Draco: Three different out-of-a-hat tags and an opening line requesting that her readers not tell me. How exactly do I go about dropping the #WhamLine that I've been reading since chapter one? Do I give her some #CasualDangerDialogue over breakfast? Do I drop her a comment under my I-don't-want-my-name-here pseudonym with #SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay? Do I log in when she's away from the computer and edit the author's notes on the last chapter? I mean, what is even the etiquette for this situation?

So, this is probably going to set off seizures for all the #EpillepticTrees in my reader base (whatever of a reader base I still have after that massive hiatus), but I have a couple addenda to my proclamation at the start of this season that someone is going to die and it won't be someone who died in their source material.
-Needless to say, that was written before Kingdom Hearts III came out and #Jossed my assumption that most of the new Organization was going to play #KarmaHoudini or #HeelFaceTurn, and I am not going to adjust my plans based thereupon.
-Roxas, Xion, Naminé, and Vanitas are not considered to have died on returning to Sora, Kairi, and Ventus, respectively. All other Nobodies being recompleted are considered to have died.

Characters, weapons, origins © Square Enix and Disney. Monsters, setting, and encyclopedia © Akihisa Ikeda.

Chapter 14: Revelations in the Hills

"Gettin' down to the sounds of the summer
Top down, gettin' found if we wanna
I fou~nd me somebo~dy
Someo~ne who will wa~nt me"

Kairi heard the singing from a good distance away as she approached the bus stop; she was mildly surprised to find Naminé perched on the tree there. A pair of earbuds were plugged into something in her right pocket - for all purposes she seemed to be deaf to the world. She had her back to the path from the school, and fighting a fit of giggles, Kairi tried to approach as stealthily as she could.

"Gettin' down to the sounds of the summer
Top down, gettin' found if we wanna
Not jus~t anybo~dy
So co~me put it o~n me

'Cause nothing in this world can be taken
And nothing is quite what it seems
And no one can hurt you, be mistaken
We can runaway, runaway,
In dreams..."

"Not in my dreams."

A screech of panic tore out of Naminé's mouth, and she twisted around... and ended up slipping off the branch on which she was seated. Kairi winced as she dropped to the ground, landing roughly and ending up spread-eagle. "Ouch," she murmured. "Sorry."

"Kairi, what the hell!?" Naminé protested, getting to her feet. "Warn someone when you're getting close!"

"Well," Kairi mused, "it could've been worse. How would Roxas have reacted to you singing about 'getting down' to-"

Naminé's face turned bright red. "Kairi! Shut up!"

"I assure you, Rokusasu would not have reacted any way of the sort."

Xion's voice from the other side of the tree drew their attention as the snow fairy stepped around. "How did you-?"

"Just a lack of attention," Xion insisted, turning her gaze on Naminé.

"How long were you...?" Naminé's blush was not going anywhere.

"Bad Boi."

"Kill me now."

Kairi laughed at her mortification. "So, either of you seen Professor Y'shtola?"

+x+x+x+

The previous day...

"Hey, Leon, what's the story?"

Professor Leonhart chuckled at Roxas' prompting. "You mean as far as your investigative reporting goes?" he asked. "Well, there is good news, and there is bad news."

"Let's hear the good news first," Sora insisted.

"Well," Leon mused, "I spoke with the headmaster. We're cleared for another trip into the human world for summer break. Said it might do a few of you guys some good."

"That is good news," Xion observed.

"Yeah, alright," Riku muttered, "so now you have to hit us with the bad news."

Leon sighed. "Remember when I said Rinoa was upset about Castle Baron? She doesn't even trust me to leave the school grounds with you guys anymore."

The entire news club broke into a laugh at that. "You're kidding?" Roxas protested. "We're stuck doing our investigative reporting at Yokai because Professor Heartilly said no?"

"Technically, I don't have to be your specific accompaniment," Leon admitted. "If you've got any teacher going along with you guys, you'll be fine. I had a good place in mind; I could just write up an itinerary. But I don't know who else would be available."

"What about Professor Y'shtola?" Kairi suggested.

"I... guess I could ask her," Leon observed, "but you sure that's wise?"

"Don't worry," Sora insisted, "we can keep a secret."

Leon shook his head. "It's not about your secret-keeping abilities," he argued. "She is new here. I don't know even think she was a Yokai alumnus. Might be a bit much to walk up to her and ask her to sub in for me."

