I'm in a happy mood, so here's a free chapter!

Bonding Time 1

Minutes have only passed since the recent battle against the Risen and the recent arrival of the Heartless. The latter's arrival concerning the wielders of the Key. Grima's resurrection can't have happened yet, and they are isolated from their realm. So how did those Heartless appear? Has Maleficent or Pete somehow followed them here? With no evidence to supply them with an answer, they shelve any more questions as they approach Chrom's group. He looks at them with a relieved smile before walking to them.

"Robin's plan had worked like a charm. Sully did take a few hits to her arms, but it's nothing Lissa could patch up." He glances at Roxas and Naminé before looking at Sora. "And who are these? I saw them coming to your aid, so I'm assuming they are friends of yours?" Sora nods at him before placing an arm around Roxas's shoulder.

"Chrom, I'd like you to meet my brother, Roxas. A bit competitive with some fiery anger, but someone you can always count on." He receives a light jab at the comment from Roxas before he chuckles it away. "Roxas, this Chrom, Captain of the Shepherds and Prince of Ylisse" Roxas looks at him wide-eyed before holding out a hand to him.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir."

"The pleasure is all mine. And please, call me Chrom. It helps relieve stress when people address me casually." He replies while shaking his hand before turning to look at Kairi.

"Chrom, I'd like you to meet my sister, Naminé. She can be a bit shy and withdrawn, but she has a good heart." She then glances at the book on her hip and giggles. "Although she is a bit of a doodlebug. There won't be a moment when you won't find her without her sketchbook." Naminé pouts briefly at her sister before turning to face Chrom.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Chrom." She replies while giving him a curtsy. Chrom, in turn, bows respectively to her.

"The same to you." His face turns serious before looking at Sora. "Those Risen that you engaged. They are not from 'here', aren't they?" While he doesn't say it, the tone behind his words is clear to the four. Roxas and Naminé blanch at the question while Sora nods before looking around.

"You're right, but it's best if we talk somewhere more private." He motions them to follow him while Roxas and Naminé give Kairi worried looks. She smiles softly at them before walking over to Sora. After determining that the distance is far enough, Sora turns to Chrom. Roxas and Naminé still look hesitant until they see the slight smile on Chrom's face.

"If you're worried about the World Order, don't be. The line of Ylisse has known about it ever since Marth's time." The two brief sighs of relief. "Anyway, those Risen. What were they? I could tell from how you reacted that they were more dangerous than the other Risen."

"That's because they weren't, Chrom." Sora takes a deep breath before his face hardens. "We have encountered those things ever since we were fourteen, and in Kairi's case, five when they consumed her homeworld. Those were Heartless." Chrom eyes widen. The hidden truth mentioned the beings of Darkness that appeared during Marth and the First Exalts exploits, but to see them now. "Seeing them around, we can help but worry. Only two of our remaining foes have command over the Heartless, but they haven't been seen for the past year. If they are here on this world…."

"Then things could get even worse with Plegia becoming more aggressive and the Risen on the prowl." Chrom finishes with hard eyes. "Thank you for telling me this. We will have to move with more caution, but I'm glad to have a name for these foes. If we see any more of them, I'll let you deal with them. It was said that only Falchion could kill them, and even though I wield it, I would rather not take the risk. It has been many years since then, and Falchion is not as strong as it once was." Chrom glances at the sword hanging on his hip. The four could feel a powerful light from it, yet at the same time, it felt dim. "Anyway, let's return to the others. I think they are making camp right about now."

"Do we have anyone on cooking duty, Chrom?" Sora asks. Kairi, Roxas and Naminé all light up at the question. Chrom looks at Sora before thinking hard. Then, finally, he shakes his head negatively. "Well, in that case, how about you let me cook for us? I'm pretty good in the kitchen." Sora offers confidently.

"Well, if you think you can handle it, be my guest." Chrom offers his hand, to which Sora shakes it, before walking off over to the small camp. Kairi shakes her head before wandering off into the base while the others go their ways.

Sora is currently in the mess hall, looking over their current inventory.

"Let's see… we have salted meat, fruit, different veg and several seasonings. We are currently marching towards Regna Ferox and could be forced to pack up and march at any notice… So I think a soup will be a safe start." He goes over to some tomatoes before pulling out the best ones he could find. "Once I know how often we will be marching and what days will be for rest, I can work on some more complicated meals…." The sound of the tent drape being moved aside catches Sora's attention as he turns around. Walking into the mess hall is Stahl, with a ravenous look on his face.

