Disclaimer: Ownership plus me equals zero.

I leaned back against the wall watching the SOLDIERs practice curiously; Zack was working with Lance, one of my best friends from back home. He was a year younger than me and supposedly transferring schools next year but he was making a good SOLDIER Cadet. "Move your feet!" Zack barked at him.

He hastily moved out of the way, blocking Zack's attack, "alright then that's enough for right now, I need to go talk to Kamui."

Lance nodded sitting down panting as Zack came over to me, "hey Zack!" He spotted me standing by the wall when he glared at me and turned his back to us. Ever since Hojo's demise he'd been having a rough go of it in SOLDIER and because of what I can only assume to be jealousy. See he's about the biggest Kingdom Hearts fan I know, and that's saying a lot, but he's always wanted a Keyblade so I guess he got jealous when the Keyblade chose me.

"Yo Koinu," Zack grinned, we bashed forearms, "so what's up?"

"We're rounding up a crew to take to Nibelheim, I wanted to take you along, but I have four people in mind but an ideal squad only consists of nine and I have six people already including myself."

He nodded, "well taking along an extra hand might not be such a bad idea."

"Yeah but I wanna make sure that the crew I take can handle this. We only have a vague idea of why this would even happen, much less what we're up against, and Zack I want you to come with us…"

"Sweet, what about Lance though? I'm sure he'd want to help too. He is from your world after all," Zack offered watching my friend.

"That's the issue though, ever since he found out I'm a Keybearer he's never been able to forgive me for it, if he's around both of us then things are bound to get complicated."

"Hmm that could be a problem. He has said for a while now that he wanted to be a Keybearer."

"Yeah and that's why I don't want him along, assign him to Presidential Escort or something while I'm gone."

"Alright then what about Seph and Bjanik, I'm sure you're taking them along?"

"Yeah Seph was a part of the initial group that Mom called into her office, Bjanik would make a good addition to the team, and I did have a couple of others in mind."

"So how were you guys planning on getting to Nibelheim?"

"I was thinking rather than taking a ship from Junon and going the long way around I was thinking we take a chocobo team through the mountains and past Fort Condor and then go to Mideel, then pass through Wutai as we head back towards Rocket Town, see I want to take the high ground in Nibelheim and that means the mountains."

Zack laughed ruffling my head, "seems you're not as dumb as you look! Alright then I assume that we're taking a small army to this fight the way your plan is going?"

"I guess so, but I still want to keep the strike team relatively small, otherwise we'll never get anywhere fast."

"So anyone from back home you were planning on taking?"

"Yeah," I nodded noticing that Lance had suddenly taken a keen interest in the conversation. "We roll in two hours, but put him on the job with Cloud, that should keep him occupied."

"Got it." Zack nodded leaving me to go out into the city, the first thing that came to mind was to head back to my shop and get packed up to go. So that's exactly what I did, after grabbing as many healing items as I could along with my meager compliment of materia I locked the doors heading out into the rain. Alanna and Lyana had both opened a weapons shop and I wanted to buy some new armor before I headed out.

"Welcome to our store!" Lyana announced loudly as Alanna and Nakamushi came out of the back.

"Hey long time no see…" I greeted before falling silent at the two incredulous glares. "So uh Nakamushi, I didn't know you working here now, you never wrote me."

"I'm not speaking to the idiot who's keeping me away from my family!" Nakamushi accused.

I winced, "um… can I get some new armor?"

"No now pay fifty gil and get out," Alanna ordered.

"Why do I have to pay fifty gil?"

"Because there's a standing fee if you don't buy something."

"Damn…" I groaned and set the money on the table, I slinked out of the shop.

"Bye bye! See you soon!" Lyana called.

I gave a half-hearted wave leaving the shop, well that failed so now I needed a nice CD to cure my troubles. I traveled a few blocks finding the shop I'd been looking for, a combination music store and yoga studio. Opening the door I sidestepped as Kira came flying at me in a glomp, she crashed into one of the trees in the shop.

"Afternoon Kira…" I sighed leaving her behind heading over to a small corner of the shop picking up a My Chemical Romance CD.

"Why is the Kami-chan sad?" She asked as she ran across the room to poke me.

"Its sad because none of her friends will talk to her."

"I'm talking to her."

"Yeah but you'd talk to a sheep."

"Where?"

"Never mind…" I sighed walking over to the counter with the CD.

"Ah Kamui long time no see!" Dibby waved emerging from behind a beaded curtain.

"Hey Dibby, so how's it going?"

"Pretty good, I see that my assistant found you?"

"Yep," I sighed noting Kira had once again thrown an arm around my shoulders. I set the CD on the counter sighing.

"Something tripping you Kam-Kam?"

"Yeah, I went over to the trio's shop and they threw me out."

"Can't say I'm surprised kiddo, you did mess up pretty good."

"Don't remind me…"

"But see here's the thing, you're working' too hard, so just relax. Just chill out, let life happen. And your total comes to nineteen gil."

"Thanks D." I grinned setting down the cash.

"Catch you later kiddo, come on Kira we still have inventory to check."

"Righty-o! Bye Kam!"

"Later…"

I somehow found myself wandering back to Shin-Ra listening to "Welcome to the Black Parade". Shaking my head I saw that my team had assembled in the lobby and all looked up as I entered the building. "Well then, it's show time."