Kairi and Riku searched for Sora not long after he passed away. It was Riku who found him, and he was broken. He only dazedly crawled over, tried pitifully to wake Sora, then cradled him in his arms, weeping softly. Kairi howled with grief.

Everyone at the castle was at first relieved when their princess got off of the Gummi Ship, but soon fell into sorrow at the body she was carrying and the broken way she moved.

Like Ventus, the memorial service lasted a whole day.

Then another.

And another.

Mourning made time pass in a blur.

"Sora... Sora... Wake up..."

Sora wasn't sure what he heard. Desolate sobs, then someone peacefully trying to wake him. It was like he was flip flopping between a dream and a nightmare. He was just asleep, wasn't he?

His eyes blinked open when someone shook him, the gentlest tickle of a whisper against his ear "Come on now... I don't want you sleeping in..."

He sat up, stretching. "I'm not sleepin' in...!" He yawned, words blurring together. He froze at the person in front of him "... Ven?"

Ventus smiled, nodding "Yeah, it's me."

Sora scrambled away "No...! NO! No, I'm not... I'M NOT I CAN'T BE!" He curled up, crying "No! I finally found home! No...! No, no, NO!"

Ventus sadly watched him "Sorry... I'm not the one calling the shots around here." He stood and walked over, then sat next to Sora and hugged him. Ventus smoothed Sora's hair, murmuring his condolences and trying to calm him down as Sora tried coping with his own death. Eventually Sora stopped bemoaning his own loss and curled up around Ventus, sobbing out apologies.

Ventus smiled, wrapping himself tighter around Sora "Hey, I know... I know you're sorry..." He held Sora out at arm's length, then he began wiping away the tear streaks on Sora's face, chuckling softly in an attempt to get him smiling "Come on now, dry those eyes... I forgive you."

Sora smiled back, but then frowned as he looked down "I'm dead... I finally had everything I wanted and I'm dead..."

Ventus nodded solemnly "Yeah, someone has a lovely sense of irony up there..."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

Ventus then cleared his throat, asking "Hey, you wanna see something special?"

Sora shrugged halfheartedly, and Ven took that as a yes. He drew a small circle on the ground, a light appearing. Sora blinked, watching it starting to clear into an image, and a noisy, joyful racket starting to reach their ears.

He looked up at Ventus "Why are you-"

Sora atopped when he heard himself laughing. He returned his gaze to the image in front of him. He was at a party, chatting away with Ventus- TWO Ventuses!

"Roxas, Ven, you two know it was ME who was the most amazing out there!" The other Sora said playfully. One Ventus piped up, saying sarcastically "Sure, says the guy who didn't have two Keyblades drawn."

Other-Sora elbowed him "Roxas!"

The other Ventus piped up- apparently the REAL Ventus - "Sora, give him a break! He was cool and all, but you all saw what me, Terra, and Aqua did together!"

Sora smiled as Roxas and Ven began arguing, then laughed "Boys! Boys you're both pretty!" He then grabbed a glass of punch "Come on, a toast for old Baldinort taking a hike?"

Roxas and Ven did so, but Sora suddenly dumped his glass on Roxas "I christen thee, Roxas, younger brother of Sora." He scooped up more punch and did the same to Ventus, who abruptly stopped howling with laughter and spluttered out fruit punch "I christen thee, Ventus, older brother of Sora."

Sora was laughing at his own little joke, but it faded off when he saw Ventus and Roxas- tan clothes now dyed pink, evaporating drink making them feel sticky and their hair sopping wet (but somehow retaining their miraculous shape) -giving out death glares.

He laughed uncomfortably "Oh come on... I-it'll wash out, right?"

They summoned their Keyblades, Sora gulping as he laughed nervously and set aside his punch "I-I gotta-"

Lea came into the picture, grabbing both boys by their jackets "Come on punks, Isa wants a picture with you two and Xion!"

"THIS ISN'T OVER SORA!" Roxas yelled angrily after his other, who leaned against the table as if he suddenly couldn't hold himself up and sighed in relief and laughed at his sheer dumb luck.

He stood a little taller, grinning at all the smiling faces celebrating.

Yep, Lea, Roxas, Xion, Ventus, and Isa were all taking a stupid, friendly picture together, Sora sniggering at the former nemesis of this grinning like a dork- especially with that X-shaped scar still on his face. Terra and Aqua weren't too far off, cuddling and standing so still in each other's arms with the warmest smiles. King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were having fun together for the first time in ages, laughing and recounting so many adventures. Riku was hanging around with Namine and Ansem the Wise, still as happy as the rest. He blushed, and became rigid with embarrassment when Xion walked over and kissed his cheek, while Roxas took Namine over to dance.

"Enjoying things Sora?"

He jumped when Kairi sat next to him. After growing a deep shade of red, he stammered out "Y-Yeah! it's a great party, isn't it?" He then quickly grabbed some punch and began slurping away noisily as his taut, embarrassed, anxious face became redder and redder.

Kairi smiled "Yeah, it is. Everyone is so happy."

Sora nodded stiffly, then quickly got more punch when his ran out.

Kairi chuckled "Someones thirsty."

Sora set aside his glass a little too firmly, saying "I-I... K-Kairi..."

Kairi tilted her head, listening as hard as she could.