"Hey, worst-case scenario, she'll say no," Riku mused. "Just ask nicely."

+x+x+x+

Y'shtola had not said no; and so their human-world investigative reporting was to go as planned. As Naminé was hiding her music player, Kairi caught sight of the news club's other half - Roxas and Riku were on their way to the bus stop, followed by Sora - whose bringing up the rear could be blamed on a large bag with COLES emblazoned across its side.

"Seriously?" Xion murmured. "He brought the otaku bag again?"

"I am not complaining," Kairi mused. "I'll borrow a long one, throw off Y'shtola if I need to ask him about something sensitive."

As the boys neared, the bus emerged from the tunnel; the door opened, and the silver-haired bus driver turned to face them. "Climb aboard," he invited.

Kairi was the first one to enter the bus; she was rather concerned to see it appeared to be empty. "Professor Y'shtola?"

"Yes?" Over the backmost seat emerged the sophomore teacher. "Sorry, I'm a touch occupied at the moment."

Xion came up behind as Kairi started in. "Occupied with what?"

Something tumbled off the seat at Y'shtola's side - a large bag that looked to be insulated - and what sounded like an avalanche told them it wasn't the only of its kind.

"...Professor Y'shtola," Kairi asked, smiling, "did you pack food for the trip?"

"...Possibly."

With a smile, Kairi took a seat; Xion shook her head before sitting down beside her. Sora dropped his bag (which seemed larger than the one he had brough last year) on the seat opposite them and sat down, Roxas and Naminé took the seat ahead of him, and Riku slumped himself in the last corner of the square. The bus started to drive, roaring into the Tunnel of the Fourth Dimension; after a moment, Sora drew out his cell phone, tapping at the keys for a moment before turning it to face Kairi.

Did you want a cover?

A grin rose on Kairi's face. Read my mind, she mouthed.

Sora tapped at the keys again. Read your blood, maybe.

Kairi laughed as he flipped the device shut, reaching for his bag.

Sudden movement behind them drew their attention as Y'shtola sat down on the seat behind Sora's. "I didn't exactly bring meals for everyone," she insisted, looking awkward.

"Is something wrong, Professor?" Riku asked.

"I've got a... justifiable reputation as a picky eater," Y'shtola confessed. "Which doesn't exactly blend well with hollow legs."

Riku's hand went up to his mouth to muffle a laugh.

Kairi and Naminé both glared at him.

"Yes, yes, have your laugh," Y'shtola dismissed.

"You're a big eater and choosy?" the werewolf mocked. "How does that even work?"

"I think I know how it works," Naminé insisted.

Y'shtola seemed surprised at that. "You... do?"

Sora emerged from his bag and turned around with a thick tome in his hands. "So, basically," he observed, "you're saying that stuff is your personal stash, and we don't get to touch it."

"Well, yes," Y'shtola confirmed, "but I will-"

"But nothing," Sora insisted. "That's your stuff, we don't touch it. End of story. We're not gonna judge you." He turned and handed the book to Kairi.

Y'shtola looked relieved. "R-Really? Thank you." She got to her feet, taking off towards the back.

Riku turned to the witch. "How do you know how that works?"

Naminé shook her head. "That is one hundred and ten percent none of your business."

Roxas scoffed. "Come on, you can't just leave us hanging like that."

"If it ever becomes relevant," Naminé conceded, "maybe I'll tell you. But I'm not holding my breath."

Xion angled her head. "How is it something that might not be relevant?"

Sora groaned. "Does it matter? We don't need to pry into our teachers' private-"

"Um, Sora?" There was a grin on Kairi's face as she turned the book towards him again. "There something you're trying to tell me?"

The book in question was a eighteen-chapter manga omnibus labelled Girl Friends, and upon its cover were two girls whose faces were intimately close.

"Huh?" Sora's face turned bright red. "Oh, dammit, sorry, that's-!"

"Nuh uh uh," Kairi reprimanded, pulling the book away. "I'm keeping this one."

"Kairi!"

