(Alright, next exciting installment of Oathkeeper! Hopefully it's exciting. Hopefully I don't get lynched at least. Meh, they can try.
Fan: Hey, Raijinken! Do you own anything in this chapter? Like, anything with a copyright? Like, own it and get a royalty cheque once a month and live buried in luxuries and pocky?
What? Heck no, get off the sauce.
Different Fan: Then why do you do it?
...Ninja Vanish!)
Oathkeeper
Chapter Seven: The Keyhole
"Sora."
"Yeah?" Sora answered casually, the only thing on his mind probably being why Leon was adressing him. It was nice to see he wasn't so shy around the man anymore.
"How far along are you, in schooling?"
"Oh... Well, on my world, I was about to go to grade nine. But... do you do things like that here?"
"A grade system? It's common, but how many grades are there in yours?"
"Twelve. Then... college or university."
"How well did you do in your studies? Answer truthfully." Huh... this might be embarrassing...
"Well, I don't think I did too bad in Gym, math... science, I don't really know. History, I didn't do that well, I'm kinda sure..."
"Language arts?"
"Huh? Oh, English class... uh..." Like dipping in cold water. Best to get it over with, Sora thought. "I... fell asleep in that class... a lot..." Leon looked thoughtful. The ghost of a smile quirked itself in his features.
"That would explain your stunted vocabulary rather well." And then the smile was gone. "Sora, would you say no to home schooling? It would be a good idea if you had some significant schooling."
"Oh, is it important here?"
"It's my opinion that it should be important everywhere. But..." Sora could swear he glanced at Cid. The mechanic was currently trying his hand at plumbing. A dull thud sounded as he hit his head on the top of his workspace under the sink. His curses were even more detailed then Yuffie's.
"...Gotcha. But why wouldn't you just put me in a public school then?"
"School is not in session yet. And, you are not yet comfortable here."
"Oh... Alright, well..."
"I will see about getting you the material. All I ask is that you learn it. Sword practice will be three days a week. The remaining four will be a few hours of study in place of training. Is this acceptable?" Actually it was fair. It might've just been because it was Leon, but Sora didn't want to argue.
"Yup."
"And now I believe it's time for your first day of work. Chances are Aerith is going to put you in the kitchen, cleaning. Do you remember where the bar is?"
"I think I do. Swords when I get back?"
"No. I'll have everything you need by then, so you'll get started on improving your vocabulary." Oh, that didn't sound like fun at all. His memories of learning English were mostly the reading out loud from a dictionary. Tonight was going to be boring. "I'll see you when you get back. Take care."
"I will!" And as Sora ran by, Yuffie walked in, and was subjected to Leon's vicious glare. She left again, shivering. Cid walked up behind the man.
"When you can do things like that, you make me jealous, you know that? A stare that can make halloween-quality ninjas leave the room? You need to teach me that sometime."
"You'll learn when you suddenly have almost nothing but pink and frilly underwear."
"'Least she didn't get all of it. You don't have to wear the gay stuff, right?"
"...At this point it's a tough choice to make..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Cid accepted that easily. He always did, bless the foul mouthed man's heart.
"So, does Sora have any idea whatsoever what he's up against here?"
"It is part of his training. To adapt to unknown circumstances, and erect a defence for himself out of any information or methods he can gather."
"It's because he laughed last week, when everybody was arguing, isn't it?"
"I confirm or deny nothing." Subtle revenge was Leon's black-belt. He would get you if you crossed him, and there would be no counterattack.
"Damn you're a bastard when you're out for revenge."
"You laughed louder then he did. Remember that." Maybe it was time to hide out in the shop for another week...
"Ah, Sora, you're finally mine."
"Uh... Aerith? What did you say?" Oh yes, watching him squirm would be fun.
"Hm. Alright Sora, to start, there's a uniform for you in the back. Put that on and meet me in the kitchens. It should be easy enough for you to find the staff-room."
"Kay." Now if only he could get past all the waitress' grinning like idiots. They were creepy.
