Maru gasped, then smiled. "Terrone...So that's what you are." (He pronounced this "tair-OWN".) His HP had been utterly depleted before, but now it had refilled to 10%. Iso was back in the game! He smirked and pointed. "Iso the terrone!"

"Terr!"

"Fly!"

"Rone!" Iso ran forward, spreading his wings, and jumped with a downbeat, starting at top speed towards Exexitt.

"Second wind? Exexitt, Sinister Sundown!" the figure ordered.

Exexitt disappeared long before Iso reached it. But Maru had a plan this time. "Behind you! Loop up!"

Iso leaned back sharply and twisted, starting to loop. He looked and saw Exexitt appear immediately in midair directly behind where he'd been. He growled as he continued his flight path, going quickly and winding up a punch. "Terrrrr..."

Exexitt sweatdropped, the figure grunted in dismay, and Maru smirked.

"...RRROOONNNE!" POW! The giant plant was nailed with a furious terrone's punching Fly attack. It sailed straight for the floor, where it crashed. Its eyes had gone silver.

And it disappeared.

Maru stumbled back, eyes wide in horror. "What the—! Did I just...?"

The figure looked away. "Tsk...I thought we had you. Oh, well." He started running towards the small terrone. "I'll just have to squash you like the vermin you are!"

Maru caught himself and ordered, "Iso, dodge!"

"Terr!" Iso winged back from a giant kick aimed his way. The figure wore black pants and round-toed boots.

Maru thought for a moment. 'I don't want Iso to get hurt any more...He should gain the experience from him, too...' He held up his ball. "Iso, return! He's a bit too big for you right now!" he called.

Iso looked over his shoulder just as the beam hit him.

"What, not going to take advantage of having a powerful ally to fight the Trainer?" the figure asked, stopping and crossing his arms.

"Let's just say that the battle's over and this is our fight, now," Maru returned, summoning the Keyblade.

"~About time!~" Elliott growled, punching his palm as his armor reappeared.

"Let's do this!" Figment smirked, drawing a hand.

"Hm." The figure jumped back as Maru and the dragons came forth. The party soon found that the battle wasn't that easy. Even though Maru saw that the figure had half the HP his pokémon had, he was still bigger and tougher to hit. The figure did an awful lot of running around during the fight, too. As well, they couldn't damage his legs; the mantle got in the way, and whenever he or they got close, he launched strong punting kicks at them, sending them flying. He grunted in pain whenever Figment landed a few hits on his chest, however.

'His chest! We have to get to his chest!' Maru realized.

Penny, who had been keeping far back up to this point, frowned and nodded resolutely as she saw the effective hits. "That's no fair, you bully!" she cried. She beckoned to Maru. "Over here!"

"Huh?" Maru trotted over. Elliott came with him. Penny danced away when the figure got close, but Maru and Elliott eventually reached her. When he neared her, Maru felt a chance in the Keyblade. He nodded. "Penny!" he called when he got close.

Instantly, Penny reached down and grabbed Maru and Elliott. "Take this, you meanie!" she bellowed before hurling her handful towards the figure, aiming right at his chest.

The figure grunted in surprise at the speed of the living missiles and couldn't raise his arms in time. Elliott slammed into his chest in a flipping tail-smack with a mighty roar of wrath while Maru nailed him with his three-hit air combo and a full-hitting Swift. They landed harmlessly and dodged the kicks the figure gave before he ran away.

It took only one more lob from Penny (who always fled from the figure before he could get her) and some more attacks by Figment before the fight was over. As Maru landed a final Swift, time seemed to slow again as the figure grunted, "Ungh! You...annoying pests...!"

)))Maru BONUS GET! Defense Up)))

)))Figment BONUS GET! Defense Up)))

)))Elliott BONUS GET! Defense Up)))

)))BONUS GET! Revive x3)))

The figure stumbled back against the railing, holding his chest. Below, the party stood in battle stance. "Who are you, and what happened to Exexitt?" demanded Maru.

"Like I'm telling you," growled the figure. "I apologize, but I must take my leave. I'll be back, I assure you...There is far more to this swamp than meets the eye..." He produced a little teardrop-shaped remote control. He pressed a button on the rounded end of it. Behind him, a dark portal opened up with a cloud of thorns. "You're quite the battler, Maru," he added, stepping back.

"Get back here!" Maru cried, running after him, reaching a hand out. The portal closed, however, with the figure in it. Maru stopped and lowered his hand, sighing and dismissing his Keyblade. "Coward..."

"Is he gone?" asked Penny, walking over tentatively. The mice rode on her shoulders, as they had during the fight.

"~Penny! Are you alright?~" a concerned Elliott asked, running over to her.

Penny crouched down to him and giggled. "I'm fine, thanks to you and Mr. Maru," she answered. "Thank you!"

Elliott sighed in relief, dismissing his armor. "All in a day's work, ma'am," Figment stretched, smiling slyly as he came over.

"I think we've all had a long night," Miss Bianca said, "and should get to bed. Penny especially."

"~I agree,~" Elliott nodded, crossing his arms.

Maru nodded, too, and the group departed.

Back in the pilot-house, Penny crawled into bed. "Good-night, Teddy, Figment, Elliott, Mr. Maru, Bernard, Miss Bianca," she yawned as she did so.

The mice crawled up onto the pillow, moving to an end. "Good...Good-Good-night, Penny," Bernard stuttered, yawning as well.

"Don't worry, we'll figure everything out tomorrow," assured Miss Bianca sleepily. The two mice settled down on the pillow.

"Hooo...Well, we should probably take a nap, too," Figment said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"~I'm all for that,~" Elliott groaned wearily, sauntering to the foot of the cot and flopping down onto the corner, back against the wall and tail out between his legs. He undid his belt tiredly to remove some pressure.

Maru sighed and looked outside at the night. 'We've got a big morning ahead of us...and it's already been a big day.' He used the save disc to restore his and Iso's health. Navi was there, but she said that they should keep from talking so that they don't wake up anyone. Maru looked around. The others had fallen asleep quite fast. Penny lay in bed sweetly, holding Teddy close. On the pillow beside her lay the mice, curled up cutely together. Figment was lying on top of Elliott's belly, and his bed was snoozing away with his fingers laced over his chest.

"You ready to take a nap, Maru?" whispered Navi.

Maru shook his head. "I've got one thing left to do," he breathed back.

Maru stepped out onto the stern once more, Navi following and returning to his collar. "Come out, Iso," he said, opening the ball.

"Terrone!" Iso called once out again. He stopped, looked around, then turned to Maru once more once he found no foes.

Maru smiled and gently stroked Iso's hair. "You were fantastic against Exexitt, Iso," he complimented.

"Rone! Ter-rone!" Iso replied, clenching his fists.

Maru faltered; that was exactly what he'd heard. Mere grunts. He noticed his aura was still there, just very low.

"It looks like it's going to take more than what we can do alone to unlock his heart," Navi said quietly. "I guess we can only get it down 99%, not 100..."

"That's alright, Navi," Maru nodded. He smiled up at Iso.

Blank.

"We'll find a way."

-)-D-0-O-0-C-(-

Mewtwo was in a gray space. He floated alone, body small and shortened—young. He looked up to see two shapes. He couldn't make out details, but from the shape of them, he knew what they were.

Other mewtwos.

Excited, he reached out to them...only for his paws to pass through them. '...Holograms...?' he thought. He watched as they slowly fizzled out, leaving him alone once more. The world around him turned from grey to amber. He realized that he was floating in a glass tube.

'That's right,' he thought. 'I...I was created...' He looked out, pressing a paw against the glass as he saw a pair of faceless scientists, one male and one female, looking at each other and moving as if laughing. Mewtwo dropped his face, paw slowly sliding down the glass. 'I...I never had any parents...to begin with...'

SLAM! "Penny! Get up!"

Maru started awake from the sound, gasping. He was napping by Figment and Elliott, using the latter's tail as a pillow. He looked over by the stairs. Medusa's voice was roaring from there. Penny was up, too, as were the mice.

"Get up, you lazy brat, and get your clothes on!" Medusa continued. "We're going to the Black Hole. I want you down here in five minutes, or else!" With that threat and another SLAM! of the door, Medusa was gone.

Penny yawned. "Well, time to go," she grumbled. She stopped when she saw Maru. "Mr. Maru, you're crying," she noticed quietly.

"Eh?" Maru touched his cheeks and raised his eyebrows. Indeed, tears had been coming from his eyes without him noticing.

"What's wrong?" Penny asked, frowning gently.

Maru noticed the dragons looking at him in keen interest, too, and shook his head, wiping the tears away, glad they couldn't see. "N-Nothing...allergies," he lied, blushing a little.

"Really?" Figment asked, raising an eyeridge.

"Shouldn't we let Penny get dressed? She hasn't got much time," Maru avoided starchily, getting off the cot.

Figment looked at Elliott, who was rebuckling his belt, and shared a smirk. "Looks like the tough guy's got a soft spot, after all," he whispered. Elliott nodded, chuckling.

-)-D-0-O-0-C-(-

Out in the middle of nowhere stood a small rocky island with a single barren tree. The water lapped low around its perimeter. Standing on the island were Medusa, Mr. Snoops, and Penny. The adults were pushing Penny (fully-dressed) towards a hole just big enough for, of course, Penny to go down, but neither of the others. Above the hole hung a bucket, like at a well, with the rope slung over a tree. Mr. Snoops was holding the rope on a large rock behind the hole. Penny held Teddy close to her chest as she looked down the hole.

