Here be 36, just 4 to go until Power Unknown comes to an end. By the way, I intend this chapter to contain a few choice words involving Kairi, Riku and Sora, so please be warned if you are easily offended.

Sora: "Finally, something good! Please don't make me look like a fool in this one!"

Me: "No promises

After Kairi's visit, I had been laying on the bed for several hours thinking, How am I going to talk my way out of this one.

At that particular time Ventus and Roxas decided to show up.

"Yo, what up G?" Said Roxas as he threw himself into a wing-back chair.

I raised my eyebrows at him and growled, "Quit using slang at me, Nobody."

Roxas raised his forehead and placed his hand on his chest in mock offense, "Sora Nomura! How dare you use such uncivilized language in high society!"

Ven rolled his eyes and smacked Roxas on the back of his head, "Quit it."

Roxas grinned while rubbing his head, "I was just having fun! No what I'm sayin'."

I looked at him again, "if you use another slang term in my presence, I'm going to slang you out a window."

Ven chuckled and sat down on a stool after dragging it closer to me, "So what happened with Kairi?"

I buried my face in a pillow, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, she just ran to her room glowing like a stop-light, I figured you and her had done something."

I sat up and threw the pillow across the room, "Oh yeah, SOMETHING happened alright, I started tickling her and my hand ended up in a place that can only be seen as questionable."

I jumped off the bed and picked the pillow back up, then kicked it into my bathroom, "Now I'm worried that something..." A snickering sound stopped me short, Roxas and Ventus BOTH, were laughing at me!

Roxas recovered a little and said, "You're worried because you touched her in an unintended place? That is the funniest thing I've ever heard!"

Ven stood and patted my shoulder, "Well, at least you got somewhere, I was beginning to think that you weren't going to get anywhere with her."

I blanched at that prospect, then I proceeded to stutter, "B-but..I-I would never try anything with her that she didn't want!"

"How do you know she doesn't want it?" Roxas said wiping a tear from his eye.

I walked over and swatted him on top of his blonde head, "SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Ven walked over and grabbed my wrist, "Enough, we were not laughing at you, it was simply amusing that you were stressing over touching your girlfriend in an unintended way... it's actually a normal thing to happen, it's not like you threatened to kill her right?"

I nodded uneasily, "I understand, but do I really need the birds-and-the-bees talk from you?" I growled.

Ven rolled his eyes again, "If you keep up with stressing over small and stupid stuff, you'll be an old man by the time your 25th birthday rolls around."

"Let's hope it means that I'll be a little wiser too."

Roxas stood and sighed, "You need to learn a little more about girls dude, or you're never gonna get anywhere with Kairi."

"I'm supposed to take lessons on girls from someone who has never connected with a girl whatsoever?" I retorted with a snarl.

"Have you forgotten Xion already?"

I shook my head and chuckled, "Xion? You've hooked up with her?"

He nodded and held out his hand, upon said hand was a bracelet with a large silver plate on it with the roman neumerals 'XIV' engraved on it's surface.

"Xion gave this to me, I gave her my checkered bracelet."

I snorted, "Good luck with that one bro."

I glanced at Ventus who seemed to be more than a little uncomfortable with the situation, "What's the matter? Feeling regret because you don't have a ball and chain to call your own?"

He shuffled nervously and scratched the back of his head, "A-actually..."

"Don't tell me you've been bitten by the love bug!"

A lopsided grin crawled across his face, "Yes... but I don't think it's appropriate to speak of her at this moment."

"Bull, let's hear it!" Shouted Roxas reassuming his seat.

"Well ah... you see... it's someone you've met already..."

Realization his me like a slap of half-frozen water, "It's Aqua isn't it?" I shouted jumping up and clasping his shoulders.

His face took on the coloration of a steamed lobster and he nodded haltingly.

Roxas and I shouted with perfect timing, "I KNEW IT!"

"God bless us, our little lad is growing into a man!" Roxas said dabbing imaginary tears from his cheeks.

I smiled for nothing other than the ability to do so, "You dog... have you tried barking up her tree yet?"

Horror surface on his face, "What? I've never thought of anything of the kind!"

I snorted again, "Come ON, you're almost 24 years old and you've never...?"

He shot me a scathing look, "Neither have you apparently."

"Crikey... this looks like a right smart fix mate." Roxas said, and in the WORST mock-australian accent I've ever had the displeasure to hear.

I rounded on him, "Get your non-existent ass back to the bridge and see if Riku needs a hand at the controls."

"But, you set the auto-pilot..."

"NOW!"

He took off faster that an elephant from a mouse, and left the room entirely.

I glanced at Ventus and said, "Tell me."

"W-what?"

"Did I stutter?"

"T-tell you what?"

"Tell me what you love about Aqua, then we can figure out what you need to do from there."

He went blank almost immediately.

I slapped my forehead and started, "What things about her do you like?"

That seemed to rouse him as he moved slightly and began, "She is... very beautiful... she was there for me as a friend whenever I needed her."

I nodded, trying my best to encourage him.

"And she... will never accept me as anything more than a friend..."

I nodded, then fell out of my chair sideways.

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY LIKE THAT?"

"She just won't accept me for anything other than a friend... there's no getting around that... I guess my life is meant to be spent alone."

I placed a hand on his shoulder, "That was the same thinking I used before Kairi found out I liked her... and I must say that she found out in a way that was about as preferable as drinking acid..."

He looked up at me and grinned, "I know..."

I stood and hefted him to his feet, "Come on, let's get to the bridge and see if there is any news."

Ven followed me into the control room and sat in one of the co-pilot's chairs, Terra was standing in the corner as still as a... well... a suit of armor.

I looked at the computer and asked, "Time?"

The computer's mellow voice sang back, "Three hours fifteen minutes."

Good God! Had I really spent nine hours in my room?

Suddenly the computer spoke again, "Error, estimated time of arrival, three minutes twelve seconds."

I looked out the viewscreen and watched the Station Tower materialize above a silent town.

Roxas grinned and whispered, "I'm home."

How was that? I've been trying to make the chapters longer, but I always end up posting them at 3 a.m But I digress, Please tell me how I'm doing, I NEED to know what you think of my latest attempt at writing a Kingdom Hearts story.

Until next time!