It was dawn in Sublime City, the bells had tolled and the streets were bustling with activity. Laaurim stepped out from the mansion towards the marketplace but as he looked around, he noticed that this activity wasn't the usual shopping and spending that took place every day. In fact there was very little shopping save for the purchasing of building and cleaning supplies. The entire First District seemed to be in a cleaning frenzy of some sort and it was perplexing to Laaurim to say the least. He had been standing there for a couple of minutes when Arlene approached him, carrying a box of light bulbs under one arm.
"Well don't just stand there gawking. Grab a hammer or something." Arlene said as she passed by.
"What's going on Arlene?" Laaurim asked, confused.
"Beats me. Everyone seems so much more cheerful than usual today. Plus have you noticed that the sky seems so much clearer today? It's weird." Arlene said as she started nimbly scaling a lamppost, hanging off of one side while she unscrewed the burned out bulb inside and tossed it down to Laaurim who caught it. Laaurim looked up at the sky and noticed that, save for the usual line of clouds looming over the Sixth and Seventh Districts, it was absolutely clear. The sun was shining down overhead and there was a slight chill in the air. To Laaurim it was actually a pleasant day in terms of weather.
"Now that you mention it, it does seem to be rather nice this morning." He said as Ludro and Fang walked past with a ladder under their arms.
"Strange isn't it?" Fang asked as Arlene replaced the burned out bulb in the lamppost.
"Not to cast aspersions but it does seem kind of strange that the whole world seems to brighten up the day after the Master leaves." Ludro said as he and Fang passed by.
"You know, as much as I hate to agree, he's got a point." Laaurim said as Arlene glanced his way with a thwarting glare.
"You're not going to try and assume control of the town like we tried to years ago, are you? You remember how that turned out right?" Arlene asked as Laaurim nodded understandingly.
"I'm not going to try and take over Sublime. Besides I think I'm correct in assuming, that if I did, I'd have to fight you on top of the rest of the Guardians." Laaurim said as Arlene shoved a fist full of kunai towards his face in a threatening manner.
"How's that for an answer?" she asked, lowering the kunai and putting them back in one of her pouches before dropping down onto the ground.
"Today seems so strange though. I know it sounds heartless of me but I'm actually glad the Master's not here right now." He said as Arlene blinked curiously.
"Actually…that doesn't sound heartless at all. I kinda feel the same way." She replied as Medy walked past, strumming his sitar but paused when he noticed Arlene and Laaurim looking his way. There was an awkward pause as he started sweating, knowing that Arlene would likely threaten or scare him into stopping as she had a tendency to do.
"Well…don't let me stop you. Go on." Arlene said as Medy blinked in surprise and started playing again while walking on, a confused look on his face.
"What was that about?" Laaurim asked as Arlene shrugged.
"You should probably know that I'm in an extremely good mood." Arlene said as she headed for the next lamppost.
"Good mood?" Laaurim pondered, Vanille skipping along past him.
"What's up Laaurim? You seem to be in a good mood today." She greeted as she passed. Suddenly Laaurim realized it and smiled warmly.
"That's it…that's the reason everyone is in a good mood." He said before heading for the fountain. From inside one of the bell towers overlooking the marketplace, Vincent was quietly watching from the shade of the bell tower's supports. He knew what was going on like Laaurim did. He turned and looked towards the other districts and saw just as much activity as in the First District. People were cleaning and repairing almost ten years of neglect from the First through Fourth Districts. Back at one of the shops in the First District, a man was washing the windows on the second floor over one of the goods shops. He moved to dunk his squeegee into the water bucket when the hook broke and the bucket fell. Before he could call out a warning, the water in the bucket suddenly flew out of the bucket which was left to fall harmlessly onto the cobblestone floor below, the water levitating up towards him. The man was surprised but quickly knew what was happening as he heard sitar music playing nearby.
"Thanks Medy!" the man called as Medy sat nearby, strumming his sitar, smiling up at the man.
"Medy, could we get some water for these plants here?" a woman outside a flower shop asked as Medy started playing a different tune, causing spheres of water to form over each of the flowers and start to rain on them.
"Thank you!" she called as she turned her attention to fixing up her shop. Laaurim was watching with a smile on his face, sitting at the edge of the fountain as Ludro, Arlene, and Fang approached.
"See I told you he was just sitting around, doing nothing." Arlene quipped.
"Ah let him relax. He's got a big job to do what with securing the city and all with the Master out of town." Fang said as Laaurim smirked.
"Actually I was just thinking. You know, this is the first time that I've ever seen this city so vibrant and full of energy." He said as the other three looked at each other.
"You know, now that he mentions it, it does seem livelier than usual." Arlene commented.