+x+x+x+

When the bus arrived at their destination, Kairi led the exit; Roxas and Riku cooperatively held Sora back as Xion and Naminé made to follow her out. They found the redhead having ground to a stop three steps out of the building - and discovered that they were equally stunned as she was. The boys stumbled out of the bus behind them, followed by Y'shtola - and all of them were equally stunned by what they were seeing. The structure before them had a neon sign (unlit, given the hour) that read Arms of Night... which had a very suggestive silhouette to either side of it

Xion was the first one who managed to say anything. "What in Stiria's pipes?

"Is... is this some pretense of jest?" Y'shtola demanded, turning back to face the bus driver.

The silver turned towards the building, and his eyes widened briefly before his gaze fell to Y'shtola. "This is the address you specified," he proclaimed.

"No," Y'shtola denied. "This cannot be. Leonhart wouldn't do this."

Roxas shook his head. "What was this supposed to be?"

"He said there was a motel here," Y'shtola insisted. "What is this place?"

Go in.

Sora glanced down at his rosario. "What?" he whispered.

Go inside. Approach the front desk. Get the receptionist's attention. Repeat what I say. Don't say anything else. And keep my chain handy.

Uncertain, Sora raised his gaze; then he started forward. Y'shtola realized too late where he was going, calling after him, "Kingdom, what are you-!?"

He didn't respond, stepping inside without any more hesitation than it took him to discover how heavy the door was.

"What in Bahamut's...?" Y'shtola shook her head. "I have to call Leonhart."

She drew out her phone and stepped back onto the bus as she dialed, and Riku shook his head. "What is he doing?"

"I don't want to know," Naminé insisted. She glanced around. "If we don't even know where there's a place to stay, what are we going to do?"

"Maybe split up and search the town?" Roxas suggested.

"We don't have a way to keep in contact," Kairi reminded them. "Sora and Professor Y'shtola have the only phones in this crew. I mean," she admitted, turning to Xion, "I wouldn't trust..."

"Not for something like this," Xion agreed. "We'll have to search as a group."

"What do you mean you don't know!?" Y'shtola's voice could be heard from outside the bus. "You said you had-"

"How does this kind of mistake even happen?" Riku asked. "How do you find something like this and assume that it's-"

The door opened, and Sora stepped back out.

"Sora!" Kairi stepped forward. "What were you-?"

"Van's idea," Sora insisted - his voice was strained for a moment, as though he'd been holding a breath and only now let it out. "And that the last time I follow through with one of his ideas." He glanced at the bus. "Where did Professor Y'sh-"

Like he'd spoken of the devil, Y'shtola stormed off the bus. "Kingdom!" she exclaimed. "What were you thinking?"

Sora shook his head. "That it'd smell better," he proclaimed. "Look, the motel went out of business a month ago. These guys took over the building within the week. The only structural change is the sign, but this is not a place to stay the night."

"I had no illusions," Y'shtola proclaimed.

"So, is that it?" Naminé asked. "We call it a bust and head back to Yokai?"

"I'll not cast so fierce a blight over your investigative reporting for one - rather unexpected, but relatively minor - setback," Y'shtola insisted. "But we shall need to improvise. Get back on the bus."

She turned back and climbed aboard; Sora approached Kairi, and before she could object he seized the manga he had given her. "Hey, Sora-!"

Then he set another book - equally thick, and with the same two girls on its cover - in its place, starting onto the bus ahead of her.

"...Huh?"

Xion looked at the cover for a moment; then her finger tapped the corner. "The Complete Collection 1," she observed. "The series is too long for one omnibus, they had to have it in two parts. He must've given you the second half earlier."

+x+x+x+

The town they had found themselves in was a rather less-than-busy community by the name of Nine Wood Hills. Being large and being busy were not exclusively mutual, and the town was definitely big enough to have more than one place to stay the night. Unfortunately, when Y'shtola had the presence to do some price-searching before they set out, the first two locations they stopped at were booked solid.

"This is going poorly," Y'shtola admitted as she stepped onto the vehicle from a third check. "I fear we might have to resign ourselves after all."

"Is that all the hotels this place has?" Sora asked.

"Not quite," Y'shtola corrected, "but this one would have been a strain even if it had borne a vacancy. If our next destination should have available rooms, we'll be forced to remain for less time than Professor Leonhart had planned. If we should be turned away too many times, we will be lucky to afford space for all of us to rest comfortably for one night."

Kairi sighed. "So... it's just a matter of the funds?"

