~*.*Disciples of the Keyblade*.*~
Title: Peacekeepers
Rating: T to be safe.
Warnings: Violence, some blood.
Characters: Terra, Aqua, Ventus, Master Eraqus, Mufasa, Scar
Summary: A visit to the Pridelands reveals a mysterious creature that doesn't make its natural home on the savannas… Pre-BBS.
Special Notes: UnVeRsEd, Dani-Chan-Sprite-Monster -13-, and various others—(I'm being too lazy to look it up)—mentioned they wanted to see the Pridelands or the transformation spell used as an one-shot idea. Here we have it. This won't be the last chapter using a "transformation spell" either.
~***~
Master Eraqus watched them silently.
It was a bit disturbing.
Terra wished he would at least blink.
"Er—Master, are you—"
"Shh," Eraqus interrupted, shaking his head slowly.
Terra exchanged a bewildered look with Aqua and Ventus on either side of him, trying to figure out what was going on. They were just standing in the courtyard outside of the Castle, with the Land of Departure's usual sunny weather in full swing. But it was deathly quiet.
Too quiet…
Ven yawned hugely, earning a small smile of amusement from Aqua. Terra gave a snort of laughter.
"All right," Eraqus said at last. "I'll teach you the transformation spell. There are special garments that might be able to do it for you, but they are difficult to get. In case you lose the clothes, wouldn't you agree that the spell itself is more useful?" He didn't wait for a reply. "I'm going to teach you a popular animal spell amongst apprentices, be they Keybearers, magicians, sorcerers, witches or wizards."
"Cool," Ven breathed, drawing the word out like a wad of bubblegum.
"It's along the same difficulty of the Keyblade Rider spell." Eraqus nodded at Aqua. "Depending on what weapon you chose during your Awakening, you may find this spell either mildly perplexing or near impossible. It's an impressive ability to wield, but only if it can be mastered."
Here we go. Aqua will get it on the first try or something. Terra supposed he was being unreasonable, since she had indeed picked the Dream Rod during her Awakening. He had chosen the Sword, which would explain his lesser prowess when it came to the arcane arts.
"I'll explain the spell to you," the Master continued. "And when you have changed your shape, I will send you to a place called the Pride Lands. It is the best place to try your new form out. Once you have shown yourself capable of doing the spell, I will teach you the underwater aquatic form also." Eraqus looked from Terra, to Ven, to Aqua sternly. "These transformation spells are powerful, but they have rules. They can only be used on certain worlds, and oftentimes you may find the world's own magic changed you without your permission."
"If the world changes you itself, will it be permanent?" Aqua asked.
Eraqus shook his graying head. "No, it will not. Only temporary. Just in case the world doesn't alter your form itself, it is wise to know the charm, if you wish to blend in. Listen closely, the three of you."
The incantation was…hard. Terra's head hurt as he tried to remember the words that went with it, the mental images, the correct amount of magical energy required, and the other finer details that almost always escaped his mind's mental abilities. It was harder, in his opinion, than the Keyblade Rider business since it didn't generate from the Keyblade. Even Aqua's face was twisted in concentration, her eyes half shut. Ven had one hand clutching his mess of blonde hair, blue eyes wide, almost looking like someone had shocked him with something electrical.
Eraqus let them try for roughly two minutes. When no one had succeeded, not even Aqua, and the only sound was the muttered words that went with the spell, their Master sighed and shook his head.
"Maybe it's a tad too advanced. Hmm." He suddenly back-flipped, landing in a burst of bright green sprinkled with glowing leaves that faded upon reaching the ground.
Ven and the others took a half-step back. "Whoa!" they chorused.
Standing before them was a dark black-gray lion. He was powerfully built, with strong shoulders and a long mane that was a little lighter than the rest of his fur. His deep blue eyes stared straight at them, and something in his face and body made it clear that it was Master Eraqus. As fast as it had happened, another emerald explosion flared briefly into life before revealing their mentor, once again human.
"Wow!" Ventus hopped excitedly. "That's great, awesome! I definitely want to try!"
Eraqus chuckled fondly. "Maybe that will give you an incentive to try a little harder."
"Will we all look different?" Terra asked questioningly.
"Everyone does."
Aqua didn't say anything, to them at least. She just went back to the spell.
Instead of pointlessly drilling himself through the charm over and over and over again, Terra went over the mechanics and principles, the workings, the energy it took to cause the incantation to manifest physically. He didn't speak or move for almost three minutes, ignoring any sounds Aqua or Ventus were making, ignoring even Eraqus as his Master said something about the difficulty.
Terra double checked his chosen method to be sure, took a deep breath, and opened his eyes. Fixing his gaze somewhere between Aqua and Ven so that he could see them both at the same time, he quickly but carefully said the words in his mind and released all of the magical power he had, letting the arcane sentence absorb the force and give it life.
