(Battle Music Cue: Future Masters – BBS)
Aqua and Si'Lea flew towards each other, their Keyblades clashing in the center of the arena, sparks flying every time their Keyblades touched.
"Pretty spry for an old woman." Aqua said with a smirk.
"Pretty limber for a girl whose been wandering in Darkness for over ten years." Si'Lea replied, also smirking as they leapt back, Si'Lea firing a Blizzaga at the youthful Keyblade Master but Aqua blocked it with a magic barrier before retaliating with a Fission Firaga, causing Si'Lea to block with a Reflega, the concussive force of the Fission Firaga launching her back a short distance but she landed on her feet.
"I'd forgotten your specialty was magic, Aqua." Si'Lea said before rearing back her Keyblade and throwing it towards Aqua, the Keyblade spinning rapidly. Aqua quickly struck the Keyblade with her own while ducking, allowing it to pass over. At the same time, Si'Lea had cast two Aeroga spells, two spheres of powerful compressed wind, flying straight towards the Keyblade Master who leapt up in the air, throwing down a Zero-G and using the resultant explosion of winds below her to carry her high into the air. She quickly spun around in midair in time to deflect Bright Crest as it spun towards her from behind. From the judges' stand, Laguna and Gabranth watched in awe at the two Keyblade Master's raw power. Laguna gave an impressed whistle.
"Wow, I haven't seen anyone escape Si'Lea's old Spin-&-Wind move." Laguna said, impressed.
"Obviously you have never witnessed Master Aqua in battle." Gabranth replied as Aqua landed on the ground, her helmet appearing on her head as she re-summoned her Keyblade, only now she was using Rainfall. Si'Lea quickly raised her left arm in time to summon a perfectly round metal shield made of the same materials as her Keyblade armor, four Mark of Mastery icons in silver along the edges of the shield and a single golden yellow star in the center like Bright Crest's keychain. Aqua's Keyblade collided with the shield, creating a loud metallic gonging sound on impact while launching her clear across the arena. However, Aqua turned in midair, recovering and sending her into a skid on one knee.
"Forgot about my shield, huh Aqua?!" Si'Lea asked as the shield disappeared, her Keyblade back in her hand.
"Not at all!" She heard Aqua say from behind, causing Si'Lea's good eye to widen before spinning around in time to block a completely unarmored Aqua as she attacked from behind with the Mark of Mastery Keyblade, their Keyblades coming together with a loud clash.
"What the-?!" Si'Lea asked as Aqua smiled just as her armor came charging back towards Si'Lea who summoned her shield again.
"I haven't been completely idle, Si'. I've been studying from Master Eraqus's Master's Tome and I've learned a lot from him!" Aqua explained as Si'Lea smiled at her old friend.
"I haven't been idle either, Blue! I've been fighting the Heartless for nigh on Eleven years!" Si'Lea said before bringing her shield around towards Aqua, causing her to leap back, giving Si'Lea the opportunity to spin her Keyblade into a standard grip before throwing it towards Aqua's Sentiment, forcing it to block the attack. Si'Lea suddenly cast a Zero-G spell, causing all three of them to float into the air before throwing a Magnega towards the ground and pulling Aqua and her Sentiment towards one another but the two spun in midair so the bottoms of their feet landed against the others'. The two proceeded to push off of one another, sending them in opposite directions, both flying horizontally on their backs towards the opposite walls while throwing Firaga spells towards Si'Lea, the Keyblade Master quickly turning with her shield to block the barrage of fireballs.
"Clever!" Si'Lea replied with a grin before firing off a Firaga of her own facing away from her, causing her to start flying straight down towards the ground, her shield beneath her. The moment she impacted the ground, it sent up a powerful shockwave that rippled through the ground in all directions. Aqua and her Sentiment quickly leapt clear of the shockwave, the Sentiment suddenly disappearing in a flash of light and reappearing on Aqua as she landed in a roll, quickly popping back up onto her feet and jumping into the air as Si'Lea looked towards her with a smirk. Before Aqua could reach her, a blue circle appeared below Aqua, sending a floating orange sphere of energy with an angry face into the air. Aqua's eyes widened beneath her helmet as she collided with the Bomb which exploded, sending her flying back towards the wall, trailing smoke. Aqua crashed against the back wall before collapsing onto her hands and knees. She looked up at Si'Lea who stood with her arms crossed over her chest with a smirk. All around her were over two dozen blue circles.
