The Start of a New Journey
Sora will be waking up soon, steps must be taken to insure his recovery and his safety back in the realm of light. Steps that were just arriving in the Station Tower in a purple train. Rilku was there at the station to greet their quest as he arrived. King Mickey had walked out of the passenger car, looking around to make sure nobody or Nobodies spotted the train till he spotted Riku waiting for him by the station entrance.
"Riku, boy am I glad to see you." Mickey greeted him with a nod. "Is everything going okay?"
"Yes, everything is fine. Sora and the others are waking up as we speak."
"Great!" Mickey cheered before noticing something off with Riku. "You okay, Riku? Your voice sounds...strange?"
"Things have changed a little, Mickey."
"Oh, okay then, if you say so. Well... How are their memories? Is everything back to the way it was?"
"For the most part. Naminé says that they won't be able to remember anything after defeating Ansem, restoring the worlds, and going off to look for us. She even erased Gimini's journal entries to make sure no traces of their time in Castle Oblivion was left."
"I guess that's for the best. They must be so confused right now as to how they got here or how long they've been sleeping."
"Doubtlessly for them it felt like a long nap. But you're right, they're probably wondering around the place confused like newborns right now."
"Let's head over to the mansion to meet up with them and take them to master Yen Sid. He'll send them on the right path."
"They're probably not there anymore. My bets are that they're wondering around town by now."
"Then we have to get them now. The Nobodies are coming to collect the Keyblade holder as we speak."
"I can't- … I can't go with you, Mickey."
"What? Why not?"
"..." With hesitance Riku took down his hood to reveal his new face, the face of Ansem.
"!" But it was not just his face but his body as well had changed. "Riku what happened to you?"
"Roxas put up more of a fight than I could handle in my current state, so I had to tape into my power of darkness in order to retrieve him. However, once I taped into the deep abyss's well I couldn't change back."
"Aw Riku, it doesn't matter what you look like now. You're still Sora's friend, I'm sure he'd still want to see you right now."
"I don't want him to see me like this. I don't even want Destiny Islands to see me like this." Riku said in self-disgust at what he has become. "Please, Mickey, can you not tell Sora and the others what's happened to me."
"I...alright, Riku. I won't tell them a thing." Mickey promised to Riku with a solemn nod. "Well, I guess I better go look for them."
"Mickey, can you do one more favor for me?" Riku said as Mickey walked passed him towards the entrance to Twilight Town.
"Hm?" Mickey turned to look behind him, only to be caught by surprised as he caught a cute munny pouch that was tossed at him. "What's this?"
"Give it to Sora. Rox- I mean, Sora will want it back." Riku wished he could do more for Roxas, like say he was sorry, but this was all he could do. Inside Olette's cute munny pouch was the 5000 munny Roxas had worked so hard to earn to go to the beach with his friends and the piece of the Struggle treasure he had won and shared with them. Riku had said to himself that he was going to give them back to Roxas and he certainly was going to keep his word.
"Alright, Riku, you can count on me!"
"Thanks, Mickey."
"Right, I'll see you around, Riku."
"I'll catch up with you later." Riku waved to him as Mickey ran off to catch up with the others. "Get them out of here safe, Mickey."
"You can count on me for that!"
Riku had stayed hidden at the top of the station tower as king Mickey looked around town. He had bumped into Hayner, Pence, and Olette at the train station square and asked them if they had seen Sora, Donald, and Goofy. But they said no so he continued to look around. Riku had to watch from a distance as the gang made their way to their hangout spot. Sora, Donald, and Goofy sometime later made their way into the town through the crack in the wall. Sora had explored for a bit before something inside his heart pulled him towards the hangout. Which turned out to be a good thing since Pence and Olette pointed them towards king Mickey and the station tower.
Looks like both parties were going to meet up at the station. Unfortunately, so was a Dusks third party. Sora was a little rusty with his Keyblade from going a year without practice. He was able to hold them off just fine but couldn't handle reinforcements. Lucky for them, king Mickey came just in time to finish off the 2nd wave.
"?!" Sora looked on in confusion. Donald and Goofy nearly jumped over him in excitement.
"Your Majesty?" Donald called to him.
"Shh! You gotta board the train and leave town! The train knows the way. Here," king Mickey told them with haste, handing Sora the munny pouch Riku had asked him to give Sora. Before swiftly running off to make sure that more Nobodies were not coming.
