The real reason for this author's note is to inform you of what may be a confusing feature soon appearing, so that there will be no need to boost my ego with meaningless reviews asking about it. Every so often, instead of Myoga's Character Bios, you'll see writings at the beginning of the chapter that appear to be comments, almost afterthoughts, of a certain character, based on the previous chapter's events. Though this character's identity will be hidden for many more chapters, readers of the Shaman King manga should have no problem realizing who it is.
Now that that's settled, here's the first of such sections, and the beginning of another Spirit of the Heart chapter.
00000
I really have to take Joey's side for this one, as scary as it is to agree with him. An entire world made of computer data... even its vast number of creatures. And every one of these creatures had bizarre, supernatural powers, even the weakest of them (in case anyone forgot humans cannot shoot spit bubbles at high velocity.) Though they would later realize it was not a Heartless trap, it was still a cause of much paranoia: knowing that they could be viewed on a computer screen...
?
XXXXX
"I see... so, you think your boss accidentally got pulled in through his labtop? Ouch.. I can see how that'd be bad for buisiness." Kari nodded, not noticing the nervous glances shared between Yoh and Joey. She directed her next comment to Kaiba, creator of this impromptu excuse. "So, any idea where he wound up? If he came in through a TV in this world, it would usually show the surroundings on the monitor."
"None whatsoever." Kaiba answered truthfully. "However, Mr. Muto's recent napkin scribbles during meetings all seem to be things your friend has described; the black rings, towers..."
Kari grimaced. "That... doesn't sound good. Maybe he's a Digidestined from several years ago... there were supposed to be a group before the one me and my brother were in four years ago. He might have gone to try and take out the Emperor... but I doubt he could! Thanks to those towers, Digimon aren't able to Digivolve within a certain area..."
"Digivolve?" Yoh inturrupted from the back. Kari nodded again, her expression lightening at his curiousity. "It's what Digimon do when they grow up... sorta. They become stronger, usually much larger, and have far more powerful attacks. And the forms they take can be pretty surprising, especially in cases like Gatomon here."
Her partner grinned proudly at that comment, causing the young shaman to blink in confusion. "What does she-"
"If that's true, then how have you lasted this long?" Kaiba cut in, his tone suspiscious. "If this Emperor takes control of large numbers of Digimon, and your own are unable to increase their strength, then why haven't you and your friends already lost this war?"
"Kari and the others found special Digieggs, which either became or transformed their Digivices into the new D3s. These Digieggs give us the power to Armor Digivolve into more powerful forms, though we'd be much stronger if we could Digivolve naturally." Gatomon explained, glaring back at him. "In fact, I'm a Champion Digimon, which would make me roughly as powerful as an Armor Digimon... if I still had my special tail ring... now I'm more like a Rookie..."
'Not exactly a helpful statement for a defensive argument.' Kaiba thought. "Regardless, it seems that we have a common enemy, then. My friends and I are obviously capable of fending for ourselves, but it would be best to temporarily team up, and possibly rescue Mr. Muto."
The brunette smiled. "Sure thing. Just lemme contact the others... maybe they've heard something from the Digimon they've freed today..."
As she pulled out PDA-like object from her pocket, starting to write a message, Kaiba walked back to his two teammates, motioning for a huddle.
"I can't believe she bought that... and what's with the 'Mr. Muto,' Kaiba? I'd have thought you'd make it out that you were the boss of that.. whatever company."
"A holographic technology and game producing company, Wheeler." Kaiba commented, his voice almost disbelieving. "The exact same kind as MY company! Does your brain even recieve oxygen, or do you breathe just to hinder those around you out of spite for their intelligence?"
"Guys, please stop arguing..." Yoh said pleadingly. "We have another problem now. We have to help your King get away from the Emperor!"
Kaiba just stared, looking between the two...then put a palm over his face, shaking his head. "We're doomed."
"Why do you- OH! I get it now!" Yoh said, grinning widely. "Heh, sorry, I kinda got caught up in the story... but why'd you say that, anyway? I mean, I wanted to help, myself, but you don't seem like the kind to offer aid to complete strangers without being pestered for hours."
