For this chapter, I'd like to give a special thank you to Orika, author of "Music In Time," another totally awesome KH fic! Along with some nice reviews, she's been leaving a poem for every chapter she reviews! They're very pretty, and I think all of y'all should read them! (The one for chapter 2 is particularly lovely!) Thank you, my good friend Orika! M2M rules!

"Ain't nothin' like a good man lovin' his woman."–written by Tyler Perry for Meet The Browns
Chapter 21: A Real Man

Raca fell on his face before his stepfather, who didn't look so professional now.

"I was right," Corin said with disgust, "You can't fight without magic. You make me sick. You think you can care for your mother like this? You think you can run your father's company?" Raca dragged himself up on his hands.

"I...don't–need–magic–to–beat...you," he tried to say, falling immediately facedown.

"So much for that," Corin sneered.

All of a sudden, a coin flew out from the top spout of the fountain glowing icy blue. It landed squarely on Raca's back; then one of the cascades veered from its downward course and circled around him like a whirlpool. Tentacle-like lines of power shot from the coin and touched all his wounds, healing him. Raca smiled; he could guess who it was.

"What is this?" Corin demanded. Fully recharged, Raca got to his feet.

"Like I said," he said clearly as his hair blew, "I don't need magic to beat you, Corin!"

As if on cue, the water scattered away and a giant water sphere came crashing up through the floor behind him. It disappeared to reveal Ame, Riku, and Ulna Kihoshi.

"All I need is my friends!" he finished (cheesy, I know, but typical of KH).

"Raca!" Ulna cried joyfully from the safety of Riku's arms, "You're all right!"

"Ulna!" Raca said. Riku reached into his pocket.

"Raca!" he said, "Catch!" He threw Raca his power back; he caught it and turned to Corin.

"It's not what you use to protect the ones you love," he said defiantly, quoting Ame, "What matters is that you do." He swallowed the tiny capsule of his power; out of his back came wiggling, smooth tentacles of neon purple light, two of which wrapped around Corin and brought him to Raca as the good security guards started showing up. (By the way, I know it's a lamely short fight, but I couldn't think of anyting!)

"Consider yourself arrested for kidnapping," he whispered, "You're through, stepfather. Uncle Jake can handle the company, but I'm taking care of Mom now!" He released his hold as the guards cuffed him and took him away. A hand touched his shoulder and he looked; it was Ame.

"Good job, Raca," she smiled, "You're the man." He turned around to see Ulna rushing to him with her arms open. Ame stood back next to Riku.

"Raca!" Ulna cried breathlessly, striking Ame as your classic damsel in distress (cough–ThunderClan–cough).

"Ulna..." He took her in his arms and lost no time in kissing her passionately with his hand behind her head as her fingers combed through his hair. Ame caught herself staring at them and spun around with her mouth covered, her eyes bugged out and her face red as a cherry.

'Holy crap, what am I doing?' she thought, 'I shouldn't be watching this!' She glanced up at Riku, who was pretending to be fascinated with the chandelier and scratching his head; he was blushing, too. Listening to their breathy making out sounds didn't make it any better.

"I'm so glad you're not hurt," Raca breathed.

"Oh Raca, I was so afraid for you," Ulna gushed, "The choice he faced you with was so cruel, and that poor girl..."

Ame popped her head up and she spun around, her face sizzling.

"Poor girl?" she flared up indignantly, "Who you calling"–

"Relax, Ame," Riku touched her head flatly, "I'm sure she doesn't mean it like that."

"Oh!" Raca brought Ulna to them, "Ame, I wanted to tell you something." He wrapped his arm around Ulna. "I'm afraid I wasn't completely honest about Ulna. You see, she's not my girlfriend." He reached down his shirt and pulled out a gold ring hanging on a dog tag chain just like Ulna's. She held hers up, too.

"She's my wife," he grinned brightly, "We're married!" Ulna giggled.

Riku and Ame's faces froze into humorously stone-like stunned expressions with a glass-breaking sound effect.

"You're married?" Ame repeated, open-mouthed.

"For about a month now," Raca answered, "but Corin didn't like me dating a middle class doctor's kid, so we had to keep our marriage a secret. But now that you two have helped me bust him, we don't have to hide anymore. We can wear our rings on our fingers now!"

"Does your mother know you two are hitched?" Ame asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, "She doesn't discriminate like Corin does; she adores you, doesn't she, sweetie?" He said that last part to Ulna, who blushed happily. Ame walked to her and bowed respectfully.

