The Azur Key

by KHVSFF

After the events of KH 3 Re Mind, Sora awakens floating in the middle of an ocean while hearing a battle take place. Wanting to save anyone caught in the crossfire, Sora stumbles upon a shocking discovery. The ones fighting are girls. Girls who can summon ships to battle against each other. Sora will need to put an end to the kansen war while finding a way home. [Sora x Harem]

16. Chapter 15: Sakura Hangouts

*Disclaimer* - I do not own the copyright to Kingdom Hearts or Azur Lane

*A/N* - Hello there, glad to see you again. First off, I'd like to thank everyone who has checked the story out along with leaving their thoughts on what's going on. I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts and opinions about what's good or bad for the story. Secondly, with the situation that Sora's gotten himself in, it's safe to say that things are going to get… scary for our beloved Keyblade wielder. The girls of Azur Lane are… not a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, there will be some plot points that should answer some questions I've seen along with showcasing how Sora's power will continue to wonder and amaze the girls. Nevertheless, I hope you'll enjoy or find the chapter and story entertaining and stick around for the foreseeable future. Take care and enjoy.

---

The old saying of doing anything with a group of friends will be twice as enjoyable could heavily be applied to Sora's current situation.

After having somewhat sorted out the issue of the barrage of girls asking him to hang out and get the chance to talk, he was now walking along one of the paved roads to a restaurant that Kashino suggested that they all head to as it would allow them to sit down and talk as well as eat.

Sora's sudden infatuation with being hungry all the time was starting to make him realize how much Donald and Goofy helped provide meals while traveling to different worlds. It also got him thinking that he hadn't exactly had still moment to do some cooking of his own. He'd have to change that once he had a moment to himself which… based on how things were looking that might not be happening for quite some time.

Nevertheless, coming back to his surroundings, the blue-eyed boy was now feeling a pair of eyes staring at him with such intensity that he felt that holes were going to appear in his body. Turning his head, he found the culprit that was looking at him. A certain brown ponytail-haired crane was the one.

"Uh… Zuikaku, is something wrong?" he asked, unsure what the girl was doing.

"N-No! Nothing's wrong. I'm just… trying to find the right words to say to you" the Auspicious Crane stated while looking a bit thrown off.

A confused expression was now present on the Keyblade wielder's face.

"Ah, don't mind my silly little sister, Sora. She's just feeling a bit… what's the right word… "Shoukaku said while putting on a cheesy smile and thinking of the right word.

"Awestruck?" Enterprise commented while walking ahead of the Crane sisters.

"Yes! That's the word. Thank you, Enterprise" the white crane addressed.

A humble nod was seen from the cap-wearing white-haired girl.

"Why… is that so, Zuikaku?" Shinano who was walking next to Enterprise asked.

Put on the spot, the ponytailed brunette couldn't help but start feeling her cheeks get warm with all the attention drawn toward her.

"It's nothing… I've just got a lot of questions on my mind, and it all revolves around Sora" Zuikaku reasoned.

"Me? Does it involve what I said back at the council room?" the boy in question asked.

"Yes, it does. A lot actually."

At this point, she glanced down at the ground and then back over at the boy. Her mind was considering asking him one question that was bothering her now and ultimately… she decided to go for it.

"Sora."

"Hmm? Yeah, what's up, Zuikaku?"

"How… how strong are you… really?"

With everyone still walking, each of their reactions could be summed up as wanting to turn around and stare at the girl while being taken aback by what she just asked. It was an out-of-the-field question that neither of them expected her to ask, or at the very least the way she asked it was in no way predicted. Shoukaku even had a slightly concerned look on her face as she glanced over at her sister.

Wanting to gather his thoughts and provide a sure enough answer to the girl, Sora lowered his gaze down to his hands which had been lifted for him to see clearly. That was certainly a question he had glossed over during his time in this world but being asked it outright, he wasn't sure what to think. A sudden summary of his thoughts started to play out at a fast pace covering every challenge he had encountered. It took less than a moment to know what his answer would be.

"I'm… I'm not sure exactly" he said in a distant tone.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Eh?"

"Hmm, that's a strange reply."

Reactions from the girls were varied but Zuikaku hadn't said anything and looked over at his eyes which had been shifted to look at hers as well.

"You all heard my story back at the council room. Enterprise has known about it the longest followed by me telling Shinano myself…" the spiky-haired clarified.

The two girls that knew of the boy's situation before the meeting simply nodded their heads.

"But I didn't go into great detail back at the meeting. Some of the stories I have to share are…hard to comprehend. To the point that you'll be thinking that I'm making things up. But… it's all true. From fighting regular people to magical beings to the Heartless. I have a lot to talk about…" Sora explained for everyone to hear.

Everyone had intrigue written all over their face and was growing eager to hear what the boy had to say even more than before.

"How many stories do you have to share?" Kashino asked.

The boy couldn't help but grin at what she was asking.

"A whole lot more than you're thinking. Some of the stories I can share range from multiple stories from one of my adventures while others are a collection of experiences that I've had visiting just one world."

Once again, excitement and intrigue were captured on the girls' faces. Moreover, Zuikaku had a soft-looking expression on her face which was soon followed by sporting an even more determined look on her face.

"And…how exactly did you get to be so strong?"

"Well, that's going to be tough to explain…" Sora muttered.

It was at this point he really had to ask himself how exactly he got to be so strong. Granted, he lost his powers more than once due to unusual circumstances. His memories being messed with in Castle Oblivion, sleeping for a whole year, going through the Mark of Mastery, and almost getting corrupted by the real Organization XIII. He really did draw the short straw on losing his powers. Riku also went through having his powers tampered with several times, but it was still less than him. Hence, he had to think about where his strength resonated.

This led him to bring a hand over his heart and mumble out the words he was thinking.

"…If I had to give you a straight shot answer, then it would be thanks to my heart."

A stupefied expression was visible on the crane's face with her eyes scanning the boy for any fault with his answer but what she found was sincereness.

"Huh? Your heart?" Zuikaku uttered while surprised by his answer.

The other girls also tilted their heads to the side or raised their eyebrows while processing what the spiky-haired boy just said. An answer like that was something neither of them expected. And yet, it felt oddly satisfying.

"Yeah, my heart is the true answer to my strength." Sora then decided to lean more into a magical explanation along with saying exactly what his heart wanted him to say. "Now that you guys are aware of me being from another world, I can explain what exactly I mean with my heart being what gives me strength."

As if by coincidence, the Red Crane had also shifted herself to be a step closer to Sora while still managing to be walking to the restaurant. From another's point of view, it looked like she was getting closer to the boy so that she could earnestly listen to what he had to say.

"Well, to describe my power in one way, I've gone through several different adventures with every journey having one primary goal to accomplish. And each time something happened where I managed to lose all my powers and had to start all over again from zero" he explained.

"What do you mean start over from zero exactly?" Shoukaku asked, curious about what the boy meant.

A small, defeated laugh escaped his lips.

"I basically lose all my powers."

Wide eyes were on each of the girls' expressions followed by the sudden shift to confusion as it didn't make sense when they thought about it.

"But… wait. You did all those things during the attack and when we invaded Azur Lane's Island?" Zuikaku questioned.

"I guess a bunch of my powers stuck around even after my last journey… I don't really have an answer for that, Zuikaku."

Understanding Sora's entire power level was starting to cause their heads to hurt and resulted in Enterprise throwing a question out there to change the topic.

"Sora, have you ever tried using other weapons aside from your Keyblade?"

"Yep! There's a variety of other weapons that I use."

"Like what?" Kashino added.

The boy brought a hand up to his chin and took on a proper thinking pose.

"Let's see… there's dual pistols, a spear, a hammer, a drill, a rocket launcher, honey pistols, dual wielding, and- "

"Wait, wait, wait. Time out!" Zuikaku said, trying to list everything he was saying down in her head.

"That many weapons…" Shinano commented while in awe.

"I didn't expect you to be a fan of guns, Sora" Kashino said, donning a surprised look.

"A hammer? That doesn't sound too strange, but did you really say honey pistols or am I hearing things?" Shoukaku asked.

"Nope. You heard me right. The honey pistols are like my other pistols only they have the added effect of honey to them" Sora clarified.

While everyone was pondering about the weapons he just listed, Enterprise was curious about something that he didn't say.

"Sora."

"Huh? Yeah, Enterprise?"

"You didn't mention anything about a bow. Is that a weapon you're not well versed in using?" the white-haired girl asked, interest rising in her chest.

Ruffling the back of his head while still moving his feet, Sora had to give it a thought and soon realized that he did not use a bow at all. And neither did any of his weapon transformations switch into a bow and arrow model of attack.

"Hmm. No, I don't think I am. Thinking about it, none of my weapons shift into a bow and I don't ever recall using one so, for the most part, I don't know how to use one."

'Checkmate' Enterprise thought to herself.

"Well, when we get the chance, would you like to learn how to use one?" she asked the boy while taking the opportunity.

The reaction from Zuikaku was that of stunned and with her mouth slightly opened while her sister also sported a shocked expression. This was an out-of-left-field scenario that no one could see coming. Shinano also had one of her fox ears droop down slightly while mentally chastising her vision ability for not seeing this sudden attack from the Grey Ghost. Kashino also looked puzzled and brought a hand up to her mouth.

"Sure! That would be great, Enterprise. Thank you!" Sora replied enthusiastically.

"Not a problem, it's good to learn new things. Though, I've not been a good role model of that saying. It's something my older sister keeps on reminding me and… I think it's time I actually listened to her" the Grey Ghost said while mentally applauding herself on her quick thinking.

The Eagle Union girl figured that this would serve as a double win for the both of them. One was that Sora would learn a new ability and one that he hasn't had the privilege of mastering, and the other was that she could spend some time with the boy seeing that there wasn't anyone else around that knew how to use a bow. It truly was a win-win for her.

The spiky-haired boy couldn't help but nod with a smile on his face. The chance to learn something new… He was always open to trying new things.

Suddenly, without warning, Shoukaku shot up and got close to Sora's face.

"Sora! Don't forget, my sweet and adorable little sister also knows a great deal about various sword techniques. Seeing that you also wield a blade as your main go-to type of weapon, I'm one hundred and ten percent sure that Zuikaku would be more than glad to show you a few new techniques. Isn't that right, sis?" the White Crane said aloud while her voice seemed to zone in solely on Zuikaku in the last part.

"O-Oh!? Right! Shoukaku's absolutely right, Sora. I would be elated- no! Excited to show you a few of the various blade words I've managed to learn. You know what they say, teaching someone is the perfect way of demonstrating what you've learned" Zuikaku eagerly replied while putting on an excited yet anxious face.

It was clear as day what her sister was trying to do for her and seeing that the Grey Ghost had stepped up and played an unexpected card, the Red Crane was not about to be outdone by her rival. The situation revolving around Sora was already apparent at how much attention he was getting, if she didn't swallow her nervousness, then she would be left to watch as the boy was surrounded by others. The Auspicious Crane was not about to let that happen.

"Really? I mean, I wouldn't want to bother- "

"You wouldn't be. Trust me. You wouldn't be a bother at all. Plus, maybe I'd also get to learn more about the different kinds of sword fighting there are out there from the other worlds you've visited, Sora. And…" Zuikaku seemed to slow herself down before being drawn to one aspect of the boy from having talked with him. "…Maybe I'd be able to get a better idea of what strength lies in my own heart."

The way she had said it, Zuikaku had seemingly earned all the girls' understanding with what she said. Trying to completely understand the heart that Sora talked about was something that needed time to fully comprehend but hearing that it played a great deal in how a person evolves and grows… was something they could all agree upon.

"And I'd like to help you in any way I can, Zuikaku."

Hearing the way Sora said those words in a calm yet deeply understanding tone, the brown-haired girl couldn't help but feel a sense of eagerness and excitement wash over her heart. Strengthening her heart might just be the key to becoming stronger for those she holds dear.

"That also goes to you all as well," Sora said, referring to the others. "I know this is a lot to take in all at once. Believe me. Even now there are times I feel confused and need to talk to someone" he said with an aura of friendliness.

"Then… Sora, would you mind telling me more about some of the other worlds you've visited? The ones that are dear to you" Shinano politely asked the boy.

Sporting a wide grin on his face, several worlds instantly popped into his head, and he figured that they would be quite the story to tell.

"Sure thing, Shinano. Let's see… Hmm. One world that I still hold very dear to my heart would have to be when my friends and I became pirates!" Sora exclaimed while thinking of Port Royal.

"Pirates?" Enterprise repeated.

"Huh? That's… not what I was expecting" Shinano mumbled.

"Like actual pirates?" Kashino asked.

"Yep. The kind that sails the open sea though it was in a world where magic was also enthralled in the world" he explained to the girls listening.

At this point, Shinano was heavily interested in what Sora had to say to the point that she barely realized that the restaurant they were heading to was right in front of them.

"Sora…"

"Err. Yeah, Shinano what's- oh! We're here."

Everyone else now realized that the restaurant and open lounge was right before them. Deciding that he could wait to talk more about Port Royal, Sora let everyone else know.

"Hey, why don't we sit down, and then I'll tell you all there is to know about Port Royal."

"That would be lovely."

Hence, the group entered the open area and seated themselves while encountering a few Sakura Empire girls that Sora had not had the chance to meet yet. They looked to be the ones managing the restaurant. What they didn't know at the time was that things would get quite rowdy here soon.

---

The appearance of the restaurant could be described as having a large open lounge area where multiple chairs and tables were spread apart with different kinds of seating followed by a large circular building that had open windows and a door leading to what could be interpreted as the kitchen. It also appeared that a dark-haired girl was inside, but Sora didn't get a good look at her as another girl was coming his way.

"Welcome! How can we help… you… oh! It's you. Sora" one of the new girls addressed the Keyblade wielder.

"Hello. I don't think we've had the chance to meet yet" he reasoned with the girl taking in her appearance.

