Radiant Garden, Merlin's house
Cid jumped around the room occasionally snickering to himself. He thoroughly seemed to inspect small creaks and crevasses before grunting to himself and saying "That won't do". He then continued to go around the room and inspect with a wide grin on his face. All the while Aerith and Yuffie stood by Merlins table and watched him curiously.
Yuffie then skipped up to him as he knelt over and looked at a large pile of books. "Ciiid?!" she rang out behind him with her own arms behind her back "Whatcha doin?"
Cid chuckled and stood up patting himself off and turned to her "What am I doin?" he chuckled as he nibbled on the toothpick in his mouth "I'm looking for a space to put something?"
"Something, what kinda something?" she asked curiously
"Just a little surprise for our own World's Most Powerful Wizard!" he shouted out the words and waved his arms for emphasis "and let's just say when he finds the spot he's gonna get a little shock" he chuckled "Get it" he winked
"I don't think that's such a good idea" Aerith spoke up "Merlin can foretell the future. I'm sure he'd know if something is wrong in his own house" she then turned over to the table "When" she said and the small sugar jar stopped putting sugar in her tea, lifted his lid as if it were a hat and then waddled off to the center of the table. "Thank you" she said as she took the tea cup "I just have a feeling this may turn out bad Cid" she said turning her attention back to him.
"Heh" he scoffed "You worry too much. Old Merlin's got his spells alright but when it comes to stuff like this" he pointed off to the computer "He doesn't know a thing and that's why" he pulled out a small chip from his pocket and showed them "no matter how good he is at telling the future he'll never see this coming" he chuckled maliciously to himself. "Why once he walks through that door" Cid pointed off "Wait that's it!" he exclaimed
"What's it?" Yuffie asked as she took the lid off the sugar cup only for him to swat her finger with his spoon.
"The door!" Cid pointed "That's the perfect spot. Oh he is sure in for a surprise when he gets back" Cid let out another chuckle and went to the door to fiddle with it.
"I'm not sure Cid. Merlin didn't know how long he'd be away and Leon's out patrolling the town now what if it gets him instead of Merlin?" Aerith said
"And isn't he bringing someone with him?" Yuffie spoke up as she held the sugar cups lid in her hand high above him and played keep away from him and his spoon which was drastically out of reach. "Wouldn't that send a bad message?"
"Oh it's all in good fun" Cid said as he continued to fiddle with the doorknob "Besides if I know that loony wizard like I think I do he's gonna work his magic and be back before you know it, you'll see"
Meanwhile world's away there was a large castle surrounded by a moat. Out of the main gate a young 12 year old boy with blond hair and dressed in brown walked out. He turned around to see Merlin walk out of the gate with his cane and suitcase. The old wizard stopped and caught his breath
"Oh the absurdity of that man. Sir Edgar and Kay Bah!" he waved his arms
"Oh I'm sorry if they gave you any trouble Merlin" Arthur apologized
"Oh no need for you to apologize lad it's not your fault" Merlin then let out a small chuckle "But perhaps while were gone Madame Mim may get better and come give them a fright or perhaps I should let the dishes loose again" he then chuckled some more. Then he cleared his throat "However you and I will have many things to do in the upcoming days" Merlin reaffirmed.
"Yes, my education"
"That's just it boy" Merlin waved his finger at him "You will need your education. Only the best for the future king. I of course will teach you all you need to know and for that reason we will be going to other worlds. But as for this one" he turned back to the castle "leaving it in the incapable hands of those two, well I,I, I" he stuttered "I just can't imagine it"
"I'm sure they'll do their best" Arthur said "But what will I be doing?"
"You? You my lad will be learning of light and darkness, of books and knowledge, reading writing and all that important stuff. And even thought I discouraged the notion before you may need to learn a thing or two about fighting off the darkness"
"Oh Pinfeathers and Golly fluff" a voice called from above. An owl then perched himself on Merlin's hat "You can't even find you glasses sometimes in the morning how will you ever teach this boy how to fight"
"Oh Archimedes you old pincushion" Merlin groaned "I'll use every means possible to ensure the best for young Arthur here. And we won't be alone mind you there will be others there who will help if you ask" he said to Arthur
"Will I meet them soon?"
