Welcome! A New Pencil returns to the desk!

Underline is for English this time!

Italics is either thoughts, a flashback, or a song/poem.

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, My Hero Academia, OMORI, or any of its characters.

Chapter 17: Open Your Heart

All of us have a reason for what we do. Some of them might just surprise you.

(Play: KH BBS OST - The Promised Beginning)

"Well... look at you."

The voice of his predecessor echoed through the halls of the Land of Departure. Having just finished his daily patrol across the worlds, Riku had decided to pay a visit to Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, the three Keyblade wielders who were once thought lost a decade ago... until now. Sora and the other Guardians had made sure that the three of them were back home, safe and sound.

And coincidentally, when Riku had arrived, the three Keyblade wielders had made the decision to go into the Realm of Darkness. To search for clues of Sora's whereabouts.

Sora... Riku couldn't help but think back to his best friend's goofy grin, We'll find you eventually. Just hang in there, okay?

He then forced himself back to the present, looking over to Terra. It was kinda funny, seeing Terra like this. Though Riku had definitely grown since the last time the two exchanged words, Terra hadn't, due to being possessed by Xehanort and forced to lose his heart to create Ansem and Xemnas, and only when the two were defeated by Sora and Riku's hands, did Terra's heart and body return to the realm of light completely, just as it was the day he lost his heart. The older Keyblade wielder's physical body was just as it was when Riku first met him. The same could be said for Aqua and Ventus as well, as their bodies haven't aged a bit due to different circumstances.

Even so... it was great to be able to talk to the one who bequeathed him a Keyblade in person once again. The person in question was beaming in pride at Riku.

"Thanks, Terra." Riku smiled, "I finally fulfilled my promise to you."

"You certainly did." Terra nodded, "Now there's nothing left for me to teach you."

Well... other than bequeathing him the Keyblade, Terra didn't really teach that much to Riku, and wasn't there to do so no thanks to Xehanort. Regardless, Riku was still grateful to Terra, and didn't blame him for not being there with him on his journey. The fact that his encounter with Terra all those years ago was the motivator for him to seek out other worlds was enough for him.

Terra started to walk up to him, "You're a true Keyblade Master, Riku, not to mention a great leader to those around you. You even found the strength to save your friends."

Riku knew what Terra was talking about. Long ago, when they first met, Riku had spoken to Terra of wanting to go to the world outside to find strength to protect the things that mattered to him, which included his friends. It was then that Terra bequeathed him the Keyblade, promising that once that weapon came to him, he and Terra would cross paths again, and the older Keyblade wielder would help Riku find that desired strength.

And Riku had gained that strength. Enough strength to be recognized as a true Keyblade Master all on his own, without Terra's help. And yet... that strength couldn't save Sora, in the end.

"It's not enough." Riku sighed, shaking his head.

Terra merely shrugged good-naturedly, before placing both hands on Riku's shoulders, much to the younger boy's surprise. "Don't say that," Terra said, "The very fact that you were able to make your way here proves just how strong you've become since we last crossed paths. That's why I called for you."

Riku stared at Terra confused. "That's... the reason?"

Terra placed his hands on his hips, "You expected more?"

"Well... yeah."

Terra stifled a laugh, "I see... If there is more that I can teach you, I'll have to think about it."

"Fair enough," Riku shrugged, "I can wait another decade or so, if that's the case."

"Ouch. You really don't have that much faith in me?" Terra smirked.

"Consider that payback for not being there."

Terra blinked at him for a few seconds, before he and Riku chuckled. Eventually, the two burst out laughing.

The sound of footsteps alerted the two to the presence of the other two Keyblade wielders who lived in the Land of Departure. The younger one of the duo, Ventus, ran up to the two. He reminded Riku a lot of Sora's Nobody, Roxas. But that was mainly just in appearance.

"Hey, you two," Ventus said as he came in between Terra and Riku, "What were you talking about that was so funny?"

Terra simply crossed his arms and walked away with a smile. "It's a secret, Ven." he said.

"What? Aw, come on! Tell me!" Ventus groaned as he ran after his older brother figure.

"Nope. My lips are sealed."

"Well then unseal them! I want in on this!"

"Still a no. And you can't make me."

"Terra!"

While Ventus was bugging Terra, Riku then turned to the other Keyblade wielder who had appeared. Her name was Aqua, a Keyblade Master just like Riku.

"You're all set this time, right?" Riku said.

"Yes." she nodded, "We should have enough equipment so that we aren't forced to turn back for at least the next few months."

"Okay... but..." Riku turned to look at her, "Are you sure about this, Aqua? You were in the Realm of Darkness for ten years... and now you're going back in there again after just coming out days ago..."

"Yes..." she nodded, and Riku noticed that her hands were shaking a bit before she regained composure, "But it's alright now. This time, I won't be in there alone."

She glanced over to her peers who were still having a bit of fun, with Ventus still not letting up on what Terra and Riku were talking about. Aqua then turned to Riku, and asked him, "Will you be alright over here? We don't know how big the time difference will be between the realms this time around. We might be gone for years."

"I know. But this is a risk you're willing to take, right? Then that's enough," Riku told her.

"Okay..." Aqua said, before placing a hand on Riku's shoulder, "But be sure you take care of yourself, okay? Get some rest when you need it. Even a leader needs to take a break once in a while."