Sora gave her and awkward smile and started walking off "I-um... I have to go to the bathroom. T-too much punch!" He waved goodbye, then when he was sure Kairi wouldn't notice he slouched with his hands in his pockets, trying to curl up and hide.

"Sora~ did you say it?!" He winced deeply when Donald teased him about what he wanted to say. He forcefully grinned "Y-yeah-"

"Doesn't look like ya did." Goofy chuckled.

Sora snapped at him, his voice tightening and squeaking "W-well YOU try a-asking her out!"

Donald and Goofy then grabbed him "Come on, it's not that hard to say it." Sora squirmed, kicking and protesting like a child and garnering everyone's attention "I-I can't! I can't-"

"Can't what, Sora?" Kairi asked the moment he was planted in front of her.

Sora glared back at Donald and Goofy, mouthing 'You're gonna get it later!'.

He then grinned at Kairi, giggling nervously "Oh, they just want me to say you did a nice job with the punch- OWWWWWW!" He howled in pain, grasping his shin and hopping around on one leg. Donald very nonchalantly brushed off his staff, making sure it was still in operable condition while Mickey and Goofy snorted.

Roxas and Ventus facepalmed in perfect synch.

Riku, who was hugging Xion, rolled his eyes, groaned, and did the same with an even louder smack.

Xion giggled.

Terra shook his head while Aqua supressed her own giggles.

Namine sniggered and Ansem sighed.

Lea called out "Dude! Just say it already!"

Isa was rolling his eyes at his companions blunt way of going about things.

Sora took a few deep breaths, gingerly setting his leg down. Kairi giggled "Are you okay, you big, strong, tough little boy?" Sora winced, but chuckled and held his hands behind his head "Hey, I'm fine... Just DONALD here has a nasty habit with that!" He gave the duck a very pointed, 'this isn't over you little jerk', glare.

Kairi then grabbed Sora's necklace and pulled him into a kiss, the whole room hooting and hollering with delight.

"FINALLY!"

"Gosh Sora, at least Kairi understood what to do!"

She pulled away, blushing. Sora swayed lightly, looking suprised, pleasantly pleased, and a little dazed. Kairi rubbed her neck, fidgeting "I like you a lot too, so... Maybe we can-"

Sora scooped her up into his arms, repeating her gesture of love. When he pulled back, he grinned wide "THAT'S what I've been trying to say."

As the image rolled along, our Sora leaned back "So he was real..."

Ventus was still watching the image, a soft, sad smile on his face "The other you Maleficent showed you? Yep, he's real. He's right there."

He sat up, laughing "How long did it take him to ask her out?"

"Snce he knew her since they were 5, um... Over a decade." Ventus laughed back.

Sora shook his head, their laughter so infectious he couldn't stop giggling "I'm ridiculous."

Ventus nodded, smacking him on his shoulder "Yes, yes you are."

Sora pushed him back playfully "Hey!"

Soon they were playing around like old friend, caught in a giggling fit and unable to stop the happy, restful feeling in their hearts.

When they stopped, Sora's feeling vanished "The others..." He whispered, his face falling "Riku... Kairi..."

Ventus shrugged "They'll get over it. You did. Besides, they'll come over eventually. We can still keep an eye on them if we need to."

Sora smiled again at that thought.

He then heard a set of voices calling his name:

"Sora!"

"My son! My little baby! Come over here!"

He scrambled up "MOM! DAD!" He tackled his parents, weeping in joy. The reunited family collasped in their tight embrace, laughing, crying.

Ventus smiled, then watched his image again.

The other Sora and Kairi were on a balcony, watching the stars. Sora pointed at the sky "Hey, I don't remember those two..."

Kairi looked at them, then said "Yeah... That's weird, one's green and the other's blue. Really vibrant color there..."

Sora squinted at the stars, nodding.

Ventus laughed as the Sora in the image looked gradually more and more confused. "Seriously, what the flip is up with that green one?!" He then pouted, sighing "Goodness, that must be a really peppy world, the thing is shining so bright."

"Maybe it's Never Land?" Kairi suggested.

Sora's gaze suddenly locked on the blue one, his face falling. He blinked, holding a hand to his heart.

Kairi looked worried "Sora, are you okay?"

Sora smiled sadly "Feels like... Someone out there is still sad..." He looked up at the stars again "But they're also kinda happy. They'll do alright." He then held up his hands as he yelled "HEY! WHOEVER YOU ARE! I CARE IF YOU'RE HAPPY OR NOT, SO SMILE!"

Kairi leaned her head on his shoulder "You dork..."

Sora wrapped his arm around her "Well, gotta say it to them somehow, right?"

Ventus dismissed the image "Yeah... We'll do fine buddy."

Okay, we weren't REALLY done. Yeah, it can end there, but I think it feels more complete like this. And don't worry too much about the ones who were left behind, they move on and eventually they all get back together and party ^_^/*~.*~.

so yeah, bittersweet endings. IDK when that little party with everyone being ridiculously stupid and cute takes place, just generally at the end of KH3- thats all I can say.

so yeah, we're done. Not gonna pick it up unless I work on a rewrite. I might post up some bonus/alternate scenes/stuff that didn't make it onto another story here on the site, whaddya say?