CHAPTER 2: The News

Edited. Kingdom Hearts 2 fan fictions, by HoSkei.

"Sora! Roxas! Where are my little babies?"

…

"…Roxas…?"

"…Whut?" Roxas' eyes were still closed.

"Mum's home." Sora murmured, still half asleep.

"I know…Yu dun't need to tell meh that…" The blonde mumbled then turned his face to the wall and continued snoring. There's sound of footstep on the corridor. "Roxas…the giant rabbit is going to squeeze the brain outta me…" Sora groaned, turn from side to side; because of the noise outside his door room and his dream were mixed together, half real and half dream.

"Oh my! It's 10a.m and you guys are still in bed?" Their mother- Takiko clapped her hand covered her mouth, as her left hand was trying to close the broken door which she just demolished.

"Mom, it's just 9:46! Let us sleep a bit more!" Roxas grumbled in a sleepy voice, pulled the blanket over his head. Takiko sighed, took out her cooking pan and started banging the ladle on the pan as hard as possible. Roxas thought he was deaf after that. Somewhere on the island, dead people were all awake and walking on the beach.

---

"Rice cakes! I can't believe in my eyes!" Sora jumped happily, pick up the 2 big boxes of rice cake on the kitchen table. "New Year Eve comes early this year!" But then Sora's smile faded away as he read the brand. "Kotobuki brand…? Mom, why did you buy such expensive thing like this?"

Roxas glanced at the boxes, exchanged look with mom and slightly nodded his head.

"Someone gave me those. Mom knows little Sora and little Roxas love rice cake!" Takiko smiled. "And beside, there's something I want to tell you…"

"Mmhmm?" Sora was already stuffed 2 pieces in his mouth. Roxas simply picked up a piece and took a bite, while his eyes still fixed on Sora and awaited a reaction.

"…that you guys are going have a step-father!" Takiko happily swing her arms forward and expected big hugs from Sora and Roxas. But Roxas shook Takiko's hand "Congratulation! You finally did it!" while Sora dropped his jaw; his eyes widened and hastily put down the half-eaten rice cake. He choked again. Roxas passed his brother a glass of milk with other hand.

"You WHAT? Since when! Who's that? Why and how come?" Sora's expression was full of terror, as if his mother just telling him that the giant whale ate every single person on the island. Well, hopefully it didn't eat Mr. Taka yet, or it will have a very bad stomachache. Oh wait, it's not time to think about that.

"Mr. Kyoraka" Takiko smile and showed them the light-green emerald ring on her finger.

"Why didn't you tell me a thing?" Sora still seemed to be very shocked.

"Sorry Sora, mom only told me, because she afraid you would be upset." Roxas explained.

"Yes, I am indeed very upset that you two hide it from me." Sora furiously bit his lower lip. "Treated me like a baby, why Roxas always has the damn right to know everything?"

"Okay, you are taking it a wrong way. Don't you remember that one time, you were screamed your head off when you got home seeing mom having dinner with a man in the kitchen?"

"Roxas, I was eleven years old back then." Sora protested. He suddenly feels like crying. Traitors. Sora thought, ran up stairs quickly to hide the tears running down his cheeks from his mother and Roxas.

-

…

"…So…"

"Yeah…"

"Oh well."

"But it's not too late telling him that, right?"

"It's kind of late, mom. So what's next?"

"We will get married next month!" Takiko clapped her hands together in front of her mouth, and gave Roxas a dreamy look.

Now it's turn for Roxas to choke.

"Yesterday evening, we went to a restaurant and then watched the great movie! Subsequently we were walking in the park, holding hand and—Roxas sit here and talk to me!"

"…I should better…go up there to check how Sora's doing." Roxas hardly eat when his mother telling him how each of her date with Mr. Kyoraka was going like…

-

Creak

"Sora?"

"Yes?"

"Don't cry over my pillow. It's all wet."

"Here's your stupid pillow!" Sora threw the pillow to Roxas, then buried his face in the blanket.

"Are you still mad that mom and I didn't tell you about that…?"

"No"

"Then why are you crying?"

"I am not crying!" Sora's face was still hidden under the blanket. Sora knew the reason better than anybody else, he was so naïve to really care or really want to know what's happening around him…he just care about himself, and now even Roxas knew that mom's going to re-marry, and Sora didn't have a clue about it. Roxas sat down on his bed, opposite with Sora's, trying to find a way to make him feel better.