The girl who he had been speaking to had the appearance of a pair of black slip-on shoes followed by black tights and a dark miniskirt with a red outline followed by a black tank top that cut off above her stomach. She also had a black jacket covering her shoulders and a red bow sitting at the back of her head. Long black hair that reached past her lower back and a set of two short horns were sprouting from her head.

"Nope! But it's still a pleasure to meet you. Everyone is talking about you with high regard. My name is Sakawa, a light cruiser from the Agano-class" the girl now known as Sakawa said, introducing herself.

"Hey there, Sawka, nice to meet you. Do you think we could get a table for six?" Sora kindly asked.

"Not a problem! Hey! Taihou we've got customers" Sakawa shouted out.

Suddenly, another girl appeared coming from the circular building and looked over at the group. Her appearance was that of black thigh-high socks followed by silver and red heels. She was wearing a colorful dress that had part of her sleeves dropping down past her knees. The main color of her dress was focused on red ]with beautiful art on the sleeves. There was also a gold hair ornament in her black hair which was tied into two pigtails that went past her waist.

"Oh? It's you. The boy everyone's talking about."

Making her way over to the group, the black-haired girl also seemed to recognize a few faces.

"Zuikaku, Shoukaku, Kashino, and Lady Shinano it's a surprise to see you here."

"It's nice to see you too, Taihou" Kashino warmly replied.

"I didn't know you were working here?" the White Crane commented.

The girl identified to be Taihou let out a sigh before wiping a hand across her head.

"Wakatsuki had to go and help Suzutsuki with a few things that got destroyed in the Siren attack. We managed to come across each other, which is when she asked me for help. Hence, why I'm here" Taihou clarified.

"Ah, that makes sense" Zuikaku commented.

Turning her attention to Sora, Taihou now tilted her head while taking in his appearance.

"Well, seeing that everyone knows you I should introduce myself. My name is Taihou, aircraft carrier for the Sakura Empire" the black-haired woman said to the boy.

"Hi there, Taihou, it's a pleasure to meet you. I take it that you're also going to be cooking our food?" Sora asked, offering a friendly smile.

"Unless someone else would like to step in and cook, that seems to be the case."

Hearing this, Sora couldn't help but feel the corners of his mouth lift into a smile.

"Huh… interesting."

"Sora?" Sakawa muttered.

Glancing over at everyone, the boy knew that he owed them a lot for helping him not only get familiar with this world but for allowing him to help them with their fight against not only the Sirens but now the Heartless. Alas, he figured cooking up a little meal wouldn't be much but still a kind gesture to go by.

"What exactly have you been cooking here Taihou?" he questioned her.

"Yakisoba. Are you familiar with the meal?" she asked.

"Don't think I am. Would you mind telling me about it while I get ready to cook?"

Confusion was evident on the girls' faces especially Taihou who looked more confused than the others.

"Wait. What?"

"Hold up, are you serious?"

"You're gonna cook?"

"Huh?"

"I…I didn't mean it like- " Taihou started to say but was stopped by Sora.

"It's alright, Taihou. I kind of want to take this opportunity to repay everyone here for helping deal with the Sirens and Heartless."

"Heartless?" Sawkawa repeated.

"That can be something we talk about while I'm cooking. Think we could grab a table by the kitchen?" Sora asked the girls.

Still taken aback by the boy's actions, the girl awkwardly nodded before he looked over at Taihou and gestured to her to lead him into the kitchen. Feeling a bit awkward about it all, she hesitantly agreed and made her way into the back with Sora following her. The others were now seated right next to the circular building which had a window directly pointed at them from the kitchen.

It would be a minute before Sora or Taihou showed their face from the kitchen but after eagerly waiting for something to happen the Sakura Empire girl walked out of the building with a smile on her face.

"Taihou? What happened? Where's Sora?" Zuikaku questioned her ally.

Pointing her hand back toward the kitchen, Sora popped his head out and looked to be wearing an apron while holding a pot in his hand.

"I'm here I'm here. I'll be whipping up some Yakisoba for you guys while also telling you a bit about Port Royal."

Interested expressions were now present on the girls' faces.

"I'm feeling a bit giddy now haha" Kashino commented.

"This truly is… exciting," Shinano said, sporting a smile.

"I expect big things from you, Sora!" Zuikaku shouted while smirking in a friendly way.

"Ooh! I can't wait to tell the others about this. It's sure to cause some waves" Shoukaku idly muttered.

"I'm looking forward to however it'll turnout" Enterprise added her own two cents.

Wearing a determined look on his face, the blue-eyed boy did not want to disappoint the girls and would give it his all to get this meal cooked and perfected even though it was his first time working with this dish.

Meanwhile, as he was beginning to cook, he beckoned the girls to listen to what he had to say.

"So, where was I… Oh! Right, Port Royal. Or should I say The Caribbean? Either way, this world has got to be one of my favorite worlds to visit. Granted, I think all the worlds my friends and I visited are amazing. But this world just rings a bit differently for me. I don't know why exactly but the idea that I get to be a pirate is just awesome!" Sora exclaimed while still working on the Yakisoba.

He was also helped by the fact that he had a quick chat with Taihou about how to make the dish along with a recipe to go from.

With Enterprise, Zuikaku, and Shoukaku they were caught a bit off guard when they heard the word Caribbean. It reminded them of a certain light brown-haired pirate that was the sister to the Cardinal. Perhaps there was some sort of connection or otherworldly terminology shared.

"Favorite worlds to visit? Am I missing something here?" Sakawa asked, looking utterly confused.

"Oh right. You weren't at the meeting, huh, Sakawa" the brunette boy asked.

"No, I wasn't. What happened exactly?"

Deciding to get straight to the point, Sora calmly yet nonchalantly caught her up in one sentence.

"I'm from another world and discussed it with everyone that was at the meeting but it's likely to be announced by the others or even Nagato later."

A moment of silence passed while Sakawa was trying to process what she just heard while Taihou wasn't exactly sure what to say or do now.

"…What?"

The dark-haired girl wasn't sure what to think right now.

"It's a bit crazy but the others can speak for me" Sora replied.

Looking at the others, Sakawa was left astounded when she glanced over at the girls and simply saw them nod their heads or smile in a reassuring way to support her. This was a very strange thing to be openly confessed. Taihou on her part was relatively quiet but still had a confused expression on her face.

"I…That's… wow."

"Yeah, it's… a lot to take in. We were lucky to have a moment to process it" Shinano responded.

"If you have any questions, then we'll be here to help" Zuikaku comforted the two girls.

Nodding at her offer, Sakawa decided to go about it at her own pace which also meant that she would hear what Sora had to say. The same could be hypothesized about Taihou as she was still shaken up a bit.

"O-Ok. Um… Sora?"

"Yeah?" he replied from the kitchen.

"You can keep going on with your story…" Sakawa weakly replied.

"Okay! Starting from the beginning, this world was truly something else. The first time I visited that world, my friends and I ended up in the middle of a pirate invasion and had to deal with a bunch of them raiding the town which was called Port Royal."

Realization hit the girls with what he just said.

"Oh! The town was called Port Royal."

"Yep, that's where I first appeared in that world. But following the pirate invasion, we found out that the pirates were imbued with some kind of magic that didn't let my friends and I thrash them. Whenever the moonlight was cast upon them, they became skeletons and basically couldn't die by normal means. However, that just let us get to work on showing them who was new in town."

As Sora told his story, each of the girls was listening in their own unique way paying close attention to everything being said. Enterprise had tipped her hat upwards while tilting her head sideways so she could hear what he had to say clearly. Zuikaku and Shoukaku had leaned forward with the Auspicious Crane sporting a dazzled look while enjoying the story so far, and her sister had a pleasant smile on her face. Kashino and Shinano were seated comfortably while also letting their tails wag a little showing their attention was focused on the boy. Sakawa and Taihou merely had their eyes trained on the window to the kitchen and on the boy as well. Still coming to terms that they were now hearing about an entirely different world.

"After managing to deal with the pirates who later we found out to be cursed, we managed to run into two other interesting characters that soon became our friends in that world. Will Turner was a bladesmith looking to save the love of his life, Elizabeth. And the other being the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow."

Sora couldn't help but smile widely thinking about the friends that he made in that world and how things continued to become even more crazy.

"Oooh. This is getting good" Shoukaku whispered.

"Once introductions were done and over with, we came to a bit of a rough start but managed to make our way to save Elizabeth. Come to find out there was more to the situation than my friends and I thought. You see, after we went to save her, it turns out that Jack had tried to sell Will out to the pirates that took her, but it wasn't just any ordinary backstab. Jack used to be the captain of a ship called the Black Pearl and was betrayed by her crew and the current captain known as Barbossa. They attacked Port Royal and kidnapped Elizabeth because she called herself Elizabeth Turner. This was a twist as Will's blood was needed to stop the curse and allow the pirates to finally stop being immortal along with taking back a gold coin that was a part of the cursed treasure. The pirates came after Elizabeth because she had one of the stolen treasure coins and tried to protect Will by using his last name…" he explained to the girls.

As this continued to go on, the story just became more and more interesting as Sora told everyone how the story progressed and how Jack was captured, and they had to step in to help him along with stopping the cursed pirates and their leader Barbossa. He then went into detail about how Jack was caught up in a close fight and had been bested by being stabbed in the chest. This caused the girls who were actively listening to gasp but then the Keyblade wielder threw them for a loop when he told them that Jack was still alive. Alas, there was a reason for that, and it was because Jack took from the cursed treasure which was in the form of a gold coin. Doing so allowed him to technically become a cursed pirate unable to die.

Undoubtedly intrigue in the story shot up among the girls to the point that even some other girls who were walking by managed to get roped into sitting down and listening to Sora tell his story. Pretty soon, the entire lounge around the building was filled with girls listening to him talk.

Continuing the story, Sora went on to talk about how the Heartless were in cahoots with Barbossa and how he had to deal with both in a final encounter. After a long duel, Jack was able to throw his coin back into the treasure chest with the other coins and managed to shoot Barbossa causing him to laugh but ultimately feel pain as all the pieces were put back leaving the cursed pirates to become normal again.

"Wait? How did this Jack know that all the pieces were in the chest?" Kashino asked.

"The cursed pirates had come together before this all happened and hunted down all the missing pieces. Their goal of wanting to feel and taste and just be normal was an agreed thing. Hence, they went after the missing coins and didn't stop until all the pieces were back in place" Sora explained.

"Oh. They went to that length to be normal again…"

"Living a cursed life must have gotten to them over time" Zuikaku commented on the story.

Nodding with what she said, Sora picked up the story and told them how Barbossa was now defeated leaving the pirates on an even playing field now and stopping the fighting. Moreover, he also said how Will and Elizabeth had managed to get together and that Jack had now reclaimed his ship again.

The girls were all enthralled to hear that this story had a happy ending, but Sora was about to pull a fast one on them.

"But that's not where the story ends from my first time visiting that world."

"It's not!?"

Shaking his head, he then started explaining that he and his friends were brought back to Port Royal later and came across Jack dealing with even more cursed pirates that were destroying the town. After dealing with them, they came across Elizabeth who had told them that Will went to check up on the cursed gold coins which resulted in the gang getting back together again. The story progressed as Sora told them that not only the Heartless, but an evil Organization was the one causing all the problems in this world. The situation quickly changed to him and his friends having to go around the world and gather all the stolen gold pieces again leaving quite the thrilling adventure. The spiky-haired brunette then went on to finish the story about locking the treasure chest for good and tossing it in the middle of the ocean.

Some of the girls were surprised to hear that happened while others were questioning why they didn't do that in the first place. Either way, the cursed treasure was not a problem to worry about now.

Sora then went on to talk about how the group was ready to part ways from each other but mentioned the bit about Jack wanting to take his Keyblade away as a reward for helping deal with the treasure again.

This left the girls shocked that his friend would do such a thing, but Sora had a smug grin on his face as he then told them that the Keyblade can just be summoned back to his hands. This left Jack confused and even more curious about the mysterious blade leaving a heartily good mood to end their adventure in Port Royal and finishing up his first time encountering that world.

"That was… I mean…" Shinano tried to say the right words but was still a bit flabbergasted at what she was hearing.

"No kidding. I'm in awe" Zuikaku added.

"Haha! I'm feeling excited after hearing that story" another one of the girls said.

"Me too! It was so good!"

Enterprise had a thinking pose on her face as she consumed and processed the story into her mind and recalled the discussion, she had heard the first time Sora introduced himself to Azur Lane. How he shared his phone around and based on what she heard from Wales later that same day, she had come to learn that Sora had been wearing a pirate outfit in one of the pictures the Royal Navy girl saw.

"Sora."

"Hmm? Yeah, Enterprise, what's up?"

"When you shared your Gummiphone back in Azur Lane, there was a picture of you in a pirate outfit. I take it that was the other time you visited this world?" she elaborated to the boy.

"You're right on the money. That was the most recent visit to that world."

Confusion was evident on all the other girls' faces.

"Huh? What do you mean pirate outfit, Enterprise?" Kashino questioned the cap-wearing girl.

"The first time Sora broke the news that he was from another world, he told a few of us in Azur Lane and provided some pictures from his phone as proof. I didn't exactly see the picture, but I heard from Prince of Wales that he was dressed as a pirate in one of the pictures. She was also very adamant about how he looked as well" Enterprise explained while keeping that last part to herself.

An abundant amount of interest shot through the metaphorical roof at that point. A good number of the girls were now very interested to see what the boy looked like as a pirate.

"Sora! Do you think… we could see how you looked?" Shinano asked, excitement evident in her voice.

"Yeah! I wanna see!"

Other girls started joining in on the demand and asked the spiky-haired boy to see the photos.

"Me too!"

"Me three!"

"Show us!"

"Please! I'm quite curious how you'd look!"

"I-I would like to see too," Zuikaku said, maintaining a red tint on her cheeks.

