"SORA, GET YOUR ELBOW OUT OF MY RIBS!"

"S-sorry, Kairi, but why don't you get yours out of mine too!"

"Sorry, Sora!"

"O-oh!" Aqua's voice gasped. "Okay, do I even want to know whose hand that just was...?"

"Whose hand did what?" Kairi asked slowly.

"Well, I think someone on this glider has taken a liking to my rear...because whoever it is still hasn't removed that hand!"

"It wasn't me!" Sora said instantly. "My hands are up here!"

"I would never!" Kairi flushed. "And my hands are on Sora anyways!"

"Well whoever it is- oh, it's gone now. Thank you..." Aqua said, with great relief - and in very strained tones.

"Sorry...?" came a small voice.

"XION?!" Kairi and Sora exclaimed as one.

"YOU grabbed Aqua's-" Kairi went on, astonished.

"I slipped and didn't know where to put my hands! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-!"

"Oh, don't worry about it - it wouldn't be a first for me," Aqua murmured, going pink.

"Wait, what?" Kairi said.

"Training incidents - they tended to happen!" Aqua said shortly.

Silence again. Just the whining engines.

"Sooo...are we there yet?" Sora asked after a minute.

"Are we?!" Kairi pleaded. "This is- ridiculous! We're like sardines in a can!"

"I know I don't need to sleep, but my feet hurt," Xion commented quietly.

"OKAY, YES CHILDREN, WE ARE ALMOST THERE!" Aqua placated swiftly. Desperately. "Just- stop- pushing each other! If I end up dropping Mio..."

Aqua was glad of the ensuing silence. Until the kids started up again.

Finally her glider burst out of the Lanes, swooping down toward a familiar world. A beautiful, densely packed city of many districts - Traverse Town!

Aqua flew them down and landed outside First District's entrance.

Kairi, Sora and Xion unstuck themselves from one another and stumbled off the glider, collapsing into the grass with great breaths of air.

Aqua stepped off, reverting her glider to her Keyblade again with a relieved breath of her own. She carefully set the body of Mio down in the grass and then straightened up again.

"So, this is Traverse Town, is it?" she spoke, eyeing the high walls of the district. The grassy field and surrounding woods of the outer edge of the world. "It looks-"

"Where's my ship?!" Kairi shouted, looking around desperately.

"Your what?" Aqua said, confused.

"Kairi has her own huge pirate ship," Sora informed her, grinning. "She got it by defeating the previous pirate captain - a guy who was working with Maleficent. It was awesome! She named it The Purple Pestilence."

"Kairi has a-" Aqua stared, jaw dropping open.

"WHERE IS IT?!" Kairi screamed, whirling this way and that. "I SWEAR TO GOD IF SOMEBODY NAMED AERITH CRASHED IT INTO A WALL AND DESTROYED IT I'M NOT GONNA SHOW ANY MERCY TO-"

"Did I hear someone screaming my name?" a chipper voice came, as the doors to First District opened up wide. "I bet I know who's home finally!"

"YOU!" Kairi yelled, stomping her way across the grass, right up to Aerith (and ignoring Tifa). "WHERE. IS. THE PESTILENCE?"

"Oh, don't worry, sweetie: Cid took it out for a test drive earlier today!" Aerith said, holding up her hands.

Kairi immediately relaxed. "Well, as long as it's not you, okay."

"What a way to say hello after so long," Aerith said sadly, shaking her head.

"It's only been a few days," Sora grinned.

"Oh, it feels like longer, trust us," Tifa told him. Her gaze found Aqua, and a grin came over her. "And who's this?"

"My name is Aqua. I'm a Keyblade Master - though you might not have heard of me, since I've been missing from the Realm of Light for...about ten years."

"AQUA?!" Aerith and Tifa cried together.

"Wait, you do recognize me?" Aqua blinked, confused again.

"Not in the way you think!" Aerith told her quickly. She lunged and seized Aqua's hand, while Tifa took the other.

"You have to come with us! There's someone you need to meet here as soon as possible!" Tifa added firmly.

"W-well..." Aqua floundered, turning to look at Kairi, Sora and Xion.

Kairi just waved to her, nodding and grinning.

Aqua resigned herself to her fate.

"Okay, is he...?" Aerith spoke, hushed.

"Yep!" Tifa beamed, taking a quick peek through the doorway of the First District's café.

"Okay, go!"

Tifa nodded, quickly disappearing into the café.