"I'm fine, Aqua,"

"Your tired eyes beg to differ. Don't try to hide it,"

Riku sighed in defeat, before nodding, "Okay. I'll try and get some rest soon."

With that, Aqua walked up to her other two peers. The three of them nodded in unison before each of them summoned their Keyblades: Ventus with Wayward Wind; Terra with Ends of the Earth; and Aqua with Stormfall. The three students of the late Master Eraqus brought their tips together, similar to how Sora, Riku, and King Mickey did it when they were going to face Xemnas one last time. The tips of their blades glowed with light, and before Riku's eyes, a small gate appeared in front of them.

I've got to learn how to do that... Riku thought.

Then, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua turned around, and pressed their hands onto the pauldrons that they wore on their arm and shoulders. Riku was immediately blinded by a flash of bright light, and when it subsided, he saw with surprise that they had donned armor and a white cape.

Terra's armor was something Riku had seen before, as Terra's Lingering Will used the armor as its vessel to ward off Terra Xehanort at the Keyblade Graveyard.

Ventus's armor... looked familiar. Riku couldn't place his finger on it, but he had the strangest feeling he'd seen that armor before.

Aqua had already started walking into the gate, and Riku knew her armor had been returned to her from the group at Radiant Garden after discovering it in the Chamber of Repose. How it had been repaired so flawlessly from its earlier broken state was beyond Riku's knowledge at this point.

He watched as Ventus followed Aqua into the gate, while Terra glanced over to Riku, before nodding and turning to follow his two friends into the gate.

"Good luck out there..." Riku said as the gateway closed, "Come back to us safe and sound."

(Silence)

"Hey, Sora, wake up."

"Huh?" Sora muttered.

"Wake up!"

Wait…

What happened last night…?

His home, ripped to shambles.

His mother, bleeding on the ground in her room.

His shadow, staring back at him.

Laughter, ringing on all sides.

"Hold on to that hatred…."

"MOM!" Sora bolted up, startling Kirishima as Sora frantically got to his feet, getting into a defensive stance, his breathing labored.

"Whoa, whoa! Sora, it's just me!" Kirishima said reassuringly, "It's alright. You're in U.A. right now, not there."

"E-Eijiro?" Sora asked, before calming down. "O-Oh… I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. You've been through a lot." Eijiro put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "But don't worry. We're here for you, kay? And you're mom's gonna be fine."

"Right…" Sora sighed, smiling at him, "Thanks."

(Play: MHA OST - Hero's Shadow)

It was the morning after Shimizu was brutally injured by his dark double. When Sora had reached Izuku's home, his mother was barely stirring, but Izuku and Inko were thankfully awake when he knocked on the door with his feet. They were horrified to see Sora carrying a gravely wounded Shimizu. Inko made it her duty to call the ambulance, and they took Shimizu quickly to the hospital.

She had lost a lot of blood, and was on the brink of a coma when they finally arrived at the hospital. Thankfully, Sora shared the same blood type as her, and after donating some of his own blood, Shimizu was stabilized. However, she had slipped into unconsciousness due to the blood loss, and hasn't woken up since.

Since then, Sora had reluctantly gone to stay at the Midoriya residence, though he preferred to stay at the hospital by his mother's side. But he had school tomorrow. Even then, he couldn't sleep at all that night. Not after what had happened. First, his mother, who he was reunited with after nearly 2 years, had been injured and was in an unconscious and unresponsive state, and now he was faced with the fact that a dark double of him was running rampant, and clearly had plans for the Keyblade wielder, if its attack on the Nakajima residence was anything to go by.

Not to mention the what would happen money-wise once Shimizu recovered, since her being hospitalized kept her out of work. It would be a challenge, even if Sora did multiple part-time jobs.

News of the attack had traveled fast among his peers and friends, and Hero himself had volunteered to help look out for Shimizu while she was recovering. The students of Class A that had arrived before him had comforted him when he came into class, and Sora thanked them with a tired smile.

"The good news is that she's just unconscious." he had told them, "But now it's a waiting game until Mom wakes up."

He had remained optimistic of the ordeal, but on the inside, he was really worried. What if this double struck again, but this time to someone else? Even with heightened security due to the attack on U.S.J., Sora still remained doubtful. The Heartless were very tricky and could even evade the strongest of defenses.

At least everybody was still here. That meant none of them had chosen to drop out. That was a small bit of relief for him. His father had taught him to always find the silver linings in the darkest situations, and boy, has that advice helped him more times than he could count.

(Silence)

Still, it didn't change the fact his mother was still unconscious. He couldn't believe he left home like that. The fact that the image of her near-lifeless body was stuck in his head wasn't making it any better.

If only he had been there… and not at the library…

Darn it…

(Play: MHA OST - Among Kosei)

"On a happier note," Toru commented, knocking Sora out of his trance, "Didja watch the news last night?"

"Yes," Ojiro nodded, glad that the gloomy air was gone.

"I've heard that it aired yesterday." Sora said, wanting to get his mind off of the negative thoughts.

"It's so cool that we all got a few minutes of screentime." Toru commented, before she began to sound a bit down, "Though I bet nobody really saw me there."

"No. Probably not." Mezo added his two cents.