There was an uncomfortable prickling sensation that slid along his arms and legs, his face, stinging his skin like the bite of winter. Terra felt fear caress his heart, and he wondered if he should cut off the magic before he did something stupid to himself, like spontaneous combustion. A swirling green mist rose swiftly around his body, obliterating all sound, so that he couldn't hear anyone. The last voice he heard was Aqua's frightened, "Terra!"
He tried to answer, but the strange fog coated his tongue and left behind a bitter taste, momentarily stealing his breath away. It felt like hours, but Terra suspected only two or three seconds had passed, which he spent trying to endure the vicious stinging, since the minor prickling had increased tenfold. The glowing veil dissipated, and Terra shook his head from side to side, attempting to clear his senses.
"Cool, Terra!" Ven's voice said close beside him. Terra whipped around and suddenly tripped over his own feet, which felt both heavier and lighter than they should have. He landed on his stomach, hair falling into his eyes, whiskers twitching.
Whiskers?
Terra looked down at himself and saw a pair of dark brown paws spread in front of his nose. A muzzle claimed a small portion of his lower vision, and the edges of his earthy hair obscured the limits of what he could see.
"You did it," Aqua's tone sounded impressed. "Terra? Are you okay?"
He opened his mouth, closed it, and rose to his feet instead. He had a whole new array of senses, and the strength in his legs and teeth was astonishing. It was tempting to run as fast as he could just to see what would happen.
"Fine. I'm fine," Terra spoke at last. He was surprised to hear that his voice was really no different.
"Huh?" Ven looked blank. "What did he say?"
Eraqus laughed. "Animals all use one universal language, and unless you suddenly become fluent in their tongue, you won't be able to understand Terra until you shift yourself."
Terra shook loose his shaggy brown mane and waved his paw in a motion that clearly said, "Go ahead."
Aqua looked slightly disgruntled, and Terra guessed it was because she usually mastered spells first.
The knowledge made him smug.
Terra took a good look at himself, seeing strong shoulders and muscled limbs, a tasseled tail ending in an amber tip, and a lighter colored underbelly that lent his fur a more unique shade. He practiced walking at first—circling Aqua in particular just to annoy her—trying to get the hang of traveling with four feet. He tried running next, and though it took him a while, he soon stopped stumbling around like an idiot.
A sudden whoosh made Aqua jump slightly, and Terra whirled around, snarling, as Ven suddenly vanished from view in a green cloud. A few short seconds passed, and then a small blonde cub rolled forward and came to a stop at Terra's feet as an undignified heap.
"Ow…Terra, sheathe your claws. You just poked my rib," Ven complained.
Terra snorted with laughter as the cub struggled to his feet, swishing his golden tail. His yellow hair had assumed its form as a tuft of wild fur on his head. Frowning at Terra's expression, Ven started circling around, chasing his tail.
"Why am I small for?" He muttered, nudging his shoulder-piece with his nose.
"You're younger," Terra teased, playfully cuffing him on the head. He had misjudged his strength, however, and ended up knocking him over.
That meant only Aqua hadn't shifted. She looked annoyed now, though she tried to hide it, brushing her hair back and nodding to herself, eyes closed. A full minute passed, and it seemed that the girl had almost fallen asleep. Then she shifted her stance and snapped her fingers.
Showoff, Terra griped, as, like he had expected, a green plume of smoke engulfed her.
A pale blue lioness with a white stomach and front legs emerged, shaking herself loosely, some low hanging fur styled like her usual short hair. The silver armor piece bobbed on her shoulder with every step. Though she was larger than Ven, she was a full head and shoulders smaller than Terra, though she seemed longer.
"Finally," she huffed, ruffling her whiskers. The lioness gave herself a cursory glance of mild interest, pale sky eyes bright.
"It took you long enough," Terra snorted, stepping to Aqua's side and sticking his tongue out. Aqua instantly pinched his tongue between two of the digits on her front left paw, grinning the smug grin that only cats could pull off.
"I let you win," she teased with a light chuckle. Ven pranced over and accidentally stepped on Aqua's paw, causing her to flinch and relax her grip enough to free Terra's tongue.
"Oh, sorry, Aqua!" Ven said innocently, waving his tail in a wide arc with a cheery smirk.
Before Terra could react to Aqua's amused expression, Eraqus joined them, the muscles in his lion form rippling along his frame. He locked gazes with each of them, one after another, before speaking.
"This spell, just like the Keyblade Rider, is like riding a bike. You never forget." He paused to let the message sink in. "Therefore, you will find the charm simple to do since you've performed it once, successfully. I will teach you the mechanics of this particular spell's form, how to run and dodge and fight…after that, I will take you to the lands you will be practicing in."
The three lion apprentices stood sharply at attention, one still griping about being so small.
