Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its characters, anything Disney, or Marvel. I only own Nairbix. In this chapter, you will witness the fated meeting between the living manifestation and embodiment of Narnia's firstborn darkness and the Princess of Heart of Radiant Garden as well as the future Black Widow. If you think about it, her title really worked for her in this series since I made her (think she was) an actual widow. Believe it or not, I had not thought of that when I came up with the idea of using her as Nairbix's wife.
And no, this is not the chapter which explains why I gave her a lightsaber in the previous story and how she can use the Force. That comes later. What's more, I made a reference to a snack for tea-time that was used in the Narnia books that might be wrong. I'm American so I don't know what people in Europe usually eat aside from cakes during tea-time and I don't even like tea so I don't know if people actually eat sardines with toast or not. Sorry.
And for those of you who were just baffled by the whole lightsaber and Force thing which means you didn't read The Vengeful Key, you may want to read it, this story was made to give Nairbix's background story and answer questions intentionally made in the last book. If you have anything to say or ask, PM me and/or leave a review.
One year had passed since Nairbix's arrival at The Mysterious Tower, in that time he had grown stronger in both magic and strength along with Mickey. Their training consisted of heavy research in magic, harsh physical training, and of course filling buckets with water to wash all of the tower's floors. But no matter how hard the training was, neither student complained as they enjoyed every moment, even when they were pushed so hard that they would pass out during training.
Things in the tower were pretty good for young Nairbix, but only going to worlds on his master's word just didn't feel as though it was enough. He was a free spirit, a free Narnian who couldn't stay cooped up in a single tower on a little patch of land, he needed to see more. Which is what led him to do his next action, leave the tower while his master was away for a week.
As he was leaving his room, Mickey spotted him in the hallway. "Nairbix, what are you doing?" He asked stopping his fellow apprentice in his tracks. Nairbix then slowly turned to face the little mouse with a guilty look. "Nairbix, are you leaving?" Mickey asked not wanting to believe it.
"Well yes-but only for today!" He quickly reassured. "Look Mickey, I need to get out of the tower for a least one day on my own. Don't get me wrong, I love being here and learning with you under Master Yen Sid's tutelage. But I'm a Narnian, a free spirit who can't just stay in a tower until his master says he can leave. You understand, right pal?" Nairbix asked.
At first, Mickey paused for a moment to think of how he should reply, with his arms crossed he gave a heavy sigh and looked at his friend as he gave his answer. "You can't change who you are, if you really need to take a break and get out for a bit, then I won't stop you, pal." Mickey said kindly just before he gave Nairbix a stern warning. "But just for today! I'm not gonna take the fall and blame for you if you get back here after the master gets back from his meeting with the other Keyblade Masters, got it?"
"Yeah, yeah, Mickey. I got it." Nairbix playfully reassured as he created a corridor of darkness to take him to whatever world he had chosen to go to, which was in fact a world known as Radiant Garden. However, he had no idea how greatly his life would change from this one day, like several more that would soon come to pass.
As the darkness from the corridor faded, Nairbix gazed at the world in awe. It truly was a world of light and beauty, he could see beautiful fountains and gardens surrounding the homes of the inhabitants of the town off to the side of the massive castle. Nairbix then began to explore the royal gardens after taking in the sight of the courtyard, as he walked through the upper bushes, Nairbix caught eye of what he considered the most breathtaking sight he would ever see.
It was a young girl roughly around his age, she had the most beautiful red curls tied in a ponytail draped over her left shoulder, and she also wore a short sleeve, knee length lime green dress. She was watering her tall rose bushes without a care in the world with an angelic smile on her soft face. As Nairbix gazed at her beauty, he unknowingly slipped down the hill he was on and startled the girl, but not in the way anyone would expect.
When she heard him, she pulled a blaster out of nowhere and fired at the hill with a cold look in her eyes leaving a wide blast spot. She then took a deep breath and inspected the blaster before calling to someone.
"Uncle, the blaster needs maintenance again! I had it on medium but it fired a low powered blast!" She shouted bluntly.
"That was low?!" Nairbix screamed in his mind after the blast barely missed him. He was now at the slope of the hill behind more of the bushes, even though this girl was pure beauty she seemed to be more than just a pretty face. She continued on with watering her roses after tossing the blaster inside the castle, with that being the case, Nairbix made his way to interact with her.