"You were just gloves and legs," Mashirao said, not wishing to be blunt.

"It's probably for the best," Sora replied, "You were pretty banged up, and it's probably best for your first debut to not be one where you're all wounded."

"Coming from the person who got half the screen time while being carried to the nurse's office?" Shoji retorted, making Sora laugh sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"We're totally big deals, now." Denki smiled, "Those news channels love us now. We're practically celebrities."

"Kinda crazy, am I right?" Kirishima nodded.

"Feh, get over yourselves," Jiro scoffed, "The Hero Course that pumps out Pros was attacked, and a student was injured by the attackers. That's all that matters to them."

"Yeah," Hanta agreed, "Who knows what would've happened to us if the staff hadn't come around."

"Don't get started on that…" Minoru stammered, "I might pee because of it."

"Shut up and grow a pair, loser," Katsuki snarled. Sora sighed at that response. Looks like his words the day before yesterday went one ear and out the other.

"Did you all see All Might beat up that bird guy?" Sato chimed in, "That dude was super strong and he still destroyed him!"

"Indeed." Tokoyami nodded, "His strength is truly a thing of wonder."

"Don't forget that other dude with the big sword," Mineta said, "He just barged in with that sick ride alongside All Might and saved Sora from getting dogpiled! He's super cool!"

That's Cloud for you. Sora thought with a smile.

"Who was that guy, anyways?" Jiro asked, looking to Sora. But before he could give her a response, Tenya stood up.

"Attention, everyone!" he announced, "Homeroom class is about to begin! Please take your seats!"

"Dude, we are sitting." Eijiro commented, "You're the only person standing right now."

Tenya looked around, seeing that Kirishima was right. Grumbling, he sat down quickly, muttering "Dang it.". His quick movement startled Koda.

"Don't sweat it, Iida-kun." Ochaco reassured her friend.

"Say, Tsu-chan." Mina asked Tsuyu, "Who do you think's gonna teach class today?"

"No idea, ribbit," Asui shrugged, "Aizawa-sensei is still recovering, so who knows."

"Morning, class."

Speaking of the devil, Mr. Aizawa then walked in, his face and arms completely covered in wrappings.

"Aizawa-sensei?! What are you doing here?!" the majority of the class asked him.

"Wow, this guy's a Pro, alright." Kaminari said.

"We're glad you're okay, Aizawa-sensei." Tenya bowed.

"You call that okay?" Ochaco asked, looking uneasily at Aizawa's condition.

"My well-being is irrelevant." Aizawa began, "What's more important is that the fight isn't over yet."

"Our fight?" Bakugo perked up.

"Don't tell me…" Izuku looked worried.

"Not more bad guys." Mineta said, terrified. Sora had his guard up, wondering if Aizawa was mentioning the Heartless.

He was proven wrong when the teacher said, "The U.A. Sports Festival is coming up."

At that, the tension completely disappeared, and the majority of the class, minus Sora and a few others, cheered. He had no idea what was going on or what they were talking about. Was this the event that Kel and Mari sealed their lips for?

"Aw yeah!" Kirishima pumped his fist.

"Why would you scare us like that, sensei?!" the class, minus Sora and Shoto, shouted.

"Let's kick some ass!" Kirishima said, getting to Kaminari's level. Said boy had pressed his hand on his face.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second." Kaminari said nervously.

"Is it really a good idea to hold the Sports Festival so soon after Villains just snuck inside?" Kyoka asked, confused.

"They could attack us when we're all in one place." Ojiro added.

(Play: MHA OST - Damn Cowardly School)

"Apparently, the administration believes that this is the perfect chance to show that the threat has been handled and that the school is safer than ever," Aizawa explained, "Plus, they're planning to beef up security compared to past years. This event is a huge opportunity for all students in U.A.. It's not something we can cancel because of a few villains."

"Uh, I'm sorry, but why not?" Mineta asked, "It's just a sport's festival."

"Mineta-san, do you not know how important this competition is?" Izuku gawked.

"Of course I do. I just don't want to get murdered."

Sora raised a brow, cocking his head. He raised his hand, confused, "I hate to be out of the loop… but what exactly is this Sports Festival?"

All at once, the entire class stared at him with shock.

"YOU DON'T KNOW?!" the majority of the class practically shouted, making him chuckle a bit from embarrassment and scratch his cheek.

"Come on. I'm an islander. At least cut me some slack…" Sora said.

"What an idiot." Katsuki scoffed.

"If you would let me continue…" Aizawa said sternly, making them all shut up, "Our sports festival is one of the most watched events in the entire world. In the past, everyone was obsessed over the Olympic Games, but that was before Quirks began to appear. Now the Olympics have been drastically reduced in terms of scale and viewsmanship. For anyone who cares about competition, there's only one tournament that matters: The U.A. Sports Festival."

"That's right." Momo added, "And top Heroes everywhere will be watching. This is where you'll be scouted."

"Sure, unless you're dead." Mineta said.

Sora thought about it, ignoring Mineta's comment. So this Sports Festival was similar to Olympus Coliseum's tournaments in a sense. Not to mention that Aizawa talked about the Olympics that used to be around before the rise of Quirks. Was this somehow connected to Olympus in a way?

