"Maybe we should step in and save the poor guy?" Yuffie suggested. She and the others watched a miserable Riku half heartedly listen to the magician go on and on about a vase he collected in the 1800s…..or was it in the 1700s? Azami agreed with the ninja's suggestion, although she rather did enjoy watching the dejected male being tortured by the well-meaning sorcerer. Finally showing some pity to the boy, Azami decided to step in.

"Merlin, I'm sorry to interrupt but we must really get going, duty calls; so if you don't mind, the gifts please."

"Oh of course, excuse an old man, would you Azami?" Azami smiled politely, showing him that there was no harm done.

"Don't worry, Merlin, I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see each other, maybe then we can hear more of your stories? I'm sure Riku can't wait." Sora and the others laughed at her joke while Riku glared heatedly at the girl.

"Splendid!" Merlin explained, oblivious to Azami's joke. "Well, if you all will follow me over to my study." Sora, Donald, Goofy, Azami, and Riku eagerly followed the wizard over to his desk where countless pieces of paper lay in messy piles one atop the other. They watched as Merlin picked from the bottom of the tallest stack a single piece of paper and handed it to Azami.

She looked at the piece of paper but found herself confused for the paper was blank. "I don't get it," she confessed. She looked towards the smiling magician for answers.

"Well you see, I was doing my morning walk around the world's and came across this piece of paper with your name on it. Curious I was as to why a piece of paper would have your name on it of all people in a strange place such as that but upon further inspection I found the paper to hold a single, well drawn – if I do say so myself – picture of a small village with a castle looming over it. I thought, since it had your name on it, you knew what the drawing meant but by your reaction….." the wizard trailed off unsure if he should continue or not. When he saw the confused look on the girl's face he asked, "Do you not see the picture?"

Azami shook her head carelessly, "There is no picture there." Donald quacked loudly in protest.

"Don't you see the picture! It's right there!" The duck smacked a finger onto the middle of the parchment and looked up at a confused Azami. "Anybody with eyes can see that it's right there!"

Azami ignored the duck's rather rude comment and stared harder at the paper, willing the picture to appear before her eyes. A moment later she gave up hope and handed the paper back to Merlin. "I'm sorry Merlin, but I just don't see any picture."

"Hmm, very interesting," the magician pondered. However, he refused to take back the paper. "It is rightfully yours my dear, keep it with you; maybe it means more to you than you realize?"

Azami, not really seeing the importance of a blank piece of paper but not wanting to say so to Merlin, carelessly stored the paper away and turned towards Cid.

"What'd you have for us Cid? Got anything better than a blank piece of paper?" The mechanic laughed at the girl's dry humor while Merlin merely frowned.

"I think you're gonna be more than please at what I got cooked up for you guys!" He waved the small group over to the massive computer tucked into the corner of the home just opposite the front door. "You're gonna love it!"

Typing in a few numbers and clicking on a few applications, Cid pulled up a window with a picture of a beautifully crafted gummi ship. The ship's gummi blocks were made of a beautiful shimming white and royal blue with two large engines occupying most of the back part of the ship and large wings occupying the sides. The body shape was pointy at the top and rather large under the wings and undercarriage

"This is my best work yet!" Cid boasted. His grin increased as he turned to look at the awestruck Sora and Azami. "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful/amazing!" Sora and Azami exclaimed in unison. Cid grin grew even wider as he shot a cocky glance the fuming magician's way.

"Thought you might like it; now I made a few modifications to it so it's not like the gummi ships you've handled in the past. This little beauty here can travel through darkness itself and acts as a copy cat Keyblade against the Heartless' ships. The missiles are bigger and the ammo packs enough damage to take out a large meteor. I call her Lady Light!"

"She's waiting for you guys right outside the gates; she's ready when you are!" Yuffie explained. Her smile rivaled that of Cid's.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Goofy laughed. Azami, Sora, Donald, and Riku nodded in agreement. Bidding the others farewells and promising them they'd come back soon the small group of five headed for the gates of Radiant Gardens.

Preview:

"Goofy, do you think you could help me navigate?" Much to her dismay the Captain of the Guard shook his head.

"Gwarsh, I'm sorry Azami but ya see I have two left thumbs! Maybe Riku could help ya?" Azami knew the dog meant well but inwardly she cringed at his harmless suggestion. Reluctantly, Azami swiveled her chair around to meet the boy's gaze.

"Riku?" she asked in a quiet tone. The white haired male fell into the navigator's seat without so much as a smart reply or glare. Azami could feel herself smile.

"Alright, full speed ahead; next stop, Beast's Castle!