Again, the world is haze. My eyes adjust slowly, and I look around. It's
the same room. Someone nearby hums slowly. The tune is familiar.
I lean up. A black-haired boy sits in a chair near my bed. He stares at his lap.
A name comes to me.
"D-Diko?" I ask to the sound.
His head turns. He looks confused.
"Who's Diko? I'm Sora, remember?" The face melts away into brown hair and the newer features. I sigh and relax.
"Forget it. I thought.I though I saw someone else." I'm disappointed; something told me that I could figure out my past from that "Diko" person.
"Who's Diko?" he asks.
"I don't remember. I think I knew him."
Leon enters and briefly smiles. "Feeling better?"
I nod, confused.
"Yuffie gave you some Crystal Heart potion. It opens you up for a little bit to new information that you'll accept without a fight. She told you we're your friends and the Masters are enemies. That's all, though."
I grin and lie back. The aforesaid ninja enters as well and they lift me to my feet. Suddenly, I'm completely awake and strong. It's like being reborn.
"Can we go out?" I ask.
She giggles and nods. "Sure! But just stay in the First District. It's not safe in the other two, especially for you so soon."
"Why's that?"
"The Heartless are there. If they get a hold of you this early, they'll take you deeper and we'll never be able to save you. You'll be consumed.like Sora's friend Riku was."
There is a moment of silence.
"Riku?" I ask.
Sora's face is grim. "He was a guy.who used to be my friend."
Yuffie is also downcast. "But he wanted so much, so fast. The Masters found him, and gave him power, like you. He was drawn so deep into them that eventually Sora had to face him in battle. Their friendship meant nothing to Riku any longer. From then on out it was just to gain power."
I don't say anything.
"Hey, I've got a better idea. Let's try and find your world! There's a map of the known worlds in the Sorcerer's Shop! We can see if it's up for viewing!" Yuffie exclaims.
"Sure!"
I pack up my things (including my Wing Sword, as I call it) and follow her outside. The town is all a-bustle with activity. People haggling over the prices of clothes, knick-knacks, and fruits I couldn't even name. Someone was arguing the value of a huge clear bottle of deep red liquid I presumed to be blood.
"Here."
All the while, I realize we'd been moving. We were now in front of a huge green and blue door in the side of a building. Yuffie opens the door and we walk in.
The tinkling of bells and crystal mixed with the heavy, flowery-scented smoke and haunting sound of sitars make for a very mystical environment. We make our way over to a huge, darkened leather trunk in the corner set up as a checkout. An ancient cash register sits on it, and an equally old pile of cloth behind it.
"Sir? Sir!" Yuffie calls and pokes the pile of cloth. Much to my surprise, the bundle moves and groans!
"Yes, yes, what is it?" a bedraggled beard and mustache appear from within, and are followed by two twinkling, sky-blue eyes. The beard twitches when the man speaks.
"How can I help you two young ladies today?" he asks Yuffie. Suddenly, he stares straight at me. I'm surprised and step back. The eyes are so piercing, so very young. They seem out of place in this shop full of eerie whatnots and random items.
"I know what you are, child. But, unlike so many in this town, I don't hold it against you. Say a curse for me to those Masters." He winks, and I'm even more embarrassed.
"We wanted to know if the Worlds Map can be viewed." Yuffie draws the attention to herself.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, no. You either pay for it or keep guessing. Can't be letting just anyone see it these days." Again, he winks at me.
"Argh. Ok, here's.fifty.one hundred.five hundred munnys. Where is it?" Yuffie counts out dozens of yellow balls out of her pocket and places them on the table.
The man sighs and sweeps the balls into a sack, which he then places under the counter. I wonder what use the cash register is.
He turns to pull down from the wall a covered rectangle. He hands it over to Yuffie with a small smile and waves as we leave.
"Have a nice time, girls. And say hello to the two boys as well!"
I lean up. A black-haired boy sits in a chair near my bed. He stares at his lap.
A name comes to me.
"D-Diko?" I ask to the sound.
His head turns. He looks confused.
"Who's Diko? I'm Sora, remember?" The face melts away into brown hair and the newer features. I sigh and relax.
"Forget it. I thought.I though I saw someone else." I'm disappointed; something told me that I could figure out my past from that "Diko" person.
"Who's Diko?" he asks.
"I don't remember. I think I knew him."
Leon enters and briefly smiles. "Feeling better?"
I nod, confused.
"Yuffie gave you some Crystal Heart potion. It opens you up for a little bit to new information that you'll accept without a fight. She told you we're your friends and the Masters are enemies. That's all, though."
I grin and lie back. The aforesaid ninja enters as well and they lift me to my feet. Suddenly, I'm completely awake and strong. It's like being reborn.
"Can we go out?" I ask.
She giggles and nods. "Sure! But just stay in the First District. It's not safe in the other two, especially for you so soon."
"Why's that?"
"The Heartless are there. If they get a hold of you this early, they'll take you deeper and we'll never be able to save you. You'll be consumed.like Sora's friend Riku was."
There is a moment of silence.
"Riku?" I ask.
Sora's face is grim. "He was a guy.who used to be my friend."
Yuffie is also downcast. "But he wanted so much, so fast. The Masters found him, and gave him power, like you. He was drawn so deep into them that eventually Sora had to face him in battle. Their friendship meant nothing to Riku any longer. From then on out it was just to gain power."
I don't say anything.
"Hey, I've got a better idea. Let's try and find your world! There's a map of the known worlds in the Sorcerer's Shop! We can see if it's up for viewing!" Yuffie exclaims.
"Sure!"
I pack up my things (including my Wing Sword, as I call it) and follow her outside. The town is all a-bustle with activity. People haggling over the prices of clothes, knick-knacks, and fruits I couldn't even name. Someone was arguing the value of a huge clear bottle of deep red liquid I presumed to be blood.
"Here."
All the while, I realize we'd been moving. We were now in front of a huge green and blue door in the side of a building. Yuffie opens the door and we walk in.
The tinkling of bells and crystal mixed with the heavy, flowery-scented smoke and haunting sound of sitars make for a very mystical environment. We make our way over to a huge, darkened leather trunk in the corner set up as a checkout. An ancient cash register sits on it, and an equally old pile of cloth behind it.
"Sir? Sir!" Yuffie calls and pokes the pile of cloth. Much to my surprise, the bundle moves and groans!
"Yes, yes, what is it?" a bedraggled beard and mustache appear from within, and are followed by two twinkling, sky-blue eyes. The beard twitches when the man speaks.
"How can I help you two young ladies today?" he asks Yuffie. Suddenly, he stares straight at me. I'm surprised and step back. The eyes are so piercing, so very young. They seem out of place in this shop full of eerie whatnots and random items.
"I know what you are, child. But, unlike so many in this town, I don't hold it against you. Say a curse for me to those Masters." He winks, and I'm even more embarrassed.
"We wanted to know if the Worlds Map can be viewed." Yuffie draws the attention to herself.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, no. You either pay for it or keep guessing. Can't be letting just anyone see it these days." Again, he winks at me.
"Argh. Ok, here's.fifty.one hundred.five hundred munnys. Where is it?" Yuffie counts out dozens of yellow balls out of her pocket and places them on the table.
The man sighs and sweeps the balls into a sack, which he then places under the counter. I wonder what use the cash register is.
He turns to pull down from the wall a covered rectangle. He hands it over to Yuffie with a small smile and waves as we leave.
"Have a nice time, girls. And say hello to the two boys as well!"