As I wrote this, Julie Andrews started sounding a lot like Polgara. I never planned it that way, but there it is. It's kind of weird how things evolve like that.
Anyway, read and enjoy.
Cherry Tree Lane
"Anything?" Kairi asked hopefully.
After several hours of uneventful gummi ship travel the party had finally reached their first new world. Pax had insisted on exploring with his new friends on the grounds that he'd have to be close to Sora's heart in order to detect it. Chip and Dale kept some spare clothes on each gummi ship (not all of it in their sizes), so he'd traded his robe for a less conspicuous white t-shirt, jean shorts, tennis shoes and light blue vest.
He shook his head. "There's too many people here. I'm sensing all their Hearts at once. Sora's might be here somewhere, but unless we get close I can't pick it out over all the rest."
"Well, I can think of worse places to look," Roxas remarked. The world they'd landed on was enjoying a mild spring day, and they were standing in a park full of people out to enjoy it.
Kairi sighed, but found it difficult to be depressed. The pleasant weather was getting to her, too. "Let's look around a while longer, just in case."
The others followed her lead, observing the locals as they went. They were all dressed a slightly old-fashioned style, and some of the ladies carried lacy parasols. To their left, a small crowd had gathered to watch a one-man band perform. The place looked like it belonged in a painting.
Pax watched as a pair of children flew a kite in front of them, entranced by the red paper dancing in the wind. Kairi noticed his expression and smiled to herself. The joy on his face was just so… innocent. Now that she thought about it, the word pretty much summed up Pax's personality. Everything was so new to him.
As she watched, his fascination gave way to concern. "Uh-oh."
Roxas nudged the princess and pointed to the children. They were being surrounded by a type of Heartless she had never seen before: humanoids wearing a type of police uniform with tall, rounded helmets, and truncheons in their right hands.
"Stay back, Pax." Kairi instructed. She didn't think the boy would be much use in a fight. She and Roxas summoned their Keyblades and hacked their way through to the children, which the creatures seemed to be targeting. The new Heartless were bold, but also clumsy. The Keyblade wielders easily avoided their attacks.
Kairi brought her weapon down on the helmet of one, and it dissolved into darkness. But before she could recover for the next attack, a shadow loomed up behind her, truncheon poised to strike.
A pool of shadow appeared next to the Heartless. Pax popped out of it and landed a spinning kick in the thing's midsection, sending it flying.
"Constables know how to work together," he told the gaping princess. "Watch your back." With that, Pax charged at another clump of the clumsy Heartless. His hands morphed into spiked maces, and he sent them flying in all directions.
The Constables, as Pax called them, didn't last long after that. When they were gone, Kairi and Roxas confronted their friend.
"Where'd that mace thing come from?" Roxas demanded. "I've only seen Morning Stars do that."
"And that teleport move was right out of the Neoshadow playbook." Kairi thought a moment before adding, "While we're at it, how'd you know so much about those Heartless?"
Pax frowned. "It just sort of came to me." He knitted his brows in thought. "But I think I remember watching a lot of different Heartless fighting somewhere. Maybe I picked up a few things."
It was a little unnerving for Kairi, seeing a kid handling the powers of darkness so easily. She was about to say as much, but someone tapped her shoulder. "Excuse me, Miss."
She turned around. It was the little boy and his older sister, the ones the Heartless had targeted. "Thank you for saving us, Miss."
Kairi smiled. "No problem. It's kind of our job." She banished Flowering Strength, causing the children to stare.
"Is this the first time you've been attacked?" Roxas asked.
The girl shook her head. "We've seen them before, but our nanny's always kept them away." Realization struck, and her eyes darted around the park. "Oh, no. We've lost her!"
Her brother looked concerned too, but was quick to form a plan. "We'll go home. She's sure to find us there"
The girl looked dubious. "She shall be very cross with us. And what if the creatures come back?"
They lapsed into silence.
Kairi was quick to fill it. "We'll walk you home."
Roxas frowned. "We will?"
"Why not? We're still not sure if Sora's here, so there's no reason for us to stick around. And I'm not letting the Heartless pick off a couple of kids."
Pax didn't wait for the Nobody's response. "I'm Pax! This is Roxas and Kairi. Can you show me that thing you were flying?"