"Alright, now, dear, get down there," coaxed Medusa, gritting her teeth and shoving Penny, making her spin and spread her legs across the hole, barely finding purchase as she leaned against a large rock. "We haven't got long before the tide rises."

"Teddy's afraid," Penny said, still eying the hole as she got back away from it. She turned to look down at her bear. From her chest dress pocket, Bernard and Miss Bianca popped their heads out. Suddenly, Teddy was whipped away from behind Penny. Maru, Figment, and Elliott were revealed to be holding onto her dress underneath the bear, but once uncovered, they looked up before dropping down and scurrying behind some cover.

Meanwhile, Penny was turning and reaching after, an offended expression on her face. "Hey! Give him back!" she protested.

Medusa grinned, holding Teddy far away from the reaching little girl, and waggled her finger. "Ah-ah-ahhh, Penny," she teased. "You can have Teddy back after you get me that diamond."

Penny grumped. "Just like how you'll take me back to the orphanage, so I can get adopted, right?" she asked sarcastically, crossing her arms.

Medusa raised an eyebrow amusedly. "Adopted? What makes you think anyone would want a homely little girl like you?" she asked almost incredulously.

At this, Penny widened her eyes and took a step back.

Looking from behind a rock, Maru was gaping in shock. "Did I just hear what I think I just heard?" he whispered.

Above him (the party was Scooby Stacking, Figment up to Elliott), Elliott was snarling, grinding his teeth. "~You bet you did,~" he growled.

Figment wrinkled his snout in disgust. "She's the true Heartless around here," he spat.

Maru gave Medusa a true Mewtwo Glare. 'She is just like Giovanni...cruel, uncaring, and abusive...! Penny's going back to that orphanage whether Medusa likes it or not!'

"Now, go on, get down there!" Medusa barked, shoving Penny again. "And don't come back until you get that diamond!"

She stumbled once, then turned with her hands planted on her hips to give a glare at Medusa before gulping and stepping into the bucket, grabbing the lantern inside first. She found Maru, Figment, and Elliott already inside the bucket, having snuck in when the adults weren't looking. (The bucket had been at foot level before.) Slowly, Penny was lowered down, holding tightly onto the rope with an uncertain look on her face.

They went down a sizable drop. As soon as they were underground, the mice poked their bodies further out to look around, and the party did, too. "This place is kinda creepy," Figment commented, looking down.

"It used to be a pirate's cave," Penny chirped.

"How did you know that?" Miss Bianca asked.

Penny pointed. "Him!"

They looked, and as the light from the lantern came over, they saw the skeleton of a fancily-dressed pirate lying in a corner. "Oh! Dear!" Miss Bianca exclaimed.

"Cool!" Figment grinned, hopping out and gliding down to it to examine it with his paws behind his back.

Once they landed in the cramped cavern, Bernard got out and went to a pile of gems. "Well, we'd better—better start digging," he said industriously.

Penny giggled. "I've already looked over there," she said.

"Oh..."

"So where haven't you looked?" Maru inquired.

Penny lowered her face as she looked one direction, pointing. "There," she said. They looked and saw a great hole. The floor rumbled as water splished out of it. "That's where the water comes in. It's scary, so I don't look over there."

Bernard frowned, crossing his arms as he came over by Maru. Maru shared the same expression. "Well, if I were a pirate..." the mouse mumbled.

"...that's where I'd hide the Devil's Eye," Maru finished.

"~Then, uh, let's go,~" Elliott said, gulping.

Maru looked at him with an eyebrow raise. "What, you're not scared of it, too, are you?" he asked, hand reaching to Iso's ball. Elliott shook his head, looking affronted, but Maru chuckled and lobbed the ball. Iso emerged and looked around, immediately tense. "Don't worry, Iso, we'll do this quick," Maru told him. He pointed. "Grab Bernard and Miss Bianca and fly them to the other side. We'll make our own way across around the edge."

"Rone," nodded Iso, going to the mice and grabbing one in each arm, then flying up with his strong wings. As they sailed over the hole, water splashed up again, making Bernard hug the grand arm tightly.

Meanwhile, Maru, Figment, and Elliott had to sidle across the thin edge, fluted by water erosion. The water came up, splashing high enough to almost wash out Figment, but Elliott (having the worst time getting across) was grabbing onto him with the handlike appendage on the tip of his tail. Maru was clinging tightly to the wall, thankful for its texture.

"Are you alright?" called Penny when she saw Figment's near-miss.

"F-F-Fine, Penny," Figment stuttered, holding his chest with wide eyes. "Elliott, yer a lifesaver..."

"Have you found my diamond yet?" Medusa called impatiently.

"I'm looking!" Penny called back.

"Well, hurry up!"

"Little something-I-can't-say-before-children," grumbled Maru, hopping off at the other side. He turned and produced his Keyblade, offering the end to Elliott, who gratefully grabbed it and used it to help himself and Figment along. Maru looked over. "Find anything yet?

The mice were plodding around in the dark, looking. Iso stood, green eyes glowing in the dark, staring at them. "It's too dark to see," Miss Bianca replied.

"Penny, could you—could you shine the lantern over here?" asked Bernard. Penny obliged. The effect was like a miniature sun suddenly bursting into existence from one wall of the cave. Everyone shielded their eyes, dazzled.

"Holy—?" Maru grunted, raising an arm while he squinted.

"Nah, Holy looks different," Figment shook his head, eyes squeezed completely shut.

When the initial glare faded, everyone looked and widened their eyes (even Iso) as they saw the source: A glittering gem the size of a large fist lay within a human skull. "Jackpot!" Figment pumped his arm.

The mice crawled in through the eye sockets to it. "The Devil's Eye!" Bernard exclaimed, looking at it.

"It has to be it!" Miss Bianca said, paws on cheeks in amazement. "It's beautiful."

Bernard got between it and the back of the skull and started pushing. "C'mon, we gotta get it outta here before—" he began.

Suddenly, the water came in again. Penny screamed and danced back while a good inch came in, almost tripping up the party. "Iso, return!" Maru cried, pointing his ball at the terrone and retrieving him while he staggered back. He called over to Penny. "Penny! We need the light again!"

"Kay!" Penny offered it once more.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of Maru's neck stood up, though wet. "Oh, no, not here, not now," he muttered. To his dismay, Heartless appeared in the cave. Thankfully, they were all on his side of the hole, so Penny was safe.

"Oh, yes, yes here, and of course now," Figment grumbled, drawing a hand.

"Hurry! We haven't much time before the tide gets too high!" Miss Bianca called from the safety of the skull.

Maru nodded, the party getting to the center of the area. After a moment, they set to work. 'I bet we've got one minute before things get too hairy,' Maru guessed. He noticed a small chest in one corner, and his curiosity got the better of him when he chased a Soldier over by it. After beating it, he quickly tapped it, opening it, and out popped 500 Munny. He turned and gave a Quick Blitz to a Bloodsucker, passing his Keyblade to his left hand while he did the vertical spin and jump, slamming it down before releasing and catching with his right hand again in stance.

The battle was intense, but they cleared it with 13 seconds to spare. Maru decided to use his Break Technique during it. When he did, he stood with his fists to his sides, shouting, "Rend!" However, as expected, the tide came in again, higher than ever, soon after the battle finished. The mice yelped as the skull was filled with water. The dragons were engulfed, as was Maru, who grunted and braced himself. While underwater and holding his breath, he suddenly had the craziest idea. He jammed Wandereason into the floor of the cave and held on.

It worked. His body trailed backwards (Navi flying out before holding onto his collar for dear life) while he gripped the grip of his weapon, staying in place while the water receded. He gasped for air when the tide dropped. "We need to get that thing out now before we all die," he shouted, pointing to the skull.

"I second that," Figment said wearily, having held onto a large rock. Elliott had grabbed onto the wall, digging his claws in.

The mice, trying to move the Devil's Eye out the skull's eye, grunted. "It's too big!" Bernard reported.

"Penny! Did you find the Devil's Eye?" squawked Medusa's voice.

"It's stuck!" Penny replied, looking back to the mice in worry. She frowned and nodded, then, with a gulp, jumped over the hole with her lantern. The water suddenly came up again and caught her, making her shriek, but she managed to grab the other edge in time, lantern still alight.

Maru gasped his head up again, having repeated his Keyblade trick. "Penny! Over here, help us!" he called.

"Right!" Penny came over, setting the lantern down on a rock and kneeling to the skull.

"Get the mouth open, dear!" Miss Bianca instructed. Penny tried, pulling and pulling—Elliott even came to help lift it—but no dice.

"~Get something to pry it open like a clam!~" suggested the green dragon.

Penny looked around, then saw a cutlass by another skeleton. She raced to grab it, then came back. "Under the skull, Penny, hurry!" Bernard pointed before getting behind the diamond again. The cave was shaking violently. Penny fit the flat of the blade between the skull and a small rock to act as the fulcrum, then pulled with all her might. At last, the skull came up and open, and the diamond popped out.

"Finally!" Maru cried, rushing over with the dragons. Penny scooped up the diamond and the mice, Maru and Elliott hopping up onto her dress and clutching tightly (Elliott grabbing Figment), and the girl started running out.

"I GOT IT! I GOT IT!" she cried as she ran, carrying the diamond like a football, but then the tide hole erupted with water, pulling her down in a whirlpool, screaming. The mice and Maru were washed away (Elliott had crawled up to her shoulder in time). She reached out and caught them all, then held her breath, holding them aloft, as she went under.

