Luculent Reveries

*The Gummi Ships land on a roof in Miguel. Nero steps out of one, Thiera another.*

T"Why are we landing here?"

N"It's my house. And we should be obscured from the street view. I don't want to make a scene."

T"Okay...but why did you come back in the first place?"

N"We can't seem to locate another Dream Core. I thought I'd ask Merlin about it."

T"Maybe our task is done & we've saved the worlds? There are some other Keyblade Masters out there, you know. Maybe we just managed to lock up all of the Dream Cores good & tight?"

N"And maybe we ended all violence, hunger, & sorrow in all of the worlds just by waving around some oversized keys?"

T"I was just being optimistic...."

*Nero walks towards the fire escape.*

Mimiru:<So, I take it we do whatever for the time being.>

*Mimiru goes down the fire escape*

Clegus: <... Feels good to be human again. Oh, look! The kitty again! No. Wait. That's just another cat.>

*He follows them*

*When they climb down, they see that there are fliers all over town. Nero looks at one stuck to his wall.*

N"'Help needed to replant my garden. Weird clawed footprints trampled all over my daisies.' Oh yeah, we kinda just skipped town after the Dreameaters trashed the place. Heh, we're the best heroes ever."

Seifer<Hey, you!>

N"Oh, great...."

*Nero turns around & grabs a box Seifer rams into his stomach.*

Seifer<Old guy told me to give this to you. He wants you to bring it back to him. Don't ask, I don't get it either. But he's paying us, so don't screw this up.>

*He looks at the other Keyblade Masters.*

Seifer<JUST me & Nero. The rest of you can buzz off. Well...maybe blondie & pigtails can stay.>

*Thiera looks at Taiyo sideways with a look of revulsion.*

Clegus: <Just when I thought I'd get a chance to kick your ass again, Seifey. Anyway Nero, it's probably important. You go ahead and visit Merlin with Taiyo and Thiera, I'm sure... we can find something to do.>

*He stares at Mimiru*

Clegus: <Assuming she can do more than go "Screw this" and hit stuff. If not, we'll do just that.>

"I want to stay here with Mimi! No good has ever come from a white guy wearing a toque all year round."

Mimiru:<Mimi?!>

T"Besides, we...have somewhere to be."

*She erects an ice wall in the alley, blocking Seifer from them.*
==================================================
*When Nero enters Merlin's house, it looks like an abandoned dump with nothing but broken furniture, dust, cobwebs, & spiders for company. He sets the package on the table.*

N"Hello?"

"Oh Thiera, you're so brave to protect us."

Mimiru:<Then why are you latched to me?>

"I feel so safe in your strong arms."

*Mimiru pulls her arm from from Taiyo*

T"We should go. The ice wall won't last long."

*Thiera begins to walk down the alley way.*

T"Maybe we can find something to do while Nero is...wait a minute...were you making fun of me?!"
==============================================
*He hears a snort & several grunts. Looking over, he sees a middle-aged man with short, shaggy blond hair & a pilot jacket hunched against the wall. As he yawns & rises to his feet, he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a lighter & a cigarrette. Somehow, he lights the cigarrette & puts it into his mouth with 1 hand, then drops the lighter back in his pocket. He inhales. Exhales. Turns to Nero.*

???<So yer Nero, aren'tcha? Old guy said ye'd be here soon.>

N"And--ahh--you are?"

???<Name's Cid. So, I take it ya need a Navigation Gummi?>

N"So that's what's wrong with--wait, how is it you can't pronounce 'is,' but you can pronounce 'Navigation Gummi'?"

Cid<You ever get a cigarrette put out in your eye, kid?>

*Taiyo and Mimiru follow, Taiyo standing uncomfortably close to Mimiru.*

"No, where'd you get that idea?"

Mimiru:<Why are you pretty much on top of me?>

"Because strong women are sexy.

Clegus: <Uhm, Thiera? We need to talk about something. You showed up at Disney Castle and helped out back at... what world did you guys go to again?... Anyway, you never actually told us much about yourself. Do you know anything we don't about all this stuff?>

T"I don't think so. I know about the Dreameaters, the Dream Cores, the King's trip, the Keyblades, the Twilight Gates, the group of wizards...."

*As she walks, she counts off on her fingers.*
===================================================
Cid<Now, Merlin gave you this job for 50 Munny, but he already gave it to me, as payment for this beaut.>

*He hands him what looks like a transparent astronomical globe containing a crystal compass.*

Cid<That oughta get ya where ya need to go. An' this is for free.>

*He hands Nero a sheet of paper.*

N"...It's a business flyer."

Cid<Sure is. I came to this town to set up a Gummi business. I'm the only person around who knows how to make Gummi Cores & Navigation Gummis, I guarantee it. I also took the liberty of customizing your ship. I think you'll like it. Reminds me of ya.>

N"Right...well, I'd better get going, now."

Cid<Okay, kid. Have fun. And remember to tell your friends!>

N"Uh-huh."

*Whenever he gets outside, he balls up the flyer & throws it aside.*

Mimiru:<So everything, really.>

"Sure looks like it."

Clegus: <Group of wizards? What group of wizards?>

=====

*A girl with long blond pigtails and a pink dress is standing outside, staring at Nero as he leaves the house*

????: <Was that Merlin you were talking to?>

N"Nope, just a future recipient of lung cancer. What do you need Merlin for?"
============================================
*Thiera stops & stares at him like he has 2 heads.*

T"How...how could you not know? Kuja, Kefka, the Horned King...did you think they all discovered the Dreameaters by accident? They're all part of the same group. I think they're lead by some evil queen."

Clegus: <How could I know is more like it. Merlin is annoyingly enigmatic and King Mickey's no where to be found. Why don't we all go for a walk in the woods, I'd like to know how you found out about that stuff.>

=====

????: <That's... Well, my thing stopped finding these things and I need his help with that... do you know where I can find him?>

Mimiru:<Why did you suggest the woods of all places?>

"Yeah, why not somewhere that isn't the woods?"

T"Yeah, I'm fine...NOT in the woods...'kay...?"
===================================
N"...What the FUCK are you babbling about?"

Clegus: <Well, take a look around you, the city is in the woods.>

*He walks over to a tree with a large crystal sphere embedded and stares at his blurry reflection*

Clegus: <There was so many crystal rain.. It's all gone.>

=====

Allina: <My ship stopped working.>

*A Destiny's Place materializes in her right hand*

Allina: <Do you have one of these too?>

Mimiru:<It's still dark 24/7, so not much has changed.>

N"Not one covered in flowers."

*He continues towards the alley he left the others at.*
=========================================
T"There's not much to tell. It's a boring story...where on Earth is Nero?"

Clegus: <... A better question would be, what did we come here for.>

=====

???: <Charming.>

*She enters the shack and looks around*

???: <Hello?>

"Something about not being able to find other Dream Thingys. Jeez, Pony we were all in the same spaceship."

Mimiru:<Pony?>

*Cid walks out.*

Cid<If yer lookin' fer Merlin, he skipped town. Said he had 'urgent business' with an 'old friend from back home.' But...if yer lookin' for Gummi Blocks, you've come to the right place!>
=================================================
T"I wasn't in your spaceship. And neither was the girl you're clinging to obsessively."

*Nero walks towards them, still carrying the Navigation Gummi.*

N"I'm back."

Clegus: <Hey, I was more of a pony than you could ever take. Nero, will that thing do the trick?>

=====

????: <I need a piece to help my ship locate distant Dream Cores. And I would also like to know who that boy that just left was.>