AN: Okay, massive new chapter here! 3 Some big things happen here. :) I'm really excited and happy to write it all lol...even if maybe it's not my readers' favorite plot thread to follow. It's MINE! xD
End of AN!
Aqua stepped off the train and out onto the elevated platform in the middle of Ancewell's largest park. She found herself stopping in amazement, turning her head to take in the views around her.
It was absurdly large, really! It was a circular area, comprised of several miles of green grass, small hills, and even several full, deep lakes. There were three river streams that went all around the park, connecting and passing on from the three gigantic lakes. Trees dotted the grounds, giving shade to cobblestone paths winding in every direction. It was encircled by high stone walls around the perimeter, with large gated entrances.
Aqua strode forward to the edge of the platform, grasping the metal railing as she stared out ahead. She ignored her honor guard completely.
Honor guard - a fitting name. It was a matter of trust and honor that these people, handpicked by Ravamar, weren't going to try to backstab her - very literally. That they were the ones who could be trusted. That Ravamar herself could be trusted. That Vivian could be trusted... But, on the other hand, Aqua couldn't let herself go down that route, could she? Becoming paranoid and untrusting like that...it was no way to live. For anyone. Trust was...always a risk - but it was one she still had to keep taking.
Aqua had abandoned the idea of the dueling ceremony, very reluctantly, as well as even the idea of a parade or march of some kind - in favor of speeding along an even more hated and protested idea: her official coronation ceremony. If she wasn't going to be showing people why it would be a terrible idea to try to attack her before becoming queen, then she'd just have to take her place as the new queen before anyone decided to try anything...would-be assassins, and High Council members, too. She didn't think they could actually do anything to contest or delay her ascension...but she wasn't going to sit around and give anyone time to work something out.
Whatever did or didn't happen, she thought securing her place was the most important thing to do early on - whether that be physically, or legally.
Aqua stepped away from the railing, looking down at herself instead. She lifted her feet to click her heels underneath her ridiculously long, dark blue and black dress. She smoothed out the lace segments and hanging decorations, of criss-crossing strings and annoying black diamond crystals on thinner strings around the hem. She let out a breath through the ridiculous, ceremonial, fully-face-concealing mask she was forced to wear today, because apparently that tradition hadn't died (and did in fact need to be respected). She had only agreed to go along with any of it after both Natsumi and Ravamar had spoken to her about "picking her battles" and "not unnecessarily shunning truly harmless traditions". Aqua guessed "irritating" was a far cry from anything oppressive, or discriminatory, or really harmful to anyone...
Besides, she reminded herself that she was very much an adult woman now, and so she could in fact tolerate a day of all this pomp and circumstance with grace, poise, and dignity.
It probably also helped that she did have a much less annoying honor guard of Serene Rose members around her than her childhood. Very loosely "around her", at her insistence; they were spread out across the train platform, taking up discrete and spaced out positions, observing and on guard. But not crowding her, like she remembered as a child.
Aqua had told them she could handle herself quite well if worst came to worst - and, also, she didn't want civilians being scared off by a constant circle of robed mages! She needed to be free to really walk on her own, and interact with her people naturally. Whatever form those interactions took - positive...or more negative. Even on a day like this. Well, maybe especially on a day like this. The most important day...
She sighed behind the mask, shaking her head. She reached up to adjust the dark blue hood she wore, as well. Another annoyance. She glanced down at herself again. She was, at least, very grateful for the tailors: she had managed to find and enlist the services of a well-known, well-respected non-human specialist from within the kingdom, to help make a dress both "fit for a queen" and for a demon (a draconic woman who was, herself, of course, familiar with creating outfits that accommodated for and integrated wings and tails and such).
Aqua looked out across the vast park again, and its sprawling landscape. She looked far out, and below her, to where the huge stage was being set up by magic, with its great, overhead ceiling of lights and a mushroom top shape...