"She does have a point," Denki added, "After graduating, a lot of people join Pro Agencies as a sidekick."

"Yeah, but that's probably the farthest they go." Jiro informed, "They miss their chance to go indie and stay as eternal sidekicks. Actually," Kyoka pointed to Kaminari with her pencil, "That's probably where you're heading. You're kinda dumb."

She clearly didn't hold back on her bark, and Kaminari winced from that insult to his intelligence and Quirk.

"It is true that joining a famous Hero Agency can garner you greater experience and popularity," Aizawa confirmed, "Which is why the Sports Festival matters. If you wish to go Pro one day, this event will open a path for you. One chance a year. Three chances in a lifetime. No aspiring Hero can afford to miss the Festival. That means you better not slack off on your training."

"Hai, sensei." the class nodded.

(Silence)

"Class is dismissed." Aizawa announced, before walking out the room.

The rest of the classes after that went by slowly as Sora partially listened, as he was still concerned about his mother and if she was okay. But regardless, he listened as best as he could. And soon, it was time for lunch.

"The Villain stuff sucked, sure, but I'm pumped for these games!" Kirishima smiled.

"We put on a good show, and we're basically on the road to being Pros!" Hanta cheered.

"Yep! This is even why I'm here in the first place!" Sato grinned.

"We get so few chances…" Tokoyami mused, "We best make the most of this."

(Play: MHA OST - I'll Become A Hero!)

"Oh, man, you guys. I'm getting kinda nervous about the Festival." Toru confessed, "I have to come up with a way to get noticed." She then tries doing some cheering while Ojiro and Mezo try their best to help.

"Uh… sure." Ojiro commented, "Maybe you should try looking for a shinier costume."

"I'm pretty sure we can only use our gym clothes like in that Quirk test Aizawa-sensei did." Sora replied.

"Oh… scratch that then."

While Aoyama was posing around and talking to a nervous Koji, Denki was currently looking at Shoji, "You're so lucky dude." he complimented, "People are definitely going to notice your unique Quirk,"

"Cool, but what matters is that I can show them how useful I can be." Mezo noted.

"No doubt you'll make a scene, too." Kyoka teased Denki, who only deflated at her jab.

"This is crazy," Sora said, "I guess this really is important for everyone, isn't it?"

"Of course, Sora-kun," Iida told him, "We came to this school with the sole aim of becoming Heroes. Of course we would be fired up."

"Well, fame isn't everything when it comes to heroism," Sora smiled, "But if this Festival gives us a chance to show off what we can do for others, then I can't wait to see what happens."

"On that, we can both agree to," Tenya then turned to Izuku, who was with them, "You have to be excited too, right Midoriya-kun?"

"W-Well, yeah. Of course I am," Izuku said, then admitted, "And also nervous…"

"Deku-kun… Iida-kun… Sora-kun…" Uraraka's voice had them all turn around and see her with an unusually determined expression. "Let's do our best at the Sports Festival."

With how unusual this was for a girl like Ochaco, Sora could help but feel a little intimidated by how fierce she looked. Even Izuku commented on this, wondering what the heck happened with her face.

"Like, seriously, what's up, girl?" Ashido asked her, "You don't look like your namesake. You're usually the most laid-back girl in class."

Sora heard a slapping sound from behind him, and he turned to see Mineta clenching his cheek in pain and a passive Tsuyu looking at the board. He could probably guess what just happened, and shook his head. Ochaco, meanwhile, was still in this new phase, pumping her fist with a fire in her eyes.

"Everyone!" she announced, "I'm gonna do my best!"

Midoriya, Iida, Mina, and Tsuyu followed along, though they hid their confusion well. Uraraka continued to do this with her other classmates, who didn't hide their confusion and awkwardly followed along. She demanded that they put more heart into it, and they did, although reluctantly.

Sora laughed good-naturedly. Ochaco was simply trying her best to hype the class up, as well as herself. Because of that, he began to cheer as well, pumping his fist in unison with Ochaco. It was a nice reprieve after what happened yesterday, and he wanted to make sure to thank her for it later.

(Silence)

Soon enough, the entire class went out to lunch, while Sora chose to stick with Tenya, Ochaco, and Izuku. The young woman was not as intense as she was before.

"Hey, Uraraka-san?" Izuku asked suddenly.

"Yeah? What's up?" came the reply.

"Why did you come to U.A.?" Midoriya asked with curiosity, "What made you want to be a Hero?"

"Oh!" Ochaco looked a bit flustered at the question, but continued on awkwardly. A brief explanation later, two of the three boys' eyes widened.

"Money?" Izuku asked, "You want to be a Hero so you can get rich?"

"If we're cutting to the chase, then yeah…" Ochaco said, scratching the back of her head quickly, before getting embarrassed and waving her left hand out, "Gah! I'm sorry if that sounds greedy. You and Iida-kun have such admirable motivations, and I'm sure Sora-kun has a great motivation, too. I hope you don't think less of me now."

"Not at all." Tenya replied, "You're goal is to support your well-being, which is an admirable motivation to have."

"Not to mention that you can use some of that money to help a friend in a bind," Sora added his two cents, recalling his adventures with the infamous pirate Jack Sparrow, "Or help them pay off a debt or something, like a trade."

