Answers in the Deep

"So yeah, I'm a Princess, your a princess...we should totally have a princess hang out just you and me." Star suggested as they kept on swimming, a small blush coming over her, "Do each other nails, sing songs….Romanic getaway"

"Huh?" Marco ears perked up.

"NOTHING!"

"That sounds like fun!" Ariel beamed. "I'll have to sneak you in, father isn't big on outsiders as you know."

"Oooooh ...I like your style girl!" Star said before a saddened smile appeared on her face. ""Trust me I know a thing or two about strict parents, but uh-uh- just enjoy them while you can."

Sora noticed the pain in Star's face show before she quickly perked up. Poor Star, Sora knew what it was like to have to hide his pain sometimes. Yet moving forward was really the only thing he could do at this moment. Star knew this too apparently as she kept going

Ariel for her part just ignored Star last sentence as she lead them through the vast ocean casams and rocks. She was apparently looking for something that would lead them in the correct direction. Thankfully there were no sign of Heartless around. The quite actually made Soar a bit paranoid. He expected them to come at any moment. However if his key did not appear then it must have meant there was nothing to fear, at least for now. Finally the group finally stopped near a open current tunnel, another tunnel on the other side.

"Um that looks heavy." Sora said as he put his hand in it feeling the strength of the wind. "I don't think we can get through."

"Maybe Star can use her wand to break the current." Marco suggested.

"I'm not doing that ...It would mess with the climate of this world."

"How?"

"Look messing with the natural state of things should only be done in emergencies and the occasional rush to get ready for school."

"You don't know how do you?" Donald asked.

Star sighed. "Yes."

"See Star, Glossaryck is right you need to study that book more." Marco chided.

"Oh like you would help."

"Hey, I am a diligent tutor!"

"More like a nag." Star snickered giving him a small punch on the shoulder, "Star does this, Star make sure to clean up, Star don't burn down the house again"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Well this is just great."

Ariel swam out to see if she could find something that could help them get through the heavy current. She looked through some seaweed and other various items. Yet she couldn't find anything. Until in the distance she saw a friendly looking dolphin swimming around, completely enjoying it's day. She waved over to it hoping it would come.

Whistling it over Ariel called over the Dolphin and whispered it in his ear.

"Are you talking to it?" Sora asked.

"Her...and yes."

Sora blushed. "Sorry...Hello Ma'am."

"Ok, now everyone grab on and she'll help us go through the current."

Sora and Marco blushed.

"Uh….Are you sure she's ok with this." Marco asked hesitating to touch the dolphins phin. "I mean I don't wanna get into any personal space or-"

Star rolled his eyes. "If she said yes, then yes. Beside it's a dolphin not a person."

Sora swam over the dolphin holding it by its dorsal fin. Star, Marco, Ariel, Donald and Goofy grabbed on as well.

Giving the signal Ariel nodded as the Dolphin headed off into the current at full blast. The sensation was wild yet quick. The ocean bubbles flew into everyone's face at a brush speed. Sora could feel his hair being blown right to his side, but then in a instant, it was gone. Although now his hair was even messier and perhaps even spiker than before. He tried putting a hand in it but forgot he was no longer dry.

"Woo! What a trip!" Star said her face beaming with excitement.

Marco looked like he was about to vomit for he held onto his tales as if he still had knees and needed to bend over. Sora and the others just took deep breaths looking exhausted yet managing to keep a certain amount of dexterity to them as they floated along the ocean floor.

"Thank you so much!" Ariel nodded.

The Dolphin gave a squeak before heading off as she waved it goodbye.

"What did it say?" Sora asked.

"It said if we needed its help again we just ask again?"

"Really? It's that ok with being our personal current barricade." Marco asked.

Ariel nodded. "Well, sometimes you just need to ask. Now come on, let's go and see if we can't find that Keyhole."

