Chapter 29: Who You've Become

{100 Acre Wood: June 27th, 2011}

Sky blue eyes stared somewhat lazily up at the scene before him, unsure if he should be questioning what he was witnessing. Sora folded his arms across his chest, eyeing the fuzzy bear known as Winnie-the-Pooh who was currently attempting to float up to the top of the tree via a red balloon. If Sora were to be honest, according to physics, it shouldn't be possible for the balloon to support the bear's weight, and without helium it shouldn't have even floated.

However, the thirteen-year-old Keyblade Bearer was beginning to understand that none of the physics he had learned - which, in junior high school wouldn't have been much - applied little to the worlds he'd been in up to this point, and thus, nothing should surprise him. Taking in a deep breath, Sora considered what was happening, and how it had gone from him being put into this strange book, to him finding a strange talking bear, to him helping said bear locate his friends, to him now assisting the same bear into getting honey from a tree.

"How do I keep getting myself into these situations?" he thought before glancing down towards Piglet as he crouched, moving to sit on the ground as the pink creature eyed him nervously.

"So, um.. Piglet? If he floats up there, how is he gonna get back down?" he inquired as the small creature began to frantically scurry about.

"Oh! D-Dear! Pooh! How are you going to get d-down?!" the pink animal called as Sora leaned back against the ground, looking up at the lazy clouds floating by in the blue sky above.

"I'll be okay Piglet, just as soon as I get a small smackrel of honey," Pooh replied as Sora glanced towards him.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is going to go so far south that its not going to be even remotely funny?"

Within the next ten minutes, Sora was proven correct as the silly old bear nudged one of the honey bee hives in the three limbs, and seconds later, he was combating the swarm off as they threatened to pop the balloon. Taking in a deep breath, Sora looked at the tree limbs, and stood, running quickly as he could towards the lowest hanging limb before jumping, pulling himself up and jumping to the next one in repeated succession before he was close enough to Pooh to help him.

Instantly, Sora summoned the Keyblade to his hand, and looked at the bees, and held the weapon out slightly aloft before shooting a freezing spell across the way, freezing some of the bees before he knocked the rest away with a wind spell. From there, Sora crouched on the tree limb, and prepared himself for what was coming next as Pooh reached his destination at a hollow point in the tree, and dipped his head in, beginning to nibble on the sweet honey that was inside it as Sora rested his head within his palm that was currently propped up by his elbow resting on his thigh.

"Okay… that could have gone worse," he muttered, finding himself slightly bemused.

"S-Sora? Are you o-okay?" stuttered Piglet as the brunette boy, still crouched upon the tree branch looked to the tiny creature.

"I'm okay." Pooh continued eating his honey while Sora settled himself into a seated position before sighing.

Quite honestly, he was at a lost as to how this had anything to do with magic training, or how it could help him get stronger. It didn't add up in his mind, but Sora also considered that nothing really made sense anymore. He would be lying if he pretended that the longer he was out amongst the world, the less he was thinking about why he started this whole mess, but suspected that was natural when one was attempting to merely survive long enough to figure out the mess they had been thrown into. Out of sole obligation, Sora decided that it was best if he just tried to hold onto whatever he could that at least made a fraction of sense when it came to this bizzare fever dream of a reality he'd fallen into.

Sky-blue eyes closed momentarily while he soaked in the sunlight that came through the leaves and branches, his mind going to everything that had happened thus far, and noticing the tranquility of this particular world compared to all of the other ones he'd been in thus far. As his mind wandered though, he heard someone calling for him, and looked down to see Pooh scaling down the tree, having removed the balloon before he finally touched the ground, and Sora dismissed the Keyblade, using his days on the play island to aid him in easily doing jumps and the like to lower himself to the ground swiftly before he jumped and landed in a crouch, looking towards the other two before brushing himself off.

"So, now what?" the two looked to one another as Sora stood there waiting for an answer.

"Rabbit may be home. If the others are missing, I'll bet that Rabbit will know where they are," Pooh stated as Sora took in a deep breath.

"Pooh, have you considered that maybe the others are at their own homes? Or that they're busy? Who are your other friends anyways?" Piglet smiled.

"There's O-Owl, Eeyore, G-Gopher, Rabbit, Kanga, Roo, and T-Tigger," he explained as Sora sighed.

"Animals are animals… but these guys… they're so… simple." Pooh started walking, and Sora followed with a shake of his head.

