A/N: The plot bunny is evil I tell ya, EVIL! I've split the Knighting into two parts. This chapter has no Nobody's Perfect partner...so sorry, but the next chapter will have one.
Disclaimer: ...I don't.
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XIV: Away
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"About time you got here! I swear, the time you girls take..."
"Sora," Riku sighed, running a hand tiredly through his hair. "Give Kai a break." From getting so hurt by you, he mentally added.
"Oh yeah? And how long did you take to get your hair to look like some dead porcupine?" Kairi retorted, brushing past him and pouting at the brunette on the couch.
"I don't need hair gel, my hair's naturally---hey! That was mean, Kairi!"
The redhead stuck out her tongue at Sora.
Riku just wanted to literally knock some sense into them. Maybe a good, long session with his Way to the Dawn would do the trick.
"As I was saying, I don't need hairgel, unlike Riku here," Sora jerked a thumb in his direction. "Geez, he uses hairgel and hairspray! That's already overkill!"
Kairi buried her face in a throw pillow to muffle her laughter, her shoulders heaving up and down. Sora didn't bother, he just laughed out loud. Riku gritted his teeth together and forced himself to laugh along with them.
All he really wanted? Get them to stop lying to each other.
Now, Sora really was bipolar; the way that he's been acting. But Kairi, for some reason, had actually stooped down (yes, Riku thought of it as stooping down) to the brunette Wielder's level and started to act as if nothing had ever happened the last Halloween, as if yes, everything was fine and dandy, as if she hadn't broken his heart in two pieces.
God, what was the world coming to?
"Anyway, stop changing the subject. How long do you have to take to dress up?" Sora was saying, eyeing Kairi's outfit in a somewhat critical way.
"It's a Knighting. How much formal can you get than that?" She replied defensively, smoothing her satin skirt over her knees. She was wearing a beautifully simple strapless gown, snow white with clumps of crystals dotted around the bodice. Her white sandals (he should know, he had stood by her, watching amusedly as he waited for her to get those shoes on properly earlier) were barely visible from below the skirt's hem, and the pearl pendant of her necklace was almost invisible against the white fabric. She had chosen to leave her hair down and put on a simple white Materia clip, and Riku was grateful for that; she looked more stunning that way.
He gritted his teeth again. Stop thinking about how she looks! Get a grip, Riku! You have to find a way to get these two to stop being so damn insensitive!
Him and Sora, well, they had argued for about fifteen minutes on what to wear.
-x-
"I am not wearing some stuffy suit!" Sora said heatedly for the fifth time, crossing his arms.
"Sora, we're going to be knighted." Riku stated in a very patronizing voice.
"So what, Riku? Look at what the King wears; it's like what I wear, only it's about ten times smaller and it's colored red."
"He's the King." He replied exasperatedly. "D'you really think the Court has the guts to question what he wears?"
"And we're Wielders and soon-to-be Knights. Who gives a hoot about what we wear?" Sora pouted again, meaning he's going into his famous stubborn-as-hell mode. "As long as we're not naked, fine."
"Sora--"
"I am not wearing some stuffy suit, I tell you!"
-x-
And so the pointless argument had continued, in which after every six statements or so Sora had repeated the phrase "I am not wearing some stuffy suit!", reinforcing the fact that he had absolutely no intention of parting with his trademark black clothes with the exception of the Academy. Riku had a talent for making stubborn people break down; he had known two very stubborn ones long enough to know how, but Sora's stubborness was something beyond the scope of someone human.
"At least I dressed up! What about you two, huh?" She grinned mischievously at Riku. "Lazy bums."
"Formalness...eugh," Sora pulled a face, at which Kairi giggled.
Riku cringed (instead of gritting his teeth together; it'd ruin his pearly whites) at that carefully neutral tone the two were using right now, and at the carefully calculated way they avoided close contact with each other; the most Kairi got from Sora was a pillow in the face, and vice versa.
"Let's just go, shall we?" He said loudly as he spun on his heels.
"Touchy!" he heard Kairi giggle behind him.
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It wasn't that she'd just given up on him; she'd done that back then on Halloween.
It's just she couldn't stand being mad anymore. So she put on a happy face. Just for the sake of enjoying this night.
She knew Riku was pissed at the way she was acting, judging from the way he stared at her whenever she exchanged words with Sora. Oh, she'll make it up to him. Tomorrow.
