Word Count: 2380
Genre: Smut, Romance, and a hint of Fluff
Ships?: Tony Stark/Zexion
Characters: Tony Zexion
Rating: R
Spoilers: Nope
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Ironman, or any related characters. This was written out of enjoyment of the series, and no profit is being made.
Music: One Minute Man by Missy Elliot
Notes:
Searching for Dragons
"Hey. Who are they?"
Still happily wincing from the electric feeling racing up her tongue from a bit of Shock-o-Choc that's melting in her mouth, Yuffie looks up at the question. The first-year next to her is staring up at the table where all the teachers sit, green eyes wide and one of her fingers twisting through her brown hair. Olette, Yuffie thinks her name is. New to Ravenclaw house. Following her gaze, Yuffie stares right at the two guys seated up at the teachers table. One thing's for sure: they sure aren't teachers. As far as she's heard, there are no open positions available, and while Headmaster Ansem sure takes some weird people sometimes, somehow, the guy with the dreads and the guy with the badass scars don't quite fit in.
Yuffie pops her lips, both in thought and to get rid of the remaining tingly feelings from the chocolate. "Not a clue. Hold on." Suddenly, she bolts up so that she's standing on the bench, towering over most of her classmates. "OI! SQUALL! OVER HERE!" Most of the first years stare at her. Everyone else who's had at least a year to know her just glances up noncommittally and then goes right back to eating.
"Miss Kisaragi, please sit back down." Even as the headmaster calmly calls to her, their resident castle caretaker is already storming towards her. Happily, Yuffie allows herself to be caught by the shoulder and nearly slammed back down into her seat.
"On the day you graduate from here, I will personally toss you out the doors."
"So who are the guys in black?" Yuffie asks, ignoring the 'friendly' threat as she leans her head back to grin into Squall 'It's Leon, dammit' Leonhart. "And I mean the two guys sitting by the headmaster who don't exactly look like the wand swishing types. More like the types to kick a vampire in the face, actually."
Rolling his eyes, Leon at least has the decency to look at where she's pointing. "Ministry of Magic goons. Xaldin Savage and Xigbar Deadmen-"
"His name's Deadmen!?" Olette asks in surprise.
"I disbelieve," Yuffie declares. "That's, like, too awesome a last name."
Leon does another eyeroll. "Whatever." Even as he makes to leave, Yuffie just leans back and snags his sleeve. "What now?"
"Well, do you know what they're doing here?" she demands. "C'mon, you gotta spill."
"No, I don't." Hustle and bustle begins to become louder as many of the students begin to stand up, and Leon just tugs her back onto her feet. "Now, come on. Go back to your common room. The night's done with for now." Even as she begins to protest, he just takes her by the shoulders and shoves her off into the crowd. "And none of your ninja tricks, either!" Sulkily, Yuffie nonetheless continues to look over her shoulder towards the teachers' table, where almost all of the teachers are leaving as well... save the headmaster and the two men from the Ministry of Magic.
When the Great Hall is finally devoid of most people, students and teachers alike, Ansem claps his hands together. Instantly, all the dirty dishes on the tables vanish, off to the kitchens. "Now then, gentlemen," he says as he turns to face Xigbar and Xaldin, "I believe we should take care of your business in the forest and have you leave as soon as possible." Without another word, he begins to escort the pair out of the castle, signature red scarf wrapped around his throat.
"Awww, so cold and impersonal!" Xigbar exclaims, voice full of false hurt as he follows after. "I thought you'd have a little more love for two of your former students."
"For most of them? Yes." Ansem's voice becomes all the drier as they step outside onto the grounds and the two former students pull their cloaks tighter about themselves. "I admit myself worried that two among them were most notorious for creating damaging explosions and are now in high positions of power in the Ministry."
"...Listen, we only made an entire section of the castle unusable for maybe a month. At worst!"
"Xigbar." Xaldin pinches the bridge of his nose. "Shut up."