"It's just kinda surprising, that's all." Izuku commented.

"Well, Sora-kun was pretty close," Ochaco sighed, "My family owns a construction's company, but we haven't gotten any work done lately, so we're flat broke. Anyways, this isn't something I'd normally tell people, but…"

As she said that, all three boys put their hands on their chin.

"Construction, huh?" Tenya pondered.

"Wait a minute…" Izuku perked up, "If she does get licensed, I bet she could use her Quirk to drop costs down by a lot."

"Fair point." Iida said, "Since she can float everything with her Quirk, they could sell all their heavy lifting equipment."

"Combine that with the paycheck that comes with Hero work, she and her parents would be in good hands," Sora nodded.

"I know, right?!" Ochaco pointed to all three of them as they made their comments, "I been trying to tell my dad that since I was a kid, but…"

(Play: MHA OST - Can't Look Into The Eyes of Serenity)

She sighed, as Sora could see that her eyes looked far away, probably recalling some memory regarding what she had just said. Perhaps that memory was the one where she decided to become a Hero, but he wasn't sure. Unlike Kairi's Nobody, Namine, he couldn't look at one's memories like a sketchbook.

Finally, Ochaco took a deep breath, before looking up at the three with a determined expression, declaring, "I'm gonna become a Pro. I'll sign with a good agency and make plenty of money. That way, I'll be able to let my parents have an easy life."

Izuku and Tenya were taken aback by the speech, but Sora merely smiled encouragingly. She had a good goal, and now she has a good enough reason to keep herself motivated to stay on the path she's chosen.

Then, out of the blue, Tenya raised his arms up high, hands clapping together repeatedly as he cheered, "Bravo! Bravo! So noble! Bravo! Bravo! Baratisimo!" Sora then followed along with the clapping and the cheering, but much more subtle than Iida's, while Midoriya looked at her thoughtfully before looking down, now lost in his own thoughts.

(Silence)

Suddenly, a booming familiar laugh echoed through the hall, and the four of them looked around before a very familiar figure came about.

"Midoriya-shounen," All Might declared, pointing at Izuku, "IS HERE!"

"Whoa! All Might, where did you come from?" Izuku asked, stunned.

"Lunch." said the Symbol of Peace, "You wanna eat with me?"

Ochaco tried and failed to suppress her laughter, "That's adorable! It's like a girl!"

"What do you say?" All Might asked. Izuku looked unsure, but with encouraging nods from both Iida and Sora, he nodded, "Sure thing."

As Izuku walked away, Sora, Ochaco, and Tenya went off to the cafeteria to wait in line for food.

"Wonder what he wanted from Deku-kun?" Uraraka pondered.

"I heard that when All Might-sensei was attacked by villians at U.S.J., Midoriya-kun tried to rescue him himself before the staff arrived." Iida pointed out.

"I saw that…" Sora nodded, recalling the moment vividly, as well as the part where Cloud decided to be brutal. He shivered at the memory; though Cloud had considered it a joke when he looked as though he would actually kill, Sora had a bad feeling in his gut that it wasn't really the case.

"Also, remember what Tsu-chan told Midoriya-kun on the bus the day of the attack?" Iida reminded them as Lunch Rush was serving a boy with purple hair, "Since their Quirks are similar to one another, it's likely All Might-sensei's taking a liking to him. How lucky."

"I agree, specially since he's a big fanboy, heh heh," Sora grinned, "It's gonna be fun talking to him about that when it's all over."

(Play: KH 2.5 Remix OST - Isn't It Lovely?)

Ochaco giggled, remembering how Midoriya was so flustered around her, multiplied tenfold when supposedly in the presence of All Might. Soon, they had gotten their lunch from Lunch Rush.

"You seem to know him more than we do, Sora-kun." Iida pointed out as they sat together at a table, with some of their classmates sitting nearby as well. But other than that, it was rather barren, so hardly anybody was listening.

"I think it's best to know as much about my friends as possible, especially since we live close to one another." Sora nodded.

"Oh, so you're like his neighbor?" Ochaco asked.

"Close. Just a couple of homes away." Sora clarified, "Well, not for the moment, now."

"Why's that?"

"House is being investigated due to the… incident…" Sora explained, "So I'm staying at his place until the police are done."

"Oh… I'm sorry." Uraraka said sadly, "Speaking of… are you doing okay?"

Sora sighed, putting his spoon down, "I'm fine… just shocked is all…"

"I feel like it's more than that." Tenya replied, looking at Sora's eyes, "However, I don't wish to pry any more than I have to, Sora-kun, so I'll not ask any more questions if you're not comfortable."

Sora smiled, "Thanks, Tenya, but… I'll answer Ochaco's question. And I think you both deserve an explanation sooner or later."

"I see. Feel free to stop anytime you wish, then."

Sora nodded, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I wasn't speaking truthfully earlier, Ochaco. Honestly, I'm really nervous… and mad."

"Mad?" Uraraka asked, concerned.

