On this beautiful day in Animal Kingdom, Logan was enjoying a nice frozen sweet from Dino-Bite Snacks in DinoLand U.S.A. He was accompanied by Destiny, Della, Jim, Ezra, Sprig, Dewey, Nigel, Dastan and Ant-Man, all of them sitting around a table and enjoying either ice cream sandwiches, waffle cones or sundaes. It had been a very long time since every member of Team Underdog X got to hang out together, so they were trying to enjoy the most of it.
"Okay, everyone, I've got a good one!" Logan exclaimed after taking a spoonful of his sundae. "If a mega dangerous villain took over the Magical World and you could only team up with one person to stop this villain, who would it be?"
"That's easy; I would team up with Ivy," Sprig replied without hesitation. "The best couple in Wartwood to save the day!"
"Say, what have you done since the end of your show, Sprig?" Scott asked his frog buddy.
"Ivy and I have become seasoned adventurers who lead expeditions to explore the unknown regions of Amphibia!" he explained. "We're gonna explore a region that is mostly made of deserts and even green dunes! Of course, I still pay visits to my friends, Polly and Hop Pop, from time to time."
"I'm sure Polly'll want to join you guys when she's old enough, leaving your grandpa to enjoy more 'alone time' with Sylvia Sundew," Logan said, causing all of his friends to chuckle. "What about you, Nigel?" he then asked, wanting the cockatoo to feel included.
"Hmm... I've never been in a save the world situation before. But if I was to be, I think I'd ask either Mickey Mouse or another important figure of the Magical World to help me," Nigel admitted.
"I would choose Uncle Scrooge!" Della added without hesitation. "You all know that he's capable of accomplishing anything he sets his mind to, so with him, saving the Magical World would be a breeze!"
"It's true that teaming up with Uncle Scrooge is always a guarantee for thrills," Dewey agreed with his mother. He then looked at Logan. "However, if everyone is in peril, my partner of choice would be the best coach in the world and one half of Team Dewgan!" The coach and student chuckled before exchanging a bump-fist.
Scott went next. "In my case, I hesitate between Hank Pym and Captain America. One's my mentor, one of the most intelligent people in the world and the guy who made the creation that ended up saving half the universe. But the other is a natural leader, one of the greatest heroes in the world and also the guy who led the Avengers to countless victories. Man, what a dilemma."
"I'm gonna go with Luke Skywalker," Ezra was the next to speak. "He's literally the greatest hero in the world of Star Wars. And even if the sequels kinda ruined his character, I'm sure he'll do everything to help me save the world. Hopefully I'll get the chance to meet him in Ahsoka."
"That's right, you've got a new show coming up soon!" Logan suddenly remembered. "You, Sabine, Chopper and Hera. It's gonna be great to see the Ghost Crew again! Will you only be there as a cameo, or will you help with Sabine's training?"
"You're gonna have to wait and see the show to have your answer," the Jedi replied with a little grin.
"Back to the saving the world topic, my partner of choice would be Milo Thatch," Jim kept the conversation going. "Our movies came out at about the same time and, unfortunately, suffered the same fate. But with his brains and my adventure experience, I'm sure we could find a way to overthrow anybody!"
"An interesting choice, indeed," Dastan nodded. "As for me, I would love to team up with the King of Thieves himself, Aladdin. We actually had the chance to pull a few pranks together in Agrabah and Nasaf. Two princes with enough deceit to save the Magical World."
"And you know my response," Destiny said, giving a kiss to her boyfriend's cheek. This made him blush adorably. "Who would YOU want as your partner?"
"Oh, boy," Logan mumbled, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his beard. "That's a difficult question; I actually know a lot of awesome people. Let's see, maybe my first pick could be-"
"LOGAN!" The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a certain peregrine falcon that landed on the ground right next to the group. "Logan, there you are!"
"Hey, Tom! What's up?" Logan asked his best friend.
"Logan, I have a message for you; it comes from Simba himself," Tomada explained. "He wants you to go over to the Hakuna Matata Falls because Rafiki is waiting for you there. Apparently, he has a special exercise for you."
This news caused Logan to blink his eyes and tilt his head to the side. "An exercise? What kind of exercise?"
