Chereads / Final Fantasy: Crisis and Tranquility / Chapter 129 - Chapter 122: Babysitting

Chapter 129 - Chapter 122: Babysitting

At a field nearby the castle of DunBroch, the people were playing music and having fun. The royal family wasn't though, they were having a little talk with Ramiel's group and everybody was nervous except the young triplets who are looking at them curiously with shining eyes.

"Who are you? Why did you come to DunBroch?" Fergus asked with a frown, his body stiff. Tense from their interaction. "I haven't told you yet huh? Nothing important really, I just confirmed it. This lass here has something we need." Ramiel pointed at Merida and they leaned onto her instantly, thinking that he would take her or something.

"What do you need from me? I'm nothing special." Merida was surprised, going wide eyed at his words. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Ramiel smirked at her and Rapunzel smiled. "Don't worry, it isn't really something difficult, he just has to plunge his hand in your chest just like what he did with me."

They were horrified and Aqua facepalmed at her. "It isn't as bad as it sounds." She rolled her eyes at Rapunzel who was raising her brow, as if to say what's wrong.

"It sure doesn't seem to be good at all." Elinor squinted her eyes. She would die on the very spot she was on if it was to protect her daughter. "Wait, mom. Let's listen to him more clearly. What is it specifically that is inside my chest? If it's my heart, then I refuse." Merida stood her ground and Ramiel was impressed at her courage.

"You got it in one, girlie. It is your heart, and if you refuse? What can you do about it?" He grinned and her false bravado crumbled to dust. Retreating back immediately as her body trembled in fear.

"Shut up! You're not making this any better." Aqua sighed and massaged her temples. "You see, it's the spiritual heart. And it won't harm you at all, Rapunzel here already went through the procedure. And as you can see, she looks fine." Aqua explained immediately and they sighed in relief.

"You're no fun Aqua, it's supposed to keep them tense. Have some excitement in your life." Ramiel pouted at her and she snorted. "As if, you're scaring them. They think you're going to crack her chest open and take her heart for a cult sacrifice or something."

"She has a point fuhrer. And shouldn't you have noticed it already? I thought you are smart, if we want to do something malicious. We would've slaughtered you all like cattle and took her with us like taking candy from a baby." Bismarck shook her head disappointedly at Elinor.

Fergus was about to do his thing and be ooga booga, we're not afraid. But Elinor stopped him and breathed in deeply. "If it isn't going to hurt her in any way, then we'll cooperate." She nodded at them and Merida was cooking up another plan.

"Wait a minute, if you need something from me. Then shouldn't I have a say in this? I want something in exchange." Merida gambled for a bargain.

"Smart lass, alright. If I deem it interesting enough, I'll do it." Ramiel gestured for her to speak and Merida wracked her brains. "I want you to help me get out of this marriage." She gave a glare to her mother and Elinor gasped.

"Hmmm, no. I thought it would be make me the queen regent or something. But I already saw it from a mile away." Ramiel refused instantly and she was in shock, gaping like a goldfish.

Merida didn't have anything left to say, so they stood up and joined the festivities. Building some rapport with the people.

While waiting for the games to begin, they saw someone approach them. "Hey, isn't that the boy from earlier?" Rapunzel pointed at them and it was Sora, with Riku, Donald, and Goofy.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Ramiel walked up to them and they gulped, stepping back a bit. "We have a message from king Mickey, please read it." Sora handed a letter to him and he shrugged, thinking it won't really affect them.

He read it and Ramiel frowned. "What? What does it say?" Aqua noticed his frown and they immediately looked at the letter when he handed it to them. "Damn, so annoying kids will follow us everywhere? Don't you have anything better to do?" Esdeath clicked her tongue.

"W-we can't help it. Aqua is connected to us, she's a friend. And we need all the friends we have to battle master Xehanort." Sora explained and his side kicks Goofy and Donald nodded.

"Did Mickey set you up for this?" Aqua squinted her eyes and Riku shook his head immediately. "No, it was an idea from Sora and Ventus." He explained, Aqua then sighed and thought it was pretty smart of them. They don't have any qualms with Sora and Riku after all.

"So, can we go with you?" Sora asked Ramiel and he thought about it. "If you aren't annoying or talk about darkness all the time, then we can bring you to our adventures." He shrugged.