She'd been told it was going to be beautiful, come evening - when the dark came, and all those lights lit up on it. She had also been told it was riskier to do her ceremony so late in the evening, that the dark would hide and permit too many threats and unknown variables. But Aqua had stopped being afraid of the dark itself a long time ago, by now. And whatever might come for her from out of it...she could deal with it.
The park was really so, so large, though...a concern all itself.
The amount of people that were going to be in attendance of her coronation ceremony...Ravamar had told her it was very likely to be a mind-shatteringly massive amount - in the several hundred thousands! And that was still a fraction of the total number of citizens living in Ancewell as a whole city: over ten million people!
Aqua knew she had never even seen, no, never even imagined so many people in one place in her life! She still couldn't imagine what it was going to look like, standing here now, looking at this massive expanse of park land...
She guessed she would see tonight.
Terra leaned forward in his chair as he watched Sora pilot the Gummiship, Highwind, out of the Ocean Between and down into the skies of a new world.
The third world Yen Sid had given him to investigate, on the search for the Ultima Weapon - he'd taken the last three leads, after the other two search parties had claimed all the rest.
As the ship descended, they emerged down out of a starry sky, into a world of night. Gazing around out the viewing windows, Terra saw grass fields, rivers, lakes, and stretches of nearby forest. Far out ahead, he saw a vast, sprawling, circular city of lights and colors. It seemed to all be built up around a central, grand palace or castle, with multiple towers surrounding it, connected by enclosed walkways or corridors.
"Why don't we land somewhere over there," Terra said, pointing out ahead. "We can walk to that city, see what we can learn from the locals."
"Aye aye," Sora said, pushing the ship into a swooping dive, speeding toward the ground.
The Highwind soared low over the grassy hills, landing in a field behind a particularly steep one. They disembarked from the ship. Terra stopped, turning and sighing. He held out a hand of blue magic, and cast the strongest Vanish spell he could; a blue dome rippled outward, expanding to encompass the Gummiship. Then, slowly, the air warped, and colors and shapes began to fade, until it looked like nothing was there at all anymore. Terra grinned in relief, letting his hand drop. "There. That should stop anyone from coming across it for a while." He paused. "Though I'm not too sure how long it'll last, so why don't we try and do this quick?"
"How long is long...?" Sora said uneasily.
"Maybe an hour, maybe a few more?" Terra replied, shrugging. "I put a lot of power into it, that's for sure."
"Nice bit of magic," Ven complimented, smiling at him. "Aqua'd be...proud."
Terra gave a small smile back. "I'm sure she would be," he agreed easily.
The strain was still there. The aching, the pain. The guilt. His own mistakes, again, that had led to Aqua leaving like that...
He shook his head to clear it of those thoughts and emotions. He took a breath, nodding to Ven and Sora. "Come on."
They strode up over the hill, and began making their way toward the distant city.
They found a long, dirt road at some point, which made the journey a lot easier and clearer, thankfully.
Just follow the path.
After some time, they reached the city's edge. They strode in past large, sparse warehouses and factories, and then winding roads of clustered homes, it seemed like. Past those, they reached the inner districts of the city. Taller buildings, narrower streets - lights and shops everywhere.
Metal vehicles of all kinds drove on down the streets, past them.
People walked by, too.
All of them, Terra noticed, seemed headed in the same direction...
"Hey, has anyone noticed that-" Ven started, at almost the same time the thought occurred to Terra.
"Everyone's going the same way? Yes," Terra said.
"Wonder what's up with everybody," Sora remarked, frowning slightly.
"Well, there is one way to find out," Terra muttered. He quickened his pace to catch up with some passersby - two men in their thirties, walking down the street arm in arm. "Hey, sorry to bother you, but could you tell me where everyone is going here tonight?" he spoke casually, offering a smile.
The two men stopped. One of the guys turned back to stare at Terra. He looked to Ven and Sora behind him, relaxing somewhat. "Have you been living under a rock or something?"
