Sora couldn't explain it but he could feel this strange feeling in his gut that something was wrong. Kairi felt the same way but she couldn't explain it either.
"Your move Sora." Roxas said as he looked at his "brother" from over the chess set.
"Ugh sorry Roxas…it's just…there's something in my gut that makes me feel strange." Sora replied.
"Stomach ache?" Roxas asked as Sora shook his head.
"No…more like…a feeling." Sora replied as his cell phone rang.
"Dom, dom, dom, dom, da, dum, dom, da, dom" the phone rang in an epic fanfare. (Final Fantasy Fanfare)
Sora looked at the caller I.D. and paled.
"Who is it?" Roxas asked.
"It's…mom." Sora said as Roxas and Kairi (who was reading a book on the couch nearby) all turned to look at him with shock as Sora flipped the phone open.
"H-Hello?" Sora asked.
"Sora? Is that you?" Lulu, Sora's mom, asked from the other end.
"Mom?" Sora asked.
"It is you…oh thank Minerva." Lulu replied.
"Its bad news isn't it?" Sora asked.
"Yes…you're father's store was just bombed a few minutes ago…I don't know if he's still alive or not." Lulu replied with a panicked tone of voice as Sora turned white as a sheet.
"Hang on Mom…we're on our way." Sora said as he hung up the phone.
"What's wrong?" Kairi asked worriedly.
"Dad's store was just bombed!" Sora shouted as he bolted for the door with the other two close behind.
Later…
Sora, Kairi, Roxas, Namine, Riku, and Fuu were all packing their respective suitcases frantically.
"So let me get this straight…" Argento asked as she helped Sora and Kairi pack, "…You six are going off to the Islands alone while Cissnei, Shelke, Luxa, and I stay and watch the kids?"
"Essentially…please don't argue with me now Gen…I really don't want to have to deal with you right now." Sora pleaded as Argento nodded.
"I wasn't complaining…I was making sure I had the orders correct." Argento replied.
Later the kids and their caretakers were all in the foyer as the six stampeded down the stairs.
"Our numbers are on the fridge, we may be away for a few days…and above all else…you guys behave." Sora said as he pointed to the six children shortly before kneeling down and embracing his own two in a hug.
"Be strong you guys…Mom and Dad are going through one heck of a roller coaster ride right now." Sora said with a sigh as everyone said their goodbyes and then Namine pressed a button on her wrist and the six heroes vanished in a beam of light.
On board a Kingdom Model Gummy ship in orbit, Namine scrambled to the controls as she brought the gummy ship to life.
"All systems are green…we're good to go." Namine said as Riku punched in the coordinates on the ship's navicomputer for the Destiny Islands.
"Coordinates set." Riku reported as everyone strapped themselves in.
Namine turned and set a nearby dial to "To Infinity & Beyond," and the gummy ship lurched slightly as she positioned herself shortly before rocketing into space.
Back in the mansion, the six kids shrugged confused as they turned and walked off towards the main hall.
"What do you suppose is going on?" Ventus asked confused.
"Beats me." Marina replied.
"Do you think we should tell them?" Cissnei whispered to Luxa as Argento and the kids went on ahead into the main room.
"Give them a moment…I have a feeling that the truth will be revealed in its own time." Luxa replied.
"I concur with Luxa…" Shelke said in her emotionless tone, "…I believe that the truth will reveal itself to the young Keybearers."
Cissnei & Luxa both looked at Shelke in surprise.
"What did you call them?" Cissnei asked surprised.
"Keybearers…five out of six of them carry a Keyblade, and according to what they claim, it has been at least five years for Ventus and four years for Marina." Shelke explained as Luxa smirked.
"I knew it…I somehow could feel the Keyblades' power residing within them." Luxa said proudly.
"Perhaps we should take advantage of the situation and try to show them what to do with the Keyblades." Cissnei suggested as the other two nodded.