"Your Magic Trap Shot Lock. I can't believe I forgot about that!" Aqua panted as her armor vanished.
"Age and experience before youth and agility, Aqua!" Si'Lea replied with a smirk. Aqua smirked back as her Keyblade started to glow with a red aura.
"Perhaps, but remember all those fireballs I fired at you?" Aqua asked as Si'Lea arched a curious eyebrow. Aqua suddenly ignited with a fiery red aura, the Firestorm Command Style enveloping her. Aqua launched forward, leaping into the air before flinging a sudden barrage of lightning bolts at Si'Lea who quickly raised her shield to deflect the shots, the lightning bolts bouncing off the shield and impacting the mines, detonating them one at a time until finally there were only two or three left. Aqua landed in front of Si'Lea and hooked the tooth of her Keyblade on the edge of Si'Lea's shield, ripping it off of her arm and flinging it away by leaping into the air with a barrel roll then turning back around and firing a Magnega behind the disoriented Si'Lea, the Magnega pulling her backwards. She quickly drove her Keyblade into the ground, using it to brace herself against the magnega's power. She looked at Aqua as the red aura around the latter suddenly turned white. The second the Magnega had dissipated, Aqua seemed to vanish. Si'Lea's eye widened as she quickly began deflecting attacks from what appeared to be numerous Aqua clones that were frozen in time all around her. She suddenly felt a strange sensation on the left side of her face as a bright light blinded her for a brief moment. She quickly made a blind swing of her Keyblade, suddenly feeling resistance coupled with a loud clanging sound. (End Battle Music) As the light faded she saw what had happened. She and Aqua were both standing face-to-face, their Keyblades pressed against each other near the base of the Keyblades at such an angle that they were both less than an inch from the other's throats. Dangling on the tip of Aqua's Keyblade was a round black circle on a black ribbon of sturdy material. Si'Lea recognized the object immediately: her eye patch. Aqua was stunned at the state of Si'Lea's eye. The once beautiful green eye was a faded green with a jagged and hideous scar through the center of the iris and pupil. Both women were panting, catching their breath as they stared at each other. They lowered their weapons slowly, Aqua grabbing the eye patch and holding it out for Si'Lea.
"I-I'm sorry I-…It was an accident I-…" Aqua stammered but Si'Lea gave her a dismissive wave.
"Why are you apologizing? It was an accident like you said, and I was actually wondering how long it would take you to ask to see what I was hiding under here." Si'Lea said, taking the eye patch in her hand but not moving to put it on yet.
"Oh." Aqua said, sheepishly. Si'Lea reached out and summoned the shield back to her arm, the shield disappearing in a flash of light. She then pulled off her shoulder guard, using the reflective silver to inspect her damaged eye.
"Does it hurt?" Aqua asked.
"Sometimes when I blink it twinges a little and if I try and use eye drops it burns so bad I have to scream into a pillow but for the most part it's relatively painless." Si'Lea replied, placing the armor piece back in place and putting the eye patch back on, making sure most of her hair was free of it.
"How long has it been that way?" Aqua asked as they started walking towards the stairs leading back into the stands.
"For about seven years, give or take a few months. It was a cruel birthday gift from the First Sister. She tried to abduct Nixe but I intercepted and stopped her. We fought and that's when she revealed that she had recruited the Third member of the Sisterhood of Seven and caught me off guard. By the time I realized First's move, it was too late to completely dodge it. She slashed my eye with the tip of her sword, blinding me, but I responded in turn. If…or rather, when you meet the First Sister, you'll know it's her because she'll be the one missing her right eye. That was my little parting gift to her in response to her taking my eye." Si'Lea explained as they reached the top of the stairs.
"How long have you known the First Sister anyway? From what I've heard, you've been at war with her for eleven years." Aqua said as Si'Lea nodded.
