It's late, almost midnight, when Mickey Mouse finally puts his pen back down on the table in front of him. His task finally finished, the king of Disney Castle sighs deeply, gloved hands rubbing his tired eyes. He pushes the document he'd been working on aside without another glance. It's not really all that important, in the grand scheme of things. This week alone he's signed things of far more importance.
The thought sobers him, his mouth settling into a frown. He's made the right decision, he knows that. At least he thinks he does. One thought leads to another, and soon he's pulling open the desk drawer at his right hand. Its contents are innocuous enough, fresh pens and a few paperclips. Backup staples that Telary had absolutely insisted upon. Mickey begins clearing all that out, piling it carefully on the desktop.
Once the drawer is empty, he runs his hands along the bottom searchingly. He finds what he's looking for in the back. Applying a bit of pressure to a small groove, he flips open the drawer's false bottom. He takes out the object hidden there, not looking at it until the last possible moment.
It seems innocuous enough, to an unknowing eye. A photograph in sepia tones, two people standing side-by-side. The king regards it for a long moment, allowing himself just the faintest smile. The photographed version of himself smiles back, his considerably wider, more open. Freer, somehow. Back before all the burdens placed upon it.
The second figure in the picture smiles as well, head tilted slightly away from Mickey. His arm rests around the mouse's shoulder, friendly and close. Best friends. Brothers. Days long gone by, that can never be recaptured. No matter how much the king might wish it.
Sighing, Mickey folds the photo into quarters before slipping it into his pocket. Perhaps that isn't true. Maybe there is a way, some small chance, to restore something long thought lost. It won't be easy, but it could just prove possible. He hopes it is.
And that's just one, if the biggest, of Mickey's concerns this weekend. After all, he's got a wedding to put on for two of the most meaningful people in his life. Besides Minnie, perhaps the ones who have changed him the most. His children, really. He hasn't been terribly involved in the lead-up process, a bit busy working on his backlog from being away so long. But in two days, he promises to dedicate himself to nothing but the ceremony. Azlyn and Telary deserve that much.
They deserve a lot more, in fact. And unbeknownst to anyone but him and the queen, they're going to get just that. It's all part of the plan, a way to leave behind a legacy for his world that he can be proud of.
Cautious but full of hope, Mickey leaves the Disney Castle library with a smile on his face.
KH-KH-KH
"Uh, Kairi? Kairi? Hello, Gummi ship to Kairi! Hey, listen!"
The Princess of Heart still doesn't look up at the sound of her boyfriend's voice. She's too focused on other things at the moment. Wedding things. Seating arrangements, flower arrangements, dinner orders and more dance in her head. And apparently block her ears.
Sora really doesn't know what he should do. He's tried to be gentle, even getting just slightly rough, vocally. But it doesn't seem to work. Escalation seems inevitable now, but what kind of hero is willing to get physical just to get a girl's attention?
Riku, apparently. With an exasperated sigh, he reaches out and flips the large white binder shut. It falls closed with an abnormally loud thunk.
Kairi looks up at the silver-haired young man, eyes glaring daggers. "Hey, what's the big deal? Do I come in on you reading and…"
"The big deal, miss wedding planner," Riku interrupts, utterly deadpan, "is that we're here. Y'know, the place where you actually get to take your ideas out of that binder and in to the real world?"
"Oh," the redhead replies, looking rather sheepish. After a moment, she just shrugs. "Okay, sorry. Just got caught up in it for a second there."
"More like the whole trip," Riku mutters, turning and making his way to the cargo bay below.
Sora stays by Kairi's side. "Don't let him tease you, Kairi. It's really great how organized you are, and how much you care about planning, and doing things for people you…"
She holds up a hand, stopping him as she stands. "Thanks, Sora. But he isn't wrong, I did kind of get carried away." She starts going toward the down ladder, still talking. "But this is just, like, the coolest thing I've ever done. I just want to make sure everything goes according to plan."
"This is the coolest thing?" Sora repeats, giving her an amused smile. "Not all the badass Keyblade wielding, or winning otherworldly battle tournaments?"
"Nope!"
Riku waits patiently for them below, only triggering the cargo ramp to open once both of them are down the ladder. Once the ramp has rested on the Gummi hangar floor, the trio depart.
Once again, Sora is impressed by Disney Castle's Gummi hangar. This section is fairly new, built to accommodate a few more ships in case of visitors. The next dock to their right is empty, but beyond that sits another ship almost identical in style to the one the Destiny Islands trio has been using to go back and forth to the castle. There's only one real difference, but it's sizable: JUST MARRIED is written on the side in huge golden letters.
"Not Tel's idea, I would imagine," Riku comments.
"Yeah, no," Sora replies, smiling thinly.
Kairi notices. "Hey, is something wrong Sora?"
He turns to face her, looking sheepish and rubbing his neck. "No, nothing wrong. I just… No, it's kinda dumb. You'll think it's dumb."
"Can't let that stop you," Riku chimes in, playful. "C'mon, what is it? You should be exploding with obnoxious enthusiasm right now."
Sora relents, shrugging. "Well, it's just that I was thinking about me and Azlyn and Telary flying around in the Gummi ship together. Now they'll be off in the universe together, and I won't. Man, that ship is gonna be loud!" He frowns. "And I won't be there, up in the cockpit trying to hum loud enough to tune them out."
"It's the little things you miss the most," Riku says with as much sympathy as he can muster. It isn't a great amount. "Right, Kairi?"
"Hm?" The Princess of Heart looks up from the once again open wedding binder. "Sorry, guess I tuned most of that conversation out."
Riku shakes his head. "Some people have all the luck."
Azlyn and Telary enter the hangar, walking close and holding hands. Riku's the first to notice, giving the couple a small wave. He's about to greet them verbally when Sora takes note of their presence. The Keybearer reacts with unrestrained glee, rushing the pair and wrapping them both in a huge hug.
"Yeah," Telary says to his fiancée, looking from Sora to her, "you were right about him after all."