Kaiba glared harder after this innocent question. "None of your buisiness...besides, for all we know, the King might truly have come here to do this. Also, this Emperor sounds like the perfect person to attract Heartless... leaving him unchecked would dangerous."
"Got it!" Kari suddenly exclaimed. The trio broke their circle to face her as she placed the device away. "Izzy says that a large number of Control Spires are being made in a concentrated area... even more than some of the usual places we've seen! Also, large numbers of controlled Digimon and Heartless are moving toward this area... T.K. and Yolei haven't even seen guards near the towers they've taken out.
"Obviously, this Emperor is trying to hide something in that region." Amidamaru commented.
"Just what Izzy thinks. We should probably check it out." Kari agreed. She turned, and the group started walking, following her to the location Izzy sent her.
It took several seconds and numerous back glances from the girl and her Digimon before the four offworlders exclaimed, "YOU CAN SEE HIM!"
XXXXX
Several hours, an explanation about Amidamaru, and a few miles later, the four humans waited behind the edge of the forest, quietly watching several dozen Digimon and Heartless patrol around something, but unable to see what without risking discovery.
"Ironic as it is for me to say this, it's a pyramid." A large, sphinx-like creature said, landing and transforming back into a small white cat. Gatomon brushed back her ears before continuing. "Every few minutes, another Control Spire appears, and they pluck it out, then add it to the structure. I don't think they're close to finishing, but it's already larger than Apocalymon was. That's with the big, Rubix Cube-like thing, obviously."
"No problem; it just makes it easier to tear down later. But there's likely someone inside it, and even if it IS just Ken, we can't risk destroying it until it's abandoned."
"Ken? Is that the Emperor's real name?" Yoh asked, as Amidamaru floated back to him, changing from Spirit Ball Mode into his normal self.
Kari nodded, a sad expression visible. "Yeah... this may come as a shock, but the Digimon Emperor is Ken Ichijouji."
"Who?" Joey asked, earning another glare from Kaiba as Kari suddenly seemed shocked.
"You're an executive from a huge company and you haven't heard of Ken! You haven't even tried hiring him!"
"Oh yes, I must've forgotten to mention that Mr. Wheeler is the janitor of our building." Kaiba quickly said, adding a scathing tone. "Between cleaning twenty-plus stories weekly and applying for proper citizenship, while avoiding immigration through our sources, he doesn't watch much TV."
Yoh fused with Amidamaru in time to hold Joey back, whose hands were making strangling motions as he reached for the liar mage. Kari explained, "Well, he's a boy genius, for one, and a star athlete for another. Thousands claim he's some kind of miracle, and he's already recieved several grant and college offers. He comes from a pretty average family, but he'll probably be a multi-billionaire when he's older... if we don't have to lock him up."
"Sounds like yet another person I know." Joey stated coldly, calming down.
"Guys, really, PLEASE stop arguing!" Yoh practically ordered. "If we act fast, we'll only have to take out the enemies right in front of the entrance-"
"No!" Kari and Gatomon both shouted. Gatomon stepped forward. "The Heartless may be fair game, but those Digimon are innocent! You can't kill them!"
"Of course, there'd be a complication." Kaiba sighed. "Fine... those rings are what control them, right? So, we destroy the Heartless, but only aim for the rings on the Digimon."
"... I believe the two of us can handle this alone." Yoh said, earning stares from his allies. "Wait here."
Before anyone could protest, he leapt from the foilage into the suddenly barren land, and raced toward the large, black pyramid. The others ran forth to help...and witnessed what appeared to be a white and green blur zooming across the section of the structure they faced. It slowed to reveal Yoh, striking a pose with his blade behind him... then every Heartless in the mass vanished, the Digimon falling unconscious, suddenly ring-less.
Kaiba recovered first. "What in the name of all that's sane and holy was that!"