"Of course, in fact I'll give you a glimpse of them now" Merlin then waved his hand and a cloud of smoke appeared and in it was a glimpse of his home in Hollow Bastion "Now here there are, some of them anyway" Merlin pointed them out "That is Aerith" he pointed with his cane "there's Yuffie" he pointed again "and of course there's" he paused "Cid" he said maliciously "What in heavens is he doing to my doorknob?" Merlin asked as he looked over the man in the cloud of smoke.
"Perhaps he's changing the keys so you can't get back in" Archimedes said before letting out a laugh
"Well it appears he's trying to play a trick on me but we'll see who gets the better of whom when I get back haha" he laughed at their friendly rivalry
"Is that all of them?" Arthur asked
"What? Oh no" Merlin shook his head "There's still Leon to account for. He doesn't appear to be there now but I'm sure he'll show up at one point" Then in the cloud of smoke the door opened and Leon walked through but getting an electric shock as he held the doorknob. He then looked disgruntled towards Cid. "Haha" Merlin laughed "that'll show him" Merlin then cleared his throat "Now come along both of you we have much to do. Worlds to see and travel and even more people to meet"
"However shall we get there?" Arthur asked
"Oh don't worry about that lad. We'll get there" Merlin encouraged him. Then with a wave of his cane everything went dark for the three of them.
"Who who!? What what?!" Archimedes called out
"Merlin!" Arthur cried
"What dear boy" Merlin answered "Come on boy open your eyes". Arthur snapped his eyes open and was surprised by what he saw. "Here we are" Merlin announced to them "Hollow Bastion, recently returned to its former name Radiant Garden". Arthur and Archimedes looked around in awe of what was before them. It was a courtyard with numerous shops and beyond that was a street with stairs that went down. "Well come on now we have people waiting on us" Merlin said as he walked forward. Then they heard a rattling in the sky. They looked up to see a bright red plane fly through the sky. It went off to the horizon and then crashed off in the distance.
"What was that?!" Arthur asked shocked by what he say
"Oh that, well that was a plane. Much like the models I have only much bigger"
"And just like I said it flies like a rock" Archimedes laughed.
"Oh that was most likely the pilots fault. Launchpad always crashed his plane. Then Scrooge has to get Cid to fix them"
"Launchpad? Scrooge?" Arthur questioned
"Oh oh yes introductions" Merlin said turning back to him "Scrooge is a businessman who has come here to recreate a business. He sells sea salt ice cream and uses the money to buy gummi blocks. He intends to travel to other worlds and build a business on each one and his nephews Huey Duey and Louie are all helping him. They run some of the shops here" Merlin told putting his arm over Arthur and pointing out the shops. "They've recently opened up a fourth shop that sells jewelry which is run by Webey." Merlin then decided to get back on track "But now come lad we have to hurry. My house is just beyond the marketplace, down those stairs and to the left"
With that said they followed Merlin to his home.
"Well here it is my home away from home" Merlin said as they walked up to it.
"It's awfully small for a basis of operations" Archimedes pointed out
"Ah and I'll prove you wrong yet again Archimedes" Merlin said confidently as he walked up to the door "Once we get inside" he said reaching for the knob
"But Merlin what about the door?" Arthur asked
"What about-" Merlin was cut off as he grabbed the knob and was zapped by an electric shock. He then slammed open the door to find the culprit. His bear and eyebrows were puffed up over his face but he could stiff hear Cid's laughter. Wiping his hands over his face he tried to sort out his hair.
"Are you alright?" Aerith asked walking over to him
"Yes yes fine" Merlin said stroking his beard "But you sir are despicable" he pointed over at Cid who held his sides from laughter "Are you listening to me?!" Merlin roared but Cid continued to laugh "Oh" Merlin fumed "If I had to use black magic on one person it'd be you"
Cid then took a deep breathe "Alright prove it. Use some of your magic. Try me"
"Very well" Merlin wound up his arms which held his cane "Let's try some of the good stuff. I shall demonstrate" he cleared his throat "Higitus Figitus wind and snow hurl and blow!" he chanted as snow blew from his cane and drifted over to Cid. A cloud formed over him and began to snow heavily on him.
"What the?! Wait!? How?!" he said in shock as he now held his sides for warmth. The snow covered him so that only his face could be seen "An indoor blizzard?"