The boy smiled, sticking out his chin and proudly displaying his kite. "Of course! My name's Michael, by the way. Michael Banks."
The girl rolled her eyes at her brother's swollen ego. She offered her hand to Kairi. "I'm Jane. Thank you for helping us."
Kairi shook the hand. "Glad to help. Lead on."
Roxas sighed. It seemed he'd been overruled.
The group reached the Banks residence without issue, and the children headed up the front stairs. Roxas whistled. "Nice place."
"Father's a banker," Jane explained. She paused at the door. "Are you sure you won't stay? I'm sure you'd be welcome."
Kairi shook her head. "We're looking for someone, but thanks for offering."
Pax looked sad to say goodbye, particularly since his new friends had yet to explain the mysteries of kite flying. Suddenly, his expression became grave. He tugged at Kairi's arm. "They're coming."
Kairi tensed, remembering how Pax had predicted the previous wave of Heartless. "Jane, Michael, I think you should get inside."
The children obeyed without question, and the remaining group turned to face the Heartless gathering around the bottom steps. There were several more of the Constables, but the bulk of the group consisted of Shadows. Pax led the charge, diving into the first wave with his maces swinging. She and Roxas followed, Keyblades slashing.
They wiped out scores of the Heartless, but more kept coming. Kairi felt herself wearing down, and Roxas didn't seem to be in much better condition. At this rate, they'd be overcome before much longer.
"Now that's quite enough of that," a voice said.
There was a tremendous blast of wind, and Kairi found it hard to stay on her feet. Roxas, who was closest to the stairs, hooked Oathkeeper's tines through the railing. He extended his other weapon to Kairi, who gratefully linked it with hers and reached out to grab Pax's hand. They hung on for dear life as, all around them, the Heartless were swept away and thrown skyward by the massive gale.
The wind subsided as soon as they were gone, and the party got their feet back on solid ground. They turned to face a tall woman wearing a full-length black coat, with her hair neatly tucked beneath a matching hat. She was carrying an umbrella despite the fine weather, the handle of which was carved in the shape of a green parrot.
"Oh, dear. I hadn't realized you were all in the middle of that. Are you quite alright?"
Kairi pulled a stray leaf out of her hair. "I think so." She looked up at the woman's face. It was very pretty, with rosy cheeks and perfect white teeth. "That wind really saved us. Was that you?"
The woman brushed off the compliment. "That was quite accidental. I could hardly let those Heartless-" Her eyes fastened on to the Keyblade in Kairi's hand, and she gave the girl a closer look. "You're Princess Kairi, aren't you?" She studied the rest of the party, eventually taking in Roxas's dual weapons. "And by those Keyblades, I'd guess that you're Roxas. Strange. I was under the impression that you no longer existed."
The Nobody's jaw dropped. "How did you-"
"Mary Poppins!" The door behind him swung open and the Banks children ran out to greet the strange woman.
She frowned. "Jane, Michael, it was very poor behavior to run off without me, and dangerous besides."
"We couldn't find you anywhere, and those creatures attacked us!" Michael protested.
Jane pointed to the others. "They saved us, and they made sure we got home safely."
"Did they?" the nanny raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we should thank them for that." She addressed the party. "I think it would be best if you came inside with us. It seems we have a few things to discuss."
Upstairs, in a room adjacent to the nursery, Mary Poppins poured two steaming cups of tea for Kairi and Roxas. Pax had opted to stay in the nursery with the Banks children, who were teaching him how to build a proper kite.
"Now then," she said, pouring a cup for herself, "I suppose you two have a few questions for me."
Roxas nodded. "Who are you? How did you know us?"
"Straight to the point, then." The nanny stirred a splash of milk into her tea. "As you may have guessed from that rather violent display outside, I am a sorceress. In fact I'm considered quite powerful."
"And you're working as a nanny?" Kairi took a sip of her tea, deciding it could use a bit more sugar.
"I much prefer a more personal line of work."
"That still doesn't explain where we come in," Roxas pointed out.
The nanny gave Roxas a hard stare. "You're a very direct young man, aren't you?"
The Nobody shrugged. "I don't like unanswered questions."
They stared at each other for a moment before the nanny relaxed. "Very well, then. I have an old friend named Merlin who lives in another world. We've kept in touch for years, and he's been involved in quite a few of your counterpart's adventures. Now if you'd be so kind, I should like to know what you two are doing here."
