Aoi Hyoudou: Thank you for your continued support. It's always great to see readers enjoying the additional scenes and content added to a story. Ash is going to take a short break from his journey for the next few chapters. During this time, he will focus on building a stronger connection with his past and will encounter both familiar and new faces.

XIV

Old Memories

Ash was riding his Keyblade glider at high speed through a familiar open space, heading towards Radiant Garden. He had received a call from Cid that left him feeling anxious and worried about what Merlin wanted to speak to him about. Though he was hesitant to leave Link and Riju in the middle of their agenda, they completely understood and wished him a safe trip and appreciated all his help. As he approached his destination, his high-tech visor detected the familiar sight of the world with a castle at its center. Ash tightened his grip on the handles and hit the accelerator, determined to reach his self-proclaimed home world.

Radiant Garden - Restoration Site

Ash had overshot his landing and found himself making his way through the Restoration Site at a steady pace. As he headed towards the Bailey, he realized that he was now on a path that would lead him to the Borough, which was the town's residential area. Along the way, Ash had an encounter with a new type of Heartless that he had never seen before. These Heartless had a humanoid appearance with their entire body covered in black, grey, and silver armor. They had a pitch-black spherical head and glowing yellow eyes, which were visible through their helmet. The Heartless had a visor adorned with two red spirals and a sword with a gold guard and handle. Their Heartless emblem was situated on their abdomen.

Thanks to the town's defense system, which was powerful enough to reach outside the town, the Keyblade wielder swiftly defeated the Armored Knights and resumed his journey. As Ash approached a fork in the road, he intended to take the right path when he suddenly heard children's laughter. He paused, scanning the area for any sign of kids, but found none. Just then, two ghostly apparitions in the form of children ran past him, giggling and oblivious to Ash's presence. He was taken aback, but even more so when he realized that they were the same children from his dreams, only a bit older. The black-haired boy, who looked exactly like Ash, was now six years old while the red-haired girl, who looked exactly like Kairi, was five.

"Come on, Kairi! The king is waiting for us!" little Ash exclaimed with excitement in his tone.

Little Kairi nodded excitedly and flashed a bright smile. "Let's go! I can't wait to find out what his surprise is!"Ash's heart raced as the ghostly apparitions suddenly sprinted ahead towards the path leading to the Postern.

"Wait!" Desperately, his hand reached out, hoping they would notice him and halt their advance, but they didn't. In an instant, Ash sprang into action and followed them towards the Postern.

Radiant Garden - Postern

Ash panted heavily as he reached the Postern, his heart still racing from the chase. Despite his efforts, he couldn't find the kids anywhere. They had seemingly disappeared into thin air. Disappointed, he leaned on his knees to catch his breath before regaining his composure and looking up at the castle that stood tall and proud. Although it was still under renovation, it was starting to regain its former glory. As he gazed up at the castle, an old memory suddenly came flooding back, causing him to close his eyes and reminisce.

The small and elderly woman with thick, grey hair tied into a bun called out for a certain red-haired girl, "Kairi! Kairi!" She was wearing a short-sleeved, purple dress with a white apron over it, along with a dark cloth tied around her neck. The woman was searching around the Postern, but her search had no luck. "Oh, dear...where did that child go off to?" she muttered with a voice full of concern.

"Grandma!" The elderly woman looked up as she heard a young, energetic voice calling out to her. She recognized the familiar shade of red running towards her, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hands.

"My child, where did you go?" Her voice was filled with relief rather than anger, as she was just glad to see that Kairi was safe and sound.

"Sorry, Grandma," the little girl apologized, flashing a smile. "I was at the flower garden," Kairi explained innocently.

"Please let me know next time," the elderly woman said gently.

"Okay!" Soon enough, Kairi fixed her attention and began looking around the Postern for someone. "Where's Ash?" she inquired with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Kairi's grandma looked at her with a gentle smile and gave her a reassuring answer, "He's with Mr. Ansem. They are having a special talk."

Kairi blinked and tilted her head cutely. "About what?"

The castle's massive double-sided doors creaked loudly, drawing the attention of the grandmother and her granddaughter. They saw a boy with black hair, who they recognized, push the doors open. His eyes locked onto Kairi, and a huge smile lit up his face. "Kairi!" he shouted, running towards her with excitement.

