"Okay, ragazzi, we have one week to train." Giulia said before shouting out an equivalent of "Ready, set, go" in Italian. "I've got this." Alberto said with a confident smile before he noticed the numerous plates you and Luca were putting on the table. "Wait, what?" Alberto asked. "Every year they change the pasta. You have to be ready for anything. Could be cannelloni, penne, fusilli, trofie, even lasagna." Giulia explained. Alberto rolled his eyes as he tried to grab the food with his hand. However, Giulia smacked his hand away. "And you have to use a forchetta. It's the rule." Giulia said. Alberto groaned as he grabbed the forked and tried to pick up the pasta. "Rules are for rule people." Alberto said in frustration. You turned to Oswald to see he wasn't eating. "Shouldn't you be training?" You asked him. "Nah. I don't necessarily get full." Oswald said. You just shrugged at his response.

Later, you and Luca were riding up hill on your bikes. Of course, you had to quickly grab an abandoned bike and call it your own. Luca was struggling as an elderly man walked by him. You were a bit ahead while Giulia, Alberto, and Oswald were walking behind him. Alberto groaned at Luca's slow progress. You slowed down a bit to still stay with the group. "You can do it, Luca. Just keep pushing your legs. Don't stop, otherwise you might fall." You advised. Luca nodded as he continued to pedal his bike. Oswald quickly sped walk his way to you. "Since when can you ride a bike?" Oswald whispered. "I don't know. Muscle memory, I guess." You whispered back.

It took some time before you all managed to reach the top of the hill. Luca looked down at the steep hill nervously. "Holy carp. No. I can't." Luca said in fear. Ercole rode past you all on his bike. "I know. I know." Ercole laughed. "And remember, piccoletto..." Ercole dragged his finger over his neck before riding down the hill. "Forza, Luca, don't let him get in your head. You can do this." Giulia encouraged. "And I'll be right behind you." You said. "Okay. Silenzio, Bruno. Here we go." Luca said before going down the hill. You followed soon after. Luca whimpered as he began to pick up speed. "I can't!" Luca yelled. Luca abruptly pulled the brakes and screamed as he was launched through the air. You all stopped and winced as Luca crashed into the wall. Luca looked up dizzily like he was seeing stars.

Once you made sure Luca was okay, you all made your way to the docks. As they climbed onto a boat, you stopped and stared at the water. "Y/N? Y/N, you coming?" Giulia asked. You snapped out of your daze and nervously smiled. "Actually, you guys go on ahead. I've gotta, um, tune up my bike. Make sure the brakes are still working and all that stuff." You quickly said. "Oh, okay." Giulia said as they paddled out to the sea. Oswald stayed behind with you. "Why didn't you go with them?" Oswald asked. "I don't want to risk anything." You answered. "What do you mean?" Oswald asked. "I don't think I can swim. Maybe I could, but looking at the water makes me nervous for some reason." You said. Oswald hummed in understanding. "Then I guess we really should check on your bike, considering we found it in an alleyway." Oswald said. "Yeah, we should." You said.

As you guys were checking over your bike, you noticed some movement from the corner of your eye. You turned your head to get a better look, but didn't see anything. You stood up and made your way to where you saw the movement. "Where are you going?" Oswald asked. You ignored him as you turned the corner to a different alleyway. Oswald quickly followed and joined you in the alleyway. Before he could say anything, some Heartless appeared. "So there are Heartless in this world!" Oswald said as he summoned his Keyblade. You did the same and took your fighting stance. "Remember what I taught you." Oswald said. You nodded before jumping into battle.

You swung your Keyblade at the first Heartless you saw. As you defeated the Heartless, you immediately blocked another from an oncoming attack. You struck down that Heartless before dodge rolling to another. Oswald was quickly disposing the Heartless at a fast rate, casting different spells as well. You stared down at your Keyblade. I want to try again. You pointed your Keyblade at a Heartless and concentrated. Come on. Cast water. You kept on concentrating with all your might, but nothing happened. You quickly blocked before a Heartless could hurt you. You struck down the last Heartless and the battle was over.