"Something like that - we're not from around here," Terra replied simply. "Sorry. We came from pretty far away, honestly."
"It's the coronation ceremony for the new queen," the other man spoke up, giving a small laugh. He shook his head to himself. "The long-lost princess finally came back to us, and apparently she's eager to take her place up on the throne."
"Long lost princess?" Terra said politely. "How long was she lost for? What happened?"
"You really don't...? I guess you would have been too young at the time," the man said ruefully. He looked at Ven and Sora with a small grin. "You two especially. Zitol's little princess, Aqua, went missing twenty years back, when she was only eight, after an attack on the castle by a small army of demons. She's just recently-"
"Huh? Wait a second, did you just say AQUA?!" Sora exclaimed loudly, staring.
The man stared back at him in bafflement.
"Sorry - he's prone to random outbursts," Terra said quickly. "So this princess of yours...she went missing twenty years ago? When she was eight years old? And- and how recently was she found again?"
"About a week ago by now, I think," the man stated. "But she only just got back to the city a few days ago, or so they say."
"What does she look like?" Ven said faintly.
The man shrugged at that. "No one really knows yet. She's been holed up in the castle for days, and today, she'll be in full ceremonial garb, won't she? We'll get our first look at her at the coronation. But, there are rumors going around that she's not...well, human, herself," he finished hesitantly.
"Right. Can anyone go to this coronation? When does it start? I assume it's tonight?" Terra said.
"We're heading there now," the man replied, nodding. "It starts in about an hour. It's open to anyone - free of charge. Though, you can dash any dreams of getting anything close to front row seats."
"Okay. Thank you." Terra gave a nod in return, then started forward swiftly down the street.
Ven and Sora hurried to keep up with him.
"There's no way it's our Aqua, right?" Ven said, catching up to Terra. "There's gotta be plenty of people in the World named Aqua...and they said she wasn't human. Our Aqua's definitely a human girl. So it really can't be her."
Terra kept walking for a minute, silent. Thinking. Pondering... "You're probably right - but..."
"But what?" Sora said, from Terra's other side.
"Well, it's just that we do know Aqua's been back on whatever world she originally came from for these past few weeks now, and-"
"Come on! Don't you think if Aqua was an actual princess she would've told us at some point?" Ven exclaimed.
Terra frowned. He shook his head. "No, I don't think she would have, Ven. You know that, for as long as even I've known her, she's never wanted to talk about her past. It's probably always been for a very good reason. The same as it is for you..." he added, with a pointed look.
Ven faltered. He sighed, then nodded. "Guess you've got a point there. We've all got stuff we don't want to remember...It was different for me, though - I had amnesia! Like Kairi." He paused. "Do you think Aqua's had amnesia this whole time, too, and that's why she didn't want to talk about it...?"
"Well, I don't think there's some limit on the number of people allowed to have amnesia," Terra said, offhand. "Whatever she does or doesn't remember, though, she always kept it locked up tight in her Heart. And the Master helped her to keep it that way - and I did my best to learn how to respect that. The same with you."
"So...if this is really our Aqua..." Ven started, quiet and slow. "She's not gonna be too happy to see us, is she?"
"Maybe not me - I'm sure she'll be glad to see you and Sora," Terra said, with a self-deprecating grin.
"So you really think it could be Aqua?" Sora asked.
"I think it might be," Terra answered, nodding. "What I know about Aqua...it might all line up. Or it's one heck of a coincidence."
"What do you mean?" Ven said. "What do you know about her that I don't?"
"Honestly, next to nothing," Terra said. "I'm just saying: a girl who went missing twenty years ago - when she was about eight years old? A girl who was only just found recently...? Aqua had already been the Master's student for about two years by the time he took me on too, when I was twelve years old. She was ten when I met her, so, two years before that, she would have been around eight years old. And they said she was found a week ago? When Aqua left two or three weeks ago - and suddenly this princess reappears again? It would all line up pretty well. Too well...that's all I'm saying."