They were walking along the Castle Courtyard's winding grass path towards Disney Castle's immense double doors. Of course, it didn't compare with Kingdom Hearts' doors, but... no, don't think about Kingdoom Hearts tonight. Don't. Kairi gazed wistfully at the stars above her, wishing that (never mind how cruel she sounded) a falling star would streak across the night sky, so she could again wish for everything to have just not happened.
She glanced at the pained expression on Riku's face, who was walking beside her silently, and she fought not to wince. Sora was infinitely better in pretending, that was a fact. Said Wielder was now whistling, trailing behind them with his hands laced together behind his head. She couldn't help but smile at how...normal the gesture looked.
"You're smiling," Riku said quietly, his eyes constantly searching for danger, the way Paladins usually did.
She peered up at him questioningly, and was slightly surprised by the way his eyes glowed aqua in the moonlight.
"Are you smiling for real, Kairi?"
She stopped walking. She saw Sora go around them unconcernedly and walk on up the path, then stop a fair distance away, his face shadowed.
It made her cringe inwardly, how Sora walked away like that. Hell, the way they teased each other earlier made her cringe. It was just so fake, and the three of them knew it.
"I don't know, Riku." She bit her lip and looked away.
"Figures," he huffed. "I don't understand you. I don't understand why you two are doing this."
"Even I don't."
Riku stared at her unbelievingly before shaking his head, obviously frustrated.
"All I know is, I hate him."
"No you don't. You're just confused."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't. It'll pass."
"Yes I do."
He sighed exasperatedly. "No you don't, Kairi. You love him. We both know that."
"I can't love him. Stop rubbing it in, Riku. I'm over him, I'm over loving the Key to Kingdom Hearts, I'm over Sora."
Riku muttered something before starting to walk again. Kairi had to quicken her pace to catch up.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" he once again turned his aquamarine eyes on her, his platinum bangs gently swaying in the faint nighttime breeze.
"For you getting caught between me and him."
He shoved his hand into his pockets and bowed his head. "You sure are."
Sora was now walking ahead of them, his hands still laced behind his head, indifferent to their conversation.
They continued to walk in silence.
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"Princess! Thank goodness you came!"
Kairi glanced over both shoulders to make sure she it was her before turning back to a very relieved Queen Minnie. "Uhm..." She looked around again, only to see both Riku and Sora with one knee on the marble floor of the Audience Hall, heads bowed, murmuring 'Your Majesty' respectfully. She hastily spread her skirt wide and curtsied.
"S-sorry, Your Highness..." She stammered, her bowing down to hide her blushing face.
"Oh, all of you, get up. Especially you, Sora, I am still very grateful for your help in repairing the Cornerstone," the Queen replied in a flustered tone. "Dear, I am so happy you have decided to come," she addressed Kairi.
"M-me?"
She nodded, the crown perched on her head wobbling a bit dangerously. "Yes, I--"
"There ya are!"
She looked up to see a frantically waving King Mickey, (who seemingly ignored the bowing and curtsying he left in his wake) looking as equally relieved as his wife. She curtsied again, and both boys knelt, touching one knee to the ground. Queen Minnie gave the King a disapproving glance, but her anger seemed to have evaporated quickly at the forlorn face the King had quickly put on. She gave him an affectionate hug (really, she was relieved, she was not at all curious on seeing how they would kiss, considering the fact that given their noses, it would be a very awkward postion (a/n: Hey, it's true, right? Disney, don't sue me, please)) before turning back to a very bewildered Kairi. (How would you feel if the Queen herself was waiting to personally recieve you?)
"As I was saying, it is really a relief to see you, seeing that Mickey here (she shot her husband a look that Kairi never thought someone so peaceful as Queen Minnie could) had accidentally forgotten to send the other note, didn't you, dear?" She added acidly.
"Y-yes, I have forgotten, my mistake, Princess," he said hastily. "Well, it seems that you have the briefing under control, dear, I have to run along and get this show on the road." And with that he spun on his (not yellow this time, but a very striking white, thank goodness) heels and hurried away, obviously itching to get away from his seemingly very mad wife.
Kairi's head was swimming.
"What briefing?" Sora burst out increduously, apparently after finally getting his mouth to work properly. "Is this some covert operation or something!"
