Chapter 2. Encounters
Saïx pushed slowly the door open, entering to the castle. Riku followed right after him.
"Creepier", Saïx said with frown. The air was stuffy and it was too hard to see much.
"Anyone here?" Riku called, wandering around the hall. "We're looking for our father. Old man, blonde hair and a beard. Has anyone seen him?"
"It's no use, Riku", the blunette sighed. "If someone would have noticed us, or if someone even lives here, they had already come to us. So if father is here we'll have to find him on our own."
Riku snorted. Why didn't that man pick a nice, sunlit mansion to stay a night? No, it had to be an abandoned castle in a dark forest. Riku listened carefully if he could be able to hear any signs of life but no. There was just sound of water dropping from somewhere. Evening was quickly turning to night. They looked around the rooms at downstairs before continuing to upstairs, wondering would they continue to left or right. Riku stopped, looking at the right.
"I heard it again", he said.
Saïx glanced at him. "Heard what?"
"That sound… It's like water is dropping."
"Somewhere must be a leak", Saïx noted.
"No, I heard it earlier at the hall, too", Riku told, listening. "I think we should go right."
"Because of the sound of water dropping?" the older doubted, rolling his eyes. But if they really had to search the whole castle they could as well go where Riku wanted. "Well, I don't see why we can't take a look."
Riku followed the sound to a tower, Saïx coming right behind him. The tower was chilly and as spooky as the rest of the parts of the castle they had seen. Webs, dust, meanly smirking stone creatures. But the difference from the other rooms was that the tower was actually full of cells.
"Father, are you here?" Riku called once more, partly hoping he wouldn't hear his father's voice in such a horrible part of the castle. Slight coughing came from the one of the cells.
"Riku…?" Ansem called with a raspy voice. "Saïx…? Are you both here?"
Riku hurried to the cell's door. "Oh god, you're okay", he whispered, looking at their pale father from the small, barred window on the door. "We'll get you out."
Ansem shook his head. "No! You must get out from here! Now! Before they come back!"
"Who come back? Father, who did this to you?!" Riku shouted a question.
"I don't have time to explain", Ansem said, coughing some more. "Just leave before…!"
"Riku, move aside", Saïx commanded suddenly. "I'll break that-"
As soon as Riku had retreated from the door they heard a loud, sanguinary growl from the shadows. It frightened the brothers immediately.
"They're back…!" Ansem cried out, more scared than his sons. Saïx stepped in front of Riku, protecting him, and growling back.
"You two", the deep voice snarled. "Leave now!"
Riku was, as well as Saïx, able to see something big moving in the shadows. It was bigger than a bear and its eyes were glowing fiercely from the darkness. A monster, Saïx thought as an insolent idea arose in his mind.
"Not without our father!" Riku insisted, making the creature glare more viciously at them. He got a glance of the Beast's gleaming, golden eyes.
"He's our prisoner", a different, monotone voice told. "And I don't consider letting him go as an option."
"But he's sick and needs treatment!"
"Well he should have thought that before he trespassed our castle!" the more monstrous voice told. "Now leave before I-!"
Saïx suddenly stepped forward, looking at the darkness. "I'll take his place", he suggested, his voice steady. "Let my father and brother go."
"Shut up, Saïx!" Riku yelled, angered. "We three will leave here now!"
"Not so fast", another voice said, a slight amusement in his voice. "This is just getting interesting. Saïx, was it? Why would you stay here instead?"
"It will be a fair trade", the blunette said, ignoring the actual question. "Let them go."
Riku jerked Saïx's sleeve, frowning and shaking his head angrily. "No", the younger hissed and the older just quickly glanced at him.
Saïx looked back at the shadows again. "Come to the light."
There was chuckling as the voice talked again. "Are you giving orders to us?"
"Please", Saïx added reluctantly. He hated being so submissive. Riku instead had become more enraged because of his brother's sudden self-sacrifice.
"This is insane!" he shouted.
