Sora and Phoenix followed the professor down a flight of cold stone stairs. The sound of small creatures scurrying from the advancing group echoed off the walls. Dripping water could be heard in the distance. Sora had the strangest feeling he had left the professor's living room only to emerge once again in the bowels of Hollow Bastion.
"Professor? What is all this?" he asked as they neared the base of the stairs.
"After the world boundaries were replaced, the Heartless began searching out all gummi ship sources. They were hell bent on keeping everyone grounded. It was necessary to move my gummi lab underground. Hence the secret entrance and moldy staircase," the professor replied. They stood in front of a large mahogany door with a silver sconce on either side. The professor produced a large gold key with a serpent on it from his cardigan pocket.
"Professor, are you trying to tell us that you have a fully operational gummi production facility underneath your house?" Phoenix asked as the professor unlocked the door.
"Well, not completely operational. Some of my equipment has fallen apart due to lack of usage. Other than those select few, everything else is up to par"! He threw the great door open to reveal a brightly lit room with tables, chairs, counters, workstations, chemicals, gears, machines, assembly lines, and colors everywhere. "Welcome to Yesterday Gummi Production! The underground franchise of course!" bellowed the professor as the stepped inside. Sora gazed in amazement at all that lay before him. He had never expected anything of this magnitude.
"Wow professor! This is incredible! I never. I never knew you had such an advanced production facility"!
"It is quite impressive, isn't it?" the professor beamed. "I built everything myself. This place is a monument to my scientific and technological skills from bottom to top"!
"This is truly amazing professor," Phoenix said. "Is it possible to build a gummi for our travels here"? The professor laughed heartily and slung an arm around her shoulders.
"My dear, we won't have to build one"! The professor punched a button on his desk and the far left wall rose to reveal a large gummi hanger. Both Sora and Phoenix's mouths fell to the floor. Inside, a huge gummi ship sat nobly under harsh spotlights.
"That's a. that's a." Sora stuttered.
"Yes," the professor replied quietly. "It's a class four. The largest gummi ship model available. Only three were ever made, though hundreds were attempted. She is the White Nova, the finest gummi ever made"! Phoenix trailed a finger along the gummi's exterior.
"She looks brand new," she said.
"She practically is. I just finished her last month. Never even left the hanger," the professor replied with pride.
"What's her statistics?" Sora asked intently.
"Speed's 1200, defense is level five. She's got 20 cannons, all mounted on port and starboard. Lasers are bow and stern. Radar is topside. Seats a crew of 12. Full kitchen and separate sleeping quarters. Cargo holds 100 tons. Maneuvers like a dream. She can go into stealth mode at any time. Completely invisible to the naked eye. You'd have to have ComRay radar to detect her cloak. Since nobody has made ComRay for eight years, I think you're safe. Other stuff like engines, capacity and all that. it's just basic. She's got a gummi's heart and a warrior's body".
"I can't believe you're going to let us use her!" Sora exclaimed. The professor only smiled. "I mean, this has to be the most generous thing you've ever done! For anyone"!
"Well, if you kids save the universe, I want to be able to say I had a hand in it!" the professor chuckled.
"This is quite generous of you professor Yesterday," Phoenix said quietly. "You must know how grateful we are".
"Oh, bah! I'm just repaying a favor," the professor replied. Phoenix caught the professor and Sora exchanging a knowing look.
"A favor"? Sora smiled.
"After the world boundaries were replaced, the professor employed my. services. I guess I sort of saved his life this one time. That's all," he explained. Phoenix nodded.
"That's a load of horse shit!" the professor exclaimed. "I had been cornered by an Invisible in one of the First District's back alleys. Sora came to my rescue. The Invisible attempted to take my head off with his sword, but Sora leapt in front of me, taking the blow right to his chest. He saved my life"! Phoenix looked at Sora in interest.
"He's exaggerating. It really wasn't that. bad," Sora replied, color rushing to his cheeks. The professor threw his hands in the air and sighed loudly.
"Well, I suppose I should take you kids on a tour of the ship. When are you planning on leaving"?
"Tomorrow, if at all possible," Sora replied. The professor's eyes grew large as saucers.
"Well why didn't you say so?! Come on, we ain't got all night! I gotta get you kids in the air! Let's go!" he exclaimed as he led Sora and Phoenix to the White Nova's main gate.

Phoenix watched as the last of the late night partiers left the pub. She enjoyed listening to the sound of their laughter, of music straining over the bellow for more drinks. She sat in one of the balcony's rusty chairs and thought about what it would be like to be one of those so very lucky people. They could laugh and sing and drink and love, but she could never taste any of it. Not the way they could. Her brown hair tumbled across her shoulders as a cool breeze played through the First District. She looked up as Sora opened the screen door. He handed her a cup of coffee without a word. Taking the cup offered her, she watched as he eased comfortably into the other chair with his own.
"Coffee. In the middle of the night"?
"Ah, but this is no ordinary coffee. It's my special 'Knock you out for a good solid eight hours' coffee. I figured we could both use the sleep". A brow arched, Phoenix took a sip. And immediately coughed it back up.
"Whiskey!" she shouted.
"Of course! I know it's not the greatest tasting thing in the world, but you'll be thanking me in the morning," Sora replied with a smirk.
"Yeah, but. Whiskey"?
"Think of it as a perk". Phoenix only shook her head and downed the rest of the biting concoction.
"What we're preparing to do is a serious matter Sora". He nodded.
"I know that as well as you do".
"You may not come back alive"!
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now we need to worry about stocking the ship with supplies tomorrow." Sora pulled himself up and laid a hand on Phoenix's shoulder. Again, he felt a strange surge of energy.
"You shouldn't touch me," she said quietly.
"Why not?" Sora asked. Phoenix only looked away as if ashamed.
"The Key gives off a lot of excess energy. That energy is floating freely around inside of me. It's dangerous. You could be hurt terribly if somehow that energy found a way to jump from my body to yours". Sora left his hand where it was.
"Get some sleep. We've got a lot to do tomorrow," he said. Phoenix watched him return indoors and put a hand to her heart. A warmth she hadn't experienced in a very long time was growing inside of her. She quickly shook herself free of the thoughts she was playing with. Feeling foolish and very sleepy, she rose and followed him inside.