Oswald walked over to me. "You did really well! Looks like that training really paid off." Oswald said. "Yeah, it sure did..." You said as he stared down at your Keyblade. What made me think I could actually do magic this time? "With the Heartless around, we better be sure to protect those kids. Their hearts are full of light in this world." Oswald said. You snapped out of your trance and nodded. "Definitely. Let's head back to the harbor and wait for them." You said. Oswald nodded as you both went back to the harbor.

By sunset, the kids had returned on their boat. "Good effort, team. You've earned your pasta tonight." Giulia said as she led everyone inside her home. "Can I please eat with my hands?" Alberto asked. You shook your head with a smile at the question. You turned around and noticed that Luca was the last to enter, with a surprised and nervous look on his face. "You okay, Luca?" You asked. "Uh, yeah! I'm good!" Luca answered, forcing a smile. You raised an eyebrow, but decided not to pry. You didn't want to force him to share something if he doesn't want to. "Alright." You said.

You all had dinner together, with you and Oswald being introduced to Massimo Marcovaldo, Giulia's dad. You were surprised to find Giulia's dad to be huge and buff, but you could tell that he really cares for his daughter. As night time came, Luca sat next to Alberto at their little hideout on a tree. You couldn't hear what they were talking about, but Giulia pulled you and Oswald with her to their hideout. Giulia sat in between Luca and Alberto as you and Oswald stood behind them. "Alright, guys. Pretty good today, but let's talk technique." Before Giulia could continue, Massimo called from below the tree. "Hey, ragazzi! I need some help with the nets. You. The big, strong one. Andiamo." Alberto smiled. "I'll be right back." Alberto said before jumping down the tree and following Massimo, his smile slowly fading away.

Luca sighed as he lied down. "Hey, we're gonna win. And you'll get your Vespa." Giulia said as she lied down next to Luca. You and Oswald sat down next to them. "Why do you want a Vespa?" You asked Luca. "Oh. Because it'll be amazing. Everyday, me and Alberto are gonna ride someplace new. And every night, we'll sleep under the fish." Luca said as he pointed at the stars. You and Oswald looked at each other in confusion. "The fish?" Giulia chuckled dryly. "Good." Giulia said. "How about you? What'll you guys do when you win?" Luca asked. "Eh, not much. We're just doing this race for fun. Right, Y/N?" Oswald asked. "That's right." You answered. "Well, I'll get up in front of everyone and say, 'Told you I'd win!'" Giulia answered. Luca laughed. "Yeah. And then what?" Luca asked. "Well, that's it. Look, during school, I live with my mamma in Genova. And every summer, I come here, and everyone thinks I'm just some weird kid who doesn't belong." Giulia explained. Luca sighed. "I think I know what you mean." Luca said. "Me too." You said, staring up at the stars.

"Right? That's why we gotta win. The town will cheer our names. Ercole's life will be ruined!" Giulia stopped and gasped. "Sorry. Too much? My mom says sometimes I'm too much." Giulia said. "No way. Not for me." Luca said. "Or for us." You said. Giulia chuckled in delight until she looked up at the stars. "You know those aren't fish, right?" Giulia asked. "Of course they are. Alberto told me all about it." Luca said. So Alberto told him that stars are fish? "Come with me." Giulia said.

Giulia climbed onto the roof, with you, Luca, and Oswald following her. You guys walked from roof to roof into you all ended up at a small balcony. "This is a telescope." Giulia said as she pulled a sheet off of a telescope. "Old man Bernardi lets me use it. It makes faraway things seem closer. Look." Giulia said. Luca looked through the telescope and saw the stars. Luca gasped in awe. You smiled. "See any fish?" You asked. "Then what are all those?" Luca asked. "Stars. Like the sun. Giant, raging balls of fire!" Giulia answered. "So, Alberto was wrong." Luca said. "And stars are circled by planets." Giulia said as she handed Luca a book showing the solar system. Planets instead of worlds. Maybe it's this world's magic hiding the existence of other worlds. Giulia adjusted the telescope. "Look." Luca closed the book and looked through the telescope. "That's Saturno. It's my favorite. It's the lightest of the planets. They say if there was an ocean big enough to hold it, it would float in it!" Giulia exclaimed.

