Title: The Shopkeep's Glass
Author name: Ari Powwel
Author email: eight_muses@hotmail.com
Spoilers: . . . none
Summary: Not everyone can take the spotlight all the time. Not everyone knows of the legendary wielder (or at least, who he is.) Not everyone's focused on the Keyblade only. Some are focused on their well-being.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by various publishers including but not limited to Disney Interactive and Square Co., Ltd. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Okay, I know you can't buy Omega Arts at the Accessory Shop, but . . . D it was fun. (O.O that shopkeep's awful! I didn't even plan it like that . . . ^^;;)
The idea of the RAD point is mine! D (it takes the place of the Save Point in the game) I feel special, I came up with an idea!
(Y.B.: What did we tell you about feeling special?! **thwaps**
Ari: x.x)
Statistics:
Day began: 27 September, 2003
Day completed: 28 September, 2003
Words: 2,027
Pages: 4
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I hummed a small tune to myself as I whisked around the store, a broom in my grasp. The floor wasn't especially dirtied, but I was determined to do this job to its full potential. Not everyone was as lucky as I was . . . on my way here this morning, I had passed a boy who looked like he'd walked a thousand miles. It was obvious that he had no place to go; I pitied him. The Accessory Shop was the biggest store in the First District, and the one most people bought from. It was certainly one of the centre points of the town. People were always coming and going, though today seemed rather slow.

As I stepped behind the counter to replace the broom, a figure appeared in the shop. I jumped, but then chastised myself, come now, you know that the RAD (rest and docking) is nearby. You know that they've set up a jump from there to here. After all, this is the main point of town.

'. . . I know that, Donald,' said the brown-haired boy. I found myself in awe for a moment. His hair defied all known laws of gravity! How did he get it to stay up? 'But we need to restock, first.'

'Aw, phooey,' a smaller duck huffed. This wasn't very surprising; I had spent many a day conversing with the Moogles in the workshop overhead. 'But make it quick! We don't have all day if you want to rescue those friends of yours, Sora.'

'Donald . . .' a tall, dog-person said. 'We can rest a little while.'

'Goofy's right!' the brunette, supposedly Sora, said. 'If we go back out there without resting a bit first, we could . . .' he trailed off as they approached the counter.

'May I help you?' I asked courteously. The first law of shopkeeping: always be pleasant.

'Yes, we'd like to shop,' Sora answered.

'Would you like to buy? Or sell?'

'To buy, please,' he responded, pulling out an immense sum of munny.

My eyes widened slightly, and I dipped backwards with a, 'Yes, sir!' I reached under the counter, pulling out several accessories. 'What about this, the Titan's chain?'

Sora examined it in wonder. 'What's it do?'

'Well,' I began, 'it will raise your defence level, erecting a sort of protective shield around you. It can also enhance the effectiveness of your weapon, if you use one.'

'What's this?' asked Goofy, pointing at a cuff in the case. It was a crystal-like cuff, sending rainbow patterns over everything near it. For this purpose, I had placed it inside a mirrored box, making it quite an interesting sight—an eye-catcher.

I scurried over. 'Ahh, I see you've found the most exceptional of our items—the Omega Arts.'

'Omega Arts?' Sora echoed. 'So that's what it's called. I wondered.'

'Pardon?'

The boy pulled off his glove, revealing two Omega Arts fastened around his wrist. 'What do they do?'

'The Omega Arts is one of the most exclusive accessories you can find anywhere,' I told him, eager to possibly sell another. 'It raises a protective shield around you, like the Titan's Chain, but this one is thicker, harder to penetrate. It also raises the effectiveness of a choice weapon to a higher level than the Titan's Chain, and it's said that it can actually raise your health, so that if you're fighting, you can sustain even more than the shield would allow. However, it's one of the most expensive pieces in this shop,' I said, turning so they wouldn't see the slight smile that passed my face. 'I can't sell it to just anyone . . . only certain people.'

'Like who?' I smirked a moment at hearing the indignant tone in the youth's voice. I was reeling him in, slowly, leading towards the sale.

'Well, to heroes, for instance. I can't sell this to someone, then have another person like Hercules, or Philoctetes come in and not have one for them.'

'So I can't get one?' Anyone else might have worried about losing a sale right there, but I heard an arrogant undertone. It wasn't as though the boy considered himself above everyone else, or knew he would defeat everyone he met, but the tone that meant that he knew he was a certain person that could buy one.

'I'm not sure, sir. It all depends.'

'On what?'

'Why, on your credentials. I need something to prove that you're eligible to buy one.'

'What could be considered a credential?'

'Well, we've accepted any of the following: a hero license from the Coliseum, a signed paper from a God of Mount Olympeus, a princess, a prince, a king, a queen, any royalty, a wielder, and the like,' I listed quickly.

'That's all?' The boy shook his head, then rummaged in a small sack, pulling out a scroll. 'Here you go,' he said, holding it out to me. I took it and scanned the contents quickly.

This document is to show and prove that the three herenamed (Sora, the Wielder, and Donald and Goofy of the Court) are to be listed as            heroes, and being recognised as such, are given full rights to participate in any and all tournaments to be held at the Coliseum. This document is legally valid, as signed below:

__Hercules__

_Philoctetes_

I handed the scroll back to Sora. 'This is a valid credential. Would you like to purchase the Omega Arts?'

