Hey guys, here's another chapter. Again, if you haven't read The Last Nobody, DO IT NOW.
I don't own these characters, blah blah blah. Enjoy.
Nothing comes that easy
Nothing comes for free
Something comes from nothing if you're willing to believe
Everything has meaning
Everything we see
Are you willing to give up everything?
You don't need a revelation
To open up your mind
Break down all your reasons
Leave them all behind
- Pillar, "Everything"
Bruixe stared at the ceiling of the guest room for a long time, listening to Kari's quiet breathing next to her. On the other side of Kairi, some girl named Olette – apparently a friend of Kairi's from Twilight Town – was snoring gently.
It was a peaceful setting, but Bruixe still couldn't sleep.
She gave up and got to her feet, pulling on a pair of socks so her feet wouldn't stick on the hard castle floor. Bruixe slipped out the door and padded noiselessly across the hallway onto the balcony above the entrance hall.
A movement caught the corner of her eye, accompanied by the shattering of pottery and a gasp; Bruixe crouched low behind the railing and froze.
Below, a shadowed figure had apparently knocked over a vase and stubbed his or her toe. The figure hopped on one foot, clearly in pain.
Bruixe seized the opportunity to steal across the balcony, darting in and out of shadows. After all, her curiosity always got the better of her, and she was the best eavesdropper she knew. She slid to a stop over the double doors.
From this angle, the figure's face was clearly visible. It was Ren, the girl who had come with Terra. The girl whose sister was missing.
She was sneaking away – in the middle of the night?
Bruixe launched herself over the balcony railing and dropped silently to the floor in front of the girl, falling into a crouch as she hit. "Going somewhere?" she said softly, straightening.
Ren's face was a mask of panic. "Um… no?"
Bruixe gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Look, I'm not going to eat you or anything. What's up?"
Ren stole a furtive glance behind her, at the hallway leading to the guest rooms.
"I don't think you woke anyone up," Bruixe told the younger girl, guessing her thoughts. "They wouldn't have heard that crash all the way back there. Are you always this much of a klutz?"
"Yes," replied Ren reluctantly.
Bruixe grinned. "Well, at least you know it. But for future reference, if you're sneaking around, it's wise to stay away from breakables."
The blonde looked startled, then sheepish. "You're aren't going to stop me?"
"Not if you tell me where you're going and why," Bruixe answered. "Is it about your sister?"
Ren nodded guiltily. "I… I wanna find her."
"Then why not take Terra with you?" Bruixe wanted to know. "I'm sure you can search for her any time. You don't have to sneak out of castles to do it."
The girl looked away.
"Not going to tell me, hm?" Bruixe murmured. "Fine then, I'll just have to guess. Um… you think Terra's in on Danthus and them's disappearance?"
"No!" Ren exclaimed, shocked.
"Hey, I didn't say it would be a good guess," the former Nobody pointed out.
Ren didn't reply.
"Hey, you were supposed to laugh at that," Bruixe pouted. Still no response. "Unless… I was close?"
She could have been talking to the wall for all the answers she was getting. "Come on, chica, you've gotta give me something here. It's not like I'm gonna tell anyone."
"Isalena did it," Ren blurted.
Bruixe blinked. "What?"
"Councilor Isalena kidnapped my sister," Ren repeated. "I know it sounds dumb, but… I just know it. And she's here, which means she's not in the Eternal Kingdom, and I can look for Hanna… only Terra made me come, even though I told him Isalena did it, because he said I shouldn't be poking around people's homes. And he doesn't believe me anyway."
"No way," Bruixe said skeptically. "Isalena would never pull something like that. She and Danthus have been friends for years. We're talking decades, kiddo. Besides, I know her… knew her. She was like my mom, sort of, you know? She wouldn't do something like that, I know it."
Ren glared sullenly at the floor. "I knew you wouldn't believe me."
"Now hang on a second," Bruixe interrupted. "Look, I don't care who you think captured your sister, that's your business. But… Councilor Danthus… doesn't matter what anyone says, he's a good man. And I'm of the personal opinion that bad things shouldn't happen to good people, right?"
"So you'll let me go?" Ren said hopefully.
Bruixe crossed her arms, frowning. In truth she wanted to let the girl go. But if something happens to her, and I could have stopped her, Terra's going to kill me, she thought.