Ramiel thought it'd be interesting. Maybe teach Riku how to seduce Sora so he can see Kairi's reactions when she sees them getting all lovey dovey with each other. He had a grin on his face and Bismarck nodded. "Fuhrer has an interesting plan, that's his how can this be entertaining face on."

"Alright, but just don't be annoying. Or I'll freeze your balls off and make you lick it as a popsicle, understand?" Esdeath glared at them and she was really annoyed. There were kids on board now too, she can't possibly try and get it on with him with them there. Ramiel will scold her.

"Alright then, it's decided! Welcome to the group Sora, Riku." Rapunzel smiled at them and they looked at each other like they were victorious. "Hey, we're here too you know?" Donald whined and Ramiel looked at him.

"Ahh of course, I happen to like ducks. They taste really good, so make him eat a lot more okay? It will fatten him up nicely." Ramiel licked his lips and Donald hid behind Sora and Goofy.

"Gawrsh, I think you need to go on a diet Donald. Or you'll be turned into a delicious meal." Goofy tried to help him. "You think I don't know that!?"

"Enough tomfoolery, the games are starting." Esdeath looked towards the camp and she heard that the potential suitors would be starting the games. And while they were walking back, Ramiel went beside Riku.

"Isn't it vexing? You love him with all your heart, even falling to darkness once because of it. But he doesn't notice it? Thinking he's just dense, that he doesn't understand romantic relationships? Except that there's a girl in the picture?" Ramiel whispered like the devil to Riku and he gaped like a fish.

"W-what are you talking about?" Riku tried to act dumb, but it basically confirmed it for Ramiel. He then grinned and put an arm around him. "Don't act so surprised, you love him don't you? Sora? You even tried to test the waters by using paopu fruit in the past right? Ahhh, youth." Ramiel shook his head wistfully.

Riku looked like he was constipated and he glared at him. "Don't you ever tell Sora or Kairi about this." He said with all the angst a teenager in love could utter. "Now why would I do that? I prefer to do something a bit different. You see, I'm a normal guy with a lot of lovers. What do you think is different with men and women?"

He smirked at him and Riku's catching up to what he was doing. "What'd you get from this? Why are you doing this?" His interest has been piqued, but it is simply suspicious that he'd help him with his little dramatic teenage love without benefitting from it.

"Why you ask? Well, it would be interesting. Besides, don't you think that Sora's been a little bit too clueless? I'm just spreading awareness, see what happens. May your heart be your guiding key, all that jazz. Isn't that what your heart desires?" Ramiel acted sympathetic and he'd win an oscar.

Riku frowned and his greed to be loved back was acting up. "No, it won't be right with Kairi." He looked at the ground, conflicted. Ramiel grinned behind him and thought that just a little push was needed.

"Kairi knows it you know? If she has something against it, then she would've talked to you about it already. She strikes me as someone that would value communication with her friends, no?" Ramiel told a half truth.

Kairi surely noticed it by now, but she isn't quite sure. Riku went wide eyed. "She knows?" He couldn't quite believe it. "Yeah, even told us that you and Sora are really close." He shrugged, twisting the meaning behind her words that they were the bestest friends ever.

"Is that why you're going with this?" But Riku was a perfectionist and immediately called Kairi. "Hey Riku, what's up?" Kairi answered the call and he went silent for a bit, his throat dry.

"Hey Kairi... I just gotta ask, what do you think about me and Sora?" He was sweating and Kairi thought that was a weird question. "Do you even need to ask? You're the closest person to Sora, even when we were kids. Kinda makes me jealous, honestly. Everyone that knew you guys could notice it!" Kairi chuckled and Riku gasped.

Ramiel had a toothy grin behind him. "You've activated my trap card." Riku then ended the call and looked towards him. "Will you really help me?" He was convinced now and Ramiel smiled. "Of course, we'll talk about this later yeah? Toodles." Ramiel went back to his group.

"Hey Riku, what did you talk about Ramiel? You looked really surprised or something, is it about some cool keyblade techniques or something? Or did he bestow you some awesome powers? Mickey told us that he's the personification of kingdom hearts after all." Sora went up to him and put an arm on his shoulder.

