Disclaimer: not mine

So one of my reviewers told my why I'm not getting alerts on ffnet. They made the stupid decision to make it so you have to opt-in to receiving alerts ever 60 or 90 days. Who is going to remember to check that all the time? Ffnet is getting worse, not better over the years. I only stick with it for the loyal readers I have there.

Question – if Sora lost all his newfound powers at the end of the exam…why can he still flow motion and suddenly run up sheer cliff in 3?

Chapter 12

He felt cloth rip under his hands as he clutched desperately at the sheets, head thrown back, hands moving all over his body, magic nudging at his. Panic threatened but then the scent of seawater filled his senses, warm lips, tender touches…the panic faded. Bright, warm, magic teased at his, even as the storm hovered, reaching out carefully. He let go, trusting, everything fading away as their magic entwined with his, into his very being.

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Sora felt Riku begin to panic at the feel of their magic, gently pulling Kairi back with him, focusing on the physical to reassure him. thankfully, Riku was clinging to just enough reason to not fight the grip Sora had on him, pinning his shoulders to the bed. His head was thrown back, usually cyan eyes almost black before they rolled back in his head as Kairi settled fully onto him. He'd agreed to this before beginning to get lost in mating instincts. Sora leant down, kissing him upside down, knowing his familiar scent would help him relax, reassure him he was safe.

He felt Riku's panic begin to fade and he reached for Kairi's magic again, coaxing it from her core and towards Riku. Her magic teased at the deep tides of Riku's and this time he responded properly, reaching back, for both of them. Sora hesitated but then let his own entwine with theirs. Maybe it was too soon for all three but…oh…he closed his eyes, shivering, kissing harder, hearing the unintelligible noises Riku was making, knowing he was making some too, hearing Kairi gasping and moaning as she moved to meet Riku's desperate thrusts.

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Kairi was breathing heavily as Riku finally relaxed under her, his own breathing just as laboured, eyes half shut. Sora released his grip on him and then reached for her and she went into his arms, relaxing as he gently stroked her hair and back. She relaxed even more as healing magic washed through her. "Mmmm thanks," she mumbled.

She was tired but she couldn't sleep, not yet. She could feel Sora's magic churning under his skin, could see the flush to his cheeks, the darkness in his eyes. He leant down and she met him, kissing him. She knew they couldn't stop, not now, not if they wanted a true three-way bond.

"Love you," she murmured even as Sora pushed her down on the bed, kissing along her jaw. She knew that in a way this was more dangerous because there was no one to hold Sora back if he lost control. "Sora…" she gasped as he touched her. "Sora…say something," she tugged his hair gently.

He lifted his head. "Here," he promised. "N...nneed," he nuzzled at her. "Plllease."

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer if possible. "Yes," she assured him. She was exhausted but she couldn't say no, if she did she knew he would stop, no matter how painful it'd be for him. She heard some noises, barely in her hearing range, feeling him tremble. "Please Sora," she whispered and then they were kissing again.

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Sora straddled Riku, kissing hungrily, aware of Kairi dosing beside them, worn out. He'd had to heal her several times and when his head was clear he felt so guilty about that, knew Riku would too later. If the tub was bigger, he'd drag Riku there since it'd be more natural for him but his own parent proved a full mer could mate in human form.

He let out an oomph as Riku suddenly move, flipping him onto his back, nipping and sucking at his throat. Oh…that was…he dug his fingers into pale hips, trying to drag him closer, letting his eyes fall closed. He didn't struggle or try to control Riku, he could take it, he…he liked the hint of pain.

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Riku woke leisurely, body heavy and boneless. He slowly blinked his eyes open to see Sora fast asleep in front of him, bruises littering his throat and shoulders. That woke him the rest of the way fast. He couldn't help the sound of distress that escaped, hand hovering over the worst, even as Sora began to stir.

"Riku?" he mumbled, sleepy blue eyes blinking at him.

"Sora…" he felt sick. Kairi, where was Kairi? He sat up, feeling an ache in his muscles even as he twisted to see her sleeping peacefully. There were streaks of dried blood scattered over the sheets but…someone had healed her if it was hers.

"Riku, it's okay," Sora called, and he turned back, seeing green healing magic curl around him, unable to fully heal the bruises since it'd been a few hours.

"I…"

"Shh," Sora whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "It's okay, nothing bad happened. I liked it…a lot. And Kairi's worn out but she's fine. The blood's yours and mine, not hers." Sora ran a finger gently over his hip and Riku hissed, glancing down to see a deep scratch, partially healed. Magic washed over him, healing it further. "You'd know if we were really hurting or unhappy Riku, use the bond," Sora murmured, kissing his jaw.

Riku closed his eyes, reaching carefully for his magic, feeling both of theirs mixed in now. part of him instinctively shied away, scared…and he hated Maleficent even more for making him afraid of something so natural. Then Sora was there, gently coaxing, not pushing, and Riku relaxed. Kairi was deeply asleep but still radiating happiness and love, maybe there was a little ache but nothing more. He shivered, trembling, and Sora wrapped around him, whispering soothing nonsense in his ear.