"Agreed…Let's go train some heroes." Luxa said as they walked into the main room where the kids all hushed up as they saw Luxa and Cissnei enter.
"Is the silence on account of us?" Cissnei asked.
"What makes you say that?" Argento asked back.
"Because the secret's out…Shelke told us all about our young Keybearers here." Luxa explained as Argento face palmed and all the kids looked at each other in a panic.
"Shelke…I ordered you to keep quiet!" Argento growled through her hand.
"Correction, you ordered me to remain silent in front of the children's respective parents…not Luxa or Cissnei." Shelke replied.
"Ordered? What are you guys ex-military?" Ventus asked as the two former Tsvitets looked at him and Luxa and Cissnei nearly started laughing.
"As a matter of fact Venny…we are." Argento replied as the kids all leaned forward in disbelief.
"Really?" all six of them said in unison.
"Really…My title was Argento the Silver, and Shelke here was Shelke the Transparent…we were both elite members of an evil military organization called Deepground over ten years ago…but thanks to your father…my brother essentially, I had a change of heart." Argento explained.
"What did you do for those Deepground guys?" Ventus asked.
"I was the head training instructor for the infantry." Argento replied as an idea entered Luxa's head.
"Here's an idea…" Luxa said as Argento gave her a confused look, "…why don't you train these guys to wield their Keyblades…who knows, they may have to defend themselves one day and none of us will be there to help them."
"That's a great idea!" Rikujou said eagerly as all the kids started pleading for her to train them.
"It's no game you guys…it's honest to Pete physical training…you could hurt yourselves and I would get an earful from your parents when they got home." Argento replied to the kids begging.
"Oh come on Argento you just said that you trained the military guys in Deepground." Cissnei said as Argento groaned.
"Those guys had already had the basic training, and I was the elite training instructor, emphasis on ELITE!" Argento said as Luxa stood there with her arms crossed.
"That and you had no emotional attachment to the Deepground soldiers to speak of." Luxa added as Argento nodded.
"Thus…my point." Argento replied.
"Oh come on, give us a chance Aunt Jenny." Marina pleaded as Argento headed for the door to the backyard.
"I don't want you guys getting hurt." Argento replied as everyone followed her outside, the kids still begging all the way.
"If we do, we do have EVE to heal our injuries right?" Sky said as the egg shaped robot stuck her head out of the door and flew out to join them.
"Come on please, just give us a chance." Ventus pleaded as Argento paused and whirled around to face them.
"So, ya wanna be heros, kids?
Well, whoop-de-do!"
Argento said sarcastically as the kids hearts sank slightly.
"I have been around the block before
with blockheads just like you."
"Each and ev'ryone a disappointment
Pain EHH!"
Argento groaned as an apple fell on her head from the tree above.
"for which there ain't no ointment
So much for excuses
Though a kid of Bros' is
Asking me to jump into the fray
My answer is two words –"
Argento said with her arms crossed as a ricochet was heard and an apple hanging close above her head splattered.
"O.K…You win" Argento said with a mild catatonic look as Luxa blew across the barrel of her gunblade.
"YES!!! You won't regret this Aunt Jenny." Ventus and the others cheered as Argento slumped over and started heading for a nearby tool shed.
"Oh goddess…" she groaned, "…Oy vay."
"I'd given up hope that someone would come along
a fella who'd ring the bell for once"
Argento said as she opened the tool shed and was hit in the head by a large metal plate which gave a clang as it hit her.
"Not the gong
the kind who wins trophies
won't settle for low fees
At least semi-pro fees
but noooo"
Argento said as she started pulling things out of the shed but was suddenly knocked to the ground by a spring loaded object.
"I get the greenhorn."
She grumbled as she and the adults started setting up a massive training course.
"I've been out to pasture pals, my ambition gone
Content to spend lazy days and to mow the lawn
But you need an advisor
A Tsvitet, but wiser
A good merchandiser.
