Think of this as it is: a fairy tale.
You found this text sitting quite innocently on Merlin's shelf, tucked between the book which is home to Winnie the Pooh and the unusually thick, magicked novel which is home to the Iliad and the Arthurian Legend – the latter of which the old wizard refuses to loan to you; at least, not until both groups of characters from starkly contrasting cultures can calmly set aside their differences and get along. This one, though, appears quite harmless, and you are assured that no, this one won't take you into another world and force you through some strange and mildly awkward task before you can get home.
This is a tale of a universe far, far away, of a galaxy that never was. You do not hear the explosions of colliding firepower, and no one can blame you for it. In a universe like this, all people are ruled by technological prowess, by the capability of their machinery to keep them alive in their harsh environments. It is in a galaxy like this, filled with people who would sooner trust their machines and weapons to do the talking for them than their own voices, that conflict is inevitable. That the war you are about to witness is inevitable.
Place yourself in this story, and become part of it. All that you know of this world you stay in – images of your allies and enemies, of beloved friends and family – join you as you fit each image into its place next to a new character role. For a moment, the tiniest of moments, allow imagination to take over, giving these faces you knew their own chance to imagine, to become these new characters for the tale you are soon to behold.
Now, allow us to move on, and enter the current scene…
At its highest point in the sky, the sun burned down mercilessly upon the vast desert of Agrabah. Shelter was not rare here, but dangerous to procure, for they were the homes of the desert's native dwellers, creatures highly adapted to their climate.
"For the last time, get OUT!"
With a solid but muffled explosive noise, a cloud of dust and sand was spat roughly from one of the many sand dunes, revealed the entrance to a cave. Amidst the cloud, a small blackened form bounced and rolled on the hot sand, squeaking and jabbering as it did. After a few brief seconds of the clumsy activity, it managed to regain itself and shot upward, spreading its leathery wings as it gained altitude. Clear of the dust cloud, it hovered under the sun, unbothered by the heat.
As the dust continued to pour from its previous container, a coughing teenager poked his head out of the opening, waving his hand madly in front of his face in a desperate attempt to clear the air he needed to breathe. He continued to cough until the air settled at last, before leveling a glare at the creature watching him from above. The flying critter did not take kindly to being evicted from its home, and started to jabber angrily at the intruder who so effectively kicked it out.
Unimpressed by the single beast, the youth stepped fully out of the cave. Squinting against the harsh sunlight, he found a good, weighty bit of ammunition off the ground. This he flung forward, watching it disappear into the too-bright blur of white ahead. Despite his handicap, the rock he used still came close enough to the cowardly creature, and it zipped away without a further word of insult.
Satisfied, the boy turned and ducked back into the cave, calling out, "Hey! What's taking so long? … Hello?"
No answer was returned. The youth crouched, the ceiling too low for him, as he inched his way carefully back into the darker depths. Then he found what he was looking for, though not in the state he had hoped. Greeted by a pile of metal and synthetic fibers that crackled and sparked, he slumped his shoulders with a depressed groan.
"Not another one…" he moaned. "Al's gonna be mad…!"
Unexpectedly, there was a loud boom through the air. Perking up at once, the boy shuffled backwards until he reached the cave opening, stumbling and flailing for purchase until he ultimately landed on his butt, barely avoiding a back flip as he lay arched on the slop of the dune. He flinched, reaching up to shield his eyes from the sunlight, when a different sort of sparkle caught his eye. Looking more carefully around his hand, he saw it again. Bright flashes like stars twinkled, flickered, appeared and reappeared.
"… What's that?" he wondered aloud.
Beyond the skies of Agrabah, out in space itself, a fierce exchange of gunfire was in session. A Gummi Ship darted and weaved as best it could, firing backward at its pursuer. Dwarfing it was a monstrously larger Ship, pelting it with wave after wave of bright red bolts. Despite the smaller vessel's valiant efforts to evade the assault, its main fin disintegrated in a mass of light and smoke.
Within the attacked ship, the explosion rocked and jostled its occupants about. Initially running down the hull at top speed, a girl clad in stealth gear yelped at the sudden turbulence, barely saving herself from a painful collision with the nearby wall. One of the ship's crew behind her was not as lucky, connecting with a loud "clang" before dropping unconscious. As another blast shook the ship bodily, the girl dropped to the ground and covered her head.
"There goes the main reactor," she muttered, her tone thick with dread.
All about her, the armed escorts were running for the entrance, taking up positions with their weapons ready. Despite their efforts, the obvious was presented to them all: they were outnumbered, outgunned, and soon to be outlived.
"This is it," the girl declared somberly, "we're doomed."
There was another lurch, this one surprisingly gentle compared to the others. It was followed quickly by a muffled series of metallic chimes, the hull creaking above their heads from a sudden external pressure.
"They've grabbed us! Ready yourselves!" the leader called. Then, turning to the girl, "You, android – return to the princess!"