'Of course, you would sis, hee-hee!' Shoukaku thought while seeing her sister's face match her dress in color.

Hearing all the commotion and interest in wanting to see how he looked dressed as a pirate, the spiky-haired boy couldn't help but shake off a sigh. Making sure the food would not get burnt, he quickly pulled out his Gummiphone and tapped at it several times before gesturing over to Enterprise to come and pick the device up.

"Here you go. You can also check the other pictures of where I visited in the other worlds."

"Thank you, Sora."

Nodding at her thanks, he went back to finishing up the Yakisoba while also realizing that he had gained quite the crowd around the place. This just meant that he would need to make sure the food tasted especially good now.

With Enterprise, she began to look at the pictures and couldn't help but understand why Wales had seemed so… interested in the pictures.

Standing there and posing next to what appeared to be a large duck and dog was Sora who had a red shirt with a yellow outline and a black jacket wrapped around his body with a brown belt around his waist followed by a tricorn hat atop his head. Gray shorts and dark boots while smirking at the camera.

Overall, the boy looked to be giving off a more mature vibe about him but also seemed to still resonate a friendly personality about him. And seeing his friends next to him made the girl smile a bit. His connection with others was truly something to admire.

"Hey! Enterprise is hogging the phone!" one of the girls shouted out.

"H-Hold on, let's just pass it around so everyone can see the pirate picture" she tried to calm the situation brewing.

"Then pass it already!"

Doing as told to prevent a fight from starting, Enterprise handed the phone over to Shinano and Kashino who had gone wide-eyed and were looking back and forth between the actual boy and the image of himself.

"Oh, my!"

"He does… look very dashing."

Next came Zuikaku and Shoukaku who got a chance to look over the picture.

"Well now, I'll be, doesn't he look quite handsome and eye-catching huh, Zuikaku?" Shoukaku teasingly said to her sister.

The Red Crane's reaction could be summarized as her keeping her eyesight on the picture and considering all the little features of his pirate attire. She also couldn't help but stare in a great deal of intrigue at how he looked in different clothes.

"Yeah… he does… I mean! Sure. He does. Why wouldn't he? He's already wearing quite fashionable clothes now. It's only reasonable that he would have other clothes" Zuikaku tried arguing back but was digging a deep hole around herself.

The passing of the phone now reached Taihou and Sakawa and they were quite surprised by how he looked. It was like staring at two different versions of a person and yet it was still the same person.

"Huh? He really does look like a pirate" Sakawa replied, approvingly nodding her head.

"He reminds me of Jean Bart in these clothes" Taihou commented, visualizing the girl's pirate appearance.

Now the phone had gone to the other girls and their reactions were what anyone would expect when something shiny or interesting was in their headspace.

"Wow! He looks good!"

"Those clothes make him look so mature!"

"Can I be a part of his crew?"

"Is he a captain?"

Random comments were made by all the girls which caused the ones part of Sora's first group to sigh outwardly while realizing that everyone seemed to agree that he had looked quite good in pirate gear.

Before anyone else could say anything else, Sora had appeared out of the kitchen and was holding multiple bowls of Yakisoba looking quite delicious. He also made the skill of carrying multiple dishes look like it was something so simple yet many of the girls could remember trying to do such a thing and losing all the food to the ground or watching as someone else slipped and dropped the food.

"Here you go, right out of the kitchen!" the boy shouted with sheer joy.

One by one, all the girls who were seated had been served as the boy confidently walked back into the kitchen and came out ready to serve even more of the girls' Yakisoba. Without waiting too long, Enterprise and the others were now served as it appeared everyone else had a plate in front of them and was waiting for the food to cool down. The time for chow had now commenced as girls all around started tasting the food and had mixed reactions on their faces.

One of the girls even managed to drop what she was holding onto and couldn't help but go wide-eyed. Another was so shocked by what she was tasting that she couldn't believe it and had to pinch herself.

"It's… It's so good!"

This caused the other girls to taste the food and all express immense positivity around the dish. Enterprise and Zuikaku shot each other a look before trying the food out and they also became shocked. The Red Crane's face flushed with a bright red color before she started diving headfirst into the food. The others also started eating the Yakisoba and couldn't stop themselves.

All in all, everyone was enjoying the food.

Sora had made sure the kitchen was all tidy and left as he found it while taking off the apron he borrowed and grabbed himself some Yakisoba before heading over to the girl's table.

"How is it?" he asked, trying to get a review of his cooking.

"Are you kidding me!?" Shoukaku shouted.

"Huh!? What? What is it?" Sora asked, feeling a bit worried now.

"This is amazing! How did- How did you make this!?"

"I… just cooked it by following the recipe?"

Taihou on her part couldn't help but tear up at how good the food was tasting. There was no way she could ever achieve this kind of taste and deliciousness. Letting Sora take over as cook was one of the greatest decisions ever made.

"Sora…"

"Yeah, Taihou, is something wrong?"

"…Thank you. *sniff* Thank you for this delicious meal!"

The boy got his review on his food right there.

"That's great to hear. Let me see how it ended up tasting."

Taking a moment to enjoy his food, Sora had to agree that it tasted good but realized that there were some things that he could have done better. His time cooking with little chief had taught him how to handle food critique and what to do to get a better result the next time.

"Mm-hm. This is good. There's a couple of things that could have been done better but for the most part, it's really good" he said while digging into his Yakisoba.

"Things that could be good!? What can you do better? This is amazing!" one of the girls shouted.

Swiping his thumb across the top of his nose, Sora cleared up a bit of his thinking.

"Just a few little things that would have made a difference. I don't want to downplay or boast about my cooking, but I learned from one of my friends that it's okay to keep on wanting to improve your cooking. Funny enough, the one who taught me how to cook was actually a rat."

All the girls suddenly stopped eating and had extremely confused expressions covering their faces.

"…What? Sora, do you want to repeat what you just said…" Zuikaku stammered.

"My friend who taught me to cook was a small rat. Is that what you want- "

"EEEEEEHHHHHHHHH!"

Screams were heard from the girls causing quite the shockwave to spread around the area.

"WHY!?"

"How could…"

"Wait, wait, hear me out!" Sora exclaimed seeing that they all got the wrong idea.

"Explain yourself!" Enterprise shouted out while still in disbelief at what she was hearing.

Standing up and gaining everyone's attention, Sora cleared his throat and began his explanation.

"My friend, who is a rat, is named little chef and he helped teach me to cook by controlling my hands with my hair" he explained.

This did not give him the result he was expecting as the girls looked even more weirded out.

"I-I don't know what to say…" Shoukaku replied.

Other girls also nodded their heads agreeing with the White Crane's comment.

Seeing that he was just walking putting himself into a deeper hole, the Keyblade wielder decided to do his best and show how little chef controlled his hands.

"Ok, ok. Just watch."

With his plan in action, Sora lifted his right hand to his head and started fumbling around with his hair and took a minute to find the exact way little chef maneuvered his body. The girls simply watched and had many more questions pop into their heads about the boy. Before any of them could voice their newfound concern, they were momentarily stunned by what was occurring now.

Suddenly, Sora's left hand went flying upward and slapped right through the air. He then adjusted his grip on his hair to lift his hand into the air and began to lightly wave it at the girls. Questions and disbelief were abundantly flowing around the lounge as everyone was utterly flabbergasted and unsure if what they were seeing was true or not. Some girls even had to be pinched or splash some water on their faces to understand what was going on.

"No way…"

"You've got to be kidding me…"

"I…I have no words…"

"Sora… how?"

A smirk appeared on the boy's face.

"It's like I said, I have a friend who is a little rat that is an amazing chef. Don't worry, he's a master chef and understands all the policies and rules about cleanliness and sanitization around the kitchen. Using people's hair is one way he's able to get things cooked faster than trying to lift heavy things which would take a lot longer. He's also able to get multiple things done as well" the brunette explained his friend's methods.

Were the girls to hear this kind of conversation from anyone else, then they would be labeled as crazy and might need to go talk to someone. But because it was Sora saying all this and he already clarified that he was from another world, it was more understandable. Besides, nobody had ever seen anybody control another part of their body with their hair. This was a whole new concept unveiled before their very eyes.

"Wow…"

"Did not expect to see something like this ever…"

The girls were still reeling from the situation and couldn't help but gawk and slowly come to terms with how Sora was taught how to cook. This would be something they would never forget about.

"So, seeing that you all learned how I started cooking, what did you think of the Yakisoba?" Sora asked, getting the conversation to go back to a normal topic.

This proved to be a good move on his part as the girls had a re-realization that the food tasted beyond anything that was thought possible for a dish like Yakisoba. The idea that Sora learned from a small rat who controlled his body started to get them curious as to what else the boy could cook or for some girls the thought of tasting something the little chef whipped up by himself was becoming a more sought-after idea. Besides, when the kansens really thought about it, the idea of little chef started to sound more relatable to their own animal supporters with sensible behavior.

The Meowfficers and Manjuus.

They were companions who helped manage and support the girls with their equipment, ship maintenance, and daily life foundations. Essentially taking the role of supporting crew for the girls throughout the different factions. Hence, with this idea now in play, the idea of little chef didn't sound as bad. Some girls started scolding themselves for being so distraught with the idea at first but were now feeling a bit bad about thinking negatively about Sora's teacher.

Alas, one girl did decide to speak up while everyone else seemed to be going through an internal conflict on what to say.

"I think the Yakisoba was one of the best dishes I've had in quite a long time. That said, I will be the first to apologize for thinking badly about your friend, little chef, and learning that he was a rat. It was rude and uncalled for and when I realized that we also have animal-like companions that help us in our daily lives… I felt guilty for thinking that. I'm sorry, Sora."

Everyone was startled by what was said and waited to hear what Sora's reaction would be.

"Hey, I honestly wasn't that upset that you guys had the reaction you did to little chef. Trust me, I was surprised as well when I found out he was the chef that was cooking food for everyone at the restaurant a friend of mine owned. So, don't feel bad about thinking that. And thank you for the honest review of the food. And… I don't think we've met before… have we?" Sora asked the girl who responded to him.

"No, we have not officially met yet. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the fourth ship of the Takao class, Choukai. You might have already met my sisters seeing that you've been hanging around Shoukaku and Zuikaku" the girl now known as Choukai replied.

"I have?" the Guardian of Light asked while glancing over at the crane sisters.

The two nodded their heads in return.

"It's more apparent with some girls compared to others, but she is one of Takao and Atago's sisters" Shoukaku explained to Sora.

"Oooh! Hmm. Now that I think about it, you guys do have similar hair color."

"That's not exactly… *sigh* Maya is going to have a kick when she hears about this" Zuikaku muttered.

The Keyblade wielder didn't exactly hear what Zuikaku said and instead focused his attention on Choukai.

"Have you talked with your sisters yet?"

"No, not yet. I was planning on catching up with them later today. That way, I'd be able to hear what they had to say about how the meeting went, but… based on what I'm hearing it sounds like there was quite the story told."

"You have no idea…" Kashino comedically mumbled.

"Well, what do you say that you join me when I go to hang out with them?" Sora asked the dark-haired girl.

"Huh? Hang out with them? What do you mean?" Choukai questioned.

"Sora has formed a plan of spending some time with different groups of girls while answering questions or just chatting since everyone wants to talk with him now" Enterprise explained the boy's current situation.

A tilt of the head was commenced by Choukai.

"Oh. That's certainly one way to be able to meet everyone. Well, if that wouldn't be too much to ask- "

"Of course not! I'd be happy to have you join us and I'm sure your sisters would be thrilled to see you hanging out with us" Sora happily replied.

A nod of her head was the response Choukai gave to Sora.

"Thank you, Sora. When will you be leaving to meet up with them?"

"Uhm… I'm not sure."

The spiky-haired brunette then looked over at his friends to see what they thought about the situation. Zuikaku, Enterprise, and Shinano on their part wanted to keep talking with Sora for a bit longer. Kashino was neutral but if she could she'd like to ask him a few more questions, and Shoukaku would fight the others to make sure that her dear sister got the chance to get closer to the boy.

"Maybe… here in a few?" Enterprise spoke up.

"I'm a fan of that…" Zuikaku offhandedly said.

"Same here…" Shinano added.

Seeing that the girls still wanted to keep hanging out with him, Sora turned his attention back toward Chouaki.

"Well, there's our answer."

"Haha! It's alright. There's no problem with that. If anything, I feel like I intruded" the dark-haired girl responded.

"No! That's not what we meant!" Zuikaku shouted out.

"I kid, I kid. I know, Zuikaku. Besides, I'll have another chance of talking with him soon. In fact, I'll go ahead and meet up with my sisters and let them know what's going on. Take care, everyone."

Everyone bade Choukai farewell while either going back to eating or chatting with one another. Sora meanwhile was back to enjoying his dish while wondering what the other girls might want to talk about. They seemed pretty adamant about still spending time with him and from his point on it all there was quite the deal to discuss. Hence, he figured he might as well eat and talk with them.

"So, what else did you guys want to talk about?" Sora asked his group of friends.

Tilting her cap forward, Enterprise glanced over at Zuikaku and Shinano seeing that they also spoke up about wanting to keep talking with him. She was about to leap at the chance to start speaking but the white-haired vision seeing fox beat her to it.

"Sora… what are your thoughts on the Sakura Empire?" Shinano asked the boy while narrowing her gaze to him.

"Hmm. What do I think… Well, I can say off the top of my head that it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The atmosphere is full of love and comfort while the scenery everywhere I've gone is truly one of a kind. Granted, I haven't been to a lot of places in this world but so far, I'm liking it. And the food is top notch there's no denying that, haha!"

"You've got that right" Enterprise added before going back to her meal.

"But… I think the one thing that makes the Sakura Empire stand out to me… is the people here."

Shinano didn't say anything and let the boy finish his thought as it appeared that he had more to say. The other girls at the table also leaned a bit forward to listen to him.