"Wizard blizzard" Merlin chuckled. Cid then shivered under the snow and tried to outrun it by moving around the room but no matter where he went it followed him.
"Is this him?" a voice said and Merlin turned over to see Leon.
"Oh yes this is Arthur the future King of his world" Merlin said "Now come boy say hello" he waved him over
"You can just call me wart, everyone else does"
"Well then" Leon said crossing his arms "I'll be teaching you how to fight wart. You brought a sword right?" Arthur and Leon turned to Merlin who patted his suitcase.
"Oh I didn't think I'd have to do any fighting sir"
"Leon's fine"
"Well compromises have to be made lad. There are dark forces all around us" Merlin said putting his hand on Arthur's shoulder "and Leon's one of the best he'll help you. I will merely be passing my knowledge onto you. Now as for the other introductions that over there" Merlin pointed away with his cane to a desk which held a singular book on it. Clearly it was special, even more so than the many others he had "This is the book of Winnie the Pooh or Pooh for short. You may get to meet him and all his friends while you're here" he then turned Arthur's attention to another part of the room "and you of course remember these fellows" Merlin said pointing over to his table, chairs and tea pots which came alive and Arthur went over to greet them leaving Merlin by Leon's side
"You know Radiant Garden serves as a refuge for some people who've lost their worlds. But we still get outside help like you and King Mickey" Leon told" Ichabod Crane is helping set up a school system "Why not have him teach the kid?" Leon asked
"Absolutely not" Merlin refused "The boy is my responsibility" he said poking himself in the chest with his cane. Yuffie and Aerith then walked over to talk with Arthur and then Yuffie continued teasing the sugar cup.
"Well could you at least stop that?" Leon asked as they looked over at Cid who was still covered in snow.
"Oh well I completely forgot about that" Merlin admitted "Alakazam!" he chanted and the snow disappeared and Cid shivered it off.
"Ahem" a voice let out and Leon and Merlin looked to his hat "Ahem"
"Oh and this is Archimedes the educated owl"
"Greetings" Archimedes said and Leon nodded "And now Merlin I must know where will I be staying?"
"Oh up there of course" Merlin pointed and the three of them looked up to see Archimedes bird house hanging from the ceiling.
"Well then I shall make myself at home" he said before taking off and flying up to it. Perching himself on it he then peeked his head in.
"Get out!" a female voice cried out and Archimedes backed off in shock
"Who who?! What What?!" then before his eyes three small women came out of his home.
"What do you think you're doing?" Yuna asked
"Not cool" Paine said without emotion
"This is our spot to hide treasure" Rikku nagged
"Your spot? This is my home!" Archiemus argued. The three Gullwings continued to argue with the educated owl as Merlin watched from below.
"hehehe Well it seems he's made some friends already" Merlin chuckled. Archimedes then took off from his perch and the Gullwings soon followed "And you said man would not fly" Merlin quipped at him. He then turned to Leon "So nothing happened in my absence?"
"Nothing important. Tron's been keeping a good eye on the city so that just makes our jobs easier. But we still have to be vigilant"
Merlin nodded "I agree but I hope you don't mind if my schedule becomes more adjusted for the boys need" he said looking over at Arthur who still was talking with Aerith "Oh that reminds me" Merlin said aloud "Wart!" he cried out and got his attention. He then walked up to him "We'll have to make your schedule"
"Schedule?" he questioned
"Yes you know, regulated hours for studying and learning"
"Hours?" he question again
"Well of course these things won't come out of thin air you know" Merlin then reached into his robe and pulled out his pocket watch. "But you know we can start all that tomorrow. Get settled in for now lad" Merlin smiled at the boy.
"Oh thank you Merlin" Arthur said reaching forward and hugging him "for all of this"
"Well yes lad, think nothing of it" Merlin patted him on the back
"We can go show you around the city if you'd like" Aerith offered. Nodding Arthur, Aerith and Yuffie walked out (but not before trying to take the lid off the sugar pot again).
"Ah what a lively little lad, puts his heart and soul into everything" Merlin told the remaining Cid and Leon. He then walked over to his table as Archimedes and the Gullwings continued to fly around the room.
"So" Cid asked walking up to him "I gotta know is there anything on this world that's better than your home one?"
"Why yes actually there is Merlin responded "Plumbing and electricity"
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