Mary Poppins listened attentively while Kairi detailed the recent troubles of Disney Castle, Ienzo's attempt to steal Sora's body, and Pax's transformation from Heartless to human, with Roxas filling in certain details he'd seen through Sora's eyes while Kairi wasn't around.
The nanny looked concerned. "Oh dear. It sounds as if things are rather dangerous."
"No kidding," Roxas commented.
The nanny gave him a mildly annoyed look before continuing. "With the Keyblade Master's Heart missing and the castle under siege," she shook her head. "It seems the three of you are the only ones free to oppose Ansem's apprentices."
"We need all the help we can get," Kairi agreed.
"I suppose you do." The nanny stood and glanced at a mirror hanging on the wall opposite her. "If you two will excuse me for a bit." She strode across the room and stood in front of the glass. To her guests' surprise, her reflection began singing in an impressively high register. Mary Poppins wasn't amused. "If you're quite finished, there's a message I need delivered."
"There's something I've been wondering about," Roxas said while the sorceress continued her strange dialogue.
"What's that?"
"That paper thing back on the islands. When your spell hit it, it burned instead of dissolving. I don't think it was really a Heartless."
"Oh yeah." Kairi frowned. "Ienzo called it a Guardian, right? I'm pretty sure I've heard of something like that before."
"You mean that Heartless that followed Xehanort around?" Roxas remembered the one time that Riku had used it against him. He shuddered.
"It followed him around, huh?" Kairi gave it a bit more thought. "What if it wasn't a Heartless?"
"Sure looked like one to me."
"But what if it wasn't? What if it was a part of Xehanort, something he created to do his fighting for him? Ienzo's a pretty similar type of Heartless, but his powers seemed a little different. He might've done the same thing and gotten something that suited him instead."
Roxas blinked. "You might be on to something." And if she's right, he thought, we can expect the same thing from the other apprentices. Note to self: watch your back around them.
Mary Poppins returned to the table a moment later. "That went rather well. I don't know how long were planning to remain on this world, but I must insist that you stay at least until tomorrow. I've arranged a meeting to get you a bit of help."
Kairi blinked. "That was quick. Where's the meeting?"
"In a special place where we won't be disturbed by the Heartless. Or most humans, for that matter. Otherwise our guests might draw some strange glances. You'll need my help to get there, of course. Fortunately, tomorrow happens to be my day off."
"What about Jane and Michael?" Kairi reminded her.
The nanny looked thoughtful. "I've thought for some time that the children could use an outing with their father. I shall see if I can arrange it tomorrow."
"And if the Heartless show up?" Roxas asked.
"I'm sure I can arrange some protection. Satisfied?"
The teens looked at each other, shrugged, and shook their heads in unison.
"Very well then. I shall expect you at two-o-clock tomorrow evening."
When they met again the next day, Mary Poppins led them to the sidewalk outside of the park they'd landed in. There they found a man busily drawing on the pavement with colored chalk. Some of the scenes he'd finished were very elaborate.
Mary Poppins took a moment to examine his work. "They look quite nice today, Bert."
The man grinned up at them, and Kairi wondered where she'd seen him before. "'Ello, Mary! That's right nice've you." He took in the rest of the group. "And who're these three? Friends of yours?"
"Quite right. In fact I'm taking them to meet a few other friends. Do you still have your drawings from the other day?"
"Should be right over there." Bert pointed to a spot closer to the park's entrance.
Kairi finally recognized the man. "Weren't you that one-man band yesterday?"
"Right you are, miss." Bert stood, dusted off his hands, and checked the sun's position. "In fact I'd best be off for me next job. Plenty o' chimneys need sweepin'." He packed his chalks, picked up an assortment of brushes, put on his hat and started down the street.
"One moment, Bert," the nanny called. "Jane and Michael are on an outing with their father. Can you watch them for me? Just to make sure they stay safe."
"For you, Mary Poppins? I s'pose I could keep an eye on 'em."
"Thank you, Bert."
Bert tossed one last smile over his shoulder and continued on his way.
The nanny nodded, then examined the drawings Bert had pointed out. She stopped in front of a rolling countryside with a single yellow road winding through the center. "Right, then. Everyone join hands, spit-spot."