"Yeah but it's nothin' compared to Oerba where Vanille and I are from." Fang said.
"You haven't mentioned your homeworld for some time Fang." Ludro commented, earning a shrug from Fang.
"Haven't I? Hmm. Strange you know. I've been thinking about it since yesterday when the Master left. Guess I'm kinda jealous. She gets to leave the world while the rest of us are stuck here hopin' she finally gets around to freein' us." Fang said as the four fell silent.
"Freeing us? From what?" Arlene asked.
"You know. The Sisterhood. They've had us on lockdown for years. Swallowed up our worlds and all. This world is nice and all, but it's not home. More of a nicely decorated dungeon I suppose." Fang said as Laaurim rose to his feet.
"Fang's right. This world is home to untold numbers of refugees from worlds that the Sisterhood has allowed to fall into Darkness. It's been this way for nearly ten years. The reason everyone seems so chipper today is because the Master's not here. Can you feel it? They're not glad she's gone because they dislike her. On the contrary, they're glad she's gone because they think she'll finally free them and help them return home." Laaurim said as the others looked at each other in realization.
"I hadn't thought of that. I suppose that would explain why everything seems so nice today." Arlene said.
"I wonder if by some chance those two friends of the Master's aren't some sort of sign that the clouds are lifting." Ludro suggested. Back up at the bell tower, Vincent continued watching from the shadows. His thoughts were interrupted when he sensed something. He turned around to see a shooting star piercing through the blue sky towards the city. He wasn't worried though, he knew what it was and watched as the star flew, unnoticed by anyone else, towards the mansion and landed on the roof.
"Well…here it is. Home-sweet-home." Nixe said in a bored tone to Riku as she stepped up next to the steeple.
"I don't think you're giving your home too much credit. It's a nice place." Riku said behind her, pulling his hood back.
"This isn't my home, well, not my hometown at least." She replied.
"It's still your home." Riku said as Nixe shrugged.
"Yeah." She replied, leaning against the steeple. She was quiet for a moment before Riku noticed that she seemed to be studying the town curiously.
"Huh." She said as Riku stepped up next to her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I dunno. The town just seems so much more…cheerful for some reason." She said as Riku put his hands behind his back with a shrug.
"Is it?" he asked.
"Yeah. Definitely. It's like there's something in the air." She said.
"You say your Master left this world recently?" Riku asked as she nodded.
"Yeah, for the first time in ten years or so. People really got excited when she left for some reason." Nixe said as Riku stood pondering in silence.
Down in the marketplace below, Laaurim, Arlene, Ludro, and Fang with an eavesdropping Medy stood around swapping stories of their previous occupations prior to meeting the Master.
"Trust me, Laaurim and I had this grand scheme to overthrow the Master. When we tried to fight her, we got our faces handed to us." Arlene said as Fang and Ludro both laughed.
"Arlene, I've asked you not to mention that story. I still get antsy whenever the Master uses that shield of hers." Laaurim said as Arlene chuckled.
"Like I don't?!" she asked, confusing Fang.
"I don't get it. What's so scary about a shield?" she asked Ludro.
"Let's just say that Master Si'Lea's shield isn't just for defense and has a pretty powerful offense." Ludro mumbled.
"What about Nixe, though? Do you suppose she's alright?" Medy asked.
"Actually, she's the one I'm cheering for the most." Laaurim said, earning surprised looks from the others.
"Why do you say that?" Arlene asked.
"Because the sooner she becomes a Master the quicker we stop the Sisterhood." Laaurim replied.
"Ah I see. Four Keyblade Masters against the Sisterhood and with us to back them up, this 'war' would be as good as over!" Ludro said with a smile. (Music Cue: Human Again – Beauty and the Beast)
"And we'd be free once again." Laaurim concluded as the thought of freedom washed over them all.
"Ah, free once again." Ludro said thoughtfully.
"Free once again." Arlene said in awe.
"Yes think what that means." Ludro said before he began to sing…
"I'll be working again, be good-looking again,
with a mademoiselle on each arm."
He sang as he put his arms around Arlene and Fang who didn't resist as he continued singing…
"When I'm free once again, only free once again,
poised and polished and gleaming with charm.
I'll be courting again, chic and sporting again."
Fang then snickered and joined in singing…
"Which should cause several husbands alarm."
Ludro laughed in delight and spun Fang around in a dance as he sang…
"I'll go dust off my shelf, and tout de suite be myself
I can't wait to be free once again."
They then heard some of the citizens working nearby while singing…
"When we're free once again, only free once again,
When we're frightened and panicked no more.
When we're free once again, good and free once again."
Laaurim then produced a rose from his sleeve, offering it to the flower shop lady as he sang…
"Oh goodness me won't it all be top drawer?