"S-something like that." Riku was still shellshocked. "Wow, tell me!" Sora pestered him and Riku snorted. "Like I would, maybe later." He looked at Ramiel and thought what he was doing is ridiculous.

__

The group arrived back at the camp and they saw the competitors holding their bows while Merida was acting suspiciously on her seat, jittery and excited. Someone who hated the idea of marriage isn't supposed to do.

"Woah, are these guys vikings!?" Sora shouted out and Esdeath glared at him, making him shut up immediately. "You're really energetic Sora, but don't be too loud when Esdeath is around, she really dislikes rambunctious people." Rapunzel advised him.

"I do not dislike rambunctious people, I hate annoying kids. Don't state the obvious boy, everybody knows they're vikings, wasn't that obvious?" She rolled her eyes and was getting more annoyed by the second.

"You having your period or something?" Aqua smirked at her and Esdeath glared at her. If looks could kill, she would be dead a thousand times over. "That's it, I should teach you how our first encounter went." Esdeath tensed up and Ramiel bonked Aqua on the head.

"Don't antagonize her, she's in a bad mood. And calm down Esdeath, just ignore Sora. He's annoying yeah, but it isn't that bad." Ramiel shrugged and patted her head, calming her down.

"You live to see another day Aqua, I never forget." Esdeath squinted her eyes and Aqua thought she messed up. "Don't worry, I'll thaw you out with my sun magic." Rapunzel patted her on the back sympathetically.

"That doesn't make me feel better." Aqua looked at her with a deadpan. "It's starting everyone." Bismarck redirected their attention and everybody began to watch the archery competition.

The first one is a burly blonde guy with a baby face. The bow was too little for him and it was like a toy in his hands. He drew the string and pinched the arrow like a little stick. And when he released the arrow, it of course didn't hit the target.

Everybody groaned and Rapunzel yawned. "I thought it would be an exciting archery match, but it's pretty boring." She propped her head with her chin and wiped her tears because of yawning. "Well, what did you expect? Of course they would be low quality specimens." Esdeath shrugged and they thought that was true.

"Ohh? A competition? But for what though?" Sora looked towards them for answers, thinking it was kinda exciting. "It's for that lady's hand in marriage." Aqua explained patiently and Sora tilted his head in confusion.

"But shouldn't marriage be about love? Why are they competing for it?" Sora was flabbergasted and Riku facepalmed. "It's their culture Sora, don't worry about it. And don't meddle, or things will get messy."

The second one was a narcissist that was waving his hair around, covered by blue paint on his body. Not even looking at the target as the ladies behind him screamed, but he didn't quite hit the target. Though he did better than the first one.

"AHHHH!" He started going crazy and screamed, smashing his bow on the ground. Throwing a tantrum like a kid. "Wow, that's really... Attractive?" She said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

Everybody rolled their eyes and thought that nobody would want a son like that, it was a disgrace. "Damn, she's even more boned than we think, it's a complete disaster." Ramiel masssaged his temples and thought it was a damned mess.

The 3rd one that looked retarded fumbled with his bow and arrows. Dropping all of them and couldn't even nock one in to the string. And when he did, he was obviously an absolute noob. His arrow kept on strafing to the side.

"Come on boy! Shoot!" Fergus got extremely annoyed and the retard was surprised, releasing his shot at the target. And it hit the exact middle, bull's eye. "Well done lad!" His father celebrated and flashed the other lords what was under his quilt. Making them gag from the sight.

The people were celebrating and Fergus looked towards his daughter with worry. "I guess, he's the winner... Lass." He looked towards the other side of his seat, but Merida was gone.

She was already on the field and was holding a flag of her own nation. "I am Merida, firstborn of the king of DunBroch! And I will shoot for my own hand in marriage!" She stared at her mother and started preparing her bow.

"Merida! Stop at once young lady!" Elinor cried out as she looked at the other lords who were obviously offended.

"She's got guts." Esdeath nodded at her and thought that's why Ramiel didn't rain on their parade. "Guts, yeah. But she's quite stupid. This can cause a discord that will bring the downfall of DunBroch." Ramiel sighed, thinking that politics was a pain in the ass.

If this isn't disney, shit would go down immediately. Merida is an adult in their standards, so this will be seen as a slight. Animosity will rise and they might even undermine the nation for revenge.