The party glanced at each other, shrugged, and did as she asked. "Now on the count of three I want you all to jump into the drawing."
Roxas looked at the woman like she was insane. "There's no way that'll work."
She returned the look coolly. "You can let me worry about that, thank you. Everyone ready? One, two, three."
They jumped, and Kairi had the sensation of becoming very small, very quickly. Her vision became a swirl of color…
And settled into a life-sized version of the drawing they'd jumped into, complete with a small farm, a carousel, and an island in the middle of a clear blue lake.
Kairi and Roxas were stunned by the change, but Pax seemed to take it in stride. He pointed to the carousel. "What's that? It looks fun!"
Mary Poppins smiled down at him. "Our friends are mainly here to see the princess. If you and Roxas would rather-"
"Yay!" he grabbed his Nobody friend's arm and dragged him off before anyone could protest.
Kairi watched them go, then turned to the nanny. "We should probably get going."
Kairi was fairly sure Bert's drawing hadn't included a small café waited on by a flock of penguins. But there it was, complete with small tables set under a tree covered in small pink flowers.
Mary Poppins strode over to a table where three shorter women dressed in colorful gowns and tall pointed hats were already seated. The one dressed in blue was shorter than the others, with dark hair and a more impatient expression. The others looked older: one in green with a kind smile, one wearing red and seeming a bit more serious than the others. All three had small, semitransparent wings on their backs.
"Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather," the nanny greeted them. "How lovely to see you all again."
"It has been a long time," the green fairy, Fauna, agreed. "How are you, dear? Is the new family treating you well?"
"I'd like to see them do any less," Merryweather said with a mischievous smile.
Flora was the first to notice Kairi. "And this must be the princess." She studied the girl's outfit approvingly. "My, such good taste. That color suits you."
"She'd look much better in blue." Merryweather shot the fairy a challenging glare.
Flora returned the look in kind. "No, dear. Pink is definitely the way to go."
They argued back and forth while the penguins brought them tea and an assortment of small cakes. "Should we stop them?" Kairi asked.
"That's nearly impossible, dear." Fauna sighed, taking a plate. "Once they get started, they can go at it for hours."
It wasn't much longer before magic entered the discussion. Merryweather produced a slim wand from one sleeve and hit Kairi with a glittering burst of magic. Kairi jumped to her feet and looked down at herself. Her dress had been turned a bright shade of blue.
"Oh no you don't!" Flora pulled out a similar wand and returned the dress to its original pink.
Merryweather scowled and turned it blue again. Flora changed it back. Kairi's dress flashed back and forth like a strobe light, and the girl began to feel a little dizzy. "Um… are we really here to discuss my fashion choices?"
"Yes, dear." The fairies put their argument on hold while Flora explained. "It's the best way we can help you. Our specialty is making magical clothes." She frowned at the dress. "Now I think of it, a different style might just suit you better." Her next spell had Kairi wearing a frilly pink ball gown.
Merryweather's frown deepened. "No, no. Evening dress would be much better." She waved her wand, and the princess wore a sleeveless blue dress with a full-length skirt and white gloves that stretched to her upper arms.
"I've always wanted to try something more exotic!" Fauna took out her wand, waved it, and dressed Kairi in a green kimono. The others voiced their approval of the style, then prepared to adjust the color again.
"Enough!" the princess finally shouted. The fairies flinched, and she continued in a milder tone. "I'm going to be doing a lot of fighting, and none of these are practical. Besides, I like my clothes. Can't you add the magic without changing the style?"
"It's best to do as she says, dears," Mary Poppins added. Her tone permitted no argument.
The fairies looked at each other, nodded, and waved their wands together. The spells converged on Kairi, and she found herself back in her usual outfit. But this time there was a slight tingle against her skin, as if the clothes were charged with some invisible force.
"Now listen carefully, dear," Flora instructed. "You may have seen Sora using some unusual abilities since he started wearing the clothes we gave him. Becoming faster, or stronger, or gaining more magical power."
Kairi thought back to the time just before Xemnas was defeated, in the Castle that Never Was. There had been a few times where Sora's clothes had changed color, and his fighting style along with them. She nodded, prompting the fairy to continue.
"Your clothes are similar, but there is a key difference. Sora's power comes from his connection to his friends. As a Princess of Heart, linked to the final Keyhole, your clothes allow you to tap into the Hearts of worlds. Every time you visit a new one, you'll gain a new form. The transformations may take some time to master, but I'm sure they'll be of some help."