"Well, there was just no other way he could react, the big sap," Azlyn replies, shrugging. After another moment, she forcibly shoves the Keybearer back.
"Can you believe this is finally it?" Sora says, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Tomorrow's the big day! So, how are you feeling? Good? Great? Awesome?"
"All three, Sora," Telary answers with a bright smile. He takes a deep breath then, deflating just a little. "Well, okay, I guess I am a little nervous."
"There is no need," Kairi says cheerfully. She holds out her binder and gives it a light tap. "Not as long as we have this. Of course, I should probably get to work right away. A lot to do, not much time. I mean, for the rehearsal dinner alone…"
"Please tell me you'll be the one dealing with her," Azlyn says to Telary, looking at Kairi as one might a golden retriever that's trying to jump on them.
"Az," Telary admonishes her gently. "Kairi, we so much appreciate your help with all of this. And of course, you'll have whatever help you need. Master Donald empowered almost an entire new division of mops today."
Kairi smiles. "That'll be good. They probably won't get as annoyed as people do when I triple check all their work." She hoists her binder into her armpit again, expression set in determination. "Alright, let's get this setup started."
She marches off, leaving the boys in charge of all the luggage. Quite a coup, considering most of it is hers to begin with. Sora offers to double his load without any complaint, but Telary takes some of the burden.
"So how nervous is a little?" Sora asks as they make their way out of the hangar.
"Just usual jitters, I imagine," the wizard replies, shrugging. "I mean, I'm sure all grooms feel like this before they get married. It isn't like I'm special in that regard or anything."
"Yeah," Azlyn chimes in. She kicks at Riku's heel for giggles, but he's too quick. "Except most grooms and brides don't have, like, the worst magnet for attracting trouble attached to their backs or something."
"We do have the Cornerstone, though," Telary interjects, though without much confidence. "And, and like half the guests are either skilled in combat or magic. So, y'know. We've got some insurance in case, I guess."
"You shouldn't have to," Sora says. The anger in his voice startles both his friends. "This is your wedding, right? You shouldn't be worrying about attacks or whatever." He shakes his head. "I just can't help but feel all this kinda stuff is my fault, y'know?"
"That isn't true at all, Sora," Telary assures his young friend. "And what's really going to spoil my weekend is if you keep thinking like that. Nothing that bad guys decide to do is your fault."
"Yeah," Azlyn chimes in, more sympathetic than usual. "Don't sweat it Sora."
The Keybearer sighs. "I know I shouldn't. You're both right. This is going to be the greatest wedding ever, and nobody is messing with it while I'm around!"
KH-KH-KH
They meet in secret, as most shadowy revenge cabals do. Not in some country hideaway or underground bunker, but a conference room on the fiftieth floor of Mouseburg's tallest building. It's not a place anyone would think to look for such a group, which in a way makes the meeting all the more satisfying. And that is what this gathering, this group, is all about after all. Satisfaction.
Revenge.
The cabal's leader, ironically the one amongst them with the least impressive stature, stands at the head of the table. The others are all seated, looking expectantly at the man who brought them all together. He watches them just as intently, privately wondering how circumstances could have led him to an alliance with scum like this.
Nevertheless, he persists.
"I guess the fact that you all made it to this meeting means you accomplished what we need?" the leader asks, regarding his collaborators archly. "With the wedding being tomorrow and all, you sure are pushing your luck."
"I fear you do not appreciate how difficult a feat we had to accomplish," remarks the only female in the room, her voice lightly accented. Occasionally, she pets the crow perched in front of her on the table. "Something like this has never before been tried in this world, to my knowledge."
"She's got a point!" chimes in another member of the conspiracy. He's the group's tallest, his lanky body dressed in a solemn grey suit. "My entire life has been dedicated to doing the impossible, and even I wasn't sure how we were gonna pull this one off. But ha-cha-cha, here we are!" Reaching into his pocket, the tall man places a small glass vial on the table. Hundreds of tiny black beads churn inside, forming an almost liquid clump of matter that is to all appearances alive in its own right.
The leader regards it with interest, taking a few steps closer. "Huh. Interesting looking stuff anyway. You really expect me to believe that this… whatever it is can break through Disney Castle's defenses?"
"By all accounts there should be no problems," the woman assures him, grinning at the vial. "I ran what tests I could, based on sample of the Cornerstone's energy I had on hand. Energy I expect to be reimbursed for, by the way."
"Though magic was involved in Blot's construction," the tall man chimes in, obviously relishing the chance to explain, "the bulk of it consists of specially prepared nanobots. My own design, I would be remiss to mention."
"So proud of your toys," the female says, voice dripping with contempt. "Just like the little boy that you are." Her crow companion appears to titter at the joke, hiding its face beneath a black wing.
"Rather be little than a washed-out ol' hag like you, lady!"
She stands, the chair sliding back. "How dare you, you insolent little…"
"Enough." It's only a single word, not even said particularly loudly. But that's enough to settle the bickering villains down. "Gee, how the heck did I ever lose so much in my life that I have to resort to using you lowlifes for a chance to get back on top?"
"Aww, no need to be so harsh, Hoppy," says the room's final resident. He leans back in his chair, which does nothing short of miraculous work at holding up his large body. "And no need to be all condscendin' like to your partners, either. Trust me when I say they don't much appreciate it."
The leader holds his tongue, making an effort to relax himself. This last villain may be the most contemptible of all his cohorts. How sad then that it is he that brought this entire venture about in the first place?
"I suppose you're right," he relents, falling back in his chair. His long ears start to droop in his face, but he pushes them back up. After another moment of composure-gathering, the leader looks back to his cabal. "So, what you're saying underneath all this bluster is that most likely this goop will do the trick."
"Indeed," the two villains reply.
"Then get set to send it into the castle at first opportunity." The group's leader stands, stalking slowly over to the window. He looks out across the morning twilit city, to where the rising sun shines upon the sparkling marble of Disney Castle. Even after all these years, the sight of that castle still makes his pulse tick up in anger. "We've all been waiting years for this, people. This time tomorrow, we'll all finally have our revenge on Mickey Mouse."
