Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Prologue: Why The Sun Sets Red.

Day 255.

An old clock tower of white stone towers over a train station. A pair of giant bells hangs from the sides as it looms over a large town from atop a hill. Around the town is a vast forest, a deep and gentle green as the setting sun casts its gentle golden rays over the two, lighting up the sky in a warm mixture of red, orange, and yellow. Atop the clock tower, a lone boy sits watching the setting sun with a calm look on his face, even as his mind dances with decisions.

But he wasn’t alone for long.

            “You’re here early, Roxas.” A voice echoes behind him, grabbing Roxas’s attention as he turns to the source with a smile. He sees two people greeting him with smiles on their faces. One of them is a tall man with long, spiky red hair, green eyes, and small purple triangles under his eyes, while the other is a petite woman just shorter than Roxas, with short black hair and blue eyes. The one thing in common they all have is the same black coat, gloves, boots, and pants that they wear.

            “No, you and Xion are just late, Axel.” Roxas replies in good nature as Axel sits on Roxas’s right with Xion on his left. “Is Chixada not joining us today?”

            “He said he had to check something else at Castle Oblivion. He mentioned earlier that he was close to finding something.” Xion replies, kicking her feet over the edge. “I’m not sure what… but he said he would get in touch later and that it would affect us.”

            “I still feel a bit icky about all of this.” Axel admits as he pulls out three cyan ice pops, giving two of them to Roxas and Xion. “But if it helps the both of you, then I’m not going to complain.” Roxas nods back at him as the trio silently eats the ice pops given by Axel until Roxas suddenly speaks up.

            “Today makes 255.”

            “Hm? What’s that about?” Axel asks, a stick in his mouth as Xion looks at him.

            “It’s been that many days since I first joined the Organization. Man… time flies.”

            “Then… that makes it 248 days since I was born.” Xion adds, nodding her head almost absentmindedly.

            “So, you both got those numbers memorized, huh?”

            “Yeah. Have to keep hold of something, right? Neither of us has memories, after all.” Roxas admits as Xion lets out a hum. “Don’t you remember, Axel? I was like a zombie.”

            “Yeah.” Axel admits, placing a hand on Roxas’s shoulder. “Back then, you could barely even form a sentence. And Xion was just as bad as you, always walking around with her hood up and hardly speaking a word.”

            “Yeah, thanks.” Xion snarks, rolling her eyes.

            “But c’mon!” Axel suddenly shouts, hitting a hand on Roxas’s back. “You are still both kind of like zombies!”

            “Oh, thanks!” Roxas shouts back, but smiles are on all three of their faces as they laugh at each other. The gentle sunlight of the setting sun beams down on them as they enjoy the view. Eventually, they all finish their ice cream and are content to just watch the clouds or birds fly by.

            “Hey, guys. I bet you don’t know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of many different colours, and out of all of them, red is the one that travels the farthest.”

            “Did you remember that from your past memories?” Xion asks as Axe lets out a chuckle.

            “Maybe. Maybe not.” Axel admits with a grin. But the grin doesn’t last as he suddenly takes on a more sombre look. “So… your mind is made up? Depending on what Chixada finds?” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, uncertainty in their eyes, before nodding back at Axel as he lets out a long sigh. “The Organization won’t like it.”

            “Maybe…” Roxas admits, turning his eyes back to the horizon. “But I still want to know. Why Xion and me? And…” He lets out a sigh, glancing down at the town below as he spies four people running past the station. “…what else was kept from us back then?”

Day 7.

            Why am I being called? Roxas asks himself, stepping through a portal of darkness. What does the leader want from me? It was completely strange for their leader to call him out so suddenly. It had only been seven days since he first arrived, and he was still trying to adjust to living at the castle. There were some people who gave him semi-good vibes, and others who felt completely wrong. At least two people had taken it upon themselves to look out for him, so he was grateful for that, but being called out here by their leader… he couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Which is why, when he stepped out of the dark portal onto that black sand beach, he was expecting to be met by a stern-faced lecture on something. But instead, he found their leader sitting on a rock, looking out at the ocean in front of him before glancing his way.

            “You have arrived.” The leader comments, watching as Roxas walks up to him in silence. “I’ve been to see him. He looks a lot like you.” Roxas remains silent, not sure what he is even talking about.

            Hm? Who is he talking about? “Who are you?” Roxas asks back, his voice filled with questions and no answers.

            “I am what’s left. Or… maybe I was all there ever was.” The leader replies, his gaze going back to the ocean.

            “I meant your name.” Roxas comments, while the leader on the rock lets out a sigh.

            “My name is of no importance.” The leader replies before looking at his younger colleague. “What about you? Do you remember your true name?”

            “My true name… is…” Roxas goes to reply but stops short as he draws a blank. No… it’s no use. I can’t remember anything…

            “You have been with us for six days now. The time has come…” The leader comments, standing up from the rock and pushing his hood back before walking past his younger colleague. As he walks by, he rests a hand on his shoulder before whispering a name, vanishing into a dark portal and leaving the second figure behind, who can only look at the sand before gazing back at the ocean with a question on his lips.

            “Sora…?” Who is ‘Sora’?

            “Come. There is a matter of great importance to us all. A new member has been chosen to wield the cloak of our order.” The leader replies, looking back at Roxas as his long silver hair trails down his back while framing his face. Honey-yellow eyes blaze calmly, contrasting with his semi-tanned skin. Without a word, Roxas nods and follows after him, pushing his hood back as he soon finds himself in the gathering hall. A room filled with thirteen seats, all at different heights, with his feet facing their leaders. “Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day.” The leader starts as Roxas lets his eyes wander around the room. On every seat, there is another member of the Organization, while on the ground at different corners of a central dais are six more of their members. Each one of them looks at what Roxas can only guess is their newest member.

            “I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat.” At that, the one in the middle walked towards the centre of the dais, looking up at everyone with their hood covering their face. “Number XIV. Xion.” As Xion looked around, for a moment, she and Roxas locked eyes as something seemed to bond between them. But no matter how hard Roxas thought, he couldn’t figure out what it was as the meeting continued.

Day 8.

For Roxas, the usual routine until now was to wake up and either stand in a room looking out over the castle they called home or wander around the castle while everyone else left on missions. Even though he had a weapon of his own, a strange key-like sword that the others called a Keyblade, he was never permitted to leave on any mission.

At least, that was the case until today.

           “Roxas, Number XIII. Come here.” A commanding voice echoes from the front, where one of the members stands. Like all of them, he is wearing the coat, with his hood down, exposing his long, shaggy blue hair, pointed ears, orange eyes, and a cross-shaped scar on his face while wearing a permanent frown. Roxas knew it was better not to question being summoned, especially given his rank as Number XIII, so he walked over to him without question. “Today, you shall depart on your first mission to Twilight Town for training. This will be your routine for the next few days until we determine you are ready to take on a mission by yourself.”

Roxas silently nods, part of him eager to get out of the castle, but another part of him wondering just what was in store for him. Seeing Roxas nod at him, the man motions to the side where two more of the members walk up: Axel and one more with his hood up. “Axel and Chixada, Numbers VIII and XVII, will accompany you on your training. Teach him well.”

            “Don’t worry, we'll make sure he makes the grade.” Axel promises as Roxas glances around the room before falling on Xion. She is standing not far away, eyes locked on him as though there is something she wants to say but can’t.

            “You worried about the new kid?” Chixada asks, slapping a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t be. She’s in good hands.” 

            “You got her name memorized, right?” Axel suddenly asks, also placing a hand on his shoulder. “Or what about our names along with our leader?”

            “Xion… Axel… Chixada… Xemnas.” Roxas replies slowly and carefully. The words are precious as they are the only things he can remember. Well, not really true, but everything he learned over the past eight days was precious to him. After all, they were the only things he could remember.

            “You’ve got a good memory, kid.” Chixada remarks as Axel holds up a hand, summoning a portal of darkness. “Well, let’s get going. We’ve got some training to do.” With a nod of his head, Roxas follows Axel and Chixada into the portal of darkness, with Xion silently watching them as they go.

Soon, a portal of darkness opened up in an underground passageway. The walls were lined with yellow, red, and orange stone, with dim lights illuminating the path. The trio stepped out of the portal and into the hallway as though they were on a casual stroll.

            “Alright, you ready for your first mission, Roxas?” Axel asks with an eager grin as Roxas looks at him with a semi-blank stare.

            “What are… missions?” Roxas asks, tilting his head as Chixada pats him on the shoulder while leaning forward a bit.

            “Basically, our mission is to go into different worlds and defeat certain types of Heartless, be they groups, a set target, or even just specific ones. And now it is your turn to join.” Chixada holds out a hand, materializing a small revolver handgun in his right hand. It is made of a slightly purplish metal with dark red accents, and the revolver chamber has six metal points emerging from the back. The hammer is missing, while the front of the barrel looks like the point of an arrowhead. “But it’s easier to see it in action rather than to explain it.”

            “He’s right, you know.” Axel replies with a grin, summoning two spiked chakram wheels to his side, each one silver and red. “Better to get your feet wet rather than have us old-timers explain it.”

            “Old timer? That’s harsh, Axel.” Chixada remarks, shaking his head as Roxas looks between them, letting out a tiny chuckle as he summons his weapon to his side: Kingdom Key.

            “Hey, you know, I know, we all know it.” Axel replies before suddenly going on alert. “And I think we have our first customer.” No sooner does he say that than three Shadow Heartless emerge before them, each one twitching anxiously. “You ready for your first fight, Roxas?”

            “Y-Yeah.” Roxas replies, not confidently but firmly as he falls into his stance. Chixada smirks under his hood, taking aim with his revolver and firing a black and red shot at one of the Shadows. The round pierces through like a knife in butter as Axel tosses his chakrams at another, the wheels igniting in the air and tearing through it. As for the last Shadow, it runs towards Roxas, who attacks back with a three-hit combo, sending it flying with the last hit as it impacts the far wall, disintegrating on impact.

            “Nice hit.” Chixada remarks, spinning his revolver around on one finger. “But we’re not done yet. There are more of them lurking around here somewhere.” 

            “Once we beat them all, we can then RTC.” Axel remarks with a grin as Roxas tilts his head. “It means Return to Castle.” 

            “Oh.” Roxas replies, a little bit embarrassed until a scream echoes through the tunnels. “Who’s that?” 

            “A resident of this world, maybe?” Axel asks, rubbing his head. “It’s possible she may have run into the Heartless we are seeking.”

            “Talk about a bad turn of events.” Chixada remarks, shaking his head as Roxas narrows his eyes. Something inside him was telling him he HAD to save her! 

            “C’mon!” Roxas shouts suddenly, rushing forward as Axel and Chixada stare on, dumbfounded. 

            “Ah, that kid… he can’t go revealing himself to other people.” Chixada remarks, shaking his head as Axel lets out a chuckle.

            “Eh, it won’t be a problem. So long as we don’t tell anyone.” He replies with a grin as the two follow after Roxas. Meanwhile, Roxas has just sprinted down the tunnel, spinning around the turn where he sees a young girl around his age surrounded by four Shadows—a girl with brown hair tied into two pigtails and brown eyes.

            “Get away from me!” Nanako shouts, grabbing a random pipe and taking a swing at the Shadows. A few jump back, but they don’t break the circle around them just as Roxas comes in, slashing at the closest one and breaking the circle. “Huh!?”

            “Run!” Roxas shouts, swinging again and managing to take two out. Nanako nods hesitantly, rushing back a bit as Roxas takes on the remaining three solo while Axel and Chixada watch from the shadows. Unknown to them, another person is watching nearby as Roxas takes down the last Shadow. “Are you alright?” Roxas asks, walking up to Nanako as he dismisses the Kingdom Key. Nanako blinks at him, surprised at his arrival, before nodding back.

            “Y-Yeah… I am. Thank you for helping me.” She replies, bowing to him just as footsteps echo from nearby. The one who was watching decides to make their appearance known as he rushes into the area, with Chixada looking at him from the shadows.

            “Nanako! Are you alright!?” Yu asks, rushing up to her as Nanako does the same. Relief is evident on his face as he places a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I should have stayed closer.”

            “Don’t worry, Big Bro. I’m fine.” Nanako replies, turning to Roxas with a grin. “He saved me.” Yu looks at Roxas, his face unreadable as the young man stands in place. Axel and Chixada watch from the shadows, ready to jump in if needed. But it would soon become apparent that they wouldn’t need to.

            “He did, did he?” Yu asks with a grin. “In that case, you have my thanks. My name is Yu Narukami, and this is my sister, Nanako.” Nanako gives Roxas a small wave as he nods back, a bit uncertain about the situation. “What is your name?”

            “Roxas…”

            “Well, Roxas, thanks again for helping my sister.” Yu replies with a smile before checking his watch and noting the time. “Sorry to cut this short, but we need to start heading back home. Don’t want to risk running into more of those creatures. See you around, Roxas.”

            “Cya later.” Nanako adds as the two turn and head for a nearby exit while Roxas watches them go, observing the two leave with a bond he has no memory of.

            “Nice one, Roxas. You’re a real hero, huh?” Axel remarks, walking up with his arms folded. “But you do know that we work in the shadows, right? We can’t really allow ourselves to be spotted.” Roxas winces at that, forgetting about the number one rule they have until Axel gives him a nudge. “But hey, what the folks up top don’t know won’t hurt them, huh?”

            “Y-Yeah…” Roxas replies, a bit uncertain as Axel pats his shoulder.

            “C’mon. Let’s head to our hideout. Think of it as icing on the cake.” Roxas tilts his head at Axel before silently following after him, with Chixada right behind. But what none of them realized was that Yu and Nanako were listening in from around the corner, eyes watching as Roxas left with the other two.

            “So… what do you think, bro?” Nanako asks Yu, his gaze following Roxas before losing track of him in the dark tunnels. They really need to invest in lights.

            “It’s still far too early to tell. But that kid, Roxas… we should still keep an eye on him if he ever appears here again. If what DiZ has told us is true, then he’s with the wrong crowd of people.” Nanako lets out a worried hum as the two head back towards the surface.

            “But that guy with the red hair… he seemed to care about him.” Yu nods at her, seeing the two interact in his mind.

            “It could be an act, or it could be genuine. We don’t know; we have very little information. The best we can do is watch and try to interact if we ever have the chance.” It wasn’t ideal, but it was all they could do, especially after everything DiZ had told them. But still, they couldn’t help but keep their ears and eyes open. There was a truth hidden under all of this, and they were going to find it. No matter what.

Atop the clock tower overlooking Twilight Town’s train station, Roxas and Axel sat on the edge, overlooking the town, while Chixada leaned on the wall behind them with an ice cream in hand. Axel held one too before handing it over to Roxas with a smirk on his face.

            “The icing on the cake.” He remarks as Roxas takes the ice cream. “You remember what it’s called?” Roxas lets out a confused hum, trying to remember what it was called as Chixada lets out a chuckle.

            “Sea-salt ice cream. He’s already told you this before.” He replies, pushing his hood back to reveal his face, which features short, unkempt black hair and grey eyes. “Anyway, how long has it been since you joined us, a week? Talk about how time flies.”

            “Well, you’ve been with us for how long, Chixada?” Axel counters as Roxas takes a bite of the ice cream, tasting not only delicious sweetness but salt as well, yet neither one overpowering the other. “If I remember correctly, it’s been about, what, five years since you joined?”

            “That sounds about right.” Chixada remarks, pushing himself off the wall. “Never expected to see him and his sister here, though…”

            “You mean… Yu and Nanako?” Roxas asks as Chixada nods his head. 

            “Yep. I have a bit of history with them. And if they are here, the rest of that guy's team is also here. Best I keep my hood up when I'm here for now.” With that, he pulls his hood up before going back to eating his ice cream while Roxas looks back at the view.

            “Well, here you are, Roxas. Out in the field, taking missions for the Organization. Certainly a lot better than staying cooped up in the castle, huh?” 

            “For the Organization…” Roxas whispers. Despite all his time being here, he still doesn’t know that much about the Organization or its members.

            “You might even say this is where it all begins for you.” Axel adds with some sympathy in his voice. Roxas’s eyes widen for a moment as he looks back at the sun, the future before him seeming to be just as bright as he takes a bite of his ice cream.

Today was where it all began… and he couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out!

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: Friends and Intrigue.

The days that followed were filled with non-stop training from other members of the Organization. Each one of them taught Roxas, in their own way, how to combat the Heartless instead of just relying on his Keyblade. Some of them were enjoyable; others were more of a slog. But even so, despite spending time with the members, he still wasn’t learning that much about them. Or rather, they were being reclusive in talking to him. And for all the work that he did, he still had no idea what their true goal was. So for now, all he focused on was beating back the Heartless every waking day, even if it was all located in Traverse Town.

Not only that, but every time he ventured out on a training mission, he noticed that there always seemed to be someone lurking nearby: a guy with headphones on, bobbing his head to some music; a girl practicing her kicks at a training dummy; or even just a guy relaxing in a chair under some shade. All of them seemed to be outside their operating area, and yet they always seemed to be close as well. The members who were with him were also keeping a close eye on them during these missions, and unlike with Axel and Chixada, Roxas did not have a chance to interact with them like he did with Yu and Nanako. Although…

Day 14.

It was just another normal day in Twilight Town, although this time Roxas was accompanied by both Axel and Chixada for a change. As the three of them stood under some shade, with Chixada having his hood up as usual, a group of three kids ran past them down some stairs with excited looks on their faces. Something about them sparked Roxas’s curiosity, especially as he saw them running up to Nanako, as they all started talking excitedly.

            “Who were they?” Roxas asks Axel as he looks down at the four.

            “Well… other than the one we know as Nanako, I think those three are just some kids who live around here.”

            “Wouldn’t surprise me.” Chixada remarks, leaning on the wall. “They seem to be living their lives well for a bunch of kids. Certainly having more fun than I did in my old life.”

            “So… does everyone normally act that way?” Roxas asks, watching as Nanako and the other three head off somewhere excitedly. “Running around, chasing each other, making all that noise…”

            “Well, yeah. If they have hearts, I suppose that’s what they do.” Roxas couldn't help but feel sad after hearing Axel's reply. Hearts… Ever since he joined the Organization, no one in their group had a heart. And those without hearts, not only could they not feel emotions, but they did not truly ‘exist’. And then there was the weapon he wielded: the Keyblade. The only thing that could release a captured heart from a Heartless. And that doing so all leads to something called… ‘Kingdom Hearts’. But what was it? Why was it so important? Was it the Organization's true goal, or was it something else? There was so much that Roxas did not know about.

            “C’mon, let’s go get some ice cream.” Axel suddenly comments, grabbing Roxas’s attention.

            “Why?”

            “Why? Uh, well… ‘cause…” Axel stumbles over his words as Chixada shakes his head at him. Axel sends him a small glare as he struggles to find the words before looking back at Roxas. “Because we’re friends.”

            “Friends…” Roxas repeats slowly, the word alien to his mouth, yet at the same time somehow making him feel at home as well.

            “How did I know you would say that, Axel?” Chixada asks, shaking his head at him with slight exasperation. “You remind me of Yu and his friends.”

            “I don’t hear you complaining.” Axel snarks back before looking over the town. “But yeah, no joke, Roxas… Friends eat ice cream together and talk and laugh about the stupidest things. Like Nanako and those kids we just saw.” Roxas looks out over the town, his mind lingering on the words spoken as Axel gently pats his shoulder. “C’mon, let’s go.” Without making a fuss, Roxas follows after Axel and Chixada back towards the clock tower, once more enjoying the spoils of ice cream while looking over the town. But as they do so, Axel suddenly comes up with an idea.

            “Hey, Roxas. How about the three of us meet up here again after your next mission? No fun just going back and forth between the castle and work, right?”

            “I agree with that.” Chixada remarks, pushing his hood down. “Got to have a break every now and then. Even if we can’t feel anything, it’s still no excuse to push ourselves to the brink.”

            “Yeah…” Roxas replies, taking another bite of the ice cream as he looks back over the town. “We’re friends… huh?” Roxas whispers as a small smile forms on his face. He could get used to that.

Day 22.

Following that, Roxas fell into a steady rhythm of waking up, completing missions, or training inside the castle against other members of the Organization. Once he completed them, he always returned to the clock tower to meet Axel and Chixada. Every now and then, he would see Yu and Nanako in Twilight Town, walking together with a young woman with long black hair who had her hands entwined with Yu, but he could never talk to them due to being paired up with different members. At one point, his partner for the day, Number XVIII, seemed to glare at them from a distance. Not that Roxas could tell, with him having his hood up. Now that he thought about it, Numbers XV, XVI, XVIII, and XIX always had their hoods up, as well as Xion and Chixada.

When he had asked Chixada, he said it was because it gave him some much-needed privacy from the other members, especially Number XVIII. And considering how Number XVIII was giving him the cold shoulder, Roxas didn’t pry any further. As for Xion, she remained quiet all the time, possibly still afraid to even speak. But today, Roxas didn’t think much about that as he sat on the clock tower, looking out over the town with Axel and Chixada, with a comfortable silence around them. At least, until Axel spoke up with a sigh.

            “Man… I’m going to miss this ice cream thing we do.”

            “Huh?” Roxas asks, looking at him in surprise. “Why?”

            “I guess you didn’t hear, Rox.” Chixada replies, rubbing the back of his head. “Axel, along with some of our other members, is going to be operating out of a second castle for a while. Not sure how long.”

            “Seriously?” Roxas asks, looking back at Axel as he nods.

            “Yeah. Me, along with Numbers IV, V, VI, XI, and XII. We’re going to be operating from there for now. And it’s starting tomorrow.”

            “Really?” Roxas asked, unsure how to take the news of Axel suddenly going away.

            “I can fill you in on where I’m going since we’re friends. I’m going to Castle Oblivion. It’s located in the worlds between worlds. Got it memorized?”

            “Yeah… but I wish people told me these things.” Roxas admits, looking at the town. “Do they not trust me?” 

            “Maybe. But we trust you.” Chixada remarks, leaning on the wall. “And besides, I’m not going, so I’ll still be here to chat if you need me to.” Roxas nods at him as Axel pushes himself up.

            “Well, I gotta head back and get ready. Nothing but fun, fun, fun…” Axel remarks sarcastically as he walks away, leaving Roxas and Chixada alone as Roxas finishes up his ice cream, only to realize something was written on the stick.

            “Winner?” Roxas asks, looking at the stick. “Why does it say that?”

            “Lucky you, Rox! You found a winning stick!” Chixada applauds, clapping his hands together. “Apparently, if you trade it in to the vendor, you get an ice cream for free.” Roxas’s eyes widen for a moment as he looks back at the stick, thinking about it in his mind before putting it away.

            “I think I’ll save it until I get two more.” 

            “Huh? Why two?” Chixada asks, wondering why Roxas isn’t going to get one right now.

            “Simple. It’s so all three of us can have one for free.” Roxas replies easily as he gets up to leave, Chixada watching as Roxas goes. He lets out a sigh and rubs his head.

            “I swear… people always seem to run on friendship just like him.” He remarks, shaking his head before looking back. “Still… it’s nice to have friends, even if I’ll never admit it out loud.”

Day 23.

           Well, here I am. Off to Castle Oblivion. How long will this assignment be, I wonder? Axel asks himself, walking along one of the causeways in the castle. The monotone scheme of grey, silver, and black does nothing to uplift his mood. Seriously… would it kill the big man to have anything other than these three colours? Even some red or blue would go a long way.

            “Axel.” The calm, commanding voice calls out, almost quietly, as the blue-haired man approaches him. “I have a message from Lord Xemnas.”

            “Just as I’m about to leave, Saïx?” Axel asks, raising an eyebrow. “Well, if it’s from the boss, then I’ll listen. What’s up?” To anyone else, they might have been insulted by the casual way Axel was speaking to them, but for Saïx, Number VIII, he was more than used to it as he looked Axel in the eye.

            “Among the members assigned to Castle Oblivion, there are traitors. Find them and dispose of them.” Axel narrows his eyes at the command, not expecting such an order to be given to him from Xemnas, of all people.

            “I trust that really came from Lord Xemnas himself?” Axel replies, some suspicion in his voice. “And if so, I’m surprised it’s none of the standing members who are the traitor, but one of our seated members.” Saïx nods his head, knowing that Axel is referring to members XV to XIX. “Well, if that is the case, consider it done.” With that final passing, Axel moves on towards the end while Saïx moves past, eyes locked forward with a plan that only he knows about and is determined to keep silent.

Day 25.

The following days were strange for Roxas. After Axel had left for Castle Oblivion, Roxas had been partnered up with Xion, taking her out on missions alongside Chixada. Yet even during this time, she didn’t speak a word. Although she did manage to help out in battle, using some ice spells from her hands while Roxas and Chixada stood at the front, even then, her support was… not the best. It was as though she could only use magic, and at a beginner level as well. But all that changed when Xion said his name at the end of a mission, surprising both him and Chixada when she spoke. It was only a single sentence, but it still gave Roxas hope that she would open up more to them.

Something that was proved today, when Xion not only called out both Roxas and Chixada’s names but also removed her hood for the first time with a smile at both of them.

            “Best of luck today.” She tells them both with a smile while Roxas looks at her with a wide mouth before Chixada slaps him on the arm.

            “Close your mouth, boy. You’ll let a fly in at this rate.” He tells him in a semi-mocking tone before looking back at Xion. “Still, it's about time you dropped your hood. I was beginning to think you were like the other hooders. Anyway, do you two remember what our target is today?” 

            “I think so… It is one that is called a Darkside, right?” Roxas asks Chixada, who nods his head.

            “Yep. One of them. And they are big. And in this place, the most likely place to find them is at the train station. So let's get moving.” As Chixada summons his gun, Roxas summons the Kingdom Key to his side while Xion flexes her hands. Ready, the three head up the slope to the station. It was strange how no one seemed to be around the town as the trio quickly made their way up to the station's top. However, when they arrived, they found the area to be surprisingly empty.

            “Our target should be here… right?” Xion asks hesitantly as the three move forward.

            “It should be.” Roxas replies, looking around while tightly holding onto the Keyblade. Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook as something large landed behind them. Turning their gaze, the trio was soon met by a Darkside, seemingly landing from nowhere or having been holding onto the clock tower like a giant ape and out of sight.

            “Well, looks like it found us instead.” Chixada replies dryly, spinning his revolver around as Roxas and Xion get ready for a fight. “Alright, kids, let's see what you got.” With that, Chixada fires a dark round at the Darkside's head, clipping one of its tendrils as it slams a fist into the ground, conjuring up a portal of darkness and summoning several Shadow Heartless. Xion, seeing the Heartless, counters with a mix of Fire and Blizzard, leaving Roxas free to attack the hand before the Darkside can pull it back.

Not happy at having bits of its hand chopped off, the Darkside pulls it back before unleashing blasts of magic from its chest cavity, with Roxas and Xion focusing on dodging the blasts. Chixada, with the advantage of having a ranged weapon, continues to fire rounds at the Darkside's head, chipping away at it before sending out a blast of magic that neither Roxas nor Xion recognised. Although they do see what looks to be a faint shimmer of something behind Chixada, it vanishes before they can properly see it.

But the attack left its mark on the Darkside as, in an act of anger, it slammed its left hand into the ground, sending out a shockwave as it pulled out a dark orb before letting it fly into the sky. Smaller orbs rained down from above while Roxas attacked with Thunder along with Xion. Combined with a few more rounds from Chixada, the Darkside soon started to wobble on the spot as it lashed out at Roxas, managing to hit him and knock the Keyblade out of his hand, the blade spinning along the ground before stopping next to Xion.

            “You okay, kid!?” Chixada shouts, firing his gun at the Darkside as Roxas stumbles to his feet. He lets out a shaky nod as Xion watches him with concerned eyes until something happens that none of them expected. The Kingdom Key suddenly appears in Xion’s left hand.

            “What?” Roxas asks with wide eyes, as even Chixada looks at Xion in surprise. As for Xion, though briefly stunned at what had happened, she turns to look at the Darkside before falling into a mirror reflection of Roxas’s pose, rushing forward and slicing through the weakened Darkside in a single stroke.

            “Interesting…” Chixada remarks, watching Xion land perfectly as she looks over the blade in her hand, even as Roxas rushes up to her.

            “Wow, I… Xion, I didn’t know you could use the Keyblade.” Roxas tells her, surprise evident in his voice. Surprise that, to Chixada’s ears, sounded a bit more genuine than one would imagine for a Nobody.

            “You know… neither did I.” Xion replies, similarly surprised that she could use the Keyblade as she dismisses it. Roxas and Xion stare at each other for a moment, not believing the situation, until they both let out surprised chuckles as Roxas glances up at the clock tower.

            “You’ve earned the icing on the cake.”

            How did I know it would be up here? Chixada asks, watching Roxas and Xion sit on the edge of the clock tower as Roxas gives Xion an ice cream. Ah well… no need for a failure like me to barge in.

            “This is a great spot… How did you find it?” Xion asks Roxas as she gently takes the ice cream.

            “Our friend, Axel, showed me this spot when I first joined. He also introduced me to this ice cream as well: sea-salt ice cream. Go on, give it a try.” Hesitant at first, Xion bit into the ice cream, not sure what to expect until her mouth exploded with both sweetness and saltiness. And how surprisingly good it was as well!

            “It’s sweet… and salty.” Xion remarks with surprise as Roxas nods his head. As for Chixada, he lets out a chuckle at Xion’s reaction, taking a bite of his own ice cream.

            “That’s what everyone says the first time they have a bite.” He remarks with amusement in his voice.

            “But it’s still good.” Roxas counters with a grin. “Axel, Chixada, and I… we always come up here after work to eat ice cream. He did it when I first joined the Organization, as I said before, and again after I completed my first mission. Said it was the ‘icing on the cake’.”

            “Like you did for me?” Xion asks with a small smile. “You guys must be really close.”

            “Well, we are friends. Right, Chixada?” Roxas asks, glancing at Chixada, who glances away.

            “What do you mean? I’m only tagging along because it’s not boring.” He replies, not looking Roxas in the eyes.

            “Yeah, right.” Roxas replies with a grin as Xion lets out a chuckle.

            “Friends… Do you think… I could be a friend too?” She asks Roxas, who looks back at her with a smile.

            “When Axel gets back, we’ll all have ice cream together! All four of us!” 

            “Okay!” 

            “Dragging me in without my consent? Oh brother…” Chixada remarks, shaking his head and trying to hide his grin. I wonder if this is what it’s like to have friends… It’s… nice.

But while the trio were enjoying their break at the top of the clock tower, another person was watching them from down below. A woman with long blue hair and a hat covering her eyes silently nods to herself before heading back down the slope. Not too far away, Yu was standing next to a wall, eyes closed until he turned to look at her.

            “What’s your take, Naoto?” He asks her, pushing himself off the wall. “Do they match what DiZ has told us?”

            “It is hard to say.” Naoto replies, pushing her hat back a bit to reveal her eyes. “The two with their hoods down certainly act like they have emotions, but the one with his hood up is a different story. That… and his voice sounds familiar.” 

            “Familiar?” Yu asks as the two walk back. “You were the first to reach the site before that giant Heartless was killed. Did you manage to get close and listen in on them?”

            “As much as I want to say yes, there is not that much cover for me to hide behind up there.” Naoto remarks, flicking her hair back. “And I could just make out the hooded man from the distance I was at. And yet… his voice sounded familiar. But I can’t be sure until I hear him at a closer distance.” 

            “Still, we should keep an eye on them regardless.” Yu remarks, folding his arms. “There is something about the rest of them…” Naoto nods her head as the two head back to the manor outside the town. There are still so many questions to ask them, yet as long as they travel in groups, it will be hard to confront them.

Especially the ones using those key-like weapons.

Day 26.

When Roxas woke up today, he was hoping to go on another mission with Xion and Chixada. Sure, things had been quiet ever since Axel had left for Castle Oblivion, but he wasn’t alone with Chixada and now Xion there to talk to him. But when he entered the meeting room today, he was soon told of something that he did not want to hear.

            “Communications with Castle Oblivion have ended?” Roxas asks with wide eyes as Numbers III, IX, and XVI stand before him. XVI has his hood up as usual, while III and IX have theirs down. “What does that mean, Xaldin?”

            “It could mean anything.” Xaldin, Number III, replies, folding his arms, his long black dreadlocks flowing around him. “It could be a simple problem with the communication equipment.”

            “Yeah… but if there was a problem, then couldn’t one of them drop in to say so?” Number IX asks, moving his dirty blond bangs from his eyes. “I mean, there’s nothing stopping them from doing that, right?”

            “You freaks are way too optimistic.” Number XVI replies, letting out an annoyed tsk. “It’s clear to anyone that the ones over there have gone rogue.” 

            “Rogue?” Roxas asks, eyes wide. “That can’t be… Axel wouldn’t go rogue! Right, Demyx?”

            “Why are you asking me?” Demyx, Number IX, replies with some surprise in his eyes, just as Saïx walks over to them with an unamused look.

            “Enough. It is pointless to ponder what has happened over a lapse in communication. For now, focus on your missions. Do you understand, Number XVI?” Number XVI looks at Saïx, his hood blocking his view as he lets out an annoyed tsk at him.

            “Fine. But as you know, I only partner up with Number XV. No one else, you got it, brat?” He shoots a look at Roxas, making the young Nobody take a step back as Number XVI walks off to find Number XV, with Demyx letting out a sigh as he leaves.

            “Sheesh… why is he so serious all the time?”

            “It is to be expected.” Xaldin replies, arms behind his back. “He and Number XV joined at the same time, and Number XVI is loyal to him only. We should be thankful that Number XV is himself loyal to Lord Xemnas.” Roxas lets out an uncertain hum at that, looking back at the entrance. Even after all this time, he still didn’t know the names of Numbers XV, XVI, XVIII, and XIX. And it bugged him to no end.

            “That is enough, Roxas.” Saïx suddenly speaks, grabbing his attention. “Today, you will be paired with Number II, Xigbar. Your destination is Agrabah. There are sightings of an unusual version of the Red Nocturne Heartless in the streets. Find them and eliminate them.” 

            “I’m not paired with Xion or Chixada today?” Roxas asks, slightly disappointed.

            “Xion and Chixada will be on their own mission today. However, you must focus on yours. After all, you and Xion are the only ones who can free the captured hearts.” Saïx reminds Roxas before walking away with Xaldin and Demyx, just as another member walks up to him. With black hair that is halfway greying, braided into a long ponytail, an eye patch over his right eye, and a scar on the left side of his face.

            “Hey, kiddo. Ready for your first trip to Agrabah?” Xigbar asks Roxas, throwing an arm around him. “I promise it will be a fun experience!” 

            “Right…” Roxas replies hesitantly, even as Xigbar opens up a corridor of darkness. If he was being honest, he did feel slightly weird today ever since he woke up. It wasn’t noticeable or hampered his ability today, but it was still noticeable as he followed Xigbar to Agrabah.

And the first thing he noticed was the heat.

            “It’s… hot.” Roxas admits, wiping a hand over his head as he and Xigbar cover in the shade.

            “Yeah, no denying that.” Xigbar admits, waving a hand at his face. “You’d think these cloaks would help against the heat and cold, but nope! Only for moving through those dark corridors of ours. Urgh, already frying out here.” Shaking his head free of the sweat that was already building, Xigbar turns to Roxas as he tries to cool himself down. “C’mon, kiddo. Let’s get this investigation over with already.”

            “Right.” Roxas replies, placing a hand on his head for a moment. It felt dizzy for some reason, possibly the heat, as he followed Xigbar into Agrabah. The streets were empty, with their populace hiding from the heat—something that the two Nobodies couldn’t help but envy, even if they couldn’t feel envy. Soon, they found themselves at the palace entrance, the tall walls and ornate gates barring their way forward. “Big door…”

            “Probably leads to the palace entrance.” Xigbar remarks before letting out a smirk. “And it looks like our targets are right behind us.” Spinning around, Xigbar summons two arrow guns in his hands, made from silver and purple metals, with the arrows glowing like purple bolts of energy. Behind them, several larger versions of the Red Nocturne Heartless float before them, each one with a dark maroon body and red trimming. “Up and at 'em, kiddo!”

            “Got it!” Roxas calls back, firing a Blizzard at the closest one while Xigbar opens fire with his arrow guns. Each shot hits true as the Heartless counter with blasts of fire. While Roxas dives out of the way, Xigbar seemingly teleports around, easily avoiding the blasts of fire as Roxas gets close, swinging the Keyblade around and slicing a few Heartless in two while Xigbar provides support. Soon, the Heartless start to fall one by one, each Heartless slain releasing a captured heart. Soon, only one is left standing before being struck down by Roxas, who watches as the heart slowly floats into the sky.

            “Hey, what happens when the Heartless are destroyed? Other than releasing a heart?”

            “Nothing much else. The hearts remain. And then those hearts gather together to form the Kingdom Hearts.” Xigbar explains with a grin on his face. “I’m surprised you haven’t been told this yet.” 

            “Maybe I’ve forgotten, or they neither thought to tell me. But… what happens when a Nobody is destroyed? What do we leave behind?” Roxas asks Xigbar, the grin never leaving the older man’s face.

            “What is there for us to leave behind anyway? We’re not meant to ‘be’ in the first place.” Xigbar replies with remorse, something that Roxas couldn’t help but wince at as the pounding in his head got worse. It was something that Xigbar seemed to notice as his lone eye narrowed. “Hey, you doing fine, kiddo?” Roxas looked up at Xigbar, the pain in his mind seemingly getting worse until he felt his entire body give out from exhaustion. And as he fell towards the sand, his vision faded as the void consumed his mind.

Day 27.

            “Man… who could have seen this coming, huh?” Chixada asks, sitting in a chair with his hood down and looking at the sleeping form of Roxas. “Who knew Nobodies could get heatstroke, huh? You gave us all a scare, Rox. Xion especially. Not that we could feel it or anything.” Chixada leans back in the chair as he looks at Roxas, his mind swimming with thoughts as he folds his arms. “And we still have no communications coming from Castle Oblivion… Just what is going on over there…?” He cups his chin with his hands, his eyes narrowing in thought.

But before he could get too deep into his thoughts, something inside him alerted him to the presence of two members approaching the room. Eyes widening, Chixada glanced around before looking at the wardrobe in the room. Why it was here, he would never know since they only had one outfit, but hey, beggars couldn’t be choosers. Moving as fast as he could, Chixada got into the wardrobe and closed it, making sure his presence was as minimal as possible. And it was a good thing too, as the ones who entered were the ones he wanted to avoid the most.

            “Roxas has entered a deep sleep, Lord Xemnas.” Saïx informs the leader of the Organization, Number I, Xemnas. Xemnas doesn’t reply, simply walking up to the side of the bed, his gaze not leaving Roxas.

            “If he has fallen asleep, it can only mean that Sora has approached Castle Oblivion.” 

            “Or he has neared its area.” Saïx adds. Chixada narrows his eyes as the two converse. 

            “Will he awake from this?” Xemnas asks, his tone monotone and devoid of emotion. 

            “I am told Roxas will awaken once Sora has been stripped of his memories.”

            What? What the hell are they doing? Chixada asks mentally, part of him wanting to open the wardrobe and confront them. But he quickly shot that idea down. After all, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Xemnas and Saïx if he wanted to… ‘terminate’ his membership.

            “Then I suppose much hinges on Castle Oblivion.” Xemnas admits, his gaze not leaving Roxas.

            “Xion has gained power over the Keyblade, just as we intended.” Saïx reports to Xemnas, with Chixada narrowing his eyes even more. “She can fill Roxas’s shoes for the time being.” With that, Saïx leaves the room as Xemnas continues to look at Roxas for a while longer before he, too, leaves the room. Chixada waits in the wardrobe, feeling out with his inner self until he is sure they are gone.

            “Sheesh… that was close.” He admits as he steps out of the wardrobe. It makes me glad I still have you with me, my other self. Not that I’ll understand how. He looks over at the sleeping Roxas as he folds his arms, sitting back in the chair. Roxas… Xion… What the hell are they planning to do with you guys? He looks out the window, seeing the dark sky that permanently covers the skies. I think it’s time I stepped up my investigation—anything to atone for my past crimes, even if no one will accept them or know them. He looks back at Roxas, eyes narrowing as he makes his decision. I’ve had it with people using others as their own personal tools to be discarded. I need to tell Axel about this as well… I hope things are going okay over there…

In a vast field of grass, rolling over gentle hills and a sky filled with stars, a group of people sleeps on the cool grass. Each of them has followed a long, winding dirt path in the hope that they could find a way home or their lost friends. And yet, so far, they have not found the end of the path. So, here they are, sleeping under the stars after a long day of running, except for two of them, as sleep refuses to come to them.

            “Still can’t sleep, Sora?” Ren asks, leaning against a tree as he looks over at the young teen. “You’ve been distracted ever since we found ourselves here.”

            “Yeah.” Sora replies, giving his throat a rub. “Just a lot on my mind. That… and I wasn’t expecting my voice to break.” Ren shook his head at that as he thought back to how, as they were running along the dirt path, Sora’s voice suddenly deepened out of nowhere. It was certainly a shock to him as Donald and Goofy teased that he was still growing.

            “Well, it happens to all of us at some point.” Ren comments, looking back over at everyone as they sleep. “Still, I can’t help but wonder where we are.”

            “There has to be someplace around here.” Sora agrees, before glancing at Morgana. “By the way, haven’t you noticed that Morgana fell asleep before any of us?”

            “I did. Then again, he was a cat. Maybe he still has some of those instincts in him.” Ren comments in a joking tone before glancing at his left arm. “Still… You’re not the only one with thoughts on his mind.” Sora looks at him, giving him a sympathetic frown as he thinks back to their fight with Ansem, in which, for a brief moment, Ren's left arm was engulfed in a dark aura just like Riku's.

            “Ren… do you fear it?” Sora asks. Ren’s gaze doesn’t leave his arm as he lets out a sigh, letting his arm drop as he shakes his head.

            “I’m not sure. Ever since I awoke to Arsène, dark magic has always been a part of my arsenal. So it’s not using it that bothers me. It’s what happens if I let it control me.” Sora couldn’t blame Ren for that, after they saw what happened to Riku.

            “But… Riku managed to beat it in the end. We all saw him when we closed the door.” Sora replies, letting a grin form on his face. “And you’ve been using dark magic far longer than Riku. Maybe you have a natural resistance to it.”

            “Maybe.” Ren admits, looking back at the sky. “But there is another thing I have that Riku didn’t. I have people who will help me in case I start to go down the wrong path.” Sora nods his head at Ren, agreeing with him on that before standing up.

            “Hey, I think I saw some crossroads not too far away. Want to check it out?” Ren nods in agreement, standing up and following Sora. Soon, after a short walk, the two find themselves standing at a four-way fork in the road. Three choices are displayed to them, each one leading to a location or a never-ending road.

            “Well… which way should we go in the morning?” Sora asks Ren, who furrows his brow.

            “Hard to say… I think it’s best if we decide tomorrow.” Ren replies, looking at all three paths. Sora nods, agreeing that it would be best. But before they can go back, another voice decides to join in.

            “Along the road ahead lies something you need.” The voice remarks, prompting the two to spin around. Yet they see no one, even as they feel a presence behind them. “However… in order to claim it, you must lose something that is dear to you.” The two spin around, hands ready to summon their weapons until they see who exactly it was that was speaking to them: a floating figure in a very familiar black cloak.

            “Another person in a black cloak?” Ren asks, narrowing his eyes. “How many of them are there?” 

            “What are you even talking about?” Sora asks, ready to rush forward as the figure floats back down a path before vanishing. “And he’s gone… Typical.”

            “This screams of a trap.” Ren remarks, walking forward to the path the figure vanished down and marking an arrow on the ground. “But if it can lead us to getting out of here, then it’s worth checking out.” Sora nods at Ren before looking down the path the figure vanished down. As Sora looks down the path, something inside him seems to pulse with familiarity. That same sense of familiarity has been present ever since they arrived here, but he couldn’t figure out why. Either way, whatever waited for them at the end of this path, they would take it on as one—just as they took down Ansem.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: To Find Is To Lose…

            “Mrow… That was a good nap.” Morgana comments, rubbing his eyes as he sits up. “Hey, Ren, what’s for…” Before he could finish his sentence, Morgana soon realized he was not in the field with the others. Instead, he was sitting on what looked to be a giant floor of stained-glass, while around him was a black void, and above, a gentle beam of light shone down. “Okay…? Where am I now?” He asks, jumping to his feet as he looks himself over. “I’m still human, so that’s something. But what’s up with the glass?” Curious, Morgana looked below at the glass under him, his eyes widening as soon as he saw the picture.

It was of himself, dressed in his Thief attire, while his cat form, van form, and helicopter form surrounded him, striking a pose with his thumb up, holding his mask in his right hand, while Zorro floated behind him. Above him was a large circle that held the faces of everyone in the Thieves, with the original seven and Hifumi close to his head. The platform glowed in hues of black, white, and yellow. Around the edge, in a circular pattern, were the symbols of the Thieves, mixed with the Tarot numbers for the Magician.

            “Huh… not bad.” Morgana remarks, looking at his human form in his Thief attire. “I look good.”

            “Hahah! That you do, mi amigo.”  Zorro remarks, manifesting behind Morgana, his rapier in its holder. “But things are not so simple, comprender? It would seem you are being tested.”

            “Tested?” Morgana asks as three platforms suddenly appear along the edges of the platform: a sword that seems to flare out at the base, a katana, and a mace.

            “Strength still sleeps inside you, my other self. If you were to give it form, it will grant you new power. Choose wisely.” While Morgana tilted his head at Zorro for a moment, it soon clicked in his mind what exactly was happening as he looked around in excitement.

            “Isn’t this what Ren and Sora went through as well?” He asks out loud, a wide smile on his face before suddenly losing it. “But… there is no way it will be that easy.” With that in mind, Morgana glanced at the floating mace nearby. Curious as to why a mace of all things was presented to him, he walked up and picked it up, feeling its heavy weight in his hands as Zorro floated next to him.

            “The Mace of the Healer. Healer of all. Looking beyond, regardless of birth. Is this the form you choose?”

            “Nah.” Morgana replies, placing the mace back. “Sure, I’m one of our best healers, but that doesn’t really fit me.” He turns to the katana, walking toward it and gently grasping the blade. “What about this one?”

            “The Katana of the Thief. Chivalrous thievery. The power to shake the foundations of society. Is this the form you choose?”

            “Heh… I would say that sounds like me.” Morgana quips, placing the katana back. “But I like to broaden my options. So…” He turns to the sword, walking towards it and gently grasping the blade. “What’s this one?”

            “The Sword of the Magic Seeker. The one that pursues the magical path. Venturer of unknown lands. Is this the form you choose?”

            “Magic Seeker, huh?” Morgana comments, turning the blade over in his hand. While the ‘magic’ part might be redundant, the ‘seeker’ part called out to him more than he realized. Now that he thought about it, hadn’t he always been seeking something? Whether it be his memories, a way to become human, or finding a way to be useful, he was always searching for something. And so, thinking on that, Morgana had no problem holding the blade up above his head. “I’ll go with this one.”

            “Fantástico.” Zorro replies as the sword turns to light and flows into Morgana’s arm. “But one must exchange in return. What shall it be?”

            “Give up, huh?” Morgana comments, looking between the katana and mace before settling on his choice. “I’ll give up the mace.” At that, the mace on the pedestal vanishes into light, followed by the remaining three pedestals and the katana as the sword Morgana had chosen appears in his right hand. “Huh… not bad. It’s got a good weight to it.”

            “Mayhap you should focus on them, tal vez.” Zorro suddenly remarks as several Shadow Heartless appear around Morgana, who lets out a long sigh.

            “Not them again.” He remarks, falling into his combat stance with two Shadows leaping at him. Without batting an eye, Morgana slices at them, cleaving them in two before quickly moving on to the others. After everything he and the others went through, facing off against these Shadows was more than child’s play for him. “Hmph, it’s almost scary how good I am.”

            “Overconfidence can lead to your downfall, mi amigo.” Zorro warns. “After all, I cannot assist you here.”

            “I know.” Morgana replies with a grin. “Don’t worry. I’m serious when it comes to bigger foes.” No sooner do those words leave Morgana's lips than a flash of light transports him to a place he has not seen in ages. “Shujin Academy's rooftop?” Morgana asks, looking around at the plant-covered roof filled with Haru’s plants. “Why am I here?” The moment he asks that, Ren appears in a sparkly flash of light, leaning against one of the giant radiators while looking through his phone. “Ren?”

            “What are you afraid of, Morgana?” Ren asks Morgana, who blinks at Ren in surprise.

            “You already know, Ren. I'm afraid of breaking everyone up." Ren looks at him with a smirk before vanishing, leaving Morgana puzzled as Ann appears seconds later while sitting in a chair and looking through a magazine. "Lady Ann?”

            “What do you want out of life?” She asks, her eyes not leaving the magazine as Morgana blinks once more.

            Am I being questioned? And if so… why do it this way? Morgana wanders to himself before shaking his head. Still, what do I want, huh? Well, I’m already a human, so I can score that out. And if I really want to think about it… “I want to stay with everyone I care about, no matter what.” Ann looks up at him with a smile as she vanishes, with one more person appearing next to a table. One he honestly wasn’t expecting.

            “Hifumi?” Morgana asks, surprised to see her here with a shogi board.

            “What is most important to you?” She asks, moving a piece across the board. Morgana blinks at her, not expecting the question as he leans backwards on his feet.

            “What is most important?” He asks back, looking upwards at the sky as a smile forms on his lips. “The memories I have made with everyone.” Hifumi nods at him before vanishing as Zorro appears atop one of the AC units.

            “You are afraid of breaking everyone up. You want to stay with everyone you care about, regardless of your appearance. You cherish the memories you have made. Opciones interesantes.”

            “What can I say? I’m a creature of habit.” Morgana replies with a smirk as he finds himself back on the stained-glass floor. “Now then… what’s next for me?” A rumble almost sends Morgana to the floor as something lands behind him. “What the—!?” He shouts, spinning around with the sword coming to his hand. But what he sees shocks him.

It looked to be a giant Pureblood Heartless, but what it was made of gave Morgana chills. It was a giant black cat with glowing yellow eyes and a mouth muzzled in chains, while pieces of what were once a van were strapped to its sides and legs. A wheel was embedded in the back of each paw, while the tail had a stabilizing blade found on a helicopter, and on top were the blades of a helicopter, each one sharpened like a saw on one side.

            “What is that!?” Morgana shouts as the Heartless leaps at him with a deep growl, almost sounding cat-like but deeper and more feral. Rolling along the ground, Morgana shakes his head as he glances at the Heartless cat. “Dammit… I’ll figure it out later! Right now, I need to teach you some manners!” Rushing forward, Morgana slides under the Heartless’s paw, slicing at one of its exposed legs before jumping up and bringing the sword down on the tail. The blade cuts clean through, managing to slice it off as the Heartless cat leaps away with a hiss before spinning up the blades on its back.

With a roar, the Heartless cat leaps forward, intent clear as the blades angle towards Morgana, who ducks to the side, just missing the spinning blades before lashing upwards with the sword, leaving a deep gash that creates a trail of dark smoke from the Heartless cat. As Morgana, keeping up the pressure, leaps up and slices the helicopter blade off, the Heartless growls and spins the wheels in its feet before dashing forward, aiming to bash Morgana off to the side.

            “Not today!” Morgana shouts, jumping upwards and bringing the blade down right into the right eye of the Heartless. It lets out a cry of pain, shaking its head to throw Morgana off as he holds onto the sword. Seeing Morgana not move an inch, the Heartless rears back its paw to bash him off, only for Morgana to start dragging the blade up the Heartless and along its back before finally jumping off as the Heartless collapses to the ground, vanishing into dark smoke seconds later. But as the Heartless vanishes, Morgana can’t help but think back on its appearance… and what it could have meant.

            “Was that… what I could have looked like if I had become a Heartless?”

            “Probablemente. However, you would never succumb to such a fate, si?” Zorro asks, forming next to Morgana.

            “Yeah. No matter what, I won’t become that. If I did, I’d be letting everyone down.” Morgana replies with a grin as Zorro nods at him before glancing around. “Zorro?”

            “This trial has reached its end. And with it, this dream. It would seem we are being called back to the realm of the awake, mi amigo.” He looks back at Morgana, his mouth hidden by his moustache. “Let us see what the future awaits us.” And with that, a flash of light blinded Morgana as he felt himself once more resting on soft grass, with someone next to him gently pushing him awake as he opened his eyes in protest.

            “I’m up… I’m up.” Morgana quips, pushing back Futaba’s hand as he sits up, stretching his arms and back while looking around. He sees everyone doing the same, with Ren and Sora standing nearby. “What’s up?”

            “We think there’s a place not too far away from us.” Sora comments, folding his arms. “Although we think it’s a trap.”

            “How so?” Makoto asks, rubbing her eyes as Ryuji and Ann let out a joint yawn. 

            “Well, we were confronted by a man in a black coat.” Ren replies bluntly, shocking everyone. “It wasn’t the same man as the one from Hollow Bastion or from our dream; his voice gave that away. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be careful.”

            “Another person in a black coat? What’s so special about them?” Mishima asks, pushing himself up as everyone else does the same.

            “We can figure that out later. Right now, we should discuss whether or not we should follow the path our mysterious stranger chose.” Sae replies, looking at Ren and Sora. “You marked the path he took, yes?”

            “We did.” Sora replies, folding his arms. “But I’m wondering if we should.”

            “It is possible that whatever lies at the end will allow us to summon the Highwind.” Lavenza comments, dusting down her attire. “If we are able to locate and retrieve it, we will be able to continue our search for our companions in a more comfortable way.”

            “It is a very tempting choice.” Akechi remarks, hand on his chin. “All the same, we should not drop our guard for even a moment.”

            “No complaints from me.” Ryuji remarks as the group heads out. There is uncertainty in the air, yet a unified resolve to see it to the end. But even as they move toward their unknown destination, someone else has already ended up there before them.

Or rather, a group of them.

In an endless void of white clouds, four people floated in a calm sleep, deaf to everything around them as they drifted in the endless expanse, until one of them slowly started to come to.

            “Where am I?” Riku asks, slowly opening his eyes to see the surrounding white and grey clouds. A yawn from behind him indicates that Labrys is also seemingly waking up from whatever nap they were taking, as Zack and Rinoa quickly follow with their own grunts. “You guys okay?”

            “Doing good.” Zack comments, moving himself into an upright position as he cracks his neck before suddenly realizing what is going on. “Sooo… does anyone know why we are floating here? Or where we are exactly?”

            “I was about to ask that.” Rinoa comments, stretching her arms as Labrys somehow manages to flip herself upside down. “Need help, Labrys?” 

            “Nah, I’m good!” Labrys quickly denies, spinning herself upright after a few attempts, only to soon start cartwheeling before Zack floated over and grabbed her. “Urgh… I’m gonna hurl…”

            “Please not at me…” Riku comments, moving to an upright position before looking around. “Still, what happened? We were with King Mickey and Aqua when we stopped to rest. Weren’t you on lookout, Zack?” 

            “I was.” Zack admits, rubbing his head. “But before I knew it, I was falling asleep. I don't know why; I wasn’t even tired.”

            “Maybe you got hit by a sleep spell?” Rinoa offers as Zack shrugs his shoulders. While they were more than willing to rack their brains as to how they even ended up here, that was soon put to a halt as a voice was heard echoing around them.

            “Stay asleep.”

            “Who’s there!?” Riku shouts, sensing something familiar about the voice as he, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa go on the defensive.

            “You should remain asleep. Here, between light and dark.”

            “Ah you for real right now?” Labrys asks, shaking her head. “Why would we do that?”

            “More importantly, where are the king and Aqua?!” Rinoa shouts at the clouds around them. “We closed the Door to Darkness with the others and then travelled to find a way out together!”

            “You all came drifting here by yourselves.” The voice replies, shocking the four. “Indeed, together you all could defeat the darkness, but individually you could not. Especially you.” The voice seemed to focus on Riku more than anyone else as he clenched his hands together. “Or… maybe you are too close to it.”

            “Hmph… You make it sound like I’m some sort of demon.” Riku scoffs back.

            “You’re not doing any favours for yourself here.” Zack adds, folding his arms with an unamused look.

            “Turn from the light. Shut your eyes. Here, blanketed by the darkness, sleep is safety. Sleep is eternal. But…” In a surprising flash of light, a card manifests before Riku. With a blue back featuring the light highlight of a heart with a crown in it, a blue border on the front, the top shaped like Sora’s crown, and an image of what looks to be Hollow Bastion on the front, framed in black, and a small circle at the bottom right with a crown in it.

            “A card?” Labrys asks, watching as it floats around the four of them. The voice that spoke to them next sounds… different from the first.

            “It is a door to the truth. Take it, and your sleep ends as you take the first steps towards the truth. But know this: the truth will still bring you pain. Will you still go and face it with your own eyes?” Riku looks at the card, the current voice speaking to them sounding as though it is focusing solely on Riku as the previous voice returns.

            “There is no return to the security of sleep.”

Riku closes his eyes, debating in his mind silently before looking back up at the card with a smirk. Truth be told, it was not a hard choice to make as he grasped the card in his hand, turning to the others who were all smiling in agreement. 

            “This seemed like a boring place to take a nap anyway.” He replies with a smirk, as the two voices seem to chuckle at Riku's response—something that the trio before him couldn't help but do as well.

            “That was very well said, Riku.” The first voice speaks just as the card in Riku’s hand glows with a blinding light. As the four covered their eyes, they soon felt their feet resting on solid ground. By the time the light vanished, the four of them found themselves in a long white corridor, with white columns along the walls and white flower pots with white flowers.

            “Why is everything either white or light grey?” Labrys asks, shaking her head as the group looks around. “Man, if Yusuke or Tao were here, they would have a field day.” 

            “It looks like there is only one way out.” Rinoa comments, motioning to the lone cream door at the far end. Riku narrows his eyes before looking back at the card in his hand.

            “A door to the truth, huh?” He asks, not convinced, before shaking his head. “Well, might as well see what’s on the other side.” Without much choice, Riku walks up to the door with the card in hand. Almost as though it were sensing his presence, the door shines with a golden glow along with the card as it vanishes into light. The door opens seconds later, revealing a portal of light, with the four entering moments later. But where they ended up was something Riku was not hoping to ever see again. 

            “This is Hollow Bastion!” Riku shouts with wide eyes as Labrys and Zack look around in surprise. As for Rinoa, her eyes are wide with shock while her mouth hangs open.

            “What you see is not real. It’s the world of your memory.” The first voice tells them, snapping them out of their stupor. “The things you remember from your time at Maleficent’s castle became a card, and that card made this world. You’ve seen everything here before, haven’t you?”

            “Yeah…” Riku replies uneasily, bad memories coming to his mind as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa look at him with worry. “So what now? Am I going to learn something? Meet someone?”

            “You would meet the people in your memories. Normally.” The voice replies before going silent as Riku lets out an annoyed huff. As for Rinoa, she couldn’t help but look at the devastation around her, a hand coming to her mouth as her mind put together the uncomfortable truth.

            “Hollow Bastion… That is not this world’s name.” She replies, a slight quiver in her voice as all eyes turn to her. “This place is… was… Radiant Garden.” 

            “Hold up. Radiant Garden? Your home that was the first to fall to the Heartless?” Zack asks again as Rinoa slowly nods her head. “Well, ain’t that peachy…” 

            “So, Maleficent turned your home into her base of operations? Talk about evil.” Labrys remarks, shaking her head as Riku glances around with a heavy sigh.

            “Believe me, this isn’t the worst I’ve seen around here.” Riku tells them with a heaviness in his voice. “Well, might as well start exploring. Hopefully, we can find the source of those two voices.” It wasn’t much of a plan, but with no other option left for them, the four turned to move into the castle. But as they did so, a Defender and four Shadows appeared to stop them.

            “Of COURSE they would be—!” Zack starts, only to stop as he, Labrys, and Rinoa are suddenly engulfed in light and vanish. Riku looks back, stunned at their vanishing, before feeling something appear in his left hand. It is a green version of the card from before, only this time it sports the faces of Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa on each one, along with more cards suddenly appearing on his belt, each one either red, blue, green, or black. Even as he summons Soul Eater to his hand, Riku can’t help but shout in frustration.

            “WHAT IS GOING ON!?”

Meanwhile, in a white room, a girl sat in a chair, drawing away at a sketchbook with a pencil in hand. Wearing a white sleeveless dress that stopped at her thighs, light blue sandals with small yellow flowers on the strap, blonde hair that stretched just a bit past her shoulders, and blue eyes, she seemed lost in her thoughts. Next to her, trapped in a cage, was a stuffed doll of her and another girl, which held what looked to be an old studio record. Smiling to herself with sadness, she placed her book down, satisfied with what she had drawn.

At the same time, outside of her current place of residence, while being trapped on one of its countless floors, Ren, Sora, and the others approached the end of their road. They found themselves on a winding strip of white rock leading up to a very strange castle of brown stone and green roofs. In fact, the castle's architecture was remarkable, with its tower tops resembling interesting isosceles triangles and a noticeable monster with horns at the centre centre of the castle. Two smaller parts of the castle, lying on floating islands, were joined to the main structure by chains.

            “Well, that is certainly the most interesting castle we’ve ever seen.” Futaba remarks as they all walk up to the main doors. 

            “Ya think so? I’d say Disney Castle is more impressive.” Goofy replies with his usual joy while the others all stare at the castle.

            “But why is it here? And why is the surrounding area so… different?” Haru asks, motioning to the swirling mass of dark clouds that encircle the castle, forming a dark corridor that stretches on behind them. It is certainly a shock how the entire area seems to change the moment they get close to the castle, as though only this specific area has been forcibly changed.

            “Perhaps we will find out inside?” Yusuke asks, framing the architecture with his hands. With everyone either humming in agreement or remaining silent, something suddenly wormed into them as they all turned to the doors with slightly wide eyes. And before anyone knew it, they were all walking to the door, with Isara and Sora opening it with little difficulty. They found themselves in a long white corridor with a cream door at the far end.

            “Why is everything white?” Shiho asks as the team enters the building. 

            “Seriously… it’s all brown and green outside, but pure white and light grey inside?” Ann agrees, scratching her head. “Talk about no symmetry.” 

            "Such a blank canvas!" Yusuke shouts, shaking his head in disappointment. "To have such interesting architecture, yet use nothing but white and grey… I shall fix this monotone scene with all haste!"

            “Who cares?” Donald remarks, shaking his head and cutting Yusuke off from his rant. “We’ve got to move forward if we want to find the king. Something tells me he is here.” 

            “You as well?” Isara asks, grabbing Donald’s attention. “Because I felt that Labrys would be here.”

            “You too, Isara?” Sumire asks with wide eyes. “Because I was thinking that exact same thing.” One by one, each of them said the exact same thing: that they all felt the ones they were looking for were somewhere in the castle. Even Jiminy felt it for some reason, yet he didn’t have an emotional attachment to any of them, save for possible King Mickey.

            “This can’t be a coincidence.” Hifumi remarks, shaking her head. “All of us thinking the exact same thing?”

            “Guess you were right about thinking this could be a trap.” Morgana comments to Ren, who nods his head.

            “So what’s the plan, guys?” Ryuji asks, hands in his pockets. “Charge forward and see what happens?”

            “At this point, that seems to be the only thing we can do.” Futaba remarks, looking at the door. “We’ve only got one way forward.”

            “Shouldn’t we close the door?” Sophia asks innocently. “We left it open when we entered.”

            “Right. It would be rude not to close it.” Goofy agrees with her, turning to look at the doors, only for his jaw to drop. “Fellas!” He cries, pointing at the door as all eyes turn to it. Standing before the doors was a man in a black coat, closing the doors himself before walking towards them without hesitation.

            “That’s it! Who are you!?” Sora shouts as the team summons their weapons and Thief attire. As for Donald and Goofy, they summon Save the Queen and Save the King, respectively, neither of them noticing that something is affecting them.

            “Not gonna answer us? Then we’ll make you! Thundaga!” Donald shouts, aiming at the figure with Save the Queen. Yet not a blast of lightning falls from the sky as all eyes turn to look at Donald. “Huh? Come on… Thundaga! THUNDAGA! BLIZZAGA! FIRAGA!” Yet no matter what Donald tries, Save the Queen refuses to cast a spell as the figure comes to a stop nearby. “Why isn’t it working?”

            “Don’t worry, we can handle him!” Knight shouts, reaching for his keychains to switch the Kingdom Key to the Ultima Weapon. Yet when he pulls them out, he is shocked to see them turn into cards. “What, the keychains—!?”

            “Ziodyne!” Skull shouts, ripping his mask off to cast a spell. Yet Captain Kidd does not appear behind him. Even his mask refuses to vanish as a sudden sense of dread starts to fall over everyone.

            Arsène! What’s wrong!? Joker mentally asks, his eyes locked on the figure as he tightly holds onto Lupin. 

            I am not sure… Something is sealing us away! Arsène’s voice echoes in Joker’s mind as the figure looks at all of them with an amused expression. Well, some sort of expression. They couldn’t really tell with the hood obscuring their face.

            “I should think it’s obvious.” The figure tells them, amusement in his voice. “The moment you entered this castle, every skill and ability you ever learned was sealed away. You are now at the mercy of this castle’s rules.” The team could only growl at the figure as he holds up a hand to them. “In this place, to find is to lose, and to lose is to find.”

            “How does that relate to our abilities being sealed?” Athena asks, her eyes narrowing at the man as he chuckles. 

            “In truth, I would say that you have forgotten your abilities. But it would seem you lot are of stronger mind than expected. However, that is still the way of Castle Oblivion.” 

            “Castle Oblivion?” Knight asks, narrowing his eyes. The figure nods at him, almost in an approving manner.

            “That is correct. Here you will meet people that you have known in the past. And you will meet people that you miss.” The figure tells them all cryptically, his words putting the team on edge with every syllable. “If what you want… is to find them…” He holds up his right hand before firing a black gust of wind mixed with glowing rose petals at the team. As one, they all raise their hands to block the wind, just as the figure dashes past Joker and Knight. The two stumble for a moment, taken aback by the sudden movement of the figure before turning to look at him, standing before the door impassively.

            “What did you do!?” Joker shouts, grabbing his gun and aiming at the figure.

            “I merely sampled your memories and created these to reunite you with those you hold dear.” He holds up two cards, one depicting Traverse Town and the other… looking like a city with neon lights, spray-painted walls, tall skyscrapers with lights beaming up to the sky, and a golden statue of someone. Not that anyone could make it out until the figure tossed the two cards at Joker and Knight, the two of them catching them without issue before looking them over.

            “What are these? Cards?” Knight asks as Joker looks over the card. Something about the image on the front… felt familiar for some reason. Familiar… and pissing him off at the same time. 

            “Why do I feel such… anger at seeing that image?” Fox asks as he and Crow look over Joker’s shoulders. 

            “I do not know why, but so do I.” Crow admits as Joker looks back up at the figure.

            “It’s a promise for the reunion you seek.” The figure replies. “Hold the cards up to the door, and beyond it, a new world.” The figure steps to the side, holding his left hand up at the door. “Proceed, Sora. To lose and claim anew, or to claim anew only to lose…” And with that, the figure vanishes into a portal of darkness, leaving the team alone as they look over the cards.

            “Doesn’t this card… look like Traverse Town?” Panther asks, tilting her head at the card in Knight’s hand. 

            “It does… but what does he even mean by new world?” Knight asks as Lavenza catches a glimpse of the card Joker is holding. And for a moment, her breath hitched at what she saw.

            No… it couldn’t be, could it? She asks herself as Joker and Knight glance at each other before nodding. Without any other option, the two approach the door with cards in hand. Almost instantly, the cards glow in tandem with the door, opening on silent hinges as a portal of light opens for all of them. Without hesitation, the group moves inside, feeling themselves being transported until the blinding light vanishes. Knight immediately sees their surroundings.

            “This IS Traverse Town!” He shouts as Donald and Goofy stand on either side of him. 

            “Although it looks a little different.” Goofy comments, noting how it looked like they were in a back alley in the first district.

            “Of course. What you see isn’t real.” The mysterious figure comments from behind, grabbing the trio's attention. With a startled cry, all three of them jump back, weapons ready. “This town is an illusion created by your memories ingrained on that card.”

            “My memories?” Knight asks, confused, until Jiminy pops his head from Knight’s hood. The fact that he wore it in Thief form while not in casual clothes never seemed to bug him, though. 

            “Forget about that, Knight! We’re down seventeen heads!” As soon as Jiminy said that, Knight, Donald, and Goofy suddenly realized that the Phantom Thieves had vanished. 

            “Wak!? Where did they go!?” Donald shouts in alarm, looking all over.

            “They have their own journey to take.” The figure replies cryptically. “For you are all at the mercy of the cards now. Master the cards, and you can regain their strengths, if only for a short time. Now… let me show you how to fight.” The moment he said that, Donald and Goofy were suddenly enveloped in a green light before transforming into orbs and shooting to Knight's left hand. Transforming into cards with their faces on them, along with seventeen cards depicting the Phantom Thieves, a deck appeared on Knight’s belt, filled with red, blue, and green cards, and one black, as Knight suddenly felt a headache coming on. 

            Oh boy… I sure hope Joker and the others are having a better time than we are! Wherever they are!

            “Okay… where are we?” Oracle asks as the team finds themselves in a clean alley with a chain-link fence. Small shops line one side, while a wall with spray paint faces the opposite side. “And where the hell did Knight, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy go?”

            “Well, Knight was holding his own card. Maybe they are in a different world?” Panther supplies, but not confidently. As for Lavenza, she was looking around the place with sad eyes as she silently shook her head.

            So… we are once more back here. Or… are you trapped here as well, Hikari?

            “Are we back in The Streets?” Shinobi asks before shaking her head. “No… there’s not enough paint.” 

            “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m feeling very angry right now for some reason.” Queen remarks, shaking her head as Noir and Violet simmer next to her. But why they were angry, they could not figure out for the life of them. 

            “Just what the hell is this place?” Skull asks, slightly irritated, smashing a hand on his head.

            “C’mon… it’s a place made from your memories. I’m shocked you folks can’t even remember it.” A voice echoes behind them as they see a new person leaning on a wall, one with spiky red hair who looks at them with a carefree attitude. “That card you guys used was created from your memories. Everything around here is an illusion, sure, but it was still made from your memories.” Axel tells them as he pushes himself off the wall.

            “Who… are you?” Athena asks cautiously, her eyes locked on Axel for some reason as he approaches them with a grin. 

            “Curious, eh? Then allow me to introduce myself. My name is Axel. Number VIII. Got it memorized?” He asks, tapping the side of his head.

            “Is that… your catchphrase?” Spring asks, her grip on her spear not relaxing. He may have his hood down, but he is wearing a black cloak just like the others. 

            “Far as I can remember.” Axel admits, waving a hand in the air. 

            “What do you mean this place was created from our memories?” Edel asks, flexing her hands. “None of us remembers this.”

            “And it certainly doesn’t match The Streets.” Crow adds with narrowed eyes. “How can you say that such a place is in our memories?” Axel tilts his head at them, rubbing the side of his face as his smile never leaves.

            “Well, it’s simple. You guys have forgotten.” He replies simply. “But even if you have, Castle Oblivion does not lie. If you have forgotten, doesn’t that mean you want to remember what happened?” The group all looks at each other, a bit uncertain at that. But they would be lying if they said they weren’t interested in what was going on.

            “Alright… you have our attention.” Noir comments as Axel’s smile grows wider. 

            “Heh, that’s more like it.” Axel comments with a grin. “But I'm sure you're wondering where the others are, right? Don't worry, they're just in a different part of the castle at the whims of the card.” 

            “The whims of the card?” Violet asks, tilting her head.

            “That’s right. In Castle Oblivion, everything is dictated by cards: how you move to new rooms, how you fight, hell, how you even get to a new floor. Well… unless you are us and can cheat, that is.” Axel allows a smug grin to form on his face before vanishing as he looks at Joker. “I can help teach you how to fight, if you want?” Joker narrows his eyes, contemplating Axel’s offer as he looks at the others. Part of him wants to flat-out refuse, and yet… considering how they could do nothing before, learning how this place operates would be the wiser choice, even if it stung a bit.

            “Okay… Axel, was it? Teach us how this place works.” Joker agrees, semi-reluctantly, as Axel nods at him.

            “Smart choice, Joker.” Axel tells him with a grin. “But first…” Before anyone could reply, everyone barring Joker suddenly transformed into green lights, condensing in Joker’s hand as they all turned into cards with their faces. Along with ones showing Knight, Donald, and Goofy, a deck holder sporting red, blue, and green cards formed on his belt, along with a single black one. 

            “What did you do!?” Joker shouts, pointing Lupin at Axel, who holds up his hands.

            “I did nothing. That’s just how this place works. But if you master how the cards work, then you won’t notice a difference. Now then…” He holds his arms to the side, summoning his spiked chakram wheels as he falls into a combat stance. “Let’s get this lesson started, yeah?” With a grimace, Joker does the same as he, for the first time since awakening, readies himself for a solo fight.

He could only hope Knight was having a better time than he was.

In a white room with a crystal-clear orb held in place by four leaf-like prongs, a girl sits holding an old cinema reel. Wearing a black and orange school uniform, which consists of a sailor shirt and a skirt with black tights underneath, along with brown loafers, a white hat with a film reel sits atop her head. Short white hair covers her head, while her red eyes are glued to the film reel in her hands, winding it back as each one carries a scene etched into it: a scene of someone in a superhero outfit grabbing three people with a dark grin on his face.

            “Everyone… Please remember. About me… about the adventure we all shared…” She lets out a sigh, glancing to the side at the young girl drawing in her notebook. Sadness is etched on her face as she leans back in her chair. “…and about the past that none of you even know about… all of you.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Kamoshidaman!?

            “Not bad, Joker! You’ve got a good handle on the cards!” Axel quips, ducking away from Joker as he dismisses his chakrams. “I believe that's enough of a training spar, don't you think?” Joker only grunts in response as he spins Lupin around before dismissing it. If he was being honest, it was a pain to memorize it all. Using red cards to attack with different numbers, with 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest? And a 0 card that can break an attack? Not to mention how combining three cards together not only made them stronger but also allowed him to use Persona skills, while the blue cards allowed him to use Keyblade magic. Although the only cards he had were Reflect and Stop, considering those were the only two spells he knew before entering Castle Oblivion.

And then there were the green cards for using items or healing, along with the cards that held the faces of his friends, which summoned them to the field for a short moment. And that wasn’t even getting into the black card he held, which was a picture of Yaldabaoth in his god form! Why did he need an ‘enemy card’!?

            “And I’m guessing that there are different cards to move through this place as well?” Joker asks with zero enthusiasm in his voice as Axel nods at him.

            “Bingo.” Axel replies, snapping his fingers, just as the sixteen cards in Joker’s hand glow with a bright light. Suddenly, they shoot out of his hand, materializing back into the Thieves as they all stand there, either confused, in a fighting stance, or somewhere in between.

            “What the hell was that!?” Skull shouts, looking around as Fox eases his stance. “We turned into cards and had to watch Joker fight by himself!”

            “Urgh… my brain hurts…” Oracle freely admits, rubbing her head. “I did NOT have ‘get turned into a Yu-Gi-Oh card’ on my bingo list today…”

            “Them’s the breaks!” Axel calls out to her with a grin before rubbing his arm. “Still, you all certainly know how to land a punch. Especially you…” Axel admits, tilting his head at Athena. “Athena, was it? Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

            “Hmph.” Athena replies, flicking her hair to the side in a manner that definitely had the team giving her some hidden looks. Was she… flirting? “Then I hope you remember it.”

            “Yeah… definitely memorized.” Axel freely admits, rubbing the back of his head. “Anyway! Now you are ready to take on Castle Oblivion! Are you folks ready to find some lost memories?”

            “What is the price?” Crow asks, rubbing his cheek. “Surely there would be some sort of cost for us to climb higher?” Axel looks at him before looking at all the Thieves. Normally, he would have told them what Marluxia had them all rehearse. And yet… seeing how their powers were sealed and not reset back to square one…

            “How about you find out on your own?” Axel replies with a smile before giving them a wave. “See ya!” And with that, he vanishes into a portal of darkness, leaving the Thieves standing as Joker looks over the deck on his belt.

            “I think it’s best if we just roll with the punches…” Joker comments in a dry tone before glancing at a nearby door. It wasn’t hard to miss it, seeing how it was pure white like the entrance hall to Castle Oblivion. “For now, let’s just move forward as much as we can. Hopefully, we can find Knight and the others as we climb.”

            “And figure out what this place is.” Queen adds, glancing around the area with some irritation in her eyes. “Why do I feel the need to punch a statue?”

            “You’re not the only one.” Violet admits, walking forward with heavy steps while Noir drags her axe along the floor. Something that the rest of the team, barring Joker, Fox, and Crow, felt intimidated by.

            “Dude… what’s got them all riled up?” Outlaw asks Spring, who shrugs her shoulders as the rest of the group follows after the girls. As they all wander, they wonder what the hell had happened here.

            “Sheesh… can’t we get a chance to fight properly!?” Zack shouts in annoyance as he, Labrys, and Rinoa are freed from the cards… again. “This is starting to get annoying!”

            “Tell me about it…” Riku agrees, rolling his shoulder. “I mean, I’m glad I can still call on you guys, but this is just…” Labrys and Rinoa sighed in unison as the four of them approached another door, which opened up in a flash of light. But what they found on the other side was not what they were expecting.

            “A room?” Rinoa asks, looking around at the surprisingly tidy room.

            “This is the room that I was given when I arrived here.” Riku admits, eyes wide with surprise. “Everything is just how I remember it. Even the dust in the corner and the books that are just sticking out.”

            “Okay… that is really freaky.” Labrys remarks, looking around with wide eyes.

            “It must be nice being back in your old bedroom. Think of all the memories…” The first voice asks Riku, almost sounding condescending in its tone.

            “Oh, would you look who it is?” Zack drawls sarcastically as Riku lets out a scoff.

            “Sorry, but these are memories I could easily do without.” Riku freely admits. “After all, it was Maleficent and Jerri who gave me this room, and I would rather forget all about that.”

            “They did. And so you lived here, tempted by the darkness inside you, fuelled by Maleficent and Jerri. You cast away your home, your friends, everything… But at least they gave you a nice room.”

            “That’s low…” Labrys remarks, shaking her head while Riku growls.

            “But he’s right in a way…” Riku bites out before shaking his head. “Enough. Let’s get out of here. I can’t stand being in here a second longer.” No one was going to argue against that as the four quickly left the room, but they soon found themselves entering a different area than before, much to their collective confusion.

            “Um… this wasn’t where we came from.” Zack openly calls out, rubbing his head as the four look around. They were now on the upper ring of the main atrium, the fountain on the bottom floor still flowing with water as Riku looks down at a mark on the ground.

            “That spot… That’s where Sora awoke to his Persona… right after reclaiming the Keyblade from me.” Riku admits, his eyes locked on the scorch mark on the stone floor. “But why isn't he or any of his other friends here? If this is from my memories, then shouldn't we be seeing them here? And how come we haven't even seen anyone from Maleficent's council?”

            “Nothing but Heartless.” Rinoa comments as the four drop down to the floor. “So why is it that we haven’t seen anyone?”

            “Is it not obvious? Riku cast them aside.” The first voice booms over them, drawing all eyes upward. “He dreamed of the outside world, and he passed through the Door to Darkness. Behind him, he left his family, his friends, his home. Everything… all in the pursuit of darkness.”

            “I did not even want that in the first place!” Riku shouts back, narrowing his eyes. “Maleficent and Jerri forced that on me!”

            “And yet you have not fully thrown it away, have you? Is that all your heart knows? How to throw things away and the darkness? It is nothing but empty. Just like that room. And just like your memories. That is why you don’t meet anyone. Your heart is hollow… filled with nothing but the darkness left to you.”

            “Are you just gonna sit there, whether you are, and just insult him like this?” Zack asks with annoyance in his voice. “Because it is starting to get old right now.”

            “And what do you all have to say? A ‘hero’ who could not defend the ones he loves? A warrior who allowed herself to become trapped by saving another? Or a former doll that has only now gained a heart?”

            “He did not just call me a doll, did he?” Labrys asks with narrow eyes as Rinoa spins the blades on her weapon. Whoever this voice belonged to, it was clearly getting on their nerves.

            “Shut up!” Riku shouts at the air above, eyes narrowed before looking at a nearby door. “You don’t know anything about us. Let’s move.” With silent agreement, Labrys, Rinoa, and Zack follow Riku through another door. Where they would end up next, none of them knew.

            “This is starting to get ridiculous.” Edelweiss remarks as the Thieves walk through a narrow alleyway. “Every time we get into a fight, Joker has to fight all by himself! And the foes he’s facing… we’ve never even seen them!”

            “They remind me of the stories from Yu and the others about the foes they faced in the TV World.” Outlaw remarks, tipping his hat forward. “Still have the same weaknesses, but still a pain.”

            “There are also some from the Dark Hour mixed in with them.” Mona adds, shaking his head. "Never thought I'd see them again."

            “That, and how even they are forced to use cards to fight as well.” Panther adds, shaking her head. “I don’t even know any more…” It was a statement all of them could agree on as Joker looked over the cards he had. Some were not used for combat, but instead to open more doors in this bizarre world. At least he was getting the hang of making a deck, even if it still felt a bit basic. Still, they were nowhere closer to figuring out where the hell they…

            “Persona!” A voice echoes nearby, drawing all eyes to the sound as an explosion detonates nearby.

            “Persona?! Is someone else here?!” Mona asks in surprise.

            “Whoever it is, they may need our help.” Fox comments, hand on his katana.

            “Then let’s go!” Joker shouts, already rushing over to the source with everyone else behind him. Bursting out from an alleyway, the team arrives at a street with several shops and a zebra crossing, with a police barricade blocking the way up. But when the Thieves saw who it was that was fighting, they felt their minds come to a stop.

            “Hold up… is that Minako?” Skull asks, blinking in surprise as he sees Minako fighting off several of the strange beings, which at this point he is presuming to be Shadows from the TV World and Dark Hour.

            “It is… but she looks younger!” Oracle adds, shaking her head. It was true, for the Minako fighting before them, while dressed in her S.E.E.S outfit, looked as though she was at the age when she was fighting against the Dark Hour! While more questions filled the team’s minds, the Minako before them had been suddenly hit in the side, sent to the floor in a roll as she brought out her Evoker.

            “Eurydice! Megidola!” She calls out, summoning her other self to the field and lashing out with Megidola. While she manages to hit a few of them, one of the monsters swings at the air and somehow cancels Minako’s attack.

            “A card break!” Joker growls, feeling the pain of that as Minako stumbles back. With a short glance at the rest of the team, Joker rushes forward, mentally choosing which cards to use as he leaps into the air.

            “Megidola!” He cries, summoning Arsène and blasting the foes with the surprise attack. He knew he would lose a card using a Sleight, but he would get it back once this fight was brought to an end. And seeing how his attack wiped them all out, he got that card back sooner rather than later. “Are you alright?” Joker asks Minako as she jumps to her feet and dusts off her attire.

            “Yeah… I’m good.” She replies, looking back up at the others. “I have never seen you all before… Who are you guys?” The Thieves all blink at her in shock, glancing at her in confusion. “Are you all Persona users? But you don’t use Evokers…”

            “You… don’t know us?” Queen asks, hiding the hurt in her voice. Minako nods at her as she folds her arms, narrowing her eyes.

            “Well… I don’t really remember anything, to be honest. Other than being here and fighting against a fake superhero, that is.” She shakes her head, kicking a stray can with her foot before suddenly slapping herself. “Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Minako Arisato. Nice to meet you all.”

            “Nice to meet you too…” Joker replies cautiously. Maybe Minako had lost her memories of them? But that didn’t explain how she had suddenly de-aged or that she was fighting by herself. Wasn’t she at Disney Castle with Minato and the other members of S.E.E.S? “By the way… you mentioned a tyrant ruling over this place?”

            “Huh? You don’t know him?” Minako asks with shock, looking at them.

            “We are rather new here. We have only arrived just recently.” Crow tells her smoothly. Minako tilts her head at him, surprise evident on her face as she lets out a sigh.

            “Then you came to the wrong place… Kamo City is not somewhere you want to be.” The moment they heard the name ‘Kamo City’, something inside the Thieves, barring Edelweiss and Sophie, suddenly seemed to click. It wasn’t much, like someone flicking one switch on an electrical panel lined with hundreds of switches, but still, hearing the name sounded familiar to them.

Sickeningly familiar to them.

            “Kamo… City?” Spring slowly repeats, her left hand balling into a fist.

            “Yeah, Kamo City.” Minako replies with disdain in her voice. “A city that is claimed to be a ‘utopia’, where the people who live here praise the ‘superhero’ who protects them. But he’s a fake! All he does is use his status as a hero to commit his own crimes, calling them absolute justice! Argh… just talking about Kamoshidaman makes my blood boil!”

            “Hold up… ‘Kamoshidaman’?” Skull asks, his eyes narrowing in rage as he and the others all feel a building rage fill inside them. “That’s who rules this place?”

            “Yeah.” Minako replies, shaking her head. “But he’s no hero! Just a crook who fancies himself one! I mean, have you seen the billboards!?” She points at a few of them, each depicting a face none of them ever wanted to see again. It was Kamoshida’s smug face, while he was wearing an outfit that looked exactly like Superman’s but with white gloves and boots and a giant ‘K’ on the front. To say nothing of the boards that seemed to have images of him holding onto some girls that looked far too similar to Ann, Shiho, Makoto, Haru, and Sumire.

It was all the Thieves could do from just exploding on the spot while Sophie looked at Lavenza, noticing the look on her face.

            “Lavenza? Is something wrong?” Sophie asks her quietly, earning the gaze of the attendant as she gave her a small smile.

            “It is nothing, Sophie. I am simply going through my own memories about something.” While that only made Sophie tilt her head at her, Minako was suddenly pushing everyone in the alley. It soon became apparent why, as Kamoshidaman suddenly flew above the street, no doubt looking for them or someone to beat before flying off into the distance.

            “Argh… why can we never escape that bastard?” Panther asks in irritation as Violet lets out a full-body shiver.

            “Wait, you guys met Kamoshidaman before?” Minako asks, confusion written on her face.

            “It's… complicated. Regardless, how come you or anyone else has tried to take him down?" Joker asks, hand on chin.

            “Believe me, no matter what I've tried, I can't beat him.” Minako tells them all, shaking her head. "So long as he has that golden statue of his, I can't land a single hit on him."

            “Golden statue?” Athena asks Minako as she suddenly feels a small spike of pain in her mind.

            “Yeah. It's located at Kamoshida Square. Apparently, it's what gives him his powers, but I can't get close to it to steal it." Minako lets out a long sigh of defeat, slumping against the wall. "Sooner or later… he's going to get me." The Thieves all glance at each other, a silence of understanding passing between them before they all turn to Edel and Sophie. For a moment, they look puzzled as to why they are looking at them until it clicks in their minds why, with the two of them letting out big smiles.

            “Oh… I know we know what you guys are thinking…" Edel replies with a large grin as the Thieves all nod as one. As for Minako, she is looking at them with a puzzled look.

            “What? What are you thinking?”

            “We’ll tell you as we move.” Joker replies with a grin. “But first, can you show us the way to Kamoshida Square? We’ll explain our plan on the way there.” While slightly confused and worried, Minako slowly nods back as she turns to guide them to Kamoshida Square, only to suddenly turn into a green card and fly into Joker’s hand as he lets out a sigh. “Of course it wouldn’t be that easy…”

            “Good thing I have a map of this place…” Oracle groans, bringing up a map, or more accurately, rows of boxes with arrows pointing from them that are identified as ‘rooms’. One of them is glowing suspiciously. “Looks like that room will continue… whatever this is.”

            “But still… ‘EFFING KAMOSHIDAMAN!?” Skull finally shouts at the top of his lungs. “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ALL ABOUT!?”

            “We’re all asking that.” Violet adds, shaking her head while clenching her fists. “And why do I suddenly feel even MORE irritated than I did before!?”

            “I’m wondering about that as well…” Noir replies in a dark tone as Queen silently fumes next to her. It's not helped that they all felt a strange pounding in their heads for a moment before quickly vanishing.

            “We have too many questions and not enough answers.” Shinobi remarks, shaking her head. “For now, we should just follow the path and see where it ends.” It wasn’t like they had anywhere else to go, so with no other option left to them, the team moved toward the suspicious room, mentally preparing themselves for whatever battle awaited them.

Meanwhile, Knight was having his only mental problems. After his ‘tutorial’ fight against the man in the coat, Knight found himself walking through his memories of Traverse Town by himself while Donald and Goofy waited at the entrance. But that didn’t last long, as the duo was soon teleported right next to Knight. Along with encountering Leon once more, he was shocked to realize that he had forgotten all about them.

And it wasn’t just him, as they soon ran into both Yuffie and Aerith as well, but there was one thing that was glaringly obvious even as they moved through the repeating corridors. They had yet to encounter Sojiro or any of the other Thieves who stayed behind, or even Merlin and the Fairy Godmother. Not even the Moogles or Dalmatians were there, even as they moved into the second district from what should have been the side path leading to the underground waterway.

            “I don’t get it… Why have we only met Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith? Where is everyone else?” Knight asks out loud as Donald and Goofy look at him.

            “Um… who else are we missing?” Goofy asks suddenly, rubbing his head and grabbing Knight’s attention. “I know we haven’t seen Cid yet, but who else?”

            “Goofy… are you serious right now?” Knight replies, shaking his head. “I’m talking about Sojiro, Café Leblanc, Merlin, the Fairy Godmother, the Dalmatians, Moogles, and the rest of the Thieves.” Goofy tilts his head, rubbing the side of his face before his eyes widen in shock.

            “Oh yeah! Now I remember!” Goofy replies, slamming a hand into his palm. “But, er… how did I forget?”

            “That’s what I want to know…” Donald suddenly comments, grabbing Knight’s attention. “Somehow, I forgot as well.”

            “For real?” Knight asks, eyes wide before narrowing. “But… why did I still remember, and why did you guys forget?” A chill ran down Knight’s spine at the implication as he visibly shivered on the spot. Was this the price the man was talking about? Before he could think about that some more, Jiminy hopped out of his hood to point behind him.

            “Knight, look! It’s Cid.” He calls out, pointing at Cid, who is standing in the middle of the second district, looking up at a clock.

            “It is Cid. Or… is he also just made from my memories?” Knight asks himself before shaking his head. He could worry about this mind-bending stuff later… and why Donald and Goofy had seemingly forgotten about Sojiro or any of the others that are in Traverse Town. So, without any worries, Knight walked up to Cid, who turned to look at him with his usual smile.

            “Well, whaddaya know? If it isn’t Knight.” He remarks before doing a face fault. “Wait a minute… I don’t know any ‘Knight’. And I certainly don’t know you.” 

            “Don’t worry about it, Cid.” Knight replies, hiding the hurt in his heart. It stung that Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith all acted the same way as well, but he couldn’t show that.

            “But you DO look like a knight with that getup and dragon mask…” Cid adds, rubbing the back of his head. “And you’ve heard of me, eh? Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Still, you shouldn’t be out here with all the Heartless around, especially here in the plaza. See that clock up there?” Knight, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy all look up at the clock, seeing it closing in on midnight. “Word is, once it hits midnight and rings the bell, a jumbo-sized Heartless will show up. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not sticking around to find out.” With that, Cid waves at them before leaving the plaza, while Knight folds his arms, thinking back on what the Heartless could be.

            “A jumbo-sized Heartless…?” He asks himself while Donald and Goofy look at him. “All the ones we’ve faced so far are the Shadows and Soldiers that appeared when I first arrived in Traverse Town. If that’s the case… then…”

            “Knight, shouldn’t we get out of here?” Goofy asks, grabbing his attention. “I don’t think we should—” Before he can finish, the bell in the clock tower rings, a shockwave seemingly covering the plaza as the sound of metal flying through the air shortly follows.

            “Wak! Something's coming!” Donald shouts as they look to the sky, just as several large pieces of armour slam down before them. A figure that Knight couldn’t help but shake his head at.

            “The Guard Armour… really?” He asks, not intimidated by the Heartless one bit. “Well, whatever. We’ve beaten this guy plenty of times already. We can do it again!” 

            “Did we?” Donald asks with a confused look as Knight mentally sighs. He really needed to figure out what was going on with Donald and Goofy… after he had dealt with this Heartless!

            “Does anyone feel that?” Rinoa asks as they approach another door, Riku already picking out the cards needed to open it. “It’s like… some form of a dark presence on the other side.”

            “Yeah… it feels familiar, but at the same time, it isn’t.” Zack replies, folding his arms and shaking his head. “Gives me the creeps just thinking about it.” Riku doesn’t respond, instead simply holding up his chosen cards and opening the door as Labrys stretches her arms.

            “Think this will lead us to a way out?” She asks as they move through the golden light. “Because I am getting tired of seeing the same old rooms over and over again…”

            “Not going to argue on that front.” Riku agrees as they move through the light. Soon, they appear in a long corridor leading to a circular room with a certain witch and pink parrot waiting for them at the very end. Two certain people that Riku couldn’t help but growl at seeing again. “Not them again…”

            “Well, well… if it isn’t the witch who threw me into the Realm of Darkness…” Zack remarks with zero enthusiasm before his eyes drift to the parrot on Maleficent’s shoulder. “Who’s the bird?”

            “Jerri.” Labrys replies with narrow eyes. “Sworn enemy of the Thieves. Do you remember what I’ve told you about the things she’s done?”

            “Yeah, we do.” Rinoa replies, hands on her hips before looking back at Maleficent. She would be lying if she weren't furious to see the person who turned her home into… this… standing before her. But there was something that was off about this. “Why isn’t she moving towards us?”

            “If this place was made from my memories, then that means that they are also just illusions.” Riku replies, shaking his head. “Waiting for me to get close before they actually start doing anything.” He looks back at Maleficent, seeing her not move an inch before letting a small smirk form on his face. “I suppose this is a good chance to let out some stress from what she did to me.” Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa all glance at each other before nodding as one. Riku was right in that they could get some payback from her. So, without any further discussion, the four moved towards Maleficent and Jerri, the two of them seemingly coming alive the moment Riku got near them.

            “We knew you would return, Riku.” Maleficent remarks with a cold smile. “I suppose you already know that we are but fragments of your own memory.”

            “Fragments I would rather forget.” Riku bites back.

            “Come now, deary. Be grateful you have us to keep you company. Your heart is empty, after all.” Jerri remarks, a wing over her beak. “Even the company you keep will be only fleeting.”

            “Shut up, parrot.” Labrys growls as Rinoa narrows her eyes.

            “Why do they both sound the same?” Rinoa asks quietly to Zack and Riku.

            “Don’t know, and I don’t care.” Zack replies, his hand reaching for his sword.

            “You should know this, Riku. Were it not for the darkness in your heart, you would be completely alone.” Maleficent remarks in a cold voice.

            “Tell that to the ones standing with me right now.” Riku fights back. “And for the record, I NEVER asked for the power you forced into me. All you made me do was lose myself, EMPTY myself! And it will be the day when every star in the sky vanishes that I’ll ever side with you again! I’m sick of being used by people like you in the dark… If any of you try to turn me again, I’ll take you all out myself! One by one!”

            “Foolish boy.” Jerri remarks as Maleficent stabs her staff into the floor. “You would destroy yourself in the end. Are you prepared to make such a sacrifice?”

            “If that’s what I have to do, then that is fine with me!” Riku shouts back, summoning Soul Eater. “I am DONE being someone else’s tool!”

            “So you hate the darkness enough to fight it.” Maleficent remarks as the floor cracks open, a platform floating into the air with Maleficent and Jerri on board. “Oh, the agony you must feel! Then let us end your pain, Riku. End it forever… with the wonderful power of darkness!” With that, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa turn into cards as Riku falls into a battle stance, his deck of cards mentally appearing in his mind.

If he was being honest, this was a battle he had long been waiting for.

            “That is… a large crowd.” Spring comments as the Thieves all look down at the plaza before them. Standing before them was possibly every person in this ‘Kamo City’ gathered before a podium with a golden statue towering over them—a statue of this Kamoshidaman striking a pose.

            “Such a gaudy statue…” Fox remarks, shaking his head.

            “No argument here.” Crow remarks with narrow eyes. “By the way, where is Minako? Wasn’t she with us as we got near?” Joker couldn’t help but shake his head at that. Sure, he was able to summon Minako like the others when they got into fights, but the moment they entered the door leading into here, she suddenly materialized before rushing off to do her own thing.

            “She was…” Joker replies, eyes narrowing. “But she said she had to do something to give us an opening on the statue. I hope she’s not doing anything risky.” 

            “It’s Minako. Of COURSE she will do something crazy.” Panther replies, shaking her head fondly. “So, we all agree on what we’re going to do?” 

            “Yep!” Sophie replies, jumping on the spot while Lavenza looks around with narrowed eyes.

            It is not EXACTLY how things went… but I suppose things change. She mentally remarks before looking back at the statue. She looks at Spring, who is busy tying a Calling Card to an arrow. It isn't an elaborate one or anything, but it has a simple message to give them some extra time to strike. After all, if this is a memory of something they have done, there is a chance it won't even work.

            “Hey, the crowd's getting excited about somethin’.” Skull suddenly points out as the crowd seems to be starting to hype themselves up for some reason. The reason soon became apparent as the 'hero' Kamoshidaman suddenly landed right in front of the golden statue, holding someone under his arm tied in rope.

            “So that’s Kamoshidaman.” Violet remarks with a low growl as Kamoshidaman dumps the person under his arm on the ground.

            “And he’s captured Minako.” Athena remarks, watching as Minako struggles against her bonds. “Was this her plan? To get captured?”

            “If it was, then we should make the most of it.” Queen remarked, nodding at Edel. Getting the hint, Edel quickly moved away to a different spot, dropping down to the ground and coincidentally hiding behind a barrier. As for Spring, she notched the arrow holding the Calling Card but did not fire it—not yet—while everyone else got ready to jump down. As for Kamoshidaman, he wore a triumphant smirk as he looked down on the captured Minako before looking back at the row around him.

            “I have finally arrived!” He calls out to the crowd, the smirk never leaving his face. “Finally, after all this time, the greatest criminal in my city has finally been apprehended! And now, the long-awaited punishment exhibition can at last begin!” At his cry, the crowd around him roared in applause while Minako grimaced, even as she fought against the rope before Kamoshida placed a boot on her.

            “You won’t get away with this.” Minako bites at Kamoshidaman, who lets out a belly laugh at her.

            “That is what they all say! Now, let us start the countdown! Those who threaten our peace are to be punished by my own hand!” Kamoshidaman points at himself, the smile getting dark even as he puts more pressure down on Minako. But just as he holds up his hand to start the countdown, an arrow whooshes past him and strikes into the ground, landing next to Minako as Kamoshidaman glances down at it. “Hm? What is this?” He asks, leaning down to pick up the arrow before looking at the card on the side. “A Calling Card?” He asks, ripping it from the arrow before flipping it over. But what he saw on the back… stunned him to his core.

We will destroy the Kamoshidaman Statue.

            “Wha—?” Kamoshidaman starts before the statue behind him is blasted apart by a swarm of missiles and beams of Almighty energy. Chunks of gold fly into the air as the crowds scatter from the blast, with even Minako being rolled away from the explosion until Noir drops down and grabs her before removing the ropes.

            “My statue!” Kamoshidaman cries in shock and despair as Edel makes her appearance known in her tank form, earning Kamoshidaman’s glare. “You fiend! You shall pay for your insolence!” He strikes a pose, aiming to rush over to Edel and toss her away like a toy. But before he can even run, he is jumped on from above by Sophie and Lavenza, sending him sprawling onto the floor as the rest of the Thieves all make their appearance, with Edel changing back into her human form.

            “How did you like that, ‘Mr. Hero’?” Skull taunts, shouldering his mace.

            “Hope you don’t mind us dropping in unannounced!” Panther quips, flicking some hair to the side. As for Minako, she lets out a sigh of relief as Noir helps her to her feet.

            “Thanks for that… but you were cutting it real close.” She remarks as Noir lets out a chuckle.

            “What can we say? It is our style.” She replies with a wink as Kamoshidaman growls at them.

            “You criminals! Don’t think you can get away with this!” He shouts at them, putting up a bold front as he places his hands on his hips. “Do you not know who I am!? I am Kamoshidaman! The ruler of Kamo City!”

            “Is that supposed to mean something to us?” Mona asks, unimpressed by Kamoshidaman.

            “If you ask us, you are perhaps the least impressive villain we’ve ever faced.” Shinobi adds, flicking her hair back.

            “Criminal scum! I am absolute justice! I will never be toppled by such scoundrels as you! I am the arbiter of justice!” Kamoshidaman rants as the Thieves all collectively roll their eyes, and Minako rushes forward and kicks Kamoshidaman in the chest, sending him sprawling onto his back in a pitiful display.

            “Wow… he really is pathetic.” Outlaw comments as Spring shakes her head.

            “This is just sad…” She agrees. “Even the real Kamoshida put up a decent fight…”

            “Well, Kamoshidaman. Ready to play the piper?” Joker asks, spinning Lupin in his hands.

            “Because if you ask us, it's game over for you.” Queen adds, cracking her knuckles. Kamoshidaman growls as he looks around at the Thieves and Minako before letting out a roar of anger and smashing his hands into the ground. Initially caught off guard, the team falls into combat stances as Kamoshidaman pulls out…

            “Carrots?” Fox asks, blinking his unbelieving eyes as Kamoshidaman holds two carrots in his hands.

            “Okay. He’s lost it.” Oracle quips, hiding her amusement in her voice as Kamoshidaman munches down on them. “Eh… what’s up, doc?” Kamoshidaman looks at her, letting out a deranged laugh as he is engulfed in a black and purple cloud.

            “This is what’s up… my true FORM!!!” The cloud of darkness enveloped Kamoshidaman, along with what looked to be blank film reels. Before the cloud exploded, it revealed Kamoshidaman’s true ‘form’.

            “A rabbit?” Edel asks, tilting her head as a large rabbit with Kamoshida’s face and hair, glowing red eyes, a red vest, and two giant carrots in hand glares at them all.

            “This is the end of you, Kamoshidaman!” Minako shouts, pointing her naginata at the giant bunny. “We’re ending this!”

            “HAHAHA! I’ll show you my true power!” Kamoshidaman cries as Joker readies himself for a fight. Just as expected, everyone turns into friend cards as Joker envisions his deck next to him. Watching as Kamoshidaman strikes with a high card, Joker counters with his own high card, breaking him and freeing him up for a combo before jumping back. As he does, he can see Kamoshidaman stock up two cards, getting himself ready for a Sleight as Joker mentally prepares a zero while sticking up his own Sleight.

            “Justice always wins!” Kamoshidaman shouts, adding a third card to his Sleight before attacking with it, turning one of his carrots into a giant cannon.

            “Not on my watch!” Joker shouts, mentally using a zero despite not being next to Kamoshidaman. The attack breaks Kamoshidaman’s Sleight as he lashes out with a zero of his own. It’s something that Joker can’t help but smirk at as he gets his own Sleight ready.

            “Eigaon!” He calls, using the Sleight and summoning Arsène, landing a hard hit on Kamoshidaman before lining up three more cards. These ones are Queen, Noir, and Violet. It still felt strange that his family WERE cards to begin with, but oh well. He held on to the Sleight, seeing how Kamoshidaman was building up another Sleight while ducking under his attacks and countering when he could. It was tough keeping track of all the cards and their numbers, and it always hurt when his were beaten by a higher one. At one point, Joker had to pause and refill his deck as he ran out of attacking cards, just as Kamoshidaman readied his Sleight.

            “Rotten evildoer! Give yourself in and submit!” He calls out, swinging his carrots around in a heavy move from the Sleight. And Sleight that was weaker than Joker’s by one point.

            “How about no!? Queen! Noir! Violet!” Joker shouts, activating the Sleight and breaking Kamoshidaman's attack. As Kamoshidaman stumbles backward, Queen emerges from a flash of light atop Johanna, ramming into Kamoshidaman before unloading her revolver at point-blank range, right as Johanna kicks up a whirlwind of Nuke flames. But just as Queen vanishes into light, Noir suddenly comes in with Milady, her skirt opening up and unleashing a storm of psionic rounds as Noir rushes forward, slashing her axe against Kamoshidaman before jumping back.

The moment she vanished, Violet took the stage with Cendrillon, charging forward and dancing around with her rapier as Cendrillon sent out several spears of light into Kamoshidaman. Kamoshidaman roared in agony, taking several steps back as Joker rushed in, hitting him with a Stop spell card before attacking with some basic attacks. The attacks became too much as Kamoshidaman stumbled backward, falling over himself and crashing into a police car, reverting back to normal as a black card manifested before Joker, which was a new enemy card of Kamoshidaman.

            “Great…” Joker grumbles as he adds it to his deck, just as everyone else returns to normal around him.

            “Ngh… why…? How could… my justice…?” Kamoshidaman grunts as he strains to push himself up. “My… justiiiiice…” And with that, Kamoshidaman falls back before vanishing into darkness. Film reels escape from his body, thirty-five in total, as they all shoot into the sky.

            “Yeah! We did it!” Minako shouts with glee, jumping on the spot. “We’ve finally defeated him!” She turns to the Thieves, the smile not leaving her face. “And I couldn’t have done it without you guys!”

            “Eh, something tells me you would have found a way eventually.” Skull quips, folding his arms. “You’ve got that fire of rebellion in you, after all.” Minako blinks at him, tilting her head in confusion at that before shaking her head.

            “Still, I should at least show you my thanks for helping me. How about dinner? I know an awesome café not too far from here! It was closed because of Kamoshidaman, something about him not liking the owner's adopted kids, but with him gone, it should be open again!” Joker, Mona, Oracle, Shinobi, and Edel all glance at each other, subtly knowing what Minako was talking about. But while they appreciated the offer, they knew they couldn’t stay.

            “Thanks, but we can’t stay, Minako.” Joker tells her gently. “We're currently looking for some friends of ours who are missing, so we can't afford to stop. At least… not yet, anyway.”

            “Oh…” Minako’s joy seemed to deflate at that before perking right up again. “Then, I hope you find them. It’s not right to be separated.” She looks around, the city somehow seeming to look brighter already as all the billboards of Kamoshidaman vanish. “Well, I guess I should get moving as well. Thanks again for helping us. I hope to repay the favour one day.” And with that, she waves at the team before heading off down a main street, a destination set as she vanishes into the crowds. As for the team, they quickly make their way over to another door, taking them to a single room with a ladder leading all the way up to a platform above.

            “Looks like we finally found the way out.” Athena remarks, stretching her back as everyone does the same, just as fifteen film reels appear from above. Translucent in appearance, they flow into the Thieves' backs, with two flowing into Violet's back, while Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza have none flow into them. None of them sees them as something inside them is unlocked.

            “Still, I can’t believe how easy it was to beat him. I mean, we had to STEAL that statue the first time!” Panther suddenly comments before coming to a sudden halt. Something that everyone else, barring Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza, also did as Panther blinks in surprise. “Wait… why did I say that?”

            “I believe I remember I had to create a counterfeit to replace it.” Fox comments, rubbing his chin.

            “And didn’t we have to take control of the lights to hide us as we did the swap?” Shinobi asks, hand on her hip.

            “We used balloons to take it away because it was so light…” Outlaw adds, taking his hat off and rubbing the back of his head.

            “And Minako was with us… and she did look like her younger self.” Spring adds, eyes going wide. “And weren’t we down three members as well?”

            “That’s right…” Violet suddenly comments, her hand over her mouth. “Queen, Noir, and I were all captured by Kamoshidaman. And didn’t he plan to do something else to us after ‘punishing’ us?” 

            “He did…” Noir quietly replies, hand clenching as Queen silently fumes.

            “So… all of that really did happen?” Skull asks, rubbing his head. “But why don’t we remember it? Or why are we even remembering it now?” 

            “Perhaps if we continue to climb, we will find the answer.” Crow supplies, rubbing his chin. “Although… it is surprising that I was helping you at the time.”

            “And it was from our current timeline as well, considering that Outlaw, Spring, Shinobi, Violet, and I were there as well.” Athena adds, tapping her chin. “But that begs the question… when did this happen?” The more the team thought about it, the more it hurt their minds as they all shook it off.

            “We can worry about this later.” Joker replies, looking at the ladder. “For now, let’s see where this leads us.” With no other way to go, the team starts to climb the ladder while Lavenza stands and watches, a concerned look on her face as Edel and Sophie glance at her.

            “Is something wrong?” Edel asks Lavenza, who looks at them. “You’ve been distant ever since we arrived here.” Lavenza blinks before shaking her head.

            “I am sorry, Edel. But… I believe I know what it is that this place represents. However, it would have been from when I was still Caroline and Justine.” She lets out a sigh, shaking her head as she looks at the ladder. “Whether or not I am able to split into them and allow them to share what they know, I am uncertain. This place… it has shackled us all.”

            “So… you can’t tell us?” Sophie asks, tilting her upper body as Lavenza shakes her head and rubs Sophie’s head gently.

            “It is not that I can, Sophie. It is that I, as our duty dictates, can only observe. The broad strokes we know, but the finer details are lost to us.” Edel and Sophie glance at each other, not sure how to take that information, just as Athena starts to climb, leaving the three of them as the last to move up as Joker calls out about a door at the top.

And hopefully, leading them out of this strange city.

If Knight was going to be honest, facing the Guard Armour AGAIN was starting to get tiresome. At least this time it was easier due to abusing the cards against it, although it still felt like it took far too long. Not to mention how he now had the Heartless as an enemy card. When would he ever have a use for these anyway? Not that he could even think about it as Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, and Cid all came to see him with the Guard Armour defeated.

After exchanging a few heartfelt words, the four of them left, with Donald and Goofy heading for a nearby alley that they believed would lead them out of this place. But as Knight was about to join them, Aerith suddenly called out to him.

            “What’s up?” Knight asks, wondering what this memory of Aerith has to say.

            “I don’t have all the answers, but I had to tell you something.” She starts, holding a hand on her chest. “Your memories created this town, right? If that’s true, then this town is just a figment of your mind… and so are we.”

            “So… it’s all in my head?” Knight asks, rubbing his head. “But you are standing right in front of me and speaking to me.”

            “But I’m not really me. I don’t remember the things I should, and I sense things I shouldn’t. That… and there are some people who are missing. I don’t know or remember them, but I feel they are missing.” Aerith looks Knight in the eyes, a plea echoing from them. “Sora, beware of your memories. In the journey to come, you’ll be faced with more illusions. No matter what, you must not let them trick you. They will try to deceive you. You must not allow them to destroy you.”

Knight narrows his eyes while folding his arms. While he didn’t fully understand what Aerith was talking about, he could make a good guess as to what she meant, especially considering how Donald and Goofy acted before they fought the Guard Armour. If they forgot such important memories, does that mean the same thing would happen to him? And if he forgot, wouldn’t that make him easier to fool? It was a shuddering thought as he shook his head, just as Donald called out to him from the alleyway.

            “What’s wrong? Aren’t you ready to go?” Donald asks him, tilting his head. “We need to find our friends and the Thieves.”

            At least they haven’t forgotten about Joker and the others. Knight mentally sighs as he nods at him before turning back to Aerith, only to be shocked to see she wasn’t there any more. She’s gone? Was this… what she was talking about?

            “Are you okay?” Goofy asks, seeing Knight’s confused look before shaking his head.

            “It’s nothing, Goofy.” Knight replies, walking up to them. “Let’s go. We’re not finding anyone standing around here.” Donald and Goofy nod at him with wide smiles as they head for the alleyway, with Knight right behind them. But even as they move for what they hope is the exit, a thought refuses to leave Knight’s mind.

            Is Riku really here?

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Memories.

            “Can’t you just take a hint already!?” Riku shouts, ducking away from Dragon Maleficent’s claw with a growl. “How many times do I have to stab you in the face!?” He should have known something was up when he faced Maleficent and Jerri together. It was too easy, too simple. The fact that Maleficent or Jerri didn’t summon any help should have been the first clue, but Riku figured getting to beat the two up clouded his vision somewhat. That, and every time he summoned Rinoa or Zack, he would watch them tear into Maleficent’s platform. But he was really wishing he had their friend cards right now against Dragon Maleficent! Although he was confused as to why Jerri was non-existent at the moment, at this point, he no longer cared about the pick parrot.

            “Take this!” Riku shouts, slashing down with his sword as a number 8 card is used up. “Gotta reload.” He growls, jumping backward as Dragon Maleficent spins around, almost hitting him in the chest as he reloads his deck for the fifth time. At least this time he managed to get Labrys’s card into a Sleight. Before he could use it, Dragon Maleficent sent out a torrent of green flames, forcing Riku to dodge before looking up with a smirk.

            “Got you! Labrys!” Riku shouts, activating his Sleight as Labrys appears next to him. Summoning Asterius and grabbing Dragon Maleficent’s head while casting Tetrakarn on Riku, Labrys charges forward and jumps onto Dragon Maleficent’s back, dragging her axe along the creature's spine while Riku slashes at Dragon Maleficent’s head in rapid succession. Yet it is still not enough, as Dragon Maleficent roars in anger while Labrys vanishes into light. Feeling the pressure building, Riku mentally places three more cards into a Sleight, aiming for this one to be the deciding factor as Dragon Maleficent aims to swallow him whole.

            “Dark Firaga!” Riku shouts, activating the Sleight and sending the dark orbs of flames down Dragon Maleficent’s throat. It seems she realizes what has happened as Dragon Maleficent draws her head back in a panic, but it is too late, as the orb of dark flames explodes inside her. Dark blue flames rush out from Dragon Maleficent’s mouth as she roars in pain before falling onto her side, still and lifeless, before vanishing into dark smoke. A black card with her dragon form appears before Riku, who picks it from the air with some annoyance.

            “Just what I needed…” He grumbles while shaking his head, just as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa reappear around him, all of them wearing satisfied grins on their faces. 

            “That… was satisfying.” Zack remarks, placing the Buster Sword on his back. “Even if it wasn’t the real Maleficent, it felt good to get a good hit on her.”

            “For real.” Rinoa adds with a smile on her face, stretching her arms. “Now I feel like I have some form of closure.” Labrys rolls her arms around with a grin before looking at Riku as he pockets the new card while glancing at his left arm, seeing some faint wisps seeping from it before giving it a shake.

            “You okay?” Labrys asks, catching Riku's attention for a moment.

            “I’m okay… I don’t hear any whispers in my mind.” Riku replies before letting out a sigh. “Still coming to terms with it, though…” Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa remain silent at that, even as a new path opens up, leading to a higher platform. With no other option left to them, the team climbs up the long ladder to the top to find a door already open for them, with the group wondering just what was waiting for them. What they found on the other side was a surprising find, or perhaps not too surprising.

            “Are we… back at the start?” Rinoa asks as the four enter a pure white corridor. It is strikingly similar to the one they first started in, only now with stairs at the far end.

            “I don’t think so… but at the very least, we’re out of Riku’s memories of Hollow Bastion.” Zack replies, hands on his hips. “But that doesn’t even explain where we are in the first place.”

            “Maybe we’ll find out if we head up those stairs?” Labrys suggests, although not confidently. 

            “It’s our only way forward…” Riku agrees, shaking his head. But as he takes a few steps forward, he stops before suddenly sniffing the air.

            “Um… Riku?” Rinoa asks, raising an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

            “Something stinks…” Riku replies, holding a hand over his nose, just as the first voice once more speaks over them.

            “Why do you shun the darkness?” It asks, centring on Riku. “Darkness is your weapon. It is time you learned you must accept it. Stop resisting and accept the darkness. You have no choice… if you are to serve me again!” At that point, a portal of darkness opens up, revealing a face that Riku was so desperately trying to forget.

            “Ansem… I had a feeling it was you. I could smell your foul presence the moment we entered this corridor.” Riku growls, summoning Soul Eater to his side as Labrys and Zack reach for their weapons, their faces in disbelief upon seeing the man who took over Riku's body for the first time. As for Rinoa, her eyes were wide with shock at what Riku had just said, her gaze locked on Ansem as he let out a dark chuckle.

            “Charming to the last, Riku. And you do not seem the least bit surprised at all.” Ansem remarks, hands by his side.

            “Only you would go on about darkness and nothing else. And the only reason you’re talking about that is so you can pull me back in and make me your pawn again, right? To play puppet master again.” Riku bites back, eyes narrowed as Ansem lets out a dark chuckle, with Rinoa snapping out of her trance and readying her weapon.

            “Hmph. Clever boy. I knew you’d be the one to most appropriately serve me. And now, surrender to me again—” 

            “Not happening!” Riku shouts, rushing forward to slash at Ansem, only to slam into a dark barrier and get flung back into Labrys. The crash almost ends them both on the floor while Zack stands before them.

            “Did you really think you could harm me?” Ansem asks with disappointment in his voice. “A weakling like you couldn’t even defeat Sora. And you had the darkness on your side.” 

            “Tough talk coming from someone who was fuelled by darkness and lost to the same guy!” Zack shouts back as Labrys helps Riku to his feet. “Ain’t that convenient for ya, huh?”

            “And excuse me… for being weak…” Riku growls, eyes glaring at Ansem. “But at least… I wasn’t a rabid animal like you.” Ansem merely smirks at him, not intimidated by Riku or the others as he slowly walks up to them.

            “You are weak. Surrender yourself to me. Bow yourself to me. Like the pitiful pawn you truly are.” Ansem gloats, assured in his easy victory over the four. At least that was what he initially thought until two glowing orbs of light shot down from the ceiling and crashed into Ansem, sending him skidding back as everyone looked at the two orbs in surprise.

            “That’s enough!”

            “Step away from them now!”

            “Those voices… Your Majesty!? Aqua!?” Riku shouts as the two orbs grow in size before changing forms into Mickey and Aqua. Only… they are not physically there.

            “Hmph… it would seem you are yet able to manifest here.” Ansem notes, seeing the transparency of the two. “Regardless… if you are still intent on resisting the darkness, then see it for yourself.” In a flash of darkness, a stack of cards appears in Ansem’s right hand before he tosses them right at Riku, who manages to grab them before they hit Labrys in the chest. “As you can guess, those cards are crafted from your memories. Advance through the worlds they create, and soon you will understand… Chasing after light is not the way. It will not give you distance from the darkness. There is no running from the darkness.”

            “If you are done already, can you beat it?” Labrys asks with irritation on her face.

            “Very well… but I have one more gift for you.” With a wave of his hand, Ansem does something to the darkness inside Riku as he lets out a grunt of pain. He swore he could even hear a voice inside him crying out in agony, fighting back against the changes as Riku glared back at Ansem. “Do not worry. I merely tempered the darkness that remains inside your heart. To use it or not, it is your choice. I’ll be waiting, Riku, for you to sense it and yield to the darkness in your heart!” And with that, Ansem finally retreats as Riku takes deep breaths of air.

            “Why can the bad guys never give up?” Zack asks rhetorically before looking at the translucent Mickey and Aqua. “Still, good to see you guys are around. Although…”

            “Why can we see through you?” Rinoa asks as Mickey gives himself a look over while Aqua lets out a sigh.

            “We’re sorry. We can only send a bit of our power. We are still too far away from Castle Oblivion.” Aqua tells them with regret in her voice. “But to think you would end up there… I can’t believe it.”

            “Castle… Oblivion?” Riku asks, finally having the strength to stand as Labrys tilts her head.

            “Yes.” Aqua replies, eyes half-closed. “Although… it was known by a different name before I had to seal it into its current form.” She opens her eyes, seeing her translucent hands fade a bit. “I can’t tell you just yet. But when we get there, I’ll explain everything.”

            “Riku, before we lose contact, I have a request for ya.” Riku raises an eyebrow at Mickey, who has not lost his smile for even a moment. “Just because darkness holds you, don’t let go of who you are. It won’t be easy to fight the darkness inside you, but don’t forget: even in the darkest darkness, there’s always a little bit of light. After all, we have all seen it. So please, don’t give up.” Riku looks Mickey in the eye, seeing the heartfelt plea behind his eyes as he lets out a sigh.

            “Okay… I’ll do my best. At the very least, I know I’m not alone in this.” He looks at Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa standing next to him with a grin. “These guys will help me stay on track.”

            “Count on it.” Zack agrees, throwing an arm around Riku and locking him in a headlock. “We’ve got your back.” Mickey and Aqua give them warm smiles just as they lose connection and vanish, but not before leaving behind two green cards that Riku gently picks up.

            “Even apart, we still have their help.” Riku comments, looking at the two friend cards before placing them with the rest of his deck. “Alright, let’s see where these stairs will take us. Time for a world tour.”

            “Y’know… even though they are illusions, I can’t help but be excited.” Labrys remarks as the four head for the stairs. “I mean, in a way, I’m exploring other worlds!”

            “I suppose that is one way to look at it.” Rinoa admits, shaking her head with a smile while Zack nods. In a way, Riku couldn't help but agree with them. Even if they are going to be empty like Hollow Bastion, it is still going to be interesting. And besides… 

If it meant he got to beat up the rest of Maleficent’s council, then he was all for it.

In another part of the castle, another pair of doors opens as the Thieves exit into another white corridor. 

            “Are we back at the entrance?” Panther asks as the team looks around the hall.

            “No… it’s similar in appearance, but we have stairs at the end.” Crow comments, hand on his chin. “It would seem we have found the way to the next floor. It would not surprise me if every floor in this place were the same.”

            “Urgh… I’m already gettin’ annoyed with this place.” Skull admits out loud. No one was going to question him on that. Were they even still on the first floor, or were they on the second? Although there was one thing that was evident as they looked around the hall.

            “I guess we really are in a different part of the castle…” Spring remarks, seeing no trace of Knight, Donald, or Goofy. 

            “Do you think we’ll find them if we climb higher?” Outlaw asks, although he isn’t confident in his words. 

            “Maybe…” Shinobi replies before letting out a sigh. “But just how many floors are in this place?”

            “As many floors as your memories can bring.” A feminine voice echoes around them, setting the team on edge as a strange portal appears before them. It looks like a roll of film tape being played, moving so fast that the images are nothing but a blur. But it is the one who steps out from the film that sends the team on edge.

It was a middle-aged woman with long black hair and a white lily decoration, wearing a white suit with long sleeves that could easily cover her hands. She had black lipstick and white boots, with a ribbon of blue and white stripes hanging around her neck. 

There was something about this person that felt… wrong to all of them.

            “Who… are you?” Joker asks, eyes narrowed as the woman walks up to them. Her green eyes flicker over them with both amusement and contempt. 

            “How amusing… it would seem almost all of you have forgotten all about me…” She comments with a smile. “How hurtful for you to have forgotten our time together. Do you not remember Hikari?”

            “Hikari?” Crow asks, tilting his head—something that everyone else, barring Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza, also does, even as they feel a slight numbness in their heads. “Such a name does not ring a bell.”

            “I see… how disappointing.” She remarks, shaking her head yet never dropping her smile. “For you to have forgotten such an impactful adventure, and about poor dear Hikari as well… Perhaps it would have been best if you never left the Cinema.”

            “What are you talking about?” Noir asks, tilting her head as the woman before them lets out a gentle laugh.

            “Who are you anyway? You still haven’t told us your name.” Violet suddenly adds as the woman looks at her before giving a bow.

            “My, what poor manners I have. You may call me… Nagi.” The moment she said that name, almost all the Thieves felt a spike of pain in their minds, something that made the smile on Nagi’s face all the larger. “It has been far too long since we last met. I had believed my end had come when we last saw each other, and yet here I remain, once more taken form.”

            “What are you talking about?” Fox asks, shaking his head. Nagi lets out a chuckle as she turns her body sideways.

            “It is simple. But I dare not spoil it for you. I believe I would rather let this place return your memories to you.” With that, she pulls out a stack of world cards and tosses them at Joker, who grabs them without blinking. “Continue to climb, Phantom Thieves of Heart. And remember: the pain you caused me. The pain you caused Hikari. Remember it all. The memories that are sealed deep inside your hearts… it is time they returned to the surface.” And with that, she vanishes into a reel of film, leaving the team behind confused while Lavenza scowls at her departure.

            How? How has she returned? It should not be possible. She mentally asks herself even as Joker pockets the cards he was given. Unless… a fragment of her survived. But how? 

            “So, did anyone understand what happened?” Edel decides to ask as everyone walks forward toward the stairs. “Because I am sure as hell lost.” 

            “You’re not the only one.” Oracle agrees, shaking her head. “Who even was Nagi? And why the hell did she feel so familiar?”

            “Not only that, who was this ‘Hikari’ she talked about?” Queen adds, folding her arms even as her gaze goes soft. “It feels like… I should know who that is.” 

            “You’re not the only one.” Athena admits, letting out a sigh. “It is rather annoying how it feels as though something important is missing from our memories…” 

            “Are you sure that's the only thing on your mind, Athena?” Mona suddenly asks with a cheeky tone as Athena blushes.

            “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Athena denies in a calm tone, but none of the team were fooled. Some even resisted the urge to chuckle as they reached the top of the stairs, finding another cream door at the far end waiting to be opened.

            “Another door.” Sophie quips as the group walks up to it.

            “This is going to get tiring really quickly, huh?” Joker says, with everyone agreeing with him as the leader of the Phantom Thieves approaches the door. Taking out one of the cards and holding it up, he lets both resonate as the door opens. With the way clear, the group heads through the door, unsure of what lies on the other side. At least, until they come into a long hallway with a red carpet on the floor, pink walls, and a deep red ceiling, with pillars made in the shape of a female torso without arms, legs, and a head, with red hot pants covering the lower body. A sight that suddenly has some of the members paling in disgust.

            “Oh no… You've got to be KIDDING ME! Why are we back here again!?” Panther shouts, shaking her head at the décor. 

            “The ‘eff man!?” Skull shouts, slamming a foot down on the floor. 

            “Wasn’t once bad enough already!?” Outlaw shouts, shaking his head while Spring takes her mask off and rubs her eyes.

            “I never wanted to see THIS again!” 

            “I was expecting it… but I was wishing I were wrong.” Queen silently remarks as Noir lets out a sigh of resignation. 

            “It’s part of our memories… so we should have expected it.”

            “Doesn’t mean any of us are cool with going through THIS again!” Mona shouts, slashing his falchion at the wall while the rest of the Thieves glance at Joker. It is with a resigned sigh that he turns to look at them with a disgruntled expression.

            “Guys… it is with great disappointment that I welcome you to Kamoshida’s Palace.” 

            “I’m out!” Oracle and Edel shout in unison, walking to the door behind them before it closes on them, leaving them no escape. “For real!?” 

            “Let us off this Crazy Train!” Edel shouts, slamming her hands against the wall with Oracle as the rest of the team sweat drops at the pair.

            “Looks like we don’t have a choice…” Shinobi remarks with a tired voice as Fox closes his eyes. 

            “The Palace I never wanted to visit… now it would seem I have the dishonour of experiencing it first-hand.”

            “I certainly do not want to experience it.” Crow remarks, shaking his head while Violet lets out a full-body shiver. “Being in the mind of a lustful man makes me feel… sick.”

            “PLEASE tell me we won’t face any cognitions of us.” Violet asks Joker. “I DON’T want to know what he thinks of me! OR what he sees me wearing with whatever clothing he has in mind!”

            “All of us are in agreement, Violet.” Athena adds, glancing at Queen. “The less I know of what he imagined my sister in, the better.”

            “Imagine what?” Sophie asks, with everyone turning to the sweet ball of innocence and shaking their heads as Lavenza brings out a velvet blindfold and puts it around Sophie, while the attendant, for some reason, is now wearing a medieval suit of armour that is dressed in Velvet Room colours and complete with a tower shield on her back. “Huh?”

            “It is best you do not see anything, Sophie.” Lavenza gently tells her as Sophie lets out an adorable whine. If Joker were being honest, he would rather just spin on his heels and walk out of this place without looking back. But with the door behind them gone, they really only had one way forward to go, and it was back into the Palace of Lust.

            “This is going to suck… again. Especially since we JUST BATTLED an alternate version of Kamoshida!” He groans before walking down the petal-strewn carpet. “Let’s just get this over with…”

While Joker and the other Thieves were experiencing the one memory they would rather forget for the rest of their lives, Knight was busy running through a door into another white corridor after leaving Traverse Town. But who was waiting for him was not who Knight wanted to see.

            “You again…” Knight remarks, seeing the man in the black coat standing before them. And judging by his height and posture, it was the same guy who had greeted them back at the entrance. 

            “Well, Sora? Did you enjoy your memories?” The man asks, with Knight taking a small gasp of surprise that he knew his name.

            “Sure, it was great seeing them again, but why were Boss and the others not there? Why was Leblanc missing? What is it you really want from me?” The figure seems to be surprised at Knight talking about Sojiro and Leblanc, judging by how he swayed back a bit, but if he was surprised, he quickly hid it under a facade.

            “What do you have to give?” The man asks, taking a step forward. But as he does, a dark portal opens behind him as Axel makes his appearance, hood down and a wide grin on his face.

            “Hello!” He greets cheerfully, even as Knight stays on guard.

            “What do you want?” The man asks, irritation clear as day in his voice as Axel looks at him with a grin.

            “No hogging the hero.” Axel remarks in a happy tune that somehow feels… off to Knight. As for the man in the coat, he wordlessly tosses a stack of cards at Axel, who easily catches them without blinking an eye.

            “Then perhaps you’d like to test him. Unless you want to face the others again? Especially that silver-haired one.” With that, the man vanishes as Axel shakes his head.

            “Perhaps I would.” He remarks, not answering any of his questions before looking at Knight. “My show now, Keyblade Master. Who am I? Oh, the name's Axel. Number VIII. Got it memorized?” Axel taps the side of his head, almost mockingly, as Knight slowly nods his own head. “Good, you’re a quick learner. Just like Joker.”

            “Joker? You know where he is?” Knight asks, taking a step forward.

            “Of course. He’s in another part of the castle, along with the others. And they are experiencing their own journey, separate from yours.” Axel replies, not hiding anything. “So, Knight, now that we’re getting to know each other better…” He lets out a smirk, holding his arms to his side before summoning his chakram wheels to his side in bursts of fire while Knight, Donald, and Goofy all stand ready for a fight. “Don’t you go off and die on me now!” Knight grimaces, seeing his deck mentally appear in his eyes with Donald and Goofy vanishing as Axel tosses his chakrams at him in flames. Using a low card, Knight cancels it before hitting out with two cards, only for Axel to suddenly teleport in a flash of flames.

            “What the—!?”

            “Gotta stay on your toes!” Axel shouts from the side, tossing a flaming chakram at Knight, who ducks under it, barely. “Not bad. But you can do more than that, right?” At that remark, Axel stocks two cards as Knight stocks two cards of his own, flipping through his deck for something to finish it, just as Axel manages to stock the last card. “Let’s turn up the heat! Fire Wall!” With that, Axel generates a wall of flame and sends it right at Knight, forcing him to dive out of the way as he finds the card he needed.

            “Blizzard Raid!” Knight shouts, tossing the Keyblade at Axel while coated in ice. The blade hits Axel in the side, with the redhead hissing at the cold while jumping away, only for Knight to toss the Keyblade two more times at him before he manages to break the combo with a zero card.

            “Heh, that’s more like it!”

            “If you want more, I still have plenty left!” Knight shouts back, mentally readying Fox’s card while adding Donald's as well. As he ponders what the third card would be, Axel quickly stacks three more cards again before coming right at Knight.

            “Fire Wall!” Axel cries, sending out another wall of flames at the Keyblade wielder. But this time, Knight is prepared, swinging the Keyblade around with a zero card and breaking Axel, who stumbles back in surprise. Just as Knight finally picks out the third card for the Sleight.

            “Fox! Donald! Spring!” Knight cries, tossing the three cards above him as Fox appears before him. With a hand on his katana, he dashes forward, slashing at Axel with a frost-enchanted blade before sheathing it, freezing Axel in place as Donald appears after him. Soon after appearing, Donald attacks with a Thundaga before quickly switching to an Aeroga before vanishing as Knight rolls his eyes. Why was Donald attacking with random spells every time he was summoned? At least when he summoned Spring, she healed him first before firing a Bless-infused arrow at Axel before vanishing. But with Axel still frozen in place, Knight quickly lined up three more cards into a Sleight before rushing forward.

            “This ends it! Freidyne!” Knight shouts, summoning Bahamut to his side. With a furious roar, Bahamut unleashes a stream of blue flames at Axel, the attack cutting through him in surprise while detonating the ice crystals on him, sending Axel skidding back as the deck of blue cards given to him lands at Knight’s feet, with the one on top grabbing Knight’s attention.

            “Wait… is that Wonderland?” Knight asks, picking up the deck. His eyes are not deceiving him as he sees the picture on the top card depicting Wonderland. “Are these… more worlds from my memories?”

            “That’s right.” Axel quips, drawing Knight’s eyes as Donald and Goofy return to his side. As for Axel, he is leaning against the wall next to the stairs, as though he has not taken any damage from the fight. 

            “So… you were testing us.” Knight comments, Keyblade at his side as Axel nods his head.

            “Bingo. And I must say, you’ve got a good grip on the cards, Sora.” Axel tells him with a grin. “Although it is surprising that you can still summon your other friends even though they aren’t here. But no matter, congratulations! You are now ready to take on the rest of Castle Oblivion.” Axel steps to the side, a hand motioning for the stairs. “You will need to follow your memories. Trust what you remember and seek what you forgot. Then you will find someone really special.”

            “You mean King Mickey, Master Aqua, Riku, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa?” Goofy asks, holding his shield up as Axel smirks.

            “Maybe. You will just have to give it some thought as to who it is, that’s all.” Axel tells them, not dropping his smile once. “Our most precious memories lie so deep within our hearts that they’re out of reach. But I’m sure that you can find yours, Sora. Or would you rather I keep calling you Knight in that getup?” Knight lets out an annoyed growl at that. 

            “Why me, anyway?” Knight decides to ask.

            “You have lost sight of the light within the darkness. And it seems you’ve forgotten that you forgot. Would you like me to give you a hint?” Axel offers to Knight, who looks at the ground with a thoughtful expression on his face.

            I’ve forgotten something? What have I forgotten? It’s not Kairi, Riku, or anything else that’s happened. But… if I have forgotten something… “I’ll find out on my own.” Knight tells Axel with a resolute face.

            “And we’ll be there with him every step of the way!” Donald suddenly adds as he and Goofy jump in front of Knight. While they can't see it, Knight has a relieved look on his face at the sight of the two. As for Axel, for some reason, he has a similar look as well.

            “Good answer. Just what I'd expect from a Keyblade Master. But be forewarned, Sora. When your sleeping memories awaken, you may no longer be the person you currently are.” And like that, Axel vanishes as Knight dismisses Kingdom Key. 

            “I won’t be who I am? What does he mean by that? I’ve always been me.” Knight remarks with a confused look on his face.

            “I’m worried about that too.” Jiminy chimes in, jumping onto Knight’s shoulder. “Even if you can’t be anyone else, you still can’t be too careful.” 

            “He’s right. Anything could happen in this Castle Oblivi… Oblivi… Obliv…” 

            “Castle Oblivion!” Donald shouts at Goofy in exasperation while Knight shakes his head fondly.

            “You had trouble remembering Lavenza’s name the first time as well.” Knight tells Goofy, who lets out a chuckle. “But we’ll be okay. Even if Joker and the others are separated from us, we can still call on their help in a fight. So long as we are together, we can overcome anything those guys are cooking up.”

            “‘Course we will. Just like that other creepy castle we explored together, the one with the weird contraptions.” Goofy suddenly comments as Knight looks at him in concern while he tries to say the name. “Holla… Holly… Holler…”

            “Hollow Bastion.” Knight tells Goofy, who blinks his eyes at him. “Goofy… how did you forget? It’s where I awoke to Bahamut and found Kairi.”

            “Ya did?” Goofy replies, blinking his eyes. “I can’t remember.” Knight suddenly has a very bad feeling when Goofy says those words. Sure, he could be a goof, but he was great at remembering things. For him to have forgotten about that…

            But why do I still remember? Knight mentally asks himself before looking at the stairs. I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

Inside a dark room, a lone figure stood in a black coat with the hood down. With messy blue steel hair covering the entirety of his right face, the bangs came to a stop at his chin. His eyes, closed in thought, soon opened to reveal his deep blue eyes as another figure in a black coat appeared in the room with his hood down. His ginger hair was slicked back into messy spikes as he looked at the other man with deep blue eyes.

            “Don’t I even warrant a hello, Lexaeus?” The smaller man asks the towering man, who lets out a grunt before glancing to the side as a third black-coated member appears before them, with long blond hair and green eyes, along with an irritated attitude.

            “What is going on here, Zexion? I want an explanation.” 

            “Hello to you two, Vexen.” Zexion remarks with dry humour. “It is such a shame. The Organization used to be the rope that bound us together.”

            “You’re only Number VI! How dare you—” 

            “Let it go, Vexen.” Lexaeus booms, silencing the irate member. “Zexion, tell us. What have you detected?” 

            “Visitors.” Zexion remarks, as though he were discussing the weather. “I picked up six scents in the castle's lowest basement. Two of them were Maleficent’s and Jerri’s…”

            “That’s impossible. Maleficent is dead; she cannot return from the Realm of Darkness of her own volition unless helped, like with Nagi. And Jerri is busy with orders from Xemnas for who knows what.” Vexen comments as Zexion folds his arms.

            “And if you would have let me finish, the scents belonged not to the real Maleficent and Jerri, but to some very convincing duplicates. But I cannot say much since the two are no more, having been dealt with by the remaining four scents.”

            “And who are they?” Lexaeus remarks, looking at him. “They are not the ones from above; that much we know.” 

            “I do not know one of them for sure… but three of them I can identify as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa. The stench of the Realm of Darkness still clings to them.”

            “They escaped the Realm of Darkness?” Vexen asks, his hand on his chin. “How is that possible?” 

            “I am not sure, but it probably has to do with the last scent. It is very similar to that of the Superior, but at the same time, it is not exactly the same.” 

            “Truly? This piques my curiosity.” Vexen admits, stroking his chin. “Now then, what shall we do?”

            “It is too early to tell.” Lexaeus remarks, arms folded as he looks between the two. “For now, we wait and see what develops. After all, there is another reason why we are here.” 

            “Right… those two.” Zexion remarks, hand on his chin. “What are they planning…?” Vexen goes silent, folding his arms as he narrows his own eyes. Something is happening up at the castle’s top… 

And sooner or later, they will find out what it is.

            “Why can’t you just die already!?” Shadow Kamoshida screams at Joker as he dodges another fork from the monstrous Shadow. “You thieving rats! You will pay!”

            “If I had a yen for every time I heard that…” Joker quietly quips under his breath before leaping into the air. “It’s time to end this!”

            “DIE!” Shadow Kamoshida screams, using his Sleight against Joker. “ULTIMATE KILL SHOT!” Normally, it would be impossible to break a sleight of three 9s as the ball shot towards Joker. Unfortunately for Shadow Kamoshida, Joker had found a new card in his romp through the Palace of Lust… again. And it was perfect for this situation.

            “Reflera!” Joker cries, generating a stronger barrier around him with a zero card. Not only did it break through Shadow Kamoshida’s sleight, but it sent his attack right back at him with the same numbers as well. Safe to say, Shadow Kamoshida was not expecting such an attack as his own volleyball slammed into him. With a roar of pain, Shadow Kamoshida vanished into dust as Joker landed on the floor. The Thieves returned to normal as they all glared at the spot where Shadow Kamoshida originally was.

            “I swear… he was even worse than I remember!” Panther shouts in irritation, kicking a foot across the floor. 

            “Urgh… I need brain bleach from this place.” Oracle groans, taking her mask off to rub her eyes.

            “I agree…” Outlaw admits, shaking his head. “None of us needed to see that room.” Joker silently nods as a black card appears in his hand, cringing in disgust. 

            “Do I REALLY need this card?” Joker whines, shaking his head at the Shadow Kamoshida card. 

            “Let us quit this place already.” Fox comments, his tone full of anger. “I am infuriated enough by how he saw Noir.” 

            “Don’t remind me.” Noir quietly comments, her own fury in her voice. It was a shock to not only see the cognitions of Panther and Spring again, but also those of Queen, Noir, and Violet. And the less he remembered how Kamoshida envisioned them, the better. 

            “I think this is the first time I’ve actually considered taking a life.” Crow freely admits as the group heads for a nearby ladder. “And that is a line I refuse to cross… unlike what happened with that other version of me.” 

            “You are not the only one.” Athena adds, arms folded and finger tapping in irritation. “But the fact that you four managed to avoid doing that in the first place is truly commendable.”

            “I’ll admit, I did want to kill him when we beat him.” Panther tells Athena while playing with her hair. “But… I knew that if I did, he would never confess to everyone regarding his sins, and I would be just as bad as he was. But there was a moment when I almost incinerated him.” No one else said a thing as they made their way up the ladder and into the next hall. Entering the pristine white hallway felt like a breath of fresh air for all of them after seeing that Palace again, with Lavenza taking the blindfold she had put on Sophie off. But before they could even take a moment to rest, almost all of the Thieves were suddenly hit by a sharp pain in their minds, the sound of glass shattering ringing in their ears as a few of them even fell to their knees, apart from three of them.

            “Hey! What’s wrong!?” Edel shouts, rushing up to Oracle as she lets out a groan. Sophie rushes to Joker and Queen, the two having fallen to their knees, while Lavenza glances at them all with worried eyes. But even as they try to call out to them, the rest of the Thieves cannot hear them, as their minds are dragged away to someplace else.

As for Joker, the pain he felt soon passed away, yet his vision was encased in a white void that slowly started to vanish. But as it did, something began to echo in his ears: the sound of metal clashing, along with what sounded like a giant clock ticking in the distance. As the white vision around him started to vanish, the sounds became clearer until he could actually see what was happening. He was watching something from a person's view, standing in a plaza with a star-like pattern made of yellow, purple, and orange bricks, with a fountain nearby. Houses ringed the plaza, seemingly made from white stone with purple roofs, while a giant towering structure loomed in the distance with a giant clock. The sky looked as though it was just daybreak, but it was the person standing before Joker’s view that had his attention.

With short black hair and blue eyes, he wore a sleeveless black vest with a white half-jacket on top and a yellow necktie. Black pants rushed down to a pair of white shoes and white gloves, while he held a Keyblade in his right hand.

With a circular guard made of a black cape and a grip lined in silver, Zorro’s face is embedded in the guard, with a long silver blade that resembles Mona’s original falchion. Jutting out from the top are what look to be a blue rose, combined with some silver chains, while dangling from the bottom of the guard on a silver keychain is a Tarot card with Zorro on it.

            What am I watching? Joker asks himself as he feels the person he’s watching fall into a very familiar stance with a weapon in his right hand. As for the person standing before him, he rushed forward toward Joker, jumping into the air as the person Joker was watching held something in the air.

            “Reflega!” He cries out in a voice that almost stuns Joker, while a vibrant blue and purple barrier forms around them, blocking their opponent's attack and sending them tumbling backwards, the Keyblade tumbling out of their grip as the person chuckles. “Not bad, Lee. But you use that move too often.”

            “Argh…” ‘Lee’ groans, his voice sounding eerily similar to a younger Morgana as he looks back up with a glare. “I’ll get you next time, Xander.”

            Xander? But… he sounds like a younger me… And he sounds like Morgana when he was still a cat! Joker asks himself as he feels ‘Xander’ walk forward. Holding out his left hand, he reveals that he is wearing a black jacket and red gloves while helping Lee up.

            “So you say, Lee.” Xander replies good-naturedly, shouldering something on his shoulder. While Joker was having a hard time even understanding what was happening right now, some footsteps from the side soon drew Xander and Lee’s attention as two more people joined them. Two who, while looking young and around Knight’s age, Joker could easily tell.

            Ann…? Ryuji? Joker mentally asks as the two walk towards them. The Ann before them was wearing an outfit that looked similar to Lee’s, but was instead red for the vest and legs, while the shoes and gloves were pink. The half-jacket was a deep crimson, and her hair was not done in two ponytails. As for the Ryuji clone, he was also wearing an outfit similar to Lee's, but with a red necktie and a yellow jacket and gloves, while his shoes were silver. Not only that, his hair was its natural black instead of dyed blond!

            “Erika, Max. Did you come to find us?” Xander asks the two as Ann, or Erika, nods back.

            “Yeah. We’re all meeting up at the usual spot, so we came to find you.” She tells them, her voice sounding like a younger Ann.

            “Were you two sparring again? I swear, you brothers are ALWAYS sparring.” Ryuji, or rather, Max, calls the two out as Xander chuckles at them. Holding his blade out with Joker getting a good look, he could feel his heart leaping into his throat.

            That’s Lupin! He shouts, his eyes not believing what he is seeing as the Keyblade is dismissed. What is even going on?! No matter how much Joker shouted, he was unable to do anything as he felt Xander walk forward along with Lee, Max, and Erika. They walked through the town and saw more people dressed like them, some in fancy outfits, but what was grabbing Joker’s eyes more than anything else was the fact that everyone had Keyblades. More than that, something else stirred within him as Xander walked through the town…

It was a sense of longing, pain, and fondness… so many emotions seemed to well up inside him as the group soon reached a shaded spot surrounded by trees and bushes. The group that was waiting there only made Joker even more confused. It was the rest of the Phantom Thieves, barring Sojiro and the others. But what surprised Joker was that Edel and Sophie were not present… and that there was another girl with brown hair tied in a ponytail with a red ribbon. 

Hold up…

            Is that Kasumi? Joker mentally asks, just as Max calls out to the large group. All eyes turn to them with smiles.

            “You made it.” The Yusuke clone comments to them, his voice also sounding young. His attire looked to be the same as Lee's, but his had longer sleeves and was coloured in blue and white. “We were beginning to wonder if you would never come.”

            “Give them a break, Mathew. No doubt my bros were sparring again.” The Futaba clone jabs, with Mathew shrugging his shoulders while the Makoto clone lets out a chuckle. Futaba’s outfit was also like Erika’s, but dark green and black, while Makoto’s had longer sleeves and was a mix of silver and light blue.

            “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me.” She replies, her voice young while looking at Xander. “Still, you did keep us waiting.”

            “Sorry, Cherami. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Xander tells her as Cherami shakes her head with a fond laugh before leaning into him as ‘Futaba’ sticks her tongue out at them. 

            “Urgh, affection.” She groans as the Hifumi clone rubs her head with a smile, wearing an outfit similar to Cherami's, but black and purple.

            “What can you expect, Erica? Our brother is like that.” She tells her with fondness in her voice before looking at the Haru clone. “After all, Xanthe and Mathew are the same.”

            “We can say the same for you and Lee, Eden.” Xanthe replies with a chuckle as both Eden and Lee blush. Her outfit, not to Joker's surprise, is similar to Eden's, but while the vest and coat are pink, the pants are a dark purple with black shoes and violet gloves. But while it looks like everyone is having a fun time, the mood soon turns sour as Xanthe's expression falls. “Did any of you hear about what the Foretellers found?”

            “You are talking about the supposed ‘Nightmare Chirithy’ that is rumoured to have been caught?” ‘Akechi’ asks before shaking his head. His outfit, looking like Mathew’s, is pure white with a red coat. “It is troubling news, even if it’s fake…”

            “But how did the news spread, Robbie?” The Mishima clone asks, standing next to a Shiho clone. Mishima’s attire is a mix of dark brown and black, while Shiho’s is light green and white. “You’d think they would keep it under wraps, right?”

            “Apparently, Sean, someone’s Chirithy overheard Master Aced talking about it with Masters Gula, Ava, and Invi.” Robbie tells him while shaking his head. “Whatever is going on, it has the Foretellers on edge…”

            “That’s not good… but why was Master Ira not with them? And what about all of us?” ‘Shiho’ suddenly asks. “We’re all from different Unions. They wouldn’t restrict us from meeting up, right?”

            “It’s hard to say, Christine.” ‘Sae’ tells her, flicking some hair back. She is wearing an outfit that is similar to Cherami's, but black and white. “I want to imagine they won’t, but…”

            “We’re all on edge, Elizabeth.” ‘Kasumi’ suddenly speaks up next to the Sumire clone. The two of them are wearing the exact same attire as Erika, but while Sumire is all black with red highlights, Kasumi is all azure with silver highlights. “Even Laura and I. None of us wants to be separated.”

            “But if the Foretellers start to lose trust in each other… we might end up getting separated, Kasu.” Xander tells her with seriousness in his voice. Even if all of them sounded young, like around Sora’s age, Joker could see that they were looking at this with a serious lens. “Either way, until we hear anything else, let’s just meet up like this going forward. Also, didn’t Master Ava reach out to all of us to join a project she’s working on?”

            “Yeah. I think she called it the ‘Dandelions’. Not sure why, though.” Erica replies, bobbing her head up and down until the sky starts to darken. “Man… almost night already?” 

            “It’s been getting darker quicker than usual, hasn’t it?” Laura asks with some hesitation in her voice. “Do you think it means something?”

            “Probably not.” Max replies, shaking his head. But while Joker could feel Xander nod at him in agreement, he could feel the uncertainty building inside him. And just when it seemed like his questions would reach an all-time high, his vision was suddenly engulfed with light as a stinging sensation came rushing back to his head.

            “Dad! Mom! Are you okay!?” Sophie’s voice rings in his ears as Joker blinks, once more finding himself standing in the hallway in Castle Oblivion with the others, all of whom look as though they had just undergone a major headache.

            “Are you guys alright? You just started screaming all of a sudden.” Edel asks while helping Oracle up. Joker couldn’t find the words to reply as he just numbly stood up, even as Sophie looked between him and Queen with worried eyes.

            “I’m… not sure.” Joker honestly replies, taking his mask off and rubbing his eyes. “I’m not even sure how to describe what I saw.” 

            “You saw something as well?” Queen asks, grabbing his attention, along with everyone else's. “I saw something too.”

            “Hold up… did we ALL see somethin’?” Skull asks, rubbing the back of his head while Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza all look at him. “Was it the same thing?”

            “Let’s head to a higher floor first before answering.” Athena suddenly comments, rubbing her head. “We need time to come to terms with what we saw… even if it's just a climb up some stairs.” Everyone looked at each other with conflicted expressions. Some of them wanted to talk about what they saw right now, while others looked as though they needed to think about it. But as they all stood there in thought, they gradually agreed that they needed to reflect, and they all turned to the stairs while Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza looked at them in concern. Just what had happened to give them such a headache?

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Junessic Park?

The silence filling the hall was tense and heavy as the Thieves hung around near the door. They had all been quiet ever since they had that strange vision play out in their minds while Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza stood around. Being the only ones not to experience it, they were left confused and concerned about everyone until one of them decided to break the silence after a bit of time had passed.

            “Okay… so what exactly happened back there?” Edel finally asks, tapping a foot on the ground. “You all saw something, right?” Joker and the others glance at each other, confusion still on their faces, before nodding back slowly.

            “We did, but… we’re really not sure where to begin.” Joker replies, shaking his head. “I’m not sure about everyone else, but I was looking through the eyes of someone called Xander who was in the middle of a sparring match with someone called Lee…”

            “Wait, that’s where my vision started.” Mona suddenly spoke up, grabbing Joker’s attention. “I was looking through the eyes of this Lee person who was sparring against someone that looked like Joker, but around Knight’s age using Lupin!” Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza all blinked in surprise at that as Joker slowly nodded his head.

            “Someone was using your Keyblade, Joker?” Queen asks, eyes blinking. “Are you sure it was the same one and not a replica?”

            “Yeah, I’m sure. It was Lupin he was using… and Lee looked exactly like you, Mona. Just without the cat ears or tail.” Joker adds. “But what caught my eye was the fact that Lee had a Keyblade that looked like it was based on Zorro.”

            “For real?” Violet asks, her eyes wide.

            “Yeah… I remember seeing Xander holding Lupin as well.” Skull comments, rubbing his head. “Apparently, I was seeing things through someone called Max with someone who looked like Panther but wasn’t walking next to me.”

            “Yeah… that’s where mine began as well.” Panther adds, rubbing her arms. “Someone called… Erika. And for some reason… that name feels painfully familiar.”

            “How curious.” Lavenza comments, tapping a finger on her chin before looking to the others. “And what about all of you? Do you all witness the same scene?”

            “It was the same for us… apparently. But I didn’t see the spar.” Queen remarks, rubbing her arm. “We were all looking through the eyes of someone else. And judging by what we saw, they looked to be different versions of us, all with different names. The person I was seeing things through was called Cherami, standing in a group with everyone else while we waited for Xander, Lee, Max, and Erika to arrive.”

            “Matthew was the name of mine.” Fox comments, rubbing his chin. “And it was certainly interesting to see us all around the same age. As for their attire… it was something I had not seen before, nor something I'd imagined I'd ever wear. And yet… it felt nostalgic for some reason.”

            “It looked like we were all wearing something that was similar, just with our own choice of colours. And not to make everyone even more confused, but the person I was seeing things through was also called Erica.” Oracle adds, shaking her head. “How did they not get Erica and Erika mixed up? They sound practically the same, but one has a 'c' and the other a 'k'!”

            “That is a good question.” Shinobi comments. “But I think what stuck with me the most was what Eden, the person I was seeing things through, said: that Xander and Lee were the brothers of Eden and Erica, and not in the found family sort of way, but by blood.”

            “Were we looking at a past life or something? Like what Joker and the others experienced when they accidentally ended up in 2009 and helped S.E.E.S with the Dark Hour?” Outlaw asks, tilting his head. “But does anyone know what Sean, the ‘me’ in that vision, was talking about?”

            “I don’t know; nothing makes sense.” Spring comments, shaking her head. “I, or rather, Christine, didn’t seem to know either.”

            “The ‘me’ in that vision seemed to know, but I think she only heard rumours.” Noir comments, gently grasping her hands together. “Xanthe was her name… Why does it sound so familiar…?”

            “I’m not surprised that the ‘me’ in that vision was investigating it, though.” Crow comments, rubbing his chin. “Still, it is surprising to hear his name as Robbie… but why do I feel regret?” Sophie was looking at all of them with confused eyes while Edel was rubbing the side of her head, the two of them having no idea what the Thieves were talking about.

            “Maybe Aqua or King Mickey will know more about our vision.” Athena comments, folding her arms. “The ‘me’ in that vision, Elizabeth, seemed concerned that it would affect something called ‘Unions’, and that a group known as the ‘Foretellers’ were concerned about a ‘Dark Chirithy’. Not only that, but that the days were growing darker more frequently. But other than that… we know nothing else.”

            “But I feel that we should know why that was happening. About Unions, Foretellers, and Chirithys. And that Chirithys were important to us…” Violet suddenly comments, a hand on her chest as a tear falls from her eye for some reason. “It’s like… something very important that we need to know. Something world-changing. And… why was Kasumi with us with the name of Kasu? Why was I called Laura?”

            “Honestly, I have no idea. What we saw could be false memories from this place, or it was another life that we experienced. But that doesn’t explain why my Keyblade and the one Xander used are the same.” Joker comments, standing to his feet. “But thinking about it right now won’t do us any favours. Let’s keep climbing and try to find Knight, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy. Then, we leave this castle, don’t look back, and find Aqua and King Mickey. If they know anything, we need to find them.”

            “No arguments from me.” Queen immediately agrees as the Thieves all turn to the doors. The blue deck of cards Joker has is glowing in unison with the door as it opens in a flash of light. And what waits for them on the other side… is something they should have been expecting.

            “Huh? What’s with all the self-portraits on the walls?” Sophie asks, looking at all the pictures on the light blue walls around them as a dark blue carpet spreads out before them, while a black ceiling with lights looms over them. A sight that has Fox growling in anger.

            “Madarame’s Palace… Of course.” Fox says in a low voice, with the Thieves who had not seen this before all widening their eyes in surprise. “I should not be surprised that my former sensei’s Palace is before us, and yet I am.”

            “So… an art museum? Somehow, I am not surprised.” Violet comments as Athena looks at one of the paintings. Seeing the painting of a student, the colour drained from the student's face, and a broken expression formed on their face with dead eyes.

            “I know you talked about it during your interrogation, Joker, but to see these up close… it's heartbreaking.” Athena comments, letting out a sigh. “So many futures ruined by one man’s greed… and the money stolen all funnelled into Shido and his conspiracy. In both timelines.”

            “You know… out of all the Palaces that I did not partake in, this was the one that I've been most curious about.” Shinobi comments before turning towards Fox. "I'm very sorry you had to go through all of that, Fox."

            “It's alright, Shinobi.” Fox says as he gives his fellow Kosei High friend a small smile. "While it was a most intense time for me, that endeavour allowed me to see the truth of Madarame's intentions."

            “Still, that doesn't change the fact that what he did to you and the others was beyond insane.” Edel comments, letting out a growl of frustration.

            “I remember getting dragged into this Palace once before by Sho, but I never encountered Madarame’s Shadow.” Crow remarks, shaking his head. “And it would seem I now have the honour of seeing him. At the very least, I hope he is not like Kamoshida’s Shadow.”

            “He’s not.” Noir tells him quickly, with Lavenza quickly hiding the blindfold she was about to put on Sophie, much to Sophie's relief, while Lavenza whistles innocently, as she is now dressed as a museum curator. Once again, in Velvet Room colours. “But he is dressed like a shogun in golden robes. So much gold…”

            "Hold on, are we going to have to face all the Palaces we have done before? And does that include Oracle's, Athena's, AND Doc's as well?" Mona asks in exasperation. "Wasn't twice more than enough for Oracle's Palace? And do we HAVE to go through Athena and Doc's Palaces again?"

            “Not to mention, if we are going to be fighting our past foes, does this mean we might have to go through Mementos as well… and possibly fight Yaldabaoth again?” Outlaw asks as almost all the Thieves' eyes widen at that terrifying thought, including Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza, who were not with the group during that time.

            “I don't think we need to worry about Yaldabaoth…” Joker replies as he takes out the black card that has the picture of Yaldabaoth on it, causing everyone to look at it in surprise. "I got this one right before I battled Axel, and I got a similar one for both Kamoshidaman and Kamoshida after I had beaten them. Assuming I get a new card like this after beating a major enemy, then there's a good chance that we don't have anything to worry about regarding having to go through the Depths of Mementos again, at the very least. As for the actual Mementos, that remains to be seen."

            “I guess we'll take your word for it, man.” Skull says as everyone lets out a sigh of relief. "Seriously, I don't think any of us would want to battle Yaldabaoth again, let alone you going against that god by yourself with this dumb card system."

            “Still, what about mine, Doc's, or even Athena's Palace?” Oracle asks, hand on chin. "There are still those that need to be considered as we make our way through this castle."

            “I have no idea about those three, especially since we didn't even do Athena's Palace in this timeline.” Ren groans, shaking his head with irritation. "Let's just focus on getting through this one and then see what happens, alright?" Not that they had any other choice as they head down the path with great reluctance. Just how many times were they going to have to teach these Shadows a lesson?

Meanwhile, Vexen was pacing about by himself with irritation. The silence between him, Lexaeus, and Zexion was becoming almost unbearable despite the sound of his shoes against the floor. At least until Zexion let out a gasp, his eyes opening in surprise.

            “I have identified the scent. It is Riku.”

            “Riku, you say?” Vexen asked, turning to look at him. “I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising that he is here, considering the company that is with him. Still… for him to emerge from the Realm of Darkness as well…”

            “It is not just that. His existence… it was nearly doubled in darkness as well.” Zexion remarks to Vexen, his eyes widening in understanding.

            “Ahh… that explains how you mistook him for the Superior. Fascinating. So the dark power given to Riku facilitated not only his escape but that of his companions as well.” 

            “But what I want to know is why he is here now, in Castle Oblivion.” Zexion remarks, his hand grasping his chin.

            “The answer is rather simple. His existence is tied to that of Sora.” Vexen remarks, looking upwards. “After all, he is also in the castle, along with the Demon users called the Phantom Thieves of Heart. Or rather, Persona users, as they like to call themselves now.” 

            “They are here in the castle?” Zexion asks with surprise. Lexaeus also looks at Vexen in surprise as Vexen nods his head. “And Demon users… I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, what with Chixada and the others…”

            “Indeed. They arrived earlier and are currently separated into two groups. It would seem Marluxia is attempting to use Naminé's unique powers to meddle with Sora's heart. But it would seem something is preventing her from making any meaningful progress. Not that Marluxia or Larxene have even noticed." Vexen folds his arms as he narrows his gaze. "What is more, Marluxia is also helping the one called Nagi to piece herself back together from the remnants inside Hikari, using the memories of the Phantom Thieves. As for why he is doing this… I do not know. Yet. I plan to find out, sooner or later.”