"Hey, I don't know why the hell you're acting embarrassed, you thought it was ******** awesome too," Xigbar shoots back as they pass a hut and step past the first of the trees. "Right then, let's start the lookout; you comin' with, teach?" A too sharp grin is flashed to Ansem.
"If there is truly a Peruvian Vipertooth on the grounds of my school, then of course I am going to search for it." As he adjusts his scarf, two little furry heads poke out from its folds. In surprise, Xigbar blinks.
"...Mice? I thought you'd go for something more majestic; isn't that what being a Headmaster's all about?"
Ansem sighs and looks up to the heavens as if requesting patience. "I was under the impression we were searching for a dragon and not discussing my choice of animal companions. Speaking of which..." He raises an eyebrow, looking curious. "As far as my knowledge goes, the Ministry is often content to let most magical creatures resides in the Forbidden Forest. Is there something peculiar about this particular Peruvian Vipertooth?"
More of Xigbar's too sharp smiles and Xaldin just glances at him coldly. "Nothing to worry about, Headmaster. Be sure to alert us if you find anything." Xaldin presses forward with little else said, and Xigbar follows after, nodding to Ansem before he, and his smile, disappear into the forest. Quietly, Ansem stares after them before he reaches up to run one of his fingers along the head of one of the mice, the one with a thin crimson ribbon tied about her throat.
It would take a fool not to see that something is amiss. With his two little companions riding on his shoulder and clinging to his scarf, Ansem himself traverses into the darkness of the forest. Far-off, he can hear quiet sounds- rustlings, cawings, clickings. All sorts. The Forest, after all, is a place full of life, even in the dead of night. After some time of walking with plenty of time to ponder Xigbar and Xaldin's progress, Ansem suddenly becomes aware of small claws scrabbling at his robe's shoulder. The other mouse, the one without the ribbon, is pointed in one direction, nose and ears twitching. Following his intuition, Ansem quickly changes his direction. Apparently, it's the right choice; after a few moments, he can hear some thrashing and hissing.
At last, he emerges into a clearing, where the moonlight reflects off of copper scales. The reptilian beast whirls about at the sound of Ansem's feet cracking small twigs, and bares its teeth, revealing a set of fangs which seem an eerie green color. That, however, is something the Headmaster is certain an illusion of the moon. Carefully and slowly, he begins to raise his wand, only to pause as the two mice dart down his arm and hop down. As they do so, their forms suddenly twist and change, making them larger...
The two very short individuals are suddenly stand before him also have their wanders out, although only the man has his pointed at the Peruvian Vipertooth. His black hair is cut short and swept back, revealing both a bit of a widow's peak and his very large set of ears. Besides that, he's quite the handsome fellow, a fact made all the more obvious when he grins widely over his shoulder at Ansem. "Just like I thought! Knew I could always follow my nose." The serious expression is back on his face instantly as he looks back towards the Peruvian, which is slowly twisting itself about to face them.
Out of nowhere, it lunges forward, but the Animagus just waves his wand. Brilliant golden and glowing chains snap about the dragon's jaws, locking them shut tight. The finishing touch is a small little lock which hangs from its bottom jaw, jingling with each jerk of the enraged beast's head. Ansem and his companion step forward, only to be pushed aside by the woman. "Thank you, Mickey," she says, voice sweet and pleasant as she smiles at the other Animagus. "I'll take it from here. Besides..." A worried frown appears on her face. "Look... He doesn't look at all well, does he?"
Her observation is well met. The dragon's brilliant green eyes are indeed horribly bloodshot and seem to have difficulty staying open. Even its posture is wrong, as if each second standing up takes a horrible toll. While they stare, it begins to cough horribly, its only relief being through its nose. Mucus begins to fall from its nostrils, filled with bloody bits and landing heavily on the forest floor.
Ansem bends down to place a large hand on the woman's small shoulder. "Be careful, Minnie."
