Chapter 2: Aboard The Legacy (Part 1)
Surprisingly, my eyes adjust rather quickly the light. Thankfully it isn't too bright to begin with. For some reason it seems that I've wound up indoors… I guess travelling those dark passageways is more imprecise than I would have imagined. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong. Regardless I realize I need to find out what world I'm on. Wood and metal are all around me, and despite myself I feel a bit of excitement. This was a new world and seeing new worlds was still a fresh experience for me. I can't recall ever seeing a world before the Worldlets and since then I've only stayed a brief time on a small handful of worlds. This is the second world I've visited on my own.
I can hear voices not far from me. Thinking that I might be able to get some information from their sources, I approach a door. It sounds like people are arguing behind it. I can make out what sounds like female voice, possessing an unfamiliar accent, chastising someone.
" Doctor, to muse and blabber about a treasure map… in front of this particular crew… demonstrates a level of ineptitude… that borders on the imbecilic… and I mean that in a very caring way."
I try to stifle a chuckle as I move my ear closer to the door so I can hear properly. Do these people really have a treasure map?
"Imbecilic, did you say? Foolishness, Ive-" comes another, rather flustered, male voice.
"May I see the map please?" The female interrupts.
There is a brief pause that causes me to press my ear more firmly to the door, to make sure I don't miss anything.
"Here." Yet another male voice, this one sounds about my age.
"Captain, it would seem we have an eavesdropper," comes yet another voice. Then it dawns on me, the voice must've meant me. The door opens and I stumble forward a bit… I look up sheepishly into a stony face- stony as in made of rock. He wore a red coat and a black tri-cornered hat. I feel like he isn't the kind of person that tolerates uninvited guests… My stomach sinks a little, as an outsider I'm really looking for an ally.
"Well who is it Mr. Arrow?" The female voice asks.
"I don't recognize him, Captain." The stone-man in front of me, who I figure has to be Mr. Arrow, says.
"A stowaway? That's impossible, I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern… And, as usual… It's spot on. So where did you come from?" The Captain directs this last past at me.
As Mr. Arrow admits me into what appears to be the Captain's Stateroom, I realize I must be on a ship of some sort. Despite this realization I have no idea how to answer the Captain's question. I look around the room scanning the faces. The Captain had an almost feline look to her features, I notice that her clothes are very neat and proper and she looks almost regal. I figure she must be a pretty straight-laced person, she would have gotten along well with Rose… It was my heart's turn to sink.
"Now don't give me that look," the Captain states, startling me a bit. "We aren't going to eat you… Most likely," she adds in a voice that makes it hard to tell whether or not she's kidding.
"I'm sorry, I'm from…" I hesitate for a moment. It's not exactly like I can say that I'm from another world. "… Far away." It's the best I can come up with.
"Hmm… Well I guess the question of where you came from isn't so important as is the question of how much you heard."
"Not much," I answer honestly. "Just something about a treasure map…"
A doglike man wearing a very odd outfit starts to say something that might be a protest, only to be cut off by the Captain.
"You're either sincere or a brilliant at pretending to be so… Whichever it is, as we've already set sail, we're stuck with you. Somehow I'm more comfortable with you knowing of the map than some others aboard this ship."
"Surely Captain you can't-" The dog-person begins, a tad flustered.
"Doctor Doppler, let me make this as monosyllabic as possible. I don't much care for the crew you've hired."
"Captain let me assure you I-"
"They're… How did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee."
Mr. Arrow seems to straighten up a bit before reciting, "A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots, ma'am." By this point I'm pretty much completely lost. I stand there uneasily trying to gather as much as I could from context, and not getting very far. I can't help thinking: what is a galoot?
"There you go, poetry." States the Captain.
"Now see here-" protests Dr. Doppler.
"Doctor, I'd love to chat- tea, cakes, the whole shebang- but I have a ship to attend to… and you've got your outfit to buff up."
I have no idea what a shebang is either but the whole exchange flusters Dr. Doppler even more. The Captain turns to address the last voice. The guy looks to be about my age, with a gold ring through one ear and an odd haircut, where the top and a small braid are allowed to grow but the rest is cut very short.
"Mr. Hawkins and Mr…" She looks to me. "What is your name anyway?"
"Xane," I answer.
"Odd name but anyhow, Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Xane, In the future… You will address me as Captain or Ma'am. Is that clear?"
"Ugh." I turn to look at Mr. Hawkins, it seemed like a reasonable request to me.
"Mr. Hawkins?"
"Yes Ma'am," he says, giving in. I turn back to the Captain and follow suit with a "yes Ma'am," of my own.
"That'll do," the Captain responds with a nod. Behind me, I can feel the eyes of the other boy on me. I get the feeling the others in the room don't trust me as much as the Captain seems to. I wonder if they can sense darkness…
"Gentlemen, this," she continues, holding up a bronze-golden sphere I didn't notice before, "must be kept under lock and key when not in use," She placed the sphere, which I was guessing was the map I had heard about, into a chest inside a cabinet and locked the doors with a key she then slipped into her coat pocket. "and might I advise that no one," she gave pointed looks to myself and Dr. Doppler, "mention the events that transpired here… Mr. Arrow please escort these three neophytes down to the galley straightaway. Young Mr.'s Hawkins and Xane will be working for our cook, Mr. Silver."
"Wh- what? The cook?" Mr. Hawkins looks up from playing with what appears to be some sort of silver pendulum instrument in surprise.
I'm just as surprised, did this mean I was part of the crew now or did the Captain just want me out of the way? I realized I could probably leave for another world anytime I wanted but maybe staying on board for this treasure will bring me closer to my answers.
"Rose, calm yourself." Master Shin chastised. "There's nothing we can do right this moment."
"Of course there is!" The scarlet-haired girl cried. "We can go looking for him." Master Shin's eyes flashed.
"Master Shin, is it not possible for her to search for the boy in addition to proceeding with the task at hand?" Master Veritas interjected. Master Shin's expression became reflective, Rose was suddenly curious. "Task at hand?" She inquired. Zeke perked up as well, he had apparently not been told of the task his Master spoke of.
After a moment Master Shin spoke, "You both know the story of Xehanort and how he threatened to engulf the worlds in Darkness, and how he was stopped by Master Sora and the other Heroes of the Keyblade."
"Of course, Master Veritas told it to me when I first became his student." Zeke said, now thoroughly interested. The Heroes of the Keyblade were legendary, Zeke hoped to someday be as great as they were.
"Yes, it is a story every young Keybearer is told." Master Shin responded. "Our Master, Veritas' and mine, was chosen by Master Riku himself to wield the Keyblade."He paused a moment before continuing. "Your Keyblade is given life by your heart, in that way it is a part of your. Your keyblade is granted power by the strength of your heart and the memories you form on your journey to becoming a true Keyblade Master. If you form a powerful memory that strikes a chord in your heart a Keychain is created that can change the appearance and strength of your Keyblade..."