Sora nodded, "But not just at my mom's attacker. I'm mad at myself." he sighed, "I wasn't there when she was hurt. I should've been there… I was helping Izuku out with his Quirk that day, and when I got home, I…" he put his hands on his head, "I was just barely able to save her. But the attacker got away. If I'd known earlier…"

"You didn't know, Sora-san. No one did. Unless you're someone like Sir Nighteye, nobody's omniscient," a voice said, and the three looked up to see that Momo was there as well with her tray. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course, Yaoyorozu," Iida nodded, and she sat down next to Iida. She then looked over to Sora, "Even if you had known, you couldn't have gotten there fast enough to even try and prevent the Villain from attacking."

"I could have been. You know I'm faster than Tenya. No offense, by the way," Sora looked over to Iida apologetically.

"None taken, Sora-kun,"

"But you can't use your Quirk outdoors. We don't have our licenses yet." Ochaco pointed out. Sora grumbled at that little reminder. She and Momo made good points. Even if he had his natural speed, he probably wouldn't have gotten there fast enough, maybe in under 2 minutes, but even then, it probably wouldn't have been barely enough. The doctors had said that she had been attacked most likely while Sora was at the library. The fact that she held on to life for so long was miraculous.

But Sora knew that even though she was Quirkless, she wasn't going to die easily, considering that she has a very strong heart. Even so, she was very lucky that Sora had come when he did. A couple minutes later and she probably wouldn't have made it.

(Silence)

"Still, I really hope your mother is okay." Momo said, before adding, "Regarding that topic… How did your mother come here? I thought you told me she died a long time ago."

"That's what I thought too. We only just figured out the other was alive after, well… you know." Sora said, and Momo nodded in understanding, seeing that Sora wasn't quite keen to talk with Iida and Uraraka about getting arrested several months earlier, "I still can't believe it… it's been so long since I've last seen her… and now I was this close to losing her again…"

"Again?" Tenya and Ochaco asked. Sora sighed. It would've come to a talk like this sooner or later. Besides, they were his friends here. They had a right to know.

"Ochaco… you remember when Izuku asked you about why you wanted to be a Hero?" Sora asked her.

"Yeah. What about it?" Uraraka asked.

"Well… it's only fair that I explain my reasoning for wanting to be a Hero in return." Sora replied, "Is it okay if I speak English for this?"

"Of course."

"Yeah."

"Go ahead."

"Thanks," Sora smiled, seeing that they had also switched to English as well, before hardening his expression, "Remember the Heartless?"

"Those black creatures that attacked in the second wave?" Iida asked, and Sora nodded.

"Yeah." he said, "They're the reason why."

(Play: KH 2.5 Remix OST - Missing You)

The three of them looked at him with shock and concern. Momo knew that those creatures, along with the mysterious mad scientist, were responsible for Sora's Quirk manifesting, but back then, it was clear that there was more to the story than he let on. At last, there would be answers.

"Whaddya mean?" Uraraka asked.

Sora took a deep breath, and revealed, "The day that I got my Quirk, was the day the Heartless destroyed my home on the islands." He sighed, recalling that fateful day, "When that happened… everyone I knew there… even my mom… was gone. Disappeared or died to the Heartless, I didn't know. My childhood friends, Riku and Kairi, were taken by the Heartless alive. They were quick and efficient, and in a few moments, my home was gone… just like that. Next thing I knew, I found myself stranded in a nearby town, with nobody I knew or trusted, and the Heartless on my tail in hopes of finishing what they started."

The three stared at him as Sora revealed how his Quirk manifested, and what it cost. He gave them no time for questions as he continued.

"I was found by two people that I consider really good friends. Donald and Goofy." Sora confessed, "The two agreed to help find my missing friends. We went to various places together, taking out the Heartless and helping people along the way for over a week. Even then, I still continued to search for Riku and Kairi, hoping they were still alive."

"Did you… ever find them?" Tenya asked him cautiously.

"Eventually. But both of them were in very bad spots." Sora admitted, "Kairi was unconscious because her heart had been taken out of her body and somehow placed into mine, while Riku had been possessed by a mad scientist named Ansem, who was after Kairi's heart. Since it had taken refuge in my heart, Ansem used Riku's body to try and kill me and rip out Kairi's heart."

Iida and Uraraka looked sick as the thought of a still-beating heart literally being ripped out of their chests came to mind. Not to mention that this scientist was willing to harm children to do so? Yaoyorozu had to butt in for their sakes, "It's not the physical one that pumps blood through our bodies, right? Just to be sure?"

"No, thankfully." Sora clarified, "When I'm talking about a heart, I mean the thing that defines our emotions and makes us who we are. A heart grows with every new experience, and they can possess a strong light or darkness when it's grown enough. Heartless are attracted to that, so they try and rip that out of people, animals, any living thing, and once they do, the person loses their heart and becomes one of them."

"That explains what Hagakure had seen." Ochaco commented, "It's like those zombies from horror movies, but worse."

"Zombies?" Momo asked, "What are they?".

"People who've risen from the dead, but instead of hearts, they go for brains," Uraraka shivered, "The way Sora's describing the Heartless are giving me the same creeps."

"They can be defeated though. They aren't invincible." Sora reassured them, "Going back to what I was saying. Ansem tried to kill me using Riku's body, but I managed to beat him. But that left me with the weapon Ansem tried to use on me, and a still comatose Kairi. I didn't know how to wake her up, until… I tried something."

"What did you do?" Iida asked.