"?"
"Your Majesty..." Donald called out as they were distracted by the strange gift before noticing that king Mickey was gone.
"The King... Was that really him?" Sora asked, barely recognizing king Mickey with the black coat on.
"It coulda been... Yep, I know it was!" Goofy said without a doubt.
"Now we know he's okay!" Donald said with happy relief.
"..." Now Sora had to think about this a little, working with a 1 year gap in his memory. "The King was locked in the realm of darkness, right?"
"Uh huh." Goofy confirmed in agreement.
"But we just saw him..."
"Yep." Donald confirmed again.
"And if the King is here, that means Riku's here!" Sora concluded in excitement.
"He's gotta be!"
"Well, I'm gonna go look for Riku. Then he and I can go back to the islands together. Kairi's there waiting for us!" Sora said, explaining his game plan. "What are you two going to do?"
They both looked a Sora with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment as if he had asked an oblivious question.
"Gawnsh, Sora. Do ya have to ask?" Goofy nearly huffed, looking away which made Sora start to burst out laughing.
"Hey! What's so funny!?" Stomped Donald.
"Your face!" They both looked at each other at his answer and started to laugh as well. "What do you say, guys? Let's stick together for one more journey."
"!" They both nodded in agreement.
"To...where again?"
"We hafta board the train!" Reminded Goofy.
"Oh yeah." Donald sighed at Sora's lack of memory, or attention span would be more accurate. Paying it no mind, Sora made a run for the station. The others soon followed after. "C'mon!"
Riku watched from the shadows as Sora and the others got tickets for the train. Hayner, Pence, and Olette had made their arrival to see Sora off as if something inside their hearts compelled them to, as if they were saying goodbye to an old friend. It just felt right. Sora was filled with an unknown melancholy that made him burst into tears for reasons unknown to him as they said their goodbyes to Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Taking the purple train out of Twilight Town and off of its world...
The whole scene had filled Riku with a sadness as well...for many reasons...
Taking a Dark Corridor back to the mansion, Riku had opened it to the Computer room. Where he unlocked the cleaning supply closet to let Naminé out before making his way up and out of the basement to the dinning hall where DiZ was sitting. DiZ heard him coming, knowing that his presence meant that everything had gone according to plan.
"So he's gone..."
"I'm going too." Was all Riku had to say. He had some other things he needed to take care of while Sora and the others were with master Yen Sid.
"... We shall meet again."
"..." Riku did not doubt that as he walked off into a Dark Corridor...
*** Radiant Garden ***
Aeris had felt when Sora's heart had awakened into the realm, a sense of peace filled her as everyone's memories were slowly returning. She stood up from her spot tending to her flowers in front of her house, looking up to the sky with a content smile. The long wait was over, Riku and the others had finally done it. She had Sensed Sora and the other's heart leave Twilight Town to head to master Yen Sid's tower. Yen Sid was a powerful sorcerer and Keyblade master, he was sure to send Sora and the others on the right path. After all, he was king Mickey's old teacher.
"The Keyblade wielder and his friends are finally awake, hm? That's a good sign." She sighed out in relief, closing her eyes as she focused her Sense to find Riku and king Mickey. It has been almost two weeks since Riku had contacted her or even visited, she had known where he was but that still didn't make her worry any less. And king Mickey moved around so much it was hard to keep track of him. But now that their task was done, where were they now? King Mickey was still on Twilight Town, likely working on the clean up and covering the others trail. However, Riku… "So...where are you now, Riku?"
"Right here." Answered a deep voice from behind her, coming through a Dark Corridor.
"?!" Aeris quickly turned around, slightly startled by the sudden appearance. She had Sensed Riku's heart behind her which should have filled her with relief. But what had greeted her was not her son but Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. "Oh no, Riku, my baby!"
"!" Riku's eyes widened in alarm as his mom summoned her Princess Guard and started whacking him, bringing up his arm to block his face.
"Let go of my son's body, you brute!"
"Mom, wait, it's me, it's me."
"(Gasp)!" She stopped mid action, putting her staff away in a glitter of light. "Riku…?"
"Yeah, it's me." He had a solemn look in his eyes as his mother studied his new form.
"Riku?" She reached up, now having to reach up due to his height change, to cup his cheek. "My handsome boy, what happened to him?"