"Listen, once we find your friends, I've gotta get back to why I came here," he stated as Pooh hummed.

"Why did you come here, Sora?" the brunette boy started to fall in pace with the two.

"I was sent in here to learn more magic by Merlin the Blue Wizard. Although, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to learn in a place like this." Piglet rose an eyebrow.

"Magic? Are you a Witch?" Sora gave the small animal a long look. That question was definitely a new one for him.

"Um… I don't think so. What I mean is that your world is so peaceful compared to the others I've been too," he explained while they continued down a well worn path.

"Well, if you need help, Rabbit, and Owl are very wise, and they can help you. Kanga might can too." Sora gave the bear a small smile.

"I don't think you guys are why I'm here though. I mean, if I was supposed to become stronger, then I think I'd be fighting, not doing nothing. That's impossible," he mentioned as Pooh gave a warm hearted chuckle.

"People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day." Sora looked at the bear in questioning.

"Really? But your walking right now, and talking to me, that's not nothing," he pointed out as Pooh looked to him.

"True, but your special. Like all my friends." Sora rose an eyebrow.

"I see, um… but we just met," he told him as Pooh shook his head.

"I find that friends aren't always the people you've known the longest, but the ones you hold the closest," Pooh responded as they made it over a hill and down a slope to where a garden could be seen, and in it, a pale colored rabbit tending to the vegetables growing there.

"Closest huh? Reminds me of Riku, and Kairi…" Piglet looked to him.

"Are they your f-friends?" he inquired as Sora smiled.

"My best friends." Piglet smiled.

"Like Christopher Robin is to us! He had to leave, but we're going to wait for him until he comes back," he stated as the brunette boy followed the two further into the property of the rabbit who looked to them and Pooh smiled.

"Hello, Rabbit, is that you?" he asked as the bunny sighed.

"Let's pretend it isn't, and see what happens." Sora chuckled a bit and the Rabbit looked him over.

"Oh, um… hello," he replied sheepishly.

"Are you new to the forest?" Sora nodded slowly.

"Yes, but I'm just passing through. I was sent here to practice magic," he responded as Rabbit thumped his foot upon the ground in questioning.

"Magic? I don't know anything about magic except for Witches in some of the stories that Christopher Robin used to tell us about." Sora shifted where he stood before he heard someone call out to the others with him.

"Piglet! Pooh! Rabbit!" Sora turned in time to see a tiny kangaroo bounce past him and hop around the three other animals while he noted that another female kangaroo appeared just beside him along with a droopy eyed donkey with a pink bow on its tail.

"Momma and I went to get a new book from Owl today! Its about a Princess with really long hair in a tower!" the tiny kangaroo excited stated as he hopped with the book in place.

"I know that story… it's -" Sora's train of thought was cut off when he noted that the new comers were staring at him.

"Oh, whose this? A friend of Christopher Robin's?" asked the female Kangaroo.

"Um, no… I'm actually here to um…" Rabbit came towards the Kangaroo.

"He said he's passing through, Kanga, but was brought here to practice magic," he stated as Kanga hummed.

"Oh, I see…" Sora suddenly felt as though he was potentially being judged; however, that all stopped when a faint sound of someone moving behind him alerted him to turn only for him to be tackled and rolled across the ground as he hit his head against the hard ground and felt darkness overtake his vision as Tigger sat up.

"Ooh-ho-ho! What a great day for bouncin'!" he stated before looking down.

"Tigger, dear, I think you may have knocked him out." Tigger looked down, a frown on his face with a nervous chuckle.

"Let's get Owl then," Kanga suggested as Eeyore sighed.

"He's probably dead."

The residence of the Hundred Acre Wood took their time with picking up the boy and bringing him to Kanga's house, which was the largest between theirs before summoning Owl to check up on the boy who was now lying on the ground with a cushion and blanket over him. Admittedly, none of them were sure of what they were doing, but supposed keeping an eye on him would be best for the time being, and that could be for quite some time. They took time with watching the sleeping boy, Owl informing them that they should make sure he was still breathing, and not getting cold or bleeding anywhere, which thankfully he wasn't. But as the day wore on into night, Kanga prepared dinner, and Rabbit took watch with Eeyore who was rested next to the boy, watching him in silence, most like as unsure as the rest of them on what to do.