"About that long, yeah. Believe it or not, we were friends once. We worked together to keep the worlds safe. When she found out that she was a Nobody and learned of their fate to fade back into Darkness or rejoin their other, she became repulsed by the idea and began seeking ways to gain a form of independence. Her methods became increasingly dark and cruel to the point I had no choice but to stop her. That's when our friendship ended and we've been mortal enemies ever since." Si'Lea explained as they sat down in the stands next to each other, taking a moment to regain their strength from their brief but tense battle.
"It sounds kind of like what happened to Terra and Xehanort. Xehanort possessed his body and turned him against me. I was forced to fight him, which led to me being trapped in Darkness for eleven years." Aqua said, watching as Laguna and Gabranth both descended into the arena floor and retrieved their respective Master's haoris. The cameras had all deactivated and flown off.
"But you and Terra eventually made up. You're friends again and, to be fair, Terra was being possessed. First isn't. She's consumed with anger, essentially becoming the embodiment of wrath at being denied the independence she strives to acquire." Si'Lea commented.
"Have some faith. Maybe there is hope for First. Maybe she can be reached and you can rekindle your old friendship." Aqua said as Si'Lea sighed.
"Don't think that hasn't crossed my mind. I'd love nothing more than to have my friend back but…with all she's done, even if she were to achieve redemption, I fear there's too much bad blood for her to be accepted in normal society. She'd be eternally outcast." Si'Lea explained.
"Why? Wouldn't she be able to live in Sublime peacefully?" Aqua asked as Si'Lea scoffed.
"Not unless she wants to get lynched. The whole of Sublime hates her because she's the one responsible for their worlds getting devoured by Darkness." Si'Lea explained.
"I thought the people of Sublime were all native to that world." Aqua said but Si'Lea shook her head.
"Half of them are. The rest are all survivors of the Sisterhood's attacks. The native Sublime citizens hate her because she's plunged Sublime into partial darkness. You saw the clouds over the city; the clouds mark the parts of town that have been overwhelmed by the darkness. Most everyone is being held captive there because of her magic and were it not for the efforts of myself, Nixe, and the city guardians, everyone would've lost their hearts a long time ago. It's the dream of all Sublime's citizens to be free from the First Sister's tyranny." Si'Lea explained as Laguna and Gabranth reached the top of the stairs, handing the Masters their haoris.
"And the dream of the citizens of Steadfast Stadium too." Laguna added as Si'Lea smiled with a chuckle.
"Laguna's been with me since the beginning. He, Vincent, myself, First, and three others founded the Sublime City Guardians. Back then it wasn't so bad. The Heartless were a problem but we worked together to face the problems and there weren't that many Heartless then either. Then we were betrayed by First and one of the others. They left and went their own ways. I don't know what happened to the other, I presume First killed him but…well we all know what happened to First. Two of the city's saviors became their greatest enemies." Si'Lea said soberly with a scowl.
"What happened to those other two? The ones that didn't betray you?" Aqua asked as Si'Lea sighed.
"Gone. They both were lost during one of the early attacks by First." Si'Lea explained.
"How horrible." Aqua said as Si'Lea pulled her haori on.
"First has her sights fixed on Nixe as an effort to get back at me for her exile. I'm comforted by the fact that Nixe is safe at Sublime with the rest of the Guardians." Si'Lea said with a sigh of relief as she looked up at the domed ceiling.
At the same time…
Arlene, Ludro, Medy, Laaurim, and Fang were sitting in a pub in the First District outside the manor grounds. Medy was playing a polka on an old pump organ in the corner, his skill with the instrument equal to his skill with the sitar. Laaurim was seated at the bar drinking water from a small glass while writing something down in a small black book in his hand. Fang and Ludro were both sitting at a table with Arlene as she told them how Sora had disappeared. She had gotten a little tipsy and was on her second ale of the afternoon. Fang and Ludro weren't far behind her either in terms of inebriation.
"-…So then he just goes poof, and disappears!" Arlene explained.
"And you're here, why?" Laaurim asked, glaring at her from over his shoulder.