'Am I going to drown...?' Maru wondered as he spiraled, looking down, Keyblade still in hand. Abruptly, a bright light flashed from the center of the vortex.

"What's that?" Bernard called, pointing.

The light formed a shape, and Maru felt a tug on his Keyblade. "Huh?" He looked at it, then the Keyblade. He gasped. "A Keyhole!" He nodded, then pointed it down the tide hole, bit down, with both hands. A beam of light shot out of the bit after a moment, firing towards the center of the Keyhole. The water came higher and higher up as they circled down, faster and faster. 'I'm not gonna make it—!'

They went under.

The water calmed.

And a deep click reverberated throughout the Black Hole.

BALOOOOSHA! The tide hole erupted once more, sending Penny and everyone else out the other side, coughing and spluttering. "We're alive!" squeaked Figment, thumping his chest.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Bernard urged. Penny didn't need to be told even once—she was already getting into the bucket, everyone else piling in as well. The mice crawled up the rope to hop into Penny's pocket again as she spoke.

"I GOT IT! PULL ME UP!" Penny all but screeched. The water was coming in again, and fast. To everyone's intense relief, they began to be lifted up. Penny and the others looked down at the rapidly filling cave, realizing that they had just barely escaped with their lives.

As soon as Penny, holding up the diamond, had surfaced, Medusa snatched away the diamond, a twisted, giant grin on her face as she beheld it. "At laaaast! The Devil's EYE!" she gasped, sounding euphoric as she turned away, holding it to the light. She cackled.

Still holding the rope, Mr. Snoops hopped down from the rock he had stood on, exclaiming, "It's worth millions!" As soon as he wasn't looking, Maru, Figment, and Elliott jumped out of the bucket and dashed behind some cover.

"Look at it! Filled with a power on its own!" she ravished insanely.

"Hey, lemme see it," Mr. Snoops grumped.

Medusa raised an eyebrow at him as she held it away greedily, then flashed it to him once.

"Thawha—hey, that wasn't a very good look," Mr. Snoops complained, letting go of the rope to walk over, reaching after it. Penny screamed as she dropped, barely able to catch herself around the hole before the bucket fell completely in. Medusa repelled Mr. Snoops' flailing form with a held foot. "I know there's enough there for us to cut it between the two of us!"

At this, Medusa scowled and kicked him down onto his back. "You fool! Why would you cut up a perfect diamond?" she asked, turning away and adding, "And it's mine, allll mi-hi-hine!"

Mr. Snoops frowned, sitting up. "Now, wa-wait a minute!" he protested, getting up. "Wait just a minute, you double-crossing crook!" The two commenced bickering, calling each other names.

Meanwhile, Brutus had grabbed Penny by the panties again. "Put me down, Brutus!" Penny fought, swinging her fists while the croc looked at her with amusement. Brutus and Nero then turned and went crawling down the side of the embankment, slipping once again into the water.

Maru, Figment, and Elliott peeked from their rocky cover, then nodded to each other. They ran down to the vessel the adults had took and hopped in after they had gotten in, hiding in the back.

-)-D-0-O-0-C-(-

After getting back to the riverboat, Medusa went over to Mr. Snoops and Penny, who was being held by Brutus still. "Brutus?" Brutus dropped her, again unceremoniously. Medusa looked at the two of them. "Come with me. Both of you," she ordered. Mr. Snoops raised an eyebrow, and Penny scowled, but after Medusa roared, "NOW!" they begrudgingly followed her.

"We'll be back, Penny," Bernard whispered up to Penny from the pocket. The human nodded, then both of the mice hopped down. The small creatures waited until the coast was clear before meeting together on the stern.

Maru went past everyone while the others gathered around. "What do we do now?" asked Figment.

"We check to see if Evinrude's done his job," Maru answered over his shoulder. He climbed up the railing, then broke out his binoculars. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Evinrude, taking the chance now that no bats were harassing him in the daylight, shoot out of the bottle and zip down the chimney before some stalker bats tried to get him. "Good bug," Maru pumped his arm. He looked down to them. "He just got into their shack. We'll have backup soon!"

"Great!" nodded Bernard.

They heard voices coming from the pilot-house. "Why does she want us in here?" Penny's voice asked.

"Heck if I know," Mr. Snoops replied.

"They're going into the pilot-house?" muttered Maru, frowning. 'There goes our save disc...'

"We should get ready here," Miss Bianca advised.

Maru set up a save point on the stern and used it gratefully. He only asked Navi what she thought was coming next for the usual questions. "What's next? Well, the escape, of course! But something tells me we've got one more battle to go...Use the save point while you can." "That was some quick thinking down there, Maru," she complimented when asked her thoughts. "I thought we were gonna drown! Your cloak wasn't woven by Zoras, after all..."

"By what?" Maru tilted his head.

Navi shook left to right. "Nevermind..."

"Penny isn't here...I wonder what that woman's going to do to her," Miss Bianca worried.

"Don't—Don't worry, Maru, the plan's gonna work out fine," Bernard assured.

"~I'm used to the tide coming into a cave I'm in, but I was always too big to worry much...~" Elliott recollected.

"We almost drowned...That was FUN! Can we do it again, Maru? Huh? Can we? Huh?" Figment grinned, hopping up and down. Maru bopped him, and Figment laughed, holding his head.

Maru had taken to releasing Iso during these times, as well. "Terrone!" was all he said, giving him the same stare.

'How will I ever purify you...?' Maru wondered.

After talking with everyone, Maru said they should get going, and they went up to the pilot-house. Bernard had his grappling hook ready as they snuck up to the side of the door. "Welcher, swindler...chiseler...!" they heard Mr. Snoops shouting. He sounded as if his throat was rather dry. The mice peeked in. Maru, going with the plan they'd talked over the previous night in case this happened, beckoned to his comrades, and they ran off to get into position.

Standing up against the far wall were Penny and Mr. Snoops, and with her back to the door, Teddy in her left hand, and her rifle in her right, was Madame Medusa. "Shut up, Snoops!" she hissed. "And don't move. If either of you try to follow me..." she began as her hostages glanced at each other briefly. She lunged her snarling face towards them. "...you get blasted!"

To the mice's slight surprise, the biggest thing on Penny's mind was, "You gimme my teddy bear! You promised!" She ambled forward bravely, meeting a repelling foot, herself.

Medusa brushed Teddy with her cheek. "Teddy goes with me, my dear," she said, smiling. Outside, Bernard lassoed a valve across from them before hooking the other end of the thin rope on a sticking-out nail and keeping a tight, taut grip. "I've become quite...attached to him..." She laughed menacingly as she began to back up.

And squawked as she fell flat on her ass, tripping over the string. She fired off into the sky and threw Teddy up. He flew through the air and landed on his stomach...revealing a familiar glitter through a seam in his back. Medusa gasped in horror. "My diamond!"

Mr. Snoops, hearing this, lit up his face and went running out, arms outstretched. Medusa gave an irritated look as she grabbed his leg, tripping him. Penny, meanwhile, dashed out, picking up Teddy on the way as she fled.

Medusa and Mr. Snoops followed after, each grabbing and tripping the other in succession. Before Medusa could get up again, she screamed as Ellie Mae finally appeared, assaulting her with her rolling pin, as well as Figment, flying about and throwing cards at her. "This your card? Sorry, this you card? Sorry, this your card?" he chirped as he flitted and tossed. Medusa screamed when Luke, taking a small pitchfork, stabbed her in the butt.

A bang was heard as the three soon scampered off from the madwoman, rounding a bend. They skidded to a halt when they met Brutus and Nero at the gangplank. The crocs smirked and followed them, snapping.

Being held by a hanging Iso (whose tail in turn was held by Elliott's tail, Elliott himself hanging by his arms), Miss Bianca spritzed her perfume a few times while Bernard whistled. Both crocs skidded and turned their heads with a unison, "Hmmm?" They saw the mice hanging down in front of the elevator, waving and grinning. With the excitement of a pair of children that turned into malicious smiles, they barreled over.

"Now," Bernard said to Elliott. Elliott watched the crocs carefully and shook his head—too far still. Bernard bit his lip and repeated, "Now!" Then Elliott started hoisting himself up, struggling at first. The mice looked at the gators getting closer and paled. "NOW!" squealed Bernard. With the combined strength of an Iso wingbeat and Elliott's arms, they were yanked up, one of the crocs snapping air as both slammed into the elevator, squeezing in as the gates closed on them from the force. They sat and held them like prison bars, blinking in bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Penny was trying to get the swampmobile to work. "Oh, please start!" she begged. The mice trotted over quickly. It spluttered and coughed, but nothing.

"Advance the spark!" Bernard shouted from under the hood.

"Don't bother, I checked it last night!" Maru called back, standing on the dash. "I told you, it needs fuel!"

"LOOK OUUUT!" Bernard cried suddenly. They looked up and ducked as a rifle shot broke the windshield. Maru got out his Keyblade. On the second level, Medusa was aiming, trying to shoot out Penny. Ellie Mae saw this from behind and above. She jumped down from the roof and bonked her on the head before jumping away again. When Medusa swung the rifle around to aim at her, however, it was caught with a grunt by Elliott, standing on the railing.

"What the—?" Medusa couldn't help but squawk in surprise at the dragon.