Y'shtola turned to her. "What do you mean 'just'?" she objected. "I'm not about to-"

"That's not it," Kairi insisted. "If..." She sighed. "You're saying that the only thing stopping us from doing our investigative reporting, as planned, is a matter of not being able to afford enough nights?"

"...Yes," Y'shtola confirmed, seeming uncertain.

Xion turned to her. "Kairi, are you-"

"Yeah." Kairi turned to Sora. "Phone."

Sora handed her his cellphone; Kairi flicked it open and dialed. After a moment, someone picked up on the other end. "Hello, Shin Bōkyaku."

"Father?"

"Kairi?" Shin was justifiably surprised. "Where are you calling from?"

"The Yokai Academy bus," Kairi admitted. "Look, the school's newspaper club was gonna do a little... off-campus reporting, but we ran into some trouble when the motel we were gonna stay at turned out to have gotten renovated into something you don't want to bring high school students into. All the cheap places to stay the night are booked solid."

Shin chuckled. "I see."

"So?"

"Go right ahead, Kairi."

"Thanks."

She pulled the phone away and flicked it shut, handing it back to Sora as she turned to Y'shtola. "Find a place with an available room," she insisted. "Don't worry about the numbers."

Y'shtola's expression became one of astonishment. "...Pardon?"

Screaming.

From just outside the bus, a scream pierced the air; everyone shot to their feet, panicked. Kairi's gaze went out the window, and she sighted a figure in a dark red longcoat dashing past them... and hoisted under one arm was a young girl with honey-blonde hair, in a red top and black skirt, visibly trying to fight his grip. Three figures were chasing after them - a boy of the same age in a black t-shirt and blue jeans, a woman with the same hair as both in a long black jacket, and a bespectacled brown-haired man in an outfit that looked suited to a desk job.

"Oh, Asura..." Kairi started towards the bus doors.

Y'shtola immediately put herself in the path. "Chikai, what are you doing?"

"What do you mean 'what am I doing'!?" Kairi protested. "You saw-"

"We cannot just take action against them!" Y'shtola warned.

"Excuse me!?"

"They're human," Y'shtola proclaimed. "The lot of them! As monsters of Yokai Academy, we cannot make to interfere with them with our strength!"

Kairi couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Tell me you're not seriously expecting me to stand back and-!"

"Coexistence is fragile enough as it is!" Y'shtola interrupted. "Students, teachers, alumni, the rules are the same - a monster cannot meddle with human affairs!"

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a monster then, isn't it!?"

Y'shtola was left stunned by Kairi's outburst; she immediately grabbed the teacher's shoulder, shoving her aside into one of the seats as she dashed down the length of the bus. "Don't go anywhere," she commanded of the driver, charging out the door and dashing down the sidewalk after the chase. Shocked, Y'shtola pushed herself upright, looking over the other students in the vehicle, expecting to see her surprise reflected on each face.

Sora groaned, setting his hand against his face.

+x+x+x+

The man with the girl under his arm dashed at a fenced-off alleyway, mounting an old steel trashcan and propelling himself from it with enough force to knock it over as he vaulted the fence.

The boy chasing after his sister found a gap along the edge of the fencing and pushed himself through it, earning a few cuts from the broken wires as he slipped through; then he righted himself and resumed his dash.

The woman chasing after her children reached the barrier, and found him vanishing around the corner. "No, Lann! Come back!" Her husband came up beside her as she seized the fence, finding it holding firm in all but that small region, not enough for an adult to pass through. "Please...!"

"Move!"

The parents turned, seeing someone dashing their way - a girl in an outfit of slate-grey, red hair flowing to her shoulders. Panicked, they stepped back - and to their shock, the girl skidded to a stop before the fence and leapt, arcing over the fencing in a single bound; she came down hard on the other side, and continued dashing after the cries of the girl she could still hear. Kairi rounded corner after girl, chasing after that young child's screams. She found herself passing the boy, who was astonished to see her overtake him; two turns later, she found herself at a dead-end, and skidded to a stop.

The man in the black longcoat was standing against the wall - and in one hand, he had drawn a handgun, which he was now holding to the girl's head.

Kairi heard the boy come up behind him, and quickly moved her hand in his way as he saw what was happening. "Reynn!"

"What the hell?" the man grumbled. "You're not her."

