Vexen groaned and groggily sat up. He was in some sort of hole. A very large hole. The Paperwing (magical airplane) lay crumbled over to the side. How had he gotten here?? Oh yes. Zexion, Kilaree, Sabriel, Mogget, and he had been flying in the paperwing to Belisaere when Gore crows, a type of undead, flying Heartless of Multiple types, and a new enemy had attacked. A new enemy. It looked like a phoenix, as it emitted a blinding glow. But it appeared insubstantial, at least until it attacked. They had ripped into Paperwing causing it to dip and fall.

Vexen and Zexion had tried to defend the aircraft, but it was to no avail. Sabriel couldn't help as she was driving, and Kilaree was useless as technology didn't seem to function in the Old Kingdom. It also hadn't helped that Zexion and Vexen had had to hold onto the Paperwing by a series of straps. Thus they had to hold onto the straps with one hand and fight with the other. Which proved near impossible.

Mogget had saved them surprisingly. Sabriel, with great reluctance, removed his collar, and it seemed to release Mogget's powers. Mogget had guided the Paperwing down, but the aircraft had fallen into a big hole.

And that was how they were in this predicament. Kilaree was still unconscious, Zexion was leaning against a wall clutching his leg, and Sabriel was facing Mogget. Or what had been Mogget.

Mogget had mutated into a large, glowing creature. It was slightly human, but larger, fiercer. And it seemed rather pissed. It was shrieking about freedom and a blood price. Vexen shakily stood, almost falling down again. The crash had taken a lot out of him. Sabriel was retreating from the creature. She looked to be retreating. Vexen began to summon his shield. And then stopped. Sabriel was holding something in her hand. A large silver ring, just big enough to slip over the creature that was Mogget's head. She seemed to realize that fact too. As the creature leaned down to bite her head off, Sabriel flicked the ring over the creature's neck.

She was flung across the area.

The ring was contracting on the creature's neck, becoming smaller, taking away its power. The creature was clawing at it, desperate to get it off. But it was no use. The ring stayed on, contracting, making the creature shrink. The creature made a last ditch attempt and tried to attack Sabriel. The attack failed. The creature was small now, the size of a cat. The ring had marks on it now. Charter marks. The whole thing felt unfinished. Zexion realized it first.

"Ring a bell," he called to Sabriel. Sabriel nodded and fumbled with the second largest bell. There were 7 bells. The smallest was Ranna, the waker; followed by Kibeth, the walker; Dyrim, the guide; Belgaer, the thinker; Saraneth, the binder; and Astrael the Sorrowful, the Banisher. Astrael was never to be used. It cast everyone, including the ringer, into Death. These were the tools of a necromancer. Sabriel was no necromancer. She was The Abhorsen. The Abhorsen made sure that the dead stayed dead. But still she looked for her father, even though it was painfully obvious to everyone else that her father was in death, dead. But she still held onto that hope.

Sabriel rang Saraneth once. It pierced the ring; the ruby on the ring seemingly melted and made the rest of the ring look like a familiar red collar. A miniature Saraneth sprouted from the collar and hung down.

Mogget's form reappeared where the creature once was.

"Your nose is still bleeding. Light the candle, pinch your nose, and get some blankets out for us to sleep. It's getting cold," a familiar voice commanded.

"Welcome Back, Mogget," Sabriel whispered, barely audible to Vexen and Zexion.

"Cats," Zexion grumbled.

Maggie and the Bones followed Axel and the other figure in silence. They were being led to a floating white castle.

"Nice place," Phoeny remarked, his mind already full of scams. For in his mind, where there is a castle, there is money. You could see the money signs in his eyes already.

"Is that where we're going?" Bartleby asked.

"Better question, where is this place?" Maggie asked, looking around.

Axel smirked. "This is The World That Never Was. Got it memorized?"

"That is the stupidest catch phrase I've ever heard," Maggie informed Axel.

The other man sniggered slightly. But it was barely audible.

"Luxord, shut up," Axel grumbled. The other figure removed his hood to reveal a man with light blond, almost white hair. He took a deck of cards from his pocket and began to shuffle them.

"Make me," Luxord told Axel.

"There's no need to fight," Fone Bone interjected, his years of habitually negotiating fights between his cousins coming into play.

"I don't think they'll listen to you, Fone," Smiley remarked, still trying to light his wet cigar.

"That cigar's not going to light, idiot," Phoeny grumbled. "And why am I driving?"

A large snap cut the air near Phoeny's head. Maggie's mechanical horse withdrew its mouth from the vicinty of a very scared Phoeny.

"Because I told you to," Maggie said impassively. "And you aren't to scam anybody, Phoeny. I don't want to put up with your shenanigans," she added crossly.

Phoeny grumbled and acquired a dark look in his eyes as they approached a chasm that lay below the floating castle. Luxord summoned a bridge that looked insubstantial to connect the edge to the castle.

"Is that safe?" Fone asked. Maggie rolled her eyes and moved the mechanical horse onto it. She had it shuffle from side to side and made it take a small leap.

She nodded. "I would say so." She began to guide the horse up the bridge. "Coming?" she called back.

The Bones and Bartleby sighed and started the cart up the slope, with Luxord and Axel trailing behind.

Disclaimer Moony owns nothing.

I'm sorry it took me so long to update. And it's so short too. Gaah... I ran into writer's block... I named it J.A. Don't try to guess what it means. Sooooooo... the only one to guess the mystery member's correct identity was EliasDaemonwing. One Luxord Plushie for you. But good guesses all around.

Thanks to all my reviewers: EliasDaemonwing, The White Raven013, Mooncry, IcyPirateChic, and Jinzouningen. Thank you!!! Axel plushies for you all!!

Now, Moony has a question. A survey, per se. I need a Disney world to go to after this arc ends. Hopefully soon, as my copy of Sabriel is due back soon. As in this Tuesday. Crud. So I would appreciate World Suggestions. Just put them in a review. And if you review, you will recieve... a plushie of any of the Bone Cousins!!! C'mon, you know you love'em!!!!!!!!!