Fellowship & Fairydust

“What?!” Grace dropped her tray of food, spilling it all over her. “You’re telling me that the two of them are alive?” 

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” As the others sat around me, I continued, “I was testing a new program to find their bodies when I locked on to their holo-screens. What doesn’t make sense as I couldn’t find them in this space.”

Looking up from her mirror app on her holo-screen, Eini asked, “What do you mean, not in this space?” I swear, people still go blind from the outfits that girl wears, and being up here in space has not changed that for her. The rich blonde refused to adjust her outfits no matter where she was, and made me wonder how she was chosen for this program. Probably a bribe from her parents.

“As in not in this solar system or galaxy, and I dare say not this universe,” Johri answered as she looked up from her tinkering. “Doesn’t make much sense, but that shaking from months ago seems to have affected the space around the planet. I know Professor Yeller has been working on learning as much from the Spatial Tremors, as he calls the incident, as possible.” 

“But how can that be?” Grace asked. “Isn’t the universe supposed to be everything?”

“It would not appear so.” Looking at them all, I continued, “I had no hopes of finding their remains, but I chose to try because I couldn’t bear it if there was something left and I did nothing to retrieve it. The fact that the two of them are alive… that changes everything. I intend on using everything I’ve got, all my extra research, into finding where they are and bringing them back. How about you?”

“You were only imagining things.” Another voice said. Looking over at us, Jezebel, dressed in black, continued, “Those two are dead, and good riddance I say. Jason was a pain in the butt, and Clair was a waste of space. I mean, why bring those two up here when there were plenty of better candidates for his project?”

“And what makes it more confusing is that there were twelve of us selected for his program,” Another guy spoke up. “The twelve of us, plus the professor, made thirteen up here until a few months ago. Without Jason and Clair, that’s eleven left. Why would he want so many?” 

Eini shook her head as she looked at him. “Santos. Must you always see conspiracies in everything?” 

“Someone has to,” He looked at her. “If I didn’t point out what all of you are willing to overlook, who knows where we would be.”
“Guys, come on. We’re veering off track. This isn’t about whether or not we’re all needed. And I didn’t imagine this. That really was Jason and Clair I made contact with. They’re alive, and I’m going to bring them back to Harthyn. You don’t want to help? Don’t help. But if anything happens to them, I will hold you responsible.”

Shrugging, Jezebel got up. “Whatever. I’m not going to waste my time chasing after ghosts I don’t care about.” As she left, Santos followed her. 

Looking at the others, I asked, “How about you? Are you willing to let two of our own perish or are you going to do what you can to help bring them back?” 

“That sounds like a challenge.” Polishing off some of her tools, Johri told me, “Count me in..” 

“Well, this is going to take a lot of data and research to do,” Grace said. “You’ll need someone who can keep track of all the information.” 

Deactivating the holo-screen, Eini turned to us. “Well, I don’t have anything better to do. And this sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime. I’m in, but only as long as you’re not in charge of the kitchen, Grace.” 

Smiling at my team, I said, “Then let’s go. We’ve got work to do.” 

 

MORTEM’S POV

Motunui…

Traveling across the ocean took less time than normal thanks to the craft I was now riding. I had been pondering my problem when my Keyblade activated and turned into some sort of flying vehicle. A Keyblade Glider, the name had come to my mind. How I knew that was beyond me. All I knew was that I was making great time getting to my destination. 

I had flown all day and all night, and my skin was burnt from the sun. That guy better has something to cure it or I was going to kill him for letting me get like this. It had been a clear night, but I didn’t care for the sights. I wanted to get to this anomaly in the Hearts of Light and figure out what it was. 

I could see the sky getting lighter in the distance. Dawn must be approaching, which would mean another day of flying in the hot blistering sun. I was not enjoying this world in the slightest. Why was there so little land? I hadn’t seen any islands since I left the one I had started on, and unless the inhabitants were aquatic I didn’t see how anyone could be living here. 

Whoa. What was that? I could see something coming up in the distance, hidden in the night although the light of the sun was starting to make it out. It appeared to be a mountain of some sort jutting out from the water like a broken bone. Using my powers, I found the light I was seeking… underneath it? Maybe it was a dormant volcano or something that I could get down to claim my prize. 

