Rhiannon: I almost thought I wasn't going to get the chance to update this as much as my weekly goal but hey... I've got time now!
Chapter 8—All The King's
The gummi ship wasn't every impressive, at least to Riku. It was wild and brightly colored. Not exactly the stealthiest of crafts. Leon opened up the side and walked up the gangway and entered.
"She's not much… but the Highwind is one of the best ships in all the worlds." A tall lanky man stated from where stood on the other side of the ship.
"Who're you?" Riku asked looking the tall blond man over. He had an almost faded face even though he wasn't very old. His eyes were blue and his hands were calloused.
"Cid Highwind! Owner of this fine ship." The man spoke wiping at his nose. "She's been checked over like ya asked for Leon. She'll get you to Twilight Town, back, and then some."
"That's good to hear." Leon murmured from where he stood just inside the ship.
"Just make sure to come back in one piece." The man waved his hand as he walked away.
"Are all you friends so weird?" Riku asked.
"Quite possibly." Leon gave a small, almost smile. "Why don't you go round up Sora and Kairi? Then we can leave."
"Can do. Can do." The silver haired boy turned and walked away.
"Raine… if you can hear this." Leon whispered quietly, one hand pressed to his heart. "I'll do my best to guide and to protect them. Just like my father did for you. I promise."
They landed on the outskirts of Twilight Town near a mansion. Leon lead them off the ship and walked towards the forest beyond it. "We're meeting the King at the train plaza. It's a bit of a ways but we'll be okay."
Twilight Town was nothing that Sora had inspected. It shown brightly at the twilight hour but the sun never seemed to move. The people bustled along happily, talking about some kind of festival or another as they talk about all kinds of things. All four members of the party noticed the flyers telling them to help the 'Radiant Garden support fund.' There were collection sites and all kinds of things.
A small girl with dark wild hair came running up to them with a big grin on her face. "Hi Leon!" She called as she grabbed his hand and shook it. "You brought friends this time."
"I did." Leon shrugged lightly. "This is Sora, Riku and Kairi. Meet Olette, the Oracle of Memory."
"Oracle?" Sora cocked his head to the side.
"It's a fancy way of saying that I protect the hearts of the people in this town. There is also Pence, the Oracle of Presence."
"Oh… so that's why the King wanted to meet here." Sora murmured as he looked over at the happy people.
"The King use to frequent this place before things got really bad." Olette spoke as she led them through the town. "But then he went and attempted to find Ansem the Wise… but he failed."
"Ansem the Wise?" Kairi paused and then cocked her head to the side. "I think I've heard that name before."
"Of course you have. Ansem the Wise was the last king of Radiant Garden." Leon's words were careful. "Supposedly the Sorceress Adel drove him insane when she sought to make a war big enough to create Kingdom Hearts."
"Oh." Kairi looked down.
"Afterwards he secluded himself in his castle and conducted all kinds of research with his assistants until the day… the day that the castle collapsed in on itself."
"That's a horrible story." Olette murmured quietly. "It's not exactly something we like to talk about around here."
"It's the truth though." Leon shrugged his shoulders and Olette sighed.
"Sometimes the truth shouldn't always be heard." She whispered enigmatically and led them up the path and onto the wide plaza that lay in front of the train station.
Before them stood and man and well… a mouse. The man had on a black robe, with the hood obscuring his face. Leon recognized him as being dressed as the man whom Yuffie claimed stole Yuna. Riku recognized him as dressed as the man who'd come and warned him of DiZ.
"It's been a long time King Mickey." Leon murmured and the large mouse-human hybrid stepped forward with a sad smile.
"Too bad it's not on good terms." Riku revisited the urge to let his eye twitch at the high pitched squeaky voice.
"Who's your friend?" Leon asked leaning to the figure who hadn't moved.
"He's not so much my friend… as my… well prisoner." The mouse admitted. "Meet Demyx of Organization Thirteen, number nine, The Melodious Nocturne."
"Please… Demyx would have sufficed." The man murmured as he threw back his robe and revealed a young face and blond hair mostly spiked straight up.
"He doesn't look all that fearsome." Kairi spoke trying not to giggle at the pout that crossed the young man's face.
"How did you manage this?" Leon asked.
"Yen Sid managed to put all of his powers under my purview… he can't defend himself and he can't transport with out my say." Mickey lifted up a small keychain that held a blue sitar. "I'm giving this to you."
"We really don't' want to babysit…"
"Trust me. You'll be glad you took this." He held the trinket out to Sora. "Keyblade master."