"Let's start!" Terra dug his claws into the ground eagerly, eyes all but glowing with excitement.
Eraqus jerked his head to the side, his Keyblade appearing in his teeth. Springing forward, he brought the weapon sharply to the side, slicing the air where his three disciples stood. They all leaped back, or in Ven's case, ducked low to the ground to take advantage of his smaller size.
"What the?!" Terra hissed, flattening his ears. "How do we fight with our weapon in our mouths?"
"Improvise," Aqua snapped before summoning her own Keyblade, Rain Fall. She clenched it between her teeth and, after a moment spent trying to adjust her balance, went to attack Master Eraqus.
Terra did the same, surprised by the strength in the lion's body to hold such a heavy weapon with nothing but the muscles in his jaws. Circling around for an instant to get behind his Master, whom was distracted by the ferocity in the girl's attack, he bunched his muscles and prepared to charge.
With an unexpected roar that sounded more like an irritated tabby's caterwaul, Ventus, without his Keyblade, sprang up onto Eraqus's head and dug his claws in. Eraqus was surprised, whipping around in confusion as Ven covered his eyes with his paws. Terra knew what he would have done if such a small opponent opted to get on top of him.
"Ven, get away!" Terra's voice sounded slightly muffled thanks to the Keyblade clenched between his teeth. If he didn't, Eraqus might roll onto his back, his greater weight crushing the cub.
The golden lion slipped off and called Fresh Breeze in a glimmer of white particles. He proceeded to press his attack, with Terra racing forward to help. It was almost impossible to land a blow even with the three of them, since Eraqus basically became a gray whirlwind that spun on one paw at times, eyes glinting.
A sudden gust of wind threw the three apprentices away, but they managed to instinctively flip through the air to land on all fours, hunched over, Terra growling deep in his throat.
Eraqus shook loose his mane, breathing hard. "Well done. I think you can go to the world to practice now." His Keyblade had vanished at some point during the mini tornado.
"What world is the 'Pride Lands'?" Ven piped up curiously, eyes wide with excitement.
"You'll see." Eraqus became his human self, and after a few moments of pause, his pupils did the same. "Put your armor on, and ride through the portal I'm about to open. I will come find you when it is time to return. You'll have plenty of time to explore."
"Yes, Master," intoned the three apprentices. They sharply rapped their shoulder-pieces as Eraqus shot a beam of light into the sky, opening a gateway to some far distant planet.
They tossed their Keyblades in the air, waved good bye to Eraqus, and got on their Riders, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.
Terra, of course, was the first one through.
~***~
He remembered Eraqus telling them something about how a world had its own magic, how a world's heart could do mysterious but spectacular things.
This…was one of them. Or he guessed at least.
It was almost like this planet rejected technology, the Rider disappearing not long after he had sailed in, without his consent. Or maybe the spell had simply worn out. Whatever the case, Terra felt himself falling through the air, but before he even hit the ground, he had that prickling sensation followed by the acrid taste of green smoke.
Terra landed lightly on his paws, shaking loose his mane and peering around to get a grasp on his surroundings. Similar grunts of surprise showed his companions were nearby.
The world was untouched by any signs of human—or alien--hands. A massive savannah spread before them, green and yellow, the grass waving in the warm breeze. The air smelled of dirt, plants, and the very faint, strange aroma of water that his animal mind recognized. Birds screeched somewhere in the distance, and the sky was a deep blue with the golden sun arched high directly overhead. Behind them, a mountainous, rocky field dropped down to a stony wasteland. Elephant skeletons were strewn haphazardly across it, looking like the skull of a Cyclops, thanks to the single, gaping hole in their centers. Visible as only a remote brown smudge, it seemed a canyon opened out to the far east, but it was impossible to be sure from this distance. A broad lake of water glimmered bright gold and white to the west, with scrawny trees bearing wide, thick leaves bent crookedly over its expanse. Animals, striped black and white zebras, tall giraffes, and other creatures Terra couldn't pick out from the huge herd meandered near its extent.
He turned at the sound of something metal jangling, and it was only Aqua, shaking loose some dust from her paws, the armor piece still fixed on her shoulder. He wondered absently if it still worked, even in lion form. Ven bounced forward, all but leaping for joy, staring around with huge eyes.
Here we go, Terra observed dryly to himself. Three…two…one…
"Wow, Terra! Look at all of those zebras! And Aqua, see that over there? It's a hippo, isn't it? There aren't any of those on the Land of Departure! And wow, take a look at that huge old rock right across from us!"
"It's not right across, it's miles and miles away," Terra snorted. The large collection of stones that Ventus was indicating was just one huge, straight, sort of triangular rock with a slanted section in front that reached a decent distance across the grasslands, looking very much like the perch of a king.
A throne of stone.
