A/N: Back to Traverse Town we go

blah= Driger to Rei

/blah/ = Rei to Driger

Disclaimer: Same as usual.

Chapter 9

Traverse Town

It had been a week since Rei and his group returned from the other worlds. The second they had arrived, they ignored everyone else, headed to the Second District's Hotel and fell fast asleep.

Kenny walked up to Emily who sighed heavily. "Hey." He greeted. "Hey." She said tiredly. Amusement appeared on his face. "They're still sleeping?" He asked lightly.

"Yes. Although, I don't see why." She grumbled. "Maybe because we basically went to three worlds straight without much rest?" Asked a dry voice from behind them. The two jumped, standing behind them with his arms crossed over his chest was Rei.

Rei blinked away the sleep as he eyed his two friends warily. "How are you feeling?" Asked Eddie. He and the other beybladers, minus the ones who were still sleeping. Hell, even Ranma and Yami were still asleep. Rei shrugged. "Fine. A bit stiff. But I'm doing alright." He frowned and looked around. "Um, where's Leon?" He asked.

"What's going on?" Asked a sleepy voice. Rei looked up to see the group he had been with were now awake, and trying to get the sleep out of their eyes. Emily was thoughtful. "I think Yuffie said he may be down at an underground cavern. Says he trains there often." She mused. Rei nodded.

"I know where that is. Anyone like to come?" He asked cheerfully. The two Beyblading teams and Bryan groaned. Rei's cheerfulness was as bad as Max on sugar high.

After awhile, Yami and Ranma agreed to come. Rei grinned. "Then let's go!" He cheered and led the other two teens out of the other's sights.

A pair of blood red eyes watched from the dark corners of a certain Keyblade Master's mind. The being was actually black mist that had a distinctive humanoid shape. It gave a raspy chuckle.

{Soon Sora you will be mine.}

They had re-entered the Green Room at the Hotel. "Uh, Rei?" Ranma began. "Hm?" Came the reply from Rei. "Why are we in the hotel?" Ranma asked. Rei smiled. "Because behind the hotel is the way into the alley. Which by the way is the underground cavern is located." He explained.

Oh.

Rei opened the door that would lead to the back of the hotel and gestured for the duo to follow him. They did, and were standing out on the back porch of the Green Room. "Um, how are we to get down?" Yami asked uneasily.

"And I hope you don't mean for us to jump." Rei tensed. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you." Rei said carefully. "Rei..." Ranma warned.

The neko-jin winced and waved his hands frantically. "See that blocked up gate all the way down there?" Rei asked, pointing down below and to the far right where a blocked up gate stood.

"Yes. Why?" Yami asked suspiciously.

Rei gave a weak smile. "Well, that's the underground entrance. It's only blocked off by a red Trinity Mark." He explained softly. Before the duo could blink, Rei tucked in his feet slightly and jumped off the balcony and landed gracefully underneath on the hard stone ground below.

Rei looked up sharply, recognizing the hisses of Heartless appearing. What appeared to look like Blue Rhapsodies and Red Nocturnes appeared. Only these were yellow and green. Yellow Operas and Green Requiems.

Just perfect.

"Fire!"

Yami shot a small blast of flames from his staff at the Green Requiems, causing the three Green Elementals to burst into dust. Ranma fired a blast of bluish energy which wiped out the Yellow Operas. "What where those Heartless?" Ranma demanded as they landed on the ground, next to Rei.

"The Yellow Operas are thunder elementals while the Green Requiems can heal their comrades. So in other words..." He trailed off. "Take out the Green Requiems first. I understand." Said Yami. Rei smiled. They were getting better at understanding the Heartless.

Not bad.

Standing in front of them was a long creek. Rei carefully stepped into the cold water and ignored the iciness as he sloshed through to the gate at the end. Yami followed, but Ranma hesitated. Rei glanced back to see Ranma's hesitation. "Is something wrong?" He asked gently. Ranma shook his head frantically.

"No! Nothing's wrong..." He stammered. Yami raised an eyebrow. This did not seem like Ranma at all. "Are you coming?" He questioned.

Ranma drew in a sharp breath and hesitatingly stepped into the icy water and waited for something. His eyes flew open. Why didn't I change? He wondered as he realized he was still himself.

Rei shot him a curious look. "Remember when I did the Trinity Limit?" He said suddenly. Ranma nodded. "Yeah, why?" He asked. Rei smiled. "Well, the Trinity Limit drained not only my magic, but Yami's and yours." Ranma gaped. "Me? But I don't have magic!" He protested. Rei frowned as he Scanned in Ranma's aura.

"You used to. But it's gone now." Ranma suddenly understood and was ecastic. "Thank you so much!" He said happily. Rei chuckled, not quite sure why Ranma was so happy.

They soon came up to the gate way. "How do we get inside?" Yami asked. "Look down." Rei instructed. The two did and noticed the red Trinity Mark. "Blue Trinity marks you have to jump, Red Trinity marks are the 'bash' marks." Rei explained. At their confused looks, he sighed heavily. "Just follow my instructions." They nodded.

Rei ran forward, and slammed his body into the gate. It started to crack under his weight. Yami caught on and slammed into the gate as well. More cracks appeared. It was with Ranma's combined weight that the gate gave way and the trio quickly darted through before anymore Heartless could show up.

The water only came up to about their ankles so they sloshed forward and around the corner to find Aerith and Leon talking quietly on the only area not covered in water. Still sloshing through, they made their way up to the two. Aerith smiled pleasantly. "Hello Rei. How is your journey?" She asked kindly.