"I am honored to have taken part in your rescue, Mrs. Preston," she said humbly.

"Thank you," said Ulna, "I'm honored to have been rescued by Granda Megami's granddaughter and the Keyblade Knight."

Riku blushed as Ame slipped her wrist in his elbow.

"Yep!" she beamed, "A couple of gold 'uns, that's us!"

"I suppose this is where we part ways," Raca said, "I...I hope you won't refuse any more social calls, Ame. I mean I'd understand if you never wanted to see me again, but...I want to try to...make it up to you somehow...if that's possible."

"I'm a lady, Raca," Ame answered kindly, "I don't refuse social calls unless I absolutely can't accept them...And I'd be glad to see you both again. I'd like to see how you settle in. Just...give me a little while."

"Of course," Raca nodded, "We'll give you a ride back to the dock if you like. We'd sail with you too, but my wife and I have some catching up to do."

"Yeah," Ame nodded, "Thanks!"

Ulna seemed much more bubbly now and took Ame by the hands as they walked down the front steps.

"You must tell me what it's like living with Granda!" she beamed, "My nanny took me on one of the summer tours through her estate when I was 12, but you live there! What's it like?"

"Well, I've only lived here for a week now," she blushed, "There's still a lot of stuff I haven't seen yet, but..."

As they talked, Riku and Raca stood watching them for a moment from the top of the stairs.

"You hate me," remarked Raca.

"I'm not happy with what you did," Riku corrected him, "Even though I understand why you did it, I'm still mad that you chose to do it. Matter of fact, I'd have beaten you to a pulp by now under other circumstances...But I don't hate you. I know what it's like to have someone you care for more than anything–not just her, either. I care for all my friends...I'd die for them."

"I'm gonna have to verify my definition of 'anything' after this," Raca said, "When we fall in love, we swear we'd do anything for her but fail to ask ourselves what 'anything' means. I won't make that mistake again, Riku–I promise you that."

"Promise yourself that, Raca," he responded, "Ulna, too. You owe it to both of you, and maybe Ame. You don't owe me any promises." The other boy nodded with solemn thoughtfulness.

"But I do owe you a chance to punch me in the face," he said lightly.

"What?" Riku looked weirdly at him.

"Now, while they're not looking," said Raca, "One slug, right here."

"I'm not gonna punch you!" said Riku indignantly.

"You said you wanted to," Raca smiled, "Besides, you can't hurt me, remember? Corin shot me and that didn't hurt. Come on, Riku–one punch, good and hard. This is a one-time offer."

'He's serious!' Riku thought. After a quick glance at the girls to make sure they were still chatting, Riku swung him a right hook to the jaw. Raca's head moved from the impact, but he straightened back up. He looked surprised and impressed.

"Dang," he said, snapping his jaw back in place, "You dislocated it. Good thing it didn't hurt."

"Thanks for the chance," Riku smiled, "I feel better now."

"Come on, Riku!" Ame called, getting in the private car with Ulna, "I want to go home!" The two boys started walking down the steps.

"Are you her boyfriend?" Raca asked. Riku's face sizzled and he almost tripped.

"No," he said, "We're just really good friends for now, but we've established that we have feelings for each other. We're just getting to know each other better before prom night. That's when I'm gonna ask her to be my girlfriend."

"You're positive she'll say yes?" asked the rich, blonde boy. Riku smiled to himself.

"Definitely."

"That's wonderful," Raca smiled, "I know you'll be good to her."

"Thank you, Raca."

Minutes later, Riku and Ame were leaning over the yacht rail with the 5:30 sun lighting up the sky and sea and the salty wind twining the loose ends of their hair together as Ame laid her head on his left shoulder. Riku felt oddly peaceful for having just helped save someone's day. He was calm and soothed; the sea always did that to him.

"I always love watching the sea," he mused, "No matter how big my troubles get, the sea is always bigger. It just drowns everything that bugs you. When the rain washes them off, it sends them to the ocean to drown them."

"Hmm," Ame smiled, "And then the fish swallow them and we catch them, so they come back to us."

(Giant sweatdrop) "Not quite what I was going for," said Riku. Ame laughed.

"I'm just kidding," she nudged him, "You're right, Riku. The ocean's beautiful here. I watched the aurora borealis with Master Hana one night on the North Pole...during the time it was night...The stars were bright and clear and there were so many of them, and the lights were so glorious. It was like...an exclusive light show from the heavens that you have to be there for. I was convinced it was Granda painting a picture in the sky just for me." She sighed and put her chin in her arms on the rail.

