"So, how do we test her now?" Facilier asked, cupping a warm cup of coffee in his hand.

"I'd be damned if I know," Hook replied, sitting across from him. He looked over Facilier to see Kairi nestled on the couch in a pile of blankets, Dobbie in her arms. She'd fallen asleep an hour ago and this had given the gang a chance to discuss. "Lass is a bright swordsman. She's clever. I don't think we really have to worry about her merits."

"So then why does she want to work with us?" Frollo said, "She should be off fighting feral nobodies and heartless."

"She offered to help with the debt," jafar answered, "do we need more reason?"

A universal sigh sat across the group. Hook looked up. "We're a rabble of bounty hunters and glorified errand boys with hardly a cent to our name. I for one would like a reason, even if I like the girl."

Jafar grumbled. "I know, but this is the first chance we've had for some legitimacy. She could a ticket to better hero-villain relations."

"You know as well as I that isn't going to sail as smoothly as you think," Hook replied.

Jafar wasn't hearing them though. He continued, "We would finally earn some respect for once, be invited to the nice parties and perhaps get somebody to fill an official role! Gasp! WE COULD GET OUR OWN CASTLE!"

"I lost him," Hook looked to his remaining compatriots.

"Let's be real; he ain't the most grounded individual to begin with," Facilier answered.

A loud knock came at the door. Everyone's eyes turned to the door.

"Is that yo' drug dealer, or do we got ourselves a situation?" Facilier whispered, reaching into his vest.

"No…" Jafar whispered back, slipping a hand over to his staff that leaned on the wall, "I'm still stocked up on pixie dust,"

Frollo slipped a dagger out of his robes. He nodded to Hook, who followed behind him. As they approached the door, another knock came forth. Stacked on both sides of the door, the two men nodded to each other.

Suddenly, the wall by Frollo bursted. The man was sent flying as Goofy came charging in like rhino, Sora rolling in behind him and Donald casting a shard of ice behind him. Goofy slammed Frollo into the wall across from the door, while Hook crossed blades with keyblade wielder. Donald had missed entirely and only managed to take out a potted plant. "My chrysanthemums!" Jafar cried. In all the commotion, Kairi leapt up, grabbing her own keyblade.

"Where's Kairi!?" Sora demanded. Hook looked at him in disbelief. "Right there, you brat!"

Sora was momentarily stunned, along with Donald and Goofy who looked over to Kairi, shocked as they were.

"Guys, what are you doing!?" Kairi cried.

"Saving...you?" Sora replied, his bravade fading into confusion. He unlocked swords with Hook and walked over to her.

"I told you I was going on a break!" she exclaimed, "I just needed some time away from...hero stuff."

"But how was I supposed to know from a letter!?" He asked

"Well...I didn't want to tell you I was going out to...try new things." Kairi rubbed her arms. "Like...alcohol. And getting to know... new people."

Sora looked around, mouth open, at the room full of people he's either beat unconscious or wouldn't trust a nickel with, not to mention a best friend.

"I don't get it," he said, 'what's wrong with us?" he motioned to Donald and Goofy. "What about Riku?"

"He's...well...Sora, I needed a break. I can't keep going on adventures and fighting heartless. I'm tired. I want a change of pace. I want to be something other than what I've been." she took his hand, "you'll always be my friend, but I need you to trust me. Okay, Sora," and she gave him a smile.

Sora's face lightened, and he tried to give her his best smile. "Yeah, sure...just...Kairi, don't let them take your heart, ok?"

She nodded, "Ok,"

She let go and Sora looked around one more time. He gave his best smile. "Sorry," and then backtracked out. Donald growled one more time at everyone before following Sora, while Goofy still had Frollo pinned to the wall.

"Sir Goofy, if you don't mind," Frollo squeaked out from behind the wall.

"Oh, yeah," and he pulled back so Frollo could slide to the floor. Then he pulled his shield back and cracked Frollo over the head, knocking him unconscious. "That's for being a racist pervert," before heading out the hole he made.

"Hold up; what about my wall?" Jafar cried, chasing after them out the hole, "what about my wall, you rats!?"

Facilier walked up to Frollo, who was just starting to come to. "Some mother-huggers have all the fun, huh?"

"Go to hell,"

Hook, for his part, looked to Kairi. "So...you think he's going to be ok?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure!" Kairi chimed. "He just needs some to adjust."

ELSEWHERE:

A lone wooden table, in a dark room, surrounded by shadowed figures.

"She turned Sora down," one figure said, "We will have to step up our attempts to get her back on the path,"

"Should we send Riku?" another spoke.

"Not yet...we must erode her faith in the villains. It's time to show her who she's truly working with."

Author's Note - Update on the story - I did some reediting so that they're not all living together in the same apartment, due to practical reasons (why would Kairi move in with several older men, even as plucky as she is?). Kairi's joining the Crew isn't a secret anymore also, mostly because i realized that it would be more interesting to have the world know and respond in kind - as Sora does in this chapter. Other than that, everything else is the same. Hope you enjoyed! - March Hare