Saluting once, the girl obeyed the command by pushing off the ground and squeezing through the crowd, muttering phrases of "excuse me", "pardon me", "watch your head", "your boot's untied" and so on. As she hopped over a final armed man and ducked into one of the corridors, the sealed entrance seemed to glow with light. Quite suddenly, it exploded into a shower of debris, and from the rising smoke gray, featureless beings slipped forward with serpentine grace. The escorts opened fire at once, the first shots taking down a few of the slower creatures. The faster ones, however, repaid the assaults with their own.
As the fighting escalated, the girl continued to run down the dark passageway, her senses open to anything that might approach her from either side. She was not escaping; far from it, she was searching, seeking out the two that had not joined the others at the entrance: one was the princess, and the other…
"… Leon! Leonhart, where are you?!" she called. Her footsteps were halted with a screech as she spotted two silhouettes just ahead. Barely making out and recognizing who they were, she renewed her dash toward them. "There you are! Where have you been, you-"
She was quick to fall silent, her excitement giving way to confusion as she stared at the proceedings that became more visible under dim lighting.
Kneeling on the ground in a reverent manner was what appeared to be an adult male of tanned skin and toned muscle, dark brown hair brushing against his clothed shoulders. But at closer glance, the front of the same figure's chest was an opened panel, revealing a strange array of hardware within the cavity that should have been occupied by heart, lungs and bone. His eyes were glowing with icy blue light, slightly darker and barely visible lines of code skimming along their surface.
Standing before the panel was another girl. She was younger than the first, and unlike her was dressed in a regal set of robes with a hood over her head, attire more formal and befitting of nobility. In her hand was something thin and shining with reflected light, which she inserted into a thin horizontal gap in the metal surface. It accepted the object steadily and, as it disappeared, the pair of glowing orbs slowly dimmed, fading until they were normal, humanlike eyes of pale blue. As though waking from a trance, the figure furrowed his brows and dipped his head.
Closing the panel, the girl pushed it gently until it slid into place, seams thinning into invisibility. With the last trace of his true mechanical nature hidden, she reached up and touched his cheek, taking in his troubled countenance. Smiling softly, she lifted herself a little higher to wrap her arms about his neck in a hug. As she whispered something into his ear, his face relaxed, returning to an emotionless, blank expression.
The hooded girl let go and stepped back, and at once he rose to his feet. His head turned, bright eyes catching sight of the other girl in the corridor quickly. He strode toward her, then slightly pass her before snatching her by the waist and carrying her back the way she came. His surprised passenger blinked, and then suddenly noticed her new situation with a loud clamor.
"Leon, wait a minute! Where are we going? You forgot the princess! You're not supposed to forget the princess! What's going on, you giant walking war machine?! Put me down and explain yourself! HEY!!"
The steps did not falter, continuing a steady, determined stride toward an unseen destination. As they disappeared from sight, the hooded girl who remained watched after them silently. At last, she turned and ran in an opposite direction, a different pathway that would hopefully put some distance between herself and the attackers. As she reemerged in the main hallway, she realized too late that her effort had been in vain. There was a low warble of garbled voices before a blur of gray swooped over her.
The pair continued unhindered down the hallway, the attacking force yet to reach this deep into the ship. Reaching a hatch, the one identified as "Leon" finally dropped the girl unceremoniously upon the hard floor, his hands wrapping around a long bar. He twisted it clockwise with a sudden jerk, popping the seal with a hiss of air and a red, frequent flashing of light from an overhead bulb. The hatch drew open slowly, and Leon grabbed the girl again before tossing her in.
"Watch it, you big bully!" she protested, though easily rolling back onto the balls of her feet and looking no worse for wear.
Without a comment or apology, he continued down the row, working on panel after panel. With steady drones and rushes of air, escape pods jettisoned into space one by one. With one unpleasant task done with, Leon returned to the first pod and stepped in beside her. Without a pause, he yanked the hatch shut behind them. Staring numbly at the sealed door, she paused.
"… You're serious?"
He did not answer, focused instead on manning the pilot's seat. With a lurch, the pod pulled free from its place and dove for the planet below. With the Gummi Ship left far behind, the girl straightened, looking from her companion to the vessel that was further and further away with each passing moment. She did not notice until a loud bang sounded to the side, prompting her to jump backward, bumping into the side of the already cramped space.
Fist still curled tautly, Leon did not draw it back from where he nearly dented the tough hull of the escape pod. His jaw was clenched so tightly that the barest grinding could be heard. Though the girl could not see his new expression, his tense body language was readable.
Wisely, she left him alone, staring at his back as the pod continued its approach toward Agrabah.
The fight was finished, the very echoes of weapon fire long gone. The gray beings continued to quiver about, searching the ship for anything that might have escaped their notice. A new set of footsteps approached, getting closer to the broken doorway. Then, at last, the source stepped into the ship. He was a tall, imposing figure, with a black coat that was drawn close at his front and a hood hiding his face entirely. He appeared unarmed, but carried himself nonetheless with the imposing air.
As he stepped forward, the gray beings moved out of his way, all save for one that seemed cautious in its approach. Only when the hooded figure raised his hand in a permissive gesture did the creature float to his side. Its words were garbled, but its message was understood nonetheless.