Though they were much accustomed to Christopher Robin's presence within their homes and the woods, they couldn't deny that the boy who was resting upon Kanga's living room floor reminded them greatly of their dear friend. Owl had looked inquisitive at the boy for several minutes since his arrival, but seemed to be refraining from what he was curious about, and all of them for the most part suspected that Owl merely was awaiting the moment that the boy awoke to bombard him with an array of questions. Taking time, to finish up dinner, Kanga watched her son read his book in peace, only frowning a few times before sighing as he sat it down, and she returned to her task while the others helped around the kitchen or watched the stranger in her house.

None of them suspected for the boy to be awake any time soon, but as soon as Kanga was finishing up with cooking, and preparing to call the others into the kitchen, she received a call herself, and Roo was quick to dash into the living room, and they saw that the boy lying there was blearily opening his eyes, looking around in a hazy manner while he tried to get his bearings before he shot upright, hissing in pain as he held his head and vertigo overtook him, the animals not honestly knowing what to do to help him as Owl fluttered over to him with concern.

"Now, now! You should lay back down young man. You hit your head quite hard," he trilled as the boy turned bright blue eyes to him.

"S-Sorry, I just was confused… about where I am?" Kanga approached.

"Tigger tackled you, and you were knocked out, we brought you here so that Owl could look at you, but you've been asleep the entire day. Its evening now," she explained as Sora stared at her.

"Seriously? What am I going to do now?" Owl cleared his throat.

"I was informed that you stated you came to practice magic is that true?" Sora looked to the bird.

"Yes, I was sent here to become stronger, and practice my magic, though I'm not sure why," he admitted as Roo hopped forward, holding a Copy of Rapunzel in his mitts.

"Then are you a Witch?" Sora rose an eyebrow.

"They seriously don't know that there are multiple types of magic users? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised." the boy sighed.

"I'm not," he answered as Roo tilted his head.

"Then what are you?" sky-blue eyes looked to the little kangaroo.

"I don't know what I am honestly, but I'm not a -" Sora stilled in his sentence.

Had he really just said that? The notion hit him heavily, as though bricks had been laid upon his shoulders as he sat there. When he had found himself within Traverse Town, his intentions were only to find his mom and friends and get out of dodge, but instead of doing that, he'd agreed to help Donald and Goofy, and for his troubles, he ended up in a worlds worth of turmoil and tribulations that never seemed to cease. Bright blue eyes narrowed as Sora considered that even without his acknowledgement, he was already changing into someone that even he didn't recognize, and that notion terrified him.

"Well, if you don't know what you are, then you must know who you are," Owl sufficed as Sora looked to his hands.

Did he know who he was? Or was the person he'd become unclear to even himself? To him, it had never crossed his mind that at some point in this journey to find the others he'd end up loosing track of himself and it and the notion of not knowing what he was becoming made Sora wonder if by the time he finally found the others, they wouldn't even recognize him. Shaking his head, he took in a deep breath, shaking off his doubts before looking to the others.

"My name is Sora Seiren." Owl hopped around him, seeming to be inspecting him before hooting a bit.

"I've never seen a person like you before," he quipped as Sora rose an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?" Tigger chuckled.

"He means no ones ever seen peepers like that before," he stated, pointing to Sora's eyes as Roo hopped up and down.

"They look like the sky!" he told him.

"Well um… that's what my name means… Sora means sky." Kanga laughed a bit.

"That's a very pretty name, I think it fits you well," she said as Tigger hopped towards him.

"Nice to meet you Sora Seiren, sorry for bouncing you earlier. I can't help it! It's what we Tiggers do best!" he shook Sora's hand, noticing the white leather band there and eyeing it in curiosity before Rabbit looked the boy over.

"Well, if you're here, then we can help you, I suppose." Sora sighed.

"Thanks, but I don't know how any of you can help me with something like magic," he admitted as Kanga watched him.

"Sora, would I be wrong in saying that you are feeling homesick?" the boy looked to her.

"Kind of… but right now, there's no home for me to go back too," he answered as they gave him a surprised look.

"What do you mean by that?" blue eyes met black as Sora looked to Roo.

"My home was taken away from me by some really bad things, and my friends and mom too. I'm with two new friends of mine, and we've been looking for them, but so far we haven't been very lucky," he responded in a despondent tone.