"Insane, eh?" the more raspy voice repeated. The dark figure stepped forward from the darkness, letting the moonlight lit his form. Riku gasped, turning his eyes away. It was more an animal than a man. Dark brown fur covered it from its head to its toes with the exception of its silver-colored mane which had feather-like spikes on the top. It had golden eyes and mouth full of sharp fangs. Regardless it walked on two legs and wore worn human's clothes with a black and white cape. "Don't like what you see? This is what I call insane."
"Saïx, I have lived my life, just take Riku with you and leave this place!" Ansem begged, but his older son shook his head.
"You have my word", the blunette said.
"Then it's a deal."
The Beast yanked the door open and grabbed Ansem violently from the cell. Riku looked first at their father, then at Saïx. The blunette just stood there, emotionless. Riku knew he wouldn't live with his full heart in the town without his brother, albeit how much he loved their father. So he stood up, glancing at the hideous beast.
"No!" the whitette yelled and caught a hold of the monster's paw, making the monster twitch because of a sudden touch. "I'll… I'll leave here with my brother! Just let our father go!"
Ansem the Wise's eyes widened in shock. "Anything but that…! Not my sons!" he cried out as the Beast still had his hold on him. The monster glared at the shadows, askingly.
"Two is better than one", the voice from the darkness said, making the monster smirk viciously. It started to drag the old man down to stairs, letting the old man repeat countless pleas to let his sons go. The shadows lingered behind the Beast, leaving Riku and Saïx at the tower alone. At the hall monster growled.
"Xaldin! Take this man back to the village", the Beast ordered, one of its servants appearing from a corridor. "And make sure he doesn't come back!"
As the old man was escorted from the castle and the masters of the castle were returning back to the tower, Demyx came out of his hiding place.
"Masters", he whined, approaching his masters warily. "It might be better if you offer them a better room. I mean, it seems they are staying here a while."
The shadowy figure chuckled coldly. "Do you really think we don't know it was you who lead them to the tower, Demyx?"
"I-I'm sorry", the water boy whimpered, following them without another word.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
In the tower Riku yelled to Saïx.
"Why you had to try act like you were some kind of hero!?" he cried out mockingly.
"I'm not a hero! I'm the complete opposite! I never asked you to stay here with me!" Saïx shouted back. "I had nothing to lose unlike you! The townsfolk hate me!"
"Well, that doesn't mean you-!"
"Please, keep it down, will you?" an annoyed voice mumbled, interrupting the brothers. Riku and Saïx looked at the flame man who was sitting at the cell where their father had also been. He lighted the cell up with little flames and grinned as the brothers stepped into the small room.
"Who are you?" Riku blurted out. "And how long have you been there?"
"Name is Axel, get it memorized", the man replied, grinning carelessly. "And I guess you mean were I here when the show started. Yup, I was here from the start. And you both were very brave. I couldn't have done anything like-"
He silenced as the Beast came back, snarling dangerously, and for some reason the shadow wasn't with him. Demyx walked behind the Beast, waving to Axel slightly. He was afraid that Axel was mad at him for leaving him to be the one who was punished.
"You two, follow me", the Beast ordered. "I'll show your room."
Riku blinked. "What do you mean we have a room?"
"You want to stay here?!" the monster roared, making Riku shook his head. "Then come with me. And Axel, your punishment has ended."
The flame man quickly stood up and walked to Demyx. They exchanged relieved glances but nothing more. Axel nodded to the brothers that it was better to follow them. And so they did. Riku frowned at Saïx, still angry of how his brother had acted. They could have escaped together. The silence was awkward. Axel walked in front of the others, lighting the dark corridors up. Demyx whispered to the Beast.
"Um, Master, say something to them", he whined pleadingly, trying to smile a little. "It would be better to get known to them."
The monster glared at the poor boy murderously, giving a low snarl in response. But against all expectations the Beast looked over its shoulder at Riku and Saïx. They walked as far from each other as they could. The creature almost forgot its idea of what actually say while he watched their mutual feud.
"I hope", the Beast started. "You'll like it in here. This castle is your home now so you're free to go anywhere. Except to the West Wing."
"What's in the West Wing?" Riku asked, slightly curious. The monster halted and turned to the whitette its eyes gleaming.
"It's forbidden!" it growled loudly at the boy. The silence continued until Axel stopped in front of a pair of white wooden doors. The Beast opened one of them and glared at his guests as a sign for them to step in.