"The clothes will also restore your mana faster," Merryweather added.
Kairi smiled. The fairies' gift more than made up for their quarreling. "Thank you," she said, and meant it.
They smiled, pleased to see their work so appreciated. "Always glad to help a princess in need," Fauna said.
That seemed to remind Flora of something. "Oh my. We should get back to Aurora soon." She turned an apologetic look on Mary Poppins. "I'm sorry we can't stay longer, but-"
The nanny held up a hand to stop her. "That's quite all right, Flora. I of all people know what it's like to be responsible for someone. But we must see each other again soon."
They said their goodbyes, and the fairies vanished in three separate fountains of colorful sparks.
When they left the island and stepped onto the opposite bank, Pax was running to greet them. Roxas followed at a slower pace.
"You look excited," Kairi observed.
The boy beamed. "We got into a horse race, and Roxas won!"
Kairi gave him a quizzical look.
"Pax thought it was boring that the carousel horses only went in a circle." Roxas still looked a little bewildered. "The operator fixed that. Things just kind of happened after that." He held up his prize in supplication, a pendant with the image of a blue ribbon.
Mary Poppins studied the prize. "A summon charm, unless I'm much mistaken. They're quite useful."
"Really?" Kairi leaned in for a closer look. "What's it do?"
"It's used to call for help, though I'm sure I don't know what will answer. The summons is exhausting, and the help it brings can only last for a short time, but practice should make it easier."
Roxas nodded, slipping the charm safely into his pocket. "I'll keep that in mind."
Kairi turned to the nanny. "Can you get us back now? Your world's nice, but I think it's time we moved on."
Mary nodded. "Very well then." She closed her eyes momentarily, gathered power at the tip of her umbrella, raised it above her head and released the spell in a flash of light and color.
When their vision cleared, they were back outside the park and the light was beginning to fade. The party began to say their goodbyes, but stopped when they saw Bert run around the corner toward them.
The man took a moment to catch his breath, and Mary Poppins looked concerned. "Goodness, Bert, whatever is the matter?"
"Heartless," he panted. Between breathes, he detailed how Michael had caused some kind of stir at the bank. The children had run off, and Bert lost them in the alleyways. When he caught up, he saw that the Heartless had already grabbed them and were on their way. "They 'eaded… for the rooftops," he finished.
The nanny's expression became grave. "The Heartless wouldn't do this on their own."
Roxas nodded his agreement. "Someone's after Jane and Michael. The question is, who? And why?"
Kairi shook her head. "The bigger question is how we get them back."
"I agree. You children see if you can find them on foot." With that, Mary Poppins unfurled her umbrella, raised it above her head, and floated upward until she was above the nearest buildings.
Pax turned to Bert. "Are there a lot of people on the roofs?"
Bert considered. "Only us sweeps, but we know to clear out when them Heartless blokes show up. Why?"
The boy shot a determined look at his friends. "If there's no one else around, I think I can track them down."
Roxas pulled out his Keyblades in answer. "Then what are we still doing here?"
If they hadn't been in a hurry, the party might have stopped to marvel at how different the city looked from up there. The rooftops were almost like a completely different world, filled with smoke and twilight and dizzying heights.
Instead, Pax closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, then slowly turned and pointed to their left. "That way."
"You're sure?" Kairi asked.
The boy nodded. "Heartless are pretty easy to find if they're not warping. There's a ton of them over there, and they're not moving. It's like they're guarding something."
"Is it them?"
He shrugged. "Probably. I can't tell."
Roxas frowned. "Heartless don't act like that on their own. It sounds like someone's setting a trap."
"One way to find out." Kairi took a running start and jumped the gap to the next roof.
They worked their way across the rooftops until they found what they were looking for. Jane and Michael were standing in the middle of a ring of Constable Heartless, with more of a different type patrolling the roofs around them. The new ones were dressed in clothes much like Bert's: dark jackets, matching pants, and small hats, but with the Heartless emblem embroidered on top. They carried long poles topped with brushes.
"Soot Sweepers," Pax informed the others. "They're good with those poles, and pretty quick, too. Watch out."