            “And yet, he is doing this without even consulting us…” Zexion remarks with narrowed eyes. “It would seem Marluxia does not share our goals.”

            “Indeed. It seems he desperately wants the Keyblade Master for himself. And yet… the leader of the Phantom Thieves is himself a Keyblade wielder as well. So why ignore him and focus on Sora? They both can use Personas as well, so that only makes his fixation even more strange. Regardless, it is a foolish plan, no matter how you look at it.”

            “Demon users… Persona users." Lexaeus comments stoically. "Warriors who fight with beings of azure. Their inner darkness made manifest as beings for combat. Such worthy warriors…"

With a wave of his hand, Lexaeus opens up a corridor of darkness and proceeds to walk towards it, much to the surprise of Vexen and Zexion.

            “And just where do you think you're going, Lexaeus?" Vexen asks, not sure of the intentions of his fellow member as Lexaeus turns his head back towards him and Zexion.

            “I would like to do battle with the ones known as the Phantom Thieves of Heart, to test their mettle and see if they're on par with those in the Organization."

            “It is rare for you to willingly challenge someone, Lexaeus." Zexion remarks with surprise. "But I suppose it will give us some valuable insight into their nature."

            “Valuable, yes. Feel free to do what you want with them as you please. However, my interest lies with neither the Phantom Thieves nor Sora." Vexen remarks coldly. "The entity that holds true value is Riku, the hero of darkness." As Vexen smiles coldly, Zexion simply hums in wonder while Lexaeus closes his eyes as he enters the dark corridor.

Just what was Vexen planning?

            “Can you just give up already!?” Joker shouts in irritation, ducking under Shadow Madarame’s mouth portrait as it attempts to eat him. "I'm running out of patience! Fox! Athena! Mona!" Throwing his Sleight into the air, Fox manifests before Joker and dashes forward towards Madarame's mouth portrait, slashing with his katana before jumping back while blasting it with Bufudyne. As Crow vanishes, Athena quickly takes his place by rushing forward and landing several kicks on the two eye paintings. Strange how here it acted as one whole entity rather than four separate parts, but Joker wasn't going to complain about that! Just as Athena finished her last kick, Mona appeared before Joker and blasted the four paintings with Garudyne.

            “Ignorant brats! I am the Great Lord Madarame! Fall!” Shadow Madarame, screaming in rage, tries to bite down on Joker once more, only to be countered by a zero card as Joker rushes forward. Slashing out with a 7 card, he leaves a gash along the nose painting as Shadow Madarame finally comes to a stop. Letting out a low groan as he vanishes into darkness, he leaves behind a black card with Shadow Madarame’s face on it.

            “What is even the point of these?” Joker asks out loud to himself, grabbing the card as the Thieves all return from card form. “Well, at least this fight went by quicker than the last one.”

            “And we didn’t have to fight counterfeit copies of Shadow Madarame either.” Mona adds, stretching his arms while Fox lets out a long sigh.

            “I never thought I would have to see my former sensei’s Shadow again…” Fox admits, rubbing his head while Noir places a hand on his arm. “I worry for our sanity the higher we climb.”

            “I'm still wondering about what other Palaces we will encounter." Queen suddenly comments as they all head for the nearby ladder. "Will we really encounter Oracle's and Doc's Palaces again? And… will we also see my sister's Palace as well?" That gave Athena a moment of pause as she looked away, a conflicted look on her face. Ever since the possibility of them having to go through her own Palace was brought up, she felt uneasy about wanting to see what her Shadow Self was truly like.

            “My brain hurts just thinking about that…” Panther replies, rubbing her head. "I mean, what are the chances of that?”

            “After going through a world that we had somehow forgotten about, high.” Crow remarks as they start to climb. “Worryingly high.” It was an uncomfortable truth to know, even as the team continued to climb. Oracle had a look of discomfort at the thought of having to go through her Palace again, while everyone felt uneasy about seeing Doc’s Palace.

Although there was one unspoken thought that passed through the minds of the original eight Thieves: would they end up encountering Black Mask Akechi or Black Mask Sho? With that unsettling thought at the back of their minds, the group eventually made it to the top and entered the next white hallway, only to be surprised when they found someone waiting for them in the middle of the hallway.

            “I have been waiting for you… Phantom Thieves.” Lexaeus remarks, eyes closed and holding a giant axe sword in his right hand, the head planted firmly on the floor. A long blue handle with a golden point, a strange golden square on one side with an X-shaped cross, and a meter-long black blade curved at the top like an axe with red trimming. The sight of which had everyone on edge.

            “Are you with Axel?” Noir asks, her hand gripping her axe as Lexaeus opens his eyes and looks at her. His gaze falls on her axe with a sense of nostalgia before looking back up. His face is forever impassive.

            “You are correct. I am Lexaeus. Number V." He greets himself, his hand tightening around his weapon. "I have heard much about your kind, Demon users. Or rather, Persona users. And so… I would like to test your mettle.”

            “How many of these guys are there? Seriously…” Skull asks irritably as Joker takes a few steps forward, Lupin in hand, while Oracle scans Lexaeus without anyone noticing.

            “If your intention is to battle us, then we have some questions to ask you. What do you want from us and Knight? And who are Hikari and Nagi?" Lexaeus narrows his eyes at Joker, seeing the Keyblade pointed at him as he changes his grip on his weapon.

            “If you want the answers to your questions, then you must get past me. But if I find you lacking… I will not hesitate to destroy you.” He swings his massive weapon around, sending out a shockwave aura that somehow generates black winds around him. Joker and those around him hold their hands up, biting through the wind as it quickly vanishes while everyone else turns into friend cards, leaving Joker alone to face the lone member as he shoulders his weapon without any difficulty. “Now come… show me the strength that your kind is known for.”

            “Fine then!” Joker shouts, rushing forward as Lexaeus counters. The two swing their blades as their cards mentally clash. Both being a 5, Joker and Lexaeus clash backwards from the recoil. As Joker recovers and mentally readies two cards for a Sleight, Lexaeus already has three cards ready as he attacks the ground, sending out a punishing shockwave that sends Joker flying from his feet. Spinning in the air, Joker fires his grappling hook into the ceiling to avoid the ground, just as Lexaeus slams his blade once more, sending out roars of earth spikes as Joker spins around them, gathering one more card into his Sleight before locking eyes with Lexaeus.

            “Eigaon!” Joker cries, Arsène manifesting behind him and sending out a blast of Curse magic at Lexaeus. The man makes no motion to dodge, taking the hit on the chest as he powers through it. His eyes are locked on Joker with intrigue as he lands on the floor.

            “So, darkness flows through you as well. And yet, you refuse to let it flow freely.” He comments, motioning his head at Joker’s Keyblade. “You fear your own strength and limit yourself in tactics. Such a waste of a Keyblade wielder.”

            “What are you trying to say?” Joker asks back, not intimidated by Lexaeus even as he dodges another attack. This time, it was a boulder from the ground. How Lexaeus was tossing solid rocks of granite at Joker and not ruining the floor, Joker did not know.

            “What I am saying is that you are holding yourself back, refusing to let the darkness inside you be free.” He replies calmly, even as Joker hits him twice with Lupin. “To have such strength, and yet not use it properly…”

            “And let myself become a power-hungry addict? No thanks!” Joker shouts, leaping into the air and tossing Lupin at Lexaeus, who blocks the spinning Keyblade easily. Joker grimaces, landing on his feet as Lupin returns to his hand. Gonna have to change my fighting style… he’s just standing there waiting for me to attack…

            “Is this all you are capable of? I’m disappointed.” Lexaeus remarks, rushing forward to attack Joker. He swings his weapon down, only to just miss Joker’s coat as he dives to the side, stocking two cards while firing his gun with an 8 card. Lexaeus growls as the rounds hit him, an aura emerging around him as he dives back at Joker, forcing him back as he stocks up three more cards. He unleashes another Sleight at Joker, who smirks at the incoming attack.

            “Got you!” Joker shouts, activating a zero Reflera card and sending Lexaeus’s attack right back at him. Disoriented, Joker stocks one more card before activating the Sleight. “Skull! Panther! Noir!” With the three friend cards activated, Skull appears in a flash of lightning, rushing forward and slamming his mace against Lexaeus before jumping back and blasting him with Ziodyne. No sooner does he strike him with the attack than Panther appears right after and starts whipping Lexaeus in the face.

Lexaeus actually whips his head back at the whip strikes, flinching slightly as Panther then blasts him with Agidyne. As the flames coil around Lexaeus, Noir appears next to Joker as she summons Milady to her side, her skirt opening up and sending down a barrage of psionic rounds at Lexaeus as Noir charges forward, dragging her axe along the ground before slicing upwards at him. The attack is enough to even give Lexaeus a moment of surprise as Joker, stocking three more cards, charges forward and hits Lexaeus with a combo of strikes.

            “Enough!” Lexaeus shouts suddenly, interrupting Joker with his own zero card and quickly stocking three more cards, numbering 25. “Gaea’s Gift!” The moment he shouted that, Lexaeus was engulfed in a red, black, and golden aura that even Joker could feel was boosting his strength. He could only imagine what else that did for him as Lexaeus charged forward, slamming his axe sword into the ground and sending out a barrage of earth attacks at Joker with an 8 card. But if that wasn’t bad enough, all of Lexaeus's cards had suddenly become either seven, eight, or nine, leaving Joker with very little room to counter as he ducked under every swing. And when he did land an attack, Lexaeus did not even flinch.

            “Such merger attacks. Perhaps I have overestimated you.” Lexaeus comments to Joker, his aura not dissipating as he slams his blade into the ground, stocking up three cards for a total of 26. “I suppose I should end this farce.”

            “Yeah. I agree.” Joker replies, looking at Lexaeus with narrow eyes as he finds the last card he needed in his mind. But as Lexaeus charged in to attack with his Sleight, Joker’s frown quickly turned into a smirk, with Lexaeus’s eyes widening at the sight. “This show’s over! Megidolaon!” Joker cries, leaping into the air with a Sleight made of three nines. Arsène manifests behind Joker, a dark chuckle escaping from him as he blasts Lexaeus with the Sleight. The attack cuts through both his Sleight and his aura with frightening speed, sending Lexaeus stumbling back in shock as Joker quickly rushes forward. With his aura broken, Joker wasted no time in striking at Lexaeus with a combo of cards, not giving him time to restock his missing cards before leaping backward one more time and pulling out his gun.

            “Checkmate!” Joker shouts, firing a full clip into Lexaeus, with one round managing to hit his wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon, while another hits his knee, bringing him to the ground. Lexaeus looks up at Joker, surprise evident in his eyes at being brought down despite Joker being chained to the cards, before putting back on a stoic face.

            “Impressive…” Lexaeus admits, forcing himself up. "To beat me despite being chained to the cards… How I wish to fight you without such restrictions." Joker narrows his eyes at that, wondering just what he is talking about as he folds his arms. "I am a man of my word. While I can't disclose what we have planned for Sora, I will say that you and your group have a forgotten history with both Hikari and Nagi."

            “And what kind of history do we have with them? We don't even know who these two are exactly." Joker comments, glaring at the ginger-haired man.

            “That is all I'm going to tell you. The rest you and your friends will have to figure out. You may proceed to the next floor. But know this: you cannot hide that darkness inside you forever. It will escape… very soon." And before Joker can get a chance to speak again, Lexaeus vanishes, leaving him alone with his thoughts, even as the rest of the team returns from being cards.

            “What the hell was that all about?” Outlaw asks as Joker de-summons Lupin. "What did he mean when he said we have history with Hikari and Nagi?”

            “I don’t think any of us will understand what they are thinking about.” Edel remarks as the team heads up the stairs. “Seriously, even by what we have seen so far, nothing about this place makes any sense. Or those guys in the black coats.”

            “Are they related to the two we’ve fought before coming here?” Spring decides to ask, rubbing an arm. “If they are, does that mean that Lexaeus was holding back against us?”

            “I think he was holding back regardless.” Athena remarks, shaking her head just as they reach the top of the stairs. “Remember, he said Joker is bound by the cards. So it is fair to say that he is also bound by their rules.”

            “I guess we should be lucky in that regard.” Shinobi comments as Joker heads right for the door. “What do you think is on the other side of this door?”

            “Kaneshiro’s Palace.” Joker replies as the blue deck of cards glows in tandem with the door. “If we’re following the same route, that is.”

            “Great…” Queen groans, rubbing her head as the door opens. But when the team steps through the threshold, what they find on the other side is not Kaneshiro’s Bank. Instead, they find what could be called a tropical paradise with palm trees, tall grass that easily towers over them, and a river running nearby.

            “This isn’t a bank.” Sophie comments out loud as everyone looks around at their surroundings. “This is a jungle.”

            “Whoooa, this is amazing! Where the hell are we?!” Skull shouts in amazement, looking around at the foliage surrounding them.

            “A tropical forest? But we've never ventured into one. Apart from that one painting in Madarame's Palace and a few potted plants in Athena's Casino and Marie's Kingdom, none of the Palaces, Kingdoms, and Jails had any vegetation.” Noir comments with wide eyes. "And it certainly isn't Deep Jungle, Chilean Mountain, or even Roak."

            “But we must have been somewhere like this, right?” Spring asks, looking around. “Maybe… it’s like Kamo City in that we forgot about it?” 

            “But why did we forget in the first place?” Shinobi asks as Mona stands next to her, wiping his head. 

            “Man, this place is like a real jungle… I swear some ferocious dinosaur could pop out at any moment.” 

            “How would one even fight a dinosaur?” Fox asks, hand on his chin.

            “I don’t want to find out. I mean, have you seen Jurassic Park? We should never try to bring them back. It NEVER ends well!” Violet exclaims, shaking her head. Lavenza lets out a chuckle at Violet’s outburst while the rest of the Thieves shake their heads in fondness before glancing around at the foliage surrounding them.

            “I must admit, I am not used to seeing so much green.” Lavenza comments, a wistful look on her face. “I am reminded of the never-ending velvet of the Velvet Room… I wonder if my siblings, Master Igor, and Master Philemon are alright…”

            “I’m sure they are.” Joker replies confidently before looking around. “But right now, we need to start moving. We’re not getting out of this jungle anytime soon.”

            “Just so long as we stay out of the tall grass.” Edel warns, with the team heading down a lone dirt path. “Don’t want to get grabbed by anything now, do we?” The group lets out a few chuckles at Edel as they move through the foliage. However, just as they start to walk down the path, the snapping of a wooden twig grabs their attention as a silver blade cuts through the grass, aimed right at Joker, who blocks with Lupin just in time. But it was the person holding the blade that shocked them as a tense silence filled the air.

            Yu!? Joker screams in his head as he locks blades with his fellow Wild Card, a determined look on his face as he pushes down on the blade. Why is he attacking!?

            “Out of our way!” Yu shouts, pushing back on Joker’s blade before the two break apart and start clashing swords. Each blow is parried by the other in quick succession until they both stop, with each other’s blades resting at their necks.

            “What’s going on!?” Oracle shouts as the team stands on edge. Honestly, no one could come up with an answer as Joker and Yu were locked in a stand-off. At least until more rustling comes from the side as several more faces emerge from the grass.

            “I said out of our way…!” Yu growls with unusual hostility towards Joker.

            “Whoa, whoa! What’s going on?!” Chie shouts as she, Yukiko, Kanji, Naoto, and Teddie all emerge from the grass, all of them looking as though they are still in high school. Now that they look at Yu, he also looks as though he is still in high school like them.

            “That masked guy is in a stand-off with Yu-senpai!” Kanji shouts, pointing at Yu and Joker. “And he’s got a bunch of friends as well!”

            “It’s not just him; all of them are wearing masks and strange clothes! But why are they dressed up in the jungle?” Yukiko asks, confusion in her voice as the Thieves feel hurt building inside them.

            “Guess they don’t remember us either…” Panther comments quietly, with some frustration in her voice. “Damn it… Why?”

            “We don’t have time for this! Rise-chan and Yosuke are in danger!” Teddie shouts, grabbing the Investigation Team’s attention as Yu breaks contact with Joker.

            “You’re right. We don’t have time to waste.” He replies in a cool voice before quickly jumping away, with the rest of the Investigation Team chasing after him, leaving Joker and the others behind in confusion at what had just happened.

            “What was that all about?” Crow asks in a dumbfounded tone.

            “Teddie talked about how Rise and Yosuke are in trouble. But why did Yu attack Joker?” Shinobi wonders aloud, even as Joker glances down the dirt path Yu and the others ran down.

            “Desperation, maybe?” Violet offers, although she isn’t confident in that. 

            “We won’t know until we chase after them.” Athena remarks, flicking some hair back. “At the very least, the fact that we didn’t turn into cards must mean something.”

            “I hope so. I’m not in any mood to fight against a memory of Yu.” Joker remarks, shaking his head before becoming thoughtful. “Although… it is interesting to see him back when he was around our age. And the others as well.”

            “For real. Naoto even looked like a boy with that hat on.” Mona comments, hands on his hips.

            “And Kanji was definitely rocking the punk look.” Skull admits with a grin. “Jacket on the shoulders with a skull T-shirt? Not bad.”

            “I’d never imagine Chie walking around in a turtleneck jumper.” Panther remarks, shaking her head. “It looks like it could easily cover her mouth if she wanted to. And Yukiko was dressed so reserved as well.”

            “You could say the same about all of us having changed our styles.” Spring comments, tapping her foot on the ground. “Everyone changes, after all.”

            “Yeah.” Joker remarks, putting his hands into his pockets before looking back at everyone. “Anyway, let’s keep moving. If Kamo City was anything similar, then we’ve got some things to do before moving to the next floor.”

            “Isn’t that strange?” Sophie suddenly asks. “In Kamo City, we had to open three doors with a crown on them. But in Madarame’s Palace, we only had to open one.”

            “It’s the same with Kamoshida’s Palace.” Edel comments, folding her arms. “I wonder why?” It was an honest question with no real easy answer as they pressed forward into the jungle. Hopefully, they could catch up to Yu and the others, even if they were memories.

Although it was easier said than done, they pushed their way through the foliage, fighting against Shadows from the Dark Hour and the TV World once more. It was certainly strange how they only faced those types, whereas Palaces allowed them free Personas. At least they had a good idea of where to go, with the doors glowing with crowns. Not that it made their progress any easier; after passing through the first door, they heard the sound of combat nearby.

            “That must be them!” Noir calls out as the team picks up the pace to the sound of combat. But as they get close, a roar echoes around them, almost silencing the sound of combat just as a flash of lightning lights up not too far from them.

            “W-W-W-W-W-W-WAS THAT A T. REX!?” Oracle shouts, eyes wide behind her mask as the group picks up the pace. If they were being honest, fighting against a bloodthirsty T. rex was not on any of their bingo cards today. But the moment they burst out of the clearing, their fears became reality as a large T. rex with golden, long hair and eyebrow makeup towered over the Investigation Team, still missing both Yosuke and Rise.

            “Nothing’s working!” Chie shouts, hopping on the spot with irritation as Yukiko sends out a blast of Agidyne at the T. rex. However, the attack does nothing as it stomps towards them. Without waiting, Joker rushes forward, eyes narrowed as he leaps at the T. rex. Slashing at the side, the T. rex roars in annoyance at the attack while the Investigation Team glances over in shock as Joker stands near them with the rest of his team. Seeing it was now severely outnumbered, the T. rex slowly backs away with a growl before vanishing into the foliage, leaving the two teams alone as they look between each other.

            “Is everyone okay?” Skull asks, shouldering his mace.

            “Yeah… barely.” Kanji remarks, rubbing his head.

            “That was berry bad! We almost became dino chow!” Teddie remarks with the Thieves hiding their wince at the pun.

            So he was making bear puns even back in high school? Oh boy… The Thieves all collectively think as one, even as Kanji karate chops Teddie on the head.

            “Why did you follow us?” Naoto asks with narrowed eyes. “You could have turned and left, and yet you followed us. Why?” The Thieves all glance at each other before looking back at Naoto.

            “Well, you’re looking for some lost friends, right?” Panther asks, with the Investigation Team slowly nodding their heads. “How did you become separated, anyway?” Yu and the others all glance at each other, not sure if they should tell, but a quick glance between all of them and a single nod was all they needed as Yu turned back to look at them.

            “We were making our way over a rope bridge above a river when a pterodactyl swooped in from above.” Yu admits, hands on his hips. “We managed to make it to the other side, but Yosuke and Rise were still on the bridge when the pterodactyl destroyed it and sent them falling into the river. We’ve been looking for them ever since.”

            “A fall from a rope bridge into a river?” Crow asks, hand on his chin. “That is a serious situation.”

            “I know it sounds like we’re stupid looking for them while dinosaurs are after us, but we know they are alive.” Kanji remarks, shaking his head. “And we’re not leaving until we find them.” The Thieves couldn’t help but feel happy at hearing that. Even if they were still memories and were fake, the fact that they still cared about each other was still there.

            “In that case, let us help.” Joker comments, grabbing their attention. “You’ll have better luck exploring with a larger group, especially if that T. rex is still after you.” Yu and the others all glance at each other, taken aback by Joker’s sudden offer. But at the same time, they aren’t going to dismiss it.

            “Alright. Let’s team up.” Yu replies, a smile on his face. “The sooner we find them, the sooner we can all get out of this jungle.” Joker nods at him as the two shake hands on it. As for Lavenza, she nods along, a nostalgic smile on her face as Yu and the others all turn into friend cards, sliding themselves into Joker’s deck as he grins with satisfaction. Although there was a surprise as he did a mental check on them.

            “Strange… I also have Minako’s card as well.” Joker comments, flicking through the deck and pulling out her card. “Why is that?” The Thieves all glance at each other, puzzled by this, only to shrug their shoulders.

            “Maybe… Minako was here with us? Or something like that?” Spring comments before shaking her head. “I don’t know… this is hurting my head…”

            “Join the club…” Outlaw remarks, pulling his hat down. “When are we going to get some answers?”

            “Considering our track record, not until the end.” Athena remarks, shaking her head with a sigh. “Either way, something tells me we will not be leaving until that T. rex is dealt with.”

            “Great…” Mona groans as everyone lets out a long sigh of resignation while heading back to the door. At least Oracle had a map open for them for the floors, but as they made their way to the next golden room, Mona suddenly wondered about something they should have been talking about.

            “Does anyone know how long we’ve been in here?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: The Climb Continues.

As Knight continued to head up the stairs to the next level, he couldn’t help but think back on what Donald and Goofy were like when he mentioned Hollow Bastion, or how everything went down in Wonderland. Seeing the two of them seemingly forget about such an important world and what happened there, and the Queen of Hearts forgetting right as she was about to execute them and believing the lies Alice told them… it shook him. This is why, before heading for the next world, he had to ask them if they remembered anything else.

            “Goofy… do you remember anything else from Hollow Bastion?” Knight asks, looking at the dog with eyes full of worry. Donald tilts his head up at Knight while Goofy pauses and thinks back on his memories.

            “Well… I know that’s where you had to use the Keyblade to save Kairi’s heart. Then you just disappeared! We were so worried.”

            “Yeah… and then he reappeared as a Heartless.” Donald agrees, nodding his head with closed eyes before opening them in shock. “How did I forget that!?”

            “I didn’t… and I still recall you trying to attack me.” Knight replies, shaking his head with a fond smile while, Donald groans in exasperation. “I’m sure Jiminy still has it written down. Right?”

            “You betcha!” Jiminy chimes in, poking his head out from under Knight’s hood. “In fact, I had just finished writing down our first journey before setting foot in here.” He holds out his journal, just as small as he is, before leaping to the ground. “Now then, let's see… Oh no! How could it be?!”

            “What’s wrong?” Knight asks, not liking the shocked tone Jiminy has taken on, let alone the maroon book that Jiminy holds up with a distraught face.

            “All my entries! They’re gone! Every single page is blank!” Donald and Goofy let out shocked gasps as Knight narrows his eyes. “How could this have happened? I’m so careful with my journals! All that hard work gone…”

            “What will we do!?” Donald shouts, eyes wide as Goofy lets out a hum. “How can we make sure that what we remember actually happened!?” Knight couldn’t help but agree with that as he folded his arms in worry.

            “Say… didn’t you let Oracle make a digital version of your journals in her Persona?” Goofy asks Jiminy, who looks back up with eyes still moist but now with a small bit of hope.

            “You’re right… I did.” Jiminy replies, a bit sniffly but smiling through his tears. “I’m sure she has a copy of it. I just know it.” While that would be cause for some relief, Knight was having different thoughts of his own.

            Journal pages vanishing… Donald and Goofy forgetting things… Is that the cost of climbing Castle Oblivion? But why am I the only one who remembers? Do you know why, Bahamut?

            No, I do not. Bahamut replies deep inside Knight. However, I feel that someone is attempting to mess with your memories, or rather, your cognition.

            Really? Someone has the power to do that? Knight replies, eyes slightly widening in shock. But who? And why are they doing it? And are Joker and the others also losing their memories?

            Again, I do not know. Nor can I tell you about the others, being separated as we are. And yet, whenever this person attempts to change your memories, I sense… hesitation. While Knight didn’t show it, what Bahamut was telling him only made him more suspicious about what was going on. Who is it that is trying to mess with his memories? And are they doing it on purpose or by force? Either way, it seemed he would only get his answer from the top of this castle, leaving only one way forward. Reaching into his pocket, he grips Kairi's charm in his hand, its presence more than comforting in this situation as he turns toward the door.

            No matter what, I won’t forget about her. She’s too important for me to forget. After all… He looks up at the door, eyes narrowed in determination. I love her. Even if I can’t say it to her.

            “Huh… so that is what this place is called.” Spring suddenly remarks as the team walks through more jungle, passing by concrete walls, electric fences, and old dirt paths.

            “What is it, Spring?” Panther asks, looking back at Spring, who is staring at an old sign. Almost taken by the foliage and clawed up with dried blood, the words on the board are still clear to see if one is looking for them. “Junessic Land? Is that what this place is?”

            “Really…?” Mona asks, shaking his head. “Junessic Land? Did Yosuke come up with that idea? I mean… that’s so lazy. Really letting me down here, buddy…”

            “Who knows?” Athena comments as Joker opens up another door with a crown. “Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. It does not change our current mission.” While the team had even more mysteries about that, the roar of a dinosaur suddenly brought them all to a halt as Yu and the others appeared from their cards.

            “What was that?!” Chie shouts as Yu narrows his eyes while the Thieves look at them in surprise. Why did they just summon themselves right now? Just as the question rang in their heads, a voice echoed over the trees.

            “Persona!” The voice calls out, bearing the unmistakable tone of Yosuke, albeit slightly younger, followed by the roar of a dinosaur.

            “That’s Yosuke!” Kanji shouts as the team rushes ahead, with the Thieves right behind them. “He must be fighting nearby!”

            “That means Rise-chan is nearby as well! No way Yosuke would abandon her!” Teddie shouts as another roar echoes before them. Closer than before, just as they all burst from the foliage, they find both Yosuke and Rise facing off against a large pterodactyl with heavy makeup and golden hair, its large wings beating against them and kicking up storms of dirt while the two cover their eyes.

            “Yosuke! Rise!” Yu shouts as the Investigation Team rushes forward, the Thieves close behind.

            “Yu-senpai!” Rise shouts as Yosuke gives his friend a tired smile.

            “About time, partner… I’m reaching my limit.” He tells him before looking at the Thieves. “Who are they? Is there a masked carnival happening somewhere?”

            “We can talk later! Right now, we need to bring Seidoptera down!” Yu shouts as Joker narrows his eyes at the dinosaur. Strange how that name suddenly came to him right now. And just before the fight could begin, everyone around him transforms into friend cards as he lets out a long sigh of annoyance.

            “How did I fucking know that was going to happen?” He groans as the Seidoptera lashes out with a 5 card. Rolling to the side to avoid the attack, Joker switches to his gun and opens fire with a 5 card, managing to hit the Seidoptera's left wing before it counters with a 7 card, stunning Joker as it comes back down in a dive. The wing hits Joker in the chest, sending him skidding across the ground as he slots up three friend cards just as the Seidoptera attacks him again with a 5 card.

            Not yet! Not until I force it to use its zero card! Joker shouts, lashing out with an 8 card and breaking the Seidoptera. Leaping into the air, he follows up with a 9 card, aiming for the Seidoptera's head until it breaks him with its own zero. “Got you! Yu! Minako! Panther!” With a smirk on his face, Joker tosses the three friend cards into the air, the Seidoptera caught off guard by the sudden Sleight as Yu manifests on the field. Without even batting an eye, he dashes forward, landing a solid hit with his blade before leaping back and blasting the ancient dinosaur with Ziodyne. The moment he lands, Minako takes his place, sending out a God's Hand before rushing in with her naginata blade on fire.

While Minako distracted the dinosaur, Panther appeared on the field and gave Joker a damage boost before sending an Agidyne right at the dinosaur. But just as it was about to hit, the Seidoptera revealed it had a second zero card, breaking Joker’s Sleight and cancelling Panther’s attack right as it was about to hit.

            “Damn it… It had another zero card?” Joker growls, feeling his frustration start to build as the Seidoptera takes to the sky once more. He didn’t even realize the faint glow of darkness around his left arm as he slotted in two more cards just as the Seidoptera unleashed its own Sleight at Joker. A gale of wind that almost sent Joker flying backwards had he not braced himself.

            “Stay still!” Joker shouts, grabbing his gun and opening fire once again. Rounds hit the Seidoptera’s wings, managing to bring it down to the ground as Joker summons a single friend card. “Queen!” In a flash of blue, Queen appears before Joker and dashes forward, landing a heavy uppercut on the Seidoptera’s face, followed by a backflip kick and several rapid-fire punches as Johanna appears before Queen. But just as she is about to land the final blow, the Seidoptera counters with a 9 card, breaking Joker and banishing Queen right as she is about to land her final hit.

            “Not again…!” Joker growls, ducking away from the Seidoptera as it lashes out with its wing. One strike hits him in the chest, sending him slamming into a tree, almost kicking the air out of him just as the Seidoptera takes to the sky once more, letting out a mocking cry as Joker pushes himself to his feet.

But as the Seidoptera flies over him once again, Joker slots one of his Stop spells into his Sleight as the dark aura around his arm grows, enveloping his whole body as Joker focuses completely on the Seidoptera.

            “Enough is enough! Dark Slicer!” Not even registering the name Joker shouted, he suddenly vanished in a flash of darkness before appearing around the Seidoptera. Slashing from every angle like a phantom, he left behind glowing slashes of darkness before appearing right above and driving Lupin into its spine. The attack proved to be a critical one as the dinosaur crashed into the ground, with the dark slashes exploding as one, kicking up dirt as Joker landed from it. Panting hard as the dark aura around him vanished, he slowly realized what he had just done.

            That was… the power of darkness? Joker asks himself, shocked at how he managed to use such a spell as the friend cards all return to normal. And while the Thieves were all looking at Joker with concern, the Investigation Team was instead focused on Yosuke and Rise. It is at that moment that the Thieves notice that Yosuke, even back when he was a student, was still wearing a pair of orange headphones, while Rise's hair was still in its usual style.

            “Yosuke, Rise. Are you two alright?” Yu asks, walking up to the two as they kneel on the ground, exhaustion clear on their faces.

            “Yeah… doing alright.” Yosuke comments, holding a hand up, with Yu taking it and pulling Yosuke to his feet. “We almost became dino food, but we’re still good.”

            “I thought it was over when we fell into the river.” Rise admits as Chie helps her up. “And even after that, that stupid dinosaur would not leave us alone.”

            “Well it’s not going to be bugging us any more.” Kanji gloats, folding his arms before looking back over at Joker and the others. “By the way, these guys helped us find you.” Yosuke and Rise look at the Thieves, no sense of recognition behind their eyes.

            “For real? Then you have our thanks as well. Especially you.” Yosuke comments, looking at Joker. “That attack you did was wicked.”

            “Thanks…” Joker replies quietly, even as he lets his mind wander. Seeing that Joker is now preoccupied, Queen steps forward. 

            “So now that you are reunited, what is your plan?” She asks them.

            “That’s an easy question. We’re getting off this island.” Yu remarks, hands in his pockets. “There is a nearby helicopter station where we arrived, but our guide was eaten by a dinosaur not long after we arrived. So much for a secured park…”

            “In that case, would you mind if we accompanied you?” Athena offers, arms folded. “We have our own way of leaving, but we would not feel at ease if we did not help you find your own.” The Investigation Team all glances at each other, surprised by the others but grateful, nonetheless.

            “We would be happy to have you with us.” Naoto remarks, pulling on her cap. “After all, that other dinosaur is still out there… No doubt it is waiting for us.”

            “All the more reason to move in a large group.” Fox comments with a nod. “Lead the way.” While the Investigation Team nodded and started walking away, they all turned into friend cards and slotted themselves into Joker’s deck. But he wasn’t paying attention to them, as his focus was more on his left arm—something that everyone could see as Sophie hugged Joker, semi-snapping him out of his gaze.

            “Joker… are you okay?” Oracle asks, concern in her voice as Joker blinks slowly.

            “We heard what you used… even if we couldn’t see it.” Shinobi comments. Joker slowly closes his eyes as he lets out a long breath of air.

            “Yeah… it was a skill that used darkness. Not like the Curse or Dark magic from our Personas.” Joker’s admission, while sending shock through everyone, was not as bad as it could have been. After all, they had seen his left arm get engulfed in a dark aura many times since the fight with Ansem. But on a deeper level, part of them probably didn’t want to think it was possible. But now… that was no longer the case.

            “You doin’ alright? No crazy whispers in your head or anything?” Skull asks, tapping his head as Joker shakes his own.

            “No… Arsène, Alice, and Cybele are still there, talking to me, so I’m not at risk of falling. But… I can’t help but worry if I will…” He clenches his left hand, a sigh of resignation leaving his lips as he opens his eyes again. “Don’t worry about me. I know you guys will step in if I start to lose myself.”

            “That won’t happen, Joker.” Mona suddenly comments, slapping him on the shoulder. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You won’t succumb to it. You didn’t fall to Yaldabaoth or Maruki, and you won’t fall to this.” Joker looks at Mona before glancing back at his hand, relaxing it before looking back at the only path open to them.

            “I wish I had your same confidence, Mona. After all, Marie did manage to beat us.” Joker replies, walking towards the dirt path while everyone else watches him with concerned looks. They could tell that it was eating Joker up from the inside, and they didn’t really have many successful dark Keyblade wielders to draw on. In the end, all they could do was stand by his side, ready to step in and grab him in case he stumbled.

Just like what he did for them, every time they stumbled as well.

            “Interesting…” Zexion mumbles to himself, just as Lexaeus appears nearby, seemingly healed from his encounter with Joker. “How very interesting…”

            “What is interesting?” Vexen asks, rolling his eyes irritably. “You have been mumbling that for quite some time.” Zexion glances at Vexen, hiding his own irritation as he lowers his hand.

            “I have detected a new scent. But it is not from below. It is from above.” He replies, hand on his chin. “A new warrior of darkness has awoken… and quite powerful as well.”

            “Oh?” Vexen asks, his eyes wide with intrigue. “And how, pray tell? Aside from Riku, I was under the assumption that there were no other users of darkness.” Zexion glances at him before looking at Lexaeus, his eyes closed as he folds his arms. An air of satisfaction seemingly emanates from the warrior as he replies in turn.

            “The leader of the Phantom Thieves, Joker. Or to use his real name, Ren Sakura.” He replies dryly.

            “Oh? Well, if this isn’t a surprise.” Vexen remarks, hand on his chin. “Then again… his Persona is seemingly one of darkness itself. This was the inevitable outcome regardless.”

            “So it is.” Zexion remarks, hand on his chin. “I wonder if Marluxia will now take an interest in him.”

            “Highly doubtful. He and Larxene are still focused on Sora. They have not even given him a passing thought.” Vexen replies, folding his arms. “And they still have not yet realized Sora hasn’t forgotten anything.”

            “Let us hope it remains so.” Zexion remarks. “And what of Nagi? What is she doing?” Lexaeus looks at Vexen as he lets out a long sigh.

            “She has done nothing but speak to the one called Hikari. It would appear she is trying to worm her way into her life, yet Hikari is shutting down all her attempts. Why she is focused on her, I have no idea.” Vexen reports before folding his arms. “That in mind, I must take my leave again. Riku is about to exit his most recent floor, and I would like to be there to test him.” Zexion and Lexaeus both raise their eyebrows at that. Why would Vexen, a ‘researcher’, want to test Riku? He couldn’t just be doing it because he wants to gauge his strength like Lexaeus. No, there had to be some meaning behind it.

After all, what is the most important thing a scientist could obtain?

The jungle around them seemed to grow darker as they made their way through the rooms. Each engagement felt heavier and more chaotic, as though it were trying to push Joker more than he already had been. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, or perhaps the room was indeed showing that it had sentience; he didn’t care. All he cared about was being mindful of his Sleights.

While he had no problem using Arsène’s skills, he could still feel that brief use of darkness waiting to come out again. Dark Slicer… A brief touch of darkness, and it already had a hook in his mind. He could swear that something was trying to whisper to him, to embrace it, yet Arsène, Alice, and Cybele were keeping it locked away. He could only hope that an immunity to whatever that voice was would soon make itself known, but knowing that his Personas were keeping it in check was a confidence he needed. He did not want to end up like Riku.

Having said that, the foes on the floor were not making it easy for them, even as Joker found the last crowned door. He already had a sneaking suspicion about what was waiting for them on the other side, and he did not like it. Even as the door opened and he walked inside, he found a large open area leading up to a helicopter pad, along with the remains of a large electrical fence that seemed to still hold some power, with a surprisingly large helicopter resting on the pad.

One that looked suspiciously like the Monacopter but in Teddie's colours. Odd.

            “Large open area… no obstruction from above… concrete walls all around… yep, it’s a boss arena.” Oracle comments in a dry tone as Joker lets out a long sigh.

            “Y’know… it’s kinda depressing that we’ve done this so many times that we can actually spot a boss arena before a fight starts.” Edelweiss remarks as the team lets out a joint sigh of resignation.

            “That’s just how our lives are now… or just how predictable Castle Oblivion is becoming.” Shinobi agrees, shaking her head as Joker takes a few steps forward. Just as he expected, the friend cards of the Investigation Team all manifested before him, turning back into normal people as they walked forward, blissfully unaware that they had been cards mere seconds ago.

            Is Knight also having the same experience as us? Joker couldn’t help but wonder as Teddie points a hand at the helicopter.

            “There it is!” Teddie shouts with joy, while the other Investigation Team members all let out sighs of relief. “We’re free!”

            “Let’s just hope it still works.” Rise comments as the group walks forward. But as they do, the ground suddenly shakes, bringing everyone to a pause as they all look around with wide eyes.

            “Did anyone feel that?” Skull asks as the Thieves all reach for their weapons. As Spring reaches for her spear, she notices a pool of water nearby rippling over the surface as the ground shakes. Each shake is followed by something heavy stomping forward, a sound that only grows louder as the ripples in the water become more violent.

            “We’ve got trouble…” Spring comments, looking at the foliage with everyone following her gaze. As they did, the sounds only grew louder as branches snapped from something pushing its way through the jungle around them. Then, one of the trees was violently knocked down as the T. Rex roared at the group with hunger before quickly moving to block their way to the helicopter pad.

            “I had a feeling it was not done with us.” Crow comments with a narrow gaze as the T. Rex roars at them.

            “Why can’t it just leave us alone!? It’s been after us ever since we arrived!” Kanji shouts in irritation, his hand on his head as he shakes it with exasperation.

            “It’s standing between us and our way out!” Yu shouts at the others, readying his blade. “Until we beat it, none of us are going home!” As Joker narrows his gaze at the dinosaur while everyone around him turns into friend cards, the name of the foe before him suddenly comes to his mind.

            “Tyranniqueen? Why do I know that?” Joker asks himself as the Tyranniqueen lets out a roar, buffing itself right off the bat. Just like how I knew the name of that other dinosaur… While Joker wanted to focus on that, the Tyranniqueen had other ideas as it stormed right towards Joker with a 7 card, forcing him to duck away as he countered with a few low-level cards, baiting the Tyranniqueen to use its higher-level cards to counter while he slowly stocked up on his own high cards.

Sensing Joker stocking up on cards, the Tyranniqueen quickly stocks up on its own cards before using a Sleight. It lashes out with its tail as it spins around in a circle, attempting to hit Joker in the chest, but he already has a counter lined up as he grabs a friend card with a zero.

            “Teddie!” Joker shouts, summoning Teddie to the field and breaking the Tyranniqueen’s attack. Caught off guard, the dinosaur is soon mauled by Teddie’s bear claws before he quickly vanishes, letting Joker line up his own Sleight before attacking with a 9 card. Sure enough, the Tyranniqueen falls for the bait and breaks it with a zero card, stunning Joker as the dinosaur attempts to bite down on him. Only for Joker to smirk back.

            “Riot Gun!” Joker shouts, activating the Sleight with Arsène manifesting behind him and raining down a hail of rounds on the Tyranniqueen. The dinosaur roars in anger at the attack, tossing cards in an attempt to break Joker’s Sleight yet failing to do so while being forced to reload as Joker lines up some friend cards for another Sleight. As the Tyranniqueen reloads its deck, it too lines up its own Sleight before activating it, going into another tailspin as Joker ducks under the swing.

            “Outlaw! Yukiko! Chie!” Tossing the three cards into the air, Joker hops backward as Outlaw manifests on the field. Rifle in hand, he lets out a quick five-round burst at the Tyranniqueen’s head before summoning Drifter and unleashing a Megaton Raid at the dinosaur. The attack hits it square in the eye as Yukiko quickly takes his place, charging herself up with Concentrate before sending out a blast of Agidyne at the Tyranniqueen, who roars through the flames, attempting to bite down on her, only for Yukiko to vanish right before she is eaten. With Chie leaping through the flames next, she lands a flying kick on one of the dinosaur’s eyes before leaping backward and sending out Bufudyne towards the dinosaur.

Apparently, it really did not like the cold, as the ice sent the Tyranniqueen into a berserk-like state, lashing out violently while trying to chomp down on Joker with high-level cards, forcing him to focus on evasion even as he felt the temptation to use another darkness spell.

            No! I won’t! Joker mentally shouts, grabbing his gun and firing several Curse rounds at the dinosaurs before getting card-broke by its Sleight. The tail smacks into his chest, sending him to the ground as he rolls over several times, eyes narrowed as he leaps back to his feet. The Tyranniqueen, thinking it has Joker on the ropes, rushes forward with a 9 card, aiming to bite down and end the fight. Only it fails to realize where it is rushing towards as Joker leaps out of the way and lets the dinosaur crash right into the electrical wires behind him.

The cables, seemingly designed for the Tyranniqueen, kicked into effect as they sent countless jolts of electricity pumping into the trapped dinosaur while Joker stood back. Slowly filling out a Sleight with three 9 cards while the cables did the heavy work, he was kicking himself for not thinking about that earlier, but there could be a time he could complain later. Right now, he just wanted to end this fight.

            “Shows over! Megidolaon!” Joker shouts, summoning Arsène and sending the blast of Almighty magic right into the trapped dinosaur. The magic seemingly gets enhanced by the wires as, for a brief moment, the skeleton of the dinosaur can be seen before exploding into a comedic explosion right out of anime. Joker is actually surprised by the result that he almost doesn’t even notice the black card with a picture of the Tyranniqueen on it hovering down until it lands on his head, while thirty-five more film reels shoot up into the sky. This is something that Joker can’t help but wonder about as he watches them vanish, just as the friend cards all return to normal, with the Investigation Team clearly happy that the dinosaur is finally gone.

            “About time! That thing wouldn’t leave us alone!” Chie practically shouts as Yukiko lets out a long breath of air. Yu nods along, silent, before glancing at Joker as he holds out a hand to him.

            “Thank you for helping us find our missing friends. I’m sorry about attacking you earlier.” Joker looks at Yu, letting out a smile as he reaches forward and shakes his hand.

            “Don’t worry about it. I understand where you are coming from. If any of my family were in trouble, I would have done the same.” Joker admits to Yu, with the Thieves giving Joker a knowing smile as Yu nods back.

            “Are you sure you don’t want to leave with us?” Yukiko asks Joker as the rest of the Investigation Team heads for the helicopter. “I’m sure we can make space.”

            “We appreciate the offer, but we’re also looking for some friends who are missing.” Noir replies with a kind smile. “So, unfortunately, this is where we will part ways for now.”

            “We have our own way of leaving, so do not worry about us.” Lavenza tells Yu, who nods back at her as Yukiko heads for the copter, the blades starting to spin.

            “I see…” Yu replies, his smile not dropping. “Then I guess we’ll have to repay the favour some other time. Safe travels, and I hope you find your friends soon.”

            “The same to you.” Joker replies, giving him a nod as the two groups go their separate ways. As the Thieves dive back into the forest, they find a ladder already waiting for them, leading up to the way out, which they all take without a second thought. As they climb, more film reels appear from behind, translucent and stealthily making their way into the Thieves, with two more once again going into Violet’s back while Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza once again have none. None of them even notice the reels when they exit into the white halls once more, climbing up the stairs to the next level until Oracle comes to a slow halt just as Joker is about to reach the next door.

            “Say… wasn’t the reason that Yu attacked Joker first because Rise was poisoned and they were looking for an antidote for her?” The Thieves all looked at Oracle in surprise before blinking their eyes as a fog vanished from their minds.

            “That’s right… Rise WAS with them when we encountered Yu! Only Yosuke was missing!” Panther shouts, eyes wide.

            “And weren’t there other dinosaurs as well? Herbivores that had human girl heads that did things by a majority vote?” Violet asks, tilting her head.

            “Yeah, there were. Heck, there was even one that had Yosuke’s head and called himself Yosukesaurus!” Outlaw shouts, shaking his head. “Didn’t we have to fight Yosukesaurus before fighting the Tyranniqueen?”

            “We did… and all the herbivores helped out in beating it.” Mona agrees, tilting his head. “What we saw in that world… was completely different from what actually happened!”

            “The same can be said for all the memories we’ve gone through.” Fox comments, rubbing his chin. “All of them have been simplified summaries of our journeys through them. Even Kamo City is different from what we remember.”

            “But still, I can’t help but think that something is missin’.” Skull remarks, rubbing his head. “Wasn’t there a message behind Kamo City and Junessic Park?”

            “A message?” Edel asks, tilting her head along with Sophie.

            “Yeah… like some hidden meaning. Or rather… some hidden connection.” Queen admits, rubbing her head. “But… I’m getting nothing. Just a blank.”

            “Does it involve Hikari and Nagi?” Sophie asks, looking at everyone. That got a curious hum from everyone as they thought back on those names.

            “I don’t know…” Athena remarks, rubbing her chin. “And yet… the names don’t sound as foreign as they initially did.”

            “I still don’t trust Nagi.” Spring admits, shaking her head. “Everything about her…”

            “Made you feel uneasy, yes?” Lavenza asks, with Spring nodding her head at her. “Understandable.”

            “Lavenza… do you know them?” Joker asks, looking Lavenza in the eyes as she nods back at him slowly.

            “I do. I remember the trial that all of you have forgotten. However, it was during my time as the twins, before I could revert back to normal.”

            “Back when Yaldabaoth still had control over the Velvet Room?” Crow asks, hand on his chin. “Then… did this event happen sometime in November?” Lavenza looks at him before looking everyone else in the eyes and shaking her head.

            “I am afraid it is not my place to say. You had all forgotten about it for a reason. If I try to reveal it to you now, as you are slowly remembering on your own…” The hidden meaning behind that was loud and clear to everyone as a heavy silence filled the hall. They basically had a choice here. Either they could have Lavenza tell them what had happened and forcibly remember what they had forgotten, or they could continue to climb and remember things slowly and gradually.

One option had a lot of risk; the other would be slow and tedious. And neither option was good, as they would still be forced to climb Castle Oblivion regardless. When put into that perspective, there was really only one choice—the same one they had made ever since they entered this place.

            “Let’s just keep climbing.” Joker comments. “If we remember after we clear those floors related to what we have forgotten, then sooner or later we will remember everything anyway. There’s no point in trying to force it if it can lead to harm. That…” He places his hands in his pockets, eyes narrowed as he looks at the door behind him. “…alongside trying to figure out those 'other' memories that we might have as well.”

That was another mystery that surrounded them as the Thieves all looked at the door. What was that past life that they all witnessed, and why did they see it? Questions upon questions just seemed to rear their ugly heads as Joker walked towards the lone door before them. Without a word, the door resonated with his world cards, opening up and enveloping everyone in a gentle golden glow. And when the vision cleared, they found themselves in a dark hallway lined with couches and counters with cash registers, all dressed in a décor of dark green, dull yellow, and cream, with hints of dark brown.

            “And now we are officially in Kaneshiro's Bank.” Queen groans, rubbing her eyes as Athena lets out a curious hum next to her.

            “You know, like Shinobi with Madarame's Palace, I was also curious about what Kaneshiro's Palace looked like after you told me about it. And I must say, for a bank, this is kind of depressing for someone as big as Kaneshiro.” Athena comments as Shinobi silently fumes next to her.

            “Speaking of him, anyone got a giant fly swatter we can use?” Oracle asks as Lavenza pulls one out from who knows where, all while wearing an attire that is similar to what Aladdin has worn, but with the addition of an undershirt. And just like when she was dressed as a knight and museum curator, it was all in Velvet Room colours. As for the fly swatter, it was a human-sized one, which Oracle takes gleefully. “Thank you!”

            “Where did she even get that?” Edel asks, shaking her head while Sophie looks at her in confusion. "And where does she get all those costumes from?"

            “Wait, why do you need a fly swatter?” She asks innocently as Joker gently pulls her along.

            “Well… you'll find out soon.” He tells her as he walks down the hall. “I just hope we only need to worry about fighting Piggytron again and not his dumb bodyguards right afterwards.”

            “Um… what's a Piggytron? Is that supposed to be some kind of piggy bank?” Violet asks, confusion written on her face as Queen lets out a sigh.

            “It's Kaneshiro's Palace's swine-model defensive mechanoid. It has an arsenal of weapons such as missiles and Gatling guns, and it can even transform into a sphere in order to try to roll onto us.”

            “Well, that sounds lovely…” Crow groans as the group makes their way through the bank.

            “Sheesh… did that lady have to throw so many potions at you?” Labrys asks as she, Riku, Zack, and Rinoa exit the latest world. “I mean, seriously! She was potion-crazy!”

            “Believe me, she isn’t the worst.” Riku tells Labrys as he shakes his head. “Still, I wasn't expecting to see Traverse Town, Deep Jungle, and the Chilean Mountains. Out of those three worlds, I've only visited Traverse Town. So why were the other two there?”

            “Maybe it's because Sora had visited them? But that doesn't explain it, does it?" Zack comments, rubbing his head as Rinoa lets out a long sigh. "Still… all of them were empty apart from us facing down either a giant Heartless or one of Maleficent's allies of evil."

            “Actually, that's not true.” Riku replies, shaking his head. "Regarding Clayton, when we fought him in Deep Jungle, he wasn't really a part of Maleficent's council, but I overheard them talking about him after he succumbed to darkness and was beaten by Sora and the others."

            “Still… it's depressing that there really isn't anyone else in these worlds.” Rinoa remarks, shaking her head as Riku also lets out a sigh. But before he can comment on it, a portal of darkness opens up in front of them as Vexen appears, eyes locked on Riku with intrigue and a crooked grin.

            “I take it you are Riku? Along with Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa?” He asks with a disarming charm as the four immediately go on alert.

            “How does he know that?” Labrys asks, axe in hand as her Thief attire forms over her. Zack and Rinoa shrug their shoulders, neither of them coming up with an idea as Riku lets out a small growl.

            “Are you with Ansem?” Riku asks back, his eyes narrowing.

            “You are half correct.” Vexen replies, confusing the four. “Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Vexen. Number IV. And to answer your question, let's just say that he is not the Ansem with whom you are familiar. He is Ansem, and yet at the same time, he is not Ansem. Perhaps a 'Nobody' best conveys the idea.”

            “A Nobody?” Rinoa asks, tilting her head. “What is he talking about now?”

            “No clue. Even I have no idea what he meant by that." Zack comments, confusion written on his face.

            “Riddles were never my thing. Try again.” Riku replies, flexing his hands.

            “He belongs to neither the light nor the dark, but walks the twilight between.” Vexen lets out a chuckle at that as Riku narrows his eyes. “Catching on now? Oh yes, you also stand between the light and darkness. All of you do…”

            “What are you talking about?” Labrys asks, rolling her eyes.

            “That we all share something in common, do we not?” Vexen clarifies as Riku lets out a long sigh, resting a hand over his chest.

            “That may be true… Like you said, there is still darkness inside my heart.” He closes his eyes at that, a sigh escaping his mouth before he opens his eyes with anger as he summons Soul Eater to his side. “But so what!? Darkness is my enemy! And so are you for reeking of that awful smell!”

            “Oh ho! So it’s a fight you want!” Vexen shouts as he summons a cloud of ice to his left arm, taking on the form of a large spiked shield of deep blue with silver edging in the shape of a teardrop. “Very good! I shall take you on!” As Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa return to card form, Vexen immediately forms a Sleight of three cards before using it right off the bat. “Freeze!” He cries, extending his hand forward at Riku as a large chunk of ice appears around him.

            “I don’t think so!” Riku shouts, slashing out with a zero card and breaking the Sleight while also causing Vexen to move his shield away, giving Riku an opening to charge in and hit him in the chest before pulling back. But as he does, he can feel the darkness inside him building up as Vexen soon loads three more cards into another Sleight, keeping his shield in front of him to block Riku’s attacks without issue.

            “Ice Needle!” He shouts, slamming his hand into the ground and sending out a barrage of spikes at Riku, forcing him to dodge while he loads up the cards of his own. “Is this all you are capable of? I am disappointed.” He gloats, locking in three more cards and activating his Freeze Sleight once more, only for Riku to break it with a zero card of Rinoa. As she takes to the field and launches a flaming disk at Vexen, the disk slams into him from the side before coming in from behind for one final attack. Riku can feel the darkness inside him building up to its apex. Even if he doesn't want to use it, the option is now taken out of his hands.

            “Then you’ll be surprised by this!” He shouts as the darkness wraps around him, cladding him in the attire he wore when he fought Sora back at Hollow Bastion. “Inverse Burst!” He cries, activating the Sleight as Mickey appears next to him. The two go back to back as they hold out their weapons, shooting out orbs of light and dark while spinning around. The orbs slam into Vexen without mercy, even as he smiles through it all.

Not sharing the same feeling as Vexen, Riku charged in, landing blow after blow until his attire reverted back to normal as he stocked up three more cards. “Dark Firaga!” He cried, sending the spell slamming into Vexen, his shield taking the blow as Riku dashed forward. Leaping into the air, he slammed his blade down on Vexen, his shield not giving way even as Riku struck down relentlessly. Instead of grimacing, Vexen laughed at Riku’s attempts, his deranged smile not leaving his face as he glared into Riku's eyes.

            “I find, coursing through you, there is a darkness of formidable power growing! Well worth the trouble of aggravating you all! All this excitement has provided me with invaluable data!”

            “What!?” Riku shouts, taken aback by Vexen’s proclamation before finding himself getting pushed back. Flipping through the air, Riku lands on his feet, glaring back at Vexen as he waves at Riku, his grin not leaving his face.

            “Many thanks, Riku!” With that, Vexen takes his leave, leaving behind a fuming Riku as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa return to normal, each of them irritated by Vexen.

            “So he did all of that for some ‘data’? The hell is he talking about?” Labrys asks, shaking her head in irritation.

            “So it was a trick all along.” Riku growls, dismissing Soul Eater.

            “I’m more worried about what he plans to do with that data.” Rinoa remarks, looking at Riku. “Whatever he’s got planned, it can’t be good.” Riku nods, mentally agreeing that whatever he’s got planned could not be good for any of them.

            “Really wish Aqua and King Mickey were here right now.” Zack admits, rubbing his head. “They might be able to shed some light on what’s going on.”

            “Until they do, all we can do is keep on climbing.” Riku replies, shaking his head. “Not that it means I enjoy it…”

            “On that, we are all in agreement.” Labrys replies, shaking her head. And so, without any fanfare, the team continues their climb—a long, torturous ascent that is more tedious than any of them imagined.

At this point, wandering through the Realm of Darkness was starting to sound far more pleasant.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Still More Climbing.

            “Vexen has still not returned?” Lexaeus asks Zexion, who shakes his head. It had been a while since he left to gather his ‘data’ from Riku, yet while they did not sense his defeat, the lack of his presence was mildly concerning to them.

            “It is most likely he is fixated on what he has learned. He should return soon.” Zexion remarks, slowly shaking his head just as a portal of darkness opens up, depositing Vexen right before them with a grin on his face. “And speaking of…”

            “I hope you were not saying anything ill behind my back.” Vexen remarks, his grin not dropping. “Regardless, I have just finished looking over my data on Riku. I am quite confident that I can put it to good use to help further our goal. However… there was something that caught my eye.”

            “Something?” Lexaeus asks, raising an eyebrow. “What did you discover?”

            “There is something else inside Riku. Something that is different from the powers of darkness that yet reside within him.” Vexen taps his chin, his smile vanishing as a look of contemplation forms. “I have not seen anything like it since Chixada and the others were brought into our Organization. I suspect that Riku may have a hidden power that even he is unaware of.”

            “And how do you plan to prove this theory of yours?” Zexion asks. Vexen turns to him with a deranged grin, a plan brewing in his mind as he lets out a slow laugh.

            “It is simple, my dear Zexion. I will simply gather more data to fill the gaps.” Vexen turns to Lexaeus, his smile not faltering for a moment. “As I understand it, the leader of the Phantom Thieves has just recently started to awaken his own powers of darkness, correct?”

            “If what Zexion has detected is true, then yes.” Lexaeus remarks in a stoic voice. His reply serves only to widen Vexen’s grin.

            “Then all the more reason for me to see for myself.” Vexen remarks, turning on his heels. “They are about to finish the 5th floor, correct? Then I suppose I shall wait until they are done. The powers of a Persona… I wonder what wondrous data I shall obtain from them.” With a made chuckle, Vexen opens up a portal of darkness and vanishes from the room, leaving Zexion and Lexaeus alone as they both glance at each other with uncertainty.

            “I fear to say it, but I think Vexen has started to lose his mind…” Zexion comments in a dry tone.

            “Starting too? I fear he has long since lost it.” Lexaeus replies, shaking his head as Zexion nods. He couldn’t really counter that as he closed his eyes once more.

Nor did he like the bad feeling he was getting from this situation.

            “SUPER VIP FORM!” Joker rolls his eyes once more as Shadow Kaneshiro, taking cover inside Piggytron once more, goes into his Super VIP Form to try and roll him over. Considering how it was a Sleight made up of three 9 cards, normally it would be a problem to stop. But thankfully, Joker had the option to not only stop it but also to finally bring it down.

            “Reflera!” Joker cries, using the zero card to break the attack. The barrier around him fires out a beam at Piggytron, knocking it out of VIP form and crashing onto its side in a daze. “Time to end this! Athena! Shinobi! Queen!” Throwing the Sleight into the air, Athena appears before Joker in a flash of light before charging forward. She lands several hits on the nose hatch, denting the metal inward before leaping back and blasting it with a joint Mahamaon and Mamudoon spell. The magic disintegrates the locks around the hatch as Shinobi appears next, firing her sniper rifle at the weakened joints before summoning Kunoichi and ripping the hatch off with Psy magic.

With the hatch removed, Queen appears behind Shinobi, leaping onto Johanna and sending out a stream of Nuke magic right into the interior of Piggytron. Sure, Shadow Kaneshiro might have envisioned his Piggytron to be strong on the outside, but on the inside… Queen's attack proved to be far more than it could handle as the entire swine model defence machine exploded from the inside out. With Shadow Kaneshiro, once more as a giant bug, landing right in front of Joker with a heavy thud, all while a black card with a picture of Piggytron appears before the leader.

            “Just as much of a pain as always…” Joker groans, grabbing the card as everyone else returns to normal.

            “You little punks… don’t think you’ve won!” Shadow Kaneshiro groans, pushing himself up to his feet as his wings attempt to fly him away, but he can barely get off the ground. “This isn’t over… I still have lots of money to crush you fools under!”

            “No you don’t!” Oracle shouts, rushing forward with the giant flyswatter before leaping into the air. “Oracle used Human-Sized Flyswatter!” Shadow Kaneshiro lets out a terrified scream as the flyswatter comes smacking down on him from above, turning him into a dark, gooey paste before vanishing into a dark mist, just like all the others.

            “Super Effective!” Edel cheers as Oracle holds up the flyswatter. Surprisingly clean, despite turning the memory of Shadow Kaneshiro into black paste.

            “I wish I could have done that…” Shinobi comments quietly to Queen, who nods her head in agreement. Joker and Mona both glance at them with some concern in their eyes before shrugging their shoulders. They couldn’t really fault them after everything they went through, after all.

            “Still, I didn’t think that Kaneshiro’s ultimate weapon would literally be a giant piggy bank.” Violet remarks as the team heads for the nearby ladder. “I mean, the clue was in the name, but still…”

            “I suppose it shows just how much greed the man had.” Crow remarks, with zero amusement in his voice. “And all of it taken by the students' lives that he had ruined. Used for not only his own deplorable desires but also to fund Shido's rise to power…” Athena silently fumes in response. After all, she almost lost Queen to Kaneshiro, and by extension, Shido, because of Kobayakawa forcing her to investigate his crimes in the first place. And because she wanted to make herself useful to her, that guilt still hadn't left her even now.

            “So now that we are done with Kaneshiro, next up would be Oracle’s Palace, right?” Outlaw asks as the team climbs the ladder.

            “Yeah… it would.” Oracle replies with hesitation in her voice. “Really not looking forward to seeing it again…”

            “Not like we have a choice.” Panther adds just as they all reach the top, some pausing to help others up. “That’s how this place works.”

            “Still wish we could just jump in and help Joker in battle properly.” Skull groans, rolling his arm. “I mean, I could handle those cards easily! There isn’t anything hard about them!”

            “Really, Skull?” Spring asks in a knowing tone as they all enter the white hallway. “Something tells me you would—” Before she can finish her teasing, all of the Thieves, barring Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza, are struck by a splitting headache. Some fall to their knees, while others fight to stay upright as their vision goes white.

For Joker, he could feel as though his mind was being whisked back to a different time as the sound of water rushing next to him and the sound of grass being crushed underfoot soon echoed in his ears. As the white in his vision soon passed, he realized that he was walking next to a river going uphill, with green grass and trees around him while the ruins of skyscrapers were scattered around.

            Where am I now? Joker asks as the person he was seeing through continued to walk until he came across someone Joker was not expecting to see. Yu?

To Joker’s surprise, there was Yu kneeling at the water with a contemplative look, dressed in the same attire that he had seen Mathew, the Fox of the past, wearing. Although his looked to be dark silver and black as he turned to look up at Joker.

            “Xander… still no luck?” ‘Yu’ asks, with Joker now realizing he was looking through Xander’s eyes again.

            “Nothing, Johnny.” Xander replies, shaking his head. “Looks like no one was spared.” Johnny lets out a sigh, standing up to his full height as he and Xander continue to walk forward, where something else soon catches Joker’s eye as he gasps in shock.

It was a Silky that had been turned into solid salt.

            A Silky? What happened to it!? Joker mentally shouts before his eyes soon land on someone else. It looks to be Naoto, wearing attire similar to Erica's but in dark blue and black, staring at the saltified form of a high school student.

            “Anna, have you found anyone?” Johnny calls out, grabbing Naoto, or rather, Anna’s attention as she turns to look at him.

            “No. Everyone has been turned to salt. Both the students and Demons.” She replies, letting out a long sigh. “Everyone else is waiting at the centre for you both, although Todd is still late.”

            “He has been showing up late a lot, hasn’t he?” Xander asks as the three head over to the middle.

            “He has… and as of late, he's also been seen with Daman and Chris a lot as well.” Johnny replies as they pass by more salt statues of both humans and Demons. Pixies, High Pixies, Jack Frosts, Jack-o'-Lanterns… and even Sandmen and Kelpies were turned to salt, trying to protect the students from whatever did this. But why were students here to begin with? Was this the Metaverse, TV World, or even the Dark Hour's doing?

            What is going on? Joker asks mentally just as the trio moves around a large boulder. Just before him, on a rock overlooking the river, are the saltified forms of Oberon and Titania, with seven familiar faces along with two people that Joker does not recognize. One was what he could only presume was a high school student in a dark blue outfit with flower patterns and short black hair, and a tall man in a silver outfit with red lines and short spiky hair.

            “Xander, Johnny, Anna.” ‘Yosuke’ calls out, waving them over with a grim look. He is wearing an outfit similar to Max's but in green with yellow and red. “Did you find anyone?”

            “We didn’t, Yuri. Everyone we found had been turned to salt.” Johnny replies, letting out a sigh. “What even happened here?”

            “That’s what we want to know.” ‘Chie’ asks, wearing an outfit similar to Anna's but in silver and red. “Amanda and Troy couldn’t find evidence of darkness being the cause.”

            “I don’t think anything here is caused by darkness, Erin.” Yukiko, or rather, Amanda, replies. She is wearing an outfit similar to Chie’s, or rather, Erin’s, but in pink with black highlights.

            “What do you think, Kei?” Kanji, or rather, Troy, asks, wearing an outfit similar to Yuri's but in all black. As for the one called Kei, he is the one wearing the high school outfit who closes his eyes with a hum.

            “I think… it was someone from my world.” He replies in a calm voice.

            “Someone from your world?” ‘Rise’ asks with wide eyes. Her outfit is the same as Anna’s but in light blue with white highlights. “But who would want to attack students or turn them into salt?”

            “A rogue Demon, maybe?” ‘Teddie’ asks while shrugging his shoulders. His outfit is similar to Johnny’s, but red and blue. Seems some things will never change.

            “I do not think so, Sam.” The tall man suddenly comments to Teddie, or rather, Sam, while folding his arms before looking at 'Rise'. “And remember, Ashly, Demons desire the Magatsuhi from humans in this world. Why would they turn them into salt and prevent them from absorbing it? And why turn fellow Demons into salt as well? It makes no sense. Considering how Jouin High School was attacked and the students kidnapped, it would defeat the purpose of them being turned to salt.” Xander looks at everyone as they all let out hums of suspicion at the surroundings. As for Joker, he just had more questions piling up in his mind until Kei suddenly pulled out his phone.

            “Aogami… we’re being called back to Bethel HQ in Tokyo.” Joker could feel the need to blink in surprise at that as Kei told the tall man next to him. “It looks like they might have a lead on what happened here or where the Qadištu have fled to. Tao, Yoko, and Ichiro are also being called as well.”

            “Very well.” Aogami replies before he and Kei suddenly grab hands. Suddenly, a flash of blue blinds almost everyone before gently vanishing. When the light had cleared, Aogami had vanished, and Kei was now standing in a changed form. His hair had turned blue and was now flowing almost to his feet, while a black suit with silver etching around his feet, left leg, left side of his chest, back, left arm, and lower-right arm manifested over him. Complete with dark blue shoulder pads with light blue lining, more light blue lines running over the right side of his chest and back while going down to his legs, light blue metal on the sides of his head protecting his ears, and fingers glowing in a light blue energy.

            “Still can’t believe you’re a Nahobino, Kei.” Yuri remarks as Joker lets out a gasp in his mind. “I mean, we were all told you went extinct.”

            THIS is the Nahobino we were told about!? Joker mentally shouts as Kei looks back at Xander, Yuri, and the rest, his eyes glowing that similar yellow when a person awakens to a Persona as he smiles back at them.

            “There’s a lot people don’t know about me, such as my thoughts on everything that has happened and how the future will go.” He replies. “We may be parting for now, but we’ll meet again one day.” He turns to leave, walking towards a font of blue light that suddenly erupts from the ground before pausing to look back at them. “May your hearts be your guiding key, warriors of the Keyblade.” With that, Kei turns and enters the font of light, vanishing the moment he enters, just as the sound of footsteps echoes behind them.

            “Just missed him, huh? No matter.” As everyone turned to look at the new voice, Joker could feel himself letting out another gasp of shock at who he saw.

            Sho!? What is he doing here!? As if Joker needed more questions about what was happening, Sho was now walking up to them. He was dressed similarly to Johnny, but in red with khaki brown.

            “Todd! Where the hell were you!?” Anna shouts in annoyance as Todd walks up to them in a carefree manner. “We were supposed to gather up here several minutes ago!”

            “Well, sorry for being late, princess.” Todd dismisses with a smirk as Anna growls at him. “But what’s the point of even looking anyway? Whoever has done this is long gone. We’re just wasting our time being here.”

            “All the same, we need to let the Foretellers know what is happening here in Da’at. It could have impacts on our own world as well.” Xander tells Todd, who just shakes his head.

            “If it does, then good. Our world is getting boring anyway. No excitement at all.” He spins around, walking away from them as he looks over his shoulder. “Now, if we were allowed to fight between Unions… I would like to show you Unicornis what we Ursus are made of, Amanda.”

            “What are you saying!? You know that fights between Unions are strictly forbidden!” Johnny shouts at Todd, who just shakes his head with amusement.

            “Keep telling yourself that, Vulpes boy. One day, those rules are going to break.” While everyone else just glared at Todd, he opened up what looked to be a corridor of light and walked on through it, no doubt going back to where they were all living. But as he did, Joker could feel a wave of uncertainty inside Xander as he looked back at everyone.

            “Do you think that will really happen?” Amanda asks, uncertainty in her voice. “That the Unions will all fight each other?”

            “I’m hoping it doesn’t.” Troy admits, folding his arms. “I could never raise my Keyblade against you guys.”

            “The feeling is mutual.” Yuri replies, shaking his head. “But Todd… what is going on with him? He wasn’t like this…”

            “I’m blaming Daman and Chris. Those two are always dragging people off to talk to them in secret.” Ashly points up, rubbing her arm. “They even tried to approach me a few times as well… Makes me glad we’re with the Dandelions.”

            “Safety in numbers.” Johnny agrees before looking towards Xander. “By the way, where are your friends?”

            “They are with Aleks and his friends, checking out the other area of Da’at.” Xander replies before letting out a sigh. “I don’t know why, but… I’ve got a bad feeling that something is about to happen soon…”

            “We all do, Xander. We all do.” Erin replies in a solemn voice just as the vision comes to an end. With his vision returning, Joker finds himself kneeling on one knee, with Lavenza holding him up as Sophie does the same for Queen, while Edel struggles to hold Shinobi.

            “Urgh… another one?” Skull groans, shaking his head in annoyance.

            “Why are we even seeing these?” Panther asks, pushing herself to her feet as Joker lets out a sigh and pats Lavenza on the arm.

            “I think the better question we should be asking is what we saw.” Crow remarks, shaking his head. “Tokyo, submerged in sand.” Joker looks at Crow with a raised eyebrow at that, remembering that what he saw was different until he remembered the end.

            “Yeah… and not only that, but we were with Minato and the others.” Spring adds, surprising Joker. “But Xander wasn’t there.”

            “Yeah… why was that?” Mona asks, looking at Joker. “Where were you?” Joker, pushing himself to his feet, cracks his back a bit before looking back at the others.

            “I was in a different area next to a river and forest. But there were building ruins mixed in. And…” He lets out a shudder at what he saw, the image still fresh in his mind. “…I saw students who were turned into salt statues.”

            “Students as salt statues?” Queen asks, eyes wide as Joker nods at her.

            “Yeah. And I'm talking about modern students, like us. Not only that, but there were also Demons turned to salt as well: Silkys, Pixies, High Pixies, Kelpies, Jack-o'-Lanterns, Jack Frosts, Sandmen, and there was even an Oberon and Titania as well. All of them turned into salt statues.”

            “How terrible…” Noir comments, her hand over her mouth. “We didn’t see anything like that in our vision.”

            “I’m honestly glad you didn’t.” Joker replies, shaking his head. “But there was something else… I also saw Yu and the Investigation Team there, along with two other people.”

            “Yu and his team were also around back then?” Shinobi asks with wide eyes. “I’m guessing they also had different names?”

            “Yeah, they did.” Joker reveals, nodding his head. “But as I said, there were two other people there with them as well. One was a high school student dressed in a uniform I've never seen before, who was named Kei, and the other was someone Kei was partnered with, who was called Aogami. At first, I thought Kei was a survivor of whatever happened until he and Aogami grasped hands.” Joker looks back up at them, eyes narrowing as he folds his arms. “That guy… was the Nahobino we were told about by King Triton.”

            “The Nahobino?” Athena asks, hand on her chin. “So what you are saying is that we caught a glimpse of our world before it was freed from whatever loop it was trapped in?”

            “Maybe.” Joker replies, nodding his head. “But we don’t know anything else. Not that it’s helping the headache I’m feeling anyway…”

            “Anyone got any headache tablets on them?” Outlaw asks, taking his hat off to rub his head.

            “I don’t have anything like that, but perhaps I can help distract your minds.” A voice echoes around them, sending the team on alert as a portal of darkness appears before them, with Vexen appearing seconds later with a wide grin. “Greetings, Phantom Thieves. I am Vexen. Number IV.”

            “Another guy in a black coat?” Edel asks in annoyance, shaking her head.

            “How many of them are there?” Sophie asks, tilting her head at the man.

            “Oh? Are you perhaps curious about us?” Vexen asks with a wide grin.

            “More like why you guys wear black coats, all have an 'X' in your name for some reason, and have a number as well.” Violet clarifies as Vexen strokes his chin, his smile never falling.

            “Well… I suppose I can share some information with you.” Vexen begins, his gaze moving between them all in a slow pattern. “It would begin when our leader, known as the Superior, finds us when we are lost and wandering. He gives us purpose, a new name, and a number in order of our recruitment. So by that logic, I am the fourth member to be recruited. As for how many of us there are… in total, there are nineteen of us.”

            “Great…” Panther groans, rolling her eyes.

            “I guess that explains why they all have an 'X' and a number. You, Lexaeus, and Axel must've gone by different names before being recruited by this 'Superior' of yours. And if what you said about you being the fourth recruited member is true, then that means Lexaeus and Axel were the fifth and eighth members to be brought into your little cult.” Joker comments. “But that begs the question: how many of you guys are here in this castle?”

            “First of all, 'cult' is such a harsh term; we more or less call our group an… Organization. As for how many are here in Castle Oblivion, only six out of the nineteen of us are here, and counting myself, you all have met four of those six members. And while I refuse to talk about my other companions outside of the castle, I will personally give you the name of the one member you met all the way back when you first arrived with Sora. This member is the one who's actually overseeing the rest of us here in Castle Oblivion, known as Marluxia. Number XI.” Vexen reveals with a grin, seemingly not bothered by telling them this. And while the Thieves were glad that they learned the identity of the one who brought them here… that did raise another question in their minds.

            “Hold up… you are Number IV, and yet you're taking orders from the eleventh guy recruited? How does that work?” Oracle asks, with Vexen's smile quickly vanishing at the comment. Clearly, he was not happy with the current situation either.

            “As if I needed the reminder from you.” Vexen replies a little harshly. “Besides, I am not here for idle chatter. I have something far more important to obtain.” With that, he summons his shield to his side as Joker quickly summons Lupin. “I would like to test myself against you. More specifically, you, Joker. See how strong you 'Persona' users truly are.”

            “Just like Lexaeus…” Joker comments as the rest of the Thieves ready their weapons.

            “Come now… I am nowhere like that silent buffoon. I am a scientist!” With deranged glee, Vexen holds his shield before him as the Thieves all get turned into cards. Right off the bat, Vexen stocks two cards into a Sleight before rushing forward and slashing out with a 6 card. Joker counters quickly with a 7 card, breaking Vexen and quickly moving to the side to attack his right flank. He’s no fool to try and take on the shield from the front, so while carefully stocking two friend cards, he lashes out at Vexen’s side with a 4 and 3 card. No need to waste his higher-ranked ones, especially as Vexen countered with an 8.

Was he trying to bait him? Not that Joker cared, as Vexen soon struck out with his shield before stocking one more card into a Sleight. “Freeze!” Feeling the air around him begin to chill, Joker quickly dashed to the side just as a giant block of ice enveloped where he had just been. Vexen let out a tsk of annoyance and then, using a green card, restocked his own as Joker slid in one more card to his Sleight.

            Now to bait a zero… Joker mentally comments, quickly flipping to one of his 9 cards. “How about you pause for a moment? Stop!” He calls out, using the 9 Stop magic card to freeze Vexen, only for him to counter with a zero card.

            “I have no time to pause.” Vexen remarks, quickly stocking up three more cards into another Freeze Sleight. “Why don’t you pause yourself?” Without batting an eye, Vexen activated his Sleight, once more attempting to freeze Joker in place. But instead of dodging, Joker merely smirked as he mentally counted up the numbers of his and Vexen’s Sleights.

            “Not today!” Joker shouts, activating his Sleight and breaking Vexen’s, much to his surprise, as Joker tosses the three friend cards into the air. “Oracle! Shinobi! Edel!” Seconds after the cards are thrown into the air, Oracle appears before Joker in a flash of light. Battle staff in hand, she charges at Vexen, pole-vaulting over him and smacking him in the back before leaping away and sending a blast of Curse magic at him. Disoriented by the attack on his back, Vexen is not prepared for Shinobi charging at him from the front.

Using her kunai and chain, she latches onto Vexen’s shield, using it to spin her around to the side before blasting his side with Psy magic. Sent stumbling from the attack, Vexen soon found Edel on his other flank, lashing out with her two blades before leaping back and hitting him with Ziodyne. While Joker stocked two more cards for a future Sleight, Vexen did not look annoyed by the sudden attacks. In fact, he almost seemed amused.

            “How intriguing. Very intriguing.” He comments, his smile not dropping from his face. “But I still need more. You can do better than that, correct?” As he speaks, he lines up three more cards into a Sleight as Joker readies a zero card to counter it. “Ice Needle!” From the floor, a barrage of ice spikes shoots up right towards Joker as he leaps above them. Diving at Vexen, he lands feet first on his shield before leaping off, kicking Vexen away as he loads up one more card into his Sleight.

            “Then how about this!? Eigaon!” Flipping backwards in the air, Arsène appears before Joker and conjures an orb of Curse magic before his hands. With a chuckle, Arsène tosses it towards the ground, the orb sinking before suddenly erupting under Vexen in a torrent of red and black flames. Judging by the cry of pain from Vexen, he was not expecting such an attack as Joker lands on the ground and charges at him again, Lupin clashing against the shield as Vexen looks at him with a wince.

            “I must admit… I was not expecting that.” He admits, visibly straining under Joker’s Keyblade before putting on a deranged grin. “But such a pain I gladly accept! For it has given me my most valuable data yet!”

            “Data!?” Joker shouts, the pressure on his blade slacking for a moment, which was enough for Vexen to force Joker back. “What do you mean by data!?”

            “All in good time.” Vexen replies as he opens up a portal of darkness. “I appreciate you letting me see what you're capable of, Joker. And while I was hoping to see more of your own inner darkness, this battle has yielded me just what I need. We'll meet again soon.”

As Vexen takes his leave, Joker growls at the thought of being tricked as the Thieves all return to normal from the cards, all of them looking at where Vexen was last with disgruntled looks.

            “What was that all about anyway?” Oracle asks, shaking her head. “What was this ‘data’ he wanted from us?”

            “Nothing good, we can all agree on that.” Crow remarks as the team pushes forward. There was no point in staying here and wasting time thinking when they could do so while walking.

            “At least we found out some info on who we are dealing with.” Queen remarks as they reach the top of the stairs. “Not that it makes our situation any better.”

            “Nineteen members, huh… We've got our work cut out for us.” Mona groans, shaking his head. “And what about the guy from our dream and the one from Hollow Bastion? Are they also a part of this… Organization?”

            “Well they are wearing the same black coats.” Shinobi comments, tapping her finger while Joker walks up to the door. “It would make sense if they are. But why are they wearing them anyway? Does it have some other use?”

            “Somehow I doubt it’s a fashion statement.” Panther replies, shaking her head as Joker opens up the door, enveloping them all in light as they soon find themselves in a large stone room. Sand piles up along the sides, hieroglyphics mixed with internet code lining the walls, and sarcophagi placed along the walls and corners.

            “So… this is your Palace, Oracle?” Shinobi asks, turning to look at her, who lets out a shaky breath.

            “Yeah… despite this being the place where I realized the truth of my Mom's death, I still hate being back here.”

            “Another Palace I never saw… and frankly, one I never wished to see.” Athena comments, shaking her head. “It was already bad enough what I was doing at the time with Boss…”

            “While I find it very slim that it could happen, there may be a chance that Oracle might experience those voices again when Shido's men told her relatives about her mother's false suicide note.” Fox warns, shaking his head as he turns towards Oracle. “Are you going to be fine if that happens again?”

            “I think I'll be okay, Fox.” Oracle replies, nodding her head. “Even though we are in my Palace, I can still feel my Persona. So if I do hear those voices again, it's probably not going to be as bad as it was previously.”

            “Hold on, despite Oracle herself being here with us, do we still have to fight her Shadow at the end?” Violet asks with an uncertain voice.

            “Thankfully, no. But instead, we'll be fighting against a giant sphinx-like cognition of my Mom.” Oracle reveals, shaking her head. “But last time, we needed a ballista to bring her down since she was flying out of range the entire time.”

            “I could probably take her down in tank form. But I wonder if I can even take on that form in here anyway…” Edel comments, tapping her foot on the ground as Crow lets out a hum.

            “Either way, we would still need a ballista… which is unfortunate.” Crow comments, glancing at Lavenza, who is now dressed as an ancient pharaoh, again in Velvet Room colours. “I don’t suppose you have one lying around, do you?” Lavenza looks at Crow before giving him a sweet smile that seems far too innocent.

            “Perhaps I do.” She replies, with everyone sweat dropping at her.

            “Where does she keep them?” Sophie asks Joker and Queen, who look at her. Both of them shrug their shoulders while Joker turns to look at the path before them. If he were being honest, he was expecting to see a memory of Shadow Futaba waiting to greet them. But there was nothing. Why was that?

Well, he wasn’t going to complain at any rate. It was bad enough having to go through these Palaces a second or third time. But even as he started to head down the path, he couldn’t help but think about that vision he had.

And if Yu and his friends also experienced it…

Far from the mind-boggling shenanigans that were Castle Oblivion, in the peaceful rays of Twilight Town, the Investigation Team gathers in the old mansion. It has changed for the better ever since they made it their temporary home, and DiZ is even letting them into his underground basement. Although today, DiZ is doing something in the basement, with Yu popping down to help him every now and then. But right now, Yu is with the rest of his team. After all, they have some important things to talk about.

            “Roxas still hasn’t woken?” Rise asks Nanako, who nods back at her. Now dressed in a light blue jacket with a white interior, a white sport shirt with a silver zip and red and blue patterns, she wears a pair of black trousers and greyish-brown boots with fur trimming.

            “Well, according to Xion.” Nanako replies, leaning on her back feet. For a while now, Nanako had been managing to talk to Xion after she saved her from some Heartless one day. Since then, she had always been trying to join her at the top of the clock tower since her usual friends were currently gone. “It’s strange. Apparently, he just fell into a coma from nothing, or maybe it was heatstroke. Either way, he hasn’t woken up yet. It’s been eleven days since he fell asleep.”

            “Eleven days…” Naoto comments, stroking her chin. “Has Xion said anything else?” Nanako shakes her head.

            “I don’t think she can. Even if we’ve become friends, she’s still hesitant to say anything about where she is.” Yu lets out a hum, closing his eyes as he leans back on his feet. “By the way, how are you guys feeling? You’ve had another headache today, right? Is it related to the last one?”

            “You mean that jungle filled with dinos? Nope.” Yosuke remarks, rubbing his head. “But it was strange how we just randomly remembered that. And that we apparently met not only the Thieves but Minako as well! How the hell did we forget that!?”

            “And what else did we forget?” Yukiko comments, shaking her head. “There must be more to that memory than we know. But today’s vision… I don’t even know where to begin.”

            “For real! I mean, students and free Personas, which were being called Demons, turned to salt, and a kid who fused with a man and became a ‘Nahobino’, whatever that means. And then SHO, of all people, walked up like he was old friends with us while calling us by different names!? Hell, even Ren was there, but we were calling him Xander!? Just what the hell is going on?” Chie lets out a large sigh as she rubs her eyes stressfully. “I wish someone would give us answers…”

            “Think DiZ might be willing to tell us?” Kanji asks, folding his arms. “He’s been cooped up underground for the past eleven days. And you still haven’t told us what’s going on, Yu.”

            “And I promise I will. But things are tense at the moment.” Yu replies, folding his arms. “But if things go to plan, we’ll soon be finding some old friends at the end of this.”

            “I really wish you could give us a straight answer, Sensei.” Teddie replies, shaking his head. While everyone could feel their frustration building, a door above them opened as DiZ made his presence known, looking down at them with his free eye while walking down the stairs.

            “Pardon me for interrupting, but I overheard you talking about a past with a ‘Nahobino’?” He asks them, briefly surprising them before they all roll their eyes. Of COURSE he would put in some listening devices.

            “Yeah. It was a strange vision as well.” Rise admits, rubbing her head. “Do you even know what a ‘Nahobino’ is?” DiZ looks at her before slowly looking towards the others before closing his eye.

            “What knowledge I know has been pieced together through scraps long forgotten. From a distant past where Keyblade wielders were far more numerous than they are today.” He begins, opening his eye. “However, what I have managed to find tells me that the ‘Nahobino’ was once an ordinary high school student, pulled into a war he wanted no part in. And at the end, he chose to remake his homeworld to free it from an endless cycle of death and rebirth—a cycle that was killing the world every time it came to pass. And that world… is the one that you all hail from.”

            “For real!?” Yosuke and Kanji shout as DiZ nods his head.

            “Indeed. It is why I called you Demon users when we first met. For in the distant past, that is what you used.”

            “That explains some things, but why did we have a vision of the past anyway? Why were we even there?” Naoto asks DiZ who closes his eye once more.

            “I cannot say. There are things that even I do not know.” He opens his eye again, a look of intrigue burning behind his eyes. “Regardless, we must stay on our toes. Things are about to move in motion that will affect us all. And please, if you have any more visions from that time, share them with me. I admit I may not know everything, but there could be something that I know that could be of help.”

            “Right.” Yu replies slowly. If he were being honest, there were several things about DiZ that did not sit right with him. His stance on the Nobodies, for one thing, but more than that, it was his lust for revenge that sat wrong with Yu.

He could only hope that it wouldn’t blind him to the truth. And if it did, they would step in and remind him of why it was the most important thing in the world.

            Well… this has certainly been interesting. Axel thinks to himself, looking into the orb before him. Despite Naminé's work, Sora has not forgotten about anything. His friends, on the other hand… gotta say, I feel sorry for them. He shakes his head, taking a moment to glance to the side at Naminé and Hikari, the two quietly working away. Wonder how long it will take for Marluxia to figure out Sora is not going to be an easy puppet to grab.

            “What are you smiling at?” A harsh voice echoes on the other side of the orb, tearing Axel's gaze from it. Standing on the other side was a young woman in a black coat, her blonde hair slicked back and reaching to her jaw, save for two strands that looked like antennas.

            “Nothing you need to worry yourself over, Larxene.” Axel replies, tuning his gaze to the orb as it changes to show Joker’s team. Larxene tilts her head, her turquoise eyes brimming with mischief as she leans in towards Axel.

            “Is that right? Are you sure you're not thinking about that silver-haired brawler with Joker’s team?” She teases as Axel rolls his eyes.

            “Like I need any teasing from you, Number XII. And besides, we don't have hearts. I couldn't feel any romantic affection even if I wanted to. And it's not like I could pull from my memories on what it would feel like.” Axel replies in a dry tone, even as some part of him is telling him otherwise. But why would he think that? He couldn't feel real emotions even if he wanted to…

            “Whatever you say, pal.” Larxene replies, not believing Axel for a moment. “But enough about your silly crush. You also seem interested in this Sora kid as well.”

            “It is hard not to.” Axel admits, shaking his head. “There was a time when Sora became a Heartless. And if one becomes a Heartless—”

            “They lose their minds and their feelings. They’re consumed by the darkness. We all know this.” Larxene replies, shaking her head.

            “That’s right. But not Sora. He held on to his feelings, even as a Heartless. Even if he only turned into a lowly Shadow, he still retained his sense of self, even as instinct. And as we all know, there is only one other person who has done just that.” Larxene narrows her eyes, a hand on her chin as she nods her head in acknowledgment.

            “It's the strength of his heart, right? That's what interests you. Why the Keyblade chose Sora's heart.” Axel nods his head, letting her fill the void as his eyes dart back to the orb as it shows Knight, Donald, and Goofy finishing up the Monstro world, their seventh trip down memory lane. It looked like they were just ahead of Joker's group, seeing how they had just started their seventh world.

            “To unlock the secrets of the heart. Isn’t that the Organization’s mission?” When Larxene heard that, she gave Axel a smile that was anything but kind, if he still had feelings. However, that didn't stop Naminé and Hikari from visibly shuddering at Larxene's grin.

But while that was going on somewhere in Castle Oblivion, Knight was leading Donald and Goofy out of the Monstro world and towards the stairs. While he wasn’t saying it out loud, he was thinking back on the worlds they had seen and just how… different they all were to his memories.

The Queen of Hearts losing her memories and blaming Alice in Wonderland, Hades having Cloud fight Hercules in the Olympus Colosseum to get his memories back, Jane and her father trying to help Tarzan remember who he was and not a hunter of apes in the Deep Jungle, and Kuzco thinking that he was still a llama when he was a human back in the Chilean Mountains, with Pacha trying to help him remember.

Things in Agrabah went almost the same way, with Jafar grabbing the lamp and kidnapping Jasmine. Only this time, Jasmine was not kidnapped from the world, and they didn't chase him to the Cave of Wonders. The same thing happened in Monstro, with the only difference this time being that Riku was not there. But still, if he didn't remember everything that had really happened, he would have found himself believing those things happened instead.

            I wish we could reach the top soon… because this is starting to hurt my head. Knight tells himself, more than thankful that Bahamut is there to keep his memories safe. But as they reach the top of the next set of stairs, something in Knight's memories does change. Or rather, it is like something else is added in: the flash of another girl with him, Riku, and Kairi on the Destiny Islands, sitting by herself and drawing in her sketchpad. Who is… that?

He shakes his head, not sure if it really was one of his memories or not, before looking back at the door before him. A new question has entered his mind—a question that Bahamut did not answer for him as he got the blue deck ready, the doors glowing with a faint yellow light as the words echo in Knight's mind.

            Was there someone else with us on the islands? And if so… who was it?

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: A.I.G.I.S

“DIIEEEE!”

Joker grimaces as he ducks under a swing from Sphynx Wakaba. Just as he and the others had worried, Sphynx Wakaba was indeed still flying around out of range, leaving Joker with very few options to attack. Even though Lavenza had managed to pull out a ballista from nowhere, he had no one around him to use it as Sphynx Wakaba pelted him with attacks from the sky. At least until he found a strange card with what he assumed was King Mickey’s face on it. Without knowing what it did, he slotted it into a Sleight out of desperation, but what it did was something he was more than grateful for.

It activated the ballista, sending a bolt right into Sphynx Wakaba and bringing her down to the ground. It was then that Joker found out that this memory of Sphynx Wakaba was just as vulnerable as the real one. Considering how she was barely able to keep flying, all Joker needed was one more good hit to finish the memory off. Unfortunelly for Sphynx Wakaba, Joker had the card ready to go in another Sleight.

            “Time to end this!” He calls out, activating the Sleight with the ballista locking onto Sphynx Wakaba and letting a bolt loose. The wooden bolt easily slams into the memory, bringing her down as Joker lines up three more friend cards while hitting the cognition with Lupin, using up the remaining cards he had before having to restock.

            “Outlaw! Sophie! Kanji!” Joker cries, activating the Sleight with Outlaw appearing on the field. Without a word, he grabs his rifle from his back, sending down a barrage of rounds before summoning Drifter to his side and blasting Sphynx Wakaba with a One-Shot Kill. As Outlaw vanishes, Sophie takes his spot and rushes forward, swinging her yo-yos at the cognition, batting away at the face before leaping back and sending down a spear of Kougaon.

While Sphynx Wakaba roared in pain, Kanji appeared on the field. Rushing forward, he slammed his chair right into Sphynx Wakaba, not holding back before jumping away and sending out a blast of Ziodyne. Sphynx Wakaba, her body battered and bruised, forced herself to her feet, glaring at Joker as he quickly reloaded his deck before taking aim with his gun.

            “Checkmate.” He replies in a low voice, firing his gun with a 9 card and hitting Sphynx Wakaba between the eyes. Sphynx Wakaba rears back, her front paws scratching at her face before she falls backward over the edge, her cry abruptly cut off the moment she vanishes. From above, a black card with Sphynx Wakaba on the front floats into Joker’s hands. “Really funny…”

            “My ears are still ringing…” Violet admits as she and the others all return to normal. “That memory just wouldn’t stop shouting.” Some of the others agree silently while Athena looks at the sky above them, guilt clawing away at her as she turns to look at Oracle while slowly removing her mask.

            “I’m sorry.” She says suddenly, grabbing Oracle’s attention.

            “For what?” Oracle asks, taking her mask off.

            “For my actions in the past.” Athena replies, shaking her head. “If I had not been so hard, so intrusive in your life—”

            “Sae.” Oracle suddenly comments, cutting her off in her speech with her real name. “It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for this. Sure, you bugging my Dad probably made things worse, but you were not the reason I had a Palace to begin with. It was Shido and his goons that caused me to develop one, along with my ex-family blaming me for Mom's death. So stop blaming yourself, okay? I sure as hell aren't.” Athena blinks her eyes at Oracle in surprise, the silence between them almost deafening until she lets out a small smile.

            “Thank you, Futaba.” She replies, with Oracle smiling back and nodding her head as the two put their masks back on. With nothing else left to say, the group of four leaves Oracle's Palace, returning to the white corridors of Castle Oblivion. The moment they enter the corridor, they go on alert, thinking that another member of this 'Organization' would appear to stop them, or that another hidden memory would forcibly resurface. Thankfully for them, nothing happened. Instead, all that awaited them was an empty corridor leading them to the next door.

            “Well, that was a disappointment.” Crow remarks offhandedly. “I won’t lie; I was hoping for another of their members to challenge us or for more of these repressed memories to surface.”

            “Please don’t jinx us, Crow.” Spring asks, shaking her head while Joker moves to the door. “I, for one, am happy we have a moment of calm. Anyway, the next area should be Kobayakawa’s Palace, right?”

            “If the floors are going in order of the Palaces we did.” Mona replies, folding his arms. “If not, then it will be Okumura’s Palace next, with Kobayakawa’s after Shido’s.”

            “I suppose it would be like that if Castle Oblivion is lining them up in that order.” Noir remarks, nodding her head. “After all, we did Oracle’s Palace second in this timeline.”

            “We'll find out soon enough.” Joker comments as the door shines brightly. Just like all the others, the team ended up moving to the next floor of memories, but what they found on the other side was not what they expected. The team found themselves in a sleek silver hallway with blue lines on the floor and corners lined with light blue holographic projectors. Pictures of robots in different locales were placed on the walls while calm blue lights illuminated from above.

            “Is this… Okumura’s Palace?” Outlaw asks, looking at the walls around them.

            “No… it’s similar, but the walls are far too silver and clean.” Noir replies, shaking her head.

            “Another world we have forgotten about? Or is it tied to Kamo City and Junessic Land?” Queen asks, tapping her left knuckles on her chin. Just as everyone is about to start questioning what this place is, the sounds of combat echo down the hall.

            “A fight?” Fox asks, narrowing his eyes.

            “Should we go check it out?” Skull asks, shouldering his mace.

            “Is that even a question?” Panther asks with a smile, everyone already agreeing and on the same page.

            “Wait!” Oracle suddenly shouts, stopping everyone from charging ahead. “Aren’t we forgetting something?” Seeing everyone’s confused looks at her, Oracle lets out a groan while shaking her head. “I’m talking about who we’ve encountered so far! First, it was Minako back in Kamo City, then it was Yu and the Investigation Team in Junessic Land. If the pattern is still the same, then—!”

            “It’s Minato and the rest of the S.E.E.S team who are here.” Mona finishes, narrowing his eyes. “Why didn’t we think of that?”

            “We can figure that out later. Right now, we need to move. No doubt they need help against whatever is attacking them.” Joker reminds the group as they take off down the hall. The sound of combat gets louder as they take the turn, leading to a large area where the voices become clearer.

            “Iori, it’s heading your way! Keep your guard up!”

            “Heheheh! Ain’t no way I’m gettin’ taken down by something like this!”

            “Hey, now ain’t the time to be foolin’ around! These bastards refuse to let up on us!”

            “Geez, can’t they just give up already!? When will this be over with!?”

            “Well, I recognize those voices from anywhere.” Violet quips just as the team reaches the entrance, where they find, to their surprise, the room is almost filled with black and dark-silver robots with yellow eyes, surrounding a group of familiar people. “That’s a lot of robots… and they are surrounding S.E.E.S!”

            “Did we step into Terminator?” Skull asks, rubbing his head just as a flash of lightning slams into some of the robots.

            “We can ask that later!” Joker replies, instantly stocking three cards into his mind. “Megidolaon!” Without batting an eye, Joker lets loose with the Sleight, slamming into the robots from behind and shattering their formation. Almost instantaneously, the robots’ cohesion is broken, half focusing on the trapped S.E.E.S team while the other half turns to face the Thieves. Although it quickly turned into Joker facing them by himself as everyone turns into cards, including the S.E.E.S team. So much for having a climactic battle…

Silently stewing on that lost opportunity, Joker wasted no time in attacking the robots. But if he was being honest, the only threat they posed was their numbers. He could easily dodge their attacks, even when limited to just using cards, and even then, the attacks were pretty basic. So it didn’t take long for him to quickly make work of the annoying robots, the synthesized voices reminding him too much of the ones from Okumura’s Palace. Soon, the last robot fell to Lupin, leaving the area empty of all droids while everyone else returned to normal, with the S.E.E.S team not even batting an eye at being turned into cards. Even if they seemed to be on edge as they looked at the Thieves with some suspicion in their eyes.

            “Who are you?” Yukari asks, bow in hand. “Why are you all wearing masks?”

            “Easy. We’re on your side.” Outlaw tells her, holding his hands up.

            “Oh yeah? How do we know that?” Junpei asks, shouldering his longsword. The Thieves couldn’t help but sweat drop at how on edge the S.E.E.S team was around them. Although now that they looked at them, they only now noticed that Minato and Aigis were missing.

            “That's enough, Junpei. And the same goes for you, Yukari. If they were with the Overseer, they would not have helped us in battle.” Mitsuru tells the duo, even if her gaze doesn't leave the Thieves. “You have our thanks for the assistance, but what are you doing here to begin with? The Overseer does not take too kindly to those with individualities.”

            “Um… Overseer?” Panther asks, scratching her head.

            “You don’t know him?” Ken asks as Koromaru lets out a confused bark. “He took over after a war ravaged our home and turned everyone into mindless drones. He calls it a utopia, where wars no longer happen, but at the cost of everyone’s personalities.”

            “That’s just tyranny under a different coat of paint.” Fox remarks, shaking his head.

            “That’s what we believe as well.” Akihiko replies, slamming his hands together. “In fact, we even came here to beat him up and set everyone free. But we ran into some trouble…”

            “That’s putting it lightly.” Shinjiro remarks as Fuuka holds her hands together. “The moment we got here, we got separated from two of our allies, Minato and Aigis. We have no idea where they are right now.” The Thieves all glance at each other, eyes widening in concern after hearing that. Even if they were memories, they still fought like the real S.E.E.S team. But still, to be separated regardless…

            “That’s not good.” Noir comments quietly as Queen steps forward.

            “If you want, would you like us to help?”

            “Huh?” Yukari asks, eyes wide with surprise. “We only just met, and you are willing to help us? A bunch of strangers? This isn’t your fight!”

            “Maybe, but we can’t turn a blind eye to those who need help.” Spring replies, grasping her hands. “It’s who we are.” The S.E.E.S team all glance at each other, unsure whether to take the offer or not.

            “Look, we can talk about this for as long as we need, but the longer we stand here, the greater the risk your friends are at of getting caught, right?” Joker asks them, folding his arms. “Then let us help. The sooner we find them, the sooner we can all rest easy, yeah?”

            “I agree.” Fuuka suddenly comments, grasping her hands. “The sooner we find them, the sooner we can relax.” Mitsuru glances at Fuuka before letting out a slow sigh.

            “Alright. I’ll allow it.” She relents, looking at Joker. “You are right; we are running out of time. We can talk more about this after Minato and Aigis are safe. But…” She narrows her eyes at them, a chill running down the Thieves' spines. “If it comes to light that you are working with the Overseer and betray us, mark my words, all of you will be executed. Am I clear?”

            “C-Crystal.” The Thieves all reply as one, except for Sophie and Lavenza. Seemingly happy with the Thieves agreeing to her demands, Mitsuru and the rest of the S.E.E.S team all turn into cards and join Joker’s deck, along with the suffocating air vanishing with them.

            “That… gave me goosebumps.” Crow admits, rubbing his arms. “I had heard tales of Mitsuru’s glare, but never did I imagine I’d be on the end of it.”

            “You are not the only one.” Athena adds, shaking her head. “I wonder if this is how the crooks I dealt with as a prosecutor felt?”

            “As one who was under your gaze, I can say that it was similar to a point.” Joker tells her honestly as he lets out a shiver. “Well, there was another factor that had me scared…” No one needed to hear what that was while Sophie looked at him with concern. She still hadn’t been told what happened that day, and judging by how her adoptive dad reacted, she didn’t want to know.

            “Regardless, we have a new mission for us in this world.” Lavenza reminds the team. “And with it, more memories to be awoken.”

            “Kinda annoying how you guys are getting all the memories while Sophie and I get nada.” Edel admits, letting out a sigh. “But then again… neither of us were around, were we?”

            “Trust me, Edel. Those headaches we are gettin’? Not worth it.” Skull tells her as Joker looks at the path before them.

            “Well, we only have one path forward and two friends left to save. And they aren’t getting found while we’re standing here.” Without any other question, Joker walks towards the only path before them, the rest of the Thieves following right behind.

Once more entering a world he had no memory of, but a place he had visited in his past.

            “Another world done, another floor clear… Seriously, I'm starting to get REALLY tired of all this.” Zack bemoans as he, Riku, and the others exit the latest world. Since their battle with Vexen, they have gone through four more worlds in the form of Agrabah, Monstro, Luxendarc, and Neverland, the latter of which Riku felt immense satisfaction with, considering his time spent with Captain Hook. “You’d think there would be something for us to do in those worlds.”

            “Nope. Nothing at all.” Riku comments, rolling his eyes. “Talk about tedious.”

            “I swear, I’m going to die of boredom at this rate.” Labrys remarks, shaking her head with a sigh. “And it’s not like I can take it out on our foes.”

            “It is frustrating.” Rinoa agrees, looking over her disk. “I mean, what is the point of us being here? All we are doing is watching from the sidelines…”

            “Why don’t I get rid of that problem for you?” Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa all look at Riku in confusion, as the young man himself looks back with a confused expression.

            “That wasn’t me…”

            “Huh?” Labrys asks, tilting her head. “But we heard it coming from your direction.”

            “That was my voice, girly.” Riku's voice echoes once more, this time from the stairs as the group faces it, and all of them widen their eyes in shock.

            “What the—? Another Riku?” Zack asks, watching as an exact duplicate of Riku approaches them.

            “No way… Is he Riku's Shadow?” Rinoa asks Labrys who shakes her head.

            “No… he doesn’t have yellow eyes.” Labrys replies, eyes narrowing as Riku goes into a defensive stance.

            “Then who the hell is he supposed to be?” He asks, eyes not leaving his double even as he approaches with a smirk.

            “It’s easy. I’m you, idiot. Surprised? I guess you should be. After all, I look just like you.” ‘Riku’ replies, his grin not dropping for even a moment. “I’ll tell you what I am. I am an exact Replica of you that Vexen made from your data.”

            “So that’s what he wanted, huh?” Zack asks, his hand reaching for his Buster Sword.

            “In other words, he’s a fake.” Riku comments, wiping the smirk off 'Riku', or rather Repliku, as he growls back.

            “Not a fake!”

            “That’s just denial, buddy.” Labrys chirps, with Repliku growling at her before looking back at Riku.

            “Even so, I don’t care if he is the real one either! He’s no better!” Repliku throws a hand out, eyes glaring at Riku. “After all, we share the same body and the same talents. But there is one easy way to tell us apart, though! Unlike you, I ain't afraid of the darkness! I fear nothing!”

            “Did you just call me a coward?” Riku fires back, his eyes narrowing in anger.

            “You aren’t denying it.” Repliku taunts. “You’re afraid of the dark. The darkness inside you still frightens you, no matter what you say. But I’M different! I embrace the darkness. I can make it do whatever I want.”

            “And don’t those who gloat about their own strength end up being the bigger cowards?” Rinoa asks, once more wiping the grin off Repliku’s face.

            “What? Not going to deny it?” Labrys follows-up, hands on her hips. Repliku’s face twists in anger as he summons darkness around him, dressing himself in that same outfit that Riku takes on when using darkness, as a replica of Soul Eater manifests in his right hand.

            “Instead of denying it, I’m gonna wipe the floor with all four of you!” Riku narrows his eyes as Soul Eater comes to his side, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa once more turning into cards before he and Repliku clash blades. Sparks fly as the two push against each other before breaking apart, Repliku lining up three cards into a Sleight before lashing out with a 9 card.

Slamming his blade into the ground, he sends out two shockwaves at Riku, forcing him to dodge even as he lines up two cards of his own. As Repliku comes in again with a 7 card, Riku counters with an 8, breaking Repliku before attacking with a combo, only to be broken himself as Repliku activates his Sleight.

            “Helm Splitter!” He shouts, jumping into the air and slamming his blade down, sending out a shockwave as Riku dodges the attack. Twice more, Repliku comes down, aiming to drive his blade into Riku’s skull, and on the fourth strike, it looks as though he is about to hit. At least until Riku counters with a zero card, breaking his attack and sending him tumbling to the floor.

            “Don’t forget, I’m not the only one here! Labrys! Zack! Rinoa!” Tossing the three cards into the air, Riku summons his three companions to the fight. The moment Labrys touches down, she sends out a Debilitate at Repliku, the attack catching him off guard before she charges in with her axe, spinning around him in a circle while twirling her axe with both hands before leaping away.

The moment she did, Zack appeared. Gripping the Buster Sword in both hands, he charged forward, lashing out with a crosscut before jumping into the air and sending down a stream of fireballs. And while Repliku was distracted by the flames, Rinoa appeared next, her disk blade enchanted with light before being fired directly at Repliku. The bladed disk sliced past his hip before cutting over his shoulder.

            “You’re wide open!” Riku shouts, dashing forward and hitting the stunned Repliku with a combo of 7s and 8s. While Repliku was able to break his combo with a zero that Riku would have used for one of his Sleights, it didn't stop the original from lining up three more cards as Repliku once more activated his Helm Splitter Sleight. Unfortunately for him, Riku's Sleight just managed to beat his.

            “Impulse!” Riku shouts, leaping up to grab Repliku before throwing him down to the ground. Without missing a beat, Riku follows up with a flying kick to Repliku’s chest, knocking him down before he can stand back up, then slashing upward with Soul Eater. The attack sends Repliku flying backward, landing on one knee and breathing heavily as Riku looks at his Replica with a confident smirk.

            “Hey, Fake! I thought you said you’d wipe the floor with us?” Riku could swear he heard Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa chuckling next to him, even though they were still cards as Repliku let out a scoff.

            “Don’t forget, I’m still new! I’ll get stronger and stronger. The next time we fight, you’re finished!”

            “Then let’s finish this now!” Riku shouts, rushing forward to end this. But as he leaps into the air to bring Soul Eater down, his blade collides with a barrier of darkness around Repliku, before the barrier sends him flying back onto his back while Repliku laughs at him with amusement.

            “Man, it’s nice having the darkness on my side.” Repliku taunts with a grin. “You are SO missing out. How could you be scared of something that can be so thrilling?” Riku growls, pushing himself back up as he readies his stance once more. “Hmph… So the coward is still playing tough. Well, so long, Real Thing. Hope you don’t miss me.” With that, Repliku turns and runs for the stairs, vanishing the moment he reaches them, even as Riku chases after him.

            “Come out! Show yourself, Fake!” Riku shouts, swinging Soul Eater at the air even as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa return to normal. But there is no sight of Repliku, other than the closed door leading to the next world.

            “Fake? Oh, no… That’s not exactly the right word.” Ansem’s gloating voice echoes around Riku before appearing before him at the door.

            “What are you saying? Isn’t he just a copy of me?” Riku asks, his eyes narrow.

            “More like a model. He is an example of what you should try to be.” Ansem replies with a smirk. “He accepts the darkness… just like you once couldn’t help but accept me. But now, YOU are the one who is being fake. Fake when you pretend to have no fear.”

            “When have I been afraid of the dark?” Riku shoots back, even as Labrys and Zack stand on either side of him in support. As for Rinoa, her eyes are glued to Ansem, her fists tightening at the sight.

            “Inside that of the various memory world cards, you grappled desperately with the darkness. Desperation is fear. You fight the darkness because it is what frightens you.” Riku could feel his anger grow at Ansem as he continued his gloating, the need to rush forward and slash at him increasing. But before he could, a bladed disk flew past him, bouncing off a barrier that formed around Ansem as it returned to Rinoa.

            “Why don’t YOU shut up, Fake!” Rinoa shouts, anger laced in her words as Riku, Labrys, and Zack all blink in shock. “I admit, my memories of the time before Radiant Garden fell are hazy, but I remember what Ansem the Wise looked like, even if I’ve forgotten his voice. And I can say for certain…” She takes a step forward, pointing a hand forward accusingly. “…you look NOTHING like him!”

            “Hmph… interesting.” ‘Ansem’ replies, his grin not falling. “But I wonder how reliable your memory really is…” With that, he retreats into a portal of darkness, leaving the four alone as Rinoa continues to stare at where ‘Ansem’ was.

            “So… I suppose you were planning on telling us this bit of information.” Zack comments coolly to Rinoa, who blinks before letting out an awkward cough.

            “Then… that guy isn’t really Ansem but an imposter?” Labrys asks, tilting her head. Rinoa looks at her and Riku, letting out a sigh as she rubs her eyes.

            “I’m sorry, but I can’t really remember well. But I DO know that Ansem never had white hair or tanned skin like that.” Rinoa admits, shaking her head. “I just wish I remembered his voice, though… He was always gentle with us kids.”

            “Keep your chin up.” Riku suddenly comments. “If that guy is a phony, then you’ll meet your old ruler again someday. Just have faith, alright?”

            “Finally found the door…” Joker groans, standing before a door with a crown. “That took way too long to find.”

            “For real… most of those rooms ended up being dead ends.” Skull agrees, rubbing the back of his head as Joker holds up a card, opens the door, and allows them passage. “So, Minato and Aigis should be down this path, yeah?”

            “If the pattern holds from the last floors, then they should be.” Queen reminds Skull as they move down the path until Sophie suddenly kicks something with her foot.

            “Huh?” She asks out loud while glancing down, finding a certain item that should not be by itself. “An Evoker?”

            “An Evoker?” Mona asks as Sophie picks up the Evoker. “Did Minato drop it?”

            “That doesn’t sound like him…” Panther replies, shaking her head before glancing at Joker. “Huh… why haven’t Mitsuru and the others come out of the cards yet?”

            “Maybe they will when we get closer to Minato and Aigis.” Joker comments as they continue down the path, until the sound of gunfire and explosions echoes down the hall.

            “I think we found them.” Fox comments as the S.E.E.S cards all turn back to normal, eyes wide as the sound of battle echoes down the hall.

            “Yo, that sound! That must be Aigis!” Junpei shouts, fixing his hat.

            “C’mon! Let’s move!” Akihiko suddenly shouts, rushing forward with the S.E.E.S team while Joker and the Thieves all shake their heads.

            “Even if they are still memories, they act just like the real ones.” Noir comments as the Thieves chase after them.

            “That’s comforting.” Violet comments as they quickly catch up with the S.E.E.S team just as they reach a corner, where they find a deluge of rounds and missiles bombarding a swarm of robots, all originating from Aigis as she emits a blue aura while protecting an injured Minato.

            “Aigis is in Orgia Mode!” Mitsuru calls out in alarm as steam starts to escape from Aigis’s joints. “She’s almost reaching her limit!”

            “Then let’s stop standing around and help!” Shinjiro shouts, shouldering his axe just as the team charges in, only for them all to turn into cards as Joker silently fumes at the situation, just to have five robots all turn their optics towards him.

            “ERRORS MUST BE ELIMINATED. ERRORS MUST BE ELIMINATED.”

            “Yeah, we heard you the first time!” Joker shouts back, stocking three cards into a Sleight as a dark aura envelops his left arm. “And we don’t have time for any of you! Dark Firaga!” Once more feeling surprise at the spell's name, Joker watches as the dark indigo and silver sphere of energy shoots forward, impacting the first robot and detonating into a massive explosion of dark indigo and silver, taking out all five robots in one blast. Joker blinks in shock at how powerful the move is before shaking his head regarding any intrusive thoughts, just as everyone turns back into cards with the S.E.E.S team rushing up to Minato and Aigis, the latter of the two on her knees as steam billows out from her joints.

            “Minato! Aigis! Are you alright?!” Fuuka cries out as the S.E.E.S team groups up around them, with Mitsuru calling Penthesilea to cool down Aigis as Minato nods back at them.

            “We’re fine… Things were a bit tough, but we’re still alive.” Minato replies, pushing himself up before noticing Joker’s group. “Who are they?” He asks, hands in his pockets. Joker couldn’t help but shake his head at how he and Minato seemed to have the same pose at the same age. The older Minato doesn’t do that any more, other than having one hand in a pocket every now and then.

            “They helped us when we got ambushed by the Overseer’s robots.” Yukari tells Minato, glancing back at the Thieves. “But their arrival still felt way too convenient.”

            “C’mon, Yuka-tan. You can’t still be suspicious of them after all they did for us, right?” Junpei asks, shaking his head in exasperation as Yukari lets out a huff of annoyance.

            “It’s true, they helped us get this far.” Ken replies, with Koromaru letting out a bark of agreement. “I think we can trust them.” Yukari looks around, uncertainty on her face, as Mitsuru pats her on the arm.

            “We understand your worries, Yukari. But they have proven themselves. They are not pawns of the Overseer.” With that, Yukari finally relents as she lets out a long sigh of resignation, while Sophie walks up to Minato, holding up the Evoker in his hands.

            “Is this yours?” She asks innocently, even though she already knew the answer.

            “Oh, my Evoker.” Minato replies, both with surprise and relief as he gently takes it back. “I lost it when those robots attacked us. Thank you for finding it.” Sophie bounces on the spot with a happy grin as Minato looks toward Joker. “So, what brings you here anyway? The Overseer does not take kindly to anyone not conforming to his utopia. Anyone seen as an ‘error’ is to be removed immediately.”

            “Let’s just say we’re looking for some friends and wandered here by accident.” Joker replies, folding his arms before looking at Aigis, who had still not said anything. And even if Joker knew the reason why, he couldn’t just say it right now. That would burn what little trust they already had. “By the way, is she okay?”

            “She is.” Shinjiro replies, placing a hand on Aigis’s shoulder. “She’s just overheated at the moment. She’ll wake up once she cools down.” While the Thieves nod their heads at him in acknowledgment, Fuuka turns to look at Minato with a hand on her chest.

            “Minato, did you manage to find where the Overseer is located?” Minato looks at her, letting a small smile cross his face before nodding back.

            “I did. Aigis and I managed to overhear one of the robots earlier. He is located in an area called the Central Server. Aigis managed to download a map of the area before we got ambushed.”

            “Well, that’s lucky.” Oracle comments, just as Aigis’s eyes flutter. Her blue eyes glow as she powers back up, blinking slowly while Shinjiro helps her to her feet.

            “Shinjiro-san…?” Aigis asks slowly, her hand on her head before she slowly turns around. “Mitsuru-san and the others…? You found us…”

            “We did, Aigis. With some help.” Ken replies, shooting a glance at the Thieves nearby. “They saved us from an ambush as well.” Aigis looked up at the Thieves, optics focusing on them before she gave them a small smile and nod.

            “I see… Thank you for saving them.” Aigis tells them before looking at Mitsuru. “Mitsuru-san, we know where the Overseer is.”

            “Minato just told us while we waited for you to recover.” Mitsuru replies, hand on her hip. “He also said you downloaded a map of where he is located?” Aigis nods, tapping on the side of her head as a map opens up in her vision. Not that anyone else could see.

            “Yes. I have a route that leads us right to the Central Server. Although I am concerned about what awaits us other than the Overseer.”

            “We can cross that bridge when we get to it.” Athena remarks, folding her arms. “For now, let’s make our way over to this Central Server and see what we are up against.” The S.E.E.S team all nod at her before once more turning into cards and inserting themselves into Joker’s deck.

            “Why does that not surprise me?” Crow asks rhetorically as he shakes his head. As for Joker, he is once more looking at his left arm before shaking his head in exasperation.

            “Another dark spell…” He comments quietly, even as Queen gives him a concerned look. Joker feels her gaze, turning to look at her with a small smile. “Don’t worry. I’m still alright. Just…”

            “I know.” Queen replies, gently grasping his hand. “But remember, we are still with you.” Joker nods back, more than grateful for their support before leading the Thieves to the only exit available to them. Time to start looking for a way forward… again.

            “Is he not back yet?” Zexion asks Vexen while Lexaeus stands silently. It had been some time since Repliku left to fight the real Riku, and yet he had not returned. “You told us quite a bit about your Replica, and yet he still has yet to return.”

            “Your newest creation has not done much to impress us so far, Vexen.” Lexaeus adds, his eyes closed as Vexen lets out an annoyed huff.

            “Give him time. No doubt he is gloating over the real Riku.” Vexen replies, shaking his head. No sooner does he say that than the door to their little dark room opens, revealing Repliku as he waltzes in, a smirk on his face. “Ah, you’re back. So, how was the 'Real Thing'?”

            “He’s spineless. He relies on those companions of his instead of the darkness. In no time at all, I’ll be better than him.” Repliku replies with a large grin.

            “How interesting…” Vexen remarks. “Then how about I help facilitate that growth?” With that, he opens his palm, a black and white orb appearing in his hands before shooting into Repliku, who lets out a grunt of surprise. Even Lexaeus and Zexion were surprised at what Vexen did as Repliku laid a hand on his face.

            “What did you do to me?” Repliku asks, placing a hand on his chest.

            “Just a small upgrade. One that I want you to test for me.” Lexaeus and Zexion look at Vexen with surprise, while Repliku raises an eyebrow. “How would you like to face another warrior who uses darkness? The leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Joker.”

            “Him?” Repliku asks, folding his arms. “Why him? What’s so special that I need to fight him?” Vexen lets out a slow laugh while Lexaeus and Zexion glance at each other uneasily.

            “Let's just say that with your new power… you will be on par with him and the rest of his allies…”

            “How many times have we passed through these doors?” Edel asks as Joker opens up one more door with a crown. “I’ve lost count of how many we’ve seen.”

            “Despite its simplistic nature, it is surprisingly tedious to move through.” Lavenza agrees, shaking her head. “To say nothing of how simplified everything is.”

            “For real…” Skull agrees, rubbing his head. “I mean, sure, we’re probably gonna remember what happened after we clear this floor, but even I can tell we’re getting a short version of things!”

            “Just like how in Kamo City we skipped all the prep work needed to steal Kamoshidaman’s statue.” Fox remarks as the team enters the door, finding themselves in a long white corridor with a security door at the end.

            “Or how he managed to kidnap me, Noir, and Violet.” Queen adds with a slight growl.

            “Then there are the herbivores and Yosukesuraus that didn’t appear in Junessic Land.” Mona adds, hands on his hips. “I wonder if Knight is having the same problems as us?”

            “It wouldn’t surprise me.” Crow admits freely as they near the door. “And I worry for his own sanity as well.”

            “All the more reason for us to get through this as fast as we can and regroup with him and the others.” Athena adds, arms folded. No one was going to argue against that as Joker opened the door, revealing a large room with a giant tower topped with a giant sphere. Standing at the base was a man that only eight of the Thieves had ever had the pleasure of seeing.

            “Ikutsuki?” Panther asks, blinking her eyes in shock. “Why is he here?”

            “Wait, Ikutsuki? Wasn’t he the one who tried to kill S.E.E.S as a sacrifice to Nyx?” Shinobi asks as Joker nods his head with a grim look.

            “Yeah, that’s the guy.” Joker replies, eyes locked on the silent figure and now taking in what he's wearing. “But I don't think that this is the real Ikutsuki. This guy is wearing a red jacket, whereas the Ikutsuki we knew wore a tan one.”

            “So he is a fake.” Violet bluntly remarks as Joker nods his head. “Well, even if he’s not the real one, he still looks like the same man who tried to kill everyone.”

            “He’s a bad man, and bad people need to be punished.” Sophie agrees, nodding her head as Queen gently rubs her head.

            “In that case, why don’t we give him his ‘punishment’?” She asks with a smile while Joker steps forward. As expected, the friend cards of the S.E.E.S team all come to life, appearing before them with weapons drawn and aimed at Ikutsuki.

            “Oh dear, so you’ve progressed this far.” Ikutsuki remarks, shaking his head at them. “And here I hoped you would have been dealt with by now. And yet you are still wreaking havoc all over my fair society, however you please.”

            “Your game's over, Overseer!” Yukari shouts, arrow drawn on her bow. “You’ve got nowhere left to run now!”

            “Why am I not surprised he’s the Overseer?” Oracle quietly asks the others.

            “Why do you oppose me? I am the Overseer who guides the robots of this world to their rightful form. And so will you, once you allow yourselves to have your minds uploaded to my robots.” The Overseer remarks, sending a chill down the Thieves' spines as he looks at Aigis. “UIY-2249, you have disobeyed your commands and acted upon your personal whim.”

            “Don’t call me that!” Aigis shouts back, eyes narrowed. “My name is Aigis! And I’ll always be a human, even after you turned me into a robot!” The Thieves all blink at that, not expecting this version of Aigis to have been a human normally before being made into a robot. Kinda like the opposite of what has happened to the real one.

            “Irrelevant. Since you cannot function as you are programmed, you are hereby registered as defective. You will submit to memory wiping immediately. Unnecessary thoughts, not performing as programmed… Such a unit disrupts the world’s harmony.”

            “And you think we are just going to sit by and let you do this?” Joker asks, Lupin in hand and giving the Keyblade a spin. “Sorry, but you’ll have to go through all of us before you lay a hand on her.” While the S.E.E.S team is surprised at Joker’s proclamation, and the rest of the Thieves are all ready for combat, the Overseer shakes his head in disappointment.

            “Very well then. If you all disregard our standards, then you are contaminants to our society. Irregularities must be eliminated.” Suddenly, the Overseer's mask flashes with lines of code for a moment before he collapses to the ground in a pile. While the group is taken aback by this sudden development, the tower behind the Overseer suddenly sparks to life. The sphere on the top generates a green pulse that soon begins taking shape with lines of green code, forming into the Overseer's head, looking down at them all with an impassive expression.

            “What the hell!?” Junpei shouts, jumping backwards.

            “A Master Control Unit, or a Mother Computer no less… How did we see this coming?” Crow whispers to the Thieves while shaking his head.

            “So, you’re the one in charge of everything around here?” Shinjiro asks with zero amusement, letting his axe slam into the floor with a heavy thud.

            “Why are you doing this?” Sophie suddenly asks, looking up at the Mother Computer. “Why are you forcing everyone to lose their emotions?”

            “All I have done is take appropriate measures based on standard operating procedures. Your continued defiance of our procedures proves the foolishness and improbability of your stance.”

            “He’s just ignoring me…” Sophie comments, shaking her head sadly.

            “I don’t think he’s going to give you a reason, Sophie.” Noir tells her softly.

            “So what? We’ve come this way to free everyone from this tyranny, and we’re not stopping now!” Akihiko shouts, slamming his hands together as Yukari aims her bow at the machine tower.

            “That’s right. You’re the one who’s going to disappear!” Minato shouts, pointing his blade at the Mother Computer, while Junpei holds his sword with both hands and Shinjiro shoulders his axe.

            “We won’t let you turn anyone else into machines!” Fuuka shouts as Koromaru lets out a bark.

            “We’re not running!” Ken shouts, gripping his spear as Aigis arms her finger guns.

            “Your judgement has come!” Mitsuru adds, pointing her rapier at the machine while Joker and the Thieves shake their heads. It was appreciated how they were all ready to jump in, but…

            “What is preventing you from understanding? Obey my words, and you will be happy. If you refuse to obey me, then you must be eliminated.” The moment those words left its artificial mouth, everyone apart from Joker transformed into cards, leaving Joker once more alone to face the foe. “Why are you incapable of functioning like those around you? Why do you insist on maintaining individuality? You will all be subjugated to memory wipe and reprogramming! I will not allow any deviants in my utopia!”

            “Not gonna happen!” Joker shouts, immediately stocking three friend cards into a Sleight while charging in. Countering him, the Mother Computer attacks with a 6 card, sending a stream of Agidyne towards Joker and forcing him to the side while it stocks up two cards of its own. Not bothered by the flames, Joker rushes in and lashes out with a 3 and 4 card, baiting the machine to use its higher cards to break him, although it only uses a 5 card in response.

            “I shall eliminate you.” The Mother Computer intones, grabbing a third card and activating its Sleight. “Leg Eraser.” Charging up energy, it takes aim at Joker’s legs before firing the beam at him. Joker was just barely able to dodge in time, missing the main strike but still feeling the heat sapping away at his strength as he quickly activated his own Sleight.

            “Minato! Junpei! Akihiko!” Tossing the three cards into the air, Minato appeared on the ground first. Dashing forward with his sword, he cleaved large gashes in the machine tower before leaping back and letting loose with an Agidyne. As the flames wrapped around the tower, Junpei appeared and charged forward. His sword sparked against the tower, pulling the flames along with him before spinning around and hitting out with a Brave Blade.

As Junpei vanished, Shinjiro appeared, much to Joker's confusion. He was sure he had used Akihiko's card, not Shinjiro's. But while Joker was having a crisis of cards, Shinjiro was dragging his axe along the ground with a Bloody Charge before lifting it up and slashing against the tower. He left a large gash as he readied one more strike at the sphere, only for the Mother Computer to break Joker's Sleight with a zero, banishing Shinjiro while countering with another Agidyne. The fires raced along the ground, forcing Joker into a narrow space while the Mother Computer stocked up three more cards.

            “Lose anything you had got.” The Mother Computer demands, activating its second Sleight on the cornered Joker. “Power Eraser.” Without any option to evade, Joker couldn’t help but tank the attack head-on. Feeling the beam of energy wash over him, along with a part of his strength getting sapped away, or rather, sealed.

            “Was that a Tarunda?” Joker asks himself, hopping away through a gap of flames as he gives his arms a shake and stocks up two 9 cards. “If that’s what Power Eraser did, I don’t want to know what Leg Eraser would have done.” Not that Joker had much time to think, as the Mother Computer suddenly lashed out with a Bufudyne, forcing Joker back from the ice as it stocked up two more cards in a Sleight while Joker narrowed his eyes and stocked one more 9.

            Can’t use it yet… he might have another zero ready… Moving through his cards, Joker mentally grabbed his last 9 card, Mona’s friend card, and activated it. While Mona appeared on the field and healed Joker first, the moment he charged forward to attack the Mother Computer, it countered with a zero card, banishing Mona and forcing Joker to guard against another Agidyne. But while the flames wrapped around Joker, they hid the smirk on his face as the Mother Computer readied its final Sleight.

            “Perish. Head Eraser.” As it charged up the beam of energy once more, Joker flipped through his cards for the one card that had not let him down. Even if he had been neglecting the other card in his deck.

            “Got you! Reflega!” Joker calls out, using his zero card on the Mother Computer’s Sleight, sending it right back at the machine with a grin as it lets out a mechanical roar of pain. “I’m not giving you a chance! Stop!” Joker quickly follows up with his Stop 5 card, freezing the machine in place as he activates his Sleight. He was not going to take any chances on this. “Megidolaon!” With Arsène once more behind him, Joker lets the Almighty magic rain down on the Mother Computer, shredding through the damaged tower and frying the circuitry inside. The holographic face of the Mother Computer flickers in pain as its systems die, before the green holographic face of the Overseer finally blinks out of existence, quickly followed by all the lights in the room as the machine shuts down. While out of sight, thirty-five film reels fly into the air, hidden from Joker's view.

And to prove that the fight was really over, a black card with a picture of the Mother Computer’s holographic face appeared before Joker. Not that he even wanted it, but he took it regardless. He could only wonder just how many of these black cards he would have at the end of all this… and if he would also get one of Shido as well?

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Even More Climbing…

            “What happened?” Joker asks as he looks over Akihiko’s and Shinjiro’s friend cards. “I KNOW I used Akihiko, so why did Shinjiro appear?” He still couldn’t get over that fact, even as everyone returned to normal one by one. Soon, everyone was looking at the remains of the Mother Computer, with the S.E.E.S team letting out a triumphant cheer at the wreckage.

            “Yeah! Take that, you piece of junk!” Ken shouts as Koromaru barks at the smouldering wreckage.

            “That was for everyone you turned into robots!” Yukari shouts as Aigis lets out a sigh, looking over herself as she slowly closes her mechanical hands.

            “Aigis, are you alright?” Fuuka asks, noting the look on her face even as Aigis shakes her head.

            “It is nothing, Fuuka. Just… realizing this is my life now.” She admits slowly. “But I will adapt. I won’t let this new life of mine ruin my future.” Fuuka nods at Aigis while Minato and Mitsuru walk over to Joker and the others.

            “You have our thanks for bringing this to an end. Now, no one else has to fear their lives being stolen by them.” Mitsuru tells them, flicking some hair over her shoulder. “As for the ones who have already been turned, we will do our best to help them remember who they really are.”

            “Something tells me you will be just fine.” Joker replies, nodding his head before glancing at some ladders nearby. “Still, the friends we’re looking for aren’t here, so we’ll be taking our leave.”

            “We understand.” Minato replies, nodding his head. “And I hope you find your friends. Good luck, and stay safe.” Joker and the Thieves nod back as the S.E.E.S team takes their leave, emptying the room as the Thieves move towards the ladder. Memories in their minds come to life as they pass the sparking remains of the Mother Computer.

            “Y’know… I’m surprised we didn’t see Ribbon.” Oracle suddenly comments, with Edel and Sophie looking at her with confusion.

            “Ribbon?” Edel asks.

            “Oh yeah… Ribbon was one of those robots we saw that looked identical to Aigis and had a personality and all.” Skull comments, snapping his fingers. “And didn’t we find the S.E.E.S team in a similar situation as well?”

            “We did… and both Minako AND the Investigation Team were with us.” Spring adds, nodding her head along. “We even found Minato and Aigis in a similar situation as well. Although… didn’t we fight the Overseer in a completely different area before fighting the Mother Computer separately? And wasn't Labrys also with us at the time?”

            “Regarding the Mother Computer, we did end up fighting it in a separate area. As for Labrys being with us, she was present but was also confused because Minato, Minako, and the others somehow didn't remember her. And didn’t Oracle have to hack into it with Fuuka and Ribbon while Rise was giving us support?” Mona adds, folding his arms as they all ascend the ladder. “Not only that, but didn't we also have to do some tests as well?”

            “Yeah… Power, Knowledge, and Adaptability. Didn't we have to split up into groups for those?” Panther asks, shaking her head.

            “Why was so much missing in the first place?” Queen asks, heading up the ladder.

            “Maybe that is the point.” Crow remarked, heading up with Mona behind him. “What if the events we are seeing are supposed to trick us? Didn’t Marluxia say that we would ‘lose’ something as we climb? What would we be losing?” The Thieves were silent as they climbed, thinking over what it was they were supposed to be ‘losing’, until Violet snapped her fingers, holding on to the ladder with one hand.

            “I got it! What if it’s supposed to be our memories?”

            “Our memories?” Sophie asks, reaching the top and turning around to help Violet up.

            “That actually makes sense.” Queen remarks, pulling herself up next. “If we were losing our memories, then we would be led to believe that what we have seen was what has happened.”

            “But instead, we are gaining memories.” Fox remarks, standing next to the door, arms folded, before his eyes go wide. “Wait… if we are supposed to be losing memories, then wouldn’t Knight and the others be suffering the same?” Fox’s question sent a cold dagger into the Thieves' hearts as the disturbing implications of that ran through their minds.

            “All the more reason for us to find Knight and the others. Quickly.” Athena reminds the team as they enter the white hallway. But they didn't get far when a portal of darkness opened up before them, with Vexen stepping out with a smug grin. However, the portal did not vanish as usual.

            “Vexen!” Joker shouts, still feeling the anger from his last encounter with him.

            “Not this guy again!” Outlaw complains as the team falls into combat stances.

            “What do you want now?” Lavenza asks, not amused by what he did to her Trickster the first time.

            “Now is that any way to greet an old friend? I told you before that we would meet again.” Vexen comments, holding his hands up. “But enough about that. I have someone who wants to challenge you.”

            “Great…” Panther groans while everyone rolls their eyes.

            “Let me guess, another member of your Organization?” Shinobi asks in a bored tone. But the chuckle Vexen gave her was not the response she or the others were expecting.

            “Perish the thought. This is someone else entirely who is dying to face you lot. One that might look familiar to you all.” With a cruel smirk, he steps to the side, hand outstretched towards the portal. Seconds later, Repliku emerges in his dark suit, earning shocked gasps from the Thieves as he stares at them with a cold grin.

            “What the!?” Joker shouts in surprise upon seeing the familiar person in dark attire. “Riku!?”

            “But… this is impossible!” Edel shouts in surprise. “What is he doing here!? And why is he with you!?”

            “Don’t compare me to that coward.” Repliku remarks, sending a wave of confusion through the Thieves. “I’m better than that weakling in every way.”

            “Huh?” Spring remarks as Oracle quietly does a scan on both of them.

            “I am amazed at how you haven’t put the dots together.” Vexen remarks, shaking his head. “This is MY Riku. One that I have created from the data I have gathered from the real Riku. But, unlike him, my Riku embraces his darkness.”

            “You… made him?” Skull asks. “From Riku’s data? How da hell did you even get it?”

            “It is quite simple. Riku is actually here in the castle, along with a few others as well.” The Thieves' eyes all widen in surprise as Vexen rubs his chin. “As for why my Riku wants to fight, he has just been given a new ability right after he battled his 'real' self, and I want him to test it out on you.”

            “We’re not your lab rats.” Queen bites back with a growl.

            “Too bad.” Repliku remarks with a large grin. “Because I am going to wipe the floor with you, whether you like it or not.”

            “Tough talk, Repliku!” Oracle shouts, grabbing Repliku’s attention as he looks at her in anger.

            “What did you just call me?”

            “You heard me, Repliku!” Oracle shouts again, allowing a grin to form on her face as her screens blink once. “That is what you are! A Replica! A copy! A fake!”

            “I am NOT a fake!” Repliku shouts back, the fake Soul Eater forming in his hand. “And I have something that even the REAL Riku doesn’t have!” His frown turns into a grin as he places a hand on his face, and a red aura appears around him. “So let me show you what I can do! PERSONA!”

            “Persona!?” The Thieves shout back, eyes wide as a flash of red fire appears behind Repliku. A black-armoured figure with dark blue sides, along with purple shoulder armour and helm, stands before them. A dark blue cape billows behind him while a blood-red ponytail flows out from the helm. A serrated katana is strapped to its back, with a similar one held in its right hand, sitting in a dark blue saddle with red highlights atop a black horse with red eyes, mane, and tail. But even as it took form behind Repliku, Lavenza narrowed her eyes in anger.

            “No… That is not a true Persona. It is an Artificial Persona!” She calls out in anger, glaring at Vexen. “Have you no idea what happens when you force someone to have a Persona that is not theirs!?”

            “Why should I care?” Vexen remarks, walking to the side. “Whether it be real or artificial, my Riku has no issue with using a Persona of his own. Do try to last long. It would be upsetting if you fell so easily.”

            “Heh. This will be easy, Vexen.” Repliku quips with an overconfident tone. “I could beat the real Riku easily. These masked freaks won’t stand a chance against me, especially someone who’s afraid of their own darkness!” Joker doesn’t bite back; instead, he narrows his eyes at Repliku as Lupin appears in his hand. But that narrow glare doesn’t last long, as a smirk quickly grows on Joker’s face.

            “You think you can beat me in a Persona battle?” He asks back, even as the rest of his team turns into friend cards. “All right then, Repliku… let's see what you got.” Not batting an eye, Joker falls into his stance as Repliku lines up several cards into a Sleight.

            “Then get ready to taste dirt! Raiden! Eigaon him!” With a wide grin on his face, Repliku activated his Sleight, sending out a blast of Curse magic right at Joker, who made no effort to dodge, taking the hit dead on as Repliku smirked in victory. Vexen stood, eyes locked on Joker in puzzlement, wondering why he didn’t bother to avoid the attack, until he saw Joker exit from the Curse magic without a scratch, flicking some dirt off his jacket with his left hand while Repliku looked at him in shock. “What!?”

            “News flash, Fake. I resist Curse magic.” Joker smirks as he lines up his own Sleight. “And I’m guessing yours does as well. But does it block this?! Arsène! Riot Gun!” Activating his own Sleight, Joker summons Arsène to the field, sending the Gun attack downrange and slamming right into Repliku, forcing him back as he lets out a snarl and charges forward.

            “You’ll pay for that!” Repliku shouts, leaping in the air to stab at Joker from above with a 7 card, only for Joker to sidestep out of the way and counter with an 8 card. Snarling, Repliku moves in to attack again, yet Joker easily sidesteps every attack coming at him from the copy. Even if he was a copy of the real Riku, Joker had way more years of experience in fighting than he did. So dodging these rage-filled strikes was no problem for him, letting Repliku use up his stock of cards even as he filled up his Sleight for a counterattack.

            “Stay still!” Repliku shouts, stocking up three cards into a Sleight and activating Helm Splitter. But instead of panicking, Joker quickly ducks away, letting Repliku slam into the ground harmlessly while throwing Repliku off. With a furious roar, Repliku stocks three more cards and sends out a Dark Firaga at Joker. As the attack shot towards Joker, he simply smiled before once more activating his trap card.

            He may have all the skills of Riku and has a Persona, but he lacks one thing we both have: years of fighting experience. “Reflega!” With the zero card flaring to life around him, Joker sends the dark magic screaming back towards Repliku, smashing into his chest and sending him rolling along the ground, even as he stocks up one more Sleight, exhausting his deck for the first time.

            “You’ll pay for that! Deathbound!” Repliku yells, Raiden forming behind him once more and sending the attack right at Joker.

            “Got you.” Joker simply replies, Arsène forming behind him in his azure glow, the Sleight activating once more. “Better luck next time, Fake! Megidolaon!” Vexen lets out an annoyed tsk as the Almighty magic cuts through Repliku’s Sleight, hitting him square in the chest and sending him flying into the wall, right next to Vexen. “Compared to other Persona users I’ve faced, you’re the weakest of the bunch.”

            “Interesting. It would seem that challenging an experienced Persona user was a step too far…” He remarks as Repliku staggers to his feet. “But no matter. This has proven that my Artificial Persona is a success. Many thanks, Joker.” And with that, Vexen teleports the two away as Joker shakes his head in annoyance.

            “Once again, just dancing to that bastard's tune.” He grimaces as everyone turns back to normal.

            “You still showed him, Joker!” Violet cheers, jumping on the spot. “Even if Vexen gave him one, he doesn’t have our experience using one!”

            “Let’s hope he’s not a fast learner then.” Athena comments, folding her arms as the team presses on to the next level. “However, there is something else that concerns me. What if he is sent against Knight?”

            “What do you mean?” Sophie asks, looking at Athena.

            “If what Vexen has told us is true, and that Riku is here in Castle Oblivion as well with the others, then what are the chances that they will send this Replica of Riku against Knight? What are the chances they will use him to try to manipulate Knight into doing their bidding?” Everyone glanced at each other in deathly silence, even as they approached the next floor with the same old door waiting to greet them.

            “We need to find him and warn him, quick.” Noir comments worriedly as Joker approaches the door. “If we don’t, I fear something terrible will happen.”

            “And they had only just apologized as well…” Mona adds, shaking his head. “They are both trying to mend their relationship, but this could ruin all of it.”

            “All the more reason to find them.” Joker ends, opening the door and filling everyone’s vision with light. By the time it passed, the team soon found themselves in an open area surrounded by old white tents and wooden search towers with searchlights beaming down. Chain-linked fences with barbed wire ring the outside, while a faint image of a medical cross could be seen on the tents, along with what sounded like live ammunition going off in the background.

            “Oh goodie… it’s Kobayakawa’s Palace.” Oracle groans, taking her mask off and rubbing her eyes.

            “This is his Palace?” Violet asks, looking at all the medical tents. “I always wondered what it looked like, but this wasn’t what I was expecting…”

            “It’s basically a giant military academy. We’re in the area that was designated a medical ward, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we get teleported all over the place with how the cards work.” Panther tells her while putting her hands on her hips. “We actually encountered a cognition of all of us who go to Shujin, including Doc and you, Violet.” Violet looks at Panther in surprise as Crow lets out a sigh.

            “Why do I already feel my anger building?”

            “Same.” Athena replies in a dry tone as Sophie looks around with wide eyes. After all, she had never seen any of this, although she was puzzled by how Lavenza was now walking around in a military BDU and helmet, all coloured in attendant colours.

            “Why are you dressed like that?” She asks as Lavenza gives her a smile.

            “I thought I could dress for the occasion.” She replies, with the team giving her a sweat drop. This was just like what she did back when the Velvet Room was dragged into Salmael’s Kingdoms, only now she's done it to every floor that was related to a Palace.

            “Let us be done with this place.” Fox comments in a dry tone. “I, for one, am not looking forward to facing a Ratte again.”

            “Cheer up, Fox. I took it down once; I can do it again.” Edel replies in a smug tone, walking forward while Violet, Athena, and Crow look at Fox with wide eyes, watching as the rest of the team walks on without them.

            “What did you say?!”

With an irritated huff, Vexen emerges from the dark portal with Repliku in tow, the copy holding his shoulder with a wince as Lexaeus and Zexion look at them both with intrigue and slight amusement in Lexaeus’s eyes as he takes in Repliku’s battered form.

            “I assume the test went poorly?” Zexion asks with an amused smile as Repliku growls at him.

            “Shut up! I would have had him if he didn’t cheat!” Repliku spits back as Zexion shakes his head amusingly. “Resist Curse magic… that bastard!”

            “It would appear that I have misjudged how Personas work. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses, and it would seem that the leader of the Phantom Thieves happens to resist my Artificial Persona's main abilities.” Vexen bemoans, shaking his head. “It would seem I need more data… as what I obtained from our fight was not nearly enough, it would seem.”

            “Interesting…” Zexion remarks, rubbing his chin. “I must admit, my own curiosity has now been piqued. I must see his abilities for myself.”

            “He’s still a coward!” Repliku shouts in irritation. “He didn’t even use his darkness at all!” Zexion narrows his eyes at Repliku, absorbing that information like a sponge. “Just thinking about that guy pisses me off! I want to rub his face in the ground!”

            “Hmph… don’t be so hasty.” Lexaeus warns. “Or do you wish for a swifter defeat with your wounds?” Repliku lets out a tsk at that, refusing to look Lexaeus in the eyes. “If you do not want a more crushing defeat, then tend to your injuries.”

            “I suppose we have to wait until you heal up. But after you do, would you be interested in facing another who is considered a hero?” Vexen asks Repliku, catching his attention instantly.

            “You mean Sora, right?” Repliku asks, a grin forming on his face. “I hear he’s somewhere in the castle. Do you want me to take care of him?”

            “We’ll see… Yes… Now that I've gotten a feel for how you fight, I intend to make good use of you. And besides, Sora is also a Persona user but has far less experience than Joker. I am sure you will find him a much easier foe to contend with.”

            “Perfect…” Repliku remarks with a grin. “I feel Raiden wants a rematch. And the real Riku was nothing. Sora won’t be, either. They are no match for me, and once I get stronger, not even Joker can beat me.”

            “Overconfidence will lead to your defeat.” Lexaeus tells Repliku in a stern tone. But Repliku waves him off as Vexen takes him into a portal of darkness while Lexaeus closes his eyes. “That ego will destroy him…”

            “No surprise.” Zexion comments before opening his own portal. “However, I think it is time I see these Persona users myself. I am genuinely interested in how they work…”

            “Be careful, Zexion. They are more powerful than you think.” Lexaeus warns, with Zexion sending him a nod of gratitude before vanishing into the portal. He could only hope that whatever he learned from this fight would prove useful to them all.

            “Hmm… those Thieves are really starting to grab my attention.” Larxene admits to Axel, grabbing his gaze. The two of them look at the orb depicting the Thieves traversing through Kobayakawa’s Palace before switching over to Sora in Halloween Town, just having defeated Oogie Boogie and on his way out. “Far more entertaining to watch than Sora. Can’t even tell if what Naminé’s work is doing anything from up here.”

            “Regardless, we continue with the plan until we know for sure that Naminé’s magic is taking root.” Axel tells her, turning away from the orb. “Let’s see just how far they both can go.”

            “Not so fast, Axel. You have already had your fun with both of them. Now it is my turn.” Larxene tells him, walking around the orb and to his side. “It’s no fun if you hog all the glory.”

            “Don’t break them.” Axel tells her in a surprisingly stern tone.

            “Do I detect a soft spot? Oh, don’t be so dramatic! I’m not going to break the toys or your girlfriend.” Larxene snarks, walking past Axel with a deranged grin. “I just want to see what makes them so special; I’m not dumb.” Axel looks at her, his gaze betraying nothing.

            “Don’t forget. Sora is the key. We need him and Nagi if we’re going to take over the Organization.” Axel tells her right as Larxene swiftly places a finger on his lips, with Naminé and Hikari watching from the corner of the room, one having eyes filled with fear and the other filled with determination.

            “I know you are in on it, too… But keep it under your hood at least until the time is right.” Larxene tells him before vanishing from the room, leaving Axel alone with the two captives as he lets out a scoff with a smirk.

            “You would have been wise to have done the same, Larxene. Time for me to get back to my real job.” As Axel smiles to himself, walking over to the orb to watch as Hikari stands closer to Naminé, acting as a calming presence and a wall to the others. She was not going to leave her alone, no matter what.

Meanwhile, on the lower floor, Knight had just finished the floor that housed Halloween Town. After what he witnessed when he, Donald, and Goofy helped a memory of Jack Skellington, he couldn't help but feel concerned about what he had just seen: Oogie Boogie going mad with fright over his suppressed memories. It made him shiver at the thought of something similar happening to him. It didn't help that Donald and Goofy were losing even more of their memories. The only saving grace was that they had not forgotten about Joker and the others, possibly since they were still in the castle. But that did little to dispel the fear building inside him.

And then there were these oddities in his memories. Flashes of a girl in a white dress with blonde hair, sketching away on a pad with Kairi sitting next to her, watching as he and Riku fought with wooden swords. These memories… even if they felt right, they also felt wrong. As though they were slid in without his consent. Was someone really trying to alter his cognition, as Bahamut said earlier? But if that was the case, then why were they just inserting themselves into his memories as a kid?

            The more I think about this, the more confused I am getting. Knight admits to himself, shaking his head as he looks at Donald and Goofy. How long will it be before I actually DO start forgetting things…? He shakes his head, ridding that thought from his mind as Bahamut’s presence within him steals his shaky heart. Now more than ever, he is thankful to awaken to him. But even as he steadies himself, that peace is soon shattered as a portal of darkness opens up before him, with Larxene walking out with a wide grin on her face.

            “Another one!?” Goofy shouts, summoning his shield while Knight falls into his stance.

            “You work with Axel, don’t you?!” Donald shouts, pointing his staff at Larxene, who lets out a chuckle.

            “You are far too clever, duck. The name's Larxene. Number XII.” Larxene introduces herself, despite Donald squawking at her angrily for her taunt. “So… are you enjoying your stay at the castle?” Larxene asks with a fake smile towards Knight. “I bet it's nice to peel away all the worthless memories… and awaken the true memories that lie deep in your heart.”

            True memories? Is there such a thing, Bahamut? Knight mentally asks, narrowing his eyes at Larxene.

            If there is such a thing, I would know, my other half. But I can say for certain that what has been happening is not ‘true memories’ awakening. Someone is being forced to alter your memories. Do not listen to her, Sora. She is trying to trick you. Bahamut mentally replies to Knight, a slight strain in his voice audible to Knight’s ears. Was he starting to get tired from being summoned so much? Or was it from stopping his memories from being altered?

            “Stunned silent, huh? Can’t say I blame you.” Larxene tells Knight, resting a hand on her head. “Although… it appears that you’re still forgetting the most important thing here. When that poor girl hears that you’ve forgotten her name, why… it’ll just… it’ll break her heart.”

            “Poor girl?” Knight asks, slightly easing his stance. Is she talking about the one who’s appearing in my memories? Does she know who that girl is? Larxene’s smile did falter a little bit at Knight’s response, but she quickly hid it by turning around.

            “That's right. You see, some bad guys are holding her captive along with a friend, somewhere deep inside the castle. And you are obviously the hero, so you have to go save her." Larxene turns to Knight, a grin forming on her face as a dangerous look enters her eyes. "Although…" Suddenly, she dashes forward, aiming to punch Knight in the face, only to be blocked by his shield. Not bothered, she follows up with a spinning kick to force Knight's shield away before hitting Knight with a powerful uppercut, sending him into the air and dislodging a yellow star charm from his pocket. "…I'M a bad guy, so you'll have to go through me!”

            “Somehow… I figured that.” Knight groans, pushing himself up before seeing the charm on the floor. What the… Where did that come from? I don’t remember having that in my pocket… Wait! He reaches a hand for his coat pocket, suddenly noticing a distinct lack of weight as he looks back at it. Kairi’s charm is gone! But I KNOW it was in my pocket!

            “What a shame… You’ve been wearing it all this time and forgot?” Larxene asks, bending down to pick it up, her smile never dropping. “No… That’s not possible. The memory has to be engraved somewhere deep inside your heart. Sora… you think carefully now. What, oh what could it be? And who gave it to you?” Knight looks at her, confusion on his face as his eyes fall on the charm.

            Who…? I don’t remember anyone giving me this. I only remember Kairi’s charm. Knight shakes his head, confusion racking his skull until a name suddenly appears in his mind. But not from within his heart; it feels as though it was planted from outside. “Naminé…?” Where did that name come from?

            “You have finally remembered!” Larxene shouts with joy while Donald and Goofy look at Knight in confusion. “And about time too. That’s right, it’s Naminé. Yes, she’s the one who gave you this tacky little good luck charm. Not that you even bothered to remember. No surprise, seeing how you couldn’t even remember her NAME. Talk about heartless! I can’t believe you! It’d serve you right if I decided to smash this piece of junk!”

            “Let it go!” Knight shouts, striking upward with Kingdom Key and hitting Larxene’s hand just as she is about to throw it right at the ground. As the charm falls, Knight quickly grabs it with his left hand, holding it protectively behind the shield. “I won’t let you destroy it!” I don’t know who Naminé is or why I have this charm. But until I find her and ask, I’ll keep this safe, just like Kairi’s charm.

            “Oh, so it’s important to you, is it?” Larxene asks, rubbing her injured hand. All of a sudden, black and yellow lightning arcs across her body, condensing in her hands as eight yellow and blue knives form between her fingers. “Ten seconds ago, you didn’t even know what it was!” With that, she sends out a blast of lightning at Knight, forcing him to block as Donald and Goofy transform into cards. No sooner do Donald and Goofy turn into cards than Larxene attacks with a 9 card, forcing Knight to break it with a zero card right out the gate.

But even as Knight lands a couple of blows, Larxene quickly stocks up three cards before breaking Knight with her own zero card and tossing her knives at him, coated in electricity. As Knight ducks under the knives, he stocks both Donald's and Goofy's cards along with a normal card as Larxene activates her Sleight.

            “Mega Volt!” She cries, leaping into the air and glowing with a golden aura. Electricity sparks in the air as Larxene readies herself with a major lightning surge. But Knight is not going to let her have her way.

            “Donald! Goofy!” Knight cries, activating his Sleight and breaking Larxene’s, sending her falling to the floor as the dynamic duo appears. Goofy then goes into a plank, holding his shield out as Knight and Donald hold on to him before rushing at Larxene like a battering ram.

            “At least I’m not using my head!” Goofy shouts as the trio slams into Larxene, sending her flying backwards before Knight and Donald toss Goofy at her like a missile. While Larxene manages to dodge out of the way, she lets out a snarl just as the shield passes over her shoulder and retaliates by calling down lightning around Knight, forcing him back as Donald and Goofy vanish.

            “Don’t think you can do that twice!” Larxene shouts, instantly stocking three cards and leaping into the air while once again glowing a golden aura. “Let’s do this again! Mega Volt!” After throwing eight knives to the ground, a torrent of lightning streams down from above, slamming into the centre of the hallway. Knight, as he dodges by rolling to the side, finds himself caught in the blast at the last second, the bolts of electricity surging up him. Yet, it was not as painful as it could have been as he gave his legs a rub, going slightly numb from the shock. “Was that shocking for you?”

            “Was that supposed to be a pun?” Knight asks with zero amusement in his voice, stocking up three more cards. “Well, I’m not laughing! Flare Breath!” Heading his call as the Sleight activates, Bahamut forms behind Knight and unleashes a stream of blue flames right at Larxene. The flames wash over her as she screams in pain, leaping out to avoid the burns. Watching as Knight rushes through the flames at her as she tosses her knives in response.

Seeing the knives coming, Knight holds up his shield to deflect them before sweeping at Larxene with a 9 card, forcing her back as she staggers on the spot. “Hmph. You’re not as bad as I thought. You really are a hero. A heartless hero.”

            “I bet you get a kick out of kicking people when they’re down, huh?” Knight asks back, not rising to her taunts. Although… if I did forget everything, I probably would have believed everything she said.

            “Who, me? Of course not. That’s you.” Larxene taunts back, her grin not leaving her face. “Does it hurt so bad to know the truth that you are trying to insult me? How pathetic. You really are a baby. And if you’re gonna be a baby, keep on reliving your memories. It’s all you're good at doing anyway. Ta-ta!” And with that, Larxene flees, leaving Knight to think on what had happened even as Donald and Goofy reform next to him.

            “Knight? Are you okay?” Goofy asks, placing a hand on Knight’s shoulder as he lets out a sigh.

            “I hate this…” Knight openly admits to the duo as he looks at the stairs. “I hate all of this.” He shakes his head, forcing himself to move toward the stairs as he braces himself for the next floor, each step feeling heavier than the last. “Just how long have we been in here?”

            “That’s a question I ask a lot, Sora. At least your memories are still intact.” Axel comments to himself, looking at the orb as he watches Knight move into the next world. “Atlantica, huh? At least you’re not swimming.” He chuckles to himself as a portal of darkness opens up nearby; Larxene walks out while fanning her face.

            “Whew! Throwing that battle really wore me out.”

            “Throwing? Really? It looked to me like you just plain lost.” Axel snarks at her, earning a growl out of Larxene.

            “How dare you! You don’t appreciate the nuances of—”

            “An ungainly effort.” Vexen's voice cuts in, interrupting Larxene's rant as she and Axel look over to a portal of darkness, with Hikari standing in front of Naminé. Vexen emerges seconds later, the portal remaining open. “How could you be humbled by someone of such limited significance? You shame the Organization.”

            “Like you are one to talk. Didn’t you get your ass handed to you by the Phantom Thieves?” Larxene remarks, glancing at the orb. “We did see your fight, after all.” Vexen narrows his eyes at her, sparks of ice and electricity flying between them as Axel walks up to stand between them.

            “How can we help you, Vexen? It’s not very often we see you topside.” Vexen tears his gaze from Larxene, who lets out a huff at their contest being broken.

            “I came to lend you a hand.” Vexen bluntly states. “You obviously believe that this Sora has much potential, but I remain unconvinced that he deserves such needless coddling. I believe our gaze should be on the Phantom Thieves and their abilities.”

            “You really think they are worth studying?” Larxene asks back with zero enthusiasm. “I don’t see the hype. But I’ll admit they do feel familiar for some reason… I should face them myself.”

            “I'm afraid you will have to wait for your turn. Right before I left, Zexion also expressed interest in seeing what the Phantom Thieves are capable of, just like Lexaeus and I had before him. On the other hand, perhaps a little experiment will show if Sora is truly worth our attention.” Vexen replies as Larxene rolls her eyes.

            “And here we go again… Another excuse for you to play with your little experiments. That’s all this is. That is ALL you ever do: experiment, experiment, EXPERIMENT.”

            “Well, of course. I’m a scientist. Experiments are what I do best.” Vexen replies with a wide grin. “But I believe it is far more beneficial to my products of research.”

            “Whatever.” Axel remarks, rolling his eyes. “In any case, you will need this.” He brings out a card, tossing it to Vexen, who catches it without issue. “A humble gift to my elder. I hope you use it well.”

            “That I will.” Vexen replies with a wide grin, looking over the card joyfully just as footsteps echo from the portal. With all eyes turning to see Repliku standing before them, eyeing the card with disinterest.

            “It’s just a card. What good will that do?” Repliku asks, folding his arms. But the laugh that came from Larxene was anything but an answer, as Repliku felt a dark chill run down his spine.

            “Well… with a little help from Naminé and Hikari, you’ll have all the real Riku’s memories. Maybe we can get her to make you forget that you’re nothing but a fake. In other words, we’ll remake your heart so you can be exactly the same as the real Riku, ‘kay?”

            “What? You want to remake my heart?!” Repliku asks, his eyes betraying his shock. “You would turn me into that coward!? The real Riku is a wimp who’s scared of the dark! What do I want with the heart of a loser?!”

            “Any objections, Vexen?” Larxene asks Vexen, completely ignoring Repliku. “After all, you do want to test Sora, don’t you?” Vexen looks at Repliku, a dark grin crossing his features as Repliku feels genuine fear grip his fake heart.

            “It must be done.” Vexen’s voice echoes through the room, a cold judgement that causes Naminé and Hikari to gasp in shock. As for Repliku, his eyes shake with betrayal as Soul Eater is summoned to his hand.

            “How can you!? Are you betraying me!?” Repliku shouts, anger and fear in his voice as Vexen holds the card up at him with uncaring eyes.

            “I told you I would make the most out of you, yes? If that includes changing your heart, then I will do so.” Repliku takes a step back, his entire being yelling at him to run, with even Raiden urging him to flee.

            “Relax, kiddo. I don’t think it’s going to hurt too much. After all, Sora is not hurting from having his memories changed!” Larxene ‘consoles’ Repliku, missing the shared glance between Naminé and Hikari. A glance that Axel catches but doesn’t call out.

            “I’ll hurt YOU! RAIDEN!” Repliku screams, summoning his Artificial Persona and charging at Larxene, only to be hit in the gun by an electrically charged fist, sending him flying into the wall before collapsing to the ground.

            “Stupid little toy! Think you could defeat me?!” Larxene taunts, electricity still flowing around her hand. “Where would you ever get a thought like that? But, look on the bright side. Along with everything else in your head, Naminé and Hikari will erase that memory of me knocking you flat. Instead, they will plant the loveliest little memories you could ever hope for! It’s no big deal that they are all lies.” As Larxene walks up to Repliku, huddling against the wall in fear, Naminé and Hikari watch with shock in their eyes, even as Hikari stands to block Naminé’s vision.

But nothing could stop the sound of Repliku’s scream of fear.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Unlocked Memories

            “This is not fair.” Joker groans to himself, taking cover under some wreckage of a jet as a loud rumble echoes past him. “Fighting against the Ratte again, without Edel to help? It’s almost as if this castle WANTS me to fail.” Sticking his head out, he sees a wall of metal rumble past as the Ratte hunts for him. Narrowing his eyes, Joker fires his grapple shot at the top, letting it drag him on board behind one of the massive turrets as he looks at the main turret. It slowly turns to look for him as Joker narrows his eyes at the central ring.

