Young Writers Society

Lin followed Michael, making sure that his scarf was in place. “My name is Lin. I never properly introduced myself.”

Now that Lin had started moving, he had worked off the deep chill. Living in the forest in England forced you to adapt to the snow.

He spared a glance towards the sky. He had no way of knowing how long days were here. He could have hours before nightfall, or he could have a few seconds. Either way, he needed to find a way to explain the concept of turning into an English brown bear before he turned and someone attacked him.

Lin swallowed his nerves and turned his attention back to the group. “So, what are your worlds like?”

Ray smiled at all the introductions being made. This was a good start to their little impromptu alliance. Everyone also seemed to be rather friendly at first glance and there was no alarming signs of anyone wanting to attack.

Given how everyone seemed to be going rather informal with their language, he decide he may as well drop the bombast he tended to naturally adopt when it came to strangers.

"Its a pleasure to meet you all. I am..." he contemplated for just a second and decided it couldn't possibly hurt to use his real name for the moment. What are the chances of either of these people being supervillains that would use it for evil. Well he's avoid his surname just in case. "Raymond, but everyone calls me Ray."

He turned to the one who'd asked about worlds. "Ohh, well I suppose technically I am of Earth. One of the more technologically advanced ones if I do say so myself. Although it has been a good century since I've been back. I have no idea how much it may have changed."

Winnie shrugged at the question of what their world was like. She hadn't been to nearly as many as Kirux had, but, to her, her world was just her world. It had a school. It had an apartment. It didn't have anything weird or extraordinary, save for the Nobody that looked almost like an adult but very much acted like a child next to her.

Not that Winnie had much time to think about that. The moment that Michael had started moving around the lake's edge to get to the camp on the other side, Kirux had decided to follow along, too. And since Kirux and her were sharing his coat, Winnie had to go rushing after him.

"I've been to Earth before!" Kirux excitedly signed and mouthed. The name did sound vaguely familiar. Maybe one of his friends was from there? "Riku wasn't, though."

He skidded to a halt as an all-too-familiar thought occurred to him. It really had just been a matter of time before he remembered to ask his favorite question. Still, the stopping took Winnie by so much surprise that she ended up walking right into his leg.

"Have you seen Riku?" Kirux asked the group. Winnie wasn't sure who he was directing the question towards, seeing that Michael was in front of him and everyone else was behind. No one could see what he was signing or mouthing except for Winnie. "I'm looking for my heart."

Deciding now was the time to step in as Kirux's translator, she said, "Kirux's been to Earth before. We're not from there ourselves, and he doesn't think someone he knows named Riku has been there before."

"He's my heart," Kirux added, a frown appeared on his face when he realized Winnie hadn't included that.

"He's also looking for Riku and was wondering if anyone had seen him," Winnie finished, and that seemed to fix all of Kirux's disappointment. Riku had that effect on him.

“I haven’t see anyone else but you all.” Lin nervously looked towards the sky again. He hadn’t been this nervous to transform since the night everything went wrong. He had the luxury of growing up with people just like him, and his current family didn’t mind.

But he wasn’t sure how to even begin to broach the subject with this new group. Lin took a deep breath. One step at a time, I suppose.

“So, obviously not all of us are human.” He winced at the choppy transition. “But do any of your planets have people who turn into animals?”

Wondrous job, Lin. Not suspicious at all.

Lin flushed, fidgeting with his exposed fingers. “Never mind. That’s an odd question.”

"There are planets where people don't turn into animals?" Michael's eyes were wide. "Sure, there aren't many of us humanimals where I come from, but we've always been around... Must be a strange world, if all the people are just people." He blinked thoughtfully at this concept, then perked up. "Do you all have magic powers?"

Michael fluttered his wings and said, "I'm supposed to be able to turn into an epic flying stag when I grow up, but I can't really do anything right now except use my wings to make a light breeze. Oh, and hang stuff on my antlers, I guess. But that's uncomfortable." He shrugged.

"I wish I had flashy elemental magic like Miri and Pam. Miri's a water dragon and Pam can make plants grow!" Michael paused for a moment to catch his breath, then said, "Sorry for talking so much. But it helps me ignore all the cold and wetness and the fact that I'll probably miss the transfiguration exam tomorrow. Ugh, my grade's low enough as it is!" Michael rubbed his hands together to stave off the cold, then glanced around at the group. "Anyways... magic powers?"

"I suppose you can't call me human anymore," said Ray, "fair assumption. As for beings that turn into animals." Ray paused for a quick chuckle at the images that flashed through his mind. Vankous, who somehow managed to give a judgmental look as a goldfish. Harry attempting a belly dance as a python because he'd lost that bet to Jennifer.

"As the friend of multiple shapeshifters who turn into animals I haven't even heard of, that is certainly not a shortage where I come from," said Ray after a pause. "Gosh they lead to some of the most hilarious situations you could possibly encounter."

He turned to Michael. "Magic..well I suppose in some sense I do have some form of power, but I doubt its really magic. I do know plenty of people back home who use magic in various terrifying and honestly most often hilarious ways."