"Sora, you've been in there for ten minutes. Is there any particular reason you're still changing?"
"Uh... am I supposed to put this on?"
"...Why wouldn't you?" Aerith asked, genuinely confused. "You have everything in there, don't you?"
"... It looks like I do but..."
"Well, that is your uniform. You have to wear it if you're going to work here."
"But... I don't think I saw any of the other guys wearing maid dresses. Or any of the girls even."
"..." That would explain all the waitress' grinning like cheshire cats. She saw an actual cheshire cat grin once. It would huant the nightmares of children. "Who wasn't listening when I said 'No sexual harassment'?" Nobody owned up. Aerith sighed. Though it would be priceless to see Sora in a maid outfit, Leon said to leave him with some pride. That, and Aerith was certainly not a heartless. Sora would probably start crying fifteen minutes into wearing the dress. Poor thing.
"...Do I have to wear the cat ears and tail too?" Alright that mental picture was sinfully cute, in more ways then one. Still she had to hold firm, for the sake of the boy's sanity.
"Come on Aerith! You know you want to see him in that outfit!"
"Yeah! Then while he's all vulnerable and cute, on his break, we'll teach him all about this and that..."
"No sexual harassment."
"Aw, Aerith, you used to be cool!"
"He'd be so molestable! You know we'd get more business with a mascot like him!" That one raised a good point. Girls would probably come stampeding in, though, they would lose just as many male patrons though. Tifa would have her head if the bar turned into a cosplay cafe.
"Uh... I hate to interrupt, but why is there underwear included in the uniform?"
"Sora, that isn't your uniform. I'll go get it, you wait in there. And don't open the door for anybody but me. I no longer think I can trust my staff." There was the sound of the door locking on the other side. "Good boy. I'll be back soon. The rest of you. Back to work." Aerith left. Another waitress appeared from around the corner, carrying a camera in her hand. Making sure the boss was out of earshot, she whispered.
"He was wearing the dress, and the accessories. I've got pictures." From the bathroom, Sora could only assume that the squealing he heard was a bad omen. He sighed, and took off the cat ears. He really wasn't comfortable dressed like this, even if nobody could see him. Thank god nobody ever would.
"Sora." The boy turned around at the familar voice, and was please to find the man that had quickly turned into his mentor.
"Hey Leon. Do you need something?"
"I have something for you. You can expand your vocabulary on your break." Oh... homework... exciting... "Here." Oh wonderful, on his break he could now have oodles of fun by reading a dictiona- a book? Granted, a dictionary was a book, but this book was not a dictionary. It was a novel. The title read in gold letters 'Ocarina of Time'. The book itself was somewhat thick.
"This is my English homework?"
"If it's English we're speaking right now, then yes, I suppose it is. I find that reading a book is much more entertaining then a dictionary. That one I'm sure you'll like, actually." Well, Leon hadn't been wrong yet. And frankly this would be a lot less painful then a dictionary. "You didn't actually expect to be reading a dictionary, did you?" Sora nodded. "Some learn best with that route, perhaps. You don't seem the type." He certainly wasn't. "Apparently the book is based on a true story. Most would have trouble believing. I'm pretty sure either of us would not, however. So, how have the waitress' been?"
"Evil. Really really evil."
"I'm almost afraid find out if you're exagerating."
"They tried to dress me up as a cat maid."
"... I'm going to go have a talk with Aerith."
"Oh no, Aerith put a stop to it. It's just... what's wrong with their heads?" Leon sighed.
"If things don't let up, let me know. There are other jobs you could do, less taxing on your sanity."
"I will."
"Sora! It's break time for you!" Oh. Well, looks like he would be able to get started on that book pretty soon. Good timing Leon.
"Then I'll leave you. See you when you get home."
"Bye Leon!" The man turned to leave, and Sora was about to go store the book in the back for when his break rolled around when a siren started low, and gradually increased in pitch. Sora looked to Leon, now turning around with a look of disgust on his face.