"The plans must be hidden on one of those pods. Investigate them immediately," he answered with an order. Then, "Have you found their leader?"
The gray being warbled something more in reply. Hearing the words, the figure nodded once and the creature hastily left his side. It led the way, its master stepping over the bodies of enemy and comrade alike until they at last reached their destination.
Unconscious on the floor was the hooded girl, not far from where she had been spotted. Standing over her, the figure finally bent down just low enough to grab the edge of her hood and pull it back, away from her head. Short red hair was revealed, slightly rumpled from the rough handling, framing a delicate, heart-shaped face. The figure studied her for a moment more, his gloved hand leaving the cloth of her hood.
"So the rebels send children to do their work…" he commented, his voice rough and deep but void of tone; neither malice nor amusement. He straightened at last, ordering the creatures about him, "… Take her away."
It started as a small twinkle of light in the distance. Slowly, it grew in size, steadily getting larger as it plummeted out of the sky. There was a single, loud clap through the air as the escape pod punched a hapless and dune, burying itself halfway into the sand with a cloud of smoke and dust. Within the unintentional screen, the seal popped open a second time, hissing as it peeled away to grant its passengers' exit.
The girl was the first out, hopping from the entrance and landing a short distance away with catlike grace. Leon was a step behind her, though his movements were less dramatic. Unable to remain within the vicinity of such an obvious beacon for pursuers, Leon shot ahead in the direction of the desert rocky mesas, the girl following his lead with little hesitation. If they wanted to avoid recapture from whoever seized the ship, any direction was better than none.
"Leon," the girl called out, "exactly when were you planning to tell me what's going on?"
The one ahead did not pause for more than two seconds before picking up the pace. Glaring at his back, the girl sped forward, catching up easily before cutting in front of him and planting herself there. Hands on her hips, she leaned forward and pointed out firmly, "She's my princess too, you know!"
If nothing else, the words were what finally halted Leon's steps. He raised his head, looking at her properly before turning to look back at where they came from. By this time, the pod was no more than a barely visible source of smoke.
"We both know we're far enough," the girl added, "so come on: talk to me."
At first, Leon continued to remain silent, his brows furrowing again. When he did come to his decision and looked back at her, his lips remained tightly sealed. Instead, his right eye flickered with light, a strange series of high-pitched whirs, beeps and clicks escaping his throat.
"What are you doing now, idiot?" the girl yelped, her head darting left and right so fast it seemed threatened to snap with its speed. "You're not fooling anyone when you talk like that! Are you trying to get us…" then one set of clicks caught her attention, and she refocused on him in an instant. "… What mission? What are you talking about?"
The other eye just started to glow as well, but before Leon could "say" anything more a blast of sickly green energy shot between them. Two more pelted down seconds after, the sand sizzling upon contact and causing the pair to jump apart. It was then that they noticed the small beings that approached them – shadowy beings with navy blue cloaks and purple hats.
"Oh, shoot! Fungus!" the girl identified with justified worry. "Run for it!"
As though sensing their panic, the beings fired anew, blasting beam after beam of energy at them as they closed in.
Far from their location, uncaring for the commotion, a pair of gray beings flitted above the downed pod, circling the smoldering vessel over and over. One of them suddenly dipped, coming closer to the sand. It garbled at its companion, waving a boneless limb over the footprints yet to disappear. Both flew after the trail, closing in on the targets they were after, but by the time they reached the site of the most recent action, there was nothing left to see but dark green smoke hissing from the sand, and a mess of tracks detailing the struggle that had occurred.
At the entrance to Agrabah's capital, home of its ruling sultan, rested a transport the size of a small house. Milling about it were more little beings, fiddling with buttons and yanking at switches. In a moment, giant doors had pulled away to reveal its dark interior. In a series of chattering, the beings escorted their cargo out into the sunlight. Each one was a being of torn synthetic skin and revealed metal pieces, some with flickering eyes and others moving more stiffly and robotically than others. Once, when they were in much better condition, they could have passed for human.
One of the beings – this one with a white robe and a puffy red hat – paused in its work, cocking its head inquisitively as it looked out into the distance. In the shimmering heat of midday, the earlier scouting group of Black Fungus floated toward it, laden with their newly acquired cargo. When they got close enough, said cargo was deposited upon the desert floor with little grace.
"{New stock?}" the white robed one asked, earning a delighted cackle from one of the scouts.
"{Good stock!}" the black robed declared with emphasis, obviously quite pleased with itself. The white one, however, seemed highly unimpressed as it surveyed the pair lying there.
"{This one is obviously damaged. We'll be expected to cut the price,}" it stated, pointing a clothed limb at the taller one's face, where a deep scar cut down just above the nose. Nonetheless, it seemed satisfied that both otherwise looked functional, and waved over more white robed companions. "{Hurry to get them ready. Don't keep our customer waiting.}"
Chortling with understanding, the beings got to work, fitting them with a tarnished disk each and brushing them down. With a few unanimous nods amongst themselves, they hustled the pair into line with the rest of their wares. As a final measure, each one was given a good hard whack to their heads before the beings moved on at last. The girl woke up with a start and recognized their new predicament at once.