"Ash!" she exclaimed as she sprinted towards the older boy, meeting him in the center.

"Guess what?!" Little Ash exclaimed with excitement, hoping to play a guessing game with Kairi. However, Kairi missed the point and asked him directly what he wanted to share.

"What?!"

"Mr. Ansem's letting us stay at his castle for a while!" said the boy, his voice full of excitement. The girl's eyes widened in surprise, clearly taken aback by the unexpected news.

"Really?" Ash nodded, confirming his claim. "Yay!" Kairi's lips curved into a wide grin, revealing her genuine happiness.

Little Ash beamed with excitement as he said, "Now you can live your life like a princess!" He then took Kairi's hand and kissed it like a true gentleman, making her giggle.

"Ash!" she exclaimed, pulling her hand away and playfully punching him in the arm.

As Ash and Kairi reveled in their newfound joy, Kairi's grandmother stood by silently, watching the children laugh and play together. Her eyes were heavy with sorrow as she realized that their futures would soon take an unexpected and potentially difficult turn, one that could have a significant impact on both of their lives.

Ash slowly opened his auburn eyes, his eyebrows twitching slightly as he regained consciousness. He continued to gaze intently at the castle in front of him, a small frown forming on his lips as he whispered the word his younger self had spoken: "Princess, huh..." Despite not fully understanding the strange vision he had just experienced, he knew that he and Kairi had been taken under the care of the previous ruler of Radiant Garden, a man named Ansem. The name sounded familiar, but his memories of Ansem were still hazy.

While the Keyblade wielder's mind wandered, he remained oblivious to the three small treasure-hunting fairies that were staring at him. Floating behind him, the fairies were concerned as he had been motionless for quite some time. One of the fairies, a young brunette woman with a modified halter-neck top, pink hood, denim booty shorts, ankle-length blue and white half skirt, and laced knee-high boots, had a worried expression on her face. She wore a hair clip that resembled bird wings.

Her fairy cousin, a young blonde with her hair braided and adorned with colorful beads and a blue bandana, was dressed in a tank top with ruffle sleeves, an olive green mini-skirt, a long yellow and red scarf, and a pair of boots. Her wings were made of the loose ends of her scarf. She seemed more interested in whether Ash had any treasure on him that they could steal.

Ash's troubles seemed to be of little concern to the third and final member of the fairy group. She had a gothic appearance with her short silver hair and black leather outfit complete with boots, gloves, and a tank top with visible shoulder straps. She appeared emotionally distant and anti-social, her red eyes piercing at his back. The most striking feature of her appearance, however, was the pair of bat-like wings sprouting from her back.

"Should we check on him?" the fairy leader asked with genuine concern.

"And ask if he has treasure?"

"Rikku!" She gave her blonde cousin a disapproving look with her tiny balled fists on her hips.

"What?" Rikku felt a surge of nervousness as she fidgeted with her index fingers under her cousin's intense gaze. "I'm just saying, Yuna!" Her face contorted into a cute pout.

Yuna let out a soft sigh as she palmed her face and shook her head, wondering what to do with Rikku and her unpredictable behavior.

"Here's a thought-" Both treasure-hunting fairies turned their heads towards their comrade who had just spoken up. "-how about just asking?" she said, her tone laced with sarcasm. The suggestion sounded simple, but it immediately struck a chord with the others. They knew that they should have thought of it from the beginning.

"Oh, right! Good idea, Paine!" Paine received high praise from Yuna.

Paine rolled her eyes in response.

The fairies floated closer to Ash, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. Yuna, one of the fairies, cleared her throat and politely spoke up, hoping to grab his attention. "Excuse me," she said, hoping he would notice them.

The sound of her gentle voice was enough to pull the Keyblade wielder out of his thoughts. He quickly turned around to see who had spoken, but to his surprise, he saw no one standing behind him. However, when he looked down, he saw three fairies with Rikku waving at him with a big smile. He was surprised to see three small girls greeting him, floating off the ground. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Oh, uh...hi?" Ash hesitated, not knowing how to react to the bizarre occurrence unfolding in front of him.

