Chapter 18

It was the first time Sora had harvested things straight from the field like this. “You help, too, Tigger,” Sora called. “Sure thing!” Tigger stopped idly bouncing around and joined in the work. “You want me to pick ’em all?” “Yeah, thanks.” Sora ran around the garden gathering produce, while Pooh and his friends sorted it into different baskets until they were all full. “What a harvest!” Rabbit cried. “Thanks to Sora’s help,” Piglet said. Sora brushed some sweat off his forehead. Rabbit seemed quite pleased with his armload of carrots. “Yes, quite right. Thank you, Sora!” Meanwhile, Tigger was boinging along beside them. “Well, how’s about a little more bouncin’?” he suggested, and Lumpy joined in. Next Sora was asked to help with the fruit in the orchard, and then the flowers in the garden. Once his work there was done, he plopped down on the ground feeling just the right amount of tired. Everything was as lovely as ever here in this world. Everyone was getting along fine, it was a beautiful day, and he couldn’t see anything majorly unusual at work here. “Well, looks like your problem’s solved. Guess I’ll be on my way,” Sora said as he got to his feet and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Rabbit held out a big jar to Pooh. “Here, Pooh. A pot full of honey. It’s your reward for being such a big help. Eat all you want.” “Oh, thank you, Rabbit!” Pooh accepted the honey and immediately dipped in a paw. A sudden breeze carried flower petals dancing through the air, and Tigger bounced after them. “Look at ’em all. They’re bouncin’ even higher than me!” They all watched the colorful petals fluttering across the clear blue sky. The view was especially beautiful. “Sora, I believe the one I should thank for all that yummy, delicious honey is you,” said Pooh. Sora knelt down. “Don’t mention it, Pooh,” he replied. “Besides, we all helped.” “Um, Sora?” the bear said, seeming to have remembered something. He put a hand to his chest and asked, “You used to be right here. Why is it that you went away?” Sora was confused. “Away? Oh, that’s what you meant by ‘you’re home.’” Now he understood why Pooh had greeted him the way he did. Pooh’s face fell a little. “Yes. You see, when I get a rumbly in my tumbly, it’s very hard to think of anything but honey. So I was worried that I might have forgotten you away.” “Silly bear, I’d never.” “Oh, good, because I want us to be together forever.” “Pooh. We are together. There isn’t a second that we’re not.” Sora started to reassure him, but then a wave of unease came over him. Maybe our connection is growing weaker. Why is that? My heart did almost become a vessel for Xehanort back when I was nearly trapped in the Sleeping Worlds. Could that have something to do with it? And I think maybe everyone forgot about me when I went to sleep to recover my memory before that, too. Maybe it’s the same as back then…? Or could it be— “What’s wrong, Sora?” “Oh, it’s nothing. What matters is I’ll be here from now on. No going away,” Sora said, pointing a finger at Pooh’s chest. I won’t be disappearing from anyone’s heart again. “Thank you, Sora.” A strong gust of wind blew past them, sending more flower petals dancing up into the sky. And with that… The image of Sora reappeared on the cover of Pooh’s book, and shortly after, Sora himself returned to the table at the bistro in a flash of light. “Splendid. All is as it should be,” Merlin told him. “But how come Sora’s picture disappeared in the first place?” Donald asked, walking up. Instead of answering, Sora just looked at the flagstones. “Sora?” Goofy peered into his friend’s face with concern. “Something’s happened to me that made me vanish from Pooh’s heart. Merlin, I don’t ever want to lose my friends.” Somehow…I know it has to be Xehanort’s doing. I don’t want to fade from anyone else’s heart. “Well, now,” Merlin said with a stroke of his beard. Sora looked up. “Huh?” “There’s no need to fret, lad. Whatever’s lost can be found again. There are always new paths between hearts for us to discover and traverse,” the wizard informed Sora gently. He showed him the cover of the book with Sora and Pooh together. “But you already know that.” “Yeah!” Sora’s grin returned, and Merlin smiled as well. After saying good-bye to Sora, Donald, and Goofy as they resumed their travels, Merlin hefted his bag over his shoulder. Oh, yes—I need to buy some more of that sea-salt ice cream. His pupils’ training was strenuous but proceeding nicely. In fact, these were the first young trainees he had taken on since Sora. The king and Riku had paid Merlin a visit at his home in Radiant Garden a short time ago, to deliver two bags from Yen Sid. They had even needed new Keyblades themselves. Well, well. I wonder where they are now. Perhaps they were working toward some great and noble purpose, but Merlin didn’t know anything about that. He merely aided those who came to him in need. Training two youngsters to become full-fledged Keyblade wielders is hard work indeed. But I would never refuse a favor for my good friend Yen Sid, much less the king. Merlin might have been getting on in years, but he wasn’t a hunched-over old man just yet. With a weary slap to his hip, he went on his way.