It had been a few days since Arthur had arrived in Radiant Garden and he was starting to get settled in. Truth be told he liked the patrols the most since it gave him a chance to see the city although he never came face to face with any heartless he kept being warned of. As for his education Merlin continued reviewing some subjects and adding new ones but never seemed to touch on either light or darkness, something the old wizard berated himself for doing as it may be one of the most important lessons of all. He had even begun to improve in swordsmanship, with Leon's help and reinforcement from everyone else. As for everyone else he was getting along great with everyone. The members of the restoration committee would often ask him to come along on whatever jobs had to be done at the time, and everyone else was always glad to see him, Scrooge, Launchpad and all the ducks wished him well whenever they saw him. Even some of the people passing by through the city or others worlds were kind even if they didn't stay long. It just so happens that the some of these travelers had taken up with the restoration committee. Not because they intended to, merely because they were lost from their own world and were on an incredible journey home. There was Luath the young Labrador Retriever and Bodger the elderly English Bull Terrier, along with their Siamese cat Tao. Tao would often jumps into the rafters and make her way around the room while Bodger enjoyed a good nap during the day. Indeed the three animals had made themselves quite comfortable in their temporary home and the committee members all enjoyed their company and began bonding with the three animals.

As Arthur walked on his patrol he passed the marketplace where two other members of the committee were. Yuffie was buying hot dogs and Cid was busy working on a gummi ship with Scrooge, Launchpad and the children all around him.

Laying under the ship the crank of a wrench was heard and Cid's cough "Dang it Launchpad what did ya do to this thing?"

"Well Gee I dunno" Launchpad responded cluelessly as he scratched his head "I only took it for a test run like Mr. Mcduck wanted"

Cid then picked himself up from under the ship to face the ducks "Well maybe it was that part where you flew through the tower and it took your wings off" Cid said wiping the grease from his hands

"Hey it could've been worse, it coulda been something new" Cid just sighed

"Now when will it be fixed?" Scrooge asked "Once this thing is ship shape we can start journeying to other worlds"

"Afraid you won't be" Cid said wiping his mouth

"Eh? Why's that?"

"This ship 's too busted to fly out. Even if you did give me the parts-"

"Give you the parts?"

"Yeah even if I was able to fix it"

The triplets then chuckled "eheheh if"

Cid grumbled "Hey he tries his best" Webey scolded the boys"

"Thank you" Cid thanked her before turning back to Scrooge "Even then I don't think it'll work. You're

better off with just getting a new plane all together"

Scrooge seemed to ponder this "Well then when can I expect it"

"Expect it from me? Whoa whoa there" Cid said waving his arms "I'm too busy to be put on your schedule or even pay grade as much as I'd like it"

"Cid's afraid" Louie said and they all laughed

"I ain't! I just got a lot of business to deal with. I'm working with your brother in law later ya know. We've been working on a special project" Cid smirked

"I've already known. He arrived with Webey and Launchpad"

"Hope he wasn't flyin' it"

Arthur walked by them as they continued to talk and watched them as he did.

"Hey!" Yuffie sprang up in front of him and startled him. She then let out a innocent chuckle as he put his hands over his face "Dorry, didn't mean to startle you" she apologized with rings of hot dogs around her neck "Hey you hungry?! Want one!" she said ripping it off

"Oh well I guess-" it was then forced into his hand "Thank you" he said before nibbling on it. Yuffie then starred him down as he ate hte hotdog.

"Well?" she asked

"Well what?" Arthur shrugged

"Wasn't it good!"

"Well yeah-"

"Great!" Well seeya later" she waved as she walked off past him.

"Hey-uh wait.. Yuffie" Arthur stuttered and ten called back to her

"Yeah, whatsup?" she turned back to him

"Are you really gonna go around like that?" he asked

"Like what?" she questioned

"Like that" he pointed to the rings of hot dogs around her neck. "Aren't you worried people will think you acting silly?"

"I great ninja doesn't care what other think! Why should I worry?" she asked and then an enlightened look came over her face "HEY, that's a GREAT IDEA!" she exclaimed giddily to him.

"What is?" he asked confused

"Why should I worry?" she asked but Arthur just looked at her puzzled. Then she skidded across the pavement to land before a fountain that was shooting out water and began singing "Why should I worry?, Why should I care?, I may not have a dime, But I got street savoire faire" Arthur watched her as she skipped across the marketplace "The rhythm of the city, But once you get it down, Then you can own this town, You can wear the crown" She sang as she kicked a pair of sunglasses onto her head and over her eyes. She then continued to skip out of the marketplace, singing the song and eating her hotdogs and not a singel person seemed to notice except for Arthur. The boy just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

He walked through the marketplace and towards the stairs and aimed to go down it as part of his patrol. But as he walked towards it a figure started walking up it. He was tall with blonde hair and wore black. He walked silently up the stairs and passed Arthur, without so much as a hello. Arthur came to a stop and watched him walk by. Not knowing who this man was or what he was doing here Arthur decided to be hospitable especially if he was a weary traveler.

"Hello" he said and the man stopped

"Hm?" he turned his face

"I just said hello"

"Hi"he said solemly

"Are you new to Radiant Garden? I haven't seen you before"

"No. I've been here" he said without turning around

"Well then I guess it's because I actually just got here" Arthur told him although the man seemed uninterested "I'm a part of the restoration committee"

"Really?"

"Uh-huh" Arthur nodded "do you know them"

"Yeah I know them. If there's any trouble we find one another"

"Trouble?"

