Chapter One Disclaimers: Aqua and the Heartless Shadow come from Square Enix and Disney's "Kingdom Hearts." Frodo Baggins, Samwise "Sam" Gamgee, Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck, Peregrin "Pippin" Took, and Gandalf the Grey/White come from J.R.R. Tolkien's book series, "The Lord of the Rings." Maleficent comes from Disney's, "Sleeping Beauty." My self-insert is me.
Warning! This chapter is Rated M for intense scenes.
Chapter One Summary: Nash Wimble and Jamie Foster become the light red dragonoid, Parker Dooley. As Parker adapts to his surroundings, his human wife, Eliza Bowler-Dooley, informs him of all that happened during the Restoration of the Timelines.
Sorry for the long delay. Writer's block, as well as spiritual burnout/healing process, took place within the time this chapter was being written, drafted, revised, and rewritten. Hopefully, it's better. :)
This chapter is the last to be rewritten, from the time when this fanfic, The Final Stand, got deleted the first time. After this chapter, we will be headed into new material. :) So exciting to finally see this story get to be told all the way through. :)
That said, enjoy. :)
Chapter One:
Memories
Nash Wimble walked alone in the dreadful, pitch-black darkness. The darkness felt like home to him, and yet it wasn't. It seemed to him much had changed, since he was last here. And yet, with all the Nobodies returning to their Original Hosts, it seemed as though nothing could stand in his way.
And so, Nash proceeded through the tunnel, spotting a bright light not too far away from where he walked. Though, he was only a hobbit with curly brown hair and hazel eyes, dressed in attire that could only match his blue and purple decorum. Still, he walked on through the darkness, ever seeking for the one person he could rely on at this hour, who was still trapped inside the Golden Bell: Jamie Foster. Only where was the Golden Bell? Was it not here?
At last, Nash came out of the darkness' tunnel, managing to find his way inside the Station of Awakening, where all the treachery took off. Nearly all the stained-glass windows were broken, in this wide, expansive hall, complete with its very steep, arched roofed ceiling, as well as one end of the station appearing to have a wide stairway, leading to the conductor's office.
It was sunset here in this place. And the Golden Bell… Nash found it, lying on the ground. Broken, but piecing itself back together. Nash took advantage of the Golden Bell restoring itself, by diving into the light inside its shell. It was here in this darkness where Nash found a man with long brownish-bronze hair, hazel-grey eyes, and rugged features, wearing a brown waistcoat, a white shirt, and blue jeans, complete with white socks, soaring through the air. It was Jamie Foster and he looked much older now than he had before.
Nash sighed. He grabbed Jamie, attempting to move him, but only to be joined with him as one. Nash looked on at Jamie in wonder, curious as to how he gained new clothes and even more curious as to what they could do now that the worlds were mending and resetting themselves.
"Jamie, it's time," Nash stated, knowing his journey had reached its end. "Jamie, it's time to wake up!"
It was in this moment that a flash of white light came out from the Golden Bell, soaring through the air until Jamie was outside the golden bell and back into civilization. The Golden Bell restored itself and all seemed well. For now.
~o~
Jamie awoke with a throbbing headache. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, making him unable to walk and unable to stand, for his body was relearning how to walk and move.
Being trapped in the darkness proved no fun, and he had been trapped in the darkness for a long time. Too long, floating in the air. He didn't know how long he had been trapped inside the Golden Bell. It was hard to say.
Jamie groaned, for he woke up on his right side. He had no idea where he'd gotten new clothes. He could remember wearing his last article of clothing, but that must have changed, the second he entered the Golden Bell. That was one way to put it. Oh, it was so confusing!
And yet, his memories were changing. His old life… was he on Modern Earth or had something happened to him to make him remember, recall another life. His family, his little brother… they would miss him… or was his little brother older now?
Jamie had to get out of this station and find his family. That is, if he didn't notice new memories forming. Or were they old memories… of his little brother… Turen Dooley? No. That couldn't be right. And he, Jamie, was Parker Dooley. Had Jamie missed something. He was so groggy.
