okay, okay…" he yawned and scratched his head. "Don't I get a hug?"
The woman stopped playing her instrument and placed it on a nearby chair before she hugged her son. "Of course you do, sweetheart," and planted a kiss on Dyme's left cheek and forehead.
For breakfast, Dyme had some blueberry waffles, scrambled eggs, and orange juice. His father, who was a very tall rugged man, sat to his left and ruffled his son's hair when he began to eat.
"Daddy, do I hafta go to Bald Mountain again?" asked Dyme, while cutting his waffle.
His father smiled. "Yes, but it won't be until Halloween."
"Why?"
"Because that's a night where both the dead and all things evil become active. Chernabog is exceptionally powerful on that night. As a Holy monk, I have to go and suppress his powers with a spell during the dawn."
"Why?"
"Because if the monks don't do it, Fantasia will be taken over by darkness."
"Why?"
"Because, Dyme, Chernabog is evil that way."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to eat your waffle, that's why." With that, his father reached over and forked a piece from his child's plate.
Dyme pouted. "Hey no fair!"
-----The Present
The secret police went into their own Gummi. The king went with them. Sora and his crew boarded their corresponding ship and headed towards Fantasia. From far away, the world looked like a menagerie of lands and colors all glued together as one. As strange as it appeared, everyone found it beautiful. Sora could almost swear that he heard music as he entered Fantasia's atmosphere.
"Wow," said Sora.
"I see that you brought them, Reno," replied Yen Sid.
The redhead nodded. "Is he awake yet?"
"No," answered the sorcerer. "The duchess is doing everything in her power to revive him."
"Wait, are you guys talkin' about Chernabog?" asked Goofy.
Yen Sid shook his head and began to walk toward a pavilion. "We're trying to awaken the last Holy monk. He's been in a catatonic state for almost four years."
"Master Yen Sid," said king Mickey. "What exactly happened to Dyme? Did you bring him back to Fantasia?"
"Yes. I had to, your majesty. My haven in Twilight Town was no longer safe when Maleficent made her appearance."
At the pavilion, the group noticed a transparent coffin was in its center. It was a lot like Snow White's casket, but upon further inspection, one would notice that instead of glass and gold, the tomb was made of a clear stone. Inside the coffin was a boy about three years older than Riku sleeping peacefully.
"This guy…" said Sora. "He looks so familiar."
"Yeah," added Donald. "Do you know who he is, your majesty?"
"His name is Dyme," replied a woman from behind a pillar. "And he is my son."
The woman had dark blonde hair and green eyes, and wore a blue royal gown. She was slightly taller than Riku, but her delicate frame made her appear shorter. There was a sad look in her eyes as she passed the coffin and approached the keyblade bearers. She curtsied in front of King Mickey and Yen Sid, and then bowed her head at the police and the crew.
"I am Duchess Viola, ruler of Fantasia."
"It's an honor," said Donald as he bowed along with Goofy.
"Hi. I'm Sora. This is Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Kairi," answered Sora with his usual cheerful disposition.
"Sora show some respect!" squawked the mage.
"There is no need for formalities," Viola replied. "Right now Fantasia is in great need."
"So what's the story behind your son? Or is there not enough time for that?" asked Riku nonchalantly.
The duchess smiled softly. "Almost four years ago, Fantasia was attacked by an army of Heartless. By this time, Chernabog had escaped Bald Mountain with the help of a powerful man. The only option we had was fight or give into the darkness. We chose the former."
Turning away, Viola began to walk towards the coffin and sighed. "Many of our people died; a certain species went extinct. Our Holy monks, the only people in these worlds who could conjure the spell Holy, fought until the bitter end. My husband was a Holy monk too…" She paused for a few seconds and placed her hand on the coffin near Dyme's head. "There were still too many Heartless to ward them away. Soon all the Holy monks were destroyed minus one: my son.
"Dyme hated fighting, but he knew that as a Holy monk he had to fight for the sake of protecting Fantasia." Viola paused again. "My boy isn't the bravest of people. Most of us thought he was going to abandon us. He was about fifteen when this happened, so it was only natural to believe that he was selfish enough to choose the coward's path. Even I believed he would run away…We were wrong, so very wrong."
"What did Dyme do?" asked Sora.
"He gave his heart to save Fantasia."
Riku had a very incredulous look in his face. "So just one heart saved Fantasia from becoming a piece of Transverse Town? What are you trying to say? That this guy is-"
"Young Dyme is a Prince of Heart," replied Yen Sid. "That one heart, given in the circumstance of sacrifice, was enough to save Fantasia from ruins. We greatly misjudged the boy."
"We all did," said Viola.
-----The Past
Ever since that rendezvous with Xigbar, Demyx couldn't get the song out of his head. Based on the tune that Number II used, the musician began to experiment with his sitar to find the right melody that would go well with the song. It wasn't easy, especially since Xigbar sang it in a room with a large echo. Demyx didn't like echoes since it distorted sound and changed words into something they really weren't. Another problem was that his full memory of the song began to fade as the days passed by. But he tried. Boy did he ever try.
"A tiki tiki mai loki loki. Something something, lalala hanahana. Pina colada ka one. Something I forgot… Kawaii lobster toaster ride!"
"You got some nerve!"
Demyx jumped. "Xig-Xigbar?" Xigbar didn't seem to be amused by the sour look on his face. Number IX suddenly felt stupid for practicing in the Proof of Existence, which was one of the most public areas in the castle.