"Her?" Kairi glanced back the way she'd come. "This is some kind of blackmail situation?"

"Get out of here, girlie," the man commanded. "I don't give a damn about you."

"Put the little one down," Kairi insisted.

The man scoffed. "After all the trouble of bringing her here? Why would I do that?"

Kairi's left hand curled into a fist. "Because you can't fight with a payload," she replied. "And if this is a blackmail situation, you're not gonna get anything out of ruining your leverage."

"Fight?" The man laughed. "This shit's just point and click."

He turned his gun forward - and Kairi broke into a charge. As she reached the halfway point down the alleyway, she saw his finger move towards the trigger, and she dropped low, her hands dashing against the ground as he fired, and the bullet soared over her head. Then she rose back up, and her hand lunged for his weapon before he could try to correct his aim and fire again.

She seized the firearm by the barrel, and ripped it out of his hand - with enough force to leave him twisting in response. His grip on the girl faltered, and she fell to the pavement.

"Reynn!"

The girl pushed herself forward, dashing towards the boy's side as Kairi hurled the gun atop the nearest roof. The man reached into his pocket, drawing out a switchblade as he tried to grab her again - but Kairi quickly seized him by the shoulder, pushing him against the wall as she pried his weapon from his hands. She flicked the blade out and drove it into his coat, just under his arm - and it sank into the wall with enough force to embed the handle.

Then she drew her fist back, and the man flinched in anticipation of it colliding with his face.

...Do it.

No.

Her arm trembled, trying to move forward. You know he deserves it!

I am not going to do this.

He just threatened to shoot a little girl through the head!

And if I cave his skull in, I have to deal with officials hunting me down for murder!

A moment's pause; then she lowered her hand, turning to the two children. "Are you two alright?"

"Y-Yes," the boy insisted. "We're okay."

"Reynn! Lann!" The girl and then the boy reacted to their names being called; Kairi raised her gaze as she heard footsteps approaching, and the man and woman who had been chasing them arrived at the dead end. "Oh, bountiful Leviathan, you're alright!"

"Mom!" The children dashed towards her, and she knelt down, meeting them in a relieved hug.

The man breathed a fearful sigh, raising his gaze to Kairi. "It seems we owe you our thanks," he observed, offering his hand. "My name is Rorrik Farna. This is my wife, Lusse."

"I'm Kairi Chi-"

"Chikai!"

Kairi winced at the sound of Y'shtola yelling her name - though after a moment she realized it was an effort to find her rather than a reprimand for her actions. "Kairi Chikai," she confirmed. Then, louder, "Over here!"

"Thank you so much," Lusse praised, getting to her feet. "How can we thank you?"

"Well," Kairi admitted, "directions to any hotel with a vacancy would do. Seems everywhere we stop is booked full."

Rorrik chuckled. "Just directions...? Here." He reached into his pocket, drawing out a few cards, and ran his fingers over them before taking one and handing it to her.

Kairi was amused as she accepted it. "A business card?"

"They're lined up at the front counter," Rorrik admitted, folding the rest and setting them into his pocket. "Any business wants to see their praise shared."

"Point," Kairi admitted. "You guys just checked out?"

"Something like that."

Lusse, Rorrik, Reynn, and Lann began to make their way out of the alleyway - and as Kairi stepped out of the dead-end, she found Y'shtola passing them by, relieved to see her. "Chikai!" she exclaimed. "There you are."

Kairi raised the business card. "Found a hotel," she replied. "No more running around."

Y'shtola accepted it with surprise. "Is that so?" She looked over the surface. "Crystal Tower Hotel... Well, I suppose a concrete destination is better than running around in desperation."

She set the card into her pocket, turning her gaze back on Kairi; the teacher's expression changed, and the student breathed a heavy sigh.

"You have a good deal to answer for, you realize that?"

"Yes, I do."

Draco: The only KH Ultima Weapons that I have used are I's and II's. Chain is a right pain in the ass for which I don't have the patience to get extras, 358's is an ability panel obtained with ALL of the Challenge Sigils, Birth by Sleep rewards it for the end of the hardest match in the Mirage Arena, Re:coded hides it in an optional Secret Sector, and Dream Drop Distance rewards it for a #BonusBoss that came right the frick out of nowhere. At this point I want to get it in III just to keep the pattern going.