Shortly after the bottle message was discovered on the shores of Destiny Island, two friends found themselves once again climbing the steps to the Mysterious Tower.

The time had come for them to take The Mark of Mastery. The letter explained little about what it was that would happen. And before, neither Rachel or Bryan had said anything about what exactly the Mark of Mastery entailed, only that it was the test that a key bearer had to pass if they were to earn the title of Keyblade Master.

Sora was very excited, with just that little nip of nervousness in the bottom of his stomach. If Riku was feeling the same he hid it very well.

"Can you believe it? The chance to become Keyblade Masters!" Sora said. "Rachel and Bryan won't be the only Masters anymore! And what's that you brought?"

Riku hadn't said much the whole time. Cradled under his right arm Riku had something covered with a piece of cloth. It wasn't very big but it was impossible to tell what it was.

"You'll find out once we find Rachel."

"Ooooh, so it's a present?"

"Yes."

"You can tell me what it is."

"No."

"C'mon! What'll it hurt?"

"No."

They met Master Yen Sid on the stairs just outside the sorcerers study. He'd been waiting for them. Mickey, Donald and Goofy were also waiting just inside. Master Yen Sid informed them Rachel and Bryan were not there. He had sent them off on another training mission. The Mark of Mastery was not a spectator event. As they were all friends, the sorcerer didn't want to have their performance altered in any way.

Riku was visibly disappointed but wasn't so upset about Rachel not being there to be there for the test, but he wouldn't be able to give her his present.

"So what exactly is that?" Sora asked.

No point hiding it any longer. Riku took off the cloth that hid what he intended to give his girlfriend. Beneath the cloth was a small bowl with three wee goldfish inside.

"Goldfish? As a present? I'm no expert, but don't girls prefer to get flowers or something?"

"It's something she said a while ago. She'll get it."

"Goldfish?"

"She'll get it."

"But are goldfish the best idea for a present?"

"Like I said, she'll get it."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what?"

"She has a cat."

Riku paused, obviously he hadn't thought about how goldfish would be a nice gift for Rachel but also might be seen as take-in for Tatania. Yen Sid chuckled. With a wave of his hand the sorcerer made the bowl vanish and it reappeared on Rachel's bed stand.

Yen Sid straightened his posture.

"I trust you both are ready."

Sora and Riku nodded.

"Good. Then follow me and the Mark of Mastery will begin."

"So today's the big day! Sora and Riku are supposed to take the Mark of Mastery today!"

"That was today?"

"Shame Master said we couldn't be there. 'No distractions' and all that."

"Why would we want to be there when we can be here?"

Masters Rachel and Bryan were presently in the middle of a new challenge meant to expand their puzzle solving skills. So they were currently hanging upside down, tied back-to-back together over a room full of water. There was a small boat floating a ways away. One on side of the room was a special puzzle key to unlock the door on the other side. The challenge was to get down somehow and use the boat to get from one side of the room to the other with the key to get out. But the boat was small and they both had to be in it in order to land it on the platform with the key. Flying wasn't permitted. And there was something in the water.

"Ok, so let's go over this again." Bryan said. "Can't fly. Tied together but the foot binds to the ceiling are separate. We could break the bonds between us but still be hanging here. At least we'd be able to use our hands to figure out the next step."

"Did Master say anything about not getting wet? We could just drop and swim to the boat."

"I don't remember him saying that. But what about those things in the water?"

"Good point."

"But what are they?" Bryan asked. "Too small for sharks. Did Master seriously add a piranha pool to this challenge!?"

"Um…ok. Let's try this. I'll summon one and you catch it with Wind magic so it doesn't hit me in the face."

"Won't hurt to give it a try."

Rachel closed her eyes and cast the spell of summoning. Within seconds one of the dark shapes in the water zoomed upward. About a foot and a half away it stopped midair, trapped in an orb of wind.

"Wow, that worked." Bryan said. "So what is it?"

"Oh! It's a pacu! And it's huge!"

"What's a pacu?"

"It's a piranha cousin."

"Fantastic."

"Oh no, it's ok. These guys are vegetarians."

"That's good."

"Wait…scratch that."

"Why?"

"I just saw it snap its jaws when it kicked. This one has, uh…changed."

"Will you please just speak plainly? And can I drop this thing now?"

"Yeah, go ahead. Pacu are vegetarians but can turn carnivore if there isn't enough of their natural food to sustain them and develop huge, crushing teeth. Not exactly good news for you."

"Me? Why me?"

She chuckled dryly. "I read about this place where they were introduced to a place they weren't supposed to be. After they ate everything they physically changed and they started attacking people and…I'll just stop with their local nickname is 'the ball cutter'."

Bryan was quiet for a minute, fully processing what that meant.

"So no dropping."

"Not a good idea, no." She replied.

"Could you do that summon thing with the boat? Just bring it up underneath us and we can drop into it. Once we're sitting we can drop the boat and row or push with Wind magic to get the key."

"Sounds possible. I can't think how that breaks any of the rules set for this challenge so, I guess let's do it."

"Let's just try and hurry." Bryan said. "Once we finish this we can get back to the Tower and maybe see how Sora and Riku are doing with the exam."

"Oh yes!"

"Stop wiggling!"

"Sorry! I really want to get out of here to be there when Sora and Riku are named Masters!"

"I'd applaud your optimism but we first need to figure out how to get untied!"

"We just need to hurry up before we miss anything exciting!"

***Please ignore any discrepancies. They are either deliberate or will be explained in later chapters. Some references, like Riku and the bowl of goldfish being something Rachel would understand will only make sense if you have read the Bound By Light Chirstmas special. I'm tying in a lot of things here so best catch up on previous Acts so there is as little confusion as possible. Also, as stated in the story summary, not everything will necessarily be intended for amusement. Some chapters will be links to others, fill ins or explanations that didn't really fit into anything else. I felt it necessary to give the information but didn't have anywhere else to put it.