"Curse this dress!" Merida ripped her dress and started shooting arrows which all hit the middle. Elinor stood up and she was marching towards her briskly.

The redhead calmed her breath for the next shot and ignored the screams of her mother. Releasing her arrow as it split the one in the middle, perfect accuracy. She then glared at Elinor in defiance, with the both of them staring at each other.

Ramiel stood up and clapped. "Fantastic shooting, you're a marksman against unmoving targets eh?" He went up to one of the potential suitors and took his bow and three arrows.

"Rapunzel, make them float to the sky yeah?" He asked a favor and she nodded. Her hair glowed and the targets went up high into the sky. "This is how you shoot a bow, lads." He looked at them while releasing three arrows at once, doing a fade away.

The targets reached the ground while spinning and they checked what happened. Everybody gasped as all the arrows split Merida's, just like what she did on her last shot. While the thing was spinning on the air uncontrollably and was away for hundreds of yards.

"N-no way..." Merida's jaws almost hit the ground and Elinor frowned, thinking that she would have to be married off to a stranger. "That's so cool! How'd you do that!?" Merida went up to him immediately and it shocked her mother.

"I don't know, I look at the targets and I shoot. This is the first time I've ever used a bow." He shrugged and Merida went wide eyed. "You've gotta be kidding me!? There's no way!" She got stars in her eyes.

Elinor was baffled and thought she'd be pissy that he won, but she thought wrong. Her girl is a tomboy, that's for sure. But she's still a girl, a pretty man with rock hard abs will still be attractive in their eyes. Not to mention that he's competent, it will receive a reaction from their hypergamous nature.

"How about I teach you later eh?" He patted her head and was curious about her curly hair that looked like spaghetti napolitan that was made of ketchup.

"For real!?" She got excited and forgot about the marriage. "Ahem, we need to talk, now." Elinor butted in and pulled her back to the castle.

Riku watched with squinted eyes and was taking notes in his head, seeing how to rizz someone up. Glancing at Sora beside him that was shouting cool.

"What do you think you're doing!? You've embarrassed them, you've embarrassed your father, you've embarrassed me!" Elinor shouted and Merida rolled her eyes with her teenage angst.

"How about me then!? I didn't want this marriage!" She retorted. "This is what you've prepared for since a long time ago! How can you slight the lords? Do you have any idea what will happen!?" Elinor raised a good point.

"No! This is what you've prepared me my whole life! Something I didn't want!" Merida replied, raising a point as well. They were in a deadlock and the two of them glared at each other.

"I was raising you as the queen of DunBroch! Just like me!" Elinor's veins almost popped in anger. "Well, I don't want to be like you! I'd rather die than be like you!" She shouted back, both of them too agitated to talk it out.

Elinor gasped and she walked towards her. Making Merida flinch. "I've had enough of you, Merida." She took off her bow and threw it right at the fireplace. Her daughter then put her hands on her mouth, tearing up at what she just did.

Her mother noticed, but it was already too late. The bow that her husband gave to her ever since she was a child burned and Merida ran away. "No, no. What am I gonna do?" Elinor fumbled in taking it out of the fire, even burning her hands a bit.

Merida ran at the stables and was about to ride her horse, but before she could jump right on its back. She was grasped on the nape and she squeaked. "Woah, there. Where do you think you're going?" Ramiel caught her and she didn't even resist.

She was just silent and was on the verge of crying. "Things at home are too hard eh? How about we roam around to cool down?" He called his group and they entered the forests.

And of course, the kid that was always on a sugar rush decided to befriend her. "Hey Merida, that's your name right!? I'm Sora, what you did back there was really cool. I wish I could be that accurate with my magic!" Sora grinned widely at her.

"Of course she would be accurate Sora, she isn't stupid after all." Riku made a snide comment on the side. "Hey, only those who call others stupid is stupid!" They started quarreling and Merida chortled at their argument, lightening the mood.

"Wait, did he say magic? I always thought that she had magic, but do you really?" Merida pointed at Rapunzel and they all nodded. "I can turn this whole nation into a tundra, do you want to see?" Esdeath offered, making her shook her head vigorously.

"Well, we can teach you some magic. But you won't be able to make any progress with what's on your mind." Aqua patted her on the back and Merida looked on the ground, a bit depressed.