"I can't let you go alone," Bruixe said finally. "The E.K. wasteland is no place for a kid like you to be running around alone."
"So…?" the girl asked.
"So I'm going with you," Bruixe decided.
Ren's jaw fell open with a little pop.
"Hey, don't look like that," Bruixe said. "If you're with me, you're safe, which means Terra can't chew me out for letting you run off into danger. And this way I get to do Dan – er, Councilor Danthus, a favor. I owe him one."
"For what?" Ren wanted to know.
"For… well, it's a long story, but basically I did something pretty bad, and the General offered me full pardon."
"Oh, you mean about Councilor Demetre," Ren said knowingly.
"How do you know that?" Bruixe demanded.
Ren cowered under her fierce silver glare. "Um… Terra told me. He tells me a lot about you. But… I won't tell anyone. I think you're cool."
Bruixe didn't know whether to laugh or scowl. She settled for a noncommital grunt. "Well, I might have to hurt him for that," she said.
Ren giggled, then said, "Hey, but what about your friends? They won't miss you?"
Shit.
Truth be told, she hadn't given a thought to Riku, Sora, and Kairi. Her mind buzzed with possible outcomes, but there was only one conclusion.
"They can't come," she said firmly. "I won't let them."
"But won't your boyfriend be mad?" Ren wanted to know.
"Probably," Bruixe admitted. "But… last time I dragged him into something, I almost got him killed." She shuddered when she remembered that terrifying conclusion to the Chaser War. "No way that's happening again."
But even if I leave without him, he's bound to follow me, she realized. Scenario one: I leave him a note, telling him not to follow me. Yeah, like that'll happen. He'd do it anyway. Scenario two: no note. He'll still figure it out and follow me. No, I have to leave a note, she decided. I'll tell him I felt sick, and went home. They'll go back there first.
She grimaced at the thought of leaving him again, but no way was she getting him involved in her own adventurous whims. It was a sacrifice she had to make. He means everything to me, she realized. But I'd rather be away from him if it means he's safe.
She propped her hands on her hips and cocked her head. "Alright, tell you what, Ren. I'm going with you. But we're making a side trip first."
"Alright," Ren said, a little reluctantly. "Where to?"
Bruixe grinned. "Home."
Bruixe bypassed her own little apartment and led Ren down the street to Riku's house. Ren's green eyes were wide as dinner plates again, taking in the tropical surroundings. Bruixe only smiled, remembering her own reaction when she first came to the Destiny Islands.
She knocked loudly on Riku's door, calling, "Mom?"
Riku's mother, Nakia, had long since demanded that Bruixe call her 'Mom' too, seeing as which Bruixe never knew her own mother. "I always wanted a daughter," she'd said, and Bruixe knew better than to argue.
"Bruixe, dear!" Nakia exclaimed as Bruixe came in. "Why, aren't you supposed to be at that ball? And at this hour of night! Oh, who's your friend?"
"This is Ren, and… well, it's a long story," Bruixe told her. "Riku can explain it to you later. But… I need a favor, and I think only you can help me."
"Well, what is it?" Nakia asked kindly.
"I'm going away for a while," Bruixe told her. "To the Eternal Kingdom, where I used to live. There are a few things I've got to do there. But… I don't want to drag Riku into it, only I'm worried he'll follow me. I've left him a note telling him I came home. If he comes here, I need you to keep him from following me. Please?"
Nakia processed this for a moment, then said, "You're not getting yourself in trouble, are you, dear?"
Bruixe smiled broadly. "Nothing I can't handle, Mom. I promise."
"Well, alright then," she replied, smothering Bruixe in a loving hug. "Do be careful."
"I will," Bruixe told her. Over Nakia's shoulder, she spotted the door to Riku's room. A thought occurred to her, and she grinned. "Do you mind if I snatch a little something from Riku's room?"
"Within reason," Nakia replied with a small smile.
Bruixe turned to Ren. "Be right back." She stole into Riku's room and flipped on a light, scanning the shelves of his closet until she found what she wanted.
A wide grin spread across her face as she slipped off her black halter and pulled on Riku's favorite black vest in its place. She draped the halter across Riku's bed, then scribbled a quick note on a piece of paper from the desk:
Miss you already. Try not to worry – I'll be back soon.
~14~