Elliott gave his scariest snarl, pure fury contorting his face. His mouth smoked again. "~Nobody...~" he grunted with effort as he wrestled the pipe of iron in his arms. "~...shoots a child...~" His chubby arms bulged with the muscle beneath, and a creak was heard from the metal he held. "~...on my watch!~" Producing a frightful screech from the firearm, Elliott bent the end of the barrel up at a right angle.

Medusa gaped in horror at her ruined weapon before narrowing her eyes and aiming it at Elliott, pulling the trigger. Comically, the barrel exploded, banana peeling and making her stumble back and onto her rump, stupefied face covered in soot. Elliott turned around and slapped his butt at her with a triumphant smirk.

During all this, Figment was down in the boiler room, throwing Fire cards left and right at the mess of fireworks. Iso was there, too, holding him so he didn't get tired of flying. When Figment ran out, he looked up. "Okay, big guy, let's blow this joint!" he grinned.

"Rone!" Iso nodded, sounding a little uneasy as he sensed the danger about him. He soared up the stairs and out of the room as it began to erupt in color and sound. The fireworks could be seen from far away, shooting out of the entire river boat. There were all kinds and hues. Medusa ran around, trying to berate Mr. Snoops, but kept squawking as she avoided or was hit by fireworks. Mr. Snoops ducked one, himself.

Back down at the swampmobile, Maru watched the theatrics with a smirk. "Well, this is certainly more entertaining than either of my escapes," he commented, arms crossed. He looked down and noticed the muskrats arriving. As he expected, Luke carried his booze. He snapped his fingers. "Ah-hah!" He pointed. "Luke! Get up here! We need gas!"

Ellie Mae and Luke hopped onto the machine, and Ellie Mae pulled Luke to a hole by the gas tank. "C'mon, Luke, pour it in," she coaxed. Luke began pouring a little in. She frowned and pushed the jug further in, to his unhappy surprise. "All of it!"

A cloud of smoke erupted from the other end of the tank, by the dash. Maru sweatdropped, and Elliott, who saw this as he trotted over, gulped and bit his claws as he looked down at his stomach.

"GO GO GO!" Figment urged as he and Iso soared out, landing on the craft. Everyone held on as the swampmobile roared to life and Penny started it off. Medusa, however, came running out. With a murderous look, she dove and grabbed the trailing mooring rope.

She soon reached them and grabbed onto the end of the craft, starting to get aboard. Maru snarled and jumped over. She widened her eyes at the little man as he glared at her, eyes glowing ever so slightly. "Get off, you cold hag," he breathed darkly before giving a sound smack to her fingers with Wandereason. She howled and flew off, grabbing the very end of the rope before she splashed into the green waters of the bayou again.

"I'll—glpbblb!—get you! THAT'S MY DIAMOND!" she roared hysterically, eyes wild as she surfaced and dragged along.

Suddenly, Heartless appeared around the swampmobile. Maru grimaced and turned to look. "It's her!" he realized. "Her crazy, avaricious heart is attracting the Heartless! Iso!" he called, looking at the pokémon perched at the dashboard. "Fight them off yourself!"

"RONE!"

He looked back at Medusa, who seemed to be helped along—by Bloodsuckers? "They're helping their leader, great!" He looked around for a moment before the final battle in that world began.

Maru, Figment, and Elliott, with Iso helping, all separated, had to deal with Heartless coming in from all sides. Figment took the port side while Elliott took starboard, and Maru took the stern. They all had to compensate for turns. Whenever one of them fell out, Iso was there in a flash to fly them back in. It took some time, though, and they couldn't let Medusa get a good grip on the back of the swampmobile...and she moved quickly, helped by the Heartless as she was. As well, the entire craft's passengers had to be protected, and the fewer fighters there were, the more damage they took. Whenever he was about to fly off, though, Maru felt a chance to drive his Keyblade into the craft, surprisingly not damaging it. He had only a fraction of a second to catch it, though, so he had to watch out. He didn't have a handy edge to grab onto or huge wings to fly with. Whenever Medusa got close enough, Maru would smack at her fingers until she flew off again, fighting off the barrage of Bloodsuckers that came with. 'When will this end?' he wondered after a minute and a half.

Suddenly, the river boat exploded with a blast of fireworks, sending up Brutus and Nero. The elevator they were in disintegrated, leaving them hanging in the air at the apex. They grunted in fright, hugging each other as they came down again into the water. They splashed down and surfaced, dazed. They started when they saw the swampmobile rushing towards them and ducked again. They resurfaced and blinked at the watercraft, confused. They grunted as Medusa, going water-ski style as she had the whole battle, slammed into them, using them as skis better than her boots. Medusa snarled and whipped her boys with the end of her rope, much to their displeasure.

"Penny!" Miss Bianca called at the dash. "Look out! The riverboat!" They were heading straight for the half-and-counting-sunken boat.

Penny gasped, then made a tight right turn. Everyone held on, the remaining Heartless flying off, but Medusa's momentum left her going forward. The rope remained in her grip...and snapped from the opposing forces. She stood on the crocs, looking at the rope in her hands before looking and screaming as she flew towards the sunken gangplank, angled as a ramp. The three skidded up the ramp, and while the crocs kept going, Medusa slammed into one of the remaining smokestacks with a booooong~!

Using a door as a raft and oaring his way away, Mr. Snoops saw this and pointed and laughed.

The group saw this, too, and everyone cheered. "We did it!" Bernard whooped, dancing around the steering wheel with Miss Bianca.

"Oh, Bernard, you're the greatest!" Miss Bianca praised when she stopped and hugged Bernard tight. The male gray mouse blushed.

Maru sat on the end of the watercraft, smiling. "Well," Figment said, him and Elliott coming to sit beside him, grinning, "I'd say we were one heck of a pest problem, wouldn't you?"

Maru couldn't help but laugh evilly. "I daresay," he agreed. He looked up as Iso came down behind him and smiled at the Heartless-Pokémon. "And you were one of the most essential parts, Iso," he added. He stroked his hair gently. "Thank you so much."

"Rone!" Iso barked, eyes still blank.

Maru sighed, shaking his head at him. "You've done well. Take a break," he said, returning him.

Meanwhile, Medusa held onto the pipe, shaking her fist. "My diiiiaaammooooond!" she wailed. She looked down and cringed, trying to climb up as Brutus and Nero snapped angrily at her from below.

-)-D-0-O-0-C-(-

Penny parked the swampmobile by Buried Bottle, and everyone disembarked. Evinrude flew over to greet them, buzzing happily. Miss Bianca smiled at him. "Thank you, Evinrude," she said. "We never could have done any of this without you."

Evinrude just nodded, buzzing humbly.

"Now what do we do?" asked Penny, crouching down to the smaller folk around her, holding Teddy.

"Well, we've...gotta, um, find a way to get you back," Bernard answered. He smiled at her. "Don't worry, we'll get you back to New York, Penny."

Penny smiled, nodding. "Okay," she said. "I'll just wait around here. I'll be fine, 'cuz I got Teddy and the swampmobile if I gotta go somewhere."

"And we'll be there with you," Miss Bianca added, placing a paw on her shoe gently.

Penny grinned, showing her gapped teeth, as she looked at everyone. "Thank you, everyone—Bernard, Miss Bianca, Ellie Mae, Luke, Evinrude...and you, Mr. Maru, Figment, Elliott!" she chirped, beaming at the last three.

Maru and the dragons smiled back, nodding. "Not a problem," Figment replied. "It was fun!"

Maru frowned, crossing his arms. "You...sure you'll be fine?" he asked. "You're in a swamp with no shelter..."

"~Yeah, and where'll you get food? And Nero and Brutus are still out there...~" Elliott voiced, holding his tail.

Penny giggled, "You sillies!" She poked each on the nose gently, making Maru stumble back and Elliott give a laughing squeak. "You two forgot already." She hugged Teddy close and nodded matter-of-factly. "Faith makes things turn out right."

"So have faith in you?" Maru guessed, smirking.

"Mm-hm!" nodded the little girl. "I may not have any parents...but I've got friends," she pointed out, looking down at the animals, who smiled back at her.

"You can count on me, sweetheart," Ellie Mae assured, nodding.

"Yer in good hands!" Luke promised with his goofy, relaxed smile.

Maru chuckled a little at this, then looked at Penny thoughtfully. 'May not have any...' "Penny?"

Penny turned back to him. "Yes, Mr. Maru?"

Maru looked around at everyone. 'I...It would be rude to whisper to her in front of everyone...' He sighed before looking up gently. "You know how I was...crying...this morning?" he asked. Penny nodded. Maru clenched his fists, blushing a little as he looked away. "I...I was crying because...I dreamed about my parents."

Figment and Elliott looked at each other, raising eyeridges, before looking at him again.

Penny raised her eyebrows, then lowered her gaze. "Oh...I guess you miss them..." she murmured.

Maru looked down, too. "I reached out to them, but they vanished," he continued quietly. "That's when I remembered...I never had any parents to begin with." 'At all,' he added, mouthing down. This caused Penny to look up again, blinking in surprise. Maru met her gaze, smiling faintly. "Neither of us have anyone to call 'Mom and Dad'," he noted softly. "We're both orphans."

Figment and Elliott looked at him in surprise, too. "Maru...!" whispered Figment. Elliott put a paw to his mouth.