After being silent for a moment, she started telling what happened. "I... I'm the princess of DunBroch, but my mom can't understand that I do not want to get married. She even burned my bow because of our argument earlier."

"Well, what did you tell her to make her do something drastic then?" Ramiel of course always needs the evidence and she told them what she said. "Ahhh, that would surely make her go burn your bow." Rapunzel chuckled.

Merida haven't had any third party opinions about her problem, so she was shocked. "What do you mean!? That bow was given to me by my dad ever since I was a kid, she knows how much it means to me."

"Ever thought how much it meant to your mother to raise a proper queen for DunBroch?" Ramiel commented and she was stumped. "That's what I thought, the two of you are too narrowminded." He rolled his eyes as that was always a problem in these kinds of cases.

"You think you're smart, aren't you? What you should've done, was study your enemies well. In this case, the suitors themselves. You should've bribed them or convinced them to disagree with the marriage. Handle it with more allies, you have nothing in your name. Princess? You're just a political tool, in my eyes. Your parents have given you leeway like no other. In other kingdoms, you'd be a caged bird inside the castle." Esdeath gave it to her straight.

"Y-you're right, but she's just a kid you know? They're meant to be stupid." Aqua tried consoling her, but it made her even more depressed.

"S-so what should I do?" Merida was feeling hopeless. "Talk to your mother sincerely, make a plan. The reason why she's doing in this in the first place is for the kingdom. You're royalty, you think being a princess is all fun and games? You're responsible for all the lives in DunBroch once you grow up." Ramiel explained it to her and she went wide eyed.

"When there's a famine, plague, or any kind of unrest. You will be the one responsible for it, as the next queen. Not so simple now, is it? Talk to your mother, delay it as much as you can. Talk to the suitors, make amiable connections with them. You and your mother are both right, you two are just too stubborn to see the bigger picture." Ramiel shrugged and Merida went into deep thought.

"Hey Riku, they're talking about some really hard stuff. Is it really that difficult to be a princess?" Sora whispered to him and Riku's eyebrows twitched. "Just go on adventures Sora, this is none of our business." He deflected his question because it will be too much of a bother to explain it.

"Merida, how about we go talk to your mom! Your hearts are connected, I'm sure she'll understand when you go talk to her with all your heart." Sora nodded sagely.

"He's... Very optimistic, yeah?" Esdeath cringed at his words. "Sora oversimplified it, but yeah. It is the correct thing to do. He just has dumb luck, because if this is say, a more realistic kingdom, he'll be executed or assassinated for being meddlesome." Ramiel imagined it and thought of Sora being in a place like game of thrones.

"Let's go, come on! You can't be having a fight with your mom like this." Sora convinced Merida and Riku sighed as Sora pulled Merida back to the castle. "That's Sora being Sora alright." Riku grumbled.

"But that's what you like about him, right?" Rapunzel poked him on the cheek with her hair as Ramiel told them about the teen's forbidden love.

"Ahh! You bastard, you told them about it!" Riku was angry. "What are you talking about, it was just that obvious, they deduced it immediately." Ramiel lied as he breathed and Riku winced.

"My fuhrer will support you, don't worry. We're progressive in these kinds of matters." Bismarck nodded sagely and Riku blushed like a tomato. "Kill me now."

Back at the castle, Merida talked to the suitors and they were in a circle. "Okay, do you guys even want to marry me? I mean, there's no benefit to being with me. You'll be king, can you imagine all the work you'll have to do?" Merida had an idea after her little talk with Ramiel and the others.

"What do you mean?" One of them asked. "Well, you'll have to be politically involved in all the matters of DunBroch, including your clans. Power struggles will be common, paperwork will be plenty. Do I need to say more?" Merida explained to them and they all went pale.

"So how about later when the matter is brought up again, we all disagree? Say that you guys have lady back home or something? If you don't have one, then just say that you want to marry for love. Maintain the status quo?" Merida rubbed her hands together.

Ramiel who was on the side gave her a thumbs up. "That sounds like a good plan aye lads, we're on board." They all nodded and the trio of suitors don't want to be the royal consort anymore.

"Is it going to take longer? Come on, we need to talk to the queen and king!" Sora was getting impatient. "They're here already of course." Rapunzel searched for them and told them that Merida has to say something important to them.