"But- they still said she wasn't- well, y'know, human?" Ven insisted. "If it is our Aqua...why wouldn't she have ever just- been herself around us? Keyblade Wielders are taught not to judge people like that - it doesn't matter what you look like, or what world you come from! And, I mean, I'd never have had a problem with it - and I know you wouldn't've either! We're meant to be-!"
"I know. I'm sure she had her reasons," Terra repeated with a sigh. "I'm sure they were good, personal reasons, in her mind. And it doesn't have anything to do with trust, or friendship. It was just her right to keep herself...to herself. It'd be no different than if she was...keeping a different idea of her gender identity or romantic attractions a secret, than what we might just assume naturally. Either she'd tell us when she felt ready, or she wouldn't. But it would never be for us to decide for her." He paused, shaking his head firmly. "But this is all just assuming it's true, and not just some big coincidence."
"I thought we stopped believin' in coincidences a while ago," Ven said seriously.
Terra gave a breathy laugh, all the same. "We did, didn't we? Well, the only way to know is to go and find out - see this 'princess Aqua' with our own eyes."
"Let's go, then!" Ven said, breaking into a full on sprint now. "We've gotta know, one way or the other!"
Sora followed after him, beckoning to Terra.
Terra sighed and followed after them, picking up his own pace to match.
It was easy to find a route to...wherever they were meant to be going: just follow the people.
Eventually, they came to what looked like an expansive park area, surrounded by high walls, with large iron gated entrances.
Only after getting inside, through those gates, and walking along a path for a minute or two did Terra really start to comprehend how expansive this park area really was. All these hills, trees, a few nearby river channels that wound their way around the park, connecting into and out of a huge lake or two...
This whole area had to be several miles across, in every direction. It was like an untouched slice of the wilderness plains outside where they'd parked the Gummiship.
After several more minutes of walking, they walked up a large hill, and came to a sight that made Terra stop in his tracks, purely just...overwhelmed.
There wasn't much ground to see in front of them anymore - just a veritable sea of people, stretching out everywhere. And on the other side of it, there was a huge, wide stage of some kind, with a tall structure with a mushroom-shaped top above it. It was littered with all sorts of flashing lights, and beaming spotlights.
"Woah..." Sora gasped. "Do so many people really live here?"
"Probably," Terra answered, still awed by the sight, himself. "The city itself is pretty...huge."
He looked around, then started off toward a large oak tree, standing beneath it at the top of the hill. Ven and Sora came to join him - both boys flopping down to sit on the grass in nearly the same moment.
Terra almost laughed.
But his eyes were on that stage, across the distance...over all those teeming masses of people.
"Hey, so, has anyone wondered how they're even going to do this for the people like us - way back here?" Sora said loudly. "I can barely see anything - forget hearing any princesses or queens making some fancy speech or whatever, you know!"
"People find ways," Terra shrugged. "They probably have something worked out."
It took...a bit more waiting for something to happen. Maybe half an hour, of just milling about. Ven and Sora had started playing rock-paper-scissors together, at some point.
Then-
Terra spied movement on that distant, large stage.
"Hey - it might be starting now," he told the two boys, pushing off from the tree and starting forward. He sat down next to Ven, drawing his knees in. His eyes focused on that stage...
The boys stopped their game, turning their attention to it as well now.
Slowly, from out of vast, velvet blue curtains at the back of the stage, a lone figure emerged. A woman, it looked like, for sure. She came to a stop near the edge of the stage - front and center. But Terra could barely make out any details. Hardly...
The multi-colored spotlights above rotated, and shined down on her. Others swept out around the world from on high, creating beams of light in the night with sparkling motes visible within them.
The front of the mushroom-shaped structure suddenly rippled, magic particles spreading out across it - forming into a large, projected image of the woman herself, with hazy edges.
Terra glanced up, noticing a small, magical orb hovering high in the air over the crowds. Was that sending the image out somehow...?