Penny smiled a little, knitting her brow sympathetically. "Mr. Maru..." She looked away for a moment before reaching into her pocket. "Mr. Maru, I found this in the Black Hole one day and kept it secret," she said, producing what appeared to be a charm. It appeared to be a miniature version of the Devil's Eye, sharing the same cut and spectacular luster, on a fairly long chain, and at the top was a ring clasp, like on necklaces, but larger. She held it out to Maru. "I want you to have it."

Maru started at the sudden gift, looking at it. When he looked at her face, he stopped the thought of rejecting it out of politeness. She was smiling warmly at him. 'This is a gift from her heart,' Maru realized. He smiled slowly back, nodding, and took the trinket. It was a bit large for him, but he carried it anyway. He looked at it, then smiled up at her again, nodding. "Thank you very much, Penny."

Penny giggled and grinned. "We orphans gotta look after one another," she reasoned.

Maru chuckled a little and put the trinket away. Elliott came over, smiling apologetically. "~Penny? We gotta get going,~" he said reluctantly. "~Promise you'll be safe?~"

Penny smiled and, to Maru's surprise, reached down, picked them up, and gave the party a hug. "I promise, Elliott," she replied. "And Mr. Maru and Figment. Thank you so much for helping me." She put them down again gently. She turned to Teddy. "Now, say good-bye, Teddy," she reminded, raising an eyebrow. She turned the bear and made him wave a paw.

Maru smiled and waved back with the dragons. "Good-bye, Penny!" he called. He looked to the mice and waved at them. "And good-bye, Bernard, Miss Bianca!"

"You, too, Ellie Mae and Luke!" Figment added.

"Thank you for everything, you three!" Miss Bianca waved back.

"And th-thank you to, ah, Iso, too," Bernard added, waving as well.

"Y'all come back, now, ya hear?" Ellie Mae insisted sweetly.

"I'll have a new batch ready fer ya when ya do," promised Luke.

Elliott grinned uncertainly at that. "~Um...Thanks, but I'll pass,~" he replied, holding his paws up and shaking his head, stepping back.

This made everyone but Penny laugh. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"We'll explain laytah," Ellie Mae answered hastily, bopping her husband on the head.

Penny giggled at that before looking at them. "Bye, everyone! Take care!" she bade, waving.

Maru, Figment, and Elliott smiled and waved back, saying good-bye once more before turning and walking up the path. Maru crossed his arms and looked up as he walked. 'I never thought of it before,' he mused. 'I am an orphan. And...still just a naïve little child, sometimes...'

"That was really brave of you, Maru," Figment complimented on the way back to the save disc. "I never thought you'd admit to something like that out in the open."

"Well, I was mostly just telling Penny, but there was no point in hiding it since you all saw me this morning," Maru shrugged. "Besides, it's nothing huge."

"~It is to some people,~" Elliott reminded, holding a finger up and smirking.

Maru looked over his shoulder, watching Penny talk to the mice. "Yeah...it is."

***OBTAINED Trinket***

A charm that resembles the Devil's Eye. Present from Penny.

~The Lanes Between~

Maru stretched his arms as he stepped into the bridge. Figment trotted past him, waving to Chip and Dale at the dash. "We're back, guys!" he smiled.

"Welcome back, guys!" Chip waved back. "And good evening!"

"~"Evening?"~" repeated Maru and Elliott, blinking stupidly. A second later, they jerked their heads before smacking a hand/paw on them. "Of course, it's night to us, but not there," Maru grumbled. "It's a bit disorienting."

"~A bit?~" Elliott raised an eyeridge.

"Looks like ya sealed the Keyhole, guys!" Dale exclaimed, pointing to the monitor. "Great job!"

"Thanks, I nearly drowned because of it," Maru returned wryly, walking to the monitor. Next to the world's title was a square with a keyhole in it. Suddenly, while he was looking at it, the screen flashed up with "INCOMING CALL" while emitting an electronic ring. "Myu!" Maru squeaked, jumping back.

"Oh? Who could that be?" wondered Chip, leaning upside-down and pressing a paw on the screen. The ringing and flashing stopped, and an image of a frowning, older, yellow-haired man with goggles on his forehead and a toothpick in his mouth came up.

"Hey, anyone there?" he asked in a gruffish voice.

Maru stepped back over, blinking. 'A video phone. Handy.' "Yes, Maru," he answered. "Who's this?"

The man thumbed his nose and grinned. "The name's Cid, kid," he introduced. "I'm the head tech guy over in Radiant Garden. I helped out Sora and his pals last coupla times. If ya ever need ta install a Navi-G—short fer Navigational Gummi—come'n see me." He frowned again. "Merlin wants to see ya right away, says he thinks he found someone you might wanna meet," he continued.

Maru raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Who?"

Cid shrugged. "Heck if I know. Why don'cha c'mon down?"

Maru looked at the clock in the corner of the screen. It was only 9:18. He shrugged. "Sure."

"Great! Come by and see me sometime," Cid smiled again. "I'm usually hangin' out by Ansem's Study, if you can find where that is. That said, I'd better get goin'. Cid, over and out!" And with that, his image blipped out, leaving the map once more.

Maru sat down in the pilot's seat. "Well, guys, time to go to Radiant Garden again," he said. "Buckle up!"

~Radiant Garden~

Merlin turned as Maru, Figment, and Elliott arrived in his house. "Oh! Maru! That was quick," Merlin greeted, smiling. He sniffed and wrinkled his nose. "Mmm...you smell a bit, ah...damp..."

"We spent the whole day in a swamp, that's why," Maru explained flatly. "Of course we're damp." He tilted his head. "So, who's this person you want me to meet?"

Merlin nodded. "It's someone from your world, Maru," he answered.

Maru's heart fluttered and he widened his eyes. He looked intently at the wizened wizard. "Was it a boy with messy black hair and a baseball cap?" he asked.

Merlin shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it's not your friend," he apologized, and Maru sighed, drooping his body. "It's an old woman by the name of Harmony. She's living in a small house nearby for the time being."

Maru looked up and nodded. "Could you show me to her?" he asked.

Merlin told him the location, and Maru left. The dragons started after, but Merlin held a hand, saying, "Wait, my friends—this is Maru's time. Let him be for now." Maru trotted over to where she was, noticing how different and strangely beautiful the town looked at night. It was a little house at the end of the road Merlin was on. The lights were on. Maru stopped and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" inquired an old woman's voice.

"Is this where Harmony lives?" Maru asked.

The door opened. He saw an old woman with a pair of glasses, a blue dress, and white hair tied up in a tight bun inside. She wore a necklace with a garnet on it, a golden bracelet on each thin wrist, and one of those old-lady "fashion" earrings in each ear, these being big blue square ceramic things with faux-gold trims. She was one of those anime characters that didn't open their eyes (like Brock). Slightly shorter than Maru, she smiled up at him. "Yes—Oh, my, aren't you a handsome young man," she complimented. "Who are you?"

Maru blushed, but nodded. "I'm Maru. We're from the same world. Merlin told me about you."

"Oh, I see," nodded Harmony. She backed up, beckoning. "Come on in, please!"

Maru nodded and stepped inside. He noticed she was in socks, that her shoes were by the door, so he took his off after closing the door. The inside of the house was little more than a single large room—it was more like an apartment than anything. It had the basics, however, and a door that Maru assumed led to the bathroom. She sat at a table and brought up a cup of tea. "Living in Agate Village back in the Orre region, I don't see many young people," the old woman mused. "Are you a Trainer?"

Maru planed a hand. "In a way, yes," he answered. "It's...complicated. I'm on a journey to restore our world, and I do have a pokémon to assist me."

Harmony smiled. "May I see your pokémon?" she asked.

Maru faltered, looking at the ball on his belt. "...Well, alright, but...he's probably unlike anything you've ever seen..." He let out Iso.

"Terrone!" Iso called when he was let out. Harmony gasped at him, and Iso looked at her with that gaze, tilting his head. "Terr?"

"Oh, my—!" Harmony put a hand to her mouth.

Maru sweatdropped. "I'm sorry," he apologized. Iso turned to him. "I know he looks frightening, but he won't hurt you."

Harmony giggled. "I actually don't mind his appearance," she assured him. "In fact, I think he looks remarkable. Especially those beautiful green eyes." She smiled. "They are so full of life...Where did you find—" She stopped, mouth open a little. A second later, she said quietly, "Oh, my..."

Iso was still standing there, blank expression, looking at Maru. He glanced at Harmony, then at Maru again.

Maru raised his eyebrows, then sighed. "I suppose you can see his black aura?" he asked.

Harmony closed her mouth and solemnly nodded. "I thought I'd seen the last of the Shadow Pokémon when I lived in Agate," she murmured. "I see they still exist."

"No, not really," Maru interjected, holding a finger. "You see...Iso, a terrone, wasn't originally pure pokémon." He pointed that finger to Iso's stomach, where the red streak was. "That was different before."

Harmony gasped and backed away a little. "You mean...a Heartless?" she asked. "One of those dastardly fiends who attacked our world? You...You caught one?" She looked incredulously at Maru, eyes now "open" and showing a brilliant maroon.

Maru nodded and smiled. "I fought him myself," he added. "After capturing him, though, a heart came from the ball I used to capture him...a ball I created long ago for a foolish notion I'd gotten in my head..." He held up his ball. "This ball became what's apparently called a Light Ball. It can, as far as I've gathered, capture Heartless who are actually pokémon...Heartless-Pokémon." He put it back. "He then acted like a Shadow Pokémon. Now, after a grand battle, he can say his name...but nothing of meaning comes from it. I should know; I'm able to understand what pokémon say."