"I'll bet its those Heffelumps and Woozles! They're always taking stuff that ain't theirs!" Sora rose an eyebrow.
"Heffelumps, and Woozles?" Roo nodded.

"They're really sneaky and take things all the time. Really scary looking too! They walk around the forests at night, so you don't wanna go out there alone or they'll gobble you up," he warned as Sora frowned.

"That's kind of like what happened… I guess…" Kanga smiled.

"How about some food? That'll help with the sour mood." Sora gave her a weak smile.

"Thank you."

{Kanga's House: 10:02pm}

Roo was fast asleep on the sofa, his book having fallen to the floor as Sora had taken to reading it to him after they'd all eaten something. The small kangaroo had taken to him surprisingly quick, and once he'd finished with dinner and gotten ready for bed, he wanted to hear the story from the book, but once Sora had finished it, the small fellow was still awake, and so, Sora did what he had with Leon and Rinoa's daughter, and told him a story about the Olympus Colosseum, feeling it was safe territory after all that had happened in the other worlds before the boy dozed off as he finished telling him about how he'd pushed Hades's minions Pain and Panic into the save river as their boss, which brought a happy smile and a tired giggle to Roo's face before he finally dozed off into a deep sleep, and Sora sighed, surprising Kanga with how well he took to dealing with someone so rambunctious.

However, she and the others had also overheard the story the boy was telling Roo, and noted that the strain in his voice indicated that this was more than just some fictitious tale for bedtime, and in knowing that Kanga hopped over to the boy, offering him a cup of warm tea with milk and honey in it before settling down with Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Tigger, and Rabbit. Sora thanked her and took a few steady sips of it, and Owl eyed him before trilling in thought as he looked towards the sleeping Roo who was being picked up by his mother and carried to his room before laying him down and closing the door, leaving the rest of them in the living room to talk.

"That was quite a tale lad, but I feel it was somewhat true," Owl mentioned as Sora nodded reluctantly.

"Because it was. It's only been a few days since I arrived in Traverse Town and then ended up here from that place." Piglet put a hand to his mouth.

"D-Dear! You must be very strong, and brave then!" he said as Sora shook his head.

"Not really, I just fell into this mess, it was an accident." Pooh hummed as he sucked on his paw to clean it of honey.

"They're funny things, accidents. You never have them till you're having them," he mentioned as Sora took another sip of his tea.

"Yea, and this one seems to only keep causing more trouble." Kanga looked the boy over.

"What I see is someone who is still very young, and doesn't know who he wants to be just yet," she stated as sky-blue eyes turned towards her.

"That's the thing, I just… before this, I thought I was well aware of who I was. But now, I'm starting to think I don't know who or what I am. All of its a big mess that just makes things worse and worse."

"But, maybe those things you think changed you, are part of who you are?" questioned Rabbit as Tigger nodded.

"Right! The things that make me different are the things that make me! Cause I'm the only one!" Sora looked to the group of fluffy individuals in the room with him, and found himself wondering, if it was at all possible that this was what Merlin intended.

"That my changes… are part of who I'm supposed to be?" Owl nodded with a hoot.

"My dear boy, I think they have it spot on! You may see them as large differences, but despite that, I sense you always have a little consideration, a little thought for others, and that makes all the difference," he stated as Sora glanced down.

"Some of the things I've done so far, I'm not proud of… and, honestly, I feel like I'm going to be smothered under the pressure. I guess, sometimes even the smallest things take up the most room in your heart… but I don't know if I can fix those things or come to terms with them."

Everything grew quiet for a moment, Sora drinking in the silence around him as he tried to fathom what he could do now that he'd ended up here. Was Merlin's intentions to make him face these questions? If so, how could he possibly answer them when he honestly wasn't even sure of who he was supposed to be or at least find common ground after all that had already happened? Sora didn't have those answers, and he knew if he left this book without a resolution, it would result in him having gained nothing from who knew how much time that had been wasted. Sighing, he went to take another sip of the tea Kanga had given him, when something made him pause.

"I always get to where I'm going by walking away from where I have been."

Sora stared at Pooh in utter silence, and in an instant it all clicked into place for him. Merlin had sent him here to gain better control and grounds upon his magic and abilities as a Bearer of the Keyblade, and somehow, in this exact instant, this simple, silly old bear had said possibly one of the most profound things he'd ever heard. That was his answer right there, that it was okay to leave things in the past and grow stronger, and more capable in the face of his future adversities, because it wasn't where he had been that mattered, it was where he was going. Taking in a deep breath, Sora's once jaded features lit up with a brilliant smile, his sharp sky blue eyes glowing with a light of realization, and a weightless sensation overtook him as he swallowed the tea down quickly and started to stand into a crouch.