I'll plant roses galore,
they will cover the floor!"
Then Medy interrupted singing…
"Why, I'll finally finish my score!
I'll exude savoir faire,
I'll have gigs! I'll have flare!"
Then he and Laaurim both joined in singing…
"It's our prayer to be free once again."
Up atop the mansion, Nixe was knelt forward, listening intently to the crowd below, a look of concentration on her face. Riku noticed this and looked at her curiously.
"Nixe?"
"Shh!" she replied as she kept listening. Back in the marketplace, Arlene snickered at Laaurim and Medy before singing…
"When I'm free once again, only free once again,
when the world once more starts making sense,
I'll unwind, for a change…"
"Really? That'd be strange." Laaurim replied, sniggering to himself as Arlene rolled her eyes and sang…
"Can I help it if I'm just a bit tense?
In a shack by the sea, I'll sit back, sipping tea,
let my early retirement commence,
far from the technical hacks, I'll get down to brass tacks and RELAX!"
Then everyone sang as they continued working…
"When I'm free once again!
So sweep the dust from the floors,
let's let some light in the rooms.
I can feel, I can tell someone might break the spell any day now."
Within minutes the city was beginning to shimmer and shine, a great improvement over the dark and dreary town it had been…
"Shine up the brass on the doors,
alert the dust pail and brooms,
if it all goes as planned our time may be at hand any day now.
Open the shutters and let in some air,
clean up the town and then give it some care.
Sweep up the years, the sadness and tears and throw them away."
In the Marketplace, the people were literally waltzing together around the fountain, Laaurim with Fang, Ludro with Arlene, and Medy with Vanille all dispersed amongst the people as they sang…
"We'll be free once again, only free once again,
when the light finally sets us all free!
Cheeks a-blooming again, we're assuming again,
we'll resume our long-lost joie de vivre!
We'll be playing again, holidaying again,
and we're praying its A-S-A-P!
We will push, we will shove,
clouds will clear up above,
and we'll finally be free once again!"
Back atop the mansion, Riku was smiling at the townsfolk when he heard a sniffle come from Nixe. He looked over to see her hiding in the shadows behind the steeple, drying her eyes.
"Nixe? What's the matter?" Riku asked as he stepped towards her.
"I can't do it Riku, I just can't do it." She replied with a sniffle.
"Do what?" he asked back, confused. She turned towards him, her eyes watery, and motioned towards the marketplace.
"Look down there Riku. Can't you see it? I've grown up in this town and for as long as I can remember, there's been nothing but fear and sadness in this town. But now for the first time ever, hope has come to Sublime City. I can't just stay here and watch them go back to being sad and depressed. I just can't do it." She said as Riku glanced towards the city.
"What can you do though?" he asked.
"I'll tell you what I can do. I can go back out into the worlds and not come back until the curse placed upon Sublime is lifted." Nixe said as Riku spun back around towards her.
"But what about your Master? She told you you're not supposed to leave the city. You're already gonna be in enough trouble as-." Riku said but was suddenly interrupted.
"Shut up Riku! This isn't about me anymore! You think I care about seeing other worlds? These people have suffered enough and if I can help bring some rays of sunshine into their lives then I'll gladly die trying. Now, I'm going back out there no matter what happens!" Nixe said, a determined expression on her face. Riku tried to remain firm but finally sighed in defeat.
"You always were stubborn." He mumbled.
"What was that?" she asked back. She hadn't heard him.
"I said I'm coming with you, if anything to keep you out of trouble. Besides it gets awfully boring traveling the worlds alone. So I'll happily come with you…if you'll have me." He said as Nixe blinked and then smiled, extending a hand.
"Happy to have you along, Riku." She said as Riku grasped her hand. Down below, the citizens of Sublime happily danced and sang out with hope in their hearts…
"We'll be dancing again, we'll be twirling again,
we'll whirling around with such ease!
When we're free once again, only free once again,
we'll go waltzing those old one-two-threes!
We'll be floating again, we'll be gliding again,
Stepping, striding, as fine as you please!"
They didn't notice as a shooting star flew up and disappeared into the sky from the roof of the mansion as they sang…
"Like a free person does, I'll be all that I was,
on that glorious morn', when we're finally reborn,
and we'll all be free once aga-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ain!"
From his place inside the bell tower, Vincent stood smiling towards the sky where Nixe and Riku had disappeared.
"Our hopes are riding on you and the Master, Nixe…don't let us down." He said softly before returning his gaze to the revelers below.
End Chapter 25
A/N: The song above was an edited version of "Human Again" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. This version is called "Free Once Again." There are no parings implied by this song by the way. I mean the pairs for the dance sequence were completely at random.