"This will be your room from now on", it growled viciously, letting Riku and Saïx get to the large bedroom.
Demyx jerked the monster's cape. "Dinner, Master! Invite them for dinner", he suggested warily with a kind smile. The Beast glanced at the brothers, growling as he pondered what to say.
"You will join us for dinner", he snarled, showing its sharp teeth as he continued. "And that wasn't a request!"
The door was slammed closed, leaving Riku and Saïx alone at the room. The younger laid himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Well that was just great", he mumbled sarcastically. The older stood at the door, giving the whitette a soft glare.
"I'm sorry to get you involved in this", he said. Riku shook his head.
"I just overreacted", the younger sighed, moving to a sitting position. "But we'll have to get out from here as soon as possible."
Saïx nodded. "As soon as possible", he repeated.
-o-o-o-o-o-
They sat on the bed, planning for an escape when someone knocked door.
"Who's there?" Riku asked.
The door opened and the water boy, they had already seen, came in. He was followed by a blonde man who had a tray and a pot of tea. The blonde smiled gently and closed the door behind himself before talking.
"'Ello, dear", he greeted in a weird accent. "I heard we have visitors so I thought you wouldn't mind a warm cup of tea before dinner."
Riku stared surprisedly at the servants but after seeing a monster and a talking shadow they didn't startle him so much after all. The blonde was shorter than Saïx and few earrings hang from his ears. He looked somehow sickly thin and light, almost papery. The brunette instead seemed healthy, except for the fact he was mostly covered with water.
"I hadn't a chance to introduce myself earlier", the childishly smiling water boy told. "I'm Demyx. And that's Luxord, our cook."
Luxord gave the tray to Demyx that he could very politely shake hands with the guests. "This is an honor", he said, taking Riku's hand and accidentally cutting it. "Oh, I'm sorry!"
Riku looked his hand, disbelieving. "A paper cut?"
"Everyone has faults, dear. And I'm a secondary cook, to be exact. Xaldin does most of the work", Luxord noted with a pout and poured tea into two cups. Saïx refused to drink anything but Riku picked up a teacup. Riku nodded.
"So, this castle is enchanted", the whitette said, taking a sip of his tea.
Demyx winced. "Wha-what makes you think so? We're completely normal! And so is this castle!"
"You suck at lying", Saïx sneered, making the water boy whimper.
"Enough of this dears", Luxord hummed, petting Demyx's hair and changed the subject. "Are you ready for dinner?"
Saïx raised his eyebrow and frowned. "We're not going to dinner."
Right after those words there was tapping on the door and Axel came in, coughing couple times before grinning widely. "Dinner is served."
-o-o-o-o-o-
The Beast walked around the dining hall, snarling and growling. The shadowy figure instead was calmly next to the fireplace. "They're taking their time", it remarked. One servant was standing next to the table. It was a short boy with a mercurial appearance and bluish gray hair, hiding his left eye, and he talked quietly.
"There might be a chance that another one of them will be the one to break the spells", he said, gaining a dead glare and loud vicious growl from the Beast.
"Do you think I'm stupid, Zexion!?" it snarled. "Of course I have! But none of them is a girl"
"You're right, Master, none of them is", the servant said. "But the Witch didn't specify the gender so in theory it shouldn't matter but in this case such immature thing like love is in my opinion-"
The Beast let out a loud snarl. "If it would be that easy I-"
The door creaked open and everyone in the dining hall turned their eyes to see the guests but there were only Axel and Demyx.
"Master", Axel stated as calmly as he at the moment could. "There is one little problem… They're not coming."
"They're not coming?" the shadow repeated a hint of amusement audible in his tone. The Beast hadn't been as patient in years, and now he was told the guests aren't even coming. He roared and left the dining hall, Axel and Demyx following him and run straight to the East Wing where the given room was, and hitted the room's door furiously.
"Why you won't join us for dinner?!" it roared.
"We're not hungry", Riku announced through the door. Axel and Demyx had caught up the Beast and they looked worriedly one another when their Master began to compose threats.