Then he leaned forward, concentrating on the vast image in the air. The edges might have been hazy, but the center of it was crystal clear, almost solid against the stars. Terra could finally see details. So many details.
The woman wore a long, intricate blue and black gown, with accessories and other decorations hanging from it. She had large, leathery, dark blue wings behind her body. Her hands were folded at her waist, clasped together, long clawed fingers hanging down. She also had two long, curved, dark blue horns coming out of her head, near the front. And then there was the tail - long, whip-like, flexible. As long or longer than her own body itself. There was a heart-shaped blade on the end of it, which was shrouded in blue flames as it swished about behind her. Topping it all off was the full face mask she wore, hiding her features completely - which complimented the dark blue hood she had on, that was part of her dress.
"Woooah! That's their princess - erm, new queen?" Sora gasped.
"She looks really beautiful," Ven breathed.
"Those wings look awesome - and that tail is so cool!" Sora went on, grinning. "Don't you think, Terra?"
Terra smiled. "That's Master to you - but, I suppose she does look pretty cool," he admitted lightly.
"Pretty, too?" Sora pressed.
Terra shrugged, shaking his head. "You can't even see her face - I couldn't possibly judge that. And besides, looks aren't everything."
"You hear that? He didn't say she wasn't," Sora said to Ven, in quiet aside.
Terra peered more intently at the huge image in the sky...at the woman. This princess. He thought, beneath that hood, and on the edges of the mask, that he saw a glimpse of blue strands of hair...
But he couldn't be sure. The image wasn't exactly focusing on her face - it was capturing all of her, from head to toe.
The woman, this Princess Aqua's masked face turned left, then right, slowly sweeping over the crowds. Her shoulders shrugged, visible on the huge, projected image of her - a sigh, or an intake of breath to steel nerves?
A slender, sleeved arm rose up - a long-clawed hand raised to them all.
And silence swept across the massive crowd.
Hundreds, thousands of people, and they all went quiet for her. Just like that.
It was sort of unsettling to Terra, to be in such a massive crowd, but for that crowd to be so completely silent.
The princess lowered her arm again to her stomach, resting it atop the other once more.
From the massive, hanging velvet blue curtains, a line of two dozen robed figures emerged. Along with one in more distinguished robes...
The figures stood back behind the princess, silent and still.
The one in the more unique robes strode out ahead, until they'd reached the princess's side. From the large viewing image above, Terra realized it was a woman - of brown eyes and a shaven head. This robed woman reached up and threw off her hood, turning to face the princess.
The princess turned to fully face the woman now, as well. She bowed her head slightly.
The robed woman stepped forward, closer in to the princess. Then she looked out to the crowd, into the dark masses, as she spoke. As her voice, amplified, echoed out to Terra startlingly clearly, as if she were only a few dozen feet away (probably by some kind of magic). "I, Overseer Onterosa Ravamar, am honored to be chosen to unveil to you all...our long-lost princess, and, in moments, rightful Queen of Zitol. But not only our lost princess, but someone who will be the first non-human queen that this kingdom has ever had. Heir and chosen of the late Queen Jade." The woman, Onterosa, looked into that ornate mask of the princess's. "If I may, Your Highness?"
The princess, visibly in the enchanted view portal again, definitely took in a great, nervous breath. Then, her head gave a clear, firm nod. Silent, but conveying a strength and confidence now.
Onterosa raised her arms slowly, her hands gently coming up to remove the hood, firstly. Then, to touch the princess's cheeks. To caress her, and hold the sides of her mask. Her fingers worked into the seams...and she gently pulled it away...
The side view of a face, brushed strands of light blue hair...
Then the princess turned to fully face the crowds, raising her head high, blinking out at them all with familiar blue eyes on a familiar, yet unfamiliar face.
"No way..." Ven's voice gasped out.
"Huh?! I-is that really...!" Sora exclaimed.