Tomada shrugged. "He didn't explain. However, Simba told me that Rafiki told him that... Well, remember that owl armor that appeared when you fought Hex and Roxas?"
"Yes."
"And that dark armor that appeared also during your fight with Roxas?"
"Again, yes."
"Rafiki knows how to help you get control over them both. Teach you how to summon them whenever you want, just like your owl and Drive Forms."
Every member of Team Underdog X widened their eyes, but not as much as Logan. His Owl Armor... It appeared for the first time many years ago, when he and his friends took Hex down and saved the Disney universe. But ever since, he had never managed to understand its nature, let alone how to summon it again. Calling to his Owl Buster sword was no problem, but the rest of the armor was a different story. The only other time he had managed to summon it was during his fight with Roxas - and only at the last moment, when he had exhausted his other options. As for the Dark Owl Gear... He knew it was a manifestation of his inner darkness. It did help him for a brief moment against Roxas, but after losing control and hurting Destiny, he never attempted to use it again. And Rafiki claimed he could help him to gain control over them both? It sounded almost too good to be true...
"... I don't know, Tomada," Logan hesitantly said. "I appreciate Rafiki wanting to help me... But it's the first time I got to hang out with my entire team, so..."
Sprig suddenly jumped on the table and into Logan's face. "Are you kidding, dude? You need to go and see that guy now!"
"Huh?"
"He's right," Ezra said, nodding in agreement. "Ever since the ordeal with Hex's invasion, you've been telling us that you couldn't bring back your Owl Armor, and it has been your biggest concern ever since. If you get the chance to finally solve this problem, you shouldn't miss it."
Destiny took Logan's hand. "Don't worry; we can always arrange another hang out day. For now, go find your monkey friend and fix your concerns, okay?"
The Champion of the Magical World hesitated to reply, before looking down at his girlfriend's arm, where he bit her when first using his Dark Owl Gear. Not wanting this event to happen again, he sighed and got up from his chair. "Okay then, but I'll be back as soon as I'm done. You guys have fun together until then, okay?" He turned into his anthropomorphic snowy owl form (Destiny looked away with a blush) and took off to the skies.
After a long flight, Logan reached the outside region of the jungle in the Pride Lands, where the Hakuna Matata Falls were located. Almost instantly, he spotted the Royal Mjuzi to Simba and Nala sitting near the waterfall in a meditation position, his eyes closed and his focus absolute. He landed without causing too much noise, turned back to his human form, and then carefully approached the mandrill. He wasn't sure if he had noticed his presence, judging from his lack of reaction.
"Hum, Master Rafiki?" Logan carefully asked. "Tomada said you wanted to see me?"
"Indeed," the primate replied with his eyes still closed. "Sit down so we may begin, young Logan."
Following these instructions, Logan sat in the same position as Rafiki, though without closing his eyes. "Tomada told me that you could help me gain control over my Owl Armor and Dark Owl Gear. Is it true?"
"Yes." Rafiki finally opened his eyes. "Before we begin, you need to know what we are getting into. Logan, do you even know what your Owl Armor and Dark Owl Gear are?"
"Well, I know that the Dark Owl Gear is a manifestation of my inner darkness. But the Owl Armor, I'm not sure; it always appears when I reach a point of desperation," Logan tried to explain.
"Try to remember: did you feel the same way when wearing both armors? Or were they different?"
"It's hard to explain," Logan replied with rubbing the back of his head. "They felt similar... Yet, at the same time, completely different. The Dark Owl Gear made me feel overwhelmed by negative emotions like rage, fear and disgust, while the Owl Armor made me feel the total opposite; I felt light, full of courage and determination. It was like using different ends of the same weapon." After saying this, things finally clicked within Logan's mind. "Wait, does it mean...?"
"Yes. Whereas your Dark Owl Gear is a manifestation of your inner darkness, the Owl Armor is the manifestation of your inner light," Rafiki confirmed. "I have no doubt that Master Yen Sid already explained this to you, but light and darkness are forces present within every living being. They are constantly struggling against one another, despite needing the other to exist. People can only reach their full potential by taking control of them both - in other words, by finding balance within themselves."