"Sora? Is something the matter?" asked Kanga.

"No! I just, Pooh! What you just said, that was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you." he reached out and rubbed the top of Pooh's fuzzy yellow head, and the bear let out a chuckle.

"I'm not sure what I did, but your welcome, Sora," he said as the boy looked to the others.

"And all of you as well. I get it now, this is what Merlin wanted to teach me and why I was sent here! It was to realize something that I needed to in order to find the people I care about. Thank you for everything, but I have to go back to Merlin's house now." with that he got himself out the door and started running, thanking the others once again as Kanga laughed with a smile.

"He's a strange boy, isn't he?" Rabbit nodded.

"I honestly thought he would never cheer up," he admitted as Pooh chuckled in a mirthful voice, and responded.

"Maybe, but, it never hurts to keep looking for sunshine."

{Merlin's House: June 29th, 2011 - 11:09pm}

Donald and Goofy sat at a table with Merlin, occasionally glancing towards the book where Sora had gone, wondering if the boy was truthfully okay or not as it had been a little over a day ago that he'd departed into the strange book alone. Admittedly, they both had wanted to go with him, unwilling to let him go alone after the events of Deep Jungle, and even further when they'd arrived at the Olympus Colosseum and Hades had tried to warp his thoughts on his obligations as a Keyblade Bearer. Regardless, they both had been told it was something that Sora had to do alone, and though it frustrated them, they both had obeyed Merlin's directive, and remained in his house for the last day and a half. As Donald reached for his cup of tea, a rattling noise came from nearby, and the three people turned to see the book on the stand slam itself open before lighting up in a strange glow before Sora came tumbling out of it with a faint thump while he rubbed the sore spot on his head from colliding with the cobblestone floor.

"Okay, I've seriously gotta work on my landings," he muttered as Merlin stood from his chair.

"So, it seems you've returned to us at last, Sora." the boy was quick to jump to his feet, Donald, and Goofy standing as well when Merlin started towards him.

"Yes sir, sorry it took so long. I kind of got stuck for a little while," he admitted as Donald and Goofy gave him concerned, and confused looks.

"Whadda ya mean you got stuck?" asked Donald.

"Oh, well I met this silly old bear, and he couldn't find his friends, so I helped him find one of them, and then he was hungry so I had to help him get some honey, and they he and his friend needed to find their other friends, and then one of their friends accidentally knocked me out and well…" Merlin chuckled a bit.

"It would seem that Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends took quite a shine to you, is that correct? Sora?" he inquired as the boy nodded slowly.

"Yea, I think so." Merlin nodded slowly.

"And, should I take it that by you returning, you figured out the reason I sent you into that particular world?" Sora smiled as his two traveling companions gave him a perplexed look.

"Well, gwarsh, what did ya learn Sora?" questioned Goofy as Sora laughed a bit, a bright smile on his face.

"That even if I don't fully know who or what I am right now, that's fine. In time, I'll figure it out, and that… the best way for me to do this is to be okay with walking away from where I've been so I can get to where I'm supposed to go."

Merlin nodded his head, smiling to himself as he went over to a cabinet, and opened it with a wave of his hand, causing Sora, Donald, and Goofy to turn their attention towards him as he pulled out a small decorative blue chest with silver designs on it, and came towards the table, waving his hand over to them as he sat the chest down, and the trio approached. Merlin stood before them, eyes observing their forms before locking his gaze upon Sora. Without question, Merlin's eyes softened, and turned a touch watery as he looked at the young boy before him, curious as to what would happen from here on out as he grew, and the struggles became harder, but the aged Wizard in blue robes didn't doubt for even a moment that like those before him, Sora would rise to the challenges he faced.

"Sora, the reason I sent you into the Hundred Acre Wood, was so that with the guidance of its inhabitants, you could hopefully learn that right now, its perfectly fine if you cannot without question understand who you are. And, that in due time, you will grow into your own, and become an incredible warrior for the light," Merlin stated as bright blue eyes met his own dark ones.