"Urgh…I really shouldn't have skipped breakfast. How am I going to go on patrol with a growling stomach." He looks up to see Sora crushing tomatoes while cooking some salted meat over a fire. "Sora? What are you doing?"

"Oh, making lunch. I offered to cook for us if we didn't have a chef, so here I am. If you give me a moment, Stahl, I'll have some soup ready. It won't be much since we won't be staying for long, but it should keep us going till nightfall." Sora speaks with half of his attention as he cuts the meat into small bits while the creamed tomatoes form into a soup.

"At this point, I'd take anything," Stahl replies before seating at one of the empty tables. Moments later, Sora approaches with two bowls of soup. One sip has Stahl staring wide-eyed. "This is…amazing! I don't think we've ever had anything this great."

"I'm glad you like it, Stahl. My teacher was kind of controlling, but he knew his techniques." Sora replies before having some of his own. Stahl takes another sip before looking at Sora.

"I can agree with that! I wonder what else you could come up with when we stop for a proper rest. Muffins, perhaps?" The two share a laugh before going back to the, in Sora's opinion, simple meal. "I caught a glimpse of you during the battle against those new Risen." Sora pauses before looking at him, wondering where he was going. "The way you looked at them, that wasn't your first time, was it? You have a history with them." He asks, his face passive. Sora scratches the back of his head nervously.

"What do you mean? What makes you think that."

"Well, I have this way of reading people. I can always tell when something is on their mind just by watching them. I can sometimes even tell what they want before they ask. Not that I abuse it or anything." He says before taking another spoonful of soup. "So that's why. You can answer if you like, but I think it would help to get it off your chest."

Sora stares at him for a few seconds before heaving a sigh and staring at his half-eaten meal. "You're right, Stahl. I have fought those things before." He quickly thinks up a story in his head before speaking. "They were the ones who destroyed Kairi's home town after all." He begins, telling Stahl a half-truth story. "We come from a different continent to the east. We call them the Heartless, and those things are a problem that we have been fighting against for years. Our weapons are the only things that can harm them, and maybe Chrom sword too. But when I saw them appear, all the memories of who had been taken by them, the loved ones left behind, it made me panic. You've never had to face beings like that before, and I didn't want to risk you guys trying to attack them." Sora pauses before looking to the tent flap.

"I see. Still, you don't have to worry about us." Sora looks at him. "Sure, these 'Heartless' as you call them may be dangerous, but that is what Frederick train us for. I knew this would be filled with danger when I signed up, but I'm okay with it. I may be the most average amongst us, but I promise I will still fight as hard as the next guy!" Sora stares at him for a few seconds before smiling.

"In that case, Stahl, I'll be counting on you to what not only my back but all our backs. Think you can do that?" He asks while holding out an open hand, to which Stahl grasps readily.

"Yes, I will. Now enough with the doom and gloom stuff. What else can you cook?" Sora laughs at the sudden mood change before honouring Stahl's request. Maybe he could get some new ideas for when they get home. If they get home, that is.

Kairi wonders about aimlessly while looking for a specific person. Then, thinking that she would have to search somewhere else, a loud crash grabs her attention to the armoury. She hurriedly walks over to it to find Sumia on the ground with several sheathed swords and spears around her, rubbing her legs.

"You okay, Sumia?" Kairi asks while helping the poor girl up while dusting off any dirt on her. The knight shakes her head while rubbing her arm a few times before turning to her.

"Yes, I'm fine." She heaves a sigh before looking at the mess around her. "Can't believe I messed up carrying just a few swords and spears. Maybe I am not ready to go out on missions." She looks down sadly at her feet while Kairi looks on sympathetically.

"You know, I was like that too, ya know?" Sumia looks at her in shock. Kairi smiles sadly before walking over to a create before sitting on it, motioning Sumia to join her. She does so after carefully stepping over the scattered weapons. "Back when we were only fourteen, Sora, Riku, Roxas and Xion were the ones doing all the play fighting. Me and Naminé just sat back and watched." She begins, casually leaving out that Roxas, Naminé and Xion didn't even exist back then, but what she doesn't know can't hurt her. The same goes with altering some truths to help someone. "They were training to help fight of the beings who destroyed me and Naminé's home, but we weren't. And it would have been like that until they attacked." She sighs heavily, planning the story on her mind to keep the Order intact.

"We were scattered; Naminé was captured by an evil organisation along with Roxas and Xion, who they brainwashed into fighting for them. As for us, Riku was also brought in by rulers with dark intent, while me and Sora ended up in a small town." Which was technically accurate since her heart was with him all along. "We travelled all over, looking for them, but it was Sora who did all the fighting. I just stood to the side, powerless. Unable to help. It didn't help that I was captured twice and used by them so they could control Sora." She chuckles sadly, the memories of watching him leave her behind with sadness in his eyes forever in her mind. "It was during my second imprisonment when I had enough. After Naminé managed to break me out after escaping herself, we armed ourselves and fought our way to Sora and the others. Since that day, I have made it my mission never to leave his side, whether it is back on the Island or the battlefield."