"Aqua..." Terra said quietly, needing to say it to really believe it. He'd suspected, of course, but he hadn't given it a serious consideration. And that was still nothing next to actually seeing it confirmed, now, with his very own eyes...
Onterosa stepped back and away, going into a smooth, respectful kneeling position without even looking or pausing for it. She bowed her head low, resting an arm on her knee.
Terra returned his focus to the princess - to the woman - to what was undeniably...Aqua.
Okay, yes, she had those great, big bat-like wings, she had that incredibly long, whip-like tail with a burning blue shroud of flames on its end, and she also had those long, curved horns of dark blue, as well as, of course, those long...claws...but-
But she was still Aqua.
Just...Aqua with...some extra parts to her?
Or, parts she had always had to her, but had never shown...
Given the whole situation playing out in front of him - this entire city, this world, a castle and a princess - well...could Terra honestly blame her? Be mad at her for it?
No, not really.
He'd always known there was something about her past - something she'd kept buried, locked up so tightly in her own Heart and mind. Something the Master had vehemently defended her right to keep private. Something Terra had gotten hints and clues about, from time to time, over the years of earning her trust and friendship...
But he still never could have imagined anything like this.
Even so...
He couldn't be any more upset with her about it than, say, with Ven about his once-mysterious past - amnesia or not.
Clearly, there wasn't just the idyllic, fairy tale life of a princess in her palace here, was there? No, not with the look he'd seen Aqua get in her eye, not with the cold, harsh quaver of her voice in those fleeting moments...
He'd known there was something painful there, something sad, maybe. Something that hurt - or scared her. So badly that she never wanted to revisit it.
But if she was here now...if she was...if his Aqua was about to become a queen of an entire nation...
Was she in pain again? Was she hurting again? Was she sad again, being back here, being surrounded by all of this...?
Was there anything he could do to help her?
She was definitely going to be upset with him - for being here at all, when she'd done her utmost to keep her life and past a secret, private, for all these years.
Though, to be fair, it wasn't as if Terra had chosen to come here - his Heart, and the worlds, had guided him here on a separate quest, for a whole different reason.
Or...had it?
Was he actually meant to be here...for Aqua? Him and Ven, both?
Just because Terra didn't believe in some immutable fate didn't mean he didn't acknowledge the guiding hands of the Hearts of the worlds themselves - and accepted their guidance. Some would call that "fate" or "destiny", regardless, though...just a matter of degrees, or specific definitions.
A single, loud clacking noise echoed out over the world.
Terra blinked, staring at Aqua again.
As was everyone else.
She had lowered herself to the stage floor, her dress pooling around her. She bowed her head slightly.
Another of those robed figures had come forward, with their hood down. Another woman, with features similar to Aqua's. She was holding a silver, ornate crown, with black gemstones embedded on the front of it. The woman stepped in front of Aqua, bent down...and carefully, gently placed the crown down onto her head - snug and fit. Her fingers worked at two, looping straps near the front, which secured the crown to the base of those twin...dark blue horns. Her work finished, the woman retreated again, giving a nod.
Aqua rose to her feet again, raising her head high, the crown gleaming on her head, shining under the lights.
"Well..." came Aqua's voice. Undeniably her voice. As if she stood hardly a dozen feet right in front of Terra. "I think this is the part where I'm supposed to make some kind of big speech - but, honestly, I'm not here to make speeches. I'm here to actually do things."
She took another step forward - and then a third. She strode up to the very edge of the large stage, looking down at the people closest to her. Then, she took another step off of it - and onto a rippling pink magical platform. She took a step again, down to a new pane of invisible magic crystal, save for that pink energy swirling beneath her... She was conjuring her own set of invisible stairs, Terra realized.
Aqua descended her self-made steps, until she'd come to solid ground - standing on the grass before the crowd. Her gaze roamed over the front rows, moving from person to person, face to face. Then, she walked forward, her body easing, her lips curving into a light smile. Her eyes...they shined with sudden warmth, with a kindness. A softness.
