I almost made it to the deadline of updating every Sunday! Dx But fanfiction had errors that wouldn't allow me to log in... seems like fanfic has a lot of errors nowadays, huh? Oh, and a review shout-out for Crown xD even though you're anonymous, thanks for the review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Ch 4: Stirrings in the Air

Sora popped the phone back onto the receiver and grinned at his two friends. " Well, he's okay! He'll probably come home later this evening."

" Okay," Kairi said. She beckoned to him. " Riku says we're gonna make shepherd's pie, so get your butt over here so you can learn!"

Their tall friend was busy peeling the potatoes. " That's right, half-pint," he chuckled. " I know it's your favourite."

" Hey, take that back, you!" Sora and Riku tussled playfully, while Kairi scolded them.

" Stop that! You'll knock over that pile of peelings if you play in the kitchen!"

There was an abrupt knocking on the door. The three friends looked at each other worriedly, then Sora said, " I'll go get it."

He opened the door, half expecting to see Roxas, but instead got a surprise.

"... Um?"

" I'm down here!"

Sora yelped and jumped backward. " Whoa!" Right where he had originally thought there was nobody at the door, a short mouse stood. The mouse had rather circular ears, black fur, and a cheery smile. He wore a red, yellow, orange, black and white outfit with a lot of zippers and belts.

" I'm sorry to bother you," the mouse said cordially. " But may I rest here for a bit? I've been walking around all day, and the inn is on the other side of Twilight."

Sora blinked and stepped aside. " Uh, yeah! I mean, sure, come right on in, mister...?"

" Mickey," the mouse said. " Call me Mickey."

Sora led the short mouse into the living room and offered a seat at the couch. Kairi and Riku turned around to see the newcomer. Riku gasped.

" Th-That's King Mickey!" he exclaimed. He quickly bowed, madly gesturing for Sora and Kairi to do the same. " C'mon, you guys, where are your manners?"

Mickey laughed. " Now, now, kids, you don't need to treat me like that. I'm just an ordinary person like you."

Sora smiled. He was beginning to like this Mickey person. " I'm Sora, and these are my friends, Riku, and Kairi."

" Would you like some water, Mickey?" Kairi offered him. The mouse nodded, smiling. " Yes, please." The king leapt up and made himself comfortable on the couch. Sora, unsure whether he should leave the king alone, sat on a different chair. Mickey gazed around with interest at his living room.

" Seems like a nice and comfortable place to be living," Mickey remarked and grinned. " It's so simple compared to where I live, but my castle is just fine."

Sora nodded. " Yeah? This place must seem puny to you."

Mickey's eye caught something on a shelf. " Oh! Who's that with you there, Sora? Are you related? He looks a lot like you."

" Oh, that." Sora walked over to the shelf and lifted the picture from its place. He showed it to Mickey. " This is my twin brother, Roxas. He's... out right now, but he should come back soon."

As Mickey took a better look at it, Sora suddenly thought about the picture. It was a photo of him and Roxas when they were not much older than five years old. The strangest thing was that Sora knew someone had taken the picture, because it was a perfect shot of his and Roxas' upper body. In the background was a beautiful sunset. Sora couldn't remember who took the picture, but he quickly dismissed the thought. We must have given the camera to a stranger to take it for us.

Kairi walked in with the glass of water. " So, King Mickey," she said cheerily, taking a seat on the other end of the couch. " Where do you come from?"

It was around six o' clock when Roxas awoke. He was still in the guest room of Namine's mansion, and although he still felt a little funny, it was a huge improvement to how he was feeling earlier. The pain and lethargy was nothing but a memory. He sat up and yawned.

Beside him, Namine had fallen asleep on the bed. She was slumped on it, still seated on her chair. Beside her was an open sketchbook. Roxas was suddenly curious. Even from a distance the drawing appeared to be quite detailed. He shifted his position on bed while being careful not to wake Namine and took a better look at the sketchbook.

It was a very nice drawing of a street in the Twilight District. It looked like Namine had been in the middle of adding yellows and browns before she fell asleep, and it was coming together quite nicely. Roxas whistled softly.