Harmony raised her eyebrow, but nodded. "I see...So you're basically at the point where all Iso needs is to undo the final lock, right?" she asked. Maru nodded. She put a hand over her chin, thinking. Then, she got up and went to her dresser, careful around Iso. She opened a drawer and pulled out a grey stone, then closed the drawer again. The stone was about the size of a football and had many carvings on it. She sat down with it again. "Do you know where this comes from?" she asked.

Maru thought for a moment, then guessed, "The stone in Agate Forest?"

Harmony nodded. "It's a piece of the Relic Stone," she named. "It's been used to purify Shadow Pokémon whose hearts' doors are ready to be opened. It undoes the final lock and brings them back." She looked at Iso. "It may be small, but even this piece is powerful if used properly. It contains the power of the pokémon Celebi, so it is quite potent," she told him.

Maru looked at it with wonder. "I can feel its power from here," he said reverently. He looked into her eyes. "...Hmmm..." She widened hers as they maintained eye contact after a second. "...Are you able to...dispel the darkness within Iso?" Maru asked her.

Harmony smiled. "Yes. Would you like for me to...?"

Maru nodded, a look of pleading flashing in his eyes.

"Of course, Maru," she sighed. "Let's see if Iso's ready yet..." She held the stone near Iso, who looked at it in wonder. As it neared him, it began to glow bright green. Satisfied, Harmony brought it back to her. "Yes. Now," she continued, standing, "Tell Iso to hold still."

"Iso, hold still," commanded Maru. Iso froze as if instantly encased in a block of ice, only blinking.

Harmony closed her eyes for real. The Relic Stone piece in her hands glowed bright green. "Now...Celebi, guardian of the forest, lend me your power through this stone piece..." She opened them and Maru saw that they were as green as the stone. "...Purify this pokémon, Iso, that he may live with an open heart!"

Suddenly, the light from the stone shot out and circled Iso, dancing about and converging upon him into a spinning ball, causing him to glow greenish. After a moment of this light show, a wave of darkness burst from Iso's body and was shattered by the green light, which shot and struck it like lightning. Then, the light itself burst in a flash, and Iso was normally-colored again. He stood there, blinking at what had just happened. Harmony quietly put the stone, which was now normal again, back into its drawer, then sat down. She smiled. "It's done."

Maru, who had been tense for the experience to end, immediately turned to Iso and commanded, "Say something! Anything! Please!"

Iso blinked, looked at Maru, at Harmony, at the dresser, and then at Maru again. Slowly, he opened his mouth. "~Do you...understand me...?~"

Maru shakily dropped his jaw and smiled slowly, eyes widening. "Yes, Iso," he answered. "I can understand you perfectly." 'He's okay. He's okay!'

Iso widened his eyes and dropped his own jaw into a smile, like a child's on Christmas morn in surprise and glee at the presents before them. His face was so expressive, Maru couldn't help but smile more at it. Then, Iso surprised everyone by glomping Maru. With tears falling from his eyes, he hugged the purple-haired Keyblader tightly with his oversized arms and squeaked, "~Oh, thank you, thank you! Oh, man, oh, man! I'm so happy! I can actually be happy!~"

Maru mrfed and flailed around. "MMPH! I...Iso?...I'm...glad...but...urk...can't...breathe..." When Iso opened his eyes and looked at him and his blue face, he was saved.

"~Oh, my gosh! Maru! I'm so sorry!~" Iso squeaked, sweatdropping as he backed away to let Maru stand. He then pouted and looked truly sorry. "~I was just so happy that I could finally express and speak normally...~" He hugged him again, very careful to be gentle this time. Even then it was a little tight. "~Thank you so much.~"

Maru gave an embarrassed smile and then...hesitated. But with a gulp, he finally hugged back briefly. "You should really be thanking Madam Harmony," he told him, releasing and finally able to sit down again.

At this, Iso started, then immediately was on the floor and bowing to her, saying, "~Thank you, Madam Harmony! Thank you!~" Maru translated for her, and she laughed.

"Oh, it's nothing," she replied, smiling and patting the dark hair on his head. "Anything to help a pokémon or person regain their hearts when given the chance." She sighed and sat back. "You're quite affectionate to your Trainer," she noticed.

Iso started again, then rolled his eyes at Maru, who was sweatdropping and blushing. He did the same, his blush turning his cheeks and the top of his snout a very dark crimson, unsettlingly like dark, dried blood. He grinned sheepishly. "~Sorry if I embarrassed you, Maru,~" he apologized. "~And that I hugged you too hard.~"

Maru laughed nervously. "That's alright," he replied. "Just...when you're going to do that again, try not to do that so hard..." He turned to Harmony. "And thank you, Madam Harmony," he added to her, bowing deeply. "I am in your debt."

Harmony smiled and nodded. "Thank you," she replied. "I am just glad that a pokémon is themselves again...or...for the first time...?" She and Maru looked at Iso. Iso looked at them for a moment, mouth open as a very soft "Uh?..." came out. He then looked down at the floor. Maru nodded. "So I see," Harmony said quietly, and both turned to her again. She closed her eyes, then opened them again as she looked up. She seemed serious.

"It appears that we have yet another mystery about pokémon on our hands," she began. "We have here a Heartless that has become a pokémon somehow through the ball that Maru threw and caught him with. He was a pokémon, partially, to begin with, yet was not true yet. He has still his shape after purification, and thus this means we have an undiscovered breed of pokémon here." She bowed her head and continued. "A breed born without a heart, or at least one born with hearts shut so tight, they are as if without a heart. I have no idea how this breed came to be, or why they have decided to collect hearts like Heartless do...but I do know this much." She raised her head again and looked at Maru, her maroon gaze fixing his violet. "You, Maru, must seek to capture them and free their hearts from the deep darkness. Or, if you cannot capture them, defeat them like any other Heartless, and free their hearts from some of the suffering of darkness inflicted upon them."

Maru nodded. "I understand."

Harmony nodded, closing her eyes. She opened them again, though they were, again, "closed." "Whenever you find and capture a Heartless pokémon, weaken its dark aura until it can recede no more. Then, come to me, and I shall purify them. Now..." She stood up. "I must attend to certain duties. I ask that you leave now. I wish you luck, Maru, and you, too, Iso," she bade, looking at both. "Now go."

"~"Thank you, Madam Harmony,"~" both pokémon went, bowing, and Maru opened the door, letting Iso out first. He closed it again to sit and lace on his shoes again.

"I know that you are ailed, as well, Maru."

Maru blinked and looked up. "Pardon?"

Harmony smiled sympathetically. "Your eyes. They are not the eyes of a man," she observed. "They are the eyes of a fierce, yet brilliant, beast. Eyes filled with sadness, confusion, and determination."

Maru widened them. "How—?"

Harmony put a finger to her lips. "Hush, young one," she said. She put the finger down. "Your journey is great, but one with many false purposes. Do you know which is the true purpose to follow? Which one is the right way?" she riddled.

Maru looked a little surprised, but then looked down in thought. "...I...don't..." he whispered. He looked up again.

Harmony nodded. "But seek the answer further, continue on, and you will see," she instructed. "The pieces to the puzzle of truth shall gather and be available for you to place one by one. It is a complex one. One you must solve. One that can be ruined if the hand of darkness and confusion is allowed to come and scatter the pieces both fitted together and loose still." She nodded and was silent.

Maru looked at her, scrutinizing her, for a few moments, but then resumed his shoe-tying. He finished and rose, bowed once more, and left. Outside, the other pokémon awaited him. "~What took, Maru?~" Iso asked, tilting his head. "~I heard you talking, but couldn't make it out...~" Now that his voice wasn't tinted with emotion, Maru could hear his voice was deep but young, tinted with a slight growl all the time.

Maru shook his head. "It was nothing," he lied. He smiled and beckoned. "C'mon, I want to show everyone what happened to you."

"~Okay!~" the dragon sang, and they returned to Merlin's house. Iso jogged on his hind legs, holding his large arms up a little.

"Ah, you're ba-aack!" Merlin started in his chair when he saw Iso, tossing his teacup and dancing it with his hands before catching it again. He cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses as he looked at them. "Oh, yes, I...forgot that you had tamed that thing, somehow," he muttered. "You should warn people before you bring it in, though..."

Iso, closing the door with his tail, frowned and crossed his arms. "~Hey! I'm not a thing!~" he complained.

Figment and Elliott, sitting at the table with teacups, themselves, raised their eyeridges at the behavior. "Is it just me, or is he a lot more normal than normal?" Figment asked slowly.

Maru smirked. "It's not just you," he answered. He patted the black dragon on the head, and Iso smiled up at him. The Keyblader explained, "Madam Harmony has a stone that, when she uses some of her own inner power, undoes the final lock on the hearts of Shadow Pokémon. This counts for Iso, too." Iso grinned. "He's finally able to express his emotions, and I can understand what he says!"

"~Hi, guys!~" Iso waved, smiling...cutely. He had looked rather frightening before, but now, he looked more like a puppy than anything.

Elliott smiled and twiddled his fingers back. "~But I can't understand him,~" he noted, disappointed.

"I guess I'm still the only one who understands pokémon," Maru shrugged.

Figment looked at Elliott, then at Maru, then at Merlin, smirking. "Iso says that he's not a 'thing', by the way," he informed.