"You sent me in there to help me gain peace of mind because I was broken up after everything that had happened so far, and didn't genuinely realize. But, when the others spoke to me, they saw what I was struggling with, and helped me realize it on my own." Merlin nodded.

"Exactly my boy, and in you gaining peace of mind, I can give you something that a man named Auron sent my way. He was a friend of ours, and unfortunately perished in the process of gaining this item from a rather unsavory place, but now it is time to give it to you," Merlin stated as Donald rose an eyebrow.

"And, what would this item be exactly?" the Blue Wizard smiled, and pulled a key out from under his robes, pulling it over his head, Merlin unlocked the small blue and silver chest before placing it on the table as he opened the box to reveal a circular potion bottle with a blue wax seal on it, a paper tag held on with twine of blue, while within the bottle itself was a swirling, shimmering liquid of royal blue with silver misty-hues that had their own unique sparkle to them. Sora observed it in confusion, bewildered by the sight of such a thing while Donald's jaw had currently dropped to the ground.

"T-That's a Drive Potion!" Donald exclaimed as Sora looked to him.

"Drive Potion?" he received a nod from Merlin.

"They're incredibly rare, and were even in the olden days of the Keyblade Bearers. I happen to have known a few individuals who possessed Drive Forms that were Masters during the War. This particular Drive Potion is known as The River of the Mind, and like all Drive Potions, has a particular requirement for one to consume it and it take," Merlin explained to Sora while Donald looked to the Wizard in surprise.

"Your gonna give it to Sora?" asked Goofy.

"Indeed I am. Keyblade Bearers are the only known beings in existence who can easily use the Drive Potions without damage. To find one in these days is quite exceptional." Sora looked at the Drive Potion in thought before looking to Merlin.

"How many of these are left?" the Wizard smiled.

"Out of the accounted for ones, there are twenty. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Spirit, Oath, Power, Guardian, Magic, Reality, Courage, Space, Time, Soul, Mind, Darkness, Light, Dreams, Sound, and Balance. And, at current, most of their locations are unknown." Donald nodded.

"Sora, if Merlin is giving this to you, then its very special. It may be the only one you ever have, and its an honor," he stated as he looked to the boy who nodded slowly.

"How do I use it then?" Merlin smiled.

"You drink it; however, once you begin to, no matter how it may make you feel, you must not cease drinking it until it is completely gone. If you do, it will not take and will drain you of your magic for several days to come, am I clear?" he informed the boy of this, and he nodded.

"Okay then."

With Merlin's coaxing, Sora undid the seal on the potion, and picked up the bottle carefully. It was cold to the touch, almost like ice, and had the sensation of vibration that reminded him of waves in water. Taking a deep breath, Sora put the mouth of the bottle to his lips and tilted it back, preparing to follow Merlin's instructions and drink it as quickly as he could. However, the second that it hit his tongue, the frigid coolness of the liquid almost made him pull back in shock, and Sora had to force himself to keep swallowing the freezing liquid as he closed his eyes, ignoring the aching cold that was developing in his body until finally, he felt the last of the potion being swallowed, and instantly sighed in relief as he took in a few gasping breaths and sunk to his knees, coughing as he felt the cold sensation of his own breath come past his lips, causing him to clap a hand over his mouth as he stared at Merlin who had crouched beside him with Donald and Goofy.

"Job well done my boy. Now, the abilities of this Drive Potion are water based, and will grant you extra control over magic, and may change your appearance and that of your clothing to some degree. You'll learn control very fast, and that water and ice based attacks are quite a bit stronger. It's transformation is known as a Drive Form, and it possesses an element, which is naturally, Water." Goofy reached out to place a hand on the boy as he coughed more, and recoiled when he touched him.

"Sora! Your freezin'!" Donald sighed.

"Dummy, its the side effect of taking the Drive Potion. They mess with your temperatures and things like that all the time," he informed him as Sora took in a few shaky breaths and looked towards Merlin.

"N-Now what?" he asked.

"All that is left, is to grant you one more thing."

Sora shakily stood to his feet, feeling the coolness of his own body that unnerved him slightly as Merlin reached into the back of the same cabinet that he'd pulled the chest of the Drive Potion out of and gradually removed a long, thick wooden box with ornate curving engraved marks on it. Having it settled upon the table, Merlin allowed the three to observe it, and as they did Sora took in the various ornate designs upon the box, its gold and silver platting, the deep and rich carvings of stars, and various flowers and vines before he stilled, looking at the silver plate that had a scrawling, ornate language written on it at the center of the box's top. He reached out, tracing the letters with his finger tips as Merlin observed him, and Donald, and Goofy looked at the boy in confusion.