Kairi briefly wondered just how Pax knew so much about the Heartless before the first Soot Sweeper spotted them. It leapt easily onto their rooftop, danced behind Roxas, and swept its pole at his legs. Roxas caught the blow with Oathkeeper and struck with Oblivion. The Heartless tumbled off the roof, down to the street below.
Others soon followed. Kairi dodged a jab from the unbristled end of one pole, ducked a swing from another, then leapt back and yelled "Blizzard!", catching both attackers in a spray of ice. Pax's maces were heavy weapons; using them might overbalance him, and it was a long way down. So he took a different tactic, cupping his hands around his mouth and blowing fiery bubbles. Every time one collided with a Heartless there was a small but forceful explosion.
We're doing great so far, Kairi thought, but we've got to get Jane and Michael. She caught her friends' attention and jerked her head at the next roof over. They got the message. The fighting continued while the party worked their way towards the other rooftop. As soon as they all made it to the edge, Kairi shouted "Now!" They made the jump. As soon as she landed, Kairi whirled on the Heartless they'd left behind and yelled "Thunder!"
The Soot Sweepers were fast, but they couldn't outrun Kairi's spell. Lightning rained down on the rooftop, obliterating each in turn.
Kairi leaned on her Keyblade for a moment as the cost of the spell hit her. The spell had exhausted her mana, but she could already feel her new clothes restoring it. Pax didn't wait for her. He whirled on the Constables surrounding Jane and Michael, blowing more bubble mines to try and break their ranks.
"Guardians!"
A cloud of icy blue particles whirled into existence and caught the explosives before they could hit the Heartless. They detonated, destroying the cloud but leaving the Constables untouched.
The party turned in the direction of the shout to see a man in a white lab coat much like Ienzo's, but wearing a more serious shirt, tie and khaki pants underneath. He had an angular face, green eyes, and long, fair hair.
Roxas blinked. "Vexen?"
"That's Even, boy." The man's sneer trickled into his voice. "I suppose that means you're Roxas." He glanced over the other members. "You're Princess Kairi, obviously. And you…" he frowned for a moment before studying Pax more closely. "I don't know who you are, actually, but you seem to have some interesting skills. Is the Crimson Jazz the only Heartless you can imitate?" Pax declined to comment. Even sighed. "Oh, well. I suppose that's a mystery for another day."
"Let our friends go," Kairi demanded.
Even laughed, a sound full of contempt. "I think not, Princess. I'm using them to set a little trap."
Roxas frowned. "But we're already here."
Even stared for a second, then his laughter doubled in volume. "The trap's not for you, fool! I was after these two long before you two left your little Island." The laughter died down to a chuckle, and the apprentice's face stretched into a vicious grin. "I'm after a much bigger prize. Someone with more power than any of you."
Someone powerful… using Jane and Michael as bait… Kairi was the first to put it together. "You're after Mary Poppins."
Even's grin widened. "A sorceress of her level must have both a strong Heart and a strong will. That, of course, means a strong Nobody, which I think would make a perfect vessel for me."
Roxas cleared his throat uncomfortably. Kairi stared. Pax was the only one to voice what they were all thinking. "But wouldn't that make you a girl?"
The grin vanished, and a vein throbbed in Even's forehead. "I've been bodiless for more than fifteen years now. I'm hardly in the mood to be picky!" he took a second to compose himself. "Anyway, my plan's nearly complete. All I have to do now is wait."
"While we sit here quietly and watch?" Kairi pointed Flowering Strength at the apprentice's chest. The blade's tip glowed red with a prepared fire spell. "I don't think so."
Even smirked. "Careful, Princess. You wouldn't want your friends to get hurt."
The ring of Constables was hit by a miniature tornado that sent them sailing off the rooftop. Mary Poppins landed neatly in the middle, collapsing her umbrella as the winds dispersed and the Banks children ran to her side.
"I don't enjoy fighting, Even. In fact, I highly discourage it. But if I must, I must." She leveled her umbrella at the apprentice.
Even's face darkened, and more blue particles began to dance around him. He crouched, readying himself to strike.
Kairi cleared her throat, and the apprentice threw a glance in the party's direction. The princess's fire spell was still ready to launch, and the other two looked just as ready for action. Even cursed his luck. He couldn't take them all on at once.
