"Humm? Ehh…"

Sora rolled over in his bed and glared at the alarm clock that had awakened him at such an early hour. The back of his fist landed on the snooze button as he tried to untangle his legs from the sheets. He relaxed and let out a sigh as the noise stopped. As he laid back in his bed, his arms in a familiar position-on either side of his spiky hair and bent at hard angles to bring his hands together behind his head, he thought of the recent occurrences on the islands. It was strange. He had disappeared for well over a year, but his family and friends greeted him like he had been on vacation without calling home-they were excited and had been slightly worried, but life swiftly resumed its natural course. A big hug from Mom and a few 'I was so worried's and it was all back to normal. How could it be so simple? Could all the worlds really go back to normal after so much had happened? Could he?...
Sora started to think about what really did happen. Not all of it was clear. So many enemies though…So many people knew about him…and Kairi…and Riku…and, of course, the King… It seemed like they were the important players in some story. DiZ, or Ansem the Wise or whoever he was, and basically everyone else who travelled from world to world was like him-a central player in some performance or skit… so many worlds…and so many people in them, never knowing what's out there-but Sora knew. He and his friends had fought for it. And yet many other worlds were lost, or callously called out of and then back into existence. One thing was for sure: He was changed forever. He wondered if he would be able to go to school, to hang up his Keyblade forever. Riku and Kairi wouldn't be able to. They would enjoy the peace for a while, but then they would crave more adventure. Especially Kairi. When she lifted that Blooming Heart Keyblade that Riku gave her, she had found her fighting spirit. No longer would she be the damsel in distress. So much had changed…

Oh well. Sora dangled his legs off the bed. Best to just enjoy the time spent here at home-everything would work itself out. He hopped out of bed, pulled on a comfy weekend outfit and stumbled out his door as he fiddled with his belt. None of his old clothes would fit him. Just a downside to going out on adventures, he thought. He ran down the stairs to the kitchen. His mother was so happy that her son was home that she could hardly sleep the night before. It was still early, but she had already laid out enough food for an entire breakfast buffet.

"Good morning, Sora!" She beamed. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well." Sora took a seat at the table. "How long have you been up?"

"Not too long." She beamed again, obviously lying. She hummed as she turned back to the stove, adding to the mountain of bacon, sausage, rice, pancakes, crepes, eggs prepared in every conceivable manner, and many other breakfast foods from numerous different worldly cultures.

"Umm…I think you might be overdoing it, Mom." He said apprehensively.

"Sorry honey," She said, her smile only widening, "I was just excited that you were back. Guess I got a little carried away…"

"No-that's okay. I'll invite Riku and Kairi over for breakfast."

"What about Riku and Kairi?" Said a voice from outside the open window.

"Wh-Riku!" Sora jumped with surprise as he saw silver hair and brilliant eyes out the window. "When did you get here?!"

"Just walked up," he replied, "we were about to ring the bell."

"We? Oh! Hi Kairi!" He noticed the girl standing behind Riku. How could he have missed her? Both she and Riku were wearing their clothing they had returned to the islands in. They had probably been up all night talking to their parents. He had never understood how Riku went off such little sleep, but he always had been that way.

"We both woke up early today," Kairi said. Her voice was soft and sweet, like always. It was almost intoxicating now that all the stress of the past few months was over. Her voice was relaxed. It was beautiful. "After we spent some time with our families, we met up on the way here to see what you were up to."

"We expected you to be out cold for half the day," Riku added with a taunting grin.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Sora started.

"Hush, hush," Sora's mother interrupted. "Everyone settle down. Riku, Kairi, feel free to help yourself to some breakfast. I dare say there's enough to go around."

"Wow," Sora said, pushing himself away from the table, "that was the best meal I've ever had! Thanks Mom!" Sora's mother smiled.

"You're very welcome, dear."

"I think that it counts as more than one meal with how much you ate," Riku said with a grin. He and Kairi had sampled a little bit of the food at Sora's mother's urging. They had both had breakfast with their families. Sora didn't seem to notice the comment. "But it was delicious. All of it was." He smiled sincerely to the chef.

"Yeah it really was!" Kairi added excitedly. "Thank you very much, ma'am!" She bowed her head slightly and smiled.

"Well thank you all." She started gathering up the dirty dishes. "No, no, I'll take care of these, Sora. You go get cleaned up."

"Okay. I'll meet you guys at the island in half an hour okay?" He ran off without hearing the response."

Sora's mother smiled at the two teenagers as they walked out, waving goodbye.

"Have fun, kids!"

Sora rowed up to the small island. Two little rowboats were sitting at the dock. A note tacked to the edge of the deck was written in Kairi's cute loopy handwriting. It told Sora to find her and Riku and that they'd be wandering the island until he got there. Sora walked the beach, taking in the island that had served as a second home to him for so many years. After taking in the sights that his heart already knew so well, he walked into the rickety Seaside Shack. He walked up the stairs, running his hands across the dents and carvings along the wooden walls, and came out of the door at the top of the familiar rocky outcrop. He walked halfway across the makeshift bridge and enjoyed the sound of the waves and the feel of the spray from the sea. After another few minutes of sitting with his legs dangling over the edge of the bridge, he heard something from the other side of the island that chilled him to the bone. As he ran full tilt to the other side of the island, Kairi's scream echoed in the green canopy above the island.