Giulia began to explain a bunch of stuff to Luca, who was so eager and excited to learn every new thing that Giulia presented. You and Oswald watched from the sidelines, but you couldn't help but smile through the whole thing. Watching Luca's curiosity and eagerness to learn was really... refreshing to you. It kinda made you eager to learn something too. You stared up at the stars. Maybe I've been going about this all wrong. Maybe I'm meant to be out there, exploring different worlds and learning something new. Maybe I'll learn something about myself.

"So, this is how machines fly?"

"Si."

"And there are big towns called cities?"

"Si."

"Like even bigger than Portorosso?" Luca asked. "Like Genova! Literally twenty times bigger." Giulia answered. "And we're all on a big round rock, floating around a star in the 'solar system'?" Luca asked. "So cool, right?" Giulia asked. "And is there anything beyond the solar system?" Luca asked. "Only a galaxy full of solar systems." Giulia said. "Then what?" Luca asked. "A universe full of galaxies!" Giulia said. Luca laughed excitedly. "And then what?" Luca asked. "And then... I don't know. But next year in Advanced Astronomy, I'm gonna use my school's telescope. So, maybe I'll find out. That thing's huge. I wish I could show it to you." Giulia said. "Just promise you'll tell me everything you see!" Luca smile fell. "Sorry. Too much?" Luca asked. Giulia laughed. "Never."

You all started to laugh when Alberto returned. "Hey, Luca. I've been looking everywhere for you." Alberto said. "Oh, sorry." Luca apologized. "Just come on. Let's go." Alberto said before leaving. Luca held out the astronomy book. "Could I maybe borrow this? Just for tonight." Luca asked. Giulia opened the book, scratcher her name off, and wrote Luca's name on it. "You can have it." Giulia laughed as she attempted to do a cartwheel. "The universe is literally yours!" Giulia said. "Wow. Thank you!" Luca thanked. "Luca!" Alberto called. "Okay." Luca said. Alberto glared at you, Oswald, and Giulia before he left with Luca.

"Wonder what that was all about." Giulia said. "Beats me." Oswald said. "Maybe jealousy?" You suggested. "Why would he be jealous?" Giulia asked. "I'm not sure. It could just be something else." You said. "Maybe." Giulia said. "We should probably follow after them and make sure they're okay." Oswald said. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go." You said as you and Oswald exited Giulia's room.

You want Oswald exited out of the Marcovaldo household into the plaza when you heard someone shouting. "Nobody wants you here, idioti! Keep running!" You recognized the voice as Ercole's. What is he doing this time? Luca and Alberto soon ran around the corner, but stopped when the Heartless appeared. You and Oswald immediately summoned your Keyblades and stood in front of Luca and Alberto. "Stay back and hide someplace safe. We'll take care of this." You instructed. Luca nodded and took Alberto someplace to hide. You and Oswald began to battle.

You swung your Keyblade at a Heartless, knocking it into the air. You jumped up and continued to hit the Heartless with your Keyblade until it disappeared. You landed on your feet and moved on to the next Heartless. As you kept attacking, you noticed a new looking Heartless. It was a bit taller than the other Heartless' and looked like a sea monster. The sea monster Heartless shot water at you while you weren't looking. Water splashed in your eyes and you somehow took damage. Must be magic. You quickly wiped the water away and attacked the sea monster Heartless. It took a few more hits than the regular Heartless, but you managed to defeat it.

All of the Heartless were gone thanks to you and Oswald. You turned around and found Luca and Alberto slowly come out of their hiding spot. "You guys okay?" You asked. "Y-Yeah. We're fine. Thank you." Luca answered, still clutching onto his new book. "It's no problem. Now, let's head back." You said. You and Oswald entered the Marcovaldo household, but Luca and Alberto stayed behind. "Why did you make him mad? We should've left." Luca told Alberto. "No, no, no. We're fine. I had it under control. All you gotta do is follow my lead, remember?" Alberto said as he went to the hideout. Luca was the last to enter.