Sora and the others quickly followed through the cave to come through another wider casam. Standing in the center, a large wooden ship, completely wrecked, standing at the very bottom of the ground. Everyone gazed upon it with a look of awe. It was decayed, rotting and completely abandon. It was the kind of ship that Riku would tell Sora and Kairi they would look for on there travels.

"So you think the Keyhole is in there?" Sora asked seeming hesitant, the ship abounded nature giving him the shiver.

Ariel shrugged. "Flounder told me about it earlier, I've been wanting to find it and give it a good look."

"I don't know, what if it's haunted." Marco asked his voice cracking.

"Well then that makes it even cooler!" Star beamed.

They headed into the ship, large cobwebs and balls of dust could be seen everywhere. Even in the ocean the place was a bit musty and difficult to maneuver. Sora got stuck a few times in between floor boards needing to get pulled out with the help of his friends.

"I don't think a Keyhole would be here." Sora said as he kept looking through the ships captains quarters.

"Well there sure is a lot of neat stuff here." Ariel said holding a magnifying glass.

Star looked at the desk insignia. "Wonder where this place came from?

"Up there." Ariel pointed to the sky. "The surface world. If there is anyplace I hope i could go one day, that would be my number one choice."

"The surface world...I don't know, it's not that interesting." Marco muttered.

Star again hit Marco in the stomach. "Hey! Trust me...I know what that like. You get tired of being at home all the time, you just wanna see it all explore the sights-" she sighed. "Makes you appreciate though the things about home."

"Yeah-I get that." Sora sighed.

The group continued to look around, unaware that outside, a large lingering shadow was looming over them. But they didn't have to notice. Everyone started opening chest and looking through various items. Until finally Sora found in one of the drawers in the captains desk a tiny silver Triton shaped Crystal and held it up to the window. All of it was mundane and silly but to Ariel it was her precious collection of trinkets.

"Look at this." Sora said showing the others the strange piece glint in his hand. "It's beautiful.

"Hey it looks like the trident." Goofy pointed out.

"Wonder what's this is doing all the way down here." Star asked.

"I mean this ship must have come from the shore, maybe it's from a whole other world itself." Ariel exclaimed, the mere notion excited her to no end. "Oh these are the reasons I love exploring this stuff-It's so strange and unique, things you couldn't even imagine to find back home."

"Makes you wonder why this world is mostly ocean." Sora muttered thinking aloud.

It was strange to him that there was little shore, at least to what he saw. Perhaps there was and he didn't know it. Yet the fact that he landed in the ocean and appeared as a mermaid or man in his case made him wonder about just how big these worlds were. In fact he was starting to wonder just how the world's worked out. Perhaps at a later date he could ask Merlin, he would be someone to know.

Star examined the thing closer "I bet it fits into the little rock somehow. Maybe if we put it in it will reveal something cool. Maybe even the Keyhole itself."

"Really?" Sora's eyes widened. "Would probably be the easiest Keyhole I've found yet."

Ariel beamed. "Great! Lets go before my father…."

"Uh Ariel." Flounder said, his voice stuttering.

Again Ariel ignored him. "Now now Flounder, come on lets go before my father finds us out here. Oh this will be great to see a Keyhole for my-.

"ARIEL RUN!"

"WHAT!?"

Ariel turned around, suddenly her and the others saw to there horror a large massive sharp heading right towards them. It's gigantic teeth smashing straight through the window as it tried to take a bite out of all of them. Everyone leaped back in shock. Sora felt his own heart now going twenty paces a minute before they leaped into action and ran as fast as they could out of the

"Well things can't get worse." Marco said as they were out of the ship

Sora's Keyblade emerged in his hand. "Oh no!"

"Heartless!"

Sora swam into action going as fast as he could and swung his Keyblade at one knocking it out. Yet he could not stop himself in time that he knocked himself into one of the rocks. He slammed up against it with a loud thud, his face contorted in pain. All the while the shark tried to take a large bite out of them.

"Ouch! How do you fight underwater!" Sora grumbled, as he got back out and charged forward trying to avoid the sharks constant strikes.

