Journey of Hearts

Chapter 3:

Meeting the Master

Note: Sorry it took so long! Twilight Town's going to be the first major part of the story, and I'll be focusing a bit more on Charexl and Alexi in it, so look forward to it :3 R&R, please!

"Well, knew this would happen soon enough..." sighed Jason. Charexl had landed the Premium Heart by Yen Sid's tower, but when they all got out they were immediately surrounded by Shadows. Annoying little Heartless standing in their way. They stood in a circle, Jason, Tifa, Yuffie, Alexi, and Charexl with Rikku flying in the center above them. Jason was holding his blades by the ring in the center of the chains holding their hilts together, slung over his right shoulder. Tifa had put her black leather gloves on and was in her stance. Yuffie was spinning her gigantic shuriken on her finger by the hole in the center. Charexl weilded a large wrench she also used to repair the Gummi Ship. Alexi had a very large Gummi Mallet. Charexl had designed it, apparently by switching Gummi Blocks she could give it special abilities and make it stronger. Rikku was armed only with her fairy magic.

The Shadows outnumbered them 10 to 1, but numbers didn't matter. Jason, Yuffie, Tifa, and Rikku were experianced at fighting these little guys and they all seriously doubted Alexi and Charexl were exactly new to it.

"What a hassle..." Tifa said.

"They don't stand a chance!" chimed in Rikku. Three of the Shadows jumped at Jason. Quick as lightning he threw the blades over his shoulder, slipped his hand through the ring, and spun the blades with amazing speed on his wrist like a fan. The 3 Shadows were chopped into smoke in seconds.

"Well let's go!" He said with a smirk and grabbed the hilts of his blades, slinging the chain behind him, and charging into the mass of Heartless. Yuffie threw her shuriken into the group, cutting through just as many on the way out as on the way back like a boomerang. Rikku was casting fireballs into the crowd followed by a series of lightning bolts. Tifa used wide kicks and energy enforced punchs to take out as many with each hit as she could. Alexi was playing Whack-a-Heartless quite well, shaking the ground a couple of time with her massive mallet. Charexl batted at them like she was going for a home run. Jason slashed wildly, but precisely, into the crowd. The air was filled with smoke from the defeated Heartless.

Tifa stomped on the final Shadow. The battle lasted barely a few minutes. Charexl and Alexi stayed to guard the ship as the other 4 approached Yen Sid's tower. The whole area was a pretty strange place. They were on a floating chunk of land in the middle of night, the edge was lined with tall bushs. Beyond, they could only see a strange orange mist below them with similar bushs poking out. Jason looked up at the tall tower, breathing the word wow under his breath.

It's walls were yellow stone, and the roofs were green shingled. The tower sort of got crooked on it's way up, then straightened out again near the top. It had several additions jutting up and out from it's side, all pointy topped. Rikku flew up to one of the windows and peered in.

"I don't see anyone..." She said, "Looks pretty dark...I can barely see anything..."

"Must be some kinda spell..." Yuffie said, "Even Merlin looks up to this guy...He must be pretty powerful..."

"Well, let's hurry on..." Tifa said, walking up to the tall wooden doors. If there was one thing these people all liked, it seemed to Jason, it was unnecessarily tall doors. This one could fit them if Tifa was on his shoulder, and Yuffie was riding Tifa piggyback, easy. She slowly pushed open the right door, which had a golden crescent moon on it, and peeked in.

"Hello?" She called, "Master Yen Sid...?" They all waited for a bit, but no answer. Jason opened the left door, which had a golden star on it, and walked in.

"Hey, what're you doing?" Tifa protested, tho' not wholeheartedly.

"If he wanted to keep us out," Jason started, "He'd have locked the door..." He smirked and continued in.

"He...Has a point..." Rikku said, hoping to not get swatted by Tifa. She followed in after him.

"That's some messed up logic..." Tifa sighed, "C'mon Yuffie..." Yuffie shuddered.

"But Rikku said it's dark in there..." She complained. Tifa walked behind her and pushed the resisting ninja forward in.

"In you go!" She said cheerfully. Now the four stood and flew, respectively, inside a circular room that was much bigger than it looked on the outside. Tifa walked on the green cobblestone path on the edge of the room toward the colorful blue stairs.

"Magic sure is amazing..." She said, looking up. Most of the stairs were blocked from view by a similar blue wall with darker lines going down it and a yellow bottom. "I never really got it that much myself..." There was almost a sense of despair in her voice. Jason noted to ask her about it later.

"C'mon, slowpokes!" Rikku chimed as she flew up the stairs. Yuffie was just relieved it was plenty bright inside. She quickly ran up after Rikku. Jason and Tifa looked to each other.

"After you..." Jason said, doing a goofy little bow that made Tifa chuckle. Once again it crossed her mind that maybe her image of him was very wrong. She was beginning to find it hard to not warm up to him, as many others had found out in the past.

"My, what a gentleman..." She jokingly retorted as she headed up the stairs. Jason's cheeks went up one little tint of red at that, but she didn't notice. He walked behind her, wondering if she was finally starting to at least think of him as an acquaintance instead of a potential punching bag.