Ven was undeterred by Terra's remark, or he didn't hear. "Look, look, wow! All of those birds! And flamingoes! I only saw pictures in the library but we don't have birds like that. Aqua, Aqua, see that!" He was circling energetically around Aqua now, whiskers twitching, eyes like blue suns. She kept turning her head to keep him in her sights, smiling. She lifted her eyes to look at Terra, her expression amused.
"I see it Ven," she softly repeated over and over as he kept prancing.
Terra rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go look over there, at that graveyard. I'll be right back." He indicated the elephant skulls a short distance behind them.
Aqua hesitated, glancing between him and the skeletons, but she nodded. "Don't take too long, okay?"
"Promise," he muttered, picking up his pace and stepping gingerly into the bone yard. The dirt underpaw was rough and gritty with hidden pebbles, not like the dry savannah soil. The curved tusks of the white skulls cast jagged shadows across the brown lion as he explored, Ven's voice fading into the background.
Five, ten minutes tops. Maybe Ven will calm down by then. I'll be right back, Terra assured himself, feeling a little bad for leaving Aqua with the hyperactive boy. Ven would probably realize how childish he was acting and settle into an embarrassed silence soon enough.
The sun had trouble forcing its golden rays past the valley's peaks, only dappling a few areas here and there. Terra kept looking back to make sure he could see the slope that led out. The air surprisingly didn't smell like death. It sort of carried the scent of sulfur, from somewhere…the breeze was angling at some odd direction and he couldn't find its source.
Terra heard a pebble clatter behind him, and he whirled around, resisting the urge to call his Keyblade, searching for the disturbance. "Who's there?" he barked harshly, claws sliding out of their sheathes.
A shadow removed itself from a small cave that was barely visible from the top of a short hill. It slowly headed down until it was at the proper angle to jump into a tiny ray of sunshine that jutted intrusively onto a rocky ledge.
Swirling dust motes ballooned into the air as the lion landed, turning to face Terra.
The first thing he had the impression of was green. Bright, yet simultaneously dark green, set in a thin face, lips curled into a sort of lazy smile. The lion had brown fur that was lighter than Terra's own, its body so slender that it was on the verge of lanky, sinewy muscles moving under the hide. It wasn't starved, its limbs were just long, its structure scrawny. By lion standards anyway. There was a black mane, also slim, that coiled in loose folds around its ears, down its back a little, and spilled out across its front. A lighter shade of some color that seemed brownish-pink coated its toes, stomach, the edges of its face, and a little of its mouth. A thin strand of fur seemed to almost form a sort of short goatee.
The thought, for some reason, amused Terra.
The lion turned its head, showing a pink scar that ran across its left eye, even the lid, Terra saw, as it blinked. The voice was thin, like the rest of it, with an odd octave that the Keybearer couldn't quite place. It was sort of like a sarcastic politeness.
"So," drawled the lion, stepping down lithely to Terra's level. He bunched his muscles, but there was no sign of an attack. "Who are you? What are you doing here, of all the lovely places in the Pride Lands?"
"Pride Lands?" Terra echoed, straightening up just a little. "Is that where I am now? Not much to be proud over."
The lion swished its black tasseled tail. "Technically," he amended almost apologetically, but there was still that sardonic tilt to its tone. "This is the outside of the Pride Lands. We stand in the Elephant Graveyard. Quite a few hyenas here. You must be brave, wandering in like you own the place and not even knowing where you stand."
Terra thought of Aqua and Ven, and hoped they weren't close enough to the Graveyard to attract hyenas. "Who are you?"
The lion absently flexed its sharp claws, picking up a bone. "My name is Scar," he stated simply, cracking the item sharply. The noise sounded deafening in the quiet. "And you are?"
"Terra."
"Terra." Scar repeated, his face impossible to read. A smile curved his lips up. "Well, I simply must take you to the Pride Lands, as I said…this is no place for such a young boy, its dangerous here."
"I'm not young," Terra snapped, turning around. "And I was about to leave anyway."
"Of course not, of course not," soothed Scar hurriedly, stepping to his side. Terra pulled his head back slightly but didn't move away. "Here, I was about to leave also. We might as well walk together, hmm?"
"Whatever. If it's so dangerous, why are you here?" Terra retorted, loping off the way he had come without looking to see if Scar was following. He wasn't really worried, but he wanted to be back at Aqua's side as soon as possible if there was danger here.
And Ven's too, of course.
Scar kept pace easily, his long legs propelling his lithe form forward. "I was just looking around. Father, he never cared much for the Graveyard. I think if we didn't spurn the hyenas like we do…" He trailed off thoughtfully.
Terra flicked his ears, a gesture that just seemed normal in this form. "How many lions are here?"
"Not a lot. There's only the King's Pride, which I'm a part of. We live up there on Pride Rock." His gaze was set on the shadowy form of the great slanted stone that rested heavily on the skyline.
