All Good Things 22
Dec. 22nd, 2012 07:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lumelleFor story summary, warnings, pairings, etc, see the first chapter.
Chapter: 22/25
Chapter title: Deal with the King
Chapter rating: PG
Chapter summary: Lea has news to Mickey. However, the King remains unconvinced. In the end, Lea offers him a deal of three days. It's time to find Roxas, once and for all.
"Lea!" Mickey sounds surprised to see him. That might have something to do with the way he's just stepped out of the Corridor directly into his study, but hey, it's not his fault that the castle's security is so easy to bypass if he doesn't have malicious intents. "What on Earth happened? We've been worried about you!"
"Oh, you know." He knows there's a stupid grin on his face, but right now he can't be bothered to worry about his image. "Found the main Heartless in record time. Helped out a princess, saved her dear consort from a big bird cage in a tower that was bigger on the inside, then had to fight it. Got my coat shredded while I was at it, too."
"Your coat?" Mickey's eyes widened, as though it is only now that he realizes Lea isn't clad entirely in black. "But then how did you get here? That can't be safe!"
"Eh, I got a new cloak. See?" He makes a twirl around. Oh, yes, he feels almost giddy. "Made by the princess herself, just for poor ol' me. And before you get doubtful, she put some sun magic into it. If that's not convincing enough, I just came here through the Corridor and it didn't do a thing to ruin my good mood."
"According to our readings, the keyhole was closed several days ago, but you didn't appear until now." Mickey frowns. "Did you really stay there that long just to have a cloak made? Because while I'm glad you didn't take any risks with darkness, Minnie is going to be quite upset with you for worrying her."
"Oh, right." Lea blinks. Damn him and his habit of helping royals in distress; they can get so bossy when they're concerned. "Well, if it makes her feel any better, I've been too badly hurt to even make it out of bed until just a couple of days ago. Got my side cut up pretty bad, and the people of that world aren't really big experts on magic, so it was pretty slow until I was feeling well enough to start casting Cure on myself, little by little. So no, I didn't only worry her out of vanity, there was the whole not dying thing to deal with, too."
"Well, that's not going to make her any less worried, but hopefully she'll be less upset about you not notifying us earlier." And yet here's an ever deeper frown. "Lea? Are you feeling all right?"
"Hm?" He blinks. "Better than in a while. Hell, probably better than since before I first lost my heart. Not even the whole bit with beating Xehanort compares; that was somewhat dulled by the whole losing my eye and not finding Roxas thing."
"You see, that's precisely what concerns me here." What, his being happy is now a bad thing? Some friends he has. "I haven't seen you this cheerful, well, ever. However, I don't exactly see Roxas anywhere, so you couldn't have found him. So, I'm worried you might have gotten some kind of a stupid idea."
"Now, aren't you so very suspicious." Not that he can really blame him after everything, but still. "No, I haven't found Roxas. However, I just might have found a clue as to where he is."
"Oh?" Well, now Mickey looks interested, too. "And where is he, then?"
"Destiny Islands." His grin gets wider. "I never even went there. I thought it didn't make sense, and besides Riku and Sora would go there every now and then, but maybe he's hiding. It's not that small a place, and I know they've barely even stopped there since we've all been so busy with Heartless, so since they weren't especially looking for him they wouldn't have found him."
"But why would he be hiding?" Okay, a reasonable concern, but even that isn't enough to ruin his mood. "It's been a long time, Lea. What reason would Roxas have not to come forth?"
"Well, it's not like he knows the place, or knows anyone he could approach to get word to us." The Islands were only ever Sora's place. "Maybe he doesn't remember everything, or maybe he's injured. Either way, obviously I must go and find him." He's already itching to just open the Corridor and head to the Islands right away.
"Lea, please, slow down a bit." Mickey sighs. "I'm afraid this whole thing is going to end badly."
"What do you mean?" Lea frowns. "It can't be a trap or something; nobody in the Land of Lanterns would know about both me and the Islands, so nobody could have planted that clue on purpose. Besides, Riku and Sora would have noticed if anything had come up in their home. The worst that can happen is that I don't find him, again. I've been through that enough times already."
"Except this wouldn't be the same thing." Mickey gives him a stern gaze. "As I said, I haven't seen you this cheerful in ages, probably ever. And while I'm glad you're feeling hopeful again, I fear to think how you'd react if that hope comes to nothing."
"You're afraid I'll break." It's clear enough, even if Mickey won't come right out and say it. "That losing that hope will make me forget my my promise to stay alive."