"Love you," Sora was murmuring as Riku felt things come back into focus properly.

"Love you," he echoed, clinging to Sora.

They were mated now, no one could separate them, and…it should get easier. He felt a lot more settled than he had in the last weeks already. He could focus despite the feel of Sora's naked body pressed against his back, didn't have to fight the urge to roll over, pin him and…well… now he could just relax and enjoy the warmth of his higher body temperature. Kairi shifted in her sleep and he slowly reached out to rest his hand gently on her arm, watching in wonder as she immediately settled.

"We wore her out," Sora sounded a little amused.

"She's really okay?" he asked again.

Sora pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. "She said she was aching but that it's normal since hasn't, well…you know before."

Sometimes, Sora showed his mixed heritage in the cutest ways. Sex was nothing to be shy about. But he understood what he was getting at. He ached a little in his thighs and shoulders.

"Why do my shoulders ache?"

"Uh, I had you pinned there when you were with Kairi, you told me to make sure you didn't hurt her so pinning you and keeping you distracted seemed the best way to do it. You really struggled a few times though."

Riku nodded, glad Sora had held him down, that he'd kept him from hurting Kairi. Though he hated the idea he'd hurt Sora, even if Sora said he'd liked the hint of pain. Kairi shifted again and slowly she opened her eyes, smiling dreamily when she saw them. She stretched, wincing slightly but then she moved closer, leaning in for a morning kiss.

"Noisy, sleep," she mumbled as she cuddled into his chest, and Riku felt Sora shaking with supressed laughter.

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Donald watched the three teens as they walked into the small eatery. Even if he hadn't known why they'd come back, he'd know something had changed over the last few days. They moved differently around each other, as if always aware of where the other two were, what they needed. Riku walked taller, more confident in his interactions with not just them but everyone, no longer hiding behind his hair which had been braided back off his face.

What had been meant as a nights stopover had extended into a much longer one. Cid and Leon had the word out, looking for better weapons for all of them except Sora. Riku had the blade Maleficent had 'gifted' him but everyone agreed it was better if he never touched that thing again. For the moment, he had the best sword the triplets had had in stock but they all knew it wouldn't be enough against her. Neither would Kairi's current staff.

There was another reason they hadn't gone to Hollow Bastion though; the storm Sora had created still covered the World and it was too risky to attempt a landing. It was a good thing Cid had some way of detecting that from here, otherwise they'd be flying back and forth all the time to check on it. But the storm wouldn't trap Maleficent there, not with the ability to travel through the Darkness that Riku had confirmed she could use.

They would be leaving tomorrow; the Coliseum was holding another round of games and Riku and Kairi could use the practice and experience.

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Maleficent glared out at the storm, unable to believe the child was truly so powerful. How was that possible? And yet there had been hardly any lessening in the fury that pounded against the castle, causing further damage to the already crumbling structure. Thankfully, the Grand Hall was deep within and very well protected, keeping the Princesses and incomplete Keyhole safe.

She could leave but there was no reason, sooner or later the children would have to return, they had no other choice if they wished to Seal the Keyhole and save the Princesses. There was no doubt they would try but she would not allow them to succeed. She needed the girl for her Heart, the other two were expendable if necessary. But the thought of having such power under her control was far too tempting.

Then there was Ansem, she knew he was angry he had not possessed Riku. He could have him if he got the chance, she knew now she had chosen the wrong one. This time, it would be Sora who knelt to her.

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Riku couldn't help the feral grin he knew was on his lips as he dodged the blow, Sora slashing through the space he'd just been in to take out his attacker. A blast of ice flew by and Kairi let out a whoop of joy as she hit another Heartless. He needed this, a mindless fight without high stakes. He'd settled one set of instincts in mating them, but this was different, he was a born and bred predator and this fight was letting him hunt and kill without actually hurting a real person.

Kairi yelped and Riku spun, catching her even as Sora snarled and dashed passed, taking out the Large Body in two hits.

"Okay?" Riku asked, and she nodded, grinning at him, eyes bright with excitement. How many other girls back home would be so happy in the middle of battle? He knew he was so lucky to have two mates who fit so well with his own personality.

They even had their own cheering squad, Donald, and Goofy watching from the sidelines rather than the packed stands. Apparently the team to make it through would face Hercules in the final and Hercules drew the big crowds as the local hero.

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He watched the trio fight, smiling fondly. He was so glad to see them again, to see them all looking healthy and happy. Riku was obviously recovered physically and even mentally which was a relief. Sora's grief at being unable to free him had been horrible.

His smile became a grin as they finished the last heat, as he'd expected. He stepped forward into the ring, facing them, and Sora laughed happily, bouncing on his heels.

"Don't go easy on us Herc!"

"No problem," he promised.

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Mickey made his way through the Realm of Darkness, he had to find the Keyblade and make it to the Door by the time Sora did. But could he do it alone? He hoped so because…he paused, listening careful. What was that? No…not a sound…a Light! It was fading, sinking, and Mickey didn't hesitate to dive into the Darkness after it.

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Yen Sid stared out at the stars, Mickey had passed beyond his ability to track, within the Realm of Darkness. He knew the risks, that he could be trapped forever once the Door was sealed and yet he hadn't hesitated, it had to be done.