What at amazing artist... he thought in wonder. Even more curious, Roxas turned the page.

The next page showed several people drawn rather childishly yet rather distinctly. Although it lacked the detail of the previous picture, Roxas found himself marvelling at the colourful simplicity of it. As his eyes scanned over each person, his heart stopped when he saw one person in particular. Blue eyes, blond, spiky hair...

Roxas' heart flew to his throat. That's me! But when did she draw this? And why did she draw two of me? Sora's here too... but who are those other people? Wait, isn't that Riku and Kairi? It looks like them. And that's Namine herself... Axel? And that must be Xion, I know those clothes. But who are the other two? I definitely don't know them.

Not wanting to be caught, Roxas hastily flipped the page back and made sure the sketchbook looked like it hadn't been moved at all. Roxas' timing was perfect. He had just enough time to glance at Namine's sleeping face before she began to stir.

" Roxas?" she mumbled. " How are you feeling?"

" Better," Roxas replied steadily. He slid off the bed and tested his feet. " Not wobbly anymore. I think I better go home now."

Namine nodded and stood, rubbing her eyes. " Yes, you should. It's getting late."

After hesitating for a few seconds, Roxas turned to her and said, " About that Keyblade research... despite the fact that I've grown up knowing it's a fairy tale, I'm starting to get a little interested in it. Perhaps we could go to the library tomorrow?"

Namine's eyes widened. " Oh! Would you really?"

" Yeah, why not? I'll meet you in front of the library at three thirty, how's that?"

" That's fine." Namine smiled softly.

Roxas and Namine walked to the front door, but before Roxas stepped outside. " Oh... by the way, I thought your drawing was beautiful."

He was careful not to say "drawings" by accident. Namine gasped softly at the compliment. " Thank you, Roxas, though I never through my drawings were that good..."

" No, really, they were!" He hopped deftly onto his skateboard. " Goodbye, Namine."

" Goodbye, Roxas. See you tomorrow."

Roxas skateboarded back as quickly as he could. With summer soon to arrive, the evening was still very bright. As he went along, with his schoolbag still slung over a shoulder, he began to softly sing an old tune he had learned a long time ago.

" In your hand, take this key

So as long as you have the makings

Then through this simple act of taking

Its wielder you shall one day be."

He sang quietly, but quite tunefully. As the apartment came into view, he tried to finish the rest of the song.

" And you will find me, friend

No ocean will contain you then

No more borders – "

Roxas stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned back. He felt a strange prickling on his shoulder. Shaking his head, he sprinted up the steps till he reached his front door.

Xion scowled as Filo yanked a hairbrush through her tangled, if not short, black hair. " You should brush your hair more often, Xion," Filo giggled. " And you have such nice hair too!"

" But it's not like I have a lot of it," Xion protested. She wriggled from Filo and smoothed out her hair. " It's all right now."

The other girl sighed and smiled. " Okay then. Let's go back to into the base."

Xion nodded and followed Filo down an alley. About halfway through, they stopped. There were voices ahead, in the alley. They quickly retreated into the shadows.

" It's our job to do our job, you nitwit! Do you want to risk Marluxia's wrath? I doubt that," a woman's voice spoke.

" Okay, okay, geez, Larxene, calm down!" this time a man replied. " I just don't think I'm cut for the job, you know, having a, uh, cold and all... Ow!"

" Stop complaining! We're leaving for Twilight tonight!"

" Fine, but you didn't have to punch me! Colds give you bad aches in your bon- gack!"

" Shut up, Demyx, or I SWEAR I will kill you..."

The voices faded, leaving Xion and Filo perplexed and suspicious.

" Who do you think those people were?" Filo asked Xion.

" I don't know, and I didn't get a good look at them. Did you?"

" No, I was too scared to move."

The girls continued towards the door to the old hideout. They realized that they had been that close to having their precious home discovered by – who knows who? As they crept into the door, Xion peered over her shoulder and looked up, but there was nothing to see except a sliver of darkening sky.

Something was going on... but what?

Yes, I'm afraid it's not that long. I'll make sure to keep building up on it so it doesn't get boring. The next few chapters might be slow. Please review, they make my day!