"It's not an altogether baseless fear." Mickey's voice is very quiet, now. "At least let us help, Lea. You've been bearing this burden for long enough. Take a break, gather your strength, and then let's gather everyone and do a thorough sweep of all the worlds one last time."
"And then if we don't find anything, you can tell me to give up for good." That much is obvious.
"I just don't want you throwing away your entire life." The king sighs. "And I know Roxas wouldn't want that, either. Not if he loves you even half as much as you obviously love him."
"Let's make a deal, then." He probably shouldn't say this, it's going to be turned against him one way or another, but he really feels the image was a sign, that this time, his search won't be for nothing. "Give me three days. Three days on the Islands, after which, I'll either have sent you word that I have found Roxas, or returned with him."
"And if you don't find him?" Still quiet. "What are you going to do then?"
It's painful, even if he doesn't believe it will happen it's still painful to even suggest such a thing aloud, but right now, nothing can destroy his hope. "If I don't find him within those three days, I will return alone, alive and in as much of one piece as I now stand. If that happens, I will start to build a new life, here or somewhere else, and focus on my Mark of Mastery instead of my search." He no more believes Roxas is still hiding within Sora, he would have been found by now if that were true, but at least it would give him some kind of a purpose. A purpose that Roxas would approve of, at that.
"Deal." Mickey's eyes are sharp on him. "None of us want to see you suffer any more over this, Lea. This has to come to an end, one way or another."
"Oh, I'm well aware." And he's already reaching out his hand, already opening another Corridor. "Three days, Your Majesty. And before you protest, I've already been saddled with more than enough supplies to keep me alive for a few days." He shows his bag to Mickey.
"Three days." There's a tone of finality in Mickey's tone. "And if by then I have not heard from you, I will personally come to find you." He pauses, then adds, "With Xion."
"Oh, that's smart of you. You know I won't let myself to get hurt if she's going see me." Lea grins. "Don't worry, your mousiness. I've got a good feeling about this."
Then he draws his hood up and disappears into the deep darkness, not waiting to listen to any protests he would doubtlessly throw after him. He can again feel the darkness trying to worm its way into his heart, only to be repelled by the light and care woven into his cloak.
He won't give in to despair and darkness, not now, not ever. He has a light to follow.
And that light is going to lead him to Roxas at last.
Chapter 21 - A Hope Rekindled
Chapter 23 - Approaching Destiny
Chapter: 22/25
Chapter title: Deal with the King
Chapter rating: PG
Chapter summary: Lea has news to Mickey. However, the King remains unconvinced. In the end, Lea offers him a deal of three days. It's time to find Roxas, once and for all.
"Lea!" Mickey sounds surprised to see him. That might have something to do with the way he's just stepped out of the Corridor directly into his study, but hey, it's not his fault that the castle's security is so easy to bypass if he doesn't have malicious intents. "What on Earth happened? We've been worried about you!"
"Oh, you know." He knows there's a stupid grin on his face, but right now he can't be bothered to worry about his image. "Found the main Heartless in record time. Helped out a princess, saved her dear consort from a big bird cage in a tower that was bigger on the inside, then had to fight it. Got my coat shredded while I was at it, too."
"Your coat?" Mickey's eyes widened, as though it is only now that he realizes Lea isn't clad entirely in black. "But then how did you get here? That can't be safe!"
"Eh, I got a new cloak. See?" He makes a twirl around. Oh, yes, he feels almost giddy. "Made by the princess herself, just for poor ol' me. And before you get doubtful, she put some sun magic into it. If that's not convincing enough, I just came here through the Corridor and it didn't do a thing to ruin my good mood."
"According to our readings, the keyhole was closed several days ago, but you didn't appear until now." Mickey frowns. "Did you really stay there that long just to have a cloak made? Because while I'm glad you didn't take any risks with darkness, Minnie is going to be quite upset with you for worrying her."
"Oh, right." Lea blinks. Damn him and his habit of helping royals in distress; they can get so bossy when they're concerned. "Well, if it makes her feel any better, I've been too badly hurt to even make it out of bed until just a couple of days ago. Got my side cut up pretty bad, and the people of that world aren't really big experts on magic, so it was pretty slow until I was feeling well enough to start casting Cure on myself, little by little. So no, I didn't only worry her out of vanity, there was the whole not dying thing to deal with, too."
"Well, that's not going to make her any less worried, but hopefully she'll be less upset about you not notifying us earlier." And yet here's an ever deeper frown. "Lea? Are you feeling all right?"