She looks at Sumia, her attention entirely on her. "So don't beat yourself up about it, Sumia. There will come a time when you can cast these shackles binding you to the ground, take flight with your wings, and fight beside us. All you need is the opportunity." She places a gentle hand on Sumia's shoulder as she lets it all sink in.

"You're right. Sitting around moping isn't going to help anyone, least of all me!" Sumia hops off the crate before moving to leave the tent. "I'm going to go look for Chrom and ask him to let me fight in the next battle." It's better than just waiting here for him to return." Kairi nods sadly at this just as her stomach begins to growl. "After we have had some lunch, first." Kairi giggles at this before moving off the create and joining her.

"Yeah, your right. Sora is on cooking duty, and I can guarantee that you will love it," she says quietly as they leave the tent before Sumia trips over a small rock in her way. "You really should get those shoes looked at…" she shakes her head before helping her up again. She pauses before looking back at the dropped weapons, only to notice them now lined up neatly against the boxes. She tilts her head in puzzlement before leaving the tent.

Some time passes as the Shepherds break for lunch, each praising Sora's culinary skills in different tones. Stahl, in particular, was eating more than what Sora recommended and had excused himself from the tent with stomach pains. But, rather than leave him be, Lissa and Naminé followed him back to his tent and tended to him with their Heal Staffs.

"Ah, that's MUCH better." He looks at the two healers with a friendly smile.

"It was our pleasure, Stahl. It wouldn't sit with us if we left you to suffer like that." Naminé says before looking at Lissa.

"Well, there's nothing a good healing staff can fix. Even if you did bring it upon yourself gorging on the meal. Can't blame you, though." Lissa remarks, to which the cavalier chuckles nervously.

"Still, I'm sorry you both came over to help me. I thought I had more tonic in my bag, but every flask is empty."

Lissa giggles at the cavalier before turning clam eyes on him. "That's because you're always helping others out and giving it away!" Naminé glances between the two before excusing herself from the room. Stahl smile falters for a moment before frowning.

"Still, it wasn't just Sora's cooking that caused my stomach to rebel. I'm also under a lot of stress recently as well." He looks at Lissa, who is staring at him inquisitively. "I'm looking for a special item, Wing scales from a giant butterfly. Currently, they are impossible to find in Ylisse, so I've been visiting any market that comes to the city. So far, no luck."

"huh, not exactly what I was thinking it was going to be, but why do you need them?"

"It's for my brother. He needs it for a concoction he's making, so he asked if I could find some." Lissa stares at him dumbfounded before turning serious.

"Your brother is asking you to find butterfly scales right when we are probably on the cusp of war with Plegia? He could have timed it better." She thinks to herself for a moment before nodding to herself. "Alright, I'll help as well. What's the name of this butterfly?"

Stahl looks at her, shocked. He tries to persuade her that it would be a fool's errand, but she stubbornly refuses to move. Finally, with a sigh, Stahl shakes his head in resignation. "Well, if you really want to help…."

"You just stand there smiling! Lissa is on the case!" she says to him before holding a hand out, to which Stahl graciously accepts. What was once an arduous chore has become slightly more manageable.

In a small patch of grass not far from the mess hall, Vaike is busy swinging his axe around, training to keep his skills sharp. But while shouting at the top of his lungs helped him, it did little for poor Miriel, who was busy reading a book on the sciences. Finally, after another round of cries, she had enough.

"Would you be so kind as to put an end to your caterwauling? I'm trying to read, but I can't hear myself think over your incessant grunting." She glances with a stern but unamused glare over to the fighter as he holsters his axe on his shoulder. He turns to look at her with a wide grind before heaving out a laugh.

"Har har! You gotta give it your all when ya train, or it's just a waste of time." He says before making a few more swings with his axe. Miriel prepares to reprimand him again until she complements his actions, her gaze turning thoughtful as her mind goes into overdrive.

"...Hm. Yes, I suppose that makes sense." Vaike turns to her in bafflement as she places a finger on her chin. "The explosive release of air from the lungs generates power in peripheral muscles." Vaike's expression turns even more baffled as the clouds themselves form a question mark above his head.

"Who's got periwinkle mussels now?" he asks, but Miriel either chooses to ignore his question or doesn't hear him.