"I'll break this door and force you to eat if you won't come out this instant!"
"Wait, Master", Zexion suggested, walking calmly up the stairs. "You have to be polite to them. If you really want to try to win affection for the reasons we don't talk about."
Axel gulped. Zexion was being a bit too commanding again. It would be only matter of time when the Master gets tired of his advice.
The Beast grimaced before talking. "It would be an honor", he stated, gritting his teeth. "If you were to join us for dinner."
"We're not coming", Saïx hissed, making the Beast let out another roar.
"Calm down, brother", the shadow talked, appearing from the darkness of the corridor.
"But they are being so stubborn!" the monster replied angrily.
"Would you two kindly pleasure us with your presence and join us for the dinner", the shadow tried. "Please?"
"No."
The Beast roared in the great anger and yelled through the door once more. The shadow chuckled coldly when it had heard the refusal again.
"Well, then", it hummed. "If you don't eat with us…"
"… You don't eat at all!" the Beast completed the sentence with a furious roar. "Stay there and starve!"
"Make sure they don't wander on their own", the shadow said, its golden eyes locked on Zexion. The Beast stormed off, the shadow lingering back to darkness where it had come.
"Well, that went fine", Axel snorted, shooting Zexion with a glare.
"I tried", Zexion said with a snort. "Now, excuse me. You two could keep eye on that door. I have something better to do than be a babysitter."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The Beast went back to its chamber, slamming the door behind itself and looking at the rose that the Witch had given them. It had already melted and lost some petals. Time was running short. The Beast grabbed the magical mirror from the stand, growling to it.
"Show me them", he roared and soon it showed instead of the Beast's hideous appearance an image of the room where Riku and Saïx were talking to Axel and Demyx.
"Cheer up a little", Demyx hummed. "They're not so bad once you get to known them. You shouldn't judge anyone by appearance."
Saïx snorted. "Don't lie to us if you don't know how to do it."
"It's not a lie", the water boy said with a pout.
"I don't even want to get known to them", Riku continued, lying on the bed. "A beast and a talking shadow. Uh-huh, I'm not interested. Especially not in that monster… I already hate him for what he did to our father! We didn't even get to say goodbyes properly!"
"Well, Master Ansem is what he is", Axel yawned. "Can't do anything to that."
Riku stared at Axel. "What did you said that monster's name was?!" he shouted in shock.
"Master Ansem", Axel repeated quickly, surprised of Riku's change of tone. "The shadow instead is called Master Xemnas."
Saïx gritted his teeth, like he did most of the time when something bothered him, and made Demyx seemingly curious. "What's the matter?" the water boy asked.
"Our father's name is Ansem, too", Saïx told.
"And that makes me hate that monster even more", Riku whispered.
"Could you leave us now?" the blunette asked, and Axel and Demyx left the room.
In his chamber the Beast growled, sighing at Riku's words and put the mirror away.
"Do I sense disappointment?" the shadow asked, appearing from the corner.
"You were here all the time, Xemnas", the Beast growled, touching its paw. "So don't ask."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Back in that poor provincial village Riku and especially Saïx hated so much Marluxia was sitting at the inn. He was furious. "Who does Saïx think he is? Interrupting my proposal like that! Riku was almost tied around my fingers!"
"Yes, he was", Larxene agreed with a nod, offering Marluxia a cup of sake which the pinkette drank at the instant. He tossed the empty cup to the floor, crying out loud.
"No one, and I mean no one, says 'no' to me! Dismissed? Rejected? Publicly humiliated! For God's sake!"
Larxene shrugged, offering another cup to the man. "More sake?"
"What for?! Nothing helps!" Marluxia shrieked and in contrary to his words he took the bottle from the blonde. "I'm disgraced!"
"Who, you? Never! Marly, you've got to pull yourself together", Larxene said, sitting on the arm of the pinkette's chair. "Oh, it disturbs me to see you, honey, looking so down in the dumps."
She smiled, beckoning Xigbar to sing, too.
"Every guy here'd love to be ya, Mar", Xigbar hummed, holding a glass of beer. "Even when taking your lumps."
"There's no man in town as admired as you", Larxene chuckled.