Still, he opened his eyes, only to see he wasn't human, but a dragonoid creature with a dragon-like head and a humanoid, lizard-like body. His scales were light red, his claws were jet black, and his tail was medium-sized. And his eyes… he looked at himself in his reflection… they were yellowish and dragon-like. His snout was short, his ears were long and pointy, while he garnished frills and a pair of curved, wavy grey horns atop his head.
He was Parker Dooley, the dragonoid. Oh, Jamie feared what he would become. No! He wasn't Maranguan. He couldn't! What was going on?
Very fast, Jamie… no, Parker Dooley smacked his head against an iron frame. "Ouch!" Jamie felt the pain brewing in his head. He was Parker Dooley. But how? Oh, whatever was he to do? He was losing his memories… or was he regaining the memories he lost?
Now Parker Dooley, Parker looked around the room now. Jamie was gone. That old life was gone. Parker was back, and in tears over what happened to him. He silently cried, not wanting anyone to hear his cries or watch his tears spread down his face. He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes, before rubbing the snot out from his nose in a panicked cry for help.
"Help!" Parker cried in a soft, hushed voice. The very use of his voice, in his lithe draconic voice, sent shivers up his spine. He didn't even recall the last time he was a dragonoid… had he always been a dragonoid? Was this to be his fate, his destiny? He wasn't sure.
Nothing seemed familiar to him now… or maybe it did. He looked over his shoulder to see the stained-glass window of a hobbit, the Ring-bearer, Frodo Baggins, donned in his velvet hobbit attire and wearing his white dress shirt. The only difference was this stained-glass window remained broken, while the other stained-glass windows sprang to life once again.
Parker looked even further to see another stained-glass window also on the station's tiled floor, broken and jagged. It was Frodo's lover, Aria Breuer, and, like Frodo's stained-glass window, appeared to be in a deep slumber, with faces of those who meant the world to them. Their friends, their families, even each other.
Parker sighed, wondering who could love him, as much as this couple did?
"Parker!" Oh no! It was Eliza, coming straight towards him. Here she was, with her luscious locks of dark brown hair, her emerald green eyes, and donned in an elegant pink dress with a silky pink shawl wrapped around her arms and shoulders, for support. Parker smirked at seeing her fair features, and the way her feet were covered in deep pink high heels.
Was there a hint here as to why Eliza wore all pink clothes? It made no sense, but Parker suspected something about Eliza was much, much different to be ignored.
"Parker, Parker, I came as soon as I heard you were back! I came back too, not long ago," Eliza Bowler-Dooley said, joining her dragonoid husband on the tiled floor. She sat next to him, admiring his features, even when Parker wanted to shy away from her.
"Oh Eliza, how I've missed you!" Parker said, stunned by his lithe draconic voice. He added, staring at her with his yellowish draconic eyes, "But seriously, where did Frodo Baggins and his lover go? I want to see them, like right now!" He pointed to the tiled floor in his haste, demanding fervently where his friends had gone.
Eliza stared at him in great confusion. "Parker, you should know something: about the day or the night—oh, it all seems such a blur—but, the day or the night when Aria reset everything, something happened after Frodo and Aria parted." She paused, while Parker remained patient. She gazed at him now, admitting, "What I mean is, when everything reset, all the stories, the worlds, reset back to their original timelines. I'm not sure if Aria will remember what happened in the Alternate Timeline—or perhaps she has already—but I know for a fact that Frodo's storyline is back to the way it was, before the mess with the Alternate Timelines took place."
Parker gulped. He should be happy the original storylines were back to normal, but… something wasn't sitting right. "Do you mean… Frodo's forgotten us? Surely Aria can write everything down. She's a writer."
Eliza smirked. "A need for writers seems likely." She shook her head, adding, "But still, Frodo's bound to leave for the Undying Lands. We must reach him, before that happens. He must remember something about his lover, us. I know we acted strangely in the Alternate Timelines, but we must do something about it."
Parker looked at her, fondly. "And Amor the hedgehog, and his damsel Jezebel… who are they in the original timelines?"
Eliza grinned. She admitted, "Well, I know for a fact that Amor is Jafar's pet parrot, Iago. Jezebel… is my Nobody. It's difficult to explain. Everyone we knew in the Alternate Timelines… I doubt they'll remember us. Everyone's home. We're… trapped in Paravane Trepess, unless you know how to portal us to another dimension or timeline, I'm afraid we're stuck here."
