~Narnia~
The first thing Zexion noticed was the cold. Bitter, piercing cold that their Organization coats would never be able to keep out. The Schemer scanned their surroundings, which were covered heavily in snow.
"Snow," stated Zexion.
"Yup! Welcome to Narnia!" Demyx exclaimed throwing the powdery substance into the air.
"Yay!" shouted Xion.
"Dem, I don't think this is a good idea," frowned Zexion.
"Sure it is! What could go wrong?" smiled Demyx.
Zexion hated those words with a passion. Every time the musician said that, something always happened. Whether right away or some time later, something bad always happened when Demyx had an idea.
Zexion quietly followed Demyx and Xion. The two played in the snow, laughing the whole time. Zexion tried to stay warm. Hopefully the cold would not make him sick.
Demyx threw a large snowball at Zexion, knocking him onto his rear. "Demyx! Why did you do that!?" demanded Zexion, shocked.
"Join in the fun!" lauhed Demyx.
Zexion quickly stood up, shaking most of the snow out of his hair. Xion laughed and Demyx almost fell over. Zexion growled as he gathered some snow to repay the Nocturne.
Demyx squeaked as the snow hit him full force. Zexion could not help but smile and joined the two in a huge snowball fight. The three Nobodies continued their fun, unaware of any danger.
Demyx laughed as he backed to a cliff, not seeing where he was headed. Zexion noticed and ran forward. "Stop, Demyx! You're going to..." Zexion's warning was too late. Demyx backed off the cliff.
Zexion tried to catch Demyx, but was unsuccessful. Xion ran to the edge to see Demyx rolling down the cliff. With the extra weight, the snow started to fall, bringing Zexion and Xion down aswell.
Zexion somehow managed to grab Xion as they fell. He brought the smaller Nobody into his body to protect her. They could no longer see Demyx.
Eventually Zexion and Xion stopped rolling. The two Nobodies were covered in snow now. Zexion let go of Xion and she stood up. Zexion groaned as he looked around, trying to find Demyx.
"I can't see Demyx," whispered Xion.
"He m-must have f-fallen somewhere else. W-we need to f-find him f-fast," Zexion shivered as he tried to shake off the snow.
"Can't we just RTC?" wondered Xion.
"N-no. I-I can't f-feel my hands any m-more. I-I won't b-be able t-to open a p-proper dark corridor. I-It's too r-risky," sighed Zexion, trying to warm up.
Xion moved closer to Zexion, who was trying to warm up. The Schemer still had snow in his hair and Xion reached up to knock the snow off.
"You should warm up a little if we start moving," stated Xion.
"Y-yeah. L-let's try t-this way f-first," Zexion's teeth were chattering now.
"Woohoo! Let's do that aga..." Demyx looked around and found himself alone. "Zexion? Xion?"
Demyx jumped up and scratched his head. He thought he saw the two Nobodies fall down after him. Why were they not here with him? He had to find the two, before the others found out he lost the two younger members.
Demyx took off in a random direction. The cold did not bother him. In fact, all the moisture in the air energized the musician. He called for the two Nobodies with no luck.
Mrs. Beaver was surprised to see a strange human in Narnia. She watched him for a moment and soon realized something was wrong. He was obviously distressed and looking for something. Her motherly heart convinced her to approach the boy.
"Hello dear, are you lost?" wondered Mrs. Beaver.
"Umm... sorta. I've lost my friends," admitted Demyx, not at all surprised by the talking beaver. He had been to Narnia a few times before and nothing here was what it seemed.
"Oh dear, that could be bad. Why don't you follow me home? I can have my husband and his friends look for your friends," suggested Mrs. Beaver.
"Really?" wondered Demyx, hopeful.
"Of course! You'll freeze out here if you don't know where you're going," smiled Mrs. Beaver.
"Thanks! My name is Demyx," introduced Demyx.
"You can call me Mrs. Beaver," Mrs. Beaver laughed at the boys energy.
Zexion and Xion had no luck finding Demyx and got hopelessly lost. Zexion could not warm up and could feel the beginnings of a cold quickly surfacing.
The two Nobodies continued forward without any idea of where to go. They never noticed the approaching danger. They eventually found themselves next to a river, partially frozen with dangerously thin ice.