"Sensei," she said, "I wonder what she's doing right now."

"Where is she?" Riku asked.

"Still on the North Pole," she answered, "After I left to move here, she retired and joined a watebender healers' convent."

"How's that workin' for her?" She looked at him with a flat face.

"You ever watch The View?" she asked.

"Oh, it's like that, is it?" he chuckled. Ame shrugged.

"At least I know she's happy," she said, "She's too old to teach anymore. I guess I wore her out, especially since she took care of me." She looked sadly out to the ocean and bent her face into her arms. Riku heard her draw in a long, broken sniff–the crying kind.

"Ame?" he touched her, "You all right?" She nodded and lifted her face to wipe away her tears.

"I'm fine," she said, still crying, "It's just been a long day: I've almost gotten raped, fought a rich guy, used a lot of my power, rescued a damsel, not to mention that Medical Science homework waiting to haunt me as soon as I get home. And we wanted to go out tonight!" Riku put his arms around her.

"Don't worry about that, Ame," he said soothingly, "We can go out tomorrow night if you're too tired."

"No," she sniffed, "I want to go. I just really need a nap." He looked behind them.

"Here," he said nicely, herding her over, "There's a couch over here. Why don't you try and take one now? At least then you'll have enough energy to tackle Sora and the others!" She chuckled and sat down on it.

"Okay," she said, "Um...will you be my pillow?" They both blushed.

"Uh," he said, "sure!" He sat next to her left. She tucked her legs up next to herself.

"Thank you." She lightly kissed his face and laid her head in his lap. Riku's face got hot.

'Hide the rum, boys!' his hormone control manager said, 'Drop anchor! Tie off the main mast and secure all lifelines! Stop everything! Riku! Focus on that ocean!'

He did, thankful that Ame was dozing peacefully. After losing himself to the sea for a while, he felt a presence to his right. He looked over to see a translucent man relaxing on the opposite side of the couch and watching the sea. His eyes were the color of the ocean when the rays of the sun peek through it and his dark hair was in a short ponytail in the back of his head. He was wearing a navy blue sleeveless T-shirt and pants with a red karate belt around his waist. He noticed Riku and gave him a wrist-flick wave.

"How's it going, Ricky?" he greeted, good-humored.

"Riku," he corrected, "Good, I guess. Um...who are you?"

"Call me Nik," he said brightly, "I'm your kanshi."

"Bless you," Riku said blankly.

"No," he laughed, "I'm your–oh, what did she call it...Kanshisha enjeru."

"..."

"Guardian angel?" supplied Nik.

"Oh!" said the boy, "Really? I have a guardian angel?"

"You do now," said the angel, "though I don't really look it much. I'm not gonna be on your back 24/7 or anything, and I might not be allowed to do that much, but I'm always watching and available for talking. So," he crossed his hands behind his head, "I see you got Ame to recharge her batteries a bit. She needs that." Riku looked down at her and softly touched her hair.

"You did good to put your anger aside for her like that, Rick," he said, "It takes a man to do something like that."

"My name's not Rick," he said, "but thanks." Nik smiled and nodded.

"Well," he stood up, "this has been a good first meeting, but I've gotta go. Just two more things, though." He stood in front of him.

"One," he said, "Don't tell anyone about me, since this is an angel crossing with a mortal."

"Yes, sir," Riku nodded.

"And two," he tapped Riku's chest, "I'm always right here if you need me. Got it?"

"Yeah." Nik smiled.

"We're gonna get along just fine," he said, disappearing in sunshiney sparks, "See ya later, Ricky!"

"It's Riku!" he said as the yacht pulled into their dock.

Author's Review:

Hee, hee! Riku's got a guardian angel who keeps getting his name messed up! That's funny!

Um, yeah–Nik's gonna be kind of a major character, but kinda not...it's confusing. Anyone who reads "Warriors" (again), it's like Spottedleaf hanging around Firestar, with the occasional show-up and advisory stuff.

And can I get a BOO-YAH for Riku? He got to slug Raca after all! Yay! See, Raca recognizes how Riku feels and so he wanted to make up for it in some small way. Maybe y'all think that's good enough, maybe not, but meh, that's how it rolls. That's pretty much all we're gonna see of Raca and Ulna, probably for the rest of the story (still not done handwriting it yet!) And anyone who's a Tyler Perry fan, lemme know, 'cause MADEA ROCKS! (See quote) Hope you liked this! See ya next chappy!!!