KH-KH-KH
Disney Castle truly is beautiful. Every inch of it simply drips with old style charm and bright color. Even Riku's relatively small guest quarters has somehow been made to feel open and airy. Not just because of the outside balcony he has access to either. Despite its size and grandeur, this castle feels almost as homey as Destiny Islands itself.
A lot of that probably has to do with Mickey Mouse, its fair king. Even busy with wedding prep and his own kingly endeavors, the mouse had made a point to come and talk to Riku. He treated him well, with the kindness of an old friend. It isn't all that remarkable, considering how close they'd been by necessity during their time in and out of the dark realm. But somehow, Mickey just knows how to make Riku feel special and worthwhile.
The king's gone now, though. Even as nice a guy as he is, the Keyblade wielder has a schedule to keep. Riku could go and find Kairi, get in some prime ribbing while the redhead rushes around making her wedding binder into reality. But for now he's content to stay in, take in a bit of relaxation.
A knock on his door interrupts, however. Frowning a little, the silver-haired young man rolls out of his large bed and pads over to the door. Opening it, he finds Telary on the other side. The wizard looks a bit out of sorts, but what else is new?
"Hey," Telary greets him, friendly and smiling. "Did I bother you just now?"
"Not really," Riku lies.
Tel nods. "Good. Sorry, but I just, uh, I just had a question and you might have the answer. Kairi said she needed something from her bag, but I'm afraid I just can't find her room. I asked a mop, but I think it was mixed up. Maybe the spell needs some recharging."
Riku wordlessly points out, a few doors down the hall. It's a door like any other, painted blue wood with golden trim and knob.
"Uh…" Telary frowns, looking from Riku to the door. Then back to Riku. Then the door again. And finally Riku. "No, I think you're mistaken, too. That's not Kairi's room. It's Sora's."
"Uh, yeah?" Riku replies, confused by the wizard's confusion. Well, this is definitely turning into a whole thing now. "But Kairi's too. They're sharing." A pause, as he watches Telary's face slowly morphing into some odd expression. "You, uh, you did know that, didn't you?"
"I did not." Riku winces, the way the redhead says those words utterly disconcerting. Like there's no emotion to them at all. Emotionless has never been a very apt descriptor for Telary. "If you'll excuse me, I have… There are some things to do that I should must. Have a pleasant day." He starts off down the hallway in a full-on, arms pumping powerwalk.
Feeling obligated, Riku follows after the wizard. This Sora/Kairi stuff isn't something he's particularly keen to think on either, but someone has to have a clear head. So he keeps pace with Telary as he arrives in the castle's eastern ballroom. The room is full of large round tables, large double doors opened out into a garden where the dance floor is set up.
Two tables near the doors are occupied by people setting up centerpieces, Sora among them. When Riku and Telary arrive, he's frowning at the complicated set of instructions for which flowers to place where. When he notices his friends, the Keybearer smiles up at them.
"Oh, hey guys!" he says, setting his small vase down and taking a deep breath. "Man, this stuff is insane. Kairi said it was too delicate to leave it to those broom guys, but I'm starting to think it's too much for me too!"
"But you're gonna keep going though, right?" Riku says before Telary can speak up, hoping to avoid a situation entirely. "Because no matter what happens, or how difficult things get, you care about Kairi, right? You would do anything for her, no matter what, because you love and respect her and enjoy every moment that you're together. Right?"
Sora is silent for several seconds, obviously wondering where the heck this version of Riku came from. After a moment, he nods. "Um, yeah. Exactly what you said. Getting this perfect will make Kairi happy, and you know I'd do anything for that."
"Did you hear that, Tel?" Riku asks the wizard, leaning close and giving him a knowing look. "Sora would do anything for Kairi. But you know that, don't you?"
"Yes," Telary replies, barely concealing his sigh. "Yes I know that very well. Keep up the good work, Sora. I'm sure everything is going to turn out great."
"Might go better if I had some help?" Sora throws a suggestive glance over at another crate of loose flowers.
Riku sighs, taking a seat next to his friend. He really should never have left his room. He leans forward for a vase, accidentally going for the same one as someone else. Their hands touch, a recipe for instant awkwardness.
He looks up, and green eyes meet pitch black. The other blinks at him, curled eyelashes fluttering like a coquette's fans. He watches in stunned confusion, and they stare right back. They can feel an immediate connection, like a sudden need fluttering up inside.
Riku can't. Most likely because the woman looking back at him is a cow. Not in any derogatory sense, but literally an anthropomorphic cow. Sora watches from the corner of his eye.
"Sorry," he says, quickly taking his hand off the vase. "I didn't realize… Well, anyway, you can have that one."
"Oooh," the woman crows, eyelashes fluttering once again. She pulls the vase back, her other gloved hand covering her mouth as she titters discreetly. "Such a gentleman. I don't think we've had the pleasure before, young sir. I'm Clarabelle Cow, head of housekeeping here at Disney Castle."
"Okay," he says, quickly focusing himself on the task at hand. After a moment of silence though, he can't help but feel the need to be polite. What harm could it do? "I'm Riku, friend of the groom. And sorta the bride too I guess, though it's a different kind of friendship, y'know?"
Sora's head turns just slightly, focusing a bit more on the "show" before him.
Clarabelle nods sagely. "Oh yes, sure. Single, or plus one? If you don't mind me asking, that is."
It's clearly a trap, but Riku's pretty much running free on this conversation now. "Just me, actually. Hopefully I can make my own fun at the singles table." The young man instantly recognizes his mistake. Even if he hadn't, the way Clarabelle's eyes instantly light up would be a dead giveaway.
"I fear I've found myself in a similar position," the housekeeper declares. Her eyelashes get to batting again. "Perhaps we can make our own fun in this case, hm?"
Sora loses all pretense of not being involved, failing to muffle an amused snort that comes out like a gunshot.