So sorry to bother you!" Yuna's actions left the young teen baffled as she bowed her head respectfully and apologized without any apparent reason. "We were wondering if you were okay," she said softly with gentle eyes.

"And if you have any treasure!" Rikku added with a grin.

"Treasure?" Ash wore a look of confusion as he repeated

"Rikku!" Yuna let out an annoyed groan.

"What!"

Ash couldn't help but smile at the two fairies bickering with each other. He found their little argument amusing, but also knew it could escalate quickly if left unchecked. So he decided to speak up and interject, hoping to diffuse the tension and restore peace between them. "While I don't know if I have any treasure-" They were drawn to his attention. "-I know for sure I'm doing just fine. I was thinking. Sorry if I made you guys worried about me," he said, smiling at the fairies as he spoke.

Rikku's expression turned sour as she exclaimed "Oh, poop!" upon realizing that there was no treasure to be found.

"Oh, that's good!" Yuna said with a hint of relief, though she couldn't shake the feeling that Ash was still distracted despite his answer.

"Say..." The Keyblade wielder couldn't help but be curious about the fairies since they hadn't properly introduced themselves. "Who are you guys anyway?" he asked.

"Oh, where are our manners?" Yuna realized that Ash was right. They had not yet introduced themselves to each other. "I'm Yuna!" She greeted politely.

"Rikku!" exclaimed the blonde fairy with enthusiasm. Ash felt a small bead of sweat form on the side of his face as he wasn't expecting to come across someone who shared the same name as Sora's best friend.

Everyone fixed their eyes on the anti-social fairy, who noticed their stares. Paine let out a frustrated sigh and replied with a single word, "Paine." Ash let out a nervous laugh as he had a feeling that Paine wasn't very talkative, unlike her other friends.

"It's nice to meet you, Yuna, Rikku and Paine. I'm Ash," he said with a bright smile.

The expression on the Gullwings' faces changed as soon as they heard his name. They exchanged a quick look before turning back to Ash. "You're the one they were referring to," Yuna said abruptly, leaving the Keyblade wielder perplexed.

"What?"

"It's nothing!" Ash couldn't help but feel slightly suspicious when Yuna quickly waved off his question like it was no big deal. It was clear to him that they were hiding something from him, but he decided not to press the subject any further.

Soon Rikku flew up close to Ash's face and studied his features very closely, invading his personal space. "Hm..." As she gazed upon his face and studied every inch of his body, she couldn't help but release a charming hum.

"Um..." A big sweatdrop appeared and slid comically side of his face. He wasn't sure what Rikku was doing.

After finishing her research, the blonde fairy flew back and nodded, crossing her tiny arms. She suddenly exclaimed, "You're pretty cute. But Sora's still cuter." Yuna and Paine also nodded in agreement.

Ash chuckled nervously, feeling surprised that he was suddenly being judged on his appearance. Soon his eyes widened with shock as he saw more ghostly apparitions walking right behind the Gullwings. They appeared to be a six-year-old version of himself and an orange-eyed blonde man with a short mustache and goatee. The man wore a red sweater draped over his shoulders, and as he stared at the man's features, he felt a sense of familiarity. The mysterious man took little Ash by the hand and led him towards the back end of the castle, which led to the Corridors. The Gullwings noticed Ash staring at them intensely and grew concerned.

"Ash, are you-" Yuna began to speak, but Ash interrupted her and immediately ran past the Gullwings to chase after two apparitions.

Rikku felt a surge of frustration as she watched Ash run away without even bothering to say goodbye. She clenched her fists and puffed her cheeks in annoyance, feeling hurt by his sudden departure. "Hey!" she called out, "Just because we agreed that Sora is cuter than you doesn't mean you have to ignore us! I would still date you! Heck, Yuna would too if she wasn't seeing Tidus!" she barked angrily.

"Rikku!" The fairy leader scolded, her face feeling a bit red with embarrassment.

Ignoring her cousin, Rikku continued, "Even Paine would date you!" The blonde fairy received a sharp glare from Paine.

As Ash headed through the Corridors, the Gullwings watched on.