"He did what needed to be done to save his friends." His eyes looked to the side as he could no longer face her with that sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry mom..."
"No, no, Riku… There's no need for you to apologize here." Aeris assured him, wrapping her arms around him to bring Riku closer for a hug. "It doesn't matter how you look as long as you're still you."
"Mom..." He was touched by her words that it took him a second to embrace her back. "Thanks."
"Still...you've gotten so big. I was hoping I still had more time before you'd tower over me." Aeris lightly giggled in joke, making him crack a smile as well before they pulled away from their hug. "So...what happens now?"
"I honestly don't know. Sora and the others got on the train out of Twilight Town just as planned. King Mickey said that the train will take them to master Yen Sid's tower, but I have no idea what's going to happen after that. Sora and the others could start a new journey, or he could return to Destiny Islands for all I know."
"Master Yen Sid is a Keyblade Master, and the one that taught king Mickey no less, he will point Sora on the right path as the key that opens the door to light. Sora has still much more to be done before he can return home. But that is not what I meant. I want to know what happens with "you" now."
"?!" He never really thought about that really. "I... I have to stop Organization XIII. They cannot be allowed to keep doing as they please around the worlds. We still don't know what they're after. Whatever it is, it has something to do with the Keyblade and Kingdom Hearts."
"Right, we cannot allow them to get their hands on the Keyblade or Kingdom Hearts." Aeris nodded in agreement, before tilting her head as she looked up at her son. "But even after that, what will you do, Riku?"
"I want...I want to return home. But I can't face home and the others looking as I am now."
"Which home, the islands, or here?"
"?!" The heavy question caught him off guard. "Mom..."
"I know... It's just like Kairi. Radiant Gardens and Destiny Islands are both your home. But the home you wish to return to is the one with your friends, right?"
"Mom."
"It's alright, Riku. I understand." Aeris put a hand up to stop his sentence in reassurance. "Don't think of this as you having to chose one over the other. Both of these worlds ARE your home. And you can come back to Radiant Garden whenever you want to see me."
"Is that- Are you really okay with that mother?"
"Of course," she smiled at him before closing her eyes as she placed a hand over her heart. "No matter how far we are apart, our hearts will always be connected."
"..." He closed his eyes as well, listening to the sound of their hearts resonating with each other. "Yeah, right..."
"Hm," she looked up to smile at her boy as she nodded in agreement. Soon she Sensed three strong hearts making their way to Radiant Garden in a Gummi ship. "It would seem that Sora and the others are on their way here. Master Yen Sid must have caught them up to the situations of the worlds pretty quick."
"Hmph, hopefully he gave Sora a change of attire too. He's gotten a little too big for the clothes he had on before." Riku joked around with her.
"Hehe, he's not the only going through a growth spurt around here." Aeris teased around as well trying to reach the top of Riku's head but could barely make it on her tippy toes.
"Mom," Riku groaned, swatting her hand.
"(Gentle Chuckle) I know, I know." Aeris place a hand over her mouth with curled in fingers until her laughing fit disappeared. "So, have you seen him yet?"
"I don't want Sora to see me like this. Or Kairi for that matter."
"Riku…"
"I have to keep the Organization's numbers at bay until Sora is ready to face them. He's not strong enough yet, so I've gotta keep an eye on him. I'll keep to the shadows for now."
"Is that what you really want...?"
"It's what the others need me to be."
"Riku… Alright then, I will help Sora when he gets here." Aeris sighed. Riku gave his mom one more squeeze in gratitude as he gave her a quick hug.
"Thanks, Mom."
"You just be careful out there. Okay?" Aeris said to him as he summoned a Dark Corridor to go through. "Come back soon."
"Kay."
"Be safe, Riku." She waved him goodbye until he vanished with the Dark Corridor. Once she Sense that he was gone but not too far off, she readied herself. "Right... Time to go see Sora and the others."
Dusting herself off just in case of stray dirt one more time before heading over to Merlin's house to meet up with the others. It was her old blue and white dress from a long time ago, but it was still one of her favorites so she took good care of it. Checking herself off as presentable she headed out. If Sora and the others were arriving soon it would be best to meet up with him with everyone together. He has been asleep for a long time and seeing familiar faces would do him good.