Not as rare a sight as someone might think, if you spent enough time with Aqua, and knew her well enough...
But, just the same, that didn't exactly mean it was common.
And it was all the more noteworthy to be happening here, like this, in front of thousands of people.
There was a girl at the front of the crowds. Ten or so, maybe. With long, dirty blonde hair hanging down her back in interwoven braids. She had...similar features to Aqua. Small wings on her back, little- stubby horns sticking out of her head, and a small, thin tail, as well. Except her features weren't blue in color, but a light pink.
Aqua stopped in front of the girl, kneeling down in front of her. Then she reached up to undo the straps of her crown, and she lifted it off her head and held it out to the girl. "Hi. Would you like to wear this for a little while?"
"Does that mean I get to be the new queen?" the girl asked, her eyes wide, a grin on her face.
Aqua tilted her head at the girl, her smile growing. "I think it could, someday! What's your name?"
"Izalla..." the girl said quietly. "But people just call me Izzy..."
"What a lovely name. People just call me Aqua; my full name is way too mouthy, really," Aqua said, grinning now.
The girl gave a small laugh. She frowned at the crown, her eyes fixing to it. "I don't think I can wear that - it's not going to fit me."
"Really?" Aqua said, with faux surprise in her voice. She turned the crown over in her hands, examining it from all angles. "Why is that, Izzy?"
"It's too big for my head."
"Is it? You know, Izzy, I think this crown could fit perfectly on your head - on anyone's head."
"No it can't..." the girl frowned, looking down.
"Well, why don't we give it a try, and let's just see, okay?" Aqua said patiently.
The girl sighed, looking back up again and nodding. "Okay..."
Aqua smiled at her, and she gently leaned forward, moving to place the crown onto the girl's head. As she did, Terra saw the magic shimmer around the object, and he saw it warp and warble...changing its size. A shrinking spell - Mini.
Terra smiled. Clever, Aqua.
"There we are," Aqua sighed, sitting back, hands on her knees. She turned and raised a hand to point up at the viewing portal above them all. "Take a look - don't you think it's perfect on you?"
The girl whipped her head up, staring at the enlarged image of herself from a wholly different angle. Capturing the gleaming crown, snug on her head. Her eyes went huge, her jaw dropping. Then her lips closed tightly as she looked at Aqua. "You used magic to do that," she said accusingly.
Aqua nodded. "I did. Do you think there wasn't anything extra involved in making this work for me, too?" she replied, gesturing down at herself. Her dress, her body's new features. "It's what I did to make things work, and it's what we're all going to do to make things work for everyone else - people like you..like all of us. We're going to make some changes, do a little magic...and make things much more right, and comfortable, and accommodating for everyone not born human. And someday, maybe it will be perfect, too. Maybe the day you become the next queen."
Izalla's face shined with joy and hope and wonder- and then it all slowly faded away again. She shook her head, messy locks swaying. "I still can't. You have to be a princess in the royal family - I don't even have a family..."
"You don't?" Aqua said, shocked. Soft. She reached out to the girl, touching her cheek. Caressing her. "I'm so sorry, Izalla..."
"So - see?" The girl just shrugged, crossing her arms over her middle now. "I'm not a princess so I can't be a queen. So you can have this back." She reached up and pulled the crown off, holding it out. Her lip trembled as she looked away from Aqua.
Aqua's hands found the girl's, grasping them, and the crown. She looked her in the face, nodding seriously. "You're right about that, of course. You have to be a princess first, just like I was. If you're not sure about being a queen just yet, how about a princess? It's funny, there aren't any laws saying that a non-human can't be the princess - or that the royal family's children can't be adopted in. Trust me, I checked; I had questions about my own place here, too. But everything says that I do belong here. And I think I could find you a place, too. But what do you think, Izzy?"