Radiant Garden - Corridors

Heavy panting filled the Corridors as Ash frantically scanned the maze-like hallways, searching for the two ghostly apparitions. "Where did they go?" he muttered to himself, heart racing. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of the man and the little boy turning a sharp corner. "Wait!" Ash called out, sprinting after them. His footsteps echoed through the empty Corridors as he chased after the elusive figures.

The young teen took the sharp turn around the corner when he suddenly spotted two guards dressed in dark slate grey guard uniforms featuring a curled heart symbol and white gloves. One of the guards, who had black hair styled in long dreadlocks, noticed Ash approaching and immediately held out his hand, barking "Halt!" The Keyblade wielder stopped in his tracks and watched warily as the guards approached him. The other guard, with ginger hair slicked back into messy spikes, seemed annoyed with Ash for trespassing the restricted area, evident from his angular and strong features and grumpy expression. "No citizen is allowed this a-" he started saying before both guards suddenly widened their eyes, almost as if they recognized Ash. To Ash's surprise, both guards immediately dropped to a knee and lowered their heads, showing respect. "Our apologies! We weren't expecting your visit, young prince! Please forgive my rudeness!" the man said, his tone completely transformed upon seeing Ash.

Ash was taken aback by the guards' behavior and couldn't understand what was going on. He had a sudden realization that they recognized him as the prince of Radiant Garden. He tried to play it cool and asked them not to bow every time they saw him. The guards nodded and regained their composure, allowing Ash to get a better look at their faces. To his surprise, he felt a strange familiarity with them, despite never meeting them before. Suddenly, an old memory resurfaced in his mind, hinting that there was something significant about these guards.

Waiting inside the dimly lit lounge called The Grey Area, the guards dressed in black coats seemed to be expecting someone important. They suddenly became alert when they heard loud footsteps echoing from the hallway. A smirk spread across the face of the man with dreadlocks. "It's about time he showed up," he said. The ginger-haired man next to him nodded in agreement. Soon, a young figure wearing the same coat with the hood pulled over his face entered the room. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the new rising star of the Organization," said the man with a sarcastic tone.

The young figure remained silent, holding his head up high as if he were gazing at his seniors, poised to receive their commands.

"Let's get moving, shall we?" The young figure nodded slightly in agreement as the dreadlocked man opened a dark corridor. All three members walked through it and the portal closed behind them soon afterwards.

Ash regained consciousness as soon as the vision ended and found himself staring at the two guards in front of him with a bewildered look. He could not differentiate between the two guards for a moment and they appeared to be flickering back and forth until it finally stopped and the guards in their uniforms were staring back at him with concerned expressions. "Is everything okay, Your Highness? You have been staring at us as if we were apparitions," the dreadlocked man asked with a worried tone.

The young teen shook his head and offered a smile once he regained his composure. "I'm sorry, I was lost in thought," he said sheepishly, although it was clear that the guards were still skeptical. After a moment, he realized that he didn't know their names, even though he had a nagging sense that he should. "Excuse me, may I ask your names?"

The young prince seemed a bit lost and unsure of who the dreadlocked guard was. Dilan noticed this and decided to help him out. "Oh, where are our manners, my prince? I'm Dilan," he said, introducing himself with a smile before pointing to his colleague. "And he's Aeleus." Aeleus nodded in acknowledgment. Ash's nerves started to get the best of him, thinking that Aeleus might be the strong and silent type. "If there's anything you need, just let us know and we will be happy to assist you, my prince," Dilan added kindly.

"Thanks, Dilan," Ash said with a grin. It seemed like he had grown fond of this Dilan, as compared to the one from his memories. As he looked beyond the guards, he spotted a hallway leading to an open room.

Dilan noticed Ash's curiosity about what was down the hallway and decided to explain. "That hallway leads to Ansem the Wise's office." Ash's eyes widened at the mention of the name. "Be warned, however, it's a bit of a mess. If we knew you were coming, we could've asked Ienzo to tidy up a bit." Although he didn't know who Ienzo was, the name sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"If you don't mind, I would like to check out the office," Ash politely asked the guards for permission to check out the office, hoping to get access to Ansem's Study.

"Very well, we will accompany you," Dilan informed the young prince that they would be happy to accompany him and the young prince welcomed their company.