"100 percent integration... I'm proud that Yoh reached this level so fast, despite the little amount of time we've spent together." Yoh commented, Amidamaru's voice dominant. "Earlier you saw him wielding scarcely 10 percent of my full strength... but with discipline and unison of thought, he tapped into my true abilities!"
Suddenly, Amidamaru appeared by Yoh, who then proceded to fall to his knees, gasping for breath. "However, this takes a far greater tol on Yoh's body than normal integration. Though I can somehow tell he will be even better at it by the time we call on it again, based on the rate he's somehow improving, it will be dangerous to sustain 100 percent integration for much longer."
"... half of that was lost on me, I'll go ahead and admit, but; that was freakin' awesome!" Joey exclaimed.
"Cure." Kaiba said plainly, and Yoh suddenly came to his feet, a green light healing his body. "We need to enter the pyramid now, before the enemies on the other sides reach this side. At least it was too big to run across easily.. let's go!"
"I'll stay here and contact the others!" Kari called after them. Yoh turned to grin confidantly back at her, then led his allies into the enemy's stronghold...
XXXXX
(Flashback)
"So, these Heartless...they can help me conquer the Digital World?"
"That, and much more besides, young Emperor. They are the ones who can lead us to the greatest power imaginable..."
"Hmm... well, color me interested. So, what do you want in exchange for the ability to control these creatures?"
"Want? I don't see what I could possibly want from you... this is about what you want, not me."
"Really. I guess I should just accept them without any suspiscion they'll turn on me, then..."
"Of course. They're your loyal servants from now on...if any try and resist, use your rings. In fact, go ahead and use them; the dark energy gives them a very helpful boost."
" ...why? Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because, my friend, I know you are obsessed with bettering yourself, a trait I share, myself. If you want, I can gladly accept you as a member of my organization; a group of equals, conquerers all, who wish to obtain absolute power... and, with the help of these Heartless, you, Digimon Emperor, can finally obtain the freedom you long so deeply for..."
"...you have a deal, friend."
(End Flashback.)
For several minutes, the team saw nothing but the seemingly endless hall they ran through. Except for the light from a fireball at the end of Kaiba's staff, there was nothing illuminating their path. They met no opposition, not even the slightest hint of inhabitance... and then, just before Joey voiced a complaint...
They had obviously come to the center of the pyramid.. they saw similar tunnels on the right and left walls, and the room was massive; big enough to hold at least three football stadiums, lit with several gigantic torches...
The main feature of the room, however, were the Heartless and Digimon in the center, the latter consisting of several gigantic insects, the former like the Soldiers from earlier...only enlarged to match their digital peers in size. They were all hacking and clawing away at the room's center, which was already becoming a large crater.
"I guess, without hearts, they didn't have to worry about abusing steroids too much.." Kaiba growled, his fire vanishing as he prepped himself for a fight. "Yoh; how long can you sustain 100 percent unity?"
"I dunno...about a minute, I guess." The Keyblade Master answered, sounding slightly dissapointed at himself. "Sorry it can't be longer..."
"That should work... focus on freeing the Digimon, and get as many hits on the Heartless as you can. Wheeler and I will focus our attacks on one at a time, so you should also try distracting the others, if possible-"
"How rude. Uninvited guests who won't even introduce themselves." A loud, jeering voice called. A large, black, dragon-like Digimon with an extra pair of arms suddenly flew toward them. Their quickly readied battle stances were needless, however, as a figure jumped from the beast onto the ground in front of them. The creature landed, and every other monster behind it suddenly turned to face them.
The boy in front of them was slightly shorter than Joey, with an insanely fuzzy blue hairstyle, a pair of mirrored glasses, a cape, and a sci fi-ish suit covering the rest of his body. He crossed his arms and gave them a smirk that put Kaiba's to shame. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am the Digimon Emperor!"
"So we gathered." Yoh stated coldly, glaring. "Why are you doing this to these Digimon, and how are you controlling the Heartless? Better yet, what makes you think you have a right to do this?"
"I can, trade secret, and I'm the most superior being there is." He answered swiftly. "By the way, cool samurai ghosty thing."