"So... You're saying that I must find balance to control my light and darkness, and by extension, my Owl Armor and Dark Owl Gear?" Logan deduced.
"Exactly!" Rafiki beamed. "Lucky for you, here, in the Pride Lands, we have an ancient ritual that serves to do just that. Tell me, Logan, have you ever heard about chakras?"
"Aren't they a form of energy that flows in the body and allows you to do things like clone yourself or create substitutes?" This answer caused Rafiki to give a confused look, making Logan chuckle. "That was a joke; I saw this in an anime."
"Oh... I don't know what you are talking about, but chakras don't work like this." The elder primate pointed at the waterfall. "Magic, under all its shapes, is a form of energy that flows within our body, just like water flows from this fall. However, it is easy for the flow to be blocked by detritus - in this case, emotions. When that happens, water struggles to flow and gets all messy."
"I see," Logan nodded. "So, what you're saying, is that I must clean my chakras to allow my magic, the waterfall, to flow without constraints?"
"Excellent!" Rafiki beamed and clapped his hands together at this response. He got up and went to pick a fruit shell turned bowl filled with a yellow-ish liquid. "We will now begin the ritual. The first step is to drink this."
Logan hesitantly took the bowl and sniffed its content before taking a first sip. His eyes widened and he almost spat it out. "What the cheese?! I don't even have the words to describe this taste! What's that supposed to be?!"
"Onion and banana juice!" Rafiki replied, taking a sip from his own bowl. "Most believe onions and bananas do not go well together because of their different textures and flavors. However, combining these two have incredible health benefits and boosts your energy. It's perfect to clean the chakras, so drink it all up!" Making an effort, Logan swallowed all the onion and banana juice to the last sip. Once it was done, time came to begin the hard part.
"How many chakras are there to open, Master Rafiki?" Logan asked.
"Seven. All of them is located in a different part of the body and deals with a different emotion," Rafiki explained. "To open all your chakras, you will have to overcome each of these emotions, making it a very difficult spiritual process. Are you ready for it, Logan?"
The young man stared at the ground in hesitation before giving the Royal Mjuzi a determined look. "Let's do it!"
"Very well. The first chakra is the Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine, in the tailbone area. It deals with physical identity, stability, ground and survival. It is blocked by personal insecurities and fear," Rafiki explained. "What are your deepest fears, Logan?"
Still with his eyes closed, Logan focused on this question. What scared him the most? When he opened his eyes again, he found himself caught in a vision of the answer. The Dream Defenders, his friends, his students, all of them turning their back to him, never wanting to see him again. A force dragged him beyond the land and far into the depths of the ocean, leaving him to try and swim to the surface whilst creatures of the depths came to eat him. The Magical World on fire, Drake appearing and taking him away from everything and everyone he loved, giant and scary bugs crawling all over him-
"Logan? Logan!" It's only when he heard Rafiki's voice that Logan shot his eyes open, sweat dripping from his body and his breath heavy. "None of this is real; you're facing your fears and are worried about your survival. It's perfectly normal. Accept your fears and surrender them."
Taking a moment to return to reality, Logan regained his composure and took deep, concentrated breaths. A few minutes later, Rafiki smiled. "Congratulations, Logan. You have unlocked your Root Chakra."
The elder primate granted Logan a little moment to rest before continuing. Logan realized that the Hakuna Matata Falls were a pretty good place to chill out when Bunga, Timon and Pumba weren't around. Once he felt ready, he went back to sit with Rafiki.
"The second chakra is the Sacral Chakra, located just below the belly button. This chakra deals with the feeling of self-worth and pleasure; it is blocked by guilt. What do you feel guilty of, Logan?"
Probably the easiest question he would ask. Logan closed his eyes and opened them again to find himself back to that day. He arrived in class with everybody giving him serious looks, the teacher letting him know he discovered what he did, then leading him to the principal's office, where he got his award taken away and given a suspension note instead. He then walked out to meet the disappointed looks of his friends and the fury of the man he admired the most. They all walked away from him, leaving him all alone...
"It's my fault... They all pulled their hopes in me, and I let them all down. Broke their trust. I got left behind while they all reached the goal we set ourselves to reach...," Logan mumbled, his head low. "I'm not deserving of anything..."