"Y'know something?" Riku practically throws his vase on the table, though thankfully it doesn't break. He stands, chair scraping harshly against the floor. "I just remembered that I am the absolute worst at arranging flowers. And, uh, Kairi needs me for a super important project, so… I'm sorry, but…"
Clarabelle waves her hand grandly, shrugging him off. "Oh, don't apologize. As you said, we'll have plenty of time to get better acquainted at the singles table. Hopefully very well acquainted."
"Sure." The silver-haired young man tamps down his urge to run, settling instead for a quick turn and brisk power walk out of the room. That's the plan, anyway. It's foiled quite a bit by his tripping over a chair and nearly faceplanting onto the floor. He stabilizes himself after a few embarrassing seconds of powerless arm flailing, then practically runs out of the room without so much as a glance backward.
"A nervous thing, isn't he?" Clarabelle comments to Sora.
The Keybearer shrugs. "Oh, he's just a little shy. Doesn't have a lot of experience with girls, y'know. Or people in general, really."
"No experience, hm?" The head housekeeper continues with her designing job, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Perhaps this weekend could change all that."
KH-KH-KH
Telary can't really talk about it with Kairi. No directly anyway, it would just be too weird. So he just stands at her side in the castle kitchen, hoping that she'll pick up on his feelings through some kind of sibling osmosis. Or maybe a Princess of Heart thing, whichever.
Riku comes tearing into the room, slightly out of breath. Kairi doesn't even look curious about his state, instead holding out a pear to him. "Hi Riku. Try this would you? I had one and it tasted really nice and fresh, but sometimes they just put the good ones all on top and use nasties to fill in the rest."
Riku takes the fruit, relieved to be back in familiar territory. After a moment of contemplation, he nods. "Yeah, seems fine to me."
"Uh huh." Smiling, the redheaded wedding planner marks something down in her book. "That one was on like, the very bottom, so that should be good. Thanks for taking the risk, Riku."
"No problem," he replies, continuing to chomp on the fruit. They don't have pears on Destiny Islands, but this piece certainly makes him wish they did. Or maybe anything would taste better and sweeter than normal after the ordeal he's just escaped. "I think I'm going back to my room. If that cow lady comes sniffing around, tell her… I dunno, that I died or something."
Telary smiles at his slightly bewildered sister. "Miss Clarabelle has quite the reputation around the castle. I'm surprised it took her this long to encounter Riku."
Kairi nods, then dives back into her book. She's about to walk out when Pluto comes in, sniffing at the floor. The king's pooch skirts past her and heads for the stack of crates. He seems fixated on one in particular, jumping up and giving it a thorough nasal investigation.
A little too thorough, Telary feels. He approaches the dog, gently tugging him back down to the floor by his collar. Pluto doesn't like that, turning his head to the wizard and unleashing a stern growl. Momentarily frightened, Tel scoots back. His message apparently sent, the dog goes right back to sniffing.
Goofy enters the kitchen then, looking quite lost until he spots Pluto. The knight captain makes his way through the room, nearly tripping over staff about five times. Thankfully they're pretty used to his clumsy antics, and no collisions materialize.
"There you are, ya rascal!" Goofy declares. He tugs Pluto off the crate just as Telary did, ignoring the pooch's indignation. "Don't you go running off on me like that, mister!" He turns to the redhead siblings, shaking his head. "Darndest thing, as soon as we got in this hallway he just went plain nuts."
Tel shrugs. "Probably just excited by the kitchens. Even good dogs can succumb to temptation."
"Sure." Goofy nods, somehow conveying without word or gesture that he has no idea what that last sentence meant. He just grabs a leash from his pocket, placing it on Pluto's collar before the dog can react. "C'mon, you're goin' out to the garden. All this energy needs to get outta ya."
"Not the east garden," Kairi reminds the knight sternly. "Cute as he is, that dog isn't letting anything out around my dance floor." Her eyes light up momentarily as she remembers something. "Right, I've got to go see how my centerpiece arrangers are doing. Care to come, Tel?"
The groom to be follows after his sister, once again trying to project an entirely mental lecture on safe sex. With the siblings, the two most observant and sensitive people in the room, gone, the coast is clear. Beneath anyone's notice, a tiny blob of black matter oozes out from a crack in the bottom of a fruit delivery crate. Sensing its target like a hunting dog with a scent, the Blot begins making its way toward the Cornerstone of Light.
Down the hall, Pluto nearly has another episode as he realizes the scent is on the move. Only Goofy's firm hand keeps him from rushing off after it. It's probably going to bother him all day.
KH-KH-KH
"It's better to be safe than sorry," Kairi declares, her tone and posture allowing for no argument. "Especially for something this important. Don't you want everything to go off perfectly?"
Azlyn's fingers settle into a cycle of clench and unclench, aggression all pent up with nowhere to go. Standing just a few feet away, Sora almost can't blame her. They say that the third time is the charm, but five seems rather excessive. Plus it's getting late, and he's getting hungry. Everyone is, he imagines, and that can only end up making things worse.
Luckily, there are enough experienced conflict defusers in the room to keep everything peaceful. King Mickey, for example.
"Now, we all really appreciate the thought you're putting into this, Kairi," he says, clearly choosing every word with care. "With your help, this wedding is gonna go off smooth as butter tomorrow. That said, though, it is Azlyn and Telary's ceremony. I think calling enough enough on rehearsal should be up to them, dontcha think?"
The audience chamber is quiet for a moment, but it isn't long before Kairi smiles and relents with a nod. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, what do you guys think?"
"Want food," Azlyn declares, practically grunting the words. "And I know pretty well by now how to walk in a straight line. And hold Telary's hands. And that whole 'kiss the groom' maneuver I am well acquainted with. So let's call this a day, right Tel?"
The wizard doesn't answer immediately. His hands are wringing, and he's looking anywhere but at his fiancée. "Well, I mean… Can you ever have too much preparation?"
"YES!" Riku calls out. He isn't technically part of all these proceedings, just sitting in one of the front row chairs watching. As a result, his patience is probably thinner than anybody's. Except probably Donald Duck, who's only being held in check by frequent looks from Daisy.