Rei smiled tiredly. "Slowly but surely we're winning. But..." He trailed off. "Why? What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. Rei was silent. "He's worried about Kairi. I don't blame him." Ranma said softly.

"Yes. We still haven't found any clues to her whereabouts." Yami said grimily. Aerith gave Rei a sad look and to everyone's surprise, hugged him gently. "I thought you may need a hug to cheer you up." He smiled. "Thank you." Ranma then realized something.

"Hey Rei, why don't you show him that weird gummi we found?" He suggested. Rei's eyes lit up and he took out the gummi piece and handed it to the slightly older man. Leon just frowned as he inspected it. "Fraid I don't know." He muttered, handing it back. "You should go to Cid about Gummi blocks." Aerith added kindly.

"Wait Rei, take this." Leon gave Rei a shiny green stone. Rei looked at it curiously but bit his lips as it burst into tiny green stars which flew right into his heart.

"Are you okay?" Yami asked worriedly. Rei nodded, not really trusting his voice at the moment. "Where is this Cid located?" Ranma asked. "Go back to the First District, he runs the Accessory Shop." Aerith explained.

First District

The other Beybladers looked up as Rei, Ranma and Yami came around the corner of the Accessory Shop, Lee could barely make out their words.

"...the place?..."

Came Ranma's faint voice.

"...yes..."

Was Rei's answer. Surprisingly, the trio ignored their calls, and entered the large building.

Inside, Ranma and Yami were surprised to see a man behind the counter as they stepped inside. The man looked to be in his late twenties with spiky blond hair and sharp blue eyes. He was dressed like a pilot of some sorts. The man turned, hearing the door open. "How can I help- - aw, it's just a bunch of kids." He grumbled.

Rei scowled. "We're not kids. And the names Rei." He growled. The man raised an eyebrow. "Take it easy Rei. I didn't mean anything like that. Anyway, what can I do for you?" He asked, politely. Ranma gave a cocky grin. "Can ya install these two gummi blocks old man?" The man scowled. "Don't call me that. The names Cid. And yes, I can install these Navi-G pieces. Only if you do something for me in return."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And that would be?" He asked. Cid took out a worn looking book behind the counter and handed it over to Rei. "An old man came by and asked me to repair it. I've finished it. Only I can't leave the shop unattended. So I'm gonna need you three to deliver it to him. He lives out in the Third District."

Rei pocketed the book.

"When you're done, meet me in the Vacant house in the there." Rei nodded and the three left. Cid watched and shook his head.

"That's the kid who's gonna save us?" He wondered. "God help us all."

Back outside, they were surrounded by the others. "Did you find any information on those strange gummi blocks we found?" Max asked. Yami nodded. "Yes. Cid said he could install them into the Gummi Ship if we deliver an old book to a man out in the Third District." He explained.

Oh.

Rei smiled. "Don't worry about us. We'll be back shortly. You guys just focus on training." He teased as the trio went through the gateway to the Third District. Tala scowled.

Third District

Ranma shivered. "No offence, but this place gives me the creeps." He mumbled. Yami frowned. "I don't blame you." He said quietly. They were standing in front of the door that connected the First and Third Districts together.

Rei frowned and looked around. "Do you see those stairways over there?" He asked quietly, gesturing to the stairways ahead of them. They nodded.

"Look closer." He instructed.

It was Ranma who spotted the long, dark and eerie tunnel. "Is that where the man lives? Down there?" He asked, pointing. Rei nodded.

"Must be a strange man." Ranma mumbled. Rei chuckled. They headed for the back corridor, and for some strange reason, they didn't run into any Heartless.

Very odd.

They came up to a large stone door that bore a flaming symbol on the front. Rei held out a hand and summoned a ball of fire and threw it at the door. The flame symbol flashed a bright red and a chime rang in the air and the door lifted up, granting them access to the area behind the stone door.

The trio were standing on a small shore, and they could make out a very odd looking hut floating on an island in the middle of the tiny lake. Five large stones in the water led up to the house. Rei quickly jumped onto the first one, only to have it actually move from side to side.

"Careful. All the stones must be like this." He warned. The duo agreed. It took awhile, but they eventually made it across the lake and onto the soft grass of the hut that was floating on the island.

Hm.

Rei moved to the left side of the house and grinned. "I found a way in." He said excitedly. Yami brushed the green curtain aside and they entered the house. Inside they found an empty circular room. In the middle was a large circular stone with a mini stairway leading up to it. "Weird. It doesn't look like anyone's been in here for years." Ranma mused.

While Ranma and Yami explored, Rei was quiet but was startled out of his thoughts by a sweet voice talking to him. "I just love this place, don't you Sora?" Rei looked up to see Kairi walking next to him. "Doesn't it remind you of the Secret Place back home?" She asked excitedly. Rei smiled sadly. Kairi, he thought wistfully.

"Rei?"

Rei blinked, and Kairi was gone. "You okay?" It was Ranma who had called out his name. Rei gave a small nod and a sad smile. "I'm fine Ranma. Don't worry." He told the martial artist. "Well, you are here earlier than I expected." Mused an elderly voice. All three whirled around to see an old man standing at the entrance. The man had kind black eyes that peered over a very long silver beard. He simply wore a deep blue robe and a pointy hat on his head.

"Not to be rude or anything sir, but who are you?" Yami questioned. The man chuckled, his black eyes never leaving Rei's own bluish white ones.

"Since the Keymaster has not told you, my name is Merlin, and I am here to instruct you on the ways of magic. And that includes the other Beybladers." It took a minute for it to settle in Ranma and Yami's mind.

"WHAT?!"


Hee, hee, seems Ranma and Yami just met one of the most powerful sorcerer's of all time.