He gave the party a murderous glare. "You've cost me a powerful host tonight. I won't forget that." The glare gave way to another smirk. "Neither will my friend. Come forth, Smoke Phantom!"
The nearest chimney erupted into a thick plume of black smoke. An arm emerged, clutching a wickedly curved scythe, and was followed by a tall humanoid form, completely black except for a pair of glowing yellow eyes. The Heartless's only garment was a long grey cloak, sporting the trademark emblem on its back.
Even was still smirking as he vanished into the Corridors of Darkness.
Roxas looked to Pax. "Anything we should know about this thing?"
The boy shook his head. "I don't think I've ever seen this one."
"That probably means trouble." Kairi turned her head to face Mary Poppins. "Get Jane and Michael to safety. We'll take care of things here." The nanny nodded and traced a circle around herself with her umbrella. A platform made out of fog formed beneath her feet and carried her away with her charges.
Once they were gone, Roxas charged the Smoke Phantom. His blades passed straight through the Heartless as if it were made of smoke, doing nothing more than irritate it. It knocked him aside with the butt of its scythe, took one easy leap, and landed in front of Pax. The scythe swung down…
And Pax caught it, pinning it to the roof with his once again mace-like hands. While the Heartless struggled to free its weapon, Kairi loosed her fire spell. It struck, and this time there was a ghostly shriek of pain.
"It's vulnerable to magic!" Kairi yelled before launching another fireball. The heartless ducked and twisted the scythe out of Pax's grip.
Pax recovered and spat out more bubbles. Kairi continued launching her fire spells, and Roxas summoned three strange constructs that started firing beams of light.
Occasionally, they landed a hit. But by this time the Heartless was ready for them. It easily dodged their shots, reverting to smoke and flowing between the attacks when there was no room to dodge. Its scythe flashed towards Pax, who rolled with the blow but still ended up with a cut on his arm. The Smoke Phantom continued the motion, swinging the scythe all the way around to strike at Roxas. The Nobody crossed his weapons before himself and caught the blade, but was pushed backwards until he was nearly over the edge. He gritted his teeth and summoned another of his constructs, firing a beam that caught the Phantom in the stomach.
This isn't going our way, Kairi thought. They weren't doing enough damage, and she'd almost run out of mana again. There has to be something we haven't tried yet. Her eyes widened. There was one thing. Of course, she had no idea what would happen. But desperate times…
She closed her eyes as the battle raged around her and reached out through her Heart. Sure enough, she found what she was looking for: a massive presence that reminded her of sunlit spring afternoons, of cool, pleasant breezes and cherry trees in full bloom. She drew in power from the presence, became one with those feelings. Here goes nothing.
The fight came to a halt as a dome of light formed around Kairi, hardened, and abruptly shattered. Her clothes remained basically the same, but the color had lightened to the pale pink of cherry blossoms. She was also wearing a cap, similar to Bert's but in a deep shade of pink.
Roxas stared. "Is that a drive form?"
Kairi nodded, adding the name that came to her with the form. "It's called Chalk Artist. Now let's finish this." She pointed her Keyblade at the Smoke Phantom in challenge…
And froze. Flowering Strength seemed to have changed with its wielder. It had turned upside-down so that she was holding it just above the tines, which had shrunken. The hilt and handle had shrunken until they were mostly decoration. The whole weapon had lengthened and grown slimmer to the point where it was more rod than sword. And the chain had retracted, so that the rod was topped with an unusually large Paopu fruit-shaped keychain. Kairi stared at it in horror. I can't fight with this!
The Phantom couldn't care less. It charged, scythe drawn back to swing. Kairi didn't have time to think; her arm moved automatically, using the rod to sketch a glittering outline in the air before her.
The Heartless never reached her. Its charge ran it straight into a brick wall that hadn't been there a minute ago.
Kairi blinked at the wall, then her eyes traveled back to the weapon. The keychain hadn't just grown larger. It had transformed into chalk. Magical chalk, to judge by the wall she'd just created.
The Phantom recovered and started circling the princess, keeping its distance. Kairi decided to try a little experiment. She sketched several bird-shaped outlines in the air, and they sprang to life one by one; sparrows that shimmered in a way that told her there was at least a little magic in them. They looked at Kairi as if awaiting instruction, so she nodded at the Smoke Phantom.