Azlyn sighs, shaking her head. She throws up her hands. "Okay, fine, fine. One more go, alright? Barring me falling on my face halfway down the aisle, we are not repeating this again. Ya got that, Ginger Snap?"
Kairi just smiles. "I can live with it. But keep trying on the nicknames, hm?" She claps loudly. "And we are RESETTING, PEOPLE!"
With minimal and muted grumbling, all the major players take their place once again. Telary stands on the king and queen's thrones platform, Donald behind him. Sora stands across from him, making it look oddly like they are the ones about to be married. Horace Horsecoller, who will be performing the ceremony, stands in the middle and slightly back.
At the room's other end, just outside the chamber's huge doors (actually opened all the way for once), Azlyn, with King Mickey at her side, stands behind Kairi. She's glaring at the redhead's back with nigh-murderous intent. Kairi knows it, but hardly cares. Not when there's perfection on the line.
The orchestra isn't on tap until tomorrow, so instead Goofy just starts humming as loudly as he can. The sound of the song echoes throughout the big but relatively empty chamber. Riku, who has the misfortune of sitting right next to the living stereo, covers his ears and grimaces.
Kairi enters first, stepping perfectly in time with the song. Her hands are cupped around imaginary flowers, a smile on her face. But her eyes dart all around the room, sharply scrutinizing ever last little detail.
Sora's eyes, on the other hand, are fixed firmly. Unless something else important is going on, they usually go straight to Kairi anyway. But still, something about the thought of her like this, walking down a long aisle on the way to an altar, coming toward him… He just feels all warm and fuzzy inside. One day, he swears, they'll be going through these same motions but for themselves. What a day that will be.
She reaches the platform at exactly thirty-five seconds from entering, putting a little burst of speed on as she takes her place behind Donald. It had taken a lot of coaxing to get her to hand off the head planner position to Daisy for the ceremony, but how could she say no to standing up with her brother on his wedding day? That doesn't stop her from continuing her earlier scrutiny, however. That will change when it's the real deal ceremony instead of just a rehearsal.
Probably.
Once she's in position, it's Azlyn's time. "Dum da da da, dum dum dum da DAAAAAAA!" Goofy yells loudly, drawing another wince from Riku before switching his tune to the more traditional bridal march.
Azlyn and Mickey walk through the doors, heads held high. The bride-to-be's eyes instinctively move to Telary, and his find hers in return. It throws off the beat of her steps just the tiniest fraction, but she doesn't care. In fact, she fully expects to get even further thrown off tomorrow at the actual event. She just can't help it. From what she can see, Telary can't either.
Everyone else's eyes flick from one member of the couple to the next as well. Everyone gathered here (even Riku) loves these two so much, and are so happy for them it's indescribable. No one can be distracted by this love story, not even with hunger.
Out in the hall, the Blot continues to slither down the corridor, sensing its target closer than ever. Its limited machine intelligence curses all the small mishaps that deterred it until now. Even minuscule size and fluid mobility hasn't kept it from being trampled underfoot by all the people bustling about in mad preparation mode for tomorrow's wedding. But the night has worn on, and less people have business to do. Now the castle is almost empty, and it's time for Blot to fulfill its purpose.
"Bark!"
Blot ceases all motion, its rudimentary memory systems recalling that sound. Another bark follows, this one significantly closer. Paws can be heard making muffled slaps against the carpets. Blot's threat-assessment programming signals a warning, and the technological terror moves into high gear, sliding toward the open door of the throne room. But Pluto is in hot pursuit, locked on to the new scent he's discovered.
The chase moves into the audience chamber, Pluto barking up a storm as he chases his prey. Azlyn stops walking, Goofy stops humming, and even Telary's lovey-dovey eyes are drawn away from his bride. Before anyone has time to comment, Blot has moved beneath the chairs. Pluto, naturally, follows.
Suddenly the huge room is full of noise, chairs flying up and falling to the marble ground. The Blot bobs and weaves and pulls all the tricks its guidance programming can calculate, but Pluto is right on it.
Of course, no non-canines are aware of the pursuit's true nature. As far as they're concerned, the king's pooch has simply gone nuts. Mickey is the first to react, leaving Azlyn's side to rush for his dog. The knight follows, already swearing that this doesn't mean she'll consent to another rehearsal. Kairi practically starts hyperventilating, Sora going to her side to offer comfort. Minnie, Telary, and Goofy look on with concerned expressions. Riku tries to be polite and not laugh outright at the antics.
Azlyn jumps at Pluto, missing and landing belly-first on the marble floor. Mickey is forced to jump over her, just barely missing grabbing Pluto's collar as he comes down. The dog takes a sharp left turn, just close enough to Goofy for the knight captain to lunge at him. But it's poorly timed, finding Goofy sliding down the floor a second before Pluto is even near. Calculating a possible advantage, Blot seeks refuge inside the captain's clothes.
"Oooh, that tickles!" Goofy exclaims, jumping up and shaking wildly. He accidentally kicks out the leg of Riku's chair, sending the silver-haired haired young man flailing backwards through the air. "Gwarsh, something's got me!"
But layers of fabric don't deter Pluto, who rushes Goofy with wild abandon. The knight goes down again, this time with the king's pooch sitting on his chest. Putting his nose to Goofy's chest, Pluto begins sniffing wildly in hopes of getting an accurate location for the Blot. Unfortunately, this temporary pause in motion leaves the dog as easy pickings. Mickey grabs his loyal pooch by the collar hauling him off his friend.
"Hey, Pluto!" the king declares, his voice absolutely authoritative. "Pluto, boy…. No, Pluto!" He tries his best, but still Pluto struggles against his grip. Taking a deep breath, Mickey decides he has no other recourse than his absolute last resort. "Pluto, bad dog!"
All the Disney Castle residents gasp, hands flying to mouths in shock. Sora, Riku, and Kairi are understandably rather confused, looking at their friends with bewilderment. Pluto ceases his struggle immediately, freezing in place. After a moment, the dog whimpers quietly as he lowers his head.