"And rapid spin attacks create a centripetal force that increases overall speed. Fascinating!" her eyes shoot open as she turns her gaze towards him. "I imagine you used complex calculus to optimize your methods?" utterly confused, Vaike slowly rubs his head before wording his reply.

"Lady? From what you just said, I understood "fascinating," and that's about it..."

"Surely you developed these skills of yours by calculating the forces involved?" she tries to restructure her question for the simple-minded Vaike, which seemed to have clicked for him.

"I don't need a buncha math mumbo jumbo. I do it all by instinct!" Vaike replies by swinging his axe around in a wide arch before returning it to his holster on his back. Miriel, however, begins to ponder again, with a hand on her chin.

"Irrational means have yet taken you to a rational technique... Fascinating." Her eyes narrow before she gazes at the Teach once more. "Perhaps this 'instinct' of which you speak bears further investigation." Vaike just looks at her like a crazy person before shaking his head.

"Fighting' a war ain't rational, lady." He remarks before getting his idea. "Just watch me in the next battle." Miriel ponders his suggestion before nodding in acceptance.

"Very well. I shall do just that." She replies before moving to a different spot to read quietly while Vaike returns to training, yelling every time he swings his axe down on his imaginary foe.

Roxas is busy looking over his bow and sword next to a tree. When he saw his Oathkeeper, the blade representing the bond between Sora and Kairi, become a bow, he was thrown for a loop. And when he tried to summon Oblivion, the one that represented Riku and found it had become a small sword, he had to accept this was his new role. A disappointing turn for the formally dual-wielder. He glances over towards Vaike and Miriel as they converse. Apparently, his shouting had garnered her attention, and now she was melting his mind with her scientific ramble. He shakes his head before noticing Naminé walking toward him.

"Hey Nam, what's wrong?" he asks. She looks at him before smiling softly, shaking her head.

"It's nothing. I just helped Lissa with curing a stomach ache on Stahl. He had overeaten of Sora's cooking despite his warnings." She giggles to herself while Roxas chuckles softly. "What about you? Why are you standing over here and not bonding with the others?" Roxas looks around before sighing to himself.

"It's not that I don't want to; it's just I don't feel like it." He reveals before placing the bow on his back. "The moment we got here, we came under attack by some mysterious force and lost our ship. Then as we try to find our bearings, we find the Heartless here when they shouldn't be. I can't help but feel like we are walking into another plan of our enemies, and we are powerless to stop it." He looks down before he feels a tender hand encompass his cheek. He looks up to see Naminé smiling sadly at him.

"I know, and it worries me too. But no matter what happens, we will overcome it. We overcame Xehanort before, and we will overcome this threat now, and we will do it together." Roxas looks at her before softly smiling and planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Your right, Naminé. Let's just do what we can and push forward, like them." He nods over towards Sora and Kairi, the two of them exiting the mess hall holding hands while talking about something. Naminé follow his gaze and agrees with a hum. "I'm glad you're here with me, Naminé." She looks at him to see a look of sadness. "When I heard about the danger this mission could entail, I was worried that I would never see you again. But, after all we went through. You had no idea how happy I was when you said you wanted to come with us."

"We made a promise Roxas. A promise to never be apart. And nothing will ever break it." She hugs him while resting her head on his shoulder while he returns the embrace. Nothing would tear them apart again.

A few minutes earlier, in the mess hall.

Sora is cleaning up the bowls after making the soup for everyone. Busy of thinking in his own world, he doesn't sense Kairi sneaking up behind him. Just as he placed the last bowl down, which surprised him that there was another bowl that had been used, does he feel her hugging him from behind, her head on her shoulder.

"Lunch was great, Sora, and it seems you managed to win everyone's opinion that you are our cook." She comments before lightly kissing his neck. Sora chuckles a bit before spinning around and hugging her.

"Thanks, Kai; I'm glad everyone liked it. Even if Stahl did get sick from overeating, I swear, he's as much as a glutton I can sometimes be." The two chuckle at the comment before settling into a comfortable silence, holding onto each other while listening to the sound of birds outside, along with Vaike's occasional yelling. That last bowl was probably one of his…

"Do you think things will get easier when we reach Regna Ferox? With the Risen appearing on the highways, and now with the Heartless alongside them, it feels as though we don't have as much time as we thought." Kairi asks Sora, who hums before gazing around the tent while rubbing her back comfortingly. Frederick seemed to be busy messing with what looked to be a poster of Chrom for some reason while Virion played around with some chess pieces.