"Sora, please," Riku said, looking very much like he's fighting off the urge to roll his eyes. "Queen Minnie, ignore him, he's a bit high on caffeine today. Please, go on."
"If you would, then, follow me," the Queen said, gesturing with her hand. She walked out of the Audience Hall and down the Colonnade (ignoring the looks of awe the unsuspecting palace employees had; it was not everyday you saw so legendary people in one place). Kairi could see out of the corner of her eye that Sora was murmuring something incoherent to himself, and Riku's eyes were wandering, taking in the white walls of the Colonnade, obviously trying to look like he wasn't nervous.
As they entered the Castle Library Kairi could feel her jaw drop open. What the--?
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King Mickey was usually a very calm mouse. Yes, he was, for he was the King, and he held much more power than what the public knew. A word from him, and a very prominent figure would plummet from popularity; a simple gesture, and a whole World kneels down. So much power for someone so dimunitive (he had come to terms with issues concerning his height...and his impossible shoe size so very long ago)... that was why he was so calm.
Yet now, by the amount that he's sweating, it's like all the water he had drunk earlier was pouring out, and by the amount he's pacing, the Brooms will be very surprised by the path he will most likely wear out.
He fought the urge to glance over his shoulder, at that...thing lying haphazardly on the pristine marble table. His mind pounded; the Cornerstone of Light had to be Disabled for this, the darkness inside was just too strong. He did try to reset the Cornerstone earlier, but the Hall was too much flooded with people for that. Disabling it was easy, and Enabling it again was much easier, for him, and only him, the King. But the thirty-second Recharge of Light (it was the Cornerstone of Light, that alone should speak for itself) , which consisted of a very bright column of light shooting up from the Cornerstone itself and engulfing the throne, that accompanied Enabling made it practically impossible to miss.
Enabling was something that hadn't been done in four hundred years, and if people knew the King had just Enabled the Cornerstone, they'd ask why he'd Disabled it in the first place.
That was a question he was not so keen on answering.
You can't have light without darkness, can you?
He fought the urge again. His heart was pounding. He told himself that it was only a matter of minutes before it would all be over, and then he'd never have to set his eyes on that accursed thing again. Forged from the hearts of six Princesses of Light.
When the seventh lays her hands on it...
King Mickey paused at the thought. There was nothing wrong with what he was planning to do. It was for everyone's good.
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"You can actually do that?"
Kairi gave Riku a bewildered look as they filed out of the Castle Library, with six other very bewildered Princesses of Heart, as they followed Queen Minnie. Sora bit his lip to keep from laughing at their faces. How long had it been since he had laughed an authentic laugh...?
He couldn't remember. He admitted that, no matter how painful it was, to himself.
"And I thought we were only here to watch..." a tall girl spoke up, looking more a princess than anyone else of them, (well, except for Kairi, that's what he thought), her blonde hair elegantly swept up in a bun as she glided along in her sparkling ballgown, her glass slippers clinking on the marble floor.
"Cinderella, I thought it was only gonna be a Knighting," Sora said aloud.
"Oh, it is still a Knighting, Wielder Sora," the Queen said pleasantly (and he shuddered, she said Wielder in a tone very much like Prince), but she did not look back at them. "Albeit a very special one."
"For the millionth time, Riku, I didn't know I had that kind of ability!" Kairi huffed, apparently getting irritated by Riku's constant asking, but Sora knew that she was actually enjoying the attention. Especially after what had happened between them.
"I have a right to ask, you know, we're the ones getting knighted here," the platinum-haired Wielder crossed his arms, looking amused. "I've been thinking that Knighting someone was as easy as tapping them on both shoulders with a sword. But linking with all seven Princesses of Light? Man...
That was what Queen Minnie had explained to the lot of them a few minuted ago in the Castle Library. Him and Riku were both Wielders, and just being that required some sort of special...ceremony. Well, all he and Riku were supposed to do was get one knee on the floor and bow down as the King pronounced them Knights with his ceremonial knighting sword. Nothing special about that, but the sword itself...
It was a special sword, the Queen said, that it made the Knighting eternal. Now Sora had been a little disturbed (understatement! more like almost fainted) at what being a Knight of Disney Court really was. It just meant that you swore fealty to Disney Castle, or, more specifically, King Mickey himself. That may not be a problem to the others, but to him...
You're remembering the letter again, Antiform giggled. You just have to love King Mick, huh? Making sure you stick to the program...