"You're gonna think I'm stupid for doing this…" Sora muttered, before admitting, "The weapon Ansem was using against me in our fight had the function of extracting the hearts of others in a similar way to how a Heartless does it. I, well... stabbed myself with it in hopes that it would wake Kairi up. Miraculously, it worked. Kairi's heart returned to her thanks to the weapon, but in the process, I lost mine... and became a Heartless myself."

Tenya now looked super concerned for Sora, worrying for his mental sanity, while Momo had a hand to her mouth, horrified. Ochaco, who was next to Sora, was about ready to cry from how the story was going.

"How… How did you change back?" Yaoyorozu asked, finding her voice again.

"Kairi saved me." Sora admitted fondly, "She found my Heartless, somehow recognized me, and brought me back to human form with her Quirk."

"What is her Quirk?"

"Purification, if I remember. Sort of like Recovery Girl's, but her power focuses on the heart instead of the physical body. She got it around the same time I did, for the same reasons," Sora explained, making up a Quirk for his dearest friend right off the bat, "She saved me back there, and I saved her. We left that place where I found her with Donald and Goofy. When I was sure she was okay, I told her I was going back for Riku, who was still under Ansem's control."

"All by yourself?" Iida asked, stunned.

"I had Donald and Goofy with me," Sora smiled, "The three of us then took the fight to Ansem, who summoned a door that was bringing the Heartless into our world to try and kill us. We stopped him, but the door was still open, and Heartless were still leaking out. So Riku, when he was freed from Ansem's control, chose to close the door on the other end, locking him in with the remaining Heartless, but helped us keep them away from our islands and the rest of the world."

"So he sacrificed himself to save you…" Tenya concluded solemnly, "He truly was your friend in the end."

"He was, and still is. He didn't actually die." Sora corrected, "He was just trapped there, and the door disappeared when we closed it, sealing off the place Ansem stored the Heartless in. After that, I went looking for another way to get to where he had gone for an entire year in hopes of getting him out of there."

The three could've called him crazy for that story, but the way he talked about it… how genuine his voice sounded… and especially after he had quickly responded to the Heartless when they attacked at U.S.J., it was hard not to believe him. Ochaco sniffled once he had finished, "You're really tough, Sora… I don't think I would have lasted as long as you did if I was in your shoes."

(Play: KH 2.5 Remix OST - Friends in My Heart)

"I…" Sora said, looking up sheepishly, "I never really thought of that. How all that I went through could easily break someone like that at our age. I guess I was so focused on finding my friends that I never really thought about everything that happened, even after the fighting was over. I still haven't, honestly," Sora pulled out Kairi's good-luck charm, and the movement caught the three's eyes, "I think I also had this to keep me going as well."

"What is that?" Iida wondered.

"A good luck charm." Sora told him, "It belongs to Kairi. She gave it to me before I went off with Donald and Goofy to fight Ansem, promising we'll meet again. It actually isn't the first time she's given it to me. It was the first of many times."

He placed the charm at the center of the table so his friends could get a better look. Sora continued, "Anyways, after a year of searching, I eventually found Riku, who had escaped the place he had trapped himself in and made the power Ansem had given him his own. Though, me, Donald, Goofy, and him had to fight through a stronghold to help others take down another Villain in league with Ansem, who was called Xemnas. Once he was defeated, me and Riku said our goodbyes to Donald and Goofy, and we returned home, where it was rebuilt after being destroyed by the Heartless.

"My mom wasn't among those that had rebuilt our home on the islands. That's why I thought she was really gone until recently." he finished, "After what had happened the day I got my Quirk, I decided to walk the path of a Hero, so that nobody would ever have to suffer like I did."

Tenya, Uraraka, and Momo… were stunned. They all had their personal reasons for being a Hero, and they were sure others had good reasons too. But Sora's case was an extremely rare one, and a reasoning like that coming from a person like him… it just spoke volumes of not just Sora's combat skill and experience, but also his mental strength and how committed he was to his goal.

Ochaco finally couldn't hold it in anymore. With tears in her eyes, she hugged Sora and cried on his chest. She began speaking, though it was muffled, "You're still so nice and lighthearted… even after all that happened to you."

"I… can't help but agree with Uraraka." Iida finally found it within him to speak again, "With all the physical and mental trauma that you experienced at such a young age, it's no wonder you're so strong. You have been fighting these monsters, and additionally Villains, ever since you got your Quirk. And what you told us was only one year… out of maybe a decade of struggles… It's miraculous you're here and able to smile, even after all that."

Sora chose not to correct him. It had actually been shorter, but for the sake of world order and the stress it would deliver explaining that he was a late bloomer like Midoriya was and why none of this was on the news, he kept quiet and smiled genuinely. He returned Ochaco's hug and let her cry and get it out of her system. He saw Momo wipe a tear away out of the corner of his eye.

"Thanks Tenya, but don't sound so serious when you say it, okay?" he said sheepishly, "The way you say it kinda puts me in an edgy light, and that's more of Fumikage's and my friend Riku's thing. I know for a fact I don't ever sound edgy. I'm bad at that."

Tenya nodded, getting the message that Sora wanted to keep things light.

"I guess it makes sense why you're so protective and worried about your mother." Yaoyorozu added, "You haven't seen her since you were little, and now that she's here with you, you don't want to lose her again… not after what happened last time."