The wolves slowly approached the two Nobodies. Zexion heard the soft crunch of paws in the snow. He turned around quickly and scanned the area. He easily spotted the wolves trying to surround them.
"X-Xion, s-summon your keyblade," whispered Zexion.
"What?" wondered Xion.
Zexion summoned his Lexicon with a little difficulty and repeated, "Summon y-your keyblade."
"What's out there?" asked Xion, as she obeyed.
"W-wolves. We're g-going to run a-along t-this river. Try n-not to f-fall onto the ice o-or you'll f-fall into t-the river. B-be prepared t-to f-fight," explained Zexion.
Xion broke into a run, fear creeping into her eyes. Heartless they could handle. Those creatures did not have minds of their own or feelings. Heartless only destroyed. Wolves had hearts of their own. She did not want to fight these animals.
Zexion stumbled a little behind Xion. Adrenaline warming his body a little as he tried to keep up with Xion. The wolves were close on their heels.
Xion easily kept the wolves away with her keyblade. She had slowed down enough to run along side Zexion, who was no longer doing so well. He summoned a few poor illusions, which only managed a few seconds of distraction. He had to resort to using his Lexicon as a means to smack the wolves away.
One wolf jumped Zexion, causing him to fall onto the thin ice. Zexion screamed as his shoulder was bitten. Xion tried to keep the other wolves away.
Zexion's eyes glowed icy silver. He screamed again in rage as the control over his illusions was lost. The wolf on top of him hurried back. The ice was cracking with each movement and the wolves were scared away by the rampart illusions.
Xion knew better when she saw Zexion react like that. He usually kept better hold on his illusions, but he was really cold. Zexion tried to stand, but slipped on the ice causing more cracks to appear. Xion took a step forward.
"N-no! The i-ice will s-shatter," Zexion quickly stopped the young Nobody from advancing.
Zexion stood and looked around himself. He was starting to panic. If he fell, he would drown. He tried to keep his composure, but Xion knew. Zexion took a slow step forward.
"Zexion!" screamed Xion, as she watched the ice shatter around the Schemer, drawing him under the water.
The moment the ice broke, Zexion felt hopeless. He was plunged into the frigid waters and could not manage to surface. The current swept him away.
Xion watched the Schemer vanish. She let her keyblade melt into the darkness and ran along the river. Maybe she could find a way to save Zexion.
Xion stayed by the river. She almost tripped over a beaver and fox, but managed to stop in time.
"Are you lost?" wondered the fox.
"Child! What are you doing out in the cold in that coat?" demanded Mr. Beaver.
"He fell... into... the river!" panted Xion.
"Who did?" asked the fox.
"Zexion!" screamed Xion, on the verge of tears.
"Hush now. Let's get you somewhere warm. My wife found your friend Demyx. We were looking for you," explained Mr. Beaver.
"What about Zexion!?" demanded Xion, letting the tears fall.
"Shh. I'll alert some friends. Don't worry," whispered Mr. Beaver.
Xion reluctantly left the riverside and followed the beaver and fox. They had said they found Demyx. This was a horrible idea. They should have listened to Zexion in the Grey Room.
Demyx was sipping freshly made tea, when Mr. Beaver walked in followed by Xion. Tears stained the girl's face. Demyx looked behind her, but Zexion was not there.
"Demyx!" cried Xion.
"Mrs. Beaver, make the child something sweet. She's been through a lot," whispered Mr. Beaver.
"Where's..." started Demyx.
"He fell into the river!" shouted Xion.
"What?" Demyx was shocked.
"We were looking for you. Then there were wolves chasing us. One knocked Zexion onto the ice and bit him! Zexion managed to scare the wolves away, but the ice was cracking. He fell in! Dem, he can't swim!" Xion shook with raw emotion a Nobody should not have.
"It's all right dear. Here, drink this. It will make you feel better," Mrs. Beaver handed the girl a warm cup of tea.
Xion's shaking hands took the cup. She sipped the tea carefully and felt warmer immediately. "Thank you," she managed to whisper.
"Don't worry about your friend. We'll find him," reassured Mr. Beaver.
Zexion could hardly feel anything in the frigid waters. Somehow he managed to get to the shore and drag himself out of the river. He did not get far before he fell unconscious. Luckily for the Schemer, Aslan was the one to find him right as his head hit the snow.