As Aeris passed through the Borough area she gasped as she felt Maleficent's return to the realm of light off in the distance of Twilight Town. She had not been there to see her demise, but she knew Sora and the others were apart of it. Even so, all that didn't matter now because she was back. And she more than likely had her eyes on Radiant Garden once again.
"(Sigh)… Let's deal with one problem at a time." Aeris said aloud to herself as she continued walking along her way again. Maleficent's return was indeed troubling, but it wasn't the main problem they were dealing with right now. Radiant Garden was still swarmed with Heartless, which was slowing down the rebuilding of the town and more importantly the restoration of their world. Their world's residence were returning to the realm of light at a drastically slower rate due to the influence of the Heartless. It was at the point where Aeris and the others were having a hard time keeping them out of the town. She would have told Riku but she didn't want to worry him about this, not while he had his plate full dealing with Organization XIII and looking after Sora. Besides, with Cid's town's defense mechanism things were not so bad.
They were handling themselves just fine. But now maybe things could turn for the better with Sora's return. Finally reaching Merlin's house, Aeris let herself in and walked into the back where the others were. Merlin was out at the moment but Leon and Yuffie where watching Cid as he worked out the bugs in his defense mechanism's programming. They had turned to greet her as she walked in.
"Everyone, Sora and the others are almost here." Aeris announced to them, at this point it would have been obvious as you could see their Gummi ship entering their world through a gate opening from outside. So it wouldn't be suspicious that she knows this, or the fact that she knew who Sora was. Everyone's memories should be back by now.
"Sora?" Leon said as he had a thought itching at the back of his mind.
"Funny... I haven't thought about Sora in a long time." Yuffie admitted, finding the whole thing strange. "Is it just me, or has anybody else forgotten about Sora until a little while ago today?"
"Yeah...I forgot about him until recently too." Leon admitted finding this all strange indeed.
"Yeah, I kinda forgot the little guy myself."
"With you it just might be age, old man." Yuffie teased at Cid.
"Hey, watch it, brat!" Cid huffed at her.
"Pfft, old man Cid." Yuffie gave Cid the raspberries before running off. "Imma go do a patrol run before he gets here!"
"While ur at it, check to see how the defense mechanism is working around town!" Cid yelled over to her as she ran out of the door.
"Fine," was all she said in response with a wave.
"She'll probably meet up with Sora and the others." Aeris pointed out.
"Heh, more than likely. The brats been excited to meet up with them since she recently remembered them." Cid huffed with a wave over his shoulder as he faced his computer screens again. "Huh, but it is strange...that we ALL forgot about him and then suddenly remembered him at the same time."
"..." More like they all had their memories of Sora return to them at the same time, but Aeris wasn't going to tell them that. "Why did you want Yuffie to check out the defense mechanism around town, is there something wrong?"
"There might be something wrong with it in the future." Cid answered, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to explain the situation, leaning back on his chair. "The Claymore's programming can only handle so much. And it's been doing it's job around town, the problem is what to do with the Heartless packed in the canyon. We'll need to review Claymore's programming... Man, this'll probably be another all-nighter!"
"Sorry, Cid." Leon said in sympathy.
"Well, this is my job. You got an all-nighter too, making the rounds." Cid pointed out.
"(Sigh) I hear you," Leon signed in agreement before getting serious again. "But defense will only get us so far. We need to find a way to eliminate them completely."
"We're short on manpower for complete extermination." Cid pointed out, resting his hands on the back of his head as he got comfortable. "So what should we do?"
"Looks like we have to take them out one by one." Aeris suggested.
"Yeah, but for every one we get, another one appears!" Cid groaned in annoyance.
"If only we had a bomb that could blow up all the Heartless at once..." Leon thought aloud.
"Now that's wishful thinking." Cid huffed before leaning over his chair again to crunch through the programming.
"Look. Yuffie's back." Aeris pointed out, Sensing her and the others appearance before Yuffie slammed opened the door.
"Meet the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee!" Yuffie announced, introducing the base to Sora, Donald, and Goofy.
"We missed you!" Aeris greeted them with a smile, clapping her hands together.
"Well, if you ain't in top shape." Cid grinned, pleased to see them.
"I knew it."
"Knew what?" Sora asked Leon as they entered the room.
"A while back, everyone suddenly remembered you guys, all at the same time." Leon explained.
"!" That took Sora and the others by surprise. "You...remembered? Wait! Does that mean you forgot about us!?"