The sword was symbolic; however, the light that it would channel once all Seven Princesses had even a finger on it would make the oath of fealty binding. From that moment on both of them would be bound to the Castle, vowing to serve it until their last breath, and any try to break said vow would mean a very painful warning (or, as Jasmine had put it bluntly, die a very horrible agonizing death; there was no need to say that Sora preferred Queen Minnie's description).
You're just a pawn in a HUGE game of chess--
They had reached the massive marble doors of the Audience Hall, and Queen Minnie was talking very quietly and rapidly with the red-uniformed guard beside them.
"I don't get it, why am I so nervous all of a sudden..." Alice wondered aloud, rocking back and forth a little on her heels, her blue aproned skirt billowing out more than usual.
"We just have to touch the sword," an ebony-haired, red-lipped, fair-skinned (a/n do you actually want the Disney description? Fine. Hair as black as ebony, skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood---whaddya mean that ain't it? O.O) girl pointed out, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if protecting herself from the cold.
"But still, Snow (don't bother asking Sora; somehow the 'White'got chopped off her name, and he admits, it's much easier to say)... I don't really want to touch anything...unusual anymore, not after what Xehanort and Riku had done... Sorry Riku," the blonde shot him an apologetic look.
"Don't worry, I swear I won't go evil on you all," Riku said, laughing nervously, as if even he wasn't sure of what he was saying.
"Sure he won't, or I'm gonna kill him," Kairi giggled, punching him playfully on the arm.
--a chess game where you have nothin' to gain and hell, EVERYTHING to lose...
"All right, Princesses, Wielders, the time has come." Queen Minnie smiled. "It'll all be over soon."
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King Mickey winced as the trumpets blared; even if he was inside his private study, the long and loud notes of alto trumpet seeped inside from the adjacent Audience Hall.
He turned his attention back to the sword that was lying on his table over a mess of scattered books. Then he glanced at the other sword on its left. Well, it wasn't really a sword, but when he's finished with it, it'll look exactly like one. Summoning his Keyblade, he quickly but deftly wove Illusion over black metal and curved spikes; the onyx shaft blurring into silver, the scarlet handle transmuting into gold.
A minute later, two identical swords lay on the table. He hung the right one on the wall, and he took the other as he walked hurriedly out of his study. He pushed the marble doors open and he sprinted down the Colonnade towards the Audience Hall.
"You really are too old to be reminded never to run with pointed objects in your hand, King Mickey."
"Do not interfere, this is for my kingdom's good."
"Ahah, dear, dear King, always thinking of his beloved Kingdom's well-being. That Keyblade... think of its...repercussions..."
"Bind to the Light. It does what it must do."
He clucked his tongue. "Ah, there lies the problem...you do know that no-one has ever tested this particular...mechanism before...? All we certainly know is that it can release hearts, but bind them...? I don't think so..."
He frowned at his skepticism. "It binds someone to the Light. Not to me, but to the Light. Allegiance to the Light only. Do not interfere, Xemnas."
The shadows rustled and a hooded figure revealed itself. Amber eyes glinted down at him. The King stared back defiantly.
"Go on, then...but let me remind you, King, that in the brightest of flames..."
King Mickey had already continued his sprint down the Colonnade, finishing the Nobody's statement in his mind. "...there is the darkest of shadows..."
The darkness had to be chased away for good, whatever the cost.
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He had no choice, really, except to bow down and accept what was coming. And that was exactly what he was doing now.
"By the powers vested upon me by this court, I, King Mickey--"
Sora stole a glance at the platinum-haired Wielder kneeling beside him. Riku had closed his eyes. Obviously, he had no problems regarding the whole swear-fealty-to-Disney-Castle thing.
"--with the light drawn by the Seven Princesses of Heart--"
Why the hell are you doing this?
Shut it, Antiform.
"--I dub thee Sir Riku Alcaia--"
He glanced at Riku again, and was impossible to miss that tiny little wince that escaped out of Riku's mouth at both times the sword touched his shoulders. Sora's heart rate shot up.
"--and... I dub thee Sir Sora--"
He shut his eyes, not exactly excited about the impending contact of metal on his shoulder. Frankly, he'd rather not be kneeling here at all, because he knew full well that he had absolutely no intention of swearing fealty. But what can he do now? He can't just get up and run screaming from the Hall.