Maru, Iso, and Elliott exclaimed, "~"What?"~" while Merlin started, raising his eyebrows. "Oh! Oh, dear, ah..." Merlin turned to Iso and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that, old boy. That was, ah, rather rude of me."

Iso nodded. "~That's alright,~" he forgave. He looked at Figment again, eyeridges raised, and pointed. "~But...you can understand me...?~"

Figment nodded proudly, crossing his arms. "Yep!" he replied. "Every word!" He indicated Elliott. "I still can't understand Elliott, but if he can't understand you, then it's a pretty fair trade!" He snickered.

Elliott frowned, bowing his head. "~Why can't I understand him?...~" he mumbled.

"~But I can understand Elliott, too...~" Iso muttered, tilting his head and knitting his brow. He whined. "~Maru, I'm confused!~"

Maru chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm...a bit confused, too, Iso," he admitted. He sighed. "Well, we'd better get back to the ship and get some rest. It's been a long day for all of us."

Figment patted Elliott's shoulder, and the big dragon looked at the little one. Figment smiled. "Don't worry, big guy, I'm sure you'll understand him someday," he assured him. "Just like how I'll understand you."

Elliott smiled and nodded. "~Thanks.~"

~The Lanes Between~

Maru stretched again, yawning, "Okay, now I'm getting tired..." as he walked into the bridge.

Iso followed after, looking around. "~I never noticed how cool this thing is,~" he muttered.

"I know, right?" Figment agreed, smiling as he walked behind him. "So, you going to sleep in Maru's cabin again tonight?"

Iso nodded, smiling. "~Yeah—why do you ask?~" he wondered, tilting his head.

"I wanna talk to ya, that's why!" Figment laughed.

"What's goin' on?" Dale asked, scampering over. "Yer Heartless thing finally talkin' right?"

"Dale!" admonished Chip, who bopped him on the head when he got by his brother.

"That's about right," Maru nodded. "We've got a place to purify any Heartless-Pokémon I capture, now." He turned to Iso, smiling. "And I wanna get some talking in, too, actually," he added.

"~Hey, don't leave me out,~" chuckled Elliott. "~I may not understand him, but that hasn't been a problem with me so far.~"

Iso turned to Elliott, looking sorry. "~Elliott...~" He walked over and hugged him as best as he could, surprising Elliott. "~I'm sorry you can't understand me,~" Iso apologized as he did this, looking up at him.

Maru smiled a little at this, and Figment went, "Awwwww! He says he's sorry you can't understand him, Elliott!"

Elliott raised his eyeridges before giving a touched smile, hugging Iso back. "~That's okay, Iso,~" he insisted.

Iso blushed at the returned hug, hugging a little tighter (making Elliott grunt and laugh). He backed away after a second, though, and looked around at the others. "~I'd love to talk to everyone, but...~" He yawned hugely, showing his many sharp teeth, stretching his long arms out. "~...I'm kinda getting tired...It's been a long day, and a lot's happened...~"

"Then let's all turn in," Maru suggested. "We'll talk more in the morning, when we're exploring the next world. Which is..." He walked over to the dash, then nodded. "Yes, La Cité des Cloches. 'The City of Bells,'" he explained when Elliott tilted his head puzzledly. (As he suspected, Iso didn't seem confused at all.) "It's French."

Figment grinned and rubbed his paws. "Ooh, France? I love France!" he enthused. "They make so much cool artistic stuff!"

After bidding everyone good-night, Maru took Iso back to his cabin. 'Ugh, I need a shower,' he thought, carefully removing his cloak after removing his shoes. Navi flew out as he did so. "I think there's a washing machine system around here," she commented. "Should be a laundry chute. I can hold onto your stuff if you want while we wash your cloak."

"That'd be great," Maru nodded, taking his shirt off. His human body was toned, but not super-buff or anything.

Iso looked at Navi, blinking his lively green eyes in wonder. "~What are you, by the way?~" he asked.

"He asked—" Maru began, back turned as he searched for and found the laundry chute.

"I'm a fairy," Navi interrupted plainly. "I'm not from your world, Iso."

"~Oh,~" Iso nodded. Both pokémon paused before whipping their heads to her and going, "~"Huh?"~"

Navi giggled. "I can understand pokémon, you guys," she explained. "It comes with being a weird, magical creature."

"Ah," Maru said, raising an eyebrow. "Makes sense...sorta...You can understand Elliott, after all..." He turned back to the chute, putting his shirt through.

"~Why do people wear clothes, Maru?~" asked Iso innocently. Navi, meanwhile, poked through Maru's cloak, getting out the various items he kept there. The trinket Penny had given him had shrunk down to be, indeed, a charm.

"For various reasons, mostly to keep warm," answered Maru, rooting through his pockets. He pulled out the Missingno. Card and looked at it for a moment, smirking a little.

"~Why don't you have fur over more than your head?~" Iso wondered. Navi stopped when she looked at a letter. It was new yet weathered, the red wax seal bearing a familiar circular symbol broken.

"Because that's how humans work," Maru answered, unzipping the leggings and getting out of them. He chuckled. "If humans had fur, it'd be a lot more hassle to sweat, for one."

"That coming from someone with experience," Navi commented wryly.

Maru blinked, then turned around. "What do you—" He froze. Navi was floating there with the letter, front facing. It was simply addressed "Mewtwo".

Iso looked between the two as they stayed still for a few moments. He tilted his head. "~Uh...what? What's going on?~" he asked quietly. "~What's with that thing with the scribbles on it?~"

Maru blinked for a second, then sighed in defeat. "Hiding it from you, of all people, was pointless, I suppose, anyway...How long have you known?" he asked.

"Ever since you let me into your collar." Navi giggled. "Don't worry, 'Maru', your secret's safe with me," she promised, flying back to the desk and depositing the letter. "I won't tell a soul, nor will I write about it in my journal. Though I will write about this, just in a place that only you and I can access."

"Why? For bookkeeping?" Maru wondered.

"For later."

Maru opened his mouth when, frowning, Iso interrupted, "~Really, what's going on?~"

Maru paused. He looked at Iso, then crouched to be eye level with him. "Promise me you swear to tell no one what I'm about to say," he whispered seriously. "Not Figment, not Elliott, not another pokémon."

Iso blinked, unsure how to handle Maru's sudden change of character. "~Uh...I...I promise,~" he nodded slowly.

Maru closed his eyes, then leaned over to whisper by one of his earholes, lifting away the covering gray hair. "My real name is Mewtwo—but still call me Maru, at least around the others. I'm not human. I'm actually a pokémon like you." When he leaned back, Iso's eyes were wide.

Iso stared at him long and hard. He looked deeply into Maru's eyes. "~How...But...~" He shook his head, intrigued and unsure, and hugged Maru again. Maru was a little surprised at the action, then when he realized it wasn't out of affection, this time. Iso pressed his chest to his Trainer's and rested his head on his back, closing his eyes. He felt Maru's heart beating against his. Iso's hide felt slightly rough to Maru, his chest tuft plush, and his minute scales smooth. The muscles beneath were tight, hard—strong. He was warm. Slowly, Iso opened his eyes and parted, gazing seriously straight into Maru's as he continued to hold him. He whispered, "~I...I can sense it. You have the heart of a pokémon. You are a pokémon, Maru.~"

'I'll have to ask how he did that later...' Maru nodded. "I'm sorry for lying to you and everyone, but..." He looked away. "I can't reveal my identity yet. I...I don't trust them yet."

"Why not? You've been with them longer than you've been with me," Navi pointed out. "Sure, we've kinda met before, but it didn't really count...We were more acquaintances than anything else."

Maru shook his head and stood up, letting Iso's arms drop away from him. "This is my choice. No harm has come of it yet, so there's no reason I have to tell them," he stated, and that was that. He turned, grabbed a towel, and went into the bathroom, shutting the door.

"~Maru...a pokémon...~" Iso looked after him for a moment. Then he grinned and pumped his fists. "~You've got to be one of the best Trainers a pokémon could have!~"

"Maru, there's another reason I showed you that letter," called Navi through the door. "You do realize that you're awfully late for the tournament, right?"

Maru yelped and opened the door. He was wearing a towel around his waist as he looked at Navi, sweatdropping. "That's right! With all this mess, I totally forgot! Again!" he exclaimed quietly. He sighed, looking down and shaking his head. "But I already promised we're visiting La Cité des Cloches tomorrow, so..."

Navi laughed. "Aw, c'mon, one more day won't kill 'em," she dismissed. "Besides, I bet with the way things are these days..."

Iso was confused again. "~What tournament? What is a tournament?~" he queried.

"We'll explain later," Navi and Maru replied. Maru sighed and, while he was out there, deposited his remaining clothing, removed in the privacy of the bathroom, down the chute, gingerly putting his cloak last. He noticed a bin with a pipe situated above it in another corner of the cabin, perhaps where the laundry came out when finished, then went to take his shower.

"~Huh...~" Iso yawned again, curling a pink, pointed tongue. "~I think I'm gonna go to sleep...Night, Navi...~" While Navi (who returned the sentiment) settled on the desk and began recording in her journal, Iso crawled to the spot beside Maru's bed and curled up. 'I'm finally...a pokémon...' he thought as he heard Maru start the shower. 'But...' He closed his eyes. '...am I really...true...?'