"This is all your fault!" she snapped, kicking her companion in the shin. "Look where your dumb beeping got us – back in the Forced Aid for Unemployment line!"
Slower to recover, Leon raised a brow and his right eye flickered again. More beeping was emitted, either to annoy her or simply because he was too stubborn to do otherwise.
"… Well, it sounds a fat lot better than 'stolen for sale'…!"
Meanwhile, just ahead, one of the white robed beings was exchanging words with a local of the city, waving its limbs and spouting an animated sales pitch of sorts in its queer, unintelligible language as it led the customer toward the line. The girl perked up as she noticed the young man stop in front of her, looking quite pleased to see something of reasonable quality amidst the more severely battered refuse.
"What's your function, kiddo?"
With her most winning smile in place, the girl bounced to her feet and saluted cheerily. "First Class Ninja, sir! You won't find a better one anywhere on this lump of dirt!"
"You any good at tracking?"
"Sure am!"
The man's smile widened into a pleased grin and he pointed her way. "I'll take this one," he informed the much smaller being beside him. Then, looking back down the crowd, he moved on, "I'll probably need a new Genie as well…"
Stepping out of the line to follow her new employer, the girl looked back at where her companion remained sitting on the dusty ground and staring listlessly at his feet. Before she could call his attention, a steady whoosh of air sounded from a distance away. Approaching them was a hover bike – one of the locally produced Magic Carpet models, from the look of it. Clambering off the seat, a teenager with a head of thoroughly mussed brown spikes jogged up to where they were.
"Hey, Al!"
"Sora, you're just in time!" her employer replied in greeting. "The White Mushrooms have some decent stuff for once- Wait a second. Where's my Bandit?"
"Uh… well…" the youth "Sora" twiddled his thumbs uncertainly as he spoke, "… you see, your Bandit's kinda… no longer."
"No longer what?"
"In existence."
"Not another one!" Al cried out in exasperation. "That Bandit was the best fighter I had, and you wasted it?!"
"It wasn't my fault!"
"… Say Boss," the girl interrupted conveniently. With a sly grin, she pointed back at where her companion still sat. "If you want a hardy fighter, I highly recommend that one."
Both Al and Sora looked over skeptically at the unmoving figure. To their credit, Leon was not doing much to warrant attention.
"Are you sure?"
"He's a SeeD!" the girl declared, her head bobbing up and down enthusiastically. "SeeDs can walk off anything!"
Sora's eyes widened as he looked their subject over with a whole new light. "That's a SeeD? … What happened to his head?"
"Just an old scar, really. All part and parcel of being a cyborg," she assured. "It won't be a bother at all."
Intrigued, Sora looked back at the taller man beside him. "Hey, Al, could you…?"
"… So long as you pay me back, I guess," Al conceded. "As long as you're blowing up fighters, you might as well blow up your own. Hey!" Calling the attention of another White Mushroom, he pointed back at the seated figure. "We'll take that one, too."
With a big grin on his face, Sora jogged back toward where his newly acquired fighter was being nudged to his feet. "Thanks, Al!"
"For that, and for my Bandit!" Al called back in reminder. "Don't forget that!"
Leon, meanwhile, was surprised to find himself shoved out of the line. It did not last as he found himself standing before his smug companion.
"You owe me big time," she uttered gleefully, earning a glare in return.
"This way, guys. Come on," Sora called, beckoning them to follow him as Al remained behind to talk price. While negotiations went on, he brought them far enough without completely leaving sight and impatiently waved at Leon. Disgruntled, the taller figure followed the condescending order to sit down, giving the shorter teen better access to him. His companion, however, was a lot more grateful.
"Thanks for the save, sir!" she piped jovially, slapping dust off her stealth suit with wide swings. "You won't regret this!"
"Sora's fine," the boy answered. "I don't care for 'sir'."
"Whatever you say, Boss!" she replied cheerfully before introducing herself. "The Great Ninja Yuffie, at your service! Mr. Grumpy here has a fancy name, but we just call him Leon."
"Leon, huh?" Sora tried the name on his tongue before looking a little more closely at his newly acquired SeeD, specifically at the aged line on his face. "I've never seen an actual cyborg before, never mind a SeeD like you. Where'd you get your scar from?"
"I'd say it was one of his oldest badges of honor, if not his first," Yuffie answered for the other. "He already had it when we first met before the War."
Sora's expression brightened with interest. "You two were in the War? In real battles with fighting in space and exploding ships and everything?"
"How else do you think we ended up here?"
"How old are you?"
"Hey!" she protested playfully, wagging a finger in disapproval. "You may be my boss, but that don't mean you get to question a lady's age!"
Smiling in good humor, Sora went back to examining Leon. The SeeD did not flinch as his left eye was probed at with careful fingers, but then the right flickered intensively with a series of whirrs and clicks. The boy blinked, having not expected that to happen.