"Sure,"

They walked down the hallway and eventually arrived at the study room of the former ruler.

Ansem's Study

"Whoa..." Ash's eyes widened in amazement as he stepped into Ansem's Study, taking in the current state of the office. Dilan's earlier words about the mess were not an exaggeration. The room was cluttered with stacks of books and papers that formed towers leaning against the walls. The floor was littered with open books and scattered papers. And to top it all off, there was a large picture frame resting against the wall behind the desk. It was clear that whoever last occupied the room was not a very tidy person.

As Ash attempted to move closer to the front desk, he suddenly stopped when he saw the apparitions he had encountered before pass through him, causing a shiver to run down his spine. He observed intently as the man who he presumed to be Ansem, showed his younger self around the office, seemingly oblivious to the chaos surrounding them.

"Now, my boy-" The boy felt his curiosity piqued as the past Ansem began to speak. "-one day this whole office will become yours."

"Is that a good thing?" Past Ash asked a question in a naive manner, which caused the ruler to chuckle in amusement.

He tried to humor the boy with a joke, but it wasn't well-received. "It really depends on whether you're more interested in studies," he said.

"Boo, I hate studying!" Ash exclaimed, making a cute pout that spread across his face.

"I know you don't have to deal with paperwork now, Ash. But as you grow older, you will have to handle all sorts of paperwork," he explained while patting the boy on the head. "However, for now, just enjoy being yourself."

"And Kairi?" Past Ansem hesitated for a moment before answering the boy's question. He absentmindedly patted the boy's messy black hair before forcing a smile.

"Yes, Kairi too but you shouldn't worry about her. Radiant Garden will soon be your new kingdom," the ruler said kindly.

"Even if I'm not really your son?" Even though the boy's question made a valid point, the ruler appeared unfazed.

"It doesn't matter if you're not really my son. I will always treat you and Kairi as my own children." Ansem from the past comforted the boy, removing his hand from Ash's head. "But don't worry, you are a little bit more special than Kairi," he reassured.

"How so?"

"You might not know yet but a great power lies dormant within your heart." He pointed at the boy's chest.

"My heart?" Little Ash repeated, confusedly looking down and clutching his chest.

Past Ansem smiled and nodded. "You see, Ash, you possess the strongest heart in the universe."

Little Ash was taken aback by the man's exaggeration, but he couldn't help but smile at the praise. "Yay! That means I'm the strongest!" The ruler let out a hearty laugh before the two apparitions vanished, leaving the current Ash to contemplate whether any of it was real.

The young prince stood there silently, his lips pressed tightly together as he looked around the room. Dilan and Aeleus stood before him, exchanging a quick look of concern. They had never seen him so quiet before and wondered if something was wrong. Ansem the Wise's office always gave them an uneasy feeling, and they suspected Ash was feeling the same way. Suddenly, Ash balled his hands into fists and began to advance towards the big picture frame leaning against the wall. Dilan and Aeleus were surprised. They thought he was going to approach the messy desk instead. As Ash examined the picture, he felt an odd sense of familiarity wash over him.

After a moment, a few names unexpectedly escaped from his lips. "Terra...Xehanort..." His eyes widened in surprise as he gazed at the image before him. Though the Keyblade wielder didn't recognize the name Xehanort, the name Terra seemed to strike a chord. It felt somehow connected to Aqua and Master Yen Sid's words from their previous conversation. The one who had succumbed to darkness. Could it be that Terra was the same person as the one depicted in the picture frame? If so, what was his connection to Ansem the Wise and Radiant Garden, and where was he now? Ash's mind was quickly flooded with more questions as he continued to scrutinize the image. Suddenly, another unfamiliar memory surfaced in his mind, leaving him feeling even more perplexed.

Sitting atop the highest throne within a circular room filled with marble chairs resembling thrones of various heights were eleven individuals, all dressed in black coats with hoods covering their faces. The leader of the group, a dark-skinned man with shoulder-length silver hair and orange eyes, had a small smirk on his face as he looked down at a young rogue standing in the center of the room, also wearing a hood. It appeared as though they were in the process of inducting a new member into their group.