Flying up to the top of the mountain, I frowned as I saw it was not a volcano, but a regular mountain with a top… no, not a top. Some sort of face was carved into the top, which felt like it was supposed to warn people to stay away. Well, I knew what I needed was under that mountain, so I needed to figure out a way to get down. Landing, I dismissed my glider while I knelt to observe the markings. Maybe there was a clue as to how I would get past this obstacle and to the light. 

“You know, most mortals wouldn’t dare to come here.” A voice said behind me. Turning, I saw a huge man standing there. This guy had muscles on his muscles, so there was no way he could be human. Tattoos ran across his body like a personal art gallery, as black as his long curly hair. This newcomer was dressed in a skirt made of leaves and had… was that a giant hook? That was supposed to be his weapon? 

As silly as this guy looked, I doubted he was someone to take lightly. “I seek something. Something that is under this island, and I’m going to get it no matter what.” 

“Kid, I don’t know what you want, but if you go to Lalotai, you’re going to die.” The figure said. “As a hero to all, I can’t let some mortal go and get himself killed just so he can boast about it to his friends.” 

“I’m not doing this to boast to my friends. I don’t have friends, and I don’t want friends. What I want is to get to this Locotie place.” 

“Lalotai.” The figure corrected me. “Last warning. Go home.”

Summoning Vengeful Chaos, I held it up as I prepared to attack. “If you insist on stopping me, I’ll gladly destroy you.”
With a haughty laugh, the figure lifted his hook. “You got guts, I’ll give you that. Most people wouldn’t dare to challenge Maui, changeling, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, a hero to all.” 

Wait. Shapeshifter? He can change forms, and control the wind and sea? If he was a demigod, he must be strong. Smirking at the challenge, I said, “Enough talk.” 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, kid.” The demigod said as he held out his hook, which glowed as markings of some sort appeared all over it. “Cheeehooo!” Letting out what sounded like a battle cry, he swung his hook at me with more speed than I thought possible for someone his size. Catching me in the side, he managed to send me rolling. I felt the open air beneath me, but I managed to grasp the edge and prevent myself from falling to my death. 

Pulling myself back up, I glared at him. “Dark Firaga!” I conjured some Dark Fireballs and threw them at the shapeshifter. Maui, however, leaped up and brought his weapon down, forcing me to roll out of the way. I felt the entire mountain shake from the impact, and a part of me thought the island might collapse from the attack. 

Pressing the offensive, I threw more dark fireballs at my opponent, who grunted when they hit them, but he didn’t seem to back down. Flipping his weapon around, I thought he was going to come forward with another attack only to see him transform into a giant hawk instead. With a screech he flew at me, grabbing my shoulders with those sharp talons, and pulled me over the ocean where he released me. 

As I fell towards the water, I threw my Keyblade out so it could change into its Glider mode. As I did, I got tackled from behind by Maui, and as I turned to face him I saw he had turned into some sort of shark. With a growl, I summoned what dark energy I could and blasted him back. As he tumbled backward he transformed back into his heavily tattooed form. 

“Enough of this,” I snarled as I reclaimed my weapon and it transformed into a Glider. It reminded me of a motorcycle, at least that’s what my mind called the vehicle, with a giant cannon at the front. His eyes widened while I opened fire at him, blasting the cliff wall with so many shots it created a dust cloud. Smirking at my handiwork, I thought I had defeated the demigod until some pebbles came crashing down. Looking up, I saw a green lizard of some sort scampering up the rock wall. 

“Oh no, you don’t.” Turning my glider upwards, I fired another blast at the escaping Maui. My aim was dead on, as the rock wall exploded, sending him flying up into the sky and forcing him back to human form. Pushing the handles on my Glider forward, I flew up after him, ramming him with my mode of transportation and pushing him further into the sky. Before I could stall, I turned downwards and fired again, blasting the demigod off and back to the top of the mountain where he ended up crashing against the nose of the carving. 

Before I could do anything else, I heard something rumble like something was breaking apart. As I watched, the mouth of the carving opened, sending the demigod falling into the darkness. The whole thing was unsettling like he had fallen into the jaws of some ravenous beast. Still, I didn’t come this far to turn back, and I could sense the light I was seeking was through that mouth. Pushing the handles forward, I sped through the opening and into the darkness of whatever this Lalotai was. 

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