Zexion was brought to Aslan's camp. His coat, boots, socks, gloves, and t-shirt were removed so the boy's wounds could be treated and was warmed with a soft blanket. He shifted in and out of consciousness. Aslan sent word to the Beavers, ordering them to bring Demyx and Xion to the camp right away.
Aslan knew what Zexion was, but kept quiet. He would speak with the boy, privately, when he had his strength back. It would take time for the Beavers to bring the other two to the camp, so he had to wait for Zexion to waken.
Zexion slowly woke up. There was a single faun in the tent tending to the bite wound on his shoulder. At first the Schemer was confused. He found himself warm and somewhere new. He shot up, startling the faun.
"Settle down! You'll reopen the wound," the faun scolded.
"Where am I?" demanded Zexion.
"One of Aslan's camps," answered the faun, returning to his side to continue working on his wound.
"Aslan?" wondered Zexion.
"Yes. The great lion of Narnia. He found you by he river," stated the faun.
"I remember! Where are..." started Zexion.
"Take it easy. Their are on their way here now. They are safe," reassured the faun.
Zexion was silent for a moment. Now that he was warm, he did not feel as bad as before. Hopefully he would not get sick from this crazy adventure. He looked at the faun for a moment.
"Who are you?" asked Zexion.
"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Mr. Tomnus," smiled the faun, Mr. Tomnus.
"I'm Zexion," whispered Zexion.
"There we go. All done. Here is a change of warmer clothes. Your coat is still drying. I'll wait outside the tent," informed Mr. Tomnus.
Zexion watched the faun leave the tent. He was in too much of a shock to realize what he was just talking to. He looked at the bandages and noticed a few other bruises and cuts.
Zexion slowly slipped out of the bed. Even out from under the covers, the tent was warm. He dressed and smiled slightly at the warmth of the clothes. He hesitantly stepped out of the tent.
Mr. Tomnus lead Zexion through the camp. There were a few creatures around and they all stared at the Schemer. Zexion tried to ignore it and eventually was lead to a large red tent. A great lion stepped out amd smiled softly.
"Hello, young one. Come inside," ordered Aslan.
Zexion knew an order when he heard one, even if this one was said a lot nicer than his Superior or Saïx would say. He slowly followed the lion into the tent.
"Don't worry about others hearing, my tent is magic. How are you doing?" wondered Aslan.
"I'm okay now. Thank you, Aslan..." whispered Zexion.
"The wolves are always attacking travelers. You managed to fight them off without putting a scratch on any of them," stated Aslan.
"Umm..." gulped Zexion.
"I won't tell anyone in Narnia what you are Zexion, but you don't really understand what you are. The other two don't know either," informed Aslan.
"What? How did..." started Zexion.
"I bring life to this world. I know everything that goes on here. I know of the other worlds. You are not a son of Adam nor from his world. You do look a lot like Ienzo," smiled Aslan.
"I am not Ienzo anymore," frowned Zexion.
"Nor were you ever. Ienzo's heart was too strong for the darkness to claim him. His heart created you to protect himself. Ienzo is waiting for you to release him," explained Aslan.
"No. Ienzo is dead. That's why I am alive. I don't have a heart because his was stolen. I am a Nobody along with the other thirteen members," Zexion shook his head.
"That is what he told you. Does he really know how you all came to be? He is just like you after all. You can feel. You have experianced emotions," Aslan said quietly.
"Only recently and not all the time," replied Zexion.
"That is because you are unlocking your own heart. Your heart was locked to protect Ienzo so he could recover. When you fully open your heart, he will awaken and return home," explained Aslan.
"What will happen to me then?" asked Zexion.
"Nothing," Aslan said simply.
"I don't understand..." Zexion's eyebrow furrowed in thought.
"You have his memories because he created you. He will not have your memories when he awakens. It is a lot to take in, but you need to know. Your power will change and you must be prepared. Things are changing a lot faster than any one has expected," mused Aslan.
"I don't really understand. We've been fighting the Heartless right from the start to create Kingdom Hearts. How can you know any of this?" demanded Zexion.
"I am as old as this land. There is a lot I know. Many beings have come and gone, each from different worlds," answered Aslan.
"I don't know if I can believe this," whispered Zexion.