            “SHOW YOURSELF, YOU COWARD!” Shadow Kobayakawa booms into the speakers, desperately searching for Joker as a smirk appears on the Trickster's face as he looks back at the central ring. 

            “Same old weak point. Let’s end this, Shinjiro! Aigis! Edel!” Tossing his Sleight into the air, Joker expected Shinjiro to appear before him, but instead, he got Akihiko, while Joker shook his head in frustration. “Why?” He asked as Akihiko rushed forward, landing a heavy punch on the ring before leaping back and blasting it with Ziodyne. The lightning sparked around the ring, shocking its internal systems as Aigis appeared next. Taking aim with her finger guns, she unloaded rounds into the ring, sending sparks flying before finishing off with a Primal Force.

Just as the Ratte tries to recover, Edel appears on the deck, unloading a swarm of missiles from her launchers before following up with her arm cannons. The blasts of Almighty energy tear into the ring, sending secondary explosions ripping throughout the Ratte. Joker doesn't need to hang around as he leaps off, using his grapple to get some distance just before the Ratte explodes alongside Shadow Kobayakawa from within the tank as he lets out a terrifying scream. Just as Joker lands, a black card with the Ratte appears before him.

            “Just like Shadow Kaneshiro.” Joker comments, shaking his head before pocketing the card, just as everyone else returns to normal.

            “Sheesh… that was not fun.” Oracle comments, stretching her arms. “Then again, we did cheese the fight last time with Edel.”

            “You’re welcome for that. Even if I wasn’t sentient yet.” Edelweiss replies with a grin.

            “Even so, we did have a glimpse of what we were supposed to do before finding Edel.” Fox comments, nodding at Joker as they head for the next set of ladders. “Using our grapples to traverse over the Ratte.”

            “It wouldn’t surprise me if we needed to enter it and attack from the inside as well.” Shinobi adds as they climb up. “After all, only Almighty magic would have caused damage, and Joker only had the weakest version at the time.”

            “Such a tactic would have drained him dry.” Crow comments, reaching the top and helping Noir up.

            “And it would have given Sho the time he needed to kill Kobayakawa as well.” Noir adds with a shiver. “I’ll never forget that moment when we saw him… slaughtering Kobayakawa’s guards like they were wheat.”

            “I had nightmares for a few days after that…” Panther freely admits as the group enters the hallway. But they didn’t get far, as they were all once more struck by a piercing headache while Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza look on in concern.

            “Here we go again…” Edel remarks, her voice getting drowned out by the sounds once more. Soon, the flash of white engulfs the Thieves' vision, sending them back to what they could now only assume was indeed their distant past, just as it began to clear. Joker finds himself standing in a crowd of kids around Knight’s age, all wearing the same attire he saw them wearing in the past.

            Guess I’m back in Xander’s body. Joker mentally comments as Xander looks at someone standing before all of them who appears to be around their height while a sense of familiarity fills his veins.

A young woman whose face is partially hidden by a silver fox-inspired mask with ears poking through the top of her hood is wearing a pink garment that includes a light pink hooded cape with gold trim, a lavender top over an off-pink-white robe, and a dark pink sash coming out of the back of her cape. Small blue crystals adorn the edge of her robe.

            Master Ava? Joker asks mentally, before blinking his non-existent eyes. Hold on a second… Why do I know that name? While Joker felt confusion at hearing that name echo in his mind, Ava soon spoke up, grabbing his attention and that of everyone around him.

            “Today you’re here to continue with your training for our mission. This session may seem familiar to you, but in a world that is different, one made of dreams…” Ava’s voice rings out across the plaza, the fountain tinkling quietly behind her. Ava’s gaze is locked on everyone around her, and Joker can feel something behind Ava’s gaze as she passes him.

            “You are our hope.” Ava suddenly remarks, shocking everyone around her with the gravity of her voice. “A war will soon rage. Those who strive to protect the light will turn their weapons on their allies for the sake of loyalty to their own Unions. To be honest, I don’t know how far I can guide all of you.” Ava looks at all of them, a sadness behind her mask that, while not seen, could be felt by all of them.

            “What you must remember is that anyone can lose themselves to the darkness. However, there will be no winners; everything will be lost. Except for all of you who are the seeds of hope. When the time comes, and there is war, you mustn’t fight; instead, you must fly away from here to the world outside!” Ava’s voice rings out across the plaza, as Joker can feel shock run through Xander’s body and those around him. Not that he could blame him after hearing that declaration from Ava. “This training is to help you fulfil this crucial task. The future is in all of your hands… as is the world’s light. May your hearts be your guiding key.”

Joker could feel Xander gripping his hands tightly as a sense of determination flared up inside him, right before a tap on his shoulder dragged his gaze, even as the crowd started to pull apart into small groups. As for the people he saw behind him, somehow, they did not surprise him in the slightest.

            Minato and Minako… How did I know? Joker asks himself as he sees Minato and Minako standing before him. Both of them are dressed in attire similar to Xander and Cherami, but with Minato’s being a mix of slight blue and silver, and Minako’s being light red and silver.

            “Xander, got a minute to talk?” ‘Minako’ asks, pointing a thumb over at a nearby group. “Allegra and the others need to tell you something before we all head out in our groups.”

            “Of course, Kotone, Aleks.” Xander replies, nodding his head at Minako and then Minato. The two nod back before pulling him over to the group, who Joker could easily tell was the past version of the S.E.E.S team and Chidori, although Koromaru was missing while Aigis and Labrys were with them. But that only gave him even MORE questions as Mitsuru’s clone looked at him with a grave expression, wearing a dark grey and silver-blue version of the same outfit that Minato, or rather, Kotone, was wearing.

            “Xander.” She greets him with a nod of her head. “Sorry to pull you away before we all head out, but there is something we need to tell you.”

            “What is it, Allegra?” Xander asks, noting the severity in her voice as Akihiko’s clone lets out a sigh, wearing an outfit similar to Max’s but in silver with red highlights.

            “You remember Kei’s world?” He asks, rubbing his head as Xander nods back. “Well, something happened to it.”

            “Something happened to it? What are you talking about, Alejandro?” Xander asks, confusion in his voice. The past versions of the S.E.E.S team all glance at each other with concern before the clone of Junpei looks back at him.

            “You didn’t hear? A Demon from his world suddenly appeared a few days ago.” He tells him, with a clone of Chidori standing next to him. The two of them are wearing outfits similar to Aleks and Kotone, both in red and white. “Merit actually found them first before calling us over.”

            “It’s true.” Chidori, or rather, Merit, adds. “It was an Amabie, and what she told me and Zeno was… concerning.” She glances at Junpei, or rather, Zeno, who nods back before looking at Xander again.

            “Apparently, Kei had managed to break their world out of the constant death and rebirth cycle they were trapped in by siding with a Goddess of Chaos.”

            “For real?” Xander asks, shock filling him. “Why did he do that?”

            “No one knows.” ‘Yukari’ replies, hands behind her back. She is dressed in an attire like Kotone's, but pink and white with a hint of gold. It reminds Joker of her Pink Argus suit in a way. “But when Master Invi and Gula went to investigate, they found the world sealed off. At least… that's what they told us. Suzie's Chirithy had actually tagged along without them knowing.” She glances at Fuuka's clone, Suzie, who is wearing a similar attire but in light blue and black.

            “I didn’t even know he did that, Heather.” Suzie replies, shaking her head. “But before I could even scold him for it, Chirithy told me that Kei’s world wasn’t even there any more.”

            “It’s… gone?” Xander asks, shock in his voice, while Joker mentally blinks. “Do you mean that it no longer exists?”

            “Well… not really.” ‘Labrys’ replies, rubbing the back of her head in a white and grey outfit similar to Erika’s. “It’s more like… it’s been moved or something. At least, that’s what Suzie’s Chirithy overheard Master Gula saying.”

            “You are lucky none of us have gotten in trouble yet, Cindy.” Aleks remarks to ‘Labrys’, or rather, Cindy.

            “So you think we will see him again?” ‘Ken’ asks Cindy. It was strange seeing him around the same age as everyone else, wearing an orange and black version of Max’s attire, as ‘Shinjiro’ lets out a sigh in a similar outfit but mauve-red and black.

            “Hard to say, Justine.” He replies, shaking his head before looking at ‘Aigis’ who was similarly dressed as Cindy but in white and red. “What do you think, Dawn?”

            “I don’t know, Justice.” She replies, shaking her head. “But I’m more concerned about Daman and Chris. Haven’t they been going around to people and trying to have them join some group of theirs? They already have Todd.”

            “Yeah… and they are trying to recruit Robbie as well.” Xander replies with a growl while shaking his head. “I overheard what they were talking about, and it sounded like nothing but nonsense.”

            “Nonsense? That is far from the truth, Xander.” An old voice echoes behind him, causing everyone to jump as Xander spins around. With Joker narrowing his non-existing eyes at who he saw, even if he wasn’t surprised at how it was.

            Takaya and Jin… Why am I not surprised? He mentally growls, seeing the two walk up to Xander. Both are wearing similar outfits to Aleks, with Jin’s being green and blue and Takaya’s being pale white and dark blue.

            “What do you two want?” Kotone asks, clear irritation in her voice as ‘Takaya’ holds up his hands. “Here to say more nonsense?”

            “Now is that any way to greet old friends?” He asks. “I have merely come to see if any of you are interested in our proposal.”

            “Spare us the dramatics, Daman.” Allegra bites back with narrowed eyes. “None of us are interested in your cult. Just accept this fact and leave us, along with Xander and Johnny's groups, alone.”

            “It’s not a cult.” ‘Jin’ replies with a dark grin. “It’s just us preparing for the inevitable.”

            “You really think any of us are falling for that, Chris?” Justice asks, cracking his neck. “None of us are joining you, so bug off.” Chris lets out a growl, taking a step forward, only for Daman to hold out a hand, blocking him.

            “It would seem that we cannot come to an agreement. But no matter.” He looks up at the main clock, the arm below swinging away gently. “War is coming. Our Unions will soon be at each other’s throats. It is inevitable.” He looks back at Xander and everyone else, a cruel smile forming on his lips. “I wonder how long you can keep your precious bonds together before your loyalty to your Unions tears you apart.” With that, he and Chris turn and leave while Zeno yells at them. As for Xander, he can only clench his hands before letting out a sigh, glancing at the clock himself.

            “I need to join the others as well for our mission. They are probably wondering where I am right now.” He remarks, looking at Aleks and Kotone. “May our hearts be our guiding key.”

            “May our hearts be our guiding key.” The two reply as Xander turns to leave, Joker’s vision filled with light as he soon finds himself back in the white hallway of Castle Oblivion. Some form of clarity comes to his eyes as he gives them a rub.

            “So… what did you see this time?” Edel asks as the Thieves all come back from their vision. “More visions of the past?”

            “You could say that…” Crow comments, shaking his head. “But this vision… was certainly something.”

            “Did you also see a large crowd of people around Knight’s age gathering in a plaza with a lady speaking to them with a fox mask?” Violet asks Crow, who nods back, with everyone else also admitting the same.

            “So… was she training people for somethin’?” Skull asks, rubbing his head. “After all, she was sendin’ them out to other worlds for trainin’…”

            “And apparently they were from different Unions as well.” Queen remarks, tapping her cheek.

            “She said a war was coming… but what war was she talking about?” Noir asks, tilting her head. None of them had the answer to that, but for some reason, something inside them told them that they already knew what it was… and it left them with nothing but a growing sense of loss and guilt. “Master Ava…”

            “You know her name as well?” Fox asks, blinking his eyes in surprise while Noir looks at him in shock. “It came to me seconds after Mathew looked at her.”

            “The same with me.” Panther adds, hand on her chest. “It was… strange how I knew her name, even though that was the first time I saw her.”

            “The more flashbacks we have, the bigger our questions grow. By the way, I noticed that Xander wasn’t with us while we were talking with the past versions of the Investigation Team.” Shinobi comments, turning to Joker. “I take it he was talking to the past version of the S.E.E.S team?”

            “Yeah, he was. Although it was a surprise to see Aigis and Labrys as well. Then again, Mona and Teddie also appeared…” Joker shrugged his shoulders at that mystery before turning serious. “But besides that, they were talking about what had happened to our world and how Kei, the Nahobino, had just ended the constant cycle of death and rebirth. Apparently, a Demon called Amabie told them.”

            “That matches up with what King Triton told us.” Athena adds, nodding her head. “But it still doesn’t explain why he did it in the first place.”

            “Maybe we’ll never know. But there is one other thing that happened.” Joker’s eyes narrow as he locks eyes with everyone. “I saw Takaya and Jin.”

            “You mean those Strega freaks?” Oracle asks as Queen’s eyes narrow. “They were in the past as well? Then again, you did see Sho in your last vision as well, right?”

            “I did. And it looks like their cult-forming habits never died. Not sure what cult it is, but they looked almost happy that a war was coming, even getting Sho to join them. And…” Joker looks at Crow. “…they also tried to get you to join them as well.”

            “What?” Crow asks, eyes wide. “What made them think I would join them?” Joker shrugs his shoulders as everyone falls into a deep silence.

            “Why are we seeing these anyway? Are they really us in the past? Or are they us in a different timeline?” Spring asks, tilting her head before rubbing her forehead. “This is making my head hurt…”

            “Then perhaps I can relieve you of that pain for a while.” A voice echoes around them as a portal of darkness opens up just ahead of them. Zexion steps out, his gaze meeting them impassively.

            “Just what we need… another one.” Outlaw groans, growing more tired of these encounters.

            “A friend of Vexen’s, no doubt?” Lavenza asks, Persona Compendium in hand. Something grabs Zexion’s attention before he looks back at the Thieves.

            “I prefer the term colleague, but you are correct. I am Zexion. Number VI.” He greets them all with a bow as Oracle secretly scans him. “I must admit, I did not expect you all to give Vexen such a headache with your abilities. He was proudly boasting about his Artificial Persona, but now bemoans that he has much to learn.”

            “Guess you’re here to see them in action, huh?” Panther asks, hand on her whip. “We already know this old song and dance, so let’s just get this started already.” Zexion shakes his head at Panther’s eagerness to start fighting, but he can’t blame her. It is what they have been doing every time they showed up, after all.

            “Such eagerness… but I am not surprised.” Zexion remarks, hand on his chin. “And I must admit, I have grown very curious as to how a Persona truly works. And that book that you hold…” He points a finger at the book Lavenza has in her hands, prompting her to hold onto it tighter. “A ‘Persona Compendium’, is it? Such a book intrigues me…”

            “Well, you’re not having it!” Joker shouts, summoning Lupin to his hand. “So either back off, or get ready for a fight.” Zexion shakes his head, summoning his weapon to his side that was, surprisingly, not what any of them expected: a book with a dark grey cover, embossed with three white patterns, a Roman numeral VI on the spine, and the words ‘Ignes Fatui: Another Side’ written on the front.

            “A book? Is he like Boss?” Sophie asks, watching as Zexion holds the book in one hand.

            “Well… he’s got the same fighting style…” Mona comments just as they all turn into friend cards, leaving Joker alone to face Zexion as the two stare each other down.

            “Let me see what you can do.” Zexion remarks, stocking up two cards before attacking with a 4. Joker raises an eyebrow at the low card, dodging out of the way of the attack while stocking up two cards of his own. Whatever Zexion was going to do with his Sleight, Joker would be ready. But even as he got in close and lashed out with a 6 and 5 card, Zexion didn’t panic as he loaded one more card and activated his Sleight.

            “Show me your secrets! Cyclone Snatch!” Slamming his hands together, Zexion summons a cyclone before him, catching Joker off guard as six of his cards are sucked into the cyclone before Joker can break it with a zero card. Not that Zexion was bothered, as he loaded up three of those captured cards while Joker loaded one more into his own. “How interesting…”

            “What’s interesting?” Joker asks, eyes narrowed.

            “Your cards… they hold all the skills you have… how intriguing.” Zexion remarks, looking up at Joker with a grin. “I wonder how this will go. Heat Riser.” Joker’s eyes widen in surprise as Zexion, somehow, uses his own cards to grant him a Heat Riser buff, while Joker quickly activates his own Sleight.

            “Heat Riser!” Arsène manifests behind Joker, channelling the spell into him as Zexion lines up the remaining free cards.

            “I heard that you resist Curse magic from Vexen’s Replica of Riku… but you have more than that, do you? Lullaby.” With a wave of his hand, Zexion sends out a wave of sleep magic at Joker, expecting the magic to send him to sleep. However, he failed to account for Joker’s grapple, as he zooms to the top of the ceiling, handgun in hand, and sends down a stream of rounds with an 8 card, forcing Zexion to duck backward, even though a few rounds grazed his arm.

            “That was a neat trick.” Joker admits, stocking three friend cards. “But you’ll need to do something better than that! Oracle! Yukari! Yukiko!” Tossing the Sleight into the air as he drops, Oracle manifests before him and rushes forward. Slamming her battle staff into Zexion’s stomach, she follows quickly with a kick before leaping back and sending out Kougaon at him, blinding Zexion with light as Yukari forms next to Joker. Bow drawn and infused with wind, she lets the arrow fly and collide with Zexion’s chest.

The wind-infused arrow exploded, sending him flying as Yukiko appeared next. Fans in hand, she tossed them towards Zexion, encased in flames as they flew around him. Igniting the wind and encasing Zexion in an orb of fire, Yukiko snapped her fingers and detonated the blaze, sending Zexion falling to the ground even as he lined up three more cards. But before he could act, Joker immediately activated another friend card by itself, with Lavenza appearing on the field. Opening up her Persona Compendium, she summoned a Berith to her side, lashing out with a Bufudyne before quickly changing to Kelpie, following up her attack with a Ziodyne and kicking up a cloud of dust around Zexion before vanishing into light.

            “Impressive…” Zexion comments, moving out of the smoke and wiping his face with his hand, the book hovering next to him. “But we are not done yet. Cyclone Snatch!” Narrowing his eyes, Joker leaps backward, avoiding the cyclone but losing three of his cards to it anyway. All three of them are 9 cards as Zexion immediately stocks them while Joker does the same with three 8 cards. “From what I have seen, you are particularly fond of this move. I wonder how you would find it turned on you?” Joker's eyes widen in shock as he quickly flips his mind to his zero card. After all, there was one more that he was using almost all the time in this place.

            “Megidolaon.” With a snap of his fingers, Zexion activates the Sleight. Like a beam of light, the Megidolaon screams towards Joker, just like all the others. As it closed in on Joker, the light became almost blinding as the beam of white and purple approached him. But just as it was about to hit, Joker activated his zero card.

            “Reflega!” Zexion’s eyes widen in shock as Joker activates the spell, the Megidolaon wrapping around him as it tries to overwhelm the Reflect magic. Cracks line the inside of the shield as it strains under the spell, both forms of magic straining against each other. Finally, the two explode, enveloping Joker in smoke as Zexion holds his arm up, not expecting such a reaction between the magics.

            “Well… that was unexpected.” Zexion remarks, lowering his hand. “But it would seem that this is over.”

            “You want to bet!?” Joker screamed above, grabbing Zexion’s gaze as Joker flew over him, the grapple returning to his sleeve as he activated his Sleight. Curiously enough, wisps of darkness flaked off him as he flew. “Checkmate! Abyssal Wings!” Once more, Arsène formed behind Joker, wings wide as he sent a deluge of feathers down at Zexion, coating him in the black feathers before they all exploded as one, sending him flying back and crashing heavily into the stairs as Joker landed on the floor, panting hard but still able to fight.

As for Zexion, he pushed himself up from the stairs, looking at Joker with shock before shaking his head in defeat. “It would seem I allowed myself to grow… overconfident.” He remarks, standing. “But even so, this has been an enlightening experience. Farewell.” And with that, Zexion leaves, not giving Joker a chance to question him as he staggers on the spot, just as everyone else returns to normal.

            “Diarahan!” Spring shouts, healing Joker as his breathing evens out.

            “You okay, Joker?” Mona asks, placing a hand on his shoulder. “When the magic exploded like that, we were worried.”

            “I’ll live… but thanks.” Joker replies, shaking his head. “Still… I wasn’t expecting to just… teleport like that.”

            “And as an orb of dark light as well…” Fox commented, stroking his chin. “And yet… it was not pure darkness, was it? There were hints of velvet and blue as well. Nothing like what we had seen from Riku and Ansem.” Everyone blinked at Fox in surprise at that, as Joker thought back on the dark magic he had used so far as they headed up to the next floor. In a way, Fox was right. All the dark spells that he had used, none of them had that pure dark aura that Riku did when he used it, or when Ansem used his.

And the dark whispers that were trying to entice him… they were gone. He couldn’t even hear a faint whisper of temptation as he climbed the stairs. Did he… develop a resistance to it? He couldn’t tell whether to be happy about it or still side with caution, but that could be something he would figure out next time as he approached the door. After all, he had a good idea of what awaited them all as he opened it. And sure enough, as the light from the door vanished, the Thieves were met by a hallway of dull blue and silver, a glass window on the side showing a vast spaceport on the moon. A place that Crow couldn’t help but gasp at.

            “This is Okumura’s Palace.” He says out loud, grabbing everyone’s attention.

            “You know what it looks like?” Noir asks before a gloomy realization hits her. “That’s right… you have the memories of your original self…”

            “As much as I hate to admit it, yes, I do. Well… the important ones, anyway. I don’t know every tiny detail.” Crow admits, nodding his head. “I never imagined I would see it for myself…”

            “Are we really in space?” Violet asks, looking out the window. “We won’t die if we go out there, right?” The Thieves all glance at each other, nervous expressions on their faces as Athena suddenly pales.

            “Tell me you didn’t go out there…” She pleads to them, only for all of them, barring Edel and Sophie, to nod back, causing Athena, Violet, and Crow to pale at the thought of going outside.

            “We should be fine.” Lavenza’s muffled voice echoes next to Sophie, who turns to see her dressed in an astronaut suit, complete with Velvet Room colours and décor. “This place prioritizes making stable pathways. We should not have to worry about traversing through space.”

            “And once again, Lavenza has a new suit…” Edel remarks, shaking her head while Sophie lets out a giggle.

            “At least she's trying to lighten the mood.” Sophie comments through her giggles while Joker and Queen shake their heads fondly at her.

            “Let’s just hope we don’t encounter Black Mask.” Joker remarks, looking at everyone. “I don’t think any of us want to see him here.” No one was going to argue against that as they headed down the hallway, once more moving through a large spaceport… in space.

            “You are injured.” Lexaeus remarks to Zexion, seeing him stumble in, hand grasping his arm. “What happened?”

            “An unexpected reaction between magic.” Zexion admits, shaking his head. “That, and I did not expect to see him master dark spells so easily. To shift in a flash of dark light and attack from above… was unexpected.”

            “Hmm…” Lexaeus comments, closing his eyes. “It would appear he does not fear his own darkness. He must have tremendous willpower.”

            “So he must. Of course, one could say the same of Riku, considering he managed to reclaim his own body.” Zexion points out. “However, his fear of his own darkness is blinding him to his true power. But regardless, we must now decide what our actions will be.” Lexaeus remains silent, the dark room bringing comfort as the shadows give them peace, before he slowly opens his eyes.

            “We wait. Watch and see what develops. Vexen has taken his Riku to the top and no doubt will be let loose against Sora. However, we must be ready to act. Marluxia may be scheming behind us all.”

            “Yes… that is why Vexen is there. Hopefully, he and Axel can find out what those two are planning and what part Nagi will play as well.” Zexion adds, letting his arm go. “I detest waiting, but it is all we can do. For now, it is all in Vexen and Axel's hands.” Lexaeus remains silent, closing his eyes as he lets out a hum. There is nothing else they can do now but wait.

Wait and see what unfolds… and when they must interfere in Marluxia’s plans.

Meanwhile, far from Castle Oblivion and its nonsensical nature, the S.E.E.S team in Disney Castle was busy in a training session in one of the sparring grounds. Pushing themselves back to peak form, even though Koromaru was still Persona-less, it wasn’t stopping him from training with his dagger, as shown when he managed to deflect Junpei’s sword.

            “Nice one! Koro-chan!” Junpei cheers, swinging his sword onto his shoulders. “You still got it, huh?” Koromaru lets out a victory bark as the rest of the S.E.E.S team applauds him, including Queen Minnie, while Daisy and Max watch over them. In the background, Max’s friends, P.J. and Bobby, are doing some training of their own, while the S.E.E.S team takes a well-earned rest.

            “So… did anyone else understand what happened to us?” Minato suddenly asks. “One minute we were fine, and the next we all had a massive headache, along with memories starting to flood our minds. Like what has been happening to Minako recently.”

            “Seriously! The first two times it didn’t even hurt, so why did it hurt THIS time!?” Minako throws her arms up in exasperation, letting out a sigh as she leans back. “But it doesn’t answer why we are having them anyway… or why I started getting them first. Why am I separate anyway?”

            “I don’t think any of us could answer that.” Daisy speaks up. “But what was this sudden headache you all received?”

            “It was strange.” Shinjiro comments, rubbing his head. “From what we've found out, we all had the same vision just through the eyes of different people… who looked exactly like us, but around 14 or 15 years old. It's a bit strange how Aigis and Labrys were also there, but Koromaru wasn't.”

            “It is.” Aigis agrees. “As strange as it was that we were all going by different names. But we weren’t the only ones… Ren and Yu’s teams were there as well, with the exception of Isara and Sophia.”

            “I’m still shocked that Takaya, Jin, and Sho were there as well.” Akihiko comments, glancing at Chidori. “Same with you, Chidori. You had the same vision as us, yeah?”

            “I did.” Chidori replies, rubbing her head. “And it was painful… I wonder if that is what Ren and the others had to go through to get their Personas?”

            “But who was that person standing at the fountain talking to all of us?” Junpei asks, rubbing his head. “And how did we know her name, anyway?”

            “I certainly don’t remember meeting anyone called Ava.” Ken admits, with Queen Minnie’s ears picking up at that. “And what war was she talking about?”

            “A war that could not be stopped, judging by her tone.” Mitsuru remarks. “One that she felt the need to create a group separate from her Union, or so I believe. It is hard to tell from what little information we have gleaned from that vision.”

            “We were all wearing the same style as well, with some differences and personal colours.” Yukari points out. “But that sky… it looked like it was stuck at sunrise. It certainly gave the place a nice feel.”

            “I think there is something else we need to talk about.” Fuuka starts, earning everyone’s gaze. “They mentioned how a world had suddenly vanished and that a Demon called Amabie told them it was because of the Nahobino. Was that world… ours?” The S.E.E.S team all fall silent, questions running through their minds while Queen Minnie closes her eyes in silence, thinking back on her talks with her husband.

            Ava… A coming war… A world locked in daybreak… Could it be…? She lets out a sigh, glancing up at the sky above as birds fly by. How I wish you were here, Mickey. You would no doubt know what they are talking about… and tell me if my answer is correct.

Up on the tallest floor of Castle Oblivion, Naminé sat in silence with Hikari standing next to her. Neither of them felt good after what they had done to Repliku, both feeling disgusted with their actions. Yet, what else could they do? They had no way of defending themselves or escaping, and their rescuers, even if they didn't know they were in this room, were still several floors of memories away that they still had to go through. Although Hikari was feeling happy about awakening the old adventure she and the Persona users had all undergone, Naminé was having a harder time.

No matter what she did, she could not change, alter, seal, or remove any of Sora’s memories. Something inside him was blocking all of her attempts, which she was secretly grateful for. Although it didn’t stop her from adding memories of her to Sora’s memories or changing the charm. Why was that? She just couldn’t figure it out. Not that she had a chance to think about it as Larxene walked up to them both with a smirk.

            “Why so glum, you girls? Is there something that’s been troubling you?” She leans down at them, her smile not leaving her face even as Hikari stands between her and Naminé. “Are you feeling awful about tinkering with Sora’s memories? Or maybe you—”

            “Cut it out, Larxene.” Repliku cuts in, walking up with a frown. “Naminé… doesn't want to remember Sora.” While Larxene rolls her eyes, Repliku walks around Hikari to stand before Naminé. “Don’t worry. Whatever’s hurting you, I’ll make it go away.” He reaches into a pocket, pulling out a charm that is identical to the one that Sora now has. “I swear on this very good luck charm you gave me.” Pulling the charm away, Repliku glances at Hikari, giving her a nod before heading to the doors, while Larxene watches him go with an amused smile.

            “That’s just amazing. It’s like the two of you completely made his heart from scratch. Nice touch with the good luck charm. I didn’t know you could use memories to transform objects like cards into keepsakes. You used the same trick on Sora, right?” Larxene leans down, trying to look past Hikari, only for her to block her view even more. “You changed Kairi’s good luck charm with your magic, didn’t you? It won’t be long until Sora forgets about Kairi completely! And then he’ll be all yours too—”

            “He won’t forget.” Naminé cuts off Larxene, stunning the Savage Nymph as she turns to look at her with some defiance in her eyes. “No matter how much I change his memory, Sora will never forget Kairi. Memories of me will only make his feelings for her that much stronger. After all… I am a shadow of Kairi. So no matter what I do, he won’t become a toy for you to abuse.”

            “You little…” Larxene growls, eyes narrowing before glaring at Hikari. “Move.”

            “No.” Hikari replies, shaking her head. “I won’t allow you to harm her. I made a promise.”

            “Don’t tempt me…” Larxene growls, lightning sparking between her fingers until a hand slaps onto her shoulder.

            “What are you doing?” Nagi asks in a cold voice, stopping Larxene cold. “Are you planning to hit my dear Hikari? You haven't forgotten about our deal, have you? That I will help you overthrow your Superior in return for bringing me back to my full strength, as well as having Hikari returned to me, unscathed.” Larxene glares at Nagi over her shoulder before looking back at Naminé.

            “Fine. I won’t beat you up or throw you into a cupboard today.” She growls, Nagi dropping her arm from her shoulder. “Just do a good job at rewriting Sora’s heart. Then you can actually be somebody and not just Kairi’s shadow. As for me…” She spins on her feet, opening up a dark portal and walking through, leaving the trio behind as Nagi turns to look at Hikari and is met by a glare that fails to intimidate her.

            “Aww, don’t look so angry, Hikari. We will soon be able to leave this place, and you can do whatever you want. But before then…” She turns around and walks towards the door. “…I believe I deserve some revenge from those who tried to kill me.” As Nagi leaves the two, Naminé lets out a shaky breath as Hikari rests a hand on her shoulder.

            “It’s okay, Naminé. I’m here. You don’t have to face them alone.”

            “Thank you, Hikari.” Naminé replies, resting a hand on hers. “Even though I don’t deserve it…” Hikari shakes her head at Naminé before glancing at her nearby film reel. She only had two more reels to go before they could all remember… 

…and hopefully, everyone outside would remember too.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: Mislead Truths.

            “That was annoying… but on the bright side, at least we didn't have to swim like last time.” Knight comments, helping Goofy up before the two help Donald up the ladder. “Then again, Atlantica was a mix of both good and bad. I'm just surprised Ariel stole Triton's trident in the first place to save Flounder instead of being tricked.”

            “Did we really swim? I could've sworn we just walked around?” Goofy asks as the trio moves through the doors, leaving the memories of Atlantica behind.

            “Oh yeah, we did swim as mermaids. Although you were a turtle, Donald was a squid, and Edel was a submarine until we fought Ursula when she found out she could change form.” Knight lets out a chuckle at that, remembering the rogue tooth Edel had knocked out as she escaped.

            “I did that with my magic?” Donald replies, rubbing his head. “I don't remember that. And why was I part squid?”

            “Hey, you were the one who cast the magic. It's your own fault.” Knight replies with a chuckle, Goofy following after as Donald lets out a long sigh. But that laughter soon vanished as he saw someone waiting for him in the hall. Someone he was not expecting to see, let alone.

            “Riku!?” Knight shouts, eyes wide with surprise at seeing Riku standing there, and with an angry glare as well. “What are YOU doing here? And where are Labrys, Zack, Rinoa, Aqua, and King Mickey?”

            “What? Not happy to see me?” Riku replies, not answering the question. “Lemme know if I’m getting in the way. Ya know, of something that’s more important.”

            “What are you talking about?” Knight asks, shaking his head. What Riku was saying to him did not sit well with him at all. “Finding you and the others IS important to me.”

            “Spare me the excuses. I bet you had all but forgotten about me. You sure as hell said some made-up names that I was with.” Knight blinks his eyes in shock while Donald and Goofy gasp behind him.

            What’s going on?! Why is Riku acting like this?! Knight could only stand in shock at Riku, not believing the words coming out of his mouth. “Are you crazy? We came all this way to look for you and the others.”

            “But you’re not any more, right? Now it’s only Naminé that you’re looking for.” Knight’s mouth hangs open in shock at the accusation. Sure, he might have remembered her name on the last floor, but that didn’t mean he KNEW her or was looking for her! So why was Riku accusing him of that? “You never cared about me. Just like you never cared at all about her feelings.”

            “What are you talking about? I only have feelings for Kairi!” Knight shouts, shaking his head.

            “Kairi? Who is that?” Riku asks, raising an eyebrow as Knight lets out a shocked gasp. “I knew it. Never even gave it a thought, did you? Just because you want to see Naminé, ‘sorry’ doesn’t go both ways. Tell ya the truth, Naminé doesn’t even want to look at your face.”

            “Huh?” Knight tilts his head while Donald and Goofy glance at each other in both worry and confusion. Sure, they might be missing some memories, but even they could see that Riku was acting completely different than… when was the last time they saw him?

            “You should ask your memories about why Naminé disappeared from the islands. Remember that, and you’ll know.” At that, Riku shifts into his dark form, a smirk forming on his face as he glares at Knight. “Go home, Sora. I’ll take care of Naminé and Hikari. Anyone who goes near them… goes through me!” With that, Riku summons Soul Eater to his side and leaps at Knight, forcing him to block with his shield before pushing him back as his card deck forms in his mind, with Donald and Goofy turning into cards once again.

            “Riku!? What’s wrong with you!?” Knight shouts, stocking three cards into a Sleight as he ducks away from a 7 card while Riku stocks three of his own. “Why are you doing this!? And who is Hikari!?”

            “Please, Sora! Since when did you ever care about me!?” Riku shouts back, activating his Sleight and sending out a Dark Firaga, only for Knight to break it with a zero card. Snarling, Riku stocks up three more cards as he glows a dark red. “Naminé’s not the only one who’s sick of looking at you! So am I! Raiden! Eigaon!” Knight’s eyes widen in shock as a Persona forms behind Riku, glowing in a deep red aura, one that is different from when he saw Joker and the others activate a Theurgy. And definitely not the calm blue that it normally should be as it sends out a blast of Curse magic right at him.

Far too fast for him to dodge, Knight took it head-on. Riku smirked, thinking the attack would have knocked Knight out, only for his eyes to widen in shock at seeing Knight still standing tall, having taken minimal damage from the attack.

            “What!?” Riku shouts in annoyance as Knight glances at him with narrow eyes. “Why are you still standing!?”

            “Sorry, that’s my secret, Riku.” Knight replies, holding his stance. But seriously, what is going on with him!? First, he somehow forgets Kairi, let alone the others who are supposed to be with him, and now he has a Persona? When did he get one!? And if he does have one… why doesn't he have an outfit or mask like me? Not only that, who is this Hikari he mentioned? Knight shakes his head, banishing the thoughts from his mind temporarily. I can think about that later! Right now, I need to calm him down.

            “Try all you like, Sora! You can’t beat me!” Riku shouts, dashing forward with a 6 card as Knight counters with his own 6 card, breaking them both but stopping Riku’s charge as he jumps back.

            “Riku, stop this! Bahamut!” Knight calls, activating his Sleight and summoning his Persona to the field. Unleashing a Flare Breath right at Riku, the blue flames rush over him and force him back. As Riku slashes his blade against the flames, Knight stocks up three more cards and unleashes a Sonic Blade at Riku, hitting him from several angles until Riku breaks him with a zero card.

            “Just give up and go home!” Riku shouts, stocking three cards and activating a Helm Splitter on Knight. Only for Knight to break it instantly with a zero card before hitting him with a quick flurry of 5, 7, and 6 cards. Jumping backwards, Riku places his left arm on his shoulder, feeling the sting of the hit as he glares at Knight. “Can’t take a lesson, huh? Fine. I’ll give you a break for now. But don’t you dare take another step forward!” At that, Riku turns and runs up the stairs, Knight fast on his tail. But by the time he reaches the top, Riku is gone, leaving behind a sense of frustration as Donald and Goofy return to normal.

            “Riku… why are you doing this?” Knight asks, looking at the ground dejectedly as Goofy places an arm on his shoulder.

            “Knight? Are you okay?” He asks gently, something that Knight appreciates even now.

            “Don’t worry about me, Goofy. I’m okay. Just… what has happened to Riku? Why is he acting this way?” Knight replies, letting out a sigh. “It’s like he’s a completely different person.”

            “Sure was strange.” Jiminy agrees, hopping onto Knight’s shoulder. “Almost like that Ansem fella was back controlling Riku again. But that can't be possible. After all, we did defeat him not too long ago.”

            “I don’t think Ansem was controlling him.” Knight replies, shaking his head. “When he was being controlled, you could hear Ansem’s voice mixed with Riku’s. But I didn’t hear anything like that.”

            “That’s not the only thing.” Donald comments, waddling up to Knight. “He didn’t even know about the king or the others, but he was with them when the door closed.”

            “Right.” Knight agrees, nodding his head. “And I doubt they would just leave him alone. Did they get separated at some point, or…” Knight narrows his eyes, looking up at the door ahead of them. “…was that even the real Riku to begin with?”

            “What do you mean?” Goofy asks, walking up to Knight as Jiminy hops off his shoulders.

            “I think I can see where Knight is coming from. Even though we are having trouble remembering things, you still remember everyone, Kairi especially. And yet, when you said her name to Riku, he did not recognize it. Even if he had forgotten about her, as we have, he would still have had some small recognition of her name, correct?”

            “Yeah… he would have.” Knight replies, reaching into his pocket for Kairi’s charm, only to find the other one. “Riku was willing to be a pawn of Maleficent if it meant finding Kairi. For him to not even recognize her name… it doesn’t make sense.” Donald and Goofy let out hums of their own as Jiminy hops back onto Knight’s shoulder. “Y’know, there have been times I’ve even doubted my own memories as well. Even if I haven’t forgotten anything, seeing everyone play out differently… it’s making me doubt myself.”

            “Now hold on there. Don’t start thinking like that.” Jiminy suddenly spoke up, tapping Knight on the cheek. “Yes, we may not be able to properly check, but that doesn’t mean you can start doubting yourself now. After all, you are the one helping us remember what we are forgetting as well. If not, we may have forgotten about Joker and the others by now as well.” Knight blinked his eyes at Jiminy in surprise, glancing back at Donald and Goofy, who nodded back with smiles as he reached for the friend cards of the Thieves.

True, he hadn't used them that much, but every time he did, it helped Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy keep them alive in their hearts. And it's that one simple fact that allowed him to still remember them and the real adventures they went on. It was more of a relief to his heart than he had imagined it would be.

            “Thanks, guys.” Knight replies, placing the cards back into his pocket. “I didn’t know how much I needed to hear that. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.” With a grin, Knight looks back at the door, steeling himself for the next world of his memories as he steps forward. “I don’t know if that is the real Riku or not, but until I know for sure, I won’t stop trying to help him remember. He is still my best friend, no matter what. If I need to beat it back into his head to remember, then I’ll do it, even if I feel a little guilty about it.” Donald and Goofy chuckle at Knight as he walks up to the door, ready to continue the climb with renewed vigour. But even as he opens the door, he can’t help but wonder about his other friends.

            I wonder what Joker and the others are up to. Hope they haven't forgotten about me.

            “Why won’t you surrender!? Do you not know who I am!?” Shadow Okumura shouts as one of his robot workers attacks Joker with a 3 card. An attack that Joker easily dodges as the robot vanishes shortly after. If he was being honest, this entire fight was anything but a fight. Shadow Okumura, just like all the other times he faced him, sent his robot workers against him, each one using only one specific card. A pattern that was so easy to see that Joker spent the time focusing on Shadow Okumura.

            “I do, but I don’t care.” Joker replies, activating his Sleight. “So let’s just finish this! Riot Gun!” With Arsène once more on the field, Joker sends the attack right at Shadow Okumura. While he had a barrier around him the entire time, Joker’s constant attacks were slowly damaging it to the point that this final attack tore through it like paper. Slamming into Shadow Okumura’s chair and sending him to the floor, where he instantly vanished like the others. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that this very sight did happen in the original timeline, even as a black card with Shadow Okumura’s face floated down into his own hand.

            “I hated that…” Noir openly admits as she and everyone else revert back to normal. “Seeing my father's Shadow again, and this time watching it vanish… it has left a bitter taste in my mouth.”

            “No argument there.” Mona agrees, shaking his head. “At least we haven't seen Black Mask yet. But we still don't even know if it will be the Akechi from the previous timeline or Sho.”

            “Small mercy.” Fox comments, shaking his head while Crow grimaces at that thought. “Although I must admit I did not enjoy having to venture through the airlocks again.”

            “At least it was only one room and not an entire puzzle.” Panther adds with a shiver as the team heads for the ladders. “Still felt like I was boiling on one side and freezing on the other.”

            “Eh, it was all in your head.” Oracle quips as they climb the ladder. “But did Shadow Okumura have to get one last insult at us before we were turned into cards?”

            “It was insulting, I will not lie.” Crow admits, shaking his head. “I am not edgy at all, despite my current look.”

            “At least you weren’t called a copy of Joker.” Violet quips, anger in her voice. “What’s wrong with using him as inspiration? Although now I can’t help but wonder how things would have been if Joker and I had switched roles…”

            “It would certainly be interesting.” Joker admits freely, much to everyone's amusement. “But I’d rather no one go through what I did. I don’t recommend it.”

            “I am not a toy…” Edel growls under her breath as Shinobi shakes her head at Edel. “And Sophie is not fake as well…”

            “He certainly believed I would feel insulted by my choice of attire.” Lavenza remarks, before her astronaut suit vanishes into particles. "However, I am not so easily swayed by insults."

            “We shouldn’t take in the words of a memory. They will do us no good.” Athena comments as she reaches the top, turning around to help Skull up, followed by Spring. “It will only serve to tie us down. Even if I feel slighted at being called a rogue detective…”

            “Point taken.” Outlaw quips, pulling himself up and dusting his hands. “So, what Palace would be next?”

            “Athena’s Palace.” Queen replies with sorrow in her voice, sorrow that is equally reflected in Athena’s eyes. “It’s the only one that makes sense, considering the order we have been going in.”

            “The last original Palace we never saw.” Spring remarks with some trepidation in her voice. “What should we expect? Other than the usual Shadows.”

            “A casino filled with rigged games.” Skull replies bluntly. “The Shadow Guards were walking around in suits like James Bond or card dealers. Hell, there were even some dressed as bunny girls.” Spring looks at Skull with unbelieving eyes, while Crow and Violet slowly turn to Athena with concern as she lets out a long sigh.

            “What the hell was I thinking…?” She asks out loud as Joker helps Sophie up, followed by Lavenza, before dusting his hands and doing a head count. Seeing everyone was there, he heads through the door and into the next hallway, once more met by a hallway of white. But just as they move forward, a portal appears made of film reels, with Nagi stepping out, a large grin on her face as she greets the Thieves with a bow.

            “We meet again, Phantom Thieves.”

            “You again.” Edel comments, flexing her hands. “We haven’t seen you since we cleared Kamo City. Why are you back again?” Nagi lets out a chuckle, shaking her head at Edel's cluelessness as she folds her arms.

            “It is simple. I am here to see if you have remembered me… let alone Hikari.” The Thieves all glance at each other, confusion on their faces as Nagi shakes her head. “Do you still not remember us? Or the theatre where we all met?”

            “Theatre?” Noir asks, tilting her head. “I don't think we… wait…" Noir's eyes widen as she places a hand on her head, with Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza looking at her. “Didn't we visit a theatre… while inside the Metaverse…?”

            “We did?” Skull asks, confusion in his voice before he starts blinking. “Hold up… we did, didn't we? Weren't were in Mementos doing some requests when we ran into a cinema screen?”

            “I think that was right…” Violet slowly adds as everyone, apart from Edel and Sophie, rubs their heads. “And it was there that we found Crow, who had also been dragged in before Queen, Noir, and I were captured by Kamoshidaman while trying to escape…”

            “That did happen…” Crow admits, as Nagi’s smile seems to grow even larger. “And when we escaped, we met some people, didn’t we?”

            “Doe…” Shinobi comments, closing her eyes. “A Shadow with a necktie and a bronze face mask… but wasn’t he something else?”

            “He was… but it wasn’t just him we met.” Joker agrees, slowly nodding his head. “We also met Nagi as well…” Nagi nods at him approvingly as Joker closes his eyes. “…and one more person… someone with a megaphone and white hair…” At that moment, everyone’s eyes snap open as they stare at the floor in shock, one word escaping their mouths in synchronized unison.

“Hikari!”

            “So you finally remembered.” Nagi tells them with a wide grin. “You certainly took your time. Such a poor performance from the ones who saved her.”

            “Saved her?” Athena asks, blinking her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

            “Why tell you when you are remembering anyway?” Nagi asks, shaking her head. “You have already remembered us, so I will not spoil how it ends.” She shoots a smirk at the Thieves, a smirk that puts them all on edge. “But I will tell you this… Hikari is here in this very castle.”

            “What?” Spring asks, eyes wide. “Hikari is here?!”

            “She is. Along with one other, but I will not tell you who. I do not know why she is here in the first place, but it matters little to me. If you want to see her again, all you need to do is continue your climb. But… I wonder if Hikari wants to see you.”

            “What does that mean?” Queen asks, clenching her fists while Edel and Sophie glance at each other. As for Lavenza, having gotten rid of her astronaut suit, she stands in silence as Nagi lets out a laugh.

            “It means what I said. Why should she meet with people who have forgotten about her and the adventure they all shared together?” At that, her expression darkens as her aura changes. “I won’t let such people near her, no matter what. If you so desperately want to see her again, then please, continue to climb. But…” She turns around, opening a portal and steps towards it. “I wonder if it will be worth it in the end.”

            “Stop!” Joker shouts as the team chases after her, only for Nagi to vanish into the portal, leaving the Thieves without a lead while Edel and Sophie look at them in confusion.

            “Um… what just happened?” Edel asks, rubbing her head. “Who the hell is Hikari?” The Thieves all turn to her and Sophie, some form of clarity in their eyes as the tension leaves their bodies.

            “The knowledge has just returned to us, Edel. Or rather, some small part of it.” Fox starts, shaking his head as the team turns for the stairs, talking as they walk. “From what I can remember, Hikari is a shy girl who, at the time, had a crippling sense of low self-esteem and depression. In fact, during our first meeting, she remained silent throughout our conversation, while Nagi did the talking.”

            “Who is Nagi? Is she her mother?” Sophie asks, tilting her head.

            “No, she’s not.” Panther replies, hands on her hips. “She was… was… Dang it. I can’t remember.” She lets out a groan as the team reaches the next floor, their pace slowing down.

            “As for Hikari, she started out shy, but as we cleared each movie and the random floors that we’d seen, she started opening up to us.” Oracle comments, folding her arms. “Yeah… we had to clear some movies if we wanted to leave that theatre… And Hikari grew more confident as we did so while finding everyone else. And didn’t we also encounter the other Velvet Room attendants as well?”

            “We did. Including Caroline and… Justine.” Joker slows to a stop before slowly turning to look at Lavenza with wide eyes. “Lavenza… did you know?” Lavenza looks at everyone, seeing the gazes she is met with as she lets out a slow sigh.

            “If you will allow me to explain in full, yes. I do, in fact, have the memories of Caroline and Justine from that adventure.” She reveals to the Thieves, shocking them all. “However, the reason I have not revealed this is due to many reasons, but there is one reason that I chose above the others.”

            “What reason?” Joker asks back, hurt evident in his voice. “Why did you not tell us that we were reliving an adventure we had forgotten?” Lavenza looks at Joker, seeing the question in his eyes as she lets out a sigh.

            “Because I did not know if doing so would damage your psyche.” She admits to the Thieves, who all glance at each other in confusion. “If I had tried to forcefully bring the memories inside you back to the surface, with the seal that is placed upon them, I could inadvertently do more harm than good. Even with a Persona, the damage could still be far too great to handle.”

            “So… you stayed quiet for our sake?” Mona asks, rubbing his head. “You were worried that we wouldn’t be able to handle the strain if we tried to forcibly remember?” Lavenza nods back, guilt evident on her face as the Thieves all glance at each other. If they were being honest, they didn’t know how to take this fact. Sure, it answered the question of WHY they were now remembering this, but it still hurt that Lavenza hid this from them. Even if it was to keep them safe.

            “To be honest… I’m not sure how to take this, Lavenza.” Joker admits, rubbing his head. “On one hand, I’m hurt that you kept this from us.” Lavenza looks away, guilt on her face as she accepts Joker’s words without conflict. “But on the other hand, I understand why you did it. So with that fact, I can’t get mad at you for keeping it a secret.” Lavenza looks back at Joker, who is giving her a smile as he folds his arms. “So let’s put this behind us and keep moving forward, okay? There’s no point in holding grudges at this point anyway.”

            “Seriously, Joker. You are way too kind.” Skull quips, shaking his head. “But he’s right. No point arguin’ about it.”

            “No complaints from me.” Panther adds, twirling some hair as one by one, each of the Thieves agrees with Joker. Lavenza could feel a tear building in her eye as she wipes it away with a smile when Sophie unexpectedly hugged her.

            “Okay, people, the sob story is over!” Edel suddenly shouts, slapping her hands together. “We have a friend who needs rescuing, yeah? So let’s keep moving!” Joker shakes his head at her while turning to the door, his world cards glowing in tandem.

            “Couldn’t have said it better myself. Let’s keep moving forward and reach the top!” With a chorus of agreement behind him, the doors open with a flash of light, blinding all as they move to the next room, where the surroundings soon reveal themselves. A large entranceway with playing cards scattered along the floor on a carpet of red and black slanted squares. A floor of dark blue, with gold walls and large wall column lights that glow green and blue. Above them, over a sliding door entrance leading inside, was a large balcony with plant pots and neon signs flashing between ‘WIN’ and ‘LOSE’.

And above all of that was a large neon sign of a cowgirl holding a scale of justice, flashing with the sides at different heights, with the word ‘CASINO’ under her.

            “This is it. Athena’s Palace.” Noir comments as Athena looks at the place, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in shock.

            “You weren’t kidding… it really IS a casino.” Outlaw remarks out loud.

            “The last Palace we never saw… and now we have the honour of seeing it. Or dishonour in this case.” Shinobi comments, shaking her head as Crow looks around.

            “I remember this place… from the memories of the old me. I never would have imagined I would now be walking through these same halls.”

            “Same.” Violet comments, glancing around. “We won’t have to actually do any gambling, do we?”

            “I hope not.” Oracle admits, hands on her hips. “We had to counter-cheat just to get to the Treasure room. Everything was rigged against us from the start.”

            “Great.” Spring comments out loud, shaking her head before looking at Lavenza, who is now dressed as a… “Why are you dressed as a bunny girl, Lavenza?” All the Thieves turn to Lavenza, who is indeed dressed as one in Velvet Room colours as she gives a smile. Sophie looks at Lavenza's costume before turning to Queen with an innocent look.

            “Could I wear something like that?”

            “What!?” Queen asks in a high-pitched voice. “Of course not! In fact, Lavenza shouldn’t even be wearing it at all!”

            “Why not? Is there something wrong with it?” Lavenza asks while Sophie pouts at Queen adorably.

            “SO many things wrong…” Mona groans, shaking his head. “As if dealing with Shadow Athena was bad enough…”

            “Why is that? Do I make you feel uncomfortable, Mona?” A distorted voice echoes atop the balcony, drawing all eyes as they let out a gasp at seeing who was looking down at them. With a black choker with spikes around her neck and a hat that resembles an American flapper from the 1920s, playing cards stashed behind a golden rose, and wearing a revealing black dress with purple laces that exposes the centre of her torso and her right leg, Shadow Sae sits on the balcony edge, legs crossed. Her legs are decorated with fishnet stockings, the exposed right leg featuring a derringer pistol, purple high heels covering her feet, and a pair of long black gloves. She looks down on them with a smirk as she lets out a laugh. “I never thought I would see you criminals again, much less meet my Real Self for the first time, along with some new players.” She glances over at Athena, a coy smile on her lips, noticing the look of shock and intrigue on her face.

            “How does it feel to be in control, my other self? It feels good, doesn’t it?” Shadow Sae asks as Athena shakes her head, schooling her features as she looks back at her Shadow.

            “You’re wasting your breath on me.” Athena replies, her eyes narrow. “I know you are but a memory. You are not my real Shadow. Justitia is still with me.” Shadow Sae cocks her head before twisting on the balcony to bring one leg up while leaving the other dangling down.

            “Is that so? Well then, let’s see if you have what it takes to beat me. Prove that you have moved past your old self, once and for all.” She spins around, gently moving off the banister before leaning back on it, looking over her shoulder down at the Thieves with a grin. “I will be waiting for you all on the wheel once again.” With that, she pushes herself off and walks forward, leaving the Thieves alone as the glass doors open, letting them inside.

            “So… that was your Shadow?” Outlaw asks Athena, whose gaze was still on the balcony. “She was a bit… well…”

            “Showing off?” Athena asks back before shaking her head. “It is a shock, to say the least. And her outfit as well…” She folds her arms, leaning on one foot as she nods to herself. “I could see myself in something like that…” She whispers to herself while Joker and Queen look at her in shock. She didn’t just say that, did she?

            “I think we should keep going.” Crow comments, pushing Athena forward and snapping her out of her gaze. “I don’t think her Shadow will take too kindly to us being late.”

            “That wouldn’t surprise me.” Joker admits as he walks forward, the rest of the Thieves behind him. “Let’s hope we don’t have to do any more gambling like the last time…”

            “Yeah, the quicker we can get out of this place, the better.” Edel comments as the team moves forward. However, as they do, Queen walks next to her sister, a concerned look on her face.

            “Sis, are you going to be okay going through your own Palace?” Queen asks as Athena lets out a long sigh.

            “I'll be fine, Makoto. Let's just get this over with… for my sake and everyone else's.” Athena replies, not caring that she used her sister's real name as Queen nods her head, all while the two of them proceed onward alongside the others.

            “Damn… Talk about a looker.” Axel comments to himself as Shadow Sae walks away from the Thieves through the orb. “I wouldn’t mind seeing her wear something like that.” Shadow Sae suddenly stops moving before looking up, almost as though she knows she is being watched, and then gives a wink at Axel, who jumps back in shock. “Whoa!” He shouts, falling over his feet as Naminé and Hikari watch before the two of them start laughing at Axel's misfortune. “Sure… go ahead and laugh.” He groans, pushing himself up just as Larxene re-enters the room.

            “Why the hell are you on the floor?” She asks in an irritated tone before walking to the orb. “Checking on the Thieves again? I swear…” She starts until she spots Shadow Sae on the orb, her eyes blinking as she clenches her fists.

            “What’s wrong? Jealous?” Axel asks, dusting himself off as Larxene turns around.

            “W-Why would I be jealous of someone walking around like THAT!?” She shouts as Naminé and Hikari laugh once again, much to Larxene's shock as she looks at the orb again at the Thieves before letting out a frustrated scream. “You know what… THAT'S IT! If these Phantom Thieves think they can make a fool out of me, let alone the rest of us, then they have another thing coming! As soon as they're done with whatever floor they're on, I'll show them what true pain is like!”

With that, Larxene opens a portal of darkness and begins to walk towards it, but not before she glares at Hikari, who has stopped laughing along with Naminé.

            “Consider this payback for your actions earlier, Hikari! Let's see how your saviours handle me!” With that, Larxene enters the portal and vanishes, while Axel, Naminé, and Hikari all glance at each other.

            “She's in over her head, isn't she?” Axel asks the two girls, who both nod their heads. “No matter…” He turns to the orb, watching it switch to Knight as he moves through Roak’s memories. “Interesting what you did to Repliku, Naminé. You gave him some of the real Riku’s memories, but none about Kairi or anyone else. How devious.” Naminé shrinks at that as Hikari places a hand on her shoulder. “I wonder how long it will take until Knight realizes he is a fake?”

           Why did Amina die on Roak, with Edge, Faize, and the others losing all their memories of her? She lived, didn't she? And what happened in Luxendarc… Agnès, Tiz, Ringabel, and Edea never lost their memories of each other! Knight shakes his head in annoyance, moving through the doors with the warm sun of Roak vanishing behind him. At this point, none of these 'memories' even makes sense! Shaking his head at the frustrations, he soon forgets about that problem as he spots Riku standing with his back turned to him just ahead of him. He had finally caught up to him! Or did he wait for him?

            “Riku!” Knight shouts, rushing forward with Donald and Goofy right behind him.

            “Take the hint… I told you to go home.” Riku tells Knight through gritted teeth.

            “Not happening. Not until I rescue you, Labrys, Zack, Rinoa, King Mickey, Aqua, Naminé, Hikari, and the Thieves from whatever this castle has in store for us.” Knight replies, determination in his voice as Riku looks over his shoulder.

            “Aside from Naminé and Hikari, I don't even know the rest of those people you mentioned. And I certainly didn't ask for you to 'rescue' me.” Riku replies, shaking his head.

            “C’mon, Riku. Kairi is waiting for us to return home.” Knight pleads.

            “And as I already told you, I don’t know anyone called Kairi.” Riku snaps back, looking over his shoulder. “I only know you, Naminé, and Hikari. So give it up. I’m not going back to the islands for anything.”

            “What about everyone else? Surely you haven’t forgotten about Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie!?” Knight pleads as Riku lets out a huff.

            “Who are they?” He asks back, stunning Knight. “What about you, Sora? Do you still remember what they look like?”

            “Of course I do!” Knight shouts back, summoning Kingdom Key to his side. “Tidus is the third-best sword fighter behind us! Wakka is an ace with a Blitzball! And Kairi and Selphie always hung out with each other! I could never forget them!” Riku tilts his head at Knight, not expecting him to reply with such conviction.

            “So… they really do exist, huh?” Riku remarks, shaking his head. “Must be a bunch of losers then if they hang out with you. But for me, there is only one thing that matters in this castle: protecting Naminé and Hikari. Nothing you say will change that.” Knight looks Riku in the eyes, not seeing anything that betrayed his inner thoughts as he tightened his grip on the Keyblade.

            “Fine then. If that is what you think… then I’ll just jog your memory!” Knight shouts, falling into his battle stance as Riku summons Soul Eater with a smirk.

            “Go ahead and try. Not that it will matter at all!” With that, Riku charges at Knight with a 7 card, forcing him back as Knight counters with his own 7. Quickly moving forward, Knight follows up with a 4, then a 6, until Riku breaks him with an 8. Slamming Soul Eater into the ground and sending out two shockwaves at Knight, forcing him to dodge as Riku stocks up three cards. “Helm Splitter!”

As Riku leaps into the air, he dives down at Knight, who dodges out of the way before holding his shield up to parry the second strike. But as Riku flies back into the air, he quickly reorients himself and comes back down with the third hit, striking Knight in the chest and sending him skidding back as he quickly stocks up two more cards.

            “Give it up, Sora! You can’t beat me!” Riku shouts, rushing forward and hitting Knight with a 4 card, only to be quickly broken by an 8 card as Knight stocks up three of his own cards.

            “Not happening, Riku! Not until I knock some sense into you! Strike Raid!” Activating his Sleight, Knight tosses the Kingdom Key at Riku, hitting dead on as the Keyblade strikes Riku again on the return, dazing him as Knight stocks up three more cards. “Sonic Blade!” Not giving Riku a chance to breathe, Knight quickly hits Riku with the Sonic Blade before he is broken by a zero card, leaving Riku a chance to stock one more card as Raiden forms behind him.

            “Deathbound!” Riku cries, sending out the dark attack at Knight. The blade of darkness hits Knight in the chest, sending him skidding back as he stocks up three more cards while Riku does the same.

            “Heal!” Knight cries, using one of his Cure cards to heal himself as he activates his Sleight. “I’m not alone in this fight, Riku! Simba! Cloud! Agnès!” Activating his Sleight, Knight summons Simba to the field, who lets out an ear-piercing roar at Riku. The sound wave stuns him as Cloud suddenly appears before him. Swinging his Buster Sword in a cross chop, the heavy blade slams into Riku as Agnès appears next as a Red Mage. Without wasting a moment, she quickly heals Knight with a Cura before blasting Riku with a Thundara, the magic stunning him as Knight stocks up three more cards. But it doesn’t last long as Riku shakes off the magic, his own Sleight ready to activate.

            “I’m not going to lose to you, Sora! Dark Firaga!” Thrusting his hand forward, Riku sends the orb of black fire right at Knight, just as he activates his own Sleight.

            “Not today, Riku! Bahamut! Earthshaker!” Without a word, Bahamut appears behind Knight before slamming a foot into the ground, sending out a rolling wave of earth that collides with Riku’s Dark Firaga. The two Sleights with even numbers explode on contact, sending rocks flying everywhere as Knight defends himself, while Riku takes a beating. One rock hits him hard in the gut as he drops to one knee, breathing hard as he glares at Knight.

            “Hmph. Too bad, Sora.” Riku comments, pushing himself up. “You can fight all you want, but I still won’t remember a thing.” Knight shakes his head, disappointed in Riku’s stubbornness to remember as he lowers his stance.

            “C’mon, Riku… let’s stop fighting. Let’s go help the others together.” Knight tells him, offering an olive branch to Riku. Not that he was sure where he even got one in the first place, maybe from one of the trees in Roak. Regardless, it didn't matter as Riku quickly sliced it up.

            “Don’t you get it, Sora? You are always trying to worm your way into my heart!”

            “Huh!? What are you talking about!?” Knight shouts, backing away as Riku points Soul Eater at him.

            “You forgot about that, too? You never cared! It never mattered to you!” With that, Riku sends a kick at Knight, catching him off guard in the knee and sending him to the floor. With him distracted, Riku takes off once more to a higher floor while Knight rubs at his knee, even as Donald and Goofy reappear behind him.

            “What a palooka! Has he always been this stubborn?” Donald shouts in annoyance as Goofy helps Knight up.

            “Not to this extreme, but he has a habit.” Knight replies, shaking his head before looking at the stairs. “What was he even talking about? He’s not making any sense.”

            “Y’know, maybe this place has done a number on him.” Goofy comments, patting Knight’s shoulder. “I’m sure that as soon as he remembers everything, you’ll be back to being friends in no time.” Knight looks at Goofy, letting out a smile at him as he shakes his head.

            “Thanks, Goofy. I know I already said this before, but it’s something I really need to hear to keep me sane in this place.” Goofy nods back as Knight lets out a sigh. “It really is hard being the only one to remember what is happening.”

            “Do you have any more memories of Naminé?” Donald asks Knight as the group heads for the stairs. Knight lets out a hum at that, folding his arms as he glances up.

            “Well… not many. And they always feel… like they should belong, but at the same time, they shouldn’t. It’s… complicated.” Donald tilts his head at Knight as he lets out a sigh. “Don’t worry. Once we find her, Naminé will be able to clear things up for us.”

            “I sure hope so.” Goofy admits, rubbing his head. “I don’t think I can take much more of this.” That was something they could all agree on as they climbed the stairs. For just how much longer could they all go before one of them snapped at the other?

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Runaway Light

Everything was silent in the central room, the orb showing Joker's team moving through Athena's Palace. Hikari watched it, her eyes fixed on the Thieves before glancing back at the last two reels nearby. Each one was finished and ready to be placed into their respective floors. Memories were ready to be returned to everyone. And yet, she could not help but feel frustrated. Here she was, waiting for everyone to save her again, just like they did back in the theatre. Didn't she manage to help them in the end? Wasn't she with them from the start? Why did she have to stay up here and wait for them again?

            “You’re annoyed… aren’t you?” Naminé asks Hikari as she closes her sketchbook.

            “Huh?” Hikari asks, looking over at Naminé with surprise. “What do you mean? I’m not annoyed.”

            “You don’t have to hide it, Hikari. I can tell.” Naminé speaks softly, looking up at Hikari with understanding eyes. “You want to see them now, instead of waiting for them here, right?” Hikari falls silent, looking back at the orb with a faraway expression.

            “Yeah… I wanted to be with them during our adventure the first time. They helped me with my depression and gave me a fresh start. To just stand here and not help them in return is just…” She knew what awaited them on the next floor… how important those memories were for her. To not be there at that moment as they ventured through…

            “You should go.” Naminé abruptly remarks, catching Hikari off guard. “No one is here to stop us. This is your chance to run.”

            “What? But what about you? If I leave, Larxene will…” The words die in Hikari’s mouth as Naminé gently shakes her head.

            “Thank you for worrying about me, but I will be fine. You have given me the strength to endure her. And besides, I have to stay behind. I need to convince them that I am changing Sora’s memories. If I am gone, they will find out that Sora is not becoming their pawn. I need to stay until the right time.” Naminé smiles softly as she nods her head at the door. “Please, don’t worry about me. Go now while you still have a chance.”

Hikari was ready to argue that she should come with her. But seeing the resolute look in Naminé’s eyes killed any argument she had. Sure, it would be amazing if they could both escape right now, but there wouldn’t be any guarantee that they would escape to the same floor. And considering what Marluxia and Larxene needed Naminé for, they could easily chase after both of them, while for her, she only had to worry about Nagi.

When she took those facts into consideration, she could see why she was the only one who could flee this room. For now.

            “Fine… I understand.” Hikari replies, picking up the two reels as they vanish into light. “But we WILL come back for you, Naminé. We are not leaving this place without you. I promise.” With that, and regret building inside her, Hikari rushes to the door and flees the room, rushing for a pair of doors that would take her to a random floor, unaware that Axel watched her leave from the other side with a grin on his face.

            “That’s one caged bird who’s fled the cage… now for the second.” He rubs the back of his head as he lets out a sigh. “A bird with far more chains holding her down… oh boy. Larxene and Nagi are not going to be happy about this…” With that, he turns around and enters the room, seeing Naminé still in her chair with her sketchbook on her lap. She looks up at him with some fear in her eyes, but Axel simply winks at her as he leans against the wall.

He was playing a lot of sides right here, but it was his mission to do so. After all… when the dust settled, he would be the only member who would be leaving this place alive, no matter how much he hated the idea.

            “Why do I always get the stuck with icky jobs…?”

            “I am GREATLY concerned.” Violet comments out loud as the Thieves walk through Athena’s Palace. All eyes turn to her as Violet looks at Athena with hidden eyes. “Why are the Shadows here like that?”

            “You talking about the card dealer Shadows, the Shadows that look like James Bond, or the…” Mona starts, only for Violet to interrupt him.

            “Yes, I am talking about the bunny girl Shadows!” Violet shouts in exasperation while Athena looks away with a blush. “Why are they like that!?” No one could answer Violet’s question, even as they all looked at Athena, who was not meeting any of their eyes, before all turning to Queen.

            “Why are you looking at me? I don’t know.” Queen replies, shaking her head. “Just like how we don’t know why all the other Shadows looked as they did. For all we know, it could just be cognition taking place. Again.”

            “That… is a good point.” Oracle comments, tapping her chin. “I mean, in my case, since I imagined my room as a tomb where I would die, it made all my Shadows look like shambling zombies. I wouldn’t be surprised if my own distorted cognition affected them.”

            “But why did all of Kamoshida’s Shadows look like knights? I mean, the way that he thought in general…” Outlaw trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence as the team soon approached a large room with a giant roulette table in the middle. “So why do the Shadows in Athena’s Palace look like that?”

            “Why are you not telling them, my other self? Are you too embarrassed to admit it?” Shadow Sae gloats, appearing suddenly in the middle of the room as a large screen behind her activates. “Don’t tell me you find it humiliating to admit?”

            “What is she talking about?” Sophie asks, tilting her head even as everyone tenses up, apart from Athena.

            “Is it not obvious? She is lonely. Romantically lonely.” Shadow Sae bluntly remarks, catching everyone off guard. “Someone who held themselves in such high regard, that any romantic partner they should have should also be of the same calibre. A mindset that led her to such a lonely life, in a workforce where women as beautiful as her are looked down upon or seen as objects to be won. How could she not have that same view in her own cognitive world?” All the Thieves look at Athena with sympathy in their eyes as she lets out a breath.

            “I admit… my single-minded focus regarding the path of a prosecutor may have led me to a lonely life. Doomed to be with no one but myself.” Athena admits, looking up at the memory of her Shadow. “But not any more. I am more free in my thinking, and I will never allow myself to be tied down to perfection, let alone winning, ever again!”

            “Is that so? Then you should know how to prove that. Beat me and continue your climb. That is… if you can win.”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItxWMuW3jQg : Blooming Villain)

With a snap of her fingers, the doors behind the team slam shut as the roulette wheel around them starts to spin, while above on the screen a display appears, waiting for someone to place a bet on either red, black, a number, or a jackpot.

            “I’m sure the original criminals already know the rules, but allow me to remind both them and the new players. After all, a clash of brute strength is uncalled for at this point in the stage. The rules are simple. We shall all play a game of roulette, and the stakes will be our very lives.”

            “What?” Athena asks, shock in her voice. “Our own lives?”

            “That is right, my other self. All shall be fair and square, just like the courts. Of course, acts of violence are forbidden here. One must follow the rules, right? Blond delinquent?” Shadow Sae shoots a smirk at Skull, who lets out an annoyed groan at the reminder. Not that he needed it, considering he was the one who tried to fight around the rule only to get ‘punished’. “As I have said, those who do not follow the rules will be penalized. That is simply how society works. Now, place your bet. Where will the ball land?” Shadow Sae throws out a hand to the side as a roulette ball starts rolling around the outside, waiting to fall into a slot.

            “Another game of chance?” Spring asks, shaking her head. “Is this one rigged as well? Just like all the other ones?”

            “That is for you to decide.” Shadow Sae smirks. “Now choose!” While the original Thieves and Crow had a feeling that this was going to be rigged, there was also the chance that Castle Oblivion had simplified the fight, just like the others. But until they knew for certain…

            “Then we chose a black square.” Joker comments as the roulette wheel suddenly slows down. The ball falls into the roulette, moving to land in a black space. But as it does, it suddenly stops in midair, rolling around before falling right into a red square.

            “So sorry, but you lost this bet.” Shadow Sae gloats as the Thieves feel some of their energy getting sapped out from the roulette.

            “Lost?! But it landed in the black!” Spring shouts, shaking her head as Athena lets out a low growl. “We should have won!”

            “Even here, my Shadow resorted to cheating, even if I never did such a thing in reality… I can’t believe how fallen I was. How consumed I was with getting the verdict I wanted… Just how close was I to truly falling?” She shakes her head, glaring at Shadow Sae as the roulette spins again, the ball once more spinning around.

            “Choose again! We will continue to bet until none of us have any life left to give!” Shadow Sae shouts, smirking as the ball rolls around the edge. But Queen is already getting ready as she secretly pulls out her revolver, watching the ball spin as she nods silently at Joker. “What shall you bet this time?”

            “Red.” Joker replies with a smirk as Queen watches the ball. As it rolls towards a red pocket, a faint shimmer of glass appears in the pocket—a shimmer that Queen was waiting for. She shoots the glass with her revolver, shattering it and allowing the ball to fall into the red pocket.

            “What?!” Shadow Sae shouts as some of her energy is drained and sent back into the Thieves.

            “Should have tried something different. We already know how you were going to cheat.” Mona shouts, pointing his falchion at Shadow Sae. “Just needed to make sure it was the same as before.”

            “Really now? I suppose I was pushing my luck with the same old trick.” Shadow Sae replies, glaring back at the Thieves as a dark aura flares around her. “In that case, let us skip to the real fight!” At that, the red and black ichor of the Metaverse explodes around Shadow Sae as she transforms into her monstrous form, shocking Athena as she takes a step back while Shadow Sae roars at them all. Now resembling a giant knight in black spiked plate armour, with a helmet resembling a horned demon, a Gatling gun and multi-missile launcher mounted on her right hand, and wielding a large red sword in her left hand that seems to drip blood. “THIS IS MY WORLD! AND I MAKE THE RULES! I AM THE LAW! I AM EVERYTHING! NO ONE IN THIS WORLD DESERVES TO WIN, EXCEPT FOR ME!”

            “This is… what I had become?” Athena asks, shock laced in her words as she takes another step backward, only for a comforting hand to be placed on her back as Queen looks at her.

            “Sis, you may have turned into this before, but you are not that woman any longer! You told us that you would never return to that path, and you have more than proved it.” Queen glances back at the monstrous form of Shadow Sae as he lets out another roar before clashing her weapons together. “And now, you have a chance to move past that, forever.” Athena blinks her eyes at Queen before looking back at Shadow Sae, letting out a long breath of air as she closes her eyes.

            “You are right. I vowed I would be better than what I once was, and I aim to prove it!” She spins her tonfas around, falling into her stance as everyone does the same. “It is time I put that past behind me, once and for all! Joker!”

            “I’ll make sure you get a hit in!” Joker calls back, just as everyone turns into cards while Shadow Sae roars at him, the deck forming in his mind. “Although I would prefer if you had a proper chance to fight…” Bemoaning the chance for Athena to move past her past self, Joker dives into combat as Shadow Sae unleashes a barrage of Almighty rounds at Joker with her mini gun. The 9 card attack right off the bat almost takes Joker by surprise as he dives to the side while Shadow Sae lines up three cards for a Sleight, Joker quickly doing the same as he hits back with an 8 and a 5 card.

            “DIE!” Shadow Sae screamed, activating her Sleight as an orb of Almighty magic formed before her. “MEGIDOLA!” Joker growled, ducking to the side to avoid the blast, only to get caught on the edge. The magic singed his side as he activated his own Sleight.

            “Abyssal Wings!” He shouts, Arsène coming to his side and unleashing a hail of feathers down at Shadow Sae. Consuming her in a Curse explosion, only for Shadow Sae to burst out and lash out at Joker with a 6 card. Striking him in the chest with her sword before following up with a 4, only to get card broke by Joker’s own 6 card. Letting out a feral growl, Shadow Sae stocks up another Sleight before unleashing an Inferno Punishment on Joker, almost scolding him with the flames as he lines up another Sleight of his own.

            “Stopga!” Joker shouts, using a Stop card to slow Shadow Sae down before hitting back with a Riot Gun Sleight while he lines up three friend cards. Not that the attack lasted long, as Shadow Sae broke through with a zero card, stunning Joker as she attacked with a Nocturnal Flash Sleight. Unfortunately for Joker, the attack managed to daze him as he held his head with his hand, giving Shadow Sae time to load up yet another Sleight before attacking with her mini missiles. The attack sent Joker flying backward as she activated her Sleight.

            “BERSERKER DANCE!” Shadow Sae screams, jumping into the air and unloading a hail of Almighty rounds and missiles at Joker. The bullets land all around him as the missiles pen him in, just as Shadow Sae comes down with a single slash. “YOU WILL DIE!”

            “Reflega!” Joker shouts, countering with his trusty zero card and sending Shadow Sae’s attack right back at her. “Time to end this fight! Mitsuru! Naoto! Athena!” From a flash of light, Mitsuru appears on the field, sending a glare right at Shadow Sae that seems to freeze her in place as she charges forward. Thrusting with her rapier at the monstrous form before leaping backwards, she summons Penthesilea and blasts her with Bufudyne.

Just as Mitsuru vanishes, Naoto appears behind her. Gun in hand, she unloads a stream of rounds at Shadow Sae before channelling a Heat Riser on Joker, much to his appreciation. And right as Naoto vanishes, Athena takes the field, dashing forward before unleashing a quick series of kicks and punches, then leaping back and sending a blast of Megidolaon at Shadow Sae. The Almighty magic washes over her as she lets out a roar, slashing through with her sword and leaping at Joker with an 8 card.

            “Just as stubborn as the real one…” Joker grimaces, resorting his deck before ducking under a slash from Shadow Sae and sticking up three more cards. “But it’s time to end this. And this time, I’m not afraid to use it! Dark Slicer!” Without fear in his heart, Joker dashes forward with the darkness-based attack. Slashing around her in a flash of darkness, he leaves behind dark slashes before leaping into the air and slashing down one more time with Lupin before jumping backward.

As he lands, the slash marks explode as one, consuming Shadow Sae as she flies back onto the floor, landing hard as she reverts to normal. Dark wisps float off her body as a black card manifests in Joker’s hand, bearing Shadow Sae’s face, just as everyone else reverts to normal around him.

            “Defeated once again… Why am I not surprised?” Shadow Sae comments, pushing herself up as she looks at the Thieves. “Then again, I am but a memory. This outcome was all but inevitable.” She turns to look at Athena, even as she slowly starts to vanish. “Remember this well, my other self. The path you once walked held nothing but loneliness. But the path you walk now… do not stray from it. Ever…” And with that, Shadow Sae vanishes into light, just like a normal Personal Shadow would. Was it because they never saw her vanish like normal, or was there something else happening? No one knew the answer, especially when sirens started to blare all around them.

            “What now!?” Edel shouts as the alarms blare, red lights flashing around them as a new door opens nearby. Oracle brings up her scanners, a sinking feeling building inside her until she sees what is causing the alarms.

            “Aw crap… our way back is filled with Shadow Guards!” Oracle tells everyone, bringing up a screen to show the route they took. Every room is filled to the brim with Shadow Guards.

            “But… why?” Spring asks before glancing around. “This didn't happen before when we went through the other Palaces prior to this one. And where is the ladder? Shouldn't there be one for us to use?”

            “I don’t think we’ll be leaving the normal way.” Lavenza comments, turning to look at Joker. He looks at her, wondering what she means until his eyes widen in shock.

            “You… got… to be kidding me!” He grips his brow, pinching it as everyone looks at him. “Castle Oblivion wants us to do that.”

            “That?” Panther asks, tilting her head until she lets out a gasp. “Wait… you don’t mean—!”

            “I’m afraid I do.” Joker replies, shaking his head before glancing at a new path before them. “We’re going to have to follow my old escape path.”

            “For real!?” Skull shouts, until a loud bang from behind them quickly silences him. “On second thought, I’ll complain later! Lead on, Joker!” With a nod of his head, Joker leads the Thieves toward the new door, quickly finding their way through to a lower level that opens up to a walkway overlooking a gambling hall. Large lights hang from the ceiling above, as countless people huddle on the lower floor.

            “Heh… this brings back memories.” Joker comments, silently leaping onto one of the lights with the rest of the team right behind him. Like silent wraiths, they hop between the lights even as several Security Shadows enter the area. Before a guest glances up and sees movement above them, they call out to the others, causing the Thieves to pause and glance down.

            “We’ve been spotted.” Shinobi comments, looking at Joker, who lets out a chuckle that puts a smirk on everyone’s lips.

            “Spotted, yes. But not caught yet!” At that, Joker leaps onto another long light, running along with the rest of the Thieves behind him as they leap over more lights, even as Security Shadows yell up at them to stop. Eventually, they manage to reach a platform with stairs, only for several Security Shadows to appear to stop them. But unfortunately for them, that was not the only way out.

            “This way!” Joker shouts, firing a grapple behind him towards a higher ledge. Without questioning him, the rest of the team follows, with Athena holding on to Lavenza. With a new path open, the team rushes forward, moving through staff-only pathways and grappling to hidden causeways. Eventually, Joker leads the team past a set of stairs, bringing them to a spot he never thought he’d see again.

A large stained-glass window.

            “Here’s our exit.” Joker comments, leaping onto the railing and rushing to the other side, the rest of the Thieves right behind him.

            “Joker, you can’t be serious?” Outlaw asks, shaking his head. “It’s a stained-glass window!”

            “And it’s our exit point as well.” Oracle comments, a screen before her. “It leads right to the white hallway.”

            “It’s not like we have a choice…” Queen comments, shaking her head just as the sound of footsteps echoes behind them. “And we’re running out of time.”

            “Then let’s jump at the same time!” Violet shouts, shifting her stance on the railing. Joker nods at her before glancing over his shoulder one more time as a flood of Security Shadows emerges from the door.

            “See ya.” Joker quips to the Shadows before, as one, he and the Thieves leap towards the stained-glass window, shattering through it without resistance and rolling along the white floor. Behind them, the stained-glass window instantly changes shape into a door that slams shut, stopping any Shadows from escaping as the Thieves take a moment to recover.

            “Well… that was certainly something.” Noir comments, taking her hat off and brushing her hair.

            “Indeed. The thrill of the chase was something I had not experienced in quite a while.” Fox comments, brushing himself down as Crow stretches his arms.

            “That was fun!” Sophie shouts, jumping on the spot with a grin. “Can we do that again?”

            “Maybe next time.” Edel comments, cracking her back. “I’m just glad we didn’t get cut by the glass. Did you get glass cuts, Joker?” Joker blinks at Edel, glancing at her before shaking his head.

            “I don’t really remember. And I’d rather not, to be honest.”

            “As someone who had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing Joker’s wounds, I can assure you, with regret, that he had several glass cuts on his left arm.” Athena informs, shaking her head. “It was puzzling at the time, but after seeing our escape, I now understand how you got them.”

            “Hey, if I could choose a different route to escape, I would have done it in a heartbeat.” Joker replies, patting down his arm while giving his back a stretch. “Still, we’re done with that place now, meaning that the next floor should be Kusumoto’s Palace.”

            “Do we have to?” Oracle asks in a whine. “It was bad enough seeing those cognitions of ourselves getting tortured. Do we HAVE to see them again?”

            “Hey, none of us are looking forward to that.” Outlaw replies, shaking his head. “I still have nightmares even after we cleared it.”

            “Then why don’t I clear out those heads of yours?” A voice echoes around them as Larxene appears near the stairs, an irritated look on her face. “Finally, you’re here! Do you know how long I have been waiting for your carnival butts to get here?”

            “Another member of the Organization. Why am I not surprised?” Fox comments in a dry tone.

            “At least I'll give this group credit for having some diversity, considering we have so far only encountered men wearing those black coats.” Joker replies, not taking her eyes off the blonde.

            “I've been wanting to meet you for quite a while now, Phantom Thieves. The name's Larxene. Number XII.” She replies, her voice laced with irritation, even as Oracle does a silent scan on her. “And seriously, it is rather rude to keep a lady waiting, you know? At the very least, I thought the gentlemen would be better at keeping time.”

            “A lady?” Athena suddenly comments, walking forward, eyes locked on Larxene. “That is an interesting way to describe yourself, for that is not what I see.” Larxene glares at Athena with a scowl as she flicks her hair back. “All I see is a girl ready to throw a fit.”

            “What did you call me?” Larxene asks back, her eyes narrowed in anger. “Hey, you DO know that we saw your ‘Shadow’, right? Walking around in that gimpy outfit. Have you no shame?” She lets out a laugh as Athena shakes her head. “You must be SO desperate to get attention!”

            “Shame? What do you mean, shame? And grabbing attention? How wrong you can be with such a simple mind.” Athena replies, shaking her head while the Thieves silently stand to the side, and the smirk on Larxene’s face vanishes. “Why should I feel shame at something that my Shadow wore? If anything, I should be more explorative in what I wear. But you, on the other hand…” She folds her arms as she smirks at Larxene. “Are you perhaps jealous?”

            “J-Jealous!? What the hell are you talking about?!” Larxene shouts, throwing a hand out as Athena chuckles at her.

            “That reaction says it all… Let me guess, you are forced to wear nothing but that black coat every single day, correct? With no freedom to choose anything else?” Larxene bites her tongue, no rebuttal coming to her lips. “I thought so. It is strange how everyone in your Organization wears the same attire with no customization. Are you unable to do so because of circumstances beyond your control? Or are such practices banned?”

            “SHUT UP!” Larxene shouts back, her face contorting in anger. “Why should I listen to someone who dresses like a—!”

            “Throwing insults around since you are unable to accept the truth? I pity you, really.” Athena replies, shaking her head. “You have certainly fallen so far, Elrena.” For a moment, everyone slows to a halt as the Thieves all blink in confusion at the name. While some of them, such as Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza, are simply unsure as to why Athena said that name, the rest of them take note of how natural it came, almost as if the name Elrena felt familiar to them somehow. As for Larxene, her anger suddenly drops to confusion as she brings a hand up to her head.

            “E-Elrena?” Noir asks, blinking her eyes. “Why do we know that name…?”

            “W-What the hell are you saying?” Larxene asks, shaking her head. “I’m not Elrena! I’m Larxene!” Her eyes narrow at the Thieves, a small sense of recognition passing over her before she rubs her eyes. “I must be seeing things… It's like you losers remind me of people I once knew. But that's impossible.” Lightning sparks over her arms, her knives forming between her fingers as she falls into her combat stance. “You freaks have given me nothing but a headache. So I'm taking my anger out on you all right here and now!”

            “Someone needs to go to anger management class.” Joker quips as everyone around him turns into friend cards. “All that sparking is not good for your health.” Joker’s comments prove to be the last straw as Larxene charges forward at Joker, knives sparking as she lashes out with a 9 card. Ducking under the knives, Joker waits for Larxene to attack with more of her higher-level cards while he patiently stocks up his own cards.

            “Stand still!” Larxene screams, lashing out with a 7 while stocking up her own Sleight. “I have had it with brats like you making my life a pain! If it’s not Naminé or Nagi, it’s that damn Hikari standing up to me! Mega Volt!” While Joker was momentarily caught off guard by Larxene's rant, he quickly dove to the side to avoid her attack as she stocked up more cards for another Sleight while lashing out at him.

            “How about you take a moment to calm down! Mona! Ken! Koromaru!” In a flash of light, Mona appears before Larxene and sends out a blast of Garudyne, catching the Savage Nymph in a tornado before dashing forward and slashing across her several times. As Mona vanishes, Ken manifests next, a lance of light already forming above him before shooting towards Larxene. It slams into her chest and explodes into a pillar of light, with Koromaru appearing next, sending a lance of darkness into Larxene. The two magics mix with the wind before Ken and Koromaru initiate a cross slash, the blades trailing behind magic in the form of a cross as Larxene slams to the ground with a growl.

            “You stupid brat… Don’t think you’ve won!” Larxene leaps to her feet; she activates her Sleight once more while Joker readies his usual combo. Only this time, he is going to mix it up once again. “Mega Volt!”

            “Reflega!” Joker shouts, redirecting the magic right back at Larxene. But as the lightning hits her, she lets out a laugh, as the lightning does nothing to her, being that it is her own element after all. At least until she is hit by a blast of dark light from the Reflect spell. “Time to put you on ice! Stopga!” Activating his Sleight, the Stop spell brings Larxene to a sudden halt, as not only her own body but even her deck is frozen in time. This leaves Joker with all the time he needs to attack Larxene from all angles. And with one last slash from Lupin, Larxene, with the Stop spell wearing off, is sent flying into the stairs as every single slash she takes hits her all at once.

            “You want to keep fighting, or call it quits?” Joker asks, pointing Lupin at Larxene as she growls at him. “Because if you ask me, you’re not thinking straight right now.”

            “You only won because of the cards… and if not for Marluxia’s stupid rule, I would have beaten you.” She pushes herself up, holding her arm in pain as she backs away. “But while you may have won this round, you will never find your friends. After all, you are all on a path to a dead end.”

            “Held back by the cards, huh?” Joker comments, narrowing his eyes as everyone else returns to normal. “You're not the only one who is being held back. And as for us finding our friends, we will keep on going until we find both Knight and Hikari. However…” Joker narrows his eyes as he glares at the blonde member. “…you really shouldn't have gotten caught up in your earlier rant. Who the hell… is Naminé?”

It was at that moment that Larxene suddenly froze in place, her eyes widening with shock and horror upon realizing that her complaining during the battle had caused her to accidentally mention the one person who was essential for Marluxia's plans to succeed. Someone who was supposed to be kept secret from the Phantom Thieves so that they wouldn't find out about what they had planned for Sora. Upon realizing the severity of what she had just done, thanks to her slip-up, Larxene proceeded to back away again.

            “She's… She's… someone who is not important to losers like you. And that's all I'm going to say. See ya!” And before Joker or anyone else could stop her, Larxene flees the hallway, leaving the Thieves alone again with nothing but confusion on their faces.

            “All she ever did was complain.” Violet comments as the group heads up the stairs. “And is she really only being held back by the cards? And who is Naminé?”

            “Regarding the matter of the card system, it may be a possibility.” Lavenza remarks, having long returned to her normal attire since leaving Athena’s Palace, much to the group's great relief. “After all, we are also limited in what we can do in this place. It would not surprise me if these Organization members are also hindered in their ability to fight. As for this Naminé, I have no idea.”

            “Sounds like the card system was Marluxia's idea to begin with.” Crow comments, folding his arms as they reach the top of the stairs. “And Larxene is very unhappy with his choice. However, she seemed more upset at the fact that she even mentioned this Naminé person to us at all. What are they planning to use her for?”

            “Who knows? But we all saw Larxene freeze up. Whoever Naminé is, she must be important for whatever they are planning.” Shinobi adds, folding her arms and closing her eyes. 

            “Still, that was amazing, Athena!” Sophie suddenly shouts, jumping on the spot. “The way you talked to Larxene and stayed calm! It was so cool!” Athena lets out a chuckle at her niece, gently patting her on the head with a smile.

            “I only said what I believed. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that she fell for such easy taunts was just the icing on the cake, as it were.” Athena replies with a grin, just as Joker stands at the door, his world cards at the ready. “Now then, let's move past the next floor with all haste. None of us wishes to remain in Kusumoto's Palace. Although… I do wonder why the name Elrena suddenly came to all of our minds.”

            “It is strange how that name just suddenly pops up out of nowhere… but why?” Spring comments, folding her arms. “Does Larxene have a connection to our past memories as well?”

            “You mean the ones that almost all of you had been seeing with those other versions of yourselves? That could be a possibility, especially since Sophie, Lavenza, and I are not present in these flashbacks. Otherwise, we probably would've also felt some sort of familiarity with the name Elrena alongside you guys.” Edel comments as both Sophie and Lavenza nod in agreement.

            “Regardless, something tells me we won't get any answers from Larxene anytime soon. But for now, let's just get past this floor.” Joker replies as the door opens, bathing them all in light. However, when their vision clears, what they see is not the Execution Grounds of Envy, but rather the total opposite, as they are met by a woodland path with grass and flowers along the side, blue skies above with clouds, and cartoonish faces on the flowers. Considering what they were initially thinking of seeing, the whiplash is… unexpected in its entirety.

            “This… isn’t Kusumoto’s Palace…” Panther states, obviously.

            “Was this also from the adventure we had with Hikari?” Skull asks, looking around in confusion.

            “I think we can all agree on that.” Shinobi comments, folding her arms. “But still… when compared to the others…”

            “Yeah. No matter what, it feels off compared to everything else we’ve seen in the Metaverse.” Queen remarks. “We shouldn’t drop our guard.”

            “Right.” Joker nods back, looking down the dirt path before them. “Stay close, and keep your eyes peeled. We could get ambushed at any point…” In silent agreement, the Thieves press on, ready for whatever this floor has in store for them.

Unaware that someone else was on this floor, waiting for them.

            “Sheesh… someone needs a chill pill.” Axel comments to himself, shaking his head at the orb. He had just seen Larxene's 'fight' against the Thieves. But if he was being honest, it was more like a burn as she fled, which was something that gave him great amusement as the Savage Nymph herself appeared in the room, clutching her injured arm. “You look like you’ve had fun.”

            “Shut it, Axel!” Larxene shouts at him, glaring darkly. “I don’t want to hear anything from you!” Axel shrugs his shoulders at her as Larxene moves to the orb. But as she does, she glances at Naminé, expecting to see both her and Hikari sitting together as usual. Instead, the only one who is currently present is Naminé, sketching away in her book.

            “Axel.” Larxene begins in a low tone, slowly turning to look at him. “Where… is… Hikari…?” At this point, if Axel could feel anything, he would be feeling a bit scared of the look he was getting from Larxene. He could even swear he could feel it as well, but that was probably his memories of when he did have feelings creeping up on him. Still… it didn't change the fact that he was not standing in hot water.

            “I dunno.” Axel admits, shrugging his shoulders. “She was gone by the time I got back here. Looks like she decided to run while none of us were here.”

            “Then why the hell did you leave them alone!?” Larxene shouts, snapping her hand out at Axel’s face. Naminé flinches at the impact while Axel stands his ground, not intimidated by Larxene in the slightest. “Do you know how important she is to our plans!? And now she is missing!?”

            “I don’t know why you are so upset. We’ve left them alone plenty of times, and they never ran.” Axel comments, folding his arms. “If anything, I’d say we are all at fault for letting her run. Then again, you have also messed up, Larxene.” Larxene freezes as Axel rubs his cheek, his smirk not vanishing. "Didn't Marluxia say not to spill the beans about Naminé to the Thieves? And what did you just do?"

            “Shut up! If I hadn't let my annoyance get the better of me when I was fighting Joker, I wouldn't have said anything! Besides, what are they going to do!? They are trapped in a dead end with no end in sight. Therefore, they can't go anywhere!” Larxene screams, lashing out at Axel again as the doors behind them open. Nagi enters the room with an amused look on her face.

            “Is the girl lashing out again? Why am I not surprised?” She asks, with Larxene’s anger growing at Nagi’s insult. But while Nagi took amusement from Larxene’s reaction, that smile quickly vanished as she soon notices someone was missing. “Where is Hikari?”

            “That’s what I want to know!” Larxene shouts, stomping over to the orb. “Thanks to Axel's decision to skip out on watch duty, Hikari has run off! Stupid girl… I should have broken her legs when I had the chance.”

            “What was that?” Nagi asks in a low tone as she walks up to Larxene. “Would you kindly repeat that?”

            “Oh, screw you!” Larxene shouts, her eyes on the orb. “I don’t have time to be bickering with you!” While sparks flare between the two, the orb comes to life, showing a dirt path filled with cartoonish flowers, with Hikari walking along by herself. “There she is…” Larxene growls as Nagi narrows her eyes.

            “So… she is on the same floor as the Thieves… How annoying.” Nagi admits, shaking her head. “No doubt she is already moving to join them.”

            “Then why don’t we just stop her?” Larxene shouts, moving a hand up to open a portal, only for Axel to stop her.

            “We can’t open portals in those rooms, remember. We have to traverse them like normal.” He reminds her as Larxene lets out a growl.

            “Then explain how YOU could appear then! Didn’t you fight them on the first floor?!”

            “Did you forget already? I was already on the same floor as them and followed after them. And I could use a portal to leave, but I can’t use one to enter.” Axel replies in a smug tone, only serving to inflame Larxene’s anger as she stomps away. “I thought Sora was the one losing memories, not you.”

            “Shut it! Just be glad that we still have Naminé in our grasp! If we lost her as well, our plans would be well and truly ruined!” She yells back, opening up a dark portal to leave. But even as she vanishes to tend to her wounds, Nagi walks up to Axel with a dangerous look in her eyes. One that manages to bring that memory of fear back into Axel.

            “You do realize that your negligence has put our alliance in danger, correct?” Nagi asks in a low tone. “If anything were to happen to her under your watch…”

            “Don't worry. That's a safe floor, right? There should be no Heartless or Shadows waiting to attack them.” Axel replies, shaking his head. “And Hikari hasn't left the castle yet, has she? Our alliance is not broken.”

            “Yes.” Nagi replies in a dangerous tone, turning on her heels and walking to the doors. “Remember, I need her to regain my full strength. Until I do, I need her alive. You would do well to remember that, Axel.” With that, she leaves the room along with the tension, allowing Axel to collapse and place his hands on his knees from the event.

            “Man… that was stressful.” Axel freely admits, wiping his head. “But I don’t regret it. Still, I wonder what will happen now.” He glances up at Naminé, seeing the slight fear in her eyes as he looks back at the orb, watching it switch to Knight as he moves through his current world: Neverland. “Sora's almost at the end of his world cards… I wonder how things will go…” He shakes his head, folding his arms as he watches Knight’s journey unfold.

            “We're reaching the endgame of this whole spectacle… and a lot faster than I originally thought…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: Hikari.

Run. Keep running. That's all Hikari could do right now as she glanced over her shoulder. Even though she had fled the room, she was nowhere near escaping this castle. And even if she did, what was stopping Marluxia or Nagi from just looking for her and dragging her back? No, she had to keep running, hide on this safe floor, until she could reunite with the Phantom Thieves again. With them, she would be able to do more than just sit around and wait. She would be able to help Naminé escape this cage around them and stop the Organization's plans for Sora. Even if she wanted to do it herself…

            “I have to find them… I need to tell them what’s happening.” She wipes her head, glancing around as she continues down the path. She didn’t know how long it had been since she entered the floor, but it had to have been long enough for Nagi to find her missing. Not that she cared as she moved past a cartoonish tree with a face. Although now it felt like she was lost.

            “The only way I could go was through that door with a crown… but now it feels like I’m going in circles.” She lets out a sigh, leaning against a rock as she takes a moment to rest. “I don’t have any cards either… It feels like I’ve gone from one cage to another… so much for a great escape.” She shakes her head with a bitter chuckle, pulling a leg up and resting a cheek on it. “Still, I have to hope that I’ll find them. Or they find me.” She looks up, gazing at the cartoonish world made from her own mind as she lets out a sigh.

            “Still… will they be happy that I’m helping to bring their lost memories back? Or will they hate me for doing so? Will they hate Naminé as well for what she’s being forced to do to Sora, even if it’s against her will? How do I even explain how this happened in the first place?”

As Hikari started to question what move she would make now and how she would explain everything that had happened to her, the atmosphere around her began to change. It was subtle, almost minor in scope, yet Hikari somehow picked up on it—the feeling of eyes looking at her from beyond the grass, trees, and flowers. The presence of something waiting to pounce. She was not alone any more as she gently pushed herself off the stone. She stepped away, eyes locked on the grass as movement forced the blades of grass apart.

And before she knew it, a pair of Shadows was already leaping at her.

            “So… has anyone noticed how we’ve not had a single fight AT ALL ever since arriving on this floor?” Edel speaks up, hands behind her back with a bored expression. “Or is it just me, and that Joker managed to beat them without us even knowing?”

            “I wish I were that good…” Joker comments, shaking his head with his hands in his pockets. “But nope. Nothing. However, it does feel good to have a moment of calm, all things considered.”

            “It is strange, though, isn’t it? About how calm this floor is.” Noir pipes up as Edel lets out a long sigh. “I wonder why that is?”

            “Maybe it’s a rest floor? Y’know, to give us a chance to heal up?” Oracle suggests, rubbing the back of her head. “I mean, we HAVE been moving non-stop. It wouldn’t hurt to have one, right?”

            “Do you think Knight will have one as well?” Fox asks, folding his arms. “It would not do if he were the only one to miss out on a chance to rest.”

            “I think he will.” Sophie suddenly comments with a smile. “Pooh’s world.”

            “Pooh? Are you talking about that world in a book? What was it called again… Hundred Acre Wood?” Skull asks, rubbing his head. “Well, you did say that you and Knight had a good time having fun with no fightin'… I guess that would be his rest world…”

            “Well, in that case, how about we find a spot to sit down?” Panther suggests with a grin. But just as they were all about to agree, a scream echoed from down the path ahead. One that sounded far too familiar to almost all of them.

            “That scream just now… I think that was Hikari!” Queen shouts, a hand covering her mouth.

            “Hold on, is it really Hikari that's here, or is it another memory like all the other times we encountered our friends?” Outlaw asks, posing the question that needs to be aired.

            “Regardless of whether it is or not, we cannot stand here talking about it.” Crow calmly comments right as the team takes off down the path. “Although I admit I'm hoping it's not a memory.”

            “Less talking, more running!” Violet shouts as the team rushes forward, the scenery around them suddenly changing from a peaceful sunny field to a dark and dreary forest. The flowers' smiling faces are now dead, with black blood drooling from their eyes. As the team reaches a wide area, they spy two large Shadows standing in the field. Both of them look like statues of a woman sitting on a black throne, holding two infants in her arms and wearing a bronze mask over her face—a mask with the number II. But that wasn't what had the team's attention; it was who the statues were towering over that did.

            “Hikari!” Joker shouts as Hikari, sitting on the ground, backs away from the two Growth Relics as they slowly slide towards her. Without even talking, the Thieves rush forward, all of them once more turning into cards as Joker quickly lines up a Sleight before dashing forward as an orb of violet and black. He quickly appears before the two Growth Relics, shocking them and Hikari as he activates his Sleight.

            “Back off! Arsène! Abyssal Wings!” Caught off guard by Joker’s sudden appearance, the two Growth Relics were not prepared for the attack as the black feathers rained down on them, pushing them back even as the feathers exploded while Joker lined up one more Sleight. “Dark Firaga!” Without batting an eye, Joker sent the dark fireball right at the Growth Relics, catching them both in the explosion and destroying them before they had a chance to attack. And as Joker let out a breath of air, everyone turned back to normal before they all turned towards Hikari, who had passed out from Joker’s arrival.

            “Is she hurt?” Sophie asks as Mona and Spring check on her.

            “It doesn’t look like it… but she’s probably exhausted.” Mona replies before picking Hikari up. “But we should move someplace else. Don’t want to risk this being a trap.”

            “No argument here.” Athena replies, spinning her tonfas. “Let’s move.” No one was going to argue against that as they quickly made their way out of the area. The scenery around them changed once more to a peaceful look as they found a large open area to rest. It even had a small river running nearby and a tree providing shade, with Mona placing Hikari under the tree while everyone else sat around the area and allowed their Thief attire, for the first time since entering Castle Oblivion, to revert back to their normal clothes.

            “Man… I’m exhausted.” Ryuji bluntly states as everyone suddenly collapses to the ground.

            “Well, we haven’t had a chance for a proper rest in a long while.” Sumire acknowledges, pulling a leg up. “This is the first time we can stop and rest.”

            “But is it really safe to do so?” Shiho asks, tilting her head. “What if we’re being watched?”

            “Don’t worry. I’ll let you know if anything is sneaking up on us.” Futaba replies, stretching her arms. “But for real… just how long have we been in here? I think this can go on record for the longest time we’ve been in our Thief attire.”

            “I had begun to forget that we do, in fact, wear normal clothes.” Yusuke admits, pulling out a sketchpad and drawing. “At the very least, I now have a chance to draw these memories from our distant past, if they are indeed ours.”

            “I don’t know about all of you, but I feel hungry.” Mishima comments as a growl escapes him, followed by a growl from the rest of the Thieves. “Do we have anything to eat?”

            “I think Sora had all of our supplies when we got here.” Ann replies in a hesitant tone. “Until we find him again, I don’t think we can eat anything.” The group all lets out a sigh at that as Futaba mentally kicks herself for not having Necronomicon act as a travel bag. It doesn’t help that they left everything back on the Highwind, so their supplies were already running low to begin with.

            “This sucks…” Isara groans, at least until an apple falls from a tree and lands on her head. “OW!”

            “Huh?” Haru asks, until an apple lands at her feet as well. “An apple?” No sooner do the words leave her mouth than even more apples rain down around the Thieves, each one falling from a tree.

            “Are we in an apple orchard?” Akechi asks in surprise as he catches on. Sae looks over her apple, giving it a scrutinizing look.

            “It could be a trap…” She warns the others. “For them to suddenly drop now of all times—” Before she can finish, the sound of an apple being bitten into echoes around them as all eyes turn to Sophia, who has already taken a large bite out of her apple.

            “It’s delicious!” She shouts, taking another bite as the tension around them quickly vanishes.

            “I guess we were more on edge than we thought.” Shiho comments, biting into her own apple as the group settles in. While sure, some of them would have wanted something a bit more filling, at least having something was better than having nothing at all. Time soon began to pass as some of the Thieves started to take short naps while others watched. Even if this floor was ‘safe’, they could never drop their guards.

            “So, do you know where Nagi has stormed off to?” Axel asks Larxene with a smug tone. Despite not feeling that emotion, he is really enjoying taking the fun out of Larxene and her blunder, even if she glares at him with fake anger every time he does so.

            “Can you please just shut up!” Larxene shouts, funnelling her anger onto Axel as he shakes his head. “Or do you want me to use you as a punching bag!?”

            “Go ahead. I could use the exercise.” Axel taunts, just as the door leading into the room opens with Vexen and Nagi entering, Repliku right behind.

            “What are you bickering over now? We could hear you outside.” Vexen asks them in an exasperated tone while Repliku walks over to Naminé and takes a protective stance before her.

            “Nothing. Just wanted to know where Nagi went, is all.” Axel replies calmly while Larxene lets out an irritated huff. As for Nagi, she sends a small glare Axel’s way as she lets out a huff. All of a sudden, her hair turns blood-red along with her lips while white beads manifest in her hair. Her new appearance takes both Axel and Larxene off guard for a second before they both school their features.

            “If you want to know, I have been looking for Hikari.” Nagi replies in an irritated tone. “Even as my strength returns to me, I will not be complete until she and those Thieves are gone. Hikari, even now, still holds some of my power. That same power she is using to return the Thieves’ memories to them. And until she returns it to me, either by choice or death, I will remain incomplete.”

            “Oh, so NOW you tell us why, Nagi. Or would it be Enlil now?” Larxene asks as Enlil folds her arms.

            “Call me what you will. Regardless of which name you use, it makes no difference.” Enlil replies, before glaring at the orb as it shows the Thieves resting in a sheltered area with Hikari. “But more importantly, Hikari has reunited with those Thieves. Your plans for Sora are now in jeopardy.”

            “There is no need to fear. After all, that part of the castle will only lead to a dead end.” Vexen tells Enlil with a grin. “Sora will not be reuniting with them any time soon.”

            “So you say, but we need to remember that we still do not understand how this place works.” Axel warns, dropping his arms. “They could very well find a way to escape the trap and reunite with Sora.”

            “So what if they do? By the time they find him, Sora will be our sweet little puppet.” Larxene gloats, an evil smirk on her lips. “And they will either have to join him or die.” At that, she lets out a laugh as Naminé cringes at the sound, rubbing her right wrist gently while closing her eyes.

            Sora… Hikari… Everyone… Please be careful!

A peaceful silence filled the area, the worries of yesterday fading into tomorrow as a quiet yawn soon came from the tree. Hikari rubbed her eyes gently before slowly opening them to her surroundings.

            “Good morning, Hikari. Had a nice rest?” Makoto asks gently as Hikari pushes herself up. She tries to stand but finds herself unsteady as Morgana and Hifumi quickly move to help her.

            “You okay?” Hifumi asks as Hikari rubs her eyes again.

            “Yes… I’m just a bit tired…” Hikari replies, blinking away the sleep as Morgana and Hifumi let go of her. Hikari pauses, looking back at everyone as she shyly looks at the ground in embarrassment. “Thank you for saving me… again.”

            “Again?” Ren asks as everyone glances at each other before realization erupts in their minds. “You still remember us? And we saved you again?”

            “I do.” Hikari replies, shocking everyone as she stands tall. “I remember everything that happened: you arriving in the Cinema, as Nagi called it, rescuing Makoto, Haru, and Sumire from Kamoshidaman, and finding Minako. Helping Yu and his friend cure Rise of her poison and helping Yosuke and the herbivore dinosaurs. And then saving Minato and his friends, and helping Ribbon find her own identity. I remember it all… and the hope it gave me. Although… I don't remember you being human, Morgana. And I don't remember meeting you three either.” Hikari admits, looking at Isara, Sophia, and Lavenza.

            “Well, I'm not surprised you don't After all, I was a model tank before becoming human.” Isara replies with a grin, shocking Hikari. “My name is Isara Sakura, nice to meet ya!”

            “I am Lavenza. While this is technically our first meeting, you might recall the two police girls who were with the Trickster and the others that I was once forced to become: Caroline and Justine.” Lavenza tells Hikari, her eyes growing wide in recognition.

            “And I'm Sophia Niijima-Sakura! Nice to meet you!” Sophia greets Hikari while Ren and Makoto shake their heads fondly before Sophia suddenly dons a curious expression. “So, what did you mean by what you said earlier?” Sophia asks, tilting her head. “Why did you say that the Phantom Thieves gave you hope?” Hikari looks at Sophia, the eyes of innocence looking back as she lets out a sigh, just as Morgana tosses her a spare apple. With a grateful nod, Hikari takes it as she leans back against the tree, a blanket of safety enveloping her.

            “I’m not sure how much else I can say that you have already remembered, but for a long time, I was… bullied.” Hikari sighs sadly, glancing upwards as the old memories return to her. “At first, it was my teacher who forced me to take the blame for the death of our class rabbit, all because he refused to admit that he gave us food that would poison the animal. No one stood up for me because they all feared upsetting the teacher…”

            “That’s not right…” Morgana comments, folding his arms. “Sure, teachers can be hard at times, but forcing someone to take the blame because of their mistake? And a kid at that? How could they do that?”

            “But it wasn’t just that.” Hikari adds, shaking a little. “Later on, I was bullied in high school just because I tried to make friends with someone. She was also bullied to turn against me, even as tears left her eyes.”

            “Peer pressure…” Hifumi comments sadly. “A distasteful scheme…”

            “And then there were my Aunt and Uncle. They hated the idea of me becoming a film director and tried to take away a camera that my father gave me. They tried to force me to focus on studying and work like a 'normal person'. All of this continued to happen, and I began to wish that I wasn't unique, that I was a mistake.” Hikari continues, a tear shedding from her eye. “And from that, I became not only depressed but also developed post-traumatic stress disorder. And that… led me to develop what you all called a Palace.”

            “Just like me.” Futaba remarks softly while the Thieves all stare at Hikari in shock. “Wait. Then, not counting the Palaces of our previous foes, all these other floors that we saw were—!”

            “Yes. They were from my Palace, which was the Cinema, and its movies where we first met.” Hikari freely admits. “But while I was content to be trapped inside my own Palace, a part of me refused and sent out a silent plea for help. A plea… to change my heart.”

            “Which led us to getting dragged into your Palace.” Makoto realizes with wide eyes. “But why were Yu, Minato, Minako, and their groups also dragged in?”

            “I don’t know.” Hikari freely admits. “Maybe I've just forgotten, or my plea for help was greater than I realized. But I'm glad they did. It took all of you working together to free me and change my heart. But… you all forgot about what happened.” Hikari looks away, sadness in her eyes. “When I found out one day, when you saw me at a film festival where I was announcing my own movie but didn't recognize me… it hurt.” The Thieves all feel a pang of guilt inside them, apart from Isara, Sophia, and Lavenza. Even if they didn't remember, the fact that they forgot in the first place… hurt them far more than they could imagine.

            “Hikari… we’re sorry.” Ren tells her, shaking his head. “We’re sorry that we forgot.” One by one, each of the Thieves, barring Isara, Sophia, and Lavenza, bows their heads at Hikari in apology, catching the young girl by surprise as she waves her hands at them, still holding the apple in one.

            “It’s okay! You don’t need to apologize!” Hikari tells them, shaking her head. “I’ll admit, it did hurt when you forgot. But now you are remembering, and that is all that matters.” She gives them all a thankful smile before quickly letting out a squeak of shock.

            “What’s wrong, Hikari-chan?” Haru asks, noticing Hikari’s wide eyes.

            “I forgot to tell you! I’m not the only one being held here! Naminé needs help!” Hikari shouts as the Thieves all glance at each other.

            “We heard that name before when we fought Larxene, but who is this Naminé? Why is she important?” Sae asks as Hikari forces herself to calm down. “We can talk as we move.”

            “Yes… please.” Hikari replies, with the group nodding in acceptance, all turning to the only path left for them at a quick pace. “To start, I need to tell you how I ended up here to begin with. I was busy practicing my film and directing skills with an online class when the power suddenly died. After that, these strange creatures appeared from the floor and tried to grab me.”

            “Strange creatures… you mean the Heartless?” Ren asks, checking to see if her story coincides with what happened to him and the others.

            “Yes.” Hikari replies with a nod. “Although I didn't know what they were at the time, I ran as far as I could, but they were everywhere. Before I could find a place to hide, a strange dark portal opened under me, and I fell into it. When I woke up, I was in a white room with an orb and a chair next to a table with a sketchbook and a box of coloured pencils.”

            “That’s… oddly specific.” Akechi remarks with a raised eyebrow.

            “That’s what I thought as well.” Hikari replies, resting a hand on her chest. “For a while, I was by myself, unable to leave until, one day, the chair next to the table was suddenly engulfed in light. When the light passed, a girl was suddenly sitting there, sleeping on the table before slowly waking up. But when she did, a large man in a black coat suddenly appeared next to her… and the words he said sent a chill down my spine.”

            “Words? What words?” Ryuji asks, seeing Hikari shiver as she hugs herself.

            “We have been waiting for you.” She replies, shaking her head. “The way he said it, with no emotion in his voice… it scared me. And when he saw me, he said that I shouldn't be in this world… but could still be useful to him. I was confused about what he meant by that at the time, until I later learned the truth about there being worlds outside of the one that we all know, along with the dark creatures that he and his allies called the Heartless.”

            “I assume that the man you met was Marluxia?” Sae asks, hand on chin.

            “He never said his name… but when I met Marluxia later, I could tell he was different. He had a completely different voice, and Marluxia was smaller compared to the man I met in stature.” Hikari replies as Sae narrows her eyes.

            “Then it is possible this man is the one known as the 'Superior' that Vexen mentioned to us earlier, the one who leads them.”

            “What does he want with Naminé and you?” Mishima asks, tilting his head.

            “It’s not what I can bring… it’s who was sleeping inside me until recently. Nagi.” Hikari replies, placing a hand on her voice.

            “Nagi… who is she really?” Yusuke asks Hikari. She glances at him, her eyes battling with a decision in her mind before shaking her head.

            “I could say who she is right here, but I think once we clear this floor, the rest of your memories about her will return. While I was trapped here, Naminé helped me create film reels with your memories. I then placed them on different floors of the castle so that, when you cleared them, you would all gradually remember what has happened without it doing damage to you.”

            “Well, that explains that.” Ann remarks, tilting her head. “But what about the other memories? The ones that we got from floors not related to you?”

            “Other memories?” Hikari asks, tilting her head. “I only know about the ones I've placed. I don't know about other memories that you all have forgotten.” That only made the Thieves even more confused until Hikari shook her head. “But that's not what's important! It's Naminé's power. She can influence Sora's memories and those connected to him.”

            “Hold up. Sora’s memories?” Sumire asks, holding a hand up. “Do you mean his actual memories, or…”

            “According to her, she can influence what she calls a ‘chain of memories’ and can remove, add, or erase links from it. By doing so, she can rewrite a person’s heart to turn them into someone completely different.” The Thieves’ eyes all widen in shock as Hikari grasps her arms. “After all… she was forced to do so to Repliku, turning him into a carbon copy of Riku, but who is fixated on protecting Naminé.”

            “She did that? That sounds as though she can rewrite someone’s cognition.” Makoto comments, eyes wide. “And… she can do the same to Sora?”

            “Not by choice! Marluxia and Larxene are forcing her too!” Hikari shouts suddenly. “They kept threatening to lock her away in a dark room, that she would be trapped and alone forever. And Larxene was always threatening to attack her if she didn’t follow their orders. They only didn’t because I was there, but…”

            “Back up a bit… why did they force Naminé to change Repliku’s memories?” Isara asks, holding her hands up. “What do they gain from that?”

            “Sora.” Hikari replies bluntly. “They are forcing Naminé to change Sora’s memories so they can turn him into their puppet. Changing Repliku’s memories is part of it. Although Naminé is finding it impossible to change Sora’s memories. She can add false memories, but she can’t change his own. The ones with him… aren’t so lucky.”

            “Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy have had their memories changed?” Ren asks, with the Thieves picking up the pace as they all shift back into Thief attire. “So her powers can affect not just Knight… but why are we not affected?”

            “Because Marluxia and Nagi have something different for you.” Hikari replies, shaking her head. “Naminé told me to escape while I had a chance, but she stayed behind so they wouldn’t come after us or suspect that she’s not changing Knight’s memories. But without me there keeping her safe…”

            “No need to say anything else, Hikari. We understand.” Athena tells her gently, even as they run through a dark, dreary part of the forest. “For now, we need to find Knight, and fast.”

            “Hikari…” A voice echoes around them all, halting their advance as Hikari looks around with wide eyes.

            “Did anyone hear that?” Mona asks, falchion in hand.

            “Yeah… and I don’t like it.” Skull admits as the team forms a circle around Hikari.

            “Hikari…” The voice echoes once more as movement comes from one side of the forest. The sound of something large pushing past the dead trees and flowers, with branches snapping in its path.

            “Something is coming.” Fox points out, his hand moving to his katana as everyone tenses up. But just as the sounds grow louder, they suddenly stop. An eerie silence fills the void even as everyone readies their weapons. No one says a word, and no one moves a muscle as they all stare into the darkness around them. Until suddenly, something lands right in front of them, kicking up a cloud of dust while scattering the team and separating Hikari from the others. As the dust starts to clear, the form of what had landed before them soon makes itself known.

A large pulsing mass of dark matter, with what looked to be yellow fur or hair growing from the arms, shoulders, and head, or what consisted of a head. Despite looking humanoid in some way, it was as if a slime had grown to giant size, bloating itself up and growing large arms and tiny legs. Countless blank film reels circled around its body like armour, while one reel had a pair of red eyes glaring down at the Thieves.

            “What is that?!” Panther shouts as the Thieves all jump to their feet.

            “A giant slime monster!?” Oracle shouts as the creature roars at them in anger, bringing one of its arms above them.

            “Hikari… Hikari…! Hikari! Hikari! Hikari!” The creature shouts, bringing a hand down at Joker as he and the Thieves scatter. It is strange how they have not yet been turned into cards, considering how the creature is now attacking them. Well, the answer to that soon comes to them as countless film reels burst from the ground, entangling them all and pinning a few of them to the ground.

            “Not again!” Outlaw shouts as he tries to break out.

            “As if the fake Shadow Toshiro wrapping us up in paper was bad enough!” Panther shouts in annoyance as the giant creature lumbers towards them, once more raising an arm as its eyes glare down at them.

            “DOE! STOP!” Hikari screams, her voice cutting into the creature as it slowly turns to look at her.

            “Doe? Who is Doe?” Sophie asks, tilting her head as much as she can while Edel tries to slash her way out.

            “I don’t know… but at the same time, we should know.” Crow replies, shaking his head in annoyance, even as he tries to break out. “How I hate sealed memories…” But while the Thieves were busy trying to break out, Hikari was staring down the monster that she called Doe, who, in turn, was looking back at her.

            “Why, Doe!? Even if you’re a memory, why are you attacking them!?” Hikari shouts at the monster, clenching a hand over her chest. “They saved me!” Doe silently stares at her, no sound coming from him as he leans down towards her. The red eyes in the film stare at her unflinchingly.

            “Why? Why do you have to be like that?” Doe asks, with Hikari petrified at the words. “Do you not remember your weakness? The weakness that made you run? All because you couldn’t face it? Did you not throw yourself away so that no one could criticize you? Didn’t you want to avoid getting hurt?”

            “I did want that… but I don’t want it any more!” Hikari shouts back. “It’s why I asked them to change my heart! To save me before I did something I would regret forever!”

            “Why? Why do you aim to be unique? Uniqueness brought you nothing but pain.” Doe replies, with Hikari taking a step back. “Being unique led you to be the scapegoat in your class. Being unique led you to be ostracized from those of your age. Being unique brought you nothing but scorn from your family. Being unique brought nothing but pain from your father. So why? Why do you have to be like that?”

Hikari looks at the ground, balling her hands into fists as Doe looks back at the Thieves. The film reels around them grow ever tighter. “These people have led you astray, and filled your head with false lies. I will eliminate them so you can be normal again. It is what I know is best, after all.”

            “Normal?” Hikari whispers, glaring up at Doe as anger flashes across her face. “You mean going back to being an empty shell? Going back to locking myself in my room and letting my life slip away while doing nothing? Going back to a life of depression and self-doubt? How can that be considered normal!?” Doe looks over at Hikari, his eyes betraying no emotion as Hikari places a hand on her chest. “It’s true, I am different from everyone else, but that is NOT an abnormality! It is a gift that we should all treasure! Our own sparks of individuality and personality! No one should be forced to mould themselves to fit what someone expects to be ‘normal’!”

            “What are you saying? What nonsense are you spewing?” Doe asks back as Hikari looks at him, eyes narrowed and hands clenched.

            “You aren’t the real Doe. Just a false memory of him. The real Doe did everything because that was how I made him. What he was based on! And you share none of that!” Hikari takes a step forward, her anger rising even as the Thieves watch on. “Nagi… No… Enlil wants to use me again, just like she used me back when I was a prisoner in my own prison! But I'm not going to let her! I am the hero of my own story, not hers or yours! And if anyone else thinks they can just walk into my life and dictate what they want me to do…” Hikari takes a deep breath as she stands defiantly against the memory of Doe. “Then they can take a hike up Mount Fuji for all I care! I am me, no one else!”

Doe lets out a huff, turning away from Hikari as he glares back at the Thieves, once more raising a hand as he ignores Hikari’s cry. Hikari could feel her anger rise at the sight before her, looking around for anything she could use to stop—

I have been waiting for you.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ume3sbCFzMc : Awakening and Willpower)

A pulse rips through Hikari's mind as a blue wave pulses out from her, distracting Doe and dragging his attention to her. Even the Thieves look at her in shock, despite their bound state, as Hikari brings her hands to her head.

Life is nothing but a mere stage, a tapestry for stories of different tunes to play.

You have walked a play of great sadness and fear, and yet you have never once bowed to their tunes.

Hikari lets out another cry of pain, falling to one knee as Doe looks at her in confusion.

But now it is time to start a play of joy!

Comedy and laughter are the fruits of our labour, not sadness and despair.

The time has come for you to step out from the darkness and into the light of a hero.

I am thou… thou art I…

Let us bring to life the joy of our song.

And to those who would wish to see us trampled, we shall remind them why they should never insult our craft!

Hikari, eyes glowing bright yellow, glares at Doe as a mask forms on her face from azure flames. One that is seemingly made of both marble and vines, the top shaped like an old mask from ancient Greek comedies while leaving her mouth exposed. Without even missing a beat, Hikari grabs the mask and tears it off in one quick motion, the azure flames consuming her even as her cry of pain rings out over them.

            “What?” Doe calls, holding a hand up to shield himself from the flames. “What have you done?” As he lowers his hand, the flames seem to part like a curtain on the stage, revealing Hikari standing tall in new attire. Brown boots with golden knee guards protect her legs, and a white skirt connected to a white robe top flows over her hips, with part of the back reaching down to her ankles. A brown belt wraps around her hips, and a long metal shaft that looks to be around 27 centimetres long is attached to her belt, while on her left leg, the side where the skirt does not reach down to her ankles, lies a holster holding some sort of gun.

The top of her robe, sleeveless, had two small pieces of cloth rolling from the back like a scarf, while a gold armlet encased her upper arms and wrists. A pair of purple and white gloves encased her hands. Two small golden film reels, held by golden leaves, rested on her head like a crown, while two small pairs of wings flared from the bottom of her boots.

And hovering behind her was a woman, clad in ancient Grecian robes that were entwined with ivy, while a mask of comedy adorned her face, framed by long black hair, as film reels rolled off her shoulders and wrapped around her chest, some hovering in the air as though the wind were keeping them suspended. In one hand, she held a long silver bugle, a small flag with a picture of a comedy mask hanging from it, while in the other hand was a shepherd's crook. Atop her head was a wreath of ivy, mixing with her hair, while a pair of angel wings sprouted from her back.

            “Hikari awoke to a Persona!?” Spring shouts as Hikari gives herself a look over.

            “At this point, I’m not even surprised any more.” Noir admits with a smile as Hikari looks at them.

            “Thalia! Mapsiodyne!” Hikari calls out as her Persona, Thalia, attacks the binding holding the Thieves in place. The magic tears through the film reels, shocking Doe as the Thieves, freed from the trap, rush to join Hikari’s side. An action that only serves to fuel Doe’s anger.

            “HIKARI! WHY DO YOU REFUSE TO CHANGE WHO YOU ARE!?” Doe screams in rage as Hikari unhooks the metal shaft from her belt and takes several steps forward.

            “Because this is who I am! And I will never go back to how I was before! No matter what!” Hikari shouts back, her finger flicking a switch on the hilt and revealing what exactly it really was, earning the envy of almost all of the Thieves in a single moment.

            “Aw, come on! She has a double-bladed lightsabre!?” Oracle shouts in pure envy as Hikari, with the biggest grin on her face, spins her lightsabre around. The two plasma blades glow a pure white as everyone turns into friend cards except Joker, along with another surprise that he didn't expect.

            “Looks like we’re fighting side by side.” Joker remarks to Hikari, seeing that she has not turned into a card as she nods back. On her belt, her own deck of cards manifests, an entire deck of red with some greens mixed in.

            “This is it. I’m taking the first steps to my future, no matter what!” Hikari replies with a smile before looking up at Doe, her eyes filled with determination. “You are not the real Doe… he was based on my father. And even then, he still had a warmth inside him. You have none of that… and I will not allow you to impersonate him any more!” Doe lets out a roar as all three of them have their decks manifest before them.

Without fanfare, Doe lashes out with a 6 card at the two, his hands falling down on them from above. But before it can strike, Hikari counters with a 7 card, spinning her lightsabre up and deflecting one of the hands as Joker dashes forward. He hits Doe with a 9 card while stocking up a Sleight, as Hikari does the same. Doe, seeing the two stock up, stocks his own Sleight before attacking with a 4 card, goading the two to use a high card. But they don’t bite as they jump back, with Joker pulling his gun out as Hikari does the same, revealing that her gun looks just like a certain space outlaw’s blaster pistol. Joker can’t help but chuckle at that as he fires a Curse-infused round at Doe with a 5 card, while Hikari fires Psy-infused rounds with her own 5 card.

Doe, irritated at the two, attacks with its Sleight. Sending out a mist of stone towards them, it forces them to dodge to the sides as Doe quickly stocks up another Sleight and glares at Hikari. Letting out a roar, Doe activates his Sleight, attacking Hikari with a Bane Slice and hitting her in the chest, but turning his back on Joker, who takes aim with his Sleight.

            “Dark Firaga!” Joker shouts, sending the orb of darkness slamming into Doe’s back as he leaps away. “I’m not afraid of my own darkness any more! It’s a part of me, so I’ll use it just like I use all my other skills!” Joker could feel a unanimous agreement coming from his friend cards as he lines up a Sleight with three of them, while Hikari looks back at Doe and activates her Sleight.

            “Makougaon!” She calls out, with Thalia appearing behind her and blasting Doe with Bless magic. The attack hits home, earning a cry of pain from him even as he tries to attack Hikari again with a 7 card. But instead of panicking, Hikari counters with a zero card, splitting her lightsabre into two and hitting Doe’s hand with a cross slash, holding her lightsabre in a dual stance while stocking up three more cards.

            “This has gone on for long enough! Violet! Spring! Sophie!” Joker calls out, summoning the three Bless users to his side. As Violet appears on the field, she dashes forward with her rapier, leaping up to where Doe’s head would be before quickly thrusting with her lightsabre seven times before leaping backward and blasting him with Kougaon. While Doe reels back from the attack, Spring takes the field, quickly healing Hikari of her injury before dashing forward and slashing her spear at Doe.

Distracted, Doe did not see Sophie appear next to Joker, spinning her yo-yos before sending them flying toward Doe’s face. Each one landed a heavy blow before returning to Sophie as she summoned Pandora and sent a lance of light right at Doe’s chest. The attack almost sent him falling backward as Hikari rejoined her lightsabre.

            “Nothing is going to stop me from putting an end to Enlil and Marluxia’s schemes! We’re going to move forward, no matter what! Primal Force!” Activating her Sleight, Hikari sends the final attack right at Doe as the Pierce spell tears through him from above. Doe tries to swat away the attack, but it is futile as each blow rains down on him. Eventually, the onslaught becomes too great for Doe to handle as he falls backward toward the floor, darkness seeping off him before vanishing into nothing while thirty-five film reels shoot into the sky. From the side, hidden by the dead foliage, Enlil, who witnessed Hikari's awakening and the battle, narrows her eyes in rage before quickly turning on her heels and fleeing, not risking the chance to reveal herself as the Thieves all return from their card forms, none of them seeing the black card of Doe slip into Joker's deck.

            “Hikari! That was awesome!” Violet cheers as Hikari looks around with an embarrassed expression.

            “You think so?” She asks, rubbing the back of her head while clipping her lightsabre back on her belt.

            “Hell yeah!” Skull shouts, leaping on the spot. “You showed that false memory who you really are!”

            “That you did… just like the last time.” Joker comments, grabbing Hikari, Edel, Sophie, and Lavenza’s attention. “Yeah… that’s right. Doe was a cognition you created to try to save yourself… and he was based on your dad.”

            “Yeah…” Hikari replies. “This all happened because I mistook what he wanted to do. He was only worried about me, but I mistook it as him wanting to punish me. That’s why Doe appeared as he did until I realized that…”

            “And we were tricked by Nagi that he had actually captured you.” Mona adds, before his eyes narrow. “But that’s not her real name, is it? It’s Enlil. And wasn’t she trying to run a ‘Salvation Plan’ to save humanity?”

            “Oh yeah… it’s all starting to come back now. Well, not all of it, but a good chunk at least.” Panther adds, folding her arms. “No doubt she is waiting for us so she can get revenge.”

            “That’s right.” Hikari replies, nodding her head. “Enlil had been using Castle Oblivion to regain her old strength, but she is still bound by Marluxia’s rules. If we can beat her before she regains her full strength, we can stop her from returning!”

            “Just another normal day for a Persona user.” Joker quips, shaking his head as Hikari lets out a laugh before almost falling over if not for Fox catching her. “And that’s the post-awakening fatigue kicking in.”

            “Oh…” Hikari comments, her eyes fluttering. “I feel so… tired.”

            “That’s just how it is, Hikari.” Shinobi tells her gently, rubbing her head. “Take it easy for now. When you wake up, you’ll be ready for anything.” Hikari nods slowly before letting her eyes close while her breathing evens out. As for the Thieves, they turn to the only path open to them, leading them out of this floor. But as they move forward, Athena glances at Joker as she folds her arms.

            “So… you’ve decided to accept that you will be using darkness-based attacks?” She asks him, with all eyes turning to Joker.

            “I have.” Joker replies firmly. “I'll admit, I was scared when I found out I could use actual darkness that's not Persona-based, but if I allowed myself to accept that fear, I would just be letting it win. So that's why I'll use it. It is my darkness and no one else's. And if someone tries to come along and force me to bend to their way…" He glances back at everyone, a smirk on his face. “…they will find me to be a stubborn one to change.”

            “And isn't that the truth?” Crow remarks fondly while Queen and Sophie hug Joker. “Perhaps you could even give Riku some advice when we see him again.” That got a chuckle out of everyone, Joker most of all, as they walk down the path, once more turning into colour as a door appears before them, beckoning them back to the white hallways of Castle Oblivion without having the group climb up another ladder.

            “I’ll think about it…”

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: An Old Acquaintance.

            “Looks like Sora has just cleared the Neverland floor. He’s only got two worlds left.” Axel comments as he, Larxene, and Vexen all look at the orb. Repliku stands next to Naminé as a protective shield, much to Larxene’s complete annoyance.

            “He has certainly moved through them faster than we anticipated.” Vexen points out, rubbing his chin. “It has been around nineteen days since they all entered, and yet they are almost reaching the end. Their strength and speed are certainly something to be acknowledged.”

            “Whatever…” Larxene growls, just as the doors open, revealing a very angry Enlil as she storms into the room. “Let me guess. Failed to grab her?”

            “What do you think?” Enlil snarls back, folding her arms as she glares at the orb, currently showing Knight, Donald, and Goofy heading to the next floor. “She has managed to reunite herself with the Phantom Thieves.”

            “Already? They sure work quick.” Axel quips as Enlil glares at him.

            “That is not all… Hikari has awoken to a Persona.” That got the trio's attention, along with Naminé and Repliku, as Enlil activated the orb, showing the moment of Hikari’s awakening with her Persona taking form behind her.

            “Incredible… so this is a true Persona awakening?” Vexen remarks in an awed tone while Axel and Larxene stare. “Such incredible power being unleashed… The sheer magnitude of an awakening dwarfs that of the other Thieves. The energy unleashed is all but uncontrollable… It is no wonder that such an awakening is so explosive.”

            “So you say, but I didn’t like the look on her face before that mask appeared.” Axel comments, shaking his head. “Looked like she was having a very bad headache.”

            “Did she really just tear off half her face?” Larxene asks out loud before shaking her head. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m impressed. They have strong hearts to go through with that.” She admits begrudgingly, even as Naminé and Repliku look at Hikari with varying responses. “And it looks like she managed to overwrite Marluxia’s rules for that fight… but I don’t think it will last for the next floors.”

            “It is most intriguing that she did.” Vexen remarks with rare awe. “Truly, there is far more to learn about Personas than I could ever imagine…” While the three members of the Organization look at Hikari in wonder and Enlil continues to glare at her former friend, Naminé and Repliku are silent as statues as they stare at the orb, the latter frowning at the sight of Hikari's new look and Persona.

            Why don’t I have a mask? Repliku asks himself as he looks at the floor. And when did I awake to Raiden? Why is he red and the Thieves' Personas blue anyway? While Repliku was having a moment of crisis, Naminé's gaze was locked on Hikari. Seeing her stand tall among the azure flames, the chains holding her back long broken, Naminé couldn't help but want to feel that same sense of freedom, to be given the opportunity to spread her own wings and not be trapped in a cage. And soon, that wish will come true as she looks back at her sketchbook.

           I'll be free soon… I just need a little more time. Please hurry, Sora… Joker… Riku…

The hall of Castle Oblivion stood in silence, the lone door at the end looking over the empty hall. The same drab white walls, plants, vases, and pillars lay out before it, while the stairs leading to the lower floor were encased in a white mist. But it would not be silent for long, as footsteps echoed from the stairs, the visages of the Thieves coming into form. One by one, each of them stepped through the mist, their footsteps echoing through the empty hall as they all remained on guard. After all, one of their members was still sleeping until she began to stir.

            “Ah, I see you are awake.” Fox comments to Hikari, who is currently being carried on his back. All around him, the Thieves come to a slow halt as Fox gently puts Hikari down. She sways for a moment, giving her head a shake before looking back at everyone.

            “Are you okay, Hikari? That was probably a lot that you just went through back there.” Joker asks, wanting to make sure she's alright alongside everyone else as a small smile forms on Hikari's face.

            “I'm alright, Joker. Thank you for your concern.” She tells him with a smile before looking over herself. “I still can't believe it… I awoke to a Persona. And I look like I'm from Ancient Greece as well.”

            “From the looks of it, your Persona seems to be based on one of the Muses from the ancient Greeks.” Queen remarks with her arms folded. “Fitting, considering what you want to be. And your Thief attire represents that as well.” Hikari looks at Queen, a grin on her face as she nods back. “Having said that, more memories of what happened in the Cinema came back to us as we climbed the stairs… along with how, apparently, Doe was behind Yu, Minato, Minako, and the others arriving as well.”

            “Still can't believe that Enlil was willin' to let Hikari go while keepin' a bunch of other people trapped.” Skull groans as he kicks the ground. “And we didn't even go home properly. Just got dumped in some warped Theatre District with no exit in sight.”

            “I'm having trouble believing that Elizabeth, Margaret, and even Theodore were there as well, and that Elizabeth forced Theodore to dress up in a popcorn suit.” Spring remarks, shaking her head. “I also seem to remember us meeting that Marie girl that Yu and the others spoke highly of. And if that's the case, then the only one out of those from the Velvet Room who was missing was Igor. However, considering what had happened to him at the time…”

            “Still, that doesn't explain why only the S.E.E.S team was there, considering who else was supposed to be there as well.” Panther adds cryptically while Hikari tilts her head. There's no need for her to learn about when eight of the Phantom Thieves accidentally travelled back in time and met the past versions of Minato, Minako, and the rest of S.E.E.S. This place was already a brain melter from the start, and there was no need to add even more to it.

            “Maybe they weren't with them at the time? Could they have done a sort of solo mission by themselves?” Outlaw offers as Joker, along with the rest of the core eight Phantom Thieves, goes through their memories to think of when the S.E.E.S team entered Tartarus without them. As they try to remember the exact details of when that event took place, which may or may not have happened sometime after they battled the Hermit, Edel is looking at Hikari with a glint in her eyes.

            “So… what are you going to call yourself, Hikari?” She asks with a smile, breaking the silence as all eyes turn to Hikari. “You have an outfit AND a Persona! So now you need a codename!”

            “A codename…” Hikari replies softly, placing a hand on her chest. “That’s right. I’m one of you now. I’ve broken the chains that have held me back and am finally walking down the path of rebellion. And the name I chose to show that path…” She closes her eyes for a moment, taking a small breath before opening them again with clear vision. “Muse. That will be my codename.”

            “Muse, huh? Ain’t that fitting?” Oracle quips with a grin as Hikari, or rather, Muse, lets out a chuckle while Oracle opens up a screen. “As for what you can do, it looks like Thalia is weak to Psy attacks but resists Pierce, Light, and Bless. As for what she can do, Thalia knows Mapsiodyne, Makougaon, Primal Force, Debilitate, Psy Amp, Bless Amp, Ali Dance, and Apt Pupil. Quite the interesting spread. Either way, welcome to the Keyblade Phantoms!”

            “We’re only called that when Knight is with us… That’s Sora’s codename in case you didn’t catch it, Muse.” Violet tells Muse while Crow shakes his head. “Even if Joker can use a Keyblade, we only called ourselves that when Knight was around.” Oracle sticks her tongue out at Violet while Sophie lets out a giggle. As for Muse, she could feel her worries vanishing as Joker stepped up to the door. Without a word, he holds up his deck of world cards, which had been growing smaller and smaller with every world they visited, the deck glowing in tandem with the door as it bathes everyone in a warm light.

But as soon as it vanishes, rain and thunder are the first things to greet them, as the dark, cold stones of a prison surround them while crows fly above. Chains litter the floor with dried blood, the dark blue stones impaled with iron spikes as the atmosphere sends a cold shiver down everyone's spine.

            “Where are we?” Sophie asks quietly, standing close to Joker and Queen. Her eyes scan the place before landing on a sight she never expected to see—something that everyone realizes as she lets out a terrified scream and buries her head into Queen.

            “Sophie!? What’s wrong!?” Queen shouts, finding her arms filled with the terrified girl before looking in the direction of Sophie’s gaze. She immediately wishes she hadn’t, as Joker follows her gaze, only to soon wish the same thing.

After all, hanging from the wall, a chain collar clamped around their necks connected to an iron causeway over a spiked pit, where the skeletal remains of Joker and Queen. Their outfits were pecked to pieces by crows, their masks coated in dried blood.

            “What the…” Muse comments, taking a step back as the rest of the Thieves either look away, feeling sick as they try their best to stop their stomachs from puking. “I don't remember ever coming to a place like this. Why is there another Joker and Queen looking…” But as Muse can't bear to finish the rest of that sentence due to the sight she's seeing, Athena places a hand on her shoulder as the latter lets out a long sigh.

            “What we're seeing is the result of us being in the Palace of the former SIU Director, Kusumoto. This place is where he envisioned horrendous deaths for almost all of us in the Phantom Thieves.” Athena replies in a dark tone as Lavenza, now wearing a prisoner outfit like what Joker had to wear but in blue and black, approaches Sophie and ties a velvet blindfold around her head. “And it would seem this particular aspect has not changed.”

            “I remember seeing a few glimpses myself when Sho dragged me through this Palace.” Crow admits as he lets out a shudder. “But to see it again up close… I fear I may not be sleeping for a while.”

            “Urgh… I am not looking forward to this place…” Edel groans as she rubs her arms. “Did he have one for EVERYONE in the Thieves?”

            “All but Violet and me. My cognition was a foe we had to defeat.” Athena comments, folding her arms before letting out a shudder. “But… something tells me this may be different.”

            “Great…” Shinobi groans, taking her mask off and rubbing her eyes. While Joker gives Sophie a comforting head pat and Queen refuses to let her go, Lavenza walks up to the lone path before them, her eyes heavy as she lets out a sigh.

            “This place’s true danger will not be in the physical, but in the mind.” She turns back to everyone, seeing the looks of unwanted choice plastered on their faces. “I fear this may be the most damaging floor to cross.”

            “Not like we have any other choice.” Joker grimaces, the door behind them vanishing. “Let’s just get through this place as fast as possible. I’ve had enough of seeing this man’s mind for one lifetime.”

            “As do we all.” Noir adds quietly as the team begins their unwanted march into Kusumoto’s Palace. A floor that none of them wanted to enter ever again, and yet now they had no choice.

They could only hope they could keep their lunch down until they were clear. And that Sophie didn’t have to see anything else. Just seeing Joker and Queen was bad enough, in everyone’s opinion.

            “This… was a person’s mind?” Axel asks with visible disgust as the Thieves in the orb move through Kusumoto’s Palace. “I actually feel sick… and I don’t even have a heart to feel that.”

            “And I thought I was a crazy girl.” Larxene comments, seeing what looked to be a version of Violet getting burned at the stake, while Crow's severed head is nearby, impaled on an iron spear. “Whoever this belonged to certainly knew his tools. Could probably give one of our other members a run for their money.”

            “How brutish.” Vexen remarks, shaking his head as the orb shows a version of Athena, her body leaning up against a chopping block with a bloody axe sticking from it, her head resting separately in a black basket. “All this man thought about was destroying those he envied. Such a boorish man holds no interest for me.” With a snap of his fingers, Vexen changes the orb to show Knight resting in the next world: the world of the Hundred Acre Wood. “And while his friends traverse that place, Sora is resting on his second-to-last floor.”

            “I don’t think he’s going to be moving anytime soon.” Axel remarks, nodding his head at Knight as he leans back on the grass, his Thief attire vanishing as he falls asleep under a tree. Donald and Goofy are snoring nearby. “Can’t blame him though, considering what he’s been through.”

            “Oh, let him. It won’t change anything.” Larxene groans, shaking her head in dismay before turning to look at Vexen with annoyance. “And what about you, Vexen? What is happening on your side? Your Riku was supposed to counter Sora. What’s he waiting for? He’s just been hanging around here next to Naminé.” She nods her head at Repliku, who is standing next to Naminé like a silent guardian.

            “Don’t you see, Larxene? He’s hiding here to lure Sora deeper into the castle.” Axel points out, folding his arms. “If that’s his plan, then we should just leave it like that, you know.”

            “Must you insult me at every turn?” Vexen asks with annoyance in his voice. “Imbecilic morons such as you should remain quiet.”

            “Hmph. Predictable response.” Larxene replies, rolling her eyes. “Men without hearts are so boring.”

            “As if you are one to talk.” Vexen snaps back. But just as the two were about to start another bickering competition, a dark portal opens up behind them as a new figure joins them, with Enlil by his side.

            “That's enough.” He commands, his hands pushing his hood down as red rose petals fall around him, revealing his face with deep blue eyes and long pink hair.

            “Marluxia!” Vexen calls out as Marluxia walks towards him with a disappointed look.

            “Vexen, the simple fact is that your project was a failure.” Marluxia boldly comments, Repliku looking at him with confusion while Vexen grips his hands. “You’d best not disappoint us again.”

            “Disappoint YOU!? You go too far!” Vexen shouts, his shield coming to his hand instinctively. “In this Organization, you are Number XI, I am Number IV, and I will not have you—!” Before he could finish his rant, his face was soon met by the end of Marluxia's weapon: a long scythe with a green handle and a curving blade that was silver around the edge and pink in the middle. The back of the scythe held two spiked points, one of which was almost touching the space between Vexen's eyes.

            “I’ve been entrusted with this castle, Naminé, and Hikari by our leader. Defying me will be seen as treason against the Organization.” Marluxia speaks plainly to Vexen, whose shield vanishes into a shower of ice.

            “‘Traitors are eliminated’. I believe that’s what the rules say.” Axel clarifies to everyone, even though only Naminé, Repliku, and Enlil didn't know. Vexen remains silent, his fury reaching a fever pitch even as Marluxia holds his scythe at him.

            “Vexen, you cannot win against Sora. You could barely hold your own against Joker. And don't think I didn't notice your battle against Riku.” Marluxia tells him, but his words fall on deaf ears as Vexen takes a few steps back.

            “Pity to be so ignorant. As you are only able to see the surface of things, I should not expect you to appreciate my full might, even with your card rules holding me back.”

            “Oh? Bold words.” Enlil remarks as Marluxia’s scythe vanishes into petals. “Then perhaps you are willing to prove it to us? We are more than willing to watch as you fail.”

            “What do you mean by that?” Vexen asks, raising an eyebrow at her as Marluxia turns his back to him.

            “It is simple. No one wants to suspect a comrade of treason.” Vexen lets out an annoyed hum as he vanishes into a portal of darkness, leaving the room as Marluxia turns to look at Naminé. “I wonder what you will do, Naminé. The ones climbing this castle will soon be wiped from existence, and Hikari will meet the same fate for defying us.” He smirks at her, even as she refuses to look him in the eye.

            “It doesn’t matter.” Repliku suddenly comments, folding his arms. “I will protect Naminé. And I will bring Hikari back if I have to.”

            “Bold words. But can you really hope to deal with the Phantom Thieves?” Larxene asks, snapping her fingers as the orb shows them once more. Although she soon wishes she didn’t, as it shows Edel’s body sticking out from an iron maiden. “Well, that’s a pretty sight…” Marluxia glances at the orb, shaking his head at the image before looking back at the real Thieves as his eyes narrow.

            “About those Thieves…” He comments, walking to the orb. “Why do they feel… familiar?”

            “What’s that?” Axel asks, raising an eyebrow as Marluxia shakes his head.

            “Do not mind me. It is nothing.” He replies, folding his arms while closing his eyes. “Despite what I was told by Enlil regarding the Thieves finding out about Naminé, along with Hikari escaping and awakening to a Persona of her own, in the end, everything will be as we have foreseen. Sora will be ours, and the Thieves will either join us… or die.”

            “FOR LORD SHIDO!” Shadow Kusumoto screams, spinning himself around with his giant axe as Joker leaps into the air. To be honest, he was about to break into a rage after he and the others saw what had happened to the cognition of Sophie in this place. This made their anger at this memory of a Shadow all the more intense as Joker quickly activated his Sleight.

            “Muse! Minako! Queen!” Joker shouts, tossing the Sleight high as Muse, who ended up becoming another friend card for him to use after they entered Kusumoto's Palace, appears before him. Splitting her lightsabre into two, she charges forward and lands a cross-cut on Shadow Kusumoto's chest before jumping back and peppering him with Primal Force. But even as she vanishes, Minako is quick to take her place as she runs forward, her naginata emboldened by flames as she lashes out with a horizontal slash.

With Shadow Kusumoto staggering backwards, she jumps back while sending out a God’s Hand right at his face, just as Queen takes the field atop Johanna. Speeding forward, she smashes Johanna right into Shadow Kusumoto’s head, leaping back off Johanna and firing her revolver at his chest. The Nuke-infused rounds explode on impact as Joker rushes forward. Jumping upward, he drags Lupin into Shadow Kusumoto’s chest, staggering the memory backwards to the edge of the tower they fought on. At the last moment, Joker flips off his chest, kicking Shadow Kusumoto in the face and sending him tumbling off the tower’s edge. His scream vanishes as he falls to his death, not that Joker or the others cared, with him being a memory. Although it was concerning how naturally it came to them, since they didn’t have to hold back.

            “I hate this place…” Joker comments as Shadow Kusumoto's card floats down to him. He grabs it without a word as the rest of the Thieves appear next to him, all of them silent as they wordlessly head for the exit. None of them wants to stay in the Palace a second longer, and after seeing what happened to their cognitive selves, they quickly climb up the ladder, with Sophie being carried on Joker's back due to her still being blindfolded. It wasn't long before the group found themselves in the white halls of Castle Oblivion once more, all panting and out of breath.

            “Man, what a freak show!” Edel shouts in annoyance, stomping a foot on the floor beneath her. “I can’t believe he wanted to do all of that! And he wanted to put ME into an Iron Maiden! Who does he think he is!? Naofumi!?”

            “I’m surprised you even read that web novel, Edel. But personally, I feel even more disgusted at Kusumoto than I was previously. I never imagined such a feat was possible.” Crow comments, shaking his head with irritation. “He wanted my head on an iron spear? He truly had a mind stuck in medieval times.”

            “Urgh… I can feel the flames around my legs.” Violet comments, patting her exposed thighs. “Even if it was fake, I swear I could feel the heat.”

            “Join the club…” Panther replies, rubbing her arms. “But what pissed me off was seeing what he had done to Edel and Sophie.” Just mentioning it was enough to make Edel fume, while Sophie only tilted her head, the blindfold still covering her eyes.

            “What happened?” She asks in a quiet voice, all eyes turning to her as Lavenza removes the blindfold.

            “It’s nothing you need to see, Sophie.” Queen tells her, kneeling to hug her. “It’s bad enough you had to hear those horrible things…” Sophie slowly nods her head while returning the hug. While she was spared from seeing it, she could still hear something happening even as Skull tried to cover her ears. If anything, that possibly made it even worse.

            “So, what do you think is next?” Skull asks Joker, who is looking at the stairs. “Do you think we’re going to Shido’s Palace next?”

            “Absolutely.” Joker replies, moving to the stairs. “Time to teach the old man another lesson.”

            “How many times do we have to teach him his lesson? Seriously?” Oracle asks, prompting everyone to let out a small chuckle at that even as they climb the stairs. At this point, it is ridiculous how many times they have had to smack Shido around. They should just get a punching bag with Shido’s face on it to let out any frustrations they have. But even as they climb the stairs, Spring, Violet, Edel, and Sophie feel something strange trying to enter their minds: a gnawing headache that seems to grow stronger with every step they take.

            “Spring? What’s wrong?” Outlaw asks, noting the pained expression on Spring's face as she holds her head.

            “I don’t know… but my head… it feels like it’s being ripped in two.” She replies as Edel lets out a groan of agreement. Violet and Sophie remain silent, but both let out groans of discomfort as the pain increases until suddenly, all four of them are on the floor in pain while the rest of the Thieves break into a panic.

            “Violet!? What’s wrong!?” Crow asks, holding Violet up as she lets out a painful scream. Spring, Edel, and Sophie all let out similar screams while everyone helps them up the stairs. Eventually, they reach the top just as the four’s screams start to die down, replaced by painful breathing even as they are helped into the main hall.

            “What happened?” Noir asks with wide eyes. “This definitely isn't them experiencing those memories of the past versions of us, considering Edel and Sophie didn't experience those headaches. Why did those two, along with Spring and Violet, suddenly scream in pain?” None of the Thieves could answer that until Spring shakily takes her mask off, her eyes wide as a tear drops from her eye.

            “I saw it…” She says in a quiet voice. “I saw everything… from the moment with Kamoshida… me jumping off from Shujin Academy's roof… and Panther holding my hand as I was… put into an ambulance…” Everyone’s eyes go wide as Outlaw hugs Spring, who returns the hug with equal force, while Violet, Edel, and Sophie all rub their heads.

            “Yeah… I saw it too.” Violet remarks, shocking everyone. “Well… it was more like seeing it from an angle up high, like I was watching it through a camera, similar to how I was seeing through the eyes of that past version of me… If I have to guess… it must've been the original timeline where the rest of you hailed from…”

            “Original timeline?” Muse asks as Lavenza rests a hand on her shoulder.

            “It is complicated, Muse.” She says softly as Muse looks at her blankly before letting out a sigh. “Time travel is not an easy subject to discuss.”

            “Time travel… I thought that was only something in movies. But then again, nothing has ever made sense in a long time.” She shakes her head at the absurd notion, while Edel takes off her mask and pinches the bridge of her nose.

            “Urgh… that was not nice. Why did it have to feel like a second awakening?” She asks in annoyance as Sophie rubs her eyes. “But why do we now know about the old timeline? What is going on?”

            “Do you think it has something to do with Castle Oblivion? Or is it related to Naminé’s powers?” Athena asks, looking at Muse, who shakes her head.

            “I don't know if Naminé can share memories between people. Even she doesn't really know how she can interact with Sora… I mean, Knight's memories, or those around him, in the first place. She just knew how to do so the moment she was born.” Muse explains, rubbing her arm. “Although there was one thing she said about herself that didn’t make sense to me.”

            “What did she say?” Fox asks as everyone helps Spring, Violet, Edel, and Sophie up. Muse looks at Fox as she shrugs her shoulders.

            “She called herself a ‘shadow of Kairi’. Not that it made any sense to begin with, since she doesn’t look like Kairi according to the sketches she’s drawn. By the way, her power seems to be reflected in the sketches she creates.”

            “Interesting.” Crow comments as Violet gives him a reassuring nod before stepping away. “But that does not explain how this Organization apparently had everything ready for her before she even arrived. It makes one wonder what they really know…”

            “Hopefully we can get some answers when we reach the top.” Joker comments, walking to the door, deck in hand. “They can’t keep us wandering in the dark forever.” At that remark, his deck glowed in tandem with the door, the bright light once more filling their vision as they felt themselves moving location. And when their eyes were free of the glare, they found themselves standing in a place they never imagined they would see again: the Diet Building, standing tall atop Shido’s ship as it ploughed ahead through a sunken Tokyo.

            “Well, here we are. Back in the Shido's Palace.” Mona comments, folding his arms. “How long do you think it will take us to get to the bastard?”

            “Hopefully not long.” Shinobi replies, brushing her hair to the side as Edel and Sophie look over the edge, seeing the ship plough into skyscrapers around them without a care.

            “Sheesh… I barely remember being here when I helped take down Shido’s lion, but seeing it again like this is just infuriating.” Edel replies, shaking her head. “Not that having memories of the original timeline is helping.”

            “Why? Why did he think he could get away with this?” Sophie asks, shaking her head while Edel pats her.

            “Men like him only care about themselves.” Muse replies, walking up to Sophie’s side and placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s best not to think about it.” While Sophie bobs her head in agreement, Muse pulls her from the railing to rejoin the others as they slowly approach the entrance to the Diet Building.

            “I am hoping that we don’t have to go on a letter-fetching quest like the last two times.” Oracle quips, shaking her head. “It would be really dumb if we had to do that.”

            “Really? Such a quest sounds interesting." Lavenza remarks, pushing up a pair of fake velvet glasses. Now she was standing about dressed like a politician but in Velvet Room colours.

            “Trust me, Lavenza. It's more annoying than it sounds. However, something tells me we won't have to worry about that.” Joker replies, hands in his pockets. “Well, might as well head on in and get this over with. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to fight Black Mask before facing Shido. Again.”

            “And leave me out of the fun? How cruel of you to do so, Joker.” The Thieves all blink in confusion, their heads turning to Crow as he looks back at them with an equally confused look.

            “That wasn’t me.” He replies in a confused tone.

            “Huh? But that was your voice, Crow.” Violet replies, tilting her head until a slow pace of steps echoes from the Diet Building. All eyes turn to it as the voice speaks out once more.

            “Really now? Confusing me with him? Then again, it has been a rather long time since we all faced each other… Phantom Thieves.” As the voice washed over them, the person who spoke the words crested over the steps, looking down at them with a predator's smile that had only been seen by eight people, and an outfit that any of them could never forget. A body-covering, black and dark blue striped outfit, with several black studded belts around his arms and legs, a short black cape, clawed gauntlets, and a black enclosed knight helmet with a black mask and tinted red eye sockets, shaped like a bird's beak. He also had a hilt for a beam sabre on his right hip and a laser pistol attached to his left.

A sight that left everyone stunned into silence, even as the figure descended the stairs. The smile on his face did not vanish, even as he came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

            “What? Not going to say hi to an old friend?” He asks in a confident tone, even as he folds his arms. While the Thieves could only stand in silence, Joker narrowed his eyes at the figure, a name passing his lips without hesitation.

            “Akechi?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: Raven.

A tense silence filled the air as all eyes were locked on Black Mask Akechi. It was so thick that one could imagine slicing it in half with a knife. After all, what was one supposed to do when meeting a darker version of a friend? Especially since this one, unlike the one they currently knew, had a complicated history like his? It certainly seemed to be irritating him as he let out an annoyed sigh.

            “How long are we going to continue this gawking competition? It is already becoming far too tiresome for my liking.” Black Mask Akechi remarks, shaking his head with annoyance.

            “Are you… really Akechi?” Queen asks, taking a step backward as Black Mask looks at her. Oracle and Noir glance at each other with conflicted looks on their faces. After everything that had happened and hanging out with the new Crow, they found themselves feeling conflicted about the old Akechi. Sure, he killed their parents before, but they had buried that hatchet long ago. Should they really dig that back up now after all this time?

            “That is rather insulting, Niijima-san.” Black Mask replies, shaking his head. “Of course it's me. After all, I remember the moment when I sealed myself with Shido's cognition version of me to give you fools the chance to beat him.”

            “Is it really him?” Panther asks in a whisper to Joker. “Or is he just a memory from this place?”

            “Only one way to find out.” Joker replies as he faces Black Mask Akechi again. “If you really are the Akechi we know, what was the last thing you said to us when we last saw each other?” As soon as he said that, his former rival sighed once more.

            “I asked you all, when I was on the verge of death… to change Shido's heart in my stead and put an end to his crimes.” Black Mask Akechi answers, with a big smile forming on Joker's and the original eight Thieves' faces.

            “It really is you. I… We never thought we would see you again." Joker admits as Black Mask Akechi lets out a scoff.

            “Regardless of whether I am real or not, it does not matter in the slightest. And at the end of the day, does it even matter if I am?" Black Mask replies, shaking his head. “In truth, I care not for what 'grand plan' is in store for me. I am only concerned with what I care about. And at this moment…" His eyes glance at the new members of the Thieves, especially Crow. “It is what you have all been up to after we separated, and enjoying my newfound freedom, as well as beating the crap out of my father.” Black Mask Akechi spits out the word ‘father’ with such venom that it makes Crow step back in shock.

            “This is what I almost became…?” Crow asks in a whisper as Violet gently grasps his hand, something that catches Black Mask’s attention instantly.

            “Oh? Now this is a surprise. A version of me that found love?” He asks with noticeable sarcasm. “And why do I look like a prince wearing knight armour? Such a stupid attire.”

            “As if you did not think the same at one point.” Crow shoots back at Black Mask Akechi. “It is true we have different diverging points in our childhood, but until that point, we were both the same person. Even now, there is a part of you that still believes in that, right?” Black Mask Akechi glances at him, rolling his eyes at Crow’s words.

            “That part of me died with my mother. There is nothing left of that boy in me. The only thing that is left is the shell of a man who allowed himself to become consumed by the need for revenge." He looks at Crow, nodding his head at him with a blank face. "Based on what I can tell, you seem to be another version of me who miraculously got the life I could never have. Treasure it well. Although…" His eyes pass to Violet, who stands tall under his gaze. "…I do wonder who the Joker look-alike is standing next to you. I certainly don't remember seeing her at all in my memories, let alone the rest of you newbies in this case.”

            “My name is Violet.” Violet replies instantly, taking her mask off. “And since you already know Joker’s real name, my name is Sumire Yoshizawa. And yes, I am Goro’s girlfriend.”

            “I see…” Black Mask replies, slowly shaking his head. “A guiding light to keep him straight… I wonder if I would be like him if I had my own light. But what about the cowboy and the White Panther?”

            “My codename is Outlaw, Black Mask.” Outlaw replies, taking his mask off. “But my real name is Yuuki Mishima.”

            “And I am Spring. Real name, Shiho Suzui.” Spring adds, removing her mask. “Although I’d be surprised if you didn’t know about us.”

            “Ahh… it is hard not to. Victims of Kamoshida. The worthless slime of a human being.” Black Mask spits. “It is sickening to think that Shido considered bringing him into his political group one time.”

            “Then you will be surprised to know that he did in this timeline.” Mona comments as Black Mask looks at him. “Yes, Akechi. I’m a human now.”

            “It is honestly surprising to see you as one, Mona.” Black Mask replies, his hand gripping his chin. “I have to wonder how that happened…” His eyes soon drift over to Shinobi and Edel, the two standing next to Oracle as she stares at him behind her mask. “I see I’m still receiving a cold glare from Oracle, not that I expect anything else. But who are the two standing next to her?”

            “I’m Shinobi. But you may know me as Hifumi Sakura, formerly Togo.” Shinobi tells him in a tight tone, flicking some hair back as Black Mask looks at her in surprise.

