Keygate Ficbit: The Power of Names

“Part of what makes them human is missing right now. Galian has his own name, and that helps you deal with him better, doesn’t it? Maybe their Heartless would be helped by new names, too.”

Not to mention, it might help you, Leon thought. He caught Merlin’s frown, and gave him a quiet nod. Aeris’ grasp of magic was more intuitive than a wizard’s, but they both knew their healer usually knew what she was doing.

“I’ll… consider it,” Vincent said at last. “For now, where should we go?”

Mischief glinted under Merlin’s bushy eyebrows. “Nowhere, for the moment,” he chuckled. “I believe someone wishes to thank you.”

Leon shot the old wizard a look. Merlin only smiled, and waved his wand at the door. “In with you, now, don’t dawdle.”

Heavy wood swung away from Yuffie’s fist, still raised to knock; she shook it at Merlin instead. “No fair! How am I supposed to be a ninja if you always know it’s me?”

“As one Master Splinter might say, practice harder.” The wizard tilted his head, the tip of his pointed hat tilting as he peered behind the girl. “Well, now. You did want to meet him properly, didn’t you?”

Crimson widened, alarmed. But Aeris was right there, a gentle hand resting on his leather glove. “It’ll be all right. You’ll see.”

Wary, two girls and a massive puppy peered out from behind Yuffie. Leon had to hide a chuckle, seeing the youngsters’ own magic at work. It might not look like much, but it’d saved the Scooby Gang time and again. Give them anything to hide behind, even a lamppost, and they were as invisible as the ninja Yuffie wanted to be. It even worked against Heartless. Most of the time. “Daphne. Velma. Scooby. Good to see you.”