"Everyone has been so friendly. Not considering what happened when I first got here since we weren't exactly on good terms." Sora said while remembering what it was like getting here. "But now it's like I'm able to see just how lively and exciting the island really is. I also know there are a lot more girls I want to meet but that'll take a minute until I know everyone. However, just seeing how much fun everyone is having shows me that there is much love and care spread throughout the Sakura Empire. That's what I think."

As he finished up his speech, Sora couldn't help but send a warm and friendly smile to the kitsune girl which ultimately caused her tails to start swaying back and forth while she fought vicariously hard to stop herself from letting a blush appear on her cheeks. The other Sakura Empire girls also felt giddy knowing that he thought of their home so highly. Even having been introduced on the wrong foot, he still had positive things to say.

Who wouldn't be happy to hear such great things about your home and nation?

Sora then ruffled the back of his head while looking over at Enterprise.

"That said, I would still like to check out the rest of Azur Lane. There were a lot of girls I got to meet there along with seeing a few sights on the island, but there were a whole lot more sights I didn't get to see. Plus, the other factions' homes are something I'm interested to learn more about" Sora reasoned.

"Mm. Hopefully, when things manage to calm down and steps on what to do next are discussed, we can head back to base. I know plenty of girls would be happy to see you safe and sound. A certain young purple-haired girl to be exact" Enterprise claimed while hinting at someone.

Realization settled into Sora's heart.

"Ah… Unicorn. I hope she's ok."

The thought of his newfound little sister being worried about him made Sora feel sick to his stomach.

"Don't worry. I made a promise to her that I'd bring you back. And I have a feeling that she knew that you wouldn't let her down" the Grey Ghost alluded.

"Heh, that's good to hear. It's honestly nice and nerve-racking to have someone look up to you like that. As an older brother…" Sora commented.

"Hm? Sora, do you not have any siblings?" Zuikaku questioned.

Shaking his head, he responded, "No, I don't. I was an only child growing up all my life. I do have a best friend named Riku who I've always thought of as a big brother. It made our rivalry growing up a whole lot more fun that way as well."

"I bet hearing that Unicorn thought of you as a big brother made you happy" Kashino spoke up.

A bright smile appeared on the boy's face.

"Yeah, it did a lot."

Curiosity seemed to win the girls over as Shoukaku decided to voice what everyone was thinking.

"Sora, do you have a picture of your best friend by chance?" the crane sister asked.

"I do actually. Here." Reaching for his Gummiphone, Sora pulled up pictures that he had taken the night before they all went to the Keyblade Graveyard. The calm before the storm. "This one is of me and Riku messing with each other. The photo was taken by our other best friend, Kairi."

Handing the phone to the girls, Shoukaku was the first to see Riku and couldn't help but feel an intense amount of intrigue directed at the silver-haired boy.

"Oh, wow! He's definitely a looker…" Shoukaku commented while all the other girls noticed her eyes not moving away from the device.

"Shoukaku!" Zuikaku blurted out.

The White Crane easily lifted her hands and waved them at her sister.

"What? What's wrong with a little tease? He looks quite nice, and the silver hair is quite nice."

"He had it longer but got it cut not that long ago. Though, I'm not sure when he exactly got it cut now that I think about it…" Sora said while pondering Riku's hair now.

'Just when did he get it cut? After going to the Realm of Darkness for the first time to look for Aqua? Did Mickey go along with him?' the Keyblade wielder was lost in thought now.

Enterprise and the others were now handed the phone and viewed the picture of Sora's best friend.

"It might just be me, but he looks a bit older than you, Sora" Enterprise casually said while examining the picture closely.

"He's just a bit older than me. Not that much."

"How long have you two known each other? Based on what I'm guessing it sounds like you two have known each other for quite some time. Am I right?" Kashino asked.

A smile appeared on Sora's face as he began to get into how long he and Riku had been best friends along with telling a bit about the fun rivalries they had growing up. Enterprise, Shinano, and Kashino were listening intently.

Meanwhile, Zuikaku and Shoukaku shifted to the side and were now arguing with each other quietly.

"What was that!" Zuikaku whisper yelled.

"What?"

"What you said about Sora's friend."

"Oh, you mean Riku?"

"Yes!" another whispered yell came from the Red Crane.

"Quit worrying yourself. Besides, I do find him pretty cute" Shoukaku said, sporting a flirty smile.

This caused the brunette to facepalm at her sister's antics.

"*sigh* You're lucky Sora didn't say anything."

"Like what? He seems pretty enthralled speaking about his best friend, see" the White Crane replied while gesturing over to the boy.

Checking up on Sora, Zuikaku found him standing up and mimicking what could be described as sword fighting with nothing in his hands, but his behavior and energy were going into talking about a time he and Riku picked up sword fighting with wooden sticks.

"Besides, think about it… maybe in the future, we could plan a double date!" Shoukaku whisper-yelled to her sister.

"W-What does that mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You and Sora. And me and Riku. Sounds like a plan huh?" she said with a bit of excitement in her voice.

Zuikaku wasn't sure what to do with her sister at the moment and figured she would keep on blurting out random things. Hence, she went back to listening to the conversation and plop herself back into the chat. Shoukaku couldn't help but stifle a little giggle.

However, the Auspicious Crane couldn't help but let a thought linger in her mind that her sister planted in her head. The idea of her and Sora together… just thinking about it caused her heart to start beating faster than normal while a noticeable heat could be felt on her face. In the short amount of time that she had gotten to know the boy who had come from another world, she was starting to see qualities in him that she wasn't entirely aware of before. Moreover, her interest in him sparked not only in his fighting ability or his unusual sense of power but his overall persona and how he had an infectious positivity about him.

There was also the truth of the matter that this was a first for Zuikaku as she had never really dealt with anything relating to romance. She was now on a whole new battlefield and would have to do her best to sort out what exactly she was feeling. Not even Shoukaku could help her in this matter. This was all about her and how her heart responded to what it was feeling. In addition, she couldn't help but feel a bit excited at the prospect of it all. If what Sora said was true about his strength coming from his heart, then…

She couldn't help but smile brightly to herself.

---

"… And that's how I ended up getting smacked in the face by Riku's sword."

Sora had just gotten done telling the girls about one of the times he and Riku first started sword fighting and managed to get distracted and ended up taking the wooden sword to the face. That was a fun day… not.

"Does that mean you self-taught your whole life?" Kashino questioned the boy while clearly interested in what he had to say.

"Yeah, that's how it has been. Granted, I did get help when it came to learning new magical spells and whatnot, but when it came to swordplay it has been all me."

"That's… very impressive, Sora" Shinano said, recalling the one time she tried wielding a weapon but wasn't good at using it at all. She would prefer to stick with her current rigging arrangement.

"Swords are truly a simple yet complex weapon to handle. I can't say I've ever been completely interested in wielding one and would prefer to stick to my bow" Enterprise reasoned while picturing herself trying to swing a sword around.

It was not a pretty sight to see or even imagine.

Hearing the Grey Ghost claim this, Zuikaku couldn't help but puff her large chest out knowing there was something she excelled in that Enterprise didn't. Her tendency to think of them as bitter rivals was still present.

"Everyone has their own unique skill sets. Nothing wrong with that. Each one of us has goals and personalities that differ which makes us who we are" Sora said, getting everyone to agree with that statement.

It was also with that statement that each of the girls shot one another knowing looks that seemed to confirm that their time with Sora should come to an end for now. Of course, they could continue to talk with him throughout the night, but they did remember that others were looking forward to chatting with him as well.

"Sora. Thank you for spending some time with us" Enterprise said, brushing some hair out of her face.

"Of course! I had a great time getting to talk with you all. I wouldn't mind talking longer but the others are also probably waiting for me."

"Mm. Wouldn't want to keep them waiting any longer. Besides, Choukai is probably with them right now" Zuikaku added.

Scratching his cheek, the brunette boy now wondered where the next group of girls might be.

"Where do you think Amagi and the others might be right now? The next group I planned on seeing was Amagi, Akagi, Kaga, Noshiro, and Hiei" Sora explained his current question.

"It's likely our senpais are hanging around one of the picnic spots."

"Amagi… she's sure to want a peaceful moment between you and her sisters. Hiei and Noshiro are sure to tag along with them as well" Shinano reasoned.

Considering what Amagi was saying, Sora suddenly recalled the memory that played out when he entered Amagi's heart to help her with the sickness that was close to killing her. The place beneath the tall Sakura tree where the brown-haired kitsune was seated. That was a place that meant a great deal to her so, it was safe to say that is where she and the others might be.

"Right, I think I might have an idea of where she is then. Do you know where a picnic spot is under a big tree?"

Taking a second to think about Sora's question, Enterprise wasn't able to answer as this was also her first real-time getting shown around the island. It hadn't been considered that way since Sora was currently reigning in the spotlight, but she didn't mind. All the new scenery before her was all the more amazing.

Shinano and Kashino on the other hand started to think about just what picnic spot matched Sora's description and seemed to align their thoughts on one spot.

"Sora, I think we know where they might be."

Hearing this, the spiky-haired boy couldn't help but sport a smile and nod. Where one group of friends parts ways with him, another is awaiting him with open arms.

---

Meanwhile, at a picnic spot next to a large and blooming cherry blossom

Three kitsune sisters and their two guests were quietly sipping on a cup of tea while admiring the view before them. With the cherry blossom petals falling from the tree and swaying in the slight breeze added to the clear sky above them, it truly was a sight to behold. Not to mention, this was one of Amagi's favorite spots to simply sit down and watch as the day passed by. Many fond memories of her past have taken place here. Hence, why she decided to pay this place another visit.

Compared to the previous times she was here; those instances were met with somber and distraught-filled memories of her trying to put on a brave face to her dear sisters. Alas, this time around she was not confided to feel sad but quite the opposite. She now had the chance to live. Live and see what other wonders awaited her and her family in this new and developing world. With the other factions slowly but surely coming to reason and working together, the future was a bright one to ponder.

Nevertheless, the future also held one significant difference this time around. He was now a part of their lives and would lend his hand to help them rid the darkness cast throughout this world. He truly was-

"Amagi… when is he coming?" Akagi asked with a hint of eagerness in her voice.

A brief smile appeared on the older sister's face.

"Patience, Akagi. You know how many people wished to speak with him. Besides, we wouldn't want to completely ignore our friends who have joined us here" Amagi said, gesturing over to Noshiro and Hiei.

"Thank you for inviting us, Amagi. Even if Sora was not going to meet with you all, it's still nice to be welcomed for some tea" Noshiro gratefully stated.

"I concur. It's nice to sit and wind down after so much activity has happened as of late. Plus, it's been a minute since we've had a chance to sit down and chat" Hiei added.

"Likewise. There's a lot I'd like to talk about now that… I have the chance to see more of this beautiful world of ours. I'm almost at a loss for what to do or say. I never thought something like this was a possibility" the older kitsune murmured loud enough for everyone to hear.

Kaga on her part lifted her head to look up at the Sakura tree towering above them and let a small smile grace her lips. The realization of what happened was still settling into her head and her sister was not going to leave them any time soon. And the person who was able to do what she nor Akagi could do was-

"Hey, guys! Sorry, I'm late!"

Moving their heads to the side, all the girls spotted a familiar spiky set of hair coming their way.

Having broken into a jog to reach them, Sora had a relaxed expression on his face but, he was silently glad that this spot was the one that had been picked by Amagi and the others. This was the fourth picnic spot under a tree that he ran past after listening to what Kashino and Shinano had to say about locations in mind.

He also parted ways with Enterprise, Zuikaku, and Shoukaku making sure to tell them that they would definitely have to do another hangout together along with seeing them later. Enterprise would be accompanied by Zuikaku and Shoukaku to return to the council building and catch up with Queen Elizabeth and Nagato. Shinano and Kashino mentioned going to meet up with a few of the girls leaving a pleasant and approving end to their hangout. And while there was still a great deal to talk about, Sora had to admit that he had fun with his first hangout.

Now onto the second hangout planned.

"Sora! I'm glad you could make it" Amagi said, displaying a sincere smile on her face.

Akagi meanwhile hadn't said anything and had her eyes solely focused on Sora while taking in his entire presence. Her eyes started scanning the boy's appearance from his spiky brown hair to his blue eyes and lips. Next, she focused on his crown necklace and fashionable jacket to his dark shorts and large boots. Everything about Sora to her was simply amazing. To the point that her heartbeat was picking up as she continued to linger her gaze on him.

"Hey, sorry for being late. I had some help on where you might be" Sora replied, not mentioning how he had been running around for a minute.

"Not at all. You're just in time" Hiei added while shooting him a smile.

This immediately caused Akagi to widen her eyes and look over at the two-horned girl with an expression that meant trouble would be brewing.

"Great! It's good to see you all."

"Mm. Come, Sora, have a cup and seat" Amagi offered to the boy.

Doing as told, he plopped himself right between Hiei and Amagi while Akagi and Kaga were on the other side of their sister and Noshiro was on Hiei's other side. They all sat comfortably on the seat provided while enjoying their tea and what looked to be small snacks.

"Thanks. So, what were you guys discussing before I got here? I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

"Not much really. Just pondering what new possibilities await us now with the other factions at a standstill or at the very least working toward a more united front" Noshiro elaborated to the boy.

"I see, that hasn't been a thought you guys have had, has it?" Sora questioned them.

A contemplative sigh escaped Hiei's lips and Kaga seemed to cast her eyes downward.

"No, it hasn't. With the looming threat that the Sirens pose and the differing stances that Azur Lane and the Red Axis had, we didn't exactly have a lot of time to ponder on what would happen afterward. It's been a nonstop battle on both sides. Against other kansens and worry toward the Sirens" Hiei explained.

"…There's also a lot that we have to make up for…" Kaga muttered which caught Sora's attention.