"Thanks!" Huffed Donald.
"So where've you guys been all this time?" Asked Yuffie, trying to change the subject.
"We were sleepin'."Goofy answered to the best of his abilities, but even he didn't know where or why they were sleeping in Twilight Town.
"Where? In cold storage?"
"..." They didn't know how to answer Cid, their memories still had holes in it as well since they've lost a year of their lives...
"It doesn't matter." Aeris said, breaking up the dreary air building up between them all. "This is great. Everyone's together again!"
"So, um...we're trying to find Riku and the King. Have you seen 'em?" Sora asked them, Aeris's gentle presence already calming their troubled heart. They all shook there heads in decline. Cid and Leon in truth, Aeris declining in silent promise to her son. Riku will show himself to them when he is ready, as will the King... "Right."
"Sorry. But let us know if there's anything we can do to help. Okay?"
"Okay. Thanks." Sora thanked Aeris for her offer of kindness.
"Don't go thankin' us just yet." Cid said, leaning in towards Sora as he saw Sora in his mind as their "bomb".
"Hollow Bastion's got a problem. A big problem." Leon tried to explain for Cid.
"You mean, like Nobodies? And Heartless?" Sora asked, leaning over to look passed Cid to Leon.
"That's right!" Yuffie confirmed.
"Sounds like you could use our help." Sora was already offering his services without them even asking. Aeris wasn't surprised, Sora always had a noble, selfless heart.
"Then let's cut to the chase." Leon said as he got up from his spot leaning against the wall as he approached the three of them along with Aeris as they all entered into a makeshift team huddle. "Sora, Donald, Goofy. We were hoping the three of you might give us a hand around here."
"Like we're gonna say no?" Sora smirked, fist pumping his heart as if saying 'you can count on me'.
"Hmph...I forgot who I'm dealing with."
"Hey...what do you mean by that?" Donald questioned accusingly as Leon smirked at them.
"Just think of it as a sort of "Leon compliment."" Aeris assured to them with a smile before Leon started to head to the door with intention of them to follow him.
"Follow me to the bailey- there's something you need to see." Was all Leon would say as he headed out. But before they could go, Merlin stopped them. Blocking their path as he poofed right in front of the door.
"Oh! I thought it was you. Right on time!"
"It's Merlin!" Donald said in excitement as Sora, Goofy, and him approached Merlin.
"Sora and the gang said they're gonna help out!" Yuffie said next to Aeris, filling Merlin in.
"Splendid! We'll count on you!"
"Right!" All three of them nodding in understanding.
"Ah, yes. Did you give them the cards, dear?" Merlin asked Aeris, suddenly reminding her.
"Oh!" Aeris gasped at her own forgetfulness, ironic since she was one of the few people that remembered Sora and the others throughout their slumber. She reached into her dress pocket to hand Sora purple cards. "Here...they're presents for you. Leon thought you might like to have them."
Leon had made this for them a long time ago, before they went into their slumber, but only recently remembered Sora, Donald, and Goofy to give it to them now. But he held on them for so long as if keeping ahold of something important to him that he couldn't recall. He was slightly embarrassed by this that he couldn't hand them the cards himself, which left it up to Aeris and the others.
"?" Sora looked it over before he noticed his name written on the back. "Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee Honorary Member!"
"Membership cards!" Donald said in excitement as Sora handed Goofy and him their own.
"Kinda cool, huh?" Both Sora and Donald nodded in agreement with Goofy.
"Hey, thanks, Leahhh...huh?" Sora turned around to thank him only to notice that Leon was already gone. "Oh no! We're supposed to be at the bailey!"
"Just a moment, Sora." Merlin halted them one last time before they could run out the door. "What about your magic?"
"Huh?" Sora couldn't tell what he meant by that. Suddenly it hit him. "Oh, that's right..."
He couldn't use magic anymore. It was like it was gone.
"Maybe you forgot it while you were asleep!" Yuffie said in small comfort.
"Now, what am I to do with you?" Merlin sighed, all that hard work gone down the drain. Oh but what fun it will be to start over again! He always loved teaching magic. Each student going down a different path even if he taught them the same as the others. Maybe this time Sora would also go down a different path than before in magic. The possibilities were exciting. "I suppose I'll have to lend you a few spells. But be careful with them!"