Rafiki got up and went to put his hand on Logan's shoulder. "Logan, accept the reality that these things happened, but don't let them poison your heart. You want to be good to your friends, family and students? Then you must first be good to yourself. Release all the blame and guilt that you carry."
Once again, Logan allowed Rafiki's words to sink in his subconscious as he tried to do what he was told. The image of his friends looking at him in disappointment remained for a while, but he did manage to set it aside, banish it from his mind. His bowels released a bubbling noise, causing Rafiki to nod.
"Your Sacral Chakra is now open." He grabbed two juice bowls and offered one of them to Logan. "Now drink! You don't wanna continue on an empty stomach! Plus, it'll make the rest of the ritual easier!"
Logan made a little effort and swallowed the beverage, even if he really didn't want to. This time, he took no break as he felt ready for the next part and asked his instructor to carry on with the ritual.
"The third chakra is the Solar Plexus Chakra, located in the...solar plexus, it's in the name," Rafiki chuckled. "This chakra is linked to one's self-esteem, confidence and willpower. It is blocked by shame and one's lack of personal power - the reason why one holds back his or her true potential." He tilted his head. "What are you so ashamed of that you don't want to give your best, Logan?"
Even before the next vision could start, Logan felt his stomach twist and fold on itself. He soon found himself back at the Magical World Grand Prix, covered in darkness and fighting against the participating teams, including his own. Then, the vision showed him fighting Roxas in the Virtual World, clad in his Dark Owl Gear. He relentlessly attacked his opponent until Destiny came to pull him back. In response, he bit her on her fin, making her back up and look at him with tears in her eyes.
"I-I'm never gonna use my darkness again! I don't want to hurt my friends ever again!" Logan declared with a serious frown on his face.
"Logan, you will never truly be yourself if you deny this part of you," Rafiki advised. "You are a living being, which means you are made of darkness as much you are made of light. Learn to accept every part of yourself, including those you're afraid of."
He was right. Logan remembered how Riku managed to take control over his inner darkness and used it to fight Xehanort and save his friends countless times. If Riku could do it, then so could Logan! Many more minutes went by until Logan convinced himself to accept his inner darkness. A funny noise emanated from his stomach.
"You've opened the Solar Plexus Chakra with success, from what I just heard!" Rafiki beamed.
"Actually, that noise announced I consumed too much onion and banana juice! I must use the bathroom!" Logan announced and ran away in a hurry. How was he supposed to use a bathroom in the jungle? Don't ask!
Once he finished 'relieving himself', Logan went back to Rafiki and sat down, ready for the next part. "The fourth chakra - and also possibly the most important one - is the Heart Chakra, located at the center of the chest. This chakra deals with love and compassion. It's the middle of the seven chakras, so it bridges the gap between our upper and lower chakras, and it also represents our ability to love and connect to others. Struggles with the Heart Chakra often comes from feelings of loss, isolation or grief. Confront your sadness and loss, Logan..."
Visions flashed before the Champion. Images of happier times, when he would practice drawing with his animation class, learn tricks from Drake, have romantic moments with Talise, enjoy a drink with Orange, listen to music with Chad and have friendly competitions with Dante, all of which he lost. For a very brief moment, a smile formed on Logan's face, only to disappear when the images faded into obscurity, never to be seen again. Then, images of his parents, shown to him by his uncle when they were still alive, also passed by, making him wonder of what could have been. But they suffered the same fate as the previous images.
Lowering his head, Logan allowed tears to flow down on his cheeks. In response, Rafiki came to put a hand on his shoulder and made him look up. "Yes, you did suffer a lot of loss. Friendships and a potential complete family. But the things you love can never truly leave; they become part of you. The love and happiness you experienced with your former friends did not disappear, Logan. It simply changed form."
Logan once again plunged in his vision. He saw Drake turning his back on him and then transform into Gabriel, giving him someone else to idolize and look up to as a leader. Dante also appeared and got replaced by Rachel, his new friendly rival and competition partner. Talise got replaced by Destiny as the love of his life. Orange faded, replaced by Toren and Aline as the friends he liked to chill with. Della became the mother figure he never had. Rafiki was right: he did not lose those bonds he cherished so much. They all changed form and became other bonds, both old and new. The next images he saw were of when he got reunited with Tomada after many years and when he finally got to see his big brother, Leon, after they got separated due to his work.