"Kaga. I thought I already told you that- "

"I know… I know. But it's not something that I can easily accept. There are still a few… reservations I have about everything and until I feel that I've truly apologized to you, then I'll still do what I can to earn your respect and show my appreciation for saving my sister" Kaga proclaimed to him while staring right into his blue eyes.

Sora could partially understand where she was coming from. And truthfully, he could see that she meant everything she was saying. Her regret for going against her friends' backs to save Amagi. Desperate times call for desperate measures and while the Sakura Empire was one side she would have to worry about, he would make sure to let her know that he forgave her completely.

"…You know, Kaga, hearing you say all that makes me happy. Happy that you actually care about making amends for your past mistakes. And while you may have to worry about your friends' point of view toward you, just know that I forgive you and will continue to say so. If you do one thing for me."

"Huh? One thing… what's that?" the white kitsune asked.

The Keyblade wielder let a giant grin appear on his face before bringing both of his hands behind his head striking one of his signature poses.

"Continue being my friend is all I ask. Think you can do that?" he challenged her.

A stark moment of silence passed as the girls were a bit puzzled by his strange request, but after a moment the mood was met with a stifled laugh coming from the white-haired girl who began to shake her head.

"You're honestly strange, Sora."

"I'm pretty sure I've heard that remark a lot haha!"

"I'll bet. If only I had your sense of positivity all the time…" Kaga muttered which elicited a reaction from the boy.

"Well… this might surprise you all but there have been times that I haven't been the ray of positivity that I like to be."

"Really? That's…" Hiei started saying.

"Surprising" Noshiro finished.

A shake of his head was how Sora responded at first.

"Not really. Seeing that you all know that I'm from another world I can talk about it more openly compared to before. The time that… I wasn't a source of hope for my friends…" Sora said, recalling the Keyblade War and how his emotions and feelings were vindicative of what was happening.

The war showed a different side to the boy. One that not everyone had gotten a glimpse of seeing that he put it off and kept a façade of a happy-go cheerful expression on his face while helping everyone else. Seeing his friends all die right before his eyes… will forever be a memory that will reside in his mind forever. But… it will also be a reminder that with the power within him, he was able to change that outcome. Even if there were consequences, he knew that everyone was still with him through the bonds forged and connections made.

He would not let something like that happen again. He would be better.

"Did… did something happen?" Akagi carefully asked while analyzing the boy's reaction.

Deciding to get to the root of it and make it simple to understand while conveying enough of an idea of what transpired, Sora took a deep breath before beginning to speak.

"Yeah, something bad happened. Before I arrived in this world I was caught up in a war of Light and Darkness caused by an evil organization that was using complicated methods to make sure a war started. Things didn't go our way and…" Sora stopped himself for some unknown reason.

Even though he had accepted what happened and changed the course of events to happen, he still felt a pull in his heart remembering one of the lowest moments in his life. Perhaps it was a mark of remembrance. Either way, it was something he would need to move away from and accept what happened and strive forward.

"We lost the war. My friends all died right before my very eyes."

All the girls were quiet and unsure of what to say. Sora's case had continued to surprise them with everything they were learning about him. And now, to hear that he lost a war and witnessed all his friends' deaths…

"Before long, I'd given up on everything. I thought that it was all over. They were what gives me strength and seeing them all just vanish within a moment… it hit me hard. But… it was thanks to my best friend Riku and what he said to me that snapped me out of my fear at the last second before… I died."

The shock was evident on the girls' faces.

"You… died?" Hiei quietly said.

"…" Noshiro didn't say anything or rather couldn't say anything.

"Sora…" Amagi whispered his name.

"Death…" Kaga muttered.

"…How… How are you here now?" Akagi confusedly asked.

A sigh escaped the boy's lips as he was starting to get into some complicated and hard-to-comprehend stuff happening. To make sure that he didn't confuse any of the girls too much, he decided to briefly mention what exactly happened throughout the Keyblade War.

"After I died, I found myself in a place that borders life and death and can be accessed through sleep. The Final World is what it's called…"

And from there, Sora began to tell his tale about how he managed to lose his entire body and had to put it back together while encountering Chirithy and learning about what happened. Followed by how he could fix things so that his friends didn't die and that the war could be stopped. A short and direct explanation was given regarding the real Organization XIII and how their goal of forging the X-Blade was something that could affect all worlds. He then started talking about the Organization battles with brief explanations to them followed by Kairi's kidnapping and saving his friends who were in trouble.

As the girls listened, their minds were met with even more confusion and outright puzzlement. But what they could understand was that Sora had suffered. Not just the effects of war itself but a whole new centralization of fatigue and stress having to live with the fact that he saw his friends die before his very eyes. Their hearts went out to the boy along with Amagi truly bewildered and astonished by what he had been through. Making his actions of saving her even more impactful.

"After beating back all the Organization members, the man behind it all, Xehanort, brought Kairi before him, and… he killed her. While we all watched…"

Akagi and Kaga were left speechless at what they were hearing, Hiei and Noshiro had saddened looks on their faces as Amagi remained motionless. She wasn't sure what to say at this point and continued to let Sora talk without interrupting him.

Sora then began to tell the rest of his story about how he trapped Xehanort with his friends' help and went after him resulting in a long, grueling battle. However, when Sora reached the end of the battle, he didn't waste any time and went right into him finding a way to bring Kairi back which resulted in the start of him reliving the war once again only this time there was no changing the future. This began his second time going through the war only he now had the chance to help change the outcome of several events along with finding clues that would allow him to save Kairi.

To say that the girls understood the ramifications of his actions would be an understatement. Even if they were not familiar with this kind of power, the one thing they were heavily aware of was that Sora had just time-traveled into the past to find a way to save his friend. To go to that length… was honestly unthinkable. And yet, here Sora was proving that he could defy all expectations that had been placed on him or the situation he was involved in.

He then started discussing what happened after gathering all the necessary pieces to bring Kairi back, and after finding the connection that would lead him to her, he found her. Along with a final battle waiting for the two of them marking an end to the Keyblade War.

Amagi let out a worried sigh she didn't know she was holding onto that was soon accompanied by a fit of coughing. This resulted in everyone worried for the kitsune woman but in all fairness, she apologized for taking away from the moment which got Sora to speak on the matter.

"No, no. It's alright, nothing drastic happened after the war. Just… my friends celebrating and taking the chance to finally relax after many years of dealing with this conflict. It was at this point that I wanted to make sure that Kairi was okay and had the time of her life because…" Sora slowly brought up his right and examined it before delving back into the story. "There was a price I had to pay for using my power the way I did."

The silence was staggering in the group before Amagi was the first to open up.

"What… What was the price?"

A strained yet forced smile appeared on Sora's face.

"I had used the power that brought my friends back incorrectly. And doing it seven times caused a nature taboo to take effect. Causing me to vanish from my world with the looming fear that I might never be able to return as I would lose my powers… "

"Wh-what? That doesn't make any sense… How?" Kaga tried reasoning but couldn't find the right words.

"Vanish…" Hiei slowly mumbled.

"…Sora…" Amagi called his name while unsure what to really say.

Seeing that he was causing such distraught reactions from his friends, Sora decided to stop with all the gloomy talk and finish telling his story of events.

"Please, don't worry. Even looking back on the situation now, I wouldn't have changed it at all. Whether it was for Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, or anyone else. I would have still gone through it all for them" he said, conveying what could be described as confidence and truth in his words.

"Even… Even knowing that you might not ever see your friends and family again?" Akagi questioned, bringing a hand up to her arm.

Hearing that he was willing to give himself up wholeheartedly to the point of vanishing just so his friends would be safe and sound… made her question her own actions and brought about the roundabout question.

Would she have gone as far as he did to bring back the one, he cared for so much?

To answer Akagi's question, Sora lifted his hand to be above his heart and held a content look on his face. One that undoubtedly showed he had made up his mind.

"I would do it again in a heartbeat. Besides, knowing that everyone is safe makes it all that matters."

The girls had a vivid idea of the boy before them from their previous encounters and discussions with him but now after learning a bit of what he had been through it was hard to convey what they were feeling. A sense of admiration and respect along with worry reigned in their hearts. This boy who had suffered through so much and so willingly stepped in to help them. Words couldn't acutely state what they were feeling.

"I… I don't know what to say now ha-ha…" Hiei said, starting the conversation back up.

"No kidding. How do you follow up on that" Noshiro lightly remarked.

"You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry if it was a bit sad or worrying but I just want you all to know that while I was brought here from my own actions, I don't regret it at all. Plus, I got the chance to meet you all. And no doubt I'll do all that I can to help make sure the Heartless and now Sirens are dealt with. You're all close to my heart now. That is… if you'll have this half pint haha" Sora proclaimed while mentioning the nickname that he shared with Donald and Goofy.

"Of course, we'll have your help. You've done so much for us… so much for me. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you, Sora" Amagi confided to the boy.

"And you won't ever have to. The only thing I ask is that you continue living and experiencing all the amazing things waiting to be experienced in your heart. You've got your life back now. Go do whatever you want with your life now."

"A life with limitless possibilities…" Kaga muttered, taking the boy's words to heart.

Hearing his supporting words, the other girls held a nod and a smile on their faces. Perhaps it was the way Sora spoke about what he was feeling but it made the girls feel a bit inspired and realize that there was a hopeful future awaiting them. Things were going to be okay now.

Although, Noshiro and Kaga were a bit stumped at what Sora called himself. That was something they were going to have to ask him later for clarification.

Alas, Akagi being the broad and forward kind of woman that she was, had decided to suddenly stand up from her seat which obviously garnered everyone's attention, and watched as she slowly made her way over to Sora who was understandably confused. Amagi and Kaga meanwhile had an inkling of what she was going to do and simply continued to observe her actions.

"Uh… Akagi? What's up?" Sora asked the kitsune girl.

Coming within a few feet from the boy, the brown-haired girl stood there for a moment with her head lowered making it so that part of her hair was covering her eyes. Everyone was questioning what exactly was going on but in the next moment, they were met with a surprising answer.

Within a split second, the brown-haired kitsune girl leaped right at Sora and nuzzled herself right into his chest while placing her arms around his back. She had hugged him and from the looks of things it appeared to be the kind of hug that conveyed many various emotions. And the kicker was that no words were needed at this moment.

Left not sure what to do, Sora thought about glancing over at Amagi or Kaga to help him deal with Akagi's sudden action but after giving it a brief thought, he decided to do something that he felt was right in his heart.

He returned the hug.

A visible movement of shock coursed through Akagi's body as she was not expecting the boy to hug her back, but who was she to decline such an action directed at her? Her happiness was evident not only in her flushed face which was facing away from everyone but in how her tails began to sway back and forth at a rapid rate. This also resulted in her nudging her head and pushing her body closer to Sora's. Both of her sisters couldn't help but let out a sigh at the kitsune girl's actions. Akagi's way of dealing with these newfound emotions toward Sora was something that they would need to watch out for. Especially for the boy's sake. Moreover, Kaga also realized that looking after her sister's rambunctious actions could be a sort of way to repay the spiky-haired brunette's kindness and forgiveness.

A simple act to repay a monumental action.

After being caught in the hug for quite a long moment, Sora moved his hands away from Akagi's form and expected her to do the same but was met with her grip around him tightening around him.

"Ah… Akagi?"

"Yes, my love~"

The Keyblade wielder's irises widen at hearing what she said.

"C-Could you please let go now?"

"Hee-hee. And what if I said no?"

"Uhm… then I'll ask again. It's getting… harder to breathe" Sora cried out.

"That just means you're starting to really feel my love directed toward you" she retorted rather quickly.

The spiky-haired boy was now starting to feel a sense of fear that he hadn't ever really faced before. He also shot his head back toward the others and nonverbally yelled at Amagi and Kaga to help him.

"Akagi. Sora needs a moment to breathe" Amagi called out to the love-struck girl.

Immediately, she let go of Sora and stood right next to him even taking a small step next to him making it look like they were really close. The boy on the other hand caught his breath and readied himself to learn her reasoning for the hug.

"Err… Akagi, what was with the sudden hug?" Sora asked, recalling a similar experience with Tron before they said their goodbyes from the data world.

The brown-haired girl held a beautiful smile on her face while lowering her head and then looking the boy right in the eyes. A plethora of emotions were present in her eyes and body language.

"There are many reasons why I hugged you but… to point out a few of them. One reason was to show just how much appreciation I have for you." Akagi was now looking right into his eyes. Blue orbs meeting red orbs. "And another reason is that it's like I told you before. I give my all to you. You saved my sister when I failed to do so. You saved my family. Besides, the more I learn about you and your selfless and kind heart, it's hard for me not to fall in love with you, my hero~"

The Guardian of Light was left speechless. He couldn't form a single response to the girl and was left there trying to say something. But he was utterly stunned. He wasn't one to fall into obviousness as he had witnessed romance from many of his otherworldly friends and picked up on the signs that were there. Now, however, he was taken aback by it all.

"Well, I… I'm… huh?"

Suddenly without any warning, Akagi was pulled back by Amagi who had an authoritative expression on her face.

"Akagi, don't you think that you're leaving quite the impression on Sora already?"

"But- "

"*sigh* What are we going to do with you?" the older sister teasingly said while gesturing over at Kaga to take her sister back to her seat.

Hiei and Noshiro were still reeling from the sudden proclamation of love directed to Sora and watched as he wasn't sure how to react. It was truly an out-of-left-field play from the brown-haired girl that two reactions were present in their minds.

'She was so confident in her actions… 'Noshiro thought to herself.

'L-Love this soon? Shouldn't she be trying to form a sincere relationship with him first? I mean, I kind of did… in a friendly way… right? Am I doing it right?" Hiei questioned deep in her heart.

Sora on his part was starting to feel his face become heated. He was not expecting Akagi to say all that with such a straight face and sincerity in her voice. It sounded like she meant everything she said.