"Mom... Dad, I... I don't want to get married, none of them is to my taste. I want to get married on my own terms. Maybe not now, but in the future. I'll surely find someone and rule DunBroch, make sure it will prosper." Merida said seriously.

"Merida... But what about our customs? What will the other lords say? Honey, I'm sorry. But this is much bigger than that." Elinor calmed down now and explained her side.

"I might not be in her shoes, but I would surely only marry someone who tells my heart to do so. She'll be unhappy if she goes with it. I would, don't you want her to live a happy life?" Sora used his talk no jutsu.

"T-that's." Elinor frowned and thought of her daughter living a miserable marriage. "Elinor... the lad's right. Merida is our only daughter, shouldn't we talk this out more? Besides, you sprang this up on the lass without a single word." Fergus of course didn't want to marry off his daughter.

"And don't worry mom, I've talked with the suitors. They don't want to get married too, isn't that right lads?" Merida shouted out and the trio appeared, nodding at her words.

Elinor was surprised and that got her thinking. "A-alright. We'll settle this with the lords later Merida. I'm sorry for forcing you into this." She hugged her and Merida went still for a moment. She then hugged her mother tightly.

"I'm sorry too, you were just thinking of the future." Merida admitted and they made up. "Ahhh, what a lovely story." Rapunzel was patting her tears dry with Aqua and Esdeath rolled her eyes.

"But what about him? He's legally your fiance right now." Elinor pointed at Ramiel and they forgot about that little tidbit of information.

"Ahhh, that? I'll have something in exchange." Ramiel walked up to Merida and took the fragment inside of her. "W-woah, that's freaky." Merida looked at her chest and patted all over, thinking why she was still alive.

"Hmmm. Five down, two more to go." Ramiel cracked his neck and could feel his heart get repaired bit by bit. Everyone was staring at him except his own group, so he raised a brow.

"What? Never see a guy plunge his hand onto a person's chest before? Come on, let's party!" Ramiel shouted out.

"Of course they haven't fuhrer." Bismarck commented on the side because everyone was quiet. Ramiel shrugged and went to the kitchen, showing the plebs how to cook potatoes in the many ways it could be. Instead of bland boiled ones or plain salads.

Everybody started partying in the castle and the suitors along with Merida and her parents talked it out with the lords. Cancelling the engagement according to the wishes of everyone involved.

And while they were being taught how to chug by Ramiel, they heard a roar from the outside. With heartless destroying the castle doors. "Heartless! But how?" Sora took out his keyblade immediately.

"They must have felt the fragment of the chi-blade exiting out of Merida." Ramiel concluded. "Come on lads! It's time to fight!" Fergus drew his sword and a warcry came out of all the warriors.

Riku took out his car key keyblade, looking goofy as fuck. Rapunzel buffed the Scots with her light, their swords having a golden glow on them. Making them able to defeat the heartless using the power of a princess of heart.

"Come on Sora, if there's this many. Then surely something bigger is out there." Riku fought through the waves of heartless and arrived outside.

When they came to the castle grounds, what was waiting is a huge bear with spearheads on its back. Emanating darkness aplenty as more heartless spawned beside it.

"Mor'du!" Merida shouted out, it was the bear that took her father's leg. And it was a transformed lord from time past. Transformed by magic at his wish of gaining strength.

"Let's kick its ass!" Sora dived in, attempting to hit it with his keyblade. "Sora! You idiot!" Riku was too late in reaching out to him and the bear mauled him with its paws. Making Sora fly, he was in midair. And he was unprepared for its savage strength.

"Damn it, what the hell are you doing Sora?" Riku gritted his teeth and fired some firagas on the bear. But it was protected by a veil of darkness that swallowed his magic.

"Should we give them a hand?" Aqua looked at Ramiel and he shook his head. "I know someone who will though. Here, take this." Ramiel created a bow made of Orichalum to harness Merida's powers. A substitute for her broken one.

"Arrows? What about arrows!?" Merida panicked and she asked for arrows. "Arrows? That's for plebs, use your powers and conjure your own." Ramiel gestured for her to go on and fight.

"Are you crazy!? How can I shoot a bow without any arrows?" Merida shouted out as Fergus also helped Riku in fighting it. But they were clearly in a disadvantage.