"I… thank you." Sora wasn't really quite sure of what to say but he took the trinket anyway and strapped it on to his keyblade. It shown for a second with watery blue light before it faded back into the Sleeping Lion.
"There is no need to thank me." He smiled at them. "So… what are all your names?"
"Riku, Kairi and Sora." Leon introduced them and he nodded as Demyx yawned.
"Can I wander off? It's not like I can cause any real damage."
"Olette… why don't you show him around?" Mickey asked turning to the black haired girl.
"Sure." She walked up to Demyx and grabbed his hand and dragged him off.
"He's a bit moody… and a little childish… but he's a good fighter." Mickey murmured. "He just wants a heart."
"Isn't that the goal of Nobodies?" Leon asked as he sat on the steps and everyone else came to sit in various states around the stairs leading up to the train station.
"Nobodies yes… Organization Thirteen… I'm not so sure. Kingdom Hearts is a lot of power but it is unwieldy… it isn't like a genie waiting to give you your three wishes. It is much, much more." The King stated quietly.
"So… what have you learned?" Leon asked quietly.
"Not much… it seems though there is more then just Ansem's heartless and Nobody…there is a mysterious man named DiZ that I have met along my journeys… I'm not sure of his intentions."
They sat in silence for long moments before Sora spoke. "Can we really do this?"
"I believe you can." Leon whispered.
"I've also found out that Ansem has tricked some people in to helping them. Maleficent and Pete to name a few. They might get in your way." He stated quietly.
"Damn… how fun!" Riku muttered sarcastically and Kairi hit him in the ribs with her elbow. "Ow."
"I'll be doing what I can." Mickey murmured. "I'll be doing everything that I can."
"Will that be enough?"
"It has to be…"
Axel cracked his knuckles and walked into the large room that was Xemnas… something or other. Said man was leaning against a desk and watching him with overly observant eyes. Axel let them go over him as if Xemnas would find his deepest secrets. He scoffed at the thought of that. Xemnas had a better change of sleeping with Larxene or putting Xaldin in pink.
"You failed." His voice was always filled with delayed rage and Axel resisted the urge to wave it away.
"DiZ interfered." It was a lie, but Xemnas couldn't prove it. After all, what was he going to do? Ask them at their next afternoon tea?
"Your incompetence annoys me." He muttered under his breath.
"Marluxia has the girl in his castle." Xemnas looked up at him. "I understand… Continue to keep a close eye on them. Good job Axel."
Axel resisted the urge to laugh. "Naturally. Now if you'll excuse me…"
"I haven't dismissed you." Xemnas voice took on a colder quality that stopped Axel in his tracks.
"Oh?" He smiled. "And what other services could you need me for?"
"I want to talk to you about number thirteen." Axel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Roxas, to Xemnas wasn't anything more then a number, something of use. Never a person, though he figured in his head that he was using that particular term loosely.
"And what about the Key of Destiny?" He asked almost smartly and regretted it as the silver haired man lifted an eyebrow.
"According to… my sources… you and him have become rather close. I believe the term was… because he made you feel like you had a heart." The mirth was plain in his eyes almost as if he could really feel it. Axel was going to kill Larxene.
"I have no idea what you are talking about. We just happen to get along." He replied almost stone faced. He had no idea what to really say in the face of these almost accusations.
"I've put Lexaeus in charge of Roxas… he is no longer your problem." He waved him away. "Now you are dismissed.
Axel gritted his teeth. Lexaeus was a loyal dunce who had no idea about half the shit that was going on around him. He was only going to endanger Roxas. Xemnas knew that Roxas was all apart of it. Roxas and his other. Axel turned and stomped out. He needed to talk to Roxas.
He found the young nobody on top of Memory Skyscraper looking out into the darkness and sighed softly before he approached him. Roxas turned and his blue eyes watched him blankly before he opened his mouth and then shut it, unsure of what to say.
"I want to go and find my other." He finally spoke and Axel nodded.
"I figured you would… but now isn't the time all right?" H gave him a weak smile.
"That's a foolish thing to say. No time will be the right time Axel." He pointed out quietly.
"Listen to me… I'll help you."
"And why would you help me?" The blond took off his hood and approached the red head and peered into those far too green eyes. "By doing this I am basically betraying the Organization."
"Because this is something that I've chosen to do." He smiled at him. "Believe it or not. You… are important… to me."
"Whatever." Roxas murmured and began to walk away before disappearing into a puddle of darkness.
"Damnit you idiot." Axel muttered as he sat on the edge of the skyscraper. "I think you might be even more dense then Demyx."
Rhannion: Thanks for reading!