            “And I’m Edelweiss. Or you can call me Isara Sakura, not that you need to know that.” Edel adds, standing in front of Oracle just slightly.

            “Sakura? The Shogi Queen has become a Sakura, along with another? How surprising.” Akechi remarks with genuine surprise, his eyes wide behind his mask. “Next thing you're going to tell me is that Joker is now going by the name of Sakura? Still, I guess it's interesting to see the Sakura family grow ever since… Wakaba passed on.” His gaze falls to Athena, narrowing at her hair before he lets out a slow laugh. “My, my, Sae-san… you became a Persona user and joined up with your sister and the Phantom Thieves? After spending so much time bringing them to justice? How did that happen?”

            “A lot has changed since we last saw each other, Akechi. I don't suppose you have a problem with me being here?” Athena asks, removing her mask as Akechi shakes his head.

            “Even if I did, I would not tell you.” Akechi replies, before looking at the last three people left: Sophie, Lavenza, and Muse. “You three… are very interesting.”

            “So you would find us to be, Goro Akechi. Former pawn of Shido and Yaldabaoth." Lavenza remarks, causing Akechi to pause. “Yes. I know who you are. After all, my Trickster was also a pawn to Yaldabaoth's schemes.”

            “Yes… So I was. A pawn in not one, but two schemes.” Akechi agrees, teeth grinding in rage. “My life has been nothing but a pawn of others, with no true freedom to call my own. I was doomed to be a villain from the start, not that I did anything to fight that fate, I will admit. Assuming that Joker here is this 'Trickster' you speak of, I'm guessing he was also a pawn in this… 'Yaldabaoth'?”

            “He was. And he, in turn, attempted to prevent me from helping.” Lavenza tells him curtly as she gives him a bow. “My name is Lavenza, attendant of the Velvet Room. And before you ask, I'm the only exception in this group that does not have a codename.” Akechi gives her a curt nod, not that he knew what she was saying as he turns his gaze towards Sophie.

            “And who is this? She appears to be the smallest of all of you.”

            “Sophie might be small, but she has just as much heart as all of us.” Muse speaks up, grabbing Akechi’s attention. “I’m Muse. My real name is Hikari.”

            “Hikari… I don’t think I have had the pleasure of meeting you before.” Akechi admits, rubbing his chin. “How interesting… I wonder how you came to find the Thieves. And you are Sophie, yes?” Akechi turns his eyes to Sophie, who takes a step back before nodding her head at him.

            “I am. My name is Sophia Niijima-Sakura.”

            “Niijima… Sakura?” Akechi asks, his eyes bugging out as he looks at Joker and Queen. “Okay, while this now confirms that you are a part of the Sakura family, even though I don't know the finer details, since when did you and Queen have a kid!? And a Persona user on top of that!? What have I been missing out on!?” The Thieves all glance at each other as Akechi rants about ‘missing’ so much. “I have so many questions to ask you… yet something tells me you have no intention of standing around while we talk.”

            “Yeah…” Joker replies, letting out a sigh. “It's a long story, Akechi. But we need to get through your father's Palace again in order to reunite with a comrade of ours. And after what we've been through so far, there's no doubt we'll have to fight Shido again.”

            “Is that so…?” Akechi asks, tilting his head down before looking back up with a dark smirk. “In that case… how about I join you for one more run? And in return, you tell me what has been happening, and I will tell you what happened to me after we went our separate ways.” The Thieves all glance at each other, silently debating whether to agree or not. But it didn’t take long for two people to come to a decision as Oracle and Noir separated from the group and walked up to Akechi, their faces filled with resolution.

            “Akechi… remember how I said I will never forgive you for killing my father and Oracle’s mother, and yet I pitied you all the same?” Noir asks him, with Akechi nodding at her. “Well… circumstances have changed. And so, the anger we held against you has long since vanished, or at least has quieted down. However…” She closes her eyes before suddenly punching Akechi in the gut as the Thieves all blink in shock. Before Akechi can react, Oracle follows up with a roundhouse kick to his side, causing Akechi to fall to his knee with a wince.

            “There. Now we are even, ‘kay?” Oracle tells him as she and Noir dust their hands off. As for Akechi, he looks up with a slight wince as he nods his head back at them.

            “I suppose… that is a fair trade…” He remarks, forcing himself to stand as Oracle and Noir rejoin the others. “But if we are going to fight together as well, there is something that needs to be addressed. I assume that the other me is going by the codename Crow?”

            “I am.” Crow replies, nodding his head. “And I have no intention of giving it up.” Akechi lets out a short laugh at that, something that Crow wasn’t expecting.

            “And I have no intention of doing so. Such a name no longer belongs to me. So considering that, I believe a name change is in order.” Akechi turns to Joker, his smirk plastered on his face. “Raven. That will be my new codename, for as little time as it will be.”

            “Raven… huh?” Joker replies slowly before nodding his head. “All right, then. One last Palace.” With that, Joker moves ahead as the Thieves all fall in behind him, with Raven now walking side by side with them and into Shido’s Palace, where they immediately find themselves in the long winding halls of the VIP rooms, all in their red and gold décor.

            “Tch… I forgot how much I hated this place.” Raven freely admits as he folds his arms. “So tell me, what happened after we went our separate ways?”

            “Well, for starters, we changed Shido’s heart.” Joker starts, a wide grin on his face. “We hijacked the airwaves, showing Shido that we were all alive while calling him out. It sent all of his goons into a panic when they realized I wasn’t dead.”

            “I can imagine. And I still can’t believe I fell for it. Then again, I gave myself away in the first place long before I knew you were the Thieves.” Raven comments, shaking his head. “I never want to hear the word ‘pancake’ ever again.”

            “Such a shame. They are so delicious.” Crow quips with a grin as Raven lets out a groan.

            “Still, Shido didn't make it easy on us. We had to beat up a golden lion that was made up of the masses that adored Shido three times before we could fight Shido himself, and even then, he just didn't want to go down.” Mona continues, shaking his head. “And then when we did beat him, he tried to collapse his Palace on top of us before we could escape. He almost killed Skull by doing that.”

            “Don’t remind me…” Skull groans, shaking his head.

            “I see… please tell me he confessed to everything on the day he was elected?” Raven asks as the Thieves all nod as one, sending a large smile to Raven’s face as he lets out a loud laugh. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect! Fitting for scum such as him! I wish I could have seen it…”

            “Yeah, well, it didn’t last long.” Panther soon comments in a grumpy tone, grabbing Raven’s attention. “Even though we changed Shido’s heart, everyone in Japan acted as though nothing had changed, and they didn’t even riot after Shido confessed to everything. Hell, they even started acting like we didn’t exist.”

            “What?” Raven asks, eyes narrowed. “How can that be? Such a thing should not be poss—” He stops himself, raising a finger to grab his helm as he lets out a hum. “Wait… does this Yaldabaoth have anything to do with that?”

            “He did.” Fox confirms, folding his arms. “In truth, he was the Treasure of Mementos, a cognitive being given form by the people of Tokyo, and one who believed himself to be a god and ruined all of our lives in a game.”

            “All of our lives? Including mine?” Raven asks in a low growl, with all the Thieves nodding as one.

            “That’s right. And as you can imagine, we didn’t take that fact lying down. So we challenged him and managed to defeat him. Although… it came at a cost.” Queen glances away, letting out a sigh as she rubs her arm. “Although we managed to kill him, Yaldabaoth managed to kill us in return.” Raven actually pauses mid-stride for a moment, his eyes blinking in shock as the words process through his mind.

            “You actually died? From a false god?” He asks in a stunned voice. “That’s what it took to defeat you?” 

            “Yep.” Oracle replies casually, as though they were discussing the weather. “It was a long-drawn-out battle, the longest we ever had. At the end, all of us were running on fumes, even me. The last barrier I put up was also the weakest one. And you know how strong my barriers are when I’m actually rested.”

            “That I do… I seem to recall how your barrier easily protected us from Shadow Sae’s Berserker Dance. It sounds almost impossible for your barrier to fall.” Raven admits, shaking his head. “But what happened after that? Did you somehow manage to travel back in time to the start of the year?”

            “We did.” Noir bluntly replies. “And with our memories of the future intact, which, as you can imagine, led to events changing for the better. Spring being here is an example of one… along with my father surviving.”

            “He’s alive?” Raven asks, looking at Noir, who nods back. “I see… that explains some things. However, it is not as though I could have known any of that. After all, I did die to my own cognition as well. With how injured I was, there was no chance of avoiding the bullet.” That hit the Thieves harder than they expected. Deep down, some part of them had hoped that he had survived that encounter, yet it was just a foolish dream.

            “Kobayakawa is alive as well, along with the SIU Director, Kusumoto. Or rather, the former Director.” Outlaw adds, changing the subject quickly. “Still, his Palace was a piece of work…”

            “An execution ground, yes? Along with Kobayakawa's being a military academy?" Raven comments, hand on chin. "If you don't mind for the sake of my curiosity, based on what I saw going through Kusumoto's Palace, did any of you happen to see…"

            “Cognitions of us either getting tortured or executed, then yes.” Shinobi replies, finishing Raven's sentence. "Out of all the Palaces, that was the one that took the most time for us to get through. What we saw in there… I don't think any of us will ever forget."

            “If it makes you feel any better… I also saw myself in a state I did not wish to see. My cognition of myself ended up decapitated and impaled on an iron spear." Raven comments, causing some of the Thieves to shudder as they recall seeing the exact same thing for Crow. "I guess some things really did not change despite time travel.”

            “Then you’ll be surprised to learn about this.” Edel speaks up, grabbing Raven’s attention. “I started life as a model tank from Kobayakawa’s Palace.” Raven looks at her, his eyes hidden by his mask as he looks her in the eyes before shrugging his shoulders.

            “I see… Somehow, after everything that has happened, I'm not as shocked as I should be." Raven admits, folding his arms as he turns his head towards Sophie and Muse. "And what about you two? How did either of you end up meeting Joker and the others?"

            “My history with Thieves… is a bit complicated. There was an adventure in which they helped me out of a deep depression… but they forgot about it once it was over." Muse replies, her mouth frowning at first before turning into a smile. "Luckily, they just about remember everything that transpired all that time ago, thanks to them going through memories of the places they've been to at the time."

            “As for me, I was actually a former A.I. who was cast aside by my creator.” Sophie replies with a big smile. "A few months after Joker and the others stopped Yaldabaoth for good, he ended up waking me from my state of slumber while in the midst of dealing with another problem regarding the Metaverse. As a result, I ended up getting adopted by him and Queen, all while trying to understand the concept of a heart."

            “Interesting… I guess you being adopted by them makes the most common sense in this regard." Raven comments, letting out a chuckle. "However, this doesn't explain how you look more like a human than an A.I."

            “You can thank me for that.” Oracle replies as Raven turns to her. "Long story short, we ended up encountering a wish-granting genie during a recent adventure, and as a result, I wished for Edel and Sophie here to be human. Not only that, but Mona also did the same thing, which is why you see him now as an actual human instead of a cat. I also asked him to give me the ability to fight like the others, so don't think I'll be hiding in the back."

            “A wish-granting genie… Now I've heard everything. And you fighting? I fear for our foes already. And I was wondering about why you were carrying a battle staff and laser rifle, Oracle. Now I know. I wonder what skills you can bring to the fight." Raven comments, his mind trying to process what he has been told. "But while I find it interesting to hear how you changed things for the better, let alone the other adventures you seemed to endure and the fact that there are other Persona teams by what you have said, Oracle, there's still one thing that bothers me. How did you manage to become friends with my knightly other self? If we shared the same childhood—"

            “Our mother is still alive.” Crow cuts off Raven, who visibly freezes before turning to look at Crow, while Joker walks up to a door with a crown. "That's right, our mother still lives."

            “This… can't be. She's actually still alive. But… how?" Raven asks, his voice shaking with disbelief.

            “It was because of me and my family.” Violet chimes in with a small smile as Raven turns his head towards her, the former choosing her next words carefully so as not to reveal what really happened with the original Thieves. "I was with my Dad and my older sister, Kasumi, at Tatsumi Port Island at the time when we found you and your mother. We ended up taking you to our household after seeing the state you both were in."

            “And it is thanks to Violet and her family that our mother is still alive.” Crow comments, letting out a sigh of relief. "This one change is what led me to live a different life from you, Raven. And as a result, I never became Black Mask.”

Raven stares at Crow for a while, even as Joker opens the door and they find themselves transported to a new area. Or, to be more specific, the large area leading to the engine room where the Cleaner made his home.

            “So… that's why we are so different.” Raven remarks out loud. "While I lived a life of hatred, fuelled by revenge against Shido after the death of my mother, you had a life filled with light." Raven turns away, letting out a dark chuckle as he shakes his head. "How ironic… that the life I always dreamed of… ended up becoming the life of another me… One who never became a murderer in a foolish plan to bring down his own father." The Thieves remain silent at that as Raven glances upward, eyes closed behind his mask. "It's strange. I should be angry… pissed that another me has the life I wanted. And yet… I feel nothing but relief. And yet, I now wonder… if you didn't become Black Mask, who did? After all, I assume that Shido still had a Metaverse assassin at his beck and call.”

            “Yeah. He did. And that bastard was the one who killed my Mom.” Oracle replies in a bitter tone. “He also killed Violet’s sister as collateral.”

            “Did he now?” Raven asks in a very dark tone, one that sends shivers down almost everyone's spines apart from the original eight. To them, this was the Akechi they remembered. And in a strange way, it felt good seeing him again, despite their complicated past. "I find it hard to believe someone is capable of pulling off what I've done previously. So, who exactly is this 'new' Black Mask that replaced me in this new timeline?”

            “That would be me, Fake.” The Thieves all pause mid-stride as a second Black Mask drops from above, twin swords at his side as he looks up with a crooked smile. While the Thieves go on edge, Raven stares at the 'new' Black Mask with a hint of disgust.

            “Sho Minazuki. Why am I not surprised that he would be here?" Joker groans, rolling his eyes as Sho walks towards them, drawing his serrated blades in both hands while Raven rolls his eyes. Sho looks at Raven, their eyes meeting as he points one of his blades at him.

            “What's wrong? You can't stand to look at yourself in a mirror?"

            “Hardly. That is as far from the truth as you can guess, Fake." Raven retorts, folding his arms. "I must say, I am disappointed in what I am seeing. I had hoped to see someone with a unique spin on my attire, yet all I am seeing is nothing but a carbon copy. How disappointing." Raven shakes his head at Sho, who only tightens his grip on his swords. "Let me guess, you planned to eliminate Shido when he reached the height of his power?"

            “What do I care about that?” Sho retorts. "All I cared about was getting the chance to kill the one person who could match me in combat: Yu and his friend in Inaba! What do I care if I have to bring down the entire country to do that? Hanging around Shido was a benefit just so I could be able to keep my skills sharp and to the point." Sho flashes his blades in his hands, focusing on the sharpness and points of the blades as Raven feels his anger boil at that, his fingers twitching and eyes narrowing.

            “That is your reason? You became the hitman to a madman, all with the chance to murder someone else? And with bad puns on top of that?” Raven asks incuriously as he shakes his head. “I will admit, my excuse is not much better. But at the very least, I was planning to bring down a madman who had ruined too many people's lives for his own selfish games! What has this ‘Yu’ done in comparison to that?”

            “Short answer, he and his team are like us. They were the ones who stopped the Inaba Murders.” Athena tells Raven, and she swore she could see a vein pop on his helmet as he glared back at Sho.

            “Unbelievable… You planned to kill the people who stopped the Inaba Murders while acting as the hitman of a madman? I don't even have the energy to be angry any more… I am just disappointed in you. You are nothing like me… And instead, all I see is nothing but a fraud. A hoax, a phony. A fake!”

            “Stop calling me that!” Sho shouts, dragging his blades along the ground. “I’ll show you who is real and who is fake! And once I am done, you will beg for mercy!”

            “Such a cliché line from a wannabe villain.” Raven insults once more as he shakes his head, reaching for his weapon. “I grow tired of this farce. If you are so intent on standing in our way, then so be it. I hope you are ready for a bloodbath!” While the new Thieves were temporarily caught off guard by Raven’s tone, they didn’t have a moment to comment on it as they were suddenly all turned into friend cards. But as Joker mentally readied himself for a fight, he noticed that Raven’s card wasn’t a green friend card, but rather a blue magic card.

Not that he had a moment to wonder about it, as Sho was already rushing towards him, forcing him on the back foot instantly with quick slashes from 4 and 5 cards. Not that Joker allowed himself to panic, even if he did take a few hits at some points as he lined up a Sleight in his mind. However, he did not activate it right away, instead attacking with a 7 and 8 card to bait Sho into using his higher-tier cards, or even his zeros. Not that it seemed to have any immediate effect, as Sho simply backed away while stocking up his own Sleight.

            This isn’t going to be easy, huh? Joker asks himself rhetorically even as Sho attacks with his Sleight, summoning Tsukuyomi and unleashing Myriad Slashes. Letting out a grunt, Joker dives between the slashes, his left leg and right arm lightly hit as he rushes forward at Sho, activating his Sleight and sending a Riot Gun right at him. Not given time to react, Sho can't activate his zero card as the attack slams into his chest, sending him skidding back before he rushes forward again. Blades flashing as Joker dives to the side, barely missing the strike before countering with a 9 and dragging Lupin across Sho's back.

But as Joker made room to give him some distance, his mind flashed to the blue Raven card in his deck as he loaded it into a Sleight with two red cards. He had no idea what this was going to do, but at this point, he didn’t really care. After all, this entire card system was becoming more and more tedious the higher up they got.

            “Go for it, Raven!” Joker cries out, activating the Sleight as Sho foolishly wastes a zero card. From a flash of light, Raven takes the field with his blood-red, serrated plasma sword. Behind him, Loki hovers menacingly before casting a spell over Raven, sending him back into the psychotic state that he used back when they fought. Only this time, his target wasn’t Joker… but Sho.

With a laugh, Raven charges forward at Sho, slashing out with both his sword and hands, not giving Sho a chance to breathe before jumping back and summoning Loki to his side as he hits him with Laevateinn. Sho skids back from the attack, holding his two swords up as he glares at Joker before rushing forward, lining up a Sleight as he lashes out with an 8 card. As Joker ducks under the sword while lining up three more cards, Sho unleashes his Sleight: Abyssal Wings.

            “Really?” Joker asks as he tanks the attack, the feathers exploding around him and kicking up a cloud of dust. Sho grins at the sight, thinking he has won until Joker suddenly appears from above, his grapple dangling him from the ceiling. “Try something new! Crow! Violet! Oracle!” Tossing the slate right at Sho, Crow manifests from the cards as he lands with a heavy thud before dashing forward and slashing quickly at Sho’s chest before leaping back and hitting him with a Megaton Raid.

As Sho recovers from the attack, Violet dashes in from the side and attacks from his flank. Her blade tears into his side before she strikes out with a Vorpal Blade, forcing Sho back and right into Oracle, who opens fire with her laser rifle before rushing in and slamming her staff into Sho’s gut. The impact almost sends Sho to his knees as Joker calmly walks forward. Sho glares at him, lining up three cards into a Sleight before racing forward to cut him down. But as he gets close, Joker activates a zero card, breaking Sho’s Sleight and leaving him wide open for one final strike. The slash leaves a diagonal mark across Sho’s chest as he backs away before vanishing into darkness, leaving behind a black card that Joker grabs reluctantly.

            “Well, that was rather interesting.” Raven remarks as he and the Thieves all return to normal. “I must admit, I never imagined I would get turned into a card and used as an attack. I am not sure how to feel about it, to be honest.”

            “You get used to it…” Mona comments with a groan as Joker pockets the black card. “It’s how we’ve been fighting the entire time we’ve been here. Honestly, it is annoying how we can’t do anything until Joker calls for us!”

            “I can well imagine that.” Raven easily admits as the group walks forward. “But as we proceed to our next fight, I still have some questions that are left unanswered, such as the weapon that you are using, Joker.” The Thieves all glance at each other, easily knowing what it was that Raven was going to ask as Joker places his hands into his pockets. "What was that, exactly? I don't remember you fighting with a key-shaped sword instead of your usual knife." 

            “Go ahead and ask away, Raven. We'll answer whatever we can. And as for my weapon, while it's a long story in itself, the short version is that it's called the Keyblade. Corny, I know, but you would be surprised by what it can do…”

            “Well… how about that? There is more to these guys than meets the eye.” Axel remarks, rubbing his chin at the orb. “We have some bona fide time travellers in the castle.”

            “That can’t be possible!” Larxene shouts, waving a hand in the air. “Even the most powerful mages can’t control time! And the only person we know who has the power to manipulate time in some capacity is Luxord! So how the hell did these freaks manage to travel back in time!?”

            “It is clear that these people are hiding far more than they are letting on.” Marluxia remarks, rubbing his chin as Enlil stands next to him. “Truly, they are capturing my attention more and more…”

            “I would advise trying to turn them to your side, Marluxia. The Thieves have strong wills for a reason.” Enlil warns, her glare fixed on the orb. “After all, they have defeated gods on numerous occasions.”

            “But not while restricted by my card system.” Marluxia adds with a grin. “They may think they have mastered the cards, but it will not save them in the end.”

            “Still, what do you think about this ‘Raven’ guy? Think we could convince him to join us? And what about this ‘Mental Shutdown’ and ‘Psychotic Breakdown’ stuff they are mentioning?” Larxene asks, pointing at the orb. Marluxia follows her gaze, looking at Raven as he speaks with Crow about their differences, before shaking his head.

            “No. He has already expressed his desire to be free. Therefore, it will most likely fall under the matter of taking control of his mind to force him to join us. Besides, we do not know if he is real or just a memory. There is no point in trying to acquire him until we know for certain. As for the rest of the Thieves… perhaps we should look into them further. Once we are done with Sora, that is." While Larxene begrudgingly accepts Marluxia's answer, Axel's eyes remain locked on the orb. His expression betrays no sense of his thoughts, even as the orb switches over to show Knight, now resting without his Thief attire as he speaks with Pooh.

            “I take it Sora is still resting on that world?” Repliku asks from his spot next to Naminé.

            “Looks like it. Guess he must be expecting the next world to be even harder, huh?” Axel comments to Repliku, who lets out a tsk of annoyance.

            “Just let me know when he's entered the next world once he finishes with all the current world cards he has, and I'll head for my spot. That is, if Sora can even beat Vexen." Repliku taunts, folding his arms before looking back at the orb. His eyes fall on Hikari, or rather, Muse, as she walks beside the others. "Hikari… she's good." He whispers to himself as Naminé tilts her head at him. She didn't expect to hear that from him, but she put it out of her mind for now. After all, her thoughts were with Sora and how he was dealing with everything.

She could only hope he wouldn’t be too mad at her for what she had done…

            “So, his arena was the main hall of the Diet Building. Why am I not fucking surprised?” Raven asks in an irritated tone, even as they move down the stairs.

            “It’s Shido. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had his Palace be some sort of floating castle above Mount Everest.” Crow remarks, folding his arms as Raven shakes his head.

            “Yes. I could see the bastard doing that.” The rest of the Thieves watch the two talk with some level of amusement on their faces. For one, it was strange seeing two Akechis talk to each other with completely different personalities. Yet on the other hand… it was like watching two twins talk to each other as though it had always been this way. “So, where is he hiding anyway?”

            “Hiding? Oh, Goro… Why would I ever hide from you?” As one, the team tensed up as, from the shadows behind the podium, Shadow Shido made his appearance before them all. A disappointed frown was on his face as he looked down at both Crow and Raven. “So… it's not just one son who has disappointed me, but two…? How unamusing.”

            “Urgh, I forgot just how much of a stick-up-the-ass this guy is.” Panther groans, rolling her eyes as Raven steps forward.

            “Shido… How I have long waited for this moment. Even if you are a memory.” Raven begins, glaring at his biological dad. “For all this time, ever since you abandoned my mother and left her to die, I have had nothing but hatred for you. How you cast aside people as though they were but flies, casually signing the death warrants of hundreds of people because they bruised your ego.”

            “Do not throw all the blame at my feet. You were the one who claimed those lives, not me." Shadow Shido retorts, folding his arms. "All those people who died were but stepping stones on my path to greatness. It did not matter who it was; the moment their use ran out, their lives were forfeit. I was merely the judge, and you were the executioner. One whose time had also begun to run out."

            “Just as I remember what my cognitive self told me… you were planning for me to take the fall for everything. Mark me up as the true criminal while you become the ruler of all Japan." Raven replies, his gaze hardening.

            “Did you really think you could fool me? You were using your mother's maiden name, so it would be foolish for someone not to recognize it." Shadow Shido replies with zero amusement. "And so I entertained your little game of revenge, stringing you along, thinking you had me cornered. But I always had a backup plan. At the moment of your supposed victory, I would expose you to the world as the murderer you are.”

            “Yes. A murderer. That is who I am. There is no escaping that past.” Raven replies, closing his eyes as the Thieves all look at him. “I allowed my hatred of my past, my mother's death, the stigma of being an illegitimate child who no one would love… it turned me into the very person I am now. A person who killed evil, believing it was justice. And in some way, a part of me still believes that. But no more…” He glares up at Shadow Shido, a fire burning behind his eyes as he draws his beam sabre. “I now know how foolish I was back then, as I deluded myself into thinking a self-destructive path was the correct one. It is why I gladly sacrificed myself for the Thieves, and if I were placed in that same position right now, I would do so again without hesitation!”

            “Okay… who replaced the old Crow with Raven?” Oracle whispers to the others as they shake their heads as one.

            “How foolish… you would throw yourself in with the Phantom Thieves instead of profiting from your own power? You were a mistake I should never have created, let alone allowed to grow." Shadow Shido remarks in a cold voice as his gaze turns towards Crow. "And as for you… despite being another version of the one I originally planned to sacrifice, you are even more of a disappointment."

            “In what way? The fact that I refused to become a murderer? That I refused to become your sadistic hitman?" Crow asks, stepping up to stand next to his darker double. Their two outfits are a clear contrast to the paths they have taken. "I admit, if it were not for Violet and her family, I would have walked down the same path of destructive hatred. But I did not. I stand here today, free of such chains thanks to those who saved me in the past. And if you find that dissatisfying…" Crow and Raven glance at each other before nodding as one as they point their blades at Shadow Shido.

“Then you can cry like the giant child you really are!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD-OFP-0H5g : Rivers In the Desert.)

            “A child? You dare call ME a CHILD?! You, who are nothing more than insects, waiting to be crushed under my foot!” Shadow Shido screams, leaping into the air as darkness envelops him, transforming him into his red rage form as he flexes his muscles at the Thieves. “I will annihilate all of you! I will grind you all to dust and use you as fertilizer for my new EMPIRE!”

            “You said that before, but we never broke once.” Joker replies in a casual tone as everyone transforms into cards. “So come on, Shido. If you think you can take us down, then go ahead and try it!”

            “DON'T THINK THAT I FORGOT ABOUT MY GRUDGE AGAINST YOU TOO! NOW… DIE!” With rage in his eyes, Shadow Shido lunges at Joker with a 9 card, forcing him to dodge out of the way as Shadow Shido’s fist slams into the ground. The impact strangely transforms the auditorium into an arena as Joker lines up a Sleight. He already has a plan for what to do in this fight, and he is not going to leave a single person out of it. For the first time since climbing, he activates one of the black cards he has on him: Okumura’s Card, one that boosts all the damage from his friend cards at the price of halving his own attacks. But in this fight, it is more than worth it. “I WILL END YOU, VERMIN, HERE AND NOW!”

            “That’s what you said the first time, but just like then, YOU’LL be the one to eat dirt! Mona! Skull! Panther!” Joker shouts, activating his Sleight as Mona appears in a flash of light. Falchion at his side, he dashes forward and drags the blade across his chest, staggering Shadow Shido before leaping back and blasting him with Garudyne. While a tornado envelops Shadow Shido, Skull manifests beside Joker. Lightning rushes up his mace as he rushes forward, slamming his mace against Shadow Shido’s chest before jumping back and blasting him with Ziodyne. No sooner does he strike him with the attack than Panther appears right after and starts whipping Shadow Shido in the face.

Shadow Shido flinches slightly as Panther whips him, staggering him backward as he lines up his own Sleight just as she then blasts him with Agidyne. But even as the flames mix with the wind and lightning, detonating in an explosion, Shadow Shido is already leaping into the air as he counters with his own Sleight.

            “INFERNO!” He cries as a torrent of flames suddenly rises from the ground, forcing Joker back as the flames lick at his coat tail and shoes. He winces at the heat, landing on one hand and rolling along the ground while quickly lining up another Sleight. Looking up to see Shadow Shido barrelling down on him with an 8 card, he quickly counters back, breaking Shadow Shido’s attack.

            “Fox! Queen! Oracle!” As Joker cries out their names, the Sleight activates with Fox manifesting before him. With a hand on his katana, he dashes forward, slashing at Shadow Shido mid-air with a frost-enchanted blade before sheathing it, freezing Shadow Shido in place as Queen appears after him. Riding Johanna, she revs up into a wheelie, launching herself off a shard of ice and slamming Johanna into Shadow Shido's frozen form. Blue flames wrap around Shadow Shido, enveloping both him and the ice as Queen punches him to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust as Oracle appears next to Joker.

Without a word, she dashes forward, her staff enveloped in both Bless and Curse magic as she slams both ends into the frozen Shadow Shido. The four magical energies mix together, resulting in another explosion that sends Shadow Shido slamming into the wall. Not that he shows any sign of slowing down, as he quickly counters with another Sleight.

            “TYRANT'S JUDGEMENT!” At Shadow Shido’s cry, a giant armoured gauntlet in shining white and gold screams towards Joker, slamming into the ground and engulfing the deck in a flash of light. Shadow Shido allows himself a smirk of assurance, thinking that such an attack would have eliminated Joker without issue. At least, that is what he thought until Joker’s voice echoed through the smoke.

            “Dark Firaga!” Joker cries as he sends an orb of darkness through the smoke and right into Shadow Shido's chest. The impact ends up catching the corrupted politician off guard with the unknown spell as Joker lines up another Sleight before he can recover.

            “Noir! Outlaw! Spring!” No sooner does Joker's voice echo from the smoke than a barrage of psionic rounds tears through the smoke, slamming into Shadow Shido and trapping him in a psionic sphere that is slammed to the ground. With Noir waiting for him as she drags her axe along his back with a smile. But while Noir is dragging her axe, Outlaw appears next to Joker and takes aim with his rifle, firing shots right into Shadow Shido's downed form, even as he fights to stand before blasting him in the chest with a One-Shot Kill and sending Shadow Shido sprawling onto his back as he tries to line up his own Sleight. Not that he has a chance to use it, as Spring suddenly shoots down from above, piercing his stomach with her spear before leaping backward, blasting Shadow Shido with Kougaon and kicking up a cloud of dust.

            “DIAMOND DUST!” Shadow Shido roars through the smoke, sending a wave of ice at Joker that manages to entrap his left leg. Caught off guard, Shadow Shido takes the chance and rushes at Joker, pummelling him in the stomach before punching him in the face with a powerful right hook. All thanks to the 9 card he used. But even as Joker rolls along the ground, he doesn’t flinch as he lines up another Sleight.

            “Shinobi! Athena! Edel!” Without batting an eye, Joker activates the Sleight as Shinobi appears before him, already spinning her kunai before tossing it right at Shadow Shido, wrapping around his wrist before using Psycho Blast to drag Shido to the floor. But as Shadow Shido tries to force himself back up, Athena appears next, tonfas glowing with both Bless and Curse magic as she rushes him down. Leaping into his chest, she pummels his face with both tonfas. And as a final insult, as she leaps backward, she hits him with Megaton Raid, sending Shadow Shido into the air, only for him to land on his feet with a heavy thud, with Edel appearing next. Without wasting a second, she morphs into her tank form and blasts Shadow Shido with a missile barrage before firing her guns at point-blank range, sending Shadow Shido flying into the air as Joker rushes in to engage him again with a 9 card. Shadow Shido suddenly stocks up three zeros into a Sleight and activates it.

            “HEAT RISER!” He cries, boosting his stats while knocking Joker back. But while it looked like he had the advantage as he rushed in with a 9, Joker was already one step ahead as he activated another spell that Shadow Shido did not know.

            “Stopga!” Just as Shadow Shido’s face was about to connect with Joker’s face, he froze in place, eyes wide with surprise as Joker started slashing at him all around. Frozen in place, he couldn’t do anything as Joker left countless marks all over him, none of which hurt him until the spell wore off, and he was immediately met with countless pains all over him, sending him to one knee in shock.

            “Sophie! Lavenza! Muse!” Joker quickly shouted, following up on Shadow Shido's downed state as Sophie manifested beside him. Throwing her yo-yos to entrap him, she spun herself around while channelling Bless magic into her yo-yos, letting them go at the last second and sending Shadow Shido plummeting to the ground as Lavenza suddenly appeared before him. Infusing Almighty magic with her chainsaw, she ripped into his right arm, tearing it off and leaving nothing but a black mist escaping from the wound. But before Shadow Shido could even contemplate the loss of his arm, several Psy-infused rounds slammed into his chest as Muse raced towards him. Lightsabre in hand, she activated both blades before slashing at his chest in quick succession, then backflipping away. Kicking Shadow Shido in the face at the same time as the magic detonated in a Bless and Almighty explosion, Joker was forced to cover his eyes.

            “THUNDER REIGN!” Shadow Shido’s voice rips through the smoke as his Sleight races toward Joker. Hitting him in the chest and shocking him to his bones, Joker fights through the pain as he lines up the remaining friend cards in his mind, along with a certain blue card.

            “Violet! Crow! Raven!” Joker shouts through the pain, his Sleight being one point higher than Shadow Shido’s and bringing an end to the torrent of Elect magic. Not that Shadow Shido had a chance to gawk as Violet came in, slashing at his back with her rapier before hitting him in the side with Vorpal Blade, sending him rolling along the ground with Bless-infused slash marks as Crow appears on the field. Without a word and with narrow eyes, Crow dashes forward and slashes at Shadow Shido’s back, earning a surprised cry of pain from the tyrant as Crow jumps back and fires his pistol at him, embedding Almighty-infused rounds into his back as Raven appears behind him.

With a glare that was mixed with anger, hatred, glee, and a strange calm determination, Raven sent himself into a psychotic state as he charged towards Shadow Shido, lashing out with both blade and clawed gauntlet hand before jumping back and pulling out both his laser gun and his pistol. He sent rounds of Curse magic right into Shadow Shido's chest before channelling Loki one more time and blasting Shadow Shido with Eigaon, detonating the round and enveloping Shadow Shido in a Bless, Curse, and Almighty explosion. But while Joker had hoped that his last Sleight attack would end the fight, seeing Shadow Shido's still-standing form forced him to change tactics as he activated another black card, this one being Doe's, as Lupin suddenly grew in length, glowing in a red and black aura.

            “I WILL NOT YIELD… NOT TO THE LIKES OF RATS LIKE YOU! TYRANT'S JUDGEMENT!” Shadow Shido screams, sending out another Sleight right at Joker. The attack came hard and fast, catching him in the explosion, yet Joker refused to fall. Even as he felt himself grow weaker from the fight, Lupin was gaining strength and length in comparison. While it did cancel out Okumura’s card, that was more than fine.

            “I’m getting real tired of hearing your voice, Shido! Abyssal Wings!” As Joker shouts, Arsène manifests behind him, sending out a deluge of feathers at Shadow Shido. While he stands and tanks the feathers, the explosion that follows kicks up far more dust than either expected, almost limiting all visibility as Joker mentally flips through his remaining cards. Just as he is about to reload, the hair on the back of his neck pricks up as magic courses through the air.

            “PANTA RHEI!” Shadow Shido's voice cuts through the dust as four saw blades of wind charge towards Joker. While he does his best to avoid them, one manages to slice him in the left arm, sending a spike of pain down his entire arm even as he rolls along the ground. Along with another surge of power, Shadow Shido activates his final Sleight. “THIS IS THE END OF YOU! TYRANT'S WAVE!!!” No sooner does he shout that than a large Almighty sphere of dark purple energy erupts from Shadow Shido, threatening to consume Joker as he kneels on the ground. And while, originally, this would have been a devastating attack to endure, this is no longer the case. In fact…

            “I have been waiting for this! Reflega!” Once again, Joker’s zero card came in for the clutch, redirecting the magic right back at Shadow Shido despite the strain it took to absorb and reflect. Joker could swear he saw cracks all over the shield as the Almighty magic was redirected at Shadow Shido, who could only watch in horror as his own Almighty attack was sent right back at him, leaving Joker with a chance to end the fight once and for all. “Let’s end this. Dark Slicer!” Vanishing in a flash of black and dark blue, Joker rapidly appeared all around Shadow Shido, slashing from every angle before coming down from above and slicing off his left arm. Darkness spilled out from his countless wounds as he staggered back, shock, rage, and denial all on his face.

            “NO… I REFUSE… I REFUSE TO FALL… TO MERE STREET VERMIN! I REFUSE TO FALL!!” Shadow Shido bellows, stomping forward toward Joker. Even without any arms, he still refused to fall as he glared with a fury that would shake normal men. But to Joker… it was nothing he had not seen before.

            “No, Shido. This is the end of you. No matter how many times we have to teach you this lesson, we will beat you down again and again until you learn! MEGIDOLAON!!” Arsène roars to life behind Joker, forming a sphere of Almighty energy between his hands before tossing it right at Shadow Shido, who can only glare back in defiance as the Almighty orb consumes him in a massive explosion. Shadow Shido's roar of defiance echoes through the explosion until it is slowly wiped out as the light diminishes, leaving nothing behind but a spot of darkness, dissolving and floating away into the sky.

            “Don’t come back, Shido. Ever.” Joker comments, watching as the wisps of darkness vanish while a black card manifests in his left hand. The moment it appears, everyone returns to normal, watching the last few wisps of darkness float into the sky as they all let out sighs of exhaustion. But for Raven, his eyes are locked on the floating wisps until they are far gone before he closes his eyes in acceptance.

            “Mother… it’s over now. You can rest easy…” He whispers to himself as his shoulders sag, as though a great weight has been taken from his shoulders for the first time in years.

            “So… what now?” Skull suddenly speaks up, grabbing Raven’s attention. “What are you goin’ to do now?” 

            “Are you for real?” Raven asks in a disbelieving tone. “Are you still offering me an opportunity to join you lot? Even after everything I have done?” 

            “Why not? After all, in this timeline, you haven’t committed any crimes.” Panther comments, hand on her hip. “Your hands are clean.”        

            “Yeah. And it was Sho who killed my Mom and tried to kill Noir’s dad. Even if you killed them originally, there’s no point in holding that grudge against you forever. Otherwise… we would only be like you.” Oracle admits to Raven, who looks at her in shock as Noir nods at him.

            “Your life was ruined by Yaldabaoth like mine was, right? It’s only right that you get a second chance at life. Just like all of us.” Spring comments, holding her hands behind her back as Raven looks at the ground before letting out a long and slow laugh. Not a deranged or crazy one, but rather more like one would have after being told a funny joke or reliving old embarrassing memories of the past.

            “Even now, you still extend the hand of friendship to me. Completely unreasonable, all of you.” Raven tells them all, looking them in the eye. “I said it once, but I will say it again: I will never come to understand you all. But the friendship you offer me… it is something I would have denied in the past, but I suppose I will allow it. Even so, I cannot join you.” Raven turns around, walking back towards the entrance they came from. “Our paths are too different. I have no place to return to in our old world. That, and I greatly value the freedom I have gained from this new life I have been blessed with.”

            “So, you really are the real Akechi.” Athena comments out loud as Raven comes to a stop, looking over his shoulder one last time.

            “Think of me what you will. But this will be the last time we meet. It is time that we finally part ways, just as we did back in the original timeline.” Raven looks back at them all with a cocky smirk before turning around and walking towards the door. “Joker, for whatever the future has in store for you and the others, I wish you luck in your endeavour. Not that you need it, that is." 

            “Whatever you say, Raven.” Joker snarks back as the Thieves all chuckle at Raven. While they couldn't see it, Raven rolls his eyes at them before he turns around to Crow one more time.

            “Crow, no matter what happens, never stop walking the path you are on, and don't become what I had originally been. You have earned all the happiness it can bring. Don't let my previous actions against Joker and the others tarnish what you could achieve that I could not."

            “It is a path we can both walk together, Raven. Once you have realised that, I am more than willing to share it with you." Crow replies, nodding his head once as Raven shakes his head, a smile hidden on his face as he walks forward.

            “As for me, I'm done being manipulated. I will carve my own path for myself… just like you guys always have and always will. See ya around, Phantom Thieves of Heart.” And like that, Raven vanishes into the shadows while a ladder appears behind the Thieves, leading to the exit as they all slowly make their way towards it. But as they do, Joker stops for a moment and pulls out Raven’s card. Noting that it had not vanished from his deck at all, he lets a smirk form on his face as he places the card back in his deck, walking towards the ladder with lighter steps than he knew. Lighter steps that the other core eight seemed to have as well, as a single sentence came to their minds as a single voice.

See ya around, Raven.

Chapter Text

Chapter 16: A Dark Memory.

            “You know… I forgot to bring up the promise Raven and I made in the old timeline.” Joker muses out loud as they climb the ladder.

            “Promise?” Sophie asks, looking down at Joker even as Panther and Spring help her up at the last step.

            “Yeah. A promise to have one final match against each other. A one-on-one fight.” Joker explains as he pulls himself up, giving his arms a roll. "Although, I wouldn't be surprised if he has forgotten about it."

            “Would you like me to fill in that role then?” Crow offers as he walks alongside Joker. "Of course, it would be in a game of pool and not a duel."

            “Where's the fun in that?” Joker asks back as the group lets out a quiet chuckle, even as they open the door to leave Shido's Palace. The silence that welcomed them in Castle Oblivion’s hall was paramount, although that had become more than normal as the Thieves left Shido’s Palace. Despite the fact that they had to beat up the bald dictator for a fourth time and were really getting tired of seeing that ugly mug of his, there was a sense of finality among them. After all… they had finally come to terms with the original Akechi, whether he was real or just a memory. But even then, being able to get that closure was more than enough for them as they headed for the stairs. However, they didn’t get far when everyone was struck by a splitting headache, sending all but Edel, Sophie, Lavenza, and Muse to the ground. Once more, they were the only ones not to suffer from the pain.

            “What’s going on!?” Muse shouts, taken aback by the sudden event.

            “They are having another flashback of the distant past.” Lavenza comments in a quiet tone. “We can do nothing but wait for the vision to end.” While Muse felt annoyed that she couldn’t do anything to help, Edel and Sophie stood worryingly next to Lavenza, for the Thieves once more found themselves going back to a past they had never encountered. Or perhaps… they did.

But even as they felt themselves falling into the memory, something about this one was… different from the others. For one, they did not feel themselves getting placed into another body; instead, it was more like they were floating in place. And as their vision returned, what they saw before them was not the calm town they had been seeing, but rather a mountainous wasteland filled with craters as rain poured down from a black and cloudy sky.

            “Where am I now?” Skull asks out loud, before everyone turns to him in shock.

            “Skull!?” Panther shouts, grabbing his attention as he stares at her in surprise. “I can see you!?”

            “We can all see each other?” Noir asks, looking around in surprise as she holds a hand to her throat. “And… why do we sound so strange?”

            “Considering the state of our translucent bodies, I believe we have far more questions than that.” Crow comments aloud as he looks around them. “For starters, where exactly are we?” That was the number one question as the Thieves all glanced around them. They could hear the sounds of a great battle echoing around them, explosions erupting in the distance as they noticed blue lights slowly drifting into the sky. All the while, a great sadness filled the area, one that seemed to grow heavier as time went on.

            “What is going on?” Spring asks again, taking a step back until her foot passes through something. Glancing down, she sees a broken silver blade with a light blue square guard around the handle and a keychain dangling from the end. “A broken Keyblade?”

            “What?” Athena asks, looking down at the blade. “So it is… but why?” Before anyone could ask, a large Heartless fell from above, landing hard on the ground before a figure dove after it, plunging a Keyblade right into the Heartless as it let out a dark cry before vanishing, letting the Thieves see exactly who it was that had killed it.

            “It’s Xander!” Mona shouts as Joker blinks his eyes in surprise. After all, this is his first time seeing Xander properly and not from his own perspective. And he really does look like a younger version of him. His attire is also a black and silver-grey version of Mathew’s attire, only now it has signs of damage: a few torn marks on the arms and legs, dirt plastered in random spots, not to mention being soaked from the rain pouring down from above. And his eyes… they have the look of deep pain, desperation, and determination all rolled into one.

            “What is he doing here?” Queen asks as they watch Xander look around with a distraught expression. But he wasn’t alone for long, as footsteps echoed down from a nearby path. Three figures ran up to him, all with the same looks and dirty attire.

            “Xander!” Johnny shouts as he, Aleks, and Kotone rush up to him. “Are you okay!?”

            “Physically, I’m still good. But mentally…” Xander replies, his left hand moving to his heart. “I’m just holding in…” Johnny lets out a sad sigh, his left hand reaching for his heart as Aleks and Kotone do the same. Pain is evident in all of their eyes.

            “You still feel it? All of them dying, right?” Aleks comments in a knowing tone as Xander nods. “Everyone in our groups… we’re the only ones left alive.” The moment those words left Aleks’s mouth, the Thieves all felt a pit open up in their stomachs, a dark chill running up their spines as Kotone kicked the ground.

            “We… We all promised we would make it out of this Keyblade War alive! We go in, rescue anyone we can who didn’t want to be here, and get out! So why…!?” Kotone brings her left hand to her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling as Aleks hugs her from the side.

            “We shouldn’t have separated…” Johnny admits in a low tone. “We should have stayed together…” Xander doesn’t say anything, only closing his eyes as he breathes heavily through his nose.

            “Xander!” A new voice echoes over the field as Kasu suddenly makes her appearance, haggard and injured, but still moving despite the pain as the four future Wild Cards turn to her.

            “Kasu? You’re alive!” Kotone shouts with joy in her voice, but Kasu doesn’t share that same joy.

            “Later, Kotone! We need help! There’s something wrong with Robbie!” Kasu shouts, shocking the four as Kasu points down the path. “Me, Laura, and Robbie had just met up after helping some others escape. We were about to start looking for you when Robbie fell to the ground all of a sudden. Laura is still with him, but—!”

            “Lead the way!” Xander shouts, Lupin coming to his hand. “Everyone else is dead, but I’m not going to lose anyone else!”

            “Same with us.” Johnny replies as he, Aleks, and Kotone summon their own Keyblades, something that shouldn’t have shocked the transparent Thieves, but it did regardless. Despite the low visibility, they could still make out what the Keyblades looked like.

Aleks and Kotone’s Keyblades looked almost identical in shape and appearance, but there were some key differences. The hand guard on Aleks’s was in the shape of Orpheus’s harp and tinted a light blue, with the grip looking like dark silver. The blade itself appeared to be light blue, shaped like one half of a heart, while a red scarf was wrapped around it. The teeth were a combination of the bottom half of Orpheus’s harp, along with the open sphere that would be found in his chest.

Kotone’s was similar in pattern, except her hand guard was based on Eurydice’s harp with a light orange tint. The grip was the same, along with the blade, except it was a light yellow, while the scarf wrapping around it was similar. The teeth of the Keyblade were also identical to Aleks's, with hers being a burnt orange compared to the pure white on his.

As for Johnny’s, his Keyblade’s hand guard looked to be two parts of a black coat wrapped together with white belts. The handle was a dark silver with red bandages, while the blade looked to be the top half of a long black sword. One edge was sharp, while the other was blunt, wrapped together with white belts. As for the teeth, it looked to be a solid chunk of metal, filed down to resemble a blade’s edge, similar to Izanagi’s feet.

But one thing that was common to all of them was the heads on the guards: Orpheus on Aleks, Eurydice on Kotone, and Izanagi on Johnny’s. Dangling from the end of all of them was a silver keychain connected to a Tarot card, each one depicting the Personas the Keyblades were based on. Or was it that their Personas were based on the Keyblades?

            “Dude, I am SO lost right now!” Skull shouts as they are dragged along, phasing through rocks as Xander, Johnny, Aleks, and Kotone chase after Kasu. “Just what is going on!?”

            “I think… this was the war that Master Ava warned about.” Violet comments in a quiet voice. “A war that we joined so that we could save others… but it ended up claiming all of our lives instead. A Keyblade War… between five different Unions…”

            “But why did this happen in the first place?” Outlaw asks, half his body in a wall.

            “I have no idea. Let's just keep watching and see what happens next." Joker replies, folding his arms just as their past selves finally reach where Robbie and Laura are standing. It is clear that something is wrong with Robbie as he kneels on the ground, holding his chest in pain while Laura looks over him with worry.

            “Laura! Robbie!” Xander shouts, grabbing Laura’s attention as she turns to look at them, her back facing Robbie.

            “I found Xander and the others!” Kasu calls out, waving at her as Laura lets out a sigh of relief. Her Keyblade is in her hand yet out of focus for some reason.

            “I’m glad you are still alive! But something is wrong with Robbie!" She calls out, her hand not on her chest. "He's in pain! Something is—!" All of a sudden, a blade is stabbed into her back, cutting her off as she lets out a surprised gasp of shock. The sight brings Xander and the others to an abrupt halt as they all stare in shock at the blade exiting Laura's chest. Something that the Thieves share in as Laura weakly tries to grab the blade in her chest before it is pulled out, leaving a gaping hole in her chest as she falls to the ground in slow motion.

And standing behind her, clad in a dark cloud of black and violet, stood Robbie with his Keyblade in hand. His eyes were void of life as he stared blankly at Laura's falling body, all while his Keyblade was obscured by darkness. A sight that left Violet and Crow speechless.

            “LAURA!!” Kasu shouts in horror, watching her sister’s body collapse to the ground before being enveloped in light while her Keyblade lies on the ground, the colour draining away as Robbie walks over it, not looking back as Laura’s body vanishes into light.

            “Robbie! What did you do!?” Aleks shouts in anger as Robbie silently walks towards them, the dark aura around him seemingly growing stronger as Johnny narrows his eyes.

            “No… that’s not Robbie any more… He’s being controlled by darkness!” Johnny shouts as Kotone lets out a gasp of shock—something the transparent Thieves would also do if they were not stunned into silence at the scene before them.

            “What’s wrong? You seem to be unhappy.” A cold voice echoes across the field, turning all eyes to the source as Daman, Chris, and Todd appear through the rain like wraiths, each of them wearing a dark smirk while a dark aura similar to the one Robbie has envelops them, but subdued and in control. “This is but the natural evolution for us Keybearers.”

            “Daman! What have you done!?” Kotone shouts in anger, pointing her Keyblade at Daman while Chris clicks his teeth.

            “We? We haven’t done anything. This is all Robbie.”

            “You lie!” Kasu shouts, summoning her Keyblade to her side, one that is obscured by light. “Robbie would NEVER allow this to happen!”

            “Yeah, you’re right about that.” Todd admits, rubbing his head. “Bastard even refused to join us, so we decided to help with a little bit of assistance.” 

            “Assistance? What are you talking about?” Aleks asks, eyes narrowing as Daman’s smile turns darker. “What did you do!?”

            “It is rather simple. We turned his Chirithy into a Nightmare.” Daman reveals, shocking the group while the transparent Thieves tilt their heads. “As you all know, the Chirithys are our companions, there to aid us in our quest. But what would happen if one falls to darkness? They become a Nightmare. And with their fall, they influence the darkness in our hearts, awakening us to powers we could only dream of.”

            “You… corrupted Robbie’s Chirithy?” Johnny asks, anger in his voice as Chris laughs at him.

            “We SURE did! And he never even suspected it until it was too late! Now the darkness inside him is in control, and he is helpless to stop it! All those bonds you guys had? WORTHLESS!” The five warriors grit their teeth in rage as Daman, Chris, and Todd summon their Keyblades, their forms hidden in shadows. “You know… we hated you guys for a long time. And now, in this Keyblade War, we can finally put your sorry faces in the dirt!”

            “Go ahead and try it!” Kotone shouts as she and Aleks race off to face Daman and Chris, while Todd races towards Johnny, who glances back at Xander and Kasu.

            “Xander! Kasu! Leave these guys to us! Try and stop Robbie!” With that, Johnny charges at Todd, Keyblades colliding in flashes of light as Xander and Kasu stare down the corrupted Robbie. The rain around them seemingly grows heavy as Robbie walks towards them, eyes vacant and aura growing darker.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW8rxBMY58w : The Other Promise (with rain))

            “Robbie…” Kasu whispers, eyes locked on him as she takes a shaky breath. “I never imagined this would happen to any of us.”

            “Neither did I… but we don’t have a choice any more.” Xander replies with guilt in his voice just as Robbie charges towards them in a dark flash. The two barely duck out of the way as his Keyblade flashes at where their necks would have been. As the two spin on their feet, Kasu leaps at Robbie, going for an overhead strike as Xander comes in from the side.

Forced onto the defensive, Robbie focused on deflecting Kasu’s attack before spinning around to meet Xander just as he called down a Dark Thundaga on them. The two activated Reflega to deflect the attack, just managing to absorb the blows.

Meanwhile, Kotone was locking blades with Chris as Aleks clashed his Keyblade against Daman's. The two corrupted wielders sported wide grins as the twins broke away from them. Casting a dual Firaga at them, the fires burned away the rain before colliding with the ground. Only Daman and Chris leaped out of the flames, their blades going for Aleks and Kotone as they brought their guards up to deflect the blows.

As for Johnny, he was in a deadly face-to-face dance with Todd, the two blades clashing repeatedly as Todd moved in with a dark charge. Johnny leaned back, the blade moving just past his chest as he spun around Todd, holding his Keyblade up in a defensive form before striking him with Thundaga. But the strike of thunder magic did little to faze him as he dashed through, managing to get a cut on Johnny’s left arm as he returned the favour with a cut on Todd’s shoulder.

Back with Xander and Kasu, they each had a wound on either their cheek or shoulder, courtesy of Robbie, who was sporting two wounds on his left leg and right arm. Not that it seemed to slow him down as he changed back in, firing a swarm of dark magic orbs at the two as they focused on deflecting what they could. As Robbie got in closer, he was suddenly met by a blast of water from Kasu, while Xander slammed Lupin into the ground, sending out a wave of earth at Robbie, who leapt into the air and landed on a pillar of rock.

            “Robbie! Stop!” Kasu shouts, even as the rain falls around them. “You are better than this! Don’t let the darkness control you!” Her words seem to reach Robbie as his face twitches at her words. Yet his visage refuses to change as he sends out a blast of Dark Firaga at the two, forcing them to separate before rushing towards Xander. They clash blades with each other as Kasu comes in from the side, slashing her blade along his back, only to find Robbie’s fist slamming into her right leg. But the distraction gives Xander the opening to hit Robbie with a Blizzaga in the chest, sending him flying back and past Daman and Chris, the two sporting cuts on their arms and legs while Aleks and Kotone stand opposite them.

Despite having wounds on their arms and legs, the two refused to back down even as cuts on their cheeks bled in the rain. Seeing the two continue to stand only drove Daman and Chris into a frenzy as they sent out a wave of dark orbs at the two, who responded with a Reflega and stopped the attack. But the moment they dropped their guard, Daman and Chris were already on them, Keyblades bearing down on the two as they dodged to the side. Yet they were not quick enough, as their dark Keyblades struck them in the sides, missing vital points but leaving open wounds as the two jumped back, hands resting over the injuries.

An explosion to the right almost distracted them as Johnny rolled along the ground. Scorch marks covered his attire, and a cut lined his face. As for Todd, he had far more cuts than Johnny, but he almost seemed to revel in the pain as he charged forward, imitating the Dark Aura attack that Riku did when possessed by Ansem. The constant strikes were clearly affecting Johnny, who had no room to counter, being struck from every angle as Todd came in from above, aiming to pierce his chest with one final strike. Not that he got the chance, as Johnny countered with Stopga, freezing Todd in the air next to a cliff edge, his expression locked in a wide grin as Johnny narrowed his eyes.

            “It’s over, Todd!” He shouts while jumping, despite bleeding from multiple wounds, and proceeds to unleash a mid-air Ars Arcanum on Todd. Frozen in place, there is little he can do but take the attacks, each one a ticking time bomb as Johnny lands one more thrust on his chest before jumping away. And when he does, the magic wears off with every single hit landing at once, with Todd screaming in both pain and rage as he falls to the ground. With a heavy thud, he hits the ground before falling off the side of the cliff, vanishing into the darkness below as Johnny falls to one knee, panting hard.

            “You bastard!” Chris shouts, catching Johnny's attention as he charges at him, Keyblade aimed at his heart. But as he charges forward, a Keyblade spins in from the side, hitting him and sending him rolling over the muddy ground. As for where it came from, it soon becomes obvious as Kotone rushes at him, flames dancing from her left hand.

            “It ends now, Chris! Firaga!" Thrusting her left hand forward, Kotone sends the orb of fire right into his chest, the blast sending him flying through an outcrop of rock and off the cliff edge, silent as he falls into darkness. Daman, seeing two of his comrades fall, lets out a furious scream as he glares at Kotone, who now has Aleks and Johnny standing beside her.

            “You three will meet your end! Right here and now!" Daman then leaps into the air and slams his Keyblade into the ground. Suddenly, spikes of rock erupt from the ground, spiralling out towards Aleks, Kotone, and Johnny, the rock spikes managing to hit them in the arms or legs, with one grazing Kotone's back. Seeing her injured, Daman rushes towards her, Keyblade aimed at her neck, only for Aleks to block him and lock their blades.

            “No, Daman… this is the end for you!” Aleks shouts, and as Daman tries to break the lock, Johnny comes in from the side and sends Daman flying with an Aeroga, throwing him towards the cliff edge but not off it. At least, until Aleks follows up and sends a Firaga towards Daman, hitting him square in the chest and sending him, too, off the cliff edge and into the dark abyss below. But as the trio turns to help Xander and Kasu, the injuries they have sustained finally catch up to them, preventing them from rushing in to help as a twin Firaga from Xander and Kasu smashes against Robbie's Dark Firaga. The explosion kicks up a wall of dust, blocking all view of the fight.

In the cloud of dust, however, Xander was pressing his left hand against his side where he had taken a nasty hit from Robbie. Blood was seeping out from between his fingers as cuts lined all over him. Mud and dirt were seeping into his attire even as the rain continued to pour down around them. Kasu was in a little better state, barely standing as Robbie, who should have been falling from his injuries, walked towards them in an almost robotic manner.

            “We can’t save him…” Xander grunts out, eyes locked on Robbie. “There’s nothing left of him…”

            “He's still in there…” Kasu replies, her voice quiet. "There were a multitude of times he was able to kill us, but he didn't… he's still fighting inside…" Letting out a sigh, Kasu looks at her Keyblade, thoughts racing through her mind as she comes to a steadfast resolve. "Xander… we can still save him…”

            “That goes without question… but how?” Xander asks, trying to stand as Kasu holds up her hand with a sad smile. “Kasu?”

            “Xander. I’m sorry.” Kasu tells him before spinning on her feet and rushing right at Robbie. “Live on for all of us!” Xander’s eyes widen as Kasu leaps at Robbie, who looks at her with a blank expression before thrusting forward with his Keyblade. But Kasu does not move to evade or block. Instead, she ignores the incoming attack completely as she drives her Keyblade right at Robbie’s chest.

Her blade struck him just as his Keyblade struck her.

Xander, Aleks, Kotone, Johnny, and the transparent Thieves, especially Violet and Crow, all watch in shock as Kasu and Robbie, both struck down by the others' Keyblades, are encompassed in a golden glow just as the dark aura around Robbie vanishes. Light comes to his eyes as he looks at Kasu in shock and regret. But she merely shakes her head with a smile, a silent conversation passing between them as they both vanish into light, leaving behind two Keyblades battered by combat, their colours muted.

            “No…” Xander whispers, falling to one knee as his injuries begin to take hold. “They’re all gone…”

            “Xander…” Johnny calls out, moving over to him as Aleks helps Kotone up. "We've done all we can… we have to go." He tells him, grabbing his right arm and helping him up as the four slowly leave the area. All around them, the sound of war continued to rage through the pouring rain, with the transparent Thieves watching their every step. Soon, they were walking along a narrow stretch of rock, one that Joker and Mona recognized.

            “I… recognize this place. This was where Mona and I woke when we had that dream back in Osaka before we fought that one black-coated figure who wielded a Keyblade." Joker says softly as he and the others now start to recognize the familiar landscape.

            “So then, that one dream we had… was the fallout of this Keyblade War.” Queen comments as she and the others continue to watch the quartet of the past versions of the Wild Cards trying to escape.

            “C’mon. We’re almost there.” Aleks tells Kotone, changing his grip on her as she lets out a groan. 

            “Can’t you cast Curaga?” She asks with a pained voice as Aleks shakes his head.

            “Sorry… I’m so tired I can barely summon Lupin.” Xander replies in a tired tone, one that makes Johnny let out a sigh as well. But as the four make their way forward, a figure emerges from the rain. One that has the transparent Thieves gasping in shock as a figure in a black coat appears before the four, and one that Xander, Johnny, Aleks, and Kotone seemingly recognize.

            “Master Luxu?” Johnny asks in shock, something that seems to surprise the dark figure. 

            “You know of me?” He asks back, surprise in his voice.

            “Yes… Master Ava mentioned that you were out looking for the Master of Masters some time ago…” Aleks replies as Luxu looks away, letting out a sad chuckle as he shakes his head, water dripping from his hood.

            “I see… how ironic…” He comments in a quiet voice, looking back at the four. “Interesting… two Leopardus, and an Anguis being carried by a Vulpes. Why are you four here? You are members of Ava’s Dandelions, correct? You shouldn’t be here.”

            “We couldn’t stand around and watch our friends kill each other…” Kotone replies, letting out a grunt of pain. “We had to save whoever we could…”

            “I don't blame you… What you four are doing is quite noble." Luxu replies, nodding his head. "However, this Keyblade War was all but inevitable. Ava tried to stop it, but instead, she was the reason it began in the first place. It's no wonder she chose to come here. The guilt must have been eating away at her.”

            “Started this? What are you talking about?” Xander asks, with pain in his voice.

            “It is simple. She confronted me outside of Daybreak Town. Accused me of being the Traitor who tore everything apart. But… this is all a part of his plan… as deplorable as it is. I never had a hand in any of this.” Luxu comments to himself, confusing the four as he shakes his head. “But even so, I have my role to play. And I will see it through… even if I must cast aside who I am in the process.” Before any of the four could reply, Luxu dashes past Aleks and Kotone, a dark blade manifesting in his hand as the two let out surprised gasps, only to then fall to the ground and vanish into light.

            “What!?” Johnny shouts as he and Xander turn to face Luxu, a dark blade held in his hand, obscured by a dark mist and the rain. “Master Luxu!? Why!?”

            “All who step on this field of battle cannot live. For that is how this Keyblade War will end.” Luxu replies in a cold voice, slowly turning to look at the two. “And it is a fate that you must abide.” Xander and Johnny let out a growl as they feel the aura from Master Luxu emanate toward them. Without any other option, the two summon their Keyblades as Xander stands by himself, although in a weak form due to his injuries.

            “You still stand against fate… That is admirable.” Luxu replies, his voice tinged with sadness. “But even so…” He rushes forward, Johnny bringing his blade up to defend himself, only to find Luxu vanishing in the rain. Before he could even question what was happening, Luxu’s dark blade was soon exiting his chest from behind, shocking him as he too turned to light, leaving Xander by himself as Luxu slowly looked at him. “This is one fate you cannot stop.”

Xander, not letting fear slow him down, lunges at Luxu, who sidesteps the attack before kicking Xander in the chest, sending him rolling along the ground and almost off the cliff edge as Luxu slowly walks up to him.

            “Master… Luxu…" Xander says weakly, unable to fight any more.

            “I am sorry… but this has to be done.” Luxu replies, regret in his voice as he holds his Keyblade up. "Forgive me, and goodbye." As Xander holds Lupin up to protect him, Luxu swings his Keyblade down. The dark blade slices through Lupin as though it were air, leaving a large gash on Xander's chest. Stunned, Xander slowly looks at Lupin as he watches it split in half, one edge falling off the cliff as he drops the other half on the ground. The colour fades away as Xander falls backward, his body turning to light before vanishing just as he is about to hit the ground. It is at that moment that the transparent Thieves feel their vision come to an end, all of them breathing heavily as they find themselves back in Castle Oblivion.

            “Whoa! Are you guys okay?!” Edel shouts, seeing everyone break out into deep breaths and pale looks. “What did you see this time!?” 

            “A war…” Noir quietly replies, resting a hand on her chest. “A Keyblade War… or rather, the end of it…”

            “A war?” Sophie asks in a quiet voice. “Why?” None of the Thieves had an answer to that, even if a part of them should. But at the moment, their minds were not focusing on anything apart from what they had seen.

            “It wasn’t just a war, Sophie…” Crow comments in a quiet voice. “We also saw something else… something that… I’m struggling to even accept…” 

            “What did you see?” Muse asks, seeing Crow visibly shaken.

            “We saw Robbie… the past version of Crow, maybe, getting corrupted by darkness and being turned into a puppet…” Queen comments in a small voice. “And… he killed the past version of Violet… maybe.” Edel, Sophie, Lavenza, and Muse all gasp in shock as they look at Violet and Crow, the two visibly shaken by what they had seen.

            “That’s… I can’t believe that.” Edel remarks, shaking her head. “There is no way Crow would do that to Violet. No way!”

            “I don't think he had a choice…” Fox comments, rubbing his eyes, mask off. "It seemed as though he was a prisoner in his own body, similar to how Riku was when Ansem possessed him, unable to do anything but watch as the darkness forced him to fight Joker and Kasumi.”

            “Yeah… and while that fight was going on, Minato, Minako, and Yu were fighting Takaya, Jin, and Sho! Well… their past versions anyway.” Oracle adds, letting out a sigh as she shakes her head. “No one was holding back either… those three got sent flying off the cliff edge.”

            “But what shocked me the most was what Kasumi, or Kasu, did.” Noir silently comments, hand on her chest. “She sacrificed herself to stop Robbie… and they both died.”

            “For real… didn’t see that comin’.” Skull remarks, rubbing his head. “Looked as though Robbie was freed at the end, though… I can’t imagine what he was feeling.”

            “If I have to guess… shame, regret, and pain.” Crow cuts in, a hand resting on his face as a tear streams down. "Shame that he allowed himself to fall… regret that he was not strong enough to stop it… and the pain of striking down someone he cared deeply about…”

            “Crow…” Violet breathes softly, walking up to him while removing her mask. "You don't have to carry those feelings. It's not your fault or Robbie's. I know you would never do that to me intentionally. The past me turned her back on you because she trusted you. And I know she would not blame or hate you for what happened." She tightens her fist as her shoulders shake. "It was those three who caused that to happen in the first place! If anything, she would be mad at them for causing you to get corrupted by darkness and killing her sister!”

            “Violet…” Spring quietly comments as a tear streams down Violet's face. Crow looks at her, shock on his face as he slowly removes his own mask before enveloping her in a hug. One that Violet reciprocates without question before pulling her boyfriend into a kiss, as everyone feels a weight from the past, even though it's not technically their past, settle on their shoulders.

The only ones not feeling such a weight are Edel, Sophie, Lavenza, and Muse.

            “What happened after?” Sophie asks Joker, looking at him with sidelong eyes as he lets out a long sigh.

            “Well… Johnny then tried to help Xander get out of wherever that war was taking place alongside Aleks and Kotone. But they were all so badly injured that they couldn't run fast enough. They managed to get to a place where I remember waking up in that dream in Osaka, but it was who was waiting for them that they, let alone we, were not expecting."

            “A guy in a black coat called Master Luxu.” Outlaw remarks, shaking his head. "Although it looked as though he wasn't well known or was hidden from the others, Xander and the others seemed to know about him from hearing Master Ava talk about him. But what he did next… I don't understand why he did it.”

            “What did he do?” Lavenza asks, although a part of her does not want to know.

            “He killed them.” Shinobi bluntly replies, shocking the four. “They didn’t even stand a chance… then again, he was a Keyblade Master, and they were badly injured. To call it a fair fight would be an insult.”

            “And that’s where the vision ends.” Joker adds, hands in his coat pockets. “Although it doesn’t explain why we even saw it in the first place, I think there is one thing we can all agree on, even if we don’t want to.”

            “These memories are ours, from a distant past.” Mona surmises with a grim expression as everyone moves to the next floor. “But what does this even mean anyway? Did we all die in some long-forgotten war and get reborn later on? If that’s the case, why was I reborn as a cat, Teddie as a Shadow, and Aigis and Labrys reborn as robots?”

            “Who can say? Reincarnation is a topic no one can understand if it even exists at all. But… we might be a living example of that.” Spring replies, although in an uncertain voice as they reach the next floor. The door before them stands ominously.

            “This place has been nothing but constant surprises…” Athena remarks in a tired tone as Joker approaches the door. “I’m not sure how many surprises I can take…” The Thieves all silently agree on that as Joker holds up his deck at the door. A shimmer later, the door opens with the Thieves moving inside. And what awaited them at the end was what they expected to see.

            “Here we are… Doc's Palace." Skull comments with no joy as the hospital-like hallway opens up to them.

            “Doc… was he like a doctor or something?” Muse asks, confusion on her face.

            “Formerly, yes. Doc is actually the codename of one of our Phantom Thief allies, Takuto Maruki. He… became a temporary enemy after a being named Nyarlathotep puppeteered Doc into creating a false reality where everyone was happy." Joker replies before letting out a sigh, while Lavenza lets out a shudder after hearing the name of Philemon's rival. "Luckily, we, alongside Minato, Minako, and Yu, were able to put a stop to it and made Doc come to his senses."

            “So this is the final Palace you guys went through before the Kingdoms incident.” Edel comments, looking at the sterile hall. "Huh… for someone who ended up changing reality for a time, Doc's Palace seems to be cleaner than the last ones.”

            “That’s because he was always a good guy at heart. He just got dealt a hard life.” Panther replies as Sophie and Muse glance around. 

            “So… does that mean we’ll have to fight your friend?” Muse asks Joker, who is wearing a less-than-happy grin.

            “We might have to.” He replies, shaking his head. "Even if he was being used, Doc was still the ruler of this Palace. So there's a good chance we will have to fight him again, even if he's just another memory." A glum expression fell over everyone as that realization dawned on them: having to fight a friend in the end. But even as they began to resign themselves to that fate, a rumble echoed through the halls as something appeared before them—a long green tendril with a white claw on the end, lashing out at them and trying to grab Violet.

            “Look out!” Lavenza shouts, now wearing a nurse uniform in Velvet Room colours, using her chainsaw to slice the offending appendage in half. While the claw lands on the ground with a heavy thud, the rest squirms in pain before retreating back into the hall from whence it came.

            “What was that!?” Muse shouts, keeping a distance from the claw hand as Violet lets out a shudder. 

            “Azathoth… The Persona that Nyarlathotep forced on Doc to make him his puppet…” Joker tells her with a hard look. “Guess he wanted to ‘welcome’ us.”

            “But why did it try to grab Violet?” Sophie asks, keeping a distance away from the claw. Everyone glances at each other as they ponder how to answer Sophie’s question. After all, even if Doc did explain some things back in the Osaka Jail, there were a few things that were left out.

            “We’ll tell you as we walk, Sophie.” Queen promises, resting a hand on the back of Sophie’s head as they walk down the hall. “After all, it is a long story…”

It was with a heavy groan that the doors opened, with Donald and Goofy exiting the latest world and returning to Castle Oblivion's halls. Following behind them was Knight, who was at the moment dealing with some complicated emotions. After all, in Neverland, he saw Peter Pan act more harshly towards Wendy than he actually remembered, and in the previous world that he had just finished, Hollow Bastion, Belle was acting cold towards Beast to protect him from Maleficent. But Knight knew none of that had happened and that several important events were missing!

For Neverland, Riku was not present to turn his shadow sentient, which he would have had to fight and reclaim, and as for Hollow Bastion, Jerri wasn't present at all! Now that he thought about it, it was strange how he wasn't facing any Demons at all the entire time. The Phantoms on Roak were present, true, but the fact that the Demons were not was completely off. At least, in between Neverland and Hollow Bastion, the Hundred Acre Wood was still as relaxing as when he and Sophie visited it, despite having to help Pooh find his friends again. However, he wouldn't lie that he desperately needed a rest after everything he had been through since arriving at Castle Oblivion, so that floor ended up being perfect for all of them. But despite all of that, there was one thing that refused to change… 

…and only seemed to get worse the higher they climbed.

            “Do you guys still not remember anything?” Knight asks in a pleading voice towards Donald and Goofy, who turn to look at him. "We've been to every world we've seen now, including Hollow Bastion, so you have to remember something. Right?" The two toons glance at each other before turning back to Knight, shaking their heads with guilty looks.

            “Sorry, Knight. But we can only remember what we’ve seen here.” Goofy replies, guilt in his voice. Knight lets out a sigh as he glances away, kicking his foot against the floor with clear irritation.

            “Are you… mad at us?” Donald asks hesitantly as Knight looks at him.

            “What? Why would I be mad at you guys? It’s not your fault you're forgetting.” Knight quickly replies, letting out a sigh and pulling back his hood to rub his head. “I’m mad at this castle for messing up your memories in the first place. It’s not your fault.” Donald and Goofy look relieved to hear that, despite Knight's irritation not going away. “Anyway, we should be nearing the last floor soon. After all, that was the last world card I had in my deck.”

            “Believe all you want. If it makes you feel better.” A voice echoes around them as Knight, Donald, and Goofy all glance forward, with a portal of darkness appearing seconds later. From it, Vexen makes his appearance with a cold smile.

            “Another one!? Who are you!?” Knight shouts, summoning the Kingdom Key to his hand. 

            “I am Vexen. Number IV. I have come to collect your debt, Sora.” Vexen replies in a cold voice, but the words he said sent some confusion through them as Goofy looked at Knight.

            “A debt? Knight, do you owe somethin’ to this guy?”

            “What? C’mon. Of course not.” Knight replies, shaking his left hand and almost hitting himself with his shield.

            “Oh, but you do. You owe me for reuniting you with your former friend.” Vexen replies in an icy tone, Knight’s eyes widening in surprise. “That’s right. I’m the one who brought Riku to you.”

            “You’re the one? Where is he!?” Knight shouts, pointing the Kingdom Key at Vexen. “And where are Naminé, Hikari, and the Phantom Thieves!?”

            “I see no need to give you information about any of them. After all…” Vexen holds out his left arm, manifesting his shield to his side as Donald and Goofy turn into cards. “Why trouble you in your final hour?” Knight narrows his eyes as Vexen stocks up a Sleight, doing the same. He watches as Vexen attacks with an 8 card, only for Knight to break it with a 9.

            “If you think you can stop me, you are wrong! Strike Raid!” Knight cries out, tossing his Keyblade at Vexen and managing to hit him in the head. Seeing him dazed, Knight follows up with another Strike Raid while stocking up for a Sonic Blade, not giving Vexen a chance to breathe as he dashes in from the sides.

            “Impressive… but perhaps you should chill out. Freeze!" Vexen shouts, activating his Sleight and catching Knight in a shard of ice. Stuck, Knight couldn't do anything as Vexen moved in to attack with his shield, hitting Knight out of the ice and sending him flying against the wall before charging in, only to be met with a sudden surprise as Goofy appeared behind him. "What!?”

Before he could counter, Goofy bashed him into the air as Knight followed up, hitting him higher up as Goofy pursued Vexen. He slammed his shield into Vexen, sending him crashing to the floor. Seeing himself getting put on the back foot, Vexen lined up another Sleight as he focused on blocking Knight’s attacks. He let Knight tire himself out, even as he stocked up his own Sleight.

            “Freeze!” Vexen shouts, managing to encase Knight in ice once again. But it doesn’t last, as it is broken when Knight activates Bacchus’s zero friend card. The man of steel appears before Vexen and grabs him in both hands, shocking him with electricity while Vexen cries out in pain as Knight breaks out of the ice.

            “Stubborn brat.” Vexen comments, holding his shield up once more. “You do not know when to give up, do you?”

            “I’ve been told that a lot! Bahamut! Flatten!” Vexen looks up as Bahamut forms behind Knight, clawed foot raised before slamming down on Vexen with a hard crash. All the wind in Vexen’s lungs is immediately expelled, along with a feeling of nausea as he holds his right hand over his mouth while Bahamut vanishes once more. “Had enough?”

            “Perhaps…” Vexen comments, pushing himself up and slowly backing away from Knight. “As I expected, you weren’t one to die very easily.” He holds up his left arm, letting his shield vanish even as Knight points his Keyblade at him. “But I wonder if you even noticed. As we were fighting, I was delving deep into your memories. And here… look what I found.” Vexen pulls out a new world card, showing a town that is bathed in twilight. “A card crafted from all the memories that are locked in the other side of your heart.” With a smile on his face, he tosses the card to Knight, who catches it in his left hand, a confused look on his face as he stares at the world. Before he can even question him, Vexen vanishes seconds later, leaving Knight with far more questions than answers.

            “Memories… on the other side?” Knight questions out loud, looking at the card in his hand. A strange feeling of familiarity seeps from it as he stares at the twilight picture. Why does it feel… so familiar?

            “This is the end, Azathoth!” Joker screams, ducking under a tendril as he rushes forward at Azathoth. The rogue Persona lashes out with anger. It is shocking to see that Doc is not present at all in the Palace and that it is only this rogue Persona that is waiting for them. But if Joker is being honest, they just made the fight all the easier to do as he leaps into the air. “Violet! Lavenza! Koromaru!” Tossing the Sleight forward, Joker watches as Violet manifests first, dashing forward at Azathoth and slamming her rapier into its chest before leaping away, sending out a blast of Bless magic as Lavenza appears on the ground.

While the Bless magic surged against Azathoth, Lavenza opened her Persona Compendium and summoned Lucifer to the field. Not holding back anything, she unleashed a Morning Star on Azathoth, the Almighty magic running rampant even as Azathoth tried to break the Sleight by throwing random cards at it. Not that it helped, as Koromaru appeared last, rushing forward and leaping at Azathoth’s head, biting down with his fangs while attacking with his claws before leaping away and blasting Azathoth with Maragidyne.

            “This show is over!” Joker shouts, jumping forward and dragging Lupin across Azathoth’s chest with a 9 card. The Keyblade easily passes through as Joker lands behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, he watches the golden armour of Azathoth hover in the air before falling to the ground with a loud clang. Seconds later, it vanishes into light as a black card sporting Azathoth’s face appears before Joker. A sense of finality washes over him as he takes the card. “Finally… done with all those world cards.”

            “We must be approaching the end by now, right?” Panther asks as she and the others all appear around Joker. “I mean, this was the last world.”

            “I don’t know.” Muse suddenly comments, even as they all move for the ladders to leave. “Enlil might be waiting for us outside. After all, she is adamant about having a rematch with all of you.”

            “If it’s a rematch she wants, it’s a rematch she’ll get.” Mona remarks as they begin the climb. “Still… doesn’t it feel like we are missing some memories of what happened during that adventure?”

            “It wouldn't surprise me if we are.” Queen comments, reaching the top and turning to help Skull up. "After all, I don't even remember our fight with her." It was obvious that they were still missing something, but if anything in this place had told them, they would be remembering it soon. Even as they entered back into Castle Oblivion's corridors, they felt confident that they could stand against anything Enlil had in store for them. No sooner did they think that than the film reel portal appeared once more.

            “Speak of the devil.” Oracle grumbles as Enlil walks out with a look of disdain on her face.

            “Phantom Thieves… you certainly have come a long way since you first arrived in this place. So much for thinking your memories would halt your advance. But then again, they were nothing but memories."

            “That's what happened when you underestimate us, Enlil.” Joker comments, with him and the others on edge, not even considering commenting on Enlil's new hair colour.

            “Ah… I see you all remembered my real name. This will make things so much easier." Enlil says to the group before her eyes move towards Muse. "Hikari… is this really how you are going to repay me? By joining up with the ones who almost killed me?"

            “Of course I am!” Muse shouts back, eyes narrowed. "You tried to trap me in one of your Cinemas by showing me nothing but all my traumas. You did nothing to help me move on, and instead, all you did was keep me as a prisoner in my own despair!”

            “I did all of that to relieve you of your pain! I had nothing but the desire to free everyone from their pain!” Enlil shouts back, anger filling her eyes. “I even allowed you to leave once you showed the will to move past your pain! And what did you do? Stab me in the back!”

            “Because your ‘Salvation Plan’ is nothing but tyranny wrapped up in a false sense of hope!” Muse shouts back. “You never once helped anyone trapped in your Cinemas to move past! You did everything you could to keep them trapped!” Enlil could feel her anger grow as Muse continued to defy her, even as she took out a blue card from her coat and tossed it right at Joker, who caught it between his fingers.

            “Fine then… If you think you can still move on from your pain, then find me inside that world. If you think you can save your friends, then by all means, face me in my own domain. That is… if you have the strength to beat me.” Enlil spins on her heels, opening up her portal once more as she walks through. “Don’t keep me waiting…” With that one last word, she walks through the portal, closing behind her as the Thieves all stand in silence. As for Joker, he looks at the card in his hand, eyes narrowed in determination as he pockets it.

            “Fine then. We’ll play your game, Enlil.” He remarks quietly, walking forward as the Thieves follow after him, quiet determination trailing in their footsteps as they climb to the next floor. “If it’s a fight you want, we are more than happy to oblige.”

Chapter Text

Names of S.E.E.S in the past. (And Takaya and Jin…)

Minato  -  Aleks  -  Leopardus Union

Minako  -  Kotone   -  Leopardus Union   

Yukari   -  Heather  -  Ursus Union

Junpei  -  Zeno  -  Ursus Union

Akihiko  -  Alejandro  -  Ursus Union

Fuuka  -  Suzie  -  Unicornis Union

Mitsuru  -  Allegra  -  Leopardus Union

Aigis  -  Dawn  -  Vulpes Union

Ken  -  Justine  -  Unicornis Union

Shinjiro  -  Justice  -  Ursus Union

Chidori  -  Merit  -  Vulpes Union

Labrys  -  Cindy  -  Unicornis Union

Takaya  -  Daman  -  Anguis Union

Jin  -  Chris  -  Leopardus Union

Names of the Investigation Team in the past (And Sho…) 

Yu   -  Johnny  -  Vulpes Union

Yosuke  -  Yuri  -  Unicornis Union

Chie  -  Erin  -  Ursus Union

Yukiko  -  Amanda  -  Unicornis Union

Kanji  -  Troy  -  Vulpes Union

Rise  -  Ashly  -  Vulpes Union

Teddie  -  Sam  -  Leopardus Union

Naoto  -  Anna   -  Anguis Union
 
Sho  -  Todd  -  Ursus Union

Names of the Phantom Thieves in the past (And Kasumi…) 

Ren  -  Xander  -  Anguis Union 

Morgana  -  Lee  -  Leopardus Union

Ryuji  -  Max  -  Ursus Union

Ann  -  Erika  -  Vulpes Union

Yusuke  -  Mathew  -  Anguis Union

Makoto  -  Cherami  -  Unicornis Union

Futaba  -  Erica  -  Anguis Union   

Haru  -  Xanthe  -  Vulpes Union    

Mishima  -  Sean  -  Leopardus Union

Shiho  -  Chirstine  -  Vulpes Union   

Hifumi  -  Eden  -  Anguis Union     

Sumire  -  Laura  -  Unicornis Union 

Sae  -  Elizabeth  -  Anguis Union      

Akechi  -  Robbie  -  Ursus Union       

Kasumi  -  Kasu  -  Vulpes Union

Chapter Text

Chapter 17: The Chilly Academic’s Last Stand.

Knight couldn’t take his eyes off the card that Vexen had given him. He knew for certain that the world it depicted was one he had never visited before. Yet, there was something about it that felt familiar to him in a different way. Compared to the memories of Naminé that were forming in his head, it did not feel out of place or foreign. But that still didn’t answer the question of what world this card represented, why it was attached to him, or what Vexen meant when he revealed it.

            “A card crafted from the memories on the other side of your heart… What did Vexen mean by that?” Jiminy asks, hopping onto Knight’s shoulder.

            “I don’t know… And I know for certain I’ve never been there. But I feel something familiar about it. And unlike the memories of Naminé, it doesn’t feel out of place.” Knight replies, looking at the door. “But we’ll find out what this world is soon enough. It’s our only way forward to the top.” Without any other world card left, Knight walks to the door and holds it high. Just like all the others, the door swings open, engulfing them all in a bright light as they feel themselves move to a new area. When the light fades away, the group finds themselves standing in a large common area, with a small building in the middle of a tram line while houses and shops line the sides. But the most notable thing about this new world was that the sky was cloaked in the light of twilight.

            “Gawrsh, this place looks nice.” Goofy remarks, glancing around the area.

            “But where are we?” Donald asks, looking at Knight. “Do you know?” Knight shakes his head, no name coming to his mind until he notices something at his feet: a flyer for some sort of competition, but it seems to have faded away from exposure. However, there is something written on it that can still be made out.

            “Twilight Town… Is that the name of this place?” Knight asks aloud as an empty tram moves past them. “Either way, we definitely have never been here. To be honest, I was expecting the next world to be where we faced Ansem.”

            “I don’t even remember where we fought him.” Jiminy admits, rubbing his head. “And yet, until now, all of the worlds we have visited have been worlds from Knight’s memories.”

            “So… where did this world come from?” Donald asks as Knight lets out a suspicious hum. “All of our memories are gone, except for what we have inside this castle. Even the memories of the others are hard to remember.”

            “You mean Joker and the others?” Knight asks with growing worry. “You guys did say you were struggling to remember how they looked. Do you still remember their names?” Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy fold their arms as they rack their brains hard, delving into what little memories they still have.

            “Let’s see… I still remember their codenames… but…” Goofy closes his eyes, trying hard to remember, only to let out a groan. “It’s no good… I can only remember their codenames.”

            “That's right. I can only remember that too. Joker, Mona, Skull, Panther, Fox, Queen, Oracle, Noir, Outlaw, Spring, Shinobi, Athena, Crow, Violet, Edelweiss, and Sophie.” Jiminy adds, nodding his head. “That’s all I can remember.”

            “What?” Knight asks with growing horror. “That’s all you can remember? But what about Boss and the others?” Seeing the trio shake their heads at Knight sends a cold shiver down his spine. Right now, he could be the only one to remember everything outside. And that does nothing to help ease his worry that Joker and the others have forgotten about him. He reaches into his pocket, his hand grasping the charm that had somehow replaced Kairi’s. At this point, it was all he could do to hold onto it and keep himself sane.

            “Sora… I’m so sorry. All of this is my fault…”

A voice echoes in his mind, one that was not Bahamut’s or anyone else’s, for that matter. And the guilt that was evident in the words… whoever said that must have been suffering. That made him all the more determined to get through this new world and reach the top. All of their answers waited for him; he could feel it.

            “Let’s keep moving and find our way out of here. The sooner we find everyone, the sooner we can start trying to find out how to get your memories back.” Knight tells the trio as Jiminy hops onto his shoulder. Donald and Goofy both nod at Knight with gratitude as the four turn to move through the memories of Twilight Town. But even as they move forward, Knight can’t help but think that something is going to happen.

Or that it felt as if someone was watching him with an invisible gaze…

            “Well… ain’t this an interesting turn of events?” Axel asks Larxene and Marluxia, the three of them watching Knight walk through Twilight Town. “It would appear that Sora is now exploring a world he has never seen before. I wonder how this will affect him?”

            “Who cares, so long as he turns into our puppet.” Larxene remarks, folding her arms. “Still, isn’t Vexen playing this a little bit dangerously? It’s like he’s trying to kill Sora before he becomes ours.”

            “That’s not good.” Axel quips, shaking his head. “If Sora is eliminated, that would mess up the Organization’s plans.” Marluxia closes his eyes for a moment, silently debating the current situation before opening them again, with a cold glare levelled at the orb.

            “Then I trust that you know what needs to be done, Axel.” He glances at Axel, who turns his back to him, waving a hand in the air in a clueless fashion.

            “I haven’t got a clue, really. Maybe you could spell it out to me.” Larxene rolls her eyes at him in an irritated manner, while Marluxia lets out an amused scoff.

            “You so do love your flair for the dramatics, but I will humour you.” Marluxia lets an amused smile cross his face for a moment before steeling his face into a neutral expression. “Vexen has clearly committed a treasonous act against the Organization. You must eliminate the traitor.” Axel, with his back turned to Marluxia, feels his shoulders tense at the command. He knows what that would mean and what would happen to Vexen. It is an order that, once complete, could never be taken back.

            “No taking that back later.” Axel remarks to Marluxia, flexing his hands. His face is not visible to either Marluxia or Larxene, and he is glad he isn’t showing them his face, for they would see the uncomfortable look etched on it. When he hears no reply from them, Axel allows a portal of darkness to take him from the room as Marluxia changes the orb. Although Axel’s absence does give Larxene the opening she needs.

            “By the way, where did Enlil go?” She asks, folding her arms. Marluxia glances at her, a smirk on his face as the orb shows the Phantom Thieves ascending the stairs to a new level, Joker looking at the world card in his hand.

            “It is quite simple. Enlil has decided to end her game with the Phantom Thieves for good. She informed me earlier that she's planning on eliminating the group. Permanently.” While Larxene allowed a wide smile to form on her face, Naminé’s face was filled with shock as Larxene let out a dominatrix laugh.

            “About time she decided to do that! I can’t wait to see them pleading for their lives!” She looks at the orb, her eyes falling on Muse. “And what about Hikari? Will she be spared, or will she meet the same fate?” Marluxia shakes his head, his smile not leaving his face as Naminé feels her fear rise.

            “I do not know. However, it would not surprise me if she did. At this point, Hikari is now more or less a liability to our plans in comparison to Naminé. But we will just have to wait and see what happens once Enlil confronts her former friend for what may be the final time.” While Larxene was happy to wait and see, Naminé could only clasp her hands together and close her eyes.

            Hikari… Sora… Everyone… Please be safe!

Surprisingly, this world that Knight was in seemed far more peaceful than he expected, and a lot simpler to navigate as well. The fights they had were few and far between, and even then, they weren’t that difficult. Almost as though it was luring him into a false sense of security. So when he found what would usually be the last door to open, Knight was naturally unsure of what to expect. It certainly wasn’t walking out of a forest and up to a large mansion with its gates closed. But that wasn’t the main thing on Knight’s mind as he looked over the place. That sense of familiarity was still inside him, and it seemed to grow stronger as he stayed in this world.

            “What’s wrong?” Goofy asks, catching Knight glancing around the place with a concerned look.

            “Something feels… very strange.” Knight admits to Goofy as he looks up at the mansion. “I’m sure I don’t know this place, but it’s starting to feel like it’s familiar to me… and not like the memories I have of Naminé.”

            “Then you must have come here sometime before.” Donald comments, only for Knight to shake his head.

            “That’s not it. It’s like… I’m experiencing it from someone else’s point of view. Or rather… from two people.” Knight clarifies, resting a hand on his heart. “But… I can’t put my finger on it. Who was here and why?” Donald and Goofy glance at each other, unsure of how to answer that question. After all, they were just as clueless about everything happening around them as well.

            “So, feeling nostalgic?” Vexen's voice echoes around them before he appears right at the gate, a cold smirk on his face.

            “Vexen!” Knight shouts as he, Donald, and Goofy fall into their stances.

            “Nice to see you again, Sora… I hope you enjoyed your time in this world, because I have a question for you… Your memories of Naminé or your feelings about this place, which do you think is more real?” Knight tilts his head at Vexen, the question taking him by surprise as he thinks hard. His pause actually gives Vexen a moment of surprise as Knight slowly looks back at him.

            “I don't know… I mean, every step I took in this place has had me questioning myself far too many times…” Knight freely admits. “My memories of Naminé… even if they feel right, there is something wrong with them. But my feelings about this place… they feel real to me.” Vexen's eyes widen in shock at Knight's answer, something that he was not expecting in its entirety.

            “So… you do not trust your own memories? How interesting.” Vexen replies, rubbing his chin. “The memory’s wiles can be cruel. In its silence, we forget. In its obsession, it binds our hearts.” Knight rolls his eyes at Vexen’s riddles as he holds his hands up. “As I told you, this place is created solely from another side of your memory. It is on the other side of your heart that the memory of this place exists. It is your heart that remembers.”

            “My heart?” Knight asks, resting a hand on his chest. “Are you talking about two people I can feel?” Vexen’s smile seemed to grow wider at that.

            “Yes. I suppose you could call them a brother and sister from a certain point of view. YOUR brother and sister.” Knight looks up in shock and surprise while Donald and Goofy’s jaws fall to the floor with a comedic clang.

            “What!? But that's impossible! I don't have a brother or sister!” Knight shouts, shaking his head. Vexen lets out a sigh as he shakes his head, disappointed at how Knight so quickly denied them.

            “So you are letting yourself remain bound by the chain of memories, even if you have lost your faith in them? Such a shame. You refuse to believe what is truly found in your heart. Then you should throw it all away. You are not a Keyblade Master or a Persona user, just a slave to twisted memories. Yes… just like your puppet of a brother, puppet of a sister, and of course, my puppet Riku. Your existence is worth nothing!”

            “A puppet? Worth nothing?” Knight asks, an anger building inside him as Vexen summons his shield. Hearing him call Riku a puppet was bad enough, but hearing him call these other two people puppets as well… it ignited an anger in him that he didn’t even know he had. Even if he was sure that he had no siblings, for him to even say that! “That’s enough! Don’t you dare call them that!” Knight shouts, summoning Kingdom Key to his side as Donald and Goofy transform into cards. “I’ll make you eat those words, Vexen! I’ll never throw away my heart! I’m going to take all of you down, find Riku, Naminé, Hikari, and the Thieves, and get out of here! Then, I’m going to find these siblings for myself and head back home to Kairi! THAT’S what’s in my heart!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OY2yfnlbM : The 13^th Struggle)

With that, Knight charges forward, lining up a Sleight as Vexen counters with a 3. Slashing his shield forward and summoning a pillar of ice, he forces Knight to dodge to the side. With Vexen's side exposed, Knight unleashes a Strike Raid at his flank, hitting Vexen three times and stunning him before quickly following up with a Sonic Blade Sleight. But it doesn't take long for Vexen to snap out of his daze and load up his own Sleight.

            “Ice Needle!” Vexen shouts, slamming a hand into the ground and sending out a wave of ice needles at Knight, forcing him back as he loads up another Sleight. “Your time is coming to an end, Sora! Freeze!” Bringing his Sleight to bear, Vexen attempts to freeze Knight in place, only to have it broken as Knight counters with a zero Fire card. The orb of fire slams into Vexen’s shield harmlessly.

            “Nice try! But not today!” Knight shouts, grabbing Donald's card and summoning him to the field. The first thing the duck does is heal him up with a Curaga before bringing down a Thundaga on Vexen before vanishing away, giving Knight some breathing room as Vexen charges forward, slashing out with his shield and generating another pillar of ice.

            “You do not see you are being used as a pawn!” Vexen shouts as he lines up another Sleight. “And I will make sure you never do!” At that, he activates Ice Needle again, sending out a wave of ice that Knight was barely able to jump over as he lined up another Sleight.

            “Goofy!” He calls, activating the Sleight and calling the captain of the guard. The moment Goofy touched down, he went into a spin and started circling around Vexen, forcing him to angle his shield at Goofy and deflect the blow as Knight came in from behind. Slashing his Keyblade at Vexen’s exposed back with a three-hit combo, he sent him flying into the wall. Although that was the last card he had, Knight had to do a quick reload to get his deck back, ducking under a shield swing from Vexen, who lined up another Sleight.

            “Freeze!” Vexen calls out, once more freezing Knight in place and allowing him to get a cheap hit in, sending Knight flying into the iron gate and forcing it open. He almost crashes into a stone pillar inside the inner courtyard as he suddenly dodges more ice from Vexen, who attacks with a 9 card. As Knight quickly goes onto the defensive, Vexen pushes his advantage and chases after him, swinging his shield in wide arcs and summoning giant pillars of ice, using up all his cards until he runs out. This is something that Knight is quick to catch as he counters with his own attacks, forcing Vexen back as he uses a green item card to regain his lost cards.

            “You are more stubborn than my data led me to believe!” Vexen admits, jumping back and lining up a Sleight. “But I will not fall! Ice Needle!” Once more slamming his hand into the ground, Vexen sends out a wave of ice at Knight as he ducks to the side, his own Sleight lined up and ready to counter.

            “Then you know I won’t fall here!” Knight shouts, rushing up and leaping into the air. “Ars Arcanum!” Without giving Vexen a chance to breathe, Knight launches into the multi-hit attack, each strike forcing Vexen back even as he lines up a Sleight. But as Knight is about to land the final hit, Vexen breaks him with a zero card, catching him with his shield and hitting him back with an obelisk of ice.

            “Then how about you stop this? Slide Break!” Pointing his shield into the air, Vexen generates a large blade of ice before rushing forward at Knight. Slashing at him in two large arcs, he forces Knight to duck under the swings in quick succession before jumping up and plunging his shield into the ground, sending out a shockwave that sends Knight flying back before he reorients mid-air. “Still not done?”

            “Not yet!” Knight calls back, rushing forward and dragging Kingdom Key along the ground. “Not ever!” Leaping into the air, Knight brings Kingdom Key down on Vexen, forcing him to block the strike and push Knight into the air. This was what he wanted as he followed up with a Sleight of three fire spells. “Firaga!” From the tip, a large orb of fire shoots down towards Vexen, far larger than what his shield could block as the flames lick around him. Stunned by the flames, he is helpless before Knight's next attack of normal strikes, followed up by another Strike Raid.

            “No…” Vexen remarks, feeling his grip on his shield weakening. “I will not fall to you!” He tightens his grip while stocking up a new Sleight, eyes locked on Knight as he blocks the next strike with ease. “You are but a puppet!”

            “I am no one’s puppet!” Knight shouts back, forcing Vexen back as he lines up a Sleight. “And I won’t let you boss me around! Flatten!” Tearing his mask off as the Sleight activates, Knight summons Bahamut to the field. The dragon king glares at Vexen as he brings his foot down on the mad scientist, kicking up a cloud of dust as Vexen floats away, injured but alive.

            “It is time to bring this game to an end!” Vexen shouts, ice building up around him as ice particles form all around them. “Diamond Dust!” Suddenly, the entire area is engulfed in a white snowstorm, blinding Knight as the cold wind saps away at his strength. He can feel his body dramatically cool down as Vexen laughs through the storm. But he is not without options as he lines up one more Sleight.

            “It’s not over yet! Flare Breath!” As Bahamut comes to his side, he unleashes a stream of blue flames into the mist. The heat burns away the ice and snow as the flames catch Vexen by surprise, bringing the sudden snowstorm to an end as Vexen grasps his shoulder. He looks up in shock at Knight, who slowly walks up to him, with Bahamut hovering behind him as his final Sleight is readied.

            “How? How are you still standing?” Vexen asks, shocked that Knight is not a frozen popsicle.

            “I’ve faced attacks worse than that! This fight is over, Vexen!” Knight shouts, with Bahamut taking to the sky above him, his wings spread wide as light gathers in them. “Megaflare!” Activating the triple 9 Sleight, Knight commands Bahamut to unleash his most powerful attack on Vexen. The man holds his shield up in a feeble attempt to block the strike, but it is shattered upon impact. The following explosion sends Vexen flying back to the open gate of the mansion, landing heavily on his back as he lets out a groan of pain, while Knight breathes heavily with Donald and Goofy reappearing next to him.

To his surprise, a black card appeared before him with a picture of Vexen’s face. Why a card of him appeared now was certainly strange, but Knight didn’t have time to question that. Right now, his attention was on Vexen, who was busy trying to stand up again.

            “Urgh… I will admit, you have such strength, even at the mercy of your memory.” Vexen comments, looking up at Knight with drops of sweat running down his face.

            “None of that matters! Tell me who you claim is supposed to be my brother and sister! And put Riku back to how he was!” Knight demands, pointing the Kingdom Key at Vexen, who struggles to stand.

            “Just put him back…? Tell you who your brother and sister are?” Vexen asks, a deranged smile on his face. “Why should I tell you… about the siblings you don’t deserve? And the Riku you speak of… had but one fate: to sink into the darkness… and you share that fate, Sora!” Knight raises an eyebrow at Vexen, wondering what the hell he was even rambling on about. “If you continue to seek the girl, Naminé, the shackles will tighten, you’ll lose your heart… and end up becoming Marluxia’s pawn!”

            “Marluxia?” Knight asks, tilting his head slightly. “Who is he? Another one of you guys? Is he the one who guided me and the others to—” Before Knight can ask, a flaming chakram flies past his head, slamming into Vexen's chest and sending him sprawling on the floor in pain. Shocked, Knight turns around to find, to his, Donald's, and Goofy's surprise, Axel standing behind them, arm held out. “Axel!?”

            “Yo, Sora! Or would you rather prefer Knight while in that getup?” Axel replies cheerily. “Sorry to interrupt, did I catch you at a bad time?” The smile he gave Knight sent a slight shiver down his spine. It was a smile that promised a bad time, yet at the same time, it also looked forced.

            “Axel? Why…?” Vexen asks, forcing himself up as Axel folds his arms.

            “I came to stop you from talking too much… by eliminating your existence.” Axel bluntly replies, grabbing Vexen’s attention as he looks at him with shock and horror.

            “No… Don’t do it!” Vexen pleads, stepping backwards and summoning his shield, which is now broken in two as a result of taking the brunt of Knight's last attack. But Axel simply shakes his head as a chakram hovers behind Vexen, spinning with deadly flames.

            “We are just Nobodies who have one to be, yet we still ‘are’. But now you can be nothing instead of just being a Nobody. You’re off the hook.”

            “No… Please don’t!” Vexen shouts, stepping back with fear clearly on his face, unaware of the chakram right behind him. “I don’t want to—”

            “Goodbye.” With a snap of his fingers, the chakram lunges at Vexen, slamming into his back as the flames rush into Vexen before exploding in a contained blast of fire. With Vexen’s face frozen in a state of horror, Knight watches him slowly vanish into particles of ice and dark smoke, leaving nothing behind as Knight feels a growing sense of horror.

            “What are…?” Knight asks, slowly turning to look at Axel. “What are you people?” Axel looks at Knight, his smile gone and instead replaced by a wince as he rubs his head.

            “Y’know… I wonder that all the time.” Axel replies, his voice heavy as he takes his leave, leaving behind nothing but a heavy atmosphere as Knight looks back at where Vexen once stood.

And seeing nothing that indicated he was once there…

Meanwhile, in a dark room inside the castle, Zexion was busy plotting schemes and plans for their future. But his thoughts were brushed away as a presence he had been keeping track of vanished abruptly. A shocking gap left him speechless as he opened his eyes, seeing Lexaeus appear next to him. His stature was grim as he folded his arms.

            “Vexen is no more.” He reports, his voice grim as Zexion nods his head.

            “Yes, his scent is gone.” He agrees, nodding his head slowly. “Axel struck him down… something I find deplorable. And yet, he would not have done so without good cause. Marluxia must have given him an order to prove his loyalty, and in order not to blow his cover, Axel must have had no choice but to eliminate Vexen.”

            “It is highly possible to be the case.” Lexaeus admits, closing his eyes. “However, with such an act happening in the first place…”

            “Yes. Agents of the Organization striking each other down… Is this what the Superior envisioned would happen when he sent us here?” Zexion questions aloud, his hand grasping his chin.

            “We can ponder such questions at another time. Our current problem is Sora and the Phantom Thieves.” Lexaeus cuts in, opening his eyes. “Vexen was no match for Sora and has remained out of Naminé’s control, and I highly doubt Enlil will win against the Thieves. But even so, they are more than a threat to us.”

            “While I believe our leader will have no trouble with us eliminating the Thieves, the same cannot be said of Sora, correct?” Zexion asks back.

            “Correct. Our leader is in dire need of the hero of light. Although… I wonder how he will react to knowing about Joker’s ability to use a Keyblade. Unless he already knows and has yet to tell us.”

            “I suppose he would be more than happy to know.” Zexion comments. “But it does not explain what we should do about Sora.” Lexaeus closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as he leans back on his feet.

            “When light loses sight of its path, we may find use for the dark. What we must do is obtain the darkness.” Zexion closes his eyes as he thinks on Lexaeus’s words. He couldn’t be talking about Joker, as there is no way he or the others would follow them. But there was one other person in the castle who had been largely ignored all this time.

            “Riku… Of course.”

            “Hmph… Axel knows how to deal with traitors, doesn’t he?” Larxene remarks to Marluxia, who nods his head at her. They had only just changed the orb to show the fight between Sora and Vexen halfway through, yet what they saw still amused them. “Vexen never saw it coming.”

            “That he did not. Although I must admit, Vexen did an admirable job of faking fear. I almost found myself believing him.” Marluxia quips in an amused tone, just as Axel returns to them.

            “Nice work. I say good riddance to that blabbermouth.” Larxene praises Axel, who doesn’t even glance at her. His eyes paint a different story as he looks right at Marluxia.

            “Marluxia… you used Vexen to test Sora’s strength, didn’t you?” Axel comments, folding his arms.

            “Not just Sora’s. It was yours, too.” Larxene reveals, with Axel raising an eyebrow at that remark. Why did they need to test him? They all knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, so why? “We weren’t sure if you actually had it in your bones to take out a fellow member.”

            Ah… that’s why. Axel silently remarks as Larxene walks up to him. I already had that resolve before I got here. It’s my job, after all, as much as I hate it.

            “Well, I guess you did. It’s time to join up.” Larxene tells him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Taking over the Organization will be child’s play with the three of us. And with Enlil’s power giving us an edge, even the Superior wouldn’t stand a chance against us.”

            “And that's where Sora comes in… and the Phantom Thieves as well, if you could control them.” Axel surmises, his face betraying nothing.

            “Of course. But those Thieves are so uncooperative that we have no use for them, even if their leader can use a Keyblade. And as for Sora, he wants to see Naminé, so why don't we just give him what he wants?” She looks at Marluxia, who smirks at her idea with a nod before turning to look at Naminé, her eyes locked on her closed drawing book.

            “Rejoice, Naminé. The time is near for you to meet the hero that you’ve been longing for.” Naminé gives Marluxia a sidelong glance before returning her gaze to her book, not giving him a reply as she closes her eyes.

            “What? Not happy? I thought you would be excited to see him again.” Larxene remarks, walking over to her. “But we’re warning you. You better not do anything to betray Sora’s feelings. Do you understand me, little one?”

            “It’s Sora you should focus on. Not me.” Naminé replies bluntly, stunning Larxene. “Even with what I have done, he won’t act as your puppet. Sora’s heart, no matter what you do, cannot be chained down.”

            “You little…” Larxene growls, balling up a hand just as Axel places a hand on her shoulder.

            “Easy, Larxene. If you attack her, Sora will not take too kindly to you. Or do you want to end up like Vexen?” Larxene pulls her shoulder from Axel's grip, letting out a huff as Marluxia turns to the orb.

            “All you need to do, Naminé, is layer Sora's memories and bring his heart closer to you, regardless of how free it is.” Marluxia tells Naminé, his voice even. At least, until something in the orb catches his attention. “Well now… it would appear something else warrants our attention.”

            “What?” Larxene asks, walking up to the orb as her eyes widen in shock. “What the—? How the hell—?”

            “Wow. Never knew that could happen.” Axel remarks, glancing at Larxene, who was growing angrier by the second. “Looks like we have a leak in the castle.”

            “I had a feeling this was going to happen.” Larxene remarks, pinching between her eyes and shaking her head. “But did anyone listen to me? No.” Axel shakes his head, clearly remembering that Larxene had never once brought it up as he looked over at Marluxia.

            “Want me to handle this problem as well?”

            “No need.” Marluxia replies, his voice calm but his eyes dancing with fury. “I will deal with this matter personally. Larxene…” He turns to her, eyes narrow. “Follow Repliku from the shadows. Intervene only when necessary.”

            “Only when necessary? Fine.” Larxene grumbles as she leaves the room in a corridor of darkness, with Marluxia turning his gaze to Axel.

            “Watch over Naminé. Do not let her escape like with Hikari.”

            “Don’t worry. I won’t let her leave.” Axel replies, folding his arms and leaning on the wall. Marluxia nods at him before he, too, vanishes into a dark corridor. With them gone, Naminé opens her book, showing the picture she drew of herself with Sora, Riku, and Kairi as Axel watched from the wall. But when she turned the page, what he saw next almost made him gasp in shock.

It was a drawing that still had Sora and Naminé in it, but now it had two people in black coats: one was a male with spiky blond hair, and the other was a female with short black hair. While Axel knew without a doubt who the male Organization member with spiky blond hair was, the female with short black hair caught his interest. He may not recall seeing that person's face before, but he might have a general idea of who it could be.

            You really want to meet them, huh? But how did you find out about them? Was it from looking into Sora's heart? Axel wonders to himself as he closes his eyes. I wonder how those three are doing as well… Man, I wish this were over already… Chixada, keep an eye on Roxas for me for a little while longer. I'll be done here soon. And if that other one is assumed to be Xion, keep an eye on her for me as well, will ya? I have the strangest feeling you three became friends while I've been gone. And brother and sister, huh? That is certainly a wild claim, Vexen. But now that I think about it… Roxas would make a good brother for Sora. 

Their visit to Twilight Town was, so far, the shortest world they had been to. Other than the fight with Vexen and Axel’s appearance, there wasn’t much else to do here than take in the sights. But eventually, they managed to find the way out as Knight opened the doors leading back into Castle Oblivion’s hallways, along with someone waiting for him in the middle of the hallway. Someone that Knight was already expecting to see. This was all the more pressing as Donald and Goofy didn’t have a chance to return to normal.

            “Riku…” Knight comments quietly, walking up to him. He already had a feeling of how this was going to go.

            “You’ll hurt Naminé going forward.” Riku tells him, Soul Eater in hand.

            “You still want to fight? But Vexen is gone! You’re free now!” Knight protests, refusing to summon the Kingdom Key to his side.

            “It doesn’t matter what happens to him. I’m protecting Naminé from you, and once you are gone, I’ll get Hikari back from the Phantom Thieves. That’s what’s in my heart.”

            “Hikari is with Joker and the others?” Knight asks, surprise in his voice. “Why do you want to take her back from them? She’s not in danger!”

            “As if I care about that!” Riku snaps back, throwing a hand out. “Sora, I made a promise to both Naminé and Hikari. I promised to keep them both safe.” He holds his left hand up, grasping it tightly. “There was a meteor shower… this one night when the three of us were little.” Knight tilts his head at that. He knows that both Naminé and Hikari were never on Destiny Islands, so why…?

            “Naminé got scared and said, ‘What if a shooting star hits the islands?’ So I told her, ‘If a shooting star comes this way, I will protect you both!’ Hikari got upset at that, saying she would protect me in case I messed up. We both held up toy swords, batting away the stars while Naminé laughed. That memory is more precious to me than anything else.”

            “Riku…” Knight breathes as Riku reaches into his pocket, pulling out a yellow star charm that is exactly the same as the one Knight had.

            “I promised, on this very charm they gave me, that I would protect them. No matter what.” He places the charm back into his pocket, raising his sword above his head. “No matter who comes my way, I WILL protect them!” With that declaration, Riku lunges at Knight, forcing him to dodge even as he refuses to summon Kingdom Key.

            “I won’t fight you, Riku! Not any more!” Knight shouts back, holding his shield in his left arm as Riku’s blade collides with him. The attack is nullified just like how Vexen’s shield did the same.

            “Then I’ll just beat you into submission!” Riku shouts, lashing out with a Helm Splitter, forcing Knight to duck away. The cards in his deck scream at him to fight back, but Knight refuses to do so even as Riku sends out a blast of Dark Firaga at them. Knowing his shield wouldn’t stop that, Knight rolls to the side as the burst of flame shoots past. But just as it looks like Knight will do nothing but defend, something happens with the cards in his deck. Three of them form a Sleight of their own just as Riku comes at Knight with a Helm Splitter, activating by themselves.

The first card that appeared was Cloud, stopping Riku’s attack cold as he slashed at him with a Cross Slash, sending Riku flying up. Tinker Bell suddenly appeared next to Knight, giving him passive regeneration. As Riku reoriented in the air, Genie suddenly appeared before him, sending him to the ground with a burst of Graviga, followed by Thundaga as he was pinned to the ground and then frozen in place by Stopga.

            “What?” Knight asks in confusion as he looks at his deck. “My summon cards? Why did they—?” Before he can finish that question, three more of the cards form another Sleight just as Riku is freed from the spell.

            “You’ll pay for that!” Riku shouts, rushing at Knight with a 9 while he blocks with his shield. “Stop hiding and fight me!” Riku shouts, wailing at Knight’s shield even as he refuses to fight back. Growing frustrated, Riku leaps back and forms a Dark Firaga Sleight, sending the dark fireball right at Knight. Only Knight’s Sleight activates by itself, cancelling the Dark Firaga as Mushu appears, leaping into the air and breathing flames down around Riku.

As the flames blind Riku’s vision, Bambi follows after and starts prancing around the field, generating HP orbs and stunning Riku every time he bounces into him. But he isn't given a chance to breathe as Dumbo appears next and douses Riku in water, extinguishing the flames around him but trapping Riku in ice as Knight shakes his head.

            “Why are my cards acting on their own?” He asks out loud as three more cards form a Sleight in his mind. Not that Riku was asking those questions as he broke out of the ice, glaring daggers right at Knight.

            “Enough is enough!” He shouts, rushing at him and leaping into the air. “Go home, now!” Bringing his blade down, Riku saw Knight bring his shield up to protect him, only to smirk as he quickly activated the Sleight he had prepared. Summoning Raiden, he unleashes a Deathbound at point-blank range, with the attack hitting both of them and sending them flying in opposite directions. But while Riku landed on his feet, he was stunned to see Edge suddenly rushing toward him, a blade of light in one hand and a sword in the other, unleashing a quick multi-hit combo on him before vanishing, just as Agnès appeared behind him. Blasting him with Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara in quick succession, Simba appeared next to her. Letting out a thunderous roar that defended Riku, the impact of the sound almost sent him to the floor as he spied Knight standing up again, still holding his shield and looking none the worse for wear.

            “Riku…” Knight whispers, seeing his best friend struggle to stand. “Please stop this. It’s not worth it.” Riku growls at Knight, spinning on his heels and racing up the stairs, leaving behind a blue world card that Knight gently picks up, depicting a world he has not seen in a long time. “Is this… my homeworld?”

            “You mean the Destiny Islands?” Jiminy asks, appearing on Knight's shoulder as Donald and Goofy finally appear from their cards since the battle with Vexen. “Why did he drop this card?”

            “Well… it is our home after all. I’m surprised that it wasn’t the first world we visited.” Knight admits, looking back at the stairs. “But still… why is Riku acting like this? Vexen is gone, so he should be free. So why…?”

            “I don’t like this.” Donald bluntly remarks, folding his arms. “This could be a trap.”

            “When is it never?” Knight asks, shaking his head and pocketing the card. “Either way, it’s our only way forward. We have to be getting closer to Naminé. And if what Riku said is true, then Joker and the others must be nearby with Hikari as well. When we all meet up, we can finally get some answers.”

            “I sure hope so.” Jiminy comments, folding his arms. “This place has been nothing but questions without answers.”

            “I sure hope Joker and the others still remember everything.” Goofy comments worriedly as the group heads up the stairs. It is a genuine concern as well. After all, who knows what these people were doing to them?

They could only hope Joker and the others were having a better time than they were.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18: Enlil’s Revenge!

            “So… this is the Theatre District where Enlil made her base?” Skull asks as the team walks down a narrow path flanked by movie theatres of all types, while film reels float above them. There are even a few buildings that look like stage play theatres instead of movie theatres. “Just a buncha movie theatres?”

            “Yes. This is where Enlil waited for us after we all decided we would stop her ‘Salvation Plan’.” Muse replies, glancing around her as she lets out a sigh. “Although getting to her wasn’t easy.”

            “That doesn’t surprise me.” Panther remarks, folding her arms. “Did she do the classic plan of laying down traps or puzzles for us to get past?”

            “No. Instead, you all had to fight the bosses from the films again.” Muse replies as everyone lets out a groan.

            “For real? That’s just like what Salmael tried to do to stop us from reaching him.” Outlaw comments, shaking his head. “Please tell me we don’t have to do that here. I don’t think any of us want to fight Kamoshida again, in any shape or form.”

            “No, I don't think so. Thank Kami.” Oracle replies, a map hovering before her. “I'm only picking up one room we need to explore; all the rest are empty. Looks like Enlil is not wasting time with us.”

            “And I’d rather she didn’t.” Joker replies, hands in his pockets. “After all, the sooner we get past her, the sooner we can hopefully regroup with Knight. It’s been far too long since we got separated.”

            “No arguments from us.” Queen replies as the team continues down the very obvious path. It seems that Enlil is not wasting time with them, as the path to the room is surprisingly quiet. Of course, such emptiness does warrant suspicion, and the team never drops their guard for even a moment.

            “Still, what do you think Enlil has in store for us?” Violet asks as they come to the only door they can find. “Will she also be locked to the cards like Joker?”

            “She will be.” Muse replies as Joker holds up a card, opening the way forward. “Marluxia was adamant about making it so that no one could break his rules, not even himself.”

            “I suppose that is one benefit we have.” Mona comments as the team walks forward, entering an area made up of film reels and discarded filming equipment. In the middle, surrounded by floodlights, is a tower of equipment rising high into the sky, with Enlil herself standing atop it, her outline encompassed by the glow of the moon behind her.

            “Well, well… you certainly took your time to arrive. Having a stroll down memory lane, are we?” She asks in a smug tone, looking down at the Thieves, arms folded.

            “And run right into a fight without a clear head? You underestimate us.” Crow remarks, grabbing his weapon. Enlil lets out a tsk at that as she jumps down from the top, landing gracefully before the Thieves.

            “So… what have you come up with this time? There are no distorted movies for you to steal this time. No one's cognition for you to change in order to defeat me. No hearts to steal, no desires to claim. And you don't even have one of those Calling Cards to infuriate me with. What can you possibly do to defeat me when you couldn't even kill me in the first place?” The Thieves all raise an eyebrow at that as Enlil shakes her head at them. “You have not even remembered? You failed to kill me in the end. Instead, you managed to convince me to abandon my ‘Salvation Plan’, showing me the great potential of humanity.”

            “So why have you returned, Enlil?” Muse asks, walking up to her with narrowed eyes. “You said you would only return when humanity wished for it. So why? Why did you hide yourself in me? Why are you trying to bring your ‘Salvation Plan’ back? Why do you want to kill me!?”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9sKDfH5JSk : The Calm)

            “Why?” Enlil asks, lowering her head and hiding her eyes. “It is simple. You betrayed me.” She glares back up at Muse as Enlil summons a weapon to her side: a long, elegant silver rapier. “You, who were my client, betrayed me and joined with them, bringing my Salvation Plan to ruin and freeing everyone from my domain! I have not forgotten the pain I felt, the rage that coursed through me at your betrayal! And I am the result of that pain, my own Shadow made manifest! And now… you and your friends will pay the price, Hikari!”

            “If you think we're just going to let you kill Muse, then you have another thing coming, Enlil!” Joker says as he readies his Keyblade. "Let's dance!"

The moment those words left his mouth, all of the Thieves turned into cards as Enlil charged at Joker, the two clashing blades for a moment as they both attacked with a 5 card. The two separated, creating distance as Joker lined up a Sleight while Enlil charged at him again with a 9 card. Not that it lasted, as Joker countered with his Sleight, bashing her away with a Riot Gun. Enlil snarled at Joker as she lined up her own Sleight, just as Joker charged in with an 8 card, followed by a 4, then a 6.

            “I will not be baited by such pitiful tactics!” Enlil shouts, leaping backwards and rushing at Joker with a 5. Rolling to the side, Joker dodges the attack as he lines up another Riot Gun Sleight, but as he goes to activate it, Enlil counters with her own Sleight, managing to get one point higher than Joker.

            “Pierce Rapier!” Enlil cries, lunging forward at a fast pace, hitting Joker square in the chest and sending him skidding backward. Seeing his stagger, Enlil charges in, aiming to stab Joker in the chest again, only to find herself frozen as Joker counters with a Stopga spell, giving him time to use a 6 Cure spell card to heal himself. Not that it lasted long, as Enlil soon broke out of the spell and charged at Joker again, a 9 card indicating her attack as Joker dodged to the side, watching as she stocked up another Sleight.

            “Garudyne!” Enlil commands, sending the blast of wind at Joker, but just as her spell is about to hit him, he counters with his own Sleight, sending a Strike Raid at Enlil, hitting her two times and stunning her. With an opening, Joker charges forward and strikes out with two quick hits before jumping back as Enlil attempts to counter him. Seeing him out of reach, Enlil lines up yet another Sleight as electricity sparks over her blade.

            “Ziodyne!” Thrusting her blade forward, Enlil sends the attack right at Joker, hitting him in his left arm as he dodges to the side. Joker winces as he feels the lightning burn against him, yet pushes through the pain as he rolls along the ground, lining up a counter Sleight as Enlil charges at him.

            “Muse! Mona! Violet!” Joker cries out, summoning the trio as Enlil slides to a halt, shocked at seeing Muse standing before her with a determined stare. Quickly drawing her blaster, Muse fires several Psy-infused rounds into Enlil’s chest, stunning her before quickly slashing twice with her lightsabre in a wide arc, just as Mona appears behind Enlil and lunges at her back, dragging his falchion into her before jumping up and sending a Garudyne down towards her.

As Enlil struggled to get out of the wind, Violet appeared from the side and dashed into Enlil’s side, dragging her rapier across her before leaping up and sending down a Vorpal Blade. Enlil staggered back from the attack, her face contorting in anger as Joker stood tall, spinning Lupin in hand as Enlil lined up another Sleight, this one being three 8 cards.

            “Storm Dance!” Caught off guard by the attack name, Joker soon found himself in the middle of a sword dance, with Enlil’s blade shooting off streams of lightning around her. It was all he could do to duck and avoid the strikes as he lined up a counter Sleight of his own, and with her being three 8s, he had the perfect way to counter.

            “Megidolaon!” Joker cries, activating his Sleight of three 9 cards, breaking Enlil’s attack and consuming her in a blast of Almighty magic. Her cry of pain echoes from the centre as Joker narrows his gaze. Something tells him that this fight is far from over as he lines up one more card in his mind. Something that suddenly becomes a good call as Enlil leaps from the explosion, her face furious as she arms a Sleight of three 9s herself.

            “Hurricane Dance!” Spinning in the air, Enlil generates a vicious tornado around herself, sucking in everything that isn’t held down as Joker struggles against the winds. Everything that is pulled in is shattered by the winds as countless copies of Enlil’s rapier glimmer inside the tornado. “This is the end for you, Joker!” Enlil cries, directing the tornado right at Joker, who stands passively on the ground.

With a confident smirk on his lips.

            “You think so?! Reflega!” Joker shouts, activating his zero card and countering Enlil’s attack. Before she can do anything, her own winds and rapier copies, plus the debris gathered up by the wind, are redirected back at her, sending her flying into the sky just as Joker’s Reflega activates. A beam of light blue and dark violet pierces her in the chest as she collides with the tower of rubble she stood on.

            “You… insignificant…!” Enlil growls, pulling herself from the tower as she glares down at Joker on the floor.

            “Face it, Enlil! You can't win! If you're really just a Shadow of your former self, then you will fall just like her!” Joker shouts at her, pointing Lupin right at her as Enlil leaps into the air, a dark aura glowing around her as she points her own rapier back at Joker.

            “Oh? Then you will have to prove that to me again.” Enlil replies, a sneer on her face. “If you cannot overcome this turmoil yet again, you'll only fall to fate eventually. Isn't that true? After all, you DID fall to fate once! I saw your memories of when you failed to defeat Yaldabaoth, that foolish construct of humanity's desires! If you cannot beat him without a second chance, what hope do you have to beat me? I'll succeed where all those whom you fought have failed! So let me once more show you the power that I possess!”

The moment she finished her speech, lightning erupted around her as a black wind engulfed Enlil, blocking her from Joker’s sight even as her scream of anger echoed from the tornado.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQo4UpeDhUk : The Tempest)

From the tornado, Enlil’s true form appears before Joker as a white, muscular, feathered, and masculine-looking deity. Her head resembles that of an eagle and is bronze in colour, with a crown on top of it. The armour on her wrists has the same colouration as Humbaba. Her head also connects to a red cape. She has two propeller-like objects resembling Namtar's core next to her shoulders, which float apart from her body. She has four arms, and the larger pair of arms holds a pair of weapons, with a staff in her left hand and a sword in her right. She has a pair of horns near her shoulders and a pair of wings on her legs and waist.

            “I am the maelstrom incarnate. The one that you humans call ‘Enlil’. If your resolve, determination, and beliefs are as you say… then prove this once more! Or disappear, as you should have done long ago!”

            “We beat you once, Enlil! And we’ll do it again!” Joker calls back, spinning Lupin in his hand as Enlil lashes out with her sword using a 7 card. Instead of trying to counter it, Joker leaps over the blade, stocking up a Sleight as Enlil slams her staff down with a 6, sending out a shockwave that Joker jumps over.

            “Riot Gun!” Joker cries, sending the attack careening right towards Enlil’s face, landing square between her eyes as she cries out in pain. As Joker lands, he quickly finds himself ducking under Enlil’s sword, the giant blade just a hair's breadth away from his head.

            “Just get lost already!” Enlil shouts, lining up a Sleight while attacking with a 4 card, baiting Joker into attacking as he leaps away from one of her arms. “Saint Aura!” A shockwave pulses out from Enlil as she glows in a light aura, one of her free arms coming free as she quickly stocks another Sleight. “Saint Spear!”

            “Abyssal Wings!” Joker cries, quickly countering her Sleight with her own, carb-breaking Enlil as she is swarmed with black feathers, each one exploding all over her as a deep growl echoes from Enlil.

            “Marluxia…! Damn your rule to the seven hells!” Enlil screams, her rage all-encompassing as she swings at Joker once more, lining up yet another Sleight. “Vorpal Blade!”

            “Too slow!” Joker shouts, firing a grapple at a piece of debris and pulling himself away from the attack. He loads up a Sleight and pulls his arm back. “Dark Firaga!” Thrusting his left arm forward, Joker sends the dark fireball right at Enlil, hitting her in the leg as he quickly loads up another Sleight, ducking under Enlil’s sword swing and leaping over the shockwave from the staff.

            “Perish!” Enlil screams, bringing her sword down with a 9 right on top of Joker. But instead of panicking, he activates his Sleight, Dark Slicer. Unable to keep up with the afterimages, Enlil is forced to endure the never-ending assault of slashes right before Joker comes down from above, slamming Lupin right into her right arm as she violently shakes him off, loading up a Sleight.

            “You will not win again! Retake!” Slamming her staff into the ground, Joker’s eyes widen as she initiates the move. She watches as every slash mark he left vanishes, with the white aura around her growing stronger before gaining a red hue, even as she stocks up another Sleight. “I will eliminate you, here and now! Saint Tempest!”

Grimacing, Joker forced himself to keep moving as countless orbs of Bless magic rained down around him. One orb exploded right next to him, sending him rolling along the ground before he quickly jumped to his feet, eyes locked on Enlil even as she brought down her sword on him again. Rolling to the side, Joker mentally reloaded his deck, regaining the cards he had lost while quickly activating Yaldabaoth's card, much to his chagrin. But then again, he was using it against another so-called god, so it was poetic in some way as Enlil suddenly found herself slowing down. The sword heading for Joker came to a painful crawl as Joker casually flipped through his deck in his mind.

            “What’s wrong? Feeling sluggish? Well, too bad! Reflega!” With a smirk on his lips, Joker lets the attack slam into his shield, reflecting the attack right back at Enlil, combined with the counter beam from the shield. Seeing Enlil waver in the air gave Joker confidence, as he saw her own attacks deal far more damage than what he was doing. Ironic, in a way.

            “Time to finish this fight.” Joker comments to himself, already lining up three 9 cards for a Megidolaon Sleight. But before he can activate it, something happens. A dark pulse erupts from Enlil as a screech of anger erupts from her lips. The sound sends Joker to his knees as a piercing headache racks through his brain. But that is the least of his worries as the deck in his mind suddenly vanishes.

            “What!?” Joker shouts, eyes wide as he can no longer feel any of the cards he had. Even the effect from Yaldabaoth’s card was seemingly removed as the rest of the Thieves suddenly appeared around him, all nursing their heads with pain and confusion.

            “What’s going on!?” Spring shouts as Oracle tries to run a scan. Something on her screens is notifying her about a change, but she doesn’t have time to check it as she soon finds herself leaping over a shockwave from Enlil’s staff.

            “Marluxia’s rules have no command over me! I am no one’s master but my own! Now perish! ALL OF YOU!” Enlil screams, slicing her sword against the ground and forcing the Thieves back. Taken off guard by the sudden change in battle, none of them were ready for the onslaught of attacks unleashed by Enlil as she was enveloped in a red aura and sent out a burning tornado at the Thieves. Managing to catch several of them in one go, while the others scattered, before exploding and sending those caught flying in different directions.

            “She broke Marluxia’s rules?!” Muse shouts as Enlil lashes out with a Vorpal Blade, hitting her and sending Muse flying into Shinobi, the two falling to the ground in a heap as Joker lies next to them. He was one of the unlucky ones to get caught by the fire tornado and had no time to switch to Cybele for her Fire resistance. That, and it was also disorienting for him to suddenly have access to both her and Alice again when he had been stuck with Arsène this entire time.

            “How did she do that!?” Mona shouts, pushing himself up as he glances around. Almost everyone has been sent to the floor while others move to help. But as he looks over at Joker, Shinobi, and Muse, his gaze soon shifts to Enlil, who is suddenly boosting herself up while charging an attack with her sword, aimed directly at the three. “NO!” Mona shouts, rushing forward and standing before them, holding his falchion, which was damaged due to that fire tornado, up in defence. “I WON’T LET YOU KILL THEM!”

            “Then die, cat!” Enlil shouts back, bringing her sword down on Mona.

            “MONA!” Joker and Shinobi shout, horror written on their faces alongside everyone else as Mona closes his eyes in acceptance. There is no way his damaged weapon will be able to hold back against this attack, but as long as he gives Shinobi, Joker, and Muse a chance to flee, that is all he needs. A bit weird how he thinks of Shinobi first, but that thought is quickly pushed to the side as a strange tingle runs up his right arm, just as he feels Enlil's strike about to land.

And when it did, Mona almost felt himself falling to his knees at the impact, but for some reason, he could feel his weapon blocking the strike. More than that, it felt like it was pushing back against Enlil’s strike as he slowly opened his eyes, where an interesting surprise was waiting for him in his right hand.

            “This is…!” Mona breathes as his eyes fall on the Keyblade his past self used in the spar against Xander, looking exactly the same from tip to keychain. In his mind, the name of the Keyblade comes rushing back as Zorro lets out a satisfied hum inside Mona. “Masked Bandit…” Even though it is his first time saying it, the comfort of holding the blade and the name puts a large smile on Mona’s face as he pushes back against Enlil’s attack, the sudden counter forcing Enlil’s blade up high as she staggers back, giving Mona a chance to throw Masked Bandit at Enlil’s face. The blade smacks her right between the eyes before returning to Mona’s hand in a flash of wind.

            “Mona… You have a Keyblade?” Shinobi asks, grabbing his attention as Joker looks at him with a surprised expression before morphing into a smirk.

            “Yeah.” Mona replies, shouldering the Keyblade. “And it’s the same one my past self used as well: Masked Bandit.”

            “How about that?” Joker asks as Muse rises to her feet. Joker glances around, seeing everyone slightly beaten up as he lets out a tsk. “Time to even the playing field again, Cybele! Mediarahan!” Appearing from Joker with great enthusiasm, Cybele hovers above as she sends out the healing wave to everyone. The healing pulse does more than enough to bring everyone back to their feet as they all stand tall, just as a sudden realization hits all of them.

            “Say… Marluxia’s rules are broken now, right?” Skull asks out loud as a large shark smirk forms on his face while rolling his right arm, mace in hand. One that everyone else seems to copy as they all look back at Enlil.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSzN-YACU1k : Last Surprise – Scramble)

            “Oh, you are in SO much trouble now!” Panther shouts back, snapping her whip.

            “We have a LOT of pent-up frustrations with this place.” Outlaw adds, swinging his two swords around.

            “And while you are not the one who got us trapped here in the first place…” Spring begins, spinning her spear around.

            “You are aligned with the one who did.” Fox finishes, hand hovering over his katana.

            “We beat you before once, Enlil.” Queen comments, slamming her hands together.

            “And we’ll do it again, no matter how many times you need to learn your lesson!” Oracle shouts, spinning her battle staff around her.

            “We have faced foes more intimidating than you.” Noir comments, dragging her axe along the ground.

            “And with harsher conditions than yours.” Shinobi adds, spinning her kunai next to her on its chain.

            “Even if we do not have the rest of our friends with us, we are more than enough to bring you to justice.” Athena comments, spinning her tonfas in her hands.

            “If you think we will just roll over and do what you want, you are sorely mistaken! We are no one’s tools!” Violet shouts, pointing her rapier at Enlil as Crow does the same next to her.

            “Arrogant gods like yourself all suffer from the same flaw. Your obnoxious pride and arrogance will always lead to your downfall, no matter what you do!”

            “You picked the wrong people to mess with, Enlil!” Edel adds, wrist blades activated and missile pods aiming.

            “You are a bad person, and bad people deserve to be punished!” Sophie shouts, her yo-yos in both hands as she bounces on her feet.

            “This is the end for you, Enlil! This time, you won’t get a second chance!” Muse shouts, spinning her lightsabre around her, the white plasma carving beautiful arches.

            “Trickster.” Lavenza comments as she and Mona look at him with expectant looks, her compendium in her hand.

            “Give us the signal.” Mona ends, shouldering Masked Bandit as Joker lets out a chuckle. Lupin held in his right hand as he shoots a rebellious smirk towards Enlil.

“Thieves… IT’S SHOWTIME!!!”

With a thunderous roar, the Thieves all leap forward as one for the first time since coming here. Enlil, fuelled by rage, lashes out with her sword at them, only for Skull, Fox, and Crow to block it with their weapons. Seeing this, Enlil brings her staff down on them, only for it to be blocked by Oracle and Edel. With her two weapons held back, Enlil allows herself to be enveloped by a blue aura before sending out a tornado of ice at the Thieves.

But unlike the last attack, the Thieves were ready this time as they all dived out of the way, watching the ice tornado crash into nothing while Skull, Fox, and Crow forced Enlil’s sword back. Just as Oracle and Edel did the same.

            “Guys! Enlil resists Fire and Elect! She nullifies Wind, but she is weak to Ice!” Oracle shouts, leaping away as a spear of light lands at the spot where she was just standing. “But be careful of those auras! They seem to affect her resistances as well!”

            “Good to know!” Outlaw shouts, coming to a stop as his mask burns away. “Let’s go, Drifter! One-Shot Kill!” With a smile on his face, Outlaw summons Drifter back to the field of battle, sending out the Gun attack right at Enlil as she rears back from the attack. Not that she had time to rest, as Spring was right behind him, sending a Kougaon right at Enlil’s left forward arm.

            “You will pay for that!” Enlil shouts, bringing her sword down on the two, only for Joker to leap under with his Keyblade, casting Reflega and disrupting her attack. While Enlil is staggered, Mona runs up along the side with Shinobi and Edel. The trio leaps into the air as they aim right for Enlil's head.

            “Mind Slice!”

            “Homing Missile!”

            “Strike Raid!”

While Shinobi and Edel attacked with their Personas, Mona opted to use his Keyblade instead due to Enlil’s resistances. Not that it proved to be weaker, as all three attacks slammed into Enlil’s head at almost the exact same moment, stunning her as she tried to swipe with her staff at Panther, only for the Thief to flip out of the way as Carmen formed behind her.

            “Matarunda!” She cries, sapping Enlil's attack just as Noir slides to a halt next to her.

            “Psiodyne!” She cries, sending the Psy attack slamming into Enlil as she cries out in fury. Swiping her sword at them even as she is enveloped in another white aura. However, unlike the previous times when she was enveloped in some sort of aura, this one is different as dark wisps seem to emerge from one of Enlil's hands even as she sends out another Saint Spear at the Thieves, watching the attack miss them by a small margin.

            “Just perish already!” Enlil screams in rage, quickly moving to a red aura and sending out the flaming tornado once again. But while she did manage to get Skull and Panther caught in the attack, she failed to notice Fox and Violet moving along the side.

            “Bufudyne!”

            “Sword Dance!”

The two attacks streak forward towards Enlil, who, not anticipating the assault, finds herself thrown off balance as Queen, Athena, and Sophie move to her other flank. The trio leaps onto some debris to gain a better advantage before all turning to face Enlil as one.

            “Atomic Flare!”

            “Megaton Raid!”

            “Kougaon!”

The three attacks streak forward, once more catching Enlil off guard even as she spins her sword around to catch them. But her blade strikes nothing but thin air, the Thieves dancing around her like phantoms as Enlil grows ever more desperate in her attacks. The dark wisps floating off her start to grow in number as her eyes suddenly change colour.

            “I can’t lose! I refuse to lose again!” With that, a shockwave emanates from Enlil as a dark aura surrounds her, causing the Thieves to freeze as the dark purple aura envelops Enlil. Her eyes change to a deep, hungry yellow. “I will defeat you… I WILL WIN!”

            “Oh great… Enlil just got a power boost!” Oracle calls out as Enlil attacks again. This time, a wave of darkness trails behind her sword, creating a secondary strike that almost hits Crow.

            “Stay calm! We can still win as long as we focus!” Joker calls out, leaping into the air as Alice forms behind him. “Eigaon!” The Curse spell streaks forward, hitting Enlil in one of her giant floating engines, as Oracle follows up with her own Eigaon, striking the other engine as Enlil sends out a tornado of darkness at the two of them, forcing them to move or get swallowed up.

            “How far the mighty have fallen.” Lavenza comments, casually avoiding the attacks as she summons Lucifer to her side. “Perhaps it is time we accelerated her final fate. Morning Star!” Lucifer raises his hand, summoning the Almighty attack to his side as it collides with Enlil, the attack tearing through her defences with ease. Yet, she still refuses to fall as she counters, speeding herself up as she clasps her sword with both hands, her staff floating around her.

            “What is she doing now?” Edel asks, coming to a stop next to Oracle.

            “Dunno, but whatever she is doing is going to be a big one! Everyone, gather round!” As one, the Thieves all gather around Oracle as she calms herself, channelling her energy into a Theurgy as Enlil raises the sword above her head. The blade glows with both darkness and Bless magic.

            “This is the end! Origin Strike!” Enlil screams, bringing her sword down on the Thieves as Necronomicon appears above Oracle. The two glow in the Theurgy red just as Oracle throws her hands out to the side.

            “Final Guard!” Just before the blade struck, Oracle’s barrier appeared around them all. The blade furiously tried to pierce through, yet found its attempts all for naught before it was violently forced back. As Enlil was thrown off balance, Crow and Muse rushed forward, Personas forming behind them as they took aim at Enlil.

            “Laevateinn!”

            “Primal Force!”

The two attacks seemed to merge with each other as they streaked towards Enlil, colliding with her in an explosive force as she was thrown back into the tower of scrap. The impact almost sent it collapsing onto her as she struggled to stay in the air while Joker calmly walked up.

            “I won’t fall…! Not again…!” Enlil shouts, attempting to strike down Joker, only for a Ziodyne from Skull and an Agidyne from Panther to send her sword strike off course. It slams into the ground next to Joker as Arsène manifests behind him.

            “It's over, Enlil. No matter what you try, you can't win. It's time to send you back to wherever you came from! Abyssal Wings!” With his usual flourish, Arsène spins in the air as he sends down countless black feathers at Enlil while Joker charges up energy in his left hand. “And as for extra measure, Dark Firaga!” With a thrust of his left hand, Joker sends the dark fireball straight towards Enlil, colliding with her just as the black feathers explode. But even with the combination of two powerful spells, Enlil emerged from the cloud barely flying.

            “She’s still not down!? How much more can she take!?” Spring shouts, dismayed at Enlil’s refusal to fall. Joker was about to ask that question as well until he saw something about Enlil that he hadn’t seen in a while. It was almost unnoticeable, but the way she was just hovering there and not trying to move or attack…

            “Then let’s finish this with style! All-Out Attack!” While briefly surprised at Joker's call, the Thieves soon found themselves following right after him as they all launched themselves at Enlil from every direction. From below, above, or the side, Enlil had no chance to move or evade as the Thieves' weapons tore into her from all angles. The onslaught was more than she could handle, and as the Thieves leaped away, Enlil reverted back to her human form. The dark aura still emanated from her as her eyes glowed yellow before she rushed at the Thieves with her rapier.

With rage-fuelled strikes, she lashes out at Joker, only for him to casually avoid her swings and thrusts. Even the rest of the Thieves easily sidestep, duck, or parry her swings as Enlil loses all focus and lets her rage carry her strikes. Inevitably, this leads her to exhaust herself once more as the Thieves unleash another All-Out Attack on Enlil, with both Joker and Muse landing the final blow as Enlil is sent flying towards the ground, where she lands with a heavy thud. Her rapier lies broken on the ground as the Thieves all stare at her with narrowed eyes, all while a black card that features Enlil in her human form slips itself into Joker's deck without his knowledge.

            “It’s over, Enlil.” Joker tells her as Enlil pushes herself up. While the dark aura around her is gone and her eyes are no longer yellow, the anger on her face is still evident as she glares back at them.

            “This is… not the end!” Enlil declares, pointing her left hand at the Thieves. “So long as humanity wishes it so, I WILL return! I cannot die, not so long as people wish for me!”

            “Where have we heard that before?” Skull comments, rolling his eyes.

            “Enlil… please stand down!” Muse says to her former friend. “If there's any semblance of the old you that's still in there, you would accept defeat.”

            “You fools don't even see your own failing…” Enlil gloats, a smile on her lips. “You who have done nothing but dance to Marluxia's schemes! I will not stop… I will not rest… Not until I get my revenge on every single one of…” Before she can continue, a pink curved blade pierces through her chest, the blade's angle curving upward as Enlil looks at it in shock, while the Thieves just stare in shocked silence.

            “I am disappointed in you, Enlil.” A cold voice echoes behind Enlil, one that the Thieves all recognized as the one who greeted them when they first entered the castle. And one that Muse wishes she had never heard again as she and the others take notice of a pink-haired man wearing a certain black coat.

            “No way… Muse, is that who I think it is?" Joker asks, wanting to make sure that he isn't hearing things based on the man's voice.

            “Yes… that's Marluxia." Muse speaks while Joker and the others take notice of Marluxia's appearance.

            “For real…” Skull says, his voice filled with disbelief. “THAT'S the guy who kept both you and Naminé here?”

            “I certainly didn't expect your captor to have pink hair.” Oracle comments as Enlil tries to look behind her.

            “Marluxia… Why—" Enlil tries to ask, only for Marluxia's scythe to rise just slightly higher, pulling Enlil off the ground as Marluxia shakes his head in disappointment.

            “It is simple. You broke my rules for your own selfish needs. Did you not remember what I told you when you first appeared? My rules are absolute. Anyone who breaks them… will be eliminated.”

            “No—!” Enlil tries to plead, but the scythe rises even higher as she struggles to break free.

            “There are no exemptions, Enlil. And as for you… your usefulness has come to an end.” Marluxia coldly replies. “If you cannot defeat them, then you have no chance against the Superior. And now, you are nothing more than dead weight. Goodbye, false dark mirror.” With a final slash, Marluxia brings his scythe upward, splitting Enlil in half as she lets out one final scream before she vanishes into darkness, along with thirty-five film reels leaving her body and vanishing into the sky at the same time, leaving the Thieves standing in shock as he turns his gaze towards them.

            “I believe this is our first meeting since I last saw you all in the entrance hall.” Marluxia says calmly as he de-summons his scythe. “A pleasure to finally meet face-to-face, Phantom Thieves. I am Marluxia. Number XI and ruler of this castle under our Superior's orders, for now, anyway.”

            “Like we care about that! What the hell did you do to Enlil!?” Panther shouts, her hand tightening around her whip. “Sure, she was a false copy—”

            “It is simple. I removed a problem before it could grow. You should be thanking me for removing such an annoyance. Excising a false darkness should be something we all agree on. However… I did not anticipate someone else besides Joker gaining the power of the Keyblade.” Marluxia remarks, glaring at Mona before he turns his attention towards Muse. “And as for you, Hikari… you should have stayed where you belonged.”

            “Not on your life!” Muse shouts back, standing next to the Thieves. “I am no one’s pawn! Not Enlil’s, and not yours, Marluxia!”

            “Then if that's the case… then you are useless to me as well. You have no more purpose for our cause.” Marluxia coldly replies, his gaze not leaving hers. “I should remove you here and now.”

            “Go ahead and try it!” Muse shouts back, lightsabre in hand, even as Crow places a calming hand on her shoulder.

            “So, have you come here to finish us all off personally?” Crow asks as everyone tenses up. But to their surprise, Marluxia shakes his head.

            “No. Instead, as a token of my… apologies for Enlil's actions just now, I'm offering you all a valuable opportunity.” And as Marluxia says this, Oracle secretly scans him without his knowledge.

            “If this 'opportunity' involves us becoming your minions, then forget it!” Joker snarls, hardening his glare along with everyone else. “Muse here told us all about your plan to make Knight your puppet to overthrow this 'Superior' of your Organization.”

            “I'm already aware of that fact, but that wasn't what I had in mind.” Marluxia comments, his smile growing wide. “What I'm about to offer relates to Sora specifically. I know that you all are… concerned about him and the others' current state…”

            “Well, aren't you all high and mighty?” Edel asks in an irritated voice.

            “If you would let me finish.” Marluxia comments with zero emotion in his voice. “I'm giving you all a chance to reunite with him, assuming you accept the challenge that I'm about to give out.”

            “And what makes you think we would go along with whatever you have to say?” Athena asks, refusing to believe that what Marluxia is offering is legit. “We can just find Knight ourselves and then stop you.”

            “You tell me this as if you have options, but in hindsight, there are no alternatives.” Marluxia replies, shaking his head. “This is because once you leave this area, at the end of the next hallway is a dead end with no way out. The following room would end up being your tomb, but if you accept my challenge, I will give you the means to not only escape this 'dead end', but to reunite with Sora as well.”

            “If I have to guess, I assume you want us to go through another memory world?” Crow asks, hand on his chin.

            “You are correct.” Marluxia replies, nodding his head. “All you need to do is get through the next world via the card that I have in my possession. Once you do that, you will have my word that the next door you come out of will be the same one that Sora and his companions will exit once they're done with their next world.”

Joker and the others realize that they have no choice. If they refuse, then they will just be trapped within the walls of Castle Oblivion. And even though this is coming from the man who forced them to go through their memories of their past adventures, this may be the one chance they have to reunite with Knight. As Joker turns towards his friends, they all nod towards him in silent agreement as he nods back before facing Marluxia again.

            “Alright, Marluxia. We will play your game…” Joker says before he hardens his glare at the Organization member. “However, the moment we reunite with Knight and the others, you and the rest of your allies in Castle Oblivion will be facing the full force of the Keyblade Phantoms.”

            “And I look forward to it.” Marluxia replies as he reaches into his cloak, pulling out the world card and tossing it towards Joker, who catches it with ease. “We will meet again soon, Phantom Thieves… assuming you survive this final world.” And with that, he leaves just as quickly as he arrived. But as he did, a splitting headache returned to everyone, as in Joker's mind he could see the cards return in full force.

            “Great…” Joker comments out loud with zero joy. “The cards are back…”

            “For real?” Everyone asks at the same time, all completely done with the cards as Joker lets out a long sigh before glancing at the card in his hand. The picture on it looks… strange. It appears to be some sort of underground tunnel system that leads to a core with a branch shooting off to the side, all seemingly based on an underground subway system. And he could swear that it looks familiar in some way…

            “So… what world do you think that is?” Fox comments, folding his arms as Joker shakes his head.

            “Dunno. It looks familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it.” He replies, pocketing the card before turning to look at Mona, Masked Bandit still in his hand. “So… when did you have that dream, Mona?” Mona blinks in surprise as everyone looks at him, waiting for an answer as he lets out a nervous chuckle.

            “It was right before we entered Castle Oblivion. With everything that has happened, I had forgotten I even had it.” He looks down at the Keyblade in his hand, a sad sigh coming from his lips. “But I guess this proves one thing… those memories we had of the past really were our past selves.”

            “So… is this really a case of reincarnation?” Noir asks, tilting her head. “But what exactly happened back then, anyway? Why have we only remembered so little?”

            “Maybe someone else can answer that question. Right now, we need to find Knight, rescue Naminé, defeat Marluxia and his allies, and then leave this place.” Shinobi comments, folding her arms. “I think I speak for all of us when I say we've had enough of Marluxia's games, despite him offering us an opportunity to reunite with Knight.”

            “At least I know where Marluxia is hiding.” Oracle suddenly comments, with all eyes going to her as a screen hovers before her. “While he was monologuing, I took a moment to scan him so I could track his location. I've also done the same thing to the other members we've fought, including Repliku. However, I was unable to scan Axel, as I only got the idea to do that after we last saw him.”

            “Well, that is something, I suppose.” Queen remarks as Oracle nods her head, opening up another screen to show the list she had before letting out a gasp.

            “Hey… Vexen is dead.” She comments out loud, grabbing everyone's attention as a screen shows Vexen's face, crossed out with the word 'DEAD' under it, compared to the others, which have the word 'ALIVE' under theirs.

            “Vexen is dead? Do you think Knight took him out?” Spring asks.

            “Maybe. But we won’t know until we find him.” Violet replies, hands grasped behind her back.

            “Violet is right. And if the card Marluxia has given us will lead to Knight, then we have no choice but to follow it.” Joker turns around, a door opening up nearby as though it were inviting them to enter. “We’re almost at the end, guys, just a little bit further.”

With hope for the end in their hearts, the team moves towards the door without giving the Theatre District a second look. Even as the last of the memories return to them, they can talk about what really happened at a later date. Right now, they have a friend to reunite with, even as they miss seeing the last of the film reels return to them from behind.

            “Man, Enlil really dropped the ball there.” Axel comments to himself with his arms folded. “You’d think she would have been smart enough to remember Marluxia’s rule, but nope. She went ahead and broke it. Well, at least I don’t have to get my hands dirty for this.” Axel then looks at Mona through the orb, taking note of his new weapon. “Although the downside to all of this is that we have another Keyblade wielder to deal with.” He lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head before walking over to Naminé. “Sora is almost at the top, and his memories remain unaffected. It won’t be long until Marluxia finds out that his plan is in tatters.”

            “I know.” Naminé replies with sadness in her voice. “And when he does, he will eliminate me. Just like he did with Enlil.” Axel doesn’t hide the wince at that. What she said was true in some regards.

            “Yeah… he will be furious, all right.” Axel admits, rubbing the back of his head. “So then, are you all right with this? Waiting for an end you don’t want? You shouldn’t just give up like that. You still have a chance.”

            “What?” Naminé asks, looking up at Axel. “What are you talking about?”

            “Haven’t you noticed, Naminé? Marluxia and Larxene aren’t around.” Axel tells her, turning his back to her and walking over to the orb. “There’s no one here who would get in your way if you want to leave. After all… I let Hikari go. Just make it count, all right?” Naminé, confused at first, suddenly understands what Axel is suggesting as she grabs her notebook and rushes for the door, opening it quietly and leaving without looking back as Axel lets out a long sigh.

            “And that's the second bird that has flown the cage. I wonder how you will react to this, Marluxia? It is time for you and Larxene to pay the price for betraying the Organization.” Axel smirks to himself, folding his arms as he looks at the orb, showing Knight, Donald, and Goofy reaching the top of the stairs. “Sorry about what I did to you, Vexen. Didn't have a choice in the matter… but don't you worry. This will all come to an end soon, and I'll do what I can to make sure your sacrifice doesn't go in vain.” And with that, Axel takes his leave as well, leaving the room empty and silent as he readies himself to finish the mission he's been assigned since coming here.

Chapter Text

Chapter 19: Islands and Subways.

The silence was heavy in Castle Oblivion’s halls as the Thieves pressed onward. The death of Enlil’s shade and Marluxia revealing himself to them was still present in their minds. Even if they were all itching to talk about Mona’s Keyblade and that they now remembered everything that happened with Enlil, that excitement was tempered by the fact that they were only one world away from finding Knight. But the question on their minds was what sort of world they would be venturing through.

            “What do you think is waiting for us?” Violet asks as the team arrives at the door. “We don’t have any more Palaces left to run through, and we remember everything from the Theatre District.”

            “Well… there is one that comes to my mind.” Mona comments, folding his arms as Joker holds up the card. “And it’s kinda obvious when you think about it.” While Violet tilts her head at Mona, the door opens, enveloping them all in light. As soon as their vision returns to them, they are standing in a subway station lined in blood-red colours, with dark red vines racing along the floor, walls, and ceiling. An all-too-familiar sight.

            “Of course… Mementos.” Queen groans, taking her mask off and rubbing between her eyes. “How did we forget about this?”

            “Good question.” Fox admits, rubbing his chin while Edel, Sophie, and Muse all stare at the surrounding walls.

            “So this is Mementos? Kinda looks like the Jail we got dragged into when EMMA started to become a god.” Edel remarks, hands on her hips. “You know, at Tokyo Tower?”

            “The similarities are very striking, yes.” Crow remarks while folding his arms. “Which only makes their connection that much harder to ignore. Although my memories do remind me that this is where we managed to enter Enlil’s Theatre District.”

            “This is where Doe dragged you from?” Muse asks, looking around. “I always wondered where he managed to find you. Now I know.”

            “Why is the wind crying?” Sophie asks, slowly hugging herself as the wind howls around them. The low cry of people in pain echoes around them.

            “That’s just how Mementos is, Sophie. Don’t worry about it.” Joker tells her comfortingly, patting her on the head. He takes a moment to glance at Lavenza, who is now sporting train conductor attire in Velvet Room colours. “Another outfit, Lavenza?”

            “Of course." She replies nonchalantly before looking back down the path. "I never imagined I would see this place again: the nest of Yaldabaoth. That being said, considering this is the only place left that's technically a Palace, this will probably be the last time I will be changing attire."

            “Hold on, does that mean Yaldabaoth's waiting for us at the end?" Skull asks with a groan. "How many times do we have to teach that stupid cup, let alone the self-proclaimed God of Control, a lesson?"

            “There's still a chance we might not need to face him. Remember that I mentioned earlier that I already got Yaldabaoth's card." Joker comments as he pulls out the enemy card that contains Yaldabaoth's picture.

            “Still, we're going to have to see once we reach the end of this place." Oracle suddenly comments, drawing all eyes to her. "Luckily for us, unlike the Mementos we know, this one only has ten rooms for us to go through, and they're in a straight line."

            “Ten rooms… even with the small amount, there is no way Marluxia would make it easy for us to reunite with Knight." Athena comments, hand on hip. "He must be confident that whatever is waiting for us at the end can stop us.”

            “Then let’s not keep it waiting.” Joker comments, hands in pockets. “No matter what we find, it won’t slow us down. Let’s go and reunite with Knight. It’s been far too long since we split up.”

            “No question.” Noir replies as the team moves down the path, ready for whatever waits for them at the end. But even as they move forward, among the howl of the wind around them, there is a sound that they all miss as they move deeper into the depths.

The sound of chains rattling against the floor.

            “Is it just me, or does the air feel heavy?” Knight asks as he, Donald, and Goofy reach the top of the stairs, once more finding an empty hallway and a door waiting for them. Although, as Knight had just mentioned, there was something about this floor that felt different from the others.

            “It does feel strange.” Donald remarks, folding his arms. “Are we being watched by those black coat people that we've been encountering?”

            “Ya know, that wouldn’t surprise me.” Goofy comments, scratching his head. “I’ve been wondering how they even knew when to appear to us.” Knight absentmindedly nods his head at that. It would explain everything if they were being watched this entire time, but that didn’t make the strange feeling hovering over them any less oppressive. And looking at the card that depicted his homeworld only made him more anxious. He already had a feeling he would be seeing Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie again, but would Riku and Kairi appear? And will Naminé also show up, even though she was never there to begin with?

Those questions alone made Knight second-guess himself about whether he should even open this door. But what other option does he have? He can't leave while Joker and the others are still trapped, or with Donald, Goofy, Jiminy, and Riku's memories all screwed up like this. That, and leaving both Naminé and Hikari in this place did not sit well with him either. So it was with reluctance that Knight approached the door and held the card up high, opening the way forward for them all in a flash of light. Before the light even vanishes, a calm breeze blows against the group as gentle sun rays land on them. The sound of an ocean breaking against the shore and soft sand under their feet greets them as the light vanishes from their eyes, the world before them taking shape as Knight feels his breathing hitch.

            “It really is… my homeworld. Destiny Islands.” Knight breathes, allowing his Thief attire to vanish, yet his instincts stay high.

            “Gawrsh, it really looks beautiful.” Goofy remarks as Donald nods his head.

            “Yeah.” Donald readily agrees as Sora smiles at them. At this moment, part of him was glad neither of them remembered the version they saw back at the Heartless world, even if their absent memories were still alarming.

            “Heeeey!” A voice rings out to the right, grabbing the trio's attention as three new people run up to them. Or rather, three people that Sora knew.

            “Wassup, Sora!” Wakka greets with a wide smile, wearing a tank top in a pale yellow colour with black lining, green sandals, and blue wristbands on each wrist. His brown eyes are grinning with excitement while a blue bandana holds up his red hair, and small stud earrings pierce his ears. A blue and white Blitzball is held under his right arm.

            “So, whatcha wanna do today?” Selphie asks, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. She is wearing an odd yellow dress with large pockets and overall straps, brown sandals, a loose blue beaded bracelet on her left wrist, and a jump rope held in her right hand. She also has a peculiar hairstyle: brown hair styled into one large curl on the back of her head and two more on either side.

            “Hey, guys.” Sora greets naturally. Even if they were memories, it would be rude to just ignore them. “Have you seen the others? I thought we were all going to do something together today?”

            “Really? First we’re hearing of it.” Tidus replies, rubbing the back of his head. He is wearing a small, short-sleeved shirt with white sleeves, a yellow hem, a yellow centre, and white lining around the centre, which is open and exposing his chest. His hair is sandy blond, worn in a tamer spiky style compared to Sora, and his eyes are blue. For an unknown reason, Tidus has a small X-shaped scar on his right cheek that Sora cannot remember how he got. Tidus's unique navy pants have uneven legs, with his right pant leg reaching just past his knee and his left reaching to just about mid-thigh. In his right hand is a long red stick, longer than the toy swords Sora and Riku used to fight with.

            “Oh, I know… maybe he is thinking of HER again.” Selphie suddenly accuses as Sora blinks his eyes in surprise.

            “Ohhh, I get it. Yeah, he’s a total zombie when she’s on his mind.” Tidus suddenly adds.

            “That would explain why he’s actin’ all funny towards us.” Wakka comments with a nod of his head, Sora only growing more and more confused. Donald and Goofy glance at each other, sharing the confusion as Selphie walks up to Sora.

            “I bet you want us to take a hike so you two can be ALONE, huh?” She accuses with a smirk as Sora takes a step back.

            “What? Of course not!” Sora replies, shaking his head.

            “Hey, no need to lie to us. You have Naminé, and Riku has Hikari; we get it.” Selphie adds with a wink as Sora feels even more confusion thrown onto him. “We’ll disappear for a while. Go find her, cowboy.”

            “Later, Sora!” Tidus calls out as the trio turns around to leave.

            “We’ll try to be quiet while we SPY on you!” Wakka calls out as the three rush over to the docks, leaving Sora standing in shock as Goofy places a hand on his shoulder.

            “You okay?” He asks in a worried tone as Sora shakes his head.

            “No…" Sora replies, letting out a sigh. "Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie… they always tease me about Kairi. That's how it's always been. To hear them say that instead…" He places a hand on his chest, feeling hurt building inside him. "And coupled with the fact that they haven't even taken notice of either you guys or Jiminy, it's even more heartbreaking. It's… almost as if I'm rewatching a movie." Donald and Goofy can only look at Sora in sympathy. Even if their memories were all out of line, they could still see the visible conflict on Sora's face. And it made them feel all the more guilty about forgetting everyone as well.