"~Maru...what if I'm...not what you think I am, either...?~"

~Author's Note~

WOW. I sat down this weekend, expecting just a few sections through, but here I am, on Monday, putting the finishing touches on Maru's day. Lemme tell ya, it wasn't exactly easy, but it was fun. Let's see, comments...Well, first, I personally think that the crocs are friendly (in a mean way), and that the Disney Wiki is crazy for insisting Mr. Snoops is an ally to Penny, now. At best, both are probably neutral now. Second, I hope I made Medusa look like the creepy, selfish, heartless beeyotch she is. Third, I hope I didn't put in too much fluff this time. Fourth, I hope that I did alright with the way I did those bonus messages that come up at the end of boss battles sometimes. Fifth, even though I rewatched it at home during Spring Break, I had to refer to the film again several times. It just wasn't that super-memorable compared to other movies, though it was still a good flick. Sixth, because there wasn't an "OBTAINED" for them:

Revive

Pokémon medicine that revives a fainted pokémon with half its HP. Only usable on pokémon.

The reason this is here is because KH Potions and stuff can't revive fainted pokémon (save for Maru and full-on teammates), and they don't revive on their own without a Center or a save disc. Also, if a pokémon faints during a boss battle, they gain half the EXP. And yes, this means that, potentially, Maru can make use of them, too, as he technically is still a pokémon, but he'll need someone else to use it on him. And, seeing as his teammates don't know he's a pokémon and if Navi or Iso figure out to use it and do so when his teammates are there...well.

Also, I'm totally not trying to buy time to design the Keyblade for Devil's Bayou by making Maru forget about Leon (or even Merlin) mentioning changing Keychains. Totally not. Totally.

Iso: ~He's lying.~

[[DontExplainTheJoke They know that.]] (MAN I'm too much of a Troper...)

Iso: ~Really? I dunno...~

What, you think you could do a better Author's Note than the author?

Iso: *puts paws on hips* ~Why, yes, I do!~

Fine, then. *hands script over* Finish this Author's Note for me, remembering that these are my words, not yours.

Iso: *blinks as he looks at the scripts, taking them slowly* ~...But I can't—~ *as soon as he takes them, he raises his eyeridges as the knowledge pours into his brain* ~—WHOA that was weird...~

Now, then, if you would...*makes the "after you" gesture and steps aside*

Iso: *steps forwards, blushing, and gulps* ~Well, uh...here goes...*thinks a bit to remember the script, then clears throat*

~Ferre hopes nobody is disappointed that he moved Harmony to Radiant Garden from Melee Arena. It's just that he really wanted to purify me right away, especially after all the hell I'd been through in Devil's Bayou...*looks behind* Pun intended? *FT shakes head, Iso looks back and thinks a bit more. He blushes.* He admits that he mostly did it because he loves "the little guy" to death because he thinks I'm absolutely adorable! Awwww...! *n===n* But yeah, I agree with him—it'd kinda be a crime to make me endure a whole extra episode before purification.

~The thing about this episode Ferre disliked the most was probably this latter half of it. Okay, um...here's the way the whole episode played out...*crosses claws, looks up with eyes as he speaks:*

~Cutscene, brawl, cutscene, a couple areas of exploration, cutscene, one area, cutscene, one area, cutscene, two areas, cutscene, boss battle, cutscene, two areas, cutscene, one area with a mini-cutscene in the middle, cutscene, save point area, cutscene, small event involving about three areas with an extra one to go back to if you really want to, cutscene, save point area, cutscene, boss battle, cutscene, brawl in an area you'll never get to again, cutscene, one area (we had to go from the...I don't know which deck to the stern), cutscene, restricted to the stern to save, cutscene(, perhaps make the escape sequence playable...somehow...maybe a couple quicktime events where you pull up Elliott or a short scene where you have Figment use Fire everywhere in the boiler room), boss battle, final cutscene. *mops brow* Whew! That was insane!

~Anyway, um...Ah—Take a close look at that second half. That's not very much free gameplay. He says, "DAMN, I suck," but I don't think you suck, Ferre! Um...But it was the only way he thought he could do things. Sorry, folks. At least it was entertaining, right? 'Cuz I think it was. I had a lot of fun, and I can talk, now! *jumps up and down excitedly* He promises to try harder next time. And he defends himself by adding that this is hard.

~If he thinks of anything else, he'll...say it himself? *looks behind*~

Actually, you're doing a good job. Go ahead and add any comments you want. Either way, I'll have you deliver the Author's Note until further notice. And thank you for not thinking I suck. *to audience* Yes, I'm being stupid and playing favorites, but I like writing him, okay?

Iso: ~Huh?~

I mean—I like him, okay?

Iso: *scratches head but shrugs*

Anyway, carry on. I'm going, guys, so see ya! *leaves*

Iso: *nods* ~Alright, let's see, um...There's one more thing, but he said to add comments, so...*snaps claws* I know! I'll just talk about what I thought during the episode!

~At first, I was all stiff and weird. I...I think Maru'd better listen before I talk about how it feels to be...like I was. *looks away briefly* Anyway, I was surprised to see another terrone in front of me when Maru sent me out first. I...think I had fun fighting him, but the only thing I'm sure of is that I got really ticked off when he hit my tail like that. *growls, holding tail* Maru read me right—no one touches my tail!...Well, not like that. I love my tail! It's cool! And I can whack things with it! *giggles* I can't wait to learn Iron Tail! *releases tail* But yeah, I...I got so mad...*shakes head* When Maru's here, when Maru's here...

~When Maru told me to push the boat like that, I wasn't sure what he meant at first. Then it sort of sank in, and...well, he was my master, so I did it, sorta like a machine. It was kinda hard work, flying them around like that, but I feel proud, now. *grins* If I didn't do that, they wouldn't have gotten very far! I also followed his orders sorta mechanically, too, whenever he told me to fly someone. I bet it helped purify me, too...

~Oh, almost forgot! When they were waiting for Evinrude to get back, Maru let me out. I didn't do much, but after a while, Elliott groaned and rubbed his back. Maru looked at him and suddenly got this thoughtful look on his face. He mumbled something about how it might help him and how it'd pass the time, then offered to give Elliott something he called a "massage". I thought it was a weird way to say "message", but then Elliott lay down on his stomach and Maru, blushing for some reason, got onto his back and started pushing at it. Elliott looked really relaxed, though he winced a few times. It confused me; I mean, why would someone pushing your back feel good? After a long time, Maru said he was done, and Elliott said he'd do his back. Maru didn't look like he liked it as much, but I get the feeling he doesn't wanna show that he actually did. *snickers* I think I know why Figment calls him Mr. Serious-Pants. But...yeah...*looks thoughtful, gently pulling his chest tuft straight with a couple fingers*

~...When I saw Exexitt...*growls again, but gentler* I felt this...dislike. This distrust. Like I knew he was my enemy. Before, it didn't really register that the other terrone was an enemy until Maru ordered me to attack. But now...I wanted to fight him as soon as I saw him. Maybe I should wait until Maru can hear this, too...

~After I heard that figure say I was unable to battle, I realized what Maru had just said, and I just wanted to prove that guy wrong! I think it was...pride? Whatever it was, after that moment, when I could sorta speak again, it was so exciting! I'm really surprised I beat that thing so easily, though, now that I think about it...

~I dunno why everyone was so scared of the Black Hole. I was okay with it, apart from the danger I sensed. Then again, I can see in the dark, and...um...*looks away again*...nevermind...*looks back* But I'm glad everyone got out okay. *pauses for a moment, then frowns* Wait a minute...isn't the bayou just a river? Are rivers supposed to have tides? I mean, flooding, sure, but...? *shakes head, shrugging*

~For some reason, when I was purified, I realized that the whole time, I had been liking Maru more and more. *smiles fondly* I trust him. He's the one who saved me. *giggles and blushes* I guess I was so happy and grateful when I was purified, I couldn't help but hug him with...with all my being! *wags tail* I like hugging Maru. Actually, I just like hugging! It's so fun! I feel bad for Elliott not being able to understand me...I really do. That's why I hugged him like that. *blushes more, squeezing fists to face* Ooooh, that felt so great! He's fun to hug and he hugged back! He's way better than Maru at hugging! *stops, sweatdropping at audience* Don't tell him I said someone's better than him at something. I don't think he'd like it.

~Anyway, um...*pauses to think, then shakes head* Nah...I'd better just wrap this up with the usual

8D OMAKE 8D~

*Maru gets out of the shower with a pair of purple boxers on. Yes, his hair is still sticking up and stuff. The game designers didn't want to bother making a damp-haired model. (Which is why Sora's hair keeps its shape underwater.) He walks over to his bed.*

Iso: *wakes up from his doze and smiles up at Maru* ~Welcome back, Maru!~

Maru: *smiles at him* Thank you, Iso. Did I wake you?

Iso: ~Yeah, but I don't mind. I wanted to talk a little, anyway.~

Maru: Okay. Wait, I'm just curious—you're Dragon-type, right?

Iso: ~Yep!~ *thinking* Well, partly...

Maru: I see...What level are you?

Iso: ~Uh...11. I gained two levels after Madam Harmony purified me.~

Maru: Hmm...That thing I saw you do when Medusa shot you, that's an Ability, right?

Iso: ~Yep! You called it "Bullet Dodge", right? Sounds good—it lets me instantly dodge any physical ranged move. Though I think it's only a few certain types...~

Maru: Interesting! What do you eat, normally?

Iso: *sweatdropping* ~I-I dunno! I've never actually eaten anything before!~ *thinking* I'm the one who wanted to talk, but he's the one doing all the talking!