'Yes, we would,' he replied.

I fished the keys to the mirrored strongbox from my pocket, unlocking it and plucking the treasure from within. 'The Omega Arts costs 10,000 munny; a rather fitting price, wouldn't you agree?'

Sora shrugged, trading the money for the cache. 'It's worth it, I suppose.' As he looked at the other two, he offered them the Omega Arts, but they each refused. With a slightly guilty look, he wrapped it around his other wrist, the crystal wrapping around itself and forming to the contours of his wrist. 'Should we go to the Item Shop now?' he asked his companions.

'You betcha,' replied Goofy. 'I'd like to get some Hi-Potions, and I know Donald likes them Ethers lots.'

'And Elixirs would help any of us,' Donald put in, the three leaving the shop.

I let out a laugh, sitting down behind the counter. That sale could cover the entire day's work! I could go home right now, if I pleased. But no, because the RAD point was scheduled to be open all day, and I couldn't leave the hooligans running loose in the store.

I had only been alone for about an hour when the shop doors opened again, a heavy rain blowing through them. That's odd . . . it never rains! Sora, Donald, and Goofy rushed over the threshold, pushing the doors shut behind them. 'It's awful out there,' Sora told me. I nodded; it sure seemed like it.

'You ready to leave?' asked Donald, already headed to the RAD point.

'Wait a moment . . .' said Sora, frowning at the fireplace, which had gone out when they entered, rain soaking it. 'Firaga!' a fireball blossomed out of the air and relit the kindling, without even smoking. 'Sorry about putting the fire out,' he shot an apologetic grin at me, stepping into the RAD point, and was gone.

I glanced at the doors and sighed. Although the boy had relit the fire, the floor was covered with rain and mud from outside. Someone could slip and fall; I didn't really want that to happen. I grabbed a bucket and a towel and started mopping up, making sure not to put my head in front of the door in the case of it swinging open. As I worked, I smiled to myself, trying to take my thoughts away from the time I would still be here. I had just sold an Omega Arts! Everything would be fine . . .

A shadow passed over my head. I looked up and saw a hooded figure striding past the window. Behind it stumbled a second figure, pale locks visible, even through the darkness. After this figure came a third, watching the second. I was curious, despite myself, as to why these people were out in the rain. I watched them from the window, eyes widening when I saw the last figure shove the second forward. That was when my mind was made up. I pulled my own cloak from behind the counter, struggling to tug it on as I exited the shop, locking the doors quickly. I glanced around, noting that Erika had taken shelter inside her café instead of standing outside it as usual. Hadn't she seen the men? Our eyes met, and she nodded at me. 'Bring him back,' she mouthed. Or yelled. I couldn't tell which. I nodded in return. I may have put myself before others, but I couldn't let something like this happen. As quietly as possible, I peered around the corner of the Accessory Shop, seeing my quarry round the corner of Geppetto's shop. I followed, pausing at the corner to look around. I didn't see them, so I snuck around. Ah. Here. I could hear their voices carrying around the corner, and looked around. There! A ladder was placed precariously against the shop, a sort of escape from the upper level. I scaled it with ease, lightening my steps on the roof. I walked around the point of the roof, climbing onto the wall there. Here, I could see the three figures, but I doubted they could see me. Looking up into the rain was awful for vision, and my dark cloak would blend well with the wall behind.

'You took far too long acquiring him,' said the first, glaring at the pale-haired boy. His (the boy's) hood was flipped back, revealing a narrow face, contorted in a mixture of fear and hatred, though it was more of the latter. 'For all I know, you've blown our cover.'

'No-one saw us,' the third said, stringy blondish hair in front of his face. 'I made sure of that.'

That's what you think . . .

'And besides,' said the blond, 'we weren't the ones told to do this. I was only covering for another. Do you hear that?!' he suddenly shouted at the boy on the ground. 'You are not my concern!'

'Nor is he mine,' the first purred. 'But we shall do as we agreed, and deliver him.'

'What are you talking about?' the boy asked, voice rising in slight panic. I squinted through the rain. Was his hair pure white? No. I saw a hint of silver in it.

The two hooded figures seemingly glared at the silver-haired boy. 'You ought to blindfold him,' said the first, a voice I could now recognise as feminine. 'I heard once that when humans are blindfolded, they get so scared they can't even murmur a word.'

'A stunning idea,' replied the second, drawing out a length of black. He tied the makeshift blindfold around the boy's eyes, the boy making no attempt to stop him. But why? I frowned. Given the pitch colour of their coats, I couldn't make out individual details. 'Who are you?' he mocked. 'I am Nobody. Who is Nobody, you ask? They are the nonexistent ones.'

'Come,' the woman ordered. 'We leave now.'

'Yes,' responded the man, dragging the blindfolded youth to his feet. 'We leave now.' He pulled the boy's arm up behind his back, pulling it so far up that the boy could touch his own shoulder blade by brushing his fingers. The woman made a motion, as though slicing the air before her, and I gasped as a light broke forth from the gap, a rip in the space-time continuum. The man shoved the boy forward, into the rip, and was followed by the woman.

No!

I sprang from my perch on the wall, hoping to stop them, but the rip sealed itself, and I only barely kept myself from falling on the cobblestones. Damn . . . Somehow, I knew.

This was only the beginning . . .