            “Say… isn’t that Riku up there?” Jiminy suddenly asks, pointing to the walkway above them. Glancing up, Sora, Donald, and Goofy are surprised to see Riku walking above them, back in his usual clothes as he heads for the small island nearby.

            “It is… but is he the real Riku or a memory?” Sora asks, tilting his head.

            “Why don't we go find out?" Donald suggests to Sora. "Despite our prior encounters with him earlier, it might do you some good to have a friendly conversation with him for a change, even if he's just a memory." Sora blinks for a second before letting a smile cross his face as he nods back. It would be nice to have a normal talk for once, even if it was with a memory of Riku. So, without having to follow any winding paths for once, Sora led Donald and Goofy through the seaside shack and up to the bridge. Why this world didn't follow the same room-to-room pattern as the last floors did confused them for a moment, but they were also glad they didn't have to fight anything either, as they soon found Riku standing by himself, turning to look at them with a smile.

            “Hey, Sora. What’s the big rush?” Riku asks in good nature, no hostility echoing from his voice. The contrast of this memory of Riku compared to the current one was almost like a bucket of ice water being thrown at them. Not that it stopped the smile on Sora’s face as he rubbed the back of his head.

            “Nothing much. Just wondering where you guys were, that’s all.” Sora replies easily. He wasn’t sure if this memory of Riku also remembered Kairi, or if he was like the memories of the others and only knew of Naminé and Hikari. A part of him wanted to keep that fact hidden.

            “Did you forget already, Sora? We all promised to meet up at the back of the island.” Riku replies in good nature. “Hikari and Naminé are waiting for us. After all, we all promised we would build a raft together and head out for other worlds, yeah?” Sora fought to keep the hurt from showing on his face as he looked out across the distance, something that Riku raised an eyebrow at. “What’s up, Sora? It looks like you are still stuck in some sort of dream.” He asks with concern in his voice.

            “Maybe I am…” Sora replies honestly. “I’ve had a lot on my mind recently. A lot of doubt as well…”

            “Keep your chin up.” Riku replies instantly, hand on his hip. “You’ll bounce back. After all, how will you take care of HER if you act like that?” While he was sure this memory of Riku was talking about Naminé, Sora’s thoughts instead went to Kairi. In a way, memory Riku was right. How was he going to keep her safe if he was allowing these doubts to drag him down? But before he could even respond, the entire island shook, sending almost everyone down to the ground as Riku looked around with alertness in his eyes.

            “What was that!?” Goofy shouts, picking himself and Donald up.

            “Don’t ask me!” Donald replies angrily.

            “Whatever it was, it can't be good!" Riku shouts, surprising Sora that this Riku even took notice of Donald and Goofy as the memory version of his friend rushes past them. "I'm gonna go warn the others and find Hikari! It's your job to look after Naminé, Sora!" With that, Riku jumps off the side and rushes along the beach, just as the shaking intensifies, followed by a bright flash of light. And before Sora knows it, Destiny Islands has reverted back to how it was when it was falling to darkness, complete with the giant sphere above them.

            “Wak!" Donald shouts, taking note of the change in the environment.

            “The island… it looks like it's on the verge of falling into darkness." Goofy comments, not recognizing the landscape.

            “Sora… is this…" Jiminy breathes softly as Sora nods his head.

            “Yeah… this is where it all began for Riku, Kairi, and me. This is the moment when my home fell to the Heartless." Sora replies, sadness in his voice just as the ground shakes behind them. All eyes turn around, and to their shock, a Darkside rises from the ground, its eyes locked on Sora as he shifts into his Thief attire. "Why am I not surprised that I would be facing you again?" Knight asks as Donald and Goofy turn back into cards, just as the Darkside brings down its right hand with a 7 card, summoning a portal and generating a few Shadow Heartless.

But while its hand was stuck in the ground, Knight charged in and struck with a Sonic Blade Sleight, slashing into the stuck hand five times before the Darkside pulled its hand out. As for the Shadow Heartless, they did not last as they were caught in Knight's path. With its hands out of range, Knight stocked up a Strike Raid Sleight, sending the Kingdom Key spinning into the Darkside’s head as it foolishly tried to counter with single cards—something that Knight caught on to.

            “Wait… can’t it use Sleights?” He asks himself, loading up another Sleight as the Darkside crouches down with an 8 card. Generating energy in its chest as it prepares to fire, only for Knight to break it with his Sleight, summoning Bahamut to his side and scorching it with Flare Breath. “Then it’s just like all the other Heartless! They can’t use Sleights either!” With that knowledge now under his belt, Knight pressed his attack. Compared to everything else he had faced until now, the Darkside was perhaps the easiest boss he had fought.

Sure, the shockwaves from its hands when it plunged them into the ground were annoying, along with the Shadow Heartless it summoned to aid it, but aside from that, the Darkside didn’t use a single Sleight. Although it certainly proved to be able to take a lot of hits, as well as wear Knight down with the prolonged engagement, Knight eventually managed to bring the Darkside down. Panting slightly as he watched it vanish, not because it was hard to fight, but because of how long the fight went on for.

            “That went on for too long.” Knight remarks, gently grabbing the Darkside card from the air, with Donald and Goofy returning to normal soon after. “There’s nothing left for us here. Let’s find the exit and keep climbing.” Donald and Goofy nod in agreement as Knight pockets the card, until soft footsteps echo behind them. All eyes turn, where someone they had never seen before is walking up to them. At least, initially.

            “Are you… Naminé?” Knight asks, watching Naminé walk up to them hesitantly.

            “I am.” She tells him. “I’ve wanted to meet you, Sora. You and the others. But… not like this.”

            “You wanted to meet me?” Knight asks, tilting his head. “But why? Weren’t we friends as kids along with Riku and Kairi?” Naminé winces at that, keeping a hand over her chest as she looks back up at Knight.

            “Sora… you still remember everything. You still remember Kairi. And you still have her charm." Knight blinks as Naminé lowers her hand. "Take the yellow star charm out, Sora. Its true form will reveal itself to you if you think about Kairi." Hesitantly, Sora pulls the yellow star charm out of his pocket, with Kairi at the forefront of his mind. As he does, the charm glows with a vibrant light as the star peels away, changing itself back into Kairi's charm.

            “Kairi’s charm! I really did still have it this whole time!” Knight shouts in surprise. “I really thought I lost it at some point…”

            “Yes. You did still have it. You never lost it at all.” Naminé replies, a guilty look on her face. “But, Sora, you are still in danger. You’ve been walking into a trap the entire time!”

            “A trap?” Knight asks, eyes wide as he quickly pockets Kairi’s charm. Naminé nods back, just as the small remaining piece of the island they are on shakes violently around them. “On second thought, you can tell us when we’re safe!” Knight rushes up to Naminé, gently grasping her by the wrist. “I have a lot of questions about everything, but they can wait for now.”

            “I know… and you have my word that I will explain everything once we're back in the halls of Castle Oblivion." Naminé readily agrees as Knight gently pulls her along, with Donald and Goofy right behind him. He had so many questions running through his mind right now that he wanted to ask Naminé, but now was not the best time.

And something told him that he was not going to like the answer.

            “Ladies and gentlemen, you are now arriving at the last floor. We have been happy to have had you be a part of the Edelweiss Subway Travel Service and would be happy to have you ride with us again!" Edel comments out loud in an 'I-am-so-done-with-this tone' as the Thieves enter the last floor of Mementos. While they initially thought the last floor was going to be based on the Depths of Mementos, they were surprised that where they ended up was based on the computer floor that was linked to Doc's Palace.

            “Glad to know I’m not the only one who’s done with this.” Crow remarks, folding his arms. “The only difference between the last floors was the change in colour. That and halfway through, they were all adorned with bones.”

            “We travelled through every single area in Mementos in ten rooms… each one filled with Shadows from the Palaces.” Queen remarks, shaking her head as the Thieves all let out a collective sigh. “Did Marluxia really think this would stop us?”

            “He was confident about something.” Mona replies, folding his arms. “Something tells me we are not done with this floor yet.”

            “For real?” Skull asks, kicking a random power cable along the floor. “I mean, c’mon! What else could be waiting for us at the end if Yaldabaoth isn’t here!?” The moment those words left Skull’s mouth, a sound echoed around them all as the deep moan of something hungry and mad resonated from above. A sound that all of them could recognize with dread. “Oh shit…”

            “Skull…” Panther slowly comments in a quiet voice as everyone reaches for their weapons. “You had to jinx us.” Skull could only feebly shrug his shoulders as the rattling of chains grew louder from above. All eyes went up as a dark shadow fell upon them.

            “The Reaper…” Fox comments quietly as the Reaper floats down before them. Black cloth stained with blood, chains floating around it. Two long revolvers in hand and a single blood-red eye gazing at them all with rage and hunger.

            “Somehow… I’m not surprised we’re fighting it here again.” Shinobi comments as the Reaper roars at them. A chill settles in among them, the roar bringing back memories for all but Edel, Sophie, Lavenza, and Muse from when they were kids and trapped in Tartarus.

            “This must be the last obstacle between us and joining back up with Knight." Joker remarks, grasping his Keyblade. "And it won't stop us!" As the Reaper aims its two guns at him, everyone around him turns back into cards as Joker glares at the one foe that was a pain for him and the others.

            “Come on, Reaper! Let's see what you've got!”

Almost as though it was roaring in acceptance of Joker's challenge, the Reaper lunges towards Joker as it swings one of its revolvers at him with a 9 card, and then swiftly follows up with another 9 card as Joker goes on the back foot. With distance between them, the Reaper fires its gun with an 8 card while stocking up three cards and taking aim at Joker. But while he loaded up three Sleight himself, ready to counter the Reaper, when the Sleight was activated, it was not what he expected.

The Reaper, seemingly defying the laws around them, used a single Sleight to attack with two different spells. One was Myriad Arrows from the right gun, with countless arrows of light raining down from above as Joker leaped between the two. But he was not free, as the Reaper suddenly sent another attack from his left gun, slamming it right into Joker’s chest. Thankfully, the spell was Mamudoon, doing nothing to him, but it was more than enough to put Joker on edge as he glared back at the Reaper while it lunged at him.

            “So you fight with Sleights doing two different attacks, right!?” Joker shouts back, countering the Reaper’s 7 card with an 8. “Well, let’s see you handle this! Yukari! Junpei! Shinjiro!” Tossing the Sleight into the air, Joker watches as Yukari forms next to him. Bow drawn and arrow engulfed in wind, Yukari lets the arrow fly towards the Reaper, slamming it in the chest before following it up with a blast of Garudyne. While the Reaper staggers against the winds, Junpei follows up and lashes out with his sword.

Flames wrapped around the blade as he cleaved into the Reaper’s left arm, leaping away and sending down a Brave Blade at the Reaper. Distracted by Junpei, the Reaper did not see Akihiko form on the field, once more appearing from Shinjiro’s card, as he dashed forward and landed a solid punch infused with lightning to the Reaper’s spine. As the Reaper seemingly bent backward from the strike, Akihiko jumped back and sent down a blast of Ziodyne at the Reaper, further adding to the light show as Joker stood ready. This was not going to be an easy fight.

Something that was immediately proven as the Reaper suddenly attacked with its gun with a 9 card, sending down a torrent of lead as Joker moved on his feet. The rounds either grazed him or just missed him by inches as the Reaper loaded up another Sleight. It was only then that he noticed something about the Reaper’s cards in the Sleight.

Instead of being the usual red, the Reaper's cards are all black with no numbers, not even a zero. And if they had no numbers… there is no way he could use his tried-and-true Reflect cards on them. Seemingly picking up on Joker's sudden realization, the Reaper unleashes its Sleight. Sending out a Deathbound from its left gun, purple and black scythes spin along the ground while a wave of Tentarafoo is sent flying from the right. Between the two attacks, one in the air and one on the ground, Joker opts to stay on the ground and weave through the scythes instead of dodging the airborne attack. The last thing he wants is to get hit by an ailment as he lines up three more cards.

Although he was starting to think he should have jumped as he got hit by no less than five scythes, his injuries quickly piled up as the Reaper zoomed towards him, ready to pounce on his weakness. But unfortunately for the Reaper, Joker was ready.

            “Fuuka! Mitsuru! Aigis!” In a flash of light, Fuuka appears behind Joker, kneeling on the ground as she sends out a prayer towards him, healing him while casting Heat Riser. The Reaper is temporarily stunned by the flash of light. As the Reaper floats backward, Mitsuru appears before Joker, dashing forward and sliding along the ground on ice as she quickly jabs at the Reaper. After landing nine hits on its chest, she jumps back and blasts it with Bufudyne just as Aigis comes flying in, firing from her finger guns as she circles around the Reaper before shooting upward and sending down a Primal Force at it.

With the Reaper disoriented, Joker leaped back to gain distance, loading up more cards as he watched the Reaper cautiously. After everything he and the others had been through, he knew that the Reaper would only grow more ferocious as the battle went on, something that was proved as the Reaper started spinning around wildly with an 8 card, sending bullets flying in all directions as he loaded up another Sleight. Ducking under a round, Joker attempted to use his Dark Firaga Sleight on the Reaper, only for it to be instantly broken by the Reaper as it countered, stunning Joker as he sent out a blast of Maragidyne towards him, along with a dangerous Mahamaon.

Taking his chances, Joker dashed through the flames as the Mahamaon just barely missed his shoulder, slamming into the computer console behind him as Joker readied a new Sleight. He slid along the ground as the Reaper hovered above him, revolver aimed right at his head. For just a brief moment, Joker swore he saw Black Mask Akechi's face on the Reaper, smiling with that deranged look just as he was about to kill the cognitive version of him, but he quickly blinked it away as he activated his Sleight, just as the Reaper attempted to fire his revolver with a 9 card.

            “Ken! Koromaru! Akihiko!" Another flash of light erupts under the Reaper, sending its aim wide as Ken leaps up above. Spear in hand, he drives it right into the Reaper's chest before channelling a lance of Kougaon above him, sending it right into the Reaper's head as he drags his spear out of the Reaper. But before it has a chance to recover, Koromaru comes flying in from behind, dragging his dagger into the Reaper's back while sending several lances of Eigaon right into the Reaper. Just as the magic is about to hit, Koromaru drags his dagger upward, slicing through the Reaper's head just as the Eigaon hits, while Shinjiro appears on the ground.

Once more appearing from Akihiko’s card instead of his own, Shinjiro rushes forward while dragging his axe along the ground, slashing up vertically and almost bifurcating the Reaper before sending down a God’s Hand right into its chest. As Joker takes a moment to breathe, the Reaper reorients itself midair before enveloping itself in a dark aura, with Joker wincing at the sight as the Reaper quickly counters with another Sleight.

Once more, sending out two blasts of magic from its revolvers, a Mabufudyne from the right and a Maeigaon from the left. This time, Joker dived into the Maeigaon, his natural resistance helping him out as he lined up his own Sleight. He gave almost all of the S.E.E.S team their time to shine, and now it was time for the others.

            “Yosuke! Chie! Yukiko!” Jumping to the side as the Reaper attempted to hit him with its revolver, Yosuke manifests behind the Reaper with his twin daggers. Leaping into the air, he drives them deep into its back before quickly jumping away, a blast of Magarudyne slamming into the Reaper. From the front, Chie manifests quickly after, rushing forward and landing three heavy kicks on the Reaper before finishing off with a God’s Hand.

While the Reaper wavered in the air, Yukiko appeared next to Joker. With her fan open, she coated it in flames before tossing it right at the Reaper. The fan quickly danced around and slashed at the Reaper as though it were a spinning disk. As it returned to her hand, she held her fan up high as the Reaper was consumed by a blast of Maragidyne.

But it was not enough to kill it, as the Reaper quickly countered. Flying up to Joker and grabbing him with its left hand, it caught him off guard as it threw him against the wall with a 6 card, knocking the air temporarily out of Joker as it quickly followed up with a Sleight of Maziodyne and Makougaon. Joker, barely blinking away the fuzz in his eyes, leaped away as the lances of Makougaon impacted the wall while Elect magic rained down around him. But he would not be cowed so easily as he lined up three more cards in his mind.

            “Kanji! Teddie! Naoto!” Tossing the cards high in his mind, Joker watches as Kanji appears before him. Chair in hand, he rushes forward and leaps high, bringing it down right on the Reaper’s head. The impact looks as though it dazed the Shadow as he leaps away with a Maziodyne. While Elect magic rains down around the Reaper, Teddie appears next with his claws, running up and lashing into the Reaper’s side before blasting it with Mabufudyne. As the Reaper attempts to swipe Teddie away, only to hit air, Naoto appears next to Joker. Taking aim with her gun, she fires several rounds at its chest before channelling both Light and Dark magic in her gun, firing them both as one beam of magic that sends the Reaper flying backward and shattering the chains over its chest.

            “Uh oh…” Joker quietly whispers to himself as the Reaper lets out a roar. A blood-red aura mixes with the black as its eye glares directly at Joker. Something told him that those chains were holding the Reaper back as it soon started attacking, with all of its cards being black with no numbers. Forcing Joker onto the defensive as the Reaper attacked with wild abandon, stocking up a new Sleight as Joker grimaced.

Flicking through all of the black cards he had on him as the Reaper activated its Sleight, Magarudyne from its right gun and Mapsiodyne from its left, forcing Joker back even further as he slammed into a computer console from the Mapsiodyne. The Magarudyne flew over him and ruffled up his hair. But as the Reaper loomed over him, Joker found a black card he could use, even if he hated who was on it. With a hidden wince, Joker activated Shadow Shido’s card as he swung Lupin at the Reaper. His attack broke the Reaper’s card instantly, stunning the Shadow as Joker let out a smirk. After all, that card he used could let him break any non-Sleight card with a single swing, and he was going to take advantage of that no matter what as he lined up a new Sleight.

            “Rise! Raven! Mona!” As the Sleight activates, he can feel Rise appearing behind him along with the healing she is bestowing on him while quickly following it up with a Debilitate on the Reaper. This is something that Joker can’t help but smirk at as Raven appears next, already falling into his berserk-like state as he tears into the Reaper with wild abandon.

While Raven was tearing the Reaper a new one, Mona appeared next to Joker, Masked Bandit in hand as he shouldered his Keyblade before rushing forward. Tossing his Keyblade forward in a Strike Raid, Mona let the blade slice through before returning it to his hand as he fired a gust of wind under him, sending him flying into the air. As he came down, he sliced downward with the Keyblade before leaping back, sending out an Aero along with a Garudyne, sending the Reaper flying backward as Joker calmly walked forward.

He didn't need Oracle to tell him the Reaper was on its last legs, as he could see it struggling to stay afloat. Not that it stopped the Reaper, as it unleashed a Riot Gun on Joker, forcing him to take cover as it lined up one more Sleight. With a rage-fuelled roar, the Reaper unleashed a wave of Mafreidyne and Megidolaon towards Joker's hiding spot, the flash obscuring the area as the attacks landed. Consuming the hiding spot in both magics, the entire room rumbled from the explosion. But while the Reaper believed it had won as the smoke cleared to reveal nothing left, a presence far above it soon drew its attention as Joker appeared high above, the grapple returning to his arm as he glared down at the Reaper.

            “Let’s end this! Minato! Minako! Yu!” Without wasting a second, the three Wild Cards appear around Joker instead of appearing one by one. This catches the Reaper off guard as all four of them, channelling Almighty energy into their weapons, streak down towards the Reaper and impale its chest as one force, forcing the Reaper to the floor with a loud crash and crushing the electronics beneath it as all four of them leap away. Each of them sends out a blast of Megidolaon towards the Reaper, all joining as one and consuming it with four back-to-back blasts of Almighty magic.

And as the dust settled with Minato, Minako, and Yu vanishing, leaving Joker once more all alone, the Reaper slowly turned its head towards him. Holding up both hands to fire one last shot, only for both guns to fall out of its hands and land heavily on the floor. Seconds later, the Reaper vanished into darkness as Joker let out one large sigh, watching as a black card with the Reaper on it floated down towards him.

            “Even here, it is still a pain.” He remarks out loud, grabbing the card as everyone returns to normal.

            “So this makes what now… four times we've faced the Reaper and emerged victorious?" Mona comments as Joker pockets the card. "You'd think it would get the hint by now.”

            “Something tells me it won’t.” Spring replies as a door opens nearby on a raised platform, with the far too familiar ladder waiting for them. “That must be our way out.”

            “Finally! We’re getting closer to Knight and the others!” Outlaw shouts as everyone feels a wave of relief flowing over them.

            “Then what are we waiting for?” Sophie asks, bouncing on the spot.

            “Sophie has a point.” Violet replies, hands grasped behind her back. “We’ve been separated for long enough.” Joker smirks at that, turning his head towards the ladder as he walks forward. But as they reach the door, a voice echoes from above as they start to clime. One that they all recognize despite the long separation they have endured.

            “Hey! That’s Knight’s voice!” Skull shouts as the Thieves start to climb faster.

            “It is! We’re almost there, guys!” Joker shouts back, reaching the top and turning to help Queen up. They had finally caught up to Knight! Now the question was… did he and the others remember them? Or had this castle taken its price?

Chapter Text

Chapter 20: Flash of the Savage Nymph.

With a flash of light, the door opens into Castle Oblivion's hallways. From the door, Knight rushes out with Naminé in tow, along with Donald and Goofy taking up the rear. The moment they reach the hallway, they all come to a stop as they pause for breath, barely escaping the memory world of Destiny Islands as it falls apart around them.

            “That was too close…” Donald remarks, collapsing to the floor while Goofy places his hands on his knees.

            “I almost got crushed by a palm tree…” Goofy remarks, shaking his head as Knight stretches his back. He looks at Naminé, who is breathing heavily from running, as he lets out a sigh. He doesn’t want to start asking questions right now, but he just has so many on his mind that he can’t think of anything else.

            “Naminé… I know this might sound rude, but please, can you tell us what has been going on?” Knight asks with a plea in his voice. “Why have Donald and Goofy forgotten everything while I still remember? Where are Joker and the others? Why do I suddenly remember you from my childhood? Why has Riku… changed so much?” Naminé winces at the questions, guilt on her face as Knight looks at her, taking his mask off and pulling the hood back. “Please, Naminé. I need to know. Everything that has happened… I can’t even tell if what I’m remembering is right or not. I’m just… so confused.”

            “It’s Marluxia's plot.” Naminé replies in a quiet voice, grabbing Knight’s gaze. “Marluxia is the ruler of Castle Oblivion. He's Number XI, as well as the one you met when you entered this place. He is also the one who split you and Joker's teams apart, all so he could turn you into his puppet.”

            “What?” Knight replies, shock laced in his voice as Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy’s mouths hang open. But before he can ask about that, voices from behind draw all of their attention as footsteps echo from the open door, just as a familiar figure exits through the light.

            “Knight! We finally caught up!” Joker shouts as he enters the hall, quickly followed by the rest of the team. All are wearing relieved smiles as Knight, in turn, is relieved to see them.

            “Joker! You still remember us!” Knight shouts with a wide grin as the two groups converge, with Knight rushing up to give each of them a hug, the Thieves eagerly returning the hugs with gusto.

            “Like we could forget about you!” Skull shouts, hand on his hip while messing up Knight’s hair as he looks at Donald and Goofy. “Glad to see you guys are still around as well.”

            “Well, thanks… erm… what was your name again?” Goofy suddenly asks, scratching his head as all the Thieves look at him in shock, including Knight, while Naminé winces in pain.

            “No way… You guys forgot about us?” Panther asks with hurt in her voice as Donald and Goofy let out long sighs.

            “We’re sorry. We tried not to forget, but we couldn’t remember.” Donald replies in a guilty tone. “We could only remember what you looked like and Joker’s name, but everything else… is gone.”

            “The only one who remembered was Knight.” Jiminy comments, hopping onto Knight’s shoulder. “It was thanks to him that we managed to hold on to you in our memories for as long as we did.”

            “But I don’t know why I didn't lose any of my memories.” Knight comments out loud, shaking his head.

            “I do.” Naminé comments as the Thieves all turn to look at her. “You are the Phantom Thieves. I saw you all through Sora’s memories. I’m not sure if I have the right to say this, but it is a pleasure to meet you.”

            “You must be Naminé. I’m not sure why you would say that, but we are relieved to see you. Muse told us about you and how Marluxia is using you against your will.” Joker comments as Muse walks up, surprising Knight as she removes her mask.

            “Hello, Knight. My name is Hikari, and my codename is Muse. I’m from Joker’s world, but my story is a complicated one.” She greets him with a curtsy, and Knight replies with a bow.

            “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sora Osment, codename Knight, and behind me are Donald and Goofy, while Jiminy is on my shoulder.” Knight introduces himself before his face becomes serious. “But what did you mean that Naminé was being used by Marluxia?”

            “It is because of my powers.” Naminé replies, drawing Knight’s gaze. “You see, I have the power to change Sora’s memories and those who are connected to him.”

            “Change… my memories?” Knight asks, eyes going wide as Donald and Goofy let out shocked gasps.

            “That’s right.” Naminé replies, guilt evident in her voice. “Marluxia wanted me to use my powers to turn you into their puppet. And they threatened to kill me if I refused to do so.” Knight’s mouth hangs open as Naminé grasps her hands together. “That’s why Marluxia separated you from Joker, to make it easier to manipulate you. And… while I was able to change Donald and Goofy’s memories, I could not touch yours, Sora.”

            “You… couldn’t touch mine?” Knight asks in surprise as the Thieves all glance knowingly at each other. “Why not?”

            “I think it’s because of your Persona.” Oracle comments, grabbing Knight’s attention. “This is just me guessing, but I think Naminé’s abilities are not just altering memories, but more so altering a person’s cognition to change their memories. And since you have a Persona, that would make any attempt to change your cognition almost impossible. After all, Doc, when he was being used as a puppet, could change almost the entire world's cognition, but he couldn’t affect us. And that was because we had Personas.”

            “It’s true.” Naminé agrees easily. “Whenever I was forced to dive into Sora’s memories, there was something there that was stopping me from breaking the chains of memories in his heart. No matter what I could do, I could not break, alter, or remove those chains. But I could still add to them.”

            “So… that’s why I started having memories of you with us as children.” Knight comments, eyes wide.

            “That’s right. I was afraid that if Marluxia or Larxene found out I couldn’t do anything, they would eliminate me without question.” Naminé admits. “So I added those memories to give the illusion that their plan was working. But even still, I hated the fact that I even did so in the first place, and that I changed Kairi’s charm as well.”

            “You were forced to do all of that?” Knight asks quietly, resting a hand on his chest. "Is that why I've been going through all those worlds again? All to try and confuse me just so I can be a puppet? I can't believe that…" Donald and Goofy are speechless at that revelation as Jiminy looks through his blank book, all the pieces clicking into place as he looks back up.

            “Gee. Then that explains why the worlds we saw had completely different events from what Knight remembered, as well as not including Joker and the others at all. It was all to confuse Knight.”

            “That’s right.” Muse comments, grabbing Knight, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy’s attention. “Marluxia planned to use you for something, and they were using Naminé for that. But… that wasn’t all they were plotting.”

            “What do you mean?” Knight asks, looking at Joker, who lets out a sigh.

            “While Marluxia was setting you up with a trap, we were facing off against a past we had forgotten: a past adventure that involved Muse and a rogue god called Enlil. Apparently, a dark shade of Enlil had taken root inside Muse, and Marluxia was using us to power her up so she could help him overthrow the ‘Superior’ of their Organization. I think they also plan to include you in that plot as well.”

            “Organization?” Knight asks, tilting his head. "You mean… all of the people that we saw in black coats belong in the same group?"

            “That's right. However, whether or not the figure we fought in that one dream, or that other one that all of us ended up fighting back in Hollow Bastion, remains to be seen. Regardless, while we were separated, we had our fair share of run-ins with some of these Organization members." Crow comments, folding his arms. "Apart from Marluxia and Larxene, we have also encountered Axel, Lexaeus, Zexion, and Vexen, along with his Riku Replica."

            “I recall only meeting Axel, Larxene, and Vexen. And despite last seeing him in a memory of Traverse Town, I was not able to see what Marluxia looked like, let alone meet those other two members that you just mentioned." Knight comments, surprising the Thieves that he didn't meet Lexaeus or Zexion at all before Knight's eyes widened in realization. "Wait… did you also just say… Riku Replica? Is that who I've been fighting all this time? The Riku who somehow has a Persona?"

            “That's right. We call him Repliku to avoid confusion. And the Persona he's using is not a real one, but an artificial one." Noir quickly chimes in. "Vexen created him from the real Riku's data, and he is somewhere in the castle, but we don't know where. He could be in an entirely different part, just like how we were until now.”

            “Riku’s really here!? But… Repliku acts just like the real Riku.” Knight comments, looking at Naminé, who nods slowly. “Why is that?”

            “That’s because… Hikari and I were forced to change his memories.” Naminé reveals with a wince. “Not that we were given a choice in the matter…” Knight lets out a full-body shiver at that, feeling more grateful for Bahamut than ever before.

            “But how did you get away, Naminé?” Muse asks gently. “After you told me to run, I was sure Marluxia would never leave you alone.” Naminé looks up at her, a faint smile on her face as she clasps her hands.

            “Axel let me go.” She reveals, shocking everyone. “And it wasn’t just me. He saw you leave, Hikari, but let you run anyway.” That piece of information shocked Muse more than anything else as she looked at the ground in shock while Knight folded his arms.

            “Axel did that? But… he also killed Vexen.”

            “He did what?” Queen asks, shocked alongside the others regarding who really killed Vexen, with Knight nodding back.

            “Yeah. Vexen was trying to warn me about becoming Marluxia’s pawn, but Axel stepped in and killed him before he could tell me.” Knight glances off to the side, eyes narrowing. “But… why would he do that and let both Naminé and Muse go?”

            “I actually saw Axel’s face when he left to fight Vexen.” Naminé comments, grabbing Knight’s attention. “And… he was not happy about it. He had his back turned to Marluxia, but he looked disgusted that he had to do it.” That made Knight think back on that encounter with Axel. Now that he thought about it, Axel did look uncomfortable about going through with the deed. But the fact that he did so anyway… just what was he plotting?

            “We can ask him more when we see him.” Athena comments, hand on hip. “It is clear that Axel has other plans that he is following, or he is following a different set of orders. But until we find him and ask, we won’t know his plans.” While that was easy to agree on, there was another thing that was on Knight’s mind as he looked at the Thieves.

            “Mona? Where is your weapon?” Knight asks, looking at the weaponless Mona. All the others have their weapons on them in some shape or form, but seeing Mona without his falchion…

            “Yeah, about my weapon… Let's just say I levelled up not too long ago.” Mona replies, holding his right hand up as Masked Bandit appears, shocking Knight and the others.

            “A Keyblade!” Donald shouts, eyes wide.

            “Yeah. It appeared when we were fighting Enlil’s shade.” Mona replies, dismissing the blade in a flash of wind. “But that wasn’t the only thing that surprised us. While we were remembering everything that happened with Muse and Enlil, there was something else we were remembering.”

            “Something else?” Goofy asks, scratching his head. Naminé looks at them, confusion on her face as the Thieves all nod as one. “What did you remember?”

            “A past life… where all of us, including Minato, Minako, Yu, and their groups, were around the same age in a town bathed in the glow of a rising sun.” Spring comments, sighing wistfully. “A past… where all of us were Keyblade wielders.”

            “WHAT!?” Knight shouts, joined by Donald, Goofy, Jiminy, and even Naminé as the Thieves all nod back.

            “That’s right. Well, other than Edelweiss, Sophie, Lavenza, and Muse.” Fox adds while folding his arms. “It was a time when Keyblade wielders were more than abundant, grouped together in five different Unions, all led by different Keyblade Masters. And it so happened to be around that time that the Nahobino began his own journey.”

            “Nahobino? That guy we heard from King Triton?” Knight asks while Donald and Goofy look at each other in confusion. Of course, they had forgotten about that.

            “The very same.” Outlaw comments, rubbing his head. “Didn’t expect him to be someone like us, though. That was a shock.”

            “Not as shocking as the end…” Shinobi comments in a quiet tone. “The final memory we saw… was a war between the five Unions. A Keyblade War.” Knight could feel his legs tremble at that name as his heart shivered inside him. Keyblade War. The very name sent a fear into him that he never even knew existed. But why was that? Why did he feel fear from the name of a war that happened long ago?

            “What are you doing!?” A familiar voice echoed behind them as all eyes turned to the stairs, watching as Repliku descended with an angry look. "Naminé!? Hikari!? Why are you with them!?”

            “It’s Repliku!” Edel shouts, pointing a hand at the Replica as he glares back at her.

            “My NAME is Riku!” He shouts back, pointing Soul Eater at her. “Remember it well!” He turns his gaze over to Muse and Naminé, the former standing in front of the latter. “Why!? Why are you with them!? Don’t you remember the promise I made when we were kids!? That I would protect you, no matter what!? And if so… why are you with them and not me!?”

            “Can’t you see why!?” Muse shouts back, walking up. “We’re tired of being pawns to Marluxia! Can’t you see he was just using us all for his own ends!? You’re smarter than this!” Repliku glances to the side, eyes narrowed in anger before he glares back at Knight. All semblance of rational thought leaves him as he points his sword at him.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw8HfJPpvIY : The Force in You)

            “You! It’s your fault, Sora! You messed up their memories with your own! And now… you’re turning them against me!” Knight takes a step back in shock at the fake's accusation as Repliku draws his sword back. "You are ALWAYS getting in the way, Sora!" Knight grimaces as he summons the Kingdom Key to his side, with Donald and Goofy turning into cards yet again. But he finds himself not alone, as Naminé stands behind both him and Joker while the rest of the Thieves all turn into cards, leaving Repliku in a very unwanted 2-v-1 situation. Not that he seems to care as he rushes forward towards the two, dark lightning sparking around him as he lashes out with a 7 card, spinning his blade around and separating Knight and Joker before charging right at Knight, an 8 card primed and bearing down on him.

Only for Knight to counter with a zero card, breaking Repliku and going on the counterattack. While Repliku managed to break Knight in turn, he was blindsided by Joker as he came in from behind, forcing Repliku to split his focus as the two attacked from both angles. Realizing he was not going anywhere fast, Repliku loaded up a Sleight and took aim at the two of them as Joker and Knight loaded up their own Sleights.

            “Stop this, Repliku! You’re not in control!” Joker shouts, causing a split-second look of confusion on Repliku’s face as he shakes it off.

            “I AM in control! And I’m not Repliku! I’m Riku! Dark Firaga!” Thrusting his left hand out, Repliku sends the dark attack right at the two of them as Knight gets ready to counter with his own Sleight. But he doesn’t get the chance.

            “Dark Firaga!” Joker shouts, surprising Knight as he sends his own dark spell at Repliku’s. His Sleight is one point higher than Repliku's, breaking through right towards him, catching him off guard and enveloping him in an explosion.

            “Joker? When did you—?” Knight starts, only for Joker to shake his head.

            “Long story. But don’t worry, I’m in control. For now, let’s focus on stopping him.” Joker quickly replies, bringing Knight’s attention back to Repliku, who was staggering from the blast.

            “Strike Raid!” Knight shouts, tossing the Kingdom Key at the fake and hitting him square in the chest. He follows up with three more strikes before giving the Kingdom Key one more toss, almost sending Repliku onto his back as he looks back up with a snarl.

            “You won’t win!” He shouts, lining up another Sleight as he charges in. Spinning around with a 5 card, only for it to get instantly broken by Joker’s 6 card while he and Knight line up another Sleight each. “Raiden! Heat Riser!” Repliku cries, summoning Raiden and boosting all his stats as Joker does the same while Knight activates a Sonic Blade, forcing Repliku back as he dashes around the ground while Joker takes out his gun and fires Curse-infused rounds at Repliku with an 8 card.

            “Enough is enough! We have you outnumbered!” Knight shouts, leaping into the air and bringing Kingdom Key down on Repliku. “There’s no point in continuing this!”

            “There IS a point!” Repliku snarls back, forcing Knight as he lines up a Sleight. “I’m freeing Naminé and Hikari from both of you! Deathbound!” As Raiden forms behind Repliku, he slashes his sword towards Knight, sending out a dark blade beam directly towards him. Knight, thinking quickly, holds his shield up and negates the attack, although he finds himself skidding back from the hit as Joker rushes in, slashing at Repliku’s right side and forcing him back before glaring right at him.

            “Arsène! Abyssal Wings!” Not holding back, Joker lets Arsène pepper Repliku with the dark feathers. Even if his Persona resisted or negated his attack, it did kick up a thick cloud around him, obscuring Repliku’s vision as Knight moved to the side.

            “Bahamut! Flare Breath!” Knight cries, bringing Bahamut to the field and blasting Repliku through the cloud. The Sleight easily sends him flipping backwards as he lines up yet another Sleight before leaping into the air.

            “Helm Splitter!” Repliku screams, shooting down towards the ground and slamming his blade into the floor, sending out a dark shockwave that forces Joker and Knight back. Before they can counter, Repliku is already in the air, coming back down yet again as the two quickly find themselves on the back foot. Or so they lead Repliku to believe as they both load up another Sleight each. And as Repliku lands for the final time, they spring the trap.

            “Riot Gun!”

            “Earthshaker!”

Repliku looks up, eyes wide as the two attacks come barrelling towards him. A swarm of rounds is in the air, and the ground beneath him rolls forward like a wave. Before he has a chance to activate a zero card, Repliku is hit by both attacks, sending him into the air as Joker and Knight watch, hoping that would be enough to stop him. But that proves to be a false hope as Repliku lands on his feet, an orb of lightning sparking in his left hand as he glares back up at them.

            “You think you’ve beaten me!? Far from it! Now witness true power! Dark Aura!” With that, Repliku is enveloped in a white and purple aura, grasping his blade with both hands before shooting right at Joker and Knight. The two manage to avoid him, but they soon find themselves dodging more follow-up attacks as Repliku dashes in from the sides, vanishing into dark portals and reappearing in a fast circle before shooting out of the floor and driving Soul Eater into the ground, sending out a shockwave that Joker and Knight can't avoid in time. All the while, Naminé watches with pain in her eyes as Repliku grins at the two darkly.

            “What’s wrong? Can’t keep up? Then how about we try again!?” Repliku shouts, once more activating a Dark Aura Sleight. Yet just as he charged right at Joker, he noticed far too late that Joker was wearing a large smirk on his face.

            “Got you! Reflega!” Joker shouts, activating his zero card and cancelling out Repliku’s attack. The kickback echoes through Repliku as the Reflega spell shoots at him with a counter beam. The blast sends him flying into the wall with a heavy crash. As Repliku slides down the wall, panting hard, he glares back up at Joker and Knight, the two standing protectively in front of Naminé.

            “It’s over, Repliku! Stop this now!” Joker shouts, pointing Lupin right at Repliku.

            “No… not yet!” Repliku shouts, pushing himself up. “I’m not done yet!”

            “There is no point to this! You may not be the Riku I know, but you're just as much a victim of Marluxia's plans as the rest of us! We should be working together!” Knight shouts back, shaking his head with frustration as Repliku charges up a Dark Firaga. While Joker gets ready to do the same, Naminé looks Repliku in the eyes, seeing the madness that is taking hold as she feels her guilt grow even more.

And she couldn’t take it any more.

            “We said STOP!!” Naminé screams as a spark of lightning splits across Repliku's head. The moment it does, the madness in his eyes vanishes while he drops Soul Eater to the floor before falling into a crumpled heap, eyes closed and face at ease.

            “What the…?” Knight asks in a quiet voice before turning to Naminé. “What did you do?” Naminé looked at him, ready to reply, only for a portal of darkness to appear near the stairs, depositing a person none of them wanted to see. “Larxene…”

            “You still remember my name? How kind of you.” Larxene replies in a faux kind voice before slipping into a darker tone. “As for what happened to Riku, I can tell you what she did. She broke his heart. Well, I’d say she smashed it, really.”

            “Smashed it?” Knight asks, looking back at Naminé, who still wore a guilty expression.

            “Oh, but don’t worry! If it’s Riku you’re worried about, then don’t! After all…” She looks at Repliku, a dark smile on her face. “Riku was never really here to begin with!” She looks back at Knight, seeing his face hidden by both his mask and hood. It was hard for her to see his reaction, but she assumed he must have been crushed by what had happened. “That thing lying over there was nothing more than an experiment made by Vexen! Nothing more than a puppet! A TOY! It’s laughable, really. It called you a fake, but IT was a fabrication all along! Playing fights with made-up memories made by Naminé!”

Larxene lets out a loud cackle as Knight continues to look at the floor while Joker glares daggers at her. It is strange how none of their friends have returned from their cards yet, but this wouldn't have been the first time this happened.

            “All this time, it's been picking fights with you over memories that were counterfeit, trumped up, and completely bogus. Just like all the memories you gained from climbing. All of them are fake, made up by Naminé!" Larxene lets out another laugh, her hand covering her face as she glares daggers at them. "Does it hurt to know that everything is a lie? That you have forgotten everything over some pointless memories that don't even belong? You are so pathetic that I can't help but LAUGH at you!"

            “I didn't forget.” Knight suddenly cuts in, stopping Larxene's rant cold.

            “What?” She asks, her voice missing the smugness of before as Knight slowly looks up at her, his eyes burning with anger.

            “You heard me. I didn't forget. Not a single thing!" Knight steps forward, aiming Kingdom Key at Larxene. "I remember EXACTLY how things went down! That Joker and the Thieves were with me every step of the way! All of these 'memories' that these floors have shown me? They are NOTHING but lies! All so you and Marluxia can turn me into your puppet, right!?"

            “How—!?” Larxene stammers, the wind taken right out of her sails.

            “You forced Naminé and Hikari to do that to me! Threatening to kill her or worse!" Knight continues, shaking his head. "You tried to force her to replace Kairi, didn't you!?" Naminé lets out a small gasp at that, surprised that Knight managed to catch on to that even if she never said it. "Well, guess what!? Nothing you do will EVER replace her! Not even a FAKE good luck charm! She holds a place in my heart that can NEVER be replaced, no matter what you do! And as for you mentioning that Riku's not really here, Joker and the others told me otherwise, thanks to them being informed by Vexen!” 

            “Why… you…!” Larxene growls as lightning sparks between her fingers before glaring at Naminé. “You! If it weren’t for Axel betraying us and letting you go—!”

            “It wouldn’t have mattered.” Naminé cuts in, stunning Larxene. “Even from the start, I could never change Sora’s memories. No matter how hard you tried or pressured me to, it was impossible for me to break the chains on his memories!” She looks up, a tiny hint of defiance behind her eyes—something that ends up making Larxene’s blood boil.

            “You…! When did you grow a spine, you witch?!” Larxene shouts, with Naminé flinching at the word ‘witch’.

            “Don’t call her that!” Knight shouts back.

            “Why not!? It’s what she is! A witch who can mess with people’s memories! That’s all she is! A witch! Witch! WITCH!” Larxene screams back as Joker and Knight feel the tension building around them.

            “Funny. From our perspective, that is what YOU are, Elrena!” Joker shouts back while Knight and Naminé look looks at him in confusion. Not as much as Larxene, who flinches once more at the name.

            “Elrena… again!?” She shouts, hands shaking. “How do you know that name!?” Her eyes fall on the Keyblade in Joker’s hand, a sense of familiarity coming from it as her eyes widen for a moment. “Xander…?” That makes both Joker and Knight tilt their heads in puzzlement as Larxene shakes her head once more. “No… that’s not possible. He and the others are dead!” With lightning sparking between her fingers, Larxene summons her knives to her hands as Naminé steps far away from the coming fight.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OY2yfnlbM : The 13^th Struggle)

            “Now you have made me into a VERY foul mood! And the only way to clear that up is by inflicting more pain on YOU than ME!” With that, Larxene tosses her knives at Joker and Knight with a 6 card, the two ducking under them before charging forward just as she sends down a barrage of lightning with a 7 card. The two dodge to the side, ducking between the strikes of thunder before lashing out with a 7 and 8 card, respectively.

Larxene ducks back, avoiding the strikes before going in with an 8 card while slashing with her knives as if they were claws. All the while, she stocks up cards for a Sleight while Knight activates a Sonic Blade Sleight on her, followed quickly by Joker sending out a Riot Gun Sleight.

            “This is how you treat a lady!? By ganging up on her?!” Larxene shouts in annoyance, finding herself at a disadvantage between the two as she activates her Sleight. “Lightning Bolt!” Throwing her arms into the air, Larxene summons a torrent of lightning around her, forcing Joker and Knight back to safety while they rest.

            “We might be gentlemen, but you are no lady!” Joker shouts back, charging up energy in his left hand. “Dark Firaga!” Thrusting his left hand forward, Joker sends the dark spell flying towards Larxene as she just finishes her attack. With no time to dodge, she takes the attack head-on, almost getting sent flying backwards before she quickly loads up another Sleight.

            “Then let’s see you hit me again! Teleport Rush!” Before either of them could blink, Larxene started dashing about the hallway, leaving behind afterimages as she came in from every angle. Attempting to slash at them both with her knives, she was met by Knight’s shield, her attack being blocked with ease as she let out a groan. “Why is your shield like Vexen’s!?”

            “Like I’d tell you!” Knight shouts back, rushing up towards her. “Ars Arcanum!” Without giving her a chance to breathe, Knight activated his Sleight and led Kingdom Key rage away, slashing into Larxene thirteen times before giving her a chance to flee, only for Joker to keep the pressure on with his gun, just like he did with Repliku.

            “You are REALLY getting on my nerves!” Larxene screams, tossing her knives at Joker with a 5 card, only to get hit by a card break from Knight with a 6. “Why won’t you idiots just quit already!?”

            “If you think we are just going to give up without a fight, then you don’t know us!” Joker shouts back, activating a Strike Raid Sleight and hitting Larxene in the head. Disoriented, she is left open to Knight, who uses a Flatten Sleight with Bahamut, almost crushing Larxene as she teleports away, loading up another Sleight of her own.

            “Then let’s see you stop this! Mega Volt!” Larxene jumps into the air, tossing her knives into the ground around Joker and Knight. Seconds later, the area inside the knives is consumed by lightning, striking both Joker and Knight with relentless abandon until Knight activates a zero Cure card, cancelling out the attack before it can do any more damage while healing them both. Strange how his Cure magic now has a small AOE around it, but he isn’t complaining.

            “Arsène! Abyssal Wings!” Joker shouts, his Sleight activating and sending a deluge of feathers down into Larxene. Each one cuts into her before exploding as Knight leaps into the air.

            “Ragnarok!” He cries, sending a stream of beams right towards Larxene, each one slamming into her even as she loads up another Sleight. One that seems to breathe with anger.

            “That is it! I have had enough of you both!” Larxene shouts, tossing her knives out as they hover around the edge of the hallway. “Let’s see you idiots dodge this! Blade Storm!” All at once, the knives hovering around them fire electricity at Joker and Knight, catching the two in a deadly grip of lightning as they are slowly lifted off the ground. Larxene watches in glee as the lightning takes its toll on the two, both feeling the pain running through them. But if she had been paying attention, she would have noticed Joker had lined up another Sleight in his mind.

One that was three points higher than hers.

            “Queen! Sophie! Muse!" Joker cries out, his Sleight echoing and shattering Larxene's Sleight. Before she has a chance to react, Queen appears as she unleashes a rapid-fire rain of punches, followed by a Nuke-infused kick as Sophie appears next midair. Sending down her yo-yos, she wraps up Larxene before spinning her around and tossing her onto the floor, followed by a Kougaon as Muse manifests next. With fury on her face, Muse charges forward with her lightsabre, spinning it around her as she dances around Larxene, not giving the Savage Nymph a chance to recover before jumping back and blasting her with a combined Mapsiodyne and Makougaon blast, throwing Larxene towards the stairs as Joker and Knight nod at each other.

They were not going to give her a chance to counter.

            “Dark Slicer!” Joker cries, teleporting around her with quick strikes similar to her Teleport Rush before leaping high above and slashing down with Lupin. The attack stuns Larxene as she staggers back, her injuries catching up to her as a knight leaps into the air, Bahamut forming behind him as he takes aim with his Sleight.

            “It's over, Larxene! Megaflare!" With a furious roar, Bahamut unleashes a stream of Almighty magic from his wings, all of it streaming towards Larxene like silver rope before colliding with her. Her scream can just be heard over the explosions around her as Joker and Knight stand tall in the hall, injured and fatigued, but still ready to fight if needed. But the same cannot be said of Larxene as she stumbles backward, even as the smoke around her vanishes.

            “No… No!” Larxene shouts, still fighting to keep standing. “I refuse to lose to a bunch of losers!” She throws out a hand, sparks of lightning reaching up her arm, but joined by something else. Dark particles start flying off from her arm before quickly rushing over the rest of her body, joined by sparks of lightning as Larxene looks at herself in shock and fear.

            “What’s going on?” Joker asks, eyes narrowing as Knight lets out a sigh.

            “This is like what happened to Vexen when he died.” Knight replies in a solemn voice as they watch Larxene hug herself, even as she slowly starts to vanish.

            “I’m fading…? No, this isn’t… the way I… I won’t… ALLOW…” Before Larxene could even begin, her body fully vanishes into dark particles and sparks of lightning, leaving nothing behind that even hints that she was there. All except two black cards and a blue world card that float into Knight’s hand: one of Larxene, the other of Repliku, and the last depicting Castle Oblivion itself.

            “Even more of these…” Knight comments as everyone returns to normal while Joker looks at the two black cards in Knight’s hands.

            “You got those as well?” Joker asks, folding his arms. “They have been useful in some fights.”

            “Sheesh, Larxene did not go away quietly.” Oracle comments, looking at the spot that she once occupied. She could see a screen alerting her to Larxene's passing, but she swipes it away due to the redundancy of it. “Still… it’s kinda sad she didn’t leave anything behind.”

            “It’s to be expected.” Naminé suddenly comments, grasping her hands. “After all, we’re not even supposed to ‘be’ in the first place.”

            “Naminé…” Muse comments, walking up to her and gently resting a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve already told you that you have a right to live just like everyone else. You need to get rid of that mentality; it’s not good for anyone. Believe me, I’ve been there.” While Naminé nodded in thanks, everyone else was just puzzled by what she was talking about. At least, until their attention turned to something else.

            “So… what happened to Repliku?” Violet asks, looking at the sleeping body of Repliku. “Did you… really shatter his heart?” Naminé looks at Violet before turning her gaze back to Repliku, slowly shaking her head.

            “No. Instead, I unlocked the block on his memories that Hikari and I were forced to do before giving him new memories. I’m not sure what he’ll do when he wakes up, but at the very least, he won’t be a puppet to Marluxia any more.”

            “Speaking of memories, is there any way for us to get ours back?” Jiminy asks, hopping onto Knight’s shoulder. “I had intended to ask you before we got pulled into that fight with Repliku.”

            “Of course.” Naminé replies instantly. “I can fix everything if we go to the top of the castle. I can explain more there, but… Marluxia has made that floor his base. He won’t let us pass without a fight. And he must know by now that Sora's memories haven’t been changed.”

            “What about the memories you added? Will you remove those as well?” Knight asks, folding his arms as Naminé looks at him in surprise.

            “But… those memories are fake.” Naminé comments, looking at the ground.

            “Even if they are fake, they still feel just right.” Knight suddenly replies, surprising her and everyone else. “Even if all you did was add yourself to them, they feel natural in a way. Not intrusive or trying to replace, but more like you want to be there. To be with friends, right?” Naminé nods her head at him slowly as Knight lets his smile grow larger. “Then if that’s all they have done and nothing else, I’m okay keeping them. Besides, I’m sure Riku and Kairi would love to meet you as well. Then those memories won’t feel like a lie, all right?”

            “Careful, Knight. You don’t want Kairi getting jealous now, do you?” Panther asks in a teasing tone as Knight suddenly brushes up a storm.

            “You did say she holds a special place in your heart. It would seem you have long accepted your true feelings for her.” Fox remarks poetically as everyone chuckles at him. Even Naminé couldn’t help but laugh, a smile forming on her face as the tension in her shoulders faded away.

            “Naminé, I know that what you've done was bad, but I also know you didn't want to do it either. So, if you still feel some guilt, don't. Because I forgive you, all right?" Knight suddenly adds as Naminé nods back. Her guilt at what she had done slowly vanishes as Knight looks back at the stairs. "Okay. Time to dethrone the Lord of the Castle and start fixing the memories of Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy.”

            “Finally, we are reaching the end of this crazy ride.” Outlaw remarks, shaking his head.

            “About time too.” Skull agrees, rolling his arm.

            “Do you think Axel might try to fight us again? And what about Lexaeus and Zexion?" Spring asks, tilting her head.

            “Regarding Axel, maybe. But given what we were just told about his recent actions, it's hard to tell what he is planning." Athena remarks, folding her arms. "And as for Lexaeus and Zexion, we have no idea where those two are, let alone if they're also following Marluxia's plans."

            “I've been meaning to ask about those two since you brought them up earlier. What's their story?" Knight asks, curious about these two Organization members whom he had not gotten a chance to meet.

            “To summarize, Lexaeus and Zexion are Number V and Number VI, respectively. And before you even ask about the number thing, according to Vexen, that's just the number they were given upon being recruited into the Organization." Joker explains, hands in his pockets. "Lexaeus had ginger hair, and he utilizes earth magic while wielding a giant axe sword. As for Zexion, he had blue steel hair that covered the right side of his face, similar to Minato. His unique weapon is a book that can actually turn your own attacks against you. Oh, and if you're wondering what Marluxia looks like, he'll have pink hair as he wields a long pink scythe. He was also the one who killed Enlil's shade after we beat her for good."

            “That being said, what about Naminé and Repliku?” Sophie suddenly asks, looking at the sleeping body of Repliku. "Should they come with us?"

            “It might be for the best if we bring them with us.” Lavenza remarks, hand on her chin. "It would be foolish for us to leave them behind, and if we consider what Naminé has said about Marluxia soon being aware that his plan to change Knight's memories has failed, he will not allow her to run free, let alone Repliku for failing his mission.”

            “In that case, I’ll carry Repliku.” Edel comments, walking over to Repliku and picking him up. “After all, I’m stronger than I look.” Joker nods at her as Naminé walks to the centre of the group, a gentle hand from Queen resting on her shoulder.

            “Don’t worry. We’ll keep you safe.” She promises as Naminé nods back. If she were being truthful, she would be scared about confronting Marluxia again. But now, being surrounded by people who would keep her safe, she could feel that fear slowly vanishing away.

            “If everyone is ready, then let's go.” Joker commands as he starts walking towards the stairs, the rest of the team following behind him. Once more reunited as the Keyblade Phantoms, they start climbing the stairs as Joker glances at Fox with a smirk. "Fox… get a Calling Card ready. After everything Marluxia has put us through since arriving here, he's more than earned it.”

            “It shall be done.” Fox responds, pulling out a blank card and starting to work on a message, with Muse chiming in to help. But even as they climbed for what they hoped was the final fight of the castle, Knight’s mind couldn’t help but wonder about the real Riku and just what he was going through at that moment.

Chapter Text

Chapter 21: Rage of The Taciturn Stalwart.

            “You know, part of me was hoping that the real interior of Castle Oblivion would look different from the halls. But somehow, I’m not surprised that it is the same old white halls and rooms.” Edel comments out loud as the group moves down a long white hallway. Knight had just used the world card he got along with the two black cards to open the way forward, but even he would be lying if he said he was happy to see the same old white hallway again.

But even as that thought was left to stew in their minds, a sigh from Panther drew everyone’s attention as she slowly came to a stop, her left hand grasping her right arm as she looked up at Joker with a conflicted expression.

            “Panther? What’s wrong?” Joker asks, seeing the look in Panther’s eyes as she lets out a long sigh.

            “Joker… do you think we’ve broken our no-kill rule?” Panther bluntly asks, stunning everyone as she leans back on her feet. “I mean, even though she left no body, Larxene is, for all we know, dead. So… doesn’t that mean we broke it? Not saying that we had a choice in the matter, but…”

            “Well… if we are being specific, you could say we broke it when we defeated Clayton.” Outlaw suddenly comments, rubbing his head. “Even if he was crushed by that giant Heartless, we were still the ones to land the final blow.”

            “The same could be said of Qada. Even if he fell to his death, he died while fighting us. Although, in his case, he was someone we could make an exception for.” Spring comments, tapping a foot on the ground.

            “This could also be said of Tamiel on Roak, alongside us taking down Maleficent.” Athena adds, nodding her head with a frown. “But I can see the fear. The no-kill rule is what prevents us from going down a dark path. It is possible that with all the fighting we have done, we have forgotten about that rule unintentionally.” All the Thieves looked at each other with uncertainty as that realization hit them. Sure, they were not back in Japan, and they were fighting against foes who were dangerous in real life, but that did not change the fact that they had suddenly grown far too accustomed to combat. It was a sobering reminder of just how much fighting they had done over the years.

            “C’mon, guys. You’re better than this.” Knight suddenly speaks up, grabbing everyone’s attention. “I understand why you have that rule, and it would be great if we could all keep to it. But we don’t have that choice any more.” Knight rests a hand over his chest as he lets out a deep sigh. “I know I’m not happy about what happened to Larxene either, even if she was, well, annoying. But if it means that other people can be freed from pain, then I’ll gladly take that weight on my shoulders. Even if I would rather talk them down, if I have no choice but to fight, then I’ll fight.” Knight looks back at everyone with an understanding smile as he nods his head. “At least, that’s how I think of it.” The Thieves all glance at each other, letting Knight’s words echo in their minds as they turn back and nod in agreement.

            “You’re right.” Joker replies, hands in his pockets. “We won’t like it, but we know that we won’t have a choice. We should always aim for a diplomatic solution, but there will be cases where a battle will happen, such as the one we are approaching right now.”

            “In that case, how about an addition to our no-kill rule?” Mona suddenly comments as all eyes go to him. “We will only ever break that rule if our foe in question is a threat that can’t be reasoned with or experiences a change of heart.”

            “I'm guessing that homicidal gods who want to rule everyone are still counted among those with whom we can't try negotiating?” Violet asks with a wink.

            “And in case things go wrong, we will be there to help you stay on the straight and narrow.” Goofy adds as Donald nods beside him. It was comforting to know that, despite their loss of memories, they were still willing to help them stay on course, no matter what was coming for them.

            “And I suppose we can add people like Ansem and Marluxia to that as well.” Crow comments, nodding his head. “So long as we don’t forget who we really are inside, we should be fine going forward.”

            “We will be.” Joker replies, nodding his head before turning to Fox. “By the way, have you got the Calling Card ready?”

            “Just finished.” Fox replies, tossing the card to Joker, who catches it between his fingers. “Shall we head on? It would be rude to leave the Lord of this castle waiting for us.”

            “We shall.” Queen replies, slamming her hands together as the team presses on. A new resolution forms inside them as they head towards their inevitable clash. One that has been far too long in the making.

            “That’s the last world done.” Riku comments, rolling his arm as he glances around the memories of Roak, with the door leading out nearby atop a set of ladders. “Still, Tamiel did not make it easy for us. I was beginning to think he would never stop spawning those Phantoms of his. All these worlds took far too long…”

            “Feels like all of them took far too long after beating up that fake that claims to be you. Hey, at least we beat him.” Zack replies, resting next to a tree. “Still, I think fighting Oogie Boogie and Ursula in Halloween Town and Atlantica were the more annoying fights. Too many gimmicks for my liking.”

            “My head is still hurting from Wonderland…” Rinoa comments, rubbing her head. “How could such a world exist? We didn’t even fight a member of Maleficent’s council there. At least Hades was easy to beat in the Olympus Colosseum.”

            “Ain't that the truth?” Labrys asks, leaning on a rock and massaging her head. Something that the trio caught on to quickly.

            “You okay, Labrys? Another memory of the past coming back?” Riku asks, with Labrys shaking her head.

            “Nah… nothing like that this time. I just remembered the entire adventure we had with Hikari and Enlil now, so that’s a plus for me, but the other memories that came back… I still can’t believe it.” Labrys holds up a hand, gently grasping it. “I was… a Keyblade wielder in the past? And that everyone I know was also one? And that we all died in some Keyblade War? Just what is going on…?”

            “Your guess is as good as ours.” Zack comments, shaking his head. “Kinda wish Aqua and King Mickey were here. They might know more.”

            “Let’s hope they get here soon then.” Rinoa replies, pushing herself off a fence. “Anyway, are we ready to head up? We have to be approaching the top now.”

            “We must be. This place is the last world card I had on me.” Riku replies, heading for a set of ladders and climbing up with the others quickly behind him. It was a slow climb, none of them wanting to rush, but they soon reached the top, with Riku pushing the doors open with a heavy sigh. “Just how much longer will this go on for?” He asks out loud, shaking his head before looking up, only to suddenly go on edge as Lexaeus stood in the middle of the hall, eyes closed with his axe sword right beside him.

            “Oh boy… another freak in a black coat.” Zack drawls with zero joy as the four enter the hall. As though he sensed their presence, Lexaeus opened his eyes at the four, his expression never changing.

            “That scent… I assume that you must be in the same group as Vexen? Just another 'Nobody' who wants me to follow the darkness?” Riku comments as Lexaeus nods back.

            “How bold of you to guess correctly what my allies and I truly are. We are indeed Nobodies on the side of the dark.” Lexaeus replies, surprising the quartet with his answer. "I am Lexaeus. Number V. And you have done well to come this far. But to possess your powers and yet fear the darkness… what a waste of a monumental gift."

            “I do not… fear it!” Riku bites back, with noticeable hesitation in his voice.

            “I sense that you do.” Lexaeus bluntly replies with no emotion. “You’re also capable of controlling that darkness. Cast away your useless fear. Open your heart. Embrace the darkness. And if you refuse… you will lose both light and darkness and disappear!” With that, Lexaeus sends out a vast aura of darkness and earth towards the four, almost sending them all on their backs as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa turn into cards.

            “I, Lexaeus, will not yield to the frail heart of an infantile coward! Now, stop resisting and let the darkness in!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OY2yfnlbM : The 13^th Struggle)

With a roar, Lexaeus leaps at Riku with his axe sword and a 9 card off the bat, forcing him back as he stocks up a Sleight almost immediately and activates it. “Gaea’s Gift!” The moment he shouted that, Lexaeus was engulfed in a red, black, and golden aura that Riku could feel was boosting his strength. From that alone, Riku could tell that Lexaeus was not going to go easy or hold back on him as he leaped at him once more.

Not willing to meet Lexaeus head-on, Riku dodges to the side as he lines up a Sleight in his mind, ducking under another one of Lexaeus’s swings with an 8 card before countering with a 9. Catching Lexaeus off guard, yet not staggering him due to his aura, he drags his axe sword along the ground, forcing Riku back as he lines up yet another Sleight. “Rockshatter!” Lexaeus cries, dragging his weapon through the ground and conjuring a row of rocks towards Riku before shattering them with a single swing. Seeing the incoming storm of rocks, Riku dodges to the right and left, avoiding what rocks he can as Lexaeus comes at him yet again, blade aimed at Riku’s stomach.

            “Helm Splitter!” Riku shouts, activating his Sleight and leaping into the air. Lexaeus, seeing his attack whiff, looks up with a stone-cold face as Riku comes down on him, hitting him in the shoulder twice before one final attack lands right on his chest. But Lexaeus does not budge as Riku jumps back, grimacing as his attack seems to do nothing while the aura around Lexaeus continues to glow.

            “Is that all? Pathetic.” Lexaeus quips as he lines up another Rockshatter Sleight, activating it without mercy as Riku is forced to dodge another onslaught of rocks. Realizing his normal attacks wouldn’t do anything, Riku armed a Sleight with Zack, waiting for Lexaeus to charge at him again.

            “Zack!” Riku shouts, activating the Sleight the moment Lexaeus charges at him. With his weapon meeting Zack’s Buster Sword in a shower of sparks, Lexaeus finds himself surprisingly forced back, right as Zack unleashes his own Omnislash on him, knocking Lexaeus out of his aura as he glances up at Riku.

            “So you would rely on your own allies instead? Such cowardice.” Lexaeus comments, dragging his weapon along the ground. Riku, seeing the incoming 7 card attack, ducks to the side before countering with an 8, breaking Lexaeus and lashing out with a short combo before jumping back. He wasn’t going to risk going up against him with that massive weapon as he lined up another Sleight.

            “Dark Firaga!” Riku shouts, sending the blast of darkness at Lexaeus, who tanks it square in the chest with an amused expression on his face. Not that he let up in his assault as he leaped at Riku again, bringing his weapon down on him and forcing him to dodge yet once more. But before Riku could recover, Lexaeus activated his Sleight.

            “Impact Quake!” Stabbing his weapon into the ground, three pillars of rock emerged around Riku, each one threatening to fall onto him. As the pillars fell, Riku, in an act of desperation, called on some of the darkness inside him and dodged out of the way as an orb of dark blue light. He had used this move a few times by now, and even if he hated it, he couldn’t help but be amazed at how easily it allowed him to avoid attacks.

            “Impressive… but I am still not convinced!” Lexaeus shouts, charging at Riku and hitting him in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall from the 6 card as Riku lets out a haggard cough, even as he lines up a Sleight in his mind. “So this is your limit… I am disappointed…” Lexaeus remarks as he walks forward, only to be surprised as a Curaga spell heals Riku. Spinning around, he is shocked to see Rinoa standing there with a spectral dog on her right arm before firing it right at him like a missile, catching him in an explosion as Riku pushes himself up, nodding his head in thanks to Rinoa as she vanishes.

            “Rinoa plus two Cure cards. Always works.” He quips to himself as Lexaeus looks back at him. “Want to keep this up? I can still keep going!”

            “If that is what you wish…!” Lexaeus shouts back, once more activating his Gaea’s Gift Sleight to power himself up. Only this time, he activated it again, generating a larger aura that seemed to spark in both yellow and red. The very air seemed to tremble from the aura as Riku could feel himself almost pushed to his knees as Lexaeus moved forward at a slow pace, his weapon resting on his shoulder as he slowly lined up a Sleight.

            “You wish for the battle to continue, and so, you shall have it! Let us see if you can withstand my full wrath! Ground Impact!” With that, Lexaeus leaps into the air and brings forth a vast sphere of energy, the very air seemingly being pushed away as it is formed. As the sphere begins to gather, Riku quickly forms a Sleight in his mind as he readies the only card he has that could possibly stop such an attack. After all, he has no hope of dodging a sphere that massive at this close range.

With a final roar, Lexaeus sends the orb right at Riku, fully intending to finish him off here and now. But as he did, Lexaeus caught the smirk on Riku's face at the last minute as he swung Soul Eater out with a zero card, breaking the Sleight but not stunning Lexaeus as he dropped to the ground, glaring at Riku as he dragged his weapon behind him.

            “Get him, Labrys!” Tossing his Sleight into the air, Labrys manifests next to him before dashing forward, dragging her axe behind her as she and Lexaeus clash weapons. Caught off guard by Labrys's innate strength, Lexaeus is unprepared for the follow-up roundhouse kick from Labrys before she swings her axe upward, sending him flying into the air as she summons Asterius behind her and casts Titanomachia. The upheaval of earth and heat blasts into Lexaeus, wiping away his aura before letting him fall hard to the ground. But he is not done yet, as he quickly pushes himself up before seeing Riku fall into a stance, holding Soul Eater behind him as he closes his eyes.

            “I see… a duel to end this fight.” Lexaeus remarks as he shoulders his own weapon and closes his eyes. Unseen to all, the two have a battle of cards, each one trying to break the other and form a Sleight before striking. But as Riku battles to gain seven cards for his Barrage attack, a phantom hand rests on his own as a voice echoes in his mind.

            “Do not fear him. You can end this with a single blow. We can end this.” While Riku had no idea where the voice came from, he could feel something briefly awaken inside him as he suddenly broke two more cards, bringing his combined card count up to 52 as his eyes flashed open. Lexaeus opened his eyes at the same time as the two dashed at each other, their weapons flashing through the air as the sound of steel slicing through steel echoed around them.

With Riku ending up in a kneeling position, holding Soul Eater out with both hands while Lexaeus held his own mid-swing, he watched as his axe sword was cleaved in two from a single strike. He felt a grievous injury race across him, threatening to split him in two as he stumbled to one knee.

            “Such… power…” He whispers, glancing over his shoulder at Riku, who turns back to look at him, with Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa once more manifesting beside him, none of them seeing the black card with Lexaeus's face slipping into Riku's deck. “You really are the Superior’s…”  

            “What’s wrong… Lexaeus?” Riku asks between gasps of breath. “Is that all… the darkness can do?”

            “For someone who was really confident at the start, you are not looking so hot right now.” Zack comments with a smug grin as Rinoa heals Riku, helping him with his exhaustion.

            “If that’s all you wanted, then we’re gonna go now.” Labrys remarks, spinning around and flicking her hair. “We have a castle to explore.”

            “I admit… it seems… I am bested.” Lexaeus admits as he struggles to push himself up. A glowing purple slash mark runs up his chest, over his shoulder, and down his back. “But no matter what, the Organization will triumph! I may perish, but all the darkness within me will billow forth and devour you!” No sooner did he say that than the dark slash on his chest grew brighter and larger, even as he began to vanish in motes of darkness and shards of earth. While Riku and the others raised their guards, Lexaeus closed his eyes as he could feel his essence begin to wither and fade.

            Forgive me, Zexion… This was a fight I should not have started…

And with that final thought, Lexaeus explodes into darkness, the dark wave enveloping all as Riku, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa hold their ground against the endless sea of darkness until nothing is left in its wake.

Not even a shard of light.

Meanwhile, at the top of the castle, Marluxia was stewing in anger. To his side, the orb that they used to spy on Knight was dysfunctional, sliced in two by his own scythe as he glared at the empty seat that once held Naminé. But now, she was gone, leaving only him to finish their plan by himself. Oh, he had sensed Larxene passing away on the floor beneath him, and that only served to fuel an anger he had not felt in ages. And that only got worse when Axel teleported into the room behind him.

            “You have some nerve to show your treasonous face around here. Some nerve indeed.” Marluxia comments in a monotone as Axel holds his hands up defensively, despite the wide smile on his face.

            “Treasonous? I haven’t the faintest idea what you are on about.” Axel replies in a knowing tone, prompting Marluxia to turn to him with narrow eyes.

            “Why let Naminé and Hikari go? If it weren’t for your needless meddling, we could have turned the Keyblade Master to come and serve us and gained a powerful ally in the form of Enlil. We could have even eliminated the Phantom Thieves or turned them to our side as well.”

            “Oh, right, your big plan!” Axel exclaims, snapping his fingers. “You use Naminé to rewrite Sora’s heart piece by little piece, and he turns into her total puppet. At the same time, you use the Phantom Thieves to restore Enlil’s, or rather, her shade’s power by having Hikari bring those memories back to the surface, at which point they would either join us or be eliminated. Then, using all of these pieces together, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Am I right? I would say that YOU are the traitor here, Marluxia.”

            “Since when were you suspicious of us?” Marluxia asks back, his frown turning from one of anger to one of impressed intrigue as Axel places a hand on his chest.

            “Do either one of us have the heart to trust anyone? But if you must ask, it was Saïx who told me to keep my eye on the two of you.” Marluxia lets out a chuckle at that as he shakes his head.

            “The Luna Diviner… of course he would.” Marluxia looks back at Axel, a smirk on his face as his right hand flexes. “I would not be surprised if Lexaeus and Zexion are also involved in this. And you only eliminated Vexen to obtain proof of our plan, correct?”

            “That I didn’t want to do.” Axel freely admits, rubbing the back of his head. “But it WAS your order.” At that, he holds both hands out, his chakram wheels coming to him in a burst of flame as a rose petal manifests in Marluxia’s hand before quickly transforming into his scythe. “Remember the order: ‘You must eliminate the traitor.’ I always follow orders, Marluxia.”

            “So you do… to the detriment of your freedom.” Marluxia replies, holding his scythe out to the right. “So you are content with remaining as the attack dog of the Organization?”

            “Even an attack dog has better rights than a traitor, and more loyalty. Larxene paid the price for her disloyalty when she disappeared. You must do the same!” At that, Axel charges at Marluxia, swinging his chakrams around as Marluxia dodges back. Seeing the distance, Axel tosses his chakrams at him, forcing Marluxia to block with his scythe and send them back, which Axel easily catches as he holds them out to his side. “The Organization’s betrayed! In that name, I will annihilate you!”

            “That line’s not you…” Marluxia remarks with narrow eyes as Axel responds with a sheepish shrug.

            “Well, had to try it once, you know?” Axel snarks back as the two once more exchange blows. A duel to the death between the Flurry of Dancing Flames and the Graceful Assassin. At one point, Marluxia manages to get distance between them to let out a blade beam at Axel, forcing him to block the attack while Marluxia jumps closer to the door. But before he can open it, the door behind Axel bursts open with Joker, Knight, and the rest of the team filling the room, with Knight, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy having a clear idea of who the man fighting Axel is based on what they were recently told.

            “Marluxia!” Knight shouts, aiming the Kingdom Key at him, who looks at him with slight irritation in his eyes.

            “Well, look who’s here. The cavalry has arrived.” Axel quips with a grin, lowering his chakrams.

            “Axel is fighting Marluxia?” Sophie asks, tilting her head as Axel shrugs his shoulders.

            “Yep. And before any of you ask why, this was a job that was given to me by one of the higher-ups of the Organization. Marluxia and Larxene are traitors, and I've been given the oh-so-pleasant job of eliminating them. Well, you saved me the trouble with one of them anyway. Thanks for eliminating Larxene for me.” Axel quips to them, not turning his back as all eyes turn to Marluxia. “Regardless of the circumstances, these assignments always make me wonder why I get stuck with these icky jobs?”

            “I see… so you planned for this, didn’t you?” Marluxia asks, his gaze passing over to Naminé as he tightens his grip on his scythe. “Naminé… so you have chosen to stand against me alongside Hikari.”

            “I have.” Naminé replies, hands clenched. “Hikari and I will not be your pawns any more.” Marluxia lets out a scoff as his eyes fall on everyone around him. He can tell that the odds are against him, even with his card-based system in place. So, it is time to pull one more trick out of his sleeve.

            “I admit, fighting all of you at once would be hard, even for me. But…” He holds out his left hand, snapping his fingers as a barrier forms between him and everyone else, spreading along the walls and blocking the door behind them as Marluxia lets out a smirk. “If you want to chase me down, Axel, then deal with Sora and the others. That is, if you can beat them.” And with that, Marluxia flees through the door as Axel sends his chakrams at the barrier, only for them to bounce off and return to his hands.

            “Well… that complicates things.” Axel quips in a dry tone. “Just my luck…”

            “What a palooka.” Donald adds, with Goofy and Sophie nodding in agreement just as Knight steps forward.

            “Axel…” Knight remarks, grabbing his attention as he looks over at them.

            “Who would have seen this coming, huh? A caged fight between all of us? Seriously, Marlxuia has some twisted humour, doesn’t he?” Axel comments, shaking his head at them.

            “Axel, tell us. Why did you kill Vexen?” Athena asks, taking a step forward as the two lock eyes, holding each other’s gaze for a longer than necessary time as Axel lets out a long sigh.

            “It’s not that I wanted to do that. But he gave the order to eliminate the traitor. That’s how things work in the Organization.” Axel replies, rubbing the back of his head. “Always looking over your shoulder and all that…” The Thieves all glance at each other, unsure how to take that in as Knight walks forward.

            “Axel… tell me something. What Vexen said about me having a brother and sister in the Organization. Is that true?” The Thieves all blink at Knight in surprise while Naminé glances to the side. As for Axel, he cocks an eyebrow at that before tilting his head to the side.

            “He said that? First I’m hearing of that, of a sister anyway.” Axel comments, his chakrams held limp at his side. “As for this ‘brother’, I think I might know who he’s talking about. But I think it would be better if you two actually met, rather than me telling you who he is.”

            “Why do they always speak in riddles?” Oracle asks, glancing at a screen that indicates Lexaeus's passing. “Huh… Lexaeus has been taken out.”

            “Seriously? He got taken out? That’s not like him.” Axel comments, all eyes going to him. “And have you been secretly tagging us every time we show up? That’s pretty sneaky of you.”

            “Only after we encountered you, Axel.” Oracle comments, before flicking away a screen. “But now you’re marked!”

            “Oh joy…” Axel quips, rolling his eyes before looking at Knight. “You know, Sora, I risked a lot to make sure you didn't fall to being Marluxia's puppet. And now you are going after the main man yourself. I must admit, you certainly have guts. But I wonder… do you have what it takes to beat HIM!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OY2yfnlbM : The 13^th Struggle)

Suddenly, a wall of fire surrounds everyone, surprising them just before almost all of them turn into cards, leaving behind Joker, Knight, Naminé, and the unconscious Repliku. “I’d rather not fight you, but I can’t really let down the Organization now, can I?!”

            “But why!? We’re all on the same side!” Knight shouts as he and Joker fall into combat stances. As for Naminé, she stands next to the unconscious Repliku, watching with wide eyes as Axel spins the chakrams in his hands.

            “Sure, we might be on the same side, but if you’re going up against Marluxia, then let me see if you have what it takes!” Axel shouts back with a wide grin as he quickly loads up three 9s into a Sleight. “Show me how far you and Joker have come since arriving here! Because I'm not holding anything back! BURN, BABY!!” Axel shouts, activating the Sleight while spinning his chakrams around. Flames wrap around him before condensing beneath his feet. “Flame Prison!” From under his feet, the flames race out, covering the floor inside the ring of flames before shooting up and enshrouding Naminé and Repliku in a separate prison. “Can’t have the noncombatants get caught now, can we!?”

            “Fine then! If it’s a fight you want, it’s one you’ll get!” Joker shouts with a wince, feeling the heat around his feet sap away at his strength. They are on a time limit now, and they can’t afford to slow down. So, with feet on fire, Joker and Knight charge at Axel as he tosses a chakram at them with a 7 card, forcing the two to separate while Knight leaps at Axel with a Sleight. Lashing out with an Ars Arcanum as Axel stocks up on cards, Joker comes in from the side.

Leaping away, Axel just barely avoided Joker carving into his side with Lupin as he activated his Sleight, jumping into the flames around them as Knight and Joker went back to back.

            “Where is he?” Knight asks, glancing around as Joker narrows his eyes. For once, he wishes he could use his Third Eye in a fight, but ever since he arrived, he has been barred from using it. Thankfully, he doesn't need it, as he notices a part of the fire wall around them is sporting a pillar of fire and red hair hidden by the flames.

            “Look out!” Joker shouts, dragging Knight to the side as Axel comes sliding out. Axel’s Sleight misses them as Joker quickly rushes up at him, clashing blades with his chakrams. Knight shakes his head, finding another card with a green symbol on it at his feet. Why it wasn’t engulfed by the flames, he didn’t know, but he was starting to feel the heat really sap away his strength as he turned to look at Joker and Axel. He didn’t know what this card was going to do, but it was better than having hot feet the entire time!

So, going with his gut, Knight activated the card as it sent out a blast of clear light, wiping away the flames on the floor and stunning Axel. Joker, seeing Axel stunned, quickly stocked up a Sleight and activated it, sending a Riot Gun right at Axel and knocking him back as Knight came in with a Sonic Blade Sleight.

            “Not bad! You guys really got the card system all memorized!” Axel shouts, leaping to the centre as he lines up a Sleight. “So let’s turn up the heat! Fire Wall!” From Axel, a wall of flame erupts and quickly spreads out, forcing Joker and Knight to leap into the air to avoid it, only to meet Axel’s chakrams mid-air with a 6 card, hitting them both in the chest as Axel lets out a smirk. “Ha! Don’t tell me you’re feeling the heat now!”

            “This little heat?! Have you forgotten that I was born on Destiny Islands!? I've had worse!” Knight shouts back, leaping to his feet and lining up three Blizzard cards. “Blizzaga!” Pointing the Kingdom Key forward, Knight lets the shard of ice shoot forward as Axle dodges to the side, only for his shoulder to get clipped by the shard of ice as he lets out a visible shiver.

            “Brr! Too cold for me!” Axel shouts before suddenly finding himself getting peppered by Joker’s gun, forcing him to dodge while lining up a Sleight. “Now that ain’t fair! Standing around and shooting me! Let’s speed things up! BURN, BABY!!” With a swirl of flames, Axel once more ignites the floor as Joker and Knight play a game of hot foot with Axel as he vanishes into the flames with a Sleight. But as Joker and Knight expect him to come sliding out of the flames again, instead, Axel comes in from above, slamming his chakrams into the ground and sending out a flaming shockwave as the two leap backward.

            “You really like flames, don’t you?!” Joker shouts, using his grapple to get into the air as Knight attacks with a Strike Raid Sleight.

            “What can I say!? It’s my element!” Axel shouts back, throwing a chakram at Joker before getting hit on the head by the Kingdom Key. “Ow! Why the head, Sora?!”

            “It’s an easy target!” Knight shouts back with a smirk. Axel begrudgingly shrugs his shoulders at that as he loads up a Sleight, only to duck under a swing from Joker as he dances backward.

            “Alright! I think it's time we get even hotter!” Axel shouts with a grin, spinning his chakrams in his hands, flames wrapping around them. “Let’s see you stand up to this! Firetooth!” With that, he tosses the chakrams at Joker and Knight, somehow splitting into four as they bounce around the arena without rhyme or reason. As Joker and Knight do everything they can to avoid the flaming chakrams, they suddenly change pattern as two dive towards Joker in a helix pattern while the other two suddenly orbit around Knight before quickly dashing at him.

Caught off guard, neither Joker nor Knight could avoid the attacks as the flaming chakrams bit into them. Naminé, while not being able to see it, could hear the two calling out in pain as she closed her eyes. Next to her, Repliku remained unresponsive, save for a slight twitch from his left hand, while Joker and Knight quickly put some distance between themselves and Axel to recover.

            “Don’t tell me that’s all you’ve got?” Axel asks, shaking his head while spinning a chakram in one hand. “I’m starting to have fun over here!”

            “Fun, huh?” Joker asks, wiping some sweat from his brow as he loads up a Sleight. “Then I hope you’re ready for this! Athena!” Axel’s eyes widen for a moment as Joker activates the Sleight in his hand. It was Athena’s card along with two red cards, as Athena manifests on the field, flames licking around her feet as she shoots a confident smirk at Axel before dashing forward.

Soon, Axel found himself blocking Athena’s kicks and punches as the two climbed the wall of fire before Athena knocked Axel into the air and followed after him. Then, before he could move, Athena grabbed him and drove him to the floor, landing hard before jumping up and sending down a Megidolaon at Axel. This dealt heavy damage as well as cleared the floor once more as Axel staggered to his feet in a daze.

            “Ouf… that stings…” He remarks in a daze before shaking his head to clear it. But when he turns back to Joker and Knight, the two are already reading two more Sleights as Axel can feel a sweat drop fall from his head. “Oh, this is gonna hurt…”

            “Bahamut! Tempest Wing!”

            “Dark Firaga!”

Axel swore he felt time slow down when the two attacks barrelled towards him as he mentally flipped through his deck for a zero card, only to find none in his deck. And without any time to reload, the two attacks slammed into him, throwing Axel back into the wall of fire around them as he fell to one knee. The wall of flames quickly followed as the barrier set up by Marluxia vanished, while a black card with Axel's face slipped into Knight's deck.

            “Gotta hand it to ya… you really know how to fight…” Axel comments between breaths of air as everyone returns to normal. “Now I know you can take on Marluxia, no problem… No reason for me to stay here then…” He pushes himself up, dismissing his chakrams as he limps towards the door where the Thieves came out earlier.

            “Where are you goin’?” Skull asks, folding his arms as Axel looks back at him.

            “Anywhere but here… I ain’t dying anytime soon… got too much left to live for…” He gives a weak shrug as he moves for the door, clutching his side. “And that's not even mentioning that I have some friends waiting for me back home… Just do me a favour and take down Marluxia, okay? Seeing how that was my job to begin with…" Axel then stops as he glances over his shoulder at the group, his eyes focused on Naminé and Hikari. "Naminé… Hikari… take care of yourselves, okay? Hopefully… our next meeting… will be under better circumstances… Don't waste… what I've done… for the both of you… And Sora… about that 'brother' you might have…" He glances at Knight with a weak smile. "Like I said before, it's best you find out who he is on your own… See ya…”

            “Wait.” Athena stops him before he can leave, stepping forward. “Axel… just who are you, really? Who are all of you in this Organization? We saw what happened to Larxene… so just what are you?”

            “Me?” Axel asks, glancing over his shoulder at them one more time. “That’s easy. I’m just a Nobody. I’m one who lacks the one thing all of you guys have… a heart.” Axel's response sent ripples of confusion through everyone except for Naminé, Hikari, and even Lavenza as he turned and left through the door. His presence quickly vanished as everyone looked at each other.

            “Lacking a heart? What is he talking about?” Shinobi asks, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

            “It sounds like what I was before I awoke to Pandora.” Sophie comments, grasping her hands while Edel folds her arms contemplatively. “But… I was an A.I. Axel is not, so… what is he talking about?”

            “It is how we are created.” Naminé speaks up, drawing all eyes to her. “You know how the Heartless steal hearts, correct? Well… have you ever wondered what happened to the bodies left behind?” That got everyone to blink in surprise as they all slowly looked at each other.

            “Now that you mention it… did any of you guys even consider that matter?” Mona asks as almost everyone shakes their heads.

            “I don't think so. We haven't really taken it into account, given all the times we fought the Heartless." Crow comments, glancing at Naminé. "Can you tell us about what happened to the bodies?"

            “I can. You see, a Nobody is what is left behind when a person's heart is stolen."

            “I can confirm that what Naminé has said is true.” Lavenza chimes in, surprising the others as they all turn towards her. "I was told about the concept of Nobodies by Master Philemon alongside the Heartless. Apparently, Nobodies are the remains of those who have unfortunately lost their hearts. While some Nobodies can appear like normal human beings, there are others that can take the form of creatures that are similar to the Heartless in some capacity." The answer sent shockwaves through everyone as they all turned to the door Axel had left from.

            “So… they are like zombies?” Oracle asks while letting out a large shiver. “Creepy…”

            “And wrong as well… Naminé told me about the concept of Nobodies as well, not too long after she and I were brought here. I don't even want to imagine what it's like without a heart." Muse adds, resting a hand on her chest as she glances at Repliku. 

            “Wait… does that mean that Knight has a Nobody?” Noir suddenly asks, all eyes turning to him. “After all, even if it was short, he did lose his heart in Hollow Bastion.”

            “I mean… it was such a short time. There’s no way that could happen so fast. Right?” Violet asks, but she isn’t confident in her answer. As for Knight, he is deep in thought about that as he folds his arms. All this talk about Nobodies and a potential brother and sister he never knew about… it is starting to get all too much for him if he is being honest.

            “We can find out once we’re done here.” He suddenly decided, turning to the door Marluxia fled into. “For now, we need to stop Marluxia. Once he’s gone, we can start worrying about other things.”

            “Knight has a point.” Joker agrees, stepping up while Edel picks Repliku back up. “One thing at a time. Once we're done here, then we can start worrying about other matters, like the rest of the Organization that Axel's a part of. For now, we have a pink-haired pretty boy to take care of.” Holding back snickers at the insult, the Thieves press on through the door, once more entering the white hallways of Castle Oblivion. For they were approaching the end of all this madness, and it was about damn time as well.

Chapter Text

Chapter 22: The Graceful Assassin’s Last Dance.

            “Lexaeus is gone as well… How can this be?” Zexion asks himself, standing all by himself in the dark room. “How has everything gone so wrong?” He lets out a sigh, shaking his head just as a corridor of darkness opens up, with a wounded Axel limping out, much to his surprise. “Axel? Why are you here? Did you attempt to bring down Marluxia?”

            “Nope…” Axel reports with a groan. “He managed to throw up a barrier and trap me with Sora and his friends. So, I decided to challenge them and see if they have what it takes to beat him.” Axel leans against the wall, glancing up at the ceiling. “Vexen, Larxene, Lexaeus… three of us are already gone… and it looks like Marluxia is up next.”

            “I’m surprised it is not you.” Zexion remarks, rubbing his chin. “Tell me… Vexen’s death. Did Marluxia order you to do that?”

            “He did.” Axel replies with a nod. “Not that I had a choice… it was the only way I could get closer to finding out his true intentions. And well… his true colours are revealed now.” He shakes his head, rubbing a hand through his hair. “So, what about you guys? I thought you had plans for Riku?”

            “We did. We were initially going to send him against Marluxia and Larxene.” Zexion reveals, gripping his chin. “But with Marluxia already set to be taken care of and Larxene already dead, there is no more need. He and his friends are nothing more than a nuisance now… and a major problem assuming all of them survived.”

            “Yeah… after all, they took down Lexaeus, even forced him to drag them all to darkness as a last-ditch gamble.” Axel agrees, folding his arms. “And if they took him down, I don’t think you would last long either.”

            “As much as I want to argue, you are right in that regard.” Zexion agrees with a groan. “Marluxia’s card system is a detriment to us all. I would not be surprised if he sought to implement this back at home base, all to even the odds against the other members of the Organization.”

            “Wouldn’t put it past him. After all, he tried to change Sora’s memories and turn him into a puppet. Unfortunately for him, that plan has backfired.” Axel replies, folding his arms. “So, how are you going to deal with Riku anyway? Even after Lexaeus’s final attack, something tells me those four are not dead.”

            “You know that frontal engagements are not my thing. Even my brief fight with Joker was nothing more than to satisfy my curiosity. But I agree… I do not believe Riku and his group are dead. No doubt they will be back, and we need to take care of them.” Zexion closes his eyes, rubbing his chin before looking back at Axel. “Tell me… do you still have the data on Sora and Riku’s old home?”

            “You mean Destiny Islands? Sure.” Axel replies, pulling out a card and tossing it to him. “I already have a feeling about what you're going to do, but don’t get overconfident. We’ve already lost more than enough members.”

            “Do not worry. I do not intend to lose.” And with that, Zexion leaves as Axel lets out a long sigh.

            “Well… it's time I got out of here as well. Nothing else left for me to do." He lets out a grunt, his hand resting on his side as he shakes his head. "But first… a little patch-up. Can't move freely or RTC with this injury… might as well stick around for a bit longer to see how Zexion handles Riku, if he is still alive. Man, it's gonna take me a while before I can see Roxas and Chixada again… and now there's Xion to consider, given what I saw earlier with Naminé's drawing. I wonder how she is doing? Probably out there taking names already." He lets out a chuckle as he walks over to an orb that's in the room, determined to see how this encounter plays out as his injuries heal.

He deserved a small rest after everything he had done.

Marluxia could swear that he was feeling something he had not felt ever since becoming a Nobody: anger and wrath. It should be impossible for him to feel such emotions, and yet here he stood, alone at the tallest point in Castle Oblivion. Or at least what he believed was the tallest point; this place always seemed to hide him from something else.

Not that it mattered to him at this moment, as he could hear the approaching footsteps of Sora and the others right behind him. Their appearance told him only one thing as he let out a sigh. After all, he did not feel the passing of a certain redhead.

            “So… Axel let you pass. Why am I not surprised?” Marluxia asks, turning around to face them. “He must be confident that you all can defeat me. Either that, or he has fallen far from grace.”

            “You’ll find we are full of surprises!” Knight shouts, pointing the Kingdom Key at Marluxia. “This game is over!”

            “Over?” Marluxia asks, raising an eyebrow at him. “Sora… this game is far from over. It has only just begun.”

            “You sure about that?” Joker asks, holding the Calling Card between his fingers. “Then how about you read this?” With a flick of his hand, Joker sends the card flying at Marluxia, who catches it between his fingers. Casting an unimpressed gaze at the front, he flips the card over to read the message on the back.

A message that somehow stoked the flames of anger in him.

To the Lord of Castle Oblivion, Marluxia. You desired to control the mind of one of our dearest friends, to turn him into a pawn of your own greed, and you would force innocent people into your scheme, casting down those who would cross you.

But today, that all ends here. For we are stopping your plot here and now. We will free not only this castle but ourselves from your tyrannical rule. You may fancy yourself a lord, but you are nothing more than a pauper.

And we will be victorious, no matter what.

From, The Keyblade Phantoms of Heart.

            “I see… so you would revert to tricks?” Marluxia comments, letting the card drop to the ground. “Is this the best you can do? Throw me off balance with childish words?”

            “If anything, you are the one who is being childish here, Lauriam.”  Queen comments instinctively before blinking her eyes in surprise, something that the rest of the Thieves also do while Marluxia's eyes widen in surprise. “Lauriam? Why did that name come to my lips?”

            “The same thing happened with Larxene when Athena called her Elrena.” Violet adds, shaking her head. “Where did that name come from?” While the Thieves were puzzled by yet another name they had no knowledge of, Marluxia was raising a hand to his face as he narrowed his eyes in strain.

            “How…? How do you know that name? Why do you know that name?” He asks in a quiet whisper, unheard by the Thieves as his gaze falls on Joker and Mona’s Keyblades. A faint pulse from his memories echoes to the surface for a moment before being squashed. “No… that’s impossible… I know they died…” He whispers to himself once more, shaking his mind before snapping his fingers. From the ground, countless rose vines emerge, entrapping everyone in an instant, apart from Naminé and the unconscious Repliku.

            “Not again!” Panther shouts in annoyance as she struggles to break free. “How many times have we been caught in this trap!?”

            “Three times…” Edel comments in a dry and unamused tone. “Three times too many.” While the team attempts to break out of the vines, Marluxia manages to reconstitute himself as he glances back at Knight.

            “The Keyblade’s power… how I’ve longed to make it my own.” Marluxia remarks, straightening his back. “And now, I have my chance for not one, but three Keyblades.”

            “Yeah?! Well, good luck trying to take it!” Knight shouts back, fighting against the vines. “The Keyblade won’t give itself over to a person like you!”

            “And I won’t need to do a thing. After all, you have no hope of winning.” Marluxia replies, his eyes turning to Naminé, not noticing the twitching of Repliku’s hand. “For I will not be the one to deal the final blow. Naminé… erase Sora’s memory. Destroy his heart.”

            “What!?” The Thieves all shout as one as Naminé looks at Marluxia in shock.

            “His heart, destroyed?” Goofy asks in a worried tone.

            “Naminé can do that?” Donald asks, glancing at Naminé, who stares at the floor with her eyes hidden from view.

            “Of course she can. After all, she has power over his memories. She can easily erase his heart without issue.” Marluxia replies in a calm and controlled tone. “While I would rather have him unharmed, he can be rebuilt in time. And to my preferred liking as well. Along the way, I will have Hikari rewrite the memories of the Thieves as well, to my liking.”

            “And what makes you think I can do that!?” Muse shouts back, the thorns digging into her. “I have no control over their memories! All I did was help bring back the ones that were sealed!”

            “And yet, it is possible with Naminé’s help. After all, she can reach out to the memories of those connected to Sora, as she has done with his closest companions.” Marluxia smiles darkly at Donald and Goofy, who take large gulps of air as Marluxia looks back at Naminé. “Do it, Naminé.” Marluxia lets his smile widen, believing that victory is within his grasp. But what he hears next… is not the words he wants to hear.

            “No.” Naminé replies in a calm tone, her gaze locked on the floor. “I won’t do it.” She looks back up at him, a fire burning behind her eyes that Marluxia didn’t even think was possible to exist. “No matter what I do, I cannot change Sora’s memories.”

            “What?” Marluxia asks, his calm face breaking away in an instant.

            “You heard me… I can’t change Sora’s memories!” Naminé shouts back, taking a step forward. “No matter what I did, Sora’s memories remained unbreakable! All I did was add memories of myself to his childhood. Not once did Sora forget about anyone important to him ever since he arrived! And even after I told him everything I did, he still forgave me for what I’ve done. So no! I won’t do it, because I have no control! And even if I did, I would NEVER do that!”

While the Thieves looked at Naminé with strained grins, the expression on Marluxia's face was a different story. In an instant, he went from shock to confusion, to surprise, to anger, and to rage, all within a matter of seconds. It was certainly an interesting sight to see on someone who had remained calm the entire time.

            “So… all this time, you were nothing but a useless witch?” He asks in a very irritated voice, darkness condensing around his hand. “In that case… you have no reason to exist!” With that, he sends a blast of darkness right at Naminé, catching her off guard as everyone else remains paralysed by the thorn roses. All except for one.

            “Raiden! Eigaon!” Before the darkness could smash into Naminé, a blast of Curse magic intercepted it from the side, detonating it far from her as Marluxia let out a gasp. Glancing to his left, he found to his astonishment that Repliku was now leaping towards him, Soul Eater in hand, as he lashed out at his chest, forcing the Lord of the Castle back, while Repliku quickly moved to Naminé and Muse's side.

            “Repliku!" Knight shouts, shocked alongside the others at what he has just done.

            “Impossible…” Marluxia whispers, seeing Repliku standing tall before him. “How can a shell still stand against me!? A shell that has had everything taken! Everything!”

            “You talkin’ about like you know exactly what I had. Both my body and my heart are fake.” Repliku counters, holding his left hand up. “You forced Naminé and Hikari to remove what little memories I had when I was created, then forced them to give me the memories of the real Riku.” Marluxia’s eyes widen in shock as Repliku narrows his eyes. “That’s right. I remember what you did. And there is one more thing I remember: even if it’s just a lie, it is real enough for me. Whether it was a phantom promise or not, I promised to protect Naminé alongside Hikari! And I mean to keep it!”

            “Repliku…” Muse comments in a small voice, with Repliku looking back at her with a grin.

            “But seriously, you guys might want to come up with a different name for me. Even now, I'm still not fond of being called that." He remarks with a smirk as both Knight and Muse shake their heads. But for Marluxia, he was anything but smiling.

            “Imbecile…” He comments, grasping his hand into a fist as more vines shoot up and entrap Repliku. “Do you really think I would let you stand in my way? How naïve of you all. I am in control of this castle, and I have the final say! And none of you will leave these halls alive!”

            “Enough is enough, Marluxia!” Naminé shouts, stepping around Repliku and into full view of Marluxia. “Even if you win today, you will still lose tomorrow!”

            “And what does a puppet who can’t even do her job have to say about what happens with my fate?” Marluxia replies in a cold tone, Naminé gritting her teeth. “You, who had but one job, but failed to do anything. You, who did nothing but cower behind Hikari at every turn. You, a blonde witch who can’t even cast a spell to save her life. What do you think you can possibly do to harm me?”

            “What can I do to harm you?” Naminé quietly asks, slowly looking up at Marluxia. “You have always done this. Looked down on me as someone who is nothing more than a convenient tool for you to use. A pawn in a longer game that I had no say in… Well, that is now over.” She narrows her eyes, clenching her hands at her side as she takes a single step forward. “I am DONE being a tool for someone else’s game! I am my own person, fake as I can be! And I will live my life how I want it to be! My own current path, and not the wake of someone else dragging me along for their own scheme!” Naminé’s voice echoes around them as Marluxia slowly shakes his head, not moved in the slightest by Naminé’s words as he slowly raises his left hand again to—

At long last.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ume3sbCFzMc : Awakening and Willpower)

All of a sudden, a pulse rips through Naminé's mind as something takes root inside her chest. Something foreign, and yet growing all the same, as a pain spikes through her mind. The same pulse echoes around the room, all eyes turning to her in surprise as Marluxia's brow furrows in confusion while he watches Naminé grasp her head in pain.

Far too long you have been at the whim of another’s waters, a flow that goes against your very nature.

But now, you have the choice to change direction. To embrace warmer waters. Tell me, will you charter your own course in the vast ocean, or stay close to the shores of a hollow island?

            “No!” Marluxia suddenly shouts, sending out a blast of darkness at Naminé, only for a torrent of water to shoot up between them, shielding Naminé from the blast as it wraps around her like a cocoon. Something that no one was expecting to see.

Well? I am waiting for your answer, my other self.

            “You already know it, don’t you?” Naminé asks quietly, her hands dropping from her head as she looks at the water around her, her eyes glowing a bright yellow. “I am done being tied in a cage. I choose to be free.”

We choose to be free. Very well…

I am thou… thou art I…

Let us surge through these troubled waters with a maelstrom of our own making! And drown all who would see us bend to their wills!

No more will we be the ones swept by the currents of others, for we are the masters of our own tides!

In a flash of blue flames, a mask forms on Naminé’s face. Coloured in aquatic blue with hints of orange around the sides, it is styled as though it were the top of a sea serpent's head, complete with a carapace-like shell. Two small fins jut out from the top, the spines coloured in aquatic blue while the fins themselves are a deep orange. Without even questioning it, Naminé reaches for the mask with a single hand and grasps it tightly on the side. The feeling in her chest settles into something she never knew she wanted so badly… and now that she has it, she can’t feel any happier.

            “Surge! LEVIATHAN!” Shouting from the top of her lungs, she tears the mask from her face as she explodes into a pillar of fire, dragging the wall of water around her up with it before spiralling around. The flames and water coil around Leviathan as they slowly part, revealing a long sea serpent with aquatic blue and dark blue carapace-like scales running up its body. Large fins trailing up its spine shine with an orange glow, its tail fin and side fins sharing the same colour, while from its face, which looks draconic in origin, numerous fins that look as sharp as swords are held. All glowing the same orange colour, while the same metallic chains and plates are tied deeply into its carapace shell, almost cracking it in some places as Leviathan lets out a roar, summoning a wave of water that collides with the thorns holding the Thieves in place as Marluxia stands still in shock.

            “This is… impossible.” He comments before turning to look at Naminé, only to be met by another surprise. Gone was her white one-piece that she always wore. Now, she wore what looked to be a white robe with silvery blue metal on the left side, with a white hood covering her head and a triangle pattern along the front in light pink. It was sleeveless, showing off her shoulders and neck, while the metal reached over to cover her right shoulder. Around her waist, the robe fluttered out a bit with pink edging, with a gap forming at the front to allow leg movement while revealing a pair of long silver boots and white pants under the robe. The inside of the robe looked to be light pink, while white pull-on gloves reached up to just above her elbows, edged in pink. In Naminé's right hand, she was holding what appeared to be a white staff, curving gently at the top with a variety of feathers attached to it.

            “Holy crap… Naminé awoke to a Persona.” Outlaw comments as the team manages to free themselves from the vines. The sharp points have all been washed away by Naminé’s attack.

            “That’s not the only thing.” Oracle suddenly adds, a screen floating next to her. “It looks like something else has woken up inside her. Something that I should have picked up on from the start.” Sophie’s eyes light up as she looks at Naminé, watching her as she looks over herself in awe and lets out a tiny smile.

            She was like me… a doll without a heart. But now… she has found a heart of her own. She tells herself mentally as she feels Pandora agree inside her, just as Skull looks at the seething Marluxia with a wide grin.

            “Looks like Naminé has more goin’ for her than just a puppet, huh, Marluxia!?” Skull calls out with a grin as Marluxia tightly grips his hands. Just as rose petals start to fall from above, confusing the Thieves, Marluxia raises a hand to grab one. But just as he is about to, the rose petal is suddenly encased in a pink light, transforming into Marluxia’s scythe as the team falls into battle formation.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWhugqzbDzQ : Graceful Assassin)

            “So, this is your answer to me. So be it.” Marluxia comments, watching as the Thieves all turn into cards, but he is surprised at seeing who remains. Knight and Joker are obvious, and seeing Naminé standing next to them is a given, considering how she has awoken. But it is seeing Muse and Repliku standing alongside them as well that gives him a moment of pause. “Five against one… how interesting. Not that it will save you! If all you need is a numerical advantage against me, then you have no hope of defeating me!”

            “Shut up and fight!” Repliku shouts, rushing forward at Marluxia, attacking with a 6 card that Marluxia easily breaks with a 7, only to find Muse right behind him with her own 7 card, forcing him back as Joker and Knight come in from the sides, each using an 8 card. Marluxia leaps into the air to avoid them, only to find a surprise waiting for him from Naminé as she aims a Sleight right at him.

            “Leviathan! Aquala!” If Joker wasn’t focused on the fight, he might have tripped over himself at the name as Naminé summoned Leviathan to the field, dousing Marluxia in a stream of high-pressure water. This sent him flying into the ceiling, where he landed heavily as Repliku rushed up next.

            “Raiden! Eigaon!” Repliku commands, activating his own Sleight as Raiden forms behind him, sending out the Curse spell towards Marluxia, who grimaces while dodging to the side, just barely missing the spell as he loads up his own Sleight.

            “Fall! Deathscythe!” Grasping his scythe in both hands, Marluxia cleaves the floor before the group, forcing them to split as the pink line left behind explodes. Before they have a chance to recover, Marluxia slashes yet again, forcing them to keep moving as he delivers one final slash, managing to hit both Naminé and Repliku in the strike as he lets out a laugh.

            “Thalia! Debilitate!” Muse’s voice echoes from the side as she counters with her own Sleight, the magic seeping into Marluxia as he feels himself weakening from the spell. While he feels himself growing weaker, he watches as Knight heals both Naminé and Repliku with a Cure spell card, healing them of their injuries as Joker comes rushing in with Lupin. He lashes out at Marluxia with three quick strikes from a 7, 8, and 9 card before leaping back as Knight comes in with a Sonic Blade Sleight, forcing Marluxia back as he realizes how outmatched he is. Had this been a normal 2-v-1 fight, he would have been putting up more of a fight. But against five foes all at once… even he is seeing how difficult it is, even with his card-based system.

In fact, his very own system was now holding him back while giving them the advantage! This was only made worse as he saw Joker line up three cards into a Sleight—three cards that were green.

            “Mona! Skull! Panther!” Joker shouts, activating his Sleight in a flash of light. Mona appears next to Joker, Masked Bandit in hand as he shoulders his Keyblade before rushing forward. Tossing his Keyblade forward in a Strike Raid, Mona lets the blade slice through Marluxia before returning it to his hand as he fires a gust of wind under himself, sending him flying into the air. As he comes down, he slices downward with the Keyblade before leaping back, sending out an Aero along with a Garudyne, sending Marluxia flying backward as Skull manifests beside Joker. Lightning rushes up his mace as he rushes forward, slamming his mace against Marluxia's chest before jumping back and blasting him with Ziodyne.

No sooner does he strike him with the attack than Panther appears right after and starts whipping Marluxia in the face. Marluxia flinches slightly as Panther whips him, staggering him backward as he lines up his own Sleight just as she then blasts him with Agidyne. But even as the flames mix with the wind and lightning, detonating in an explosion, Marluxia is already leaping into the air.

            “Enough!” Marluxia screams, spinning his scythe around with a 9 card, breaking Knight and Repliku just as they were about to hit with a joint 8 card. With the room afforded by the attack, Marluxia quickly lines up another Sleight as he leaps into the air above Joker. “Blossom Shower!” Warping in a flurry of petals, Marluxia appears before Joker and slashes at him with his scythe before quickly vanishing and appearing before Muse. He hits her in the same fashion before doing the same to Knight, then leaps into the air and comes down hard on the ground between Naminé and Repliku. Yet, while he savours the brief elation of pushing them back, he soon finds Repliku once more on top of him, with Muse by his side and Naminé hanging back, supporting them with another weaker Sleight.

            “Aqua!” Naminé calls, with Leviathan sending out a smaller stream of water bubbles at Marluxia. While clearly weaker than the last spell she used, it nonetheless proved to be an effective lockdown mechanic as Marluxia found himself forced toward Muse and Repliku.

            “Makougaon!”

            “Dark Firaga!”

The two cry out, activating their Sleights at the same time as Marluxia faces the attack head-on. He watches both light and dark magic seemingly fuse together as it comes toward him in a mix of yellow and purple. But he is not without a counter, as he uses a zero card to break them, dissipating the attack before it can reach him. Even as he lines up a new Sleight, he is soon assaulted by the Kingdom Key as Knight activates his Strike Raid Sleight, followed by Joker using his Riot Gun Sleight, forcing him back toward the door while Repliku comes in with a Helm Splitter Sleight.

            “This ends now!” Marluxia shouts, activating his Sleight and breaking Repliku’s, sending him flying back into Muse, who barely catches him without falling to the ground herself. “I will bring this mockery of a fight to an end! Drop Shot!” With that, Marluxia teleports to the very top of the hallway, scythe held above him before coming down like a meteor. Slamming his scythe into the ground and detonating a violent explosion around him, he almost sends everyone off their feet as he suddenly dashes towards Knight, scythe raised above and ready to claim his head.

            “No!” Naminé shouts, diving in between them and using a zero card to break Marluxia, stunning him with shock as she then attacks with her staff three times before moving to the side as Repliku comes in next, following up with his own combo while Muse leaps in after, and Joker loads up a Sleight.

            “Fox! Queen! Oracle!” As Joker cries out their names, the Sleight activates, with Fox manifesting before him. With a hand on his katana, he dashes forward, slashing at Marluxia mid-air with a frost-enchanted blade before sheathing it, freezing Marluxia in place as Queen appears after him. Riding Johanna, she revs up into a wheelie, launching herself off a shard of ice and slamming Johanna into Marluxia’s frozen form. Blue flames wrap around Marluxia, enveloping both him and the ice as Queen punches him to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust as Oracle appears next to Joker.

Without a word, she dashes forward, her staff enveloped in both Bless and Curse magic as she slams both ends into the frozen Marluxia. The four magical energies mix together, resulting in another explosion that sends Marluxia slamming into the wall. Not given a chance to breathe, Marluxia finds himself struggling to stand while Joker and Knight line up one last Sleight each. It is time to end this.

            “Arsène! Abyssal Wings!”

            “Bahamut! Tempest Wing!”

With a roar, Bahamut manifests on the field as Arsène hovers behind him with a dark chuckle. The two Personas combine their attacks into a dark tornado filled with feathers that consumes Marluxia. The feathers inside act like tiny knives as they slice into him while the wind rages against him, before the feathers all detonate at once, consuming Marluxia in an explosion of Wind and Curse magic as the five all stand at the ready, watching for any sign of movement as the smoke clears. But all that was left was a few rose petals floating in the breeze, before they too vanished into pink particles of light, all while leaving a single black card behind as Knight picked it up.

            “Did that do it?” Muse asks, still gripping onto her lightsabre.

            “I’m not convinced.” Joker replies, eyes narrow. “Trust me. Unless you see them vanish before you, you can’t say it’s truly over until you know for certain.”

            “My, how quite perceptive of you, Joker.” Marluxia’s voice echoes around them as he appears once again before the doors with a cocky smile. “You are right. What you fought was nothing but an illusion. Did you really think I would fall so easily to you all?”

            “Then why don’t we find out!” Repliku shouts, rushing forward with Knight as the two leap at Marluxia. Only for their blades to hit nothing while a shower of rose petals falls around them. “Tch. Another imitation.”

            “Which means he’s beyond this door.” Knight comments, tapping his Keyblade against it until a soft gasp from Naminé drew their attention. Turning around, they saw Naminé being held up by Muse as she suddenly looked extremely tired, her Thief attire vanishing in a flash of blue flames as he once more stood in her normal attire.

            “Naminé!” Repliku shouts, rushing up to her with worry on his face. “Are you alright!?”

            “I’m fine…” She replies, placing a hand on her head. “I just… feel so tired…”

            “Post-awakening fatigue.” Muse replies, shaking her head. “It always happens when you awake to a Persona. Just take a small rest, and you’ll be fine before you know it.” Naminé nods her head as Muse helps her lean against the wall while everyone else returns from being cards, all glaring at the door before them.

            “Coward! So he would fight us with illusions rather than face us himself?” Panther asks in an irritated tone.

            “For once, it is a rather smart move to make, seeing how he was outnumbered. But it is still a very annoying trick.” Crow remarks, shaking his head. “We should be glad our other foes never used such underhanded tactics.” While the Thieves all stare at the door with disappointment, Muse hangs around the sleeping Naminé, while Knight and Repliku stand off to the side, with Knight looking at a black card with Marluxia’s face on it. Why he got his card even though they beat an illusion, he would never know.

            “So… all this time, I’ve just been living a fake life. Fitting, for a phony like me.” Repliku admits to Knight as he folds his arms. “That’s all my life has ever really been: a lie. Even when Vexen created me, he treated me as nothing but a tool to be used. Whether it was testing me against the real thing, trying out his Artificial Persona, or getting brainwashed into helping Marluxia, I never had a say in my own life.” Knight looks at him, seeing the scowl on his face as he pockets the card.

            “But you do now, right?” He asks him as Repliku turns to look at him. “Once we beat Marluxia, you can do whatever you want, right?”

            “Whatever I want, huh?” Repliku comments, leaning back on his feet. “It’s funny. I should be jumping for joy at the notion, but even now, I don’t know what I want to do with it.”

            “Why not go on a journey?” Muse suddenly suggests, grabbing Repliku’s attention. “You've been trapped in this castle just like us and have never been given a chance to discover who you are. You've only been forced to be what others want you to be, and not your own self. So, why not leave and find your own identity?” Repliku closes his eyes at that as he leans back on his feet, not giving Muse an answer just as Naminé starts to stir next to them, rubbing her eyes as Muse helps her up.

            “Had a nice nap, Naminé?” Spring asks, grasping her hands behind her back.

            “I did. For the first time in a long time.” Naminé admits as she gives her head a shake before her Thief attire manifests around her in a flash of blue flames. “I still can’t believe what has happened… But how can this be?”

            “Are you talking about how you suddenly have a heart?” Oracle comments, grabbing everyone’s attention. Naminé blinks at Oracle in surprise before looking at the floor, grasping her hands together. “I picked up on it forming during your awakening.”

            “Yes. I am… or rather, I was a Nobody. A witch without a heart, that’s who I was. I wasn’t even supposed to exist, or even have the right to exist. But now…” She places a hand on her chest, a wave of confusion filling her. “I don’t know any more. Am I… my own person? Am I no longer the shade of someone else?” Repliku looks away at that, hiding a wince at the word ‘shade’. He could certainly relate to that.

            “Naminé, I’ve always told you this. You are NOT her shade any more. You are your own person.” Muse tells her gently, resting a hand on her shoulder. “The fact that you even have a Persona, one that YOU awoke of your own will, is proof that you are your own person. Okay? So stop feeling the need to compare yourself to her. You never had to do that, and you never have to again.” Naminé blinks her eyes for a moment, feeling a tear run down her cheek as she looks at the ground.

            “That’s right… I am my own person now.” She looks back up at Muse before hugging her out of the blue, surprising her. “Thank you, Hikari, for always being with me and supporting me. I am who I am now because of you.”

            “I’m only who I am because of Joker and the others.” She shoots them a smile along with a wink. “I only did what they would have done if we had swapped places.” While the Thieves all smiled and nodded back at that, Violet was looking at Naminé with a glint in her eye.

            “You know, now that Naminé has a Persona, as well as a heart of her own, she needs a codename.”

            “A codename?” Naminé asks in surprise.

            “Indeed.” Fox comments, stroking his chin. “You have awoken, just like us. Your Thief attire reflects this as well. It is only natural that you have a codename to fully embrace your new life.”

            “My new life…” Naminé whispers, her hand clenched around the staff as she looks over it. The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes just how much of a change she has gone through. She had rebelled against Marluxia, and now she has gained the one thing he lacked. As for what name she would go by while wearing this attire… “I would like to go by Mage.”

            “Mage…” Knight comments to himself as he closes his eyes. That was the name Kairi sometimes took when she and I played together. That, or it was Archer or Angel. Letting himself smile at those childhood memories, Knight looks back at Naminé as he gives her a warm smile. "We're glad to have you with us, Mage." The smile on Mage's face grows even wider at that as she nods back enthusiastically.

            “Thank you, Knight.” She replies as Oracle brings up a screen, curiosity getting the better of her.

            “Since we're all together, we might as well see what you two are packing." Oracle comments, casting a glance at both Mage and Repliku, the latter of the two raising an eyebrow at her. "Okay, first, Mage. Leviathan, who is part of the Temperance Arcana, is weak to Elect—no surprise there—but resists Ice, Water, Light, and Bless. She knows Aqua, Dia, Patra, Dormina, Maraqua, Tarunda, Aquala, and Dekaja. As for Repliku…”

            “Not sure why you need to tell us.” Repliku comments, shrugging his shoulders.

            “Hey! It’s tradition!” Oracle snaps back, causing him to shrink under her gaze as she looks back at her screens. “Okay, so Raiden, who is part of the Hanged Man Arcana somehow, is weak to Light and Bless, and resists Slash, Fire, Dark, and Curse. He knows Eigaon, Maeigaon, Mudoon, Heat Riser, Deathbound, Slash Boost, Curse Boost, and Enduring Soul. Not bad for something that Vexen made.”

            “I’m still amazed he even made one that’s not going berserk.” Mona comments, looking at Repliku. “The last time someone tried to artificially make or awaken a Persona, it went on a rampage and killed its host.”

            “Lucky me.” Repliku comments with a shiver. “So, are we done? Marluxia is getting stronger the longer we wait here.”

            “Good point.” Joker commented, rolling his hand. “Then let’s finish this.” He nodded his head to Fox and Noir, the two moving to the doors and opening them. This revealed yet ANOTHER hallway of white, which at this point everyone had grown far too sick of. But as they walked to what should hopefully be the final battle, Muse and Repliku trailed at the back.

            “I’m sorry about what happened to you.” Muse tells him, grasping her hands behind her back. “Neither of us wanted to do it, but…”

            “It’s okay.” Repliku tells her, closing his eyes. “I know you were both forced to do it. If I were just a bit stronger, Larxene wouldn’t have pinned me down or shocked me into unconsciousness.” He rubs his head as he lets out a shudder at that memory. “That’s a memory I wish I could forget. Although, speaking of memories…” He looks at Muse with an intrigued expression. “The one you gave me about making that promise as children. You could have made it so I was protecting you both, but you also said you would protect me when I messed up. Why?”

            “Why?” Muse asks back, looking at Repliku. In truth, she didn’t really know why she did that. It honestly puzzled her at the time, and even now, she really didn’t know why. But if she wanted to think of a reason right here on the spot… “Because I wanted you to have a real friend.” Repliku blinks at her in surprise as Muse looks forward. “I’m not proud when I say this, but I know what it’s like when your whole world comes crashing down around you. The crushing loneliness that threatens to drag you down. And if it wasn’t for Joker and the others, I wouldn’t even be standing here.” She looks back at Repliku, eyes filled with conviction. “Even if you were created as a Replica, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t your own person. To me, at least.” Repliku doesn’t know how to respond to that as he turns back to look at the floor, a faint smile on his face even as he quickly hides it.

            “I see… thanks.” He replies, nodding his head at Muse. A silent understanding forms between them even as everyone reaches the end of the hall, where a large circular arena waits for them, lined with pillars along the side. Hovering far above them was Marluxia.

            “You took your time." Marluxia comments, his smile never leaving his face.

            “This is the end of the road for you, Marluxia!” Noir shouts, shouldering her axe and dipping her hat.

            “You can run from us no longer!” Shinobi adds, spinning her kunai next to her.

            “Nor am I planning to run.” Marluxia remarks, holding his arms wide. “For soon, the emptiness will shatter all of your hearts… here in this world of nothingness!” No sooner does he finish than Marluxia is engulfed in a swarm of petals, spiralling around like a tornado. The fierce storm forces everyone to hold their hands up to cover their eyes, but once the storm passes, what they find waiting for them is something none of them are surprised by.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8kROpZ2_uk : Scythe of Petals)

Marluxia was now sitting in a floating, grim reaper-like being with two hands that were his scythe, while Marluxia was sitting in a large pink flower up to his waist. Although it was hard to see, there appeared to be a face on the creature Marluxia was riding, although it was hidden by a hood with a strange symbol on the top. It looked like a reverse of the Heartless Emblem, but in silver and missing the red border and vines while appearing thinner.

            “As lightless oblivion devours you… drown in the ever-blooming darkness!” As Marluxia shouts, two scarf-like wings emerge from his back, also pink like the flower, while Joker, Knight, Muse, Mage, and Repliku stand before him, the rest of the team all turning back into cards. As the battle begins, Marluxia starts charging up magic before him while the creature he rides attacks with a 6 card, forcing the team to separate as it attacks with both scythes, while Marluxia attacks with pink cross slashes with his own cards.

Suddenly finding themselves in a 5-v-2 situation, Joker and the others kept their distance as they figured out a plan of attack while Mage ducked under a scythe swing. Before she could recover, Marluxia sent another energy slash at her, with Muse tackling her out of the way while Repliku rushed in and slashed at one of the scythes, damaging it with a 9 card as he got an idea.

            “We can destroy the scythes!” He shouts, stocking up three cards and sending a Dark Firaga at the scythe, damaging it severely while Joker appears behind Marluxia and hits him with a Strike Raid. Annoyed, Marluxia summons three hovering rose bits that circle around Joker before diving at him, forcing him to dodge out of the way and back onto the ground. Yet the distraction proves beneficial as Mage uses a Maraqua Sleight on Marluxia, hitting him and the two scythe arms with a fast jet of water. Muse quickly follows up and lets out a combo on the damaged scythe, her lightsabre managing to cleave it in two and leave Marluxia with one less option for attacking as Joker gives him a devilish smirk.

            “Should have planned ahead! Noir! Outlaw! Spring!” No sooner does Joker's voice echo out than a barrage of psionic rounds flies past him, slamming into Marluxia and trapping him in a psionic sphere that is slammed to the ground. With Noir waiting for him as she drags her axe along his back with a smile. But while Noir is dragging her axe, Outlaw appears next to Joker and takes aim with his rifle, firing shots right into Marluxia’s downed form, even as he fights to stand before blasting him in the chest with a One-Shot Kill and sending Marluxia flying. Not that he has a chance to reorient, as Spring suddenly shoots down from above, piercing his stomach with her spear before leaping backward, blasting Marluxia with Kougaon and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Seeing his options dwindling, Marluxia summons more rose bits to attack Knight and Mage, surrounding them with six floating rose drones, only for Repliku to come in with a Helm Splitter Sleight, destroying the rose bits and giving them a chance to breathe while Joker sends a Riot Gun at Marluxia. The Sleight damages not only him but also his last scythe arm, with Knight following up with a Ragnarok Sleight. The two attacks, executed in quick succession, give Marluxia little room to breathe as his giant form makes the attacks harder to miss, with his second scythe arm shattering under the onslaught of attacks.

            “Enough!” Marluxia shouts, generating a giant pink orb before him, a shower of rose petals orbiting around him as he glares at the three of them. “My victory is all but assured!” He shouts, sending down the 9 attack at them, detonating the orb and catching all five of them in the explosion. With them disoriented, Marluxia follows up with a series of pink aura slashes from his hands while generating more rose bits to encircle and attack.

            “These won't stop us!” Muse shouts, activating her Mapsiodyne Sleight and blasting away the rose bits as Joker strides forward.

            “Shinobi! Athena! Edel!” Without batting an eye, Joker activates the Sleight as Shinobi appears before him, already spinning her kunai before tossing it right at Marluxia, wrapping around his wrist before using Psycho Blast to drag him to the floor. But as Marluxia tries to force himself back up, Athena appears next, tonfas glowing with both Bless and Curse magic as she rushes him down. Leaping into his chest, she pummels his face with both tonfas. And as a final insult, as she leaps backward, she hits him with Megaton Raid, somehow sending both Marluxia and the creature he was riding into the air, with Edel appearing next to Joker. Without wasting a second, she morphs into her tank form, shocking both Mage and Repliku at the same time, and blasts Marluxia with a missile barrage before firing her guns at point-blank range, sending Marluxia flying into the air as Knight rushes in to engage him again with a 9 card.

            “This game has gone on for long enough! Your hopes are doomed to the darkness!” Marluxia suddenly shouts as a shockwave shoots out from the creature he is riding, stunning Knight mid-air as they are all blinded by a flash of light. By the time their vision clears, the five of them find themselves standing on the back of the creature they were just fighting, the ground beneath them being its long black coat that is somehow connected to a giant reaper-like being with giant angelic wings and the hooded face of a girl, with said hood being pink, because why not. Two long pink metallic strands that seemingly turn blonde race from the hood, while in its silvery hands is Marluxia's scythe, and Marluxia himself stands at the base, eyeing them all with an irritated glare.

            “Enough games, Marluxia!” Muse shouts in irritation while Joker’s eyes are fixed on the hooded face. A face that, for some reason, looks very familiar to him.

            “Is that…?”

            “Hey! Eyes up!” Repliku shouts, snapping Joker out of his trance. "We’re not done yet!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIDE9CC_FhA : Lord of the Castle)

            “No… we are done. You fools just refuse to accept it!” Marluxia shouts as the giant being above them lashes out with a 7 card, almost taking their heads off in a single go if they didn’t duck in time. But while the five quickly moved to recover, Marluxia was already lining up a Sleight of three 4 cards as he glowed with a pink aura. “You will fall to me! Omni Laser!”

Throwing his hands out, Marluxia summons a giant pink circle of energy around them. From the circle, several spokes point out before firing pink beams of energy at the five, forcing them to duck and dive as they quickly find their space severely limited while the giant reaper takes a swing at them with a 7 card. But as they dodge the attacks, Mage quickly lines up a weak Sleight herself, glaring at Marluxia with all her might.

            “Aqua!” Mage’s Sleight screams to the field, shattering Marluxia’s Sleight as he finds himself peppered by the weak Water attack. But he soon suffers an aerial attack from Repliku as he comes down from above with his Helm Splitter Sleight, while Muse follows up behind him with a Makougaon Sleight.

            “Strike Raid!” Knight calls, activating his Sleight and not giving Marluxia a chance to breathe as Joker follows up behind him with his own Strike Raid. The two Keyblades slam into Marluxia as he lets out a feral growl while loading up three 5 cards into a Sleight.

            “Your end is nigh! Circle Reject!” Throwing a hand up, the reaper behind him slams her scythe into the ground, sending out an explosive shockwave that disorients everyone before quickly following up with two slashes, managing to hit both Knight and Repliku as Muse glares at Marluxia.

            “Mapsiodyne!” She cries out, bringing her Sleight to bear as Marluxia grasps his head in pain from the mental attack, even as he is pelted by debris. Soon it is joined by water as Mage unleashes a Maraqua Sleight on him, dousing him in water as Knight comes in with a Ragnarok, sending beams of energy slamming into him while Joker and Repliku stand side by side, both of them channelling dark magic into their hands.

            “Dark Firaga!” The two cry out, sending twin orbs of dark fire slamming into Marluxia as the reaper behind him visibly shakes from the impact, an echoing scream escaping from it as the smoke billows around Marluxia.

            “You will pay…” Marluxia suddenly speaks in a low tone, eyes glaring through the smoke. "YOU WILL PAY FOR HURTING HER!" Taken aback by the sudden anger in his voice, Joker and Repliku were not ready for the stream of rose bits that flew from Marluxia, slamming into them as the giant reaper swung her scythe at them. Missing Repliku but hitting Joker, sending him flying into Mage as the two landed hard on the ground while Marluxia lined up another Sleight. One filled with three 6 cards. "Your time is coming to an end! Doom Countdown!"

It was then that a number 6 appeared on both Joker's and Mage's heads as it slowly began counting down. Knight, realizing what was about to happen as he saw the reaper beginning to charge up something, ran towards them.

            “Joker! Mage!" Knight shouts, leaping between the two of them and holding his shield up, just as Marluxia has the reaper fire a silver string of rope tipped with a pink spear. The pink rope spear slams into Knight as it easily passes through his shield and hits Knight square in the chest. The pain that flares through him is almost indescribable as he falls to one knee, clutching his chest in pain as Joker and Mage stare at him in shock.

            “Eigaon!” Repliku shouts in anger, activating his Sleight and catching Marluxia off guard as Mage, after getting back up, rushes to Knight. She slides to a halt as she channels a different Sleight.

            “Dia.” She commands, Leviathan manifesting behind her and casting a light healing spell on Knight. Not that it seemed to do much, as he looked to still be in pain while Muse glares at Marluxia, Sleight forming in her mind.

            “You’ll pay for that! Debilitate!” While Marluxia was focused on Repliku, he suddenly felt himself getting drastically weaker as Muse’s Sleight took hold over him, earning his glare just as he saw Joker summon Arsène and send a Riot Gun his way, hitting him square in the chest.

            “Knight…” Mage whispers, seeing Knight still struggle to stand even as the others attack Marluxia. It was all he could do to add only two cards to a Sleight and activate it as is.

            “Donald… Goofy…” He silently comments, the pain in his chest being all-consuming as Donald appears next to him, casting a Curaga on him that helps just a bit more than Mage’s Dia before turning to Marluxia and blasting him with Firaga. While Mage loads up another Dia Sleight to help heal him again, Goofy appears next and rushes forward at Marluxia, slamming his shield into him just as he is about to command a new Sleight, taking him off guard for a moment and giving Mage a chance to heal Knight up a bit more as the pain in him finally starts to fade.

            “Are you okay?” She asks, watching as Knight slowly stands up.

            “Yeah.” Knight replies, even if he could still feel some pain in his chest. “I’m good.” Mage smiles in relief at hearing that, until a roar from Marluxia breaks the moment as the reaper once more slices out at them all. As Marluxia readies another Sleight filled with three 7s.

            “You will not win against me! Whirlwind to the Void!” From the centre of the arena, a giant tornado emerges from the ground, catching Joker, Muse, and Repliku all in its grasp as they are thrown around, along with something else, as their decks are scattered all over the floor, hovering on the ground as lonely cards while their decks are completely empty. Seeing his friends completely defenceless, Knight quickly loads up a Sleight, although it hurts to do so for some reason, with Bahamut forming behind him, who is now sporting a pink mark on his chest.

            “Flare Breath!” Knight shouts, activating the Sleight as Bahamut sends out a stream of Nuke energy right at Marluxia, catching him in the blaze while Joker, Muse, and Repliku rush to pick up their scattered cards. Worried that they are still vulnerable, Mage lines up her own Sleight, activating it and catching Marluxia in the grasp of a Tarunda, weakening him just as Joker and Repliku load their own Sleight with their decks fully restocked, while Muse continues to pick up her own scattered cards.

            “Deathbound!” Repliku shouts, Raiden forming behind him and sending out a dark wave of energy, countless black blades rising from the ground and lashing out at Marluxia, distracting him and the others as they recover from the tornado.

            “Sophie! Lavenza! Violet!” Joker cries, following up on Marluxia’s distracted state as Sophie manifests beside him. Throwing her yo-yos to entrap him, she spins herself around while channelling Bless magic into her yo-yos, letting them go at the last second and sending Marluxia plummeting to the ground as Lavenza suddenly appears before him. Infusing Almighty magic with her chainsaw, she rips into his right arm, tearing it off and leaving nothing but a black mist escaping from the wound. Not that Marluxia had a chance to gawk, as Violet comes in, slashing at his back with her rapier before hitting him in the side with Vorpal Blade and leaping back, kicking him in the face and leaving him open to Muse, who fires her blaster at him. Hitting him in the shoulder and left arm as Marluxia lets out a furious roar, lining up one more Sleight with three 8s.

            “I will not lose! I REFUSE to lose! Gale of Severance!” From Marluxia, a vast storm of wind billows out from him, pushing all five of them to the edge of the arena and threatening to push them all off. Just as the giant reaper behind Marluxia readies its scythe one more time, seeing them with little time, Joker quickly loads up two cards as a Sleight and activates it just as the reaper attacks with a 9 card.

            “Crow! Raven!” As the Sleight activates in Joker’s mind, Crow and Raven both appear on either side of Marluxia, their blades and attire a perfect contrast to each other as they dash in from the side. Their attacks catch Marluxia off guard as they drive their weapons into his sides before leaping back and blasting him with a double Laevateinn.

Taken aback by this sudden attack, Marluxia fails to keep his concentration as the wind dies around him, giving Joker and the others a chance to rush from the edge as Mage attacks with her Aquala Sleight, with Muse following behind her with a Primal Force Sleight. But even as Marluxia weathers these two attacks, he soon finds himself dealing with both Joker and Repliku attacking him with a joint Dark Slicer and Dark Aura attack. The two Sleights power each other up even as Marluxia tries to find a zero card to counter, only to realize he has none, having only loaded his deck with attack cards numbered from 4 to 9.

            “Earthshaker!” Knight cries out, wincing as he activates another Sleight with Bahamut, sending a cascade of rocks spiralling towards Marluxia. The rocks spear him from below with magma-tipped rock spikes as Joker lands next to him, noticing the look of pain on Knight’s face.

            “Let’s finish this!” Joker shouts, worried about Knight as he nods back with narrow eyes. As one, the two line up their final Sleight, even as beads of sweat drip down Knight's face while he and Joker glare at Marluxia glare at Marluxia. “This is the end, Marluxia! Megidolaon!”

            “Gigaflare!” As the two shout as one, the strain in Knight’s voice is easily overshadowed by the roar of their Personas. They blast Marluxia with Almighty magic even as he fights to stay alive. Yet the attack proves too much for him, and as he dissolves from the blast, he lets out one final scream of pain, watching as the reaper above him vanishes into rose petals and motes of darkness. In one final desperate act, Marluxia reaches out to them, almost in a pleading tone. But he can do nothing as his body vanishes into rose petals and motes of black light, leaving behind nothing as the five all let out heavy breaths of air. At least, until the area around them shudders violently, prompting all five of them to rush for the exit even as the rest of them return from being cards.

Eventually, the group rushes out of the doors even as the place seems to be in the middle of an earthquake, with both Donald and Goofy closing the doors behind them. Not willing to risk anything, Knight, Joker, and Mona all aim their Keyblades at the door, locking it with three beams of light and sealing away that part of the castle for good.

            “Finally… it’s over.” Violet comments as she and several others all fall to their knees or collapse outright.

            “That took far too long…” Athena comments stretching her arms. “Say what you will, he had a refusal to fall.”

            “Don’t all endgame bosses act like that?” Edel asks rhetorically as Oracle ignores a screen next to her. It was very unnecessary to let her know that Marluxia was dead, although it was interesting to still see Axel and Zexion alive. But while they were all willing to rest, Repliku had other ideas as he turned to leave.

            “Repliku. What do you want to do now?” Knight asks, stopping Repliku in his tracks as he looks over his shoulder.

            “I don’t know… After all, I was never intended to be given free will like this. Maybe I’ll go on a journey like Muse said. But first… there is something else I need to take care of. Something personal.” Repliku turns to look forward once more, his voice steady and even. “Sora, you're a good guy. Naminé, enjoy your new lease on life. And Hikari… thanks for those words earlier. Even if these memories are fake, I'll keep them with me, always. And that's good enough.” With those final words, Repliku walks down the lone hallway, never once looking back, even as Muse looks away with sadness in her eyes. But all that changed as Knight lets out a grunt of pain, clutching his chest while falling to the ground, his Thief attire vanishing into flames as everyone stares at him in alarm.

            “Sora!” Joker shouts as he and everyone else change back into their normal attire. “Hey! What’s wrong!?”

            “My chest… My heart…” Sora replies through gritted teeth. “It’s… in pain…”

            “What?” Makoto asks, kneeling down and resting a hand on his head as Lavenza looks at him with narrow eyes.

            “That attack Sora took earlier to save Ren and Naminé… it has damaged his heart.” She replies in an even tone, shocking everyone. “Unless it is treated, his heart will shatter. The end result will be his death.”

            “What!?” Ryuji, Ann, Mishima, and Shiho shout as both Haru and Sumire gasp in shock.

            “That is not all. Even his Persona was damaged from the attack.” Lavenza adds with worried eyes. “Even if he lives through this, the damage done to his Persona will cause it to either berserk or fade away to nothing.”

            “Is there anything we can do?” Haru asks as Sora lets out another groan of pain. Naminé looks at Sora, seeing the pain etched on his face as she grasps her hands tightly.

            “There is a way.” She tells them suddenly, all eyes going to her. “It will take a while, but it is the only way it will work. Follow me.” Without a hint of hesitation, Naminé turns for the hallway as Goofy helps Ren pick up Sora, the two supporting him as the team follows after Naminé to wherever she is taking them. It doesn’t take them long to find another one of the doors on the floor as Naminé pulls out a card with a strange object on the front. Holding it up, the door opens as she leads them all to a large white room with a silver floor and glowing green patterns, and a large pod-like device that is opened like a flower.

            “What is that?” Sophia asks Naminé, who turns to look at her.

            “This is a pod that can help me undo the damage I caused to Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy’s memories. And with it, I can repair the damage that has been done to Sora’s heart.” Naminé tells them as she entwines her hands. “You see, I don’t actually erase memories, even if I am altering a person’s cognition. I take apart the links that tie them all together and rearrange them. You still have your memories, but they are just buried deep down so that you can’t see them. But in order to bring them back, I need to break the links I have made, find the old ones, and reconnect them. Doing that… can take a very long time.”

            “But wait!” Jiminy suddenly shouts, jumping onto Sora’s shoulder. “You said you would have to undo the memories you have made. Does that mean we will forget about what happened here?”

            “Yes.” Naminé replies in a quiet tone. “You three will forget about what has happened. But only you three. And while I'm working on repairing your memories…" She looks at Sora, who is still being held up by Joker and Goofy. "I can work on healing Sora's heart, but that might take longer. As for his Persona…”

            “I can help with that.” Lavenza replies, walking up to her. “After all, looking after Personas is my duty as an attendant to the Velvet Room.”

            “And while you guys sleep, we’ll be here to keep you safe.” Morgana comments, folding his arms. “We’ve got your back, no matter how long it takes.”

            “At least we won’t have to worry forgetting about everything.” Donald comments to Goofy, who nods back.

            “Yeah. You guys will help bring us up to speed when we wake up.”

            “Of course.” Sae tells them as the two toons breathe sighs of relief as Akechi takes Sora from Goofy and helps Ren move him into the pod.

            “Sorry about this…” Sora tells Ren as he helps steady him in the pod.

            “Don't worry about it. If our roles were reversed, I would have done the same thing." Ren tells him in good nature as he and Akechi leave the pod, the device closing up behind them. "Sleep tight, Sora. You'll be awake before you even know it." Despite the strain on his face, Sora managed to give them one last smile as the pod closed around him, and he was suddenly sent into a deep sleep. His features eased instantly as he was suspended in the pod.

            “Well, I guess we better head off to sleep as well.” Goofy comments with Donald nodding at him. “Goodnight, fellas.”

            “Goodnight.” The Thieves all reply as they watch the two toons head off to two smaller pods nearby. But even as they watch them enter the pods, they suddenly wonder which pod Jiminy is in, before shaking their heads. He could be in any of them with how small he is.

            “By the way, Ren. Do you still have those cards?” Ryuji asks, hands in his pockets. “I mean, we beat Marluxia! We’ve gotta be free of those things by now!” While Ren wanted to agree with him, he could already tell he was not done as he pulled out the deck from his pocket, eliciting a collective groan from everyone as they all saw the deck. “For real…?”

            “We are still not done with it?” Ann asks in a weary voice.

            “What could we still need to accomplish with these cards?” Yusuke asks in a weary tone as everyone could feel their will being sucked out of them.

            “If you would be willing, I could explain everything to you all.” A deep voice echoed around them, sending everyone on alert as a flash of digital light appeared at the entrance, with DiZ standing tall with his hands behind his back.

            “Who are you?" Mishima asks as everyone goes on edge. Not to the point that they summon their Thief attire, but still ready to summon if needed.

            “Are you with the Organization?" Hifumi asks, not wanting to take chances even though this man is wearing different attire.

            “Settle down. I am not your enemy, for one thing." He tells them in a calm tone. "We are all on the same side, all of you and I."

            “Sorry, but you suddenly dropping in here doesn't give us proof of whether you're an enemy or not." Shiho comments, hand on hip.

            “Indeed. How do we know you are telling the truth?" Akechi asks, not convinced by this man so far.

            “If you need proof, then I can help with that." A second voice echoes from the door, a voice that all but Naminé recognizes in an instant as DiZ steps to the side, revealing Yu as he calmly walks into the room with a calm smile. "It's been a while, Phantom Thieves.”

            “YU!” The Thieves all cry as one as they practically rush up to the Wild Card of Inaba. Yu had seemingly expected this as he met their head-on rush without flinching. Although he still almost found himself getting thrown to the ground by them, DiZ calmly watched from the side, a ghost of a smile on his face.

            “Easy! You want to crush me?” He asks in good nature, even as Sophia clings to him.

            “Can you blame us!? We’ve been worried about you and the Investigation Team when we couldn’t find you!” Sumire shouts as Yu rubs the back of his head.

            “Yeah… but don't worry, we're all okay.” He tells them as they all move to give him space. “When our home fell to the Heartless, my friends, Nanako, Uncle Dojima, and I woke up on a world called Twilight Town.”

            “Your sister and uncle are alive too?" Futaba asks as she lets out a sigh. "I never realised how relieved I am to hear that until now." Yu nods at her, his face also full of relief.

            “Yeah, so were we. However, they now know about Personas and the truth behind the Midnight Channel after they saw us summon ours in Inaba when the Heartless invaded. Although… we have grown weaker now."

            “That is because we are now summoning them in real life." Ren explains, folding his arms. "I'm still in the process of regaining my old roster as well, even if it's at a slow pace."

            “I see… it's too bad that Margaret is not around as well to help out." Yu comments offhandedly as Lavenza looks at the ground dejectedly.

            “So… no one else escaped the Velvet Room’s fall.” She says out loud as Sae pats her comfortingly.

            “I’m sorry, Lavenza.” Yu replies earnestly. “But while in Twilight Town, something strange happened to Rise.”

            “Let me guess, she can now fight?” Futaba comments with a grin as Yu looks at her in surprise. “Yeah, that was thanks to me. I'll explain later, but Fuuka and I can now also fight. And Morgana, Isara, and Sophia are human now, as well as Aigis and Labrys.”

            “I had a feeling something had happened.” Yu remarks, looking at Morgana with a grin. “Looks like you got your wish.”

            “That I did.” Morgana quips with a grin. “So, what else has been happening with you guys?”

            “In short, nothing much. Although we did see something strange happen.” Yu remarks, folding his arms. “One day, we saw someone manifest outside the mansion we are staying in, right out of thin air. And right after that, someone else walked out of a dark portal and took him away, almost like he was expecting him to appear right then and there.”

            “It was then that I revealed myself to him and his team.” DiZ comments, dragging the team's attention to him. “My name is DiZ. And for a long time, I have been watching the movements of Organization XIII.”

            “Organization XIII? That's their full name?" Ren comments, grasping his chin. "So… we are dealing with thirteen members? Wait, no, that doesn't make sense. Vexen mentioned to us earlier that there were nineteen members. Although it should now be fifteen since four of them are beaten."

            “And you are correct on that matter." DiZ remarks, nodding his head. "At my last count, there are nineteen members in total. But now, with Vexen, Larxene, Lexaeus, and Marluxia defeated, that leaves fifteen of them still in force.”

            “Great…” Isara groans, rubbing her eyes.

            “DiZ was the one who explained what had happened to us, along with both the Heartless and Nobodies.” Yu remarked, although he did give DiZ a side glance at the word 'Nobody.' “He also told us about something called a Keyblade and our history of being Demon users.” The Thieves all glanced at each other, knowing just what kind of bombshell they had ready for Yu.

            “Yeah… about that…”

            “So… that really did happen.” Yu comments as he looks at the ground in shock. Even DiZ was sporting a rare moment of shock after hearing the tale from Ren and the others. “We are reincarnations of people from the past… but how is that even possible to begin with?”

            “We don’t know. But it doesn’t change the facts.” Ren replies, summoning Lupin to his side as Morgana does the same with Masked Bandit. “It’s the truth, no matter what.”

            “So it is." Yu comments, letting out a sigh before looking at Hikari. "Still, it's good to remember the adventure we all had with you, Hikari. Hard to believe we all forgot about that in the first place. And good on you for awakening to a Persona alongside Naminé here." Hikari nods back at Yu with a smile as the latter turns back to Ren. "It's also good to hear that the rest of the Phantom Thieves are okay in Traverse Town, and that Minato, Minako, and the rest of S.E.E.S are in Disney Castle. That will make everyone else feel at ease.”

            “Same with knowing about you.” Makoto adds as she rests a hand on Sophia’s head. “But why are you here anyway?”

            “The same reason why Sora was dragged here.” DiZ comments, looking at the pod holding Sora. “While it was reassuring to hear his memories were not tampered with, it is unfortunate that he has suffered a grievous wound like this. Riku will be most displeased.”

            “Hold up… you’ve been following Riku?” Ann asks, taking a step forward.

            “That’s right. Him, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa.” Yu replies, turning to face them. “Riku is having his own problems. He’s in a spot where he’s trying to master his own darkness, but a shard of the fake Ansem is still inside him.”

            “Back up a sec, 'fake Ansem'? As in… the same Ansem that we fought before that was killed prior to us coming here?" Ryuji asks as the Thieves all tilt their heads at him.

            “That's right." Yu replies. "Rinoa was the one to call him out, being a resident of the world that the real Ansem came from, Radiant Garden. Even if she couldn't remember his voice, she did remember what he looked like. And the Ansem you faced was not the Ansem she remembered.”

            “Oh, Sora is going to be mad when he hears about that.” Mishima comments, looking at the sleeping Sora behind him. “So, where is the real Riku now?”

            “When we last checked with them, they were in the midst of dealing with one of the other Organization members, Lexaeus. They ended up defeating him, but Lexaeus attempted to kill them all in a suicide attack." DiZ tells them in a calm tone, despite Ren and the others having looks of shock and horror on their faces. "However, they are still alive, as the attack only rendered them unconscious. Once they have recovered, we are hoping to lead them here to offer Riku a choice.”

            “A choice?” Sophia asks as DiZ looks towards Naminé, who seems to take a step back under DiZ's gaze as he steps forward and lets out a surprised huff.

            “That is correct. But whether or not he takes it will be up to him. I will not force his hand either way.” DiZ turns around, walking to the hall as Yu follows after him. “For now, it would be wise for you all to stay here. No doubt you need rest after all you have done.”

            “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.” Yu calls out to Ren before following after DiZ as the Thieves all sit around the large room while Naminé and Lavenza turn to Sora’s pod. They had a lot of work ahead of them, but at the moment, there was one thing they had to do.

And that was stabilising Sora’s heart and Persona.

Day 50.

In a lonely room coloured in silver, Roxas continues to sleep on his bed without moving. Beside him, a pile of seashells lies next to his pillow, each one a different colour and bringing life to the dreary room. For a while, nothing seemed to change until Roxas let out a small groan. Then, he opens his eyes slowly and wearily as he pushes himself up. Groggy, but once more alive and awake, he pulls himself up to the side of the bed.

            “Where…?" He asks, shaking his head as he looks around. "My room…? How long was I asleep?" He lets out a sigh, rubbing his head as a faint image comes to his mind: that of a spiky-haired boy falling asleep in a strange pod-like device. "Who was that…?" He lets out a sigh, standing up from the bed and taking note of all the seashells next to him. "Did Xion leave these? I wonder where she and Chixada are." With that, he loosens his shoulders before moving towards the door.

He had been asleep for far too long.

Chapter Text

Chapter 23: The Cloaked Schemer’s Fall.

            “I see you now… clearly.”

With a groan, Riku opens his eyes as the uncomfortable voice echoes around him. To his surprise, or shock, he finds himself floating in a dark void with Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa hovering nearby. The three of them are also waking up and seeing their current situation.

            “Where are we now?” Zack asks, glancing around him.

            “This place… it reminds me of where Tifa and I were before I found myself in the Realm of Darkness.” Rinoa replies as Labrys finds herself once more upside down.

            “For real? Did Lexaeus send us here?” She asks as Zack helps her be right-side up again while Riku glares around the area.

            “I think we have bigger problems right now.” He tells them, glaring into the inky darkness around them. “The darkness around us… it’s so foul… and it can only come from—”

            “Riku… I can see your heart…” The voice echoes once more, accompanied by a deep chuckle as everyone goes on alert. “That’s it, remember me. Let me drift back into your heart…”

            “It’s the fake Ansem!” Riku shouts as the dots quickly come together, Ansem’s voice echoing around them with deep amusement.

            “So, you found out the truth? How interesting, but it doesn't matter. Regardless of the circumstances, you have called out my name. You have been thinking about me… You're afraid of the darkness I command. Good, the more you think of me, the closer my return draws near.”

            “This is approaching stalker levels of creepy.” Labrys quips as the four of them ready their weapons, despite what little good it would do them while they floated in the air. Even if they were slightly puzzled by what Ansem just said, considering Rinoa called him out earlier for being a fake.

            “And when I have awoken, I will take hold… and your heart will be mine once again!” With that, Ansem manifests before the four, directly ahead of Riku. Zack and Labrys manage to position themselves between Riku and the fake Ansem, while Rinoa hovers behind Riku for added assurance. Not that Ansem seemed to care as he floated right towards them, hand outstretched. A thick aura emanates from him as Zack and Labrys suddenly find themselves forcibly pushed out of the way, with the fake Ansem drawing closer to Riku. But before he can even touch him, a flash of light manifests between them, with two orbs of light floating before Riku protectively.

            “Leave him alone!” Aqua’s voice echoes from one orb, while the other floats closer to Riku.

            “Riku, fight! Don’t let him win! You are not alone any more!” Mickey’s voice echoes from the other orb just as both orbs flash, transforming into a transparent version of Aqua and Mickey, with Aqua now wearing her Thief attire from when she awoke to Shiva. It would seem she had regained the strength to summon it from when they last saw her, not that the fake Ansem was happy to see them either way.

            “You meddlesome king and failure of Eraqus!” Fake Ansem shouts at them, just as another flash of light blinds everyone. And when the light clears, Riku, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa once more find themselves inside Castle Oblivion’s halls, in the same place where they had fought Lexaeus.

            “Well… that happened.” Zack comments as the four push themselves up.

            “King Mickey and Aqua, they protected us again.” Rinoa remarks as Riku looks over his hands, a faint smile on his face as he nods his head.

            “That must mean they are getting close.” Labrys comments with a grin. “We won’t be by ourselves for much longer.”

            “Yeah…” Riku remarks, letting his hands drop. “And even then, we were never truly alone.” He rests a hand on his chest for a moment before looking back up at the stairs with determination. “C’mon. We should be nearing the top.” Without arguing, the four move to the next floor, each step feeling lighter as they reach the top, finding another door waiting for them. But as they walk up to it, Riku realizes he is out of world cards to use. Maybe… this door would lead them out? But before he can even say that, the entire castle shakes from the force of an earthquake, almost sending all four of them to the ground.

            “An earthquake!?” Labrys shouts, regaining her bearings.

            “Please tell me the castle’s not falling apart.” Rinoa pleads as Riku suddenly notices a change in the air.

            “Wait… another scent has disappeared, just like the last three. And it was a very strong one…”

            “So you felt his passing. Intriguing.” A voice echoes around them as a portal of darkness appears at the door, Zexion stepping out with a calm and collected look. “The keeper of this castle, Marluxia, and Number XI of our Organization, has just been felled by the Keyblade Master, the Phantom Thieves, and their companions.”

            “The Phantom Thieves are here!” Labrys shouts with wide eyes as Riku’s eyes widen in surprise.

            “Those guys? And the Keyblade Master? Sora is here as well!?” Riku shouts, shock evident in his voice.

            “Yes. All of them are here. And I take it you want to see them, given your reactions. But… can you face Sora, Riku?” Zexion asks in a calm tone as Riku looks at the floor, clenching his hands.

            “Y’know, you already know us, but we don’t know you.” Zack suddenly comments as Zexion rests a hand on his heart and suddenly bows to the group.

            “My apologies. I am Zexion. Number VI. As for what I mean, the world of darkness and Ansem’s shadow still nest within your heart, Riku. Do you plan to face Sora like that? Are you not ashamed?” Riku doesn’t bite back, instead glaring at the floor with indignation. “Sora’s fate is to battle the darkness. He must oppose anyone who hosts the dark. In other words, it’s you.”

            “That’s a big old lie right there.” Labrys suddenly counters, catching Zexion off guard for a moment. “You say he’s to destroy darkness, yeah? If that was true, then why are he and Joker still paired up, huh?” Riku, Zack, and Rinoa catch on to what Labrys is saying as Zexion furrows his brow. She had explained to them how Joker, and by extension other members of the Shadow Operatives, use Curse magic in their attacks, which could be called Dark magic for all intents and purposes. If Sora was ‘supposed’ to destroy all darkness, wouldn’t he include them as well? Not really a sound argument there.

            “Hmph.” Zexion finally conceded, pulling out a card and tossing it to Riku, who catches it without issue. “Very well. If you refuse to believe my words, then you had best see the truth with your own eyes.” And with that, Zexion takes his leave as Riku looks at the card, a chill running down his spine as he stares at it in shock.

            “This card… It’s my home.” Riku whispers, his hand slightly trembling as Zack rests a hand on his shoulder.

            “You’ll be okay?” He asks as Riku takes a steadying breath.

            “I’ll manage… but something tells me it won’t be a pleasant visit.” Riku replies in a semi-bitter tone. “If I’ve not encountered anyone else apart from Maleficent’s council, then who’s to say that my own home will be different…”

            “Keep your chin up, Riku.” Labrys tells him, slapping a hand gently on his shoulder. “Who knows, it might be different this time.” Riku gives Labrys a thankful expression as he walks up to the door, holding the card up high. Just like all the others, the door opens in a flash of golden light. By the time the flash clears, the sound of rolling waves crashing against the shore greets their ears, as all four of them find themselves on the paopu island, Riku sitting atop the tree as he always does.

            “This is your home? It’s lovely.” Rinoa comments, looking down at the crystal-clear water beneath them.

            “Yeah. Much better looking than what we saw in the Realm of Darkness.” Zack adds, leaning against a tree as Riku closes his eyes, letting the winds gently blow past him as he sighs wistfully.

            “I never knew how much I missed the island winds…” He comments softly. Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa all look at Riku sympathetically as he lets out a long sigh. “You know, there was a time I couldn’t wait to get off this rock. And here I am, acting all relieved. I guess… I loved this place more than I realized.” None of the others really had anything to say about that as Riku pushes himself off the tree, glancing out to the side where the dock was, only to let out a gasp.

            “What’s up?” Labrys asks, seeing the shock on Riku’s face.

            “It's Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie—three of my other friends alongside Sora and Kairi.” Riku replies, pointing a hand at the dock. “Although… they are probably only memories of them.”

            “Well, even if they are memories, it doesn’t hurt to chat with them, yeah?” Zack asks, patting a hand on Riku's shoulder. It is strange how he is acting like an older brother to him, but Riku isn't going to complain anytime soon. After all, they have been the only ones to keep him from going insane, even with Aqua and Mickey's friend cards being with them to reassure him. So, without further ado, Riku led the trio over to his friends, leaping down from the wooden bridge and moving over the sandy beach. Yet even as they approached, they noticed that Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie did not take note of them approaching or acknowledge them at all, even as Riku stood right in front of Tidus.

            “What’s with them?” Rinoa asks, seeing the blank looks on their faces.

            “Dunno, they have never been this quiet.” Riku replies, cupping his cheek. But they soon have their answer as all three of them vanish into particles of light, stunning the four as Riku grits his teeth. “Of course…”

            “That’s just cruel.” Labrys remarks in disgust. “What was the point of showing them only to then take them away?”

            “To break Riku's mentality.” Rinoa comments, spinning her bladed disk. “No doubt that’s what this world will be about.”

            “Well then, I suppose that means Zexion is hiding around here.” Zack comments, rolling his arm as he looks at Riku. “Shall we go hunting?”

            “We shall.” Riku replies, pulling out a yellow card with a blue key on it. “If he thinks I’m going to break from these illusions, he’s got another thing coming.” With a unanimous nod, the four turn to a nearby glowing door as Riku holds up some cards he already has. It is time to start exploring this floor and beat up a guy in a black coat.

Meanwhile, on the floor above, Repliku was wandering the halls of Castle Oblivion with aimless meandering. In truth, he really didn’t know what to do despite continuing to wander the floors. All he had with him were the memories given to him by Naminé and Hikari, even if they were fake. Fake…

            “That’s all I really am. A fake.” He tells himself, leaning against a wall. “Everything about me is borrowed from Riku… so nothing is truly mine. I'm just a shadow of him.” His thoughts go to the real Riku, his face twisting into a wince as he shakes his head. “So long as he is around, that's all I'll ever be. That's all I'll ever be compared to: a shadow and a fake.” He lets out a sigh, pushing himself against the wall as he comes to a decision in his mind.

            “Hikari… you said I should go out on a journey and discover who I really am… You’ve always been looking out for me, haven’t you?” He closes his eyes, letting a sigh escape his mouth as he pushes himself away from the wall. “For what it was worth, thank you for looking out for a fake like me. But… I don’t think I’ll be able to go on that journey. Not until I settle things with Riku.” Steeling himself for the coming confrontation, Repliku turns on his heel and marches down the hall.

            “Even if it costs me my life.”

            “Even this memory world has Heartless running about… Why am I not surprised?” Labrys comments in a dry tone as the four move through a door, once more finding themselves back on the bridge leading to the paopu island.

            “Really getting tired of the same song and dance this place is.” Zack remarks with zero enthusiasm as Riku comes to a stop. Letting out a sigh, he glances backward, only to see someone else. Someone who, the last time he saw her, had lost her heart.

            “Kairi.” Riku comments softly, grabbing Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa’s attention. Behind them, standing on the bridge with a calm smile, was a memory of Kairi. But she didn’t last long, as she too vanished into particles of light as Riku let out a long sigh. “Even her…”

            “Surely, you knew this would happen?” Zexion asks, suddenly appearing behind the group next to the paopu tree. “You’ve been to a number of worlds in your memory before this one. And in those worlds, you only met dark beings. That’s all that’s left in your heart: dark memories. Your memories of home are gone. Each and every one.”

            “If that was true, then why do I still remember Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie?!” Riku shouts back at Zexion. “And I CERTAINLY haven’t forgotten about Sora and Kairi! They are my… closest… friends…”

            “And who threw those friends away? Maybe it’s your own actions that you’ve forgotten.” Zexion twists the knife deeper into Riku as he grits his teeth. “You destroyed your home!” Just as Zexion spat out those words, the four of them were engulfed by a flash of darkness. When it cleared, they found the Destiny Islands around them had transformed into a lone piece of land, slowly being dragged into the air as an orb of darkness hovered above them. A sight that froze Rinoa in place as her arms trembled.

            “This is like when my home was destroyed!” Labrys shouts, eyes wide in shock.

            “Yes. This is the end of the Destiny Islands.” Zexion remarks in a cold tone towards Riku. “All of the islands you grew up on were sundered and scattered. Many hearts were lost forever to the darkness because of what YOU did!” He points a finger right at Riku, who takes a step back in shock. “You hated being an islander so much that you opened your world's door to darkness and destroyed the islands. It was YOU!”

            “Oh sure, lay all the blame at his feet when you conveniently forget that Ansem was there as well!” Zack shouts, grasping his sword.

            “I suppose it is true in that regard. Anyone who fell to Ansem’s whims would have done the same.” Zexion admits, yet his accusatory voice does not waver. “But that does not change the fact that RIKU is to blame for its fall! In fact, he is even MORE guilty of falling for it in the first place! He was pulled into the darkness, as all of you were, and now you ALL belong to the darkness! You should look at what you truly are!”

With that, Zexion vanishes as a giant hand shoots up from the ground right where he was. Immediately, all four of them go on alert as a Darkside pulls itself up from the ground, glaring directly at Riku as he readies Soul Eater in his hand.

            “I admit, what I did was a mistake I will never take back. But… that doesn’t mean I won’t stop trying to fix that mistake I made!” Riku shouts, falling into his stance as Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa all turn into cards, just as the Darkside pulls back its right hand and slams it into the ground with a 7 card. Not letting its size intimidate him, Riku rushes in and starts attacking the hand in the ground, ignoring the Shadow Heartless that spawn from the pool around it until the Darkside pulls its hand back.

With the Darkside holding itself back, Riku quickly took care of the Shadow Heartless as the Darkside soon attacked with a 3 card. Kneeling on the ground, it fired dark orbs from its chest. Instead of dodging, Riku once more dived at the hand, lashing out with a combo and stunning the Darkside with a card break. Once more, the Darkside rose to full height, towering over Riku as it plunged its left hand into the ground, quickly pulling out an orb of darkness with a 6 card and sending it into the sky, letting it rain down orbs of darkness and forcing Riku to dodge them.

            “This is taking forever!” Riku shouts, jumping away from a shockwave as the Darkside pulls its hand back. “I need to hit its face!” Just as he says that, a green zero card appears in his deck, looking a lot like Mickey’s head but without the eyes, nose, or mouth. “This is like the other ones.” Riku whispers to himself as the Darkside pulls its hand back with a 9 card. “No you don’t!” Riku shouts, activating the zero card and breaking the Darkside, and at the same time summoning pillars of rocks that lead a path right up to the Darkside’s face.