"They attack again, so soon?"
"Leon?"
"Sora, that siren means that heartless are attacking. Cid and Aerith handle evacuation and after that, Cid handles defence of the shelters. Yuffie and I mop up any heartless we find. Sora, you are coming with me. Don't summon the Keyblade until I give the word."
"Gotcha..." Leon had asumed the role of a commander. A leader, it seemed. And the fact that Sora was his only soldier to command did not dilute the image a single molecule. Aerith ran by, quarterstaff in hand and serious look on her features. She spared the man and his student a moment.
"Keep eachother safe."
"I will."
"He won't leave my sight." Both Sora and Leon nodded to the woman, and she smiled, accepting the answers provided. And she left for her task. Leon grabbed the gunblade at his waist, and held it easily in a practiced grip. The man walked out of the now empty bar briskly and Sora followed behind, out into what would become a battlefield.
They were not walking long, and Leon seemed to know exactly where he was headed. Of course, now he had an accurate strategy to fight the inky creatures. All he needed to do was lead his new partner into an open area, and have him summon his weapon. Then, if they were lucky, the heartless would converge. For Sora alone, it would be a problem. However, Leon at his full potential and strength was beyond what Sora would call human. The boy would be safe.
"Sora."
"Right." And Sora held out his hand. A pause, as he tried to feel what exactly happened at the time a Keyblade came into being. Slowly, he was gaining a sense of his weapon, and it's potential origin. Leon had once ran him through an exersise, a form of meditation he once said. He had taught Sora how to feel for his own heart, and the reason for this was to let him know that his heart was there always. A vital comfort to have, in a world where creatures hunted it's light. And after that lesson, Sora experimented, remembering what Leon had told him about how the Keyblade and hearts were connected somehow. So he spent the better part of two and a half hours in this calming state, exploring his heart and it's surounding warm light.
And it was then he discovered something odd.
Afterwards, he had run to Leon, telling him that there was no mistake. Though they were directly overlaping, virtually inside eachother, Sora had two hearts instead of just one. And by the man's raised eyebrows, this was indeed an unusual occurance. Further experimentation had taught him that, there was something different in one of the hearts. Something strange he could touch, but not identify. Leon told him that this was also not normal, and soon after, Sora became bold. Two things, large things that could not be explained drew at the boy's sense of adventure. So, he once again saught out the abnormality, which became easier and easier as he did it, and grasped it. A few tenative tugs told him there was resistance. So he pulled a little harder, and felt something give. Before he knew what was happening, there was a flash of light, and the Keyblade had appeared in his hands. He immedetely probed again, trying to find if the abnormality was still there, if the Keyblade was indeed sheathed in one of the hearts when not in his hand. And he found that he only had one heart, normal in every way. The Keyblade in his hand... was his second heart. A weapon composed of another heart, probably granted to him at the same time as the Keyblade itself. Even so, having two hearts would explain greatly why he managed to survive his world breaking... Leon and Sora discussed this at length, attempting to study the weapon in what meager ways they could. Yuffie then sulked, because she thought it was unfair for Sora to have two hearts in place of one. That and hitting people with the other one was really cool. Sora very much agreed.
He had grown accustomed to unsheathing the Keyblade from himself, removing his core and turning it into a weapon. The thought of literally killing heartless with what they were attempting to steal from other people was ironic. It also made him a tad apprehensive, because the thought of one of them devouring the Keyblade itself would leave him unarmed. However, he had faith that the 'legendary weapon', made to be the bane of the heartless would not have such an obvious weakness.
Now, once again, it was as if he had arms, hands, or something else entirely to feel out with, running them over his hearts. Running 'fingers' over the cores was very calming. Somewhat like a different sort of massage. Or that one spot dogs like to be scratched in, Sora thought with a mental chuckle. It was intoxicating at times. However, there would be time for that later. Before he went to bed usually, to lull himself to restful sleep, something that he was getting reaquanted with rather quickly since he had learned the exersise. He sought out the abnormality, wrapped a 'hand' around it, and pulled the Keyblade into physical form. Turning it over in his grip, he once again noticed how it didn't feel all that familiar in his hand. It was as if there was something about the hilt that just made it uncomfortable to hold, a curve or a warp, or something wrong. But there was nothing like that to hinder him, he noticed as he checked for the umpteenth time.