"It's quite an old item, from just before the war broke out. I feel its only appropriate that you're given something a little extra to help you through these events to come," Merlin stated as Sora looked further at the box, once more tracing the pads of his finger tips on the lettering.

"Sora? Is something wrong?" asked Goofy as Merlin continued to observe the boy.

"What language is this?" Merlin hummed.

"It was spoken by the people from Squall's home world. Unfortunately, no one speaks it anymore," he stated.

"They don't?" Merlin shook his head.

"No, its become lost to time. If I may, why do you ask dear boy?" Sora gave a nervous swallow as he traced his fingers over the letters once more.

"Well… because… I can read it," he answered. Donald, and Goofy looked startled.

"Sora, how can you possibly read it? Merlin just said its a dead language." Merlin hummed in thought.

"You say you can? What does it say?" he questioned.

"A key that binds spells." Goofy hummed in thought.

"Gwarsh, doesn't that box remind you guys of the one that Lady Luck was in?" Sora and Donald looked to Goofy, and then to one another.

"Yea, now that you mention it…" Merlin smiled.

"You did indeed read that text correctly. The Keyblade within that box is a special one I had created may years ago. Though, I myself am not a Bearer of the Keyblade, I feel that this one should do you some good, Sora," he stated as the boy nodded, and opened the box to see the Keyblade within it.

Nestled within black satin, was a deep blue Keyblade that had an infinity symbol to make up its grip and guard in the color of silver that had two loop areas on either side of the base's lower parts in the same deeper blue as the grip, all of which bled into a two pronged base and down into a blue and silver set of teeth that looked as though it was made from an astrological compass. Sora looked to the keychain, noticing that was a silver chain with a small deep green spellbook on the end that had black writing on it. Though nervous, and still undoubtedly cold, Sora reached forward, and lifted it carefully out of the case, feeling the weight and faintest buzz of magic within the Keyblade as Merlin smiled.

"This is Spellbinder, a heavily magic-based Keyblade of my own design. Use it with Wisdom Form, and it will give your attacks a little boost," Merlin assured as Sora nodded slowly.

"Okay, I will." Donald and Goofy nodded to one another as Sora looked at the Keyblade before releasing it to vanish in a series of silver-blue shines.

"Sora, we better get back to Leon and the others, their probably finished with repairs on the Gummy Ship," Donald stated as the boy looked to him.

"Right, um… Merlin, thank you for everything. I appreciate it." Sora went to bow to him, and Merlin shook his head, stopping him.

"No need to bow to me, I know its a respect thing from your culture; however, I feel more indebted to you, than anything else, young Keyblade Bearer," Merlin stated as Sora smiled ever so slightly.

"Thank you, regardless, for everything you've done." the Blue Wizard smiled to him.

"Your welcome, and should you need me again, don't fret, for I will always be here should you need more training," he stated as Sora, Donald, and Goofy said their final goodbyes, and left before the Fairy Godmother reappeared, turning to look at Merlin.

"Having Sora around reminds me of what it was like many years ago, when that young boy of Yen Sid's came by for a book on spellcraft. He was always growing stronger, and adapting quicker than most would have anticipated," she stated as Merlin nodded.

"And, despite having no training in it, the language spoken in that time by the people of the Kingdom is somehow… ingrained into Sora's mind." Fairy Godmother rose an eyebrow.

"He could read Spellbinder's case card? Oh dear…" Merlin nodded.

"Indeed, it would seem all of our assumptions and suspicions are accurate. Though, I quite honestly doubted it from the very beginning as to whose child he is."

{.….}

Return and be restored, Now's the time to rise as one, I wanna be the white, white light….

{.….}

Author's Note: After all this time, I've been busting my ass trying to get these chapters to you guys, and finally, I have started to. Here's the build up to the chapters that are to come, we're off to Agrabah next, and I look forward to seeing what all of you think. I doubt the next arc will be as late as this one has ended up being, but I hope you guys will still read and review, and I'll see you in the next chapter as we now close Season I of this story, and finally start Season II of Kingdom Hearts: Genesis.

Sincerely,

ShadowDragon94.