A warm sensation taking over his heart, Logan once again released tears, this time, of joy. He wiped them away and smiled at his instructor. "Thank you, Master Rafiki..."
The primate laughed at this. "You've worked a lot, a little rest would be good. Do you want more onion and banana juice?"
"Yes, please."
This time, Logan rested for a full hour before being ready for the next step of the ritual. After opening four out of his seven chakras, he could already feel a huge change within himself. The sun started setting at the horizon, turning the Pride Lands' sky into a beautiful auburn light.
"The fifth chakra is the Throat Chakra. No need to tell you where it is located. When opened, you can speak and listen with compassion and feel confident when you speak because you know you are being true to yourself with your words. In other words, the Throat Chakra deals with truth and is blocked by lies. Release all the denials and lies that you tell yourself, Logan..."
Returning to the world of visions, Logan saw images of Gabriel accomplishing missions as the Dream Keeper, Rachel defeating powerful monsters as one of the strongest mages in the Magical World, Drake creating masterpieces and getting praise for it - many people he admired more than anyone else.
"I want to be like you guys...," the young man mumbled.
"Logan, you cannot lie to yourself about your own nature," Rafiki advised. "You must accept that you are not your friends and idols; you are Logan Jindrak. Think of all the good you brought in the past."
Other visions passed before Logan - the moments that mattered the most. When he won the Next Sorcerer's Apprentice and got to learn under Master Yen Sid; when he refused to be the weak link of his team and defeated N during the Sorcerer's Arena Tournament; when he went beyond his limits and almost broke his arms to protect Dewey from the skeletons; when he defeated Roxas with Destiny and led his team to victory; when he won the Hero's Rumble and proved his worth to everyone, and when he took five students under his wings.
A smile formed on his face. "I may never be like Gabriel or Drake... But that doesn't mean I'm not worth anything. I am Logan Jindrak."
"Very good, Logan. You have opened the Throat Chakra!" Rafiki announced.
"Can we keep it coming? I'm feeling ready for the next part," Logan demanded.
"If you say so. The sixth chakra is the Third Eye Chakra, located in the forehead. It's through this chakra that we are able to listen to reality and be in touch with our intuition. When blocked, it clouds our sight with illusions," the primate explained. "The key to opening this chakra is collective consciousness - understanding that things we think are separated are actually one and the same. Take the Magical World, for example: it may be cut into five different kingdoms, but they are all connected and form a single world."
"We are connected... Everything is connected," Logan quickly understood and opened his eyes with a smile. The easiest chakra he had to open up so far.
Under Rafiki's recommendation, Logan took another break before moving on to the last part of the ritual. The two went to sit at the top of the Hakuna Matata Falls, right under the night sky, stars and the full moon.
"We've reached the final chakra, right?" Logan asked.
"Yes. Once you open this chakra, you will gain complete control over your thoughts and actions," Rafiki confirmed. "Therefore, you will be able to summon the entirety of your Owl Armor and Dark Owl Gear at will and stay awaken as you do so. Are you ready?"
Logan gave a confident nod, already feeling a lot different inside and excited to accomplish the ritual. "I am! Let's do it!"
"Glad to hear that, comrade."
Jumping in surprise, Logan turned toward the source of this new voice. Two figures he had failed to notice were standing behind him, one of them being a familiar tall barn owl entirely made of darkness, with a gray face and beak and blood-red eyes that glowed in the dark. It only took a few seconds for Logan to recognize him as the manifestation of his inner darkness.
"You again...," he mumbled with a frown.
"Yup! It's been a while, hasn't it, comrade?" the darkness manifestation asked with a smirk and worry-inducing chuckle. "You haven't contacted me since last summer; I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me."
"It's more like I wanted to keep you locked away after what you did during my fight with Roxas," Logan replied, crossing his arms.
"Aww, you still mad about this? You're gonna make me feel sad!" the dark creature said in a fake sad tone. "Lucky for me, there was someone else within you that kept me company," he added, pointing to the other figure. It looked exactly like him, but its feathers were made of white light, its eyes a bright golden color and its air more noble than terrifying.