"Come again?"
"He asked you not to do that," Yuffie translated. The fingers promptly pulled away from the SeeD's face with an added apology.
"What's wrong with your speech synthesizer?" Sora asked instead, despite the fact that the other could not really answer him. As he reached this time for Leon's throat, the SeeD furrowed his brows and reached up to intercept the hand. The boy backed off. "Right, no touching."
"Sora, let's go!" Al called, the transaction at last complete. Behind him, the whining but marginally satisfied traders prepared to take their leave, marching the remaining wares back into their transport.
"Coming!" Sora called back. Returning his attention to the two by his side, he motioned for Leon to get up again. "I've got tools back at Al's place. We'll fix that problem in no time."
Fixing the problem turned out to be a lot harder than Sora had initially expected. Leon was of no help, unwilling to cooperate and even more adamant against being poked and probed. Lounging behind a reversed bench at the side, Yuffie glared reproachfully at the annoyingly stubborn SeeD as the boy was forced to give up yet and try something else yet again.
"You are such a baby," she scolded. When he elicited a growling whir back in her direction, she retorted, "And you're supposed to be the well-behaved one!"
Leon was about to fire back a biting if unintelligible remark in binary when he froze at the feel of an intrusive finger poking him in the back of his neck. Although Sora had missed deactivating him, the digit was nonetheless rather cold and distressingly uncomfortable.
"… Shouldn't there be a button or something back here?" Sora queried out loud, frustrated by his lack of success thus far. "There's gotta be a blockage or a break in there somewhere, so if I could just find the catch-"
Then his thumb slipped into a depression and something clicked.
At once, an explosion of silver light erupted from the depths of Leon's left eye, sweeping through the confines of the room with blinding intensity for a few fleeting seconds. Then it dimmed as quickly as it had flashed into existence, and a thinner, calmer beam appeared, fanning out until it formed a twelve-inch, three-dimensional hologram of a young lady in robes, a hood over her head and obscuring her features. Yuffie jumped up at once in alarmed recognition.
"The p-!" she barely stopped herself in time, though still too late.
"The what?" Sora asked, circling around Leon as he eyed the hologram with curious fascination.
"Uh…"
"------Ven-------Lord Vent-------elp----us-----" a chipped voice called through static, the words moving Leon's lips as he relayed bits and pieces over and over again despite a failure to bring even a full sentence forward.
"What is that, Yuffie?" Sora asked more insistently, not noticing the nervous fidget in the Ninja's fingers.
"It's… uhm… it's nothing, Boss. It's just a malfunction. Old data! Nothing of importance."
"… Oh…" – Then, his growing curiosity finally getting the best of him, he reached for Leon again – "… Is there more to this recording?"
Despite his maintained review of the poor sample, Leon's right eye widened apprehensively. Light flickered from it almost frantically as he proceeded to let loose a string of pitched squeaks and whistles. Sora paused, tilting his head.
"… What?"
"He says… uh…" Yuffie translated carefully, eying her counterpart uncertainly as she spoke, "He says that this particular recording is the property of Ventus, a resident of these parts. It's a private message that hasn't reached him yet."
Sora paused, a light of recognition in his eyes. "… Ventus? Does he mean Master Ven?"
"You know him, Boss?"
"Not anyone by the name of Ventus," Sora explained, "but there is a desert shaman who lives in the Cave of Wonders, beyond the dune sea. We all just call him Master Ven."
Leon's expression calmed, softening as he appeared in deep thought. Then, his right eye flickered again, directing a few beeps at the youth.
"He says the restraining bolt is interfering with his recording system. He suggests that if you remove it, he should be able to play it back in full and a lot more clearly."
Sora considered this for a moment, his eyes unable to leave the image of the girl. Slowly his hand moved again, though this time not toward Leon but instead toward the messy pile of tools. His fingers snatched up a dark metal wedge and placed it near the underside of the bolt sticking out of Leon's chest. He paused there, looking up at Leon's clear right eye.
"I'm trusting you, alright?"
And then the wedge nudged under the bolt and popped it free. In an instant, the hologram flickered and vanished, Leon's left eye dimming of its light and returning to normal. His mouth fell shut and stayed that way.
"… Hey, wait a minute, where is she?" Sora protested, setting the bar back in the pile. "Come on, bring her back! Where's the entire recording?"
Leon raised his brows innocently, as though not understanding what the teen was talking about. Frustrated, Sora started to go for his neck again when the old communicator on the nearby workbench flashed with light, diverting the youth's attention to it instead. With an irritated noise grinding in his throat, he mashed the button to receive the message with more force than necessary. Listening to the chipped words, he forced himself to calm down and gave his answer.
"Alright, I'll be right there."
Setting the communicator back down, he released another deep breath audibly and walked away from the pair. As he went up the flight of stairs and shut the hatch door behind him, Yuffie hopped over the backrest and took up Sora's former seat.
"Was that it? Was that the mission?" When his silence answered for him, she probed further, "Is that why-?"