"Like this!" Ariel shouted as she swung her tale knocking a nearby Heartless back.

"Or this!" Star added firing her wand at one of the Heartless.

Sora still struggled to swim. He didn't know just how he was able to coordinate his tale and his key. Both felt heavy and his movement seemed restrained. "Ugh...Stupid tale, how do you move this thing!"

"Sora hush!" Donald said as he swam neared him. "You'll give yourself away."

"Oh a half duck octopus doesn't give us away." Sora chided.

"It's working so far as long as you don't go blab….."

Sora rolled his eye. "When has keeping secrets been a good thing in the first place."

"Hey guys less talking more Heartless fighting!" Star yelled as a few more Heartless appeared.

"Yeah but what about the shark!" Flounder yelled.

Soon there question was answered for soon to the shock of everyone, the Heartless immediately turned around and headed not towards them, but towards the shark. The one with the spikes poking at it, causing it to be blocked. Allowing Sora and the others to get away.

"What's going on?" Sora asked looking shocked.

Donald and Goofy also looked confused. "Uh….."

"Come on let's go." Ariel said as she started to swim off.

Sora looked at the shark, shocked by the fact the Heartless were helping them. That had never happened before. Something definitely felt up.

-000-

"I've never seen that happen." Sora said, finally speaking once they were far away from the shark as possible.

Everyone took a moment to breath. Marco seemed the most distressed, clutching his chest as if it was in agony. Ariel seemed the least fazed though, still fascinated by the little marking they found back at the old ship.

"I-hate-the ocean!" Marco said in between breaths.

Star rolled her eyes. "Oh don't be such a downer, you've dealt with worse...and yes, they have tried to eaten you."

"Well at least we got the trinket." Sora said as he swam next to it. "So, what are we waiting for, back to the grotto!"

"Things sure do happen fast it seems." Goofy pointed out as he followed Sora and the others.

Once back at the grotto they placed the tiny little trinket inside the trident shape hole, everything was ready and after a few failed attempts for Sora to get his Keyblade in hand he managed to summon it. Finally it was all ready to go. Sora aimed, he was about to fire, he could the energy from the Keyblade charging through him. Just a few more seconds and then…

"ARIEL!" A familiar sounding, booming, voice called out from behind him.

Suddenly the energy from his Keyblade faded as he turned around in a quick haste. Behind them King Triton himself stood, looking both furious and shocked. Everyone in the room gasped and looked nervous. Marco hid behind Star out of fear of being blasted.

"Um-Hello." Sora waved gently after a few moments of awkward silence.

King Triton's eyes screamed bloody murder as they gazed upon Sora. Being razed to respect authority Sora already could feel his body stiffen at the white bearded king, that sense of age and experience on his grizzled face, made the young key bearer realize that he was not someone to be trifled with.

"I told you to not go looking for the Keyhole and you deliberately disobeyed, now I'm afraid you will suffer the consequences!"

Aiming his trident the King used all his power and might and blasted the crystal right out of existence. Everyone gasped, all about Ariel who looked angry than anything else. She pouted her lips and took a deep breath, tears swelling in her face before swimming off without a moment's notice.

Sora tried to stop her, but it was to late, she was too fast, then he looked at Tritont upset. Elder or not, he knew what he did was wrong.

"What was that for!" Sora yelled angrily holding on to his Keyblade firmly in case a fight broke. "We were going to seal this world Keyhole once and for all and save this world from the Heartless, do you know what!"

"And what if the Heartless had used this time to sneak up, strike you and embrace this world in darkness." Triton yelled back causing Sora to stop speaking. "Don't think I don't know about that Keyblade bearer. Or worse what if your Keyblade had enacted the Keyhole and unleash the Darkness itself!"

Sora blinked. "You know about the Keyblade."

"Of course I do. Don't think I don't keep tabs on the likes of Phil or Merlin, both have spoken about you. And from what I have gathered, you are not only reckless, but ill prepared for fighting this battle against darkness."