Without pausing, Riku rushed up the pillars, forming a Sleight in his mind as he landed right before the Darkside’s face, lashing out with his remaining cards as the Darkside staggered from the blows. The Darkside, seeing Riku gain the advantage, lumbered away from the platform to avoid the sword swings. But Riku simply grinned at the distance.

            “Got you! Dark Firaga!” Throwing his left hand out, Riku sends the dark orb of fire right at the Darkside’s face, critically hitting it and somehow managing to send it falling onto its back. With it stunned, Riku leaps from the rock and rushes towards the Darkside, quickly lining up another Sleight in his mind.

            “Helm Splitter!” He shouts, leaping into the air and coming down hard on the Darkside's head in quick succession. Not giving it a chance to breathe, even as it slowly tries to stand up once more. But one more slash from Riku puts a stop to that as the Darkside suddenly freezes in place, seemingly becoming a statue before dissolving away into a black puddle. Leaving Riku panting from the fight, just as a Darkside card slips itself into his deck. But for some reason, Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa do not turn back to normal as Riku glances around the area.

            “Is there still someone nearby?” He asks himself, still ready for a fight until he sees someone near the island's edge. “Sora?” Riku asks, his eyes not believing what he is seeing. Is that really Sora? Or just another memory? Hesitantly, Riku approaches Sora, noticing how Labrys and the others have still not reverted back to normal. He swears he can feel the anxiety from their cards as he approaches Sora. But just as he raises a hand, Sora suddenly spins around with the Keyblade, almost hitting Riku in the head as he jumps back in shock. “What!?”

Before Riku even had a chance to understand what was going on, Sora charged at him, leaping into the air and bringing Kingdom Key down on him, forcing Riku to summon Soul Eater to his hand once again as he blocked the attack with noticeable strain. “Stop it, Sora! Don’t you recognize me!?”

            “Yeah, I recognize you. I can see exactly what you have become!” At that, Sora forces Riku back with the Keyblade before firing a beam of light at Riku’s chest. The attack slams into him, simultaneously shocking and stunning Riku before he is thrown back onto the ground. “How can the light hurt you? Riku… have you really become a creature of the dark?” Riku opens his eyes, looking at Sora with confusion visible on his face. “You’re not Riku any more. Just a pawn of the darkness.”

            What’s going on!? Why is he attacking me!? Riku shouts, pushing himself up. But even as he thinks this, something else moves through his mind. Wait… why isn't Sora in that Thief attire that Labrys wears along with Aqua and the other Phantom Thieves? And speaking of Labrys, where are she, Zack, and Rinoa? Riku’s eyes widen as a realization comes to him, just as ‘Sora’ looks back at him with a scowl.

            “So be it! It’s time for you to face the light!” With that, ‘Sora’ holds the Kingdom Key up high, generating an intense light that blinds Riku while consuming him. Trapping him in a prison of light as he feels himself slowly start to fade away, the light burning away at him from all angles.

            I’m… fading… Fading away… into the light…

            “You won’t fade.” A voice echoes around him. Not that he could see who it was, having already faded away. And yet, something about this presence felt… familiar to him. “You can’t fade. There’s no power that can defeat you. Not the light, not the dark. So don’t run from the flight, and don’t fear the darkness. Because both will make you stronger.”

            Make me stronger? Darkness, too? Riku asks back, although he wasn’t sure how since he had no mouth.

            “That’s right.” A new voice joins the first, steady and confident. “Two halves make a whole. You have been running from your dark half for too long. But it is time you accepted it. Darkness itself is not evil; it is he who wields it that determines its use, just like light. You can turn that fear you have into your strength—a strength that is yours alone.”

            Is that… true? Riku asks back, feeling a weight lifting off him that he never knew was there as he felt himself reforming inside the light. Yet, his vision was still blinded. All this time, I’ve tried to push the darkness away…

            “You’ve just gotta remember to be brave.” The first voice returns, kind and gentle. “Know that the darkness is there and never give in. If you do that, you will gain the strength that is yours alone, and nobody will be able to take it from you.”

            But… can I face my friends? After everything I have done?

            “Don’t you want to see them anyway?” The second voice asks back. “It’s why you have been climbing this castle in the first place, right? To see Sora and Kairi again. And everyone back home.”

            “Of course I do.” Riku replies, his voice coming from his own mouth again as he fully forms in the light. The two voices that spoke to him vanish as Riku opens his eyes. “I know what I have to do now. And I’ll do it with my own strength. My dark strength! DARKNESS!” At his call, the darkness wraps around Riku, clothing him in his dark suit from Hollow Bastion. He had done it multiple times during his ascent up Castle Oblivion, each time against his will. Only this time, he did so willingly, accepting that the darkness was a part of him. And now that he did…

            “You can sense him, can’t you?” The voice from inside him asks as Riku glances over his shoulder. “The false illusion.”

            “I can… and he stinks.” Riku snarks back before spinning around and leaping at the light, Soul Eater cutting through without mercy as it cleaves into ‘Sora’. Dissipating the light prison, Riku once more finds himself back on the destroyed Destiny Islands, casting a glance back at ‘Sora’ as he holds his right hand out in shock.

            “This is… impossible!” ‘Sora’ shouts before the illusion finally drops, revealing Zexion as he collapses to one knee, hand on his chest with a slight wound glowing on his coat. “How did you find me… while you were there!? Trapped in the light!?”

            “Easy. You reek of darkness. All of you do.” Riku replies with a smirk. “Not even the light could block that foul smell. You all need a shower, bad.” Zexion visibly flinches back as Riku allows a chuckle to escape his lips. “I have to thank you, Zexion. Thanks to you, I’ve finally accepted the darkness inside me, and now… I’m going to show it to you!” With a large grin, Riku holds Soul Eater up high as he feels Labrys, Rinoa, and Zack ready to jump out and help. As for Zexion, the fear is palpable on his face as he summons his book to his side, quickly realizing his plan has fallen apart.

And rather quickly at that.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OY2yfnlbM : The 13^th Struggle)

            “This is absurd…! Then I shall make you see that your hopes are nothing! Nothing but a mere illusion!” With that, Zexion begins the fight by casting a spell with his book using a 7 card, and to Riku's surprise, this spell seems to draw in some of his cards. Needing to act fast, Riku lines up a Sleight with Zack.

            “Is that all you can do?! Steal my cards?!” Riku shouts back, unimpressed. “If that’s all you can do, then you are the weakest foe I’ve faced so far!” At that, Riku charges in, slashing Soul Eater at Zexion, and he desperately fights to gain ground, using another card to steal two more cards as Riku activates his Sleight. “Show him how to fight, Zack!” With a grin, Riku watches Zack take the field as he dashes in, quickly hitting Zexion with two quick slashes before jumping into the air and spinning the Buster Sword around, coating it in a light yellow aura before slashing down at the ground, sending out a barrage of meteors at Zexion, who struggles to avoid them while loading up a Sleight with three of Riku’s cards.

            “You fool!” Zexion shouts, hovering away as Riku gives chase. “Do you think such methods will stop me!? Perhaps a taste of your own medicine! Dark Punisher!” At that, Zexion shoots forward towards Riku, catching him off guard and grabbing him before channelling dark energy into Riku and shooting him away. Landing heavily, Riku quickly shoots to his feet until he feels his strength slowly start to fade away.

            That attack… is damaging me over time!? Riku shouts to himself, quickly loading up a Sleight with Rinoa. Better finish this quick, then! With that, Riku charges again while Zexion loads up a Sleight with three of his own cards, keeping his distance while using more cards to steal Riku’s. Only this time, he found it harder to grab them as Riku expertly dodged the attacks thrown at him. He could activate his Sleight, but seeing how Riku’s was one point higher than his, it would only open him up to an attack. And seeing how he had just used up a zero card, he had no means of countering it when Riku activated his.

            “Go, Rinoa!” Riku shouts, summoning Rinoa to the field along with the spectral dog once more. Instead of firing the spectral dog from her arm like a cannon, this time Rinoa jumps onto the dog's back as the two suddenly shoot towards Zexion. Hitting him hard in the front, they quickly dash in seven more times, with the eighth hit almost sending Zexion flying off the edge while his book is knocked from his hand.

            “No!” Zexion shouts, seeing his book far away as Riku charges at him, blade drawing a line in the sand. “I won’t die here! Cyclone Snatch!” Slamming a hand into the ground, Zexion summons a cyclone that streams towards Riku. Catching him in its winds, it strips him of his cards as Riku desperately lines up a Sleight to save Labrys’s card and two of his own, leaving him with only three cards left while Zexion holds the remainder.

            “Cheap shot!” Riku shouts back, jumping to his feet. "You can’t fight without stealing my cards! You’re no better than a coward!”

            “I am NOT a coward!” Zexion shouts, taking three of Riku's cards into a Sleight while attacking with the others, only to find his strike far and wide as Riku easily sidesteps them.

            “You sure? Only a coward attacks like you do. So, what's your excuse, huh? At least in my case, I was afraid of using darkness." Riku taunts back, easily jumping away as Zexion grows more furious. After stealing more of Riku's cards, Zexion attacks Riku with what appears to be a fake copy of Soul Eater. But unlike the time when he copied Joker's abilities, this one proves futile as he blocks each and every strike. "You're not going to hit me like that. How about we speed this up?! Labrys!" Not once losing his grin, Riku activates the Sleight, summoning Labrys before him as she shoots a smirk at Zexion before dashing forward. Dragging her axe along the ground before cleaving upwards with a vertical strike, she sends Zexion flying high as she summons Ariadne to her side and sends out a Miracle Punch at Zexion, juggling him in the air before letting him fall heavily to the ground in a heap.

            “How is this possible?” He asks, pushing himself to his feet even as the book returns to his hands. “How are you beating me!?”

            “Like I said, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have discovered the real truth about myself! You should try it sometime; it feels great!” Riku shouts with a smirk, dashing at Zexion and slashing with his blade, forcing Zexion back as he struggles to counterattack Riku's relentless onslaught of cards.

            “That is nothing more than an illusion!” Zexion shouts, attempting to steal yet another card from Riku. “You are fooling yourself into believing these self-taught lies! You are nothing but a pawn!”

            “Funny! I don’t remember YOU trying to help me out!” Riku shouts, jumping in the air and activating another Sleight. “All YOU tried to do was make ME your pawn! Dark Break!” Zexion’s eyes widen as Riku comes down hard, his regular Helm Splitter Sleight having been upgraded to Dark Break. In terms of mechanics, they were both the same. Only now, every time Riku came down, he sent out a mini shockwave of darkness, each attack hitting Zexion hard in the chest until he could take it no more.

            “Enough!” Zexion shouts, ducking to the side. “I will show you that your new strength is nothing but an illusion! Catastrophe!” As he activates the Sleight of three 9s, each card stolen from Riku, three clones of Zexion manifest around the arena while the real Zexion flies high into the sky. As he does, he starts charging a sphere of energy beneath him, with the three Zexion clones firing their own beams into it, enlarging and powering it up while Riku loads his own Sleight of 9 cards. “Your fate is to fade away to nothing! And I will see that happen, no matter what I must do!” Zexion screams as he kicks the sphere of energy towards the ground, just as Riku is enveloped in a light blue aura.

The moment the sphere collides with the ground, it detonates into a vast explosion that consumes the entire island. Zexion, seeing the carnage unleashed, allows a smile to cross his face as he slowly descends to the ground. With the dust settling, he can see no trace left of Riku as he allows himself to think he has managed to triumph over him. At least, until he feels a searing pain across his back. Stumbling around, Zexion does not have a chance to think until Riku, in a flash of dark purple light, speeds past him six more times, each time Soul Eater slicing deep cuts into Zexion until Riku shoots up from the centre.

            “Dark Aura!” He cries, slamming Soul Eater into the ground and sending out a dark shockwave that catches Zexion in its grip, sending him flying towards the edge. Rolling heavily on the ground as he barely comes to a stop, he looks up with fear in his eyes as Riku slowly approaches him.

            “After all… your protests… you are still like us… on the side of darkness…” Zexion tells him, struggling to stand as Riku glares at him.

            “You’re right. I do use darkness. But I fight on the side of the light.” Riku replies, confidence in his voice as Zexion weakly looks up at him. “After all, I know who I am, unlike you.”

            “When did… that happen? You were always terrified of the… darkness before…” Zexion asks, dumbfounded as to how Riku was no longer scared of the darkness.

            “I found out it was all in my head. There is nothing to be scared of. Not any more.” Riku replies, holding his blade behind him as it glows with a dark light. “And as for you, Zexion… this is the end!” With that, Riku shoots forward, slicing Zexion across the chest with a heavy slash, leaving the same purple mark that appeared on Lexaeus as Zexion is sent flying off the edge of the island, falling down to the dark depths below as he vanishes into motes of darkness and various ancient symbols. He leaves behind nothing, even as Riku gains a black card with his face on it, just as everyone else turns back to normal. “I’ve got nothing to fear now.”

            “Ha! That will teach him!” Labrys shouts, hands on her hips. “Trying to fool Riku with illusions and steal his cards… what made him think that was going to work?”

            “Well, he did seem off balance when Riku broke out of that light prison.” Zack comments with a grin as he looks at Riku. “Guess he was expecting you to just give up.”

            “Like I would give up that easily.” Riku replies as his dark outfit vanishes while he grasps his left hand. “That… and I’ve finally accepted the darkness inside me.”

            “So you have.” Rinoa comments, pushing some hair back. “Will you be okay?”

            “I will be.” Riku replies confidently, grasping his hand. “After all, I’m not alone or being manipulated. I walk my own path now. No one else’s.”

            “Hah!” Zack shouts, slapping a hand on Riku’s back, almost sending him to the ground. “That’s what we like to hear! Now, how about we get moving and finish climbing this castle already?”

            “No complaints from me.” Rinoa agrees, flipping her hair back.

            “Yeah, let’s get out of here.” Labrys adds, stretching her arms. Riku lets out a chuckle at the two as he turns to a nearby door, walking towards it with a confidence he had not had in a long time.

Now that he knew Sora was here, it was time to find him and the others.

            “Damn it, Zexion… I told you not to get cocky.” Axel groans, shaking his head at the orbs as he watches Riku and his team leave Destiny Islands. “And yet, you had to play the hero, huh? And now you’re dead. Just like Vexen and Lexaeus.” Letting out a sigh, he glances around the empty room, the dawning realization that he is the last member alive now falling on his shoulders. “Well… my mission is over. No one left is alive, and Marluxia and Larxene are dead. And my injury is all healed up, so it’s time I took my leave of this place.” He turns around, opening up a portal of darkness as he pauses. “Still, I can’t believe that we lost Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion, even if I was given orders to take them out too. They didn’t deserve this…”

Axel lets out a sigh, putting his hands on his hips as he looks at the ceiling. “I wonder what Repliku is up to. Maybe he's left the castle as well. Ah well, what matters is that the traitors are dealt with; that's all I care about.” He walks towards the portal of darkness as a new thought soon enters his mind. “Y'know, maybe I should pop by Twilight Town and see how Roxas and Chixada are getting on. And if my earlier assumption is correct, and the two did end up befriending Xion, maybe I might even see her as well. Wouldn't that be something?” He stops at the portal, turning around as he glances at the orb once more, his eyes softening.

            “Rest up, Sora. Something tells me you’ll be needed one day.” And with that, Axel takes his leave for good, leaving the castle behind as the room falls into an eerie silence.

With nothing remaining to indicate that it had once been used.

Meanwhile, back with the Thieves, they were all still hanging around the pod room, relaxing after their non-stop journey through Castle Oblivion. Some of them were sleeping, while others were talking about what had happened or the memories of their distant past now revealed to them. As for Naminé and Hikari, the two of them were busy working on shoring up the wounds in Sora's heart and his Persona before getting to the proper repairs. But even as a sense of calm washed over them, Futaba suddenly received an alert from her Persona, causing her to wake from the brief power nap she had taken, alerting her to a surprising development.

            “Huh… looks like Zexion is dead.” She calls out, grabbing Ren and Sae's attention as she brings up a screen, which she can do even when not in her Thief attire, while Naminé and Hikari focus on Sora. “Looks like Riku took him down. Guess your little pep talk worked, huh?”

            “Looks like it.” Ren replies, hand on his hip. “Still surprised Naminé could sense he was in trouble, let alone allow me and her to speak to him. How did she do that anyway?”

            “Who knows? But Axel has definitely left the castle.” Futaba replies, showing his screen with Axel's picture greyed out and the words 'NO SIGNAL' under his image. “Looks like he kept his promise and left.”

            “We’ll meet him again. We can count on that.” Sae remarks, folding her arms as she lets out a sigh. “Regardless, it means that this castle is now free from the Organization, but we must be on guard in case more of their members come to investigate. Even if Axel does not tell us, they may still send one of their own to confirm the deaths of the others.”

            “And we’ll be in trouble if they find Sora like this.” Ren agrees, folding his arms as he glances at everyone else, seeing them all sleeping around the room. “Still, I wonder what Repliku is doing right now.”

            “Well, I’ve figured out where he is. He’s on the lower floor.” Futaba comments, flicking a screen away. “Why he’s there, I don’t know. But he is blocking the only way to us. Maybe he’s acting like a guard or something.”

            “Or maybe he’s waiting for the real Riku.” Sae comments to Ren and Futaba, making sure that Hikari doesn’t hear them. “It is possible that he wants to find out which of them is real or not.” Ren and Futaba glance at each other, unsure of how to feel about that as they sit on the floor.

            “It’s not right. He shouldn’t be comparing himself to the real Riku.” Futaba comments quietly as Ren rubs her head.

            “Sometimes, that's all a person can do. And for him, it’s even worse since he’s a Replica.” Ren tells her as he looks at Sora's pod, seeing Sora's sleeping face visible through the surface. “I can only hope that they can both get some semblance of peace after this.” Futaba and Sae both remain silent at that as they let a calm silence fill the room.

There was nothing that any of them could do now. All they could do was leave it to the whims of fate.

Chapter Text

Chapter 24: Reunion in Twilight.

            “More climbing… Oh, the joys of climbing… Can you tell I am SO happy to be climbing again?” Labrys asks in a very sarcastic tone as the group of four climbs the next set of stairs, having just exited the memory world of Destiny Islands and now being back in the hallways of Castle Oblivion.

            “If you say it any more, I might join you.” Rinoa remarks while Riku and Zack roll their eyes. Not that they were going to blame either of them. After all, they had thought the last floor would be the final world, only to find more stairs waiting for them. Just how many more floors did they have to go until they reached the top? They had to be close by now, right?

            “Riku… Riku…”

            “Who’s there!?” Riku shouts, falling into a defensive form while Labrys, Zack, and Rinoa stare at him in confusion.

            “Did you hear someone?” Zack asks, his hand raising for the Buster Sword as Riku nods back. “Strange how Labrys, Rinoa, and I didn't hear it.”

            “I know you can feel it, Riku… The very grip that I have on your heart. You have let in the darkness. That means very soon your heart shall become an all-consuming darkness.”

            “I’m not like that now, Ansem!” Riku shouts at the ceiling, with Labrys and Rinoa going on alert along with Zack.

            “Yes, you are.” Suddenly, Riku is forced into holding both his hands out with his feet apart, almost like he is trying to be a star while the three around him gasp in shock.

            “Riku!” Zack shouts, only for him to suddenly take on the same pose, followed closely by Labrys and Rinoa. “What!?”

            “You have all been touched by the Realm of Darkness. None of you can hide from me.” Ansem’s voice rings out in all four of their minds as he holds them all in place, just as darkness starts to emanate from Riku. “The deeper the darkness runs inside you, the stronger I become. Controlling all of you is effortless.”

            “Coward!” Rinoa shouts, even as she tries to force herself to move, but to no avail. As Ansem basks in his victory, two orbs of light zoom into the room, taking their place right in the middle of the four before exploding into flashes of light, Ansem’s voice crying out in pain as the light burns him away.

            “Must you two interfere again!?”

As the light vanishes, the grip holding the four in place is suddenly released, almost sending them all to their knees as they breathe deeply. Just as a curing wave flows over them, two people stand before them in the flesh.

            “Phew! Sure glad we made it in time! That oughta keep Ansem busy for a while.” Mickey tells the four with a wide smile as Aqua walks up to Riku, dressed in her Thief attire. She rests a gentle hand on him, earning his gaze.

            “You did well, Riku. To resist the pull of the darkness for so long… Terra would be proud of you. Like I am.” Giving him a smile, Aqua helps Riku to his feet as Mickey helps Rinoa up, with Labrys and Zack pulling themselves up as a sense of relief falls over them all. “We’re sorry we couldn’t arrive any sooner.”

            “Heh… the fact you are here anyway is better than nothing.” Riku comments, letting himself release all the built-up tension in his shoulders. “You can probably already guess, but the darkness inside me… I’ve accepted it. I’ve been running away from it for so long, but just recently, I’ve stopped running. Whether I like it or not, it is a part of me, and I will use it how I want to use it. Not for someone else’s ambition.” Aqua closes her eyes at that, letting a sigh escape her lips as she looks at Riku with gentle eyes.

            “I know. And you have my support. Just like I should have been there for Terra… but I won’t make that mistake again.” She glances around the white hall, a sad sigh escaping her mouth as she shakes her head. “Still, it really is surprising that you and the others ended up here…”

            “Do you know this place, Aqua?” Zack asks, rolling his arm. “And how did you two get here anyway? Weren’t you still far away?”

            “We found a card to help us.” Mickey replies, pulling out a world card from his pocket. “It appeared before us as we were going around in circles, and when we picked it up, we were brought here.”

            “A world card?” Labrys asks, looking at the card in Mickey’s hand. “How did you get one of those? The ones we’ve been using are from Riku’s memories.”

            “Along with a frustrating card-based gimmick of fighting.” Rinoa comments, grabbing Aqua’s attention. “Getting turned into a card every time we have to fight… it takes its toll on you.” Aqua furrows her brow as she folds her arms, irritation floating over her face as Riku takes the card from Mickey.

            “This card… maybe it will lead to Sora and the Phantom Thieves.” Riku comments as he looks at Mickey. “We just found out not that long ago that Sora and the Thieves are here in Castle Oblivion, and that they took down someone called Marluxia who was ruling this place. He and a bunch of others are part of some Organization, and we just took out two other members as well.”

            “Why are they here?” Aqua whispers to herself, tightening her hands on her arms. “They shouldn’t know what this place used to be…”

            “Hmm? What are you talking about, Aqua?” Labrys asks, catching Aqua’s mumbles. Aqua looks at Labrys, seeing the inquisitive look she was giving before shaking her head.

            “I’ll explain later, once we regroup with Sora. It’s something you all need to know about.” Aqua replies, looking at the ground in pain as Riku walks up to the door, card in hand.

            “Well, might as well see where this card leads.” Riku comments, holding the card up as the door flashes in golden light, transporting them all to a new world. One bathed in twilight, with a wide-open area lined with shops and a tram car spread out before them.

            “Huh… this is cosy.” Zack remarks, folding his arms.

            “And it’s a world I’ve never seen before.” Riku adds, hands on his hips. “What is this place called, anyway?” Rinoa looks around, trying to see if there is anything that could name their current location until a flyer is blown into her face.

            “Great…” She groans, pulling it off and taking a look at it. “‘Twilight Town Annual Struggle Tournament’… Is that the name of this world? Twilight Town?”

            “Well, it is locked in twilight.” Labrys comments, looking at the sky. It was certainly a very peaceful and cosy atmosphere that welcomed them. It almost made them forget about where they actually were as Riku took a step forward.

            “Well, shall we start exploring? The exit should be around here somewhere.”

            “Unfortunately, you all won't be living long enough to get to it, because now you must battle me! Against my dark powers!” Ansem’s voice rings out as he appears before the group, his Guardian hovering behind him as they all draw their weapons.

            “How long are you going to keep bothering us, fake Ansem!?” Rinoa shouts in disgust, while Aqua and Mickey raise an eyebrow at that, even as they summon their Keyblades to their side. But as Riku holds his Soul Eater up high, something about the Ansem before them causes him to blink as he slowly lowers his weapon, much to the confusion of the others.

            “Riku?” Mickey asks, seeing the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

            “Ah… have you finally come to your senses? Giving up after fighting for so long? Ready to surrender to your fate?” Ansem asks with a smirk on his face, even as his Guardian hovers behind him. But Riku shakes his head as he narrows his eyes at Ansem.

            “No… you’re not the fake Ansem.” Riku’s comment causes everyone to pause as they all look at him with puzzled expressions. “Your scent is different. The Ansem in my heart smells darker. The odour is more foul.”

            “Darkness has a stench?” Aqua asks Zack, who shrugs his shoulders.

            “But your scent just isn't like that at all. It's not darkness, but rather, it's something else.” Riku continues, ignoring Aqua's comment about his sense of smell. He couldn't help that he could smell darkness! “And that thing behind you… that's not a creature of darkness I'm smelling. In fact… it's someone else entirely.” As his eyes widened, Riku finally understood what was happening as it all clicked in his mind. “I understand now… you are the two who have been guiding us from the very start. The ones gave us the choice to either go back to sleep or seek out the truth. To make me face my own darkness and come to terms with it.” 'Ansem' looks at Riku with a neutral expression, betraying no hint of emotion as his Guardian slowly flattens down behind him, obscured by 'Ansem' as he lets out a smirk just as his body is enveloped in light.

            “That is correct.” ‘Ansem’ comments, just as he is fully enveloped by the light and replaced by DiZ, hands behind his back as he looks at Riku with an approving gaze. “DiZ, or so I am known. We have watched you all along.”

            “We?” Labrys asks, tilting her head while Mickey narrows his eyes in suspicion. “Who are you talking about?”

            “He means me, Labrys.” Yu replies, walking out from behind DiZ with a grin. “Who else would encourage you to seek out the truth?”

            “YU!” Labrys shouts, rushing up and hugging Yu, almost sending him to the ground as he quickly steadies himself. “You’re okay! I knew you guys weren’t dead!”

            “I’m glad you are alive as well, Labrys. Everyone has been worried sick about you.” Yu replies, returning the hug before looking back at everyone else. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all properly this time. My name is Yu Narukami, Wild Card of Inaba, Persona user, and leader of the Investigation Team.”

            “You’re a Persona user?” Riku asks as Aqua’s eyes widen in surprise. “Then, do you know the Phantom Thieves?”

            “I do.” Yu replies, folding his arms. “Hard not to, seeing how we are all under the same group, the Shadow Operatives. Having said that…” She looks over at Aqua, seeing her with a mask and Thief attire. “You have a Persona, don’t you?”

            “You can tell?” Aqua asks, eyes blinking in surprise as Yu nods his head.

            “I can, not that hard, to be honest. You have a mask, just like the rest of the Thieves. And I am assuming your attire is your Thief attire. Hard not to put the pieces together. And Labrys…” He turns to Labrys, looking at her up and down with intrigue. “You’ve become human… Teddie will be happy to hear about that.”

            “Yeah, he will.” Labrys remarks with a blush as she quickly shakes her head. “Well… I’ve not just become human, Yu. There’s something else as well.” At Yu raising an eyebrow, Labrys closes her eyes as she lets the Flames of Rebellion flow over her, once more donning her Thief attire as Yu’s eyes widen in shock. “I levelled up to Phantom Thief level! And not only do I have Ariadne, but I can also summon Asterius as well!”

            “For real?” Yu asks, his eyes wide before cupping his chin. “Then… does that mean it’s possible for us to do the same as well? That’s worth looking into…”

            “Unfortunately, we do not have time for that, as much as I would like to see myself.” DiZ remarks, drawing the conversation back to him. “After all, there are things that we must do.”

            “And what are those?” Riku asks, looking back at DiZ. “What do you want from me anyway?”

            “For you to choose.” DiZ tells him in an even voice. “After all, you are a special entity. You exist between light and dark. You stand in the twilight. And for that, your path splits into two.” DiZ turns his gaze to Yu, giving a single nod at him before looking back at Riku. “Yu will lead you to Naminé, and there, your choice awaits. All shall be revealed to you.” And before Riku could even reply, DiZ teleports away as Yu lets out an exasperated sigh.

            “Why does he always speak like that?” He asks, rubbing the back of his head.

            “His voice… I swear I have heard it before.” Mickey comments, thinking hard as Rinoa places a hand on his shoulder.

            “Don’t try to force yourself to remember.” She tells him gently, seeing the look of concentration on the king's face before looking back at Yu. “So, you’re to lead us to this… Naminé?”

            “Yep. DiZ has asked me to be your guide for this part.” Yu replies, folding his arms. “Well, shall we get moving? There is a lot to talk about once we regroup with Naminé.”

            “And I have a lot of questions that need answering.” Riku agrees, shaking his head as he walks forward, now in a group of seven. Strangely, being in such a larger group actually makes him feel better as he strides forward into this new world. But with every step he takes, he gets an uneasy feeling, as if someone is watching them.

And it's this feeling that tells him that it won't be long until this person reveals themselves.

            “What do you think, Hikari? Do you think it will be easy?” Naminé asks Hikari as the two look over Sora’s pod, Lavenza standing next to them with a furrowed brow.

            “It’s hard to say… Either way, it’s not going to be a quick fix…” Hikari replies, shaking her head in a sad tone, just as Ren and Ryuji walk up to them.

            “What’s wrong?” Ren asks, seeing the seriousness on the trio’s faces. “Is there a problem?”

            “Nothing like that.” Lavenza replies, turning to look at Ren. “We have just finished analysing the damage that Sora and Bahamut have taken. Unfortunately, the damage is far greater than we feared. I’m afraid that it will not be a simple fix as we had hoped.”

            “So… how long are we looking at?” Ryuji asks, rubbing the back of his head just as the rest of the Thieves gather around.

            “At most, we are looking at a year.” Naminé replies bluntly as everyone’s eyes widen in shock.

            “A full year!?” Ann shouts as Shiho gasps.

            “It’s going to take that long!?” Sumire adds as Haru places a hand on her head.

            “That’s what it looks like. Even with me and Lavenza helping, we are still looking at around ten months at least.” Hikari adds as the Thieves all glance at each other.

            “Ten months to a full year… that’s a long time to wait.” Sae remarks, shaking her head. “Which makes our current location all the more perilous.”

            “Indeed. The longer we stay here, the higher the chances that the other members of the Organization could come and investigate.” Akechi replies, rubbing his chin. “Surely DiZ would know this as well.”

            “Maybe he’s waiting until Riku is done with his own problems before moving on to Sora?” Shiho offers, although not confidently.

            “It’s hard to say.” Makoto replies, shaking her head. “But… I am worried about everyone else. To go silent for a whole year after they last saw us leave to defeat Ansem… surely they must all be worried about us.”

            “Dad most of all.” Hifumi admits as Ren nods his head in agreement.

            “Yeah… Sojiro is probably worried sick about us.” Futaba agrees, rubbing her arm. “I wish we had the Highwind so we could go and say hi and let him know we are all right.”

            “Do we even know if they made it back home to Tokyo anyway?” Morgana asks worriedly. “They could still be stuck in Traverse Town for all we know.”

            “That… is a serious thought.” Yusuke remarks, folding his arms. “As it is, we are all lost in the dark, with no knowledge of what has happened in our absence.” It was a dark thought to consider, something that they had all seemed to forget ever since entering Castle Oblivion. Then again, considering what they were all focused on, it was hard not to lose sight of what was going on outside the castle. They were, for all intents and purposes, completely isolated, save for DiZ and Yu.

            “When do you think Yu and DiZ will be back?” Haru suddenly asks, deciding to switch the topic.

            “Maybe when they find Riku.” Isara suggests, hands on her hip. “Speaking of, I wonder which floor he is currently on?”

            “Who knows, but let’s hope he’s close.” Mishima comments, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m getting bored just waiting around here and doing nothing.” That was something everyone could agree on, as even Sophia was still sleeping away in the corner, trying to ignore the boredom.

But what else could they do in a large white room?

            “So, that’s how you managed to gain both Ariadne and Asterius, Labrys? I’ve got to admit, I didn’t see that coming.” Yu remarks as he and the others walk through a dense forest. “Then again, that Realm of Darkness did not sound like a pleasant place to be.”

            “You don’t know the half of it…” Labrys agrees, shaking her head and looking at Aqua. “And Aqua had been trapped there for ten years. I’m surprised she didn’t go mad by the time we ran into each other.”

            “Truthfully, I felt I was fast approaching it.” Aqua admits, shaking her head. “I had been alone for so long that I initially thought Labrys was also an illusion until I got closer. I will never forget how relieved I was to see someone else after so long.”

            “Hey, I’m still thankful you two found me when I had nothing but a mining pick to fight with.” Zack comments, folding his arms. “Although it wasn’t the first time I had to get creative… I once used a parasol on a beach when I got jumped.”

            “You used a parasol… as a sword?” Riku asks, raising an eyebrow while Rinoa holds back a laugh. “I’m not sure whether to be amazed, laugh, or afraid.”

            “Why not all three?” Rinoa comments with a grin. The rest couldn't help but shake their heads at Zack's comment about using a parasol as a weapon of all things, even as they step out of the forest and enter a small clearing with a mansion standing before them. “This looks like a nice place.”

            “It is.” Yu replies, hands in pocket. “In the real Twilight Town, the rest of the Investigation Team, Nanako, Uncle Dojima, and DiZ are using it as our home.”

            “You are still there?” Mickey asks, looking at Yu with a puzzled expression. “That is strange… once the words were restored, everyone should have returned to their original worlds. Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the Thieves are exceptions, considering where they were, along with all of us trapped in the Realm of Darkness. But you and the others should have returned home.”

            “Well, we didn’t.” Yu replies, shaking his head. “Which can mean only two things: either our world is forever gone, or something else has happened to it that is preventing us from going home. Although, to be honest, we are finding Twilight Town a much better place to live than Inaba…”

            “So, where is Naminé, Yu? Is she inside this mansion?” Labrys asks Yu who looks at her. But just as he opens his mouth to speak, another voice cuts in, stopping him from uttering a word.

            “Hold it.” Repliku commands, stepping out from the foliage as he walks up to the group, while Aqua and Mickey look at him in confusion as Zack lets out a groan.

            “Oh great, look who it is. It's that Replica of Riku.” He comments, cluing Aqua and Mickey in on who this clone of Riku is as Repliku lets out an irritated sigh.

            “You know, for simplicity's sake, just call me Repliku. Even though I hate that name.” Repliku clenches a hand as he shakes his head, looking right back at Riku with a determined stare.

            “Okay, 'Repliku'… where have you been since we last saw you? Running errands for Vexen?” Rinoa asks, spinning her disk blade as Repliku lets out a huff.

            “I don't care what that guy wants with me any more. In fact, I don't even take orders from him OR anyone in his Organization. And it's kind of ironic that you mentioned him, considering that…” He looks at the grass under Riku's feet. “…you're standing right on the spot where he got killed. Right at the hands of one of his other allies, Axel, after getting his ass handed to him by Sora.”

            “For real!?” Labrys shouts as the group looks at the ground, apart from Yu, who folds his arms. He wasn’t shocked by this news. After all, DiZ had been spying on everything happening here, even if all he did was watch and not help, much to Yu’s annoyance.

            “For real.” Repliku snarks back, folding his arms as he looks at Riku, only to see that there is a difference about him that wasn't there before. One that he couldn't help but be impressed by as he lets out a huff. “You've changed, real thing. Your own darkness, I see that you're not afraid of it any more.”

            “How can you tell?” Riku asks, narrowing his eyes.

            “It’s simple. I’m your Replica. I’m a copy of you.” Repliku replies, closing his eyes in disappointment. “Must be nice being real. A fake like me could never get away with saying ‘I’m real’.” Repliku clenches his hands and grits his teeth before opening his eyes to reveal a burning anger behind them. “That’s right! I’m a phony, a fake! The way I look, the way I feel, even everything I remember! Nothing about me is unique! Even with this power that Vexen gave me, it is nothing but a copy of the real thing!” All of a sudden, Repliku summons Raiden to his side, the Persona standing tall behind him as everyone looks on in shock.

            “A Persona!?” Yu shouts, his eyes wide as Repliku turns to look at him.

            “No… an Artificial Persona created by Vexen, using data he got from fighting Joker.” Repliku clarifies, clenching his hands. “But it doesn't change anything. Everything about me is borrowed… with the only thing that is real to me being the memories Hikari has given me.”

            “Hikari?” Yu and Labrys whisper simultaneously as Repliku glares right at Riku.

            “I thought that if I went on my own journey, I could finally BE somebody! And not just a walking zombie of fakes! But… I can’t. Not until we have settled the score!” At that, Repliku summons Soul Eater to his side, taking his stance as a purple aura settles around him, an orb of lightning forming in his left hand. “So long as you are around, I’ll always be nothing BUT a shadow!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw8HfJPpvIY : The Force in You)

            “What are you talking about?!” Riku shouts, summoning Soul Eater as everyone around him turns into cards. “You are your own person!”

            “Even if that is true, I am still just empty! I can’t move on, not until we find out who is the stronger person between us!” At that, Repliku charges at Riku, jumping up and coming down hard with a 9 card, forcing Riku to dodge as the two stock up on their own Sleights.

            “Stop this, Repliku! We don’t have to fight!” Riku shouts, jumping away from his Replica even as Repliku comes charging at him. “There is no point in us battling each other!”

            “You may think there isn’t!” Repliku shouts, colliding blades with Riku and shoving him back. “But to me, this is a matter of life and death! Raiden! Deathbound!” Eyes widening, Riku watches as Raiden forms behind him and unleashes the attack on him, forcing him to block even as the Sleight bites down into him. Looking back up, Riku can only grimace at the situation as he lets out a slow sigh.

            “Fine then… if this is what you want… then let’s finish this.” Closing his eyes, Riku summons the darkness inside him, once more donning his dark outfit as he falls into a duelling stance. Repliku, seeing the invitation to a duel, falls into his own stance as the two mentally battle with cards. But Riku proves to be the superior one as he forms a Sleight of seven cards and quickly activates it.

            “Dark Barrage!” Dashing forward, Riku quickly caught Repliku in a series of quick strikes before leaping up and tossing Soul Eater at him, bombarding him with multiple swords of dark energy that sent him flying before Repliku landed back on his feet.

            “Not yet!” Repliku shouts, leaping forward with a 6 card and loading up another Sleight, forcing Riku to leap to the side. “I'm not done yet! Eigaon!” Without giving Riku a chance to dodge, Repliku lets the Cursed-based spell fly out at point-blank range, hitting Riku in the chest and sending him flying into the wall behind him. Disoriented, Riku rolls to the side to avoid the follow-up attack as he loads up another Sleight to buy him time.

            “Labrys! Zack! Rinoa!” As Repliku charged at him, Labrys suddenly appeared before him, catching his blade mid-swing before shoving him back and lashing out with a vertical slice upwards, sending Repliku flying as she cast Beast Weaver at him. As Repliku was caught in the grips of the attack, Riku felt the negative effect of Beast Weaver affecting him for some reason. Zack appeared in the air, bringing his sword down on Repliku and sending him into the earth before summoning a stream of meteors down on him.

As Repliku struggled to recover from the attack, loading up a Sleight to counter, Rinoa appeared next and, instead of attacking, healed Riku and cured his disorientation before vanishing. This left Riku free to fight again as Repliku came in, a 7 card aimed at Riku’s chest. Not risking the attack, Riku countered with a zero card, breaking Repliku’s attack and creating distance between them as he quickly lined up another Sleight. As the two shot each other the same glare, they activated their Sleight, both being the same number.

            “Dark Firaga!” With the same cry, Riku and Repliku send their attacks right at each other, the orbs of flaming darkness colliding and exploding between them, kicking up a dust cloud as Riku covers his eyes. Through the dust, he can see Repliku already charging at him, the orb growing in his hand easily identifying him while Riku countercharges. The two clash blades in the centre before separating as Repliku lines up another Sleight.

            “Mudoon!” As Riku looked up, he could see a red and black cloud fast approaching him from Repliku. Unsure of what this spell would even do, and with a voice in his head telling him to avoid it at all costs, Riku leaped up and stabbed Soul Eater into the wall, letting the dark cloud pass right under him as he lined up a Sleight before using the wall as a boost.

            “Inverse Burst!” At his call, Mickey appeared on the field as the two stood back to back, each shooting out orbs of light and darkness as they spun around, pelting Repliku with the orbs while both the light and darkness singed against his skin. Undeterred, Repliku powered through the attack, loading up a Sleight as he launched himself at Riku just as the attack ended, forcing Riku onto the defensive before leaping up into the air.

            “Helm Splitter!” Repliku cries, diving down at Riku and slamming his blade into the ground, sending out a small shockwave that Riku jumps over. Just as Repliku gets ready to dive again, Riku quickly loads up his own Sleight and leaps into the air.

            “Dark Break!” Riku calls, countering Repliku as he slams him into the ground before quickly following up with three more attacks, each one eating away at Repliku as Riku lands softly on the ground. “This is not worth it, Repliku! You can do so much more than this! Don’t throw your life away!”

            “Shut up!” Repliku shouts, loading up a Sleight as he jumps to his feet. “This is how I decided my life! Not you or anyone else! Heat Riser!” As Raiden appears behind him and boosts Repliku with the Sleight, Riku shakes his head with a wince as he readies his own to counter Repliku’s charge.

            “I don’t want to kill you! Aqua! Your Majesty! Yu!” Tossing the Sleight into the sky, Aqua appears before Riku in a flash of light before dashing forward. Clashing blades with Repliku, she quickly spins into her Spell Weaver attack, catching Repliku off guard as he is swept into the attack, pulling him upward before Aqua blasts him with Diamond Dust as Mickey appears next. Rushing forward, he leaps into the air just as Aqua vanishes, catching Repliku in an aerial combo that looks more like the Keyblade is wielding him.

But Riku didn’t have time to think about that as Yu suddenly appeared before him, katana drawn as he rushed forward towards Repliku, who was sent flying to the ground from a final hit from Mickey. Dazed from the impact, he didn’t have time to react as Yu attacked him with a lightning-infused katana, shocking him as Yu jumped back and unleashed a Ziodyne on him. The blast of Elect magic exploded upon hitting Repliku, kicking up a thick cloud of dust as Riku breathed deeply. A part of him hoped that Repliku had survived the attacks, and when he saw a flash of light inside, he could tell Repliku did.

But he was soon wishing that Repliku had been more injured from that attack.

            “Dark Aura!” Repliku screams, dashing forward at Riku and cutting him along the side. Before Riku can counter, Repliku slices past five more times, each attack chipping away at Riku before leaping into the air and slamming Soul Eater into the ground, sending out a dark shockwave that knocks Riku off his feet. “Stop holding back! You will never win if you hold back!” Repliku screams, rushing at Riku as he moves to his feet, grimacing as he loads up one more Sleight in his mind. His patience with Repliku is finally running out.

            “FINE! DARK AURA!” Repliku's eyes widen for a moment as Riku activates his own Dark Aura. Zipping past faster than Repliku could blink, he takes seven blows back to back before watching Riku leap into the air and unleash the same shockwave on him. As Repliku rolls along the ground towards the mansion gate, Riku once more takes a dulling pose as he lines up one more Sleight, the same one he used to defeat Lexaeus. “THIS FIGHT IS OVER!” Riku shouts, dashing forward and slashing past Repliku in a single strike, the sound of steel slicing through steel echoing across the area as Riku comes to a stop before the gate.

Behind him, Repliku slowly blinks before turning around to look at Riku, who drops his pose and looks back at him as everyone else turns back into friend cards. A silence fills the area as the two stare at one another until a soft thud from next to Repliku draws his gaze. Seeing his Soul Eater being sliced in two, both parts vanishing into darkness as he feels a massive cut form on his chest. Seconds later, he falls onto his back, his energy fading away, as a black card of Repliku slips into Riku's deck.

            “So… it’s over.” Repliku remarks, looking up at the sky above him as Riku and the others stand around, watching as his body slowly starts to evaporate into darkness. “Death doesn’t frighten me… good riddance to a phony life. My heart was never real. I’m sure what I’m feeling now is probably fake as well…”

            “What are you feeling?” Riku asks, looking his Replica in the eyes. Repliku looks at Riku for a second before turning his gaze back upwards while Labrys and Aqua dismiss their Thief attire.

            “What happens to a fake like me when I die? Where will my heart go? Does it disappear? And… why am I thinking about Hikari? Why is she the last one I think about as I die? Why do I feel… that I betrayed her in some way? And that… I’ll never see her again?” Riku closes his eyes as he kneels down, placing a hand on his Replica and drawing his gaze.

            “It will go somewhere. Maybe to the same place as mine.” He tells him gently. “And as for Hikari… I don’t know who she is, but if you care about her this much, then she is someone I’ve never had. Someone who made you into your own person. And in the end, isn’t that all that matters?” Repliku’s eyes widen for a moment before closing softly, letting out a slow laugh as he shakes his head.

            “A faithful Replica until the end, huh? Somehow… that’s all right with me.” He tells Riku, feeling his body evaporate even more. “And the one thing that made me unique… was her all along? I’m an idiot… for not realizing it sooner. Hikari… I’m sorry.” And with that, Repliku closes his eyes as his body vanishes into darkness. All eyes watch as the motes slowly rise up into the sky, none of them taking note of a glowing pink light moving into Riku’s hand and quickly rushing up to rest in his chest.

            “He didn’t deserve this.” Labrys comments, shaking her head. “He deserved a better life.”

            “Guess he felt he had no future left for him if he couldn’t beat Riku.” Zack comments, shaking his head. “What a sad way to go.”

            “Even if it was artificial, he still had a Persona that was in tune with him.” Yu comments to Aqua and Mickey as he slowly shakes his head. “His Persona glowed blue when he summoned Raiden. Even if Raiden was artificial, he was still loyal to Repliku.”

            “It’s a senseless waste of life.” Rinoa agrees as Riku stands up, letting out a breath of air through his nostrils.

            “C’mon. There’s nothing left for us here.” He tells the others, walking to the mansion gates and pushing them open. Without another word, the group of seven moves into the mansion, the memory of the battle still fresh in their minds, and none of them aware of the glow that settled in Riku’s heart.

Back inside the sleeping pod room, Naminé and Hikari were going over the final plans for healing Sora’s heart with Lavenza, while the rest of the Thieves stood around eagerly waiting. In truth, they had all started to get bored waiting for them to finish, along with a growing anxiety that the rest of the Organization would soon descend upon them to capture Sora or whatever else they might have planned for him. But as they waited, Futaba got a ping from Necronomicon, informing her of someone approaching from behind.

            Huh… looks like Repliku is coming in to say hi. She tells herself, closing the screen mentally. I think I’ll stay quiet on that. It will be a nice surprise for Hikari. She silently chuckles to herself, even as Morgana and Hifumi give her curious glances. Footsteps from the only way in drew everyone’s attention. Turning to the entrance, the team was pleased to see Yu enter the room with a calm smile as Ren walked up and shook his hand.

            “You’re back sooner than we expected.” Ren comments as Yu lets out a chuckle.

            “Well, let’s say I’ve found who we were looking for a lot sooner than expected.” At Ren’s raised eyebrow, Yu turns around and nods his head at the corridor behind him, where someone suddenly breaks into an excited run as she bursts into the chamber with a hop in her step.

            “GUYS!” Labrys shouts, immediately announcing her presence as she goes right into hugging Ren before quickly doing the same to everyone else. “We finally caught up with you!”

            “Labrys!” Isara shouts, equally returning the hug with a grin. “It’s so good to see you again!”

            “That goes double for me!” Labrys replies, rubbing Isara on the head as Sophia eagerly hugs her back. “We have a LOT to catch up on!”

            “Understatement of the century.” Ann remarks, shaking her head just as more footsteps echo from the hallway, with more faces emerging from the hall while Futaba tilts her head in confusion.

            Riku? Hold up… why am I getting Repliku’s signal from Riku? She wonders to herself, puzzling over that question in her mind as Riku walks up to Ren.

            “I wasn’t expecting to find you here. But at the same time, I’m not surprised.” Riku comments, shaking his head as he holds up a hand. “Still, it’s good to see you again, Joker. And not when I’m being used as a puppet.”

            “The same could be said about us, Riku.” Ren replies, shaking his hand with a smirk. “And for the record, Joker is my codename. My real name is Ren Sakura.” With that, everyone started introducing themselves one by one, with some of them bowing to Mickey even though he told them it wasn’t needed.

            “My name is Hikari. Codename Muse. It is a pleasure to meet you, Riku.” Hikari introduces herself to Riku, who holds back a wince as Repliku’s final words still ring in his mind. “Have you seen Repliku? He was somewhere on this floor…”

            “You mean that Replica version of me? Sorry, but we haven't.” Riku tells her with a half-truth, something that Labrys and the others catch instantly but choose to remain silent. “We didn't see him at all ever since we battled him on one of the lower floors. He might have left the castle.” Hikari nods her head a bit dejectedly at that, as Naminé walks up to Riku.

            “My name is Naminé. Codename Mage.” She introduces quietly, not missing the look of realisation Riku was giving her. “We know why you are here, but… Sora isn't able to see you right now.”

            “And what's that supposed to mean?” Riku asks, eyes widening as Ren lets out a sigh, nodding his head at the pod.

            “Sora’s in that pod.” He explains to Riku, who looks at it in shock. “He’s recovering from an attack that Marluxia managed to inflict on him. It almost shattered his heart and destroyed his Persona.”

            “What!?” Riku shouts, rushing up to the pod to see the sleeping Sora inside.

            “Don’t worry. So long as he is inside the pod, he’s in no danger.” Naminé explains to Riku, who lets out a sigh of relief. “But you need to know what has happened while you were separated…”

            “Unbelievable…” Zack comments, rubbing between his eyes. “Marluxia and Larxene did all of that to turn Sora into a puppet? I can’t even believe it…”

            “It’s a hard story to tell, but it is true.” Makoto tells him, pushing some hair back. “And while Sora was able to avoid having his memories tampered with, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy were not so lucky.” Mickey lets out a worried hum, looking at the smaller pods that contain his closest friends as Naminé looks at him apologetically.

            “I’m sorry…” She tells him quietly, prompting the king of Disney Castle to look at her and shake his head.

            “Don’t worry. I’m not blaming you.” Mickey tells her gently. “You didn’t have a choice in the matter. More than that, you want to help fix the mistake as well. I see no reason to hold anything against you.”

            “I can’t believe that more people have appeared who can use the Keyblade.” Aqua comments, her eyes wide as she looks at Ren and Morgana. “And neither of you went through the inheritance ceremony, just like Sora. Then again, it is possible for one to awaken to a Keyblade without the ceremony, but it is very rare.”

            “What can we say? We’ve always been rebelling against the norms.” Morgana quips while Ren shakes his head. “And it certainly came in handy against Enlil.”

            “Still, it must not have been easy even with the unexpected help.” Rinoa comments, looking up at Hikari. “Especially for you, standing up to keep Naminé safe.”

            “And I would do it again.” Hikari replies, hugging herself. “The things they said to Naminé… I just couldn’t stand it. Then again, it’s not like I could do anything with Enlil’s shade watching me like a hawk.”

            “I still can’t believe we even forgot about that adventure, Yu.” Labrys remarks, grabbing his attention. “What other adventures have we forgotten about? And not just the flashbacks to the past as well.”

            “Flashbacks?” Aqua asks, looking at Labrys as Akechi nods his head.

            “Yes. As we climbed up Castle Oblivion, we received flashes of a past that none of us ever had. Instead, it was of a past life that we all lived… a past as Keyblade wielders.” Aqua and Mickey both looked at Akechi in shock as he folded his arms. “From what we have managed to remember, it was from a time when Keyblade wielders were far more common than one would think, split into five different Unions, each led by a Keyblade Master.”

            “Unions?” Aqua asks, raising a hand to her mouth as Mickey’s mouth hangs wide open.

            “That’s right.” Sae replies, folding her arms. “From what we have seen, excluding Isara, Sophia, and Hikari, the rest of us Phantom Thieves, as well as both the S.E.E.S. team and the Investigation Team, were alive back then.”

            “Ren also saw a time when he interacted with the one called the Nahobino from our world.” Yusuke comments, grabbing Mickey’s attention. “It was certainly interesting to hear how such a powerful person was but a simple high schooler like us.”

            “But it was the final vision we saw that shook us.” Shiho comments, letting out a shiver. “It was… a war between Keyblade wielders.”

            “The Keyblade War…” Aqua quietly remarks, anger filling her voice as everyone looks at her. Quickly noticing everyone's gaze on her, Aqua lets out a long sigh as she looks them all in the eyes. “Yes, I have been told about the tales of the Keyblade War. However, as you can imagine, what I know has been passed down as legend. And what else I've been told has come from a raving madman."

            “Madman… I don't suppose you're referring to Master Xehanort?" Ren asks, causing Aqua and Mickey to gasp in shock, along with the eyes of everyone else in Riku's group going wide.

            “You… know about him?” Aqua asks, her voice trembling.

            “We've been told about him and his actions towards you, Ventus, and Terra by Donald and Goofy. All of us are aware of both him and his ally Vanitas, including Sora.” Ren explains, letting out a sigh with everyone in the Thieves nodding, including Hikari and Naminé, who were informed of the matter not too long after putting Sora and the others in the pods. “But… we were kinda introduced to him even before they told us about him.”

As soon as he finished that sentence, Ren took out a familiar black card from his pocket, which he had kept with him after showing it to Donald and Goofy back in Traverse Town, and showed it to Riku's group.

            “What's that?” Mickey asks, feeling a bit uneasy as Aqua's eyes go wide upon seeing a familiar-looking eye on the back.

            “This was a Calling Card that we got four days before our world fell to the Heartless." Makoto explains, her eyes narrowing. "At the time, we didn't know where it came from, and the only thing we were left to go by was the initials at the bottom of the card: M. X.”

            “Are you trying to tell me…” Aqua says, her voice now seething with anger after finishing reading the card. “…that you all got this card from Xehanort!? That can't be! He hasn't been seen since I saw him at the Keyblade Graveyard with Terra and Ven!”

            “We don't know how he got this card to us. All of us had considered that he was watching us from the shadows in some way.” Sumire comments before letting out a sigh. “Luckily, aside from him sending this card to us, we had not seen him at all since our world fell.”

            “I guess that's some sort of silver lining, given what I've seen of his power first-hand.” Letting out a sigh, Aqua allows herself to relax. “Going back to what I said about my knowledge of the Keyblade War, this is what I remembered. In ancient times, people believed that light was a gift from an unseen land by the name of Kingdom Hearts. But Kingdom Hearts was safeguarded by its counterpart, the χ-blade. Warriors vied for that precious light, thus beginning the 'Keyblade War'. The violent clash shattered the χ-blade into twenty pieces—seven of light and thirteen of darkness. And the only real Kingdom Hearts was swallowed by the darkness, never to surface again.”

            “Hold up a sec, χ-blade?” Ryuji asks, scratching his head.

            “It is supposedly the original Keyblade, and holding it gives its wielder the ability to summon Kingdom Hearts at will.” Mickey informs with a serious look. “And it is the reason why Master Xehanort fell. He was consumed with the need to know what happened all those years ago and soon asked the question that should never be asked… What would a second Keyblade War bring?”

            “He did not ask that, did he?” Hifumi asks as everyone goes pale. “Even from our fragmented memories, what happened back then should not be repeated!”

            “And yet, that’s what Xehanort attempted to do.” Aqua replies with a quiet sigh. “And while we stopped him, we didn’t do so without it costing all of us…”

            “Like how you were trapped in the Realm of Darkness for ten years.” Haru comments in a quiet tone, one that Aqua nods solemnly at. “And yet, you’ve not aged a day.”

            “Freaky…” Mishima quietly comments to Morgana, who nods his head in agreement.

            “But on the plus side, you got a Persona out of it!” Labrys cheerfully shouts, throwing an arm around Aqua, who shakes her head at her.

            “About that, you don’t mind if you go into your Thief form, do you?” Futaba asks with a grin as Aqua and Labrys look at her. “I want to see what you can do! That, and I want to check on Labrys as well, seeing how she can use two different Personas.” A bit confused at that, but not seeing anything wrong with her checking, Aqua shifts into her Thief form alongside Labrys as the Thieves all look at them in amazement. Although…

            “Labrys… why do you look like a Phoenix Ranger?” Sumire asks with a growing smile as Labrys shrugs her shoulders at her.

            “Don’t ask me. I didn’t think of this.” She replies as Sumire shakes her head at her while Futaba has a screen open before her.

            “Huh… Shiva.” She comments, grabbing Ren and Yu’s attention. “Isn’t that a Persona you two can make?”

            “Yeah… Shiva is the Ruler of the Tower Arcana.” Yu replies while Ren looks at him.

            “He's your Tower Ruler? Shiva is one of the Personas in my Judgement Arcana.” While Aqua looks at them both in confusion, Futaba lets out a curious hum as Lavenza walks up to her screen.

            “It would appear that Aqua’s Shiva is not the same as the Shiva you know.” She tells Ren and Yu as Futaba nods her head.

            “Yep. Aqua's Shiva, who is also part of the Lovers Arcana, resists both Ice and Water but is weak to Fire. She knows Heavenly Strike, Diamond Dust, Maraquadyne, Concentrate, Ice Boost, Ice Amp, Freeze Boost, and Endure, with her version of Diamond Dust being an AOE Ice magic attack rather than the one we know for single targets, with Heavenly Strike taking that spot. And before anyone asks if they aren't hearing things, Aqua's Shiva is female, in comparison to the male version that Ren and Yu normally use.”

            “You can tell all that?” Rinoa asks in surprise as Futaba lets out a cheeky giggle.

            “I’m what you call a Persona Navigator! I can look up our stats easily!” She replies with a grin as she looks at Labrys. “Moving on to your Personas, Labrys, you seem to only be able to use Ariadne and Asterius, just as Aigis can only use both Pallas Athena and Psyche, although in her case, she's choosing not to have any more Personas. While Ariadne remains the same for her affinities and skills, Asterius seems to be weak to Ice attacks but resists Fire and Psy and blocks Dark and Curse. As for his skills, Asterius has Agidyne, Titanomachia, Gigantomachia, Fire Boost, Fire Amp, Burn Boost, Auto-Mataru, and Tetrakarn. However, Labrys… you are missing something that makes both Ren and Yu, and by extension Minato, Minako, and Aigis, a Wild Card…”

            “If I have to guess, it probably has something to do with the fact that I don't have access to the Velvet Room where Lavenza here normally stays. Regardless, I had a feeling I wasn't one.” Labrys replies, shaking her head with amusement. “Still, it would have been fun if I were one, but hey.” She looks back up with a wide grin forming on her face. "By the way, since I have a mask and Thief attire, doesn't that mean I can qualify for a codename now? And doesn't Aqua also qualify for one?”

            “A codename?” Aqua asks, almost laughing at the notion. Yet at the same time, there was something appealing about the concept, as though she were being accepted into a larger group without issue. It was… heartening.

            “Yeah, a codename!” Labrys excitedly squawks as she goes into a thinking pose. “I’ve actually been thinking about it ever since I got this Thief attire, and I already have a name I’d like to use: Robin.”

            “Robin?” Sophia asks, tilting her head. “Why is that? Is it because of the symbol on your chest?” Labrys, or rather, Robin, looks at her chest, gazing at the robin symbol before shrugging her shoulders.

            “Not really. I just like robins. That’s all.” While the Thieves shake their heads at her reasoning, Aqua lays a hand on her chest as she thinks about herself. It is silly to think of a codename to use in this form. But if they were going to think ahead…

            “Hail.” Aqua suddenly comments, grabbing everyone’s attention as she opens her eyes. “That is what I’ll go by. Hail. After all, ice is my specialty.”

            “Fitting.” Morgana comments, folding his arms. While Riku shakes his head with a smile at the situation, Naminé walks up to him with a stern expression.

            “Riku, you have a choice to make as well.” Riku looks at her, a little confused about what he needed to make a choice. “It's the darkness in your heart. Inside it is your own personal darkness, but inside that, there is Ansem's shade and his own darkness. He may be at bay for now, but eventually, he will wake up, and he will take over you just like he did before.”

            “Ain’t that peachy?” Zack asks rhetorically to the others, who all nod grimly.

            “But Hikari and I have powers we can use.” Naminé suddenly comments, raising a hand to her chest. “With them, we can put a tight lock on your heart. That way, Ansem could never come out from inside you.” Riku’s eyes widen as he raises a hand to his chest, resting it gently as he lets the implications of that rest in his mind. It sounded almost too good to be true. Something like that had to have a price.

            “What happens if I do that?” Riku asks, looking at Naminé. “Will I forget everything that has happened? No… I will have to. It would be the only way to make sure Ansem never gets out. After all, he can’t do anything if I don’t even remember he exists.”

            “That’s right. The darkness inside you will be locked away tightly, just like your memory.” Naminé adds, nodding her head. “You’ll stop remembering the darkness… You’ll go back to how you were before the islands fell.” Naminé closes her eyes before opening them again, resolute in their shine. “Riku… please choose.”

Everyone stands in silence as Riku closes his eyes, thinking hard about what choice he has to make. For a moment, he cannot decide as he turns to look at Sora, still sleeping in the pod without a care in the world. It is something that Riku can't help but smile at as memories of the past come to his mind.

            “He doesn’t even look worried, even though his life is on the line. Will I sleep like that, too?” Riku asks in good nature. “Figures… Sora always did what he pleased.” He looks back at everyone with a fond smile on his face. “Whatever we'd be doing together, he found a way to slack off, even managing to rope in Kairi sometimes as well.”

            “For real?” Ryuji asks with a smile. “That doesn’t sound like the Sora we know.”

            “Hah! Well, he couldn’t really slack off when the worlds are in danger, yeah?” Riku agrees with a wide grin. “But even when we were working on the raft, he always found a way to snooze off. It's no wonder Kairi always called him a lazy bum. And as for me, I did all the work on the raft myself, even though all three of us were meant to work on it!” Riku looks back up at Sora, shaking his head at seeing his best friend sleeping on the job, as usual. “That's it. When this lazy bum wakes up, I'm telling him off. I told him to take care of Kairi, and here he is just taking a nap.” He turns to look at Naminé, his grin not dropping for a second. “But I can't chew him out like that… if I've been asleep as well.”

            “Riku…” Naminé breathes as Riku nods back, turning to look at everyone with a determined stare.

            “I’m done running. I don’t need a lock on my heart. If this fake shade of Ansem thinks he can take over my body for a second time, he’s got another thing coming.”

            “And we’ll be there to help.” Mickey comments, walking up to him. “I’m not going to let another friend be taken away from me again.” Labrys, Zack, Rinoa, and Aqua all nod in agreement as Ren, Yu, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves glance at each other. With a silent conversation, they all nod as one as Ren walks up to Riku, hand in pocket.

            “Riku, we’ll go with you as well.” Ren tells him, grabbing Riku’s attention.

            “Are you… serious? But why? After everything I've done to you guys?” Riku asks, genuinely shocked they are offering to help.

            “You're not the only one who's struggled with his own darkness.” Ren admits, holding up his left hand as darkness swirls around him before vanishing, surprising Riku. “Prior to us closing the Door to Darkness, I was also touched by darkness thanks to Ansem when my friends and I fought him last. Just like you, I was afraid of my own darkness as well, about what would happen if I let it control me. But not any more.” He looks back at Riku, a grin on his face. “If you are determined to conquer your own darkness, then we are more than willing to give you a second chance. After all, everyone deserves one. Besides, there is a chance that Ansem might come after Sora while he's recovering. And we sure as hell can't have that.”

Riku couldn't believe what he was hearing from Ren, but seeing the resolute look in his eyes almost seemed to take a weight off his shoulders that he never even knew he had. So, with a smirk of his own, Riku held out his hand as Ren grasped it in return.

            “Then let's show that fake not to cross with the wrong people.” The Thieves nod back as one, all of them shifting into their Thief attire, including Naminé and Hikari, much to Riku's confusion.

            “We're going with you as well.” Hikari, or rather Muse, comments, folding her arms. “Sora will be safe so long as he's inside the pod, but we want to make sure Ansem is gone as well.”

            “Not only that, but I don't think the Organization would be coming back here right away, so we've got time to ensure Ansem is taken care of.” Naminé, or rather Mage, says with a smile as Riku blinks in surprise before letting out an amused huff, turning to the entrance as he puts on a confident smirk.

            “Then let's not keep Ansem waiting. I've been looking forward to getting back at him.” As one, everyone leaves the room in silence, leaving behind Sora sleeping in his pod while Donald and Goofy sleep in theirs nearby.

It was time to do a little bit of exorcism, Persona style.

Chapter Text

Chapter 25: The Dark Blade.

With a groan, the doors open as Riku pushes on through, flanked by a party larger than he ever imagined he would have. He already knew what he had to do, but the question remained of how he was going to draw out Ansem without losing himself. The last thing he wanted was to be a puppet again. But he didn’t have time to think about that as DiZ soon made his appearance, moving from the wall with a calm disposition.

            “So, you have refused the choice of sleep to fight Ansem.” DiZ remarks with amusement. “Fitting, for one such as yourself.” While Riku rolls his eyes at him, Skull nudges Yu in the arm.

            “Hey. Do you know who that guy really is?” Skull asks Yu, who only shakes his head.

            “He hasn’t told us. All we know is that he is on our side, and nothing else.” Skull lets out a groan at that, clearly not happy as DiZ walks up to them.

            “It is as Yu says. I could be nobody or anybody. It is up to you whether you choose to believe in me or not.” DiZ tells them as his gaze falls on Mage for a moment, a hidden emotion behind his lone eye as he looks back at Riku. “You have chosen your own path, and I will do what I can to assist you.” DiZ walks up, pulling out a black coat from his person and handing it to Riku.

            “A black coat?” Hail asks, looking at the coat in Riku’s arms.

            “Isn’t that the same one that Axel and the others wore?” Spring asks, looking back at DiZ. “Why are you giving him that?”

            “It is not just him.” DiZ remarks, pulling out more coats and handing them to everyone, barring Yu. “The Organization will pursue all of you; there is little doubt in that. They will seek you out, not only for the threat you pose but to locate Sora as well. He is no longer safe here. Like a pack of hunting dogs, they will sneak up on you if they sense your presence. These coats will help prevent this.” He turns to look at Mickey, an amused smile on his face as he eyes the king's large ears. “The ears, not so much.” Mickey blinks, holding a hand up to rub one of his ears as Sophie lets out a giggle at him.

            “But why does the Organization wear them?” Queen asks DiZ, her hand on her chin, her coat folded over her arm. “Is there another aspect to these coats other than making it hard for them to see us?”

            “You are correct.” DiZ replies, nodding his head. “As you have no doubt seen, Nobodies use corridors of darkness to traverse the worlds. However, using such corridors for long periods of time can corrupt and devour even the strongest of hearts, save for a heart of pure light. And for beings who have no hearts, the corruptive energies would eat away at their forms until nothing is left. Even the Organization cannot rule the darkness.”

            “Well, that explains the fashion statement.” Panther comments, looking over the coat in her arm. “I always wondered why they wore this coat.”

            “It doesn’t matter either way. I’m not running from the darkness.” Riku declares, folding his coat up neatly. “I’m facing it head-on. Then, I’m going to help keep Sora safe until his wounds are healed.”

            “I would expect nothing less.” DiZ remarks, taking out a world card and handing it to Riku. “This card of Castle Oblivion will draw out your inner darkness, and Ansem along with it. But be warned, he will hold nothing back.”

            “That’s fine with me.” Riku replies, pocketing the card as he looks at the others. “Let’s go. This has been a long time coming.” As one, the group moves towards the stairs, determination filling each step. But as they leave, DiZ’s eyes are glued to Mage, watching her form vanish up the stairs as he closes his eyes.

            “So… she really did obtain a heart of her own… This changes everything. Perhaps Nobodies are capable of forming hearts of their own. Or… is it only those who are like her? Who retain their human form?” He looks back at the stairs, nodding silently to himself as he makes his way to Sora’s pod chamber. “Truly, hearts are unpredictable.”

The footfalls were heavy as Riku led the others up the final set of stairs. After all, this would be the last time they would use a world card, and hopefully the final battle with these same cards. But even if Riku felt confident about bringing down Ansem, there was a small part of him that worried about what would happen if he won. Thus, as he looked over the card one more time, he turned to Joker and Mickey.

            “Joker… Your Majesty. I have a favour to ask.” He tells them, drawing all eyes to him. “I have no intention of losing this battle, not after everything that has happened. But… if Ansem wins, he’s going to take over me again. Enslave me as his puppet. If that happens, use your powers to—”

            “Of course! We’ll be right there to save ya!” Mickey interrupts Riku, who blinks his eyes in surprise at the sudden interruption as Joker places a hand on his shoulder.

            “I get what you are trying to say, Riku. But it’s not worth saying it. None of us are going to abandon you just like that.” Riku looks at the card in his hand, letting that thought rest in him as he lets out a long sigh.

            “I guess it’s better than getting destroyed.” He remarks with some sarcasm. Shaking his head, Riku walks up to the door and holds up the card, letting both glow as the doors swing open wide, revealing another hallway that seems to lead on forever. This gives Joker the opportunity to ask Hail a question that has been bugging him.

            “Hail… what is a Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony?” Hail looks at Joker, surprised by the question as he folds his arms. “You mentioned it back in the pod room, but what is it exactly?” Hail thinks to herself for a moment, considering the best way she could explain the ceremony before coming to the only choice she could make as she looks at Edel.

            “It would be better to show you than explain it.” She replies, walking up to Edel and summoning Master Defender to her side. Holding the Keyblade by the teeth, she kneels before Edel. “Edel, once I’m done speaking, I would like you to grasp Master Defender by the handle, okay?”

            “Um… sure?” Edel replies, tilting her head while everyone else looks around a bit puzzled. All except Mickey, who looks on with a knowing smile, while Riku’s eyes widen in recognition as Hail lets out a small breath of air.

            “In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.” Edel, still a bit unsure of what Hail was doing, slowly raised her hand and grasped the handle of Master Defender. When she did, nothing happened except Master Defender ended up glowing softly for a second—a glow that Hail seemed satisfied with as she let Edel hold on to it for just a bit longer before nodding her head. “You can let go now.”

            “So… that was it?” Skull asks, rubbing the back of his head as Hail stands up.

            “It was. And it was successful as well." Mickey comments as all eyes go to him. "As you all just saw, what Aqu—I mean, Hail, did just now was choose a successor. With this simple act, she has given Edel the ability to one day summon her own Keyblade.”

            “All from that?” Panther asks as Edel looks at her hand. “How can you be sure?”

            “Because Master Defender did not vanish when Edel held it.” Hail replies with a warm voice while standing up. “That, and it glowed gently as well. It will take time until Edel is able to summon a Keyblade of her own, but for all intents and purposes, she is now capable of becoming a Keyblade wielder.”

            “Huh.” Edel comments, looking at Sophie and folding her arms. “It’s so simple, but so easy as well… Can you do the same to Sophie?” Hail glances at Sophie, seeing her pull back her visor with eyes filled with curiosity.

            “I could, but…” She looks at Joker as a smile forms on her face. “I think it’s best if Joker does it.”

            “Me?” Joker asks, surprised. “But I’m not a Keyblade Master.”

            “And neither was Terra, but he still had the ability to pass on the Keyblade. Ven as well.” Hail replies, her smile not dropping. “Go on, Joker. It is only fitting, considering you are her father.” Joker lets out a hum as he and Queen share a glance, the two of them having a mental conversation before Queen nods at him with a smile. And it was all the confirmation Joker needed as he summoned Lupin to his side and looked at Sophie, kneeling before her while holding Lupin near the teeth.

            “Well, here goes nothing. This is going to sound strange coming from me.” Joker remarks, shaking his head with an amused smile as Sophie walks up to him. “In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love.” With that, Sophie reaches out and grabs Lupin, holding on gently to the Keyblade as it glows for a few seconds before settling. The blade does not vanish from Sophie’s hands as Hail nods her head in approval.

            “It is done. The ceremony is a success.” She tells them as Sophie lets go of Lupin, with Joker de-summoning it seconds later while standing.

            “I take it that if the Keyblade vanished from her hand, she would not be able to obtain one?” Athena comments to Mickey, who nods his head. “Interesting.”

            “That ceremony… it’s what Terra did for me.” Riku suddenly admits as all eyes go to him. “He did the same thing to me ten years ago. However, he promised me not to tell anyone about it. Not even Sora.”

            “I know.” Hail replies, resting a hand on her chest. “When I met both of you, I actually considered passing the Keyblade to one of you. But I had already sensed that Terra had done so and decided not to pass it on. One Keyblade was enough for any friendship, I had told myself at the time. All because of Xehanort…”

            “Xehanort…” Crow remarks, folding his arms. “Hail, if you don't mind telling us, what sort of man was he, personality-wise? We understand that he has done terrible things, but what exactly was he like? Even though the majority of us have not met him, it could help us understand his plans better if we know how he thinks.”

            “How does that work?” Rinoa asks, tilting her head as Robin nudges her arms.

            “Crow is a detective, and Athena is a former prosecutor turned lawyer. They have been fighting crime for years, and they know that to understand a criminal, you need to know their personality and how they think. This way, you can plan ahead and catch them.”

            “That makes sense.” Mickey comments, folding his arms. “Even if we don’t know what truly happened to him, it wouldn’t hurt to plan ahead.” Hail looks at Mickey with a begrudging nod as she lets out a breath of air.

            “Where to begin with him… I guess to start, Xehanort was a man who was callous, cunning, and manipulative, willing to do whatever he wanted to get what he desired.” She lets out a sigh, leaning heavily against the wall. “He drove a wedge between me, Terra, and Ven in order to separate and isolate us. He fuelled the darkness inside Terra, all so he could corrupt him and use him as a pawn, making me doubt not only myself but also the bonds I shared deeply with Terra and Ven. All the while he did this, he was forcing Ven to fight against someone called Vanitas, all so he could forge the χ-blade.”

            “Vanitas?” Fox asks, crossing his arms. “We have heard that name before from Donald and Goofy. But who is he exactly?”

            “Vanitas was a walking embodiment of darkness.” Mickey comments, turning to look at Riku. “In fact, his outfit is the same as your dark attire, but in red and black without the Heartless Emblem on the front. He always wore a black helmet, and he could use a Keyblade as well.”

            “A dark Keyblade wielder? Great.” Oracle groans, shaking her head.

            “It was not just that, Oracle.” Hail remarks with a serious gaze. “He had control over a new foe that we had never seen before. Beings not only made out of but thriving on negative emotions, and they were just as dangerous as the Heartless, known as the Unversed.”

            “Unversed?” Violet asks, tilting her head. “What are they? We’ve never seen any of them.”

            “That's because Vanitas is no longer around.” Mickey replies. "But they certainly gave us a lot of trouble at the time. As for the Heartless, they were in far fewer numbers than they are today, making the Unversed our main foes apart from Vanitas and Master Xehanort."

            “I assume that Vanitas was killed when he clashed with Ven?” Joker asks, crossing his arms.

            “Yes… but not without a cost.” Hail replies before letting out a shiver. "When I last saw him at the Keyblade Graveyard, fighting alongside Xehanort as Terra, Ven, and I battled him, he… was able to forge the χ-blade by forcefully merging himself with Ven. Mickey and I had to fight him in order to free Ven from his clutches. And while we did succeed in killing him and destroying the χ-blade… the cost was Ven losing his heart and going into a coma, which caused me to hide him somewhere safe so that he could recover."

The rest were silent upon hearing this, with Mickey frowning as he remembered that dark time.

            “So… Ventus went through a similar situation as I did when I was possessed by Ansem. And you had no choice but to fight Vanitas in his body, just like Sora did for me…" Riku comments, realizing how his story is similar to that of Ventus, with the only difference being that Vanitas forcefully possessed Ventus, while he allowed Ansem to merge with him. "Hail… I'm so sorry about what you went through."

            “It's alright.” Hail smiles as she pushes away from the wall she leans on. "As I said before, Ven is safe now with little chance of anyone finding him. And once he regains his heart, he'll wake up from his long sleep."

            “Well, at least we don't have to worry about Vanitas or the Unversed any more.” Queen replies as her left hand rubs her stomach, something that Mage catches on to instantly.

            “What's wrong, Queen? Feeling unwell?" She asks as Queen looks at Mage, puzzled by her question until she realizes what her left hand is doing and pulls it away.

            “Sorry, Mage… I'm just self-conscious about the scar I have.”

            “A scar?” Yu asks, surprised as he sees the Thieves all suddenly pale for some reason. “Why do you have a scar on your stomach?” The Thieves glance at each other, unsure if they should mention this to him. But if there was a chance he was still out there… they needed to be warned.

            “It's not just Queen who has a scar… all of us have scars from a fight we should not have taken.” Noir remarks as Spring also rubs her stomach. "It was while we were in Olympus Colosseum. We had all agreed to take on what was called the Platinum Match after we had beaten Hades and his fifty-round Hades Cup. And it wasn't just us. The rest of the Thieves, including three of our allies—Leon, Yuffie, and Hercules—also took part in the match. Thirty-nine of us in total. All against one man."

            “That's crazy!” Rinoa says in disbelief. "There's no way this one man could take all of you guys down! Especially since you had Yuffie and Leon—I mean, Squall, on your side!"

            “Unfortunately, this one single man proved to be far beyond our league.” Shinobi replies with a visible shudder. "None of us could keep up with him, as he took us down one by one with his blade." Zack could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as Rinoa felt her arms shake.

            “And… who was this man?” Rinoa asks with building dread, as though she already knew who it was. The name that came out of Joker’s voice only made that dread even more pronounced.

            “Sephiroth.” Rinoa could feel her arms shake as she hugged herself tight, while Zack’s face grew grim and his hands clenched tightly.

            “You faced Sephiroth?” He asks in a quiet tone. “And you barely survived?”

            “That's right.” Spring replies, visibly shuddering. "If it wasn't for Cloud coming in at the last second, we might not have survived the fight. Even Sora couldn't beat him, as Sephiroth impaled him on his sword like a kebab." Riku visibly flinches at that as he feels his hands clench beside him. "It was the first major defeat we ever had in a long time… and our pride and confidence that day took a heavy blow as well." Yu narrows his eyes at that, folding his arms as he silently reminds himself to tell the rest of his team about this Sephiroth. If he is as strong as the Thieves said he was, they need to be ready in case they face him. And given what the Thieves told him earlier about the S.E.E.S team, it's safe to assume that they are also aware of Sephiroth as well.

            “And Cloud… what happened to him?” Zack asks, concerned for his friend.

            “From what we were told by another of Cloud's friends, Tifa, both Cloud and Sephiroth vanished after clashing with each other several times. We have no idea where either of them went." Athena explains as Zack and Rinoa's eyes widen at what they have just heard.

            “Tifa… She's with Leon, Yuffie, and the others?" Zack asks, hope in his voice.

            “Yes.” Violet replies, nodding her head before turning towards Rinoa. "She told us about what happened with you, her, and Cloud when you last saw Sephiroth. She mentioned how Sephiroth injured you two and threw you both into a portal of darkness, and that you were separated not long after."

            “At least she's back with Squall and the others. I don't know if my mind can take it if she were still trapped in the Realm of Darkness." Rinoa sighs in relief as Zack, Hail, and Robin nod in agreement with her statement, given all that they have been through in that dark realm.

            “By the way, Rinoa. How come you keep calling Leon by the name Squall?" Fox asks, causing Rinoa to let out a small smile.

            “It was actually his original name. He used to be called Squall Leonhart before the Heartless destroyed our world. Since then, he has changed his name out of shame for failing to protect our world and vowed not to go back to his original one until our world is back to normal."

            “With any luck, you might just get that wish since the worlds should be restored thanks to Sora and the others here…” Riku comments, turning back to the hallway before them. "As much as I want to continue chatting, we should get moving. There's still a darkness that I have to beat.”

            “Right. We've wasted enough time as is. And as for us dealing with Sephiroth, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Joker agrees, easily wanting to move away from the topic of Sephiroth as they continue down the hall. They move past the same white decorations, pillars, flower pots, and flowers, much to Hail's confusion, before ending in a large enclosed room, along with a presence that anyone could feel.

            “Sheesh… can anyone else feel that?” Robin asks, rolling her left arm.

            “I can. And it is heavy.” Edel admits, activating her wrist blades.

            “This same sense of dread is just like how we last fought Ansem.” Athena adds, spinning her tonfas.

            “Which means that he must be close by.” Mage remarks, her staff in front of her at the ready as Riku summons Soul Eater to his side.

            “Ansem! We know you are here, so show yourself already!" For a moment, silence reigned until a deep laugh echoed through the halls with everyone tensing up at once.

            “Why in such a hurry? I'll be here at the very heart of darkness… Watching you plunge into the same darkness that's inside you.”

            “Why don’t you quit hiding and show yourself already!?” Outlaw shouts, spinning his swords around as Muse activates her lightsabres, with Yu and Robin almost doing a double-take before refocusing on the current situation. They could geek out later!

            “Are you so eager to rush to your defeat? Very well.” With no applause or gloat, Ansem appears before them all through a corridor of darkness, arms folded and a smirk plastered on his face. "My, my, now this is quite the ironic situation, Riku. Joining forces with the very same group that you tried to destroy previously. You must be this desperate.”

            “Riku was just another victim of your machinations, Ansem.” Joker shouts, summoning Lupin and pointing it at Ansem. "He's determined to fix the mistakes he made. And all of us are going to make sure you stay dead this time."

            “I see that your group has grown since we last met, Joker.” Ansem comments, eyeing both Mage and Muse before taking note of something that's off about the current lineup of the Keyblade Phantoms. "However, it would also seem that there are some that are missing from your current party." Ansem then hardens his glare at the group. "Where… is… Sora…?"

            “If you think we're just going to tell you where my best friend is, you've got another thing coming!” Riku replies calmly, determined to keep Sora safe at all costs.

            “Hmph. I will get my revenge on him soon enough." Ansem smirks, not too bothered by the sheer numbers. "So, you would all challenge me yet again. Do not think victory will come to you so easily. There is no bottomless light to save you this time."

            “We won’t need it.” Shinobi remarks, spinning her kunai as Ansem lets out a scoff. As for Hail, she could feel her left hand tremble at seeing Ansem’s form. Sure, she had seen DiZ take on his form before and didn’t put that much thought into it, but seeing Ansem up close once more… she could not help but notice how… similar he looked to Terra in some parts.

            Terra… what happened to you? She silently asks herself, forcing her mind to calm as Ansem looks at Riku.

            “I have watched you fight, Riku. I have watched you grow. I know how strong you have become. Your mastery over your own darkness has become… most impressive. And very mature." Ansem looks at Joker, his smile widening at what he sees. "And as for you, Joker… you have also grown in the dark arts since I last saw you. Such a powerful darkness you both possess… yet why? How can you accept the darkness, yet refuse to accept me?”

            “Is he being for real right now?” Violet asks Rinoa, who shrugs her shoulders.

            “Riku, you know you and I are both similar. We both follow where the darkness leads." Ansem continues, holding a hand out to Riku. "Indeed, we are both the same. So why? Why do you continue to deny me? To resist me? Does some part of your heart still have fear of the dark?" Riku, who has remained silent this entire time, closes his eyes as he lets out a breath of air through his nostrils. All around him, everyone is already tensing up for a fight, weapons ready, while Riku takes two steps forward.

            “No. You are wrong.” Riku replies calmly as he clenches his right hand. “You claim we are the same, that we are cut from the same cloth. But that is far from the truth.” Riku looks back up, glaring at Ansem as his hands tighten. “You tricked me into destroying my own home. You left me with two beings who fuelled the darkness inside me for their own ends. You pushed me along the dark path, all so you could use ME as a puppet to kill Sora!” Ansem’s eyes narrow as Riku summons Soul Eater to his side. “You’ve haunted me with every step I took, every time I looked at the shadows, and every time I tried to sleep! Pushing me along a path that I never wanted to take! Well, guess what, Ansem? This is MY path now, and you are not part of IT!” With that, Riku holds Soul Eater in his usual posture, eyes glaring at Ansem with all the anger he holds toward him. “SO GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEART, AND TAKE YOUR FOUL STENCH WITH YOU!!”

Riku’s voice echoes through the room as Ansem lets out an annoyed tsk, summoning darkness around him as everyone gets ready for a fight. Even if they would all be turned into cards, they could still give Riku help from the side. But even so, they wished they wouldn’t need to be turned into cards anyway!

At last, your resolve has borne fruit.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9APGl1dSaw8 : Awakening)

From Riku, a pulse emanates throughout the room, stunning all as Riku lets out a gasp of shock, his left hand raising to his head as he struggles to hold on to Soul Eater. Ansem’s eyes narrow as the aura passes him, a power growing inside Riku that he did not know about.

You delved into the darkness to save the ones you cared about, and yet you lost your way.

And now you once more take up the darkness as your blade.

Tell me, do you plan to lose sight of your path once more?

To become the pawn of another and turn your blade on those you hold dear?

            “No… Never again.” Riku gritted out, glaring up at Ansem between his fingers as his eyes glowed a deep yellow. And not the one that Ansem’s eyes glowed with as he let out a shocked gasp. “I will never turn on them again! I swear it!”

            “He can’t be… NO!” Ansem cries, channelling darkness around him as the voice inside Riku’s mind lets out a soft chuckle.

And so, you have made your pledge. As I must do.

I am thou… thou art I…

Cleave all who stand between you and your friends with a unwavering blade! Sever all corruptive bonds that threaten to bring you down!

Your allegiance lies with your friend, now and forevermore!

As the pain in Riku’s head fades away, a mask forms on his face from flames of blue. Looking like the top half of a knight's helm, the metal coloured a deep, almost night black and framed in moonlight silver, the mask protects the top of Riku’s head and stops just above his cheekbones, the eye sockets neatly framing his eyes.

            “I WON’T LET YOU!” Ansem screams, unleashing the darkness around him just as Riku begins to pull on his mask and plunges the room into darkness, surrounding everyone in a spherical prison as Ansem hovers in the air, watching as his work traps everyone in the sphere as it slowly shrinks. "I will not allow you to unlock that power. Drown in the darkness for all eternity." He spins around, turning his back on the orb as it continues to shrink. "And so it ends… in disappointing silence." But just as Ansem allows himself to rest, something cracks behind him, almost as though glass had been broken. Turning around, Ansem looks at the sphere as a slim blue line forms on the surface, a line that seems to be growing bigger.

            “What is this?” Ansem asks himself, summoning his Guardian to his side, yet grimacing at the lack of a captured heart it would have. But he didn’t have long to moan the loss of that particular heart, as he soon found himself ducking under a wide energy blade flying towards him. A blade that glowed both blue and purple and screamed through the air as though it was slicing through steel. While Ansem ducked under it, he noticed that the sphere of darkness had been shattered, with blue flames raging out from it, while the wall behind him shuddered from the impact of the strike. Looking behind him, Ansem could feel his hair stand on end as he looked at the very large gash formed on the wall before looking back at the flames, as the cry of a horse pierced through the flames.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BNXe3QSLfM : Willpower.)

As the flames peeled away, a towering figure on a black horse emerged through the blaze. The horse seemed to have six legs, four at the front and two at the back, each wrapped in chains and metal plates, pulsing with purple energy. Black metallic armour raced up its body and head, all wrapped in the same chains and heavy metal plates while its eyes glowed a deep red. Atop the horse sat its rider, a giant man clad in dark armour etched in dull silver and white.

His arms and greaves sported long, sharp points, while a skull-like helm covered his face, adorned with long, demonic, pointed horns that looked to be shaped like blades. Billowing behind him was a black cape, etched in silver, while a long, dark, curved blade, its thickness about the same as a person's arm, had a handle and guard coated in dark purple. Just like Mage and Hail's Personas, the man was also encased in the same chains and metallic plates as the others.

            “This can’t be happening!” Ansem shouts in anger, seeing the Persona glare at him through the flames, his eyes glowing a deep red even as he glows with an azure blue. Standing before the Persona is Riku, his attire fitting his new power.

As he stepped through the flames, Riku now wore a black hooded jacket with long sleeves and purple lines running up the sleeves, zipped up to the top, and the hood covering his head. Black trousers streaked down his legs into a pair of large black greaves with purple and red trimming, while armour black as night and trimmed in red and silver raced up his shins and thighs. On his arms were a pair of black gauntlets with the same trimming as the greaves on his legs, while over his left shoulder was some fur coated in dark grey, and a black pauldron with a crescent decal rested on his left.

A short black cape rested on his shoulders, going no lower than halfway down his spine, while a breastplate with what looked to be his Persona’s head etched onto the surface in muted silver had a dark red gem nestled above it. On his hips were a pair of protective metal plates, each sporting a symbol of a circle with two smaller circles inside and lines coming off them. The circle seemingly split in half, the two pieces sliding away from each other as Riku grasped his hand, Soul Eater missing, aimed right at Ansem as the flames died down.

It was there that the rest of the team revealed themselves as they were all ready for battle, even if they were giving Riku a few funny looks. After all, if Sora looked like a Paladin while as Knight, Riku looked like a Dark Knight. But that wasn't the end of the surprise as Riku summoned his weapon to his side. But… it was no longer the Soul Eater they were familiar with. Instead, it was…

            “A Keyblade!?” Ansem shouts in shock as Riku holds his Keyblade up in his usual high ward stance. The Keyblade greatly resembles the Soul Eater, but the once-curved wing is now straight, and the Keyblade's guard is now composed of one angelic wing and one demonic wing, similar to the guards of Oathkeeper and Oblivion. A dark angelic wing juts out from the top of the original blade of the Soul Eater. Dangling from the end, its token is the Heartless Emblem, but without the spiked bars crossing it.

            “Riku finally has a Keyblade!” Mickey shouts as Hail nods approvingly, with the rest all giving Riku approving looks. As for Riku, he couldn’t believe he was now holding his own Keyblade, the name of the blade ringing in his mind as a smile formed on his lips. After all, it was what his path was now.

            “No matter what you do, I am cutting myself off from you, Ansem! And I’ll do it, with Odin at my side and Way to the Dawn in my hand! With them, and those standing next to me, there is nothing I cannot cut!” The name of Riku’s Persona, Odin, caught the Thieves, Yu, and Robin off guard as they struggled to compare this Odin to the one they knew. Not that they had much time to do so, as everyone but Joker was turned into cards, leaving the two of them alone to face down Ansem as he grew in displeasure.

            “You fools… You should know my powers well by now. Even if you have a Keyblade and a Persona, it will change nothing.” Ansem tells them, folding his arms. “You will fall before my vast darkness.”

            “Did you forget, Ansem?” Joker suddenly comments, pointing Lupin at him again. “You gave all that power to Riku, and he still lost to Sora. What makes you think you can do any better?”

            “He's right. Even with all that power you gave me, I still ended up losing to Sora. And as far as I am concerned, I'm not impressed one bit!" Riku agrees, holding Way to the Dawn up high in his usual stance. For Ansem, he could feel his anger grow as his Guardian hovered behind him, folding his arms as he glared at the two.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHRanGHttUA : Revenge of Chaos)

            “Very well. In that case… the two of you and your friends will sink into the dark abyss here and now!" With a roar, Ansem unleashes a vast dark wave, transforming the room into a floating white island in the middle of an endless abyss. The same place where he made his final stand against Knight, Joker, and the rest of the Keyblade Phantoms. Yet, it did nothing to cower the two as they leaped at Ansem together.

            “Try something new!” Joker shouts, coming down from above as Riku comes in from the side, both of them armed with a 7 and 8 card, respectively.

            “Come, Guardian!” Ansem shouts, summoning his Guardian instantly before they can land a hit as he loads up a Sleight. "Do you think I would be so easy to defeat? Naïve fools. You will fall here! Shock Slash!" At his command, the Guardian generates energy disks in its hands and starts tossing them at Riku and Joker, the blades slicing through the air as they duck under. As Joker is about to load up a Sleight of friend cards, he is shocked to see that they have all been locked away by dark magic. “Your friends cannot help you here! This is a fight between us, and us alone!”

            “That’s fine by me!” Riku shouts, loading up a Sleight. “But if you think that will help, then you’re in for a surprise! Odin! Maeigaon!” Roaring to the field behind Riku, Odin appears atop his faithful steed and sends out a blast of Curse magic at Ansem. The wide reach of the spell boxes him in as Ansem loads up a Sleight counter. But before he can activate it, Joker is already activating his own Sleight.

            “Abyssal Wings!” With a dark chuckle, Arsène manifests on the field and sends out a barrage of dark feathers at Ansem, peppering him with every strike before exploding all at once. “Don’t think we’re holding back any more! We’re ending this, here and now!”

            “Such insolence!” Ansem screams, moving forward and having his Guardian lash out with its hands, almost punching Joker in the chest as he glares at Riku. “I will see you fall no matter what! Take this! Dark Rush!” Without wasting a beat, his Guardian appears before Ansem as the two unleash a quick dash towards Riku, forcing him to dodge before spinning around and aiming for Joker, forcing him to dodge as well before quickly going back to Riku.

            “Grr, he won’t stop moving!” Riku shouts, jumping out of the way of another Dark Rush as Joker lands beside him.

            “Then let’s force him to stop!” Joker shouts, loading up a Sleight as Riku does the same, watching as Ansem dashes towards them one more time. Only this time, they are not going to dodge.

            “Dark Firaga!” With a cry, the two send out a twin burst of Dark Firaga, the orbs circling around each other in a spiral before colliding with Ansem. The explosion knocks him out of his Dark Rush and forces him back as Joker and Riku charge in, slashing at Ansem from the front before his Guardian comes in to block them.

            “Such power… I will bend it to my own will! Shock Slash!” Once more commanding his Guardian to unleash a series of bladed disks, Ansem forces Joker and Riku back to give himself space. Unfortunately for him, Riku took that opportunity to give himself a boost.

            “Heat Riser!” Ansem growls as he watches Riku cast the spell on him, but he soon has another worry on his mind as Joker is suddenly summoning Arsène behind him.

            “Riot Gun!” Without batting an eye, Joker sends out a stream of rounds towards Ansem, forcing him to summon his Guardian to protect him from the stream of bullets. However, with his back exposed, he is helpless to Riku as he comes in from behind, dragging Way to the Dawn across his back in a flurry of combos, forcing him to call the Guardian back and expose him to the remainder of Joker's Riot Gun.

            “It would seem I underestimated you.” Ansem admits, floating back while nursing his injuries and loading up a Sleight. "But the battle is far from over! Dark Shadow!" The moment he said those words, the Guardian dived into the ground, with Riku raising an eyebrow at the action while Joker's eyes widened, recognising the attack from when he last battled Ansem.

            “MOVE!” Joker shouts, pushing Riku to the side just as the Guardian shoots up from where the latter was just standing. Quickly seeing the attack, Riku continues to move alongside Joker as the Guardian chases after them, exploding from the ground every time before returning to its master, sending out a wide X-shaped explosion as it does and almost hitting Riku and Joker.

            “I am impressed you managed to avoid my most powerful attack… but it will not save you.” Ansem gloats, loading up a Sleight. “You will soon fall to me. It is only a matter of time!”

            “You want to test that!? Dark Barrage!” Riku screams, shooting forward and slamming into Ansem, forcing him back before kicking upwards and striking Ansem's chin. Spinning mid-air, he throws Way to the Dawn at Ansem, cutting into him like a Beyblade while Joker flips through his deck. His friend cards were all still sealed, so he couldn't bring any of them to help. But… there was one card that Joker noticed that Ansem seemed to have forgotten to seal, as he loaded it along with two attack cards into a Sleight. And seeing Riku's attack come to an end, Joker saw his chance to use it.

            “Mage!” Joker commands, catching Ansem off guard as he tosses the Sleight sky-high with Mage manifesting before him. Glaring at Ansem with a narrow gaze, she summons Leviathan to her side and blasts him with Aquala, dousing him in water before casting Tarunda on him.

            “My strength fails!?” Ansem shouts, surprised at feeling his energy get sapped as Mage vanishes, turning his glare towards Joker as he clenches his hands, a Sleight loaded in his mind. “You shall pay for that! Dark Rush!” Throwing caution to the wind, Ansem dashes towards Joker with Dark Rush, his fury falling on the Thief as he chases after him relentlessly. But while Joker held Ansem’s fury, Riku was busy loading up a Sleight to counter him.

            “Not today! Dark Break!” Coming in from above, Riku slams Way to the Dawn on Ansem, cutting his charge short and stunning him before quickly leaping into the air and diving again. He comes down hard and fast five times in a row as Joker catches his breath, loading up his own Sleight as he glares down at Ansem, waiting until Riku leaps away at the right moment.

            “Strike Raid!” Joker cries, tossing Lupin at Ansem as Riku jumps, letting the blade pass by his chest with centimetres to spare as it clams into Ansem’s head. Dazed, Ansem could do nothing as Joker repeated the process three more times. As Ansem staggers back from the blows, his Guardian comes to his aid to protect him as Riku lashes out, his Keyblade bouncing off the Guardian as Ansem clenches his fists in rage.

            “I won’t lose…! I refuse to lose! Shock Slash!” With a dark pulse of energy shooting out from Ansem, his Guardian tosses more disks at Joker and Riku, the blades seemingly growing as they slice through the air, giving the duo no chance to dodge as they are clipped on either the arm or leg. The sight of which brings Ansem to laughter as he feels his strength return. “Do you not see!? My power is unbeatable!”

            “Are you sure about that?!” Riku shouts back as he and Joker line up two Sleights, both glowing with a purplish-white aura. “Then let’s see you stop this! Dark Aura!”

            “Dark Slicer!”

Ansem’s eyes widen in surprise as the two unleash their attacks on him, with Joker appearing around him in flashes of darkness while Riku dashes past him at high speeds. The two attacks overwhelm Ansem’s Guardian as it struggles to block each strike. But it cannot, as Joker comes in from above, slashing Lupin down vertically at Ansem’s back while Riku teleports to the middle and slams Way to the Dawn into the ground, sending out a shockwave that overwhelms Ansem’s Guardian and almost sends Ansem flying off the edge of the arena.

            “No…” Ansem whispers, looking back up at the duo as anger burns behind his eyes, the dark aura around him intensifying in strength. “NO! I WILL NOT YIELD! DARK SHADOW!” Once again, his Guardian dives into the ground as Riku and Joker once more start to move, keeping ahead of the Guardian by just a few steps as they load up their own Sleights. Until Riku trips on something, getting caught by the Guardian and sent flying into Joker, sending them both tumbling to the ground as it unleashes its final cross-shaped attack, sending the two rolling towards the edge and almost threatening to knock them off.

            “Do you not see? The final darkness is nigh! Surrender yourselves to my power!” Ansem bellows, crossing his arms as his Guardian hovers behind him.

            “Never.” Riku replies, pushing himself up as he glares back at Ansem. “I will NEVER be a slave to anyone again! I walk my own path, now and forever! Brave Blade!” Riku’s attack screeches forward from Odin, knocking Ansem off balance as he spirals in the air while Joker looks at him with a piercing glare.

            “Too many people like you have tried to control our lives! But just like all of them, you will fail! We will never be slaves to anyone else, ever again! Megidolaon!” Arsène manifests behind Joker with a furious roar, forming a sphere of Almighty energy between his hands and launching it right at Ansem, catching him in the blast as it shatters the illusion around them. The arena returns to the room they were in with a flash of purple light as Ansem hovers weakly in the air, hand grasping his chest as his Guardian melts away behind him. And invisible to everyone’s eyes, a black card of Ansem inserts itself into Riku’s deck, filling an empty space as Riku breathes heavily on the spot.

            “Impossible…! This can’t be happening!” Ansem shouts as he loses his balance, dropping to the floor with heavy breaths as he glares at both Riku and Joker. "Insolent brats!" Channelling what energy he has left, Ansem sends out a vast electrified dark orb of energy at Riku, only for Joker to jump between them and cast Reflega, sending the attack right back at Ansem, catching him with his own spell as he gasps weakly. “What?!”

            “This ends here, Ansem!” Riku shouts, rushing forward and dragging Way to the Dawn along the ground as Odin manifests behind him. “Odin! ZANTETSUKEN!” As Ansem reels back in shock, both Riku's Way to the Dawn and Odin's blade are encased in dark red and black energy as they cleave at the same time. The sound of steel slicing through steel echoes around them as Riku leaps back to join Joker. The two of them watch as a dark purple slash mark forms over Ansem's body, from right shoulder to left hip.

            “This is… impossible…” Ansem whispers, staggering back as he looks upward, his face frozen in shock. "To be… defeated… by mere… children…" As Joker and Riku breathe heavily from their victory, they glare at Ansem.

            “It's over, Ansem.” Joker says in a low voice.

            “You're finished… for good this time.” Riku adds in a calm voice. However, neither he nor Joker is ready for Ansem to start laughing at his defeat—a laugh that almost seemed… amused?

            “What's so funny!?” Riku shouts, not liking this one bit as Ansem slowly looks at the two of them.

            “I must admit… you two… really have grown… with your own darkness. However… this is not… the end. You may have… defeated me… but you are… not prepared… for what is really coming. You will not stop… his return."

            “His return… Who are you talking about?" Joker asks, narrowing his eyes as Ansem lets out another laugh, even as the wound on his chest grows.

            “You will find out… in due time.” Ansem replies, holding his hands up high. "I have done… my part! You cannot stop… what has been put in motion! In the end… DARKNESS WILL REIGN SUPREME!" And with that last bellow, the gash on Ansem's chest grows too large as he explodes into darkness, the vast cloud rapidly approaching Riku and Joker as they hold up their Keyblades, a sphere of light projecting over them and protecting them from the cloud of darkness as it pounds against the shield. But eventually, the torrential storm of darkness vanishes, leaving the two standing tall as the shields protecting them disappear, with Ansem nowhere in sight as everyone else returns from the cards.

            “Did that do it?” Outlaw asks, noting the emptiness around them. "Is he gone?" Oracle brings up her screens, doing a scan of the area around them, the castle, and Riku to check for any remains of Ansem. The moment she's done, a smile forms on her face.

            “I’m not picking up any readings inside the castle or inside Riku.” She announces, her smile widening. “I can confirm that Ansem is finally taken care of!”

            “Finally!” Spring shouts as the groups all start sighing in relief while Joker and Riku both let out exhausted sighs. But as they did, they felt something else leave them as the decks in their minds slowly vanished into particles of light. Even the physical cards they had on them vanished into light, the dawning realization of what this means falling on them.

            “The cards are gone.” Joker comments out loud, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Marluxia’s card system is finally gone.”

            “For real!?” Skull shouts with a wide grin. “That’s a double win for us!”

            “Finally! No more cards!” Zack shouts, pumping a fist as everyone quickly agrees with that statement. They are finally free of the cards! However, there is one thing that is left that has been growing on Athena's mind.

            “But… who do you think this person is that Ansem was talking about?” She suddenly asks out loud, bringing a quick end to the celebration. “It would seem that all of this was done by Ansem at another person’s orders. But who is this person?”

            “That is a good question.” Crow comments, rubbing his chin. “It would seem there are other foes at play here.”

            “Could it be the leader of Organization XIII?” Mona suggests, folding his arms.

            “Well, we don’t have any other option open to us.” Muse comments, tapping her knuckles against her cheek. But before anyone could ask more, the sound of a body hitting the floor drew all eyes to Riku as he lay on the ground, his outfit vanishing in a flash of flames.

            “Riku!?” Mickey shouts in alarm as Queen walks over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

            “Looks like the post-awakening fatigue has kicked in. And a lot faster as well.” She remarks as Joker walks over and picks him up.

            “That last fight must've taken a lot out of him. It's probably for the best that we bring him back to the pod room so he can rest up." Mage suggests, figuring that the room is the safest for all of them at the moment.

            “I think we all could use some rest.” Joker replies, shaking his head. “That last fight was a slog.”

            “Hey, no complaints from me.” Panther replies, stretching her arm as everyone allows their Thief attire to vanish. “I could do with a break…”

            “No arguments here.” Hail replies as everyone turns and heads for the hallway. They could do with a long rest after all of this. However, as they proceed to head back, Hail is thinking back to what Ansem said before he died.

            His return… There's no way that fake Ansem was referring to him, right? Those two can't be related to each other in any way, shape, or form…

Riku did not know how long he had been asleep. If he was being honest, part of him didn't want to wake up after feeling how tired he was from the fight with Ansem. He couldn't even hear the conversation happening around him, and yet he still somehow understood what was going on. But now, as he swam back to consciousness, he felt his energy return to him as he opened his eyes, finding himself back in the pod room as he pushed himself up.

            “Welcome back, Riku. Had a nice nap?” Labrys asks as Riku shakes his head, seeing everyone watching him with curious looks. Even DiZ is there, looking at Riku with an intrigued expression as he pushes himself to his feet, grasping his hands a few times as Riku nods to himself.

            “I did… And I feel even better than I did before.” He replies, glancing at Sora sleeping in his pod. “Is this how Sora felt when he awoke to a Persona? It feels great, like I am in full control of myself.”

            “That’s how we all feel.” Yu replies with a smile. “And it is a great feeling. I never get tired of being reminded of it.”

            “Speaking of, let’s take a look at what Riku’s Persona is packing.” Futaba replies, opening up a screen. “As we all saw, Riku’s Persona is Odin, but he is far different from the Emperor Arcana ruler we all know. Instead, this Odin is from the Justice Arcana. As for resistance, Odin resists Slash, Fire, Dark, and Curse, but is weak to Light and Bless. As for his moves, he knows Brave Blade, Maeigaon, Heat Riser, Slash Boost, Slash Amp, Curse Boost, Curse Amp, and Zantetsuken. Dang… Zantetsuken deals colossal Slash damage and has a 50% chance of instant death? That's crazy.”

            “So THAT is what Riku used on Lexaeus and Zexion!” Zack shouts as Rinoa snaps her fingers. “I always wondered what move he used.” Riku closes his eyes, letting a smile form on his face as he feels Odin settle inside him—a comforting presence that steels him for whatever the future has in store for him.

            “All that aside, doesn’t Riku now qualify for his own codename?” Isara comments, grabbing Riku’s attention. “He fits the criteria.”

            “I do.” Riku comments, looking at the floor. His mind wanders over the possibilities, even if it feels a little silly to him. But at the same time, it sort of marks a turning point for him as he moves along a new path. A path that now leads him to… “Dawn.” Riku speaks, looking at everyone. “That will be my codename, for that is the path I now walk. The road to dawn.”

            “And a fitting path it is.” Yusuke remarks, nodding his head before turning to look at Sora’s pod. “However, I fear we have a new problem before us, for we cannot leave Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy here.”

            “Yusuke's right. Organization XIII will be looking for him, and they may send more of their members here soon." Ren agrees, nodding his head. "We have to bring them away from this place before it's too late. But where can we go?”

            “If I may suggest, the mansion in Twilight Town would be a perfect place to hide.” DiZ comments, drawing all eyes to him. “The Organization knows that Yu and his family reside there and thus pays no attention to them. However, that in turn makes it the perfect location to hide Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy. That, and I suppose you are more than wanting to see them again.” The Thieves all glance at each other with knowing looks. DiZ was right when he said they wanted to see the other members of the Investigation Team again, and this would be the perfect time to do so. But even so…

            “That's all well and good, but how do we even move the pods?” Aqua asks, looking at the pod holding Sora. DiZ lets out a soft chuckle as he walks up to it, a smug grin on his face. He is going to enjoy their reactions.

The main hall of Castle Oblivion stood in eerie silence, the doors leading outside standing tall while the lone door that led to the maze of an interior stood silently. At least, until it was suddenly engulfed in light and swung open, with Sora's pod being gently pushed out as it hovered in the air, suspended by what seemed to be nothing, as both Donald and Goofy's pods followed right after.

            “I can’t believe that it’s this simple!” Futaba exclaims as she exits the door, now dressed in the black coat as she looks behind her at Ren, who is also wearing the black coat. “When did these pods have repulsor lifts!?”

            “At this point, I’m not even surprised any more.” Ren replies, shaking his head as everyone else leaves through the door. All of them are dressed in black coats, except for Yu and DiZ, as they pull the hoods up to cover their faces. Although they could still see their faces, maybe a cognitive attribute.

            “We’re already back in the main hall?” Ann asks in surprise as DiZ walks up next to her. “But we spent WEEKS climbing this castle!”

            “That is how things are in Castle Oblivion.” DiZ remarks calmly as he looks back at everyone. However, he is quick to notice that one of them is missing. “Where is Aqua?” DiZ's question takes everyone almost by surprise as they all realize that Aqua is strangely not with them, even though they all left at the same time.

            “Dunno. She was with us.” Sumire replies, just as Aqua emerges from the door, dressed in the same black coat as all of them, with her hood pulled up. “There you are! Where did you go?”

            “Sorry. I had to go check on something.” Aqua replies, walking down the stairs. “After all, this isn’t my first time here.”

            “It’s not?” Makoto asks, tilting her head as Aqua nods back.           

            “Yes. After all… this place was not originally Castle Oblivion.” With a heavy sigh, Aqua looks at everyone with sadness in her eyes. “This place… was once called the Land of Departure. And it was my home.”

            “Your home?” Riku asks, raising an eyebrow as Mickey lets out a sad sigh.

            “That’s right.” Aqua replies, hand on her chest. “The Land of Departure was a world where our master, Eraqus, trained Terra and me in the secrets of the Keyblade. Ven was also with us after Xehanort brought him here one day, and he soon became our little brother. But when Xehanort struck Eraqus down, he plunged this world into darkness. My master had told me that this world was always in balance between light and dark, and that if the balance was ever broken in either direction, I was to use his Keyblade, Master Defender, and lock this land away. Anyone who would enter without me would be lost to oblivion, unable to solve its secrets.”

            “You did that?” Sophia asks innocently, with Aqua nodding her head in return.

            “I did. I had no other choice but to. If I didn’t, the world would be forever lost to darkness. It was the only way to save it and give it a chance to heal.” Aqua lets out a sigh, summoning Master Defender to her side. “Even though I still have Master Eraqus’s Keyblade, I feel it is not time to return this world to normal. At least, not yet.”

            “That’s fine, Aqua.” Mickey comments with a smile. “Take your time.” Aqua nods graciously as she de-summons Master Defender while Ryuji and Akechi open the doors, revealing the outside once more as they all exit Castle Oblivion. However, there is one more problem.

            “Um… does anyone have any idea how we are going to get to Twilight Town?” Ryuji asks, scratching his head.

            “I think the answer is rather obvious.” Akechi says before turning towards DiZ. "DiZ, can you use the teleportation system that you and Yu have been using to send us all to Twilight Town?"

            “Unfortunately, that might not be possible.” DiZ says as he shakes his head. "The teleporter can only work on people, so it won't be able to work with objects such as the pods."

            “Well, that's just great.” Rinoa mumbles to herself until Naminé notices something out of the corner of her eye.

            “Hey, what's that over there?” As Naminé points at something that seems not to be too far away, a majority of the Thieves take notice of a familiar-looking ship. One that they never thought they would see again.

            “It's the Highwind!” Haru shouts, pointing a hand towards the distance. True to her and everyone else's eyes, the Highwind had indeed apparently crash-landed here, and for who knows how long it has been there, since none of the Thieves who had arrived at Castle Oblivion via the front saw it there when they first got here.

            “That’s your ship?” Labrys asks as the group moves towards it. “It looks beautiful, but a bit beaten up.”

            “That is no surprise. After all, it had sustained critical damage when we arrived at Ansem’s lair.” Lavenza replies, her black coat having some hints of velvet in it. “It is honestly surprising to see it still in one piece.”

            “But is it still functional?” Hifumi asks worriedly. That was indeed the question on their minds as they approached the ship, its landing gear still deployed and the damage on the outside marking its hull. Thankfully, when they approached, the door on the side opened up, lights on the inside humming to life on low power as the group moved to the cockpit while leaving the pods in the main hall. How they managed to fit Sora’s pod inside, they would never know. Some computer consoles still sparked from damage, but Shiho’s station still glowed silently as she sat at it, looking at the diagnostics.

            “How bad is it?” Ren asks as Shiho lets out a sigh.

            “Well, the good news is that the engines still work, and life support is still functioning, along with the stealth system. But she is still badly damaged from her last flight. She only has enough energy to move to one world before needing repairs. And the communications are down. We can’t connect to Disney Castle until they are fixed.” DiZ lets out a hum as he walks over to another station, typing in coordinates as a map appears before him.

            “We are in luck.” He remarks, turning around to everyone. “The real world of Twilight Town is located nearby and well within range. We will be able to make it with this ship, despite the damage.”

            “That’s reassuring.” Mishima comments as everyone begins to get comfortable.

            “I can't believe that you guys named this ship Highwind.” Riku comments, letting out a chuckle. "It was actually the name that I came up with for the raft that Sora, Kairi, and I were planning to use to leave the islands to explore other worlds."

            “I'm more surprised to see that there's actually a way to traverse worlds without the use of a Keyblade Glider or a corridor of darkness.” Aqua comments, placing her hands behind her head.

            “Hold on, did you just say Keyblade Glider?” Ren asks as he turns to Aqua. "Sora and I were able to get our own gliders earlier."

            “Really? How did that happen?" Aqua asks, her eyes widening in surprise.

            “Well, you see…” As Ren begins to tell Aqua about how he and Sora were able to transform their Keyblades into gliders during their battle against Ansem prior to closing the Door to Darkness, Lavenza takes her spot at the ship's controls. She slowly brings the engines to life as the ship shudders, lights turning on as the ship rises into the air before blasting off at a low speed. The landing gear does not retract due to damage.

But regardless of the damage, the Thieves could not help but feel relieved that they were leaving this place, especially since they no longer had to worry about those annoying cards. All the while, in the eyes of both Naminé and Hikari, they were finally glad to be free of the prison in which they had been kept for so long!

Deep in the forest around Twilight Town, in the mansion far from the town, the Investigation Team, as well as both Ryotaro and Nanako, sat worriedly inside the main hall. It had been a while since Yu left with DiZ to wherever they were going, and they had not yet heard back from them. To be honest, they were growing more worried by the hour as they had nothing but silence.

            “I don’t like this.” Teddie comments, folding his arms. “What is keeping Sensei for so long?”

            “Dunno, but I hate it as well.” Kanji replies, rubbing his head while Yukiko lets out a long sigh, with Chie patting her on the back.

            “Don’t worry! Yu will be fine!” Chie reassures with a grin, something that Yukiko greatly appreciates as Yosuke looks out the window, seeing the town just beyond the trees as the gentle glow of twilight falls over them. But as he does, something in the sky catches his attention. It looks to be a silvery object, caught in the rays of the sun, before vanishing into light blue lines.

            “Hey! There's something in the sky!” He calls out, grabbing everyone’s attention as they all rush to the window.

            “See what? I don’t see anything.” Ryotaro comments, seeing nothing in the sky while Nanako tilts her head.

            “You can’t see it?” Rise asks, puzzled. “It’s up there! It looks like a flying wireframe of blue light.” The two non-Persona users tilt their heads in confusion, while the Investigation Team watches this strange object fly over them, preparing to land right behind the mansion.

            “It’s landing right behind us!” Naoto shouts as the group rushes to the back, with Nanako and Ryotaro chasing after them. Exiting the back of the mansion, they see nothing but a wide clearing surrounded by trees, providing nice shade to nothing but a large field of grass. At least, there was nothing until the outline of a ship suddenly appeared before them, its optical camouflage peeling back to reveal a very damaged ship that looked to be on its last legs, with a ramp opening up on the side leading to a door.

            “A spaceship?” Yukiko asks in amazement.

            “Dang… looks like it has seen a lot of action.” Kanji remarks, rubbing his head as the door on the side opens up, with Yu stepping out with a wide smile on his face.

            “YU!” Nanako shouts, waving a hand in the air as the Investigation Team either lets out sighs of relief or looks at each other in puzzlement. "Where have you been!? You and DiZ have been gone for a long time! And where did you find that ship!?”

            “It’s not mine!” Yu shouts back, walking down the ramp. “It belongs to some friends of ours.”

            “Who?” Yukiko asks as they converge at the bottom. Yu shoots her a grin before turning around and looking back at the top of the ramp as a man in a black coat steps out. For a moment, the Investigation Team tenses up, recognizing the coat he is wearing until he pulls back his hood. The person under it is instantly recognizable.

            “Ren!” Yosuke shouts as Ren walks down the ramp, quickly followed by everyone else, with the Investigation Team taking note of Labrys being among the group and looking a bit different with surprise as she and some of the others begin to pull what looks to be pods out of the ship. "You guys are alive!"

            “Of course we are.” Ren replies with a grin. "You didn't think we would die so easily, did you?" Yosuke rubs the back of his head while Chie shakes her head at him.

            “So who are the rest of your friends? I don't recall meeting them before." Naoto asks, taking note of Riku, Aqua, Mickey, Zack, and Rinoa, all while Teddie embraces Labrys in a hug.

            “It's a long story.” Ren replies, letting out a sigh. "We have a lot to catch up on, but first, can you help us with these pods? We need to get them underground as fast as possible."

            “Um… sure?” Kanji asks, tilting his head. "But why?" Ren lets out a long sigh at that, looking back at the Highwind as he puts on a weary smile.

            “You're not gonna believe a lot of this…” Morgana quips, only now just walking down the ramp as the Investigation Team looks on in shock.

            “Morgana!? Is that you!?” Kanji shouts, his eyes blinking as human Morgana walks down the ramp with a chuckle.

            “Yep! It's me!” He replies, seeing the dumbfounded looks on all of their faces. “And boy, is it a story to tell about how I became human, along with Labrys here.”

It took a long time for the Thieves to explain everything that had happened until now as they moved Sora's pod underground. Again, how they managed to do so was quite the mystery, but seeing how the pod seemed to grow and shrink as they moved it, no one was going to question it. But that didn't take away from the story they told as they moved Sora's pod into an identical room downstairs. Along with them all warmly greeting Hikari, the memories of their adventure with her were once more fresh in their minds as the tale the Thieves had was explained to them.

A tale that sounded outrageous, but at the same time could not be countered, especially as Ren and Morgana showed the Keyblades they had. This proved to the rest of the Investigation Team that the past they saw was one that had happened. Alongside Yu warning his friends about Sephiroth, they also learned what happened to Sora that really concerned them, hearing just how much damage he had taken during the fight with Marluxia. And speaking of the Organization…

            “We actually encountered Axel before.” Yukiko comments as the team sits around one of the main rooms inside the mansion, aside from DiZ, who is downstairs double-checking his systems. “He was out training another member of the Organization who was wielding a Keyblade.”

            “Really?” Sae asks, intrigued. “Who is this other member?”

            “His name is Roxas.” Nanako replies with a grin. “I’ve actually become friends with him after meeting him a few times. He also saved my life at one point as well.”

            “He did?” Labrys comments, sitting next to Teddie as the two almost have their hands on top of each other. The look on Teddie's face when he heard Labrys was now human was a sight to see, even as the two blushed up a storm at each other. Did they really think they were hiding it from anyone?

            “Yeah.” Yu replies, folding his arms. “I was there that day, and Roxas moved in without even thinking. Axel was also there, watching, but even though he told Roxas they had to stay out of sight, he didn’t scold him for helping. And he didn’t stop Roxas from talking to Nanako at other times as well. But there is someone else in the Organization who can use a Keyblade.”

            “Another one?” Aqua asks, tilting her head while Ren, Akechi, and Sae all glance at each other. Could they be the ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ that Vexen talked about?

            “Yeah. A girl called Xion.” Nanako replies with a grin. “I still remember when she helped save me from some Heartless as well, just like Roxas. Since then, we’ve always tried to meet up together at the clock tower whenever we can. Although there appears to be another member who works with Xion, he doesn’t stay for long when I show up, and he doesn’t speak either.”

            “But he’s still allowing you to hang out with Xion? That’s strange.” Makoto comments, brushing some hair back. “The more we learn about them, the more questions we find. Not that we can do anything about it.”

            “Yeah. Until the Highwind is fixed and the damage done to Sora is repaired, we’re not going anywhere.” Isara remarks as Yosuke turns towards Naminé and Hikari.

            “How long did you say that it could take for Sora to be healed and for Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy's memories to be restored?”

            “Around ten months to about a year.” Naminé replies, letting out a sigh. "And that's including Lavenza helping us with fixing the damages to both Sora and his Persona."

            “Luckily, we did get a head start back at Castle Oblivion, but we did end up putting a pause on it because of Ansem trying to get to Riku.” Hikari adds, crossing her arms as she turns towards Naminé, who nods with determination to fix the remaining damage done to Sora before the two look back at everyone else. "However, as long as we remain hidden from the Organization, we will be able to work as quickly as we can to fix the damage that Marluxia has done."

            “And we'll all be here to have your backs.” Mickey says to the two former captives of Castle Oblivion. "The Organization will have to get through all of us to get to Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy." As everyone nods in agreement, Ren turns to Yu.

            “Yu… assuming you and the others don't mind. Can we be allowed to stay here until Sora and the others are healed?"

            “Say no more, you guys are welcome to crash here.” Yu tells him and the others with a smile on his face. "We've got plenty of room inside the mansion. I know that the ship you guys have has rooms, but they are probably not in good condition right now, right? Then, until they get at least repaired, you can stay here.”

            “Are you sure? We don’t want to intrude.” Riku asks with some uncertainty, only for Yu to shake his head.

            “It's fine. Besides, this also gives us more time to talk and catch up on things. I know Uncle Dojima has been wanting to know more about your adventures as Phantom Thieves when we told him ours." The Thieves all glance at Ryotaro as he gives them a smirk, one that the Thieves couldn't help but sweat drop at. But before they could, Rise soon came into the room, holding a large box filled with ice cream bars that she started handing out to everyone.

            “What is this?” Yusuke asks, looking at the blue ice cream in his hand.

            “Sea-salt ice cream! It’s a popular ice cream in Twilight Town.” Rise replies, taking her own. “I figured you would all like to try some after everything you've been through and for defeating five members of the Organization. Oh, and thanks for giving me the ability to fight again, Futaba. You have NO idea how happy I am to fight alongside Yu and the others again!”

            “Your wish has been granted, Rise.” Futaba snarks with a grin while the Thieves all glance at each other, touched by the gesture, as Sophia has already taken a bite out of hers.

            “It’s sweet, but also salty.” She comments, quickly taking another bite. “I like it!”

            “Sweet and salty? Quite the interesting combination.” Sae remarks, taking a bite out of her own.

            “But it works so well!” Labrys shouts, bobbing her head up and down. And just like that, everyone allows themselves to relax for the first time in a long time since they entered Castle Oblivion. And yet, even as they rest, unseen eyes are watching them. Because unbeknownst to them, deep within the dark void, Xehanort watches them all with an expression bordering on curiosity, as well as earnest surprise.

            “Incredible… those who have fought in the Keyblade War, living in my time.” He remarks with awe in his voice. "Such an encounter I never thought possible…" Xehanort frowns as he lets out a sigh while watching them converse with each other, his attention focusing on Aqua. "It is a shame that we stand on opposite sides, considering they are all with one of my… previous adversaries. If not for her involvement, I would have loved to speak with them for days on end.”

            “Such an opportunity, forever lost to you.” Nyarlathotep replies, hovering next to him. “And yet, this explains so much about how they are able to defy me. A hidden past even they had no knowledge of… How irritating.”

            “So it would appear. And yet, we have other options.” Xehanort replies, two portals appearing next to him displaying images, their visages shrouded as Nyarlathotep lets out an amused hum.

            “So… you would have these two join our cause? I do not think they will do so willingly, old friend.” Xehanort lets out a chuckle, dismissing the portals as he looks back at Nyarlathotep.

            “There are other options to gain their cooperation. Regardless, events are moving far faster than I ever imagined. But no matter what, the outcome will always be the same. Our plans will not deviate, nor have they been derailed.” He looks back to the void around them, his grin wide as he closes his eyes. A line he had forever repeated echoes out around him.

            “On that fated land shall dark prevail, and light expire. The future has already been written. And nothing will change it. Nothing.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 26: Moving Forward.

Day 50.

Axel wasn't sure why he was hanging around here instead of RTCing. Sure, his mission regarding Castle Oblivion was complete, the traitors were dealt with, and all witnesses were disposed of, as much as he hated calling them that. And yet, after all of that, he didn't return. Why? Was he still coming to terms with what happened? Was he still thinking about how Sora and the others were doing? He couldn't know, even as he walked through Twilight Town's woods, staying close to the shadows until he saw a sight that honestly caught him off guard.

It was a spaceship, manifesting out of the air like magic.

            “Whoa… don’t see something like that every day.” Axel remarks, sticking to the shadows as he sees a group of people gather around the ramp. “Huh… aren't they the folks who have been hanging out with that Yu guy? Nanako is with them…” As if to answer his own question, Yu emerged from the ship, and much to his surprise, Ren followed suit while wearing the Organization's coat for some reason. This was then followed by the rest of the Phantom Thieves, alongside Riku and his group, also exiting the ship all decked out in black coats while moving Sora, Donald, and Goofy's pod. “Huh… I see that the Phantom Thieves have met up with Riku and his group. And look at all of them. Using our own cloaks against us. Cheeky, but not bad.” Axel remarks as he finds his eyes falling on Athena, her mask absent from her face.

            “Well, well. Look who’s still around.” Chixada’s voice echoes behind Axel, almost causing him to stumble forward had he not been bracing against the tree before turning around to see his smug grin. “Still alive, huh?”

            “You could say that.” Axel remarks, hands on his hips. “Things got a bit dicey at Castle Oblivion, but I’m still here.”

            “Really? We still haven’t been told what has happened there.” Chixada remarks, arms folded as he stares right at Axel, before he puts on a smile and slaps him on the shoulder. “Still, it's good to see you again, Axel. Roxas has been worried about you since we lost contact with Castle Oblivion, although the kid hasn't woken up for a long while.”

            “What?” Axel asks, his eyes widening as Chixada pulls him away from the open area, opening up a portal of darkness and taking them to someplace else in Twilight Town. A hill overlooks a suburb of Twilight Town, with a train track nearby. Axel looks at Chixada, who shrugs his shoulders while leaning on a bench.

            “I found this spot not too long ago. Perfect for when I need to think alone.”

            “Okay…” Axel replies, folding his arms. “Now, what did you mean that Roxas is asleep? What happened while I was away?” Chixada lets out a sigh, fishing into his coat as he pulls out two ice cream bars, tossing one over to Axel, who catches it without batting an eye.

            “It happened twenty-four days ago. Roxas and Xigbar were on a mission to Agrabah when, just as they were about to RTC, Roxas collapsed from the heat." Axel's eyes widened in shock as Chixada took a bite out of his ice cream. "Didn't even know we COULD get heatstroke. It was a surprise for all of us, even if we couldn't feel it. However, it was not surprising that prior to that, Xion managed to summon the Keyblade.”

            “She did?” Axel asks, raising an eyebrow.

            “Oh yeah, she did. And it’s the same one as Roxas’s.” Chixada remarks, turning to look at Axel. “Since Roxas has been asleep for the past twenty-four days, Xion has been working hard to fill his shoes. The girl’s got spunk, I’ll give her that. Hell, she even did the same thing as Roxas and saved Nanako. She even managed to befriend her. You’d be surprised how often those two talk to each other.”

            “Huh… now ain’t that surprising.” Axel comments, taking a small bit from his own ice cream. “So… Roxas is still asleep?”

            “Far as I know.” Chixada replies honestly, before giving Axel a serious look. “But… there is something you need to know, Axel. When I was checking up on Roxas the day after he collapsed, I overheard Xemnas and Saïx talking about him.”

            “Chixada… you do know that eavesdropping is frowned upon in the Organization.” Axel comments, before rubbing the back of his head. “Then again, everyone seems to always be doing that, so I can’t blame you.”

            “Well, I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t, after I heard them talk.” Chixada remarks, grabbing Axel’s attention. “Apparently, Roxas did not fall asleep from heatstroke. It was instead because someone named Sora had neared Castle Oblivion.”

            “Say what?” Axel asks, eyes going wide.

            “Yep. I don't know who this Sora kid is, but he must be important if him approaching Castle Oblivion caused Roxas to fall asleep.” Chixada finishes off his ice cream, tossing the blank stick away as he folds his arms. “But it’s what they said after that had me more concerned. Saïx said that Roxas would wake up once Sora was stripped of his memories, whatever that means.” Axel could feel a pit form in his stomach at that drop as Chixada runs a hand through his hair. “And not only that, but they planned for Xion to gain the power of the Keyblade.” Chixada looks Axel in the eyes, his gaze narrow. “I don’t know what’s going on, but they have something planned for those two. And I don’t like it one bit.”

Axel turns his gaze to the ground, his hand tightening around his ice cream as he thinks back on what happened at Castle Oblivion.

            “So it wasn’t just trying to turn him into a puppet…” Axel remarks in a bitter tone, something that Chixada tilts his head at. “Back at Caste Oblivion, Saïx ordered me to eliminate Marluxia and Larxene, with those orders coming from Lord Xemnas for betraying the Organization. While I waited to get solid proof of their betrayal, I saw them conspire to strip Sora of his memories and turn him into a puppet before rebelling against Lord Xemnas. But if that is what they were originally supposed to do, and turn that plan into their own…”

            “I still want to know why Roxas collapsed when this Sora approached Castle Oblivion.” Chixada remarks, pushing himself off the fence. “Axel, even you have to admit, all of this reeks of suspicion.” Axel couldn’t help but wince at that, finding it too hard to ignore. But even so…

            “And what would you have me do, Chixada?” Axel replies in a semi-defeated tone. “The Organization is all I have. You and Roxas are all I have. Saïx is no longer the person I recognize, and all I do is clean out the icky jobs. What other path do I have?”

            “And what would you do if Roxas decided to leave the Organization?” Chixada asks, folding his arms at Axel, who looks up in shock. “Would you pick the Organization over friends?” Axel blinks at Chixada in shock as he struggles to come up with an answer. Or perhaps… him not finding one was his answer… and he did not like it one bit.

            “I think… I need to spend a good long time thinking about this.” Axel remarks, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve got a lot to think about right now. And if what you have said is true… then I think I should put off RTCing until I get my thoughts in order. Maybe even hide out here.” He lets out a sigh, shaking his head as he looks back at Chixada. “You mind if we meet up here every now and then? Just so you can let me know how Roxas and Xion are doing?”

            “I don't mind." Chixada replies, looking at the setting sun. “Besides… I've got my own investigation to be doing as well…" He looks at Axel, his arms falling to his side. "Castle Oblivion is empty now, right?"

            “Just about." Axel replies before letting out a sigh. “Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion also met their ends during my time in Castle Oblivion alongside Marluxia and Larxene. While I'm thankful that Marluxia and Larxene are gone, a part of me does feel bad for the other three. Lexaeus and Zexion were killed due to their reckless actions, and Vexen… I was ordered by Marluxia to eliminate him to gain his and Larxene's trust."

            “Sheesh, that must've been unpleasant for you. But I guess you did what you had to do to fulfil what you were ordered to by Saïx." Chixada comments as he lets out a grin. “But since you said that Castle Oblivion is now empty, I think I should pay it a visit every now and then to see if I can find anything left behind.”

            “I wouldn’t do that right now.” Axel remarks, folding his arms. “At least wait until AFTER I come back before going there. Don’t want to draw unnecessary eyes, yeah?” Chixada nods, opening up a portal of darkness. “Chixada… I really hope that you’re jumping at shadows here. But if you’re not…” Chixada remains silent, not replying to Axel in any way as he walks through the portal, leaving Axel alone as he looks at the sunset, his mind racing from everything he had just heard.

            “Friendship or the Organization… Who knew such a choice was so hard to make?”

Roxas didn’t know where to go after he woke up. The usual spot to learn what his next mission would be was empty, and no one was in the castle to speak to. Well… there were the other Nobodies he could talk to, including his own Samurai Nobodies. But while they respected him, they couldn’t really talk back other than give the occasional head nod.

This fact alone annoyed him greatly, since he saw other members talk to their own Nobodies as well. Vexen and his Chemist Nobodies, who juggled their potions around; Lexaeus and his Warrior Nobodies, who, while half the size of Saïx's Berserker Nobodies, made up for it with axes that were the size of a Berserker's chest. Then there was Zexion and his Scholar Nobodies, always flipping through their books when not doing anything. Not to mention Larxene and her Ninja Nobodies, always talking to Marluxia and his Reaper Nobodies… those ones always gave him the creeps.

But it was why he was here, sitting at the usual spot on the clock tower in Twilight Town, wondering where everyone was while four of his Samurai Nobodies loitered around nearby to give him some measure of companionship. He didn’t even know why these four stuck with him, if he was being honest…

            “I hate being alone.” Roxas comments out loud, looking at the sunset with a bored expression. So focused on the sun was he that he didn’t even notice someone appear on the clock tower with four Nobodies right next to her.

            “Roxas!?” Xion shouts in surprise, grabbing his attention. “You’re awake!” The joy in her voice is evident, as the four female Nobodies beside her, who seem to be wearing silver versions of their coats and large pointed hats that cover their heads, hover over to the four Samurai Nobodies while Xion walks over to Roxas.

            “Xion… there you are. What happened to me? And what are those Nobodies? I don’t think I’ve seen them before.” Roxas asks Xion, who sits next to him as he gazes at the new Nobodies with his Samurais.

            “Oh, those are Nobodies called Black Mages. I don’t know when, but they started appearing with all the others not long after you fell asleep. And these four have stuck with me.” Xion replies with a smile before losing it as she looks at him. “As for you, you’ve been asleep for the past twenty-four days. No one knew how long you were going to be sleeping. Chixada and I were worried as the days dragged on. But I’m glad you woke up.”

            “Sorry.” Roxas replies, rubbing the side of his head as Xion shakes her head. “But I kinda feel like a zombie right now.” Xion lets out a chuckle at that as Roxas shakes his head.

            “It’s okay. I’ve been filling in for you while you slept, working double duty for both of us.” She tells him, a smile coming to her face. “And while I was doing that, I made a friend here in Twilight Town.”

            “A friend?” Roxas asks, eyes wide. “Who did you meet?”

            “You actually met her before, according to what I was told by Chixada. Her name is Nanako." Xion replies, surprising Roxas as she looks down at the town below. "How we met was… well… almost like how you met her…”

Flashback: Day 30.

It had been four days since Roxas had fallen asleep, and Xion was working to keep her mind distracted. She didn’t know why, but seeing Roxas sleeping like that for no reason rubbed her the wrong way. Sure, Xigbar said it was heatstroke, but she had been to Agrabah as well and had never had heatstroke! But what was she supposed to do? She couldn’t speak out or voice her concerns. And as far as Saïx said, there was nothing they could do but wait for him to wake up.

So here she was, doing double the missions to make up for Roxas being out cold. Not that she hated doing it. At this rate, she should be able to catch up to him in no time. But it was draining her with every swing she took, even with Chixada accompanying her every now and then. Although today, he got dragged away by Number XIX for some reason, so she was out by herself.

At least today’s mission was easy. A simple extermination mission in Olympus Colosseum, followed by the same mission in Twilight Town. Seeing how she would be able to relax the moment she did Twilight Town, she left that mission for last. And now here she was, slaying the last few Shadows hanging around the forest. At least… that’s what she would be doing.

            “Get back! Don't come any closer!” A voice calls out nearby. Without even thinking, Xion begins sprinting in the voice’s direction, even though her target is in the opposite direction. But even if she wants to complete the mission, a part of her screams to help the voice. So here she is, rushing through the forest until she finds the source of the voice: Nanako, backed up to a tree and wielding a hockey stick in her right hand. Not the most practical of weapons, but it is better than nothing as she uses it to keep the Heartless at bay.

            “Hold on!” Xion shouts, diving into the fray as Nanako watches with surprise while Xion lashes out with the Kingdom Key. The blade easily carves through the weak Shadows, who back off from Nanako and change their enmity to Xion. Not that it slows her down, as she blasts them with a Thunder spell, shocking them and making it easier to finish them off. And as the last Shadow Heartless falls to her blade, Xion wipes some sweat off her brow before turning to Nanako. “You okay?”

            “Y-Yeah…” Nanako replies, letting out a long sigh. “That teaches me to explore the forest by myself.” She tells herself, shaking her head before looking at Xion. “Say… aren’t you part of the same group as Roxas?”

            “Huh?” Xion asks, surprise in her eyes. “You know about Roxas?”

            “Yeah!” Nanako replies with a wide grin. “He saved me from the Heartless as well! Just like what you did.” Xion had to let out a chuckle at that, finding the current situation almost hard to believe. “Are you by yourself? How about we get some ice cream as thanks for saving me?”

            “Well…” Xion starts, unsure how to reply to that. But before she could, Nanako was already grabbing her arm.

            “C’mon! I’ll pay! I always wanted to thank Roxas the same way, but I didn’t get the chance.” Xion lets out a breath of air as Nanako drags her back to Twilight Town. It looks as though she won’t be RTCing anytime soon…

Present Day

            “That really happened?” Roxas asks, a wide smile on his face as he shakes his head in exasperation. “I swear, she seems to have all the bad luck.”

            “Yeah.” Xion replies, shaking her own head. “It was a surprise to hear how I saved her in the same way as you did a while ago. But it was even more of a surprise when she asked if I could be her friend." Xion's gaze falls to the ground, a sigh escaping her lips. "She could see how lonely I was and wanted to make me feel better, even if we couldn't feel anything. But since then, whenever I have the time, I've been hanging out with Nanako and just… talking.”

            “Really?” Roxas asks, honestly surprised. “How did Chixada allow that?”

            “Apparently, he doesn’t mind.” Xion replies, looking up at the sun. “And he has been going off on his own lately, but he never tells me why, other than it being important.”

            “I wonder why…” Roxas asks, grasping his hands. “Has anyone heard back from Castle Oblivion while I was asleep?” Xion shakes her head as Roxas lets out a long sigh. “So… communications are still down.”

            “Yeah.” Xion replies, rubbing her arm before snapping a finger. “Oh, that's right! I got something for you!" She reaches into a coat pocket, rummaging around for something as Roxas looks on. "I've been leaving these on your bed every time I come back from a mission. They are from a world I found not long after you fell asleep. Ah! Here we are!" She pulls out a lilac-coloured seashell from her pocket, handing it over to Roxas. "It's a seashell. Hold it up to your ear. You can hear the waves.”

Roxas, a bit confused, holds it up to his ear and closes his eyes. When he does, he can hear the gentle breaking of waves on the shore as a sense of calm falls over him. A sense that… feels eerily familiar to him, as though he has heard this sound for all his life, sitting with others that he cannot remember.

Almost as though… it was a past life he had never experienced.

Day 53.

It was a surprise for everyone at the castle when they saw Roxas up and awake. No less for Xemnas and Saïx, even though their stone-cold demeanour betrayed nothing. It was honestly off-putting for Roxas to see those two betray no emotions at his awakening. At least Xigbar and Demyx showed their fake joy, along with Chixada. But no sooner did Roxas wake up than something else happened. Xion didn't show up at the clock tower, something that put a damper on Roxas's day.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn't really seen Xion that much since they last spoke three days ago. Whenever he tried to find her, she was always getting sent out on a mission solo or was too tired to even talk when she got back. Well, not that he was having anything better, what with Saïx always putting him on a solo mission as well. With the Organization down so many members, until they got communications back with Castle Oblivion, everyone had no choice but to pull their own weight. Even Demyx, for as much of a lazy person as he was, was pulling more weight with Xigbar dragging him out. But as Roxas got ready to finish up his day, he found someone else waiting for him on the clock tower, with his hood down for a change.

            “Chixada?” Roxas asks, surprised to see him here.

            “Yo, Roxas. Doing good?” Chixada asks, holding a hand in the air as Roxas approaches him. “No dizzy spells or high temperature?”

            “I’m doing okay.” Roxas replies, sitting on the edge. “However, I haven't seen Xion in a while… I don't suppose you happen to know where she is?” Chixada looks away, rubbing the back of his head as he lets out a sigh.

            “Sorry, Rox. But I haven’t seen her.” Roxas’s head falls dejectedly at that as Chixada looks at him. He hated to be the bearer of bad news, but today, he had to play the part. “Also, we found out what happened at Castle Oblivion.”

            “You did?” Roxas asks, looking at Chixada with hopeful eyes. “What happened? Is Axel okay?” Chixada winces at that, his expression confusing Roxas, who tilts his head in response. “Chixada?”

            “Roxas… everyone at Castle Oblivion is gone.” Chixada tells him quietly.

            “What?” Roxas asks back, shock crossing his face as Chixada nods back.

            “Yeah. Saïx just sent Numbers XV and XVI to check it out, and they found the place empty. Nothing remains of them, or even a hint that they were there in the first place.” Roxas could feel his legs give out at that, almost letting himself fall off the edge.

            “Does that mean… I’ll never see them again?” Roxas asks, turning his gaze back to the setting sun. “Even Axel?” Chixada looks at Roxas, silently debating what to say to him as he pushes himself off the wall and pats him on the shoulder.

            “Don’t give up. Who knows, Axel might have gotten out of there before things went downhill.” Chixada tells him, walking past Roxas as he pulls his hood up. “As they used to say in my old homeworld, until they find a body or proof of their passing, the case is still open.” With that, Chixada leaves the clock tower while Roxas looks over the horizon. So many questions are running through his mind that he even forgot to ask Chixada what he was doing when not on missions. But those were now the farthest from his mind as he could only think about the two people closest to him.

            Axel… Where are you? Xion… Why are you avoiding me?

            “Man… why did I agree to this?” Demyx asks, rolling his shoulders as he moves through Twilight Town’s forest. “Easy mission… yeah, right, Xigbar.” He shakes his head in annoyance, thinking back on how Xigbar told him this mission was only about taking out a few Shadow Heartless. Yeah, a few Shadow Heartless, along with several Soldier Heartless and some Red Nocturnes for good measure. If he had known this mission was going to be so hard, he would have passed and tuned his sitar, Arpeggio.

            “And now I have to walk back to find a portal to RTC? Is this some sort of punishment or something?” Demyx groans once more, rubbing between his eyes as he marches on, becoming gloomier as the seconds pass. But as he nears the walls around Twilight Town, with his RTC point nearby, a calm voice echoes from nearby, stopping his movement. “Huh? Is that singing?” He asks, hearing the singing voice from nearby. “Who the hell is singing out here?”

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Demyx follows the source of the voice, finding it leads him to a small stream that runs past Twilight Town. Not large enough to be important, but small enough to let someone have a drink if needed. It was at this river that Demyx found the source of the singing. It was Rise, sitting by the river and looking up at the sky, singing a small tune to herself, unaware of the world around her.

            Whoa… she’s got a good voice. Demyx thinks to himself, hiding in the shadows nearby as he listens to Rise sing. For some reason, hearing her sing melts away his fatigue as he silently watches her from the shadows. He soon finds himself wanting to stay there forever, at least until Rise suddenly stops and turns around with alertness in her eyes.

            “Who’s there!?” She shouts, standing up as Demyx quickly hides behind a tree.

            Uh oh! She’s onto me! Demyx mentally shouts, quickly wondering how fast he could run to the portal and avoid getting spotted, even as Rise slowly walked up to where he was hiding. But when it seemed like he was about to be found, a deer shot out from a bush and pranced away, startling Rise as she watched it run and giving Demyx a chance to silently make a break for it. Making a beeline for the dark portal, he stops to catch his breath right before it.

            “That was close… Almost turned ugly there.” He tells himself, stretching his back as the portal opens up. But even as he gets ready to go, his mind can’t help but linger on Rise, as her singing is stuck in his mind. “She really had a nice song… I wonder if I’ll see her again.” He shakes his head at that thought, quickly trying to bury it as he moves through the portal. But try as he might, the song is stuck in his mind.

And he couldn’t help but wonder if he should play his sitar the next time he sees her, if ever.

Day 71.

Once again, it was a gloomy day to start with as Roxas walked to the briefing room. News of the disaster at Castle Oblivion had long since spread over the castle, with the remaining members all having their own different reactions to it, which, to no one's surprise, were devoid of any real emotion. And if that was not bad enough, Xion was still being distant with him and had now even stopped coming back to the castle after her mission. Apparently, according to Saïx, she was on a far longer operation than normal, thus explaining her absence. Not that it helped Roxas's mood as he walked dejectedly into the main hall.

            “Huh. If it isn’t Mr. Sourpuss.” A voice comes from the right, prompting Roxas to turn his gaze. He sees Number XVI standing with his arms crossed, his hood hiding his face, while Number XV sits on the couch. “Let me guess, still moping over everyone lost in Castle Oblivion? Get real, kid.”

            “It’s nothing.” Roxas bites back, not looking Number XVI in the eye.

            “With that reaction, it sure as hell isn’t just ‘nothing’.” XVI taunts, folding his arms. “Still, the castle is far quieter now that the loudmouths are gone. I can finally have a chance to think properly. Not that any of those losers could—”

            “Xijn. Enough.” XV remarks, leaning back and pulling his hood down, letting his long platinum blond hair flow down past his shoulder, his yellow eyes turning to look at Roxas with unreadability. “It would not do to insult our fellow members for thinking about our fallen comrades. Or have you forgotten our own?” Xijn, Number XVI, lets out a sigh as he pushes back his own hood. His short dark blue hair comes free and slides to one side, while his dark blue eyes are hidden behind a pair of silver glasses.

            “Sorry, Yaxkata.” Xijn replies to Number XV, Yaxkata, who nods back before leaning back on the couch and closing his eyes. Xijn turns back to Roxas, folding his arms as he flicks his head over at Saïx. “Hurry up and get your mission. Numbers XVIII and XIX have already gotten theirs.” Roxas looks at Saïx, catching a glimpse of Numbers XVIII and XIX as they leave through a portal of darkness each. Without a word, Roxas walks up to Saïx, who lets out a grunt before motioning with his left hand to the side, with Chixada walking up with his hood down.

            “Roxas. You and Chixada shall leave for Twilight Town.” Saïx tells Roxas, much to his surprise about Chixada joining him. “There have been sightings of spheres of darkness appearing on the sides of buildings. Eliminate them before they grow and destroy the world.” Without replying, Roxas nods back as Chixada opens a portal of darkness. Without a word, the two move through the portal, finding themselves in the tram area of Twilight Town, where they can easily see several dark blobs forming on parts of the buildings.

            “I hope the people are alright.” Roxas admits, summoning Kingdom Key while Chixada readies his gun.

            “If they are smart, they will stay indoors.” Chixada replies, just as several Heartless appear before them, and he lets out a smirk. “Now this won’t do. How about we have a little help?” With a snap of his fingers, orbs of silver and white manifest around him as eight Nobodies appear. Four of them are the Samurai who stuck by Roxas, but the other four are brand new to him. With long, lanky arms, a thin body covered by a large cloak, and a wide hat with a silver feather in it, they wield large bows that are just as tall as they are. “Let’s get this over with! Let my Rangers and your Samurai deal with the Heartless while we destroy the orbs!”

            “Right!” Roxas shouts, rushing forward with Chixada while the Nobodies charge against the Heartless. The Samurai take point while the Rangers stand back, firing dark blue arrows at the Heartless as the Samurai slowly carve into them with slow but heavy attacks. As for Roxas and Chixada, they find the orbs surprisingly easy to deal with, taking them out one by one without much issue. Soon enough, they manage to clear the tram area and are already rushing up the alleyway towards the rain station with the final orb waiting for them. But just as they reach it, a Large Body, along with eight Shadows and five Soldiers, appears before them, blocking their way as Roxas lets out a growl.

            “Out of the way!” Roxas shouts, pointing the Kingdom Key at them as Chixada walks forward. An azure glow surrounds him as he shakes his head at the Heartless.

            “Do they really think these guys can stop us? Well, how about I show them not to mess with us!? Persona!” Chixada cries, confusing Roxas for a second until blue flames rush up behind Chixada. It was there for only a second until a glowing red blade attached to a red and black metal bar emerged from the flames. The bar itself was connected to a very long and large handle, which was black with red wrapping around it, while its wielder emerged from the flames. Dressed in a blood-red coat soaked in black, with a black headband connected to a red mask with a glowing yellow maw and eyes, black clawed hands soaked in red, and a black undersuit, trousers, and bladed boots, all stained in red.

            “What the—?” Roxas remarks, eyes wide as the being hovers behind Chixada, who smirks at the Heartless with a devilish grin.

            “I may be without a heart, but I still have my other self! Magatsu-Izanagi! Magatsu Mandala!” Without a word, Magatsu-Izanagi unleashes the attack on the Heartless, blasting them all with heavy Curse magic that washes over them like a red and black tide. It even manages to hit the dark orb on the side of the building, wiping it out in one go as Roxas looks on in amazement. “Heh… still got it.” Chixada remarks as his Persona returns to the empty void inside him.

            “What was that?” Roxas asks, walking up to Chixada with wide eyes. “What did you just do?” Chixada looks at Roxas, rubbing the side of his head as he ponders how to explain this. At least, until he sees a familiar person behind Roxas.

            “If you really want to know, then let's have the three of us talk over ice cream.” Chixada replies, confusing Roxas until a familiar voice echoes behind him.

            “Hey, Roxas!” Roxas spins around, eyes wide as Axel appears from around a corner. A wide smile is on his face as he walks up. “It’s been a while. And what’s up with that look? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

            “Axel…” Roxas breathes, rubbing his eyes for a moment before realizing that Axel was standing before him. “I heard that everyone at Castle Oblivion got annihilated… Yaxkata and Xijn even went and investigated and found no one there!”

            “Heh. Well, not me, though. I’m tough.” Axel replies with a grin. “Although I did get pretty banged up earlier. Had to recover until I could RTC again once I got out of there. Sorry it took me so long to get back.”

            “You had me worried!” Roxas shouts, shaking his head as Axel tilts his head.

            “Worried? We Nobodies don’t have the heart to be worried.” Axel replies, shaking his head. “Anyway, how about you go buy some ice cream, and we can talk at the usual spot about Chixada’s special powers?” With an excited grin, Roxas rushes off to grab some ice cream as Chixada walks up to Axel, pulling his hood over his head once more.

            “So, have you made up your mind?” He asks as Axel lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head.

            “To be honest… no, I haven’t.” Axel replies honestly. “But… something tells me I will. Sooner or later.” He looks back at the alleyway, Roxas’s footsteps echoing in the distance. “And the sooner I figure out which road I’ll take, the better. But first, I gotta check in with the boss and let him know what’s happened.” Chixada shakes his head at that, leaning against the wall as he looks up at the sky.

            “Y'know, Roxas started inviting Xion up to the clock tower for ice cream after you went on your mission.”

            “He did?” Axel replies, surprise in his voice.

            “Yep. Those two are certainly friends. Xion kept coming in to check on Roxas while he was knocked out after her missions.” Chixada admits, looking at Axel. “And Roxas even promised that all four of us would eat ice cream together when you got back.”

            “Did he now?” Axel remarks, shaking his head. “Putting words in my mouth already? Thanks, Rox…” He lets out a sigh, leaning against the wall as he glances up. “Still, won’t Rox be surprised when he learns about Personas? I knew that you and Numbers XV, XVI, and XVIII could use them, but seeing them in action is something else. And being on the other side of one as well.”

            “Other side of one?” Chixada replies, raising an eyebrow, just as Roxas comes back with three ice creams.

            “I'll tell you later.” Axel replies. “Can't say what happened at Castle Oblivion to Roxas… yet.” Chixada nods back, understanding his situation as the three of them head off towards the clock tower with some major catching up to do.

Along with a long explanation behind Chixada’s powers.

Chapter Text

Chapter 27: Rapid Promotions.

            “Heh… man, did I miss this view.” Axel remarks, looking over Twilight Town with Roxas and Chixada as the three of them eat ice cream. “Never had a chance to chill back at Castle Oblivion.” Roxas looks at Axel, his eyes still not believing that he is there with a smile on his face until he remembers what Chixada did back in the alleyway.

            “Chixada… what was that thing you used back in the alleyway?” Roxas asks, looking over at Chixada with his hood down. “I don’t remember anyone at the Organization ever using something like that.”

            “Heh… I would've been the unique one if I were the only one who utilized it.” Chixada remarks, looking up at the sky. “Apart from me, only three others can use a Persona. But it's not like any of us even asked to be given one in the first place.”

            “A… Persona?” Roxas asks, tilting his head at Chixada. “What is that?” Chixada lets out a hum, thinking about the best way to explain this to Roxas. To be honest, even he didn’t really understand how it works, since he was just given his. Or at least, that’s what he was told.

            “Let’s see… a Persona is basically our other half.” Chixada remarks, confusing Roxas even more. “Yeah… figured you’d look at me like that. Okay, so this is what I was told by a frenemy back on my home world. You see, there are two sides to everyone. You have your ‘Real Self’, which is basically yourself…” Chixada motions to himself as Roxas slowly nods along. “…and your ‘Shadow Self’.”

            “Shadow Self? Like… a Heartless?” Roxas asks.

            “Nah, not a Heartless.” Chixada shakes a hand in front of his face. “They look like you, but they represent all the things you keep bottled up inside you, such as resentment, anger, and frustration. In a sense, they express all these qualities since they are you, and they don't hold back on letting it all out. I suppose you could call them your inner darkness in that way, but the difference is that instead of the Shadow Self being manifested from the darkness inside one's heart, they manifest from the darkness of one's soul or will.”

            “As if that makes it any easier to understand.” Axel replies, shaking his head in good nature while Chixada shrugs his shoulders.

            “Hey, I’m just telling you what I’ve been told.” Chixada remarks before looking back at Roxas. “Anyway, going back to your question on what a Persona actually is, it is your own Shadow Self, or Personal Shadow, as some kids call it, that is no longer in conflict with you but instead working together with you. When you reach an understanding with your other half, that is when they become a Persona, their true power.”

            “I see… I think.” Roxas replies, tilting his head to the side hesitantly. “And since it’s not from your heart, you can still use it?”

            “Yep.” Chixada replies, folding his arms as he tosses away the empty ice cream stick. “Not that I’m complaining. Magatsu-Izanagi is my partner. Without him… I would feel emptier than I do without a heart.” Roxas looks out to the horizon, letting Chixada’s words echo in his mind as Axel follows his gaze.

            “Y’know, I gotta check in with the boss, or he’s gonna let me have it.” Axel suddenly admits, drawing a surprised gasp from Roxas while Chixada shakes his head.

            “You haven’t reported back yet?” He asks, with Axel letting out a nervous laugh. “Why not? Why did you come back here instead?”

            “Well… I guess I just needed to sort out my feelings." Axel admits. "Not that we have feelings, but what happened back at Castle Oblivion has given me a lot to think about, y'know? Still am, to be honest. What went down there… it was a lot." Roxas falls silent, turning his gaze out to the horizon, all while trying to process everything that Chixada told him.

            “Oh yeah, almost slipped my mind. What's this I hear from Chixada about you inviting Xion up here for ice cream, Rox? And if what he said is true, how did that end up happening?" Axel asks, wanting to know the full story of how his two friends ended up befriending Number XIV as Roxas turns to him with a big smile on his face while letting out a chuckle.

            “Well, you see, it all started when…" And as Roxas tells Axel about his and Chixada's first few missions with Xion, Chixada glances silently at Axel, recalling the words Axel had spoken just a minute ago.

He knew why Axel took so long to reveal himself, and it seemed he was still thinking about that.

Day 72.

            “This place hasn’t changed one bit…” Axel remarks, glancing out his bedroom window. “Well… maybe it has. Just for the worse.” He shakes his head, lamenting the loss of three of their members as his door opens, with Saïx entering his room with a less-than-amused expression.

            “Why didn’t you report in?” He asks immediately, his question rubbing Axel the wrong way as he looks over at him.

            “What? Not even one little word of appreciation?” Axel asks rhetorically. “After everything I did for you and our Superior? That’s cold, Saïx.”

            “The only thing I heard is that Naminé and Hikari have gone missing.” Saïx replies in a cold tone. “Not only that, but there is no trace of Sora or the Phantom Thieves. What happened, Axel?”

            “How should I know?” Axel replies, shrugging his shoulders. “They were there one minute and gone the next. I have no idea how they got out.” Saïx lets out a huff of annoyance as Axel folds his arms. “By the way, Marluxia tried to have Naminé mess with Sora’s memories to make him his puppet. But Sora was immune to her powers.”

            “He was?” Saïx asks, his eyes actually widening at the news.

            “Yep. All she could do was add memories, but nothing else.” Axel replies, his arms dropping to his sides. “From what I managed to overhear, her powers revolve around cognition or something. And since Sora has a Persona, he is immune to that type of manipulation.”

            “I see…” Saïx replies, his face returning to normal. “This is… most unexpected. Lord Xemnas will be most interested to learn about this. And Number XIX.”

            “Number XIX? Why would she be interested?” Axel asks, raising an eyebrow as Saïx glances at him.

            “It is of no matter.” Saïx dismisses. “What of the chamber? Did you manage to find that, at least?”

            “Are you kidding? You know how difficult it is to explore that place.” Axel replies, shaking his head. “And I would have told you that much if we had found it. But I gotta hand it to you. The fact that you were able to immediately assume that Marluxia and Larxene were the traitors… you knew what was up from the start. I just wish it didn't cost Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion their lives.”

            “I merely rounded up and sent off the ones who were getting in the way. Are their deaths regrettable? Yes, they would be, if we could feel. But it is good to see you make it back, at least.” Saïx turns on his feet, moving for the door before pausing mid-stride. “One more thing… have you seen a strange ship near Twilight Town? Number XVIII reportedly saw something appear over the town before losing track of it. He believes it to be the trick of the setting sun.”

            “A strange ship? Nope. I didn’t see anything like that.” Axel replies, shrugging his shoulders as Saïx lets out a hum before leaving. As he does, Axel lets out a sigh as he looks out the window. “Well, I hope that helps you out, Sora. You’re lucky to still be alive after that attack from Marluxia.” Axel shakes his head, closing his eyes as he lets out another sigh. “What the hell is up with me? Why am I acting like this toward Sora and his friends? Either way, I’ve moved things along just the way you wanted, Saïx. But how much longer are you going to drag me along…?”

Walking into the main room, Roxas didn’t know what was going to happen today. But he certainly felt lighter now that Axel was back. That, and seeing Xijn and Number XVIII let out groans of annoyance that he was still alive, brought a smile to his face. Demyx also looked happy to see him, but it didn’t seem as fake as it usually did. Still, Xion had not made an appearance for quite a long while. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen her for the past few weeks.

            What’s wrong with Xion? Roxas couldn’t help but ask himself as he looked around the main hall. He could see Number X talking to Number XIX while Demyx was looking over his sitar with a distracted expression. But no Xion. Not that he had time to think, as Axel walked up to him with a goofy-looking grin.

            “Get this, Roxas. They paired me with you today as a ‘slap on the wrist’. Funny way of doing a punishment, am I right?”

            “Pairing us up?” Roxas asks back. “Not that I’m against it, but why me? And why am I called a ‘slap on the wrist’ anyway?” He didn’t know why, but he had this strange feeling inside him at being called a ‘slap on the wrist’. Not that he had any idea what it was.

            “Well, they just know how much I loathe babysitting. And apparently pairing me up with Chixada is a recipe for disaster, or so they say.” Axel rubs the back of his head. “Still, would it kill them to give me a day off? Look at the bags under my eyes.” He points dramatically at his eyes as Roxas lets out a chuckle. “Anyway, let’s go, partner. Today we’re heading to Agrabah.”

            “Again…? Why are they sending us back to that world? It’s way too hot.” Roxas asks with a whine as Axel lets out a dramatic sigh.

            “That is a good question. No one here likes visiting that world.” With that agreement between them, the two move through a dark portal, once more entering the sandy streets of Agrabah. This time, they appear in the shade rather than out in the sun.

            “Sheesh… even in the shade, the heat is still bad.” Axel remarks, shaking his head. “And fire is my element. You’d think I’d love this. Whaddaya say we make this quick?”

            “Yeah.” Roxas agrees quickly, not wanting to spend another minute out in the heat. But before he could step forward, movement nearby caught his eye as he pressed into the shadows.

            “What’s up?” Axel asks, seeing Roxas tense up before following his gaze. “Uh oh. Unwanted company.” Quickly pushing himself against the wall, the two look on as their ‘guests’ walk past them. And an unlikely duo as well.

One looked to be a giant walking fat cat wearing what seemed to be armour coloured in shades of blue and purple over a red, short-sleeved shirt with a vertical pink stripe descending from the neck. He wore navy-blue and white sneakers with light blue fronts and two periwinkle straps keeping each one secure. His pants were also navy blue, with light blue lining, purple lower legs, and two enormous pouches on either front side.