Tracking the young wielder was far easier, due to the Keyblade and also the presence of Donald and Goofy, it was always easier to seek out those already known to him. Two more now travelled with them, one a Heart so bright it could only belong to one of the Seven and the other… was concerning. He had sensed it on and off since the Keyblade wielder had become active, always fighting him, falling ever deeper into Darkness. But now…the Darkness was lighter. Was this Heart somehow managing to claw their way back to the Light? Could they?

Why did they hesitate to deal with the final Keyhole?

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Riku dove into the small lake with Kairi in his arms, hearing her shriek, laughing as the cold of the water hit after the heavy humidity of the jungle. She just held on and held her breath even as his body changed to his true form. Seconds later Sora was beside them, grinning. The water was a welcome relief, he didn't understand how Tarzan could live in such a hot place, the humidity helped but without Poseidon's gift he would be beyond miserable on land.

Kairi pressed a soft kiss to his lips and then wriggled free to surface, waving at them to stay under. Unfortunately, sealing the Keyhole didn't totally keep the Heartless away from a World so they'd spent the morning dealing with some nests of them for the gorillas and it'd been very sweaty work. The cool water was what they all needed, he just wished Kairi could breathe under the surface like they could. The local wildlife kept its distance from them, obviously unsure if they were a threat or not but he had no desire to mess with those large creatures…hippos he thought Jane had called them.

Then he laughed as Sora grabbed his hands, spinning him in the water. He shook his head but then pulled him in to kiss, definitely in his top five favourite things to do now. They broke apart after a while and headed for the surface to lounge on the shore with Kairi.

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Goofy watched as Kairi pushed Sora off the ledge, Sora yelping comically, arms flailing before he caught himself in the air, grinning as he flew. They'd come back to Neverland to let Sora and Riku meet Peter and also get covered in Pixie dust. Sora got the hang of flying very quickly, Kairi had said it was probably due to his ability to make storms. That Sora was responsible for the World covering storm they'd seen…it should be impossible. But it wasn't magic, not the kind he'd taught the kid to wield anyway.

Riku had apologised to Peter and Wendy for his part in the mess with Hook. Wendy had forgiven him, Peter was more wary, but warming up as Sora and Kairi fooled around with him. it was good to see them acting like the kids they were. It shouldn't be up to them to save the Worlds but there was no other choice so long as Sora held the Keyblade.

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Riku hesitantly accepted the sword from Cloud, testing its weight. It was longer than Soul Eater, balanced differently, but there was no surge of hungry Darkness, though he did feel a boost to his magic which was nice.

"Twin stinger," Cloud murmured. "It was forged from two existing swords and is good for magic but also well balanced."

"Are you sure?" he asked, bewildered by such a gift.

Cloud nodded, expression serious, though Sora said he was always serious. "You need a good blade where you're going. I only kept it for sentimental reasons, it deserves to be used."

"Thank you," Riku took a few test swings to get used to it. He thought it would work well.

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Aerith watched Cloud hand over the sword he'd had since his trip into Shinra headquarters to rescue her so long ago. She hadn't known he still had it after so long. Sentimental reasons…because of rescuing her? Or something else about having gone back to the Shinra building? With Cloud, who knew. Maybe handing over the blade, meant he was beginning to let go even a little and move forward. Maybe.

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Sora stared at the World waiting for them, seeing the signs of the storm still raging. It had really taken on a life of its own, there was no way it should have lasted so long!

"It's lessened since we came here looking for you," Kairi murmured. "Can you fly through it?"

"Maybe," Sora wasn't positive though.

"Well, we can't just keep waiting," Donald pointed out, and he was right.

"Everyone hang on tight," Sora warned and they all moved to make sure they were secure before he began to head into the storm.

Soon he was fighting the controls, trying to keep the ship level as the storm tossed them around. Lightning flashed by outside and he heard Kairi gasp. He saw the castle and aimed the ship, grimacing as they bounced but they eventually came to a stop.

"Everyone okay?" he asked after a moment to catch his breath.

"I hate flying," Riku muttered, and Sora turned to see him, wincing at the sight of blood where Riku's head had bounced off the wall. A quick cure spell healed the damage and Riku wiped the blood off, licking his hand clean without a thought, making Donald grimace.

They got themselves untangled from the seats and supplies that had broken free. Cid was not going to be happy when he saw the ship next. Once outside, they found themselves not far from the main doors, the wind whipping around them at high speed. Sora grabbed Kairi and Goofy's hands, Kairi grabbed Riku and Riku grabbed Donald, then they began pushing forward, Sora reaching to try and calm the storm at least around them.

Finally, they shoved the doors open and tumbled into the entry hall, ears almost ringing from the sudden drop in noise and air pressure. The storm still screamed outside, shaking the building, but the thick walls muted it somewhat, thankfully.

"Riku?"

"We need the grand hall, it's deep inside," he answered tightly. "The Princesses are there, in these pod things, and the incomplete Keyhole."

"Let's go!" Donald demanded, moving forward, and then the Heartless appeared.

TBC….