"Fellow members of Organization XIII, we have gathered here today to welcome our newest and 13th member to the Organization. Unlike most of us, his talent will bring a greater cause to our goal." The room was filled with murmurs, reflecting a mix of skepticism, interest, and apathy. "Now, my young friend, please reveal to your fellow members the one who will conquer light but also darkness as well," In a calm manner, he instructed the newly arrived member to reveal his face.

The room was filled with anticipation as everyone leaned forward in their seats, eager to catch a glimpse of the newest member. Their leader had spoken highly of this individual and everyone was curious to see what they brought to the table. The 13th member slowly reached up and pulled back his hood, but before their face could be revealed, the memory ended abruptly, leaving everyone wondering what could have been.

Ash's head began to spin, and he felt a sharp, throbbing pain shoot through his mind. He instinctively reached for his head with one hand to try to alleviate some of the discomfort. Dilan and Aeleus were quick to react as they rushed over to their prince's side, alerted by Ash's sudden discomfort and pain. "Your Highness!" The young teen gritted his teeth and clutched his head as the throbbing sensation overwhelmed his mind. It was almost as if something was trying to prevent him from remembering his memories or learning about the mysterious Organization XIII. After a few moments, the pain subsided and Ash slowly regained his composure. "Young prince, are you okay?" Dilan asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah...I'm good," Ash said tiredly as he glanced at the two guards with a weak smile. "Sorry, if I worried you guys."

"Maybe you should rest." The young prince politely declined but was grateful for his guards' vigilance and care.

"I told you I'm fine." Dilan and Aeleus appeared unconvinced, but they realized that arguing with a stubborn teenager was futile. They had no choice but to accept his word.

Ash's gaze flickered towards the picture frame for a moment, and he couldn't help but whisper the name that had just come to his mind. "...Xemnas." Dilan and Aeleus both flinched as if the name held some kind of significance to them, but their memories were still hazy and unclear. Before any of them could fully process what was happening, a new voice suddenly caught their attention and they turned to look towards the doorway.

"There you are, I figured as much you were here!"

The group's attention was directed towards a young woman with long waist-length brown hair, which was tucked behind her left ear. She was dressed in a black, leather tank top with a zipper, a black, leather skort, black leather gloves, and black and white shoes. Her arms were crossed and it appeared as though she was staring at Ash.

"Miss, this area is off-limits for-Hey!" Dilan was taken aback when the mysterious woman suddenly strode past him and Aeleus, grabbing Ash's wrist with a strong hold.

"Come on, let's go! Merlin and the rest are waiting for you!" she exclaimed, grabbing Ash's arm and pulling him along with her, causing the guards to jump in surprise.

"Miss, what are you doing?!" Dilan felt irritated as the woman barged in unannounced and took Ash away from them without any prior notice. "Unhand His Highness this ins-" The scene was tense as the dreadlocked guard abruptly ceased his conversation upon receiving a menacing glare from the woman, who had turned her head back to face him.

"Sorry, buddy, but the young prince has an audience he has to attend to. Save it for another time, okay?" she asked innocently yet threateningly at Dilan, who nodded without hesitation.

Dilan and Aeleus stood silently as they watched the woman and Ash leave through the door, leaving the two guards to ponder what had just happened. "What was her deal?" Dilan grumbled, clearly frustrated by the sudden turn of events. The atmosphere in the room became a bit uncomfortable for a moment until Dilan looked at his colleague, who seemed to be blushing a bit.

Dilan was left in disbelief when the quiet Aeleus said, "She was hot."

Borough - Merlin's house

The big wooden door suddenly creaked open with a loud noise, making everyone inside turn to see who was entering. It was a woman they all recognized and she was pulling along a prince they also knew well. "Look who I found, everyone!" she said as she continued to pull Ash's arm while they approached the Restoration Committee.

"Tifa, you found Ash!" Aerith exclaimed with a warm smile.

"Ow, you know you can stop pulling my arm. We're already here!" Tifa let go and apologized when Ash whined.

"Oh, sorry," she said sheepishly.

Leon watched as the young prince massaged his sore arm with an amusing smirk on his face. "Good to see you're still in one piece," he quipped.