"In time you will discover the truth. You can always return to Narnia if you ever have questions. At the time being however, you must focus on resting. Your body went through a lot and when you lost control, it took a lot out of you to regain control. Winters here are not as cold as they used to be, but you are still small. Mr. Tomnus can lead you back to the tent," smiled Aslan.
"What about Demyx and Xion?" wondered Zexion.
"They will arrive soon. I won't tell them of our conversation. You should warn them about using their abilities near any of the residents. They will question," reassured Aslan.
"We will have to leave soon," stated Zexion.
"I understand, but I insist that you rest for awhile. When they arrive, I will travel to the castle. You three should accompany me," suggested Aslan.
"I don't know..." Zexion trailed off.
"At least for a proper meal before you head off," pressed Aslan. "There is a garden you three can sneak off too. It will be easier to return to your world without others wondering."
"Okay," Zexion reluctanly agreed.
Aslan nodded silently and lead Zexion out of the tent. Mr. Tomnus then brought the Schemer back to the tent. Zexion was left alone and he returned to the bed. He sighed as he crawled under the covers. Always trouble involved with Demyx's ideas.
The Beavers were leading Demyx and Xion to Aslan's camp. They were relieved to learn Zexion was okay. They could not wait to see him again.
Eventually they caught sight of the camp in the distance. The four picked up their pace, starting to feel the chill of winter. Xion made sure to hold onto Demyx, so the Nocturne would not go off somewhere.
Zexion sat up quickly. He winced from the pain in his shoulder, but jumped out of the bed. He could hear footsteps approaching the camp. He quickly pulled on his boots, his coat was still drying by the fire.
Zexion stepped out of the tent and scanned the area. The camp was not too busy and there were less creatures roaming about. He spotted two black figures in the distance and knew at once who they were.
"Looks like they have arrived," stated Aslan.
Zexion jumped at the sudden arrival of the lion. Aslan chuckled at the Schemer and silently waited for the two Nobodies to get closer.
Xion spotted Zexion first. She let go of Demyx and ran. The musician was not far behind. The Beavers laughed silently at the two. Xion jumped Zexion when she was close enough.
"Careful!" warned Zexion.
"Sorry," mumbled Xion, as she let go.
"What happened?" wondered Demyx, when he approached the two younger Nobodies.
"That fall down the cliff separated us. We went looking for you, but got even more lost. Then the wolves came out of no where and I feel into the river. Aslan found me. What happened to you?" explained Zexion.
"I tried looking for you two. I ran into Mrs. Beaver and she brought me to her house. She sent Mr. Beaver to look for you guys," Demyx left most of the details out, but Zexion could tell he was leaving something out. He would look into the Nocturne's mind later.
"Are you okay Zexion?" asked Xion.
"I'm fine now," reassured Zexion.
"You two look cold. Follow me and we'll get a change of clothes for each of you," smiled Aslan.
The three Nobodies followed the lion. The Beavers continued on, heading for the castle. Aslan brought them to the tent Zexion had stayed in. Inside where two set of clothes. A warm winter dress for Xion and a set of clothes that matched Zexion's for Demyx.
They could leave their sock and boots on, but changed everything else. Zexion's coat, gloves and socks were finally dry, so the Schemer put his socks on and replaced his boots. Xion and Demyx folded their coats and gloves to leave them in a neat pile along with Zexion's.
The three Nobodies left the tent and found Aslan waiting for them. "Ready?" asked Aslan.
"For what?" wondered Demyx.
"I'm taking you three to the castle for a proper meal before you head out. Follow me," smiled Aslan.
Aslan started to walk away and Zexion followed immediately. He was just so used to following orders completely and without a word of complaint that he easily obeyed Aslan. Demyx and Xion ran to catch up to them and fell into step next to Zexion.
The four traveled together is silence. Around two hours of walking, the castle was in sight. Zexion studied the castle, admiring it. Demyx was excited to see the interior, wondering if it was white like their castle. Xion just wanted to get out of the cold.
The gates were open and Aslan lead the Nobodies into the castle grounds. It was busy and crowded. Zexion was starting to feel uncomfortable. Demyx was extatic at the differences this castle had compared to their home. Xion was also in awe.
"Come. The ball is under way all ready. I will introduce you to the high kings and queens of Narnia. Don't worry, you are my guests," smiled Aslan, leading them into the grand ballroom.