"Thanks, Merlin!" Sora thanked Merlin in gratitude as he handed him a Blizzard Element gem.
"To the bailey, and fast!" Donald instructed, they had lost enough time as it is.
The three of them rushed out the door to catch up with Leon at the bailey, more than likely fighting some Heartless along the way alongside the town's defense mechanism.
"(Sigh)…" Aeris cupped her cheek in worry, poor Sora was in for a surprise once he sees all the Heartless around Hollow Bastion Castle.
"What's up Aeris? Something wrong?" Yuffie asked, leaning over to look up at her.
"It's just...there are so many Heartless. I hope we're not asking Sora and them for too much."
"It'll be fine, Sora and the guys are tough cookies!" Yuffie assured giving her a thumb's up.
"(Gentle chuckle) Right..."
It was some time later before Leon returned. The others noticed that he returned alone.
"Hey Leon!" Yuffie waved.
"Welcome back," Aeris greeted him with a smile. "How did it go?"
"Turns out Sora knew a lot more about what's going here than we thought." Leon answered, rubbing the back of his neck as he silently cracked his back. "Apparently we not only have a Heartless infestation but somebody has been luring them here as well. Some guy named Pete, but from what Sora says he should be harmless. The real problem is Organization XIII. They made their appearance today and they seem to have their eyes on Sora."
"I see..." Aeris said in concern, looking around Leon. "Where's Sora now?"
"He headed out in his Gummi ship with Donald and Goofy. The other worlds need him right now and he has to face the Organization. They look tough, I hope he'll be okay. Apparently he opened something up that he said master Yen Sid called a world's gate."
"Oh! A world's gate!" Aeris gasped in excitement. "That means travel between worlds can be possible once again."
"What do you mean by that? I thought Sora and the others locked the pathways with the worlds' hearts when they defeated Ansem?" Yuffie said in confusion.
"Well, yes, the worlds had returned to their original states because of Sora. Which would mean the pathway between them have disappeared." Aeris explained. "However...the worlds have prepared new pathways along which others may travel. These pathways may be opened by unlocking special gates."
"Gates only opened by a key," Leon concluded for himself.
"That's right, the Keyblade…" Aeris nodded in confirmation, pleased that Leon had caught on so fast. "Though the worlds seem far apart and out of reach they still remain connected by invisible ties. As do our hearts."
"But can the Heartless and the Organization come through these pathways as well?"
"Of sorts, but they make their own pathways. Usually by Dark Corridors."
"Wow, Aeris. You certainly know a lot about this stuff." Yuffie pointed out, adding the underline suspicion onto Aeris that she didn't need on her.
"Merlin is the best teacher." Aeris stated, brushing off Yuffie silent implications. And it wasn't truly a lie, Merlin did teach her well about these things... 'Among other teachers.'
"Still...we could've used Sora right now." Cid groaned in complaint, scratching the back of his head.
"He'll be back soon." Leon said as if stating a silent promise. "There are some things he just has to take care of first."
"Right," Aeris smiled in agreement. "Sora's not one to go back on his word. Just as much as he's not one to turn away from those that need him."
"We can handle the Heartless for a little while longer. Even if we are disorganized." Leon pointed out. "Right, Cid?"
"...Damn right!" Cid grumbled in agreement, hating to admit that the others were right about this. The other worlds needed Sora now more than they did at the moment.
"Heh, he'll definitely come back soon!" Yuffie gave Cid a cheeky grin as he grumbled. "Sora's on a mission after all: to find Riku and the King, to go after Organization XIII, and to destroy the Heartless once and for all!"
"Hmph, Sora said the same exact thing as well." Leon smirked, leaning onto the wall as he crossed his arms. "Apparently stating the mission is paramount..."
"Otherwise they might forget... They're a lot like you, Leon..." Aeris teased.
"Hey," Leon grumbled but it was hard to be mad when Aeris smiled like that. And she wasn't really wrong, they were all kind of forgetful. But at least they were good about recovering lost memories...
*** Author's Notes ***
Sorry, this chapter took a little longer than I expected to come out because I was knocked off of my flow. I know it's short but it was hard getting back into the knack of it. Which makes this apology even worse since the next chapter might take a little longer to come out. It's going to be longer than this chapter which will be hard for my one week per chapter goal. I'm going to try and stay in my week mark, but if I go a little over then I'm sorry guys. Thank you again for your patience, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.