The birds whirled around the Heartless, darting in to attack every few seconds and then pulling out with bits of its cloak in their beaks. Pax and Roxas exchanged a glance, nodded, and resumed their barrage of mines and lasers while their opponent uselessly swatted at the magical sparrows.
The Smoke Phantom made a desperate move: it raised the scythe above its head and twirled it in a circle, releasing a thick cloud of smoke from the blade that covered the entire rooftop. Kairi couldn't even see an inch in front of her, but the Phantom had no problem finding her. She barely sensed his attacks in time to get her rod in the way, and even then several jabs from the scythe's unbladed end got through. Finally, the Heartless swept her legs out from under her. She landed on her back and tried to brace herself for the next attack.
It was at that moment that Pax decided the smokescreen had to go. He jumped, twisted in midair, and created a cyclone Emerald Blues style. The winds he summoned banished the smog and pulled the Smoke Phantom high into the air.
Kairi herself pointed her rod at the airborne Heartless and shouted "Fire!". Instead of launching the fireball she'd intended, the spell surprised her by turning her sparrows into miniature firebirds. They flew at the Heartless from all directions, moving faster than ever before in a deadly, blazing dance. Each pass took away another, larger piece of the Smoke Phantom until, at last, there was nothing left.
Kairi got to her feet, took a deep breath, and released it along with the power she'd pulled from the Heart of Cherry Tree Lane. Her clothes and weapon resumed their normal appearance, and her drawings faded from existence.
The others gathered around her, and she spent the last of her mana on a wide-range cure spell to restore them all. After their various wounds had been healed, Roxas regarded the princess with curiosity. "Since when could you use drive forms?"
"Since this afternoon." Kairi briefly described the meeting with the fairies, and the source of her newfound powers. "I didn't expect to change that much, though."
"It makes sense. A world's heart is different from a person's. They all have a different kind of power."
The teens stared. Pax gave them a puzzled look in return. "What?"
Roxas shook his head. "In any case, those new clothes really came through. We'd be in real trouble if you hadn't used them back there."
Kairi nodded, looking up at the sky as sunset gave way to night and the stars began appearing. There was no telling what she'd become if she transformed on the next world they visited. But if it each new world gave her a new form, each different, but just as strong as the last…
It would take some getting used to, but harnessing that power could be well worth it.
The following day was bittersweet for the Banks children. On the one hand, whatever had happened at the bank brought Mr. Banks closer to his children than ever. He was actually taking the day off, just to go outside and fly a kite with them.
On the other hand, Mary Poppins was leaving.
Kairi and Roxas met her outside as she left the Banks house for the last time. "You're sure about this?" Kairi asked.
"Quite . Jane and Michael have their mother and father to care for them now. My services are no longer needed."
"You won't miss them?"
Mary smiled, just a little sadly. "The children are in danger as long as I remain close to them. It's best if I put them out of my mind."
Roxas nodded. She'd avoided the question, but the answer was clear. "So where're you going now?"
The smile left the nanny's face, replaced by a frown of consideration. "I don't dare go back to work. So long as the apprentices remain a threat, any children I care for shall be at risk." She thought for a moment. "I think I'll visit Merlin in the Radiant Garden. We haven't seen each other in quite some time, and it's been nearly as long since I've seen another world. I take it you're leaving as well?"
Kairi nodded. "We're just waiting on Pax."
Roxas searched the crowd behind them. "Where'd he go, anyway?"
Pax came running up to them a moment later, carrying the simple blue kite he'd made with Jane and Michael. There was a pleading expression on the his face. It was a perfect day for kite flying, and everyone in town seemed to be taking advantage of it.
The teens glanced at each other. Roxas smiled. "Why not? I've never flown one, either."
The boys said their goodbyes took off to join the crowd, and Kairi started to follow.
"One moment, Kairi," the nanny called. Kairi paused and turned around. "There's something I'd like you to have."
She handed the girl a simple bottle made of brown glass. "What is it?"
"My own special medicine. A spoonful will cure almost anything."
Kairi removed the stopper and gave the contents a curious sniff. "It smells like strawberries and cream."
"Does it? The flavor is a little different for everyone who drinks it. I'm sure you'll find a good use for it."
Kairi thanked the nanny, then ran off after her friends. Mary Poppins smiled, took one last look down the street at her former charges' smiling faces, turned, and was on her way.