"'King's Pride'? Who's the King?" Terra thought the more information he had, the better. Aqua would be pleased if he came back with some details on the Pride Lands thanks to his little trip.
"Ahadi is, right now, though he is growing old…" A fire lit up Scar's eyes. "My brother and I are successors to the throne."
They were coming close to the exit ridge now. Terra laughed derisively. "'Successors'? You can't have two Kings. Only one. Who's the Crown Prince?" The Keybearer just threw in a bit of the details he knew about monarchy in there, but it was really common sense. You couldn't have two Kings of the same kingdom.
"My brother," Scar said darkly as they cleared the slope. "And there he is now," he added sourly.
Terra turned his eyes forward and blinked in surprise, skidding to a halt with Scar behind him.
A big male lion, built actually a little thicker than he was, was standing beside Aqua. He had broad shoulders with a thick, sleek red mane that surrounded his face like a true lion's should. His muzzle was broader and rounder than Scar's, his paw tips, belly, and lower face a creamy yellow instead of the brilliant gold that colored the rest of his pelt. Red-brown eyes set in a strong face looked kindly down at Ven as the cub peered up at him curiously, almost on his back since his neck was craned so far skyward.
In short, the lion was as different from Scar as Terra was from Aqua.
They must have interesting parents, to create such entirely unique offspring, Terra thought. There really was nothing he could see in them that was similar, since the larger male lion didn't have anything small that showed a relation to his brother. He didn't even share something trivial, like Scar's black tufts of fur on his elbows.
All of this was pushed out of his mind as Terra realized he was standing near Aqua. He shoved his way rudely between the male lion and her, shifting his stance a little. Eraqus had warned him not to judge a book by its cover, so even if this lion looked friendly, he could just as easily not be. That might have been why Scar was scowling upon seeing him.
"Who are you?" Terra asked, trying to keep his voice civil. He grabbed Ven by his tail and hauled him back beside him, ignoring his shout of shock.
"Terra…" Aqua muttered, trailing off.
The lion blinked in surprise. "My name is Mufasa." He had a deep, strong voice, like rolling thunder but not as threatening.
"It seems you've gone and gotten Terra all protective," Scar ambled lazily over and settled down, wrapping his tail around his paws. "You really should watch whose lioness you stand by."
It took Terra a moment to dissect these words, and in that second or two, Mufasa spoke again, sounding apologetic.
"I'm very sorry—Terra, was it?—for making you think I was…No, I had just spotted Aqua and Ven," he nodded at the cub. "Standing here, and I had wondered if they were all right. They looked lost. You have a handsome son," he added.
Terra understood that instantly. He, Ventus, and Aqua sprang as far apart as they could in a single jump, fur bristling in shock, mouths wide open, staring wildly between Mufasa and themselves. They spoke at once, all together.
"You think Aqua and I—"
"Terra and I, we aren't—"
"I'm not their—"
Mufasa seemed perplexed by their reaction, shifting his powerful shoulders. "Wait, hold on! It seems I've said something foolish…"
"Which isn't surprising, brother dearest," Scar said quietly.
"…And I've misunderstood your situation. You're friends, aren't you?"
"Yes," Terra replied, relieved. "That's all."
Aqua still had her fur on end, which looked hilarious.
Ven ducked his head. "I'm not their kid," he grumbled.
"I'm sorry, I truly am." And he did look sorry, his tail low and his head bowed.
"No, it's okay," Aqua murmured. "Don't worry about it at all."
Mufasa shook his head slowly from side to side. "This is the wrong way to greet someone…Why don't you come to Pride Rock? I'm sure the lionesses have caught something by now."
Ven swiveled his ears. "Do we eat their food?" he asked in a quiet whisper that Terra had to kneel down to hear.
"I don't know," he shrugged, straightening up. "We're not really hungry, but we'd be honored to look around."
Aqua agreed quickly, as did Ventus.
"Good, good." Mufasa looked at Scar, as if noticing him for the first time. "There you are. Where did you run off to?"
"I went chasing flying boars," Scar snorted, his tone heavy with sarcasm.
His big brother sighed and shook his head, looking up at the sky as if for guidance. "Come," he nodded at the three Keybearers. Mufasa set a gentle pace, apparently for Ven's sake, but when the cub put on a huge burst of speed and bounded forward—he was still fast, no matter what form he was in—the older lions had to scramble to catch up, even Scar, with his long legs.
As they raced through the savannah, Mufasa panted, "Where are you from?"
Aqua swirled her tail in a spiral thoughtfully. "Far away from here."
"Did you run into any other lions?" Scar's tone was strangely unreadable, his brilliant green eyes on Terra's face though he was questioning Aqua.
"No, you're the first," she replied.