Yoh blinked. "You...you can see him?"
Joey stepped up before an answer could come. "Get in line behind Kaiba, Ichijoujou! You can't claim you're superior until you have a shouting match with him!"
"That's Ichijouji...waitasec, HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!" He shouted, suddenly looking furious. "My name is the Digimon Emperor; I'm not some useless human, I'm the ruler of the Digital World!"
"In other words, you are a child, one who is somehow ashamed of his family name." Amidamaru stated, glaring with contempt at the tyrant. "Regardless of your standing, a family is something you should be happy to have! Living alone after having one may seem unique, but it is a futile thought to believe you will always be happy for abandoning them!"
"Amidamaru..." Yoh said quietly.
'I see...probably orphaned at a young age.' Kaiba thought, fighting back his own nostalgia.
"I don't have to stand here and take this from a bunch of underevolved ingrates and a dead guy!" The Emporer spat. "Below this area lies the seal of an incredible power...and I will use that power to conquer the Digital World! Heh, and that Keyblade of yours will be an admirable blade to complete my royal image! Heartless! Devidramon! Kuwagamon! ATTACK!"
Yoh merged with Amidamaru and charged, going past the Emperor and under a Kuwagamon he leapt, then slashed a Heartless, sending it toppling backward, and cut the ring from a Devidramon.
Joey hurled his shield at the falling Heartless, and Kaiba cast a Fire spell around it from a distance. It blazed through the beast, which vanished like any other Heartless, and returned to the owner, still smoking slightly.
Yoh turned in midair, and gave a Celestial Slash to another large Soldier, destroying it instantly. He grinned, but failed to see the Crimson Claw of a Devidramon before it punched him into a wall. He bounced, temporarily unconscious, and the dragon moved to swallow him whole...
And instead started choking on a large amount of ice. Another Cure spell brought the Keybearer back to the waking world, and he cut the ring from the creature's neck, and smashed the ice into more managable cubes as he leapt to another target.
Joey grunted as the Kuwagamon pushed down with its pincers, hardly able to hold the shield up against the brute strength. Desperately, he reached into his pocket, being pushed to the ground and nearly crushed... but, somehow, the attack didn't affect him. Grinning, he chucked his shield onto the ring, which shattered... then quickly rolled away, before he was flattened, anyway.
Yoh freed the last Digimon... but suddenly felt pain course throughout his body. As he landed, Amidamaru exited him, and he drew a long, shallow breath. "Okay...more like...50 seconds.."
"Firaga!"
A huge pillar of fire came up behind him, and he jumped to safety purely out of surprise. He saw the telltale flash and realized the last Heartless has snuck up on him.
"Phew, that was close! Thanks, Kai-"
Kaiba was panting heavily, walking toward him in a menacing manner. "That took up almost all of my reserves... high level spells like these take stamina to use in conjunction, idiot! You think that was a normal Blizzard that kept you off the menu? Or I helped you regain consciousness with a rookie's variant of Cure?"
"I...uh...sorry, Kaiba." Yoh said sincerely, unaffected by the stance Kaiba currently held; the same stance he had already seen before Joey's head met the staff. Luckily, the mage seemed to accept the apology. "Just don't be such a reckless amatuer next time..you said you have a samurai in you when you do that? Act like it."
"That Emperor Ichijenga guy ran out through that hall!" Joey said, pointing at the one opposite their way of entrance. "We gotta catch him before he gets on something even uglier!"
"Who are you callin' ugly..." a Devidramon muttered. They followed Joey's plan before it could wake up.
00X00
Gatomon paced back and forth, nervous as she patrolled the now empty area around the pyramid. "It doesn't make sense...why'd all the Digimon suddenly leave?"
"I don't know..." Kari said, equally confused. "I just hope the others get here soon.."
Suddenly, she felt a cold chill up her spine. She turned around, and gasped at the figure racing toward her.