Leon turned away, reaching for the bar that had been so conveniently left behind. Holding it up, he lined it under Yuffie's restraining bolt and started to push.
By the time Sora returned, the pair were nowhere in sight. The two discarded restraining bolts were kicked by his boots, rolling and bumping under the workbench.
"Those blasted… where did they-? Of course, Master Ven…! I should have known!"
Swiping up his discarded utility belt, the boy turned and ran back upstairs.
By now, the sun was much lower as it started to set, the once bright bluish white of the sky slowly darkening with shades of red and purple. Sora's Magic Carpet flew across the desert at top speed, arcing to climb up a sand dune facing the rocky mesas. As it reached the top, it slowed to a bumpy stop, settling at last near one of the many nest caves. Straightening in the hover bike's saddle but awkwardly bumping against a long plasma carbine slung at his side, Sora pulled a pair of binoculars free from his utility belt and scanned the surrounding area. He found nothing.
"… I must have missed them," he muttered aloud in his frustration, "they can't possibly move that…" he paused, finding something dead in his sights, "… fast. Oh no."
Jamming the binoculars back into place, he started up the hover bike again and took off, speeding away as fast as he could. Flapping in the air behind him, steadily gaining on him with every beat of their wings, was a swarm of Air Soldiers. The one in lead – the same one that Sora had offended earlier in the day – shrilled fiercely and lead the others in a swoop. As they got closer, it shrieked and swiped at the boy's head, barely missing.
"Hey, you started it!" Sora protested while ducking a second attack. The creature retorted in its own pitched language as it tried again and again. While they kept pace, both the engine of the machine and the strength of the creature's wings were starting to show signs of strain. Growling, Sora retaliated with a punch of his own. "Just leave me alone!"
The hit missed its mark, but it forced the Air Soldier to back away and lose time between them. Taking the opportunity, Sora pushed the Magic Carpet's limits, forcing it to clear as much distance as it could between himself and the closing predators. One was easy enough to deal with, but he just did not have the firepower to go against an entire swarm. The hover bike hissed and sparked, its momentary burst of speed compromising its overall power. Forced to a halt as the internal battery overheated, Sora pulled the carbine into his hands and took aim.
Then it was yanked completely out of his grasp with a force violent enough to snap the leather sling.
"You're not holding it right!" Yuffie snapped at him. Taking aim herself, she grounded herself and let loose a blast of deadly plasma energy. Missing the swarm's leader, it instead connected with the next two, leading to a domino effect as the ones behind slapped and collided into one another as a result of the sudden halt. Taking advantage of their sudden loss, she took aim a second time and fired into the confused mass again.
Coming up from the other side, Leon tapped Sora on the shoulder to gain his attention. Extending a palm, his right eye flickered in request.
"You want a weapon, too?" Sora guessed. Scanning his utility belt, he finally pulled out his best option. "All I've got is this hunting knife-!"
Staring at it for a second, Leon quickly turned in time to catch an attacking Air Soldier by its head. Squeezing his grip, he instead turned his body sideways and tossed it back the way it came, knocking more of the creatures from the air. Looking back at Sora, he reached down and repositioned the hunting knife in the teen's grip before wrapping the fingers a little more tightly around it. Yet, even as he readied to fight a difficult enemy with bare hands, the unexpected happened.
"They're holding back," Yuffie noted, the rifle still held high in her hands. "That's not a good sign."
That was when the shadow fell over them, spreading further and further as the creature massive enough to cast it got closer. There was a strange but definite lull, and then Sora realized he was being pulled from his seat just as the hover bike disappeared in a shower of debris, gravel and sand. The clawed talons that planted over the wreckage of the mechanical mount crushed it to fine dust as the Wyvern growled deeply. The beast shifted, striking up wind all about it as it shot into the air again. Flanking it from the sides were the Air Soldiers, though none dared interfere in the attack.
Leon set Sora back on his feet, the hand on the boy's shoulder pushing him backward. His right eye flickered again, a few short clicks reaching the boy's ears.
"… What did he say?"
Yuffie lifted the rifle again as she answered: "He said, run."
With the word, Leon shoved the boy back even harder as the plasma carbine fired at the beast above their heads. The first shot was repelled, then the second, and then the Wyvern launched itself forward again. Though not taking the full impact of the beast's ramming power, both Ninja and SeeD were thrown against the rocks. The rifle clattered to the ground below, now more a twisted bar than a weapon. The watching Soldiers jabbered gleefully as the Wyvern renewed its sights on the remaining boy. Rooted to the ground, Sora stared like a deer in headlights as the monster roared. It took to the air again, gaining height for the power of its next attack. And then it was swooping down, moving so very, very fast. Its huge talons were poised, arched to seize their prey, to crush him…
Sora suddenly felt the prickling sensation of hairs standing on end when a line of white light zigzagged over his head and connected with the center of the Wyvern's chest. It roared and fell backward, barely catching itself before it hit the ground. A second bolt danced forth, assaulting the exact same location to send the creature reeling. By the third strike, it was lolling in pain and fear. The attacks stopped as suddenly as they started, and the Wyvern leapt into the air and fled hastily. Left behind, the swarm of Air Soldiers took a second longer to realize the change in circumstances before scattering as well, dispersing every way.
