Nixe and Vanille were walking through the Second District, Nixe more trudging with her hands in her pockets while Vanille almost literally skipped along behind her. They were passing the shops and stores until Vanille spotted something and her usual smile widened. She quickly skipped into Nixe's path and stopped, bending over to eye level towards the youth.
"I know what'll cheer you up. Some nice, cold, ice cream. I'll get us some." Vanille said as Nixe shrugged.
"Eh, sure why not." She replied before watching Vanille skip off into a nearby ice cream parlor. Almost as soon as she had disappeared however…
"Ah, friendship. How quaint." A woman said nearby. Nixe turned and saw two women dressed in simple matching white sundresses behind her. One woman had a head full of straight white hair that seemed white as snow. It was left dangling down around her shoulders. She had ruby red lips, rosy cheeks, and fair skin with a pair of beautiful blue eyes. The other was taller but with dark skin and long blond hair. Her eyes were a dark brown. She had a white headband around her head but studded with several shimmering jewels and gems embedded in it.
"Quite so. But can you imagine what sort of friends one could make in the other worlds out there?" the dark skinned woman said.
"Um, excuse me but did anyone ever tell you that it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations?" Nixe asked, earning curious looks from the two women.
"I'm sorry? I don't believe I was talking to you. I was merely making an observation to my friend here." The white haired woman said causing Nixe to blush in embarrassment.
"Oh, my bad, sorry. But did I hear you mention the other worlds just now?" Nixe asked as the two women looked at each other and smirked before looking back at her.
"Why yes actually. We just came from another world, to be honest." The white haired woman replied.
"We heard that there was a mighty Keyblade Master in town and we came to see if the rumors were true." The dark skinned woman replied.
"What rumors?" Nixe asked curiously, arching an eyebrow.
"Why the rumors of the Keyblade Master's age. We hear that he's only fifteen years old. Quite an accomplishment for one so young, wouldn't you say?" the dark skinned woman asked, earning a scowl from Nixe.
"I guess so." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I must say he's probably one lucky boy. He's only fifteen years old and I hear he's been exploring the worlds since he was even younger! He must be well deserving of the title." The white haired woman said, further annoying Nixe.
"Plus I hear he's only been a Master for three months, give or take a week." The dark skinned woman said before turning towards Nixe.
"Would you happen to know who this Master is, or where we can find him?" the white haired woman asked.
"Don't know, don't care." Nixe replied, earning a disgusted look from the two women.
"How rude. We were merely trying to make conversation." The dark skinned woman said with a haughty sniff. Nixe paled and looked up at them with a mortified expression.
"I'm sorry but I really don't know where he is right now." Nixe replied hurriedly and the two women smiled slightly.
"It's alright dear child. But I am curious. You sound like you resent this newly arrived Keyblade Master. Why would that be?" the dark skinned woman asked as Nixe sighed.
"Well…I've been training to become a Keyblade Master for as long as I can remember, and yet my Master tells me I'm not close enough to even take my Masters Qualification Exam. Then in comes this guy with a Keyblade and he says he's a Master and he's the same age as me! It's so not fair!" Nixe said, turning and looking up towards the blue sky above as the two women grinned at each other. They were about to say something more but another voice interrupted…
"Life's not fair is it? You see I shall never be queen, and you…well you may never get to know what lies beyond the barrier that protects this world." Another woman's voice said, causing the other two to freeze at attention. Nixe and the two women both turned and saw, sitting under the umbrella of an outdoor table sat a woman with waist-length black hair that hung down around her entire face, save for a part on the left side that revealed her nose and mouth and yellow left eye. She was in a black dress shirt with an ankle length black skirt and long white boots underneath.
"Haven't we met before somewhere?" Nixe asked curiously but the woman chuckled and turned towards her.
"I don't believe so, my dear. But I am rather curious to know something. Where is this Master of yours right now?" the dark haired woman asked as she stood up and approached the trio.
"Um, well she's off with a friend of hers, another Keyblade Master, off exploring the Worlds." Nixe replied as the dark haired woman looked at her surprised.
"And she didn't take you with her?" the dark haired woman asked curiously. Nixe sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away slightly.
"No. She says I'm not ready." Nixe replied.
"And she's absolutely right! It's far too dangerous out there. Only the bravest of warriors can go out there." The woman said as she turned away from Nixe with an unseen smile. Nixe looked at her with an indignant expression.
"Well I'm brave." Nixe replied. The woman chuckled before turning back towards her.
"Then what's stopping you? Why remain here when you could go off into the worlds? I don't see anyone around here stopping you from going there." The woman said as Nixe furrowed her brow.
"What are you saying? You mean I should just go to those worlds regardless of what my Master said?" Nixe asked as the woman looked at the other two with a confused expression.
"Why, did I say that? Oh dear me, that wasn't at all what I meant. However…perhaps telling you not to go is your Master's subtle way of showing you how to prove yourself to her. To prove yourself ready to become a Master." The woman said as Nixe pondered.