And …

"COCKROACH! Oh no it's a gigantic one Sora! It's climbing up your bed!" Roxas yelled.

Only a 4 years old kid would fall for that trick. But surprisingly, Sora jumped on his bed, clinched the pillow and looked around, terrified. "AAAAAAAAAA! I hate cockroaches! Get it off me, get it off me!"

"Heheh, you should see the look on your face! It's so hilarious and uproarious! You squealed like a little girl!"

Sora stood still for a moment; he looked down the bed, and then stared at Roxas, who was dying from laughing so hard. "BRAT!" Sora jumped off his bed, without stepping down the floor, and toward Roxas' bed. Unfortunately Roxas bed was kind of far away from Sora's, so Sora lost the balance, tripped over Roxas' bedside. Sora bounced around the room with his hands covering the shin.

That got to be hurt.

----

"Cloud, you're 7 minutes late." Kadaj stood at the front door, one hand propped against the wall. Then he raised his eyebrows as he saw Cloud's hair.

"…Leon and Yazoo…they told me to buy some flowers, they did my hair..." Cloud face looked dark, and exhausted.

"Yes, I can see that!" Kadaj stared at Cloud amusingly, and picked out from Cloud's hair a bunch of hair clips. "And they did a bad job on it. Come on in!"

"Just wondering… does your father like white?" Cloud walked behind Kadaj and taking a good look of everything, even thought he walked by this hall for 10 times already. But it was before they started dating... and now even the smallest thing that belongs to Kadaj could be very precious to Cloud.

"You finally asked! Actually, this place originally was all painted light blue which is my mom's favorite color, but after she passed away, my dad turned the whole place into white…" Kadaj seemed to enthusiast explaining at first, but then he slowed down, and held Cloud's hand. "Let me show you how she looked like."

In the end of the white hall, there's a large portrait of a beautiful woman with long, silver hair. Her eyes have a very unique color –light green emerald.

"You sure do look like your mother." Cloud murmured, and Kadaj slightly twitched, wiped his face quickly with his sleeve. "Thank you. It makes me happy when you are the one who say it." Kadaj looked down to his feet, stood in front of Cloud, then slowly raised his face and smirked.

"Shall we…have fun now…?"

Cloud turned back his head to take a good look of Kadaj's mother, and said "Sorry", while the silver haired boy pulled Cloud away, chuckled.

Riku got out of his room, at last. It wasn't because he had enough sleep and getting out of room for snack, but because of the noises from the room down the great hall, a.k.a Kadaj's little kingdom. Riku furiously cursed Kadaj for his loud mouth, Cloud for coming over, and then cursing his father for…letting Kadaj has the room at the end of the hall, where all kind of sounds could echoed up to the heaven.

Riku kicked his brother's room's door open. He knew better than kicking the door but because his arm was sprained and still hurt like hell since last night, so he used his foot instead.

Cloud was on top, Kadaj underneath. The scenario terrified Riku; he backed up until his back hit the door shut tight. What-the-hell.

Riku would be murdered right in spot if they were in the middle of something, but fortunately, they weren't.

"I am TRYING to have a good SLEEP here!" Riku yelled, turned his face away.

"Are you trying to sleep there on my bedroom's floor?" Kadaj pushed his bangs behind his ear as he sat up and looked at Riku. Good grief… not even a piece of cloth on Kadaj. "That's a bad idea because we're having business need to be done. Do you mind?"

Cloud didn't say a word.

Kadaj looked fondly at the blushing Cloud, then turned to Riku with an amusing look on his face. The white haired boy leaned on the opposite wall, fixed at Kadaj, then to Cloud.

"Fine… but don't make too much noise, okay…?" Riku said, and closed the door tight.

Riku walked out to the white hall, and he heard those noises again. Riku sighed, looked up to his mother's portrait, and looked down. Lately, when Riku looked at Kadaj, the image of his mother always appeared. The eerie breath-taking smile of Kadaj smoothed Riku's anger. As Kadaj getting older and older, he looked even more like mother.

But anyway, Riku decided that he'd go back to sleep for his own good. Not until…

Ding dong

Whatever, I am going back to sleep.