The smile she gives him is just as radiant and glowing as Mickey's. It's something they have in common, really: something in their smiles makes everything seem so much better and spreads a warmth inside a person's soul. While her hair is black like Mickey's, it's long and tied up into two buns on the sides of her head. Rolling up her sleeves to reveal her white gloves, Minnie treads closer to the dragon. It begins to growl at her, but she only continues to smile, eyes sad and understanding. "Calm down," she says quietly. "Everything will be alright. I only want to help."
The dragon gives one last weak growl, but perhaps Minnie's kindness is too much to resist, or perhaps the creature is just too tired to raise a commotion. Weakly, it lays its head down on the floor and allows Minnie to approach it. Very carefully, she kneels down by its head and rests her fingers on the area above its eye. "You poor thing," she murmurs.
A mere little distance away, Ansem and Mickey await, filled with tension in hopes that Minnie will be alright as she inspects the dragon. At last, she looks up, worry filling her eyes. "I think there's something in his stomach that's making him so sick. It's... I don't think he'll be able to survive much longer, and I don't think there's much we can do for him." Mickey is at her side instantly, even though there aren't any tears that can be seen, and wraps his arm around her shoulders.
Ansem crouches down on her other side. "The best we can do, then," he says softly, "is to allow it a gentle departure." Raising his wand, he taps it against the dragon's lower eyelid, pointing the tip at the enormous pupil which stares wearily at him. "Sompacis," he whispers. Instantly, the dragon's eyes slide shut, and its breathing becomes smooth once more, deep and slow. Together, the trio huddle and begin the long wait. A good ten minutes pass before a change is noticeable. The pauses between inhales becomes longer, the breathes all the slower... Eventually, they stop altogether.
They all stay quiet for a moment more before Mickey shakes his head. "I don't like it," he announces. "It's suspicious, what those two are doing here. I say we see just what they were searching for in this poor guy. Hey, Ansem-?"
"Of course." They both stand up and, with a bit of magic, open up the dragon's heavy jaws. Without a single bit of hesitance, Mickey sticks nearly half his body inside. A brief bit of light can be seen as he casts a spell, and then, a minute later, he's wiggling right back out again, a strange thick bracelet in one of his own white gloved hands. Something about the item instantly makes most of them feel rather ill, but they all manage stoic faces as Mickey drops it to the ground. Despite it's time spent in the dragon's stomach, it seems relatively unharmed.
Minnie is the first to speak. "It's made by Dark Arts." Her black eyes glance up at them. "I can tell."
"Really?" Fascinated, Ansem crouches down to inspect it. "I wonder what-" He becomes aware of Mickey standing near his shoulder, feet tapping. Quickly, he gives a sheepish smile. "Of course. We'll have to destroy it."
Reaching over to pinch and stretch his friend's cheek, Mickey shakes his head with a big grin. "You're too curious about everything for your own good."
Tugging down her sleeves, Minnie giggles at the two before nodding to the bracelet. "Let's hurry, then. We don't want those two gentlemen stumbling onto this, do we?"
Some two hours later, the two Ministry of Magic wizards and the Headmaster finally exit the forest. Scratching his head, Xigbar puffs out some air. "Damn. Poor b*****d didn't have a strong enough digestive system." As they arrive on the steps of the castle, his partner looks over at Ansem.
"We'll send someone over to clear its corpse out from the forest," Xaldin states simply.
Ansem doesn't answer for a second, instead feeding some bits of cheese to the mice in his scarf. "No need," he says when he looks up. "The forest tends to take care of these things on its own. Unless, of course, you need the dragon's body for some reason or another, besides gathering heartstrings and the like...?"
Subtly, the pair glance at each other before Xigbar smiles lazily. "Nah, it's cool. And now, if you'll excuse me..." He stretches his arms above his head and yawns. "I think I'll hit the hay! And hey, that Apparition professor, Missus Muris? Tell her to get well soon for me."
Ansem just smiles as they step into the castle. Nestled in his scarf, the two mice squeak. "Of course. I'm sure she'll be happy to hear it."
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