Parker looked around in anxiety. Something else didn't feel right. "Where is he, Eliza? Where's my brother, Turen? Do you know where he is?"
Eliza gazed into his yellow draconic eyes. She explained, "Turen's somewhere in Paravane Trepess. This whole pocket world used to be Paravale, but it too was stuck in the Alternate Timelines. I know, Alternate Timeline and Timelines. Of course, there's more than one. This is so confusing." She shook her head in anxiety, doing her best to calm down. She looked at Parker now with confusion and wonder, admitting to him, "I've missed you. It's been too long since we've been together. You were Maranguan—in the Alternate Timelines."
"Shh!" Parker shushed her, serious now, "I know I was. That name, that Dark Side name, will always be imprinted in me. I'm good and I'm evil. I'm in-between two sides of the Force, it's indescribable." He shook his head at the air, admitting to Eliza as he stood up on wobbly lizard-like, humanoid legs, "Come on. Let's go! Before someone catches us."
Parker hardly recalled Aqua, the Keyblade Wielder he had traveled with when he as Jamie Foster. He wondered what happened to her, but the thought vanished before another word was spoken.
Eliza nodded. "After you," she said, taking Parker by the arm and guiding him, all while he recovered from shakiness, out of the station and back into civilization.
It was in this moment that Parker felt a tug to head back into the station. Something didn't sit right. Or maybe, someone didn't want him leaving the station so soon. Parker turned around, glancing at the Golden Bell as it vanished in a brilliant flash of bright golden hued light.
Parker looked back at Eliza with fond affection. No matter the dangers, Eliza was someone he could count on in hard times. That much was clear as they came out of the station, past the glass doors, and back into the town, Paravane Trepess.
~o~
Parker soon found himself looking in awe at the town of Paravane Trepess. Everywhere he turned, portals were everywhere and they were in different shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. And yet, each portal, scattered throughout this vast earthen town, held memories of their times spent throughout all the worlds, dimensions, and timelines. Parker looked on at the sunset, as it engulfed the town in rays of golden-red light.
Parker sighed, inhaling and exhaling steadily. He took a glimpse at his surroundings, and then at Eliza, who smiled at him.
"Welcome home," Eliza stated, implored, "or rather, what will eventually be called home. The home of the dragons and dragonoids is yet to be established."
"Huh?" Parker looked at her, curiosity flooding his thoughts, "Do you mean the dragonoids don't have a home? Hmm… maybe I should lead them."
Eliza laughed. "You'd make a great leader."
Parker shrugged. "Come on, Eliza. Try me! I know I can do it."
Eliza nodded, as she led him towards the nearest portal. "Well, if we must reach Frodo and Aria, then we have work to do." She sighed, staring at the portal that showed memories of Frodo and Aria's time in the Alternate Timeline. "They'll be apart by now, memories scattered abroad. If we are going to help them, then we must hurry. Saving Frodo is one thing, but Aria…" Eliza stopped mid-sentence. She wondered what became of Aria. After all, Aria reset everything. It was her fault the worlds were like this, but maybe, just maybe, Aria could restore some part of the worlds that still had memories tied into the Alternate Timelines.
Eliza looked at Parker, admitting to him, "I know we want the worlds to stay in their original timelines. Its what everyone wants, not to tamper with the timelines. I just can't help but wonder what became of Melissa Snowberry, and everyone else we knew in the Alternate Timelines. Are they still out there? And what of Frodo and Aria? Are they destined to be apart or together?"
Parker shook his head, his stomach grumbling. "Couldn't we spend the night here? Could we…?"
Eliza shook her head. "No, we must proceed. We must move on, before the portals overtake this town. It's time, Parker! Let's go!" She moved away from Parker, letting out a great roar, as Eliza transformed into a humanoid dragonoid with a dragon's head, lizard-like, humanoid body, and covered in pink scales. Parker only needed to gaze at her in disbelief, as he took in her features.
Still, Eliza smiled, yearning for him to proceed. "Come, Parker! Let's go!" She ran on all fours towards the portal, vanishing in moments, before Parker had the chance to catch up to her.