The Blot makes its exit via Goofy's trousers, sliding the last few feet towards the throne platform. Or trying to, anyway. Startled by the motion, Telary stomps his foot down on it. Lifting it up, he sees only a black mark on the floor.
"He must have been chasing this bug," the wizard announces, grimacing.
"All this for a bug!" Kairi yelps, practically throwing herself forward. Luckily Sora is there to stop her, holding her in his arms and rubbing her back to calm her down.
"What's gotten into you?" Mickey asks his canine companion, still stern. The pooch is silent, just staring at the black mark that used to be his prey.
"You'd better keep a leash on him at my wedding," Azlyn declares, arms crossed. She looks to Kairi with a sour expression. "And just so you know, I am not doing another stupid rehearsal just because of this."
"Maybe that is for the best," Minnie says, walking into the middle of the group. "It's getting late, after all, and I would imagine most of us could use to eat. What do you say we call it a day, hm?"
Everyone's gaze drifts over to Kairi. It isn't until Sora lightly nudges her that she notices, too busy resetting chair placements in her mind. She looks back at the group and, seeing the weariness in all of them, sighs. "Yeah, I think we can call it a wrap. It's not like this kind of thing is going to happen tomorrow, right?"
"If it does," Azlyn quips, "i will gladly join you in any freak out you feel like having. But right now, I really need to eat."
"As groom, I second the motion," Telary chimes in, earning a grateful smile from his fiancée.
"Yes vote from the maid of honor," Sora adds, smiling. Then the smile drops as he corrects himself. "I mean, y'know, man of honor."
"Then let's all head out to the garden," Mickey says, gesturing to Goofy. "Hey, Goof, do you mind taking Pluto to my room for me? I think he needs to spend a little time in the kennel for that stunt he pulled."
Goofy takes Pluto's collar with considerable solemnity, gently encouraging the pooch to follow his lead. Riku watches with a frown on his face. He leans toward the closest person, Donald, and whispers, "So, wait. Pluto's a dog, obviously. But, like, isn't Goofy technically also…"
The wizard just shakes his head. "Kid, some things you're just better off not thinking about too hard."
The others head out of the chamber, with the exception of Kairi. The redhead is too busy trying to perfectly reset the fallen chairs. She's almost finished with the back row when she feels a hand on her shoulder.
"Kairi," Sora says warningly. "C'mon, it's time to eat. You have to eat, Kairi. Not even you can micro-manage on an empty stomach."
For a second it seems that the Princess of Heart is about to protest. But all it takes is a glance into her boyfriend's soft blue eyes to stop her in her tracks. She releases a sigh, letting her shoulder droop. "Yeah, you're right," she relents, holding out her hand. Sora, grinning, takes it and walks her out of the chamber. "Oh, but whoever does set the chairs up should remember to wipe that crushed bug off the floor. Maybe I should write them a…"
"Kairi?"
"Ugh. Yeah, okay. Let's go!"
As it turns out, no one needs to worry about the stain Riku's stomp had left on the floor. By the time Sora and Kairi have left the audience chamber, it's already gone.
KH-KH-KH
They eat in the East Garden, three tables arranged in a U-shape and covered in white cloth. Small lantern lights of various colors hang from strings above, providing a beautiful ambiance. White light streams out from the open doors of the ballroom, providing even more illumination. Just beside the dinner party is the sixty-square foot polished wood dance floor.
Once the plates have been cleared, Mickey finishes his conversation with Riku and stands atop his chair. He raises up a glass of water, clearing his throat to get everyone's attention. In only seconds, all eyes are on him.
"Well, I guess this is the part where I give my big speech, huh?" the king says, earning an enthusiastic chorus of encouragement. "Well, alright, if you all are okay with it here I go! First off, I wanna say something to Azlyn and Telary. I wanna say thanks to 'em, for bringing so much to my life over the years. I know the circumstances that lead you to this castle weren't great. But while I wish the tragedy of Radiant Garden had been prevented, I don't regret a single moment that you two were part of my family."
"We're so grateful, Your Majesty," Telary says, holding Azlyn's hand on top of the table. "Everything you've done…"
"I would do a million times over in a heart beat," the king interrupts. "And how many times do I have to ask ya to call me Mickey, hm?"
"Always one more time, I guess," Azlyn replies with a cheeky grin. Everyone chuckles at the joke, Mickey included.
"Then I guess I'll just keep asking. Anyway, all that is the past, right? What's really important now, what we need to be looking forward to, is the future. It's always coming up sooner than you think, and once you're married, kids, whatever you'll be facing there is something you'll face together. Hold tight to each other, be partners and companions in every aspect of life. You two can, and will, accomplish great things together." The king, tearing up a little, pauses and wipes his eyes with his free hand. "The greatest thing children can do for their parents is… Is to be even better than they ever were. I think you two, together, can make that happen."
Everything is silent in the garden for a few moments, everyone watching as Mickey sits again. He's still wiping his eyes, and Minnie has her hand on his shoulder to offer comfort. This is hardly a side of Mickey that many people ever see, and to display it so openly like this…
Telary stands up next, drawing most people's attention away from the emotional king. The wizard raises his glass as well, smiling at everyone assembled. "Uh, yeah I think I should talk now. I mean, here we are, me and Azlyn that is, here we are surrounded by everyone who loves us, all our closest friends…"
"And Riku!" Azlyn chimes in, garnering a laugh from most of the table. Even Mickey lets out a small chuckle.
"She didn't mean that," Telary tries to assure his silver-haired friend, who just shrugs it off. "Anyway, what I wanted to say is, well, there are a lot of things. Okay, so here's number one I guess…."
Telary talks for about forty-five minutes. Everything he says is sweet, meaningful, and truly comes straight from his heart. And for the first ten minutes or so that's enough, but as time goes on the rest of the party gradually lose focus. But despite all that, no one ever thinks to try and stop him. After all, rambling about the depth of his emotions far longer than necessary is just so Telary, and everyone present understands that.
Also they're pretty sure interrupting would garner some serious consequences from Azlyn. Throughout the entire speech, she never loses her loving gaze.