Alas, before he could ponder the situation any further, Amagi called out to him.

"Sora, I apologize for Akagi's directness."

"No, it's okay. I'm just a bit… stunned. I think?"

"As would anyone be if they got suddenly hugged and confessed to like that."

"I mean, it's not the first time that's happened."

Hearing this, Akagi's eyes seemed to darken immediately along with her turning her head to stare directly at the boy. A sense of doom and gloom was radiating off the girl.

"One of my friends from another world did the same thing. It was so sudden when he did it that I was taken aback by it" Sora explained while describing the hug from Tron.

The Red Spider Lily's eyes, which was another title given to Akagi, went back to being normal as she heard that it was a guy that hugged Sora. Her tone shifts instantly from suspense to intrigue on the flip of a switch.

It was at this point that Sora waved his hand in the air to move the conversation along.

"So, ah-ha, jumping to another strange topic, what do you guys think will be the next move?"

"Next move where Sora?" Noshiro questioned.

"About where we go next. As obvious as this sounds, I'm not familiar with the Sirens' tactics and how they operate seeing that I've only really encountered them a few times now compared to everyone else. But I can help with determining where the Heartless might be due to experience dealing with them" Sora explained.

"Where indeed. Until we hear of any sort of motion garnered from our scouts as well as Azur Lane's forces it'll be tough to say where we head next" Kaga reasoned.

"Right… We're stuck waiting around for something to happen."

A momentary pause of silence settled into the group's mood as everyone was left pondering Sora's question. It was also due to the post-processing of Akagi's actions that left them wondering what the boy's reaction was ultimately. He seemed to acknowledge her and her feelings but didn't go any further than that. Such an interesting take.

However, before any more thought could be dragged about, Hiei decided to take this opportunity to ask Sora some questions about himself.

"Sora. Would you mind telling us a bit more about yourself?" the black-haired girl asked, leaning herself in his direction.

"Huh? What do you mean? Like just what I like and whatnot?"

"Sure! Or anything that we might not know about. And I don't mean talking about the challenges you faced before but more about who you are. If that's alright to ask?"

A smile appeared on the boy's lips.

"I'd be happy to tell a bit about me. Heh, where do I even start?"

And so, the boy from another world began talking about himself and the things he liked and didn't really like concerning who he was as a person. A great deal of it was found to be silly while other aspects of himself were rather charming. From his cheerful demeanor to his willingness to help others in need even if it ended up leaving him in quite a predicament. His self-indulgence was something that interest the girls. Some more than others of course. But overall, it was a pleasant time together.

Plus, at times Sora would branch out and ask the girls a bit about themselves when discussing parts of his character. Not only to get to know them better but build a stronger bond with them as well.

Learning a bit more about how the kitsune sisters treated each other and those that they cared about. He also found out from Akagi's sisters that she tended to be quite competitive and intelligent when prepared for a situation but had a strong affectionate and attachment kind of personality. That was something he was starting to find out rather abundantly. She was also a bit playful when it came to friendly opposition and had a very caring personality for the young girls.

Kaga was also an interesting case to learn about as she was described to be calmer and more analytical than her sister but could emit a cold stance against her foes. Sora did recall a brief showing of that during that fight. She was also said to be headstrong and abrasive at times which did make sense when thinking about how she still felt off about wanting to make it up to the Keyblade wielder. Overall, she was an ambitious and strong-hearted girl that wanted nothing more than to protect those she cared for, and defeat however appeared to ruin her peace.

Not so surprising was Amagi who didn't exactly boast about herself, but it was thanks to Akagi and Kaga commenting on how she had a polite but assertive personality. Her humbleness was something that everyone in the Sakura Empire enjoyed about her along with her friendliness and composed, tactful stance on everything. It was said that girls in other factions even looked up to her in high regard of respect which Sora could believe.

Surprisingly, Hiei was said to be quite the organizer with her main stay interest in participating in banquets. Hearing this announced and confided to Sora, the two-horned girl started to blush while playing it off to the best of her ability. It didn't help that the spiky-haired brunette said he'd be interested in attending a banquet the next time one came around which got the girl excited both mentally and internally with her heart pounding. She was also said to be quite the warfare confidant and relied on wisdom and courage to win her battles and protect everyone.

Finding out that Noshiro was a thoughtful and organized person who tended to be a bit too serious at times but had a kind heart was something that Sora understandably totally see. From the seriousness that she showcased against him in their first encounter, he could tell she was kindhearted when it counted. He also hoped that now that she had learned a bit about him that their friendship could take a turn for the better.

Moreover, the topic of conversation soon shifted to treats and Sora voiced his personal favorite.

"Sea salt ice cream?" the girls all voiced out.

"I don't think I've ever heard of that flavor before?" Kaga stated.

"Do… Do you put real sea salt in the ice cream?" Noshiro asked, confused by the treat's name.

"How did it get its name? Did someone make it out at sea?" Hiei questioned.

"Is it a flavorful treat?" Amagi pondered.

"Yep! It has a salty but sweet taste to it. When you try it for the first time, you'll think it's bad but after you start to think about it and how there's an aftertaste to it, then you'll grow to love it. It's even better in a cone because…"

As Sora continued to talk about the delicious treat, Akagi couldn't help but linger on a growing thought that started roaming in her head. It would be quite the adventurous and risqué move, but it would for sure get the boy's attention. She would put this idea on the back burner for now and use it at a more suitable time. It was sure to leave the boy shocked.

After some more time passed as the group continued to converse with each other, Sora realized that the day was coming to an end, and he had at least one more group of girls to meet up with. He was also starting to think about just how many more girls there were on the island that he had not met yet.

He was surely going to be busy meeting people for the next while.

Nevertheless, he excused himself saying that he had to go meet up with the other girls which everyone understood completely. Akagi had also not done anything dramatic when Sora announced that he was going to meet the other girls. But that was because Amagi had her arm patting the back of Akagi's shoulder indicating that she was watching her dear sister. Both kitsune girls were heavily familiar with their older sister's impactful slap to the head which was something they were familiar with a good deal.

With his time coming to an end, he bid everyone a "See you later" and left the area causing the girls to observe him as he disappeared. This then started another conversation to break out regarding the boy's positivity and other aspects that they all liked about him. He was truly going to make their lives better.

---

Not that long later...

Passing through one of the arches hanging over a small pond, Sora was left pondering where the other group of girls might be now. Several ideas were swimming around his head but ultimately, he decided to go with his gut and start making his way over to where he first encountered Takao and Atago.

As he walked there, he also waved at all the girls who were enjoying the evening mood as the sun appeared to be getting lower by the hour. A full day of nonstop excitement and discussions was starting to weigh on the boy and he was looking ever forward to what sleep would bring him. However, that could wait as he had one more planned group to visit before calling it a day and heading back to the council building. Perhaps someone could get him situated on what was going to happen as night truly fell.

Now standing in front of the residence that had him meeting the two dog-eared sisters, Sora knocked on the front door and waited for someone to answer. Without waiting too long, the door opened and the spiky-haired boy was met with an engulfing hug by someone familiar.

"Oh my! Sora! We were wondering if you'd come to look for us" the sweet voice of Atago said aloud.

The boy tried to respond but his voice came out as muffled.

"A-Atago!"

"Yep, it's me! Ha, this feels nice" she said while wrapping her hands around Sora.

About ready to take a step back, he was met with surprise as Atago let go of him and grabbed a hold of his hand. His thought that she would keep him locked in a tight hug like Akagi was instantly dismissed as he was now being pulled.

"Come on, everyone's waiting for you inside."

Taking a step inside the building, Sora was met with the beautiful artistic design of the house and couldn't help but see how intriguing the place looked to be.

"Ah, there you are, Sora."

Moving his head forward, the Guardian of Light spotted several familiar faces all sitting around a living room setting with Takao being the one who called out to him. Sitting next to her was Choukai and Ayanami. In the next area was Prinz Eugen sitting next to Z23 holding what appeared to be a fancy-looking glass with red liquid in it. Sora had an idea of what her drink might have been.

"Sora! Glad you could join us" Choukai cheered out.

"Hey there, sorry I'm late. We didn't exactly talk about where we were going to meet. That's my bad."

"Nonsense. We should have clarified it further with you otherwise you'd still be wandering around the island looking for us" Takao added.

"But thankfully you thought about going to the last place you saw us," Atago said.

"Yeah, it took me a minute to think about where you guys might be. I was almost tempted to go find Zuikaku or Shoukaku to ask them where I might find you guys, but then I figured checking this place first wouldn't be too bad of a thing."

"Smart choice to go by" Ayanami casually commented.

Nodding at what the younger-looking Sakura Empire girl said, the brunette then looked over at Prinz Eugen to see her with her eyes closed and swirling around her drink. As if knowing that he was looking at her, she opened her eyes and let a warm, yet beautiful smile grace her lips.

"Sora, I'm glad you came."

"Of course, I wouldn't miss out on sitting down and hanging with you guys. I might have been with Enterprise's group a bit longer than Amagi's but I'm here now. And I don't think I'll be able to meet with everyone today" Sora affably said while rubbing the back of his head.

"That's understandable. There are too many girls for you to meet and sit down to chat with" Z23 said while repositioning herself in her seat.

"Honestly, I've been having the time of my life getting to meet so many new faces and learn a bit about them. If there was a way to meet everyone all at once and still get the chance to talk with them that would be amazing."

"Alas, that alone would probably take a full day. And even then, you would be met with no break and still not be able to meet everyone on the island let alone one of the Sakura Empire" Takao reasoned while beginning to take a seat in the area that looked to function like a living room. "Please, take a seat anywhere you like."

"Or preferably with me~," Atago said, sending a cheerful tilt of her head at the Keyblade wielder.

"Right… then I think I'll go sit next to Prinz Eugen" he narrowly replied.

"Oh? Coming straight to me? And I thought I'd have to try a bit" the white-haired woman said while sporting a flashy smile on her face.

Not replying to her comment but nodding his head, Sora walked himself over to the now open space between Prinz Eugen and Z23 who also began to massage the front of her head. She had already heard a great deal of what her friend was planning on saying and doing to the boy given the chance. It would be a long hangout.

"So, Sora, would you care if I asked some things about you now?" Takao kindly questioned the boy.

"Not at all. We are technically hanging out to learn a bit more about each other. I'm open to all questions you might have for me."

"Thank you for your kindness. Now then, could you perhaps explain a bit more about your situation?"

"What do you mean by that, Takao?"

"In the sense that… you only told a few about your secret of being from another world. This might just be a guess, but I assume there is more to that subject and why you didn't outright tell everyone from the start. Am I right in that assumption?" she questioned the boy while unknowingly hitting the nail.

Letting a humored chuckle escape his mouth, the Keyblade's Chosen One readjusted himself in his seat so that he was leaning forward a bit. The other girls noticed his change in posture and realized it was going to be a serious topic of discussion.

"I didn't really blurt out that I'm from another world because for starters I knew that most people wouldn't believe me or think that I'm crazy."

"That's a tactful take. I for sure would have called you ridiculous for saying something like that" Z23 said, imagining herself saying such a thing.

"It sounds like something from a video game or manga" Ayanami added.

"I don't blame you for thinking like that. This is one reason why I planned on not telling anyone, but that didn't happen. The first time I encountered Enterprise, I told her that I was from another world."

The girls sitting around had startled expressions on their faces for that kind of information bomb. Prinz Eugen let out a low whistle while folding her arms under her ample chest. She had an amused expression on her face.

"That's one way to start a conversation."

"Hey! It wasn't the first thing I said to her… more like the second" Sora replied, shooting the Iron Blood girl a comedic smile.

"Ha, I take it Enterprise was flabbergasted?"

Spending a moment to recall how the Eagle Union girl exactly responded to what he said, the Keyblade wielder started awkwardly laughing.

"Ahaha… no, actually, she was more on the side of being quiet and then responding to all my questions while realizing that I truly wasn't from this world. And to be honest, I did appear out in the middle of the ocean and not that far away from a fight breaking out between her and Akagi and Kaga."

"Hmm. Well, that's surprising" she replied.

"Yeah, but getting back to Takao's question, another more suitable reason for not telling everyone that I'm from another world is to uphold what's called the World Order. It's meant to be a rule to not tell individual worlds that there are other worlds out there. The chances of causing a stir or making everyone go crazy and let fear and darkness worm its way into people's hearts would be staggering" Sora explained the basic foundation of the World Order.

Registering this new bit of information, Takao and Z23 began processing and thinking it through before coming to a depictive conclusion.

"That is a cautionary task to preserve."

"Haha… you have no idea how many times I've almost let it slip that me, Donald, and Goofy are from another world. But there are times that I wonder if my friends in other worlds conclude on their own that we aren't from their world" Sora assumedly reasoned with himself.

"Your friends… Donald and Goofy. What do they look like exactly for you to say that?" Ayanami asked, pondering their appearances.

Smiling at the mention of his friends, Sora reached for his Gummiphone and pulled up a picture of them together, and handed the device to the Sakura Empire girl.

"Here. Take a look for yourself."

Respectfully taking the phone from the boy, Ayanami and Choukai because she was sitting next to her began examining the photo of Sora and his friends up close and couldn't help but smile with the photo.

The photo being showcased was one where the three of them were sitting at what looked to be some kind of lounge out in public with other people in the background and what appeared to be a train following a set of tracks. Moreover, the picture was taken by someone as they snapshotted Sora and what was surmised to be Donald and Goofy. One had the appearance of a duck in blue clothing and the other was a dog with long floppy ears and wearing a mix of yellow and green. The three of them were smiling widely at each other with the picture taken at the right moment with the trio laughing.

A sense of radiant happiness seemed to rub off on the girls as Choukai and Ayanami couldn't help but smile as well. The spiky-haired boy looked to be so happy in the image.

