- Chapter 3 -

Catching Up

Sublime City, Sï'Lea's Mansion

The group of nine, plus Sï'Lea and Nixe, stood before a tall two-story mansion that looked similar to the old mansion from Twilight Town. There were a few subtle differences, namely a large round stained glass window over the front doors with a purple Mark of Mastery symbol amidst an assortment of scattered blue and green triangles. The second floor had nothing but a row of bullet-shaped stained glass windows with no particular pattern on the windows save for a Mark of Mastery symbol of a different color for each window. The first floor appeared to have no windows fron what they could see from the front, save for a large glass walled and domed room jutting out on the right. The entire mansion, like the one in Twilight Town, was surrounded by a tall iron fence with a gate in the front. The gate was standing wide open, and two figures were standing guard in the middle.

The figures in question were two girls around Riku's age, twins judging by their identical builds and facial structures, with both having green hair and blue eyes, though the one on the left had her hair trimmed to just above her shoulders and the one on the right had her hair long and tied in a loose ponytail with a blue ribbon. The short-haired twin was clad in a black T-shirt with a white long-sleeved hoodie tied around her waist and white sweatpants with black sneakers, while the long-haired twin was dressed in a white midriff-baring long-sleeved shirt under a leather jacket that was dyed green, blue jeans, and a pair of red-and-white high-tops that resembled Kairi's.

"Master Sï'Lea, Nixe," the short-haired twin said with a nod.

"You two are back early." said the long-haired twin, before looking over at Sora's team. "Who are your friends?"

"They came here from another world," Sï'Lea said, before turning to Sora and the others. "The short-haired girl is Sierra, the other one is Sakura. They're part of the group I've assembled here to help keep the Heartless in check."

"It's our duty to keep the Heartless out of the first, second, and third districts," Sierra explained. "The fourth, fifth, and sixth districts are slowly being overrun, hence why they're mostly abandoned."

"And the seventh district is off-limits since it's completely overrun already." Sakura added.

"That explains the danger sign we saw," Max said. Sï'Lea nodded.

"Come on inside. We'll talk more there."

With that, the group made their way to the front door of the mansion, with Sierra and Sakura remaining at the gates. They entered into the mansion's foyer, which had doors on opposite walls to the left and right of the entryway that led into different rooms of the house, while two flights of stairs that flanked a central passageway led up to a second floor that led off to the left and right in both directions. The central passageway between the stairs led down a long corridor and opened into a single central room. Above the passageway was a clock that showed the current time.

They walked through a door to the right to reveal a large library and work area with rows of books on the sides of the room. There was a single large and cluttered desk with a red leather wingback chair in front of a fireplace against the wall immediately to their left while two red fabric love seats sat facing each other in the center of the room. Over the fireplace was a large rectangular painting or mirror that was covered by a large tattered grey drop cloth. Tables with odd items and artifacts sat behind each love seat. At the other end of the room was a large glass dome-like section that had several more rows of books and several odd-looking machines. On adjacent corners of the room were spiraling staircases that led up to a second level where even more books sat.

"As you can see, this is the library," Sï'Lea said. Sora looked at her.

"So, are you finally gonna tell us how you and King Mickey know each other?" he asked. Sï'Lea face-palmed.

"I knew I was forgetting something!" she said. "Y'see, I was Master Yen Sid's last apprentice before he retired as a Keyblade Master. Mickey and I were both apprentices around the same time."

"From what I heard from Master Yen Sid, he just found Sï'Lea on his doorstep when she was just a baby and took her in. She was brought in on the tail end of my training, but I had to leave early to attend my royal duties. Just as her training was finishing up, I came back to finish my own," Mickey said. "That was around six months before..." he trailed off.

"So, how have Terra, Ven, and Aqua been?" Sï'Lea asked, only to stop short when she saw the sad look on Mickey's face.

"Mickey? What happened?" she asked, already starting to dread the answer. Sora placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sï'Lea, I think you'd better sit down."

Some time later...