Ven gave a massive leap, laughing as he sent birds flying since the sound of his approach had alarmed the colorful creatures. He had almost swatted one from the air.
"What's the story with him, if he's not your cub?" Mufasa's tone was sympathetic. He was quite the gentle giant, being the largest of the group. His soft gaze fell onto Ven's small form.
Terra knew they had to make something up quick. "We found him, Aqua and me," he said as casually as he could.
"Hmm," Scar replied indifferently, thoughtful.
They finally reached the base of the huge rock formation, its shadow a long, dark black line across the green grass. Several lionesses were clustered in its shade, talking. Most of them were gold, though there were a few brown and gray specimens that resembled Scar's darker build.
"Are you sure you aren't hungry?" Mufasa asked, turning his head to indicate a zebra carcass.
Terra noticed Aqua hurriedly averted her eyes from the bloody and mangled body, but Ven took an inquisitive step forward, whiskers twitching.
"No, thank you." He said firmly. Bending down to Ven's level, Terra hissed in his round ears, "Do you really want to eat raw zebra?"
Ventus shrugged, turning away and clambering up the side of Pride Rock. Mufasa chuckled warmly and followed, with Scar close behind. Terra was in front of Scar and Aqua but behind Mufasa and Ven, angling his ears to hear what all of them were talking about.
"When we reach the top," Mufasa was saying to Ven. "I'll show you the entire kingdom."
"Cool!" was the excited reply.
Scar's quiet paw-steps barely rustled against the stone. He moved like he was constantly stalking some kind of prey. "I am sorry, I must have missed your names, how clumsy of me…that is Terra, but who are you?"
"I'm Aqua, and he's Ven."
"He is no cub of yours?" Scar said slowly.
"No." Aqua stated this with a finality that sealed the subject.
"I imagine you raised him?"
"Well, I guess you could say that." Aqua seemed uneasy with the topic. "Terra and I, and our Master."
"Master? The leader of your pride, you mean? You must be a long way from home." Scar commented nonchalantly. "There are no other prides here."
"We are." In his mind, Terra could almost see her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity, curiosity, curiosity." Scar laughed shortly.
"Curiosity killed the cat," Aqua remarked evenly.
Scar's eyes gleamed brighter than they already were. "That's what I'm counting on," he murmured so softly that Terra wondered if Aqua had even heard, since when he turned to look at her, she seemed to be staring at something only she could see. "You needn't have overreacted, you know, about my brother's mistake." The dark lion stated suddenly.
Mufasa and Ven had reached the top of the rise now, with the cub taking a cautious step forward to peer down at the belly-lurching drop.
Aqua just looked at Scar questioningly.
"My brother already has a mate. Sarabi. She's resting in the cave I imagine."
"Oh. What about you?"
Scar didn't answer; he just picked up his pace until he was beside Terra. "Why don't you go listen to my brother's spiel about the Pride Lands?" He suggested.
Aqua exchanged a look with Terra, confused, but they sat on the edge of the jutting rock face and gazed out across the massive grasslands, with the Graveyard visible as only a dark smudge on the horizon, the valley a lighter colored mark that seemed more like a blemish than an actual sturdy structure of nature.
"Our pride has long said this to the princes and princesses that we have had over the years." Mufasa looked at Scar as if wondering if his brother wanted to continue. When nothing was said from the dark lion, he went on himself. "Everything the light touches is our kingdom."
"Everything? But wouldn't you own the world that way?" Ven inquired.
"Everything we see from here," Mufasa corrected.
Terra bit back a sarcastic comment, but he was glad when Scar showed no such restraint.
"Unless it cloudy. In which case we don't own anything." Scar smirked slyly.
"Must you, Scar?" Mufasa sighed so hard that his whiskers shook. He cleared his throat. "All things are connected to another in the great Circle of Life."
"If this were a movie, they'd start playing the theme music now," Terra whispered into Aqua's ear. She smiled slightly but shushed him anyway.
"We—"Mufasa stopped and suddenly bared his teeth, rising to his paws. "What's that?"
Scar stood up too, face slack with shock, the first time he had shown any real expression. "That's nothing I've seen before. What about you, Outsiders? Seen anything quite like that?"
Terra ignored Ven's indignant muttering about his lack of height to see, narrowing his eyes to cold slits. "Nothing we've encountered. It's some sort of creature. It's coming this way."
Mufasa was nothing but a gold and red blur, bounding strongly down the side of Pride Rock. Scar was close behind, slipping down the stones, making jumps that were more risky than his brother's.
"Whatever it is, we've got to help. Keybearers keep the peace, right?" Ventus didn't wait for their reply, pelting after the two princes, a blonde blur against the brown stone.
Terra hurtled after him, Aqua right at his side. The lionesses at the base were shepherding cubs into safety, positioning themselves protectively beside their offspring. Terra was surprised when one of them called, "Be careful, Outsiders!"