"Um, hello?" He said to her gaining her attention.
"Who are you?" The girl asked with a glare that sent shivers down Nairbix's spine.
"The guy you just shot at." He muttered bluntly looking in another direction causing the girl to glare at him even more.
"What was that?" She asked menacingly.
"Nothing!" Nairbix replied quickly, "As for who I am, my name is Nairbix VanSull, the living manifestation and embodiment of Narnia's firstborn darkness and apprentice to Keyblade Master Yen Sid. Who are you?"
"Radiant Garden's Princess of Heart, Natasha Romanoff." She introduced with a warm smile and an outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you, Nairbix." She said as he gladly shook. "So what exactly are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was tired of being cooped up in my master's tower with nothing to do. With him away for a few days I decided to do a little exploring. I came here and almost got my head taken off by that blaster of yours." Nairbix informed adding a blunt tone to his last sentence earing a sheepish look from Natasha as she scratched the back of her head.
"Sorry about that, I'm a little quick to jump the gun…I guess in this case literally." She admitted as Nairbix chuckled.
"No it's fine, I'm known for being a little eccentric myself." Nairbix replied as they both sat down on the grass.
"Is that so?" Natasha asked with a sly look. "So why don't you tell me more about yourself-in fact why don't we play a little game?"
"A game?" Nairbix asked.
"Yep, I'll ask one question then you answer and then you'll ask me one and then I'll answer, get it?" She asked with a cute smile that Nairbix enjoyed seeing. Little did he know that as the years went by, he would treasure every moment that smile was within his sight for years to come.
"Alright then my first question, you said that you were the living manifestation and embodiment of your home world Narnia's firstborn darkness, what did you mean when you said that?" Natasha asked.
"Exactly as I said, Narnia is the name of my home world. It's fairly new to existence, when a world is first created what is known as the laws of physics aren't completely set. For example, when Narnia was created if anything was planted in its soil like a seed it would grow in a matter of seconds as a tree. Be it a piece of metal from a lamppost or a piece of toffee, in my case because of the darkness brought to Narnia from an evil Queen from another world I was born. I guess Narnia was attempting to sever its darkness while it still could without destroying it entirely." Nairbix explained leaving Natasha speechless.
"Now then my question, I'm not that familiar with what a Princess of Heart is, care to elaborate?" He asked.
"Sure, it's the title given to seven princesses that were born with hearts of pure light. It's passed down to the next firstborn female in the bloodline. Before me, my mother was this world's Princess of Heart and before her it was her grandmother. She only had a son so until my mother was born, my great-grandmother was the princess." She explained.
"Intriguing, I had never heard of anything such as this before." Nairbix said as he started to think of how this came to be.
"Okay, my turn. I mean no offense, but you seem really smart for your age, why's that?" The redhead asked.
"No offense taken. As for my intellect, when I manifested in Narnia, Aslan gave me the same amount of knowledge that a grown man would have. As for who Aslan is, he is the one who created Narnia and all its Narnians, except me of course. He gave this to me because I kept pestering him with simple questions after he gave me my name and gave me the determination to take my first steps."
"Wait-what?" Natasha asked bewildered. "Just how old are you anyway?"
"Well, physically, I have the body of a six year old. Mentally, the mind of a grown man. But technically…I've been alive for a little over three years so…I guess that I'm three and a half years old now." He replied not realizing how strange those sentences sounded.
"You're three?!" Natasha asked in total shock.
"Technically, yes. Okay, I have the same question for you."
"My uncle is incredibly smart, I've looked up to him ever since I can remember. My father died a few years ago so he's been there for me when his brother-in-law-my dad-couldn't. When I was old enough to start learning how to read and write, he began to teach me whatever he could. Since then, I've always been ahead of others in my age group." She replied.
"Okay, so…if you're a manifestation and embodiment of darkness, do you have a heart of pure darkness?" Natasha asked.
"Yes, why is that a problem?" Nairbix asked.
"No, no!" Natasha quickly reassured, "I was just curious!"
"It's okay, it's just that I got a lot of grief because of it back in Narnia." He said dropping his tone. Natasha then did something that Nairbix did not expect, she trudged over to him on her knees and enveloped him in the warmest hug that he had ever received. "What are you doing?"
"Giving you a hug." She replied softly.