"I don't know, that's your problem." Ramiel snorted and she started to breathe quickly. "Calm down Merida, Ramiel. You meanie, dig deep inside of you. Harness your inner strength, it will come to you naturally." Rapunzel advised her.

Fergus was about to get mauled by the bear, though it suddenly got blindsided by a keyblade. "This thing is strong, Donald, Goofy!" Sora shouted and he entered master form. Sora then kept it busy with a barrage of combos with two keyblades.

"Now!" Riku looked at Fergus and they attacked behind the bear. While it was getting beat up, it roared and a force made them go backwards. The darkness raged and the bear got larger and larger, turning into a full blown heartless.

"Uh-oh." Sora looked up towards its face and it roared at him, making him fly away. Riku jumped at its head and wanted to hit it on the head. But it parred with its claws that were coated with darkness.

Fergus slashed at its legs, but his sword shattered due to its steel-like fur. "Come on you! I'll take you on with my bare hands!" Fergus tried to wrestle its foot while Sora was bombarding it with fire magic on its face.

It covered its face with one paw and picked up Fergus with the other, throwing him on the ground. The bear roared at him and stomped at the disabled man. "Dad!" Merida's world went in slow motion, seeing that her father was about to get killed.

She quickly drew the string on her bow and light converged. A beam then got released and the paw of the bear was repelled. Saving her father at the nick of time. "Told you, no need for arrows here." Ramiel nodded at her.

Merida ran towards the bear and kept on firing arrows of light at it, keeping it at bay. "We need to do something too!" Sora shouted at Riku and they began releasing a barrage of blows on it while Merida provided cover fire.

Mor'du had enough and it leaked darkness, just like a pikachu. It covered itself with it and charged at them for a darkness tackle. Riku got clipped by it and he was blown away by the tackle. "Riku! No!"

Merida saw the trajectory and it would hit her home. "Not on my watch!" She charged up her bow and stood still in front of the charging bear. She then released her arrow and it pierced through its maw.

It suddenly crashed down on the ground, sliding right to her. But she didn't move and the bear stopped right in front of her. "Wow, that was cool!" Rapunzel cheered and they clapped at her.

"It tanked our every attack." Sora frowned and he looked at his hand. He haven't gained his powers yet and he felt quite weak during the altercation.

"Someone to fight for..." Sora remembered Hercules' words and how he regained his power. He then saw Riku's broken arm being set by Rapunzel's powers. He gritted his teeth and had a realization.

"My friends are the source of my strength, that's it." Sora went up to Riku. "Are you okay Riku? Anything wrong? Do you need a megalixir?" Sora patted all over him with worry.

Riku smiled wryly and pried his hands off. "I'm fine Sora, how about you? You're not hurt are you?" Sora frowned at his words. "You're stupid, you're the one who's hurt." He gave him a hug and Ramiel smirked at the sidelines.

"Kukuku, my magic card's effect casts gay!" Ramiel tilted Mor'du's trajectory a bit right at Riku so it could clip him with its charge. And it was super effective.

They cleaned up the mess and Ramiel thought they didn't need anything there anymore. "Merida, practice your new skills alright? I'll call for you later when we need you. It would be payment for the new bow."

Merida nodded and she hugged the bow, it looked amazing. And it didn't even need arrows. "Sure will!" They said their goodbyes. "Be good to your parents alright!" Sora shouted out while waving.

Everybody returned to forest and Sora called for his gummi ship. "Come on guys, where are we going next?" Sora tilted his head and Ramiel saw the blocky ship. "Hmph, your ship is lame. Look at mine!"

Ramiel raised his hands and Bismarck's ship appeared above them after cancelling its cloaking. Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy gaped like a fish and Ramiel snorted. "This is the power of grinding, baby! Guhahaha! Look at your lame gummi ship, mine's cooler!" Ramiel gloated.

Bismarck hit him on the back and rolled her eyes. "They're just kids fuhrer, what do you gain in showing off to them." She scolded him and he pouted. "For self satisfaction of course, look at their faces. It's like a pubescent boy saw boobs for the first time in their life." Ramiel nodded sagely.

"Enough with your antics Ramiel, let's go and find the next princess of heart." Aqua sighed and massaged her temples.

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Thank you for reading everyone, ciao.