Just like that, the sky cleared again, leaving little trace of the attacks that had occurred. Sora dared to look up, and found himself looking upon what appeared to be a giant key of dark gray. Quite suddenly, it shattered into nonexistence, leaving only an empty hand that drew back out of sight. The boy hastened to turn, finally taking in the sight of the cloaked figure standing behind him. Hands drew the hood back to reveal a man in his twenties, his face cracked and weathered by the desert's harsh conditions. Although his hair, like Sora's, was spiked in a boyish manner, his trimmed beard caused him to seem older and wiser. Sora's expression brightened as he recognized the man immediately.
"Master Ven," he greeted respectfully, though the excited grin was hard to keep from his face. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"
With a crackle of rock, Leon and Yuffie started to rise, both severely battered but otherwise mostly intact. Looking them both over, the man huffed in amusement.
"Seems like you've had a busy day, kid," he commented. Extending a hand, he helped Sora to his feet. "So tell me, Sora: what brings you out this far into these wastelands?"
"Well, it's this SeeD," Sora explaining, pointing back at where Leon remained bent over with his hands on his knees. "I turned my back on him for one second and he just took off – him and Al's new Ninja over there. Anyway, he's pretty driven to get his job done, says he has a private message to give to someone called Ventus. Do you know who he's talking about, sir?"
The desert shaman raised his head, meeting gazes with the cyborg. Finally, he was the one to break the gaze as he looked into the distance with a resigned air. "… I haven't heard that name in a long time."
"So you do know him?"
"Know him?" Master Ven broke off with a chuckle, "I am him."
A familiar roar echoed in the distance, reminding the group of the dangers present in their immediate surroundings. Sobering, the shaman beckoned the group to follow.
"Let's continue this discussion at a safer place. Thunder does not work as well on those Wyverns once the element of surprise has worn off."
Despite his familiarity with Master Ven, Sora had never been inside the legendary Cave of Wonders before. There had been many tales about the place circulating in the city: some said it was a place filled with an abundance of treasure, more than you could ever carry. Some said it was the home of the greatest treasure of all – an ancient artifact of immense power, able to grant the wish of any man. Others said it was the tomb of wicked men, and any who entered it would never come back alive.
In truth, the Cave of Wonders was just an ordinary cave – albeit one with a giant tiger's head carved in stone for an entrance – filled with all sorts of strange junk that the shaman had collected over time. Despite its clutter, it still had that warm, comforting security about it, as one would expect from an established sanctuary. Despite all the rumors, the Cave of Wonders was a home.
Upon entering the Cave for the first time, Sora found himself drawn to the many different trinkets that lay in piles all over the place. As Master Ven made himself busy with overseeing the other two for the damages they had sustained earlier, the boy wandered about the living space, examining anything that caught his eye: there were colored glass baubles that seemed to hum upon contact with skin, an ugly looking ring with carved images and runes on its surfaces that simply screamed "cursed", a yellow rubber bird that looked a little like an outlandish species of giant chicken and so on…
Then, he found himself picking up an old wooden sword. It was a simple toy, crudely put together through a child's workmanship, and it barely resembled a weapon at all. Yet, as Sora held it in one hand, he was surprised at how small it seemed in his grasp, at how… familiar it felt.
That was when the connection was made.
"Master Ven?" he asked, waving the toy in mock play, "Why do you have Riku's sword?"
"Ah, so you remember your childhood friend," the shaman commented.
"I could never forget him," Sora insisted. The wood was held up to the dim lighting, allowing the boy to better examine the dark lines of wood grain. "We always played together, ever since we were just babies. Then all of a sudden he was sent away to study at some interstellar academy and never came back. Guess this backwater world got too small for him or something… but you already know that, don't you sir?"
"Yes, I do know," Master Ven agreed. "But what I know is the truth. What you know is what was told to you, to stop you from following the steps he took."
Confused, Sora lowered the toy and looked at the older man. "What do you mean?"
"Your friend Riku never went to any academy ten years ago," the shaman explained, his tone solemn, "but was selected to take the path of a Keyblade Master."
The wood blade was set down, the boy's interest piqued as he approached the older man. "A Keyblade Master?"
Sensing the lengthy discussion that was about to take place, Leon reached over to Yuffie and probed the back of her neck, shutting her down to allow her systems to fully restore themselves. He, on the other hand, sat and listened to them attentively, not as willing to rest until he did his duty. Leaving him be, the shaman sat back and looked fully at the eager youth before him.
"The Keyblade is a most unique and powerful weapon." – in a flash, Master Ven's weapon materialized once more in his hand – "It is more than something to strike others with – it is, in fact, the very channel of the Light or the Darkness, according to its origin and source. Unlike conventional tools that you may choose to carry, it is always the Keyblade that chooses its Wielder. Only those of the strongest will can wield a Keyblade, and only the one with the strongest heart can become a Keyblade Master.