XX0XX
It appeared that this hallway, unlike their first one, was not an entrance. They were now inside a a much smaller room, but it was sleek and silver, and still quite spacious...in front of them was the Digimon Emperor, facing away, and at his feet was another boy his age, with long, bluish hair and a grey school uniform.
"Hey, Ichijoujerky!" Joey shouted. "Who's that, and why'd you take this path! It's a dead end!"
"That's quite obvious, fool! And, to answer your questions in reverse, to make things interesting...and THAT'S Ichijouji, peon!"
He turned...and revealed something new. On his chest, glowing palely in the chrome room, was the Heartless insignia. With a wide sneer, he pointed a black divice forward...and a large Digimon, like a black, larger Kuwagamon, appeared...the same symbol on it's chest.
"Using the powers of the Heartless, I was able to assimilate this physical form! I am the TRUE Digimon Emperor, finally free of my disgusting ties to humanity!" He shouted, laughing maniacally as he concluded.
"So that's the real Ken?" Yoh said, slightly amazed to see how normal he seemed. Amidamaru warped in front of the tyrant, waved his hand, then came back. "Yoh-dono, he can no longer see me..."
"That's right... only people with good in their hearts can see spirits.." Yoh said softly...before appearing determined, taking his battle stance. "Okay, guys! He isn't human, so don't be afraid to use force! I don't think that thing's a Digimon, either, so let's fight to win!"
The Emperor vanished in the same light as all Heartless...and the insect charged.
Yoh and Joey both raced forward, Keyblade and shield bared. Kaiba shot a Fire in between them, and they struck the place it hit simultaneously.
The monster, it seemed, could care less, and grabbed both of the melee fighters, flinging them in opposite directions.
"Idiots! Aerora!" The mage called, slowing their descent..then fell to his knees. "Gck... my energy.."
"Yoh-dono, we have to finish this fast! We are already weak from battle, and can't hold out much longer!" Amidamaru said as they landed, though continued floating, due to the shield of air around them.
"I know, I know... we have to fully integrate again!"
"No! You've used 100 percent integration far too much for your level, regardless of how fast you've improved! If you try and harder, it could kill you!" Amidamaru gasped.
Yoh grinned confidantly, and rolled to dodge an attack, impressed by the speed the air gave him. "Think about it Amidamaru... i don't know how, but we seem to be improving by stages...every time we integrate, I've grown much stronger with you than the last time.. I don't know how...maybe it's the Keyblade, maybe it's just some twist of fate.. but I bet it could happen again!"
"Yoh-dono..."
"Okay, let's do this; I'll integrate just long enough for one attack, and put everything we have into it! If I survive, we win! If not...well, I hope Kaiba can make another tablet, so we can both come along with those two.."
"Yoh, please, we shouldn't risk everything on one attack." Amidamaru pleaded. "You don't remember me...and I don't know how you're even alive...but I don't want to be seperated from you again..."
"Enough with the shoujo manga emotion, already!" Kaiba yelled, charging forth, pulling a card from his pocket. "I summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
Yoh and his spirit ally gaped. A large dragon, with pure white, seemingly scaleless skin, large wings, and a head that matched the ship named after it, appeared, roaring loudly.
"Burst Stream of Destruction!" It's summoner commanded. A large beam of pure white energy blasted into the large bug, pushing it into the wall for several seconds, until the dragon vanished into thin air.
"Eradicating Aerosol!" Joey shouted, pointing a card at the fallen creature, which shot a large cloud of what appeared to be insecticide over it. It twitched in pain, immobile, and Joey grinned at the amazed shaman. "It's all yours, Yoh!"
"Right!" Yoh said, recovering. He leapt into the air, fused with Amidamaru once more, and pulled the blade from all the way behind him, with both hands, swinging and shouting the attack. "HALO BLADE!"
A golden arc of light cut clean through the wounded beast, which, like the Guard Armor before it, dissapeared in an explosion of light-like dust.
Yoh landed, de-fused, then promptly fell to the ground, out like a light.
"Sweet move, Kaiba! I didn't think you had the energy to do anything, let alone summon our old pal, BEWD!"