"You could say that," Sora smiled, "But the good thing is that she's alive and fighting, even now. I'll take what solace I can from that."

"Yes." Momo nodded, "That's a very admirable trait to have, Sora. Being able to see the good despite the things that have transpired."

"But if you need anything, just let us know, okay?" Iida asked, "It's mine and Yaoyororzu's duty as Class Rep and Vice Rep to make sure our classmates are doing well physically and mentally while at school, after all. Not to mention we're going to be classmates and friends for 3 years, so it's best that we at least give each other a helping hand every now and then."

"Yeah." Ochaco looked up, her face still wet from her tears, "It's the least we can do. So don't worry, Sora. Let's go and have more laughs together!"

Sora suddenly felt his heart jump to his throat again. He hadn't felt this way since his mother said something similar. Even if he was keeping some things hidden from them, they were still very willing to make sure he was okay. It had been a long while since someone had done that for him, so long that it almost felt foreign to him. Even before the Keyblade War, other than Donald and Goofy a couple of times, no one had ever asked him if he was doing okay after everything. Perhaps it was because he had hidden behind a mask this whole time…

And yet even with the mask… they were still willing to help…

It was a few moments before he found it within him to speak again, "Thanks, guys."

Sora then noticed a smear on his shirt, which Ochaco apologized profusely for as it was drenched in her own tears. Sora smiled and told her he didn't mind. After that, the lunch bell finally rang, and the four of them decided to head back to class.

Meanwhile, one particular student was looking down as she returned to class, feeling warm after what she had just heard.

(Play: Majorlink - Ballad of the Goddess [Skyward Sword] - Acoustic)

And there we have it. The end of 17, and it looks like Shimizu's gonna be okay for now. But even so, Sora's still shaken up by what happened. Though I don't believe this is the first time the forces of darkness have targeted Sora's love ones, this is definitely the first time they attacked someone Sora cared about who was completely defenseless (Counting out KH1 Kairi, at least). Thankfully, his classmates of 1-A are there for him as he goes through this troubling time.

On a lighter note, the Sports Festival is coming up, so sit tight and get ready. These matches will be slightly different than they were in canon!

Onto reviews.

Gamelover41592: Yessss... exactly the reaction I was looking for.

Jaded671: Well, Shimizu isn't dead yet. But who knows... either way, this won't bode well for Sora's mental state if things go south.

Captain Imaginat: Yes. I've just seen Fanfiction's Twitter say they're updating the site, which is good. Thanks for the reassurance, Captain.

MK: *Laughs evilly*. Jokes aside, thanks for your feedback.

Zach Flare SOLDIER Class S: Well, that depends on whether or not Izuku knows what Hero is talking about.

On the topic of Sora and his darkness, do remember that I said in Chapter 1 that this is a Sora from a KH 3 that is altered slightly. And remember what I said in fireclaw's review: just because one accepts their darkness does NOT mean they won't succumb to it ever again; Take Riku, for example. He also has accepted his darkness and chooses to not let it define all his actions, but Xehanort calls that a RESISTANCE, NOT an immunity. Heck, he still struggled against it in DDD (at least, in terms of guilt), even after beating Ansem in Chain of Memories. If that's the case for Riku, then Sora will likely undergo a similar experience in the future in KH.

Either way, I totally understand your frustration, especially regarding the fics where Sora doesn't have control over his darkness, as by the end of KH3, it does look like Sora is still okay, despite that roller coaster of a trauma trip he had in the Keyblade War. And unlike his Anti-Form, Rage Form's only triggered by anger (Unless you're the old man and just suck the light out of Sora). I agree that his darkness would want nothing more than to protect the ones Sora cares about... so that begs the question. If this is Sora's darkness, and if he has the mindset you pointed out in your review, why did he attack Shimizu in the first place? But then again... is this really Anti-Sora?

ZeroOrHero: Don't worry. Answers will come in due time.

PUBLISH: Poor Shimizu indeed...

blueassassin996: A question for another day, blueassassin. A question for another day...

Engineer4Ever: Nobody suspects the dirty tricks of evil. From Dharkon waiting until Galeem was beaten, to Xehanort manipulating Terra and turning him against Eraqus.

Gry26: Well... she's fine for the moment, right?

Xerayn: Oh the suspense! Exactly what I was looking for!

Shadow Tiger24: Oh... that's an interesting guess, and much different from all the assumptions about it actually being Anti-Form. We did see the Dark Follower have the ability to regenerate in Chapter 15, so you could be closer than you think. And as for Shimizu... we have no clue if she's okay yet, but I'm glad you're enjoying her character.

ryan456: You hit the nail right on the head. Sora never encountered Zexion, the Nobody, personally. He only knows Ienzo, the polite researcher.

Guest: Well... this is Kingdom Hearts. You never get a straight answer until much later...

The OC Maniac: No problem, OC, and given how both this doppelganger and Sephiroth have both said the line, that's a big maybe. Yeah, Spiky was a bit uncreative, and I didn't want to take that other nickname you made on your own, so I decided to go with this for now. Thanks for your review, OC.

What do you think about this chapter? I am happy if you enjoyed it, and if not, I'm sorry for not meeting expectations.

Thanks for reading my story, and until our paths cross again!

(Silence)