"I ain't touching that machine, Laaurim! Anything I do could cause it to zap me into nothingness too and then there'd be trouble! Vincent's standing guard though in case anything happens." Arlene replied.
"Good." Laaurim said as Vanille burst into the pub, catching her breath.
"Oye, Vanille! What are you doing here, eh? Not like you to come here!" Fang said as Vanille put her hands on the table where the three sat.
"Nixe's gone!" she exclaimed. The music immediately stopped and things were eerily silent.
"What?!" Medy asked in disbelief.
"She…she just flew off! She flew!" Vanille exclaimed. There was another eerie silent before the entire pub burst out laughing (Music Cue: When I see an Elephant Fly – Dumbo).
"Did you ever see Nixe fly?" Arlene asked Ludro who chuckled.
"Well, I've seen a horsefly!" Ludro replied, earning laughter from some of the others.
"And I've seen a dragonfly!" Medy added, plunking out a tune on the organ, earning more laughter.
"I've seen a housefly!" Fang added, inspiring cackles as Arlene rose to her feet, approaching Vanille who looked at them, hurt at their refusal to believe her.
"Yeah, I've seen all that too…" She said as she approached Vanille, counting things off on her fingers…
"I've seen a peanut stand, heard a rubber band,
I've seen a needle that winked its eye.
But I be done seen about everything,
when I see our Nixe girl fly."
"What did you say?" Laaurim asked, realization dawning on him as he spun towards them on his bar stool. Arlene smiled coyly and sang…
"I said when I see our Nixe girl fly!
I've seen a front porch swing, heard a diamond ring,
I've seen a polka-dot railroad tie!
But I be done seen about everything,
when I see our Nixe girl fly!"
"But it's the truth I swear!" Vanille said but only got more laughter in response.
"I saw a clothes horse, go rear up and buck!" Ludro said, Fang cackling.
"And they tell me that a man made a vegetable truck!" Fang added.
"I didn't see that, I only heard!
But just to be sociable, I'll take your word." Medy replied, cowering when Fang glared at him with her spear in hand.
"I heard a fireside chat!" Arlene added.
"I saw a baseball bat!" Medy said, rubbing the back of his head, causing Fang to bust out laughing.
"And I just laughed till I thought I'd die!" Fang howled, remembering the incident with Medy and the baseball bat. Arlene then hopped up on the table, swaying slightly from her slight inebriation as she belted out…
"But I be done seen 'bout everything,
when I see our Nixe girl fly!"
Vanille was almost tearful from how her friends were reacting to her. That's when she felt a firm hand grip her left arm at the bicep. She looked up and saw Laaurim standing over her with a concerned expression clear on his face.
"Vanille, what do you mean by she flew away?" Laaurim asked over the cackling of the soused quartet before them.
"It was like how the Master and Aqua left! She conjured some kind of flying machine with her sword and flew off!" Vanille explained as Laaurim looked up in worry and thought as the drunken quartet sang out…
"But I be done seen 'bout everything,
when I see our Nixe girl fly-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y!"
(Ludro: "With the wings!")
Laaurim turned and glared at the four with a scowl as he headed for the door while the pickled quartet belted out one final…
"When I see our Nixe girl fly-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y!"
At this they started laughing in hysterics, Arlene falling off the table onto her back, finally sitting up, still laughing while setting her mug down on the table. No sooner had she set the mug down, than she found the mug, nay the entire table split in two down the center and a large farming scythe sticking out of the ground in front of them. This sobered the four up in an instant. Laaurim was glaring at them all and he was livid.
"All of you, shut up and listen up! We have a problem! Nixe has learned to summon her Keyblade Glider! We need to alert the Master! Arlene, warn the Professor, he's the only one who knows how to contact her!" Laaurim ordered as Arlene stumbled to her feet, glaring back at him. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"Yes sir." She said, clearing her throat before heading straight for the door, humbled by the incident and she wasn't alone. Fang, Ludro, and Medy were also feeling very small at the moment.
Back at Steadfast Stadium…
Si'Lea and Aqua were still seated in the empty stands of the arena. Laguna and Gabranth were standing nearby.