"Yeah, well... ethers only cost a few thousand munny, anyway." He defended, looking over the sleeping hero. "I'm impressed, though... he must have reached his maximum strength, to have pulled that off... but I guess his stamina wasn't brought up to the max just because he was."
"Yeah...I hate RPGs like that."
"This isn't a game, Matrix fanatic."
"You're one to talk, Neo-wannabe!"
"You could stop arguing and heal him anytime, you know." Amidamaru said blandly.
00000
The healed Keybearer and his partners walked back into the massive center of the complex to see Gatomon racing toward them.
"Huh? What's wrong, Gato-"
"Kari's been kidnapped!" She cried out, "Ken and some weirdo in a baboon suit dissapeared with her!"
"What!" Yoh gasped, running to meet her, an kneeling to eye level. "Do you have any idea where they went?"
"No.." The feline answered, voice cracking." But... somehow, I can tell, she's not here anymore... not in the Digital World..."
A solemn silence fell between the four. Joey sighed. "Great... we come this far, risk our necks to save a world from some schoolboy, then we lose the only friend we've made here immediately afterward..."
"I'm sorry, Gatomon..." Yoh said, looking down shamefully. "I... well..."
"Don't be." A mumbling, sincere voice said. They turned to see a green, glowworm-like creature, who was dragging the real Ken's boy along by a net of silk. "It's my fault for not looking after Ken better... he could've been spared all this if I weren't a coward."
"Wormmon?" Gatomon said, surprised. "Oh, yeah.. you're Ken's partner, aren't you... WHAT! How's Ken behind you!" She leapt and tackled the small creature to the ground. "Where's Kari, dirtbreath!"
Kaiba took the initiative to pull her off, or rather, lift her off with an Aero spell, to which she responded with a very catlike way, squirming and aiming with her feet. "Calm down, cat; that's not the Ken you want to claw up."
Wormmon pushed himself to his many legs. "Again, I'm sorry... I don't know where the Digimon Emperor has gone... but I hope you can find your friend. And now that he's left, maybe Ken can finally start recovering..."
Yoh smiled, and started to comment on this, but yet another surprise manifested itself; the Keyblade appeared in his hand, and suddenly flung toward the room's center, carrying him along. Looking down amidst his panic he saw a large shape, like a keyhole, in the center of the hole that had been dug earlier. The Keyblade point straight down, fired a beam of light into it, then slowly carried Yoh back down. A resounding clicking sound echoed in the empty chamber.
Two humans, a Digimon, and a ghost stared blankly. Yoh simply turned, the same expression on his face. "What, you think I know what happened?"
"Of course, you don't. It's understandable you would be confused, after sealing your very first Keyhole."
The group turned, prepared to battle anything new...but found, instead, what appeared to be a mere human in front of them. He was wearing a tight-fitting, acrobat-like suit, which was blue and white, with an odd one-eyed symbol in the middle of three triangles. His mouth was covered in wrappings, as were his hands and most of his hair, of which a small number of blonde locks poked out. Hie eyes were a blazing red, and the minimal skin shown of his face was softly tanned.
"Allow me to explain what I can of who I am." He continued. His voice was very calm, and somehow soothing. "My name is Sheik... last of the Sheikah, from the destroyed world of Hyrule. I come here on behalf of... one who is imprisoned in the same place as your friend, Kari, now resides."
"You know where she is?" Gatomon asked, desperately.
The mysterious one shook his head, his calm eyes closing. "Yes... but I cannot reveal that to you, yet. I am only here to guide the Keybearer, his friends, and any ghosts amongst their party. However, rest assured she will not be harmed... I would, however, grieve for the Emperor... the alliance he has joined will be his end when these three again stand against him."
"We're not gonna grieve for some megalomaniac with a God complex-no offense, Kaiba-so forget that!" Joey said bitterly. "But whaddya' mean, 'guide' us?"