Ding

Heck, give up already! I won't open the door.

Ding dong ding dong

"ALL RIGHT ALREADY, damn it!" Riku growled, stamped his feet on the floor as he ran out and pulled the doorknob.

"Surprise!" The whole group stood in front of Riku. "Hey, don't close the door yet!" Yuffie yelled before Riku slam the door at their faces.

"What now? We just hanged out 15 hours ago!"

"No, it was exactly 12 hours ago. You got home at 11 last night, right?" Yuffie quickly answered.

"Okay so what you want to do today? Hunting for sea monster? Then I have The Kadaj's underwear floating in the bathroom for you guys to catch."

"No no Rik-chan. Selphie, tell him the plan!" Yuffie proudly announced.

"Right! First we go to shopping-" Selphie scanned the note on her hand.

"Didn't you shop enough yesterday already?" Riku leaned at the doorstep and folded his arms in front of his chest.

"No. This time is for you. Someone told us to take you out shopping for some new clothes. It's an order." Selphie put away the note and smiled happily at Riku.

"From who?" Riku asked, and stood on a side to let the group in.

"Your papa." Yazoo replied, and took out the check that had Riku's name on it.

What's the old man planned to do now? Riku thought and rubbed his left arm. "Sorry, but I am too tired now, I can't go."

The whole group exchanged look. "Or not maybe we will just hang out around your house until your father comes home this afternoon." Selphie shrugged.

"And your father will be furious at us for being such bad friends, not taking care of Rik-chan." Yuffie put her left arm on the forehead and gave a dramatic sigh.

Riku suddenly stood up, running the hand through his white silky hair. "We better go now. Wait for me outside." Riku smiled wryly and looked back to the white hall direction. Before you all run into Kadaj's room and saw what the hell they were doing. Selphie and Namine were still underage, by the way.

Takiko was combing Roxas' hair while Sora hand-washing the pillowcase. "Sweetie, why your hair is such a mess?", Takiko frowned as she put down the broken comb.

"I'm using CLE-AR hairspray everyday, mom." Roxas winked and threw himself on the couch, then turned on the TV.

"You don't even need hairspray; it was spiky like a durian since you were just born already." Sora said.

"You don't need one either. Remember yesterday? 'Porcupine head'…bwahahah, oh god my belly is killing me again!" Roxas rubbed his stomach as he laughing his brain off.

Takiko sighed and smile. Luckily, when they were born, they didn't have any hair yet… or not, she'd have a very hard time giving birth for both of them…

Sora climbed up to the terrace with the pillowcase in his hand, and from there, he had a beautiful view of the whole island. At the end of the skyline, he saw the red sun small as a half of his wrist slowly moved down toward the water surface 1 millimeter per minute. Sora suddenly remembered that once he stood up here with his father and asked, "Why the sun is sinking in to the ocean? Is it taking a nap down there?" Such a stupid question, he thought. With his grown up mind and knowledge, now he can answer the question himself.

And here was the affected answer from his dad. "Well son, the Sun afraid that the Land will be lonely, so after visiting the Sky, sun will come down and visit the Land." When talking to children, adult always try to insert the good meanings of life in it. Sora eyes half closed and looked far away at the red skyline, suddenly Riku's face appeared and fleeted by his mind.

"That's right; his name means 'land'!" Sora snapped his finger and stood up. Wait a second… Sora means 'sky', then…A cool wind shuddered Sora, and he remembered why he's here. Sora quickly hung the pillowcase on the string and before he can reach the cloth clips, the wind blew it up to the sky, and because the pillowcase was still wet so it quickly fell straight down from the air. Taka-san the neighbor was making the outdoor BBQ cuttle-fish, then suddenly a wet pillowcase dropped right on top of his BBQ griller, extinguishing the fire.

Sora fled before Taka-san could look up.

"This one?"

"No."

"How about this one?"

"I bet my dog would love wearing those."

"Hey, don't be rude! And when did you have a dog, Riku?" Selphie scowled. "I wouldn't care if you get out naked, Riku. But this is an order and we have to do it."

"How about… this one?" Namine pointed to a black outfit with tall collar and black belt hanged up on the wall. The little blond girl doesn't talk much, but whenever she giving out suggestion or comment, everybody in the group always took it very serious.

"Yeah, that one is acceptable." Riku said. "Can we go home now?"