There were so many colors in this castle. Many creatures were dancing and four rulers mingled amongst them. Two kings and two queens, who were obviously siblings. They quickly noticed Aslan and made their way over to the lion.
"Aslan!" the youngest queen smiled as she gave the lion a big hug.
"Hello, Lucy," Aslan softly laughed.
"Who have you brought with you Aslan?" wondered the older queen.
"High King Peter, High Queen Susan, High King Edmund, and High Queen Lucy, meet my guests. Zexion, Demyx, and Xion," Zexion bowed to the rulers and Demyx quickly followed suit. Xion gave a shy curtsy and they were meet with bows and curtsies from the rulers.
"A pleasure to meet you, your highnesses," whispered Zexion.
"You must have come from a long journey. Please, enjoy the food and join us in the dance," smiled Queen Lucy.
"Thank you, your highness," nodded Zexion.
The four rulers of Narnia returned to mingling. Aslan disappeared into the crowd. The three Nobodies tried to stick together, but Zexion felt to crowded. He waited for the other two to be finish with the ball. Aslan noticed Zexion standing off by himself. He slowly approached the Schemer. "Why do you not join in the festivities?" wondered Aslan.
"I don't do well in crowds. Sometimes our castle is too crowded with only fourteen of us living there," whispered Zexion.
"I see," nodded Aslan.
"I think we should be leaving. The longer we stay away, the more trouble we'll get into when we go home," stated Zexion.
"Trouble?" echoed Aslan.
"Yes. I'm not allowed out of the castle unless I'm accompanied on a mission or with Lexeaus. They will be cross and if they found out I was injured, Demyx will be in deeper trouble. We really do appreciate all your help and hospitality," explained Zexion.
"As you wish. Gather your friends and meet me by the north door," Aslan said as he walked away.
Zexion quickly found Xion and she followed willingly. They had a little trouble finding Demyx, but found him dancing like a fool with the sprites. Zexion sighed as he walked over to them.
"Demyx," called Zexion.
"Hey! You two should dance with us. It's really fun!" smiled Demyx.
"We can't. We need to go," whispered Zexion.
"Aww," cried a nymph.
"He's cute! Why do you hid your face with your hair?" wondered a sprite.
"Please, leave my hair alone," grimaced Zexion, as he tried to back away from the sprite.
"Demyx, can you at least just take a break and talk with us?" begged Xion.
"All right. I'll be back," sighed Demyx.
Xion took Demyx's hand, who grabbed Zexion away from the sprite. The sprite pouted a little before she found a distraction. Xion lead them behind a column so they could speak privately.
"What's going on?" wondered Demyx.
"It's time to RTC," stated Zexion, as he fixed his hair.
"Why?" whined Demyx.
"We've been gone for a long time. Time doesn't work the same here as it does back home, but it's been long enough. If they find out I got hurt or fell into a frozen river, don't you think they'll have your head? We're all ready in trouble for leaving the castle," explained Zexion.
"Really?" squeaked Demyx.
"Yes. I think we've had enough of this adventure," sighed Zexion.
"O-Okay... How are we getting out of here?" asked Demyx.
"We're meeting Aslan over there," informed Zexion.
Zexion lead Demyx and Xion around the ball. He managed to escape the attention of everyone. Stealth was one of his strong suits. Aslan was waiting for them by the door.
"Follow me," whispered Aslan.
The three Nobodies followed the lion. Aslan lead them to a room which held their coats. Aslan simply stated it might be better to arrive home in their own clothes. The three Nobodies changed quickly.
Aslan then lead the Nobodies to the gardens. Zexion shivered when they stepped outside. The garden was abondoned and an easy way to RTC without any questions rising.
"This is where we say goodbye. I will return and make some sort of excuse for you. No one should see you leave," stated Aslan, as he walked back inside the castle.
"All right, Dem. Let's walk a little farther into the garden before we RTC. You'll need to open the corridor," Zexion pointed out.
"Right. This was fun, right?" wondered Demyx.
"No, Dem. Let's go," Zexion deadpanned.
Demyx sighed in defeat and the three Nobodies disappeared in the garden. They RTC'd once they were sure no one was looking. The anger waiting for them was not really excitable.