Deciding to share the picture with the others, Choukai handed the device over to Atago and Takao who were sitting together and had the same subtle reaction as their sister. An elegant and peaceful smile graced Takao's lips as she admired seeing the boy so happy while Atago couldn't help but feel her cheeks get warmer and guessed that they might appear pink due to her feeling a swell of merriness from the photo. The two sisters also realized that one of Sora's companions was a dog and couldn't help but acknowledge his presence more so than the other friend who was a duck.

Now the phone was being handed to Prinz Eugen and Z23 who also noticed the trio's cheerfulness oozing off the device and had their smiles grace their lips. Nimi was curious about the duck and dog companion and wondered a bit more about them, but Prinz Eugen had her eyes set on Sora in the picture and how joyful his smile was while laughing with his friends. She didn't exactly know why but… she desired to see that smile for herself. The impact of seeing the spiky-haired boy before her with that kind of reaction made her heartbeat pick up and her overall excitement increase drastically.

Prinz Eugen had found an additional goal to achieve with the Keyblade wielder.

"You all look so happy!" Choukai cheerfully announced.

"Where was this picture taken?" Z23 pondered.

"Yeah, that was a good day. It was taken in a place called Twilight Town and that is the world where I learned how to cook from one of my other friends."

"Ooh! I bet that world holds a special place in your heart" Atago gleefully responded.

A bright smile appeared on the brunette's face as he brought his hand up to his heart. Twilight Town did hold a special place in his heart. It was where he woke up after having his memories tampered with, it was where Hayner, Pence, Olette, and more of his friends lived, and… it was a special place to Roxas.

"Yeah, it is a special place to me" Sora kindly said with the tone in his voice adding to how impactful that world was to him.

"Hmmm…"

"Huh? What's up Atago?"

The black-haired girl took a thinking pose with one hand on her chin and the other folded right under her… large chest while tilting her head.

"I'm just wondering if we have a picture of all of us smiling like Sora was with his friends" she commented in curiosity.

Takao, hearing this, began to ponder her sister's words and concluded that they did not have a picture of her family together. That thought left her feeling a bit embarrassed even if she wasn't the most outgoing person. It would have been nice to have a picture of them all together.

"I… I don't think we do. Not even a picture with you, Choukai, or Maya all together" Takao stammered out.

"Haha, that's quite the embarrassing dilemma."

Listening to the sister's unique problem, Sora let a smirk appear on his face before standing up and causing everyone to give him their attention.

"Then why don't we change that!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm a bit confused."

Politely gesturing to Prinz Eugen to hand back his phone, she did so while also quite curious about what he was proposing.

"Why don't we get a picture of you and your sisters together now?" Sora asked, holding up his Gummiphone.

"Here? Now?" Atago rightly questioned.

"Sure! I mean, we could take pictures of each of you individually or the three of you together, but you'd be missing your other sister" he explained while referring to Maya who he'd heard from Takao.

A tempting idea that the sisters were all thinking about with Takao feeling a bit sheepish at the thought of taking a picture all by herself, but if it was with her sisters… that would still be a bit embarrassing but less so than being alone. Atago meanwhile was on cloud nine with Sora's thoughts and the idea of getting a picture with all her sisters together made her heart soar. Choukai was equally excited at the idea they'd have a true family picture together.

"I think it's a wonderful idea!" Atago exclaimed happily.

"We could get it framed and hung up as well" Choukai added.

"I-I wouldn't mind that in the slightest. Plus, it would be a unique and one-of-a-kind art piece" Takao reasoned.

"Then it's settled! Now, where is your other sister?" Sora asked, realizing he might have jumped the gun.

The three sisters all stared at one another before saying anything.

"I don't know."

"She isn't off the island, is she?"

"No, I saw her a few hours ago sitting and chatting with Yamato and a few others."

"Shall we ask her to come home then?" Atago suggested to the other who agreed.

As the three sisters moved to another part of the living room and worked to call their sister, Sora sat back down next to Prinz Eugen who had finished her drink and placed it on the table closest to her while having a glint in her eyes and a sly smile directed toward the boy.

"Are you by any chance a photographer?"

"Eh… I wouldn't say I'm the best when it comes to taking photos, but I'll do what I can to make sure it's a nice photo" Sora remarked.

"Hmm. Interesting." Prinz Eugen then raised her hand to move some hair to the side of her head while sending a teasing smile at the boy. "Say, Sora, why don't we take a picture together?"

The spiky-haired boy widened his eyes at her request.

"Really? You'd be down for that?"

"Of course. Not only would it be good practice for the sister photo but… it'd be something that we do together seeing that you've been quite busy making memories with the other girls today."

Z23 who was observing her friend and her usual behavior couldn't help but shake her head and sigh. Prinz Eugen was taking quite an offensive approach now. Probably because of her intuition as a woman.

"Sure! I wouldn't mind that at all. Besides, it'd be the first picture I've taken with anyone in this world."

"Heh, how lucky I am that I get to be your first~ "the white-haired girl slyly commented with a wink.

An unreadable expression appeared on the Keyblade wielder's face but with as much strength as he could muster, Sora could feel his face getting warm but focused on getting his Gummiphone ready to take the picture of him and Prinz Eugen together.

Ayanami and Z23 who were watching this scene play out merely looked at each other with knowing looks and let out silent sighs. They were on the same wavelength of thinking regarding the teasing girl's intentions.

With the Gummiphone ready to take a picture, Sora now wondered how they would go about taking a picture together.

"How should we take it? As a selfie or let one of the other girls take it?"

"Mm. How about a selfie and then if that doesn't work, we can hand the phone to Nimi or Ayanami."

"Sounds good to me. Here let me- "

"Allow me."

Suddenly without any warning whatsoever, Prinz Eugen moved her body so that she was leaning right onto Sora's right side with her hands reaching around his neck and her ample chest… being pushed into his shoulder causing the boy to feel a soft sensation. Two sensations to be exact.

The white-haired girl then moved her head so that she was situated right next to his face. Were he to shift his head to the side, then he would have encountered her head or likely hair. This left the boy undoubtedly feeling a bit embarrassed as well as for sure knowing that his face was red. However, still wanting to have a picture taken with her, he lifted his left hand and positioned it so that the two of them were in the frame. Everything was looking good so far which gave him the go-ahead with the picture.

"Ready?"

"Of course. Just say the word."

"Ha, then say cheese!"

"Cheese~"

*SNAPSHOT*

The picture of the two was now captured on the Gummiphone which allowed Sora to bring the phone close so that Prinz Eugen could also see the picture. The two of them were smiling warmly at the device with him realizing just how close she was and how comfortable she looked to be even right now after the picture.

"What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect. But…" Prinz Eugen stopped herself.

"Huh? Is something wrong?"

Tilting her head so that it was now even closer to Sora's body, the Iron Blood girl decided to take another affirmative action in the romantic warfare category.

"…I was thinking we could take one with the two of us standing next to each other. What do you think?" she asked, letting her eyes stare right into his.

Takao and her sisters were now coming back from their little rendezvous regarding calling Maya and were startled at what they were seeing.

"W-What are you two doing!?" Takao stammered out.

"Oh my, taking an opportunity like this" Atago proclaimed, eyeing the Iron Blood girl closely.

"I-I…" Choukai was too stunned to speak now.

Prinz Eugen, seeing their reactions got a boost of confidence and pride swelling in her heart. She decided to make another move forward while striking right at the feminine level.

"Oh? We're not doing much. Just taking a picture with Sora. Making memories with him and whatnot."

The spiky-haired brunette could only awkwardly laugh at the situation he was caught in.

"Did you get into contact with your sister?"

"Yes, we did. She's on her way… Also, Sora, do you think that I could get a picture with you as well?" Atago asked, growing a bit envious.

"That'd be great! We can for sure do that once we take Prinz Eugen's picture" Sora replied.

"Could I get one too, Sora?" Choukai excitedly asked.

"Yep! Takao, do you want one as well?"

Using her right hand to grab her left arm, Takao had a somewhat shy look on her face while her serious posture quickly broke before coming back to normal.

"I… I would not mind one."

"Great. Let's get this picture taken first then it's pictures all around" Sora explained as he gestured over to Prinz Eugen who shot him a gentle nod before slowly lifting her arms and body off the boy.

Now standing along one part of the living room, Prinz Eugen and Sora were standing right next to each other with the boy deciding to take on the pose of his arms folded across his chest while standing comfortably with his body sideways. Prinz Eugen decided to follow suit and mimicked the boy's posture with her back meeting his. The two looked quite like a pair with their clothes having some matching colors and bright smiles content on their faces.

A moment passed as Prinz Eugen suddenly realized something strange about their situation.

"Uh… who is taking the photo?"

Sora had a deadpan expression on his face before bursting out into laughter.

"Hahaha! Sorry. I still have the phone. Ayanami, do you think you could take the picture?"

"Pfft… yeah, I can do that" the girl replied while stifling a chuckle from her lips at the odd situation.

With that embarrassing moment out of the way, Sora got back into position with Prinz Eugen leaning her back into his and finding a sense of comfort in being so close to the boy. It was a strange and stark feeling for her and on some level of depth, she was growing more accustomed to it and… liked it a great deal.

"We're all good here. Ready whenever."

"Got it. Say cheese."

"Cheese!"

*SNAPSHOT*

Moving to check the photo out, Sora and Prinz Eugen concluded that it was another successful picture taken with the two of them. She also questioned the boy if there was a way that she could get a copy of the photo sent to her which made the boy pause for a moment. His train of thought went right to the Gummiphone and started tapping away at it.

"Do you happen to have a phone, Prinz Eugen?"

"Of course. Let's trade contacts. That way, we can always. Stay. In. Contact. Haha," she replied, flashing a bright smile at him before bringing a hand over her lips.

The other girls noticed her more directive behavior and were now realizing what she was doing. She was playing quite an adventurous game now.

With her contact now stored in his phone, Sora sent over the two pictures to her, and within seconds she got them. Without wasting any time at all, she got to work making the picture of her with her arms wrapped around him as her screen saver while the other photo was her background. Now she could flaunt this achievement to a certain kitsune-haired girl to annoy her. That would be a sight to see.

"Sora, let's take that picture now."

And so, the Keyblade wielder was caught taking different pictures with the three different sisters. Each had their own pose with the boy with Atago deciding to take a picture standing right beside the boy before leaning her head on his shoulder which startled Sora, but he then eased into the picture and took it with a bright smile.

Choukai decided to take a more fun approach with the picture by having the two of them standing right next to each other while holding a thumbs up. A playful smirk appeared on both of their faces which resulted in them laughing at the result.

Takao's picture was more in line with a regular photo with the two standing relatively close by and keeping their hands to their sides and smiling at the camera. However, upon hearing the snapshot of the phone, the black-haired girl was met with disappointment as it was pointed out that she was not smiling enough, which was met with a retort from the girl. Alas, with everyone pointing out her odd smile, she defeatedly decided to take another picture. Only this time Sora whispered something to her that managed to break the icy, serious state of her character and caused a quick smile to appear on her face. But that moment was successfully caught by Ayanami who had fast hand reflexes and snapped the photo at the right time for the image to depict both of them smiling. Takao couldn't help but become a bit quiet but ultimately liked the picture captured.

Sora then asked Ayanami and Z23 which they agreed to, but their pictures were more on the normal side as well with the Sakura Empire girl holding up a friendly smile followed by a peace sign with both hands. Sora did the same as well. And Nimi tilted her head while having a regular smile plastered on her face and the boy followed suit with the casual approach.

With everyone's picture taken, the Keyblade wielder set to exchange numbers with everyone else as they all had their phones handy and began to realize that he should have done this earlier but alas, he'd do it later.

A peaceful mood settled into the comfy living room as everyone was pleased with the outcome of the pictures.

Suddenly, the sound of a door opening could be heard as everyone turned their attention to the front door. Standing there looking a bit uncomfortable with all the stares sent her way was a girl with white hair and two ears resting at the top of her head. She also had on a dark long-sleeved shirt that looked to be cut off above her stomach followed by a red bow tie hanging in the middle of her attire. In addition, she was wearing a short skirt and black slip-on shoes with socks that came up her thigh. She wore a confused expression on her face as she now turned to look at Atago.

"I thought you said it was an emergency?"

"It is, Maya. Just not a capital "E" emergency" Atago sweetly replied.

A sigh escaped the girl who appeared to be Maya's lips. She then looked over at Takao and Choukai giving them a deadpan expression.

"Were you two involved with this?"

"I mean, in a way, yes, maybe, kind of," Choukai said, trying to beat around the bush.

Takao couldn't help but shake her head, "Yes, we were involved. And for good reason mind you."

Registering what her sister said, Maya then looked around the room and saw several familiar girls along with one who was the talk around the town.

"Ayanami, good to see you again."

"Likewise, hope your ship got cleaned up" Ayanami replied while referring to the girl's ship being caught up in a blast of sea debris battering her vessel during the Siren and Heartless invasion.

"It's all good now. I had some of the Manjuus helping clean it up. It's also nice to see you two again. Z23. Prinz Eugen."

"Ya, it's good to see you again."

"Same can be said."

Maya then turned her attention to the boy who was staring right at her.

"So, you're Sora."

"Yep, that's me. Nice to meet you, Maya. Glad you could come. Your sisters wanted you here for something special" Sora said, starting to pick up on her serious persona.

"Hm? Something special? What didn't you tell me?" Maya questioned Atago.

A sweet smile was evident on the older girl's face. She kept that expression as she speedily leaped at Maya engulfing her in a hug with her face buried deep in her chest. A muffled sound could be heard coming from the white-haired girl as she tried to break out of her sister's grip.

"Mwweeehh! Leehhh gwah! Ataaagooo."

"Sora has given us the bright idea of taking a family picture. As sad and unbelievable as it sounds, we don't have a picture of all of us here in the house even though we've taken pictures together before. But thanks to talking about picture taking, we decided to do one altogether!"