"Wow, Kairi. I didn't know you were so excitable." Riku stepped up beside her and gazed at what had shocked her so much just as Sora came running up to the two of them.

"Kairi!" Sora rushed up to her, a concerned look on his face and the Kingdom Key in his hand. "Wh-what is it?!"

"'It'," Riku started calmly, "is a note." He picked up a small bottle containing a piece of parchment. It had been floating nearby. Floating, not on the water, but in the air.

"It popped up out of the waves when we walked up and just kind of…stuck in the air…" Kairi explained, clearly spooked, but also interested in the artifact.

"Yeah, it scared the heck outta me." Riku said sardonically. With a smile, he added, "Didja hear me scream?" Sora was too interested in the bottle to humor him. He had already wrestled the cork from its neck and was desperately trying to reach the note with his fingers.

"Jeez..." Kairi grabbed the bottle, held it above Sora's hands, and rotated it upside-down. The note slid out effortlessly. "Next time, let someone who knows what they're doing get the secret note from the flying bottle." Sora just pouted at her. Kairi gave him a playful wink and gestured toward the note. All three of them read it at the same time, with Riku and Kairi leering over Sora's shoulders as he held it out. This is what it said:

Dear Riku,

Sorry to interrupt ya so soon after ya got back home, but there were a few things that I didn't get to say before Donald Goofy and I left for Disney Castle, and I trust you'll pass the word on to Sora and Kairi, too.

First off, I wanna thank all three of you for your help in protecting Kingdom Hearts and defeating Organization XIII. I know that all of you lost things that were very important to you, and you sacrificed a lot, but it's thanks to you that the worlds were saved.

Second, I would like to apologize to the three of you on behalf of my old friend Ansem the Wise. I know it seems like he manipulated you all, especially you, Riku, but he had the best of intentions. He just let personal matters get in the way a little too much. If he were here now, I'm sure he'd wanna make it up to ya, but since he's not, please accept my apology for him.

Lastly, and it pains me to say this, I need to warn you about a coming danger. It seems that all the activity around Kingdom Hearts this last year has awakened a group more ancient than the Timeless River and more powerful than the Organization.

Ya see, it goes like this: Many years ago, the Door to Darkness that Ansem the Wise discovered and the realm we call Kingdom Hearts was watched over by a group known as the Keepers. Ya see, they keep track of the goings on about Kingdom Hearts. They were immensely powerful, many of them using Keyblades to control Kingdom Hearts. Most worlds had at least one emissary from the Keepers in their midst and no one ever even knew.

But one day, a long time ago, a young Keeper who had been exiled by his master decided that he wanted more power, so that he could become stronger than any Keeper before him. So, to gain more strength, he and his allies opened Kingdom Hearts. Now back then, it was very different from the place where you've been. It was more wild and dangerous. The Keepers, in a last ditch effort to stop the young traitor, used the power of the Keyblades to seal off Kingdom Hearts and merge it with their own world, making it more stable and less dangerous. Then, they took all the Keyblades and made the Door to Darkness, and sealed their world and the traitors inside. After that, the Keepers were almost wiped out, and very few Keyblades survived. As far as I can tell, only four of them made it out, and we have them all accounted for.

That's why it's so dangerous for you three-all the commotion in Kingdom Hearts broke the seal on the traitors locked inside, and now they'll all be coming back to reclaim the Keyblades. You guys have to stay hidden, and don't trust anyone-these Keepers will stop at nothing to get those Keyblades back. I need to go consult an old friend about all of this, then I'll come back to find you. Until I come back, keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. Take care of each other.

Sora Riku and Kairi stood silently after reading the letter. They were in shock.

"So…we didn't change anything?" Sora asked, disheartened.

"The worlds still aren't at peace?" Kairi added, sounding concerned.

"We didn't stop them quick enough…" Riku was angry. "No matter what we do, no matter how we try, it's never enough!!" Kairi shuffled her feet uncomfortably.

"So what will they do if they take our Keyblades?"

"I don't know, but we've sacrificed too much to just lose to some old dudes who've been frozen for a few decades!!"

"We've sacrificed so much," Sora said despondently, "and yet…it just isn't enough."

"Well," said a strange voice, "I've always found that if a little isn't enough, give it a little more." They turned to see a boy, about their age, perched on a rocky outcrop just above them, less than thirty feet to their right.

"And if that ain't enough," he added, hopping down and twirling a cheap wooden cane between his fingers, "Give it everything you've got!" Sora and Riku summoned their Keyblades and stepped in between the stranger and Kairi.

"And if that don't work, then the game's rigged." He charged at them, wielding the cane like a kendo stick. "And if the game's rigged, then to hell with the rules-just enjoy the ride!!"