Aqua strained to listen, bewildered.

"...Kairi, Sora and Xion just came back to us," Tifa's voice wafted out to her. "And someone else came with them..."

Suddenly Tifa reappeared in the doorway, motioning frantically.

Aqua shook her head, then shrugged and followed her - while Aerith pushed her in the small of her back.

"...Who even is it?" a familiar voice came to her ears. "Must be a great surprise if you guys are acting so..."

Aqua stopped in the doorway, staring.

The boy sitting at the counter stared back at her, a fizzy drink and a plate of half-eaten brownies in front of him.

"VEN?!"

"AQUA?!"

Both of them drew nearer to each other, but both stopped short.

"You're- you're- but how- you were lost to Sora after-" Aqua began, in high tones.

"Wait, you know Sora?! Aqua, where've you-" Ven exclaimed, wide eyed.

They both stopped speaking abruptly.

Ven looked at her, his eyes shimmering, a shaking smile coming to his face. "Aqua..."

"Ven..." Aqua whispered, taking in a sharp breath, her hand going to her chest.

They both moved at the same time, embracing in a cacophony of tears.

As Terra sat down on the tattered old sofa, he was soon joined by another.

The past eight hours since the operation on the capital, since returning to Monique's compound...well, Karina Altisa hadn't lost that disturbing but understandable reverence to her. Though, now, it was turning into something more. Something more uncomfortable, for too many reasons... He suspected, too, that similar issues were arising with Monique. Just a hunch...backed by prior experiences. And current ones.

Terra froze up as Monique staggered into his quarters and fell down heavily beside him. With a great big, sloshing bottle in her hand.

"Hello..." Terra said cautiously.

"There he is, my main man!" Monique said loudly. And very jovially. "What the hell are you even doing all holed up like this- after we actually WON?"

"I'm not one for big celebrations," Terra said simply. "I'm not a...party guy."

"Suits me just fine, then! I get you all to myself here...right on this...shit for sofa...but it'll do for my purposes..."

"Ah... Listen...I told you before: I'm not exactly a normal human," Terra said clearly. "And I don't think this is even-"

Monique just about fell over against him, pressed to him, a wide smile coming to her face. "So I hear..."

Terra stared at her a moment. He shook his head. "There's...literally nothing...under here. Alright? So, even if I- wanted to...I couldn't-"

"Would you want to?"

"I- look, I know you're high on victory - and incredibly drunk - but I-"

"Oh, sweetie, the drink's got nothin' to do with it!" she interjected loudly.

"Still," Terra maintained.

"Right. Right. Riiiight... So, not with a woman like me, then?" she said, sitting back, a deep look of upset coming to her face. "The big five-oh is that batshit terrifying to you?"

"No! No - I-" Terra said swiftly, tongue-tied despite having no tongue at all. "It's not that! It's just me. I've never...nothing like that, with anyone in my life so far. And, being how I am now...it's slim pickings, you get that? No one's lining up to be with a guy like me. Not like this."

"Well I'm right here aren't I - sitting at the front of the line," she spoke, putting her hand on his armored knee. "I'm right in the goddamn express lane!"

Terra laughed. "That's...ah...brave of you? But - no. Sorry. I...how would that even...? Never mind. Forget it. I just can't. I physically can't. There's nothing here."

"If you say so..." she murmured blearily. She threw herself back on the sofa, crossing her arms. She brushed back her hair, blew a breath. Took a huge swig of her drink.

"I'm sorry," Terra said. "I really am. But...I am flattered that you...think of me that way?" he offered desperately.

Monique smiled at him softly. "You are?"

"Yes," Terra said.

"That's damn good to know. I'll keep that bookmarked for the future, how about? If you ever do get your body back, I want to be the first in line to help you test it for full functionality." A pause. "I mean your di-"

"I knew what you meant!" Terra was, for once, so incredibly grateful to be nothing but a mind in a suit of armor right then. "Y-yes, w-well, yes...you, ah...anyways, I wouldn't be- averse to that?"

"That's even better to know!" she laughed loudly, winking at him. She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder, putting her hand on his chestplate.

"Ah - still metal," Terra reminded, pushing at her gently.

"Sure we can't find a way to make it work...?" Monique implored, her voice majorly slurred.

"Yes, I'm sure," Terra said flatly.

"Damn...fuck me, then! Or, not, in this case...son of a fuckin' bitch on a stick with...fucking buckets of...something or other..." she trailed away, falling sideways on the sofa. Away from Terra.