A moment of silence passed before Maya weakly raised her right hand and gave Atago a thumbs up which resulted in the older sister picking the younger girl up and crushing her in a deep hug.

"Ack!"

"Thank you so much, Maya! Now, Sora, where should we take it?" Atago asked while seemingly letting go of her sister who was gasping for air.

"Uhm… I'm not sure. It's getting late so we won't have the sunlight to brighten up the picture. How about where the rest of us took our photo against the wall?" he suggested.

"That will be a fine background. Come on, Takao! You too, Choukai. And bring Maya right in front."

Listening to their older sister take charge in this situation, the sisters all looked at each other knowing that if they tried to go against her now, they would be suffering under the wrath of an older, loving sibling. This meant they would have their backs broken and air whiffed right out of them due to her monstrous hugs.

Once they all got themselves situated, Sora now stood ahead with his Gummiphone ready to take the picture. The girls were situated with Atago standing in the middle, Takao to her right, Choukai on her left, and Maya in the front. Each one of the sisters had a different expression ranging from serious to cheerful. All in all, they looked to be happy in their own kind of way.

Garnering their attention, Sora called out to the sisters.

"Okay, you guys ready?"

"Yep! All set, Sora" Atago happily replied.

Adjusting his phone for the picture, he gave a thumbs up.

"Alright, say cheese!"

"Cheese!" Atago and Choukai cheerfully responded.

"Cheese…" Takao and Maya also replied but with not as much enthusiasm as their sisters.

*SNAPSHOT*

---

Sometime later

Standing right outside the sister's home, Sora was looking up at the evening sky and began to realize just how busy his day had been, what with the meetings and encountering so many new faces and building new connections. He couldn't help but smile brightly at the fond memories he had just created.

"Enjoying the evening air?"

Turning around to see who talked, Sora was greeted by Takao sending a friendly smile his way.

"Hey, needed a break from all the activity?"

"Not really. Just figured I'd walk with you back to the council building. Along with… thank you."

A befuddled expression was visible on the spiky-haired boy's face.

"Thank me? For what?"

"For today or rather this evening. While things have been developing on our island and among our faction, it's been noticeable that Atago has been feeling a bit distraught for some time now."

"Really? Are you sure? I mean, I haven't really known her for long, but she seems so happy."

"The benefits of being an older sibling. She's able to hide her concern and sadness behind a layer of happiness. But there are times that it's noticeable that her positivity façade cracks. Hence, with your arrival and learning that Azur Lane will be working to build a new connection with the Sakura Empire, my sister has been looking a bit happier. Not to mention, she's taken an interest in you."

Hearing this, Sora couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hasn't everybody taken an interest in me?"

"True. But Atago has taken a deep interest in how your positivity manages to affect those around you. I mean, in the simplest way that I can phrase this, you have gotten friends of ours to show sides of themselves that aren't exactly shown to just anyone. Or that you manage to not only lend your support but your positive attitude which in turn shows that even in dark times there are those willing to stand against it all" Takao calmly explained.

"Ha, I'm glad that I can inspire others to open their hearts. But they should know that everyone has their own strength within them that is one of a kind. There are certain things that others are better at than me. Honestly, Takao, I don't see myself as all that special. I'm just glad to be a small part of something much bigger."

An interesting point followed by a broad response was what Takao was thinking of at the moment.

"And what would that be?"

Bringing his hand close to his heart, the Guardian of Light replied with a sincere answer.

"The people I've met. The bonds I've created. The ties that bind us all together whether it be from one faction or one world. Those are what I hold dear and are much bigger than just me alone. Everyone I've met has a special place in my heart. That includes you too, Takao."

"M-Me? We haven't even known each other that long. And now you're saying something that extreme" the swordswoman replied, feeling her cheeks slightly warm up.

"We're friends, aren't we?" Sora immediately asked.

Considering what they've encountered and the times that they've talked followed by even entering and hanging out in her home, Takao had to agree with his stance on their newfound relationship that had been formed in such a short amount of time.

"Yes. I consider you a friend now, Sora."

"Then that's all there is to it. You matter to me and are a part of my heart now along with your sisters and Prinz Eugen and Z23 and Ayanami and everyone else I met today. Besides, with how things are set to appear in this world, we're going to be in for a challenging future together."

"…On that, we can agree wholeheartedly."

Shifting his head back toward the house, Sora had one last thought in his mind before returning to the council building.

"So, seeing that it's going to be a little walk to the council room, what other kinds of training do you know about? Zuikaku said she wanted to share some techniques with me but I'm sure there are some that you might know that she doesn't" Sora reasoned with the girl while striking up a conversation as the two started walking together.

"Zuikaku's skill with the blade is truly something else with her learning new things every day. But there are points at which she might be missing a tune to her blade along with a few techniques that she isn't as familiar with as I am. Would you care to hear them?" Takao asked, feeling a bit of excitement at the chance to talk sword dueling.

"Yes, please. I would like that a lot. I have a feeling that I'll need to switch up my fighting style the more I learn about the Sirens. And since I don't have all my equipment on me now, I'll need to improvise."

Nodding at the boy's reasoning, Takao then began to divulge a great deal of information regarding sword techniques for the brunette to think about all while his attention was directed straight at her. To add even more eagerness to her explanation, the boy would make comments on everything that was discussed showing that he was paying attention.

In hindsight, the walk back to the council building was one that Takao found herself enjoying a great deal. To the point that she wished the walk would have been longer.

---

Later that night

After reaching the council building and meeting up with Enterprise and Prince of Wales who were talking with Nagato and Vittorio, Sora bid Takao a good night as she dismissed herself for the night. But not before she let the boy know that she enjoyed their time together and would hope to get the chance to chat again, with which he wholeheartedly approved.

Now standing next to Enterprise and Wales, he began asking them what the situation would turn out to be now since the meetings and whatnot all died down and everyone was now free to talk.

"At the moment, we are unsure what the situation is looking like in the Pacific. For now, thanks to Lady Nagato's gratefulness we've managed to take up a few rooms at their lodging. Her Majesty and the others have already departed for there" Wales explained.

"And you guys didn't go?"

"Why would we? We figured you might be making your way back here since we hadn't exactly come up with a plan on where to meet up."

Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Sora glanced over at Nagato and waited for her to notice him looking in her direction as she finished speaking with Vittorio.

"Oh. Sora, sorry I didn't see you sooner."

"Not at all. I didn't want to interrupt your conversation."

"Why, thank you, Sora" Vittorio commented. "We were just discussing what our next action should be as I'm thinking of asking a few of the girls to take up a residency program within Azur Lane."

"Residency program? Like, some of the girls will be sent to Azur Lane?" the boy questioned, seeing if he was on the right track.

"Precisely. I also have a few names that I'm thinking of sending to Azur Lane. As a showing of our newfound peace treaty and working relationship to connect our two sides in unity. Bismarck and Jean Bart are also deciding on which girls they should send as well" Vittorio added to the conversation.

Sora started pondering something about what they were saying.

"Why are they all going to Azur Lane?" Everyone looked at him now. "I-I mean, why there and not to another faction."

"Azur Lane serves as a center for other factions to collaborate. The Eagle Union, Royal Navy, Dragon Empery, Northern Parliament, and Iris Libre. Moreover, where its main base is located serves as a vantage point for crossing over between the Pacific. Plus, it's on the side of the planet that has the most amount of vast open ocean to cover" Enterprise explained to the Keyblade wielder.

"In addition, with Azur Lane being the one to maintain a stable connection with all the other factions, it's only natural that we would be sending girls who approve of the transfer. Besides, everyone seems to be in high spirits now knowing that's where you'll be going" Wales applied to the subject.

"Huh? Am I that important of a figure?" Sora asked, clearly underestimating himself.

The four girls all shot each other looks that conveyed the message of "really" and shook their heads all at the same time causing the spiky-haired brunette to mouth the words "ok".

"But I'm not a commander."

"And that's even more of a reason that some of the girls wish to transfer over to Azur Lane, Sora. A joint operation if you will where there will still be faction leaders taking the lead but conversing with the other leaders for the operation. Since we don't exactly have a commander in charge of Azur Lane, and it has been in the hands of the kansens and upper command- your presence will be adding unique functionality to our newfound unity with all the factions" the blonde-haired battleship explained.

Sora had to admit, he hadn't considered how the girls were being commanded during this entire war amongst themselves and the Sirens. He just thought there was a commander in charge and that he hadn't met them yet. But hearing that there was no one in charge and it was all of them made his appreciation and admiration shoot up at just how hard-working the girls really were.

"That makes sense… a new front where I can provide information about dealing with the Heartless and Azur Lane telling me all that I need to know to deal with the Sirens. That sounds like a powerhouse to be worried about" Sora said, letting a bit of confidence spill into his words.

"My thoughts exactly" Enterprise added while tipping her cap forward and sporting an energetic look in her eyes.

Wales also couldn't help but wear a brief smug expression before going back to a professional standard. Vittorio noticed how quickly Sora's words managed to get a reaction out of the two girls and began wondering just what else the boy from another world could do. Nagato held a comfortable smile on her face as she was eager to see how the girls would react tomorrow when it was announced which girls could vouch to go along with the transferring process.

"Well… what now?" Sora asked, putting his hands behind his head.

"Now, we go and check our rooms. I'm sure Her Majesty is making adjustments to her room and Warspite is running around while Belfast is helping her" Wales guessed.

Figuring that was happening, Sora turned to look over at Nagato and Vittorio.

"Will you be coming along with us, Nagato? Vittorio?"

"Sadly, there are still a few things I must get done before I can enjoy the evening ambiance" Nagato replied.

"Likewise, there are a few more things that I would like to discuss with Nagato and Bismarck wherever she might be" Vittorio stated.

"Okay. Well, see you later, and thank you again for the rooms" Sora kindly responded to the young girl.

"Of course, Sora. May you have a pleasant evening."

With that being a good note to leave on, Sora turned to Wales and Enterprise and gestured to them that they should take off, which they both agreed on. Soon, the trio were now walking down the road and toward the lodges which were hosting them. The glimmer of moonlight slowly rising into the night sky left the elegant and beautiful Sakura Empire a sight to see. The calm nature around the island was sure to leave many with a pleasant night.

---

Elsewhere on the Sakura Empire Island…

Standing on the beach with the water drifting up due to high tide, a black hooded figure was simply staring out at the night sky with their hands behind their back.

The Lost Master had been quite busy. Well, not as busy as a certain Keyblade wielder.

Lowering himself so that he was a few inches away from placing his head into the sand, the Master of Master reached forward to pick up a light-colored seashell that had floated its way up the beach due to the tide. Now with the item in his hand, he brought it close to his face before suddenly dropping it to the ground and walking away from it. He then started walking along the beach while listening to the sound of the waves in the distance coming crashing down into the water.

"Another long day… I hope you're enjoying your leisure time, Sora. It looks like you'll be busy here soon."

As soon as the Master of Masters said this, he felt as if something had just happened in another location within this world. Something that caused him to keep his body directed out toward the sea with his hand clasping out into the distance before stopping himself.

"Where there be light… darkness shall follow… and where there be darkness… light shall follow…"

The Lost Master then began walking away from the beach entirely and into the forest of Sakura trees before glancing back at the ocean and opening his mouth.

"Take care, Sora. Because you are in for quite the fight. Alas, I could say the same thing for myself. A world trifling between the radiance of light and the inflection of darkness. Perhaps our paths will cross sooner than expected, Guardian of Light…"

---

Sometime later while everyone was asleep

Lying down fast asleep in the bed and room provided to him by one of the Sakura Empire girls who he had not personally met yet, Sora was asleep to the point that he could not hear if there was a sound playing right next to him. He was in total slumber with nothing going to wake his lazy bum persona at all.

This meant that the creaking of his door slowly opening was something that he would not hear, nor would he be able to hear the footsteps that slowly and gradually roamed around his room and had gotten right up to his bed. He didn't even shake or feel when another source of weight was applied to his bed and had even gotten to be under the covers with him.

None of this had caused the spiky-haired boy to wake up or even react which meant that… he would certainly have quite the morning when he woke up.

---

*A/N* - It's great to see you reach the bottom of the chapter. There was a great deal of stuff happening here with Sora getting into the hangouts with the different established groups of girls. I originally wanted to have a bunch of the girls in one or two groups but even that led to some trouble trying to give every girl the chance to shine along with a momentary highlight moment. And I'd argue some girls definitely got more screen time in this chapter than others. Make no mistake, I'll work on giving Sora some time to meet the newer girls introduced as well as some of the first-introduced girls.

I also wanted to do a bit of lore explaining from Sora and briefly cover the events of his adventures. Pirates of the Caribbean will heavily be mentioned and discussed in this story since the pirate outfit applies to the boy's knowledge of the sea. I have an idea that will be heavily discussed and implemented next chapter that is sure to get the girls crazy. There will be a few other times of lore explanation but I'll do what I can to make it not so crazy and headache inducing. Practice and experience be thy teacher.

Nevertheless, things are about to take place what with the MoM noticing something occurring somewhere in this world. We haven't seen what the Sirens or Heartless are up to yet but expect a look into what's going on behind the scenes in the next chapter along with the eventual lead-up to another fierce fight. In addition, regarding Sora's conception of Akagi's upfront claims to falling in love with him. I want to try and stick to a reasonable in-character reaction from the spiky-haired hero as it's been shown in the series that he notices when things like romance take place along with the signs being out there.

Granted, him being oblivious to some things is bound to happen with a half-pint like him but he'll soon have a genuine reaction to the girl's interest in him. Along with a bit of self-realization of his connection and feelings for Kairi. I don't want to completely throw her off to the side but slowly have thought about romance in a different light and listen to what the girls who will eventually or are already crushing on him think. It's undoubtedly going to be war… a war that Sora has never fought before. A War of Love lol.

Once again, thanks for checking this chapter and story out and I hope you'll stick around for the next update. Until then, take care out there.