They burst out onto the savannah, and with no troublesome rocks to traverse, they picked up speed. Ven had already caught up to Scar and Mufasa, almost in front of them, Keyblade materializing in his teeth with a fiery white brilliance.
Scar's heavy lids pulled up in shock, eyes wide, Mufasa looking much the same.
"What is that?" breathed the dark lion.
"Something that'll help," Terra snarled, shoving between Scar and Ven, accelerating swiftly. His muscles burned with each movement of his legs, but he kept his cobalt gaze locked on the shadowy cloud that was moving slowly towards them, low to the ground.
Aqua ordered everyone to stop before they got too near, with the male lions listening to her reluctantly, obviously unused to taking orders from females. Terra remembered her loathing for the "backward worlds" and knew she was glad they had obeyed, for once.
The black fog curled in on itself, a huge mass of smoke and crackling flecks of white, purple, red, and yellow. It gathered into something resembling a rhino, four tree trunk legs, a muscled torso and broad body, with tiny red-yellow eyes. The only difference was the horns, which instead of one or two, it had three that led right up to in-between its eyes, varying in size, and twin white tusks that reached forward, like the elephants' in the Graveyard. Their ends were jagged and razor-sharp.
"What monstrosity is this?" Mufasa whispered hoarsely. He didn't run though, didn't shake, just kept his paws firmly on the savannah soil.
"I…don't know." Aqua sounded unsure.
Ven seemed the strangest. His tail lowered and he was looking at the odd, almost heart shaped white symbol that was stamped on its chest. He snapped out of it, settling into a battle stance, lurching on his paws as if he couldn't wait to charge at it.
Terra called Earth Shaker to his jaws, settling down, and waiting for the thundering cacophony of the herds to fade as they fled.
The creature lowered its head, its body parts jerking strangely, some of its structure seeming almost warped and distorted, like smudged paint across a canvas, and bellowed. Then it started towards them, each step causing a vibration that Terra felt through his entire body, starting from his feet and ending at his tail and ear tips.
He attacked first, running straight at it, breathing hard. Terra twisted to hit its face, digging his claws in for support, grateful for the strength of his lion form. The monster's entire body was cold, but it reacted to the Keyblade's assault with obvious pain. It shook its massive head from side to side, seeking to dislodge him.
Aqua and Ven circled around to get the rhino from the sides and its back, but Terra hadn't expected, for some reason, for Mufasa to join him. The big lion roared, and in its shattering waves, Terra felt magic stir.
These lions, he realized. They have magic in them. They have as much a chance as we do.
Every world, really, had magic.
Scar hesitated briefly, but apparently gave in, surging forward and leaping to land on its back. The rhino didn't like all of the creatures striking it at once, and it jumped up and down until they all fell off or lost their grip. The vibrations it left behind jarred Terra's senses, making it hard to concentrate. Every step from the monster spawned a smoking black crater of darkness.
Aqua's fur was glowing with the magic she was calling on, eyes fixated on the demonic animal's, light flowing from her body in translucent ripples. Ven was a pale blur, spinning around and around, flashing back and forth as the rhino struggled to catch him. Mufasa and Scar were actually working together, though the gold lion was doing all of the distracting as the darker brother sank his claws into the creature's throat. Terra himself sliced at its black hide whenever he got an opening, ripping apart flesh like ribbon, clenching his teeth as he sought to ignore the cold he felt streaming from the monstrosity.
Aqua was suddenly caught, just like that, by the rhino's head. It had unexpectedly rounded on her and ducked to catch her with its scythe-like tusks, jerking its powerful frame to send her flying straight into the Elephant Graveyard.
Terra dropped everything he was doing, pushing away from his foe, ignoring the various scrapes on his hide. "Aqua!"
He had never run faster in his life.
"Aqua!" Ven's echoing cry was filled with an agonizing fear.
Terra rounded on him. "Go, help Mufasa and Scar! They'll need it."
"They can handle themselves," Ven retorted as Mufasa's magical roar actually sent the beast skittering back a few feet.
Terra felt like every heartbeat in his body was measuring Aqua's time. He opened his mouth and roared from somewhere deep inside of him that knew how. "I didn't ask. I ordered it. Go help them! I'll check on Aqua."
Ven hesitated, frightened by Terra's rage.
"Go!" He flashed his claws out, not aiming to hurt but to scare. The cub turned and reluctantly headed back to the action. Terra whipped around again and headed for where Aqua had landed, telling himself that Ventus was being stupid. It was an unfamiliar, dangerous creature, and it didn't take all of them to go check on Aqua. Ven had to go help the two lions.