"So...we did win," Terra said conversationally. "I'm glad to see you're so into the celebrations, even if I'm not so much. You deserve this. You earned it. All of you did."

"You think this is it, Sir Knuts-a-lot? Everything wrapped up...nice and neat, tied with a bow...?" she mumbled out. "This is a damn huge step forward, a turnin' point for us, but it ain't the end of this fight. It'll take years an' years more, decades, generations, probably...to get real societal changes. To get to a point where we won't be...blown apart on sight! But we'll keep going till we get it... We've got...all the time in the world now to...get it...and one day too I'll...get that hunky ass of yours..." she trailed off, and her eyes closed.

Terra eyed her a long moment. He sighed and got to his feet.

He quickly, and quietly, strode through his quarters, entering another room and flipping on the light - and closing the old metal door behind him.

There Riku was, sitting up on the bed...not moving. He was rigid, tensed. His face was pale.

"Riku?" Terra spoke as he approached. "How are you feeling now?"

"...Awesome? Yeah, I feel awesome..." Riku muttered out.

"Would you mind if I sat down with you, or do you want to be alone?"

Riku bowed his head, his hair falling over his bandaged eyes. "I..." he began. He shook his head, raised it up. As if he were looking at Terra. "I don't want to be alone in the dark anymore," he finally said, his voice cracking.

He really was just a boy.

"Then you won't be." Terra went to sit with Riku. Just to sit with him.

After a minute, Riku just fell sideways, leaning against Terra's armored shoulder. A high, choked noise came from his lips.

Terra brought his arm up and pulled the boy into an awkward, sideways hug, stroking and patting at him for a while.

"Okay, why don't we get these off and take another look," Terra said, after a few minutes more. "You need another round of healing, at any rate - it's been four more hours."

"Yeah..." Riku reached up to undo the wrapping, removing it gently. "It still looks terrible, doesn't it?"

"It looks...like it's healing," Terra said.

"Great." Riku yawned. "What time is it, anyways? Did I sleep the whole day away or what?"

"What?"

"It's still dark."

Terra froze. "Riku...it's almost noon, and the lights are on."

Now Riku was the one to freeze. "What...? But I- no, no, that's...are you screwing around again?"

"N-no, I'm not, Riku."

"I- you're saying I can't- that I-"

"Come on, get up, let's get you to the doctor. Just stay calm for me."

"HOW CAN I BE CALM ABOUT THIS?! I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!" Riku shrieked, with unbridled panic and horror.

Xemnas turned as the dark corridor appeared behind him atop the Altar of Naught, the platform at the very heights of his castle - that gazed upon his Kingdom Hearts.

A thrill of true puzzlement went through his body at the sight of the being who stepped out from it.

It was a child - a girl - a teenager, perhaps the very same age as the Keyblade Heroine and her gang of "friends." A girl with sharp features, dark skin and hair, and eyes to match.

"And who might you be?" Xemnas spoke slowly.

"Hmph..." The girl raised a hand, and darkness took form into a long staff weapon with a blade on its end. "You don't recognize your own Heart when it stands before you?"

The child's features changed in a shroud of darkness, becoming a powerful man of long, silver hair wearing a long coat, boots and gloves.

Xemnas gave a wide smile to his counterpart. "I admit, I had thought you erased by the Princesses' powers. Perhaps it was foolish of me to underestimate...the lengths we will go to in order to survive."

Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, responded with a smile in kind. He closed his eyes, letting his weapon faded, his arm falling to his side. "Thought - or perhaps 'hoped?'"

Xemnas's smile vanished. His eyes narrowed. "That...is foolishness on your part. I will not entertain it. Nor do I have the time to entertain you at all. We cannot risk being seen together like this...yet."

"Very well." Ansem glanced up to Kingdom Hearts. "Let us hope you succeed where I have failed."

"You concede defeat, then, to that princess and her gaggle of mediocrity?" Xemnas said, raising an eyebrow.

"I concede...that it would be a waste of my time to attempt the same plan twice; though, if they attempt to re-forge the Door, I will claim what lies trapped behind it, of course," Ansem replied. "However, in the meantime, I may still be able to serve our greater goal - by aiding you in yours." He took a step forward, raising a hand to his own chest. "I will take sole command of the Heartless legions once more, I will spread them far and wide...and I will, alone, act to entice the Keyblade Heroine and her friends to eliminate them in droves."

