They reconvened in the living room. Sora and Xion sat side-by-side on one of the couches, expressions lost like they were questioning the universe and their place in it. On the adjacent couch, Lea had his head resting on Isa's lap, one hand covering his face. He'd skipped right over questioning and gone straight for crisis, but at least he'd stopped muttering about hell freezing over. Terra was still a little concerned about his mental health. The only member of Team Super Friendship that was in any way 'okay' was Kairi, but she was glaring so hard at the smug faces of her opponents that Terra would bet munny that she was already planning her revenge. She'd managed to keep her armband, at least.

Riku, Ven, Roxas, and Naminé stood together in front of the TV. Naminé was holding both flags, looking like she was struggling to fend off a grin. Roxas and Ven had changed back into their own clothes.

Aqua was still trying to work out how the kids she'd thought were so sweet and innocent had managed to absolutely destroy their opponents so thoroughly. Terra, who had checked in with them during the five minutes planning time, didn't have the heart to tell her that the entire thing had been Naminé's idea.

"I'm going to start by saying this was supposed to be a fun game," Aqua began slowly.

"It was fun," Ven said. He turned to his teammates. "You guys had fun, right?"

"I'm glad someone did," Lea groaned. He sat up just enough to eye Roxas, Ven, and Riku. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the three of you are getting along. I just really wish it didn't take psychological warfare to make it happen."

"Don't mistake an alliance for 'getting along'," Roxas said haughtily. "Riku and I still hate each other."

Riku turned to him. "I don't hate you."

Roxas sneered at him. "I can fix that."

"Psychological warfare aside," Aqua continued, cutting over them, "I'm impressed with how you all used what you've learned to your advantage. Still, there can only be one winning team." She turned to the team in question. "Did you ever come up with a name?"

The four of them glanced at each other.

"Team Paint Water," Riku said. Then, in the face of their confusion, "We let Naminé pick."

Naminé's smile faded just a little. "I panicked."

Fair enough.

.

.

The whole point of the weekend had been to give them a taste of what they'd be in for if any of them wanted to stay on as apprentices. Riku wasn't overly surprised by Lea and Kairi's eager acceptance when the question was finally asked, or Xion and Naminé's shy willingness to at least see where it took them. Roxas was the only one who wasn't already a Master that had declined.

"Not interested in being a Master?" Riku asked him as they were all preparing to return to their own worlds.

Roxas smiled at him in a way that was not at all friendly. "I don't need to be a Master to beat you."

The truce was over, then. It'd been kind of nice while it lasted.

"That," he continued, quietly, almost like an afterthought, "and I don't want to feel like I'm copying anyone."

"Becoming a Master wouldn't mean you were copying anyone," Riku told him. Did he really struggle with his identity that much?

Roxas hummed, but didn't comment. It was the most civil conversation they'd ever had, come to think of it.

"You know, if you change your mind but don't want to train here with Ven, I'm open to trying to teach you what I know." It was a selfish offer in exactly the way Roxas had accused him of, but Roxas didn't need to know that.

"And call you Master?" Roxas' lip curled. "Not in a million years."

"The offer stands."

"Roxas!" Lea called. He'd opened a Corridor, and he, Isa, and Xion were all waiting for him.

Roxas watched them for a moment, before turning back to Riku. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I still don't like you. And I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you."

He'd definitely gotten that impression.

"But I think maybe I can understand why you did it." He shoved his hands into his pockets almost self-consciously and looked over to Sora and Ven across the forecourt. "Funny how we look nothing alike, but sometimes I feel like I can relate to you more than I can to them."

"Roxas..."

Roxas punched him in the gut and Riku was forced to double over, winded.

"Tell anyone I said that and you won't live to regret it."

"Roxas!" Xion gasped. "Riku, are you okay?!"

Riku waved off her concern. He'd had worse. "Fair enough," he managed. "But next time you punch me, I'm not gonna let guilt stop me from retaliating."

Roxas' responding grin as he walked over to join his friends was more of a threat than a challenge. But Riku was done walking on egg shells around him.

He made his way over to where Sora and Kairi were still saying their goodbyes. From what he'd overheard, the plan was for the new students to come for a few hours a day outside their other commitments, instead of staying on full-time like Ven did. Which was just as well, or they'd probably see even less of Kairi than they had previously.

"Ready to go?" Kairi asked him.

"Yeah."

"Wait, before you do there was something I wanted to ask you, Riku," Terra stepped forward. "Do you think you'd be willing to take on a student?"

Riku blinked up at him, surprised. "You want me to take on an apprentice?" He'd offered to train Roxas, but it was one thing to offer it to a non-Master, and another entirely to have a Master ask him to. "Who?"

"Me, actually," he said sheepishly. Aqua nodded encouragingly. "I was hoping you'd teach me how to control the darkness."

"I... Sure." He wasn't sure he was really qualified for it, given his track record, but he'd never deny help to anyone asking for it.

Sora had taught him better than that.

"You can come with me and Naminé after school tomorrow," Kairi looped her arm through his. He didn't like the look on her face. She was planning something.

He cast a worried glance over at Naminé and Sora. Naminé was clueless it seemed. Sora, on the other hand, was apologetic, which meant he already knew what he was in for and wasn't going to stop her.

Oh no.