"L-let me explain kay?" he stuttered. "A week ago, I-"
"First of all, I'm not going to hear your explanation," said the Freeshooter as he walked towards Demyx with his arms crossed. "Secondly, you totally shoulda used a damn ukulele, not a sitar. And last, and certainly not least, you got the lyrics all wrong! Kawaii? Where did you get that from? Kid, it's Hawaiian! Lobster toaster ride? What kind of drugs are ya takin'!"
Demyx was a loss for words, so instead he blinked.
Xigbar sighed, "It's Hawaiian roller coaster ride."
"Oh… I really couldn't hear what you said," Demyx replied nervously.
"I'm not gonna shoot you or anything. Just ask the next time you wanna know a song or something."
"Well can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Were you singing random words?"
"As if! It's totally another language. Don't be such a complete idiot either, Squirt."
Demyx frowned. "You don't have to be so mean about it, Xigbar."
"It's a Braig thing, kid. It's just something I remembered."
The musician's eyes brightened at the word 'Braig.' Whenever Xigbar mentioned his Other's name, it usually meant tangents. Tangents that lead to stories of his past, and Demyx really loved stories.
"Ooh where were you from to know about such a language?"
Number II scoffed, "Why would you even want to know?"
"Because I'm curious."
"It's all in the past. It won't change what we are, Demyx. A Nobody is a Nobody is a Nobody. Besides, it's nothing but memories anyway."
"I'll tell you where I'm from, if you tell me about yours. Please!"
"Pft, you don't even remember your damn past."
"Oh I do too," pouted the younger member.
"Tell me your Somebody's name, and I'll believe you."
"Dyme."
"Bah, that was too easy," he muttered while rolling his eye. He sat down next to Demyx and leaned against the steps. "Okay I'm from a world called Hawaii. I lived in a relatively secluded area in a town, but I had neighbors."
"Did they have kids?" asked Demyx in childish delight.
"Yeah, two girls: Nani and Lilo. They were good kids. Sometimes I watched over them when their parents asked me to, and sometimes they came over for a few minutes after school."
"Aww I didn't know you were so domestic," said Number IX with a devilish grin.
"I'm not domestic, Braig was, and don't you forget that."
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Xigbar."
"Heh, at least they were easier to handle than you."
"Hey what's that supposed to mean?"
Xigbar chuckled, "What it means, squirt." Demyx pouted again. "It's your turn. Where were you from? You kinda just came here outta the nowhere."
"Well Xemnas told me not to tell everyone about where I came from."
"Bah, I think it's safe to tell us. I'm technically second-in-command, not like that ass kissin' Saix, so I command you to tell me. Unless he had some reason not to, like say you were from a world that is as laughable as you."
Demyx laughed nervously. "Well maybe."
"Maybe? Where the hell are you from?"
"I'm from Fantasia."
The Freeshooter slapped his knee and began to laugh. "You're from where?"
"Man, I knew this was a bad idea," sighed Demyx. "I didn't laugh at your world."
"It's just that it's so funny," Xigbar chuckled.
"No it's not! What's so wrong with being from Fantasia, huh?"
"Nothing." Xigbar almost snorted. "Seems something like you is all, that's why I'm laughing?"
"Oh really?"
"Yeah really, so get used to it, kid. Knowing that you come from the land of music and dancing fat hippos is indeed laughable."
Demyx frowned.
"Aww don't give me that look. Hell, I bet Axel would find it funny."
"He'd find anything against me funny." Demyx pulled his legs closer to his chest and hugged them. There was a sudden sadness in his eyes. At first Xigbar thought the boy was pulling his usually antics, claiming that Nobodies do have hearts, but then there was the water forming in his eyes: tears.
"Demyx, what are you cryin' about now?" Number II scooted closer to the younger Nobody. "Look I'm sorry, okay?"
The blonde buried his head into his arms. "I want to go back home. I have to fix back Fantasia."
"What the hell are you talkin' about?"
"Holy. I have to use Holy, but I can't, Xigbar. I can't use Holy anymore."
"Are you saying you're a Holy monk?"
Demyx looked up at Xigbar. "How do you know about them?"
"Before I became a Nobody I was a scientist; I worked with Ansem the Wise. You already know about this. But yeah, there was certain study we were doing on pure hearts. I dunno how, but we somehow got info about a heart like that in Fantasia. Ienzo went there to check it out, but he said that there wasn't anything. I don't…"
"You don't what?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just something I thought about. He told us about the Holy monks and a monster named Chernabog, so that's why I know. Anyway, about two years after we became Nobodies, Fantasia was attacked by Heartless, but it was spared from becoming a part of Transverse Town. Hawaii unfortunately had that fate," he said almost sadly.
"Xigbar?"
"It's nothing, squirt. All I know is that my home is back the way it was thanks to that kid with the keyblade."
"Why don't you go visit there?"
"Nah, I'm fine knowing it's the way it was. Maybe when I get a heart I'll go back."
"I'm sure you'll see it again," Demyx smiled, finally coming out of his little shell. "And I'm sure I'll see Fantasia again."
"I'm certain you will."
Demyx looked at the elder Nobody and smiled again. "Well I have to go and meet Xemnas. I probably have a mission." He frowned.
"Ain't nothing to it. Just be careful, ya here?"
"I will." Demyx grabbed his sitar and entered a dark portal he created.
'Something tells me that boy didn't give into the darkness like the rest of us did. He just doesn't seem like the type to become a Heartless.'
----
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