"Honestly, I don't know. There is so much we don't know that we could be just stumbling around in the dark. And from my experience, things will only get harder before they get easier… Especially if whatever evil is here find out what I'm carrying…." Kairi tightens her grip on Sora at the mention of that. The burden Sora carries within his heart after the defeat of Xehanort is a secret that much be sealed.

"Yeah…your right… We can't let them find out." Kairi replies before moving to stand next to Sora. "Who do you think summoned those Heartless we encountered anyway?"

"Well, my best bet is Maleficent. And if she is here, she is most likely in Plegia." Sora replies, eyes hard. The evil fairy has been a constant threat ever since his first journey. Granted, she hasn't been seen for the past year, but there was no doubt to him that she has been gathering strength. "No matter what she does, we will always be ready to stand against her. And hopefully, she should also be constrained by the laws of this world. Wonder what Pete would be stuck as?" The two share a laugh at Pete dressed as a barbarian with an exasperated look while Maleficent averts her eyes at her Minion.

"And this time, we will do it together, like how it always should have been." Kairi finishes for him before kissing him on the lips, which Sora returns. They look at each other before deciding to leave the tent to do some training. Separated by an unwanted fate, they now strive to be the others pillar of support.

Meanwhile, not far from the small camp, Chrom, Robin, and Lissa explore the fields in front of them, looking over the path they would take to reach Ferox before they stumble across a lone white Pegasus. It is covered in light armour while gazing at its wing. It tries to stretch it out, only to then pull it back sharply in, pain written on its face.

"Well, what do we have here?" Robin asks curiously. He hasn't seen one alone without its rider before. But then again, he does remember very little.

"Hey Chrom, is that what I think it is?" Lissa asks her brother. He nods before walking up to it slowly.

"It's a Pegasus, all right. I think it's hurt. Let's just have a look here…" he goes up to reach for the injured wing, only to have to dodge a kick from it. The Pegasus kicks and thrashes as Chrom tries to get it to calm down, but that is all he can do to avoid its attacks. Eventually, he backs away, defeated.

"Captain, one moment!" they turn around to see Sumia briskly jogging over to them before she falls over…again…before getting up and dusting herself off with an angry pout.

"Sumia! Are you all right?" Chrom asks before looking at her boots again with a deadpan look. "…Those boots of yours again?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean…" she lets out a heavy sigh before recomposing herself and looking at the hurt Pegasus, its gaze angry while pain still flows through its features. Chrom follows her gaze before looking at her sternly.

"Well, come no closer. This beast is crazed!" Sumia shakes her head as she begins to stroll towards it.

"It's okay, Captain. I can handle this…" she slowly walks up to it, a gentle hand extended out. The Pegasus's form changes, likely to attack again, but Sumia moves unphased. "Shhh…Easy now, girl. I won't hurt you." Her voice seems to soothe the hurt horse, who seemingly calms down before she places a hand on its head. She strokes it, calming the horse down as it leans into it while Sumia places her other hand around its neck, enveloping it in a gentle and warm embrace. "Shhh…"

Chrom, Robin and Lissa look on, jaw struck. They couldn't believe that Sumia had managed to calm it down so quickly after it tried to attack Chrom.

"How did she calm it so quickly?" Robin asks the others, who shrug their shoulders.

"That's incredible, Sumia!" Lissa gushes at her while smiling a huge smile. Chrom, however, could only look on starstruck. The Pegasus moves its uninjured wing to return Sumia's hug as the girl continues to pet her head calmly. A few stray feathers fly past in the breeze, making the scene look like it was from a book.

"I've never seen anything like it," Chrom mumbles to himself before he shakes his head of the vision, as beautiful as it was. Sumia looks over to them, a slight dusting of pink on her cheeks.

"Oh, it's…it's nothing. Really. I just have a way with animals, I guess." She says while helping the Pegasus to lie down, its injured wing resting on the ground. Chrom shakes his head before walking over to give the horse his small pets.

"I should say so!"

"You all go ahead. I'll dress her wounds and catch up as soon as we're able."

"We can make time to wait for you," Chrom argues, but Sumia shakes her head with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Captain. But I can manage. Every moment is precious when all of Ylisse is in danger." Chrom looks at her hesitantly before accepting her request.

"Right, then. Be safe, Sumia," he says gently to her before moving away from the horse to Robin and Lissa. Sumia hums in acknowledgement before moving to tend to the wounds.

"As you command, sir."

Chrom nods at her before heading back to the small camp. They still have a few hours before they reach the border and are losing sunlight at a gradual pace while a deceptively small cold wind could be felt through the air.

And there we are. Its a bit of a short one but mainly focus on developing relationships.

Next chapter will come out on Monday