"I'm glad to see you're wearing your usual clothes instead of that silly outfit, kid," remarked Cid. Ash's heart skipped a beat as the blonde man seemed unaware that he had just brought up the Gerudo incident, which had not gone unnoticed by others.

"Outfit?" Soon enough, a smug smirk appeared on Yuffie's lips. It was evident that her curiosity had been piqued. "What outfit, Cid? Was it something naughty?" she teased.

Cid scoffed at the ninja girl and replied, "No, it was some gi-"

"Ah aha haha ahhh!" Everyone's attention was drawn to Ash as he flailed his arms frantically, his face deeply flushed. "IT WAS NOTHING! Don't you dare say it, Cid!" An angry hiss was sent towards the blonde man.

Yuffie continued to tease the embarrassed teen, her curiosity piqued. "Oh, so it was something naughty, huh?" she prodded playfully.

"No!"

A puff of smoke materialized out of nowhere and outstepped Merlin. "Oh, hi Merlin," greeted Aerith with a smile on her face.

"Hello, my dear," As soon as Merlin greeted back, he looked around his house and noticed Ash. "Ah! Ash, right on time, my boy." The wizard noticed that the teenager's face was unusually red and asked, "Are you feeling okay, lad?"

"I'm fine..." Ash attempted to compose himself, though the laughter from Aerith and Yuffie only made it more difficult. Pushing aside their amusement, he refocused on the matter at hand. "Anyway, Merlin, what was it you want to talk about?" he asked curiously, drawing all eyes to the old wizard.

"Oh, yes, that's right, my boy," Merlin chuckled almost forgetting what he came here for. "Let's see-" He took a moment to gather his thoughts as he stroked his white beard, trying to remember what it was that he wanted to tell Ash. It was something really important. After a little while, he couldn't remember what it was. "Oh, my...it seems like I completely forgot." His answer made everyone double back comically with beads of sweat appearing on their heads.

"Well...at least it's a good reason to come back here to rest from my journey," said the Keyblade wielder with a hint of exhaustion in his voice.

In the latest chapter, readers can learn more about Ash's past and his connection with Radiant Garden. I plan to add more bits of memories later on, which will play important roles in the story. The return of the Gullwings and Tifa has been well received and it seems that Aeleus has developed a crush on Tifa. How cute! The next chapter will focus on Ash's visit to Twilight Town where he will interact with the Twilight crew and may run into a familiar trio from his world. Additionally, something about his Nobody will be revealed.

Extra scene: Treasure hunt

Ash and the Gullwings embarked on an exciting adventure to the Great Maw for a treasure hunt. The fairies had extended an invitation to Ash and Rikku had managed to "borrow" a map from Merlin's house for the journey. As they explored the area, which was once the site of the Battle of the 1000 Heartless, they came across many freshly dug holes created by Yuna and Rikku and blasted by Ash's Fira spells. However, despite their best efforts, the group had yet to discover anything, causing them to doubt the authenticity of Rikku's map.

"Rikku, are you positive there's treasure here?" Yuna asked her cousin, making sure they were at the right spot.

The blonde fairy peered intently at the map, which was three times her size. "Let me see here, hmm..." she muttered to herself, scrutinizing it closely. After a few moments, she let out a satisfied grin and lowered the map. "Yup! Red X marks the spot. We're definitely at the right spot." Ash and Yuna heaved a deep sigh, clearly not as excited about the treasure hunt as Rikku was. Meanwhile, Paine, who had opted not to get involved in Rikku's scheme, floated nearby with her arms crossed, a small smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. She found the whole situation rather amusing.

"Hey, Rikku, can I take a look at the map for a sec?" Ash asked politely.

"Sure!"

Ash took a quick look at the map the blonde fairy had given him and his expression immediately turned serious. "Rikku?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"Yeah?" Her innocent reply came.

"First off, you were reading it upside down."

"Oh."

"And it's not even a treasure map for Radiant Garden..."

"Oh."

"It's actually a drawing of a Trap Card called Treasure Map from Yu-Gi-Oh! that has a picture of a treasure map," Ash clarified.

"Oh." There was a brief awkward silence until Rikku laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Oopsie!"