'Well, I guess it's something I'll have to get used to.' Sora thought, as he stopped his rampant mind and concentrated on the task at hand. That being, defending himself against several heartless that would hopefully be drawn to the sword. Leon's head turned slowly around, observing something.
"Get ready, here they come." So they were coming. "I can hear them. They're closest over that way." Sora turned to face it, but grew concerned as something in the back of his head warned him of something. He could... feel something, moving slowly through the ground. The Keyblade pulsed in his hand, and a direction pointed itself behind Sora's back.
"No! Behind us!" Two leapt at the fighters, and were quickly dispatched as swords were brought down over their heads. Sora noted with pride that his movement was almost identical to Leon's, though the man's was obviously faster. 'Meh, I can pout later.'
"...Sora, how did you know?" Huh? Leon didn't?
"I... don't know..." However, the calculating look Sora gave to the Keyblade told Leon a little more.
"Sora, see if you can find out where they are again. Concentrate on the Keyblade." Sora nodded, and tried. Not long passed before Sora admitted that he felt nothing. He sighed, fustrated that things kept escaping him like this. It would probably take a little while before he could actually figu- the Keyblade pulsed again.
'There!' To Leon, the movement was rather spontaneous. Sora suddenly dashed towards him, readying the sword to cut. Darkness leaked out of the ground as a heartless leapt out. Leon was used to these attacks, and lashed out with the gunblade to cut it down. A clang sounded as the Keyblade met it in mid swing, and the screaming creature was literally caught between both blades, swords crossed through it. Disolving as they often did, Leon blinked in surprise.
"Did you feel it again?"
"Y-yeah..." Sora looked sheepish, before his expression quickly shifted to one of alarm. He whirled around to see a group of heartless emerge from the street and alleys, running to them as if they were an oasis in the desert. There were tons...
"I'll keep you safe Sora."
"Leon...?"
"Watch my back, and don't let up. Not a single one is going to get away from us."
"...Yeah!" Hearing it like that, made Sora feel like they should fear him instead. It was a good feeling. Sora readied the Keyblade in the stance Leon had taught him, while the other man clenched a fist in front of him. Sora felt something brush the back of his mind, a feeling similar to when Leon had used the stop spell on him. This time however, the spell was quite different. Leon's hand became engulfed in flames, and he whipped it out at the incoming crowd.
"Firaga!" A large fireball jumped from Leon's arm, and caused an even larger explosion where it impacted the mob. Such a thinning of their numbers didn't seem to matter to the heartless. Or perhaps they didn't care. Because of the lacking hesitation, they closed the remaining distance where Sora and Leon stood ready. And the battle began.
Elsewhere, Yuffie was wondering where all the heartless went. She hadn't even gotten around to killing half her quota. This was... strange, really. She hadn't even been at it for twenty minutes before they just stopped coming. Leaning against her giant shuriken, she wondered idly what could possibly be more distracting then a crazy asskicking ninja. Then she remembered a heartless buffet. All they could eat, being defended by Aerith and that half baked ship builder.
"Oh no, the shelters!" Securing her weapon to her back, she leaped from rooftop to rooftop, as fast as she could be carried. The large warehouse type buildings were easy to pick out from a distance, but there was no beseiging that she could see happening. The auto-turrets on the outside were active, and if Cid had anything to say about it, they were in top condition. Yuffie would admit that Cid took machines seriously, and he took the safety of the townspeople even more seriously. So, nothing wrong with them. "Hey! Open up, it's me!"
"Yuffie?" The small door service door opened, and Aerith peeked out, staff first. "Yuffie, what are you doing here?"
"No heartless. Why aren't they here either? Normally those guns are moving full tilt."