"There is an old prophecy amongst the Wielders," he went on, "that speaks of one special Keyblade Master who will wield a Keyblade unlike any other. According to this prophecy, the chosen Master will either save the worlds… or plunge them into chaos and destruction. There are too many interpretations to determine which is more true, but for years Wielders and Masters alike had dedicated themselves to finding this chosen one."
"And Riku?" Sora interrupted, having made the connection quickly, "When he took that path, did he…?"
Master Ven paused, looking at the earnest, still innocent face. Finally, with a tired sigh, he gave his answer: "While he had far greater potential than many others, your friend was… lost."
"… what…?"
"I mentioned before that there are Wielders empowered by the Darkness. There is one such Wielder named Ansem, who was a fellow apprentice studying with me. He succumbed to the Darkness in his heart and allied himself with the Organization, turning against us and using his power to slay any who opposed him and his crazed ambitions. Young Riku was one of his first victims, and those who survived the bloodshed are now few and far between."
The color drained from Sora's face as he slowly sank to the floor. Shaking, he brought a hand up and covered part of his face, as though trying to physically block out the mental images that plagued him.
"… Not Riku…" he whispered hoarsely, "… He can't be…"
A callused hand rested on his shoulder, but it did little to help as Sora broke down.
"Not him…" the boy whimpered as tears fell. "… Not him…"
The hand squeezed gently, the shaman's head bowed as well, his countenance so gravely troubled.
"I'm sorry, kid…"
It was late into the night before Leon saw the desert shaman again. It had been a long day of danger and painful revelations, and it had left the man looking more haggard and aged when he returned.
"He's finally resting," Master Ven explained. "I fear that was perhaps too much for him to take in at once. Still, I understand there are other pressing matters at hand?" – The shaman approached the cyborg, his hand reaching around to the back of the neck – "Now, let's have a look at that message you're so determined to show me…"
Before contact could be made, Leon's left eye glowed silver and flashed brightly, bringing forth the hologram he had unintentionally shown to Sora earlier. The light of recognition in his eyes, Master Ven sat down, his gaze never leaving the tiny figure.
"Lord Ventus," a much clearer voice spoke through Leon, "Years ago you became a hero to us all in the Keyblade War. Now, we beg of you to help us once again in our fight against Ansem and Organization XIII. Forgive me, my Lord, for not presenting this request to you in person, but my Gummi Ship has fallen under attack. I do not know how long I will live, but I fear I may never have the honor of meeting you. Please, my Lord, finish the work that I cannot.
"I have sent to you Leon and Yuffie, my most trusted aides. Each holds key information vital to the survival of the Rebel Alliance, and only Leon – the one I've charged with this message – is aware of this. My comrades in our last stronghold – Radiant Garden – will know how to retrieve the data, but only if they can be safely delivered there.
"Help us, Lord Ventus. You are our only hope."
With a final crackle of static, the transmission ended. As the silver light faded away, Master Ven reclined against the wall at his back. Fingers stroked his beard out of habit, his mind filled with thoughts on the next course of action.
"Thank you, Leon," he spoke at last. "It's time for you to get some rest as well. There's a long journey ahead of us."
Obediently, Leon closed his eyes and fell asleep, a function he was still biological enough to retain. In the silence of the cave, Master Ven heard the soft shift of cloth and responded accordingly: "You were listening, weren't you? How much did you hear?"
"Ansem's name and everything else afterward," Sora answered. He approached the older man, his eyes still red but burning with a new determination. "Let me come with you."
"Kid, I can't ask of-"
"I can't forgive Ansem for what he did," the boy went on forcefully. "And I refuse to ever help the Organization."
"Do you wish to kill him?"
"I want to stop him before more get hurt. It's what… It's what Riku would have done."
Master Ven regarded the youth before him for a long time. Then, he summoned his Keyblade again, holding it up. In a soft voice, he instructed: "Call it to you."
Sora was silent, not understanding.
"If you want to come with me to Radian Garden, then you must walk the path of the Keyblade Master," Master Ven explained. "Now, prove that you have what it takes. Call this Keyblade to you."
"… I don't know how," Sora replied.
"Picture yourself holding this blade. Concentrate… Focus… Will it to be real."
Sora stared at the dark gray key, going over every line of it. He saw the callused hand of the shaman, saw how much experience lay in each line. He saw his own hand that was marked not by a life with a weapon but that with machinery, simple tools of transport. As he thought of the differences between them, he squeezed his hand into a fist and closed his eyes, pleading with the Keyblade to come to him, to grant him its power.
I want the strength to defend. I want to become the protector that Riku should have been. Help me.
Then he felt his fist was holding something. He opened his eyes, and there in his hands was Master Ven's Keyblade. The shaman's own hand was a loose fist, his eyes shining with acknowledgment for had just transpired. Then, dismissed with the flair of a magician snapping his fingers, the Keyblade vanished once more.
"Prepare yourself in earnest," the man spoke. "We leave first thing in the morning."