Sï'Lea sat on the love seat, in a state of shock after Mickey told her of what had occurred in her absence, namely what happened to Terra, Ven, and Aqua.

"No..." she whispered. "It can't be..." The others looked at her sympathetically.

"Master Eraqus is dead? Master Xehanort is evil? Terra, Ven, and Aqua are gone?" Sï'Lea asked, a tear running down her cheek. Mickey shook his head.

"Master Yen Sid and I have spent the past twelve years trying to track them down," Mickey explained. "We've managed to pinpoint Ven and Aqua, but we still can't find Terra." Sï'Lea sniffed back another tear, a small smile forming on her face.

"They're not dead," she said. "There's still hope." Nixe walked over to her Master and pulled her into a comforting hug, with Sï'Lea returning the embrace.

"It'll be okay, Mom," she said. The others looked at her in surprise.

"'Mom?'" Mickey said, surprised. Sï'Lea nodded and they broke the embrace.

"Guess I forgot to mention," she said. "Nixe isn't just my apprentice. She's my adoptive daughter. I took her in when she was only four years old."

"I never really knew my father," Nixe said, her shoulders drooping a little. "And my mother was killed right in front of me. If it wasn't for Master Sï'Lea, I'd be dead too." The others gasped.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Hikari asked. Sï'Lea nodded.

"It was around twelve and a half years ago, when I first arrived in Sublime City after I passed my Mark of Mastery exam..."

Flashback

Sublime City, First District

A younger Sï'Lea, around seventeen years old, searched through the alleyways of the First District for any sign of trouble. She was dressed in a black-purple sleeveless halter top with criss-crossing purple straps across her chest and back. In the center of the straps was a golden Mark of Mastery badge. Her entire left arm was encased in a metal fingerless gauntlet that was colored silver, black, and blue (1). She wore a black wristband and armband on her right arm, as well as a dark purple hakama with a pair of silver armored boots (2).

As she debated going home and turning in for the night, she heard a loud scream of terror. Snapping to attention, she took off in a sprint to the gates of the old then-abandoned mansion, where the scream came from, and saw a horrifying sight.

A young woman with brown hair in a simple brown cloak stood, her expression one of pain and terror, as another figure, dressed in a black coat with the hood up, hiding his face, ran her through with a weapon that Sï'Lea never expected a being of darkness to wield: a Keyblade.

The Keyblade in question was predominantly colored in different shades of blue and is decorated with elaborate, spiked shapes. The tip of the blade appeared to be a stopwatch, while the teeth were diamond-shaped spikes that are connected by a black web structure. The key chain was an hourglass. The shaft of the blade resembled a blue energy beam-like structures, and the blade featured an ever-present glow. All in all, the blade seemed to feature a time theme.

Sï'Lea's breath caught in her throat as she saw a little girl with spiky brown hair and blue eyes, who couldn't be any older than four, cowering over by the gates as she watched her mother die.

"MOMMY!" the girl screamed as the figure jerked the blade out of her mother's body, the woman falling lifelessly to the ground and dissolving into particles of light. The figure turned his attention to the girl next.

"Hmmm, what a strong heart you have," said the figure, his elderly, gravelly voice sounding familiar to Sï'Lea, though she couldn't place it. "You'll make a fine vessel."

"No! Stay away!" the girl screamed. And that was when Sï'Lea had enough.

"HEY!" she shouted, and the figure turned to look at her. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!"

With that, Sï'Lea summoned her Keyblade, Bright Crest. It was reminiscent of a series of cresting waves along both the shaft and teeth. The tooth had a yellow star embedded within a black circle, surrounded by a cresting wave while the hilt had two heart-shaped openings, and the key chain was a yellow star within a pair of cresting waves. She held the blade in a reverse grip.

The figure turned in her direction, his Keyblade held out in front of him. "You would be wise not to interfere, girl," he said. "This child will be an excellent help to my plans." Sï'Lea jumped protectively in front of the girl.

"You're not gonna touch her!" she yelled. "Now get out of my city!" The figure chuckled.

"Your city?" he said.