"Hey, he's been doing a good job from what i've seen." Star defended.

"Not good enough-otherwise Mewni would still be around as well as your mother. The Keyblade has been the linchpin for death and decay for generations."

Star looked taken a back as she sighed.

"Hey, don't rub it in her face that she lost her world and mom too." Marco said putting a hand over her shoulder to comfort her. "That was cold -even for a King."

Triton took a deep sigh and began to scratch his long white beard, the wrinkles around his eyes becoming more apparent.. "I apologize, Queen Moon was a dear friend of mine, definitely a credit to your unique family line. But that doesn't excuse the fact that the Keyblade bearer is still very well ill-prepared. Plus I've never been one to believe that they have always been the great hero's they've claimed to be."

"W-What are you talking about?" Sora asked his voice shaking. "P-Phil brought up the same thing at first."

"Hey we're heroes." Donald fought back aghast at being accused like this. "Who are you to judge us."

"The King of this realm! And no-You are the wielder of the Keyblade and accomplices. Not a hero, that is a difference. Your principal duty according to the ancient laws and legends to be the guardian of the worlds of the light. Not to galavant and meddle in there affairs or the lives of others. That breaks the natural order of things."

Tritons words struck a nerve leaving Sora speechless. "I-I wasn't meddling I was helping I….."

"That is practically the same. Having the Keyblade master already gives someone the advantage" King Triton cut him off causing Sora to gulp. "It is that sort of mentality that brought them down in the end."

Sora blinked. "Brought them-Phil said the same thing."

"And he should know, he was there when it happened as was I. Granted I was not old enough to know what the world was like during the age of Fairy Tales, but I am old enough to know how the Keyblade fell."

"W-When what happened?" Sora asked a bit hesitation in his voice, unsure if he ever wanted the Answer.

"The Keyblade Masters fell, when one of their own turned on them and planted the seeds for the mess that we are in today. In fact if it wasn't for Xehanort, none of this probably would have happened in the first place. His drive for power and understanding of things he was never meant to understand has lead us down the path we are now and nearly unleashed evil and darkness beyond even him. Simple put it was Keyblade meddling plain and simple that led to their demise."

"W-Who is Xehanort?" Sora said, something about that name made his heart fidget in fear, as if he had heard it before.

"Whos…." Triton looked stunned before brushing him off. "It doesn't matter, it was a long time ago, just know that my daughter doesn't need your kind here, nor does my world. The Keyblade has for to long done nothing but shatter peace, and bring ruin. Now please, be gone, as well as you Princess Star and friend Marco and never bother these oceans again… I will not have that Keyhole reveal itself and stay it out of the way of anyone who would seek to do my world and my people harm"

With those last stern words Triton left leaving Sora and the others standing there in shock. Looking down at his Keyblade Sora was starting to understand why Phil had not trusted him when he first arrived back at the Olympus Coliseum. But this was different, this was information, more detailed information that even Phil had knew or perhaps refused to tell him. In fact the more Sora thought it over the more he realized that he knew little about why he was the last Keyblade Master in existence right now. What had happened to the others, and why were they so maligned.

"an evil Keyblade Master." He said to himself in a hushed whisper. "Xehanort."

"Sora? You ok?" Goofy asked swimming toward him.

"Gee that king is such a stuck up no good." Marco paused noticing Star's face. "I mean-"

Star held up a hand. "No, no- I get it ...But i do get him, he was just- thinking of what was best for his family, even if he did go a bit over the top."

Although Sora could not tell she was probably thinking of her own mother who must have been on that same level of overprotectiveness, he couldn't let Tritons words get to him personally right now.

"Sora?" Donald said.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, let's find Ariel! She's probably upset, she could use a friend."

Although he said he was fine, again his mind began to wonder of just what happened to the Keyblade Masters. Now a name, Xehanort, was thrown into the mix. Yet right now he tried to push those thoughts aside, he had a friend that was in trouble, and he knew one thing, meddling or not he needed to help her.