"It's strange, but the attack just seemed to stop early."
"What? Yuffie? What the hell are you doing here?"
"Watch your language!" Wack!
"Cid, don't use the h-word in front of children, or their mothers." Cid could not tell Aerith to shut up. It just was not done. So he settled for grumbling about ungrateful women who didn't appreciate heroes who took time out of their busy schedule to save innocent lives. Then Cid took another purse to the face because he grumbled crudely, and colorfully. Yuffie sniggered, and then switched gears to the matter at hand.
"I know looking a gift chocobo in the mouth is the first step towards disaster, but seriously, where the heck did they all go?" She stressed the word heck, just to get on Cid's nerves. He had no problem telling Yuffie to shut up or go screw off. Purse, meet face. Wack!
"Ow! Dammit woman, don't swing that thing at-"
Wack!
"Hey! I've got a spear and it's protecting your ungrateful ass!"
Wack!
"DAMMIT!"
Wack!
"ARGH!"
"I guess since there are no heartless around, the people aren't scared anymore. Do they think the attack's over?" The ladies ignored Cid, who was trying his very hardest not to say anything this mad-woman deemed unacceptable.
"Even if they do, they can't leave yet. An attack has never lasted any less then hours."
"Well then, what now?"
"Stay here. We don't know what's going to happen next."
"But... Leon and Sora are still out there!"
"They'll be safe. Leon carries elixirs. And you know he's every bit as capable as we are." How could Aerith always have so much faith in everything? Granted, she hadn't been wrong yet, but...!
"But.. what about Sora?"
"He's growing quickly. And Leon said that he would keep Sora safe. I think he's got a soft spot for our rookie, don't you?" Well that certainly couldn't be denied. In an action somewhat unlike the man, Leon had quite quickly taken Sora under his wing. He seemed to be doing a damn good job as a role model too. "Even if he didn't, Leon would give his life for anyone in trouble. And his life is hard to take."
"Well... fine. But I'm giving it a half hour before I go out there to check on them!"
"I can't ask any more." Aerith smiled, as she often did. If Yuffie wasn't going to check on them, she would've in a heartbeat. While riding a dragon. She was so fond of her summoning materia...
"Firaga!" 'BOOM!' Somehow, between just Leon and Sora, the plaza was beginning to look like the site of an all out war. And seeing what the man could do, Sora wondered just how many more explosions there would be if the other three heroes were there. It might have had something to do with his upbringing, or perhaps it was just his gender, but explosions were awesome. He also wanted to see what the others were capable of, because Leon's advanced swordplay, and what he could only assume was just as advanced fire magic was very impressive. However, Sora thought, he himself may have been something impressive as well. Granted, he was still learning swordplay, and he had nothing in the way of magic, but once upon a time, he was able to fight heartless somewhat effectively. Now, he could strike back.
"Hah!" Impailing a heartless, he jumped back, trying not to stray too far from Leon. He was confident that he was helping, but he wouldn't survive very long if the Heartless managed to cut him off.
"Sora, how are you holding up?" Leon said, before slamming a heartless out of the air with a hammering strike. Due to adrenelin, and the high that came with seeing his lessons come to fruition, Sora was still ready to fight. However, adrenelin or anything else were things very far from his mind as they were still coming. So, a simple answer sufficed.
"Just fine! How much longer will this last?"
"Hard to say. The attacks norma... huh?" Leon noticed that wherever the heartless were crawling out of, they weren't crawling out of it anymore. The group that surrounded them seemed to be the last. "The end's in sight! Keep fighting!" Leon yelled, cutting down three heartless in quick succession. At a rate like that, it wasn't long until they were alone in the plaza. Sora fell backwards on his behind and began breathing heavily.
"Is it over now?"
"...Looks like it."
"Oh thank go-" 'BOOM'
"...What in nine hells?" Leon said, head sharply turning to the source of the noise. Gunblade at the ready, he waited. He knew the shelters were the opposite way, so there was no need to go rushing after whatever had made that sound. He heard breaking concrete in that direction too. And then more booms. At the frequency they were happening, and the fact that they were getting louder... they sounded like footsteps?