"That's right!" Sï'Lea shot back, her Keyblade glowing with a fiery light as she pointed it at the figure. "My name is Master Sï'Lea! I am the protector of Sublime City, and you're not welcome here!"

She pointed her Keyblade at the figure and shouted, "Mega Flare!" A fireball shot out of her Keyblade and detonated into a massive explosion, sending the figure flying back, his coat singed and burnt in various places. The figure shakily stood up, and Sï'Lea stared him down.

"You impudent brat," he growled. "Very well, then. I'll go. But know this, that girl will be mine one day."

With that, he opened a corridor of darkness and walked through, and Sï'Lea turned to the girl, who was clutching her leg.

"It's okay, now," she said. "The bad man is gone." The girl broke into a sobbing fit, and Sï'Lea knelt down and pulled her into a comforting hug.

"He killed my mommy!" the girl wailed, and Sï'Lea felt a deep pang in her heart, guilt-ridden that she didn't get there in time to save the mother. After a moment, she pulled away from the girl's death grip and wiped the tears from her face. Looking her over, Sï'Lea could indeed sense that she had a strong heart.

This girl was a potential Keyblade wielder, which gave Sï'Lea all the more reason to do what she did next. She put her hands on the girl's shoulders.

"What's your name, sweetie?" she asked. The girl sniffled.

"Nixe," she said. Sï'Lea summoned her Keyblade to her hand.

"You see this?" she said. Nixe nodded. "It's called a Keyblade, and if you have a strong heart, you might be able to wield it. Would you like to?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Sï'Lea smiled at that and held the handle of her Keyblade out to the girl, reciting the same lines her own Master had told her so long ago:

"In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be."

Nixe wrapped her little hand around the handle of the blade. With that done, Sï'Lea dismissed her Keyblade.

"My name's Sï'Lea," she said. "And don't worry, I'll take care of you.

Nixe looked up at Sï'Lea and hugged her. "Thank you, Sï'Lea." she said, her voice choked with tears. Sï'Lea hugged the little girl back. She needed all the comfort she could get right now.

Flashback Over

Sublime City, Sï'Lea's Mansion

"So, that's how it happened," Sï'Lea said. "Nixe's been with me ever since." Hikari sniffed back a tear.

"Gosh..." Mickey said. "Did you ever find out who that man was?" Sï'Lea shook her head.

"No," she said. "He kept his face hidden the whole time, and I've never seen a Keyblade like that before. But no matter what, no one's getting their hands on Nixe."

"Oh, I wouldn't count on that," a deep male voice came.

The group jumped to attention and drew their weapons as a corridor of darkness appeared in the corner of the library, and out exited a tall man with tanned skin, amber-orange eyes, and long white hair.

He wore silver-white gloves on his hands, each with a grey band on the wrist, while the rest of the glove, which has three black buttons lining one side, bells outwards. There was a black pauldron on both of his shoulders, each attached to his coat by two straps. He also wore black pants and black, silver-lined, knee-high boots. His black leather coat was red on the inside and lined with yellow, and also had a large grey section that covered the lower half and shoulders of the coat. Upon closer inspection, this grey section seemed to be attached by several small pins or buttons around the hip and neck sections of the coat, as well as by a belt that wrapped around his back and attached to the rim of the coat. This coat was high-collared and completely unzipped, showing the second, shorter jacket he wears underneath. The second jacket was white and high-collared much like the outer coat. It was mostly unbuttoned and exposed his chest before being closed up by three buttons and two belts near his waist, only to flare outward again, leaving three buttons undone. His most distinguishing feature, however, was the Heartless emblem branded onto his chest.

"It's Ansem!" Riku shouted, recognizing the face of his sworn enemy. Sï'Lea glared at him.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. Ansem laughed.

"I'm here to put an end to your little quest, once and for all."

Author's Note:

(1): Think like Terra's gauntlet, only without the jagged edges.

(2): Think like Aqua's boots, but without the pointed toes or hooks on the sides.

Well, four chapters in three days. I'm on a roll!

Please R&R. Until next time!