"Nothing they have to worry about" he shook his head "Just me"

"Is it trouble with…" Arthur paused as he now seemed to get the man's interest "Darkness?"

The man now turned around fully to him "Yeah…something like that"

"Anything I can do to help?"

Another brief silence "No I can handle it on my own"

"Well if you need help just ask. That's what Merlin told me when I first got here"

The man half smirked "Sure" he then turned to leave

"Wait!" Arthur called out with an outstretched arm "What's your name?"

"My name?..." he seemed to pause for some reason "Cloud"

"Cloud huh. Well I'm Arthur but everyone just calls me wart"

"Arthur. Keep your light strong" Cloud said before he walked off. Watching him watch off for a little Arthur then turned and went down the stairs. He continued along his patrol by walking through town. The streets seemed safe but the towns defense system would often pop up out of nowhere and give him a fright. But when he regain his breathe he continued on. He walked on past Merlin's house (where he would report to after his patrol) and went up some stairs where he got a view of the rest of the world. He would always stop and look out at the immense view, seeing the tall blue canyons that lay ahead. But this time there was something else; down below him there was a person. Someone dressed in black with their back to him looking out. He blinked and rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing things but the person was still there, not moving.

This was the first time he had come across something like this. Looking back between the person and Merlin's house he wasn't sure what to do. Ultimately he thought they would only expect the best from him and he decided to go investigate alone.

He ran through the town until there was no town to be seen. The blue canyons of the Great Maw, an area only left for a "wide patrol" was all to be seen. He ran until he came to the area beneath were he once was and as if looking at a painting nothing had changed and the person was still there. His footsteps did not draw attention and he stopped advancing although he was still a great distance away. He then spoke up, trying to sound as confident as possible.

"Hello what are you doing out here?" The person jolted as if they knew they were being addressed and then turned around, with their long black hair flowing in the wind. Arthur now got a look at this person.

It was a woman dressed in all black with no sleeves and her midriff showing.

"You talking to me?" she asked

"Oh hello.. yes ma'am" he said with a little less confidence than before.

"Ma'am? My name will do; Tifa" she introduced herself

"My name's Arthur but you can call me wart, everyone else does"

"Well what do you want to know?" she asked

"Well just.. what are you doing out here"

"Me? I'm looking for someone"

"Well maybe I can help. Who are you looking for?"

"He's a guy with spiky hair" the woman described" and his name is Cloud"

"Cloud?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, I just met him in the marketplace right before I came here on my patrol"

"Patrol? You're with the restoration committee then?" Arthur nodded and the woman giggled "Alright, thanks Arthur" she said as she walked towards him "Tell the other's I said hi" he waved as she walked by. Arthur watched her walked off and turn a corner to go back onto town. He then ran after her but when he looked around she was nowhere to be seen.

He then headed back to Merlin's house to tell everyone about his patrol and the people he met. With all the excitement he had he pushed open the door and everyone turned to him. Luath and Bodger immediately started barking but when they realized it was Arthur they ran over jumped on him and started licking his face. Leon then let out a sharp whistle that caught the dog's attention and they backed off of Arthur but still wagged their tails happily.

"Aw they missed you" Aerith said.

"Seems like they've made themselves quite at home" Cid said

"I most certainly agree" Archimedes said from above as he was perched on a book shelf "But perhaps too at home" he said as he noticed Tao creep up behind him and he took to the air before the cat pounced at him "Oh my" he complained "If it isn't those three pixies, it's this cat"

"Oh Archimedes" Merlin waved his cane at the owl "You're far too negative. But tell us boy how did your patrol go?"

Tao then jumped into Aerith's arms "You always seem to enjoy those walks" she stated as she pet the cat. Luath then went to wander around the room while Bodger went and lay down beneath Cid and Merlin.

"Well about the patrol I uh…" Arthur stammered as he tried to find the words to describe what happened

"Well speak up lad, what happened? Nothing bad I hope" Merlin said

"Oh no it's not that, it's just I met some people"

"You met some people? Who might they be?" Merlin inquired.

"Well they seemed a little distant but they seemed to know you all pretty well"

"Cut to the chase kid" Cid said

"The suspense is killing me!" Yuffie bounced up and down

"It was Cloud and Tifa" Arthur admitted

"Hmph. Those two" Leon said with his back to him in a monotone voice.

"It's great that you're meeting new people" Aerith said as she continued to hold onto the cat "What did you think of them"

"Well…" Arthur pondered "They seemed distant like each of them were searching for something profound. Tifa was looking for cloud and Cloud was looking for.." he paused again "I don't know but he seemed like he was trying not to be a burden to anyone. Was he looking for someone too?"

"Don't worry about that kid" Leon said as he turned around to look at him with Luath by his side "Like you said it's profound"

"But maybe we can help him"

"Do you wanna help him?" Leon asked and all eyes turned to Arthur who nodded "Well maybe you can help him by improving your swordsmanship" Leon told him blandly. Everyone seemed to laugh and come together except for Cid and Merlin who stood together as Bodger lay down in-between then on the floor.

"Hmph, kids and their enthusiasm" Cid smirked

"It's a powerful thing" Merlin said

"Humph" Cid let out "And look at us" he said as he and Merlin looked at each other. Bodger then let out a light bark as he looked up at the two older men who looked down at him. "Ah you're just an old loon, just like us" Cid said as he knelt down and patted the dog with Merlin.

Thanks for reading!

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