Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or Final Fantasy, or the locations/characters borrowed herein. I am, however, responsible for shameless crossovers that make no sense logically. :D
A/N: Nothing new to report. ONWARD!
Bon à lire!
-Slay
A Day of Mercy
Chapter 12
Frigid Get-Together
-o-o-o-
"You didn't have to trash the concert."
She really hated visiting this place, with its ethereal ice trees, and derelict buildings; a ruined city forged from mammoth conch shells and the Sleeping Forest's white, ghostly hide. She stood at the edge of a glassy midnight lake, cold breath rolling out of her mouth, invisible in the northern air.
"And you didn't have to turn tail and run when your own brother was having an episode," one of the three figures across the lake retorted snidely, tossing a long strand of silver hair over his shoulder.
"I'm not his babysitter," Paine hissed. Like it was her fault Loz couldn't control himself. Puh. The man was an overgrown child. What the hell did they want her to do about it? Put him in time out?
"Play nice, you two," Kadaj placated. "What happened in the City happened, and we have more important things to discuss." He motioned at Paine across the lake. "We're glad to see you, sister. Come inside."
She wished she could say I'm not your damn sister. She really, really did. They may only have been half-siblings, but she was still tied to these psychopaths by blood, and she hated it openly. It was all thanks to their father, who apparently hadn't been able to control himself either.
Five children by three different women—that they knew of. Granted, Kira had finally died, and looking at it logically, they were very certain Riku was the last child he ever sired, but he'd been able to avoid them for over a hundred years. That had to be the longest anyone had ever gone without the Lunumbra finding them. It wasn't impossible that there were others, but it was improbable, and until they had Riku pegged, it didn't even matter.
Paine sighed and stepped out onto the water—the same magic that kept it fluid in the unforgiving tundra caused it to congeal solidly under her feet, gradually forging a bridge of black ice for her to cross. She reached the pallid island at the center of the lake, then followed Kadaj and Yazoo into the curling body of an elaborate conch house, where the first thing she saw was Loz hunkered dejectedly along the wall, glaring holes into the floor.
Apparently "time out" wasn't so unreasonable after all.
The house only had one floor, unlit, with its ceiling taking the interior shape of the shell it was carved into. Sharp windows were cut into the swirling curves of the walls, letting in smooth trails of hoary light from outside that painted an arrangement of simple but fitting chairs around a featureless round table. Paine and Yazoo took seats at the table, while Loz stayed sulking on the floor and Kadaj paced the room thoughtfully.
"I'm afraid we have a problem," he said bluntly. "Uncle will be here any day now, and he's looking forward to meeting our little brother."
Paine crossed her arms, uninterested already. "And?"
"And our little brother isn't here," Yazoo snipped. "We promised him a new nephew, and he won't be pleased to see we failed him."
"We just found the kid two days ago. These things take time; Uncle knows that."
"Maybe under normal circumstances," Kadaj amended, circling the table a little more anxiously. "But Riku is a special case, remember?"
Paine rolled her eyes. "So his mom was a witch. So what?"
"So what?" Kadaj stopped pacing and stared at her dumbfounded. "The blood of a witch and a Lunumbra is a very potent mix, Paine! We can't just let him wander around unchecked! Uncle will—"
Overturning her chair and slamming her fists on the table, Paine snarled, "I don't care! All this time he hasn't been causing any trouble, and we have no business messing with him! If Uncle wants to meet Riku so badly, he should just go get him himself!"
"Now there's an idea."
All four of them froze—even Loz looked up from his brooding, eyes wide. Paine turned slowly and felt her heart sink at the man standing in the entryway. Kadaj swept across the room with his hands up, as if trying to pacify some wild animal. "U-Uncle! We weren't expecting you for a few more days! What…what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I can never stay away from you children for too long," the man crooned, resting his hand on Kadaj's head in a gesture that might have been affectionate had Kadaj not cringed under the touch. "Besides, I heard you were having a little trouble reaching this newfound brother of yours, and I thought I might offer some assistance."
"You don't need to do that," Kadaj said quickly. "The concert was a setback, yes, but Little Brother will be with us soon—we'll bring him to Whirlwind for you. Please don't trouble yourself, Uncle…"
"Nonsense," their uncle shook his head, causing his own mane of unearthly silver hair to sway over his shoulders. "It would be my pleasure." His aureate eyes twinkled chillingly. "We are family, after all."
Paine swallowed thickly, focus straying into space as distressing thoughts filled her mind.
Her brothers were bad. There was no denying that. They didn't think twice before inflicting havoc and suffering on whomever they pleased—but they were practically children. And if the children were that bad… Well, their uncle was clan leader for a reason, and it had nothing to do with his benevolence.
She didn't even know Riku, and yet she found herself suddenly sick with worry. He could outrun them as much as he liked, but he didn't stand a chance against Superior.
No one did.
A/N: Short. Short. I know! This was just a quick in-between chapter. Hehe. Get it? In-between? Superior of the In-Between? Xemnas? No? Okay.
-Clan: a group of dragons *hyuck*
Chapter 13 (ROXAS *heart*) coming up soon! Review for a chakram cookie~ Flame for a chakram to the face!
Seeya!
-Slay