"But why?" He asked, the only one who had ever hugged him before was his mother but even she never radiated this type of warmth. She looked at him with the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen and said.
"We're friends, aren't we? You're sad so I'm hugging you to make you feel better."
"You consider me a friend?" He asked.
"My best friend." Natasha replied, and with that, Nairbix returned the hug. "So, how about I give you a personal tour of Radiant Garden? It's got lots of sights to see and maybe later I can show you the castle."
"Great, so how about we check out the town first?" Nairbix asked, Natasha then replied with an egger nod before pulling him by the hand to the town. The sights were exactly as Natasha had told him, breathtaking. The town was filled with homes that radiated the nature found in good folk, smoke gently rose from every chimney with the smell of a humble home's hearth.
"This defiantly has to be one of the best worlds out there." Natasha said with pride over her home.
"To each their own." Nairbix replied not wanting to offend his new friend, and that he still considered Narnia the greatest world of them all with the Moors in second.
"In any case, what do you think of the place?"
"It's a nice town, certainly different from the few worlds I've been to but nice. So what exactly do you guys do around here?" Nairbix asked.
"…Nothing. This is just your average, run off the mill town. I mean, we've got a few interesting residents, but besides that nothing." Natasha explained disappointed in her own answer, as she said this, Nairbix caught a whiff of a smell he knew all too well, magic. The smell was coming from one of the houses near the two friends and it was calling to Nairbix.
"I smell magic." He informed gaining the princess's attention.
"Oh, yeah. One of our residents is wizard who owns a home here, he often pops by from time to time. Nice man, a little scatter-brained with a short temper, but nice."
"Do you think he's home by any chance?"
"Hmm, maybe. If you're smelling his magic then he most likely is. Do you want to stop by? I have no problems with that considering Merlin would most likely invite us in for tea-"
"And sardines?!" Nairbix cut off with hope in his voice.
"Uh, sure…anyway, let's head over there." Natasha suggested after hearing the strange question. "You eat sardines during teatime?" She asked as they walked to the wizard's house.
"…We have them on toast in Narnia…doesn't every world do that at teatime?" He asked slightly embarrassed after getting no response. "Well, I feel sheepish."
"Don't try to act all cute on me, you little sheep because it's not gonna work." Natasha said blushing while holding and shaking her head, Nairbix just shrugged off her odd behavior and reasoned that it was just another human quality he would not understand.
Even though he had the intelligence of the average man, Nairbix was still a male and like all males, he would never understand the opposite sex. Ever.
Once the duo reached the wizard's home, Natasha quickly knocked on the door with her own little rhythm. A moment later, an elderly man with a long white beard wearing an old blue hat and matching robes with glasses opened the door to greet the children.
"Oh, hello, Princess, how are you on this fine day?" Merlin asked cheerfully.
"Excellent, in fact my friend and I came here for a visit." She replied.
"Oh, hello, young man. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Merlin." He introduced with an outstretched hand.
"And I'm Nairbix VanSull, the living manifestation and embodiment of Narnina's firstborn darkness and apprentice to Keyblade Master Yen Sid." Nairbix replied as he shook the gentleman's hand.
"Well, come in, do come in! I was just getting some sardines ready for teatime." Merlin informed, hearing this Natasha's jaw was slightly agape while Nairbix had a triumphant smirk as they entered.
"So you say that you're Yen Sid's apprentice, do you? I hadn't heard that he took on another, how long has he been your master?" Merlin asked as he poured the tea for the children and himself. As he poured it, an enchanted sugar cup marched over with a spoon and began to fill the tea with sugar. "Just say, when." Merlin advised.
"When." Nairbix said after two scoops. "Several months, how is it that you know my master?"
"Oh, we wizards and sorcerers are closer than most would think, and I've known Yen Sid since we were lads. Always getting into trouble, that one. His master was always so furious with him after it was all said and done." Merlin chuckled as nostalgia took him
"As opposed to the stern and proper old man he is now." Nairbix thought bluntly to himself as he ate his anchovy covered toast.
"Now I don't mean to be rude, but why is it that you and your new friend have come to visit me, Princess?" The wizard asked.
"Well, I was giving Nairbix a tour of the town and he sensed the magic coming from your home. Since he seemed so interested in it, I suggested that we pop by. Sorry if we're being an inconvenience." Natasha said sheepishly.