"You're ev'ryone's favorite guy", Xigbar added.
"Ev'ryone's awed and inspired by you", the blonde chanted, ruffling the pinkette's hair and chuckling. "And it's not very hard to see why…!"
The people of the inn joined the song. "No one's foxy as Marly, no one's handsome as Marly, no one's hair is as posh as Marly's! For there's no man, nor woman, here as charming as Marluxia!"
"You're perfect, a purely beautiful", Larxene coaxed, pecking a kiss to Marluxia. Xigbar hiccupped, as he clacked his refilled beer glass together with some other men and continued the song. "You can ask Hayner, Cid or Sephy… Hic…! And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on!"
The cheering spectators hummed together. "No one's been like Marly, a cutie like Marly, and no one's got a perfectly smooth skin like Marly!"
Marluxia smiled widely, holding the bottle of sake and standing on the chair. "Yes, in this town I'm the most beautiful!"
"Marluxia is the best and the rest are just vain!" Larxene clamored, raising her glass. The hoorays belted out and the singing continued.
"No one flirts like Marly, tempts us like Marly, in this town there's only Marly who has eyes sparkling like stars! For there's no one as subtle and sweet...!"
"As you see I've got my looks from the God!" the pinkette chuckled.
"Not a bit of him is nasty or grimy", Xigbar crooned, making Marluxia nod.
"And I share for little girls beauty tips!" he hummed, running a hand through his petal pink hair.
"No one breezy as Marly, has a floral scent like Marly, in this town no one's as reliable as Marly!"
"He's especially good at French kissing", Larxene proudly announced, winking at the audience.
"Ten points for Marly!"
Marluxia sat back down to his chair and, looking in his sake bottle and finding it empty, he sighed. "When I was a kid I spent hours alone, trying to find the right one for me", he said. "And now that I'm here watching you guys, I know I haven't given up on Riku!"
"No one is like Marly, makes a show like Marly, and never leaves us without entertaining that Marly!"
Marluxia smirked, looking over the inn and Larxene dancing on the table. "Still I can use you all to get what I want…!"
"Say it again!" the blonde chanted. "Who's a man among men? And then say it once more! Who's the hero next door? Who's a super success? Don't you know? Can't you guess?"
Hiccupping Xigbar raised his beer glass once more, joining in Larxene's song. "There's just one guy in town who's got all of it down…! And his name's…!"
"Marluxia!" the audience cheered. The song ended as the old Ansem the Wise suddenly slammed the door of the inn wide open and yelled in shock.
"I need your help!" he cried out. "My son sons have been taken by a Beast!"
Everyone silenced for a moment before they began to laugh.
"Was it a big beast?" Xigbar asked, playfully grabbing his gun and pointing the old man with it. "With… hic… sharp teeth and stuff?"
"It was enormous!" the old man Ansem told. "Worse than a bear! And more dangerous!"
"And I thought Xigbar has drunk a lot", Larxene mocked. "Did you hit your head or something?"
"Yeah! Go away to tell your stories!" the people of the inn yelled, mocking the old man and finally pushing him out of the building.
"Crazy old Ansem", they laughed. "He's not so wise after all."
Marluxia moved his hand to his chin, smiling a little. "Crazy old Ansem, eh? Crazy old Ansem, aha", he hummed, beckoning Larxene and Xigbar to come to him.
"What now?" the blonde asked. Xigbar stood next to her, drinking a new glass of beer.
"Larxene, Xigbar, I'm afraid I've been thinking", Marluxia told.
Xigbar gulped. "As if, that's such a dangerous past time!"
Marluxia gave a nod. "I know. But that old man is part of my Riku's family", the pinkette said with a mean smile. "And his sanity is only so-so. Saïx might be as crazy as him but Riku is not so dumb. Now the wheels in my head have been turning, as I looked at that loony old man, you see, I made a vow I'd be married to Riku, and now I am forming a plan!"
Larxene moved closer to Marluxia, pulling Xigbar with her. The gardener began to whisper his plan, making Larxene smirk.
"What a dangerous past time, indeed."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
A/N: I personally dislike that last song but well... =u=" Comments are appreciated~