The moment Parker neared the portal, he jumped back at the sight of jet-black creatures of shadow, snaking their way towards him. They were the Heartless, the Heartless Shadow to be more precise, and they were after him. They were after his heart.
Parker growled, snarling at them, as he tossed a Heartless Shadow aside, before more Heartless Shadow careened towards him. Parker snarled, one of the Heartless Shadow ready to claw at him.
Parker groaned, telling them, "Not today!" He bounded on all fours towards the portal, diving for it, and vanishing out of the area of Paravane Trepess, as the Heartless and the portals engulfed the town into oblivion.
~o~
Parker careened out of the portal, landing on a stained-glass floor. The floor was covered in a bright light, which rippled away white feathers to reveal a colorful stained-glass window of himself as a light red dragonoid, asleep and looking quite fair of face. Next to his larger sleeping dragonoid form, in the stained-glass window, were bubbles revealing his human form, when he was Jamie Foster, as well as his Nobody, a hobbit and a golden house cat named Nash Wimble, revealed with their faces merged. Two other bubbles showed the icy blue-haired girl named Aqua and Parker's wife Eliza.
These were the people Parker cared for, parts of himself, within this stained-glass window.
"Huh?" Parker looked on at this stained-glass window, wondering what became of him and who he truly was. He looked around for some sort of clue, something he was missing. He looked up at a heart wrapped in a glowing golden light careened its way down to him.
Parker smiled, giggling as the heart crept its way into his chest, merging with his own heart, as his voice became even more lithe.
"Frodo. Frodo Baggins, I remember now," Parker said, his memories of Frodo and himself, spending time in the Alternate Timelines, restored.
"You'll keep me safe, won't you? Until the time comes, when we no longer need to share hearts," Frodo's voice cried out to Parker from within Parker's chest.
"Huh?" Parker gazed down at his chest, as his own heart spoke to Frodo's heart:
"Right. That's right, Frodo! Until the time is right. For now, our hearts are intertwined, woven through time. Though our hearts reside in us, our light is now in each of us."
"That's a promise, Parker! A promise!" Frodo's heart spoke up, imploring upon this with fond memories of their time together.
Parker sighed. This was how it had to be. He nodded, saying, "That's a promise. Now, I need to find…" the light engulfed Parker, as he finished saying his sentence, "Frodo."
Parker moved his hand in front of his face, as a door of light appeared before him. He stepped through the door, as the light increased, leading him outside, right into the Shire, from which his travels would soon begin.
~o~
The Grey Havens.
Gandalf the White, a wizard dressed in white robes and carrying a white wooden staff, extended his hand to Frodo.
Frodo Baggins—fair of face and taller than some, with rosy cheeks, a cleft in his chin, and a bright eye, dressed in a blue jacket, blue trousers, a white dress shirt, a silver waistcoat, and donned in a grey elvish cloak with a green leafy brooch, his head and the tops of his feet covered in full locks of dark brown hair—made his way towards the white wizard. Each step Frodo took was a testament to all the adventures he shared. He'd seen the One Ring destroyed, but his wounds proved too great for him to bear.
Frodo was ready to take the next step aboard the elvish ship, sailing towards the golden sunset, ready to grab Gandalf's hand, and sail off to the Undying Lands, all when he stopped in his tracks, between Gandalf and Frodo's three hobbit friends—Samwise "Sam" Gamgee, Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck, and Peregrin "Pippin" Took—when Frodo felt his heart merge with another's.
The other was a dragonoid creature. Parker Dooley was his name. Oh, how Frodo could hardly recall him until now. And other memories soon washed over Frodo and those around him. Memories of their old lives back in the Alternate Timelines. Frodo recalled Aria and how she reset everything. What happened to her? Had Frodo forgotten about her?
Frodo stayed in place as the bright light engulfed Middle-earth and him with it. When Frodo came to, he found his wounds were healed, but his memories were scattered. Middle-earth was back and so was he. But the Grey Havens… no, they were in ruin.
Before Frodo had the chance to do something, he looked at the sky, seeing grey clouds everywhere.