Terra shouldered through a patch of dead bracken, ignoring some bristly briars that dug into his fur, scratching his face. The thorns reminded him of that day so many years ago, when Aqua had almost fallen off a cliff.
A million swear words ran through his head, all of them abruptly coming to a stop as he beheld Aqua's prone form.
The blue lionesses was bruised and bloodied, a long gash on her side. At first it seemed she wasn't breathing, but she sat up, shook herself, and struggled to her paws.
"Aqua!" Terra raced forward, crossing the last of the distance between them. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," she huffed, her legs trembling. A green energy surged through her body as she used the last of her magic to heal herself. "Let's go!"
Terra stared in surprise as she pushed him aside and ran back to the battle, and he hurried to keep up. I really need to stop underestimating her. I'll worry myself to death.
The rhino was bucking and roaring, Ven on its back, using the Keyblade to scrape at its eyes. Mufasa was trying to get close, but the shockwaves were making it difficult. Scar worked his claws impatiently into the grass, shredding it to pieces, searching for an opening.
Aqua and Terra both simultaneously attacked, bringing their weapons down in one long stroke, ignoring the pain riddling their systems as the rhino's dark ripples met their flesh.
Silence.
The beast stumbled, and Ven untangled himself from its body, which seemed to be weeping folds of darkness like black satin. It jerked forward, walking through its own stains left behind from every footprint—the small field was black now, and dead—shedding more pounds of its body. It roared, weakly, before collapsing on its side.
It burst, like a balloon. Just like that. Swirls of shadow headed for the darkening sky, the sun setting blood red. The heavens appeared to be on fire.
Mufasa and Scar were injured, but they didn't complain, limping towards the three apprentices as they stood together. There was no suspicion in his voice for the Outsiders that arrived the same day that the monster had as Mufasa addressed them. "Who are you?"
"They're my pupils, and they've done a wonderful job."
They all turned to see Eraqus walking towards them. "I was too late," he apologized. "I meant to come earlier—"
"Its okay, Master." Aqua sounded relieved he was here. "What was that?"
"I don't know. That's what I'm about to find out. It's time for us to leave."
"That wasn't your doing? If so, that must be why you travel. To escape." Scar's eyes gleamed with interest; a bloody-green in the sun's dying light.
"We travel to learn," Eraqus replied lightly. "Come." Their Master turned and headed into the valley without a backwards glance, and Terra hastened to follow.
"Who are you?" Mufasa's powerful voice repeated his earlier question, obviously still seeking an answer.
"Who are we?" Eraqus smiled over his shoulder. "Peacekeepers."
The brothers faded into the grassland as the four lions went farther away. They made no movement to follow.
"I know you have questions, but I have no answers to give right now." Eraqus instructed them to turn back into their human selves—though why they had to come here, to this exact spot, Terra couldn't guess—and put on their armor. He also opened the portal to their home, shaking his head slowly in a sort of weary bewilderment.
"I've never seen the Master like this," Ventus whispered.
"Neither have I," Terra agreed.
~***~
Eraqus had sent them straight to their rooms after looking them over for injuries. He then isolated himself in his study.
Terra, feeling almost strange to be human, toyed with his Keyblade. "What did you guys think of the Pride Lands?"
"Interesting," Aqua replied with a shrug. She seemed distracted.
"Right…yeah…do you know what Mufasa said to me?" Ventus said suddenly.
"No," Aqua and Terra remarked together.
"He said…he wants a son like me. And that made me wonder, who were my parents? Did they want a son like me too?"
Terra recalled Ven's amnesia. He didn't recollect anything before his apprenticeship. Both he and Aqua didn't like remembering Ven's dead eyed stare, as if someone had drained half the power from his soul.
"We'll find out one day," Aqua promised softly.
Terra didn't say anything, just clasped his hands in his lap and closed his eyes.
There were so many questions, but there were no answers to find…
"Wow Terra, I never saw you angrier than when you…" Ventus's thoughtful voice shattered the silence.
Terra knew what he was talking about. "Sorry for yelling at you, but the lions needed help."
Ven's face turned dark. "Don't try to stop me from helping her again."
Surprised by his tone, Terra looked into his blue eyes, shadowed with anger, and nodded.
~***~
Yes, I'm being lazy once more. Sorry. I'm really tired while writing this so I won't look up who said it, but I believe someone asked me to have them fight an Unversed. That would be the rhino. Since it's so late, I apologize in advance for any typos.
Anyway, I chose to do pre-The Lion King since I don't think Simba is quite that old yet. I thought it would be around Mufasa and Scar's time when Birth By Sleep was starting to begin. I admit I wanted to write Scar, though.
I'm aware they don't world travel until the actual start of BBS, but it was heavily requested, so to speak.
Thanks to Jimbob86 for reminding me their Keyblades have names, and telling me.
Also, thanks to everyone that has reviewed and other things, you guys are awesome!