When the wizard finally wraps up, it's pretty much universally agreed that they're calling it a night. After one last round of congratulations and well-wishes, everyone takes their leave. Except for Kairi, who remains behind to supervise the mops' clean-up of the rehearsal dinner, Sora, who stays to make sure Kairi goes to bed at some point, and Riku, who's hiding from Clarabelle Cow's unwanted affections.
"The lights are fine, Kairi," Sora calls up to his girlfriend. Perhaps he should have brought up this protest earlier though, considering she's already atop the ladder he's currently holding. "And if there's wind tonight or tomorrow morning, they're just gonna get out of place again!"
"Not if I do this perfectly," she replies, laser-focused on the string in hand.
Riku, who has mostly been laying on the grass, finally rises to his feet. "Okay, I think it's time for me to turn in for real. There are probably enough shadows around now that I can easily slip beneath notice."
"Not exactly what you figured you'd be putting your master stealth skills to use for, huh?" Sora jokes to his friend. "But I agree, you need your beauty rest. After all, a certain ninja from Radiant Garden is gonna be here tomorrow."
The older boy shakes his head at the joke. "Man, are you ever gonna come off that? So I like a girl, so what? I've always been very popular with ladies on the islands, you'll remember."
"Which resulted in how many girlfriends, again?" Kairi chimes in, smiling at Riku before beginning a careful descent down the ladder.
"Eh, there was only one love in his heart back in the old days," Sora says. Both his friends give the Keybearer questioning looks. They can imagine what he might be referring to, but can't quite figure if that's what he's actually bringing up. It would be uncharacteristically insensitive for him. "I'm talking about, y'know, other worlds and stuff."
"But what's funnier, though?" Kairi asks, snaking an arm around her boyfriend's shoulders. "Riku getting tongue-tied around a girl he likes, or Riku getting tangled up with a woman he definitely isn't crazy about."
"The second one, for sure," Sora answers, nodding sagely. "I mean, I'm sure this Clarabelle is a great person, but there is that whole difference in age."
"Not to mention species."
"And now I'm definitely leaving." Rolling his eyes, Riku turns and stalks his way back into the ballroom.
Sora watches him go with a frown. "Hey, wait. Riku…"
The older boy stops, turning his face slightly back. "Yeah?"
"All joking aside," the Keybearer says, completely sober and serious, "if you want to make something happen, with whoever, then I'm behind you one-hundred percent."
"Me too," Kairi agrees. "You know that, right?"
Riku smirks, just a small upward twitch of his mouth for a moment. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, and goodnight." He starts to walk away, but can't resist a parting shot of his own. "And don't you two stay up too late tonight either. Also, don't be surprised if you find Telary waiting in front of the door to your room."
Sora watches him go for a moment, but then Kairi slips away from him. The Keybearer looks to her, taking in the sight of her watching the lantern wires for wind movement. With a fond chuckle, he turns and wraps both of his arms around her torso.
"Kairi," he saws, just forceful enough to draw the girl out of her reverie. "Kairi, you're getting kinda weird, y'know."
She laughs, shrugging. Even the slight move feels good when she's so closely pressed against him. "No 'kinda' about it. But I just want…"
"Everything to be perfect, I know." He smells her hair, a sweet scent like island fruit. For a long moment, he just stays still and breathes her in. Then he starts looking around, and a sudden idea hits. Grinning at his new scheme, he lets out an exaggerated gasp. "Oh, Kairi!"
She's out of his embrace like a shot, turning and looking frantically all around the garden. "What? What happened, did things fall? A swarm of locusts, freak rain clouds, what?"
Sora tries his best to remain composed. "Nothing like that, but… It's just, I think you might have forgotten something."
Kairi practically throws herself forward, gripping Sora by the lapels of his jacket. "What? What could I possibly have forgotten? I checked my list like a crazy person, how…?"
"You forgot," Sora interrupts, taking her hands and starting to walk backwards with her pulled along, "to run a quality test on the dance floor." The Princess of Heart's expression turns from panic to bewilderment, just as Sora finally gets her feet on the floor. "Gotta make sure it can handle some move-busting!"
For a moment it looks like Kairi is about to protest, but she gives in instead. No longer looking either crazy or confused, she steps forward, repositions her and Sora's arms, and starts to sway rhythmically. The only music is what they can make up in their own heads, but that's of no concern.
After a few relaxing minutes, Kairi's face buried in Sora's shoulder, she looks up at him with a smile. "I'd say this passes muster. Or at least I think. Honestly, I haven't been paying much attention to anything other than you."
"And isn't that nice?" Sora asks, grinning down at her. He starts to move faster, old memories of lessons when he was young easily returning. She follows without missing a beat, the pair locked in perfect step. "I know I've been worrying, and kidding, and everything about you and this wedding, but… Kairi, this whole thing is perfect. Even Azlyn loves it, and you know she thinks this whole ceremony is some kind of death march for an exciting life."
"Thanks, Sora."
"I have to wonder, though," he continues, a small glint of mischief in his eyes, "is this how you plan to run your own wedding? You gonna be one of those monster brides? Remember when Wakka's mom got remarried? He told us some horror stories, man…"
The redhead is silent, mulling the question over. After a few moments, she shrugs. "You wanna know something, Sora? This whole thing, the grand royal procession and pomp and circumstance and all that… It's really awesome to do this for someone else, but I don't really think it's for me."
"Really?"
"Really truly," Kairi replies, shrugging. "For me, I think all I'll need is a simple little ceremony. Probably on the beach, with maybe a few wildflowers. And okay, a long white carpet leading to a carved arch. Maybe some doves, but only because I didn't want to use any for this wedding. Seemed kind of racist, what with Donald and everything."
Sora laughs at that. "You know, Kairi, I think that sounds perfect for you. And, y'know, whoever."
"Yeah," she says, missing a beat so she can lightly bat his chest with her shoulder. "Whatever poor soul gets stuck with me."
"I think you mean 'whatever incredibly lucky, smart, handsome guy with awesome hair'."
"Ah, so you do know of my ideal man!"