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They had gone thro' a green glowing portal which lead them to yet another huge circular room that was definately bigger than it looked on the outside. The had only the first part of a spiraling staircase floating in the air. Below them was yellow mist and above them was other floating, separated parts of the staircase, each had another glowing portal at each end. Wasn't too hard to figure out what they had to do.

Yen Sid's magic didn't seem to keep the Heartless from getting in, as the fighters had to face off against many on their way up. Each portal at the top of a part of the staircase lead to a room with either glowing star or crescent moon shapes on the dome ceiling, as well as star or crescent moon shaped statues on the edge of the room.

Eventually they made it to the end of the stairs, tho' all four were rather annoyed by the changing of a simple thing like climbing stairs to a complex thing like using portals and having to fight Heartless most of the way. They now stood at the top of the floating stairs before a door, this one normal sized. Jason knocked as Tifa crushed the last Shadow into smoke with her powerful fist.

"Come in..." An ancient voice said from behind the door. Ancient, but briming with power. They all shuddered a little feeling only a tiny fraction of the magic power this man possessed from his voice. Jason slowly opened the door and walked in, the others following in behind him. The room was green just about top to bottom. The ceiling had a ring of glowing blue stones that provided light and in the center of the room was an oak desk with books piled high on each side. Ancient tomes and texts, some thinker than Jason's arm.

Behind the desk, sitting in a chair with a back that reached to a quarter of the distance to the ceiling, was an ancient figure with a long white beard and pointy blue hat, covered with the familiar star and moon designs. He looked up from the book he was apparently reading, it's pages yellow and brittle with age.

"Are you the ones the King spoke of...?" The Great Master Yen Sid asked the group. Jason and Tifa nodded, while Rikku flew into Jason's coat pocket and Yuffie made an audible gulp.

"My name's Tifa," Tifa said, "And this is Yuffie, Jason, and the little one is Rikku..." Yen Sid smiled and nodded to each.

"Unless you ally with the Heartless and Nobody's, you need not fear my..." He said, looking at Yuffie, but addressing them both, "And I do not mean your pilot, either...She is a special case. Now, the King has asked me to aid you on your quest, Tifa Lockhart." Tifa's eyes widened for a second in surprise, but didn't say anything. "What is it that you need my help for?"

"Well, Master Yen Sid...I'm searching for someone..." She said, just a bit shyly, "I don't know anything about where he might be, tho'...So could you please help me find him?" She almost pleaded. Yen Sid studied her for a few seconds.

"So, you wish to know the whereabouts of Cloud Strife." Yen Sid stated. Tifa nodded. "Well, I can certainly try, miss...As long as his light shines, I can find him." Tifa looked down a bit.

"I'm afraid his light may be dim..." She said sadly, "Very dim...And getting dimmer..." Jason hated that hurt look on her face. He looked from her to Yen Sid.

"Please, Yen Sid! Please help us find him," He said, determined, "I'll do anything to help!" Tifa looked up at him, and he looked back. She needn't say anything. The thanks was in her eyes. Yen Sid stood from his chair, his dark blue robes ruffling in a breeze coming from the star and crescent moon shaped windows in the wall behind him.

"I'll get right on it..." He said, "...However, if what you say is true, Miss Lockhart, it may take a while. I recommend all six of you going to Twilight Town until I send for you. I'm afraid my Tower isn't very accommodating for more than two people at most..."

"Where's that?" Yuffie got up the courage to ask.

"There will be a train waiting to take all 6 of you there when you get back down the tower." Yen Sid said, matter of factly, "I will use my magic to protect your Gummi Ship in your absence."

"Alright, thanks!" Jason said, smiling, "Let's go, guys!" He grabbed Tifa and Yuffie's arms and ran out down the stairs with them, both surprised and yelling. Yen Sid stood looking to the door for a moment.

"It's surprising it hasn't come to that boy yet..." He said to the empty room.

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Indeed there was a train waiting for them, and of course, it was blue covered with yellow stars and moons. Charexl didn't want to leave the Premium Heart, but was finally convinced to get on board. The seats were very comfortable and Jason soon laid down on one and fell asleep. Yuffie was sitting beside his head and giggled.

"Guess he was tired..." She said. Rikku was also sleeping; in Jason's pocket. Tifa sat across from them, next to Alexi and leaning against the wall. Charexl was on the end of the seat, staring excitedly out the window on her knees, her little bum wiggling back and forth as she Oo-ed and Ah-ed at the strange and colorful view. Tifa looked at Yuffie.

"You're his best friend, right...?" She asked. Yuffie nodded.

"Along with Rikku, yep" She said, stretching.

"...Why did he hold back when he fought me?" Tifa asked the ninja girl. Yuffie sighed, trying to think of an excuse. She understood that, as a Martial Artist, Tifa has great pride in her ability, and to have it seemingly looked down upon and insulted would make her angry, but GEEZ!

"He was...Um...Sick!" She responded.

"...Sick...?"

"Sick." Yuffie leaned back a bit, relaxing as the train went along it's invisible tracks. Tifa stayed silent and looked away.

Then why did he agree to fight me...? She pondered.