"First has her sights fixed on Nixe as an effort to get back at me for her exile. I'm comforted by the fact that Nixe is safe at Sublime with the rest of the Guardians." Si'Lea said with a sigh of relief as she looked up at the domed ceiling. Just then, she heard music start playing coupled with an intermittent buzzing sound. They all looked around for the source of this sound before Si'Lea snapped her fingers in realization and reached into her haori pocket, pulling out the D-Phone which was making the music and buzzing sound. She immediately flipped open the phone and put it to her ear.
"Hello?" she asked into the phone.
"Master, it's Laaurim! We have a situation!" Laaurim said from the other end.
"What is it? Heartless? The Sisterhood?" Si'Lea asked, worriedly.
"It's Nixe, she's gone!" Laaurim said as Si'Lea leapt to her feet.
"Say what?" she asked calmly yet angrily.
"According to Vanille, she learned how to summon her Keyblade Glider and has left town under the delusion that it's some kind of test from you and the other Masters!" Laaurim explained as Si'Lea pursed her lips together in anger.
"She did WHAT?!" She asked.
"Vanille tried to stop her but she escaped. We have no idea where she went and Master Sora has disappeared as well!" Laaurim explained as Si'Lea let an audible growl escape.
"Okay, thanks for the heads up. I'll deal with Nixe myself. Alert me if there are any new developments, understood?!" Si'Lea asked.
"Yes ma'am." Laaurim replied before Si'Lea hung up the phone and pocketed it, turning to glare at Laguna who recoiled almost instantly.
"It wasn't me, I swear it!" Laguna yelped.
"Calm down, Liore, I need you to do something for me." Si'Lea said as Aqua rose to her feet behind her.
"Name it." Laguna said as Si'Lea raised the phone. (Ambiance Cue: Twister-Kingdom Mix – DDD)
"I need you to get word to the Reaper's Game that I need them to keep on the lookout for my Apprentice Nixe, report any and all sightings directly to me in addition to all updated hotspot data! And if they meet a Keyblade wielder named Sora, they're to keep him updated and informed as well. Consider him in the loop." Si'Lea said as Laguna smirked and pulled out a smartphone.
"On it." He replied, typing in a message.
"The Reaper's Game? What's that?" Aqua asked as Si'Lea turned towards Aqua.
"They're a group of Sublime and Steadfast youths that have proven adept at sneaking in and out of places without notice. They're kind of my unofficial spy network. They've kept tabs on the Sisterhood for me throughout the more recent years." Si'Lea said as her phone started ringing again but with a different ringtone (Twister-Kingdom Mix). She looked at the phone screen and saw it was a text message reading "Reaper 1 reporting."
"Wow that was fast. No surprise that Neku is the first to reply though." Si'Lea mumbled. She was about to pocket the phone when it started ringing again but again with a different ringtone (Someday-Kingdom Mix). This message read "Reapers 2 & 3 reporting. Welcome back Master Si'Lea. XOXO" Si'Lea chuckled at the message.
"Looks like Shiki has the phone. Poor Joshua." She mumbled in amusement. That's when the phone rang for the third time with a different ringtone (Calling-Kingdom Mix). This message read "Reapers 4 & 5 reporting and in transit. Good to hear from ya again boss."
"Excellent, and with Beat and Rhyme, the game is on. Thanks Laguna, we'll be in touch. Come on, Aqua." Si'Lea said as they headed for the door.
"No problem. Be safe out there!" Laguna called.
"Safe travels to you Masters!" Gabranth called. Aqua gave the Judge a smile and a nod over her shoulder as she followed Si'Lea out of the arena.
"So I take it Nixe's jumped the fence, huh?" Aqua asked as Si'Lea ran a hand over her face.
"She has no idea what kind of danger she's getting herself into! We need to find her before First does." Si'Lea replied as Aqua tapped her chin.
"Let me try contacting Sora. He might be able to help." Aqua said as she reached for her lucky charm.
End Chapter 18.
The song above was an altered version of "When I see an Elephant Fly." I call this one "When I see our Nixe Girl Fly."
A/N: And this folks is where the characters from "The World Ends With You" make their appearance in the RKH Universe. They'll be making intermittent appearances in various chapters.