Sora stops them completely, leaning in for a kiss. It's eagerly returned, bodies pressed together in a different but still incredibly pleasant way from before. Her arms move up to his shoulders, and his down to her waist. In the pure white glow of the adjacent ballroom's lights, they stay locked together.
Neither of them know how long they hold their position, but it doesn't feel inconvenient or wrong when they pull apart again. They don't speak, just enjoying the feeling of looking into each other's eyes.
Sora, of course, is the one to break the silence. "Alright, I'd say we can safely say this dance floor is guaranteed quality during phase one dancing."
"Phase one?" Kairi asks, one eyebrow raised suspiciously. She can feel him shifting, arms returning to dancing position. "Do you mean to imply there's a phase tw… Whoa!"
The pair take off around the floor, spinning together wildly. Sora starts to get really crazy after a minute, practically flings Kairi out of his grip as he goes for a twirl. It's a minor miracle that she manages to recover, gracefully turning under his outstretched arm. When he pulls her back in, they kiss again.
As much of the pair feel as if they're the only ones in the worlds at the moment, of course they're not. In the ballroom, just lingering at the edge of the open doors, Telary watches the scene with his arms folded. He's smiling, but…
"Look at those kids," Azlyn says, not startling her soon-to-be husband in the slightest. He looks to her instead, one eyebrow raised. "So young and carefree. Remember when we were like that?"
"If you're asking if I remember, I don't know, this morning, then the answer is yes," he replies, amused. "Just because we're almost married doesn't mean you can go writing us off as some old couple of jaded marrieds."
She holds up her hand, relenting. "Yeah, I guess not. Plenty of time to act young and in love. But mark my words, the day's gonna come when we start arguing about who's in charge of the remote."
"We could already be doing that," Telary remarks. "If I weren't such an accommodating gentleman."
"So, you just let me be queen of the remote, no drama necessary." She steps forward, looping both arms through his right. "I really have found the perfect man. And I even get to keep him!"
"Yes, you do." He leans down, kissing her head softly. "Forever and ever." Suddenly, he's shaking his head and laughing. "Man, how lucky are we? So young, so inexperienced, and we already got it right. First try. How does that even happen?"
"Considering all the other crap in our lives," Azlyn replies with a thoughtful look, "I guess I'm just considering it some kind of apology from the universe."
Telary smiles, turning his attention back to the couple outside. They're still going, giggling and twirling and kissing whenever they can make the chance. He's happy to see it, of course, for his sister and his best friend. But still. "Azlyn, did Kairi happen to…?"
"The 'sharing room' thing?" she replies without pause. "Yeah, we talked about it. Not a lot but, y'know, I gave her my take on it. Woman to woman. I guess she's kinda nervous."
"Nervous?" Telary straightens up, his gaze upon the other couple turning sour. "I knew it, she's being pressured into this whole thing. Y'know, I wouldn't think that Sora of all people…"
Azlyn bumps her shoulder into his chest. It stops the ramble before it can begin, and Telary looks at her with a frown. "Oh Tel, wow! Relax already, nobody's pressuring anybody. Of course she's nervous, everyone is the first time!"
He glowers at her. "Really? You were nervous?"
"Yep."
"You pulled me onto a table in the library of a castle!" The wizard is hardly being conscious of his volume, and it's only Sora and Kairi's lovey-dovey trance that keeps them from noticing.
She shrugs. "And if I hadn't, I might have lost the nerve." Azlyn softens her expression, slipping an arm out from her fiancé's elbow and resting a hand on the side of his face. "Tel, you can't get so focused on this. It isn't your life, it's hers. Theirs, whatever. Besides, honestly you're being kinda hypocritical here."
Telary searches desperately for an argument, but only comes up empty-handed. He sighs, losing the tension he's held so tightly for most of the day. "You're right. Of course you're right. I don't even know why…"
"You wanted something to focus on," Azlyn interrupts. "I mean, you haven't freaked out once about us, y'know, getting married tomorrow. You always freak out, especially over good things you don't wanna screw up. You just took all that freak and put it somewhere else. I do it too. Remember Agrabah? That episode almost killed this thing before it could even get off the ground. But you talked me down, just like you always do."
"You do the same thing," the wizard says, smiling. "Gosh, we are gonna be good at this marriage thing, aren't we?"
"They're gonna want to give us a trophy," the knight concurs. For a long moment, they just look into each others' eyes. That seems to be going around tonight. Eventually Azlyn gets her wits back. She gently taps her fiancé on the arm. "Alright, it's late, and tomorrow is kind of a big day. Time to go to bed." She sighs. "Separate beds."
Telary kisses her cheek, soft and slow. "For the last time, Azlyn. The last time."
KH-KH-KH
Even as midnight passes in Disney Castle, some of its residents still stir restlessly. Azlyn lays in bed, one arm resting on a pillow that she can't help but imagine to be Telary. Tomorrow's groom paces in dim lamplight, going over his self-written vows a few more times just to be careful. Riku is practicing as well, trying to figure out the appropriate way to ask a girl to dance. Sora lays with Kairi in his arms, content to imagine doing the same the next night. King Mickey can almost feel the old photo's presence beneath his pillow, the mistake he intends to correct. And the piece of paper he's recently signed that might just change his life, and that of his children, forever.
And in the Hall of the Cornerstone, the Blot puts programming aside as spellwork takes over. Bathed in the energies of the Cornerstone of Light, the tiny collection of nanomachines begins to replicate itself.
And miles away, in the city of Mouseburg, a bitter rabbit contemplates his upcoming revenge.
Finally, the final chapter(s) of Keys to the Kingdom: Life Goes On can begin! I don't really have a lot to elaborate on here, except that I completely changed my plans for the middle part of this story segment about halfway through writing. But I actually think it works well, and is less of a logistical headache than my original plan. Also, bet those villains are throwing some of you for a loop, eh?
Shoutout to goddragonking for his encouraging review of the last chapter. Hope to hear from more people as this wedding gets underway. Until next time (hopefully by New Years Day)!