"Not at all, not at all. In fact, I can demonstrate my magic for the two of you, if you'd like?" Merlin asked receiving nods from both of the children. He then pulled out a crystal ball and set it at the center of the table after making the tea set march off. As he began to concentrate his magic, the lighting of the room began to dim. Magic filled the air in wonder as the crystal ball's insides began to glow swirl, soon Merlin began to describe what he saw.
"The mists are clearing, the future is becoming more and more visible to see. What would you wish to see, children?"
"The future regarding the two of us, what will our friendship be like in the future?" Natasha asked before Nairbix could even think of his question.
"I see…an everlasting friendship through times of joy, war, anguish, heartache, and…love." Merlin described, however the last detail caused the two friends' faces to turn as red as Natasha's hair.
"Well…" Nairbix began adding to the awkward tension, "Thank you for the tea, and the fortune telling…but I think we ought to go, right Natasha?"
"Yes!" She said louder than she originally meant. "Yes, we ought to. Thank you, Merlin-have a nice day." And with that the two friends rushed out the door eager to forget the embarrassing conversation. As they rushed out, Merlin watched them while chuckling at their reactions.
"Oh, you don't really need to see the future to know that those two were simply made for each other. They'll defiantly face many hardships in the years to pass, but the love between them that's already begun to grow will certainly last. Now and for always." He said chuckling while the cup over flowed his tea with sugar. "Oh, when, when, when!" He shouted hotly.
As the day passed on, Nairbix and Natasha's friendship continued to grow, they passed the time with chasing each other, swimming and all around goofing off. It truly was a wonderful day, but all days come to an end once he sun starts to set. The two friends were ready to part ways in the very same place where they met, and unbeknown to the other, a certain emotion was blooming for each other in their hearts.
"Thanks for everything, Natasha. I'm really glad I got to meet you and today was beyond amazing." Nairbix said as he gave the princess a warm and friendly hug.
"Me too, maybe we can do this again sometime?" She asked hopefully, but before Nairbix could answer, a man in his early thirties walked out from the entrance door to the gardens. He had long platinum hair, orange eyes, and a faint beard growing on his face. He was dressed in a long white coat and wore a crimson scarf around his neck.
"Natasha, it's time to come in, dear-oh, hello there." The man said to Nairbix once he noticed him. "Um, Natasha…who is this?"
"Oh, Uncle, this is my new friend. Nairbix, meet my Uncle, Ansem. Uncle, this is Nairbix VanSull. We met this morning and we've spent the day together hanging out. He was just about to leave, actually."
"Oh, alright then. But would you like to join us for dinner, I'm sure that you must be getting hungry given how late it is." Ansem offered.
"I'd love to, but I really should be getting back."
"Very well then, say goodbye, Natasha, your mother says it's time to eat." And with that, the man who would eventually cause so much pain to the boy once he became a man left.
"Well…bye, Nairbix." Natasha said as she began to skip to the door, but then she stopped just a few paces from the door. "Woops, I almost forgot." She said to herself before rushing back to her friend, and what she did next greatly shocked the young darkness embodiment. She planted a soft peck on his cheek and ran straight inside her castle.
Nairbix was left in the garden dumbstruck, or to be more precise, love-struck. All he could do was place his hand on his cheek as though it would keep the feeling of the kiss forever on his face. Unfortunately, the thought of a beautiful girl was replaced with the thought of an old man who could greatly punish him if angry came to mind.
So, Nairbix then created a corridor to send him back to the tower. Once he arrived, he came to see the sight that he was dreading to see all day. His master angry and glaring at him.
"Did you really think that I wouldn't have some way of making sure that you two stayed here for whenever I leave?" Yen Sid asked his now sheepish student.
"Not anymore." Nairbix grumbled knowing well enough what was to come next. Yen Sid then snapped his fingers which caused two wooden buckets to appear in Nairbix's hands, he said nothing as he glared and pointed at the door which led to the well filled with water.
Nairbix just walked towards it as his master went to his bedroom for the night leaving his magical hat on his desk. Nairbix stared at it for a moment as a thought began to come to his mind.
"Nah!" He said to himself before he left to fill the buckets.
Just to let you guys know, that was a reference to Fantasia's The Sorcerer's Apprentice which introduced Yen Sid and the magic walking brooms.