"Sora! Get up, we might not be through!" 'BOOM'
"Leon, what the heck's going on?!"
"I don't know, but- over there!" A gigantic metal foot stomped into sight from a side view. And a second. Floating above the feet were a torso, and two large clawed gauntlet like hands floating appropriately on either side. Then a head, shaped like a helmet. It had no neck, arms, or legs, in between the five body parts. And on it's chest, there was an insignia that Sora had never seen before. As he looked on, the Keyblade pulsed.
"It's a heartless!"
"You're sure?"
"No doubt!" And since it was a heartless, it had to be destroyed and quickly. That thing would tear through the shelters like a lawn mower through grass.
"Sora, stay back! Harming that thing's going to be difficult!"
"But-!"
"I'm not asking you to sit it out! Wait for an opening!" Leon stepped closer cautiously, gunblade held in both hands defensively. Still the thing walked forward, never slowing, right past Leon towards Sora. The problem with this was that Leon was now behind the monster's back.
"You won't make that mistake again!" Leon yelled, launching himself off the ground and at the back of the giant heartless' head. The head was evidently heavily armored, because the gunblade was stopped, though a hell of a mark was left and the hammering blow toppled the entire thing over as if it were hit by a train. Sora leaped out of the way as it went skidding by him on the pavement. Slowly the monster picked itself up.
"How the heck is it still alive after that?!"
"It must be made of considerably tougher stuff then the others. Are you sure this is a heartless Sora? It looks nothing like the others."
"The Keyblade says so. It's a heartless alright."
"Well then..." Leon readied his sword again, as did Sora. It turned towards them, no longer after Sora first. The other was a significant threat. It most certainly would not make that mistake again.
"What's it doing now?"
"Sora, I've never seen this thing before. I have no idea what it's doing."
"Wait a minute it-" The thing's limbs seemed to detach itself from the main body, and rearrange themselves. The body turned so it's bottom was facing it's enemies. Said bottom was hollowed out, and the hands and feet were arranged symeterically on the sides, the head coming to rest on the top. The inside of the barrel began to glow white.
"-it's a cannon!"
"Move!" Both leaped separate ways as a destructive beam hit the ground where they were standing. The result was a rather large hole.
"...Sora."
"What?"
"I don't have magic that can counter that effectively enough. Try very hard not to get hit by the cannon."
"You don't need to tell me twice." Leon chuckled.
"Mm. Be careful." It had now shifted back, and was rearing back to smash a fist into the ground where Sora was. Managing to dodge out of the way, Sora brought up the Keyblade in a counter strike, and was gob-smacked to see the blade shear through about half the arm before losing momentum and coming to a stop. Wrenching it's hand out of the ground, and the lodged Keyblade out of Sora's hands, it roared, and swiped with the other claw. Sora leapt back, and landed next to Leon.
"Sora, stand back. I'll probably be able to get it-" 'Fwash!' "back..." Sora had thrust out a hand towards the captured sword, and it had jumped to his hand in it's normal flash of light. Leon forgot the Keyblade was bound to the boy.
"Ready Leon?"
"...Yeah. Get ready, here comes the cannon again!" Another explosion of cement where the lazer hit. Leon was already rushing in, and landed a merciless hit while it was reconstructing, This seemed to disorient it, as each body part moved unusually as it shifted slower into position.
"Now Sora!"
"Lets go!" Each jumped off one of the raised feet, and readied their swords.
"Hah!" Sora's swing cut the head clear in half, and-
"Ragh!" After Leon's slash, the head fell in quarters to the ground, each piece causing a resounding clang. And as most things do, with the destruction of the head, it was finished. The rest of the armor fell from where it was floating, crashing nosily to the ground, before dissolving into darkness and disappearing. Sora panted heavily.
"Is it over now?!"