"Not so fast, buddy. We need to get you some daily outfit-" Yuffie read the shopping list. "What for? I am too sexy for my shirt." Riku interrupted. "- And a pair of pajamas-" "I always go to bed naked. I don't need one." "…" Yuffie lose her patient with Riku. She held her wrist in front of the white haired boy and threatened: "One more word and you will have soup as daily meals for the next 3 weeks, I swear."

"You should go and change right now. Look at those clothes!" Selphie received the bag from the cashier and gave it to Riku. He grumbled as he took the bag and walked toward the changing room.

Now they got into a Gothic-Lolita shop. Riku doesn't care what it is; he just simply followed behind them. Riku sat down on a chair in the store and lazily stare at Selphie and Yuffie ran in ran out the changing room. What was so fun about putting on a bunch of chains and handcuffs on the pants anyway? And the Lolita style always reminded Riku of the spooky antique dolls that his mother had before in her room.

"Looking good, little boy."

The voice from behind Riku made him slightly jumped. A girl's voice…he turned back and faced a blond haired girl with 2 funny curls of hair stood up. She dressed in long black coat with hood and a black headband. And she seemed to be 3-4 years older than Riku.

"Who are you?" Riku asked, but turned his back toward the girl. Riku doesn't really care who she is. The blonde looked at Riku with interest and answered "Larxene. But hey, you're cool, you know that?"

What kind of question is this…and she's so forward. "Yeah I know that." Riku replied.

"Wanna join the gang?"

"What gang?"

"The 'Organization XIII'. We're controlling 4 biggest districts of this puny city." Larxene replied with 'pride' written on her forehead. Big deal.

"I am not interested in joining your 'The 13 Oranges' music band."

Larxene raised her eyebrows and stared at Riku, and then she took out a card with some tiny bloodstains on it. When she saw Riku stared fixedly at it, Larxene blinked her eyes and said "Never mind that, I dirtied it while doing the mission." She said it as if it's something normal to whack the brain out of people's skulls. That's what so-called mission of those gang.

"So why are you asking me to join?" Riku put the card in his pocket.

"You look miserable, boy. You got a heart and you don't know how to use it, may be because you've lost the key to open it. Did I guess it right?" Larxene said, as she ran her finger and drew an invisible X on Riku's left chest. "So let's expose all the darkness hidden in your heart and release it."

Riku looked at the smiling Larxene as she stood up and walked toward the entrance. "Join the gang; we're also searching for our light in life."

Those last words really got Riku's attention and impression about the strange blond girl. Maybe she's just trying to give Riku a philosophy lecture, to show him that she's smart. But Riku somewhat found them to be true about him...

Some girls in the store squeaked and ran toward the changing room; some ran out happily with the cell phone-camera on their hand. Riku stood up and he saw Namine, Selphie and Yuffie dressed in Goth Lolita and Punk Goth, well, they look good in those black clothes. But Yazoo was the center of the girls' attention. He's doing all kind of pose in the black long half dress half pants and ribbon bows every 4 inches of the outfit.

She said it as if she tried to convince Riku that she could read him like a book. But… does he really look miserable to other people? And what does it mean by saying "searching for the light in life"?

"What took you so long, Sora?" Roxas turned his head toward Sora. Roxas was fully dressed in neatly clothes, and his spiky blond hair was smoothed and combed down. Takiko was sitting in the kitchen, tried to fix the last comb in the house. And sure she wouldn't want to risk it to use on Sora's ultimate hair.

"Err… Are we going out tonight?" Sora asked as Takiko walked into her room.

"Yes Sora, go and put on your clothes that I left on your bed."

Ding dong

"Sora, get the door!" Takiko called from her room. "Why does he come earlier than the plan?"

Sora hastily stood up, zipping his pants and opened the door.

And the person is standing in front of the door is…

Taka-san.

Sora closed the door, slowly turned his face to his mother, who's walking down the stair.

"Mom, PLEASE don't tell me Kyoraka is Taka-san's last name…" Sora face was full of terror as he spoke. Roxas chocked over his peanut snack, and Takiko frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Then why Taka-san is standing out there?" Sora asked and felt relieved. Wait; second though, that's right, the pillowcase… "Never mind. He wants to borrow us a cooking pan, I guess!"