"Hm?" He blinks. "Better than in a while. Hell, probably better than since before I first lost my heart. Not even the whole bit with beating Xehanort compares; that was somewhat dulled by the whole losing my eye and not finding Roxas thing."
"You see, that's precisely what concerns me here." What, his being happy is now a bad thing? Some friends he has. "I haven't seen you this cheerful, well, ever. However, I don't exactly see Roxas anywhere, so you couldn't have found him. So, I'm worried you might have gotten some kind of a stupid idea."
"Now, aren't you so very suspicious." Not that he can really blame him after everything, but still. "No, I haven't found Roxas. However, I just might have found a clue as to where he is."
"Oh?" Well, now Mickey looks interested, too. "And where is he, then?"
"Destiny Islands." His grin gets wider. "I never even went there. I thought it didn't make sense, and besides Riku and Sora would go there every now and then, but maybe he's hiding. It's not that small a place, and I know they've barely even stopped there since we've all been so busy with Heartless, so since they weren't especially looking for him they wouldn't have found him."
"But why would he be hiding?" Okay, a reasonable concern, but even that isn't enough to ruin his mood. "It's been a long time, Lea. What reason would Roxas have not to come forth?"
"Well, it's not like he knows the place, or knows anyone he could approach to get word to us." The Islands were only ever Sora's place. "Maybe he doesn't remember everything, or maybe he's injured. Either way, obviously I must go and find him." He's already itching to just open the Corridor and head to the Islands right away.
"Lea, please, slow down a bit." Mickey sighs. "I'm afraid this whole thing is going to end badly."
"What do you mean?" Lea frowns. "It can't be a trap or something; nobody in the Land of Lanterns would know about both me and the Islands, so nobody could have planted that clue on purpose. Besides, Riku and Sora would have noticed if anything had come up in their home. The worst that can happen is that I don't find him, again. I've been through that enough times already."
"Except this wouldn't be the same thing." Mickey gives him a stern gaze. "As I said, I haven't seen you this cheerful in ages, probably ever. And while I'm glad you're feeling hopeful again, I fear to think how you'd react if that hope comes to nothing."
"You're afraid I'll break." It's clear enough, even if Mickey won't come right out and say it. "That losing that hope will make me forget my my promise to stay alive."
"It's not an altogether baseless fear." Mickey's voice is very quiet, now. "At least let us help, Lea. You've been bearing this burden for long enough. Take a break, gather your strength, and then let's gather everyone and do a thorough sweep of all the worlds one last time."
"And then if we don't find anything, you can tell me to give up for good." That much is obvious.
"I just don't want you throwing away your entire life." The king sighs. "And I know Roxas wouldn't want that, either. Not if he loves you even half as much as you obviously love him."
"Let's make a deal, then." He probably shouldn't say this, it's going to be turned against him one way or another, but he really feels the image was a sign, that this time, his search won't be for nothing. "Give me three days. Three days on the Islands, after which, I'll either have sent you word that I have found Roxas, or returned with him."
"And if you don't find him?" Still quiet. "What are you going to do then?"
It's painful, even if he doesn't believe it will happen it's still painful to even suggest such a thing aloud, but right now, nothing can destroy his hope. "If I don't find him within those three days, I will return alone, alive and in as much of one piece as I now stand. If that happens, I will start to build a new life, here or somewhere else, and focus on my Mark of Mastery instead of my search." He no more believes Roxas is still hiding within Sora, he would have been found by now if that were true, but at least it would give him some kind of a purpose. A purpose that Roxas would approve of, at that.
"Deal." Mickey's eyes are sharp on him. "None of us want to see you suffer any more over this, Lea. This has to come to an end, one way or another."
"Oh, I'm well aware." And he's already reaching out his hand, already opening another Corridor. "Three days, Your Majesty. And before you protest, I've already been saddled with more than enough supplies to keep me alive for a few days." He shows his bag to Mickey.
"Three days." There's a tone of finality in Mickey's tone. "And if by then I have not heard from you, I will personally come to find you." He pauses, then adds, "With Xion."
"Oh, that's smart of you. You know I won't let myself to get hurt if she's going see me." Lea grins. "Don't worry, your mousiness. I've got a good feeling about this."
Then he draws his hood up and disappears into the deep darkness, not waiting to listen to any protests he would doubtlessly throw after him. He can again feel the darkness trying to worm its way into his heart, only to be repelled by the light and care woven into his cloak.
He won't give in to despair and darkness, not now, not ever. He has a light to follow.
And that light is going to lead him to Roxas at last.
Chapter 21 - A Hope Rekindled
Chapter 23 - Approaching Destiny