"It is not something you will undertake alone," Xemnas refuted. "Between the time of your defeat and today, we have seen the reemergence of three particular, powerful old enemies..."

"Hmm. And you doubt my powers?"

"Forgive me, but you are indeed in a weakened state at the moment after your self-admitted defeat at Kairi's hands," Xemnas went on casually, turning away. "It simply would not do to send you out to confront such strong opponents alone - rather, people who are far stronger than Kairi. I will be tasking several of my Organization's members to harry the Keyblade heroes spread across the worlds - and Vanitas will do so as well."

"So he exists again, now, does he?"

"Courtesy of our younger self, and a helping hand from Vexen, yes," Xemnas confirmed lazily. "It was necessary to ensure things continue to develop...along the paths we desire. More or less."

"Is he not weakened as well?"

"He is - yet he grows stronger by the day. In this era, with so many emotions to feed upon, across these worlds blanketed by darkness..." Xemnas eyed Ansem over a shoulder, giving a smirk. "You might try to take a page from his book in that regard, if you yourself wish to grow stronger again. And even surpass the power you once held."

Ansem returned the smirk with an identical one his own, giving a small chuckle. "Oh, I intend to."

"Then, one last inquiry..."

"Hm?"

Xemnas inclined his head at Ansem's form. "Is that vessel under your control - or are we going to experience 'problems' again?"

Ansem laughed, loud and hearty. "Fear not: the girl has been completely subsumed...of her own free will."

"Oh?"

"Yes. After my 'defeat,' her body and Heart were recompleted within the Realm of Darkness. And after my defeat, I myself rejoined her there in order to ensure my own continued survival in this World, burrowing deep into her Heart's depths. And when I did, she practically welcomed me into her Heart with open arms - all but inviting me to snuff her out and take her body for myself."

Xemnas's eyes narrowed once more. "Is that so...? Why?"

"It was a surprising combination of three factors: survival...revenge...and the desire to end her own existence."

"Do those desires not conflict?"

"Oh, they did - and that is what made her perfectly suited to serve me again. All it took...was the right situation in order to break her - one of her own making. The choice between falling to the Heartless within the hour, or letting me in so that I could bring her out of there, alive and well."

"I shall take your word for it, then. Now go. And..."

"Yes?"

"Do try not to perish this time."

"Is that mockery - or genuine concern?"

Xemnas gave a laugh. "Perhaps it is a little of both."

Ansem cocked his head, then turned to stride away into the portal.

Xikira stood in the grassy crossroads after stepping out of her dark corridor.

As she gazed up into the night sky, a smile on her face, a dark portal sprang to life on her right.

She turned to see a tall, slender man in a black coat walk out of it. A man with graying, long black hair, a scar on the side of his face, and an eyepatch.

"I guess that's that, huh?" he spoke casually, flashing a smile as he strode up to her.

Xikira eyed him, then she threw herself forward and hugged his midsection. "Xigbar!"

"Oof! Hey..." Xigbar held his arms away from himself. Then he sighed, shook his head and lay a hand on her head, giving her some pats. "Alright, fine - I should have expected that to be your opening move..."

"Getting slow now, old man?"

"Haha - as if!"

Xikira pulled away, gazing up at him critically now. "Were you watching me this whole time here...?"

"Take your best guess." Xigbar grinned. He turned away, waving an arm with excess flourish. "Or...don't bother guessing; we both know the answer already, don't we?"

Xikira's face softened with warmth. "That's against orders. Dozens of them, probably. I thought you always told me to do what I'm told? Hell, the last thing you told me before I got sent here was to 'go along with it, follow Laur- Marluxia's orders.'"

"Heh, I did say that, didn't I? Well, that was just for your own well-being, Xikira. Though, seeing as Marluxia turned out to be a traitor-"

"And what about your wellbeing? What about you disobeying orders? Doesn't that make you a traitor, too?"

"Do as I say, not as I do? Anyways, kiddo, the answer is no - it doesn't make me a traitor: it just makes me a sneaky bastard. Got it?"

"Well then teach me how to be a sneaky bastard too! Stop telling me, 'just follow orders,' and 'oh, just listen to what they tell you!' Why do you get to do whatever you want, but I don't get to? That's not fair - as if!"

Xigbar winced. "Alright, first off, that's not how you use that expression - we're going to have to keep working on that - and second: because I can take whatever reprimands and punishments the bosses want to dole out to me. You can't. And even if you could, I wouldn't want to put that to test and have to see it happen."