"Imagine it. You could be just like that other Keyblade Master that's arrived except you could be so much more." The white haired woman said as Nixe looked up at her curiously.
"You think?" Nixe asked as the dark skinned woman nodded.
"Oh we don't think, we know." She said as Nixe pondered.
"Hmm, now that you mention it, she always has told me not to go to other worlds. She always says that I'd be called a monster for having a Keyblade. But she can't be right about that can she?" Nixe asked as the women looked at each other.
"Impossible. Why we've been to dozens of worlds and have never encountered anyone who is a monster. And why would anyone with a Keyblade be a monster? It's ridiculous." The dark haired woman said as Nixe looked up excitedly.
"Really? Alright! Look out worlds, here I-…oh wait…I can't go anywhere, I don't even know how to fly like my Master and Master Aqua does." Nixe said as she turned towards the First District. The three women grinned to each other.
"Why I'm sure one as smart as you could figure it out. You're a clever girl, after all." The dark haired woman said as she subtly motioned for the two to leave.
"Take care, little girl." The white haired woman said as the three women started to walk away.
"We'll be seeing you." The dark skinned woman said as they disappeared into the crowd. Nixe looked down at her hand and summoned her Keyblade, looking at it curiously. She was still staring at it when Vanille returned with two ice cream cones of light blue ice cream.
"Sorry about the wait, there Nixe. The line was terrible. Oh well, here ya go. One sea-salt ice cream cone." Vanille said as she held one of the cones out towards Nixe. However Nixe remained distracted.
"Nixe?" Vanille asked curiously.
"Hmm? Oh sorry, Vanille. I got a bit distracted there." Nixe replied with a smile as she took the ice cream cone. They then started walking back towards the First District, eating their ice cream as they walked.
"So what'cha thinkin' about? You worried about your mum?" Vanille asked as Nixe looked up towards the sky.
"Kinda. But I wonder." Nixe said as she stopped, looking at her Keyblade.
"About what?" Vanille asked.
"Hey can you hold this for a second?" Nixe asked as she handed Vanille her ice cream cone before grasping her Keyblade in both hands, clinching her eyes shut and gritting her teeth while grunting as if trying to force something to happen. She finally hurled her Keyblade straight forward only for it to embed itself in a wall. Nixe looked at the Keyblade in the wall and groaned in annoyance.
"Um, what was that for?" Vanille asked as the Keyblade returned to Nixe's hand in a flash of light.
"I was just trying to see if I could…hmm." Nixe said as she looked at her Keyblade then up at the sky, curiously.
"Could what?" Vanille asked confused. Nixe reared back her Keyblade and hurled it, spinning into the sky only for it to disappear in a flash of light.
"Um, is this some sort of exercise that the Master asked you to do?" Vanille asked curiously but Nixe's face lit up in surprise as she motioned to wait.
"It worked! LOOK!" Nixe exclaimed as Vanille looked up and saw, flying towards them, was what appeared to be a shooting star. As it got closer, they saw it was no shooting star, but actually a star shaped yellow metal platform, outlined in shiny grey-blue metal and with a grey-blue metal frame that extended three sled like tracks on the bottom that curled at the front but was straight all the way back, leaving three trails of blue light, one from the end of each track as it flew.
"Nixe, what is that?!" Vanille asked as Nixe grinned up at her.
"It's my chance, Vanille! It's my chance to finally prove to my mom that I'm ready to become a Master! This! This is my Keyblade Glider!" Nixe exclaimed happily as the platform came to a dead stop mere inches off the ground in front of her. Nixe quickly leapt onto it and was about to fly off when Vanille grabbed her by the arm.
"Nixe, what are you thinking! You can't leave!" Vanille begged but Nixe only grinned at her.
"Don't you see, Vanille? All of this is a test! It has to be! Mom probably knows Master Aqua and Master Sora already and asked them to come see if I'm ready for the Masters Qualification Exam! Mom and Master Aqua leave so they can watch me from a far! They want me to go to the other worlds to prove that I can handle myself! This is my chance!" Nixe said as Vanille's eyes widened in shock.
"What? No! That's not at all what they're planning! You've got to believe me!" Vanille said but Nixe ignored her, yanking her arm free and slapping her shoulder guard, activating her armor. It was a smooth and sleek version of Sora's armor only noticeably more feminine and smooth but with purple, black, and pink colors. Her helmet however was similar to Aqua's only with three backward swept prongs attached to the forehead.
"Be sure to let the other's know that I'm off to become a Master!" Nixe said through her helmet.
"Wait! Nixe! NO!" Vanille shouted but it was no use. Nixe's Keyblade Glider roared off towards the sky, disappearing in a flash of light. Vanille cringed in anxiety as she stared up at the spot.
"Ooh, what am I gonna do? I can't go after her but I can't just do nothing. I know! Master Sora can help! He's got to! But where is he? Oh right, the Professor's lab!" Vanille said to herself before turning and running towards the Manor, unaware of the three women in white that were watching from the shadows.