The girl looked Aqua in the face, shock and awe on her own now again. Full and beaming. And then, again, it was tempered. It fled her little face. "But...you can't just adopt someone like that. Especially a demon..."
Aqua laughed gently, patting at the girl's hands and shaking her head. "Of course I can, Izzy: I'm the queen, remember? And if I want to give a girl like you someplace safe, and warm - a place she might come to call a home, and even a family...then I'm definitely going to, no matter what anyone else thinks or says about it. So...would you like the sound of that?"
"Y-yes...?" the girl answered, like she wasn't even sure she believed it.
"Wonderful. Then..." Aqua placed the crown back onto the girl's head, and turned to look for Onterosa. She beckoned the woman - then, she looked to another woman, off to the left. This woman was tall and curvaceous, wearing a flowing kimono, with long, jet black hair done up in a bun with a stick through it. She had a long, thin, and curved sword attached to her waistbelt. Her eyes were a gleaming scarlet. This woman came forward immediately, no gesturing required on Aqua's part, as if they were of the same mind. "Why don't you keep that for a bit longer, and Overseer Ravamar, and my friend Natsumi here can get you up to the castle?"
"But I want to stay here with you!" the girl exclaimed immediately, her eyes going wide. She threw herself forward, seizing onto Aqua's arm wholesale!
Aqua teetered, blinking.
The robed figures on the stage startled, moving forward.
Aqua's head whipped up and snapped around, her eyes narrowed in a familiar, icy glower. Her free hand shot up, waving sharply.
The robed figures stopped, bowing their heads and stepping away again.
Aqua's face eased, her arm falling. She put on a smile, bringing that arm in to pat the girl's head. "Oh - of course - I'm sorry!" she amended, nodding. "Silly me. We'll all stay here for a little while, and then we can go up to the castle together. How's that?"
"Better..." the girl said bluntly. Then she blanched, releasing Aqua and quickly backing away.
Aqua grinned, laughing again. "I think so, too."
The girl's gaze turned to the other two women, scrutinizing them. Then she looked up at the dark-haired one - Natsumi? Izalla's eyes found the white and red-tipped ears atop her head...the fluffy white, red-streaked bush of multiple tails behind her back. "You're a kitsune?!" she exclaimed. "And you're friends with the queen?"
Natsumi gazed down on the girl, her eyes shimmering. She nodded and fell swiftly to the ground, mirroring Aqua. "That's right," she said. "I am both a kitsune and a friend to the queen!"
"You have a lot of tails - how old are you?"
Natsumi laughed, a hand to her mouth. "Oh, quite old, thank you, dearie!"
As the kid began to pester the woman with more questions, Terra let his gaze fall from the viewing portal. He looked to Ven and Sora, instead.
Ven caught his eye, looking unsure of himself. "Hey...d'you think we should go and tell Aqua we're here? If she's the queen now, they're probably not gonna just let us walk up and talk to her after this - 'specially if she goes back to that big castle of hers..."
Terra gazed at his friend. He looked out to the projected image of Aqua, thinking. "If nothing else, she should be told about the situation with the Nightmares, and that Darkness. She isn't using a Keyblade anymore, after all; I don't think these people, or her, would be too effective at combating them...not now."
"Right. Okay!" Ven said brightly, relief on his face. He jumped up to his feet. "C'mon, Terra! Maybe she won't be too happy to see you, but you can't just duck out - Keyblade Master's duty. You've gotta be the one to tell her what's going on. You said it yourself."
Terra sighed, nodding, getting up as well. "I don't see why Aqua was even so happy about becoming a Master; it's definitely a lot less glamorous than I always thought it'd be," he said, only half joking. "But if duty calls...alright. Let's go."
The only real question was how they were going to get past the massive crowds.
Terra eyed the park, sweeping his gaze over the dark edges of the area.
Maybe they could go around - come in from the side, where it was clear?
That seemed like the best plan of action.
He gestured to Ven and Sora, and started off down the curving hillside, heading off to his left.