When Kirux heard the question about magic, he immediately perked up. He politely waited to answer like Winnie would want him to, then wasted no time at all replying to Lin's question when he was sure everyone else was done speaking.

"I have magic!" he mouthed and signed. He tried making a corridor of darkness to prove his point, but it weirdly didn't show. Kirux frowned briefly at that, but his sadness was quickly replaced with excitement when he realized he still felt the itch to make his keyblade appear.

(There was another itch, too, but keyblade.)

"Kirux has magic," Winnie said, quickly, like she was trying to beat him to summoning his keyblade. "I don't."

Kirux nodded in agreement.

He held out his hand. A moment later with a bright flash of light, his keyblade appeared in his hand. He beamed as he held it up to show the others.

"That's my magic!" he mouthed, with Winnie translating. "I can't turn into an animal, but I do get wolf ears and a tail in Halloweentown! And paws, and sharp teeth!"

Winnie translated that as well.

Lin sighed in relief. “Thank the heavens.”

He pulled down his scarf. “Well, I have magic. I think.” He paused for a moment before shaking his head. “Sorry. I turn into English brown bear when the sun goes down.”

He checked the sun again. “Which could be any moment. I’m not sure how time works here. But, even now, I have some more animalistic traits. Don’t worry, I’m not going to attack you or anything. I just have better senses. And bear teeth.” He smiled, displaying his thick, sharpened canines.

"Cool." Michael stared at Lin's canines. "Can you attack other people though?" The boy pointed at the camp, which wasn't too far away now. "Just in case there are people there and they're not friendly... Though they should be. What kind of person would leave a bunch of um... what are we... beings? travelers? to freeze to death?"

He fluttered his wings, then turned his attention to Kirux's keyblade. "Ooh, what can your keyblade do? Also, what's Halloweentown? Is it like my school, where everyone's a mix of a human and an animal?"

"Well that should prove more useful than otherwise in conditions like this," observed Ray, "it seems like we are quite the group here. Although I would advise that we maybe walk as we talk or we are all going to freeze to death long before we arrive anywhere."

"I also want to get to a fire," Winnie agreed.

Kirux, who had been about to launch into an excited conversation about knowing of other talking animals and one where he answered every question asked of him, faltered. He looked at Winnie, saw how cold she seemed to be, and gave a big nod in agreement. They could walk and talk! He didn't want Winnie to die.

Winnie started walking toward the camp, so Kirux did, too. It wouldn't take long to reach it—maybe just until they finished their conversation!

"I've heard of talking animals before! Like Mickey. Riku knows him, but I don't." He thought for a moment, face screwed up in thought as he tried to remember all of Michael's questions. "My keyblade can make pretty lights and open doors. Halloweentown is a creepy but fun town! There's not really anyone who's a mix of animals and humans, though."

Winnie dutifully translated everything with less enthusiasm than Kirux had while mouthing and signing it all. She also added at the end, "Halloweentown is another world Kirux has been to before. From what he told me, it has people that look like they're from horror stories."

"Oooh, that's neat." Michael's eyes were wide. "And you guys hop between worlds? I wish I could do that too... but I can't do anything fun until I turn sixteen." He sulked a little, then perked up. "I think I can almost feel the campfires! C'mon, everyone!"

Kirux nodded and Winnie shook her head, but Michael was already heading towards the camp when they did. Winnie sighed. It was like dealing with another Kirux, but Michael didn't have the excuse of only being one.

The group finally arrived at the campsite. Even without being right next to the fires within the site, Winnie could feel their warmth.

She looked around.

She hadn't fought nearly as many times as Kirux had, but she could tell that something had happened here. All the fires were burning, even though the entire space was empty without them. Things had been tossed aside and forgotten. There was some meals that had to be cold by the campfire, as well as some coats piled underneath the bigger of the tents. Even the tents looked a little unsteady.

Before Winnie could suggest that they stay as far away from the camp as they possibly could, Kirux left her by the fire closest to her and darted over to the tent. He picked up on the coats with a big grin on his face. Winnie quickly saw why. Not only was it colorful and different than what he usually wore, but it was thick.

He scooped the coats up in his arms and returned to the rest of the group. He dropped an absolutely massive dark blue one on Winnie that swallowed her up.

It was so warm, though, so Winnie didn't really mind.

"Thanks," Winnie said.

Kirux grinned, then held out the other coats for everyone else.

Ray grabbed a coat with a grateful sigh. "Thank you very much. It seems we've at least gotten ourselves something out of this camp...although regrettably something tells me whoever once stayed here didn't exactly leave on their own terms."

Lin accepted the coat, pulling over it over his old one. "It smells like war. I don't want to stick around too long. Smoke attracts those looking for trouble."

He looked around, his eyes rudely skipping over too much of the landscape. "I can't speak for any of you, but I don't want to be around when that happens. Call me paranoid, but I can think of many reasons someone might take advantage of us being lost out here."

He sighed. "I do apologize, though. You aren't seeing me at my best. I know my home country like the back of my hand. I know the opening of every river, the border of every town. Here, I know the sky is up, and the ground is down."