"Excellent work, sisters. Everything is going exactly as I could hope." First said with a grin as she pulled the part in her hair back to reveal the eye patch over her right eye.
"It was my manipulation of her jealousy towards the other Keyblade Master-…" Third said before Fifth interrupted.
"…-and it was my manipulation of her greed to become a Master herself that aided in the plan." Fifth said.
"Nevertheless. We shall stick to the plan. Let the girl's first visit to the other worlds be pleasant. Let her bask in their glory, then we shall destroy her and take her heart from her…but first we shall need our newest sister to be ready both physically and mentally for the task that lies before her." First said, earning confused looks from the two women next to her.
"Seven? Where does she factor in on the plan?" Third asked as First grinned.
"Oh you shall see. Everyone shall see." First said as they disappeared into Corridors of Darkness.
Meanwhile…
Nixe was flying amongst the stars, away from Sublime City with a look of awe and wonder under her helmet.
"This is amazing! So that's where I've been stuck this whole time!" Nixe exclaimed as she looked over her shoulder at the world that seemed to be shrinking behind her.
"Well I guess there's no point in going back now. Best go see these worlds." Nixe said with an unseen grin as she steered her Keyblade Rider towards the barrier of a world that appeared in the distance. She didn't realize, however, that her every move was being watched.
In the Palace of Eternity…
Second, Fourth, Sixth, and Namine stood around a glowing sphere that showed Nixe on her Keyblade Rider as she flew through space.
"Who's that?" Namine asked curiously.
"That is the brat that our eldest sister is after." Second replied.
"But why is she after her?" Namine asked.
"She's only a meager Keyblade Apprentice. Her powers haven't fully developed yet and so she is easy to dispose of at this juncture." Fourth replied.
"But why dispose of her? She hasn't done anything to us, has she?" Namine asked, earning blank stares from the other three.
"She's a Keyblade Wielder! She's a threat to us! It's better to be rid of the problem now before it becomes a bigger problem down the line!" Sixth replied before feeling a hand placed on her shoulder.
"Calm yourself, Six." First said as she, Third, and Fifth gathered around the sphere.
"But won't having her around provide us with the hearts needed to create Kingdom Hearts?" Namine asked. She was trying to figure out what their plans were.
"We have no interest in creating Kingdom Hearts. We know from a source in the other Worlds that that plan won't work." First replied, startling Namine.
"You-…you know it won't work?" she asked.
"No. Besides, there are other ways of gaining hearts. But in this case, there is only one heart I'm interested in." First said as she glared at Nixe through the sphere with a dark smile on her face. Namine looked at the sphere worriedly before she turned and started walking towards the door.
"Where are you going, Seven?" Third asked curiously.
"To my room. It's feeling a little drafty in the palace." Namine said as Fourth shivered.
"It is rather cold now that she mentions it." Fourth said as Namine left the room. As soon as the door shut, Second turned to First with a suspicious glare.
"She's up to something." Second said but First gave a dismissive wave.
"So is the abhorrent one. Speaking of which, what has she been up to lately?" First asked as Sixth rolled her eyes.
"She's been sneaking out again. I caught her in the act of trying to escape but I put a stop to it." Sixth replied as First rubbed her temples in frustration before her lone eye lit up in realization.
"I think I've just found the perfect job for her. We need to get Seven ready for her duty, as well as give the detestable child some room to roam. Perhaps if we put the two of them together…" First said as she tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Could Seven stand her? Seven seems to be too sweet and kind to be of any use to us." Third said but First grinned.
"Ah, but that is where the abhorrent one's own unique charm works in our favor. But first, Seven's competency in battle must be improved. We'll start there." First said before Second sighed in minor frustration.
"Also the Horned King has said that he and the other loyal servants of Darkness are beginning to get impatient. We need to start doing what we can to hold up our end of the bargain." Second said as First nodded.
"And that we shall. And we'll even get Seven in on the act as well." First said with a dark grin.
End Chapter 13.
Please, no Kirby references in regards to Nixe's Keyblade Glider.
I'd like to go ahead and mention that all the characters have their own theme for space. Aqua and Si'Lea have "The Worlds" from Birth by Sleep, Nixe has "Precious Stars in the Sky" from Kingdom Hearts 1, and Sora has "A Twinkle in the Sky" from Kingdom Hearts 2.
And we have winners regarding the correct anagrams of both Si'Lea and Nixe's names. Nixe's was the easiest, being an anagram of Enix, as in Square Enix. Nixe was first correctly guessed by Riku Uzumaki.
Si'Lea's name was the most difficult, being an anagram of Walt Disney's middle name: Elias, his full name being "Walter Elias Disney." Si'Lea's name was first correctly guessed by AquaTitaniaMiyuki.
Sorry for the lack of updates lately but I just came back from a four day Disney Cruise which has provided me with a nice sort of "Disney Revitalization." New ideas and oil for the gears in my head that help me churn this stuff out.