"So you do care?"

"When have I ever given you the impression that I didn't...?" Xigbar coughed, then rubbed his neck.

"And what about me being a traitor?" Xikira voiced. "If you've really been watching me-"

"Something nobody here knows - except the ones that aren't telling," Xigbar cut her off firmly. "You understand me, princess?"

"Do you understand me, Xigbar?"

"Woooah...that's deep!" He laughed. "So, how about we go out for a nice dessert? Chocolate sundae? You've earned it, after everything I saw from you here."

"So you're proud of me?"

He gazed at her. He grinned. "Sure. I'm proud of you. It wasn't bad, the con you pulled off here. Especially for a little baby. With more time and experience...you could make one hell of a con artist as well."

Xikira beamed at him. "And you'd know all about cons, wouldn't you? Master of sneaking and...cons and stuff?"

Xigbar turned away, waving an arm and giving another big laugh. "That's right. So - how about that sundae?"

"I thought you just said-"

"True - but we've got time to go for it and leave nobody the wiser," Xigbar said with another grin. "That, kiddo, is why I'm the master sneaky bastard here - I know when you can get away with stuff versus when you can't. And right now? The boss won't be expecting any survivors to report back for a few hours yet. We've got ourselves a nice bit of leeway here - and we're going to use it. Unless you're saying no to ice cream?"

"No!"

"Come on, then." Xigbar turned away for the portal, striding off.

Xikira hurried to follow, a big smile fixed to her face. A warmth glowing in her chest.

"And, hey, how about when we get back home you show me some of those new drawings of yours... They looked good, from what I saw..." Xigbar said over a shoulder as they passed through.

"You snuck peeks at my drawings?! You asshole! I show them when I'm ready, you know that!"

"Woah now - all right - I apologize! That was my bad. Won't happen again!"

"It better not, you - stupid prick..."

"Woah! Potty-mouth, much! Somebody's been hanging around Larxene too much lately." Xigbar laughed, though he looked remorseful enough about it. "Anyways, what would you say to a shopping trip after dessert? And, as well, there's someone I'd like you to meet..."

"YES! Thank you - I love you!"

"You don't even know what that word means, Xikira," Xigbar said quietly, a strange look crossing his face.

"I know I mean it! So take it and shut up!"

"Heh. All right...consider it taken."

"Oh, but I guess if you were watching me the whole time back there, then I won't get to tell you all about how I met my parents..."

Xigbar slapped a hand to his face, letting out a strangled noise. "No, you won't - and, again, princess...that is not how that works!"

"Well, I think of them as my mom and dad, and that's all that matters - right? Like how I think of you as my dad too."

"Agh- well- yeah...I suppose that's all that matters, in the end...You got it, princess."

"Hehe." Xikira sidled up to him and shoved her elbow into his ribs. He gasped, then gave a grin as he elbowed her right back.

"You want to keep being a brat tonight, you're not gettin' anything for dessert - speaking as your 'adoptive dad.'"

"My birth parents would let me!"

"Oh no, we are not starting this sort of dynamic now! Those two are teenagers; they don't know any better than you do!"

"And you do? I thought you said you never had a daughter. How do you know how to be a good parent?"

"I also said I've been around a long time - been to too many worlds to count. I've seen plenty of stellar examples to go off of."

"Bullshit - that's just totally as if!"

Xigbar winced with incredible pain. "Stop that! Seriously: you'll ruin it for me for all time."

"It won't be ruined for all time - just for as long as you stay alive for. And you're pretty old, so you won't be around that much longer."

"Heh. Same difference to me, princess."

Xikira laughed, and then so did Xigbar.

AN: Muhahaha, and that is a WRAP on book 2! xD Holy FUCK I can't believe I've written two legit whole novels in like the last...two months lol. FUCK and I'm still on this writer's high! :D I'm moving on to finish up my 358 days side story, telling the tale of Xikira and LUXU. If you don't know who that is, turn back now lol! xD I'll probably start posting it next Friday, so like, a week from now! Probably! :D Or I'll get it done sooner and surprise people! Who knows?! xD I don't even know!

But when it starts up, check back in for it! xD Get your bookmarks and shit like that lol. :D Cause you have no idea how I am going to end it... Muhahahahaha!

EDIT 9/24/22: THE NEXT BOOK TO READ IN THE SERIES "Warrior Princess: The Hearts of Children" IS NOW UP ON MY PAGE!