"Ok then." Takiko walked back upstairs. Roxas turned back to his Manga book and Sora gulped as he opened the door.

"Err, hi!"

"Hi what? Is this your god damn pillowcase?" Taka-san took out the pillowcase, looking furiously.

"I…guess so." Sora looked down guiltily. "It was kind of windy this afternoon, so maybe the wind blew it down…" then he raised his face, and bravely looked straight at Taka-san. But from Taka-san's point of view, Sora was more like going to burst into tear than trying to be brave. Sora looks mega-adorable when he's scared.

Taka-san raised his eyebrows, thank God. He looks horrible when he's angry. It makes his face all twisted together. "Fine. Next time use the clips, okay?"

"Thank you." Sora closed to door quickly before Taka-san changed his mind and wants to eat him raw instead.

"What was the conversation about?" Roxas closed the manga and put down the peanuts.

"Here's your pillowcase." Sora exhaled, sat down next to Roxas on the long couch.

"Whut?" Roxas stared at Sora with a look of a deer in the headlight.

"Taka-san came to return the pillowcase."

"…okay…so why it smell so…fishy?"

"…" Sora breathed hard, and his heart was still racing so fast. He will hardly have a nice sleep that night. That face was so terrifying…

"…Sora, don't say that he was having the hot for me." Roxas paused for a second. "Let's burn the pillowcase. Who knows what kind of skin disease that guy has."

Sora chuckled.

Ding dong

The smile on Sora's face faded, as he exchanged look with Roxas. "Damn, he was still out there?". Roxas stood up, Sora started and pulled the blonde's sleeve, shook his spiky head. Roxas looked at Sora, said, "It's alright. He dared to steal my pillowcase… and what did he do to you that scared you that much?"

Roxas pulled the door opened. "YOU bastar- …ahhhh, Kyoraka-san!" Roxas quickly changed his face expression, from grinding his teeth to smiling widely. Sora curiously sneaked a peak at the person outside the door. Damn it, Roxas and mom all kept him away from knowing anything about the guy, and even how he looks like. That was double cheating.

"Sora, what are you doing down under the couch? Stand up!" His mother looked at Sora, who laid flat on the floor beneath the couch.

"Let's go! It's late now!" Roxas laughed, lifted Sora's arm and together, they got into a white expensive car. Sora and Roxas sat on the back, while their mother Takiko sat next to Kyoraka at the front. Sora didn't take a good look of Kyoraka-san yet, but only saw his back. Beside, Sora was too shy to open his mouth saying hi to that man, anyway.

"So where are we going now?" Takiko asked.

"Daiwoo, the Korean restaurant." The voice of Kyoraka made Sora slightly jumped. Roxas sniggered and tried hard suppressing a laugh when Sora stared at him.

The car was getting so hot, or was it just to Sora? Relax, relax, he's a good man so mom wants to marry him…relax, just a dinner… a dinner…at DAIWOO… gulp…that fancy shiny restaurant in Twilight City…Sora shook his head from side to side, the thinking made him even more anxious, so he got to cut it out and face the reality…

"Ey Sora, are you going to sit there until we finish the food?" Roxas' waved his hand, tried to get Sora's attention, since his mind was floating somewhere else. The car had stopped and Sora timidly stepped out, and his eyes were dazzled because of the city light. Now under the light, Sora finally had a good look at his future stepfather's face. And Sora was amazed. He blinked at Kyoraka, while the tall handsome man smiled friendly in return. He still looked very young, around 39 years old. And Sora could bet with his soul that he saw that face somewhere before.

"So, we should get going, I reserved a table already." Kyoraka turned back and faced Takiko, held her hand and led them inside. "I bet my kids are dying to meet you guys."

Sora started, cold sweat ran down his forehead. He looked at Roxas, who was completely relaxing and wearing his confident expression on his face. "We are going to have step- brother and sister, too?" Sora whispered into Roxas' ear.

"Yep."

If it was possible, Sora would kick his brother on the shin. What with that simple 'yep' anyway? And…it's not Sora's fault to be less mature than his (one day) younger brother.

They walked toward a large round table near the large glass window. There were 2 people sitting there, waiting.Sora's eyes opened as big as saucers. Sora wished this whole thing was just a bad dream, and he'd wake up right at this moment.