Logan gave a good look at this creature. "I take it you're the manifestation of my inner light, correct?"
"Yes, I am," the light owl confirmed. Unlike the darkness manifestation, who spoke with a loud, malicious voice, this owl had a soft, feminine voice filled with compassion. She leaned closer to Logan, curling her beak into a smile. "I've been looking forward to our official first encounter for a very long time, Logan..."
"So have I," Logan replied with a smile. "Tell me, how come I've only been able to call on your power two times in the past? And how come I've never been able to sense your presence on my own before?"
"It's because you never believed in my existence," the Light Manifestation explained. "Ever since the moment you entered the Magical World, you've doubted your ability to produce light so much that you have never been able to see me. It's a bit ironic that you admire Sora so much when you have a lot more in common with Riku. I did attempt to establish contact with you in your dreams before... But it has become a bit difficult since you started spending your nights in the Astral Plane with Anubis," she said with a chuckle and rubbing the back of her head.
"Yeah, seems like that old jackal is the only spiritual presence in your life that you truly care about," the Dark Manifestation scolded with his wings crossed. "You didn't even try to contact any of us during the Hero's Rumble, and relied exclusively on Anubis! After everything we did for you! How rude!"
"Sorry about that," Logan apologized and rubbed his neck.
"But now that you've almost reached full balance within yourself, you can see us both," the Light Manifestation continued. "And once you achieve complete balance, all three of us will be linked, and you'll be able to call on us whenever you need."
Giving a motivated nod, Logan turned back to his instructor. "Alright, Rafiki, what's the final chakra? And how do we open it?"
"The seventh and last chakra is the Crown Chakra, located at the very top of the head. This chakra is linked to every other chakra and is responsible for our life's purpose and spirituality," Rafiki explained. "The Crown Chakra is the most difficult one to open. You must think about everything and everyone that you love...and let them go. Release your bonds and free yourself from your earthly attachments..."
Logan's eyes shot wide open as he stared at his instructor. "L-Letting go of my attachments? You mean like my friends, family and other activities that I enjoy like pro wrestling?"
"Exactly. You need to let them go, or you will not be able to achieve complete balance within yourself," Rafiki confirmed.
"B-But I can't! Sure, getting control over my inner light and darkness sounds good, but not at the cost of my other bonds! They're the most important things in my life!" Logan protested. He shook his head. "No... I refuse to cut off my bonds and become void of emotions..."
"Logan, you don't understand," Rafiki insisted, getting closer to the young man. "Opening the Crown Chakra doesn't mean becoming void of emotions, and it doesn't mean never being able to love again. Rather, it means that you must not wrap the entirety of your heart around the things you love. Otherwise, you'll never be able to accept change and could allow your chakra to be poisoned."
"Letting go is when you accept the reality that things or people are part of your history, but not of your destiny. Letting go of someone doesn't mean not loving them anymore; it's about giving them autonomy and accepting that you can't always control what happens to them."
Listening to the Royal Mjuzi's words, Logan dropped his stare to the ground. "I think I understand him," he thought. "He's not asking me to abandon everything and everyone I love... But to accept they may not always be there for me. Open myself to the idea of change. It's like with Anakin: he turned to the dark side and became Darth Vader because he could not let go of Padme. Or Marcy, when she sent herself, Anne and Sasha to Amphibia because she did not want to leave them behind. They were all unable to accept change, and suffered because of it..."
A faint smile formed on Logan's face as he mumbled the final lines of the Amphibia show, spoken by Anne: "Change can be difficult, but it's how we grow. It can be the hardest thing to realize you can't hold on to something forever. Sometimes, you have to let it go; but, of the things you let go, you'd be surprised what makes its way back to you." He looked back up at Rafiki. "Back in the Real World, I made plenty of friends and other relationships that brought me a lot of joy and happiness at the time. However, I've lost contact with all of them, except for Tomada. But the time we spent together still makes me feel happy inside, even if they aren't around anymore. In a sense, it's like they're still with me, right?"
Rafiki nodded softly. "You're starting to understand."