And WHOAAAA!"
Argento shouted as Luxa lost control of a large beam that nearly hit Argento but came within an inch of her.
"There goes my ulcer!" Argento groaned.
"I'm down to one last hope
And I hope it's you
Though, kids, you're not exactly
A dream come true
I've trained enough turkeys
Who never came through
You're my one last hope
So you'll have to do"
"Ok guys let's see how you guys do with this basic obstacle course." Argento said motioning to a simple looking obstacle course and fired off a starter pistol as the five Keybearers summoned their Keyblades and ran onto the course.
Ventus was the first one through with the others not far behind.
"Ok not bad now, quick try that one!" Argento said motioning to another nearby obstacle course that looked a lot tougher.
They failed miserably on that one.
"Oh we've got our work cut out for us on this one." Argento grumbled as she face palmed.
"Demigods have faced the odds
and ended up a mockery
don't believe the stories
that you hear on that old T.V."
Argento reassured as the kids started the tougher course again. Marina tumbled out of bounds as Argento ran over and helped her up.
"To be a true hero, kids, is a dying art
like painting a masterpiece, it's a work of heart"
Argento said pointing to Marina's chest.
"It takes more than sinew
comes down to what's in you
you have to continue to grow"
The kids all broke the tape at the end of the tougher course in record time on the third time through…
"NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!!!"
Argento shouted as she and the others set up the final and hardest course.
"I'm down to one last shot
and my last high note
before that blasted Underworld
gets my goat
my dreams are on you, kids."
Argento said as the kids started the final course and swiftly cut through the course defenses and passed the obstacles.
"Go make 'em come true
Climb that uphill slope
Keep pushing that envelope
you're my one last hope
And, kids, its up. To. Youuuuuuuuuuu."
The kids reached the end of the course in record time again.
"YEAH!!!" Argento shouted in celebration as the kids high fived each other.
"Now what do you think of us Aunt Jenny?" Ventus asked with his arms crossed.
"I gotta give it to you guys…I've never had anyone complete the course in that short amount of time…usually they've been shot for their fifth failure at the basic course by now." Argento said with a smile.
"Now we'll see if any dangers can get to you guys." Luxa said as the kids nodded then yawned.
"(Yawn) yeah…let me at' em." Marina said sleepily.
"Ok then guys, hit the sack, you've earned it." Argento said as the kids trudged inside and Luxa started dismantling the course.
"Hold your horses Lux!" Cissnei shouted as Luxa paused.
"What?" Luxa asked confused.
"I want to give it a whirl." Cissnei replied as Luxa smirked and reassembled the course.
Meanwhile…
"I can't believe that the hyperdrive blew out on us when we were almost there!" Sora groaned as the gummy ship roared towards the Destiny Island's world shell.
"Well it's kind of what we get for having left this thing in space for ten full years without using it and suddenly appearing on board and having it go to its highest speed." Namine replied as she fiddled with the controls.
Finally the gummy ship passed through the protective shell that surrounded the world and saw the familiar sight of the islands approaching fast. Only difference is that there was a massive cloud of black smoke bellowing from the dead center of it and an old and familiar looking ship moored to a nearby dock.
"There it is…home." Sora said as the gummy ship spluttered to a stop at the dock with the familiar ship nearby.
"Is that what I think it is?" Riku asked pointing at the ship next to them as Kairi stood stunned.
"The Dutchman? Wait…it's been ten years and that means Will's free now because knowing Elizabeth she remained faithful." Kairi replied with a smile.
"We've got bigger problems remember." Namine said as Kairi returned her gaze to the pillar of smoke in the center of town.
"I hope things are better than they appear." Sora said nervously as they headed in towards the town.
End Chapter 4.
Next up, the answer on whether or not Ven, Mune, Will, and Bootstrap survived the explosion…
The song above was a slightly altered version of "One Last Hope" from Disney's Hercules.