"It had better be, or I'm blasting the next thing to show up right back to hell."
"Hey guys, that was awesome!" The next thing to show up, turned out to be Yuffie. Leon seemed to be deeply considering something.
"Hm... I'm almost tempted..."
"Leon, not a good idea."
"Why not?" The man turned to Sora, with a look of mock confusion.
"Because if she dodges it, it's going to be hell for everybody. Ninja are good at dodging"
"Good point." A rare smile from the man. "And you did splendidly in battle, Sora. Well done." Sora couldn't help but grin uner the praise.
"Hey guys, what was that thing?"
"According to Sora, that was another heartless."
"Wow! Think they're trying harder now?"
"Looks like it. When we get back, we're going to have to ask Cid to see about tuning up the defenses. Did any get i-"
"Leon!"
"Sora? What is it?"
"That!" Sora was pointing at the wall the fountain was mounted on. Part of the wall was now made of wood, and was rimmed in gold in intricate designs.
"...Sora, is that-"
"The designs are a little different, but that's definitely it." Yuffie was confused.
"What, what is it? And where the hell did it come from?"
"Sora once told me how his world broke. He mentioned this. If I have it right, that is the door to the world's heart."
"Are you serious?! If a heartless got in there..."
"Sora, doors like these are mentioned in the legend of the Keyblade. So far these legends have been accurate enough in the sword's description."
"So... is it really the heart of the world?"
"If it is, you should be able to seal it off from heartless using the Keyblade." Sora turned to face the door, and pondered it. Stepping closer, he looked at the Keyblade, which was now pulsing, pointing towards the door. This time though, the pulse was different from the one that pointed him at heartless. A strange noise, similar to singing began drifting through the air and found it's way to Sora's ears. Something was slowly coming into being on the door. A large keyhole, shining brightly. It was strange how looking directly at it didn't blind him. Seeing nothing better to do, Sora walked up to the door, anc balenced himself on the rim of the fountain. Now right next to the door, he raised the Keyblade, and plunged it into the keyhole.
'Lock the door.' He thought, hoping the Keyblade would respond. And then he slowly turned the sword in the keyhole. The Keyblade vanished out of his hands, and Sora almost lost his balence. There was a lound sound of something locking. An then the door vanished. Leon and Yuffie both stared in silence. Then Yuffie broke the silence.
"Sora... is the Keyblade gone?" Sora hopped down from the fountain, and closed his eyes, feeling out for his hearts. He could feel them both there, and the Keyblade resting inside the second.
"Yeah, it's still there."
"Well well, it's locked then? This is an important occasion in that case."
"Why's that?" Yuffie asked as Sora walked back over to the pair.
"Well, heartless are simple creatures really. If a heartless were placed in a room with three people, two on one side and one on the other, it would attack the pair first. Because there are more hearts on that side."
"I know that. Get to the point."
"I am. Now, the world is a large place, and with it, comes what is presumably a large heart. This is what heartless seek first, and once they get here, they begin gorging themselves on more available hearts until they can find a way into the world's heart to devour that. Since this world's heart has just been sealed off..."
"Then we're going to be seeing a lot less heartless." Sora concluded.
"Actually theres a very good chance the attacks will stop altogether. Once the people find out, there's probably going to be a festival of some kind. Guess who's going to be the guest of honor?" Yuffie pat Sora on his spiked head.
"Oh Sora, this is going to be awesome! This is awesome! You just solved the problem of heartless forever! Leon, I'm going back to tell Aerith!"
"Go ahead. You are faster then I am."
"Great! To the rooftops!" And Sora resolved to ask Yuffie how to run on walls. Because that was, without a doubt, freaking amazing. And he exhaled deeply, an unfamiliar feeling in his chest.
"How does it feel Sora?"
"... Strange... but good..."
"Hm... that's exactly how it should feel." Leon smiled again. Twice in one day was an occasion that warrented a festival for itself. "That's what being a hero feels like, I'm told." The fledgling hero looked back at the man, and grinned again.