These pouches are attached to his pants by four pins, each sporting a silver horizontal zip. The most distinguishing feature of these pants is the comically large zip going down the front and reaching around to the backside of the pants.

Then there are the two navy blue pauldrons, each sporting two cyan bumps and a periwinkle area near the lower section of each shoulder. Two gold buttons at the top of his pants connect to two blue suspenders that intersect over his chest before connecting to two similar, albeit smaller, buttons on his shoulder pauldrons. He is also wearing a pair of fingerless gauntlets. The wrists of these gauntlets are light blue with a pale yellow semicircle on top, while the gloves are periwinkle with a bump on each knuckle. There is a dark blue-green design on the back of each glove, descending from each knuckle to the end of the glove.

As for the person walking next to him, he looked to be a spoiled rich person with brown hair and eyes, wearing a white business suit over a violet undershirt with a black tie. He was wearing some black armour with gold trimming over his arms and shins, with two purple pauldrons with red trimming protecting his shoulders, and a short black cape with a red interior and golden decals around the edge. A metal breastplate made of black and purple metal with gold indents protected his chest, while a pair of black and purple, sinister-looking claws rested on his hips.

            “Who are they?” Roxas asks Axel in a quiet voice.

            “Dunno… never seen them before.” Axel replies in an equally quiet voice as the large cat lets out an annoyed groan.

            “Where is it? It’s gotta be around here somewheres…” He rubs the back of his head, turning to his smaller companion. “Hasn’t any of those Demons gotten back to ya, Sugimura?”

            “Of course not, Pete.” Sugimura replies in an irritated tone. “Do you think we would just be wandering around like fools if they had?” Pete lets out a harrumph as Sugimura emits an annoyed sigh. “I was so thankful when Maleficent rescued me from the void, even more so when Ikutsuki gave me the power to command Demons. And yet, to be paired up with you, the most clownish fool I have ever seen…”

            “Don’t you start dat with me!” Pete shouts, pointing a finger at him. “You’re only here because of our dear Maleficent! So quit your whinin’ and help me find it! After all, once we find the lamp down there, ALL of our wishes will come true!”

            “Yes…" Sugimura replies, a dark grin forming on his face. "And Haru will once more be my own personal toy. Oh, the fun I will have with her…" Pete and Sugimura chuckle at each other as they head off through the empty streets of Agrabah, unaware that they are being watched from the shadows.

            “A lamp? Why do they think a lamp will do to help grant them wishes?” Axel asks rhetorically.

            “Maybe it’s a special lamp?” Roxas asks, grabbing Axel’s attention. “When I was here by myself, I overheard some merchants talking about how some lamps have genies inside them that can grant three wishes.”

            “Is that so?” Axel replies, eyes wide for a moment before narrowing. “In that case, maybe it could help us and our missions. Change of plan, Roxas. Our mission today is to follow Lunkhead and Richbrat there.”

            “Are you sure?” Roxas asks in surprise. “But what about the Heartless we need to take out?”

            “We can take them out along the way, or after we find out where those two are going. Besides, looking into any suspicious characters you come across is an important part of the job. And those two fit the bill perfectly. Got it memorized?" While Roxas nods his head, their plan then gets interrupted as a Pixie suddenly appears before Pete and Sugimura—something that Roxas and Axel are surprised to see.

            “What is that thing? Is that supposed to be some sort of Heartless?" Roxas asks, confusion written on his face.

            “Nah, I don't think so." Axel replies, shaking his head. "Those two mentioned something about Demons just now. However… that thing does NOT look like a Demon whatsoever. That creature more or less looks like a fairy of all things." As the two Organization members begin to ponder what they had just seen in their heads, the Pixie proceeds to whisper something to Sugimura.

            “Is that so? Why, thank you.” He replies in a curt tone, the Pixie nodding to him before vanishing as Sugimura turns to look at a wall. “Our path is beyond there.”

            “You don’t say.” Pete remarks, walking up to the wall and giving it a look over before noticing one of the bricks jutting out rather suspiciously. With a tap of his giant fist, Pete nudges the brick back into place as the entire wall shakes and opens up. “Open sesames!”

            “How dramatic…” Sugimura remarks, rolling his eyes as the two enter the wall, unaware that Roxas and Axel are slowly walking after them.

            “A hidden door in the middle of the city? Why?” Roxas asks, poking his head into the opening. “Where does it even lead?”

            “I think our friends are about to show us.” Axel replies, walking in and glancing down the hall. “Let’s see how far this rabbit hole will go.” And so, like silent mice, Roxas and Axel follow after Pete and Sugimura, although they quickly find themselves walking through the vast desert outside of Agrabah, much to their chagrin. But regardless, they follow after them, keeping a good distance even as the sky starts to grow dark. Eventually, they find out what the two were looking for as they stumble upon a large cavern in the shape of a lion’s mouth.

            “Huh… I never knew something like this even existed.” Roxas comments as he and Axel walk down the stairs inside the lion’s mouth.

            “Well, ain’t this a nice little bonus for us.” Axel comments as the two enter a large chamber, only to quickly find a small problem. “Looks like we’ve lost our targets… guess we lagged behind.”

            “So, do we switch back to collecting hearts?” Roxas asks, just as several Heartless appear before them. “I think that answers that!”

            “Well, let’s kick it into high gear, Rox!” Axel shouts as the two summon their weapons to their sides. Without any hesitation, the two dive into battle as they switch back to their original mission. But even as they battle the Heartless, they can’t help but wonder where those other two have vanished off to.

And why they needed a magic lamp in the first place.

Day 74.

Once again, Roxas enters the main hall with the intent of seeing someone. But as he scans the room, he still cannot find any trace of Xion anywhere, other than seeing Numbers III and X lounging around the place while Saïx stands in his usual spot.

            “Where is she?” He asks himself, rubbing the back of his head as Axel and Chixada walk up to him.

            “What’s up, Roxas?” Axel asks, seeing the expression on his face.

            “Are you thinking about Xion?” Chixada asks, folding his arms. “Can't say I blame you. For me, it has been around ten days since anyone last saw her properly.”

            “For real?” Axel asks, folding his arms. “That’s surprising to hear.” Roxas lets out a sigh, his gaze falling to the floor as he kicks the ground in mild frustration.

            “I just… I can’t help but wonder what happened to her.” Axel looks at Roxas, seeing him look so alone as he glances at the ground.

            “I think I might have an idea.” Chixada suddenly comments, grabbing both of their attention. “Just before she started going distant, Xion told me she had a mission in Twilight Town. Sure, sometimes a mission has us camp out at a spot for a while, but nothing as long as this.” Chixada folds his arms, glancing up at Saïx. “I’ll go and ask Saïx about it. If things go well, our mission will be finding Xion today instead of more heart collecting.”

            “Well, it will certainly be helpful for one of us.” Axel comments, glancing at Roxas. “But don’t expect Saïx to just tell you outright. You know how picky he is about spilling the beans.”

            “Oh, I know.” Chixada replies, folding his arms. “But I’ll find out. One way or another.” With that, he separates himself from the duo, walking towards Saïx with a purpose as Axel glances at Roxas.

            “There is no way that Saïx is going to agree to this.”

In a back alley in Twilight Town, a portal of darkness opens up with Roxas, Axel, and Chixada walking out onto the street. The gentle rays of the sun fall over them as Roxas glances around for Xion while Axel lets out a sigh.

            “I can’t believe he actually agreed to this.”

            “Told you I could get it.” Chixada gloats, folding his arms. “Now then… where would Xion be? Her mission was to take out a large Heartless, so looking inside the town is out of the question.”

            “So does that mean we should look in the forest?” Roxas asks.

            “It’s as good a place as any.” Chixada replies. “After all, if it were inside the town, we would have seen it when we were up on the clock tower.”

            “He’s right about that.” Axel agrees, nodding his head along. “If a giant Heartless was prowling around Twilight Town, we would have seen it when we stopped for ice cream.”

            “Bingo.” Chixada replies, snapping his fingers. “Leaving only one place for us to look.” Roxas glances out at the forest outside of Twilight Town. He can’t help but wonder why Xion is still out there, if she is out there. But other than that, something else about that forest is calling out to him.

Something… familiar.

            “Well, let’s stop wasting time and go check it out.” Axel comments, walking out of the alley. “Xion’s not coming home faster if we’re just waiting around here.” Roxas nods, chasing after Axel as Chixada pulls his hood up. With one purpose, the three move to the forest outside of Twilight Town, moving through a hole in the wall that was not being patched up anytime soon. Or it was being made into an entranceway for some reason.

Regardless, the trio entered the woods outside, the trees towering over them as the sun's gentle rays shone through the branches, coating everything in a warm orange glow shaded by dark shadows. It was hard to tell if the trees were green or gold from the sun’s rays, but despite Roxas wanting to pause and admire the beauty, he had a mission. As they made their way through the forest, something soon cut through the air like a knife through butter.

The sound of an explosion.

            “What was that!?” Roxas shouts as Axel and Chixada narrow their eyes, both of them recognising that sound easily.

            “That sound… it’s magic from a Persona! Fire magic from the sound of it.” Chixada remarks, his gun coming to his side. “Must be the folks from my world caught in a fight.”

            “Then let's help them!” Roxas shouts, summoning the Kingdom Key to his side. “They might have even seen Xion!”

            “Hey, Rox!” Axel shouts as Roxas rushes ahead, even as he summons his chakrams to his side. “Always on the move, huh?” He asks rhetorically as he and Chixada chase after him.

            “At this point, it’s who he is!” Chixada replies as the two race after Roxas, the sound of combat growing louder as they rush through the trees before finding themselves at a large mansion nestled in the forest. But while the mansion looks nice, it is the battle happening right outside that has their attention. A large black chameleon-type Heartless is currently engaged in a fight with Yu, Yukiko, Teddie, and Rise, while Nanako looks on from the wall. From the look of things, four more of them are fighting inside the mansion walls against more Heartless, while an old man stands at the door, firing his gun wherever he can.

            “You think that is our target?” Roxas asks Axel, who nods back.

            “Yeah, it is.” He replies, glancing over at Yu as he jumps back, summoning a card to his side.

            “Persona!” He shouts, summoning a warrior to his side that catches both Roxas and Axel off guard. It looks almost exactly like Chixada’s Persona, but instead of being covered in blood, it is dressed in black, silver, and grey while looking far more regal and in control—something that Chixada himself was not expecting to see, considering what he remembered Yu’s Persona looked like before. “Izanagi! Zionga!” With a slash of his blade, Yu blasts the Heartless with Elect magic, earning a cry of pain from the creature as it leaps back from them.

            “They are good, but they can’t kill it without the Keyblade.” Axel remarks to Roxas. “Sure, they can destroy it, but the heart won’t be freed, and it will reform in time.”

            “Then let's give them a hand!” Roxas shouts, rushing forward as Axel shakes his head before following after them. Chixada remains quiet but races in to help as the Heartless unleashes blasts of light from its eyes. One of the shots streams towards Nanako until it is blasted away by Chixada. His attack grabs the attention of the four Persona users as Roxas lands a hit on the Heartless, drawing its aggro as it tries to hit him with its tail.

            “Who are you?!” Yukiko asks Axel as he appears next to them, sending his fire-infused chakrams sailing toward the Heartless as he shoots her a smirk.

            “No one special! Just a couple of guys looking for a lost friend!” He replies, leaping away as the Heartless once more fires beams of light from its eyes.

            “We appreciate the help!" Yu shouts, holding his blade with both hands. "This Heartless won't leave us alone!" Roxas lets out a cry, slamming the Kingdom Key against the Heartless's side, only to receive a kick to the gut in reply. As he rolls along the floor, the Heartless attempts to attack him, only for Teddie to jump between them both, a Tarot card appearing in his hands.

            “Kintoki-Douji! Bufula!" Slashing the card in his bear-like claw, which Roxas and Axel are only now noticing is part of some sort of costume, Teddie summons his Persona to his side. A large, rotund warrior dressed in red and blue, with a large blue cape, holds a large white tomahawk missile of all things before sending out a blast of ice at the Heartless, forcing it back just as a fireball slams into its side from the trees.

            “Who was that?” Rise asks, holding on to what looks to be a microphone stand along with a mic while guarding Nanako. A bit strange for her to use, but then again, Yukiko was holding a pair of fans. Her question was soon answered as Xion came running out of the woods, her eyes locked on the Heartless as she sent a blast of ice at it. While Roxas was happy to see her again, there was something that caught his attention: Xion didn’t have her Keyblade out.

            “Xion!” Roxas shouts, watching as she ducks under a tail swing and calls down thunder on the Heartless. But her attack doesn't faze the Heartless as it forces itself through the attack and hits Xion with one of its hands, sending her flying into the wall next to Nanako as Yukiko rushes up to her side. “XION!”

            “Roxas!” Axel shouts, tackling him out of the way as the Heartless lands seconds later where he was standing. “Focus on the Heartless first! Once it’s down, then we can tend to Xion!” Roxas, a bit dazed, nods back as he changes his target to the Heartless just as Yukiko rushes up to Xion.

            “Konohana Sakuya. Diarama.” Yukiko intones, summoning her other self as a tall woman, dressed in a red and cream dress, a white skirt, black and pink leggings, and large pink feather shields on each arm, appears behind her. Without wasting a beat, she heals Xion of her injuries as Xion lets out a groan from the impact while Nanako watches on helplessly.

            “I hate this.” She tells herself, looking over her shoulder as she watches Yu and Roxas fight side by side, while Teddie pairs up with Axel as Rise rushes to the field.

            “Himiko! Psio!” Rise calls out as a woman with skin as black as the night forms behind her. Dressed in a long white cloak and holding a strange golden object in her hands, her face looks like the cross of a telescope and a solar panel. With a silent word, she holds up the golden object, sending out psionic waves at the Heartless as it thrashes about in anger.

            I’m always left on the sidelines, Nanako tells herself as Yukiko rushes back into the fight. I’m always the one who needs saving. No matter if it was back during the Inaba Murders, when our home fell, or even here in Twilight Town, I’m always the one who needs saving. I can’t even help in a fight, even if I want to! Nanako looks up at Xion, who is still unconscious from the hit, before looking back at the fight, as a pained cry from Yu snaps her out of her thoughts.

            “Yu!” Yukiko shouts, rushing to help, only to have several Shadow Heartless appear before her and block her path. The larger Heartless, seeing Yu pushing himself back up, rears itself back as it charges up light in its eyes, while more Lesser Heartless appear to distract the others. But as Yu pushes himself back up, he is suddenly surprised to see Nanako rush to place herself between him and the Heartless.

            “Nanako!? What are you doing!? Get out of here!” Yu shouts, shocked to see her standing as the Heartless continues to charge up magic in its eyes. “You can’t do anything against it!”

            “I'm not running!" Nanako shouts back, eyes fixed on the Heartless. "All my life, I've been nothing but a damsel, waiting to be rescued! Whether it be during the Inaba Murders, when we lost our home to the Heartless, or even walking around Twilight Town, I've always been the one who needed saving! But not this time!" She holds up both her hands, glaring at the Heartless with anger. "This time, it's my turn to protect you, Big Bro! After everything you did to bridge the gap between me and my Dad, it's my turn to help you!" Yu's eyes widen and soften at Nanako, even as the Heartless continues to charge up magic in its eyes. Even if she was sincere with her words, there wasn't anything she could do to stop—

My, how long have I waited to hear that?

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9APGl1dSaw8 : Awakening)

With a gasp of shock, Nanako feels her legs almost give out as a small pulse echoes around her. Not large enough or impactful, but just enough that Yu could feel something within Nanako stir.

For your entire life, you have been nothing but an outsider.

Looking into a story that you had forgotten about.

Brought back to the fold only when needed.

Nanako struggles to stand, falling to one knee as she grasps her head, feeling the pain of an electrified sword piercing into her brain while Yu stands to his feet.

But now, you have your chance to step into the light.

Tell me, do you have the will to step beyond your role?

To no longer be the helpless damsel, beholden to another’s plot?

            “You already know that answer, right? I’m done being helpless!” Glaring up at the Heartless, Nanako’s eyes glow a bright yellow. Her gaze catches Roxas’s attention instantly as he looks over in shock.

            “Nanako!? What’s wrong with your eyes!?” Roxas’s cry caught the attention of everyone else as they all stared at Nanako in shock, while Xion just woke up to see Nanako slowly stand back up.

That we are.

I am thou… thou art I…

Cast off the chains that have bound you to the past!

For it is time that we carve our own path to the future, together!

And in a flash of light, a mask forms on Nanako’s face. The left half looks to be a yellow flower, fully sprouting, while the right half seems to be made of two large leaves, with a vine connecting the two halves along the top and bottom. As Nanako grasps the mask with one hand, the Heartless fires its attack right at her, just as Ryotaro and the rest of the Investigation Team come running out from the mansion courtyard.

            “NANAKO!”

“PERSONA!!”

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BNXe3QSLfM : Willpower.)

With a loud cry, Nanako rips the mask from her face, engulfing her in a pillar of fire and nullifying the attacks from the Heartless. While everyone looks on in shock, Nanako steps out from the fire. She now wears a dark blue sleeveless yukata that stops at her knees, with cyan armour over her shoulders and a sky-blue obi sash around her waist. A pair of dark blue wooden sandals covers her feet, along with dark blue leggings that trail up her legs. Her arms are protected by removable cloth strips, the same colour as her yukata, while a katana manifests at her hip, along with a laser rifle on her back.

Hovering behind her in azure flames was a tall woman, wearing attire that was strikingly similar to what Nanako was wearing but in various shades of green and dark green, with several additions. Vines with leaves growing out of them travelled up her legs and arms, and a large yellow flower rested on her shoulder. Her skin looked red with white seeds, her eyes a glowing green, while her long black hair was filled with ivy. Hovering to her side was a spinning wheel, with a thread of wool floating around it, while slices of watermelon floated above her head.

            “Nanako…?” Xion asks, rubbing her eyes in disbelief as Roxas does the same.

            “What did Nanako do?” Roxas asks Axel, who shrugs his shoulders. Yet, his eyes tell a different story while Chixada, with his hood up, watches on with both amazement and amusement.

            So, the girl who died now has the power to fight? Good on you, Nanako. Now, show me what you can do. He mentally tells himself, catching Yu’s proud smile on his face before looking over to Ryotaro. Be proud, Boss. Your daughter is not a fledgling any more. She can take care of herself.

            “Nanako-chan… has awakened to a Persona!” Chie shouts in surprise as Ryotaro looks at his daughter with a sense of awe before quickly shifting to pride as Nanako stares down the Heartless.

            “I’m not a helpless bystander any more! This time, I’m fighting beside my brother and my friends, no matter what! Uriko-Hime! Agi!” Drawing her katana, Nanako commands her Persona to attack the Heartless. And while it is a weak spell, it is still enough to burn one of the eyes of the Heartless as it rears its head back, just as Axel tosses his chakrams into its side, followed by Chixada firing his gun right at its tail.

Distracted, the Heartless did not see Yukiko and Teddie coming in from the side, lashing out with their spells at the Heartless’s underbelly as Nanako sent out a Garu spell, joined by a Psio from Rise, as the Heartless was flipped onto its side. Disoriented, the Heartless tried to push itself back up, only for Yu and Roxas to come in from above, dragging their weapons into the exposed stomach.

But while the damage was great, it wasn’t enough to kill it, as it managed to push the two away. As it got ready to attack again, Chie rushed in and delivered a hard kick to the Heartless’s face, flipping back into the air as she summoned a Tarot card.

            “Payback time! Tomoe! Gale Slash!” Kicking the card with her foot, Chie summons her Persona to the field: a mighty female being clad in a skintight yellow suit with white boots, a large armoured skirt, a double-bladed naginata spear, and long black hair under a metal cone helmet. Without wasting a beat, Tomoe lashes out with two slashes, each one infused with wind as they slam into the Heartless. Nanako lands a blow with her katana, and Xion, having managed to recover, sends out a burst of fire at the Heartless as Yosuke and Kanji rush in, Tarot cards forming in their hands.

            “Jiraiya! Garula!”

            “Take-Mikazuchi! Fatal End!”

Behind Kanji, a massive giant of dark steel with a skeleton painted on the armour and bronze pipes running under its arms and legs, a giant yellow thunderbolt manifests in its left hand before lashing out with said thunderbolt. It manages to score a large cut on the Heartless.

While behind Yosuke, a tall, lanky being in a white suit and shoes, with two large yellow stars in his hands, a long red scarf, a large golden V-fin on his chest, and a black face that had two large circular ears and yellow crosses for eyes, holds its two hands together and sends a powerful gust of wind at the Heartless. Just as Chixada fires his gun at the Heartless, weakening it further.

            “It’s almost down! Stay alert!” Naoto shouts, summoning her own card as Axel tosses his chakrams at the Heartless. “Sukuna-Hikona! Rising Slash!” Shooting the card with her gun, Naoto summons her Persona: a being with white bandages wrapped around its legs, brown shoes, and a navy blue coat with a white and blue wing on the back. He has a large, bulbous blue head with yellow eyebrows and a very long, large blue beam sabre in his right hand. The beam sabre is used to deliver a powerful strike at the Heartless as Nanako lands a hit alongside Yu and Yukiko, with the latter two slashing at the Heartless with their katana and fan, respectively, while Nanako fires her laser rifle at it to knock it off balance.

As the Heartless stumbles backward, its wounds finally catching up to it, Roxas charges forward with the Kingdom Key, leaping into the air and driving it down into its head from above. The Heartless lets out a cry of pain from the attack, struggling to shake Roxas off before it finally goes still. Seconds later, it vanishes into darkness, the captured heart inside it floating high into the sky as everyone takes a moment to breathe. Well, apart from one of them.

            “Xion!” Roxas shouts, rushing over to Xion, who has collapsed to one knee. “Are you okay?”

            “Yeah…” Xion replies, although in a weary voice. “I’m fine… Thank you.”

            “That is what we should be saying as well.” Yu comments, walking up to Roxas along with Nanako and Yukiko while the rest all hang out at the entrance. “We were struggling for a moment there, but thanks to you, our home is now safe again.” Roxas lets out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head while Xion looks at the ground with a bit of a guilty look. As for Axel, he is shaking his head at the two while quickly noting that Chixada has already made himself scarce, no doubt heading to the clock tower to get some ice cream for them.

            “Sorry to cut this short, but we need to head back.” Axel cuts in, walking up to Yu. “These two need a good rest after that fight. That, and I don’t think any of us want to face another Heartless like that again.” Yu glances at Yukiko, who gives him a silent nod as he looks back at Axel.

            “Well, you won’t find us complaining about that.” Yu replies, folding his arms. “Just be safe on your way back, yeah? There might be more of those hiding out in the forest.”

            “Don’t worry. We’ll keep our eyes open.” Axel promises as he gently nudges Roxas and Xion away from them. But as they leave, Nanako steps out, calling out to the two as she waves her hand.

            “Roxas! Xion! Let’s meet up again sometime and talk! We’ve got a lot to catch up on!” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, both taken aback by Nanako’s offer as the two look back and nod at her. Even if it wasn’t a verbal agreement, it still put a smile on her face as Roxas and Xion left with Axel. And it was right then that the post-awakening fatigue kicked in, with Yu catching her just as she fell while her attire vanished in blue flames. “I’m… tired?”

            “Just like what Ren and the others said would happen.” Yu remarks, shaking his head as he looks back at the mansion. His eyes fall on one of the windows as he makes out seventeen figures looking down from above, their visages clouded and almost invisible if one didn’t know they were there. “I wonder how they reacted to see you awaken.”

            “They could have at least helped instead of watching!” Chie grumbles, shaking her head as Yosuke lets out a sigh.

            “You know they can't leave the mansion and help. They might get spotted by the Organization." He tells her as Chie lets out an annoyed groan.

            “Still, it's better if we head back inside. And from the looks of it…" Ryotaro remarks, looking at his daughter. "…Nanako is definitely going to need some rest after what just happened."

            “Indeed. And once she wakes up, we have a lot to talk about." Naoto remarks, with everyone nodding in agreement as they all move back into the mansion, with Ryotaro taking Nanako from Yu.

Hopefully, what they saw here would help them understand the Organization better, even if Nanako’s awakening would take more prominence.

The mood over the clock tower was not the one that Roxas had envisioned. Sure, all four of them were now eating ice cream on top of the tower, but Xion looked anything but happy. Was she confused about what happened to Nanako? No, that couldn't be it. But if so… what was wrong?

            “Xion, what’s wrong?” Roxas asks, seeing Xion not even take a bite of her ice cream.

            “Seriously. I thought you’d wolf it down.” Axel remarks. Chixada remains quiet, his gaze locked on the forest outside of Twilight Town as his mind replays the events they had all seen. “If there is anything on your chest, we’re here if you want to get it off.”

            “That’s right. That’s what friends are for.” Roxas agrees readily as Xion looks up at them with uncertainty in her eyes. But seeing the looks she is getting, Xion cannot hold it in any longer as she lets out a sigh, grasping her ice cream with both hands.

            “I can’t… I can’t use the Keyblade any more.” Roxas and Axel’s eyes widen in shock as Chixada glances at Xion, his eyes narrowing under his hood. “And without the Keyblade, I can’t do my job.”

            “Well, that explains why you didn’t come home.” Chixada comments as he puts a hand to his chin.

            “What exactly happened?” Roxas asks gently as Xion lets out a long sigh.

            “I don’t know… all of a sudden, the Keyblade just vanished from my hand as I fought that Heartless. And if I don’t defeat the Heartless with the Keyblade, the hearts they have won’t get freed. They will just find their way into a different Heartless instead. I beat them in one place, and they show up in another…”

            “Well… that is certainly a pickle.” Chixada comments, rubbing the back of his head. “And knowing a few of our other members, they might want to turn you into a Dusk.”

            “We can’t let that happen!” Roxas shouts, slamming a hand on the edge. “There has to be something we can do!” Axel lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head at the situation. Sure, he wanted to help more than anything, but there was nothing they could do to… or maybe there was.

            “Hold on… I’ve got an idea.” Axel quips, turning to the others. “Roxas, you can just do double duty. Simply put, Xion, make sure all of your missions are with Roxas until you can use the Keyblade again. That way, none of the others will think twice about you!”

            “Doubly duty… That's basically overtime with a purpose in mind." Chixada remarks, shaking his head before looking at Roxas. "Roxas, are you going to be able to handle all of that?"

            “Yeah, I can." Roxas says with a smile before facing Xion. "Besides, it's the least I can do since you did double duty for me when I was out cold."

            “Are you sure about this?" Xion asks with concern. "Something tells me Saïx will not approve of that."

            “Let me handle that. Saïx owes me one after the last mission he gave me." Axel replies, waving a hand in the air. "And besides, friends need to lean on each other every now and then. Ain't that right, you guys?" As Roxas and Chixada nod in agreement, Xion looks between all of them. This was her first time meeting Axel properly, and yet he was already willing to do this for her?

            “Axel… does this mean that we are friends as well?" She asks, a little hopeful as Axel looks at her.

            “Well, yeah. If you are friends with Roxas and Chixada, then you are my friend as well." He replies with an easy tone, one that puts a large smile on Xion's face as she nods back. At least, until what happened with Nanako finally caught up to her.

            “By the way, what happened to Nanako? Why did she get consumed by a pillar of blue fire? And what is a… Persona? Why were Yu and the others using them as well?” Chixada shakes his head as he walks up to Xion, gently slapping a hand on her shoulder.

            “I’ll tell you what I know about Personas. But as for why Nanako exploded into flames and got that outfit and mask, I have no idea.”

It was late by the time they got back home, after Chixada spent his time explaining to Xion what a Persona is, even if he was confused by what Nanako did to summon hers. Although Axel seemed to recognize her style of awakening, given what he saw with both Hikari and Naminé back at Castle Oblivion, he didn't elaborate to them why. Not that they had much time to even think about that, as they were all told by Xigbar to move to the council chamber. A meeting there could only mean something important was happening.

Although Roxas did find something strange when he arrived. Just as he was about to take a seat in his normal chair, for some reason, it was now twice as big.

            “My friends…” Xemnas speaks from atop his chair, looking down at them all. “As you all know, we have lost five of our comrades in Castle Oblivion.” He nods his head at the five empty seats, the empty spaces sending a clear message to them all. “Their loss is an unfortunate affair, taken from us just as we are about to see our goal appear. And yet, I refuse to see these seats lie bare.” Roxas tilts his head at that, glancing down at the main pedestal below him. He can see Xion directly under him, looking just as confused as Chixada, who is looking up at Xemnas with his hood down.

            “And so, in light of our loss, a change in order is required, but our Numbers will not change. Number XV, Yaxkata.” He turns his gaze to Yaxkata, his hood lowered. “You may take the seat of Number IV, Vexen.”

            “Very well.” Yaxkata replies, moving via a dark portal and taking his spot on the seat, which suddenly rose in height to match that of Xigbar’s, much to his chagrin. Not that Xemnas cared as he turned his gaze to Xijn.

            “Number XVI, Xijn. The seat of Number V, Lexaeus, is yours.”

            “Heh, thanks.” Xijn replies, moving to his new seta as it moves to become the same level as Yaxkata, to no one's surprise. With no emotion in his eyes, Xemnas turns his eyes to Chixada, who was already looking up at a specific empty seat next.

            “Number XVII, Chixada. The seat of Number VI, Zexion, is now yours to take.”

            “A seat, huh? I’d prefer a cabbage, but I’ll take it.” Chixada remarks, moving to take his seat that rises to become level with Axel's. Roxas tilts his head at his friend needing a cabbage for some reason, but quickly files that away as Xemnas turns his gaze to Number XVIII.

            “Number XVIII, Xosh. The seat of Number XI, Marluxia, now belongs to you.” Number XVIII pushes back his hood, revealing a face with a large X-cross scar and long red hair as he lets out a shark-like smile.

            “About time I can put my feet up.” He remarks, moving to his new seat and leaning back in it as it rises by a few feet. Not much, but just enough for him. Xemnas nods his head once as he turns to the last hooded figure, who pushes back her hood to reveal her long brown hair, olive green eyes, and a chain-like ear cuff.

            “Number XIX, Xunko. The seat of Number XII, Larxene, belongs to you now.”

            “Thank you very much, Lord Xemnas.” Xunko replies, quickly moving up to her new seat, which doesn’t really change in height. But while it showed no change, Xemnas was more than pleased with what he saw as he turned his gaze to the last standing member.

            “Number XIV, Xion. From this day forth, you shall share the same seat with Number XIII, Roxas." Xion's eyes widen in surprise while Roxas's mouth hangs open. Even Axel and Chixada are taken aback by this sudden change as Xion, hesitantly, moves to join Roxas on the larger seat, which can now fit both of them comfortably due to its extension. But why are they both assigned the same seat? They don't know.

            “From now on, we shall honour the memories of the fallen and move on with our plans. Go forth, my friends, and free more hearts from the Heartless. Our final goal will soon be visible to us all." While some of the members nod in agreement, others are unsure of what he is talking about, Roxas and Xion most of all, as they share an uneasy glance between them.

Hopefully, they can keep Xion's current predicament a secret until she gets the Keyblade back.

Chapter Text

Chapter 28: Bygone Days.

Nanako had no idea how long she was out, but feeling the warmth of a bed under her as she swam back to the land of the living wasn’t unwelcome. Or was it a couch she was lying on? Not that it changed the blanket that was resting on her as she slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the sleep that had built up.

            “Nana-chan’s waking up!” Teddie’s voice rings out as she pushes herself up, shaking her head to clear the remaining cobwebs from her mind as her eyes glance around her. All around, everyone is either sitting on the floor, leaning against the walls, or standing tall, with the Thieves still wearing their black coats. Although Riku, Aqua, Mickey, Rinoa, and Zack are currently not present, each of them is on their own mission, learning about the Organization.

            “Nanako, are you okay?” Yu asks gently, sitting on the couch with Ryotaro on the other side.

            “Yeah.” Nanako replies, rubbing her head. “I’m okay. Actually… I feel even better than before.”

            “That’s the benefit of awakening to a Persona, kiddo.” Ann tells her, flicking some hair back. “No more feeling out of sync with yourself.”

            “Still, it is interesting to see Nanako undertake an awakening similar to ours.” Akechi comments, folding his arms as he looks at Naoto. “I would have assumed hers would have been similar to yours.”

            “It is a surprise.” Naoto comments, yet the smile on her face never drops. “But I suppose it goes to show that all of us are capable of reaching the same method of summoning. What it will take for us to achieve a similar result, I have no idea.”

            “On that note, it was interesting to see Axel again. And his injuries have certainly healed up.” Sumire comments as she shoots Sae a slight smirk. “And someone couldn’t take her eyes off him for a second.” Sae rolls her eyes at Sumire’s jab while Ren and Makoto share a subtle glance.

            “Leaving where my eyes were wandering to the side, I think our other inquiry is about the ones who were with Axel.” Sae comments, turning to Yu. “The ones who had their hoods down, are they the Roxas and Xion you talked about before?”

            “That’s them.” Yu replies, nodding his head. “The boy with the golden-blond hair is Roxas, and the girl with the black hair is Xion. As for the guy with his hood up, we have no idea who he is other than the fact that he uses a gun. Naoto got close one time to listen in, but she couldn't make out his voice clearly enough. Whoever this guy is, he's a mystery to us.”

            “I see…” Ren comments, glancing at the window. “Still, it’s strange how Roxas is using the Kingdom Key. That is Sora’s Keyblade, and as Riku told us back in Hollow Bastion, no one can use the same Keyblade. I wonder… could they really be the siblings that Vexen and Axel hinted at back in Castle Oblivion?”

            “But they don’t look related to Sora.” Shiho brings up. “And between them, Xion looks more closely related to Kairi than anything else. Scarily close…”

            “Yeah… just change her hair from black to deep red, and she’d be the perfect clone.” Mishima agrees, nodding his head along absentmindedly.

            “It makes you wonder, huh?” Chie remarks, shrugging her shoulders. “But it’s not like we could just go up to them and ask. They might try to attack us if we do, and then we’ll never find out the truth.”

            “Meaning all we can do is just wait and see.” Yukiko agrees as everyone lets out a long sigh of annoyance. If there is one thing they all hate, it is waiting.

            “Well, other than waiting around, there is one thing we can do.” Futaba comments, glancing at Rise, who is already bringing up a screen before her. It is a trick that Futaba taught her and Fuuka so they could check each other’s Personas. “Checking out Nanako’s Persona.”

            “Already ahead of you.” Rise comments, bringing it up on her screen. “So, Nanako's Persona, Uriko-Hime, is part of the Justice Arcana and is weak to Psy and Water. I still find it strange that Water and Earth magic and resistances are a thing based on what you told us, but heyo, the more the merrier. Anyway, she blocks Fire and Wind and resists Elect and Earth. As for her current moves, she has Agi, Garu, Cleave, Dormina, and Maragi.”

            “I’m not surprised about the Justice Arcana. That was the Social Link I formed with her.” Yu remarks as Rise closes her screen. “But now comes the next question.”

            “What question?” Ryuji asks, rubbing his head as Yu looks at Nanako.

            “What do you want to do now that you have a Persona?” Nanako’s eyes widen, the meaning behind Yu’s words more than crystal clear to her. But at the same time, she knew there was one person here that she had to ask before she could even take that step. And the question now was… would he even allow her to take it?

            “Dad… I want to fight beside Yu and the others.” Nanako tells him as she turns to look at Ryotaro with a plea in her eyes. “I’ve been on the sidelines for far too long. Now is my chance to step forward and make my own path! Please, let me fight alongside them!” Ryotaro looks at his daughter, a million words and emotions flashing through his eyes as he closes them and folds his arms. For a moment, no one could breathe as Ryotaro remained silent before looking back at Nanako.

            “Nanako… had this been a while back, I would have said no.” Ryotaro begins, letting out a sigh. “But… that’s no longer the case. You’re not a little girl any more. You’ve all grown up. And as your father, it falls on me to support you and help you fly on your own wings.” He places a hand on Nanako's shoulder, a smile on his face. “If that is what you want to do, then I will not stop you.”

            “Dad!” Nanako shouts, throwing her arms around Ryotaro, who almost falls back in surprise. “Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!” Nanako’s reaction almost causes everyone to start chuckling wildly, but they all settle for small smiles instead.

            “You know, now that she has a Persona and attire, she qualifies for a codename.” Labrys suddenly pipes up, sitting next to Teddie with a wide grin.

            “Really feeling left out on the codenames…” Yosuke remarks to Kanji, who silently nods his head.

            “Labrys is correct.” Yusuke comments, looking at Nanako. “So, what name will you choose?” Nanako tilts her head, thinking long and hard about what name to go for before bobbing her head up and down.

            “Libra. That will be my codename.” While Yu places a hand on Nanako’s shoulder with a proud smile, everyone else gleefully accepts Nanako’s new codename. Ren couldn’t help but think about Roxas and Xion, and how the two of them were connected to Sora.

Day 94.

It was strange being called to the top of the tower, especially by Lord Xemnas himself. Not that Roxas knew why he was being summoned to the very top, but at least he wasn’t alone, as he was accompanied by Axel, Xion, and Chixada. Nor did they find the top empty, as every member of the Organization had been summoned there. All eyes were locked on their leader, as his own eyes were locked on the skies.

            “Why were we summoned?” Xion quietly asks Axel, who glances at her with a confused expression.

            “Hell if I know.” Axel replies quietly while Chixada folds his arms. Not the reassuring answer that Roxas had hoped for, and it did little to ease the feeling he had inside him. Or was it just him imagining what a feeling was? He had no heart, so he shouldn’t even feel anything, right?

            “The time has arrived.” Xemnas speaks out, all eyes following him as he slowly holds up his hands. “At long last, we see before us the great collection of hearts.” As though he had commanded it, the clouds above them parted ways as a gentle light fell on them all. A light that sparked something inside them that they had long since forgotten to feel, before it was briefly snuffed out. Not that any of them had a chance to ponder it, as before them, floating high above, was a giant yellow moon shaped like a heart, surrounded by a glowing light. “Hearts full of rage… hate… sadness… and bliss. Shining down upon us is the crystallization of all hearts… Kingdom Hearts.”  

All eyes were glued to the giant moon as it hung above them, seemingly promising a new start or even a new beginning as Xemnas turned to face everyone.

            “There, in the sky, hangs the promise of a new world. My friends! Let us gather further power to conquer the human heart and claim it as our own. Let us remember why we are here and what we hope to achieve. Hearts shall be gathered and made our own. Hearts shall never again have power over us.”

Roxas turns his gaze back to the moon above them, his mind racing to imagine what that means for all of them. Would they be able to get their own hearts? Or would they have command over hearts so they could feel again without gaining one? His mind raced with the questions that he didn’t even notice Xion tapping him on the arm until she practically shoved him.

            “Roxas, c’mon. We have a mission at Beast’s Castle that we need to do today.”

            “R-Right. Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.” Roxas replies, shaking his head as Xion smiles at him, the two making their way to a dark portal to leave.

            “I can’t blame you. I was almost lost in my own thoughts.” Xion admits. “But we can think about that later. Right now, we have a job to do.”

            “Right.” With that, the two move into the portal of darkness and leave for their mission. But as they did, neither of them noticed Saïx watching them go out of the corner of his eye. Filled with suspicion, he glanced over at Number X.

            “Luxord. What do you make of Roxas and Xion leaving together?” He asks in his usual tone, prompting the gaze of the Gambler of Fate as he pushes his hood back, revealing a head of short yellow hair, a trimmed yellow beard, and ear piercings.

            “What do I make of them? That is certainly a unique question to ask me.” Luxord replies, pulling a card out from nowhere and glancing at it. “But I am not interested in the private affairs of my colleagues. What they do is up to them. I am content with letting the dice land where they land, nothing more, nothing less.” Saïx narrows his eyes at Luxord before turning around, leaving the Gambler of Fate to play with his cards as he walks away.

            “Tomorrow will be their final joint mission together. They will return to solo missions, whether they want to or not.”

Day 95.

Another job completed, another day coming to an end. It was so simple, yet at the same time, it had started to grow tedious and boring. The only thing that made it bearable was coming back to the clock tower and eating ice cream with everyone else. At least, that is what Roxas had come to conclude as he let out a large sigh.

            “All this fighting… what is it all for?” He asks the others, all of them looking at him curiously.

            “C’mon, Roxas. You saw it yesterday, so you should know what it’s for. We have to complete the great Kingdom Hearts.” Axel tells him with a smile.

            “But what is Kingdom Hearts?” Roxas asks back, shaking his head. “Every time I ask, no one has given me a solid answer. It is always about how it’s a place where hearts gather, but that’s it.”

            “Well, that’s the truth. It’s where all the hearts end up after you release them from the Heartless.” Axel replies, leaning back. “It’s where all hearts go after someone passes away naturally, before being reborn in a new life. At least, that’s what I remember from my time as an apprentice, brief as that was.”

            “You were an apprentice?” Xion asks, raising an eyebrow.

            “That’s what he told me.” Chixada replies with a grin. “Hard as it is to believe.”

            “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” Axel dismisses, waving a hand in the air. “Anyway, after we have gathered enough hearts, we might finally get one of our own. Although I heard that Xunko prefers not having a heart. Crazy, right? Who wouldn’t want a heart of their own?”

            “Some people are just like that.” Chixada dismisses, shaking his head.

            “I kinda get where she is coming from.” Roxas suddenly comments. “Is Kingdom Hearts really that important? I just don’t see why having a heart is that important, you know?” Axel and Chixada glance at each other in fake surprise as Xion nods her head a little.

            “I feel the same… Is having a heart that great?” She asks, with Axel rubbing the back of his head.

            “I guess since you guys don’t have any memories of before you became a Nobody, you wouldn’t understand why. Not that I blame you for that.” Axel comments. “But if you want my personal opinion, I would really like to have my heart back. And not because I want to feel emotions again.” He lets out a sigh, resting a hand on his chest. “There is this gaping hole that exists inside me. A hole that I know once housed a heart, yet is filled with an empty void. A void that will always bug me, annoy me, distract me, and remind me that I’ve lost something precious to me. And until I can fill that void… I will always feel empty.” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, not expecting such an answer from Axel, while Chixada closes his eyes, resting his own hand on his chest.

            “Yeah… it’s a very pesky void.” He agrees, shaking his head in annoyance. “Still, it doesn’t take away from how everyone here is good at different things, like how Xunko is just as obsessive with research as Vexen.”

            “Or how Xosh seems to hate you, Chixada.” Axel remarks with a grin. “You never told us why he acts like that, other than you both coming from the same world like Yaxkata, Xijn, and Xunko.”

            “Let’s just say he roped me into something that I wanted no part in and turned on him for freedom.” Chixada remarks, shaking his head. “Never expected he would get brought here of all places…”

            “Is that why he seems to glare at us as well?” Xion asks, motioning between her and Roxas. “I’ve seen him glare at me a few times… and it unsettles me.”

            “Yeah, he, Yaxkata, and Xijn are certainly the ones you don’t want to get on the bad side.” Chixada remarks, folding his arms. “Heck, Yaxkata and Xijn took on hits back in their old world.”

            “Hits?” Roxas asks, tilting his head as Axel places a hand on his shoulder.

            “Yeah… don’t ask that. You don’t want to know.” Axel replies, shaking his head. “Seriously, those two… I can’t help but wonder why our leader recruited them after hearing about who they used to be.”

            “Who they used to be…” Roxas whispers, looking out over the town. “I wish I knew who I was before I became a Nobody.” Xion lets out a hum of agreement as Chixada glances at Axel, who looks away with A knowing look on his face.

            “Well… you might find out. One day.” Axel replies in a knowing tone, taking a bite of his ice cream as the gentle rays of sunlight fall over them. “Who knows… he might even be closer than you think.”

Day 96.

It has been twenty-two days since they agreed that Roxas and Xion would team up and fight together, but seemingly no progress had been made on Xion regaining her ability to use the Kingdom Key. And even though they were always supporting her, even Roxas, Axel, and Chixada were beginning to think it might be a lost cause. But until they knew for certain, they were still going to keep on trying. So when Roxas and Xion entered the main room, ready for their next mission, the look they received from Saïx seemed anything but good.

            “Roxas, Xion, I need you both on separate missions today.” He tells them both with no hesitation in his voice.

            “What? Why?” Xion asks, taking a step back as Roxas clenches his right hand.

            “You two have been on more than enough joint missions, and while they did prove fruitful, it is time to separate you again. And this is a perfect opportunity. Two major Heartless targets have surfaced in separate worlds. Roxas, you are to take Beast's Castle. Xion, you are to go to Agrabah. No exceptions.” Roxas could feel both his hands tighten at that as Xion looked at the ground dejectedly. No matter what they said, Saïx would not change his decision once made.

            “Whoa there! You’re sending Roxas to Beast’s Castle alone? I don’t know about that.” Axel suddenly calls out as he and Chixada walk up. “After all, I was just there myself for recon when I spotted that Heartless. That thing ain’t going down by Roxas alone. He’ll need Xion to back him up.” Saïx narrows his eyes at Axel, not liking the look he was getting from him.

            “And if I do send Xion with Roxas, who will take care of the Heartless in Agrabah?” He counters, folding his arms.

            “We will.” Chixada replies, hands in his coat pockets. “Or what, you don’t think we can handle Agrabah and Roak at once? Magatsu-Izanagi can handle whatever you send at us.” 

            “And what about the hearts? You cannot collect them.” Saïx points out.

            “So? We’ll keep it occupied so they can hit it another day. It’s not like it’s gonna run anytime soon.” Axel replies, rubbing the back of his head. Saïx glares at Axel for a second before letting out a sigh of annoyance, spinning on his heels.

            “Fine. But this is the last day. Starting tomorrow, Roxas and Xion will work separately. No exceptions.” With that, Saïx leaves as the four let out sighs of relief.

            “That was close.” Roxas comments quietly to the others. “For a moment, I thought we were going to be separated.”

            “Still, this is our last chance.” Xion comments quietly. “If I can’t summon the Keyblade… I’ll have to run away or get turned into a Dusk.” Roxas’s eyes widen in shock at Xion’s admission while Axel and Chixada glance at each other worryingly.

            “That’s not going to happen.” Roxas replies sternly, looking Xion in the eyes. “Xion, we are going to succeed today. No matter what, you will be able to summon the Keyblade again. I promise.”

            “Roxas…” Xion whispers, eyes wide as Axel pats them both on the shoulder.

            “In that case, you guys better head on out and get that Heartless. Don't worry, we'll handle Agrabah and Roak." Axel assures them, much to the two's relief as a portal of darkness opens up. Without another word, the two move into the portal of darkness, feeling themselves being whisked away to another world before ceremonially finding themselves in the green underground tunnels of Beast's Castle. But even as Roxas summons the Kingdom Key to his side, he notices Xion's worried look as a pang of guilt flares through him. Was it guilt, though, if he couldn't feel anything? As he looks at the Keyblade in his hand, an idea comes to him. It is a crazy idea, but if there is a chance it could work…

            “Hey, Xion. Why don't you try using my Keyblade?” Roxas offers, holding the blade up to Xion, surprising her as she looks at him with wide eyes.

            “Are you sure? What if it doesn’t work?” Xion asks, walking up and looking at the Keyblade.

            “I don’t know, but it’s better to try than not to try.” Roxas replies with a smile. Gingerly, Xion holds a hand up, looking once more into Roxas's assuring eye before reaching down and grasping the handle. Roxas keeps hold of the handle himself for a little bit before letting go, allowing the blade to gently rest in Xion’s hand. Seeing the blade not vanish, she gives the Keyblade a swing to test the weight, finding it weighs just like her own as she lets out a smile.

            “I guess… I can use it.” She replies, looking at Roxas. “But what about you? I know you can use magic, but what will you use as a weapon? Even if it helps me remember how to summon my own Keyblade, what will you use?” Roxas looks around sheepishly. Sure, he could cast magic, but he could only cast so much until he needed to recharge his mana. Thankfully, there was a handy item at his feet that just so happened to be the length of the Kingdom Key.

            “I can improvise.” Roxas tells her, kicking the item into his hand and holding it up high with a smile. Although Xion wasn’t too impressed by his choice of weapon.

            “Roxas… that’s a stick.” True to Xion’s word, the item that Roxas had picked up was just a normal stick from a tree. How it ended up down here in a dungeon-like place, they had no idea, but Roxas wasn’t going to toss it away.

            “Hey, you managed to fight without the Keyblade using only magic. What makes you think I can't do that as well?” Roxas asks back a little cheekily as Xion shakes her head exasperatedly. “Just take it, I'll be fine.”

            “Roxas…” Xion remarks, shaking her head. “I swear, you’re worrying about me like an older brother.” Xion’s comment took Roxas off guard as she switched the Keyblade to her dominant left hand. “But, I suppose I’ll manage today. C’mon, we have a Heartless to track down.”

            “Right.” Roxas replies, snapping himself out of the daze as the two start trekking their way through Beast’s Castle. Whether or not this plan would work… they didn’t know.

But they still had to try, no matter what!

Turns out, fighting without the Keyblade was harder than Roxas imagined it would be. Sure, his stick was good, but the damage he was doing with it was probably even less than if he used his fists. At least his magic still worked, but even then, he had to be careful with how limited he was with magic. Still, Xion was having a good time with the Keyblade, the blade not once leaving her hand as she slew the Heartless before them. But after making it to the main hall and then to the ballroom, they had yet to find the Heartless they were hunting for. And the longer they stayed, the higher the risk that the castle’s owner, or one of its residents, would find them.

            “Our target has to be in here.” Roxas remarks, looking around the fancy ballroom. The far wall features a large glass window with doors, complete with a glass dome and a hanging chandelier. But as the two move into the room, Xion looks at the Keyblade in her hand with a guilty expression on her face.

            “I’m sorry, Roxas… Me taking your Keyblade must make things harder for you.” Xion speaks up, grabbing Roxas’s attention.

            “It’s fine. No need to worry about me.” Roxas replies with a grin. “How about you? Has it helped jog your memory on how to summon your Keyblade?” Xion shakes her head with a disappointed huff as Roxas’s smile vanishes. “Well… don’t give up yet. Our job is not over yet. I’m sure it will come back to you soon.” Xion looks back up at Roxas, a small smile and a nod in response to his comforting words, but it does not last as a large Heartless soon spawns behind Roxas. The Heartless itself looks like a demonic maroon and red dog with a long tongue, a spiky maw, and yellow eyes with black swirls.

            “Roxas! It’s our target!” Xion shouts, falling into her stance as Roxas does the same.

            “Let’s do this, Xion!” Roxas shouts, pointing the stick forward. “Blizzara!” Without hesitation, a chunk of ice shoots forward and slams into the nose of the Heartless, sending it tumbling backward as Xion rushes forward, slashing her Keyblade against its side while Roxas keeps his distance. There is no doubt in his mind that his stick wouldn't do anything against that Heartless, so he sticks to his magic, sending out a blast of Fira to support Xion, which, as it turns out, seems to be its main weakness, as the magic tears into the Heartless.

            “Roxas! Keep it up!” Xion shouts, jumping backwards and sending out a blast of Thundara at the Heartless. But that seems to only make it mad as it lets out an ear-piercing screech at Roxas, the sound waves catching him in their grip as his hearing is temporarily shot. Xion, seeing Roxas deafened, rushes up and drags Kingdom Key along the side of the Heartless, ducking under a swing from it before rushing over and healing Roxas. “Are you okay?”

            “I’m good.” Roxas replies, shaking his head. “How about some payback!? Blizzara!” Roxas shouts, aiming the stick at the Heartless, only for no magic to emerge on the other side. “What!? Where is my magic!?” Taken aback by his lack of magic, Roxas didn’t see the Heartless leap at him until Xion pulled him to the side as she narrowed her eyes at it.

            “That attack must have been a Silence and sealed your magic!” Xion shouts, rushing up at the Heartless. “But it won’t stop me!” With a cry, she swings Kingdom Key up as yellow light trails behind, cutting right through the face of the Heartless as it lets out one final cry before falling to the ground. Seconds later, it vanishes into darkness as the heart trapped inside is released, floating up high into the air as Xion lets out a sigh.

            “Nice work, Xion.” Roxas tells her. Xion turns to look at him, a smile on her lips as she holds the Kingdom Key up.

            “Thanks, Roxas. Here, you can have this back. I think I’ve remembered how to summon mine back.”

            “Really?” Roxas asks, taking the Kingdom Key back. Xion nods eagerly, closing her eyes as she lets out a breath of air before raising her left hand. The moment she does, a flash of light erupts from her hand as her Kingdom Key manifests—something that both Roxas and Xion are more than happy to see after everything they have done.

            “It worked!” Roxas shouts, jumping in the air as Xion grasps the Keyblade with both hands. “I knew it would!”

            “It worked… it really did work.” Xion breathes, her eyes closed before opening them at Roxas. “We need to tell Axel and Chixada!”

            “Yeah!” Roxas replies, already opening a portal of darkness for them to take. Without waiting around, the two rush into the portal, once more finding themselves back on the clock tower in Twilight Town, with Axel and Chixada already there, both of them looking exhausted.

            “Axel! Chixada!” Roxas shouts, grabbing their attention and almost sending Axel off the edge of the tower.

            “Whoa! Where did you two come from!?” Axel shouts, quickly getting his balance back as the two chuckle at each other.

            “Well, you two are in high spirits.” Chixada remarks, noting the smiles on both of them. “I take it that our little problem is finally fixed?” Xion nods happily, holding her left arm up and summoning her Keyblade.

            “It is! All it took was Roxas lending me his own Keyblade for me to remember how to summon mine. Kinda simple, when you think about it.” She adds sheepishly as Chixada shakes his head.

            “That might have sped things along if we knew that, but hey ho, problem fixed, and that is the main thing.” Axel remarks, leaning backwards. “And boy, aren’t you two going to have a fun time with the Heartless we tangoed with. They wouldn’t stay still.”

            “Still, it was thanks to both you and Chixada that we even had a chance to fix my problem, Axel. So thank you. Thank you so much.” Xion tells them both, giving them a bow that takes Axel aback while Chixada lets out an amused huff.

            “Heh… folks back home did that a lot when they were grateful.” He remarks, arms folded. “But… it’s not a bad feeling, being thanked. Even if it’s only a memory.” Roxas and Xion shake their heads at Chixada as Axel rubs the back of his head with a smile.

            “Either way, we have cause to celebrate. How ‘bout some sea-salt ice cream?”

            “That’s all we ever eat.” Chixada remarks, shaking his head. “For once, I would like to have some cabbage.”

            “I'll see if I can find any in the market along with the ice cream.” Xion offers, turning around and heading for the stairs as Roxas sits on the edge.

            “Y’know… I hope we can always be like this. Just the four of us hanging around and watching the sun go down.”

            “A lot of people wish for that, Roxas. But sometimes, life can force you down a darker path.” Chixada remarks, looking up at the setting sun. “Still… living a life here wouldn’t be so bad. A lot more interesting than Inaba, for one thing.”

            “Inaba? Is that the name of your homeworld?” Roxas asks as Chixada lets out a laugh.

            “Nah, far from it. Inaba is just a small town. My world is far larger than what you might think.” Chixada replies cryptically, leaning on the tower behind him. “One day, I might tell you more about it.”

            “I’ll hold you to that.” Roxas tells him with a grin, turning his eyes back out to the setting sun as the trio falls into a peaceful silence. The crisis with Xion is over, and now they can focus on collecting hearts. Maybe now some sort of normalcy will fall into their lives.

Day 117.

            “Another day, another mission.” Axel groans, kicking his legs over the bed. “Wonder which world I’ll be going to now. Luxendarc? Things have been getting interesting over there with the external attacks. Or am I getting sent back to Roak?” As Axel pondered which world he was visiting next, the door to his room opened abruptly as Saïx walked in. “Really, Saïx? Not even a knock first?”

            “That is of no matter.” Saïx abruptly replies, walking up to Axel. “Tell me, what had Xion been doing?”

            “Xion? What are you talking about? She was busy collecting hearts.” Axel responds in a tired voice.

            “So you say, but I am not convinced.” Saïx replies in his cold voice. “And besides, the two of you, along with Roxas and Chixada, seem pretty close.”

            “What? You want me to rat out on my friends as well, Saïx?” Axel asks back, a little hotly. “Sorry, but unless you’re telling me where I’m going today, I’ve got nothing to say.”

            “I see, very well.” Saïx replies, folding his arms behind his back. “You are to head to Luxendarc and investigate the White Magic hub in Eternian Central Command. The patient sleeping there has our interest.”

            “What? You think he will make another Nobody for the Organization?” Axel asks, shaking his head. “That kid is hanging between life and death. Ain't no way he can make a Nobody strong enough to join us.”

            “Which is why you are to investigate.” Saïx replies, his eyes locking on Axel. “Report any changes you see. We will make our decision once we gather enough. But once you are done with that, we need you to go back to Castle Oblivion very soon.”

            “Huh? Castle Oblivion?” Axel asks back. “Why there? We turned that place inside and out.”

            “That you have. However, there is but one room that you have not found." Saïx turns his gaze to the window, staring at the moon of Kingdom Hearts as it glows against the black sky. "But if searching for that chamber is not reason enough for you, then let me give you another. Xion hails from Castle Oblivion." That got Axel's attention as he narrowed his eyes at Saïx. "And from there, Naminé and Hikari can be traced, which in turn could lead us to finding the whereabouts of Sora and the Phantom Thieves.”

            “I see…” Axel replies neutrally. “But in terms of wanting to go, you are the only person who wants to go but is denied by the big boss, right? By finding the room that Xemnas is looking for, you would find out about everything that is his true agenda, right?” Saïx closes his eyes, neither confirming nor denying the accusation.

            “The Chamber of Repose and the Chamber of Waking… Xemnas has an agenda, one he has not told anyone about, save for perhaps Xigbar and Yaxkata. We are bound to find some clues in the Chamber of Waking, and once we obtain those clues, we’ll have the upper hand for our own objectives.”

            “You mean like searching for that girl we saw back when we were apprentices to Ansem the Wise?” Axel asks, pushing himself up from the bed, much to Saïx’s surprise. “Yeah, I haven't forgotten, even if our memories of that time are just one big blur. I was hoping that Vexen and Zexion would be around to help us look for her, but the events with Castle Oblivion saw that plan snubbed. Either way, the path ahead for you is all cleared up.”

            “That it is.” Saïx replies, nodding his head. “Regardless, your mission will be a joint mission with Chixada. He was a detective in his old life. His skills may come in handy for you.”

            “Right.” Axel replies, watching Saïx leave as he lets out a long sigh. “Castle Oblivion, huh? Didn’t think I’d be going back to that place anytime soon. Still, Xion came from there, yeah? What did you mean by that, Saïx?” Axel shakes his head, the impending return to Castle Oblivion haunting his thoughts.

            “Well, might as well get my mission started then… Still, why does it have to be Eternia, though? That place is freezing.” With that little chill down his spine, Axel leaves his room, the two assignments weighing down on his mind for the day as he lets out a sigh. “Two more icky jobs for me, huh? Fun, fun, fun…”

            “Fun, fun, fun…” Demyx groans to himself, shaking his head as he once more walks through Twilight Town's forest. "Why did I agree to this again? Oh, yeah. Luxord and Xijn thought it would be 'funny' to bet on whether or not I could fight without my sitar! Blow up my sitar with explosives… man, I really don't like Xijn…" Demyx shakes his head in annoyance at that until he once more finds himself near the stream he saw Rise at. "Huh, it's that stream again… I wonder if she is around here." No sooner does he ask that question than he hears the peaceful notes of Rise's song from nearby, once more sitting next to the water and pulling some water into a bottle.

For a moment, Demyx was about to let himself listen in like he had done the last few times since stopping here, although he had felt Rise seemingly catch onto him faster every time he did so. Perhaps it was time to stop hiding in the shadows and actually talk to her face-to-face.

            “Oh, what am I thinking? I can’t do that.” Demyx tells himself, shaking his head. “I can’t blow my cover like that. What if someone back at base finds out about this?”

            “What if who finds out about this?” Rise asks behind Demyx, her voice causing him to leap upwards and onto a branch as his sitar is summoned to his side, much to Rise’s amusement. “Wow… I had no idea that would be so effective. I should thank Futaba next time I see her for the tip.”

            “H-H-H-H-How did you sneak up on me!? I didn’t hear you!” Demyx shouts, flailing an arm out before losing his balance and falling to the ground, with Rise wincing at the impact as Demyx lets out a groan. “Ow… I wish I had forgotten what pain felt like and not my emotions…” Rise shakes her head at Demyx, letting out a sigh before folding her arms at the Nobody.

            “So, you were the one who was peeping on me when I was down here at the river?” She asks in an accusatory tone.

            “What? No, I wasn’t!” Demyx shouts, waving his hands before him. “I wasn’t peeping, I swear! I was just captivated by your voice, that’s all!” Rise’s narrow gaze softens at that as Demyx rubs the back of his head. “It’s been a long time since I last heard someone sing, so I couldn’t help myself, y’know? No one else appreciates music, so I couldn’t help but listen in.”

            “I see…” Rise comments, tapping a foot on the grass. “But still, you should have known that doing so made me feel uncomfortable. So why did you keep on doing it? You could have just stepped out and talked to me.”

            “Yeah… I did think about doing that.” Demyx admits, rubbing the back of his head. “But how could I do that and not appear like some kind of hooded creep walking through the forest? I mean, look at me. What part of my outfit screams ‘friendly’ to you?” Rise opens her mouth to reply before closing it shut as she thinks to herself. Given what he just said regarding his appearance, he does make a good point. Walking around in a dark forest in a black cloak? It certainly does scream ‘suspicious character’.

            “Okay, you have made your point.” Rise relents as Demyx lets out a long sigh. “Still, you need to own up to your mistake of listening in on me without my consent.” Demyx could feel himself stiffen at that. What did she plan to do about it? His mind could think of a few things, but none of them would end well since he could just vanish and leave, and if things turned violent… well, he may be a coward, but he could still put up a fight. But fighting someone like her just felt… wrong on so many levels. So, just what did she plan to do?

            “From now on, you have to listen to me in the open.” Rise tells him with a smirk, something that Demyx was not at all expecting to hear. “If you ever happen to see me around here, no hiding in the shade of the trees just to listen to me sing, okay?”

            “Huh?” Demyx asks back, shocked at Rise’s suggestion. “You are… okay with that? For real?”

            “I am.” Rise replies, letting out a sad sigh. “The truth is, I haven't had anyone new to sing to in a long while. And everyone else who loves my songs is gone ever since my homeworld was consumed by the Heartless. Sure, the people here would probably love to hear me sing, but there hasn't really been a good time to even attempt to ask them to set up a singing stage for me. That, and Seifer would probably try to shut me down if I tried.”

Demyx tilts his head at that, just letting Rise talk about her frustrations. But as someone who had a musical instrument himself, for some reason, he could feel Rise's annoyance about not getting to play for other people. After all, everyone back at base doesn't give him any attention, apart from Axel, Roxas, Xion, and Chixada. But even then, it feels like it's only before Xaldin or Xosh come in and break them up. Maybe this could be his way of letting those fake emotions filter out.

            “Well… if that is okay with you, I don’t mind hanging out and listening to you.” Demyx replies, rubbing the back of his head as Rise’s face lights up.

            “You will? Thank you!” Rise shouts, grabbing his hand and shaking it. “And as a special treat, I will sing one of my favourite songs to you right now.”

            “Huh!? Right now!?” Demyx shouts before finding himself being dragged towards the river.

            “Yes! Right now! And you are going to sit and listen.” Rise shoots Demyx a grin as he lets out a long sigh. It looks like he wasn't going back to base any time soon, and for some reason… a part of him didn't mind it one bit. However, if this was going to be a recurring thing, he did have one important question for this girl.

            “By the way, my name's Demyx. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier."

            “It's alright." Rise replies as she lets out a giggle. "My name is Rise… Rise Kujikawa."

            “Well, that was a depressing mission.” Axel remarks to himself, standing on the small hill inside Twilight Town. The same one Chixada brought him to when he got out of Castle Oblivion. “I didn’t know what to expect when going there, but I didn’t want to see that… Poor kid really is hanging on the edge.” He lets out a sigh, flicking some snow out of his hair as he leans on the fence. “How am I going to explain that?” Axel’s eyes wander over the city, watching as a tram passes by and the rays of sunlight fall over him. He is lucky that this part of Twilight Town is empty. Otherwise, he would have to hide in the shadows like—

            “Well, I certainly didn't expect to see you again, Axel." Sae's voice echoes behind Axel, prompting him to spin around in surprise as Sae grins at him. "Interesting to see you here in this part of Twilight Town. And by yourself as well.”

            “How did you sneak up on me? I didn't even hear you." Axel replies before rubbing the back of his head. "On second thought, I think I can figure that out." Sae rolls her eyes at Axel as he straightens himself out before looking at Sae's current attire. "Trying to avoid the Organization by walking around in our black coats, huh? Pretty sneaky of you. And it suits you well."

            “You think so?" Sae replies, flicking some hair back as a slight blush forms on her face. "I'm still coming to terms with it myself." Axel nods at her before remembering something important.

            “Listen, Athena… I want to thank you and the other Phantom Thieves for getting rid of Marluxia for me." Axel says before letting out a sigh. "However, it's a shame about what happened to Sora."

            “You know about what happened to him?" Sae asks, her eyes widened.

            “Yeah." Axel replies with a frown, scratching his head. "I saw the battle via one of the viewing orbs in one of Castle Oblivion's other rooms, including the bit where Naminé ends up awakening to one of those Personas that you guys use. I just wanted to see that Marluxia was taken care of before I left. But I didn't expect that battle to end with Sora gravely injured."

            “We didn't think so either. But that battle caused Sora's heart to be damaged to the point it was on the verge of shattering, along with severing his connection to his Persona." Sae explains as Axel's eyes widen with shock before the former lets out a sigh of relief. "Thankfully, he's sleeping in a pod so that Naminé, Hikari, and Lavenza can heal him. The same can be said for Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy regarding their memories as well."

            “And because you don't want to risk the Organization finding you all at Castle Oblivion… you all left and set up shop in the mansion where Yu and the others are stationed, am I right?" Axel comments as Sae looks at him in shock. "Yeah, I saw you guys coming out of that spaceship when I was near the mansion."

            “Axel… please…" Sae begins to say as Axel cuts her off mid-sentence.

            “Relax… I'm not going to tell the Organization about you and the others' whereabouts." Axel says calmly, catching Sae off guard. "It's the least I can do to repay you all for taking down Marluxia for me." Sae looks at him, surprised by his course of action as she lets out a smile.

            “You have my thanks. But given how many members are left from what I recall, you do realize that you will have to keep this secret from thirteen others, right?"

            “I know." Axel replies before placing his hands on his hips and smirking. "But I'm not too worried. After all, this isn't the first time I have had to keep a big secret from others, if you recall what I told you back at Castle Oblivion."

            “I suppose so." Sae replies, crossing her arms as an idea suddenly pops into Axel's head.

            “Say, you don't mind if I get us some ice cream, do you?" He suddenly asks her. "There is a lot I've been wanting to ask about you, Athena. And now that the mess with Castle Oblivion is done, it seems like the right time to do so." Sae glances at Axel. While on the outside her face is a neutral mask, on the inside, she is racing. If she is being honest, she doesn't know how to react to Axel's offer. But if there is one thing she could say at the moment…     

            “Very well. If you are paying, then I don’t mind.” Sae replies, walking over to a bench and sitting down. “Just don’t keep me waiting.” Axel, after blinking his eyes for a moment, nods before heading down the hill and quickly finding an ice cream van. Soon enough, he is back and handing the sea-salt ice cream bar to Sae, the two of them watching the setting sun in silence.

            “So, Athena…”

            “Sae.” Sae politely comments, grabbing Axel’s attention. “My name is Sae Niijima. Athena is the name I go by when I wear my mask.” Axel nods his head, taking a small bite out of his ice cream.

            “Okay, Sae Niijima. Got it memorized. Anyway, what I was about to ask was, what did you do for a living before losing your homeworld?”

            “What I did for a living.” Sae asks back, tilting her head. “That is a complicated tale, one filled with many mistakes that I still regret to this day.” She lets out a sigh, looking up at the sky. “To start with, I come from a line of police officers and lawyers. Serving the public is something that was burned into my blood. My mother was a lawyer, and my father was a police officer, but tragedy struck, and I lost both of them, forcing me to become a prosecutor in order to help my sister.”

            “A prosecutor, huh?” Axel asks, shaking his head. “That certainly is a different path than your folks.”

            “It was… not helped that the one who mentored me was also the one who murdered my father.” Sae freely admits, shaking her head as Axel’s eyes widen in surprise. “Well, not that it matters any more. I no longer walk the path of a prosecutor. Instead, I walk the path of a lawyer. And as for my ‘former’ mentor, he is now rotting in jail where he belongs. At least, he would be.”

            “I see, talking about an interesting life.” Axel remarks, although he did note that she didn’t tell him how she awoke to a Persona. Maybe some other time.

            “How about you? What was your life like before you became a Nobody?” Sae asks, looking at Axel. “I understand that you were once someone like me, before you lost your heart to the Heartless.”

            “Yeah, I certainly was.” Axel replies, glancing up at the sky. “To be honest, Axel isn’t even my real name. It’s the name I was given when I became a member of the Organization. My true name is Lea Flynn.”

            “Lea…” Sae comments, nodding her head to herself. “I see. Good to know that.”

            “Yeah, sure is.” Axel replies, taking another bite of his ice cream. “Well, before I became a Nobody, I was an apprentice to Ansem the Wise. Honestly, I was just following my best friend, Isa Thornton, in joining up after we found a mysterious person inside the castle. We figured, or rather he did, that becoming his apprentices would help us find out who she was. But, well, that plan didn't work out so well." Axel glances to the side, watching a tram pass. "Sometimes, it felt like Isa was just dragging me around, but I stayed by him because he was my best friend. Now, with us both lacking hearts… I can't help but wonder.”

            “You find yourself at a crossroad, each direction leading you to a path you cannot see, right?” Sae asks knowingly. Axel glances at her, giving a slow nod as Sae takes a bit of her ice cream. “I know that feeling all too well.” Axel looks at the ground, letting those words bounce around in his mind as he nods to himself.

            “Say… you don't mind if we meet up more often like this, do you?" He suddenly asks her out of the blue. "I've been having a lot of weird thoughts lately about the Organization, my place in it, and my friends inside. I can't help but feel that if I don't get it all sorted out now, it will come back to bite me hard." He looks back at Sae, his eyes soft. "I feel like talking to someone who's not in the Organization might help me find the answer I need, assuming you don't mind." Sae ponders his question for a moment, balancing it in her mind as she slowly makes her judgement.

            “Axel… Lea." Sae replies, looking up at him. "If you need someone outside your Organization to talk to, then I am all ears. I am not expecting you to come clean about everything. I know I haven't regarding my own past. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I am here." Axel lets out a sigh, a faint smile forming on his face as he nods back at Sae.

            “Thanks, I’ll take you up on that.” He agrees, finishing off his ice cream and tossing the empty stick away. “Heh… it’s strange. Hanging out with you or my other friends makes me feel like I have a heart. It’s kinda funny, but at the same time… it makes me miss having one all the more. Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me.”

            “Who can say?” Sae replies, finishing her own ice cream and pocketing the empty stick. “Either way, I look forward to our next meeting.”

            “Same here." Axel replies, shooting her a smirk as he opens up a portal of darkness. "Thanks for listening, Sae. It was a nice date." Not realizing what he said, Axel leaves through the portal as Sae lets herself blush up a storm with Axel's back turned. As for Axel, he suddenly realizes what he had said as he arrives back in his room, suddenly very thankful that he couldn't feel emotions. Because if he could, he would be blushing up a storm right now as he shakes his head in embarrassment.

            “Did I really just call that a date? What the hell is wrong with me?"

Chapter Text

Chapter 29: Lazy Day.

Day 118.

            “I wonder what my mission will be today. Maybe I’ll be sent to a new world for a change? Axel has said a lot about Luxendarc and Roak, and Chixada was talking about Halloween Town. I wonder if I can visit those worlds someday.” Roxas muses to himself as he heads for the usual gathering point. He has gotten used to the usual tempo of things, even more so now that Xion can use her Keyblade again. So he is actually in a positive mood for a change as he moves into the main room. But when he gets there, he finds no one is there. Odd.

            “Huh? Where is everyone?” Roxas asks, looking around the empty room just as someone approaches him from behind.

            “Roxas? Do you happen to know where everyone else is?” Xion asks, equally puzzled by the empty room. Roxas shrugs at her, having no idea what is happening, until he spies what looks to be some paper taped to the glass. Curious, Roxas heads over to it with Xion, only to be even more puzzled when he sees what is on it.

            “‘Operations closed for vacation’… What does that mean?” He asks Xion, wFho shakes her head.

            “I don’t know. What is a ‘vacation’?” Xion asks, with Roxas having no reply for her. But while the two struggle for an answer, Axel enters the room with an easy smile, seeing the two standing at the glass window.

            “Yo, Roxas! Xion!” He calls out, grabbing their attention as he walks over to them. “Did you hear about the vacation? About time we finally had a day off.”

            “But we’ve never had a vacation before. And what even is a ‘vacation’?” Roxas asks, with Xion nodding beside him. As for Axel, he looks at them as though they have suddenly said something crazy, shaking his head in astonishment.

            “No way… You guys don’t know what a vacation is?” Axel asks them, his voice laced with fake shock, or was it genuine, as Roxas and Xion nod in agreement. “Man, oh man… you guys have been missing out. A vacation, or a day off, is basically a time when YOU get to do whatever you like: spare training, sleeping, exploring the castle or other worlds—anything, really.”

            “But… I don't know what to do with myself when it comes to a vacation.” Xion comments as Roxas nods in agreement. “What about you, Axel? What are you going to do?”

            “Me? I'm going to have a walk around Twilight Town." Axel replies in an easy manner. "I was going to sleep in my room, but I figured some fresh air would do me better. Anyway, you guys head off and do whatever you want. Today's a blank cheque. See ya!" With that, Axel heads off into a portal of darkness, leaving the two Nobodies alone as they puzzle over what to do.

            “So, got any ideas on what we should do on this mission-free day?" Roxas asks as Xion contemplates possibilities until one thought comes to her mind.

            “You know… I've been wondering about Nanako. After all, the last time we saw her was when she awakened to one of those Personas that Chixada had told us about." Xion comments. "Maybe we should go and check up on her? See if she wants to hang out?"

            “Well… she has been on my mind after that fight." Roxas admits, nodding his head. "It wouldn't hurt to check on her and get rid of these uneasy feelings. And if we can hang out with her… that's a win for us, right?" Xion nods readily with a smile as Roxas opens up a portal of darkness to Twilight Town. "Let's go see how she's been since we last saw her." With the plan set, the two head into the portal for their day off. But even as they leave, they can't help but think about what everyone else is doing on their day off.

And if any of them were doing the same thing as what the two are doing right now.

Atop the tallest point in the castle, Xemnas stood with his gaze drawn skyward. Eyes locked on Kingdom Hearts as it floated high above him, he raised his arms in reverence.

            “Oh, mighty Kingdom Hearts. How you glow so wonderfully today.” He talks to it in a reverent tone. “Do the hearts within you sing a beautiful song? Or is it one of anguish, yearning for more to be whole? I promise, no matter what comes, we will give you every last heart that you desire, so that we can all become whole once more. And… eternal.” For a while, he holds his pose, looking up at the moon above him before letting out a long sigh and dropping his arms.

            “Well, now that my sermon is complete…” He turns to a corner, flicking out a hand as a silver and black beach bed appears with a parasol and drink on a table. “It is time for my well-deserved rest.” Letting out a slow, low chuckle, Xemnas walks over to the bed and lies down, almost as though he is resting at the beach, as he pulls out a book that Yaxkata had given him. “I never knew that I would gain such… phantom pleasure from reading your world’s manga, Yaxkata.” With a content sigh, Xemnas opens the manga and begins to read, a very unnatural scene for the supposed leader of the Organization.

            “May I join you, Lord Xemnas?” Saïx's voice echoes to the side, with Xemnas glancing over to him with a neutral expression as his eyes take note of the book under Saïx's arm.

            “Ah… have you also come to know about the phantom pleasure from these books?” He asks in a knowing tone as Saïx glances at the book under his arm and lets out a small cough.

            “I may have read a few… and I find their contents to be surprisingly… enticing.” Saïx admits as Xemnas summons another beach chair for him. “It is interesting to see such stories unfold.”

            “That they are.” Xemnas replies, his eyes going back to the manga as Saïx sits down.

            “By the way, I have left a note that we are in an important meeting. No one will disturb us.” Saïx informs Xemnas as he starts to read his own manga, with Xemnas nodding along absentmindedly. A rather amusing sight to see if anyone else in the Organization saw them.

But I suppose everyone has their own hobbies, right?

            “Okay, what to do, what to do…” Xigbar muses to himself as he walks through the halls of the castle. “Man, we always wanted a day off, but when we have one, the mind just goes blank on what to do.” He shakes his head, a sigh escaping his lips as he walks over to a long hall with a barrier blocking him. “Well… for others anyway. But not for me.” With a grin and a snap of his fingers, the hallway comes to life as a long shooting gallery filled with cardboard cutouts of different Heartless as Xigbar summons his arrow guns.

            “Let’s see if I can beat my high score!” With a ding echoing next to him, Xigbar holds up his guns and starts raining down arrows at the targets, each one true and precise as he gets a bullseye every time. Seeing his points rank up, Xigbar starts weaving in tricks and shouts, letting his rounds bounce off the walls, floor, and ceiling as more cardboard Heartless appear, until one at the far back shoots up and starts moving erratically.

            “Ah… my nemesis. Come to show yourself, huh?” Xigbar remarks at the cardboard cutout of a hooded man in a black coat. “This time, I WILL get a bullseye!” With that, Xigbar starts firing at the cutout, only for its erratic movement to dodge the shots every single time. And with each miss, the timer runs down faster as Xigbar narrows his eyes in fake anger.

            “I won’t lose again!” With that, he fires two rounds at the walls, one at the ceiling, and one at the floor, aiming all four rounds at the cardboard in a way that would be a sure hit. Only for the board to weave in between them, going flat as it waves on the spot in a mocking gesture. But Xigbar wasn’t growling at it; instead, he was smirking. “Got you.”

Suddenly, a large blue arrow pierces the cardboard, which freezes in surprise before shattering into pieces as Xigbar lets out a loud laugh.

            “How did you like that!? Dumb cardboard, thinking it can outsmart me!” But just as Xigbar was about to gloat, five more cardboard cutouts appeared at the far end, just as the timer ran out, signalling the end of the game. While Xigbar’s lone eye stared in shock at the five cardboard cutouts before they quickly vanished, he let out a cry of annoyance.

            “THERE ARE MORE OF THEM!? I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE LAST ONE!”

Meanwhile, in Twilight Town, Axel was busy walking up the lone hill with two ice cream bars in hand and a smirk on his face. He may have told Roxas and Xion that he was out for a walk in Twilight Town, but he was here for a different reason. That reason soon became obvious as he reached the top and found a certain person waiting for him on a bench.

            “Yo, Sae! Glad to see you again.” He calls out, grabbing Sae’s attention as she looks at him with a smile.

            “I’m glad to see you as well. It was certainly a surprise to hear that you had a day off from your current job.” She remarks in a casual tone as Axel passes her one of the ice cream bars.

            “Hey, even Nobodies can get exhausted if we push ourselves.” Axel quips back with a grin, leaning on the wall. “Been looking forward to a day off for a long time.” The two of them fall into an easy silence as they look at the setting sun before them, eating the ice creams that Axel had bought. But after a while, Axel has a new question to ask Sae. “So… where did you get that ship anyway? It looked as though it had run a gauntlet.”

            “You are talking about the Highwind, yes?” Sae asks, glancing at Axel. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to tell you. Although I am not sure if you will believe me.”

            “Try me.” Axel replies with a smirk. Sae shakes her head in amusement at that as she makes herself more comfortable on the bench.

            “Very well then. From what we have been told, our ship originally went by a different name. However, at some point in time, it received critical damage and was left to drift in the vastness of space until someone found and repaired it." Sae was careful not to mention anything about the Velvet Room to Axel. Sure, they may be on very good terms now, but that didn't mean she should tell him everything yet. "After that, it was given to Ren, who you would know as Joker, in Traverse Town, and they have used it ever since. The damage that you saw was when we left to face Ansem on the Heartless homeworld. To be honest, we were all surprised to see it again outside Castle Oblivion when we left. We had all believed it was destroyed.”

            “No kidding? That is one very stubborn ship you have there.” Axel quips. “So, what was the ship's original name?” Sae tilts her head at that, thinking about whether she should reveal this part or not. Then again, the more she thought about it, the less harm she realized it would do.

            “Its original name was Calnus.” Sae reveals. “And not only that, but we encountered the crew of the Calnus and the ship when we visited Roak.” Axel paused mid-bite, eyes widening in surprise as he slowly looked at Sae in shock while she let out a chuckle. “I told you that you wouldn’t believe me about its origin.”

            “Oh, you have got to be kidding me… You guys just seem to be magnets for time travel, huh?" Axel asks, shaking his head as Sae looks at him in surprise. "Yeah, Marluxia, Larxene, and I overheard you guys via one of Castle Oblivion's viewing orbs talking about how you came back in time to fix some mistakes. Luckily for you guys, those two traitors didn't end up staying alive long enough to tell anyone about that bombshell of a revelation. And not that I'm going to be telling the other remaining Organization members about that. I mean, who would believe me?" Sae blinks her eyes for a moment before finding the urge to laugh as she fights to hold it back.

            “You are right. It is a wild tale to tell.” She admits, shaking her head. “But it is the truth, as hard as it is to believe.” Axel stays silent, letting out a sigh as the two turn to look back at the setting sun in peaceful silence.

            “Y’know… the more I learn about you Phantom Thieves, the more interesting you become.”

            “I could say the same about you." Sae replies with a chuckle.

            “So, another question…" Axel comments as Sae turns to him again. "You mentioned that Joker's real name is Ren, right? What made him decide on that particular name for his alter ego? And as a follow-up, who exactly are the rest of you guys? Aside from knowing that you called Sora, Hikari, and Naminé by the names of Knight, Muse, and Mage, respectively, I don't really know who the rest of you are."

            “Well…" Sae starts, taking a moment to consider answering his questions. "I suppose I can tell you, but you have to keep this a secret as well. After all, I'm not sure how much the Organization knows about us." Axel then lets out a laugh.

            “My lips are sealed." He replies as he begins to learn more about each of the Phantom Thieves from Sae.

And just like before, he was fascinated by her tale of what she and the rest had gone through to become the group they are today.

Outside of Twilight Town, next to the small river, Rise was once more sitting by herself, letting the calm nature around her help bring song ideas to her mind's surface. Not that she was having any problems with that, but the one thing she was having trouble with was trying to think of the right musical tune to go with it.

            “Had a feeling you would be here.” Demyx’s voice echoes to the side as he walks out from the trees, catching Rise off guard for a moment. “You look like you were in deep thought.”

            “Well… I was.” Rise admits, bringing a leg up. “I was just thinking up some lyrics for a new song. But I’m having a hard time finalizing it without any music to go along with it.” Demyx nods his head at that, rubbing his chin for a moment before getting an idea.

            “I might be able to help with that." Demyx comments as he summons his sitar in a burst of water, catching Rise's attention. "Not sure if it will help, but you said you need something to listen to, yeah? Well, this might help." And with that, he starts playing on his sitar—a calming tune that echoes around them, causing Rise to close her eyes. She lets the words bounce around in her mind as they start to fall into place. Before she even knows it, she begins to sing the song as Demyx continues to play his sitar. The two of them are deaf to everything happening around them, even as a few local animals look over in wonder before moving on.

            Didn’t think I would be spending my day off doing something like this. Demyx admits to himself as he plays his sitar. But it’s nice to actually have someone appreciate my music for a change instead of telling me to stop.

Back at the castle, four of the other Organization members were in the midst of a heated game.

            “So, will you call it quits?" Luxord asks Xaldin, Xijn, and Xosh, his eyes glistening with suspense. "It is not too late to back out now."

            “Your mind games will not work today." Xaldin remarks, his hand grasping his chin. "Today, victory will be mine."

            “Hah. You really think you're going to win this?" Xijn asks, shaking his head. "All you do is spend time in the air. You don't know the first thing about what happens down here. If anyone is winning, it's me."

            “If you have spent enough time shuffling about, how about we get this over with?” Xosh asks, irritation in his voice. Luxord shakes his head as he leans forward, eyes locking with his three opponents as a large smile forms on his face.

            “Very well, in that case…” He holds up a hand, the tension building all around them as he throws it forward. “BEGIN!”

            “FOUR-OF-A-KIND!”

            “STRAIGHT FLUSH!”

            “FULL HOUSE!”

Luxord lets out a smirk as Xaldin, Xijn, and Xosh all throw down cards onto the table, with Xijin wearing a big smile as he sees his Straight Flush beat Xaldin's Four-of-a-Kind and Xosh's Full House.

            “Beaten yet again…” Xaldin remarks in a low tone as Xosh angrily bangs a hand on the table.

            “Face it, dweebs. I can beat you any day of the week.” Xijn gloats, moving a hand over a large pile of silver, purple, and black chips. “Shouldn’t have gone all in like me.”

            “Don’t need to be such an ace-hole about it.” Xosh grumbles in annoyance. “This deck is stack-ed against me!” But just as Xijn is about to grab the chips, Luxord places a hand on his arm.

            “Hold a moment. Did you forget about me?” Luxord asks, holding up his own cards. “For I believe you are celebrating far too early.”

            “Hah! What do you have that can beat me?” Xijn asks in a smug voice as Luxord shakes his head.

            “Have you forgotten already? The house always…” He places his cards on the table, wiping the smug look off Xijn’s face as Luxord smirks in victory. “…wins. Royal Flush.”

            “NO WAY!!!” Xijn shouts as Xaldin lets out an amused grunt. As for Xosh, he is laughing himself off his chair as Luxord collects all of the chips.

            “Tough luck, I’m afraid.” Luxord remarks to Xijn. “But I always play my cards right, and I aim right for the hearts.”

            “Stop it with the puns…” Xijn growls as Xosh shakes his head at him.

            “What’s wrong? Getting flushed?” Xosh asks with a smug look as Xijn glares angrily at him while Luxord starts dealing out more cards and rests the chips.

            “Another game?” He offers, earning the attention of all three. “And this time, why don’t we up the stakes? The loser must do the winner’s missions for the next three weeks.” Xaldin, Xijn, and Xosh all glance at each other, a silent conversation playing between them before they all nod as one, grabbing the cards before glancing at Luxord.

            “Fine, we’ll play. But it’s the three of us against you!” Xijn shouts, prompting Luxord to hold his hands up in mock defence.

            “My, my. Three against the house, is it? Very well, I welcome the challenge.” Luxord replies, grabbing his own cards. “But when it comes to card games, I always try to play my hand right. Let us see if you have what it takes to be on top of the game.”

Meanwhile, in another part of Twilight Town, Chixada was walking through the small winding paths behind the houses as he searched for a particular item in the smaller markets. Even if he could no longer feel feelings, there was a part of him that still craved this one item, even after all these years. And finally, he had managed to pick up a trail that would lead him to it.

            “I have to be near it now.” Chixada remarks, walking through a small arch into an open area filled with market stalls. “This is the place. Now, the stall I’m looking for should be around…” His eyes glance over the area before falling on one stall not too far away from him, spotting a certain vegetable that he had not seen in a long while. “Bingo.” With a smile on his face, Chixada walks over to the vendor while already picking up the money he had obtained over the years.

            “Good afternoon. What would you like to buy?” The vendor asks, not fazed by Chixada’s black coat at all.

            “I’ll have fifty of them, please.” Chixada tells her, handing over a large pouch of money. Stunned at what she was just given, the vendor shakes her head for a moment before quickly putting fifty of the vegetables into several bags and handing them over to Chixada, who nods in thanks before making his quick leave. Ducking into some more alleyways, Chixada pauses as he opens one of the bags and takes out a large green ball of leaves.

            “Ah… cabbages. How I've missed them." Chixada remarks, holding up the cabbage, unaware of something slinking in the shadows. "After eating such boring food for the past few years, I finally have the chance to have some cabbage. Everyone might be content with eating what we have, but I have been longing for a good cabbage for far too long. Try and stop me now, Xemnas." But just as Chixada was about to put it back into the bag, a Shadow Heartless bolted out from the shadows and grabbed one of the cabbages right out of his hands.

            “Wha—?" Blinking his eyes in shock, Chixada turns to look at the Heartless as it holds the cabbage in its hands. All of a sudden, he starts to tremble on the spot as Chixada glares at the Heartless with pure remembered rage, his Persona manifesting behind him with equal fury.

            “GIVE THAT BACK!" Chixada shouts as he bolts after the Shadow Heartless, which is fleeing into the shadows as Chixada gives chase, leaving behind his other cabbages in a secluded spot.

Who knew that someone would go nuts over a simple vegetable?

            “A day of rest… how very generous that our leader would give us one.” Yaxkata remarks, walking through one of the many halls of the castle. “And yet, I find myself unable to rest. For with rest comes the memories of my failure…” He closes his eyes, his mind flashing back to his many defeats in his homeworld and how they all stung with bitterness. But as he walks past what he knows is Xunko’s lab, a certain opening song he has not heard before chimes from her room. “What is that?” He asks out loud, moving to her door and opening it.

Inside, he found countless large cylinders, each one filled with different Demons, all lining the walls of the room, while several more acted like pillars, leading toward a large work area with a larger cylinder holding something. Nearby was Xunko, with what looked to be a television screen playing the opening to some show Yaxkata had never seen before.

            “What are you watching, Xunko?” He asks out loud, weaving between the cylinders as Xunko, without turning to look at him, replies.

            “Oh, this? It’s an anime from our homeworld.” She replies in her fake cheery tone. “I haven’t seen it for a while, and I figured since we are having a day off, I should go back and watch it. Besides, my name is only one letter away from one of the main characters in this show.” Yaxkata raises an eyebrow at that as he glances at the name of the series sitting next to her.

            “Danganronpa? Such a strange name for a series.” Yaxkata remarks, looking up at the screen as he suddenly finds himself taking a keen interest. “And yet… I find myself drawn to it.”

            “Then come, sit, and watch.” Xunko comments, motioning with a hand. “Who knows? You might find some inspiration for the future. The way the executions are done is really amazingly planned out.”

            “Oh?” Yaxkata comments, sitting down next to her. “Then perhaps I shall find some interesting ways of getting revenge on those who have denied me my fate.”

            “That is why I am watching this as well.” Xunko agrees, her smile turning slightly darker at the screen. “Oh… revenge will be glorious.”

Meanwhile, in an area of Twilight Town that was called the Sandlot, Roxas and Xion were walking around looking for Nanako. They had been worried about her ever since she awoke to a Persona, and even if she looked all right, they couldn’t help but want to check on her. But so far, they had yet to find her at all.

            “Where could she be?” Roxas asks Xion, who shrugs her shoulders. “She’s not at the clock tower or the tram area.”

            “Maybe she’s in a hideout or something? Or maybe she’s at the mansion?” Xion offers, but with as little confidence in her answers as Roxas had. Just as they were about to head down into the sewers to look for Nanako, which they figured would be the last place she would go, Nanako soon came running into the Sandlot with a bag filled with blue bats, spotting Roxas and Xion standing in the middle as she broke stride.

            “Roxas! Xion!” Nanako calls out, grabbing the two’s attention as she runs up to them. “It’s nice to see you again!”

            “Same here!” Xion replies as Nanako joins them. “We were worried about you after we parted ways.”

            “Yeah.” Roxas adds, nodding his head. “Even though you looked fine, we couldn’t help but worry about what happened to you after we last saw you.” Nanako lets out a tiny chuckle at that, unsure if she should tell them about Personas or not.

            “Well, I did fall asleep after the fighter. But I'm right as rain now! In fact, I'm even better than ever!" Nanako replies, hopping on the spot with a large grin. "What about you guys? You looked depressed about something when I last saw you, Xion, almost like you were worried about something. Just like how Yu is always worried about me. I swear, having a brother like him can be a bit daunting, really.”

            “A brother…” Xion whispers to herself as Roxas lets out a hum. Once more, the word feels foreign to them, and yet, something about it just feels so… natural. As though it is linked to them more than they can imagine. Not that they even know what a ‘brother’ is.

            “Hey, Nanako! Slow down!” A voice calls out from behind as three kids rush in after Nanako, all around the same age as her. “You left us in the dust again!” One of them calls out, with brown eyes and spiky blond hair.

            “Sorry, Hayner. I was just excited, that's all." Nanako replies before glancing behind her. "Oh, right. These are the two I was talking about to you three! Roxas, Xion, these are Hayner, Pence, and Olette, my friends here in Twilight Town. Hayner, Pence, Olette, this is Roxas and Xion.”

            “Oh, so you are the Roxas and Xion Nanako was talking about.” The blond leader, Hayner, comments, folding his arms. “Nice to finally meet you. I’m Hayner Cowden.” Hayner's attire consists of baggy camouflage-print capri pants, a short, sleeveless grey vest, and a black muscle shirt decorated with a white, crudely drawn skull and crossbones. His shoes are the same camouflage pattern as his pants but also sport white tips, grey soles, and each has two intersecting black belts in place of laces. Hayner is also wearing a white necklace with a yellow ‘X’ charm on it and a brown bracelet on his left wrist with several silver pins in it.

            “I’m Pence Marquette.” The second of them, a heavy-set boy with black hair held up with a black headband and brown eyes, goes next. Peace is wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with dark cuffs underneath a red jersey with black and white lining. The jersey sports a black silhouette of a seemingly skeletal dog with three bones above it. The phrase ‘Dog Street’ is printed along the right side in large white letters. He is also wearing blue pants, blue and white shoes with grey soles, and a purple bandana around his neck.

            “And I’m Olette DiCicco.” The third of them, a girl with brown hair and bright-green eyes, finishes last. Her clothing has a summer feel to it, consisting of an orange tank top with a white floral design at the bottom, khaki-coloured capri pants, and orange socks with white hems. She also has cream, black, and yellow shoes with black laces. Olette is also wearing a beaded, sky-blue bracelet on her right wrist and a black necklace decorated with a spherical, sky-blue charm.

            “It’s… nice to meet you.” Roxas comments as he and Xion stand a bit nervously before them. But that nervousness soon goes away as Roxas looks at the blue bats in Nanako’s bag. “What are those bats for?”

            “Oh, these?” Nanako asks, looking at the bats in her bag. “Well, these are Struggle bats.”

            “Struggle bats?” Xion asks, tilting her head.

            “You’ve never heard of Struggle?” Hayner asks, folding his arms as Roxas and Xion shake their heads. “Dudes, you are SO missing out! Struggle is like one of the best sports here in Twilight Town!”

            “If you mean beating each other up with foam bats and grabbing small foam orbs that we drop is fun, then I worry about your mental health.” Olette snarks at Hayner as Pence stifles a chuckle. Roxas and Xion glance at each other, a bit more confused than anything else, as Nanako looks at the bag for a second.

            “Say, Roxas, why don’t you give it a try?” She suddenly asks, surprising Roxas and Xion. “It’s not that hard to learn, and Hayner needs a new sparring buddy anyway.”

            “Hey!” Hayner shouts in indignation as Pence and Olette stifle even more giggles. But Roxas is tilting his head in contemplation as Xion looks at him. Since they have nothing to do today and are struggling to find something to do, being taught how to ‘Struggle’ might actually be a more interesting break than just wandering around aimlessly.

            “Okay. I’ll join in.” Roxas suddenly comments, surprising Nanako and the others before they all morph into easy smiles and grins.

            “Hah! You’ve made the right choice, pal.” Hayner comments as Pence grabs some bands from the bag and starts tying them onto Roxas.

            “These are to hold on to the orbs so they don’t get in the way.” Pence explains as Olette does the same to Hayner. “When you get hit, the orbs will get knocked off. But you can just roll into them to attach them back. The aim is to knock off your foes' orbs and pick them up before the time limit runs out. The one with the most orbs at the end wins.”

            “I see.” Roxas replies, nodding his head as he looks over the blue orbs on him. It was honestly the simplest thing he had ever been told. Although he had to stop himself from summoning the Kingdom Key as Nanako held up a solid blue foam bat for him to use. Ah, right. This is for fun, I think.

            “Good luck, Roxas!” Xion shouts from the side as Roxas and Hayner square off against each other. Nanako, Pence, and Olette stand next to her as Hayner falls into his battle pose.

            “I’ll go easy on you for the first round. But after that, I won’t hold back.” Hayner tells Roxas, who could feel his mouth twitch into a smirk.

            “We’ll see who’s going easy on who at the end.” Roxas replies, with Hayner smirking as Olette hits a timer just as Nanako sounds an air horn. With that, the two dash at each other and clash with their foam bats, with Hayner finding, to his surprise, just how strong Roxas was before quickly adjusting himself and managing to score a hit on Roxas’s side, sending several blue balls flying as Roxas moved to reposition himself.

            “A solid hit!” Pence shouts as Hayner picks up the orbs before diving right in for another attack. But this time, Roxas is ready, rolling out of the way and managing to hit Hayner in the back, freeing several of his red orbs and picking them up.

            “A swift counter.” Olette comments as they watch Roxas and Hayner pick up the pace. The two of them focus on their match as the seconds count down, until the timer finally runs out and Nanako signals the end of the match.

            “Time’s up! Let’s see who has the most orbs!” Nanako announces, walking up to the two of them and quickly counting in her head the orbs on each of them, with a surprising number emerging. “Well, with only one point in the lead, Hayner takes the win.”

            “For real?” Hayner asks in shock as Roxas lets out a sigh. “I only won by one point? I thought I had more.” He looks at Roxas, giving him a pat on the back. “Man, you are good! With a bit more practice, I bet you could even make it far in the Twilight Town Annual Struggle Tournament!”

            “You think so?” Roxas asks, scratching his cheek as Hayner nods back excitedly. While Pence and Olette shake their heads at him, Nanako is already putting on the bands herself before looking at Xion.

            “Okay, Xion, now it’s you and me.”

            “Huh?” Xion asks back as Nanako lets out a chuckle.

            “What? Did you think I would only let your brother have fun? You’re in this too, you know.” Xion blinks her eyes for a moment just as Olette starts attaching the bands to her, taking her choice right out from her as she lets out a resigned sigh.

            “Please go easy on me.” Xion pleads as the two face off against each other. As they do that, Roxas and Hayner stand with Pence and Olette as they watch the two girls duke it out in a friendly bout. Even if it is clear that Nanako has a bit more experience in this than Xion does.

            “Your sister looks to be a fast learner, Roxas.” Pence comments, watching the two girls duel as Roxas looks at him in surprise. “She might even be better than you.”

            “Y-Yeah.” Roxas replies, turning his eyes back to the bout. The word from Pence bounces around in his mind, even as he watches Xion with some sense of pride forming in his chest. Whether it is real or not, Roxas cannot decide, as his mind is fixed on that one word Pence said to him.

            Sister? What is a sister?

Chapter Text

Chapter 30: Shifting Days.

            “That was fun, wasn’t it, Roxas?” Xion asks as the two sit atop the clock tower. Down below, they can see Nanako hanging out with Hayner, Pence, and Olette as they chase each other in a crazy game of tag.

            “It was.” Roxas agrees, thinking back on the Struggle matches they had with them. Compared to all of the jobs they did with the Organization, what they got from doing something so silly was a different sense of satisfaction. But what that was, they couldn’t really pin down. “We should hang out with them again on our next day off. I bet I could even beat Hayner next time.”

            “Probably.” Xion replies, shaking her head just as a pair of footsteps echoes from the side.

            “How did we know you two would be here?” Axel comments as he and a slightly annoyed Chixada join them.

            “Hey, you two. How did your day off go?” Xion asks as Axel sits on the edge while Chixada grumpily leans against the wall behind them. “Did you enjoy your walk around Twilight Town?”

            “Sure did.” Axel replies in a nonchalant tone. “Can never get tired of this place.” As Axel cracks his neck, he notices Nanako and the others down below playing around as he raises an eyebrow. “Are those kids here on summer vacation? Nah, can’t be. It’s far too early.”

            “Summer vacation?” Roxas asks as Xion tilts her head. “What is that?”

            “It’s a dream come true, that’s what. It’s when those kids get a whole month off to do whatever they want.” Axel tells the two, who open their mouths in shock. “Yep. Not like we will ever get something like that.”

            “A whole month? I wouldn’t know what to do with that much time.” Xion admits, tilting her head as Roxas lets out a hum.

            “You'd be surprised. From what I recall, they would give you plenty of homework to do over the month, and that's not including the time you would spend with your friends. Trust me, that whole month flies by far too fast." Axel tells them with a long sigh. "Man, did I wish that it could last just a bit longer than a month.”

            “Well… I think I could deal with seven days at least.” Roxas replies with a grin.

            “So, how did you two spend your day?” Axel decides to ask the two who look back at him.

            “Well, we decided to check on Nanako to see how she was doing after she awoke to a Persona.” Xion admits as they both look down. “When we did, we were introduced to her friends Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and the four of them taught us how to play Struggle.”

            “Struggle?” Axel asks with a growing grin. “What sort of game is that?”

            “It’s when two people face each other with foam bats and try to knock orbs off the other player. At the end, the one with the most orbs wins.” Roxas informs Axel, who nods his head in agreement. “To be honest, it was fun and a lot different from what we normally do.”

            “I can imagine.” Axel comments, just as Chixada lets out a groan of annoyance. “What’s wrong, Chixada? You’ve been down ever since I found you earlier.” Roxas and Xion both glance at Chixada, who has his hand on his head as he lets out a quiet mumble.

            “My cabbage… My precious cabbage…" Axel, Roxas, and Xion all glance at each other in confusion as Chixada drops his hand with a distraught look on his face. "The cabbages I had been saving up to buy… all went down the drain when a Shadow Heartless ravaged them… and there is nothing left…" The three Nobodies share a glance at each other, unsure how to react to Chixada's woes until one of them starts to chuckle. They are soon joined by the other two as Chixada hangs his head even lower, and the three soon erupt into laughter as Chixada lets out one more long sigh.

            “Sure… laugh it up… My vacation is ruined… Bloody Heartless…” As the laughter stops, Axel realizes that his next mission is coming up and that now is as good a time as ever to tell them.

            “I almost forgot, but Chixada and I won’t be able to see you guys for a while.” Axel tells Roxas and Xion, stretching his arms. “They are sending us back out on recon for a few days.”

            “Recon? Where to?” Roxas asks curiously.

            “Sorry, Rox. But this mission is top secret.” Chixada tells him, pushing himself off the wall. “Well, not really top secret, but Saïx would get on our case if we told anyone else. You know how he can get.”

            “Yeah, we do.” Xion replies as the four fall into a comfortable silence. “I hope we get another vacation soon… it was fun.” That was a statement they could all agree on.

Day 149.

            “Xion is still not here yet…” Roxas comments to himself as he kicks his feet. “I wonder what is keeping her? And Axel and Chixada are still not back yet… I wonder when their mission will be over.”

            “How about now?” Roxas, startled by the voice, almost falls off the edge before glancing to the side and finding both Axel and Chixada walking up to him. “Dang, Rox… didn’t expect you to get jumped like that.”

            “Axel! Chixada! Are you back from your mission?” Roxas asks them with a smile on his face as the two take up their usual spots.

            “Yep. We just got home.” Chixada remarks, rubbing the back of his head. “After having a mind-bending mission…”

            “Yeah, that place is a real strain on your mind.” Axel comments, shaking his head. “So, how are you holding up? And where is Xion today?”

            “I'm doing fine. Nothing strange has happened since I last saw you two. However, I did get to visit Halloween Town for the first time." Roxas replies with a small smile before looking over his shoulder. "As for Xion, I don't know. She said she had a mission in Beast's Castle, but she hasn't shown up yet.”

            “Beast's Castle, huh? I wonder what it is.” Axel comments, rubbing the back of his head. As for Chixada, he stands in silence as he watches the sun fall before them, letting the peaceful atmosphere wash over them until Roxas asks another question.

            “Axel… what is a brother and sister?" Axel blinks in surprise as he turns to Roxas, and even Chixada is looking at Roxas in surprise. "During our day off, Nanako and her friends were talking about how Xion and I are brother and sister… but what are they?”

            “Heh… they called you that, huh?” Axel comments, shrugging a shoulder. “But explaining it is… kinda tough considering what we are.” He lets out a hum, thinking about how best to explain the concept of brother and sister before snapping a finger. “But I can give you an example: Yu and Nanako, and the bond they have.”

            “Yu and Nanako?” Roxas asks, tilting his head. “And their bond?”

            “Yeah. Those two are brother and sister, so they are a good example. And the bond they have is a sibling bond.” Axel explains, leaning back on one hand. “But to be more specific, a brother and sister are people who share the same mother and father. Brothers are guys like us, while sisters are gals like Xion. Of course, you have those who are step-siblings, in which they share one mother or father, and then you have adopted siblings who share no biological parents. And don’t even get me started on cousins.”

            “Huh…” Roxas whispers, turning his gaze back out at the forest. “Y’know… Xion said I was like a brother to her at Beast's Castle one time…”

            “She did, did she?” Chixada remarks, arms folded. “Who knows, maybe you will grow a bond like that between you two.”

            “But… how will I know?” Roxas asks as Axel places a hand on his shoulder.

            “You can’t. You will only know WHEN you know. That’s just how these sorts of things go.” Axel tells him gently, turning his gaze back to the setting sun as they once more let the peaceful atmosphere fall over them. At least, it was, until one of them realized they were missing something else that was vitally important.

            “Who’s going to get the ice cream?”

Meanwhile, in Beast’s Castle, Xion was in the middle of her mission as she rushed down a suspicious character in a black coat. Swinging Kingdom Key up, she aimed a strike at his chest, only for her opponent to easily dodge out of the way, as though he were toying with her. It didn't help that they were fighting in the forest outside the castle, but at least it saved them from any unwanted visitors.

            “Stay still!” Xion shouts, once more rushing at him as her foe, with long silver hair reaching past the back of his neck while his front bangs cover the front of his face. Once more, he sidesteps out of the way as he shakes his head at her.

            “You won’t hit me if you attack me in anger. Let alone with that hood covering your face.” Riku tells her calmly, even as he dodges her once more. He had to wonder why she was attacking him with her hood up, but to be honest, he wasn’t taking this fight seriously. He didn’t even need to summon his Thief attire or Persona to fight her, not that he wanted to anyway. “I would give up now if I were you.”

            “Get real!” Xion shouts, her tone of voice catching Riku off guard with how… similar it sounded. Not that her voice changed to someone else's, but the way it came out sounded way too similar. “Look which one of us is winning!” At that, she charges forward again, swinging Kingdom Key down in an arc as Riku dodges to the right, finally summoning Way to the Dawn. The Keyblade takes Xion aback as Riku takes his stance.

            “Okay then, you asked for it.” Riku tells her, dashing forward in a flash and easily disarming Xion, knocking her to the ground as the Kingdom Key lands blade-first into the ground. “Now then… let’s see who you are under the hood.” Riku comments, walking up to Xion and kneeling next to her face. Slowly, he pulls back the hood to see her, but what he sees instead shocks him to his core. “Your face…” He breathes, slowly backing away as Xion pulls the hood back up. “Who are you, really? And why do you have a Keyblade, let alone the Kingdom Key?” It shouldn’t be possible for someone else to even USE it! That’s Sora’s Keyblade!

            “Tell me first, why you are dressed as one of us.” Xion spoke back to Riku, who was struggling to connect her voice to the face he saw. But he had to push that out of his mind as he walked over to the Keyblade stuck in the ground.

            “To make sure my best friend sleeps in peace until his heart is healed.” He tells her honestly, picking up the Keyblade. “I don’t know who you are supposed to be, but you can’t fight fire with sparks. This Keyblade… it does not belong to you.”

            “What?” Xion asks, eyes wide under her hood as Riku turns to her.

            “There can only be one master of any given Keyblade. No two blades of the same kind can exist. This Keyblade you are using… it is not your real Keyblade. This one belongs to my best friend. This is but a placeholder, something for you to use until you can find your own. Same with your own identity.” Riku tosses the Keyblade over to Xion, who looks at it with confusion and uncertainty in her eyes.

            “What do you mean…?” Xion asks, looking back at Riku. “What do you mean I can’t use it? Why can Roxas use the Kingdom Key as well?!” Riku blinks at her in surprise, his gaze falling to the ground.

            “The same can be said for him. His true Keyblade has not awoken to him yet.” Riku tells her as he spins on his feet. “It’s best if you and this Roxas find a new crowd. Trust me, the Organization is bad news. And if you can, drag Axel with you. He deserves a better life than what he’s got. You all deserve one.” With that, Riku walks away into the forest, leaving Xion alone as she picks up the Kingdom Key from the ground, her mind reeling from what she was told.

            “Find my own Keyblade…? What does he mean? How does he know about Axel? And… what did he mean by my own identity…? I'm Xion… right?”

Day 150.

            “I didn’t see Xion at all yesterday… I wonder if she came back from her mission or is on a stakeout.” Roxas wonders to himself as he walks through the cast’s corridors. The vast emptiness around him is seemingly designed to do nothing but make him feel as small as possible.

            “How could you fail with such an important mission, Number XIV?” Saïx’s voice echoes from the front, grabbing Roxas’s attention. Up a set of stairs, Xion was standing before Saïx and Xunko, the two of them looking less than pleased with Xion as she bowed her head in apology.

            “I’m sorry… he was stronger than I thought.” Xion replies, not attempting to hide her failure.

            “And here we had such high hopes for you… but I guess a doll made from a failure of a scientist will remain nothing but a failed doll.” Xunko remarks, Xion flinching at the words as Saïx turns his back to her.

            “You were a mistake that Vexen should never have created. We cannot afford to take any more chances on you. I will send Xosh to hunt down the foe you failed to defeat.” With that, Saïx and Xunko take their leave, leaving Xion alone as she looks down at the ground with bitterness.

            “Xion?” Roxas calls out softly, grabbing her attention. “Are you okay?” Xion glances to the side, initially intent on staying silent. And yet, the words from yesterday still echoed in her mind as she shook her head.

            “No… I’m not.” She tells him as she lets out a sigh. Roxas, seeing her like this, gently rests a hand on her shoulder and guides her to a quiet spot in the castle.

            “What happened? Why didn’t we see you yesterday?” He asks gently. Xion glances up at him, her eyes downcast as she leans back against the cold wall behind her.

            “Yesterday… my mission was to investigate someone wearing one of our coats in Beast's Castle. And if I found them, I was supposed to either capture them or eliminate them. But… I failed.” She lets out a long sigh, looking Roxas in the eyes. “I couldn’t beat him, Roxas. And… he used a Keyblade.”

            “What?” Roxas asks, eyes wide. “He could use a Keyblade? But… why were you fighting him? Shouldn’t we be working together?”

            “That's what I thought as well." Xion admits, tilting her head. "It… doesn't make sense that he needs to be eliminated if he's like us. But that's not all…" He glances at her left hand, summoning the Kingdom Key to her side. "He said… that the Keyblade I'm using isn't my own Keyblade. It belongs to someone else.”

            “It… doesn’t?” Roxas asks, tilting his head.

            “That's what he said. Apparently, no two Keyblades of the same kind can exist at once. They are bound to one person, and one person only. He also said that what I'm using is a placeholder until my real Keyblade appears. And…" She looks at Roxas with conflict in her eyes. "…he said the same about you.”

            “Me?” Roxas asks, his eyes going wider as he rests a hand on his chest. “My Keyblade is also a placeholder?” Xion slowly nods her head as Roxas summons the Kingdom Key to his side, looking over the blade with puzzlement. “But… if that’s true, then why are we using these Keyblades in the first place?” The moment he asks that question, another question enters his mind, one that he says without even pausing to think. “How much has the Organization been keeping from us?” Xion looks up at Roxas, surprise in her eyes as Roxas blinks in bewilderment.

            “Roxas…” Xion whispers, glancing around them to check they are alone. “Do you think… Axel and Chixada would be able to tell us?” Roxas glances to the side, double-checking they are alone before shaking his head.

            “I don’t know. But… let’s not ask them now.” Xion tilts her head at Roxas, wondering why he is hesitant to ask them. “Yes, I want to find out too, but if we’re not careful, we might get turned into Dusks. Let’s stay quiet for now and try to find what we can on our own.” He lets out a sigh, leaning back against the wall as he glances up. “Even if we want the answers now.” Xion slowly nods her head, not really wanting to stay silent but understanding the need.

            “Okay… then let's focus on our mission today. Don’t we have a joint mission to Luxendarc today?” Xion asks as Roxas opens a portal of darkness.

            “We do… it’s to check on something in Eternian Central Command.” Roxas replies, a slight bounce in his step. “This is actually my first time going to Luxendarc. What about you?” Xion looks up, a slight excitement in her eyes as she nods her head in agreement while the two move through the portal.

            “It’s the same with me. I wonder what kind of world it is.” She admits as Roxas lets a small smile form on his face. Hopefully, this mission would cheer them up and take their minds off things.

For now.

Back in the mansion at Twilight Town, Sae was by herself going over some reports that Naoto had put together detailing current events she and the rest of the Investigation Team had seen. That, and going over the progress that Naminé and Hikari had made with Sora's heart and the memories of Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy, along with Lavenza helping out regarding Sora's Persona. Much to her displeasure, progress was going slowly on Sora, while Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy were progressing smoothly. It seemed that the damage to both his heart and Persona complicated things, but things were still moving along.

            “I’d hoped that things would be moving faster, but I guess there are some things that we cannot rush.” Sae tells herself, stepping up from the desk and heading to the door. “I need some fresh air.” But as soon as she opens the door, she comes face-to-face with both Akechi and Ann, the two of them looking at Sae with an intense stare as she feels herself take a step back. “Goro… Ann… is something wrong?”

            “Oh, it depends.” Ann remarks as Akechi gently nudges Sae to follow them. “It’s just that Ren and Makoto want to ask you something, and they have got everyone waiting for you in the main hall.” Suddenly, Sae felt herself becoming very nervous as she followed the two towards the main hall, where everyone was waiting for her with curious stares. Even DiZ was there for some reason, along with Naminé, Hikari, and Lavenza. It only made Sae more worried about what her sister and future brother-in-law were going to ask her. At least Riku, Aqua, and Mickey were not here, so that was something.

            “Sorry to drag you down here, Sis, but there is something that we need to ask you.” Makoto starts evenly, even as she folds her arms at her sister.

            “What’s wrong?” Sae asks, not liking how she seems to be on the other end of an interrogation for a change.

            “Nothing big.” Ren comments, hands on his hips. “But it’s just about one thing: regarding you going into Twilight Town every now and then alone.” At that, Sae suddenly felt herself getting very nervous.

            “What about it?” Sae asks, making sure to keep eye contact with everyone. “What is wrong with me getting some fresh air outside the mansion?”

            “Nothing is wrong with that.” Makoto comments, even if her mouth started to morph into a tiny smirk. “But that is not the real reason, is it?” Makoto leans forward, eyes locked on Sae as her smirk starts to become more pronounced. “You are seeing someone, aren’t you?”

            “What?” Sae asks, her eyes going wide as she catches Rise out of the corner of her eye, looking away with a knowing look. “And what makes you think I am seeing someone?”

            “Well… we had a very good spy who followed after you.” Ren comments, his eyes going over to Morgana, who was smirking at Sae with a cat-like smirk. A smirk that caused Sae to let out a long sigh of resignation.

            “I had completely forgotten you could still change into a cat, Morgana." Sae remarks as Morgana lets out a cheeky chuckle.

            “While I do like my human form, being a cat still has its advantages."

            “So, you might as well come clean. Who have you been seeing?" Isara asks as Sae lets out a groan.

            “Okay, I admit it. I have been seeing Axel, okay?" Sae closes her eyes, pinching the brow between them as she feels everyone's gaze fall on her. Part of her expected them to admonish her for hanging out with their apparent foe, since Axel is a part of the Organization, after all. But what happened next… was not what she expected.

            “HA! I called it!” Ann shouts triumphantly as she looks at Ryuji with a smirk. “I won the bet! Never bet against a member of the Lovers Arcana!” Sae looks up, blinking her eyes in surprise as Ryuji hands over some money to Ann while the others shake their heads at her.

            “Were you expecting us to be angry with you, Sae?” Yusuke asks, seeing the confusion on Sae’s face. “That is far from the truth.”

            “We all had a suspicion about you and Axel after our interaction in Castle Oblivion.” Haru comments, before glancing at Ryuji. “Well, some of us, at least.” 

            “Shut up…” Ryuji grumbles in a huff while Futaba chuckles at him, and Makoto walks up to Sae.

            “So… how long have the two of you been meeting up?” Sae glances to the side, a small blush forming on her face as she lets out an awkward cough.

            “A couple of times…” She admits. "And each time we meet, I learn something new about him. Did you know that his real name before becoming a Nobody was Lea Flynn, and that he was also an apprentice to Ansem the Wise along with his friend, Isa Thornton?" Sae's questions took everyone by surprise, but none more so than DiZ, as his one eye looked at her.

            “Is this true?” DiZ asks, stepping forward slightly.

            “That's right. Apparently, he and his friend found someone inside the castle during one of their attempts to sneak in, and it was encountering her that prompted them to join as apprentices. But it sounds like either on the same day or a few days later, they both became Nobodies and joined the Organization. Although, after hearing his side of the story, it sounds to me that Axel was being dragged along by Isa more than anything else.”

            “I see…” DiZ comments, closing his one eye in contemplation. “This is… interesting, to say the least.”

            “But that’s not the only thing he has told me.” Sae continues, leaning back on her feet. “He has admitted that he is conflicted about his current path and that, at some point, he will be forced to choose either the Organization or his friends—a choice that, at the moment, he has no idea what he will make.”

            “An unenviable position to be in.” Akechi comments, folding his arms. “It reminds me of the time when I was forced to become Shido’s pawn by Sho. I know that feeling of helplessness more than anyone else.”

            “But doesn’t this mean that Sae can convince Axel to leave the Organization?” Hikari suddenly speaks up. “He helped us back at Castle Oblivion, let me and Naminé escape, and did his best to stop Sora from losing his memories. So, doesn’t that mean he could become our ally?”

            “Maybe, but that depends on his friends, Roxas, Xion, and the guy in the hood.” Hifumi comments, shaking her head. “We saw them when they faced that chameleon Heartless earlier. Something tells me that whatever path he wants to take, he wants them to be walking with him as well.”

            “I suppose it falls on Sae to help plant those thoughts in his head then." Shiho comments with a grin as Sae feels a sweat drop form on her head. How did she fall into this predicament anyway? Oh yeah… she has a crush on Axel that is blooming into something else. Not that she could see that coming. But even though she was the centre of attention, someone else was soon coming under the group's gaze as Mishima, Yosuke, and Teddie glanced at Rise and her silence.

            “Rise? What's wrong?" Mishima asks, snapping her out of her daze.

            “Oh… me? It's nothing… Nothing at all…" Rise stammers as Teddie looks at her with a mischievous smirk on his face.

            “Really? Because to me, the look on your face tells us otherwise."

            “Rise, don't tell me you are seeing someone as well." Yosuke comments, shaking his head. "I mean, what are the chances of that?" Rise lets out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of her head as she fails to lock eyes with anyone. This is something that Sae could see as a guilty trait, which is why she forced herself to lock eyes with others.

            “Well… more likely than you think?" Rise admits as the Investigation Team looks at her in shock.

            “It would seem our second resident Lover has her own secret.” Lavenza remarks with a small smirk.

            “Rise… have you been seeing someone from the Organization as well?” Chie asks with shock as Rise nervously nods her head.

            “Yeah… his name is Demyx. From what I recall, he is Number IX, apparently." Rise cautiously admits.

            “So, he was recruited into the Organization after Axel? Given that he mentioned to Ren and the others that he was Number VIII." Rinoa asks as Rise nods his head.

            “Yes, I was able to have Demyx open up about him being a part of the Organization after asking if he knew Axel." Rise admits before smiling. "He was surprised when I told him how I knew about his fellow member when I mentioned him helping us with that one Heartless when Nanako awakened to her Persona."

            “Still, that doesn't explain why you two are hanging out in the first place." Ryotaro comments, crossing his arms as Rise lets out a giggle.

            “Well… as for why we are hanging out, we both share the same interest: music."

            “Music?" Naoto asks, raising an eyebrow as Rise nods. As for DiZ, he bore no reaction to the name Demyx but quietly reflected on the number.

            “So, he's a singer like you?" Yukiko asks, unsure if Demyx is a lot like her friend.

            “No…" Rise replies while shaking her head. "Rather, he's actually a musician."

            “Really? What does he play?" Nanako asks, curious about Rise's new friend.

            “He plays a sitar, which is surprisingly his main weapon for fighting Heartless, alongside having mastery over water. But according to him, only Axel, Roxas, and Xion like his music. Everyone else either brushes him off, tries to smash up his sitar, or tells him to shut up." Rise explains, leaning back on her feet. "I guess that's why we bonded so quickly. He found someone who is willing to listen, while I found someone who can help me get all the song lyrics in my head into actual songs instead of just bouncing around in my head. No offence to anyone, but I haven't been able to get proper feedback ever since we came here.”

            “I guess we do enjoy whatever you sing…” Kanji slowly admits as everyone glances at each other with guilty looks. “Sorry.”

            “Don’t worry! I’m not mad at any of you.” Rise quickly tells them, shaking her head. “But it has been nice to finally have someone to help me, even if he was a big coward when we first met properly. When I snuck up on him, he actually jumped into a tree and landed on a branch.”

            “Seriously?” Labrys asks, shaking her head as Sophia and Teddie barely hold back a chuckle. “What is he, a rabbit?”

            “Sounds like he could give Phil some good ideas for his own obstacle courses with how high he can jump.” Zack remarks as Rinoa shakes her head with an amused smile.

            “After seeing him jump so high, I think he might be.” Rise adds with a grin as a few others also start laughing at the absurdity of the image.

            “Either way, this does give us an advantage." Yu suddenly comments, looking at Sae and Rise. "You two might be our key to getting better information from the Organization. Not that we will force you to do that. That's just taking advantage."

            “However, this could prove to be beneficial in the long run." Ren adds, realizing something very important as he looks at both Sae and Rise. "Axel and Demyx seem to trust you both with opening themselves up. If you two can plant seeds of doubt in their minds regarding their group and whatever plans they have for them in the long run, then you might be able to persuade them to leave the Organization for good."

            “There's also what Hifumi said earlier that can be taken into account." Naminé adds, with all eyes turning towards her. "Roxas, Xion, and that other hooded figure seem to have a very close friendship with Axel, which means that if he leaves the Organization, then those three might also follow suit. And if we take into account the possibility of Demyx leaving, this will bring the Organization's numbers down from fourteen members to nine."

            “Divide and conquer… that will go a long way towards us stopping the Organization once and for all." Sophia comments, on board with this plan.

            “And you would be right." Sae remarks, shaking her head. "This does give us a unique entry into the Organization. However, don't expect anything anytime soon. Axel is already aware of what happened to Sora, as well as knowing our Thief identities and keeping the location about us and the fact that we time-travelled a secret from everyone else in the Organization since we took down Marluxia for him. I'm not about to just start asking questions about what they are doing. If Axel wants to talk, I'll let him talk.”

            “Same with me and Demyx. I’m not going to ruin our friendship like this.” Rise also adds, nodding her head with conviction.

            “And we wouldn’t want you to.” Sumire adds, nodding her head at the two. But even as they talked about Sae and Rise’s secret meet-ups, Naminé’s gaze was slowly turning towards the window as her mind went to the one person she wanted to meet.

            Roxas… I want to meet you. Even if it’s just once.

Meanwhile, back at the clock tower, Roxas and Xion were both sitting on the edge, overlooking the town. They had just wrapped up their mission in Luxendarc, even if all they did was scout out a certain room with a giant mechanical heart filled with a crystal blue liquid. Not that they understood what it was for, other than that someone was sleeping inside. Although they did have to hide when two girls came in to check on the sleeping boy—people who seemingly screamed with authority but looked at the sleeping boy with similar expressions, yet with different feelings being projected. One was a gaze unfamiliar to them, yet the other looked to be the same sibling bond that Yu shared with Nanako. And it only made them want to know more.

            “You're here already? That was quick.” Axel comments, walking over to them with Chixada next to him. “Heard you guys went to Luxendarc. How was it?”

            “Cold.” Roxas comments as Xion lets out a shiver. “The opposite of Agrabah.”

            “Heh, can’t blame you.” Chixada remarks, leaning against the back wall. “But there are more lands in that world than Eternia. We just keep getting sent there for some reason to check on that boy in the pod. Don’t ask me why they are so interested in someone caught between life and death.”

            “They think he could make a powerful Nobody when he croaks.” Axel remarks, shaking his head. “But they are going to be waiting a long time for that. And how about you, Xion? We didn’t see you yesterday. You doing okay?”

            “Better than I was this morning." Xion tells him, her voice perking up slightly as she goes on to ask a question to Axel as she turns to him. "Axel… earlier on our mission, we saw another case of sibling bond and another gaze that we hadn't seen before. But we also overheard about how the one in the pod was someone they couldn't afford to lose. Do you… have anything you couldn't bear to lose?”

            “Do I have anything?” Axel asks back, his gaze slowly turning to the setting sun. “That’s… a big question right there. But that’s only something someone with a heart could understand.”

            “I’m not sure about that. I mean, have you SEEN Demyx when Xijn and Xosh threaten to destroy his sitar?” Chixada reminds Axel, who lets out a snort.

            “Touché.” Axel admits freely. “In that case… I suppose I do have a few things I couldn’t bear to lose. One of them would be the memories of my past, and the other…” He turns to look at Roxas and Xion with a smile on his face. “It would be you guys.”

            “Us?” Xion asks, eyes wide.

            “Yeah. You guys are my friends. And I would give up anything to keep you guys safe.” Axel tells them before glancing at Chixada. “And that includes you, Chixada.”

            “Oh joy.” Chixada remarks, rolling his eyes.

            “I guess Xion and I are the same as you, Axel.” Roxas comments, he and Xion sharing a glance and a nod as they turn back to him. “Even if we don’t have memories of OUR past, we could never give up the ones we’ve made with you guys, or with Nanako and her friends.”

            “And we would never give up our friendship with them either.” Xion adds before turning to Chixada. “What about you, Chixada? Do you have something you couldn’t afford to lose?” Chixada glances at her, his eyes unreadable as he looks back at the setting sun.

            “If you had asked me six years ago, back when I was somebody, I would have said nothing but cabbages.” Chixada admits, leaning back heavily. “I was the walking personification of apathy at the time, until I got a good beating from Yu and his friends. But now… I think I finally get what having friends really means. And that is one thing I don’t want to lose.”

            “Apathy? What is that?” Roxas asks as he and Xion tilt their heads, only for Axel to place a heavy hand on Roxas’s shoulder.

            “You don’t need to know that. Just a bunch of useless thoughts is all.”

            “You do know I’m still here, right?” Chixada comments, walking over and placing a heavy hand on Axel’s shoulder. Axel, in response, just looks at him and lets out a smirk as the two glare at each other in the eyes.

            “Yeah, I do.” He snarks back as Chixada pushes him into Roxas, who gets pushed into Xion before she pushes Roxas back into Axel, who gets pushed into Chixada. The four of them chuckle away at each other as the setting sun bathes them in its warm glow.

Their future is clouded, but not uncertain.

Day 151.

Another day, another mission completed. Same old mission, same old routine, same old board repetition. At least, that is how Axel was feeling as he appeared at the small hill in Twilight Town. The conversation he had with Roxas and the others about something he didn’t want to lose was still stuck in his mind. After all, while he did tell them about some of the things he didn’t want to lose, there was one thing he didn’t mention to them. And that person was now sitting on a bench right in front of him with two ice cream bars in her hands.

            “Wow. Already got them already, huh, Sae?” Axel asks with a smirk as Sae looks at him with a smile.

            “At this point, it is rather obvious what we eat at our hangouts.” She admits, handing him a bar as he sits next to her. No longer was one standing and the other sitting. “By the way, Makoto and the others found out about us.”

            “They did?” Axel asks, pausing mid-bite.

            “Yep. I must say, it was interesting being on the other side of an interrogation for once." Sae remarks in a calm manner. "But regardless, they don't mind about the two of us meeting up. In fact, they seemed more intent on promoting it than anything else." Axel tilts his head at that, not sure how to take it before letting a smile form on his face.

            “Heh… looks like I've made a good impression on them. Go me." Sae lets out a chuckle at that, shaking her head in amusement and taking a bite of her ice cream. "I guess since the other Phantom Thieves are now aware of our meetups, feel free to extend my thanks to them for taking down Marluxia for me. And tell them that I'm sorry about what happened to Sora."

            “I'll make sure Ren, Makoto, and the others get your message." Sae replies, now having eaten half of her ice cream as Axel lets out a chuckle.

            “Y'know… I wonder how Roxas, Xion, and Chixada would react if they ever found out."

            “Roxas, Xion, and Chixada?" Sae asks, trying her best to play dumb since she's already aware of who the first two are.

            “Yeah… they're also members of the Organization. Numbers XIII, XIV, and XVII, respectively." Axel admits, almost done with his ice cream. "Out of all the members, I consider those three to be my best friends, and after almost every mission, we always eat ice cream together on top of the clock tower." Axel then lets out another chuckle. "I can hardly imagine the look on those three's faces if they find out about what we are doing."

            “Probably the same as my sister and everyone else." Sae comments. "Although you should know we're not the only two seeing each other in private. Another one of your members has been seeing one of Yu's friends, Rise Kujikawa.”

            “For real?” Axel asks, genuinely surprised at that notion. “Who is it?” Sae looks at him, a coy smile on her lips as she lets out a chuckle.

            “Apparently, his name is Demyx. And from what I was told, he's Number IX of your group." She tells him as Axel's eyes widen in surprise. "Seeing how the two of them are fans of music, it should be no surprise that they gravitated toward each other."

            “No way… Demyx of all people?" Axel whispers, shock still lingering on his face before melting away into a smile. "Wow, good for him. I'll be honest, even though he can use water magic along with utilizing his own sitar as his weapon for missions, he's always been looked down on by the others. Roxas, Xion, Chixada, and I are the only ones who like his music. Bet he must be really happy to have someone else in his corner, even if he has to fake it.”

            “I’m not sure if it even is fake.” Sae comments as Axel looks at her. “Axel, you said that hanging out with me and your friends made you feel like you had a heart. But… what if you were growing a heart of your own? Like Naminé?” That question made Axel pause as he slowly looked over at the sun, the implications of that question ringing in his mind as he slowly started to put some dots together about Roxas and Xion. The two of them always acted like they had hearts, even bordering on realistic. But if they really were developing hearts of their own…

            “If that really is true… then I have a lot more to think about than I imagined.” Axel replies honestly, looking at the sun. “And it makes me wonder… just how much have we all been lied to as well.” Sae didn’t have an answer to that as the two fell into silence, the setting sun of Twilight Town falling over them as usual.

And yet, the shadows cast by the light seemed to be larger and darker than ever before.

Chapter Text

Chapter 31: The Sound of the Surf

Day 171.

Today was an… interesting mission that Roxas had. And it might even have been the last one he had to do at Beast’s Castle. After all, he took down a large Heartless that was threatening to take down the main gate leading into the castle. But what he saw at the end was… new to him. All this time, he had watched the Beast protect the castle and everyone inside to the point that he no longer cared about himself, with Belle scolding him every time. But it was today that he figured out why he was doing it.

He was doing it out of love. But what ‘love’ was… was alien to him. Just like the concept of siblings, love was something that he had neither experience nor knowledge of. Nor could he really understand why it made the Beast fight so hard to protect everyone in the castle. This is why he was out here, in the woods of Twilight Town, trying to get his thoughts in order before heading up to the clock tower.

            “I wonder if… Axel knows about love? Or Chixada? I don’t think Xion would know.” Roxas comments to himself as he lets out a sigh, shaking his head in exasperation. “I hate not knowing anything… Why was I born without memories anyway? What makes me and Xion so special?” He holds his hand out, summoning the Kingdom Key to his side as he looks over the blade. “And I can’t help but think about what Xion said… If this really is not my Keyblade, then what is?” He can feel his left hand clench, something absent that he cannot put his finger on as he lets out another sigh. “Maybe I should head back… Axel and the others are probably wondering where I—”

            “Maraquala!” A voice echoes through the trees as the sound of rushing water follows, grabbing Roxas’s attention as he finds himself tensing up.

            “Is someone else here? Are they fighting the Heartless?!” Without even thinking, Roxas rushes toward the sound of the supposed combat, his left hand grasping a branch for some reason and holding it like a weapon. But he puts it to the back of his mind as he reaches a small clearing in the forest, where he sees someone in a white robe with blue decals facing off against several Shadows and Soldiers, with two Large Bodies bearing down on her.

            “Leviathan! Aquala!” Mage shouts, summoning her Persona to her side and dousing the Heartless in a wave of water. Roxas, stunned at the sight of another Persona user, stares blankly for a moment before noticing three Shadow Heartless creeping up behind Mage, his mind snapping into focus.

            “Look out!” Roxas shouts, rushing forward and dragging both the Kingdom Key and the branch behind him before leaping at the three Shadows. Mage, surprised by Roxas’s voice, turns around just to see the three Shadows leap at her, only for Roxas to dive in and start attacking them with both weapons. While the branch does nothing, it serves the purpose of forcing the Shadows off balance as Roxas quickly takes care of them with the Kingdom Key. His strikes are fast and furious, focusing entirely on offence with no defence. This is something that is completely different from his usual style of combat, not that he bothers to think about it at the moment.

Mage, surprised by Roxas’s appearance, turned back to face the remaining Large Bodies as they lumbered towards her, their steps long and heavy as she rushed forward to confront them. Easily jumping over them as they swung their large arms at her, Mage soon used her staff to hit their backs, startling them as they stumbled forward. Right into Roxas, who leaped at them and slashed the Kingdom Key at their heads, finishing them off and releasing the captured hearts within. A silence fell over the place as Roxas tossed away the branch he was holding, turning towards Mage as she let out some heavy breaths.

            “Are you okay?” He asks gently, walking up to Mage, who glances at him, her hood covering her head and her mask on her face. Not that it stopped her from smiling back in return, despite the exhausted look on her face.

            “I am, thanks to you.” She replies, pushing her hood back. For a moment, Roxas felt himself freeze at seeing her without her hood. How her blonde hair framed her head and her blue eyes looked at him gently behind her mask. For some reason, something inside him stirred at seeing her, yet at the same time, he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. “My name is Mage. Thank you for helping me against the Heartless.” Mage tells him with a bit of shyness in her voice, snapping Roxas out of his daze.

            “Oh… um… it's no problem." Roxas stumbles, rubbing the back of his head as Mage giggles at him. "My name is Roxas. And if you don't mind what I'm about to ask, why are you out here anyway? It's dangerous with the Heartless running about.”

            “Well, training for one.” Mage replies honestly. “That, and getting some fresh air after being cooped up inside for a long while.” Roxas slowly nods his head at Mage, wondering why she was ‘cooped’ up in the first place, but he decides against asking. This was their first meeting, after all. No need to ask uncomfortable questions. Although speaking about that…

            “So, that thing you were using, was that a Persona?" Roxas asks, with Mage tilting her head at him. "It's just that a friend of mine, Nanako, has a similar power, and I couldn't help but wonder…" Mage smiles softly at him, seeing the shyness in his eyes as she grasps her hands behind her back.

            “Yes. That was my Persona. Leviathan.” She tells him. “How I got my Persona is a long tale, but to be honest, I’d rather not remember it. It’s… not a happy story.” Mage looks away, hiding the pain on her face as Roxas tilts his head at her. Sure, part of him wanted to ask what she meant, but if she didn’t want to tell him, then it was better not to ask. Just as he was about to ask her another question, Mage pulled her hood back up and looked at him with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but I need to head back now. My friend and I are working on a project, and it’s eating up all of our time.”

            “Oh…” Roxas comments, looking at the forest floor before glancing back up. “Will we see each other again?” Mage pauses in her steps, looking back at Roxas and feeling very thankful that her hood and mask were hiding her expressions. Because if he could see her, he would ask why she had a light dusting on her cheeks.

            “I hope so. There is a lot I want to know about you, Roxas.” Mage tells him as she shyly waves at him. “See you around, I hope.” And with that, Mage moves into the trees as Roxas stands there, watching her figure vanish into the shadows as he lets out a sigh. His mind wanders to the strange sensation he feels at seeing her as he turns toward Twilight Town. But even as he does, another question pops into his mind as he makes his way back. And it isn’t about Mage.

            “Y’know… using two blades felt natural to me… I wonder if I can find something to use in my left hand along with the Kingdom Key?” But while Roxas was thinking to himself, Mage found a quiet spot not too far from the mansion as she let her Thief attire vanish, once more standing as Naminé while she glanced behind her.

            “My lady. Are you thinking about him again?” A calm voice echoes as Naminé turns to the front, where four Nobodies appear before her. Each of them is wearing robes like her Thief attire, in pure white but with silver trims. Hoods cover their blank heads, while the robes show their female frames. The lower half of the robe splits into separate parts, revealing the long, thin legs underneath as Naminé shakes her head. She still doesn’t know why these four White Mage Nobodies stuck with her, but she wasn’t going to complain when they helped with recon.

            “It is nothing.” Naminé replies gently. “I need to head back to the basement and check in with Hikari and Lavenza. Can you stay on watch for any members of the Organization approaching?" The four Lesser Nobodies nod before vanishing into silver portals, with Naminé moving to the back entrance of the mansion. And yet, her mind does not leave Roxas. "I finally met him… I hope I can help get him out of the Organization." She whispers to herself, entering through the back door and moving toward the basement. She can worry about Roxas at a later point. Right now, Sora and his friends need her help.

If only progress weren’t so slow… What was slowing them down so much?

            “Roxas isn’t here yet…” Xion comments, glancing to the side as Axel and Chixada sit nearby. “I wonder what’s keeping him…”

            “Well, he is paired up with Xaldin today to head back to Beast’s Castle. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s holding him up or something.” Axel comments, taking a bite out of his ice cream. “He’s always been so serious anyway…” Xion lets out a sigh as she sways a bit on the edge, something Axel couldn’t help but notice. “You alright? You haven’t looked so good today.”

            “I’m okay. I think it was the heat from Roak that got me.” Xion comments, shaking her head. “Still, I’m not sure why they had me investigate Roak. There isn’t anything special happening there, other than that fortune-teller in Tropp.”

            “Sounds like a wild-goose chase to me.” Chixada comments, shaking a hand at that as Roxas makes his appearance around the edge. “Hey, Rox. You sure took your time.”

            “Sorry. I had something to think about on the way back. I sort of got distracted.” He tells them, sitting between Axel and Xion. Although he did wonder why he didn't mention meeting Mage in the forest. But then again, why should he talk about someone he had just met? There was no guarantee he would see her again anyway. But there was one thing he could ask about. “Axel, there is something I need to ask you about, and Chixada as well.”

            “Oh?” Axel replies, glancing at him as Chixada tilts his head while Xion looks at Roxas in puzzlement. Why did Roxas not ask her as well? “What do you want to ask?”

            “Well… man, this is going to sound stupid, but…” Roxas takes in a breath of air, looking Axel in the eyes as he readies himself to either be laughed at or told to forget about it. “Do you know what love is?” The moment he said those words, Axel almost found himself falling off the edge while Chixada’s jaw fell wide open. As for Xion, she tilted her head in confusion, having never heard the word before.

            “W-Where did THAT come from, Rox?” Axel asks, getting his balance back.

            “I heard about it from Xaldin on today’s mission. About how the Beast protects his home with the power of love, and that it is really powerful.” Roxas explains, rubbing the back of his head. “He also said it was a weakness as well, but… what exactly is love?” While Axel found his brain short-circuiting at the question, which was strangely drifting to Sae for some reason, Chixada took the reins and coughed into his hand.

            “Well, Rox, there are actually different forms of love that you can find out there. But three of the most common ones are platonic, familial, and romantic.” Chixada explains carefully. “While the first two don’t really have anything special, it’s the last one that has a really special bond. And nine times out of ten, you find it happening between two different people.”

            “Nine times out of ten?” Xion asks, tilting her head as Chixada lets out an awkward smile.

            “Well… let's not discuss what that form is." Chixada dismisses with a shake of the head. "Anyway, the bond I'm talking about is one that goes higher than best friends. An example I can think of would be in this very city. You two know about the woman with long black hair who travels with Yu?" At that, the two nod their heads as Chixada looks down at the town below. "That would be Yukiko Narukami, Yu's wife. The bond they share is a romantic bond. Sure, they started out as best friends, but that bond slowly turned into a romantic one. Of course, not all bonds happen that slowly. Sometimes, they can happen in the blink of an eye when two people just naturally click with one another.”

            “That sounds… complicated.” Xion comments as Chixada shrugs his shoulders.

            “Well, to those without hearts, I suppose it does.” Axel hides a flinch at that, the question from Sae ringing in his mind as he closes his eyes. He still doesn’t know if he should say that or not. “Either way, people who are in love shouldn’t be put down. They will do things that, at times, defy all forms of logic and still come out on top. When the other person who is the other half of their heart is in trouble, they would move mountains to see them safe.”

            “Just like what the Beast is doing…” Roxas whispers. “Even if it kills him, he still fights to protect everyone he loves in his castle…”

            “That's right." Chixada replies, nodding his head. "But hey, maybe when Kingdom Hearts is completed, and we all regain our hearts, you can get that feeling for yourself. As for me, I know I will never experience something like that. Not with the crimes I committed as a somebody." He lets out a sigh, glancing around the place as a whimsical expression comes over him. "I wonder if I can ever clear away my sins?" While Roxas and Xion look at him in puzzlement, Axel's mind is in a completely different place. More specifically, it is hung up on a building realization that he can no longer keep to himself.

            Naminé was like us, but then she got a heart of her own. Without the need for Kingdom Hearts. And if she could do it, then doesn’t that mean we could do it? He glances at Roxas and Xion, seeing the two of them talk with easy looks as he closes his eyes once more. Are Roxas and Xion… also developing hearts of their own? And if they are… then does that mean Xemnas has lied to us this entire time? But why would he do that? Axel could feel his hand clench under him as he forced something he could swear was anger building in him to be suppressed, if it even was anger.

            If that is true, and I have been doing all of this for one big lie… then I won’t stay a single day longer in this place. But… how can I leave Roxas, Xion, and Chixada behind? How do I even tell them this?

How does one go about telling their friends that they have lived nothing but a lie for their entire life?

Day 172.

Another day waking up, another day taking on missions. The more Roxas thought about it, the more he started to really hate doing this task every single day. Sure, it was cool visiting different worlds, but the excitement had largely run out. The only thing that he looked forward to now was finding out who he was being paired up with. Thankfully, he hadn’t been paired up with Yaxkata, Xijn, Xosh, or Xunko yet, and hopefully never would. But when he walked into the main room today, he found Luxord waiting in the centre, playing with his cards as he glanced at Roxas.

            “Roxas. How has the game been treating you?” He asks, doing some tricks with his cards.

            “Uh… fine, I guess.” Roxas replies, rubbing the back of his head. “Are you doing missions again, Luxord?”

            “Yes.” Luxord replies, magicking his cards away. “My bet with Xaldin, Xijn, and Xosh came to an end yesterday. So now, I will be resuming my duties. And today, I am paired up with you for Wonderland. Saïx shuffled us together, you see.” Roxas lets out an internal sigh at that. The one world he did NOT want to visit again.

            “I hate Wonderland.” Roxas mumbles under his breath.

            “Such a strong word for a Nobody. We can’t feel, after all.” Luxord comments, stroking his chin. “By the way, have you heard about what happened to Xion? Apparently, she has fallen into a deep sleep and has yet to awaken, just like what happened to you, I may add.”

            “What!?” Roxas shouts, taking a step back. “When did this happen!?”

            “Why, just this morning. The poor gal seemed to have been suffering a headache and collapsed right as Saïx gave us our missions for the day.” Luxord reports, shaking his head. “Quite the unexpected turn of events. No one saw it coming.” Roxas could feel his hands clenching, his mind focusing on Xion as he turned on his feet, only for Saïx to appear and stop him.

            “Where do you think you are going? You have a mission.” Saïx tells him in his monotone voice.

            “Which I will do! But first, I’m going to see Xion.” Roxas replies with a little bit more bite than usual.

            “She will not wake up, no matter what you do. Her situation is the same as yours when you collapsed a while ago.” Roxas lets out a growl as he pushes past Saïx, not caring about him one bit.

            “It doesn’t matter. She was there for me when I was asleep, so I should be there for her.” He tells him stoically, even as Luxord silently nods his head in approval at Roxas. But Saïx was far from happy with Roxas’s behaviour.

            “Why do you care? The creature is broken. Defective.” Roxas stops in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he turns to glare at Saïx. The monotone Nobody actually takes a step back when he sees the raw anger radiating from Roxas, more than what one would consider fake, as Roxas spits out his words at him.

            “Don’t you DARE call my sister a fake, you stuck-up, Heartless NOBODY!” Without even staying to hear Saïx’s reply, Roxas storms off to see Xion, leaving a stunned Saïx watching him in silence as Luxord silently fades into the background, also taken aback by the anger from Roxas.

            “That was uncalled for, Saïx.” Chixada speaks out from the side, spinning his gun in his hand as he looks at him with an unimpressed expression. “Keep thinking like that, and you’ll find yourself as the most unpopular Nobody in the castle.”

            “Keep your nose out of this.” Saïx retorts, turning his gaze toward the window behind him. “As far as I am concerned, Xion has no right to be one of our members. It is plain to see to anyone.”

            “Well, aren’t you all high and mighty. Being close to the big boss gives you a sense of euphoria? Oh wait… you can’t even feel that.” Chixada replies, pushing himself off the wall as he walks past Saïx. “The more you treat people like they are beneath you, the sooner those same people will rise up and knock you down. Trust me, I have more experience in that than you could imagine.”

            “And why should I listen to one who lived their life in apathy?” Saïx questions, with Chixada pausing in his steps and glancing over his shoulder at Saïx.

            “It’s because I lived a life of apathy that I can understand people more than you. And what a self-destructive life apathy can bring.” He looks forward, opening up a portal of darkness. “And if you don’t learn from my mistakes, sooner or later, you are going to end up regretting them.” With that, Chixada takes his leave as Saïx shakes his head, ignoring the words said to him as he continues to stare at the moon above them.

As for Roxas, he was already barrelling his way towards Xion’s room, finding the four Black Mage Nobodies already there and looking over her with concern. Seeing Roxas, the four parted to allow him near the bed, his eyes softening as he saw her sleeping form.

            “Xion…” Roxas whispers silently, his hands clenching by his side. Suddenly, he remembers something in his pocket as he pulls out a blue and yellow seashell and places it on her bed. “I’ll watch over you, like how you watched over me.” He tells her before turning to the Black Mage Nobodies. “Look after her, okay?”

            “Of course, my liege.” One of the Black Mage Nobodies replies, bowing their head to him. Taken aback for a second, Roxas nods in thanks to the Nobody before exiting Xion’s room, finding his own four personal Samurai Nobodies waiting for him as well.

            “Our blades are yours, my liege.” One of them tells Roxas, who nods in appreciation as he turns his gaze back down the hall.

            “Let’s get this mission over with… I don’t want to see Saïx again today.”

Day 193.

Xion had no idea how long she had been asleep or when she had even fallen asleep. One minute she was waiting to hear what her next mission was, and the next, she was falling over, her vision fading to darkness. But even as she felt herself entering this strange, limbo-like place, something else was tugging at the back of her mind.

Memories. But they were not her memories. Rather, they belonged to someone else. And it wasn't like these memories were fusing with her or anything; it was more like she was watching them happen. What was strange was that it was all so… vague. As though the connection was incomplete or damaged. She couldn't even see who it was in the memories she was watching, or anyone else for that matter. But she could still 'feel' what was happening for some reason. That, and the final voice at the end calling out for someone, not that she could hear it clearly.

But it was at that moment that Xion could slowly start to feel her eyes opening again with some strain as she let out a groan.

            “Xion? You’re awake!” Roxas’s voice echoes to her side, where she can see not only him but her four Nobodies and Roxas’s Nobodies all staring at her expectantly. Although, by how they were moving, Xion could fathom a guess that they were glad to see her awake. If they could even feel that…

            “Roxas… Everyone…” Xion breathes, pushing herself up. “How long was I asleep?” Roxas rubs the back of his head, letting out a sigh of relief.

            “About twenty-one days. Not as long as me, but still…” Xion shakes her head gently at that. She couldn’t believe that she was asleep for that long, but as she moved her hand to the side, it brushed over something she wasn’t expecting to find.

            “Seashells…” Xion comments, picking up one of the larger spiral shells. “You did the same thing that I did…”

            “Of course. After all, you looked out for me when I was asleep.” Roxas replies as Xion listens to the sound of the waves inside the shell. “Besides, what sort of brother would I be if I didn’t look out for my sister?” Xion’s eyes snap open, looking at Roxas with surprise as she almost drops the shell in her hand.

            “You… think of me as a sister?” She asks quietly as Roxas nods his head.

            “Yeah. Well… I kinda did loudly declare it at Saïx when he insulted you. And when Axel and Chixada found out, they told me to stick with it. Only if you are okay with it, of course.” Xion looks at the shell in her hand, letting Roxas’s words echo in her mind. She knew she shouldn’t be able to feel anything since she was lacking a heart. And yet, hearing Roxas’s words towards her and the fact that he shouted at Saïx when he was insulting her… it somehow made her happy, more than she could even explain.

            “Roxas… if you really do think of me as a sister…” She looks up at him, a wide smile forming on her face as she nods back. “…then I’ll gladly think of you as a brother.” Roxas lets out a chuckle at that, one that Xion copies as she rests a hand on her chest. “It’s kinda strange how we can feel things even though we don’t have a heart. Even more so since we don’t even remember what emotions feel like. I wonder why?”

            “I can’t help but wonder as well.” Roxas replies, rubbing the back of his head. “Luxord even told me that when I snapped at Saïx, he swore that it looked completely real. Even more so since Saïx actually looked startled by my outburst. But… if we can’t feel anything, then how can we even display emotions at all?” Xion didn’t know how to answer that either, as the two pondered over this confusing conundrum.

How does one feel when they don’t have a heart to feel with?

But even as they began to think about that, Xion suddenly felt a wave of tiredness wash over her, swaying on the bed as Roxas moved to steady her.

            “Xion? Are you still a bit tired?” Roxas asks as Xion shakes her head.

            “Yeah… I guess so.” She replies, letting herself lie back on the bed. “I’ve been having… these strange visions when I was asleep. Like… I was watching someone else’s past. But I couldn’t see or hear anything at all.” Roxas tilts his head at that, hearing the confusion in her voice. Who was this person she was seeing? And why did it sound… familiar to him?

            “This person… did he have spiky hair?” Roxas asks. Xion looks at him, eyebrows furrowed as she thinks back on the memories before shaking her head.

            “I couldn’t see his head… it was all blurred out.” Xion admits, resting a hand over her eyes as Roxas slowly nods his head. Suddenly, the door to Xion’s room opened, with Axel and Chixada entering the room. Chixada was once more accompanied by his four Ranger Nobodies, and Axel was now accompanied by four of his own Nobodies. With long segmented arms with blades along the sides, a long tongue from its mouth, and the same vaguely humanoid shape in a bodysuit that all Lesser Nobodies have, complete with a silver and purple colour scheme.

            “Yo, Roxas! Ready for our next mission?” Axel asks, walking inside before his eyes land on Xion. “Hey! Glad to see you awake, Xion! You had us worried when you didn’t wake up.”

            “Sorry, you two.” Xion replies, making herself more comfortable on the bed. “But I’m awake now, if a bit groggy at the moment…”

            “Can't blame you for how long you were asleep." Chixada remarks, folding his arms. "Although you should have seen Roxas when he snapped at Saïx. I'll be honest, the guy had it coming for a long time.”

            “I just couldn’t stand him talking about her like that.” Roxas reiterates as Axel slaps him on the back.

            “As an older brother, yeah?” Axel snarks with a grin. “Don’t try to hide that fact from us.” Roxas lets out a sigh as Xion chuckles at him in amusement. “Still, aren’t you guys curious as to why we’re worried about you so much?” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, neither of them sure why that is, as Axel lets out an exasperated sigh. “C’mon. We all eat ice cream together whenever we meet up, and we all hang out with each other as well. And you want to know why? It’s because you guys are all my best friends. Same with Chixada.”

            “And ain't that a shocker." Chixada remarks, shrugging his shoulder. "Me, the forming walking embodiment of apathy, having best friends in a group who lack hearts. If Yu and my former boss learned about this, they would think I have gone mad." Axel gives Chixada a slap on the back, a wide grin on his face as he looks back at Roxas.

            “You hear that, Roxas? Xion? So get it memorized. The four of us are best friends. Now and forever. Heck, even my Assassin Nobodies are the same as your Nobodies.” He points a thumb at the four Assassin Nobodies behind him, the Nobodies flickering the blades on their arms like feathers on a bird.

            “Thanks, Axel… Chixada.” Xion tells them as she lets out a sigh. “I think I’ll finish resting up today and see how I am tomorrow.”

            “Take your time. We all need our rest.” Roxas tells her, resting a hand on her head. “I’ll bring another seashell after today’s mission as well, okay?” Xion nods at Roxas with a smile before letting her eyes drift together and fall into a peaceful slumber. Seeing her asleep, Roxas, Axel, and Chixada take their leave as they head back downstairs, ready to move out to their next mission. But as they do, Saïx appears before them with his cold gaze, folding his arms at seeing one of them miss the mission.

            “So then, the creature is still broken, I take it?”

            “She is NOT a creature.” Roxas bites back as he storms past Saïx. “She is my sister. Get it memorized, freak.” Saïx doesn’t flinch at Roxas’s accusation as Axel walks past him with a disappointed gaze.

            “Keep your mouth shut, Isa.” He tells him in a harsh whisper as Chixada walks past, letting out a scoff at him as the three depart for their next mission. All the while, Saïx stands in silence, watching the three vanish as he shakes his head.

            “You have changed, Lea… What has happened at Castle Oblivion? Does the past mean nothing to you?” Saïx could feel his left hand clench as he walked off, passing by Xion’s room without so much as giving it a glance. “No matter. I will continue our plans, with or without you. No matter the cost.”

Day 194.

It was another day of gathering hearts for the Organization. The members were once more out in force. After making a swift recovery, Xion was once again out in the field, taking down Heartless alongside Roxas and Axel. Even as Saïx continued to give her the cold shoulder, she brushed it off with a sense of belonging with her two best friends and now her brother. Even the strange dreams she had seemed like a distant memory as she poured everything into today’s mission.

But even as Roxas, Axel, and Xion gave it their all, there was one person among their numbers who was doing something else instead. After his brief visit to Castle Oblivion with Axel, Chixada could feel that there was something else going on that Axel did not know about. And it all boiled down to what Vexen was doing with his Riku Replica, or Repliku, as Axel called him. From what the redhead told him, the fact that he created a Replica that was so complete that it could fool anyone, and that it had its own heart as well, made Chixada wonder if there were other Replicas that Vexen had made. But the only way to know that would be to find his personal documents—something that was hard to do considering how Xunko had taken all of that research in for herself.

Chixada did not want to know what Xunko was planning to do with that, but the small snippets he heard from her were anything but good. Thankfully, she was using Vexen’s old room as storage to hold all of his books, notes, and documents in order to keep her own notes separate from Vexen’s. This was why, with Xunko out on a mission, Chixada took his chance and sneaked inside, looking through whatever he could find in order to help piece together the puzzle in his mind.

            “There has to be something here… even a random note or something.” Chixada whispers to himself, picking up anything scattered on the floor before placing it back. For a while, it seemed as though he wouldn’t find anything pertaining to Replicas or Xion, but there was one book that caught his attention: a large volume that Vexen had penned himself, talking about Naminé.

            “‘The Truth of Naminé’, huh? This looks promising…” Chixada remarks, looking through the book as fast as he can. He couldn’t waste time getting too caught up in reading, with Xunko possibly showing up at the worst time. But even now, as he began to read, he could feel his brow knitting together as the scope of Vexen’s data soon unveiled itself, along with an interesting piece of trivia.

            “He has a backup computer in Castle Oblivion detailing all of his Replica work… This very well might be my ticket to uncovering the full truth." Chixada silently breathes, closing the book and placing it back where it belongs. "Okay, I've got my next target. Now I just need the right time to check it out…" Making sure that his tracks are cleared, Chixada slinks back to the door and, after quickly checking the hallway, slinks back into the halls as though he had simply passed on by. But even as he walked away, he failed to realize that someone was keeping their eyes on Xunko's door.

Or rather, one eye.

            “Well now… isn't this something?" Xigbar asks, leaning against a wall in the shadows. "Looking into things that should better be left buried, are we, Chixada? I should probably report this to Lord Xemnas." He folds his arms, leaning more into the darkness as a smirk forms on his face. "Or rather… maybe I won't tell him. Let's see how this plays out, huh?" With a chuckle, Xigbar leaves the shadows and moves in the opposite direction of Chixada, his lone eye narrow.

            “Things are getting interesting now, huh, boss?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 32: A Plot Unfolding.

Day 200.

            “So, what did you think about Roak, Roxas?” Xion asks as the two travel through the forests of Twilight Town. “It’s certainly different from the other worlds we visited, right?”

            “Yeah. Although I can't help but wonder if it was a good idea for us to get roped into the arena, even if it was just an exhibition match.” Roxas admits, rubbing the back of his head. Neither of them was there to compete, but a guy called Ashlay somehow dragged them in for an exhibition match against the very Heartless they were hunting. How that happened, they still didn’t know, but a guy walking around with what Ashlay called a ‘crimson shield’ did spark their interest.

            “I’m sure it will be fine. It’s not like we will be going back to Roak any time soon.” Xion tries to assure, even if part of herself isn’t sure either. But there was one thing that was nagging at her mind. “So… I've been wanting to ask you this for a while, but why have you been using a Samurai Nobody sword with the Keyblade, Roxas?”

It was certainly a surprise to her and the others when Roxas started using a Samurai Nobody sword in conjunction with the Keyblade whenever he went out on a mission. Not that it seemed to slow him down when he used it. In fact, he seemed to be far more aggressive when fighting than before. Roxas didn’t even know why, as he shrugged his shoulders at Xion.

            “Well… I guess I kinda got inspired when I went for a walk in the woods one day after a mission at Beast's Castle, and I saved someone from the Heartless. The way I had a branch in my left hand and the Kingdom Key in my right when I was fighting felt… natural. It was almost as if I was capable of doing it from when I first joined the Organization.” Roxas admits, glancing at the trees around him. “I wonder if I can meet her again?”

            “Her?” Xion asks, a coy smile forming on her lips. “So it’s another girl that you saved who isn’t Nanako? Is there something you’re not telling me, brother?” Roxas holds his hands up at Xion, who laughs at his nervous expression before shaking her head. “I’m just messing with you. So, what’s her name?”

            “Well… she called herself Mage. But I don’t think that’s her real name.” Roxas admits as the two walk on, neither of them realizing they are being watched. “However, I do know she is a Persona user.”

            “Really?” Xion asks, looking at Roxas with wide eyes. “That’s surprising to hear. Is she connected to Yu and Nanako, or Chixada?” Roxas folds his arms at Xion’s question. In truth, he should have asked that question before, but it slipped his mind at the time. Even as he shrugged his shoulders at Xion, their peaceful walk was soon interrupted as a Stealth Sneak leaped at them from the shadows, forcing the two to duck as they summoned their weapons.

            “A Heartless?! Where did that come from?!” Xion shouts as the Stealth Sneak growls at them, turning invisible with Roxas and Xion going back to back with each other. “And it’s one that can go invisible… great.”

            “Ambushing us in a dark part of the forest… this one is smarter than the others.” Roxas comments, the two tensing up as they keep their eyes peeled for any form of movement. But even as they look around, neither of them notices the shimmering of light above them as the Stealth Sneak gets ready to pounce on them from above, its eyes locked on Xion.

            “Leviathan! Aqua Break!” All of a sudden, a blue aura wrapped around the Stealth Sneak, confusing it as Roxas and Xion glance upwards, seeing the aura forming around the Heartless just as the voice calls out again. “Maraquala!”