"One of Sora's friends once said: 'I doubt we can be together forever, but that's what growing up's all about. What's important isn't how often we see each other, but how often we think about each other.' And Sora himself once said: 'We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other.' To open my last chakra...I must cherish the things I love, but accept that they won't always be there." He closed his eyes again and focused harder than ever before. "My bonds may not be eternal, but I'm grateful for the happiness they brought me. And as long as I remember them, they'll always be part of me! Forever!"
Within a few minutes of meditation, the energy around Logan changed completely. The two manifestations started shining brighter than before, thanks to the newly established link. The Light Manifestation stepped up to Logan and wrapped her wings around him, like a mother hugging her child. She briefly transformed into a ball of light that disappeared shortly after, revealing Logan once again... However, this time, he was different. For covering his entire body was the Owl Armor in all its glory, the Owl Buster even appearing in his hand.
Yes, he could feel it... The exact same sensation he felt when he fought Hex with his friends and when he defied the Virtual World's Roxas. Nothing but positive energy, happiness and determination. He then got out of this form, allowing his armor to turn back into his Light Manifestation, and turned to his Darkness Manifestation, reaching a hand towards him. The dark owl stared at his hand before taking it with his wing, transforming into darkness that covered all of Logan's body.
Once the dark energy faded, Logan appeared in an owl armor that was entirely black, with a space in the helmet revealing his blood-red eyes. His Owl Buster sword had also disappeared, replaced by a sword that took the shape of a rectangle black blade with a sharp tip and a handle carved at its base. This handle had white bandages covering it and the design of a red owl decorated both sides of the blade. The Dark Owl Gear. With this armor, he emanated rage and malice... A chaotic energy, but kept under control.
Rafiki watched the scene with a bright smile. "Congratulations, Logan. All seven of your chakras are open. You have reached full balance within yourself."
A smile formed on Logan's face, tears streaming down his cheeks. He made his Dark Owl Gear disappear before walking up to the old primate and giving him a big hug. "Thank you, Master Rafiki! For everything!" The Royal Mjuzi smiled and returned the hug. When they broke apart, Logan gave him a look. "Before I leave, there's one last thing I'd like to ask."
"I'm all ears, young man."
"... Can I have the recipe for your onion and banana juice? I think I'll add it to my diet."
Author's note: The big day has finally come: Logan has learned how to summon his Owl Armor! For those of you who don't remember, the Owl Armor is a transformation that first appeared at the end of TheDragonSaver's 'Saving The Disney Universe', when all the Dream Defenders were about to be defeated by Hex. It re-appeared again during the Rescue Sora Arc, when Logan was on his last legs against Virtual Roxas. After almost two years of leaving that transformation in the dark (no pun intended), I thought it was about time he finally learned its true nature and allowed Logan to gain control over it.
Before any of you point it out, yes, this chapter was heavily influenced by Avatar: The Last Airbender's 'The Guru', where a guru teaches the main character, Aang, to open his chakras so that he can gain control over the Avatar State. When I first saw it, I really enjoyed that way of giving the hero a power up, as anime characters usually get new transformations either through a huge surge of emotion or by an outside force like an inner monster. But opening the chakras is something that can be done in real life by anyone - finding balance within yourself is a great idea and one of my favorite concepts in Asian culture. When doing my researches, I discovered that the concept of chakras originally came from Africa, so I thought it'd be a great idea to have everyone's favorite primate from the Pride Lands serve as Logan's guide to reach inner balance. Of course, this story oversimplified things quite a bit; opening the chakras in real life is something that could take weeks or months rather than just one day. However, I didn't want to write a super long chapter reaching the 14,000 words, so...
With two more forms under his belt, I realize that Logan's starting to have a lot of transformations in his arsenal, don't you think? He has his cute snowy owl form, giant snowy owl form, wereowl form and anthropomorphic (and VERY handsome) snowy owl form. Adding to this his Drive forms: Valor, Limit and Blizzard, his Underdog X form and Underdog Owl form with Anubis. And now, Owl Armor and Dark Owl Gear. That's quite the collection...
I'd like to end this AN by letting you guys know that I'll be leaving with my parents for a week of vacation in the USA on the 31st of July and that I'll be entering cegep on the 17th of August, so don't be surprised if my publication rate drops by then. Love you all!