Surprisingly enough, Sheik's eyes almost hinted at a grin beneath the wrappings. "As it is, the three of you are powerful... Yoh's unison with Amidamaru, combined with the strict trainings you and the High Mage have gone through, enabled you to liberate this world with ease. Although recently created, the Heartless Okuwamon you just defeated was stronger than an experienced Ultimate... I'm sorry to say, Gatomon, you and your allies would have been wiped out by it. However, much greater challenges lie ahead, and you cannot rely on your power to pull you through. Many enemies in your path are much stronger than all of you, as it is, and plan far much more ahead."
He walked forward, and placed something in Yoh's hand. Looking down, the boy saw it was an ocarina; blue and finely crafted, with the emblem of a triangle made of three smaller, golden triangles. "This is my... my mistress's family's sacred treasure, the Ocarina of Time. It was held and used by the Hero of Time in his great adventures to save Hyrule from a darkness of great power... the same darkness that eventually attracted the Heartless. You can use it's power to play melodies of potent magic, all of which will aid you in the future."
"Wow..." Yoh said, wide-eyed as he examined the instrument. "It has such a deep aura... whoever held this, no question... he was even stronger than Amidamaru..."
"Truly?" The samurai asked, enthusiastic instead of angry. "Then we must meet him! I'd love to spar with such a great warrior!"
"Unfortunatly, that is not possible..," Sheik said bluntly, facing away. His voice suddenly seemed strained. "He... the Hero's power came from his heart... his immense Courage drove him to defend Hyrule to the last. He did not make it off of Hyrule..."
Another tense, sickening silence came to them. Sheik shook his head, and a golden harp materialized in his hand. "The Ocarina is not difficult to play, and the songs it hears are stored in it's aura; you will remember how to play a song when you place it to your lips. This melody... is the tune that spans the ages. Play this, and time itself will aid you... now that you have reached the fullest power of integration, which you once held, long ago, this song will begin to unlock your true shamanic ability, young Keybearer... listen well."
Three simple chords...only three plucks of the harp..and yet the sound that came from them seemed truly eternal, and stayed in the air, and in their minds...
Yoh placed the small item to his mouth, and played, as if he had known how all along, the same tune... as he finished, a small aura formed around the Ocarina...and a much larger variation above himself. He started at the instrument as it sparkled, and looked to the pleased-looking Sheikah. "Very good... this is the Song of Time. Whenever you seal a world's Keyhole, you lock the door to that world's heart, so the Heartless can never reach it. Play this song whenever you do so, as an offering to those worlds that could not be saved the same way... and your shamanic potentials shall be further unlocked. In this case, you can now summon your Furyoku."
"My Fury-who?"
"Furyoku." Amidamaru answered, looking happy, himself. "I'll explain the details when it's neccessary, but it's much more powerful than our integration..in fact, our integration is a cheap parlor trick by comparison. It's the true method of shaman battles..."
Sheik made his harp vanished, then looked them all in the eyes, serious. "Many worlds lie ahead of you... you must seal them, no matter what! I will not stand before you again until another world is safe from the Heartless, but when I do, another song, and another aid to your quest, await."
The group nodded, taking it in... but Kaiba seemed confused, moreso than Joey because he realized Sheik's use of grammar. 'He said potentials, not potential...what does he mean?'
"Until we meet again." The warrior suddenly threw something to the ground, and a bright flash caused them all to turn their heads, their eyes shutting fiercely. When they opened, their was no sign Sheik had ever been there...
XXXXX
Kaiba: My name is Seto Kaiba, but you will call be Kaiba. A long trip through Gummi Space stands between us and the next world we have coordinates for, but thankfully, we aren't in the mood to spend it in arguments. Our dissapointment in losing Kari seems to be affecting even Myoga... but the endless darkness around us reminds Yoh of a strange dream he had, the day before his world was wiped out... if anything, it's better than hearing him practice that annoying ocarina...
Next time, on Spirit of the Heart: Dive into the Heart! Wheeler, you have five seconds to stop eating popcorn in my ship...
Chapter posted: March 25th, 2005.