"No! What happened here?" Frodo asked, shocked to see his home was nothing more than rubble and ruin, desolate. Frodo turned to a nearby bush, surprised to see Parker Dooley, the light red dragonoid, climb out from the nearest spot on the dried-up bay. "You! No, this can't be happening? What are we doing here?" Frodo paused, asking him, "Where's Aria? I promised her we would see each other again."
Parker sighed, gazing around them, "So, Eliza wasn't kidding when she said the portals might destroy everything. Now, we see the results. See? This is what happens when everything resets. Our worlds are gone, Frodo! Engulfed by portals. We're all that's left. We must do something about this. How much damage did Aria do, after she reset everything?"
Frodo looked around in confusion. He shook his head. "No. You can't be here."
Parker sighed. He gazed at him now, his yellow draconic eyes piercing, "Look, if we want to save this world, to save all worlds again, then you must come with me." He extended his hand to Frodo, "This world will fall to ruin if we don't stop this destruction happening on all worlds. Now come. We don't want to be late."
"I…" Frodo stopped mid-sentence. He spotted Maleficent, garnished in large brown wings, as she took a glimpse at him. "…Maleficent. No, you can't be here!"
"Is this one of your visions?" Maleficent cackled. "That's funny."
Frodo snarled at her, "What do you want?"
Maleficent sighed. "If this is to be Middle-earth's fate, after you're through with your adventuring, then I'm afraid you're going to have to try again. Frodo… awaken."
The bright light vanished; Middle-earth restored. Frodo jumped in fright at what he saw. He knew what he had to do, but he feared the worst should happen to his home world. To all home worlds, if he dared to cross that way ever again.
"Frodo, come!" Gandalf told him, extending his hand to him.
Frodo touched his chest, from which his heart was located. His body had been restored, as his physical wounds were healed. His spiritual wounds would take time to heal, but he couldn't ignore what he felt inside was coming.
He closed his eyes, noticing a figure in the shadows, creeping towards him.
Frodo took one look at Gandalf, shaking his head. The hobbit told the white wizard, "No, I have to leave. We're not through yet and this isn't over. The worlds need us."
Gandalf sighed, lowering his hand. "Frodo, my lad, you do recall everything that happened to us!"
Frodo nodded. He looked at Sam, who could only gaze at him knowingly.
"Go now, Mr. Frodo," Sam said, not stopping him, "save us all."
Frodo grabbed his hand, held it there, before patting Sam's shoulders. "Keep Middle-earth safe while I'm away. We're not out of this yet." He released Sam's hand, as Frodo made his way towards the stone archway, heading through the tunnel and back to his pony, from which he made ready to ride. He looked at a nearby bush, spotting something light red and scaly.
Frodo pulled out his sword Sting, unafraid at the creature awaiting him. "Come out, Parker. There's no need to hide!" Parker came out of the bushes, afraid of him, and raising his hands at him. Frodo sighed, giggling to himself, as Frodo put his sword away. Parker sighed, relieved not to be attacked, as Frodo reasoned with him, "I trust all went well. But I fear for Paravane Trepess."
"You saw it? In your vision?" Parker asked him, curiously.
Frodo nodded. "I did. It'll be fine. The town will be back. But come. You must be starving. And I know a berry patch around here somewhere."
Parker smirked, grabbing his bay steed from behind the bushes. "Great. But I know somewhere better. Come on, Frodo." Parker mounted his horse, as Frodo joined him, mounting his pony. Parker told him, "It's time we found out the truth of what's happening to us all. Eliza awaits us! We don't want to be late."
"Nor would we. Shall we go? Excellent!" Frodo said, his pony rearing up as he charged at full speed across the road. Parker joined him, imploring the race about to befall them both.
How was that?
This chapter was tricky to write, due to me having to go back and reread the previous fanfics to remember what else happened in them. And, to find out Nash Wimble's fate as well as Jamie Foster's fate. Now, we see what happened to them both here. :)
So, what do you think will happen next? What will become of Parker and Frodo? Where did Turen Dooley and Eliza Bowler-Dooley run off to? Why is the Restoration of the Timelines making everything worse, instead of better? And what happened to Aria?
Thanks for reading. :) More to come. :)
~Aria Breuer