He felt the blade rest on his shoulder, and immediately knew why Riku had winced. He could never forget the aura of that particular Keyblade. Not ever, because it was of that Keyblade that both Roxas and Naminé had been born. He opened his mouth to ask the King what the hell is this Keyblade doing in your hands? when something suddenly shot through him, making him forget everything else, seemingly coursed through his veins, and stopped at his heart before encircling it with chains in a very painful deathgrip. He found himself wishing that it was a heart attack, not the effect of that...that oath.
Nuh-uh. Not on my watch, buddy-boy. No-one chains darkness down. Not me.
Light was slowly flooding his vision, and he had the funniest feeling that the chains were tightening, almost squeezing the life out of him. Chains darkness down...? He thought the sword was supposed to chain him to Disney Castle., and he had decided that as of now, it was not a very wonderful feeling.
No-one can live without at least some darkness in their heart. Not especially you; you're the damn balancer. You're gonna be torn apart.
I have to do this. I have to. It's my duty...Sacrifice.
You know, you're far too good for your own good.
Whatever, just stop yapping and get those chains off!
Asking help from me, now? If I break those chains, you'd be breaking your duty...ha!
I feel like I'm having a heart attack... and I have absolutely no intention on swearing---
Say please...
Antiform...stupid light...
Say it...
Antiform...
Saay it..
PLEASE!
He glanced up and stared at the King expectantly, who seemed to have frozen, the sword hovering over his right shoulder. He appeared to snap out of whatever millisecondal reverie he was having as he brought down the sword's tip. "--Hikari." The Audience Hall erupted into applause.
"I now present to you, the two new Knights of Disney Castle!"
Suddenly he was knocked aside by a blur of redwine locks as Kairi launched herself from behind the King into Riku, who, in his surprise, toppled over onto the red carpet, to the cheers of the onlookers. He bit his lip and turned away from the scene as music began to play.
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King Mickey sprinted back up the Colonnade, his heart beating so fast that he thought he'd die.
He dared not look at the sword at his hand as the woven Illusion slowly faded away. He wanted to just lock it up and throw away the key.
The Knighting had gone off without a hitch...to everyone else.
To him, who knew what was supposed to happen, it all went horribly wrong.
He knew Xemnas was watching his every step, and right now, he didn't care. All he cared about was finding a way to reverse the binding as soon as possible.
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What exactly went wrong? You'll have to wait for the day after tomorrow to find out, because right now, I'm having an acute attack of writer's block. Well, not actually, I do know what's happening next, but I'm still figuring out how the hell I'm going to write it.
Read. Review. Oh yeah, I've enabled anonymous reviewers, natch. I just found out yesterday that I haven't yet.
Yay for reviews!
Starlight-x Well, he is a very optimistic boy. Optimistic to the point of insanity. XD
Phoenix80hp Maybe I do have something against Kairi. I dunno, I guess she's too much of a damsel in distress, in my opinion. But I'm a fan of Sokairis, so you can be sure this will end up a Sokairi.
darkdude71 Sorry, but Larxene will be in the next chappie... so sorry! I had to cut the damn chapter in two, it was like 10000 words already! thanks for reviewing!
hikari-aozora Is that a good sign? Should my readers be on the verge of tears then suddenly laugh because of some random thing I've written...? Or should I make them just cry? Or just laugh? Or am I just going insane? And hell yeah, Kairi's an evil girl...
FlowerLady-Aerith Here's my box of special-edition Kleenex. -hands out box with 'I Love Sora' stickers plastered all over it- Yours now. Don't cry.
TgIiDgUiS Angst is such a good word. The happy chapter thing... you know, I might just do that. But the babies one...? The way I describe things like that, most likely someone'll report abuse to the admin. O.o
Masked Felix So I heard, so I heard, DiZ's selling afghans with his mummified face embroidered on it. Eww. The quote ain't Xehanort's, but nice guess, though. He is the most melodramatic of them all--- No, you're not that melodramatic, you're just so...wordy...the lovable kind of wordy. XD
Nonexistent cookies! Yay!
Still haven't decided on the next chapter title, but here's a quote:
"I sacrifice...my heart."
O.o so dramatic! And if you're thinking Xemnas, Xehanort, or Ansem, or any other name the guy has anywhere, whatever disguise he's in, there is no way in hell it's him.