Before the Heartless could jump down to attack, multiple streams of water smashed into it from the side, knocking it from its perch as Roxas and Xion dove out of the way, just missing the Heartless falling on them as Mage burst from the trees.

            “Roxas!” Mage calls out, her eyes falling on the Heartless, its body soaked in water and making it fairly obvious where it was now.

            “Mage!” Roxas calls back before a growl from the Stealth Sneak grabs his attention. “We can talk later! Right now, we need to beat this!” Mage nods as she walks up to them, Xion glancing at Mage in puzzlement before shaking her head as Mage holds up and readies her staff, water wrapping around it as she puts on a smirk.

            “I’m here to even the odds. Any objections?” She asks in a confident tone as the Stealth Sneak roars at her in defiance. Although a part of her really wanted to ask why Roxas was using another sword with his Keyblade, along with who the girl standing next to him was, those thoughts were put on the back burner as the Stealth Sneak leaped at them.

The trio leap apart, letting the Stealth Sneak land on nothing but grass as Roxas dives in from the front, slashing both blades at the Stealth Sneak’s face while Xion moves along the side, sending out blasts of Fira at the Heartless. Mage sends out a wave of Aquala at the Heartless, Leviathan wrapping around her protectively as she does. The water attack seems to tear into the Stealth Sneak as it roars in pain, still doused in water from Mage’s earlier attack, as Roxas sends out a blast of Blizzara from his Keyblade.

The ice freezes the Heartless on the spot, leaving it open to Roxas and Xion as they slam their blades into it without hesitation. But it does not last, as the Heartless soon breaks out of its imprisonment, spinning itself around and hitting Xion in the chest with its tail.

            “Xion!” Roxas shouts, leaping into the air and slamming both weapons into the Heartless's back. “Leave my sister alone!” While the Heartless tries to shake Roxas off, Mage rushes up to Xion as she stumbles back to her feet.

            “Diarama.” Mage intones, the healing magic washing into Xion as she feels herself rejuvenated. “Better?”

            “Much better.” Xion replies, getting to her feet as Roxas continues to stab at the Stealth Sneak’s back, much to her exasperation. “I swear… it’s like my brother is TRYING to show off.” Mage couldn’t help but tilt her head at that remark, keeping her expression neutral as best as she could as Xion turned to her. “Let’s finish this fight now.”

            “Let’s.” Mage replies, turning to face the Heartless as Leviathan surges around her while Xion rushes forward, Kingdom Key in hand as she leaps forward. Roxas, seeing the two coming, jumps off the back of the Heartless and sends down a blast of Thundara, just as Mage sends out a stream of Aquala at the Heartless, catching it between the two magics as they amplify each other, with Xion coming in with one final strike. The sound of her Keyblade slicing through the air echoes around them for a moment before the Heartless vanishes seconds later into darkness, the captured heart within it set free and left drifting into the sky.

            “That was an unwelcome surprise.” Roxas comments, dismissing the two blades as Xion does the same while Mage walks up to them both, pushing her hood back. “Thanks for the help, Mage. That could have gone a lot worse at the start.”

            “Don’t mention it.” Mage replies, shaking her head with a smile. “Still, I wasn't expecting to see you again since our last meeting a month ago, Roxas. Let alone with company.” She looks at Xion, who rubs the back of her head nervously.

            “Well… Roxas was just talking about you before we got ambushed. So it’s a little freaky that you suddenly appeared soon after.” Xion admits as Mage lets out a slow chuckle.

            “Yeah… I can see how that could go. So…” With a sigh, she closes her eyes as she lets the Flames of Rebellion wash over her, removing her Thief attire and letting her stand in her usual clothes once more. Although she has started to noticeably grow taller, her white dress is starting to become short around her thighs. “…does this make it better?”

Roxas, for his part, couldn’t really reply as he was awestruck by Naminé’s appearance—something that Xion found amusing as she snapped her fingers in front of him to snap Roxas out of his gaze.

            “I think it does.” Xion comments as she looks at Naminé. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mage. My name is Xion, Roxas’s sister.” Once more, Naminé hid her shock at that as she held up a hand for Xion to shake.

            “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. But Mage is not my real name. That is what I go by when I wear my other outfit.” She tells them, letting her hand drop while grasping behind her. “I'm willing to tell you both my real name, but the two of you need to keep it a secret. Is that okay?” The two glance at each other in surprise as to why she would ask them this before they both nod back at her, with Naminé letting out a sigh. “In that case… my name is Naminé Snow.”

            “Naminé…” Roxas repeats, letting the words linger for a moment before smiling back at her. “It’s a nice name.” Naminé could feel a blush forming on her face at that, as she shyly pushed some hair back over her ear.

            “Thank you.” She replies as Xion looks between the two of them, her mind wandering about what was going on before filing it at the back of her mind. It’s not like she could understand, having no heart and all.

            “So, why were you out here, Naminé?” Xion decides to ask, tilting her head. “It’s not really a safe time to go out, especially with the Heartless running loose.” Naminé couldn’t help but chuckle at that, seeing how Xion asked the same question Roxas did when they first met.

            “It’s rather simple, Xion. I’m out training.” She replies with a smile. “It’s because the Heartless are out that I want to grow stronger. If I don’t, then how could I protect everyone when they need me the most?”

            “Protect…” Roxas whispers, folding his arms as he closes his eyes. What Naminé is currently doing, he also has that same desire. He wants to get stronger so he can protect everyone: Axel, Xion, and Chixada. Demyx might also fall into that category, even if they are not as close. The rest of the Organization… he does have that same feeling.

            “Who are you protecting, Naminé?” Xion asks. Naminé glances to the side, uncertain whether she should answer this question. But… maybe she could answer it in a roundabout way.

            “Someone who has touched a lot of hearts but is in need of healing. And while he’s healing, he cannot protect himself.” Naminé replies cryptically, Roxas and Xion glancing at each other in confusion while Naminé shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I want to say more, but now is not the right time.”

            “Not the right time?” Roxas asks, tilting his head.

            “Yes.” Naminé replies apologetically before glancing back. “I’m sorry, but I need to go now.” At that, she once more dons her Thief attire before slowly stepping back. “Roxas, Xion, I promise that we will meet again. And when we do, I will explain everything I can. But until then, please stay safe.” And with that, Mage leaves the two as they watch her vanish into the shadows, her words bouncing in their heads as they slowly make their way back to Twilight Town.

            “What was she talking about?” Xion asks Roxas, who has his arms folded in contemplation.

            “I don’t know. But… whatever it was, she must have a reason for not telling us. Otherwise, why would she stay quiet about it?” Xion shrugs her shoulders at that as Roxas closes his eyes for a moment. “Xion… let’s keep Naminé a secret between us. We don’t tell anyone in the Organization about her.”

            “Not even Axel or Chixada?” Xion asks, tilting her head as Roxas winces.

            “No. At least… not at the moment.” Roxas replies, shaking his head. “I hate having to keep a secret from them, but for now, let’s not mention her to them. If we have to, let’s only use her other name, Mage.” Xion felt conflicted about not telling Axel or Chixada about their meeting with Naminé, even if she agreed to keep it a secret from everyone else in the Organization, especially Xemnas and Saïx.

            “Okay.” Xion acquiesces, with Roxas messing her hair up with a grin. “Hey!” Xion shouts, playfully pushing Roxas’s hand away as the two laugh at each other’s antics. But even as they made their way back home, they couldn’t help but think about what Naminé wasn’t telling them yet.

And who it was that she was protecting until they were fully healed.

Day 224.

            “Y’know, these days of us just hanging out and watching the sun set… they have become one of my favourite things.” Axel tells Sae as the two once more watch the setting sun. “Reminds me of how things used to be… before I became a Nobody.”

            “So you say.” Sae replies, her eyes watching the sun as she lets out a sigh. “I sometimes wish that my own past was filled with fewer mistakes.”

            “Oh?” Axel asks, raising an eyebrow at her. “What makes you say that?” Sae glances at him, slight uncertainty in her eyes before she leans back in her seat, a long sigh escaping her lips.

            “I suppose it is time I told you about who I was before I found the right path.” Sae tells him as she shakes her head. “As you already know, we Thieves have travelled back in time from a different end. One in which Ren and the core seven died in a final fight against the one who ruined our lives to begin with.”

            “So you said… I still can’t believe that anything could kill them.” Axel remarks, remembering the talk about Yaldabaoth.

            “Indeed. But as for who I was as a person… well, I suppose the fact I had a Palace said everything.” Sae remarks with bitterness in her voice. “I have no idea when I developed one, probably after they took down Kaneshiro for the first time, but even before that, I was… a horrible person. Whether it was from the stress of my work as a prosecutor, worrying about my sister's future, the weight of everyone’s expectations on me, or even all three, it didn’t change the fact that I was… horrible to Makoto.” She lets out a shaky breath, raising a hand to cover her face in guilt. “I even shouted at her when she asked a simple question about our Dad, calling her useless and making other horrible remarks. And all the while, I forced her to focus on her studies instead of living her own life… It was only after I interrogated Ren and had my heart changed that I realized how far I had fallen…”

            “That must have been quite the shock. Then again, we did see your Palace and Shadow back in Castle Oblivion.” Axel comments quietly, with Sae blushing slightly. "Gotta say, you looked nice in that dress."

            “It was certainly more risqué than anything I would ever wear." Sae tells him with a growing blush. "But with some modifications, I could see myself wearing that."

            “You'd look good in anything." Axel comments offhandedly with a smirk, much to Sae's growing embarrassment, until he drops the smirk. "Still, I'm not sure how I would react if I were in your shoes, seeing my own dark self. But… I can't say I'm not familiar with it. After all, Isa is no longer the same man I once knew either." He lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't even think completing our mission would change him back, and I'm starting to lose faith in it entirely.”

            “Mission?” Sae asks, tilting her head as Axel jolts for a second. “What mission are you doing?” Axel glances to the side, wondering just what to say now that Sae has asked that question. But maybe he didn’t have to think.

            “Well… I guess you could say it’s what all of us Nobodies want.” Axel admits, folding his hands together. “We’re fighting the Heartless so that we can find our own hearts. Or, failing that, find a way to get hearts of our own. After all, when we became Nobodies, that means that a Heartless was created, yeah? So, doesn’t that mean that if we defeat our own Heartless, we could get our own hearts back? Or maybe even find a way to create new hearts of our own?” Sae watches as Axel leans forward, a weary sigh escaping from his lips. “To be honest, Sae, I want nothing more than to have my heart back. Living with muted feelings and phantom memories of what it was like to have feelings… it’s hell.”

            “Lea…” Sae breathes, reaching over and resting a hand on his. “I’m sure you will get your heart back one day.”

            “Yeah… I hope so too.” Axel agrees, nodding his head as he lets out a long sigh, his gaze falling on the setting sun as the warm rays fall over him. “I’ve lived without one for long enough…”

Day 225.

At the same old stream in Twilight Town’s forest, Rise was once more singing a song she had conjured in her mind. As had become routine, Demyx was there playing his sitar, letting Rise sing to a calming melody as the notes practically wrote themselves. But as they did, Demyx suddenly started to play a different song, one that gave Rise pause not because it didn’t fit the song she was singing, but because of how… familiar it sounded.

            “Demyx… that song you were just playing.” Rise suddenly comments, causing Demyx to pause. “Where did you learn that? It sounds… beautiful.” Demyx tilts his head at Rise for a moment before realizing what it was she was talking about as he lets out a shy chuckle.

            “Oh. That song…?” Demyx comments, rubbing the back of his head. “It's one of the few things that I remember from my days when I was somebody. At least, it's one of the memories I have. I can't really remember much of my past for some reason.”

            “I see…” Rise breathes, glancing at the forest floor. “I’m sorry…”

            “Eh, it’s no big deal. I’m not losing sleep over it, even if it does bother me.”  Demyx replies, shaking his head. “But, as for this song, I don’t know why, but it always comes to me when I let my mind rest. And when I do, I have these flashes of a place I’ve never been to before, along with my old name.”

            “Your old name?” Rise asks, tilting her head.

            “Yeah. See, Demyx is the name I was given when I joined up with the Organization, but my original name is Myde O’Donohue, and that’s all I can remember.” Demyx tells Rise as he leans back against a tree. “Kinda wish I could remember more of that time, but it’s like trying to catch mist.”

            “Myde O’Donohue… That’s a nice name.” Rise said, tapping a finger on her chin. “And why does that sound… so familiar?” She whispered under her breath, but not quietly enough for Demyx to glance at her.

            “Huh?” Demyx asks, glancing at Rise, who shakes her head.

            “Never mind. Just talking to myself. So, what are these images that you have been seeing?”

            “Oh, those flashes?” Demyx asks, shrugging his shoulders. “To be honest, they don't really tell me much. From what I remember, the sky looked to be stuck at daybreak, and there was a large plaza with a fountain, along with a large building with a giant clock on it… It's always those same images that I see.” Rise's eyes widen slightly as she holds back a gasp of shock. Those images he just described… they sounded a LOT like the flashback she and the others had of Daybreak Town. Could he also be one of them?

            “Although there was one thing I saw that gave me the shivers.” Demyx suddenly comments, letting out a full-body shiver. “It was some strange capsule that could easily fit a person. And for some reason, I’m inside the capsule as it closes. But after that, nothing.” He looks at Rise, letting out a hum at her as she tilts her head. “Now that I think about it, something about you feels familiar as well.”

            “Really?” Rise asks, running a hand through her hair. “Maybe I remind you of someone you met in the past?” Demyx lets out another hum, shrugging his shoulders as he leans back against the tree.

            “Dunno. Maybe.” He admits, letting his eyes close. “But it would be nice to remember what happened back then.” While Rise absentmindedly nods her head at him, her own mind is racing at the implications of what Demyx said.

            Myde… was he also a resident of Daybreak Town? But if he was, then why doesn’t he use a Keyblade? Is he like us? A reincarnated who hasn’t awoken to one yet? Or… has he lost the ability to use one because he is a Nobody? Rise shakes her head, unable to come up with an answer as she leans back on the rock she was sitting on. I should let everyone else know about this as well sometime. And didn’t Ren and the others say they called Marluxia and Larxene by different names as well? Just… what is going on?

Day 255.

            “I sent Axel to Castle Oblivion last night to help expedite the matter we spoke of.” Saïx reports to Xemnas, with Xigbar sitting nearby along with Yaxkata. The four of them were by themselves in the meeting room, discussing their future plans. “I also instructed him to clear out our facilities there.”

            “And how sure are you that Axel will do as you have instructed?” Yaxkata remarks, leaning forward in his chair. “If my memory has not failed me, the two of you are hardly on speaking terms right now.”

            “It matters not. Axel will complete his mission without fail.” Saïx replies, his cold voice echoing around them.

            “And what of Naminé and Hikari? Are we any closer to finding them, Sora, and the Phantom Thieves?” Xemnas asks, his eyes locked on Saïx as Yaxkata feels his brow twitch at hearing that particular name.

            “They are still missing, sir." Saïx reports as Xemnas lets out a sigh while Xigbar laughs.

            “Where, oh where could they be? I highly doubt they could have gotten far from Castle Oblivion on foot." Xigbar remarks, shaking his head. "Unless they had a ship, but if I recall correctly, those guys lost theirs when the Heartless world went pop."

            “Xigbar… the way you say it almost sounds as though you may have known where they are." Yaxkata remarks, glancing at him as Xigbar shrugs his shoulders.

            “Ha! As if! I ain’t got a clue either.” Xigbar retorts, but the smirk on his face tells a different story. One that Saïx finds far from amusing as Xemnas raises a hand, motioning for him to continue.

            “In other news, someone has accessed our main computer without authorisation.”

            “Well now… it cannot be Xunko.” Yaxkata remarks, stroking his chin. “She has always been one to show clearance whenever she uses our main computer. However, I believe that you already know who it was, don’t you?”

            “Oh, I think we can all agree on that. Sounds like our little puppet is turning into a problem.” Xigbar remarks, leaning on one hand. “But I wonder if she has what it takes to learn the truth.”

            “What makes you believe that it is Xion who accessed the main computer?” Yaxkata asks, folding his fingers. “Personally, I believe it was Chixada. He has always shown himself to be inquisitive about things better left forgotten.”

            “Regardless of who accessed our main computer, it changes nothing.” Xemnas announces, his eyes locked on the seat opposite him. “Axel, Roxas, Xion, and Chixada. They will play the respective roles that Kingdom Hearts has given them. Our plans will proceed unchanged. In truth, how can this not be more perfect than it can already be? Xion is marching right into the arms of destiny, but to destiny’s own time. We need not take any more steps. All we must do is watch with caution and patience.” While Xigbar and Saïx were content to fall silent, Yaxkata had his own doubts about how things were proceeding. True, it seemed as though things were moving ahead as planned, but there was something going on that had him… suspicious.

            What are you planning, Chixada?

At Castle Oblivion, the doors leading to the main hall open slowly, with Xion and Chixada stepping into the empty castle. Chixada glances at the walls around him, a purpose in his eyes, while Xion looks on hesitantly, unsure if she should even be here or not, but at the same time…

            “Are you sure you want to do this, Xion? I don’t mind looking for the information myself.” Chixada tells her, folding his arms as she looks back at him. “You might not like what we will find.”

            “I know… but still, I need to know.” Xion comments, her hand grasping her chest. “You said you found something yesterday after you accessed the main computer twenty-nine days ago. If Roxas wasn’t busy on a mission, he would have come as well.”

            “Yeah, he would have.” Chixada remarks, nodding his head. “On the plus side, Axel was sent here yesterday, so he should have set it up so we can look at whatever Vexen left behind without issue.” Xion nods back absentmindedly as the two walk forward. But as they do, a memory surges forth in Xion’s mind, sending her to the floor as a memory of her past comes to her. A memory… of Saïx leading her out of the castle as he tells her this would be the last time she sees these walls.

            “Hey! Xion!” Chixada shouts, kneeling as Xion falls to her knees, just as Axel enters through the other doors, seeing the two of them nearby.

            “Xion! Chixada!” He calls out, rushing over to them as Xion rests a hand on her aching head. “What happened?” Chixada looks at him, shrugging his shoulders as the pain in Xion’s head slowly fades away.

            “I… I remember.” She says quietly as Chixada helps her up. “I remember Saïx… taking me from this place.”

            “Saïx did?” Axel asks, eyes narrowing. “So he did know the truth, huh? Figures he wouldn’t tell me anything.” Xion lets out a sigh as Chixada shakes his head. “Will you be okay going forward, Xion?” Xion looks up at Axel, her face still mixed with some pain as he folds his arms. “I know you said you wanted to come here and find out what is being hidden here after what Chixada told us yesterday, but… if being here is causing you pain…”

            “I want to know.” Xion replies, her voice resolute. “I want to know the truth about why I came from here and what else was hidden from me and Roxas.” Axel closes his eyes, uncertainty in his mind. And yet… he could already feel himself leaning towards one answer rather than indecisiveness.

            “If you're being serious, then I won't stop you from finding out.” Axel tells her. “I want to know as well. Honestly, after what Chixada told me when he overheard Xemnas and Saïx talking about Roxas while he was asleep, I’ve had my doubts about the Organization for a long while. And now, I’m finally finding my answer.”

            “In that case, you can take Xion to the usual spot.” Chixada comments, surprising both Axel and Xion as Chixada turns to her. “Listen, I know you want to find out what the hell is going on, and under normal circumstances, I would let you tag along. But what if you get more headaches going forward? What if you get knocked out cold by them?”

Xion opens her mouth to protest, but she finds the words dying in her throat before she can even say them. In a way, he was right. Even if she wanted nothing more than to find out the truth, if she collapsed like that again, she would only slow them down and possibly make it even more obvious to the rest of the Organization that they were in a place they didn’t belong.

            “Okay…” Xion acquiesces as Axel pats her on the shoulder. “I don’t like it, but I trust you. Both of you.” She looks at Chixada, a silent plea behind her eyes. “Please… find out the truth. I can’t stand not knowing any longer, even if it does more harm than good.”

            “Count on it.” Chixada replies with a nod as Axel lets out a sigh. “Well, you guys better get going. Don’t worry, I won’t take so long that they’ll get suspicious. But I won’t be meeting up at the usual spot today.”

            “Just be careful, okay?” Axel replies as he slowly takes Xion back to the entrance. “The last thing I want is to lose a precious friend.” Chixada nods back, watching as the two leave while he cracks his hands.

            “Now then… let’s see what Xemnas has been keeping from us.” Chixada remarks out loud, heading for the door as he cracks his neck. “They say the dead keep their secrets, but something tells me Vexen will tell a lot. After all, he always boasted about leaving behind all of his written work.” With little effort, he opens the doors leading deeper into Castle Oblivion, the light flowing over him as he lets a smirk form on his face.

            “And I bet my cabbages he would have taken all of his copies with him to this place.”

At the clock tower in Twilight Town, Roxas sits watching the setting sun with a calm look on his face, even as his mind dances with decisions.

But he wasn’t alone for long.

            “You’re here early, Roxas.” Axel’s voice echoes behind him, grabbing Roxas’s attention as he turns to the source with a smile, where he sees Axel and Xion greeting him with smiles on their faces.

            “No, you and Xion are just late, Axel.” Roxas replies in good nature as Axel sits on Roxas’s right with Xion on his left. “Is Chixada not joining us today, or is he still at Castle Oblivion?”

            “He is still at Castle Oblivion. He mentioned that he can find whatever it is that Vexen is hiding on his personal computer in order to clarify it with what he’s already found. That, and I couldn’t go with him as the place was giving me headaches from my past.” Xion replies, kicking her feet over the edge. “I’m not sure what… but he said he would get in touch later and that it would affect us. But he was right about one thing… I did come from Castle Oblivion.”

            “I still feel a bit icky about all of this." Axel admits as he pulls out three sea-salt ice creams, giving two of them to Roxas and Xion. "But if it helps the both of you, then I'm not going to complain. Besides, I'm not going to stay silent and let whatever they have planned for you happen without me being there." Roxas nods back at him as the trio silently eats the ice creams given by Axel until Roxas suddenly speaks up.

            “Today makes 255.”

            “Hm? What’s that about?” Axel asks, a stick in his mouth as Xion looks at him.

            “It’s been that many days since I first joined the Organization. Man… time flies.”

            “Then… that makes it 248 days since I was born.” Xion adds, nodding her head almost absentmindedly.

            “So, you both got those numbers memorized, huh?”

            “Yeah. Have to keep hold of something, right? Neither of us has memories, after all.” Roxas admits as Xion lets out a hum. “Don’t you remember, Axel? I was like a zombie.”

            “Yeah.” Axel admits, placing a hand on Roxas’s shoulder. “Back then, you could barely even form a sentence. And Xion was just as bad as you, always walking around with her hood up and hardly speaking a word.”

            “Yeah, thanks.” Xion snarks, rolling her eyes.

            “But c’mon!” Axel suddenly shouts, hitting a hand on Roxas’s back. “You are still both kind of like zombies!”

            “Oh, thanks!” Roxas shouts back, but smiles are on all three of their faces as they laugh at each other. The gentle sunlight of the setting sun beams down on them as they enjoy the view. Eventually, they all finish their ice cream and are content to just watch the clouds or birds fly by.

            “Hey, guys. I bet you don’t know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of many different colours, and out of all of them, red is the one that travels the farthest.”

            “Did you remember that from your past memories?” Xion asks as Axe lets out a chuckle.

            “Maybe. Maybe not.” Axel admits with a grin. But the grin doesn’t last as he suddenly takes on a more sombre look. “So… your mind is made up? Depending on what Chixada finds, are you guys still planning on leaving the Organization?” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, uncertainty in their eyes, before nodding back at Axel as he lets out a long sigh. “You both know that they won’t like it.”

            “Maybe…” Roxas admits, turning his eyes back to the horizon. “But I still want to know. Why Xion and me? And…” He lets out a sigh, glancing down at the town below as he spies Nanako, Hayner, Pence, and Olette running past the station. “…what else was kept from us back then?”

            “Yeah… they certainly have kept their fair share of secrets.” Axel admits, looking up at the clouds. “And I’ve already made up my mind as well. When you guys decide to leave, I’ll leave with you.”

            “What?” Xion asks, her eyes wide as she and Roxas look at him in shock. “But, isn’t the Organization important to you?”

            “It was important, but not any more.” Axel replies firmly, looking at the two with a determined gaze. “You guys are more important to me now. And if sticking with you means abandoning the Organization, I would do that without looking back.”

            “Axel…” Roxas breathes as Axel rests a hand on his shoulder.

            “We’re best friends, right? And friends stick together no matter what.” He tells them, a smile forming on his face. “I’m not going to let anyone break us apart.” Roxas could feel the relief swelling through him. Sure, he and Xion had discussed leaving the Organization as a possibility after what Chixada told them yesterday, but they weren’t fully set on the idea if it meant leaving Axel behind. But if Axel was going to come with them…

            “Thank you, Axel!” Xion shouts, throwing her arms around him as Axel stops himself from falling off the edge. “Thank you for picking us!”

            “Of course I would!” Axel replies, throwing an arm around her. “Gotta thank Chixada for helping me come to this decision sooner rather than later. But still, how do you guys plan to leave, anyway?”

            “We can cross that bridge later.” Roxas replies, looking back at the sun. “But right now, we need to wait for Chixada. After that, we can plan how to leave.” Axel and Xion nod in agreement as they turn their gaze back to the setting sun. Tomorrow would be the day they would make their choice…

…and learn just what the Organization had been keeping from them this entire time.

Day 256.

It was strange how an air of tension seemed to have enveloped the castle that the Organization called home. The usual suspect was, as always, Saïx, as he coldly glared at Roxas and Xion. But that was not all. Xosh still glared at Chixada with repressed anger, but now that glare was joined by Xijn and Xunko, while Yaxkata looked at Axel with increasing scrutiny. Demyx also seemed to be feeling the pressure, as he always avoided contact with the other members, barring Roxas’s group. Xaldin and Luxord, on the other hand, seemed to just watch with little interest.

It seemed as though a line was being drawn inside the Organization as people were silently taking sides, while Xemnas and Xigbar watched on. But that wasn't all of the tension, as Roxas, Axel, and Xion, after the three of them completed their separate missions for Halloween Town, Olympus Colosseum, and Neverland to avoid suspicion, were waiting for Chixada on the world of Roak, deep inside the Purgatorium. Strange how he set this as their rendezvous point, but it certainly gave them the privacy they needed, even if it didn't help with the building dread they were all feeling.

            “Where is he?” Roxas asks, a little impatiently as Xion paces back and forth. Axel is leaning against a wall, arms folded as he does his best to try to stay composed, even if the air around him suggests otherwise.

            “Chixada hasn’t let us down yet, Rox. He’ll be here.” Axel tells him in a semi-calm tone, which does help a little to calm Roxas down. No sooner does he say that than Chixada reveals himself, walking out of a corridor of darkness as his Ranger Nobodies take up position nearby with the Samurai, Assassin, and Black Mage Nobodies.

            “Sorry I’m late. Had to make sure Xosh and Xunko weren’t following me.” Chixada tells them as the tension in the air slightly filters out.

            “We’re just glad you’re here.” Xion tells him as the four group up. “Chixada… what did you find?” Chixada glances at Xion before looking at Roxas and Axel as he rubs the back of his head with a long sigh.

            “A plot that is as devious as it is dark. You guys may want to sit down.” He remarks. Confused, Roxas, Axel, and Xion sit on the cold stone floor along with Chixada as he looks at them with a calm expression. “First off, Vexen did leave behind copies of everything he wrote, including his experiments on Replicas and Artificial Personas, along with his notes about his Riku Replica and his Artificial Persona, Raiden.” He glances at Axel with a calculating stare. “You knew about that, right?”

            “Yep.” Axel replies, nodding his head as Roxas and Xion look at him. “And he certainly acted like the real deal, although I don’t know what happened to him after I left.”

            “Well, did you know that he wasn't the only Replica Vexen made?" Chixada asks. Axel looks at him, eyes wide with surprise as Chixada shakes his head. "Yeah, I thought so. Before he made his Riku Replica, or Repliku as Axel likes to call him, he made another one that he called No. i. And according to the data left behind, this Replica was made in order to steal a certain power from someone.”

            “A certain power?” Roxas asks, a feeling of uncertainty building inside him as Chixada nods back.

            “Yep. And it’s a power you guys know well.” He looks between the two of them, a knowing look on his face as Roxas and Xion quickly realize what he is talking about.

            “You mean… the Keyblade?” Xion asks, raising a hand to her mouth as Chixada nods back.

            “Yep.” He replies bluntly as cold air sweeps through the room. “The plan was to have this Replica act as a backup in case the two they had their eyes on proved to be uncontrollable and rebelled. One of them was a kid named Sora, whom they planned to alter his memories and turn into their puppet. And the other… was you, Roxas.”

            “Me!?” Roxas shouts as Axel narrows his eyes. “But… why me!?”

            “It’s simple.” Chixada explains calmly. “It's not you, but rather the weapon you wield: the Keyblade and its ability to free captured hearts.”

            “That’s why they made a Replica?” Axel asks, tilting his head. “And it certainly puts into perspective why Marluxia wanted to change Sora’s memories. I thought they wanted to do that so they could use him to take over the Organization, but if it was their plan to make him a puppet from the start…”

            “Wait… who even is Sora?" Xion asks, tilting her head as Roxas's eyes widen, recalling something that Xemnas said to him many months ago.

            “Hold on… I heard that name before, from Xemnas after my first week here." Roxas comments before looking at Axel. "Axel… do you know this guy?" Axel was silent for a second before letting out a sigh.

            “Well, you could say that I ended up encountering him a few times when I was stationed at Castle Oblivion all that time ago. To put it simply, Sora's a guy who can wield the Keyblade like you two. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is willing to do anything to help others. He even sacrificed himself at one point to save a girl he liked." Axel tells them. "But that doesn't explain who this No. i is.”

            “Actually, we already know who they are.” Chixada comments, slowly turning his head to Xion. “After all, she’s been with us the entire time.” Xion blinks in confusion at Chixada until her face slowly pales as realization fills her veins, along with Roxas and Axel as they stare at her in shock.

            “Me? I’m the Replica?” Xion asks with a waver in her voice as Chixada slowly nods at her.

            “That’s what Vexen’s notes said.” He tells her bluntly. “Not only that, but they detailed how you were supposed to drain not only Sora’s powers, but Roxas’s as well from Sora’s memories after they were messed with.”

            “But that didn’t happen!” Axel suddenly shouts, jumping to his feet as Roxas and Xion sit in stunned silence. “Sora’s memories weren’t tampered with at all! Naminé herself admitted to that!”

            “Naminé?” Roxas asks, slowly looking at Axel. “What does she have to do with this?” That got Axel and Chixada’s attention as they looked at both Roxas and Xion with questioning looks.

            “Roxas… did you and Xion meet Naminé?” Axel asks carefully. Seeing how he had accidentally revealed it, Roxas slowly nods as Xion does the same. “I see… somehow, I’m not surprised you guys met her. After all, she’s hiding in Twilight Town for a reason.”

            “Hold up… you knew she was there?” Xion asks, eyes wide as Axel nods back.

            “Yeah. Well, both Chixada and I did." Axel admits, folding his arms. "After everything she, Sora, and some friends of theirs did to help, it felt only right to keep them a secret, especially since a very long while ago, Sora was critically wounded."

            “Well, I don't know that much either." Chixada remarks, standing up. "But I can tell you one thing: the top brass have plans for Roxas and Xion. I think… the Organization wants Xion to absorb Roxas.”

            “What!?” Roxas and Xion shout, leaping to their feet as Axel looks at Chixada with wide eyes.

            “What makes you think that?” Axel asks, his eyes narrowing as Chixada lets out a huff.

            “I saw something in the main computer when I accessed it. Some sort of strange device that they plan to have Roxas plant in some of the worlds he has visited. Apparently, they are designed to grab Sora’s fragmented memories and empower Xion with them, making her strong enough to beat Roxas.”

            “But as I mentioned previously, Sora’s memories aren’t even fragmented!” Axel shouts in exasperation. “This entire plan… it won’t work at all! It’s stupid!” Chixada nods in agreement at Axel’s outburst, himself easily disgusted by the plan. Sure, he threw people into TVs, which led to their deaths, but even he wouldn’t go this far. It’s why he turned on Xosh when they were somebodies to begin with.

            “Is this all they see us as? Pawns to use and discard whenever they want?” Roxas asks in a quiet voice, Axel and Chixada turning to look at the two as their faces are covered in shadows. “Just because I have free will, do they want to discard me? After everything I have done?”

            “They want me to become their mindless slave? A drone whose only purpose is to follow orders? A parasite that drains my brother of everything that makes him… him?” Xion questions, her hands tightening at her sides. “How could they? How could they be so selfish?” Axel and Chixada glance at each other, the two of them already coming to a decision.

            “In that case, then let’s leave.” Axel tells them, eyes narrow and voice cold. “If they think they can just get away with this, then they have another thing coming.”

            “But where do we even go?" Roxas asks, looking at Axel. "You said it yourself, the Organization will hunt us down no matter what. And even if we do escape… what about Xion?" He looks at Xion as a tear drops from her eye. "How do we stop her from… well…" Axel and Chixada share a glance, neither of them sure how to answer that particular question. Sure, they were all for leaving the Organization, but where exactly should they go?

            “We can find that out later.” Chixada comments, folding his arms. “But for now, there is something we can do to put a dent in their plans.”

            “And what’s that?” Axel asks, hands on his hips until a lightbulb goes off in his head. “Oh… I get ya. Those devices that Roxas is supposed to put up. You want to smash them, don’t you?”

            “Yep.” Chixada replies with a growing grin. “Can’t do anything without those. And they may help in the long run as well. That, and I think it would be a good stress relief to smash them up, don’t you think?” He glances at Roxas and Xion, the two standing in silence as they let the plan rest in their minds. Sure, it wasn’t an escape plan yet, but if it did allow them a chance to get rid of some unneeded tension…

            “Well, I don’t see why not.” Roxas comments as Xion nods next to him. “But we need to come up with a plan to leave soon. I don’t want to spend any longer with the Organization than I have to.”

            “Same here.” Axel replies, before his gaze falls on the Lesser Nobodies nearby, standing in silence as they glance between each other. “You guys are free to do whatever you want. If you want to report us—”

            “Never.” One of the Assassin Nobodies replies, floating over to Axel as the rest follow him. “We are loyal to you, now and forever.”

            “Even if you were to gain hearts of your own, we will follow you to the ends of time.” A Black Mage Nobody says, with a Ranger nodding next to her.

            “Our blades are yours, forevermore.” A Samurai Nobody adds, bowing to Roxas as he feels a tear forming in his eyes, even though he has no heart to do so. Or… is that really the case any more?

            “In that case, let's lie low, act normal, and plan out our next moves.” Chixada comments, cracking his neck. “The less suspicion we draw to ourselves, the better.” With a unanimous nod, the group disperses from the Purgatorium one by one so that they can return to the castle without drawing suspicion. But in their minds, their path was already set.

They would find a way to leave the Organization, one way or another. And nobody would stop them. Not even their leader.

Chapter Text

Chapter 33: Dissention.

Day 276.

Today was certainly an interesting day. And not because of the growing tension inside the Organization, which Xemnas seemed to be doing nothing about. Instead, it was the fact that Roxas was not on a solo or duo mission today. Instead, he was on a joint mission with not only Axel, but Xion and Chixada as well. Apparently, their target for the day was a larger-than-usual Heartless that was sighted in Luxendarc. This time in Florem, a country known for its vast fields of flowers, forests, and rushing rivers. Although… they really didn’t have the time to admire the view.

            “Can’t this Heartless just die already!?” Axel shouts in irritation, tossing his chakrams at the giant Heartless. The one they are currently fighting looks to be in the form of a giant queen bee with a red cape and crown, wielding what appears to be a wand with the top resembling a flower. The Heartless Emblem is on its large stinger, which is instead acting like a jet engine. “How long have we been fighting it!?”

            “Too long!” Chixada shouts back, summoning Magatsu-Izanagi to his side. “Ziodyne!” Sending out the blast of Elect magic, Chixada groans as he watches the magic do little to the Heartless, even as Roxas and Xion land a cross strike on either side. “Just what is this thing weak to!?”

            “Less talking, more fighting!” Roxas shouts, leaping at the Heartless and aiming both blades at it. “Firaga! Blizzaga!” With the two blades pointed at the Heartless, Roxas sends out the giant orb of fire from the Kingdom Key in his right while a large shard of ice shoots out from the sword in his left. The two magics collide with the Heartless as it struggles to stay in the air, and Xion comes in from the side, sending out an Aeroga at the Heartless and sending it spinning through the air.

            “It has to be getting weaker!” Xion calls out, watching the Heartless spin in the air. Unfortunately, the Heartless did not seem intent on dying anytime soon, as it not only reoriented itself mid-spin but also sent out a blast of dark magic at the four Nobodies, knocking them all back as the Heartless floated back down to the ground. Its gaze fell on Xion as she pushed herself back up.

            “Xion!” Roxas shouts, pushing himself up as the Heartless flies over to her, the flower wand in its right hand held high as Xion looks up with eyes filled with fear. But just as the Heartless brings its weapon down on her, someone else quickly shoots between them, his blade blocking the strike as dark magic manifests in his left hand.

            “Dark Firaga!” Riku shouts, blasting the Heartless in the chest at point-blank range, sending it flying back as Roxas looks at him in shock. As for Axel, he has a smirk on his face at the sight of Riku and his new look, while Chixada raises an eyebrow as Riku turns to Xion, a hand held out.

            “You okay?” He asks, helping her up.

            “Y-Yeah…” Xion replies hesitantly, before her eyes fall back on the Heartless. “It’s coming back!” Riku spins around, seeing the Heartless coming at them until Roxas slams into its side with both blades, something that Riku raises an eyebrow at before shaking his head.

            “Why can’t this thing die already!?” Chixada shouts in annoyance, summoning his Persona once more and blasting it with Megidolaon. Only for the Heartless to fly out of it once more, albeit noticeably much slower. “It HAS to be on its last legs by now!”

            “In that case, let me take care of it.” Riku comments, walking forward with Way to the Dawn in hand. This is something that Roxas instantly took notice of while Axel tilted his head.

            When did he get a Keyblade? Axel thinks to himself as Riku steps forward, only to suddenly be engulfed by the Flames of Rebellion, once more becoming Dawn as his mask burned away, with Odin once more forming behind him, shocking all four of them. AND WHEN DID HE GET A PERSONA?!

            “Odin! Zantetsuken!” Dawn shouts, dashing forward with his Persona and landing one clean hit with his blade. The Heartless freezes mid-air, a purple slash trailing up and down as one half slowly falls before both halves vanish into darkness. The heart trapped within is set free as it drifts into the sky. This is something that all four Nobodies find relief in as they almost all fall to their knees in exhaustion. This fight had dragged on for far too long, in their opinion.

            “Man… that thing did not want to die.” Axel comments, rubbing the back of his head and letting out a sigh. “Still, didn’t expect our rescuer to be you…” He looks up at Dawn as he dismisses his Thief attire, once more donning the black coat as he flexes his right hand. “…Riku.”

            “Nice to finally meet you as well, Axel. My… associates spoke quite highly of you." Riku replies before turning his head towards the other three who are with Axel. "Let's see here… Roxas, Xion, and Chixada, was it? I'm Riku Gallagher. It's a pleasure to finally get a chance to speak to you…" Riku pauses before looking directly at Xion. "…and not be on the opposite sides of battle."

            “Riku?” Roxas asks, glancing at Riku as Chixada strokes his chin. “The same Riku who was at Castle Oblivion?”

            “The very same.” Axel replies, shaking his head. “You certainly have changed since I last saw you. No longer scared of the dark, huh?” Riku glances at him, folding his arms as he shakes his head, before glancing at Xion as she walks next to Roxas. His eyes widen in surprise at seeing her, almost as though he were expecting to see someone else, at least until a small smile forms on his face.

            “You seem to have gotten closer to your answer if you’re walking around with your hood down.” He tells Xion cryptically.

            “Wait a minute…” Roxas comments, confused by what Riku had said upon introducing himself. But it's only when he glances between him and Xion that he connects the dots in his mind. "Wait… are you the person Xion was tasked with hunting down a while ago? The one she fought at Beast's Castle?" Riku looks at him, his eyes briefly narrowing before putting on a smirk.

            “C’mon, Sora. That Heartless was a piece of cake. I thought you were stronger than that.” Xion and Chixada glance at each other in confusion, while Axel narrows his eyes at Riku in suspicion. But all of that soon vanished at what happened next.

            “Huh? Get real! I was just getting warmed up!” Roxas shouts back, almost as though he is bantering with Riku before pausing and raising a hand to his mouth in confusion. “What… was that?” While Xion and Chixada look at Roxas in confusion, Axel feels his hands tightening just a little bit as Riku lets out a sigh, closing his eyes and pinching his brow.

            “Huh… so DiZ was right all along…” Riku comments, shaking his head as Roxas looks at him in confusion.

            “What are you talking about?” Roxas asks him, his irritation building slightly as Riku shakes his head.

            “It’s nothing. Just something I wanted to confirm, is all.” Riku tells him as he folds his arms. “Besides, you are your own person, right? Same as her?” He tilts his head at Xion, the two glancing at each other before they both nod at Riku. “Then that’s all that matters. Nothing more, nothing less.” While that did little to ease the confusion the two were feeling, Axel did allow his hands to slacken as he let out a small sigh.

            “So… why are you here?” Chixada decides to ask, brushing his arm free of some dirt. “Hopping between worlds to avoid being found?”

            “Something like that.” Riku remarks, glancing at him before looking back at Roxas and Xion. “But honestly, it was mainly to check up on the two of you.”

            “Us?” Xion asks, stepping forward. “Why us?” Roxas glances at her, the two of them making eye contact for a second as Riku folds his arms.

            “I already told you it was to make sure my best friend heals in peace. But now… I want to make sure you guys don’t fall off your current path.” He glances back at Axel and Chixada, nodding his head slightly at them as he moves away. “I can tell you guys are heading in a different direction compared to everyone else. Keep walking that path, and we may meet again on the same side.” With that, Riku takes off, leaving the four behind as they ponder what had just happened.

            “What… just happened?” Roxas asks as the four group up, with Chixada opening a portal of darkness to take them away.

            “I don’t know.” Xion admits, turning back in the direction Riku left. “But… I think we might have found a new ally.”

            “What makes you think that?” Chixada asks, raising an eyebrow at her as Axel remains silent. Xion looks at him, shrugging her shoulders as she rests a hand on her chest.

            “I don’t know… but something tells me that he can be trusted. Maybe… it’s my gut?”

            “Hey, a person’s instincts are usually right.” Axel comments, folding his arms. “And if you think he can be trusted, then I don’t see why we shouldn’t give him a shot.” While Xion nods back in gratitude, Roxas can’t help but wonder why Riku said that to him.

            Why did he call me Sora? And why did I respond like that?

Day 296.

Another day, and a new mission. Something that Axel actually didn’t seem to care about any more as he walked through the forest of Twilight Town. Now that he knew the truth about Roxas and Xion, he paid little attention to their mission and actually wanted to leave earlier than the others, if only to get away from the building tension inside the castle. But even so, he couldn’t get his mind to settle as he let out an irritated groan.

            “All this time, we were nothing but pawns ever since we were recruited… How can I be such a freaking idiot?" Axel asks out loud, kicking the ground beneath him and ignoring his surroundings. "Killing Heartless, betraying members of the Organization, helping Isa climb the ranks, working to get our own hearts… it was a lie from the beginning, wasn't it? How could I let myself get pulled around so easily?" He grabs a rock, tossing it at a tree as he storms past, not noticing yellow eyes staring at him from above.

            “And now, based on what Chixada was able to gather, Roxas and Xion are being set up to fight each other in fifty-six days? What the hell, Isa? Does he really think I'm going to stay quiet about this? Or about those devices you have Roxas place in Halloween Town, Wonderland, Roak, and Luxendarc? If he thinks I'm going to keep my mouth shut about this, then—" Before he could finish, he was suddenly jumped from the side, sent rolling across the ground as countless Powerwilds appeared around him, accompanied by Bouncywilds and Terrorwilds.

            “An ambush!?” Axel shouts, jumping to his feet and summoning his chakrams. “What the hell!? Yaxkata didn’t say anything about this!” Before he has a chance to complain further, several Powerwilds fall from above the trees, forcing Axel to defend himself as he coats his chakrams in flames, tossing them about and striking down a few of the Heartless, only to find himself peppered by the Bouncywilds as the Terrorwilds dash in and out, throwing him off balance and pushing him back while the Powerwilds leap into the air.

            “No you don’t!” Axel shouts, tossing his chakrams into the air and catching the Powerwilds, only to get jumped by a Terrorwild that pins him to the ground. “Get off!” Axel shouts, holding back the Heartless’s head as it tries to bite down on him, even as more Terrorwilds rush around to surround Axel. Even as he fights back, Axel can’t help but think this is the end as he closes his eyes.

            So… this was a setup to eliminate me, huh? Should have seen this coming… He thinks to himself, feeling the Heartless around him getting ready to pounce as he accepts his fate. Roxas, Xion, Chixada… Sae… I’m sorry. At that moment, the Terrorwilds all leap at Axel, intent on tearing him limb from limb. For a time, everything slowed down as Axel slowly opened his eyes, seeing the approaching Terrorwilds getting closer as the Bouncywilds and Powerwilds hung from tree branches above him. It was certainly not the way he expected to go out, all things considered… at the very least, he wanted to get off one last attack to burn everything away…

But even as those thoughts entered his mind, a loud bang echoed as a silver light slammed into one of the Terrorwilds, followed by another, then another, as each Terrorwild was suddenly hit by speeding rounds of silver light, knocking them back or taking them out in a single hit to the head. The Powerwilds and Bouncywilds, not expecting such an attack, all leaped back to a distant tree as someone came in and landed a heavy kick on the Terrorwild that was pinning Axel to the ground. Someone Axel was not expecting to see, but at that moment, he was more than happy to see.

            “Athena?!” Axel shouts as Athena helps him up, a slightly relieved look on her face as the two go back to back against the remaining Heartless. “Not that I’m going to complain about the rescue, but what are you doing out here?!”

            “You’re looking at why.” She replies evenly, her eyes locked on the Heartless. “We noticed an unusual surge in Heartless activity in the woods, so we all left to investigate. I was on my way back to the mansion when I saw you get ambushed.” Axel lets out a chuckle at that as he shakes his head, chakrams loosely gripped.

            “Heh, I blame myself for not being in the right headspace at the time. But now I am. So, let’s show these creeps they messed with the wrong people!” Athena nods her head as the Powerwilds all tense up, the Bouncywilds readying their slingshots to attack, only for Axel to toss his chakrams at the Bouncywilds, hitting a few and forcing the others to keep moving. As for the Powerwilds, they all leap forward towards them, but Athena is not going to let them have their way this time.

            “Justitia! Mahamaon!” Without batting an eye, Athena summoned her Persona to the field and blasted the Powerwilds with the Bless attack. While some were sent flying from the powerful light, others were instantly dissolved the moment the light touched them, something that Athena couldn’t help but smirk at as she blocked a Terrorwild with her tonfas. Ever since they started this journey, her instant kill spells now also did a fixed amount of damage in case they didn’t instant kill. Not that she was complaining, as she sent the Terrorwild flying with a hard kick.

            “Burn!” Axel shouts, leaping into the air and slamming his chakrams into the ground, sending out a shockwave of fire that hits several Powerwilds and a few of the remaining Terrorwilds as Athena rushes past, landing several hard punches and kicks before backflipping over Axel as he tosses his chakrams forward, landing them square into two Bouncywilds as Athena follows up with a Mamudoon. Watching as the spell lands amidst the remaining Terrorwilds and Powerwilds, wiping out the jaguar-like Heartless while leaving the monkey Heartless greatly weakened.

            “It’s time we finished this farce!” Athena shouts, spinning her tonfas around in her hands as Axel does the same.

            “Couldn’t have said it better myself!” He shouts as flames wrap all over him. “You freaks shouldn’t have made me mad!” At that, Axel dashes forward, slamming his fire-engulfed chakrams into the Heartless, juggling them into the air as he tosses his weapons into them, catching them in a fiery tornado as he jumps back to Athena. “Got it memorized!?”

            “If they don’t, perhaps they will remember this! Megidolaon!” Thrusting her left arm out, Athena watches as Justitia unleashes the powerful Almighty attack on the remaining Heartless trapped in the fiery tornado. The end result? A large fiery explosion mixed with silvery light as the remaining Heartless are consumed by the blast, surprisingly leaving the surrounding trees and grass undamaged. But that was less important than the destruction of the Heartless, as Axel allowed himself to fall to one knee, feeling his injuries from the ambush building up as Athena quickly looked at him.

            “Lea… are you okay?” She asks, kneeling and resting a hand on his shoulder as Lea takes several heavy breaths.

            “Give me… a moment.” He replies, shaking his head. “It’s my fault I let my guard down… wasn’t expecting an ambush of all things…” Athena frowns at Axel, even as her Thief attire vanishes while the two stand up. “That… and I have a lot on my mind right now… and hardly have any time to think straight.”

            “What happened?” Sae asks, seeing the lines of stress on Axel’s forehead. “You’re not acting like your usual self… Did something happen inside the Organization?” Axel looks at Sae with a weary expression, letting out a sigh as he sits down on a nearby rock, his hands resting on his head.

            “A LOT has happened, Sae… and me being set up to die today is just the tip of the iceberg.” He comments, shocking Sae as Axel rubs the back of his head. “For one thing, we found out a horrible truth about Xion. She’s not a normal Nobody like us, but rather a Replica made by Vexen in order to steal not only Roxas’s power but Sora’s as well.”

            “What?” Sae stutters, eyes wide as Axel nods his head. “Is that true?”

            “It is… Chixada found out about it from his own investigation as well as checking out Vexen’s private computer at Castle Oblivion.” Axel confirms, shaking his head. “Turns out, having Sora lose his memories wasn’t just so that Marluxia could make him his puppet; it was also so that Xion would absorb them and grow stronger, to act as a failsafe in case Sora or Roxas went against the Organization. Well, they never counted on Xion forming an identity of her own, and she’s horrified at what she was originally supposed to do. Not that any of us can blame her…” Sae stood speechless at the reveal, even as Axel let out another long sigh. “And not only that, but Chixada found out about a plan to have Roxas place some strange devices that would help Xion in absorbing HIM!”

            “Absorb?” Sae whispers, a hand clenching at her side as Axel nods his head.

            “Yeah. Needless to say, none of us are happy about it.” Axel confirms, leaning back on the rock. “To tell you the truth, lines are being drawn in the Organization. The four of us are one group, while everyone else is another. Demyx and Luxord are the only ones not picking a side, and I think I know why in Demyx’s case…” Axel shakes his head, leaning forward and resting his arms on his legs. “But even so, we’ve already made our choice on what to do.” He looks at Sae, eyes narrow and determined. “We are leaving the Organization.”

            “Leaving?” Sae asks, eyes wide as Axel nods back.

            “Yeah. We've had it. None of us are going to put up with all of this puppetry any more." Axel confirms before rubbing the side of his head. "Only problem… is that the Organization does not take kindly to deserters. Even if we run, we'll be hunted down until we're killed. That, and we have no idea how to even get away without being spotted… In short, we want to leave, but we're stuck on HOW we are going to even get away in the first place…" Sae watches as Axel hangs his head forward, the puzzle he was fighting against weighing heavily on his shoulders. "And we don't even know how to save Xion from turning into what the Organization wants her to be…”

            “That won't happen." Sae comments, grabbing Axel's attention. "You're not alone in this, Axel. You have allies outside of the Organization. You have me." She kneels, taking one of Axel's hands as she looks him in the eye. "I promise I will tell Ren and everyone else about your situation, and we WILL come up with a plan to save all of you. We're not going to abandon you after everything you did for us.”

            “Are… you sure about this?" Axel asks, slowly shaking his head. "If you go through with this, the Organization will find you guys and Sora for sure.”

            “Don’t worry about us; we can handle ourselves.” Sae replies, a smirk on her face. “And as for Sora and the others, they have almost made a full recovery. Naminé and Hikari have confirmed it will only be a few more months until they are healed, and Lavenza has reported the same for Sora’s Persona.”

            “For real?” Axel asks, eyes wide as Sae nods back, prompting a slow chuckle from him as he shakes his head. "Well… how about that, huh? In that case, I'd be an idiot to refuse help, especially in this circumstance." He gives her a warm smile, one that would make a person think that he did have a heart, as he hugs Sae out of the blue. Not that she was opposed to it or anything. “Thanks, Sae… we won’t forget this.”

            “Anytime, Lea.” Sae replies, hugging him back before separating. “You’d better head back. No doubt they are expecting you to have perished by now, and you don’t want your friends to think you have died.”

            “Hah… can’t argue against that.” Axel admits, holding a hand up and opening a portal. “Good luck, Sae. Something tells me things are going to get busy going forward.”

            “Of that, we are in agreement.” Sae replies, nodding her head as Axel leaves through the portal. She lets out a long sigh. “I guess our meetings did end up with this outcome… not that I’m going to complain.” She nods to herself, moving back toward the mansion as she narrows her eyes. “Riku and the others will be back in the next couple of days. Once they are here, I’ll tell everyone about the situation. We won’t leave any of them behind.”

Day 299.

Axel could tell that his return was not something that was planned, considering the look he was getting from the guys in Yaxkata’s camp. It clearly showed that the mission was supposed to have been his death, and yet he was still alive thanks to Sae. Maybe it would also prevent them from trying to kill him off again if they thought he was stronger than they knew. Not that he was going to complain if it got them off his back for a while. But today he wasn’t worried about that, as he stood once more in the Purgatorium.

He had told Roxas, Xion, and Chixada to come here after their missions to Agrabah, Neverland, and Olympus Colosseum to talk about their plans going forward in private. But that wasn’t the only thing he needed to tell them. It was time that Roxas and Xion learned about what had happened back in Castle Oblivion. He had been holding that truth back for far too long.

            “Axel. We're here." Roxas's voice echoes out, grabbing his attention as Roxas, Xion, and Chixada walk over to them. Although Roxas was giving an uneasy look at the ground under them. "I remember that I placed one of those devices in the chamber with that giant statue here a few days ago… I don't even want to know what it does…”

            “Better that we don’t.” Chixada remarks as Xion lets out a full-body shiver. “So, what’s up, Axel? Got a way for us to leave?”

            “I think I do.” Axel replies, nodding at Chixada before looking at Roxas. “But first, there is something I need to tell you guys. And it’s about what really happened at Castle Oblivion.” Chixada’s eyes widen in surprise as Roxas and Xion glance at each other. “This has been a long time coming… and I kinda wish I had told you guys sooner.”

            “Well… at least you’re telling us now.” Xion comments, grasping her hands. “So, what happened at Castle Oblivion, Axel?” Axel lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head while leaning on the cold wall behind him as he squares his shoulders.

            “Well, as you already know from our last talk, the Organization had planned to use Naminé in order to mess with Sora’s memories for their own plan, but that wasn’t all. In truth, Saïx had tasked me with the icky job of eliminating traitors to the Organization.”

            “Traitors?” Roxas asks, eyes wide as Xion places her hands over her mouth.

            “Yep.” Axel replies, nodding his head. “And it’s always me who gets that particular job… Anyway, while there, it wasn’t just Naminé who was being held there, but someone else called Hikari who was also important to the Organization’s plans. Or rather, Marluxia’s plans.”

            “Marluxia’s plans?” Xion asks, tilting her head.

            “Yep. And his plan was basically him and Larxene staging a coup in the Organization.” Axel reveals, folding his arms. “My job was to get close, find proof, and eliminate them. And, well, I did find proof, but in order to show my loyalty to get closer, I was ordered to eliminate Vexen by Marluxia.”

            “You… killed Vexen?” Roxas asks, his eyes wide as Axel nods his head with a gloomy expression. “But why? Why did you need to kill him? Sure, he was a pain, but killing him…”

            “It's not like I had a choice, Roxas. If I didn't, Marluxia and Larxene would have seen right through me and either taken me out or done something stupid. I really didn't have a choice either way. So yeah, I did kill Vexen. And I still regret it to this day." Axel comments, shaking his head. "Anyway, Marluxia and Larxene's plan was to use Naminé and rewrite Sora's memories, turning him into their puppet while they used Hikari to try and do the same to the Phantom Thieves."

            “The Phantom Thieves?" Roxas asks as Axel nods his head.

            “Yes. The Phantom Thieves are a group of Persona users who are very strong in their own right, perhaps even stronger than Yu and his group. But at the same time, they were helping an entity called Enlil reform, who had promised to help them take over the Organization when she had regained her power. While that was going on, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion were plotting their own counterplot to stop them, with me acting as the insider to give them information. Their plan revolved around turning Riku into their puppet to stop Marluxia and Sora."

            “Riku? As in she same Riku we saw a while ago?" Xion asks, eyes wide.

            “The very same. Of course, Riku wasn't going to give up so easily. Not after he managed to free himself from being someone else's puppet. And when Lexaeus and Zexion tried to force him to go down different paths… they paid for it with their lives."

            “So Riku took them out in retaliation for their manipulation?" Chixada asks, stroking his chin. "Can't say I blame him for that. Am I to assume that Riku took care of that Replica version of him as well?"

            “That I'm not quite sure myself." Axel replies, shaking his head. "I was gone from Castle Oblivion right after Zexion, who was the only other member besides myself that was left, got killed by Riku. Whether or not that Replica got killed or left the castle is beyond me."

            “If that's the case, what happened to Marluxia and Larxene, along with that Enlil you mentioned?" Roxas asks, crossing his arms. "I assume that you were able to succeed in killing them?"

            “Actually, Marluxia and Larxene got taken out by Sora and the Phantom Thieves, along with Naminé and Hikari, who also joined them." Axel replies with a smirk. "They were so sure that they were turning Sora into their puppet that they failed to realize that Naminé didn't change Sora's memory until the last second. As for Enlil, she was killed by Marluxia prior to his and Larxene's deaths when she served her purpose and broke Marluxia's card-based system temporarily." Axel lets out a sigh as his head drops down to the ground, a sombre look forming over his face.

            “But Sora didn't get out of the fight against Marluxia unscathed. During the fight, he took a nasty hit meant for both Naminé and Ren Sakura, the latter of whom is the leader of the Phantom Thieves who goes by the codename Joker, that almost shattered his heart and destroyed his Persona. He's been in a deep sleep since then, with Naminé, Hikari, and Lavenza, who is another friend of the Thieves, working day and night inside the mansion where Yu and the others are residing to repair the damage for the past two hundred and forty-nine days.”

            “THAT LONG!?” Roxas and Xion shout as one, with Chixada narrowing his eyes.

            “Yep. That long.” Axel replies, nodding his head. “Honestly, it’s surprising that Sora’s heart didn’t shatter the moment he took that attack. He’s made of stronger stuff. Then again, so is Naminé for having to deal with the abuse Marluxia and Larxene inflicted on her, even if Hikari was there to shield her from a good portion of it.” Roxas could feel his anger rise at hearing that, his hands clenching at his sides as Xion tried to calm him down with a hand on his shoulder. But Chixada was tilting his head in thought as he slowly looked at Axel with a question on his mind.

            “Axel… there is something about Sora I want to ask you.” He starts, grabbing his attention. “Feel free to ignore this or not, but I can’t help but see the connection he has to both Roxas and Xion. Why is that? Why are they connected like this?” Axel’s eyes widen for a moment before looking away, even as Roxas and Xion look at him expectantly. And with a long sigh, Axel looked back at them.

            “I had a feeling you would ask this one day… And given that I came to this realization of this matter myself a while ago after hanging out with you all… I suppose now is a good time to tell you." He remarks slowly. "As you guys know, a Nobody is formed when a person loses their heart and becomes a Heartless. We Nobodies are what is left behind when that happens. And at one point… Sora lost his heart as well.”

            “He did?” Chixada asks, rubbing his chin. “So he became a Heartless?”

            “Temporarily. But he was turned back to normal thanks to his other best friend and crush, Kairi, who is actually a Princess of Heart, a maiden whose heart is full of pure light and has no darkness. However, that still leaves this one simple question that remains unanswered: if Sora was able to be turned back to normal as a Heartless, then what happened to his Nobody?" Axel watches Chixada as his eyes narrow for a second before slowly widening and drifting over to Roxas, who, judging by the look on his face, has come to the same realization after recalling the very first thing that Xemnas did when he first met him upon waking in Twilight Town.

            “I’m… Sora’s Nobody?” Roxas asks, resting a hand on his chest as Axel nods his head. “Is that why I can’t remember anything from my past? Because Sora was turned back to normal?”

            “Maybe. After all, you being born and Sora turning back to normal happened so close together that Sora’s memories didn’t have time to drift away. That’s why you don’t remember anything. Not that it explains why you don’t look like him.” Axel comments, rubbing his head. “Sora has long brown spiky hair, not short blond spiky hair.” Roxas runs a hand through his hair as Xion lets out a chuckle at him in amusement. “But I guess that also explains what Vexen said to Sora during their last fight when he mentioned something about his ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ being in the Organization.” Roxas and Xion pause at hearing that, slowly looking at Axel as he nods his head at them. “Yep, he was talking about the two of you. And if Sora wasn’t in his current state, he would be out there looking for you both right now.”

            “He would?” Xion asks. “But… we weren’t supposed to exist. Why would he go looking for us like that?”

            “That’s just how he is.” Axel replies with a smile. “As I said before, he wears his heart on his sleeve. But it’s best if you see him yourself and talk with him. I’m sure he would like that as well.” Roxas and Xion glance at each other in shock. Neither of them expected to hear about that, let alone that Roxas was the Nobody of Sora. That in itself raised a whole new slew of questions that had no answers for them, even if they know now what happened back at Castle Oblivion. Yet one thing still remained.

            “Knowing all of this is good, but we still don’t have a plan for leaving the Organization, do we?” Chixada remarks, arms folded as he looks at Axel. “Unless you have found a way for us to leave?”

            “Well… I think I have." Axel replies with a smirk, confusing the trio as he looks away. "There is something else I haven't told you guys, and it's a big one." He lets out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head as, for some reason, he has a light dusting on his cheeks—something that neither Roxas, Xion, nor Chixada were expecting to see. "Remember how there have been instances where I wasn't able to join you guys for ice cream? Well, for a long while, I've been seeing someone else who is a part of the Phantom Thieves: Sae Niijima, codename Athena." Axel's admission shocked the trio, with Roxas and Xion looking at each other in silence while Chixada's mouth hung open until it formed into a large smirk as he put his hands on his hips.

            “Axel… Buddy… Have you been secretly seeing a girlfriend this entire time?” He asks as Axel starts sweating under his gaze, something that Roxas and Xion immediately pick up on.

            “So THAT'S why you never showed up sometimes!?" Roxas shouts, pointing a finger at Axel, who holds his hands up. "You were seeing someone that you never told us about!?”

            “Why didn’t you tell us, Axel!?” Xion shouts, shaking her head. “Aren’t we your best friends!?” Although the moment she said that, Xion paused as she tilted her head. “Wait… what is a girlfriend, exactly?” Roxas looked at her, also confused, as Chixada walked up behind them both, patting them on the shoulders with a smirk.

            “I’ll tell you two later.” He tells them before looking back up at an embarrassed Axel. “So, how will your girlfriend help us?”

            “First off, she's not my girlfriend.” Axel comments, shaking his head as Chixada rolls his eyes at him. “And as for how she is going to help us, she’s going to talk to the rest of the Phantom Thieves and Yu’s team and see about devising a plan to get us out of the Organization.”

            “That so?” Chixada asks, folding his arms. “Well, it looks like we might finally have a way out of this after all.” While Roxas and Xion both let out relieved sighs, the sound of a rock being pushed suddenly sent all of them on alert as they summoned their weapons. “Who’s there!?”

            “Wait, wait, wait, wait! I’m not your enemy!” A voice echoes out from the shadows, one that all four of them recognized as the voice’s owner stepped out, hands above his head and a sheepish smile on his face.

            “Demyx? What are you doing here?” Xion asks, tilting her head at the Nobody as he nervously lets out a chuckle at her.

            “Well… I was actually just finishing up my mission, which was on this world and inside the Purgatorium, and I was just about to RTC when I overheard you guys talking." He tells them, with the four future runaways all sweat-dropping at that.

            “Give us one good reason for us not to knock you out right now?" Axel asks, spinning a chakram in one hand. Demyx, seeing Axel spin the chakram, holds his hand up once more as sweat drops down his face.

            “Wait! Stop! I'm on your side! I'm not going to rat you out to the others, I swear!" Demyx shouts, with the four glancing at each other in concerned silence.

            “How do we know you're telling the truth?" Roxas asks, his hands loosening their grip but still holding the weapons. Demyx, seeing the stare from Roxas, lets out a sigh as he rubs the back of his head with his left hand.

            “Well… it's funny that you say that, because I was also here about a month and a half ago when I heard you guys talking about the truth behind Xion." Demyx's casual admission about hearing THAT conversation stunned the four into silence, the implications of that admission easily seen by all.

            “So… you were here that entire time, and you heard the truth and our plans to defect, but you haven't told ANYONE?" Xion asks carefully, with Demyx nodding his head.

            “Well, isn’t this interesting?” Chixada remarks, hand on hip. “And why would you go out of your way to stay silent and let us plan our escape?” Demyx lets out a small chuckle as he glances at Axel, a weak smile on his face.

            “Well… would you believe me if I said I'm seeing someone as well, like Axel?" He admits, stunning the three of them while Axel drops a chakram, slapping a hand on his face as he lets out a laugh.

            “Of course! How did I forget!” He shouts, shaking his head with a smile. “You’re seeing one of Yu’s friends, right? What was her name again… Rise Kujikawa?” Demyx nods his head in embarrassment as Axel shakes his own. “Man… we’re a couple of simps, aren’t we?”

            “Hey! It’s nothing like that! I just like listening to her sing, and she likes the music I play.” Demyx defends with a pout before quickly losing it. “Still, after hearing you guys talk about what they planned to do to Rox and Xion, I can’t blame you for wanting to leave. Heck, it makes ME want to leave as well.”

            “Then, why don’t you come with us?” Xion asks, hand over her chest. “We can all escape together.”

            “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll stick with the Organization for now. But not in the way you’re thinking.” Demyx replies, folding his arms as he smirks at them. “See, I know I am the bottom of the food chain around here. Always picked on, always underestimated. I’m worthless, LESS than worthless. But that makes me the perfect spy.”

            “The perfect spy?” Roxas asks, glancing at Axel as the latter shrugs his shoulders, only for Chixada to let out a slow laugh.

            “Oh, I get where you are coming from.” Chixada remarks, glancing up at Demyx. “You’re going to be our inside agent, aren’t you?”

            “Well… only if YOU guys are okay with it.” Demyx replies, rubbing the back of his head. “I won’t blame you if you tell me no. Heck, I’m surprised at myself for even thinking of doing this. But if it helps you guys in the future… then what do I have to lose?” The four all glance at each other in silence as they consider Demyx’s offer. What he was suggesting was dangerous for all the wrong reasons. One false trip, and he would be turning into a Dusk. On the other hand… having someone who can get in contact with them about what the Organization is up to could be useful in the long run… despite the risks that come with it. But in the end, there was only one answer they could agree on.

            “Okay, Demyx. If that's what you want to do, then we won't stop you." Roxas tells him, a sigh escaping his lips as his answer has Demyx jumping on the spot with a wide grin on his face. "BUT! You must promise us not to do anything that will get you killed! Understand?”

            “Huh?” Demyx asks, surprised by the condition.

            “You have a friend outside of the Organization. What do you think will happen to her if you die?” Roxas asks again, with Demyx slowly realizing the meaning behind his words. Something that Axel, Xion, and Chixada also picked up on as Demyx nods at Roxas.

            “Yeah, I promise." Demyx replies, locking eyes with Roxas before spinning around. "I think it's time we all RTC back to the castle. No doubt the bosses are going to wonder where we are right now."

            “Yeah, can't argue with that." Axel remarks, summoning a dark portal. "Same plan as last time: we leave one by one and go home individually. That should keep them off us for a bit longer." With a unanimous agreement, the five soon-to-be traitors take their leave of the Purgatorium, once more travelling back home in separate waves.

With a majority of them now being one step closer to getting out of this cult.

Day 300.

In the mansion deep in the forest of Twilight Town, Sae had once more called a meeting of everyone in the main hall. This time, Riku’s group and even DiZ were present, as the information she had to share was far too important. After all, it could make or break a grand escape.

            “So, what’s up, Sae? What did you need to call us all together?” Futaba asks, sitting on a couch as all eyes are trained on Sae, who is leaning on a wooden post. Something that she couldn't help but notice was how long everyone's hair had gotten since they came here. Ren and Haru's hair was now reaching their shoulders, while Makoto's had gone past her shoulders, and she could easily imagine Ann's had gotten even longer, considering how long her pigtails had become. Futaba's hair was now braided so that it still reached the base of her spine, with Hifumi doing the same. Shiho and Sumire, while still in ponytails, now had larger ponytails, while Sophia hadn't really changed at all, even with everyone else growing taller. As for Isara, her hair was now starting to reach her shoulders as well, with a clip keeping her bangs out of her eyes. And as for the boys, their hair had also gotten longer, with Ryuji noticeably having his natural black hair showing at the roots. 

            “As you all know, I have been having regular meet-ups with Axel over the past months or so, getting to know him and the ones he calls friends better.” Sae begins, meeting everyone’s eyes as she pushes her hair to the side, mentally noting that it has gotten longer as well. “And as you might have heard, Axel has started to have doubts about the entire Organization and the supposed ‘fact’ that Nobodies do not have hearts. Something that you yourself have looked into, correct, DiZ?”

            “You are correct.” DiZ remarks, nodding his head. “For so long, I have believed that Nobodies could feel nothing, lacking hearts as they do. But after seeing Naminé develop a heart of her own, something that one would have thought impossible, I have since started to wonder if it is indeed possible for a Nobody to develop a heart of their own." He nods his head at Naminé, who has a small blush at the comment. "Regrettably, I have been unable to provide any concrete evidence, but my current thesis posits that only those who are like Naminé or Axel can develop hearts of their own: 'Greater Nobodies', as it were, to separate them from the 'Lesser Nobodies', such as those that Naminé can command.”

            “Still strange how you can even still command them, Naminé.” Rinoa remarks as the four White Mage Nobodies appear next to her. “That, and how loyal they are to you.”

            “I know. But I won’t deny how useful they have been.” Naminé comments, nodding her head at one of the White Mages in thanks.

            “So, what’s up with Axel, Sae?” Zack asks, folding his arms. “Did something happen with the Organization?”

            “Yes. Or rather, a plot had been uncovered that revolves around Roxas and Xion.” Sae replies, letting out a sigh as she explains everything that Axel had told her, leading to some predictable responses from everyone around her.

            “They planned to do what with Roxas and Xion!?” Nanako shouts, eyes wide and hands over her mouth as Yu places a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

            “Such a sickening plot…” Yusuke remarks, shaking his head in disgust.

            “Dude, with how willing they are to do that, it’s easy to see how they might not have hearts.” Yosuke points out as Chie gives him a slight nudge to the side.

            “I think we are more than thankful that Sora had a Persona that prevented Naminé from tampering with his memories." Naoto comments as she looks at Naminé, who is looking on wide-eyed even as Hikari pats her on the back. Hikari has also gotten taller, with her hair getting slightly longer. It certainly is a pain that they can't cut their hair at the moment, but hey, they can't change their clothes under the black coats either. It is certainly strange how they are wearing these cloaks twenty-four seven and don't need to take a bath or shower. "I think I can speak for everyone who knows what would have happened if Marluxia were able to succeed with his plan.”

            “Let’s be thankful that we don’t have to find out.” Riku comments, folding his arms as he closes his eyes. Still… it explains why Xion now looks like Kairi instead of looking like Sora… she must be influenced by Sora’s memories of her… somehow.

            “But what can we do to help?” Haru suddenly comments, looking toward Sae. “I understand that Axel wants to leave, along with Roxas, Xion, and this Chixada, but how are we going to do that?”

            “Yeah. I mean, Axel said it himself, right? The Organization will not take too kindly to them leaving.” Chie reminds as Sae lets out a breath of air.

            “I know. Which is why I wanted to ask all of you.” She pushes herself up, looking at everyone around her. “This is something I can’t do by myself. We need to work together to accomplish this.”

            “You should know by now that all of us are willing to help, Sis." Makoto tells her gently, arms wrapped around Sophia. "The only thing we need to figure out is how to get them out of the Organization without exposing ourselves.”

            “That is certainly the question.” Akechi remarks, hand cupping his chin. “Not only do we need to meet them, we need to agree on a world where we can meet them. The Highwind, while almost fully repaired, is still in no condition to travel between worlds.”

            “Which means it will have to happen here in Twilight Town." Mickey comments, folding his arms. "It is the only world where we can reliably meet them, but it will also be the first world the Organization will check.”

            “So we're basically going to be giving them a flashing sign that says 'HEY WE'RE OVER HERE!'?" Isara asks, shaking her head. "Not really something we can afford to do at the moment."

            “But we have to help them, Isara." Sophia counters, tilting her head. "Doesn't it go against our morals if we don't help?"

            “While it does pose that case, we will be putting ourselves at risk." Ren comments, folding his arms. "In order for us to succeed in helping Axel, Roxas, Xion, and Chixada, we need to be as discreet as possible. This means that all those who are Phantom Thieves cannot be a part of the team going to meet them. If we are spotted helping them escape, then the Organization will know we are here along with Sora.”

            “For real?” Ryuji asks, shaking his head. “So much for going on a rescue mission.”

            “It can’t be helped. We need to stay here in case something happens.” Ann tells him, shaking her head a bit dejectedly.

            “So if we are going to go with this plan, that means some of us are going to meet them here in Twilight Town.” Kanji remarks, leaning back on his feet. “How many of us should go and meet them?”

            “I’d say four at maximum.” Hifumi chimes in, tapping her chin. “If four of them are defecting, then it would make sense that we send the same number to help them escape. That way, we don’t overplay our hand so early.”

            “Yeah… that makes sense.” Labrys comments, tapping her foot on the ground. “Then who should go?”

            “Well, I think Sae should be one of the four.” Shiho comments, looking at Sae. “You and Axel have a bond. That means he trusts you a lot. So it would make sense that you would go.”

            “I was planning to go regardless." Sae remarks, flicking some hair back. "However, it might be best to meet with the four of them on a day prior to the execution of the plan. I can take part in the discussion of the plan with Axel and the others, but when it comes to the execution, it would be best if I stay here inside the mansion."

            “That makes sense." Mishima remarks, shaking his head. "So this means that we will still need four people to actually help them escape. Who else should go?"

            “I was about to suggest Ren, given that he's a Wild Card." Morgana offers. "Having a Wild Card might make the difference. But given what he just said about not wanting us Thieves to be a part of helping Axel and the others escape, I dismissed it."

            “But you may have forgotten, Morgana, I'm not the only Wild Card here." Ren replies before looking at Yu. "What do you think, Yu? Do you think you can help out with the escape?”

            “Easily.” Yu replies, cracking his knuckles. “I can tag along. That, and Lavenza has helped me in regaining two of my Personas, even if Margaret isn’t here with her Persona Compendium.”

            “I apologise that the two I have given you are stopgap measures at best.” Lavenza replies, bowing to him. “However, Mada and Kohryu have served Ren well. I am sure their power will be helpful in the future.” Yu nods back at her with a smile. Even if the two Personas he had were not his, they still lent him their strength until he got his own back.

            “Okay, so that’s one down. Who else should go?” Yukiko asks, looking around the room. “Should we send someone with a Keyblade to help?”

            “That might be smart." Sumire comments, bobbing her head. "Since both Roxas and Xion have Keyblades of their own, an extra one or two might help in the long run.”

            “In that case, Riku and I will go." Aqua offers, walking up with Riku next to her. "I'll admit, I've been wanting to meet Roxas and Xion since Riku said they could use the Keyblade. I want to see them for myself." Sae nods at them both in thanks, already feeling more confident given the skill those two possess. But they weren't done just yet.

            “I’m coming too.” Naminé suddenly interjects, shocking everyone.

            “Naminé… are you sure?” Hikari asks, stepping up to her. “What if something happens to you? Sora still needs you to fix his heart, and Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy still need their memories fixed.”

            “I'm sure." Naminé replies gently but firmly. "As Ren just said a minute ago, any one of the Phantom Thieves who participates will be at risk of revealing ourselves to the Organization. However, I don't think the Organization is aware that I've awakened to a Persona alongside Hikari. And given that Sae said she can only help with explaining the escape plan to Roxas and the others, Riku, Aqua, and Yu will need one more person to help with the execution." Naminé then places a hand on her chest. "Besides, I've formed a bond with Roxas and Xion as well when I was out training. That, and I want to pay back Axel for letting me go at Castle Oblivion. I know that what I'm saying is dangerous, and maybe even stupid, but still… I want to help them." Everyone glances at each other, uncertainty in their eyes. They can understand Naminé's desire to help, but if this puts her in danger…

            “Let her help.” Ryotaro suddenly cuts in, leaning against the wall. “She said it herself. She wants to help. That, and she has the look in her eyes. The one that says she’s not backing down, no matter what.” He shakes his head as he lets out a chuckle. “I’ve seen that look in Nanako. Trust me, you can’t win against it.”

            “Dad…” Nanako groans, putting her head into her palms even as everyone chuckles at her gently.

            “Well, I guess that makes this team official. Sae-chan will be a part of explaining the plan to Axel and the others with Sensei, Riku, Aqua-chan, and Naminé-chan, and that the latter four will take part in helping them escape." Teddie remarks as Labrys leans into him, not that he was complaining.

            “So… does that mean we get to see Axel again?” Sophia asks Makoto, looking up at her with excited eyes even as Makoto chuckles at her gently.

            “Well… it looks like it.” She replies gently, with Sophia bouncing in her arms.

            “But what about Demyx?” Rise suddenly comments, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Should we try to see if we can get him to leave, or do we leave him out of the loop for now?”

            “I will ask Axel about Demyx when I meet him." Sae promises. "We know that you care about him, Rise. And I promise, I won't forget to ask Axel about him." Rise nods at Sae with a sigh, not entirely thrilled with the answer but willing to take it anyway.

            “In that case, we must be ready to receive our future guests." DiZ comments, hands behind his back. "That, and we must figure out what to do with this curse that Xion has on her. Fortunately, I have an idea on how we can deal with this problem, but I will require the expertise of Naminé, Futaba, and Hikari for it to be achieved. I may even need your assistance, Lady Lavenza." While Lavenza nods her head at DiZ, the latter takes his leave for the underground bunker, leaving everyone alone as they all process the turn of events.

            “Y’know… it feels like DiZ is less gloomy than he was when we first met.” Yosuke comments, rubbing his chin.

            “Y’think so? He still seems a bit… I don’t know, uptight.” Kanji remarks, rubbing the back of his head.

            “Hey, at least he’s not as resentful against Nobodies as he was when we first met.” Teddie comments. That was something they could all agree on. Even if DiZ was still keeping secrets from them, it was clear that whatever hard stance he had taken was no longer so extreme, even if he still harboured an anger towards the Organization.

            “So, when do you think you and Axel will next meet?” Rise asks Sae, who lets out a hum.

            “I don't know. But when I do, I will tell him of the plan for him and his friends to meet up with me and the others for that discussion meeting. By then, we should be able to figure out a way for the four of them to slip away from the Organization and join us officially. Although I can only hope we do so before the Organization catches on…”

            “If they do, then we will have to adapt.” Ren remarks, letting out a sigh. “Looks like it’s almost time for us to come out of hiding.”

            “Finally… I’ve been going a bit stir crazy in here.” Shiho admits, something that was easily agreed upon by everyone. But even as they looked to the coming days, Yu’s mind was focused on something else. Or rather… a certain person’s name.

            Chixada… There’s no way it can be him… right? But if it is… then I’m going to need answers on why he is there in the first place. Being with a group like them… that is not his style at all. Not after that incident with Sho.

Day 321.

The sun coming down over Twilight Town felt heavier than usual today. Whether it was because of the growing tension in the castle or something else, Axel was not sure. But he was sure about one thing: today was the day they would finally figure out how to escape Xemnas and his cult.

            “Lea.” Sae’s voice echoes behind him, grabbing his gaze as she walks up to him. “Sorry I’m late. I had to make sure I wasn’t followed.”

            “Can’t say I blame you. Things are getting tighter back at base as well.” Axel admits, rubbing the back of his head. “So… did you guys figure out a plan?” Sae glances around the area, watching the shadows before looking back at Axel.

            “We did. At least, we have planned a meet-up here in Twilight Town." Sae explains to Axel, whose eyes widen in surprise. "Alongside myself, I will be bringing four others with me. We will be waiting for you in the underground tunnels tomorrow. There, we will be able to plan a detailed strategy for getting the four of you out of the Organization.”

            “I see… that’s smart.” Axel remarks, nodding his head. “Out of sight and out of mind… They won’t think to look for us there. I like it.” Sae nods her head in agreement as Axel takes a moment to glance around, watching for any suspicious shadows. “By the way… Demyx has agreed to act as our spy in the Organization.”

            “Really?” Sae asks, eyes wide. “That’s a surprise. I was going to ask you if he wanted to leave with you.”

            “Hah. Roxas already offered that to him, but Demyx said he would be better off if he stayed with the Organization and became an inside agent. Despite being Number IX, he's actually at the bottom of the Organization's food chain when it comes to being underestimated, which makes him perfect for this job." Axel replies with a grin before losing it. "Still, the four of us might be late tomorrow. We need to take care of some devices first before we meet up. The Organization planned for Xion to use them in order to absorb Roxas, and we are going to destroy them.”

            “I see…” Sae breathes, closing her eyes. “That might buy us some time. Either way, we’re all in a dangerous position now. One wrong move, and it’s over for us all.”

            “No kidding.” Axel replies, letting out a sigh. “Still, the thought of being free at the end of all of this… that is more than enough to go through with this plan.” He looks back at Sae as the two embrace in a hug. “Thanks for everything, Sae. I’ll let the guys know about the meet-up tomorrow. Let’s just hope everything goes to plan…”

            “So do I, Lea. So do I.” Sae replies as the two separate, Sae once more vanishing into the shadows with her hood up as Axel vanishes into a dark corridor. Appearing in a lone room inside the home base, he finds Roxas, Xion, and Chixada all waiting for him as he walks in.

            “We’ve got a meeting point: tomorrow in the underground tunnels of Twilight Town. Let's all head there once our missions are complete. Don’t worry about regrouping.” Roxas, Xion, and Chixada nod back silently as they all go their separate ways, each one fading into the background as the empty room is left behind. At least… it was an empty room until one person leaned his head out with a smirk on his face.

            “Now then… what is so important that these guys need a special meeting in Twilight Town?" Xigbar asks with a smirk before pulling himself back into the shadows. "I can smell a big event coming up. I think I'll invite myself to this meeting and see what it's about. After all, can't let the kids have all the fun, can I?" He lets out a slow chuckle, vanishing into the shadows as a couple of Lesser Nobodies float past, the silver beings being none the wiser of the snooping individual as he keeps this little nugget all to himself.

One thing was for sure: the Organization was going to be different in the coming days. One way or another.

Chapter Text

Chapter 34: Flee!

Day 322.

            “All four of the devices have been set up in Halloween Town, Wonderland, Roak, and Luxendarc. And Roxas is none the wiser about their true purpose.” Xigbar reports to Xemnas, with Saïx and Yaxkata in attendance. “So, are we still going to have the two kids duke it out?”

            “That is our current plan.” Yaxkata remarks, leaning his head on a hand. “If they fail to eliminate each other under the guise of a Heartless, then we shall move forward with the devices. Of course, it would be beneficial to us if we could keep the devices in each world.”

            “Even so, Xion’s individuality has become a problem.” Saïx remarks, shaking his head. “It was not supposed to gain such a strong sense of will or a mind of its own. Nor was it even supposed to become the person that we see: a girl with black hair and blue eyes.”

            “Guess it just goes to show how strong an impact Sora has on her.” Xigbar remarks, leaning on his chair. “A shame we still haven’t found out where he is. Otherwise, we could have Xion absorb all of his strength right now.” Yaxkata narrows his eyes at Xigbar, unamused at the implication behind his words.

            “Even so, it proves without a doubt that the puppet is the more worthy vessel.” Xemnas remarks, looking at the enlarged thirteenth seat before him. “The time has come. Both Roxas and Xion have connections to Sora, but we need only one of them under our thumb. Whether Xion takes from Roxas the rest of what he has to give, or whether he destroys her first and takes back what is his… there is no change in our plans. No matter how, Sora’s power will belong to us.”

            So you say, Xemnas. Xigbar thinks to himself as a large smirk spreads over his face. But I know things that are going to shake up that plan. And boy, if you knew what I knew, you wouldn’t be so calm as you are now. He shakes his head, biting back a chuckle as he glances at Yaxkata. Your plan to kill off Axel didn’t go as planned, huh, Yaxkata? And now he’s giving you guys a large pass. Better luck with a new plan, huh? Xigbar glances at Saïx, seeing the cold Nobody’s eyes closed as he lets out a sigh.

            Still wondering about Axel, aren’t you? Well, you can’t do anything about that. You’re stuck with us, whether you like it or not, Heartless Nobody. Xigbar mentally smirks as his mind wanders to another thing that he knows about. I wonder… have Axel, Chixada, and the kids destroyed the devices yet? Man, I can’t wait to see the looks on everyone’s faces. Everything is going according to your plan after all… Xehanort.

In one of the many cemeteries of Halloween Town, a large device was embedded in the ground, with a black shaft that led up to a large silver circle with four silver cylinders spinning around it, a decorative handle on one side, three more cylinders on the other, and a smaller silver circle on top pulsing with an eerie glow. A clock on the larger circle seemed to be counting down to a specific day as it drew energy from its surroundings, adding to the gloomy air of the place. Not that it bothered Axel as he walked up to the device with a narrow glare.

            “So… this is what they had Roxas place here, huh?” He asks in an accusatory tone. “Well, it won’t be here for much longer.” With that, Axel summons his chakrams to his side, flames engulfing them as he falls into his stance. Without a word, he dashes forward, slamming his chakrams into the device and slicing through the black support structure, sending the device falling to the ground as the energy inside is released back into its surroundings, while the device itself is enveloped in red and black ichor, vanishing without a trace.

            “Huh… so it was Xunko’s handiwork. Figured she had a hand in it after taking over for Vexen.” Axel remarks, opening up a corridor of darkness. “Well, I’ve done my part. Time to head to the rendezvous.” Without looking back, Axel moves through the portal, sparing not a thought for the device he destroyed.

He was done playing by Xemnas’s rules.

Meanwhile, in Wonderland, Chixada was looking up at the same device planted on top of the large table in the Bizarre Room. The energy it was gathering was sending out a strange pulse that sent shivers up Chixada’s spine. It reminded him too much of what he had gone through back in the TV World and during Sho’s schemes.

            “Sheesh… even here I can tell that thing is bad news.” Chixada remarks, leaping onto the chair before moving to the table. “They must be confident that whatever these things can do can help Xion. Well, too bad for them; they won’t find out.” With a snap of his fingers, he summons Magatsu-Izanagi to the field, which wastes no time in slicing the device in two. With a grin, Chixada watches as the device falls to the ground, vanishing quickly as he opens up a portal.

            “Alright, I’m done here. Time to head to the meeting… I wonder if Yu will be there? If he is… then it’s time I faced the music.” With that, he moves into the portal, not giving the world of Wonderland a second glance. For him, he had something more important to deal with than whatever plot the Organization was cooking up.

At the same time in Roak, Xion was making her way down to the lowest level of the Purgatorium. It wasn’t hard for her to find where the device was. After all, she could feel it calling out to her. Yet, at the same time, she could feel it was not yet ready for whatever purpose it had, something she couldn’t help but take solace in as she opened the door leading to the innermost sanctum.

Standing tall and grabbing immediate attention was the giant statue of whatever god was worshipped here. Then there were the two giant stone beds flanking it, with small channels leading from them to a large gaping hole in the centre of the room. And right between the hole and the statue was the device that Roxas was told to leave behind.

            “Did they really expect us to fight here?” Xion asks, shaking her head at the notion. “Why did they think I would even FIGHT in the first place?” A small pulse echoes from the device, and Xion can feel something from it trying to interfere with her mind and thoughts. But as it currently was, it was nothing but a small passing headache.

            “I won’t fight Roxas. I won’t absorb him!” Xion shouts at the device, summoning the Kingdom Key to her side. “We will forge our own path, together! Thundaga!” Thrusting the Kingdom Key into the air, Xion brings down a storm of lightning onto the device, the electricity running rampant over it as the central stalk shatters, sending the device tumbling into the hole as it vanishes. Feeling the tendrils of temptation fading away, Xion lets out a sigh of relief as she opens up a portal of darkness.

            “One step closer to freedom… then we can meet our brother, Roxas.” She breathes silently, moving through the portal and not looking back. The oppressive weight placed on her shoulders vanishes with every step.

While this was going on, Roxas was busy making his way through Luxendarc on the continent of Harena. The winds were particularly nasty today, kicking up sand and obscuring Roxas’s form. He could barely see the city of Ancheim itself through the storm, but it wasn’t the city he was after today.

No, today his target was at a nearby underground ruin that once served as a lair for bandits, but they had all been cleaned out for a while now. The only things that remained of their presence were a throne and empty tables, boxes, and chairs. When he first came here, Roxas couldn’t help but wonder who this bandit leader was and why he was no longer here, but that no longer mattered. For today, he was here for the device he had left in the main chamber, as it eagerly sucked in power from the surrounding air.

            “All this time, they had me plant these things that would lead me to my death… and I played along like a blind idiot.” Roxas comments with a growl, both Kingdom Key and the Samurai Nobody sword in hand as he glares at the device. He can feel it trying to reach out and absorb his power, but with it only being activated a few days ago, it has yet to gather the power needed to work properly.

            “Well, if they think they can get rid of me this easily, then they are wrong!” Roxas yells, rushing forward and dragging both blades along the ground, sparks flying, before leaping into the air and coating both blades in light. “I AM ME! AND NOT A PUPPET!” With a roar of anger, Roxas slashes at the device, splitting it in two as it vanishes away. Without even glancing at its fading remains, Roxas opens up a portal and takes his leave.

            “We will never give up who we are. Never.”

In the underground tunnels of Twilight Town, Sae was already waiting for Axel and the others to arrive. Hands folded over her chest, she watched as Yu, Riku, Aqua, and Naminé waited patiently. She couldn’t help but wonder if something had gone wrong or if their mission was taking longer than expected. Yet she forced herself to remain calm even as time dragged on. Finally, a portal of darkness opened up, and Axel stepped out with a weary look on his face.

            “Man, today was a long one.” He remarks, cracking his back as Sae rolls her eyes at him. “Hell, it felt even longer than usual.” 

            “Glad to see you are still yourself.” Sae remarks to Axel as he walks up to them. 

            “Would I change who I am?” Axel asks with a smirk before looking at Naminé. “Didn’t expect to see you, Naminé. I thought you would still be healing Sora.”

            “I wanted to come, Axel.” Naminé tells him firmly. “After all, I want to repay you for helping me back at Castle Oblivion. And… I already share a bond with Roxas and Xion as well.” 

            “I know. They told me after spilling the beans unintentionally.” Axel tells her with a grin before glancing at Riku. “Had a feeling you would be here as well, Riku.”

            “Considering who it is that’s trying to leave, I couldn’t stand to the side and watch.” Riku tells him as Aqua and Yu stand in silence while another portal opens up, with Chixada stepping out with his hood up. This is something that Axel couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at.

            “What’s with the hood, Chixada? Didn’t take you for the shy type.” Axel snarks, folding his arms as Chixada lets out a sigh. Something that made Yu’s eyes widen in shock, just as Chixada started speaking.

            “And what’s wrong with walking around with my hood up, Axel?” He asks, walking up to them. “Some of us like the privacy of having a hood. Although, I suppose I don’t need to wear it any more. Isn’t that right… Yu?” He looks right at Yu as Axel raises an eyebrow in surprise, something that Sae, Riku, and Aqua also do as Yu looks right at Chixada, his eyes narrowing in confirmation.

            “So… it really is you. I had a feeling from hearing your name, but your voice confirms it.” Yu remarks slowly, his stance a little guarded but not hostile. “I guess it has been a while since we saw each other, Adachi.”

            “Adachi?” Sae asks, eyes going wide. “You mean Tohru Adachi? The one who confessed to being the one behind the Inaba Murders?” Riku, Aqua, and Naminé’s eyes widen in shock, although Axel didn’t look shocked as Chixada pushed his hood back, revealing his face to them all.

            “Well, that was the old me. Before all of this, I was content with paying my dues in prison, being a model prisoner, and paying whatever was needed.” Chixada admits, leaning on his back feet. “In fact, I was the one who sabotaged Sho when he tried to do that whole Grand Prix bullshit. I had it with being manipulated into doing whatever shit they wanted and just wanted to find my own way of atoning.”

            “But why are you a Nobody?” Yu asks, looking Chixada in the eyes. “I remember what you told me after we defeated Ameno-sagiri: that if you were like me and had real relationships, you would have led a different life. So, why did you become a Nobody? Didn’t you say you were going to atone for everything you did while in prison?”

            “That WAS my plan, Yu.” Chixada reaffirms, shaking his head. “But somebody had different plans. Not long after we all got out of that mess with Sho, the oh-so-glorious leader of Organization XIII appeared to me after my usual day of getting abused by the cops. Although that day they were particularly more aggressive…” That comment got Sae to raise an eyebrow as Chixada folded his arms. “Apparently, they were hired by some politician called Shido, and they were trying to ask me about things related to the Midnight Channel.”

            “Shido!?” Sae shouts with anger, surprising everyone as she lets out a long and hateful groan. “Is there ANYTHING that bastard hasn’t stuck his hands into!?” As Sae forced herself to calm down from that outburst, Chixada coughed into his hand to regain Yu’s attention.

            “Anyway, when the big boss appeared, he told me that my powers would be useful to his Organization, so he gave me the option of joining them. But I refused.” 

            “You refused?” Aqua asks as everyone looks at him in confusion. “But you’re a Nobody right now…”

            “Well, as it turned out, he didn’t like taking ‘no’ for an answer.” Chixada replies, letting out a sigh and shaking his head. “Next thing I knew, I was being hoisted into the air, and a blade of energy was stabbed right into my chest. Next thing I know, I’m being renamed Chixada and dragged into the Organization as Number XVII. All against my will.”

            “So… that’s why you vanished…” Yu remarks slowly, cupping his chin and narrowing his eyes. “Everyone wondered what happened to you when news of your vanishing reached us. Even Uncle Dojima couldn’t believe that you would just run away like that after being a model prisoner. He was convinced that someone had taken you away for some reason, although he couldn’t figure out why.”

            “Hah… he still cares about me, huh?” Chixada remarks, a faint smile on his face. “I’ll admit, I miss hearing his sometimes abrasive remarks or his punches when I spilled secrets. It’s the one relationship I really treasured back then.”

            “So… are you still seeking atonement?” Naminé asks Chixada as he looks at her, nodding his head with a determined nod.

            “I am. Yu and his friends have made an impact on me. I want to atone, even if it means spending life behind bars. Working for a madman against my own will… that isn’t what I want.” While Riku and Aqua shared a certain uneasy glance, Yu and Sae exchanged a look, the two nodding at each other in unison.

            “Okay, Adachi. I believe you.” Yu tells him, hands at his side. “I haven’t forgotten what you did when Sho was having his rampage. If it is atonement you are seeking, then I won’t stop you.” That seemed to put a smile on his face, something that Yu was honestly not expecting, as another portal of darkness opens up with Xion stepping into the room.

            “I’m not late, am I?” She asks, walking up to the others.

            “No, you’re on time.” Riku remarks with a grin. “Now then, all we need is Roxas.” No sooner does he say that than a portal opens up nearby, with Roxas stepping out and a relieved look on his face, even as Aqua is frozen in shock at the sight of him. “And speak of the devil, he’s here.”

            “Thanks.” Roxas replies, rolling his eyes as he joins them. Aqua could feel her breathing stop, and her hands tremble at seeing Roxas walk up to him. Clearly, her reaction must have caught his attention as he looked at her with a concerned expression. “Are you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Aqua, blinking out of her shock, takes a deep breath of air that she forces through her nostrils before looking back at Roxas with a calm look, her emotions back in check.

            “It’s nothing. You just reminded me of an old friend, is all.” She tells him cryptically, much to Roxas’s confusion. But he didn’t have time to think about that as Naminé walked up to both him and Xion.

            “Roxas, Xion. It’s so good to see you both again, despite the circumstances.”

            “It's the same with us, Naminé." Roxas replies with an easy smile as Xion wraps Naminé in a surprise hug, much to her amusement, while Roxas looks at Sae and Aqua. "By the way, who are you two? If I have to venture a guess, I'm assuming one of you might be the woman that Axel has met up with a couple of times?"

            “That would be me." Sae replies, nodding her head. "My name is Sae Niijima. I'm part of the Phantom Thieves that Axel may have mentioned to you, Xion, and Chixada a while back."

            “Dang… so she's the one that you've been speaking to for a while now, Axel?" Chixada comments before looking at Axel with a smirk on his face. "Gotta admit, I can see why you were so drawn to her." Axel's eyes widen at that comment as a small blush forms on Sae's face before the redhead elbows Chixada in the arm, and everyone else lets out a small chuckle.

            “Moving on, my name is Aqua Holland. Keyblade Master." Aqua tells the soon-to-be Organization members gently before looking at Roxas and Xion. "To be honest, I have been wanting to meet both you and Xion for a long time, Roxas. I'm glad to have finally gotten the chance, given what I was told about you both by Sae." Roxas tilts his head at her at that remark but places it at the back of his mind for now as Axel claps his hands together.

            “Okay, with all of that out of the way, let’s get this meeting started, shall we?” Axel suggests, with everyone nodding in agreement while Yu brings up a table on wheels for them to stand around. “What’s with the table?”

            “It would be strange to talk about something without something to lean on, right?” Yu remarks with a grin, while Axel sends him a finger gun in return as Yu shakes his head. “Anyway, have you guys figured out how you will escape?”

            “We figured that Xion would be the first to leave, in one month’s time.” Chixada remarks, folding his hands together. “Considering how crucial she is to their plans, having her vanish first would put a hold on everything.”

            “And force them to send someone to find her.” Riku comments, his eyes going over to Axel. “And that would be where Axel would vanish, second, right?”

            “That’s what I’m hoping to do on the day after Xion leaves.” Axel replies as he lets out a sigh. “As much as I hate to admit it, I am the one who is always tasked with eliminating traitors. It wouldn’t surprise me if they sent me out to find Xion, and that’s not considering my friendship with her.”

            “That is all well and good, but where will you even hide until all of you have escaped?” Riku asks, looking Axel in the eyes.

            “Easy. We’ll hide in plain sight.” Axel replies with a grin. “Sure, we spend our days inside a floating castle in the sky, but outside is a giant city where it constantly pours with rain. We can hide in one of the alleyways there, right under their noses.”

            “A common tactic, yet one that always seems to work.” Sae remarks with a smile. “Sometimes, hiding in plain sight is usually the best option.” 

            “As you and the rest of the Thieves can attest.” Yu adds with a grin before glancing at Chixada. “So, after Axel and Xion escape, how will you and Roxas leave, Chixada?”

            “We'll leave at the same time, the day after Axel leaves. And we're going to try to leave during the late evening to give our soon-to-be former comrades a bit of disorientation." Chixada replies, folding his arms. "Once Axel and Xion leave, there's no doubt they will get suspicious of the two of us. So it's better if we leave no sooner than the day after Axel is sent to hunt Xion down.”

            “So that means we regroup with Axel and Xion in the city before the four of us move to Twilight Town to join up with you.” Roxas finishes, looking at Sae, who nods her head.

            “That’s right. We will be waiting for you at the clock tower. However, I won’t be a part of the team.” Axel’s eyes widen at that as he looks at Sae, who already has a hand up to stop his question. “In case you are wondering why, it is so that we can prevent the Organization from finding out where we are. Sora is almost healed, but he is still in no condition to fight. That… and Ren has commented that he feels their strength has seemingly started to recede due to being in hiding. And to be honest, I’m feeling it as well.”

            “For real? But you looked like you were in fighting form when you saved me.” Axel comments as Sae lets out a slow chuckle.

            “To be honest, I was pushing myself during that fight. It was honestly a strain to use those spells. I actually passed out the moment I got back to the mansion for a while.” Sae admits with a blush as Yu lets out a long sigh.

            “This is what happens when you skip out on training… Although it's not that you guys had a chance to train, what with being in hiding and all. Hell, even the training room on the Highwind isn’t fully repaired yet.” Roxas and Xion glance at each other in confusion at the name Highwind, while Sae lets out a long sigh of resignation.

            “I know, much to our detriment.” Sae remarks, shaking her head before looking back up. “Regardless, Yu, Riku, Aqua, and Naminé will be there to take you to the mansion, provided they don’t get held up by Heartless on the way there.”

            “Has there been an increase in activity from them?” Xion asks, narrowing her eyes. 

            “From what we have seen.” Aqua confirms. “And yet… it feels forced in a way. We are assuming that they are instead hunting for our hideout.”

            “How they haven’t found us at the mansion yet, we don’t know.” Naminé adds with a sigh. “But so far, our luck has held. We’re just not sure for how much longer.” 

            “All the more reason for us to escape.” Roxas admits, clenching his hands. “So, we’ll start this in one month’s time, right?”

            “That’s the plan.” Yu replies with a nod, hands in his pockets. “Plus, it will make the Organization think their plan is a success, only for us to bring it all crashing down.”

            “Man, what I wouldn’t give to see the looks on their faces.” Axel admits, shaking his head. “Either way, we'd better head back now. They might start questioning why it’s taking us so long to come back.”

            “Even though they know we like to eat ice cream before coming back?” Xion asks, tilting her head. “Even if we didn’t say which world we stop at?”

            “Even that.” Chixada agrees, nodding his head before turning to Yu. “Yu, before we go, I want you to promise me something. Don’t tell everyone else who I am for now. I want to tell them myself, regardless of what comes with that.”

            “Are you sure? I could break it to them so they would be expecting you.” Yu asks, only for Chixada to shake his head.

            “Thanks, but no. This is something I need to do for myself.” Yu looks Chixada in the eyes, judging the light that gleamed from them before nodding his head. He could see the resolve in him regarding this decision, the same one he showed when handing himself in to atone for his crimes. And he would not try to dislodge that line of thinking.

            “Okay.” Yu acquiesces. “If that is your decision, then I won’t try to force you to change your mind. After all, you had the same resolve when you handed yourself in willingly.” Chixada lets out a sigh at that, rubbing the back of his head while Riku and Aqua glance at each other. The two of them were still iffy about Chixada, but if Yu was willing to trust him, then they should as well. But even as they decided that, Sae was already walking up to Axel and hugging him as Axel did the same in return.

            “I’ll be waiting for you back at the mansion. Don’t do anything reckless… please.” Sae tells Axel, who nods his head, his usual confident smirk replaced by a sombre smile. 

            “Yeah… I promise. I ain’t dying anytime today.” He tells her. Roxas and Xion shoot glances at each other with hidden smirks, just as Naminé walks up to Roxas.

            “Roxas… please be safe. All of us are waiting for you back at the mansion.” She tells him with a silent plea in her voice. “Please… you and Xion have to live. No matter what.”

            “That’s the plan from the beginning.” Roxas tells her with a smile, even as Xion shoots her brother a coy smirk. “Trust me, I’m not going to do anything reckless.” Naminé looks Roxas in the eye, the two of them holding the gaze as Xion shakes her head before looking at Riku.

            “You better be training when we next meet, Riku. I want a rematch from that time you beat me at Beast's Castle. And this time, I’ll be fighting as myself and not a copy.” She tells him with a smirk, one that Riku couldn’t help but reply to in kind as he held a hand out.

            “I’ll be waiting for that. I can’t wait to see the real ‘you’.” He tells her as Xion shakes his hand. With that, the two groups head their own separate ways, with Roxas, Axel, Xion, and Chixada heading into separate portals to cover their tracks while Sae, Yu, Riku, Aqua, and Naminé make their way out of the tunnels. But the moment they are all gone, one more person emerges from the shadows, a dark smile on his face as he folds his arms.

            “So… this is where Sora was hiding, huh? Along with the Phantom Thieves, Naminé, and Hikari? Who would have guessed?" Xigbar remarks with a gloat in his voice, looking down the corridor Sae and the others vanished into. "Y'know… I could just go ahead and spill the beans right here and now. But where is the fun in that? I think I'll let this charade play out for much longer. You all think you can pull a fast one on us? As if." With a dark smirk, he turns around and opens a portal behind him, his route home secure.

            “I hope you like surprises, Lord Xemnas, because in one month's time… there will be a nasty one heading your way.”

Day 352.

            “Man… how am I going to tell her that we can't meet up after today? I hope she won’t be mad.” Demyx comments to himself in a nervous tone. Tension back at base had reached a fever pitch, and now Xemnas had issued a decree that starting tomorrow, all members were forbidden from staying outside the castle after their missions were complete. This meant that this would be the last time in a long while he would get to see Rise. But even as he wondered how he would break this news to her, a sudden explosion of energy nearby grabbed his attention, and his sitar came to his side without thinking.

            “What was that!?” He shouts, rushing over to the source, only to have his non-existent heart leap into his throat. For before him, fighting near a fallen tree, Rise was surrounded by several Shadow Heartless and two Large Bodies, while three Air Soldiers floated above her. “Rise!”

            “Himiko! Garula!” Rise shouts, summoning her Persona to her side as Demyx watches in awe as she blasts away the three airborne Heartless. But the Large Bodies do not flinch at the wind, while the Shadow Heartless press into the ground and streak towards Rise, leaping upwards and falling down upon her. Rise dives to the side, avoiding the Heartless, only for a Large Body to stroll up to her, fist raised as she looks up in shock. It is at that moment that Demyx decided to grow a spine.

            “Water!” He shouts, strumming his sitar and sending himself flying forward, with a torrent of water rushing up behind him as he slams into the Large Body, knocking it back as he lands before Rise, strumming his sitar once more and conjuring a wall of water around them, forcing the Shadow Heartless back.

            “Demyx!?” Rise shouts in shock as he turns around to help her up. “When did you get here!?”

            “Just now.” He replies, before turning back to the Heartless. “But first, how about we deal with these guys?” He strums his sitar, sending out several orbs of water at the Heartless as Rise silently nods, summoning Himiko and grabbing the two Large Bodies with Psio and slamming them together, stunning them as Demyx shoots forward again, his water slicing through them like a sword as the Large Bodies vanish. As for the Shadow Heartless, without their powerful buddies around, they were minced meat for the two battle-hardened warriors, and the air was soon cleared of them, albeit soaked in water.

            “Man, that was an unexpected surprise.” Demyx remarks, dismissing his sitar as he walks up to Rise. “You doing okay? No injuries or anything?”

            “I'm okay…" Rise replies, letting out some breaths of air, loosening her shoulders before glancing at Demyx. "You weren't kidding when you mentioned to me a while back that you command water to attack and that your sitar is also your main weapon to fight. That was amazing.”

            “Eh, it was nothing. Especially compared to the others.” Demyx replies, rubbing the back of his head. “Still, I wasn’t expecting to see YOU using a Persona of all things.”

            “You know about Personas?” Rise asks, raising an eyebrow at that revelation. Demyx, for his part, lets out a slow laugh as he glances to the side. “How did you know about that? Or did you find that out from watching us?”

            “Err… it was from watching you guys. That and what I was told by other members in the Organization.” Demyx tells her before cracking his back. “Still, that was my first time seeing one up close. Gotta say, that was amazing.” Rise lets out a chuckle, flicking some hair back as he looks at the ground.

            “Well… believe it or not, but until a while ago, I was only a Persona Navigator. I couldn’t fight even if I wanted to. But now, thanks to my friend Futaba, I can.” Rise explained with a smile as Demyx nodded along. However, Demyx wasn’t sharing the smile as he let out a long sigh, one that caught Rise by surprise. “Demyx? What’s wrong?”

            “Ah… Well…” Demyx starts, rubbing his left arm. “It’s just… this might be the last time we meet up for a while.” He speaks softly, not looking Rise in the eyes. “The big boss has put out a new order that is stopping us from hanging outside the castle, starting tomorrow. I don’t know when we’ll be able to meet up… so…”

            “Demyx… is this also because you are acting as a double agent for us?" Rise interrupts, shocking Demyx as she nods sadly. "Your friend, Axel, told another friend of mine, Sae, about what's happening regarding Roxas and Xion and that they, Axel, and Chixada are planning to soon escape the Organization, with you staying behind to act as a spy. That being said… are you sure you want to do this? You'll be putting yourself in serious danger if you do.”

            “I know.” Demyx replies with a sigh. “To be honest, I’m scared as hell about this, even IF I can’t feel it. But still, this is something I have to do.” Rise looks to the side, uncertainty racing across her features. Demyx, seeing Rise still unconvinced, gently places a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, Rox made me promise not to do anything stupid. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything rash.”

            “You better…” Rise mumbles under her breath. Demyx tilts his head at her as she shakes her head. “Anyway, even if this is a risky move, how do you plan to update us about what is going on inside the Organization if you can’t leave?”

            “Oh, don’t worry. I have my ways.” Demyx replies as, behind him, a pink female Nobody appears, swaying on the spot as though she wants to break into a dance, complete with a beanie on her head, a long pink braid, dark boots, pink bell-bottom pants, metal bracelets, and armour in the shape of the Nobody Emblem on its chest, exposing its skin. “I can have one of my Dancer Nobodies pass over the info. Four of them are loyal to me, after all.”

            “Well… that is one way, I suppose.” Rise acquiesces with a nod. “I still don’t like this, but if we can understand what is going on, then I can’t argue against it.”

            “That’s the plan. After hearing what they planned to do with Rox and Xion, I just couldn’t stay on the sidelines any more.” Demyx replies, his eyes glancing at the setting sun. “I'd better head back now. No doubt the others are about to finish their missions. I don’t want to make everyone suspicious before I actually start.”

            “Yeah…” Rise replies solemnly as Demyx turns to leave, but before he does, Rise reaches out and gently grips his wrist. “Demyx… please don’t forget what you promised. I want us to both hang out again, no matter what.” Demyx glances over his shoulder, seeing the look on Rise’s face as he nods back to her slowly.

            “Same with me. We’ll be hanging out together again someday.” At that, Rise lets go of Demyx’s arm, letting him head off into a portal of darkness as his Dancer Nobody follows after him, leaving Rise alone as she makes her way back to the mansion. The forest around her seems to grow darker with Demyx’s departure.

Or perhaps… it was a sign of the days to come.

Day 353.

           Okay, today's the day we finally start our plan. Although it's too bad that the four of us won't be able to sit on the clock tower and eat ice cream for a long while. Axel mentally remarks to himself, thinking back to Xemnas's new decree while walking through the castle's corridors. It all hinges on Xion getting out of here without issue… I guess it's time to find out what our missions, or in Xion's case, her final mission, are going to be today. With that resolve, Axel makes his way to the main hall, only to find Saïx waiting for him in the corridor. Oh great…

            “Looks like you’ve meddled again.” Saïx remarks, walking up to him in a cold voice.

            “Sorry, did you say something?” Axel asks, not blinking an eye as Saïx walks up to him. But Axel knows he is lying. After all, he managed to stop Roxas and Xion from fighting each other not that long ago by preemptively telling them about the plan, even if he had to be there to make sure they didn’t actually fight.

            “The Organization does not need both of them. Just one will suffice.” Saïx tells him, walking past him with cold indifference. “Stop pretending. Think about that.”

            “Am I pretending, or am I actually growing a heart, unlike you, Isa?” Axel asks his former friend right back before walking on, with Saïx freezing in place at that remark. He turns around, watching Axel leave before shaking his head at the notion and continuing on his way. As for Axel, by the time he gets to the main hall, Xion is apparently waiting for him along with Xigbar, with the implication already dawning on him.

            “Well, this is an unlikely trio: me, Xigbar, and Xion today, huh?”

            “Worry I’ll slow you down?” Xigbar asks with a smug tone as Axel rolls his eyes, secretly locking eyes with Xion, who moves her head in a tiny nod. One so small that, unless you were looking for it, you didn’t know it was there.

            More like you’ll make her escape a bit more awkward. Axel remarks internally, stepping up to join them. “It’s just that it’s not every day that we get to go out on a stroll with the big old Number II himself. Ain't that right, Xion?”

            “Yeah. You are usually always doing solo missions.” Xion replies in a natural tone. 

            “Hey, you three teamed up for the day?” Roxas asks as he and Chixada step into the room.

            “Ain’t that an interesting team-up.” Chixada remarks with a grin, folding his arms. Axel couldn’t help but hide his laughter at how natural all three of them were acting, even though they all knew Xion was going to make her escape today. If he could give out an award, he would do so.

            “Well, we ARE going to Wonderland today. That place always drives us nuts. Better to go with a larger group today.” Xigbar replies with a grin, holding a hand up and opening a portal. “Anyway, we’re burning daylight. Let’s get this over with.” With that, Xigbar heads for the portal as Axel and Xion walk after him, but not before they look at Roxas and Chixada, winking at them with smirks before diving into the portal. The moment they are gone, Roxas can feel his apprehension spike as Chixada places a hand on his shoulder.

            “Nothing we can do now but believe in them.” He tells Roxas gently as the two leave for their own mission to a new world, one that was recently discovered and for some reason had Xunko’s complete attention.

As for Axel's team, they had just arrived in Wonderland at their destination, which was an area that consisted of a table filled with teacups and chairs. Xigbar cracks his neck, rolling his shoulders as Axel and Xion trade secretive glances, the two separating as Axel heads for the nearby gate while Xion sets her eyes on Xigbar.

            “Alright, let’s get today’s mission over with. We need to check on the device that Roxas left in—” Before he could finish, the sound of a weapon being summoned caught his attention as Xion suddenly attacked him. “What the!?” He shouted, ducking under the swing and jumping back, his lone eye narrowing as a dark smile crossed his face. “Well, ain’t this a blast from the past!?”

            “Xion, stop!” Axel shouts, holding a hand up as Xigbar summons his arrow guns. His smirk vanishes.

            “Of all the faces that I never thought I would see again… why do I look at her and see yours?" Xigbar mumbles to himself, his eyes watching Xion as she holds herself steady. "Not only that, but why do you always have to glare at me like that?!”

            “Shut up!” Xion shouts, rushing forward and vanishing before Xigbar’s eyes. Surprised, Xigbar looks around, trying to see her, only for Xion to suddenly appear before him and land a heavy blow on his chest, knocking Xigbar out as she lets out a sigh.

            “Sheesh… talk about a heavy hit.” Axel comments, leaning back on the hedge. “But this should be plenty convincing enough.” 

            “Do you want me to…?” Xion asks hesitantly, with Axel rubbing the back of his head.

            “Nah. No need to do that.” Axel tells her, motioning his head to the side. “Get going. I’ll meet you at the rendezvous tomorrow.” Xion smiles back, nodding her head before rushing past Axel, but not before giving his left arm a smack with the Kingdom Key, eliciting a surprised yelp from him as she smirks back.

            “Just so they can be convinced you tried to stop me.” She tells him cheekily, vanishing into a dark portal as Axel lets out a sigh.

            “Should have seen that coming… Ah well, I’ll get her back for that.” He remarks, rubbing his arm and walking over to Xigbar. “Now then, time to wait for this cyclops to wake up and come up with a good excuse for why I let Xion go. This is one job that I really don’t mind doing, for a change…”

            “That was… certainly an interesting world we went to.” Chixada remarks to Roxas as the two make their way through the castle. “I can see why Xunko has an interest in it.”

            “Yeah… but doesn’t it feel like there is something that world is hiding? Like, a giant secret that is in plain sight?” Roxas asks, folding his arms. “At least, that’s what I felt while we were there.” Chixada couldn’t fault Roxas for feeling that, as he also felt something strange was with that world, as well as why there were so many moons in the sky. But those thoughts soon came crashing to a halt when they heard Xigbar loudly complain to Saïx about something, which the two future traitors could easily guess as they moved into the large room.

            “Explain yourself, Axel.” Saïx demands, looking at the redhead who is still holding his left arm.

            “Easy. The old man needs to get his eye checked.” Axel replies with a smirk, while Xigbar glares at him with his one eye. “She just got away. She even managed to injure me in the process, as you can see.”

            “Yeah, I’ll give him that. Can’t toss the blame around.” Xigbar replies with a begrudging shrug. “She got us both unaware. Didn’t see it coming until it was too late.” Saïx’s face seemed to narrow at that as he glanced over his shoulder at Roxas, a flare of irritation spreading over his face for the briefest of moments.

            “And now we are left with the one we can’t use…” He remarks under his breath before spinning on his feet and leaving the room. Roxas and Chixada glance at each other, walking up to Axel and Xigbar, with Axel turning around to look out the window as Xigbar lets out an annoyed sigh.

            “Where is Xion?” Roxas asks, looking around the room.

            “She flew the coop! Flamesilocks here couldn’t trouble himself to clip her wings!” Xigbar shouts, pointing a thumb at Axel. “Your friend sat there sucking his own thumb while Xion walked off! Or didn’t even bother to fight after getting a tap on the arm. Bah… I’m going back to my room.” With that, Xigbar takes his leave, leaving only the three of them alone as Roxas walks up to Axel and casts a Curaga on him to heal his minor injury.

            “You didn’t have to do that, Rox. It’s nothing serious.” Axel replies, flexing his arm.

            “I wanted to.” He replies with a grin. “So, Xion knocked out Xigbar and then gave a smack to your arm before running? That’s crafty.”

            “Well, Xigbar was going to drag us over to the device to check it out, so she didn’t really have a choice in the matter.” Axel replies, rubbing the back of his head. “Either way, that’s one of us who fled now.”

            “Let's hope they send you out to find her tomorrow. Otherwise, we are in a lot of trouble." Chixada remarks, shaking his head. "No turning back now." The air around them grew tense at Chixada's words, for after all, they held nothing but the heavy truth of the matter. So far, everything was going to plan, but they knew it wouldn't stay that way forever.

Tomorrow would be the turning point for whether they would sink or swim.

Day 354.

Unsurprisingly, Xemnas had called an emergency meeting the following day, with all remaining members in attendance. Roxas couldn’t help but feel small in his enlarged chair, remembering that Xion was always next to him ever since the promotions. But if he was being honest, this chair no longer felt like safety but a prison waiting to ensnare him. And the sooner he could get off it, the better.

            “It has come to my attention that Xion has fled the Organization.” Xemnas intones to everyone, looking at the empty spot next to Roxas. 

            “Do we know where she has headed?” Xaldin asks, arms folded.

            “That would be ‘it’, Xaldin. Not ‘she’.” Xunko reminds, flicking some hair back. “She is nothing but a Replica made by Vexen. She only looks like a girl because that is what our minds have deluded us into thinking. In reality, she is nothing but a heartless doll, a puppet.” Roxas could feel his nails biting through the gloves and into his palms at that remark.

            “A puppet? What does that mean exactly?” Luxord asks, flicking some cards through his fingers. 

            “A puppet is a puppet. A doll is a doll.” Saïx reiterates in a monotone voice. “Need there be anything else said?” 

            “Sure, like THAT explains everything.” Xijn retorts, kicking his feet over the armrests. “Not.”

            “We are talking about the Replica Program.” Yaxkata comments, fingers laced between each other. “When taken into context that way, it should be obvious what we are talking about. And yet… Xion is running from her destiny.”

            “Sorry, the what-ca?” Demyx asks, rubbing his head and doing his best to show his dense side, even though he already knew. 

            “Perhaps it’s best if you tell us about your pet project, Lord Xemnas.” Xigbar remarks, leaning back in his chair.

            “Very well.” Xemnas concedes, nodding his head. “The purpose was to take a piece of the Keyblade wielder’s memory and copy it, thus making his powers our own. This was one of several projects of ours being undertaken at Castle Oblivion. However, our efforts were severely derailed by Vexen’s untimely demise.”

            “It is unfortunate.” Xunko remarks, summoning a book to her side. “Even after I took over, I cannot replicate the same results he has made. At least, not yet. But such a fact is not relevant today.”

            “Indeed.” Xemnas agrees, nodding his head. “Needless to say, losing Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion was not a part of our plans. We were also caught off guard when this particular Replica we called Xion formed an identity of its own.”

            “No one at Castle Oblivion ever reported any instance where a Replica formed its own identity before we lost communications.” Saïx adds, his eyes glaring at Axel, who remains silent. “Do you concur, Axel?” Axel glares at Saïx, keeping his silence as the two stare off against each other—something that Chixada also did with Xosh, the two glaring at each other for past deeds.

            “Whatever the puppet may decide to do, we can be certain that it will no longer have an impact on our plans. Still, it knows our secrets. We need to shorten the leash. Perhaps even tighten it.” Xemnas locks eyes with Roxas, the two having a silent stand-off as Xosh cracks his neck.

            “In that case, why don’t we just put down the rabid dog and be done with it? No leash needed.” Axel, Roxas, and Chixada do their best to remain impassive at the suggestion, even if they want to lash out right now.

            “No. We need the puppet alive.” Xemnas replies, his cold glare moving to Axel. “Axel, the onus is on you to capture and bring Xion back. The escape was on your watch. I will overlook any nicks or scratches. Just ensure it still functions on arrival.”

            “She’s not an it…” Axel quietly mumbles to himself, unheard by anyone as Xijn slams a hand on his chair.

            “Why send him? He failed to keep the puppet with us. Why not send me and Yaxkata instead? We are experts at tracking our targets.”

            “It is because he has a bond with the puppet.” Yaxkata replies calmly, looking at Xijn with calm eyes. “And that bond can lead him to it faster than we can.” Xijn lets out an annoyed huff at that, as Axel, Roxas, and Chixada all mentally sigh in relief.

            “Why would you let a deserter back? We should simply eradicate her!” Xaldin shouts, slamming a hand on his chair. 

            “It is not a ‘deserter’. It is just a flawed specimen that has wandered out.” Saïx retorts in a monotone voice. Xemnas nods at him before looking back at Axel, his eyes narrow.

            “Is that clear, Axel?” The two stare at each other in silence, no words passing between them as Xemnas turns his gaze to Roxas. His eyes betray no sense of thought as he dismisses everyone once more. One by one, each of them leaves the circular room, with Axel heading back to his own room. He had already packed everything he needed, not that it was much anyway, since they didn't care about anything. But having a few potions on hand wouldn't hurt.

            “Axel…” Roxas calls out, stopping him from entering the portal as he and Chixada walk up to him. “Good luck.” 

            “Thanks. I think I’m going to need it.” Axel tells them, rubbing the back of his head. “This isn’t going to be an easy trip.”

            “You’ll manage. You always have.” Chixada replies with a grin. For that moment, Axel could feel his non-existent worries fade away as he shared one last fist bump with the two of them.

            “See ya both on the other side.” He tells them, spinning on his heels and moving through the dark portal. By the time he steps out, he can already feel the rain falling on him as he finds himself in one of the many alleyways in the city around the castle. The neon lights buzz above, and the trash-filled path creeps with shadows. In this alleyway was a little alcove with a small light inside, one that could only be seen if you were looking for it.

            “Well, that was easy.” Axel comments to himself, moving up to the trap covering the hole and pushing it to the side. He finds Xion sitting by herself with a small fire and a case containing all the seashells Roxas had gotten for her. “Xion…” Axel starts, grabbing her attention as he walks in, his arms limp at his side as though he were going to summon his weapons. “The Organization has tasked me with bringing you back, whether you like it or not.” For a moment, silence fills the room as the two look at each other, before all seriousness is forgotten as Xion starts devolving into laughter, with Axel looking to the side with a pout. “What? Does that not suit me at all?”

            “Of COURSE not!” Xion shouts over her laugh as Axel sits across from her. “But still, what were they thinking by sending you out to bring me back? Did they even think that you would also defect along with me?” That wiped out Axel's smirk as he couldn't help but laugh at the foolish mistake the Organization made as well.

            “Seriously. I mean, the four of us are so close, you think they would consider sending someone else would be smarter!” Axel adds, throwing an arm into the air as Xion calms herself down. "Well, now it's a waiting game for Roxas and Chixada. They should be here by tomorrow night after the two of them finish their final mission.”

            “And then, freedom.” Xion adds, resting a hand on her chest. “Would you say I'm crazy if I'm nervous about what comes next?” Axel’s eyes soften at Xion, seeing the clear nervousness on her face as he leans over and rests a hand on her shoulder.

            “Hey, no matter what happens, Chixada and I will be there to get you two back. No matter what, okay?” Axel promises to Xion, who manages a small smile as they make themselves as comfortable as possible in their small hideout.

For tomorrow, it would be do or die… and they were not going to risk messing it up. Not after making it so far already.

Chapter Text

Chapter 35: The 13th Struggle.

Day 355.

This was it, the final day. For some reason, Roxas felt sad he would never see this room again, despite how minimalistic it was. But then again, it had been his home for the past three hundred and fifty-five days, so it would be surprising if he didn’t grow attached to the place. But that no longer mattered as he gathered up the seashells Xion got for him and the four ice cream sticks with ‘WINNER’ on them. Although he was still four short since he now wanted to get one for Nanako and her friends… and maybe one more for Sora. But that was for when he and Chixada got out of here.

Which is why, after leaving his room, Roxas quickly made his way to Chixada’s room, which was thankfully not that far away, catching the Nobody detective as he left his room.

            “Do you have everything?” Roxas asks in a quiet voice. Chixada looks at him, a smirk on his face as he flashes out a silver and blue stick from his sleeve, no longer than his pinkie finger.

            “I do. All on this.” He replies easily, showing the stick to Roxas before hiding it away.

            “What’s that?” Roxas asks as the two quietly make their way towards the main entrance, making sure to look as natural as possible in case any members see them.

            “It's a USB stick with all of the data I managed to find during my time here." Chixada reveals to Roxas in a quiet voice. "I recently heard from Demyx about what he's planning to do after we left, but I figured I'd try to lessen his burden a bit. This drive has info on all of the remaining Organization members, as well as their plans for Kingdom Hearts. I was hoping to run into Demyx and tell him so he doesn't have to gather up that info for us.”

            “I see… that’s clever.” Roxas admits with a grin before going silent, as one of Lexaeus’s Warrior Nobodies stomps past. It looks just as bulky as Saïx’s Berserkers, but with a lion pelt of silver fur over its dark grey body and spiky silver armour underneath. On its back is a large two-sided axe in the shape of the Nobody Emblem, easily double the size of the Warrior Nobody itself. Roxas could easily remember how they could swing those axes around with one arm with no problem during training and were far more aggressive than the Berserkers.

            “I thought so too.” Chixada replies with a grin. “Still, we can’t linger here any longer. It’s time for us to go.” Roxas nods back in silence, just as two more Lesser Nobodies move past them. One is Vexen's Chemist Nobody, a very round, silver, and beige Nobody whose head resembles a beaker, featuring the Nobody Emblem on top and adorned with potions strapped all over its body, including different bottles of blue, white, and black.

As for the second Nobody, it was one of Zexion’s Scholar Nobodies. With a large four-point tricorn hat and a body about the same size as the shape-shifting Creepers, what really stood out was the large book in its left hand, easily double its size. How these Nobodies were still around despite their masters being vanquished, he did not know. Then again, they could all be loyal to Xemnas himself, a sinking feeling that made Roxas wary of his own Samurai Nobodies. He could only hope the four loyal to him would remain so when they left and didn’t fall to Xemnas’s authority.

But even as Roxas and Chixada made their way to the entrance, hoods covering their heads, neither of them noticed a certain someone watching them from the shadows. His usual dark smirk once more rested on his face as he leaned into the light.

            “Well, you kids certainly had a fun time planning this escape out…” Xigbar remarks in a quiet whisper. “But unfortunately for you, that game is over. Besides, what fun is a breakout without a chase?” With a dark chuckle, he leaves the shadows and enters a portal of darkness.

It was time to put an ‘unwanted’ element into this grand escape.

            “Has Axel still not found the puppet?” Yaxkata asks Saïx as Xemnas watches over from his chair. “You assured us that he would find her without issue. And yet, it has been a whole day since he left. How can we be sure that he has not also fled the Organization?”

            “Such an idea is absurd.” Saïx replies, shaking his head. “Axel has nowhere to go. The Organization is the only place he can stay. He will find the puppet and bring it back to us.” Xemnas closes his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

            “And yet, we must still plan for our future incursions. I understand that two worlds have recently come to the attention of Xijn and Xunko, correct?” Xemnas asks, looking at Yaxkata, who nods back.

            “Yes. Worlds that Sora and the Phantom Thieves have not visited during their previous travels. And I must say, they are quite interesting worlds as well." Yaxkata remarks, leaning back in his chair. Suddenly, Xigbar appears in his chair with a grim expression on his face, even as Yaxkata shakes his head. "Xigbar… you are late to this meeting. How very unlike you.”

            “Well, THAT is because I just found out some juicy intel that you really need to hear.” Xigbar retorts, folding his arms. “Turns out, Axel isn’t going to be bringing Xion back.”

            “What?” Saïx asks, his eyes going wide for the first time in ages as Xemnas and Yaxkata narrow their own. “What are you talking about?”

            “It means what it means, Heartless Nobody. Axel and Xion have fled the Organization together.” Xigbar tells him with a frown. “And it’s not just them. Roxas and Chixada are planning to flee as well! Joining up with their buddies and throwing themselves right into the embrace of the Phantom Thieves.”

            “The Phantom Thieves?” Yaxkata asks, his face contorting in anger for the first time in ages. “You know where they are?”

            “Yep. Turns out they were all hiding out in Twilight Town. Right under our very noses this entire time. And from what I gather based on my observations, if the Phantom Thieves are there, then this means that Sora, Naminé, and Hikari are with them as well." Xigbar tells them, folding his arms. "Pretty sneaky of them, I've got to say.”

            “Why did you not tell us sooner?” Saïx asked in his cold voice, his eyes narrowing at Xigbar. “We could have eliminated them all had we been informed.”

            “Hey! I just found out right now from listening in on Roxas and Chixada!” Xigbar defends, shaking his arms. “If I did know earlier, I would have told you.”

            “Regardless, it matters not if they plan to defect.” Xemnas replies in his even tone, void of emotion. “The devices planted in Halloween Town, Wonderland, Roak, and Luxendarc will ensure that Roxas and Xion will come to blows. Their destiny is inevitable. Our plans will not be swayed by this rebellion.” At that moment, Xunko appears in her chair, her fake happy smile replaced with an infuriated frown, one that takes the other members off guard due to the extremely rare expression.

            “My, that is a new face you have, Xunko.” Yaxkata remarks in vague amusement.

            “Save it, Yaxkata. I just learned about something that throws everything off the rails.” Xunko retorts, looking up at Xemnas, who has an eyebrow raised. “I just sent out a transmission to the devices to see if they were ready, but I got no reply from them at all.”

            “What?” Xemnas asks, his eyes going wide as, for the first time ever, surprise fills his voice.

            “Yep. And when I went to check on them, I found all four of them had been destroyed!” The air in the meeting room grows stiff as Xunko’s words echo around them. Along with it, the plan they had been building towards with Roxas and Xion had now fallen apart, crumbling to dust as though it were nothing but a dream.

            “Well now… it would seem that what Xigbar has told us is true.” Yaxkata remarks, looking at Xemnas. “We have four deserters in our midst. It would be wise to eliminate them now before any trouble comes from this… unexpected situation.”

            “We might have to do that right now.” Xigbar replies, looking at Yaxkata. “Roxas and Chixada are planning to leave right this very moment. They might even be nearing the exit.” Saïx could feel his hands balling into fists as he looked up at Xemnas, his expression clouded.

            “Lord Xemnas, what shall we do to stop the deserted from meeting with the Phantom Thieves?” Xemnas closes his eyes, seemingly contemplating his choice for a while. But when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with a resolution and a silent, cold anger that somehow sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

            “We will do what we should have done long ago. Yaxkata… Xunko…" He turns his gaze to two members, eyes narrow. "You two will take Xijn and Xosh to stop the deserters. Eliminate Axel and Chixada. Leave no trace of their existence. But above all, bring back Roxas and Xion alive. I do not mind any injuries to them, but Roxas must be kept alive, and the puppet must still function upon their return. How you bring them back, I care not." The command sent a dark smile across Yaxkata and Xunko's features while Saïx furrowed his brow, the grip on his legs becoming tighter than he realized.

            “It will be done, Lord Xemnas.” Yaxkata replies, the two of them vanishing at once. As they vanish, Xemnas holds his left hand out, conjuring a projection before him that shows the area of Twilight Town, searching for any signs of the runaway traitors.

            “Come, let us see the final gasps of our former comrades.” Xemnas remarks, with Xigbar nodding at him before casting his gaze over to Saïx, whose eyes have wandered over to Axel’s empty seat.

            “What’s wrong, Saïx? Sad that your best friend is on the chopping block? Hurt that he kept you out of it because of your cold attitude? If you had changed your tune, YOU might be leaving with him right now.”

            “It no longer matters.” Saïx coldly dismisses, turning his gaze to the projection. “Whatever past relationship I had with Axel is now dead. I no longer care about what happens to him or the other traitors.” Xigbar smiles at Saïx’s response, turning his gaze back to the image. But unknown to him, Saïx closes his eyes in resignation, a silent sigh escaping his lips.

            You had always chosen the most brash action, Lea. Perhaps you are right that I have changed. But… I can no longer stop going down this path. Our paths have long since diverged the moment we lost our hearts. He opens his eyes, looking back at the image as it searches for the traitors. If you have indeed regained a heart and I have not, then keep it. For I know the guilt that will come when I reclaim mine.

            “Hey… doesn’t this feel… too smooth?” Roxas asks Chixada as they near the final hall leading to the entrance. “We haven’t seen any other Nobodies for a bit.”

            “Yeah…” Chixada agrees, eyes narrowing under his hood. “Something is up for sure.” He replies as the two feel themselves tense up. Something is changing in the air; that much they can tell. The silence around them sends their minds into overdrive, even as they enter the vast open hall leading to a bridge of light at the far end that connects to the dark city below. But even as they feel relief at seeing it, there is someone already there whom they are not expecting to see.

            “Demyx? Why are you here?” Roxas asks, his hood bobbing up and down. Demyx rubs the back of his head, pushing himself off the silver block he was leaning against.

            “Well… I figured I might as well see you guys off at least.” He remarks, rubbing his head. “Felt like the least I could do.” Roxas and Chixada glance at each other, surprised at this sudden decision from Demyx, not that either of them was going to say no.

            “Thanks, Demyx.” Roxas tells him with a smile. “By the way, have you figured out how to send intel between us?”

            “Yep. I’ll have one of my loyal Dancer Nobodies ferry the info to Rise. The higher-ups won’t suspect a thing.” Demyx replies with a grin as Chixada lets out a laugh.

            “Nice work. They won’t see that coming.” He tells him, slapping a hand on his shoulder. “By the way, you don’t need to gather intel about the other members or their plans for Kingdom Hearts. I already got all of that on this.” He shows Demyx the USB stick before hiding it away. “That should make your job a lot easier now, huh?”

            “Yeah… it certainly will.” Demyx replies, letting out a sigh. “The less snooping I do, the better for all of us.” Roxas nods back, feeling slightly better about Demyx staying behind to do his spy mission. But that was for all of two seconds before alarms start blaring all around them, black and blue light flaring around them as a dark chill runs down their spines.

            “Aw crap… they’re onto us!” Chixada shouts, his weapon coming to his side as Roxas does the same. Demyx, seeing the situation turning against them, thinks to himself for a second before snapping his fingers.

            “I got it. Chixada, hit me with your best move.” Roxas and Chixada turn to Demyx, shock plastered on their faces as Demyx shrugs his shoulders. “Hey, if you guys knock me out with a strong move, that will help me convince the others I’m on their side by making them think I was trying to slow you down.”

            “Are you sure?” Roxas asks with slight hesitation in his voice. “What if they don’t buy it?”

            “If they don’t, they don’t.” Demyx replies, shaking his head. “Look, we are out of time. If we don’t do this, they’ll know I’m a traitor as well!”

            “He's right about that…" Chixada remarks bitterly, shaking his head as Magatsu-Izanagi forms behind him. "Demyx, sorry about this. And this is going to hurt. Ziodyne!" As Demyx closes his eyes, he can feel the Elect attack slam into him from above. And since his affinity is Water, the attack is more than enough to fry him, leaving him knocked out on the floor, still alive but not waking up any time soon. With guilty looks on their faces, Roxas and Chixada take off across the bridge for the city, not once looking back as the alarms continue to blare around them.

Not long after they left, around ten minutes or so, Yaxkata stormed into the main entrance with Xijn, Xosh, and Xunko by his side, all of them wearing their hoods up as they focused on their mission. At least, they were until they found the knocked-out Demyx near the entrance of the castle.

            “Well, look what we have here. Water Boy, sleeping on the job." Xijn remarks, folding his arms as they walk up to him. "Why am I not surprised that he would sleep through something like this?"

            “I think you may need to take a closer look, Xijn." Yaxkata remarks, kneeling and seeing the scotch marks on Demyx's cloak. "It would appear that he had an unfortunate run-in with our targets." That got Xijn to raise an eyebrow, impressed that the laziest member tried to stop the traitors. However, Xosh didn't seem so intent on letting him sleep, as he kicked Demyx in the side to wake him up.

            “Wake up, crybaby.” Xosh tells Demyx, who lets out a groan while blinking his eyes open. “You’ve got something to tell us.”

            “Oh… you mean Roxas and Chixada?” Demyx asks, pushing himself up with some smoke still coming off him. “I tried to stop them when the alarms went off, summoning a torrent of water to trap them and sending water clones of myself to swarm them, but I couldn’t hold them back. Chixada’s Persona made mincemeat of my water clones, and Roxas was just far too quick with his two blades before they both shocked me with lightning. They were just too strong…”

            “We can tell.” Xunko remarks, motioning her head at the smoke coming off Demyx. “Still, for you to try and stop them without being asked… that was quite impressive work.”

            “I agree.” Yaxkata agrees, folding his hands behind his back. “Lord Xemnas will be pleased to hear of your bravery, however non-existent it is.”

            “Heh… maybe you’re not such a big duck after all.” Xosh remarks, slapping a hand on Demyx’s back and almost sending him to the floor.

            “Yeah… he has guts, I’ll admit that.” Xijn adds, folding his arms. “Now can we get going already? Those two have probably linked up with the other traitors by now.”

            “Indeed.” Yaxkata replies, looking at Demyx with a calculated look. “Return to your room and rest, Demyx. We will need your strength in the coming days.”

            “Yeah… I’ll get on that.” Demyx replies with a wince as he slowly makes his way back into the castle while Yaxkata leads the others out into the city. Once he is sure that they are gone, Demyx takes a moment to pause and look back out at the city, a single sentence from a past he can barely remember coming to his lips as he utters one final farewell.

            “Roxas… Axel… Xion… Chixada… May your hearts be your guiding key.”

            “Axel… what is that noise?” Xion asks, turning her head to the cover hiding their small hideaway. Axel narrows his eyes as he walks up, pulling the tarp back. He can just hear it over the sound of the rain falling down around them, but that noise is something he is all too familiar with.

            “Shit… it’s the alarm from the castle! Roxas and Chixada must have been found out!” Axel shouts, turning back to Xion, who gasps in shock, hand over her mouth. “Someone must have ratted us out. And it can’t be Demyx.”

            “But… who?” Xion asks, pulling a leg up. Axel shrugs his shoulders with an irritated sigh, unable to come up with an answer himself just as the tarp is pulled back sharply. The two instantly jump to their feet in alarm, only to calm down once they see who it is in front of them, soaking wet from the rain.

            “Roxas!” Xion shouts, rushing over to hug him as Chixada shakes his head free of water. “We thought you were caught!”

            “We almost were.” Roxas replies, returning the hug. “But Demyx stayed behind to buy us time.”

            “Demyx? What did he do?” Axel asks, raising an eyebrow at Chixada, who lets out a chuckle.

            “Let’s just say he has more courage than we give him credit for, especially when he willingly took a hit from Magatsu-Izanagi.” Chixada replies with a grin before quickly looking away. “Regardless, we have to go. Now. It’s only a matter of time until we are found here.”

            “But we need to let Riku and the others know that we’ve been found out.” Xion comments, grasping a hand over her chest. “The Organization might lay a trap in the woods if they know where we are going.”

            “That’s true…” Axel agrees with a wince, along with Chixada. But while they were busy thinking about that, Roxas was already a step ahead as he summoned one of his loyal Samurai Nobodies to his side.

            “Quick. You need to warn Naminé and the others that we’ve been found out. They might be walking into a trap when they come to get us tomorrow.”

            “It will be done, my liege.” The Nobody replies, vanishing into a silvery cloud as Roxas lets out a sigh.

            “Nice thinking, Rox. But we might want to hold back on summoning them.” Axel warns with narrowed eyes. “There is a chance Xemnas might be able to sense when and where they appear.”

            “All the more reason for us to go! Now!” Chixada shouts, opening a portal of darkness. “We’re almost free, so don’t lose focus for even a second!” Without even waiting around to argue, the four rush into the portal of darkness as Roxas sends a blast of Blizzaga at the small fire. The longer they can keep the Organization off their backs, the better.

They can only hope it will be long enough to regroup with the others.

Day 356.

            “C’mon! Roxas and the others are waiting for us at the clock tower!” Riku shouts, leading the charge through the forest towards Twilight Town, with Aqua, Naminé, and Yu right behind him. They had only just been informed by one of Roxas's Samurai Nobodies of the situation with the four now-former members, and to say they were worried was an understatement. While they did leave the Organization sometime near the end of the day, it clearly wasn't as smooth an exit as they had hoped. And now they were running through the forest towards Twilight Town at max sprint…

…without having time to even have breakfast.

            “We should have anticipated something like this. Damn it, we became too complacent!” Yu shouts, shaking his head in annoyance at himself.

            “We can look back at our failure later! Right now, they need our help!” Aqua shouts back, keeping pace with Riku as Naminé runs just behind Yu. It was a pain they didn't get a chance to eat anything, especially since it was Ren and Haru's turn to cook today, but soon even those thoughts were interrupted as two large Heartless appeared before them, each sporting the same style of armour with large blades for arms. Although one of them was in armour that was painted red and black, while the other was silver and purple.

            “Heartless!” Naminé shouts as she, Riku, and Aqua shift into their Thief attire, only for two more Heartless with similar armour to appear behind them. But this time, with large spears for hands, one in armour of silver and black, and the other in dark green and white.

            “An ambush!?” Dawn shouts, spinning Way to the Dawn in his hand just as more Heartless appear around them. Normal Shadows, Soldiers, and a few Large Bodies join the fray.

            “The Organization must have sent them here! Nothing else can explain this!” Yu shouts, Izanagi forming behind him as Hail grasps Master Defender.

            “We have no choice! We must fight our way out! Shiva! Diamond Dust!” Without batting an eye, Hail summons her Persona to the field and lashes out at the large Heartless before her, catching the smaller ones in the crossfire as the four would-be rescuers are soon drawn into a fight they can ill afford. And as Mage ducks under a spear strike from the green Heartless, she glances up at the clock tower with a worried expression before summoning Leviathan to her side.

            Roxas… Xion… Please hold on!

            “Where are they? They should be here by now.” Roxas mumbles to himself as the four of them hide in the shadows of the clock tower. “It doesn’t take that long to get here from the mansion, does it?”

            “It shouldn’t.” Xion agrees, curling a hand on her chest. “Do you think they’re being held back?”

            “It’s possible…” Axel remarks, hand on his chin. “Sae did mention that the Heartless seemed to be getting larger in number these days… They might have run into some on the way here.”

            “Enough to slow them down?” Chixada asks, hand over his mouth. “Either they are getting hit by a lot, or the Heartless are much stronger than usual. But either option can mean only one thing…”

            “The Organization knows we are here.” Roxas bites out, clenching his hands at his side. “Do you think they are closing in on us?”

            “It’s possible…” Axel comments with a wince. “Man, all this talk is making my hair stand on—” Just then, a tiny clink behind them grabbed their attention as a small cylindrical device bounced against the wall. It looked as though it could fit in someone’s hand, the top half spouting one half of the Nobody Emblem while the other half jutted out of the bottom, coloured in a mixture of silver and green. But it was one that all four of them recognized as it landed on the floor.

            “MOVE!” Chixada shouts, pushing Roxas and Xion to the entrance as Axel drags him along. And no sooner do they move than the device explodes behind them in a flash of Almighty magic, sending the four rolling along the ground, slightly singed on their backs but free of any major injuries as they all jump to their feet, weapons coming to their sides as they notice four Organization members with their hoods up from atop the clock tower, with one of them letting out an annoyed grunt.

            “Tch. Figured you rats would survive that.” Xijn remarks in irritation, with five more of the same grenades floating around him, as a sixth one materializes in an empty spot with Xosh standing on his right. Two serrated katanas in each hand, looking far more menacing with curved hooks halfway up the blades while the points have been enlarged. The handles look the same but now have additional spikes running along them and along some guards protecting his hands.

            “It’d be a disappointment if it were so easy, Xijn.” Yaxkata tells him, a large handgun in his right hand looking like his old revolver, only larger and sporting the same details as Xijn’s grenades, but with an additional large blade under the gun barrel, its colours a mixture of black and silver. “Even so, this chase has come to its end.” Xunko, on his left, lets out a huff as a staff floats around her, looking just like the one that EMMA had when she became a Heartless, only in light blue and etched in green.

            “You certainly led us on an interesting chase.” Xunko remarks as the four pursuers jump to the floor. “But this game is over. Now, be good little dolls and come home. Two of you have a major destiny you need to achieve. As for the other two… it’s the furnace for you, like any other broken toy.”

            “We are NOT dolls!” Xion shouts, pointing her Kingdom Key at Xunko as Roxas squares off against Xosh.

            “And we are not going to just roll over and do whatever Xemnas wants with us!” Roxas shouts back, anger clearly on his face.

            “You don’t have a choice in the matter.” Yaxkata remarks calmly, even as he and Chixada aim their guns at each other. “Your destiny is already decided. There is no changing it.”

            “I’m calling bullshit on that!” Chixada shouts back, not budging an inch even as Axel stares down Xijn. “You go on and on about ‘destiny this’ and ‘destiny that’, but didn’t YOUR destiny come crumbling down around you anyway!?”

            “Only because of those idiots getting in the way!” Xijn shouts back, his six floating grenades ready to fly forward as Axel stares him down, chakrams already on fire. “If they weren’t there, WE would have won!”

            “Hah. Sounds more like you are just a sore loser about getting your ass kicked.” Axel gloats with a smirk even as Xijn glares at him despite the hood covering his face. “And in case you have forgotten, none of us are going to come quietly, lapdogs!”

            “Who said you had a choice in this?” Xosh asks, spinning his blades away as a smirk forms on his hooded face. “Face it! Your ‘grand escape’ is nothing but a ‘grand failure’!” Roxas and his friends all feel themselves tense as the atmosphere around them becomes charged. Each twist, every dart of the eye, and even breath adds more fuel to the fire as the fight inches closer to the edge. 

Until one of them could hold back no more.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1eJ5PsLOu4 : Unavoidable Battle)

            “Let’s get this started!” Xosh shouts, dashing forward at Roxas as the two clash blades, Roxas wincing from the impact as he finds himself surprisingly pushed back by Xosh. Xion, initially about to move to help him, soon finds herself dodging blasts of ice and wind from Xunko as she slowly walks forward, her staff floating around her as she fires the magic from her hands.

At the same time, Chixada and Yaxkata find themselves in a gun duel, each of them firing shots that collide in the air as they move around the area. Each of them attempts to get an angle on the other while Chixada also makes sure to keep his distance from Yaxkata. After all, his gun didn’t have a blade attachment like Yaxkata's. As for Axel, he is busy deflecting Xijn’s grenades with his chakrams, sending them flying in different directions as they explode in bursts of fire, lightning, or Almighty magic.

            “Firaga!” Roxas shouts, sending a blast of flame at Xosh, who slices through with one blade and brings the other down on Roxas, forcing him to block with his sword while spinning around, aiming to hit Xosh with the Kingdom Key, only for Xosh to flip over the blade without effort.

            “Too slow!” Xosh shouts, hopping to the side and coming in from an angle, forcing Roxas to block in an unfavourable position as Xosh lets out a smirk. “Let’s see how you like this! Tsukuyomi! Vorpal Blade!”

            “What!?” Roxas shouts, eyes widening as Xosh’s Persona forms behind him. Glowing in an eerie red aura, its form is completely covered in darkness, hiding its visage as it sends the attack at Roxas at point-blank range. Catching him off guard, it sends Roxas almost flying into the low wall behind him. Shaking his head, Roxas immediately ducks to the side to avoid Xosh’s follow-up attack before launching into a counter of his own, sending out twin blasts of Blizzaga at Xosh and forcing him back temporarily.

            “A Persona!?” Xion shouts in surprise before ducking under a staff swing from Xunko, who quickly teleports away and sends out a blast of fire at her. “He can use one!?”

            “He ain’t the only one! Come, Moros!” Xijn shouts as his own Persona forms behind him in the same red aura and darkness as Xosh’s. “Bufudyne!” Without batting an eye, Xijn sends the ice attack right at Axel, who, with eyes wide, dodges to the side but ends up getting hit by a few shards in his arm.

            “Should have known YOU still had your Personas as well!” Chixada shouts in irritation as his bullets collide with Yaxkata’s in mid-air. “If I could still use mine, then I should have figured you could still use yours!”

            “A failure on your part. One that shall cost you dearly. To me, Hypnos.” With a calm gesture, Yaxkata summons his own Persona to the field, looking just like the others as Chixada feels a sweat going down his face. “Agidyne.”

            “Magatsu-Izanagi! Ziodyne!” Chixada quickly calls out, summoning his own Persona and sending the attack towards Yaxkata. The two blasts of magic slam into each other, cancelling each other out as a cloud of dust fills the area, only for a round to pierce through the smoke and graze Chixada’s shoulder.

            “Such meagre skill will not save you.” Yaxkata comments slowly, walking through the smoke as Chixada leaps onto a wall and runs along, firing his gun at Yaxkata, who counters each blast with his own. “You will die today. Nothing will change that fate.”

            “Like hell!” Axel shouts, tossing a chakram at Yaxkata and forcing him to dodge before blocking an electric grenade from Xijn. “None of us are dying today!”

            “Such bold words. But I wonder if you can keep up.” Xunko remarks calmly, blocking a strike from Xion before kicking her in the chest. “You are such a disappointment for a doll… How about I show you what you should really be like?” With a snap of her fingers, Xunko summons three white mannequins, two looking like males and the central one looking like a female.

            “What!?” Xion shouts in shock as the three mannequins summon weapons, with the female one summoning knives, while the two males summon a scythe and a giant axe sword.

            “Oh, these? Just me continuing Vexen's work regarding the Replica Program. I’m still nowhere near his level, but I did manage to recreate three members from Castle Oblivion from his data.” Xunko reveals as the three Replicas walk forward. “Be a good puppet and test them out, will you?” Xion could feel a grimace forming on her face as the three Replicas charged at her, the one with the axe coming in with an overhead swing while the one with the scythe aimed for her side.

With no other option, Xion leaps upward to avoid the two strikes, only to find a swarm of knives tossed at her from the third Replica, forcing her onto the defensive as Roxas attempts to break away and help, only to find Xosh once more blocking him.

            “Your fight is with me, blondie!” He shouts, dragging his blades upward and forcing Roxas to block the strikes before kicking him to the side again and summoning his Persona. “Abyssal Wings!” Before Roxas’s eyes, a swarm of black feathers rains down towards him, forcing him to block as best as he can with his weapons as the feathers explode into Curse magic around him, sapping away at his strength as Xion lets out a cry of pain from being struck by one of the Replicas.

            “Roxas! Xion!” Axel shouts in alarm, attempting to go and help, only to be hit by a flashbang grenade from Xijn.

            “Keep your eyes on me, redhead!” Xijn shouts, summoning Moros once more. “Or better yet, don’t and eat dirt like the crap you are! After all, I repel Fire! Garudyne!” Without warning, a blast of heavy wind slams into Axel, almost knocking him off his feet as he glares back at Xijn.

            “Don’t make me mad!” He shouts, encasing his weapons in flames and tossing them at Xijn. The smirk hidden by his hood is quickly wiped away as he ducks under the blades, grimacing as one manages to tear into his left shoulder before he has to duck the return throw. The next hit grazes against his left leg, something that Axel takes some smugness in as Xijn can't believe his resistance was bypassed. "What was that about you repelling my Fire? Because from the looks of it, it seems MY flames don't play by your rules!”

            “How interesting…” Yaxkata remarks passively as he attempts to stab Chixada with his gun, only for the Nobody detective to spin around him and land an elbow strike against his back. “You are more stubborn than we had anticipated.”

            “You’ll find that we are filled with more surprises than you can imagine!” Chixada shouts, landing a kick on Yaxkata before summoning his Persona. "Bloodbath!" With fury in his eyes, Magatsu-Izanagi lashes out at Yaxkata, forcing him to either dodge or tank the strikes before casually ducking under one and firing another round at Chixada, the round grazing his cheek as Yaxkata narrows his eyes slightly.

            “Bufudyne.” He commands, sending the blast of ice at Chixada and forcing him to dodge to the side. But he has no rest, as Chixada soon spins his gun around in his hand before sending out a rapid-fire stream of rounds at him, forcing him once more to either duck or fire back and deflect the rounds.

            “My… this is certainly interesting.” Xunko remarks, watching Xion barely hold her own against the three Replicas. “I had assumed that my Replicas would be stronger than the puppet, but it would seem that they are not strong enough. Then again, they are incomplete… and they don't even have their elemental powers yet.”

            “Not interested!” Xion shouts, spinning her blade around and managing to hit the scythe-wielding Replica in the jaw. “I have had it with you and your experiments! Thundaga!” Thrusting her weapon into the air, Xion summons a torrent of lightning down on the fakes, shocking all of them before quickly rushing up and striking each of them down in a single slash, much to Xunko’s frustration.

            “The puppet took the words right out of my mouth. Enough of the experiments already, Xunko!" Xosh suddenly shouts at her as he backs away from Roxas and his surprisingly quick strikes, each one seemingly growing faster and faster as light trails behind them. "The boss wants them back, so let's stop playing with them already!" With a sigh, Xunko shakes her head as she snaps her fingers once again. As Xion is just catching her breath from fighting the three Replicas, three Dusks appear behind her and pounce on Xion, wrapping around her and forcing her to kneel while the Kingdom Key is squeezed from her grasp.

            “Let me go!”

            “Xion!” Roxas shouts in alarm, his focus snapped as Xosh lets out a primal snarl.

            “Brave Blade!” Before Roxas had time to even register, he was struck in the side by the skill and sent rolling over next to Xion, before he too was suddenly attacked by three Dusks. Wrapping him up and pinning his arms to his side, Roxas was soon captured just like Xion. Axel and Chixada silently cursed as they now found themselves in a two-vs-four situation.

            “Well, that was disappointing.” Xunko remarks as she and Xosh turn their gaze to Axel and Chixada. “I was hoping for more of a challenge.”

            “Hah. What did you expect from a failure and a doll?” Xosh remarks, walking up to him with a confident aura. “C’mon, let’s finish this and head back. I’m looking forward to seeing which of these two will win in the end.” Roxas and Xion’s eyes widen in horror as they watch the two slowly walk over to Axel and Chixada, the two getting worn down by their battles with Yaxkata and Xijn.

            “Axel! Chixada!” Xion shouts as she tries to break free from her bonds, with Roxas squirming on the ground as the Dusks fight to keep them pinned. Their strength proves to be far greater than theirs as they slowly watch their friends get pushed into a corner—a sight that only serves to fuel their anger.

            I won’t give up! Roxas shouts mentally as he strains against the Dusks around him. I refuse to be dragged around any longer! Even if I was created by someone else, that doesn’t change who I am as a person! To hell with whatever Xemnas wants and what everyone else thinks! I… I am…!

            I am no one's puppet! I am no one's doll! Xion shouts in her mind, trying to force her arms to spread out despite the Dusks forcing against her. I don’t care if I was created to act as some sort of failsafe! I don’t care if I’m tossed away like some useless tool just because I have my own identity! I… I am…!

WE ARE US! AND WE WILL MEET OUR BROTHER, NO MATTER WHAT EVERYONE ELSE WANTS!

For a moment, time seemed to slow down as the Dusks loosened their grip, as though they could hear the cries of anger from Roxas and Xion's minds. But even with that slack in their grip, they still couldn't get the space needed to summon their weapons. They were forced to watch as Yaxkata and Xijn summoned Hypnos and Moros and prepared to unleash Megidolaon, sealing Axel and Chixada's fates once and for—

Well, you certainly took your time, lass.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ume3sbCFzMc : Awakening and Willpower)

No sooner did those gruff yet wise words ring out in her mind than a thunderous pain wracked through Xion’s mind, powerful enough to send her to her knees if she weren’t being forced up by the Dusks. Roxas caught a glimpse of the pain spreading over Xion’s face, but before he could even question it, a blinding white pain flared through his own mind as well, along with a voice that sounded mechanical in nature yet had a touch of lightness, the two voices weaving between the two in equal harmony.

You, who were born without memories, were walking down the path that would lead to your death. And yet, you have chosen to walk a new path.

So, what will it be then? Are you content to live as someone else’s tool and die in a filthy ditch?

Or will you reach out and grab your own fate with your own hands? To break the destiny that has been foretold upon you.

Roxas and Xion both let out a scream of pain, neither of them able to voice their answer, yet the tone of their voices was all the proof Xunko needed to hear. Even if their cries caught her attention as she looked over at them with curiosity.

            “What is…?” She asks, her words grabbing Xosh’s attention as he looks over, even as her eyes widen in shock at the sight. “No… It can’t be.”

            “What’s wrong?” He asks in a bored tone, looking at the captured Nobodies, who have their eyes closed and faces contorted in pain. "What? Are they still trying to break out of those Dusks? They should just—" Before he can finish, the two open their eyes to reveal them to be a bright, glowing yellow. A glow that takes Xosh off guard while Xunko's eyes widen in realization, having seen this scenario once before with a previous failed doll.

Found your answers, have you? About bloody time. 

Then let us form our pacts. 

I am thou… thou art I… 

It's time for you to build a place, one where you can not only die on your own terms but live as well! 

Your future, which was destined to be cut short, now stretches on into the horizon. Seek it out with your heart, content with the time given to you!

The moment those voices stopped, blue flames whipped around Roxas and Xion, forcing the Dusks off them as masks appeared on their faces. The sound of the flames roaring around them grabbed the attention of Axel, Chixada, Yaxkata, and Xijn, the latter two pausing their attack as all eyes turned to the two and the masks on their faces.

Roxas's mask looked to be made of black metal, framing the top half of his face, with gold framing the eye sockets. Two small golden hooks jut out from the bottom of the mask over his cheeks, while a golden symbol in the shape of a heart emerges from the top. As for Xion's mask, it looked to be the same as Roxas's, but made of wood and white with purple decals instead of gold.

But regardless of how the masks looked, it did not change Xunko's reaction.

            “STOP THEM!” She shouts at the Dusks as more appear around them, all of them coiling back and ready to pounce. But Roxas and Xion do not care as they reach for the masks on their faces, as something inside them not only grows but solidifies into its own being. And just as the Dusks pounce, they rip the masks off and are consumed by the fires of rebellion, knocking back several of the Dusks as everyone else looks on in shock.

            “WHAT!?” Xijn shouts in alarm as bolts of light streak out from the plume of fire surrounding Roxas, while lightning falls down around Xion’s plume of fire. “WHAT DID THEY DO!?”

            “Impossible…” Yaxkata remarks, his eyes narrowing in remembrance. “Those blue flames… It can’t be! They have awoken… to their own Personas!”

No sooner did Yaxkata call that out than the fire around Xion dissipated, revealing a wizard with a long white beard that easily reached down to his knees, while two parts of his moustache reached easily to his shoulders. The beard seemed to imply age, yet his face appeared to be that of a man in his 40s with short white hair. His attire was a long white wizard's cloak, etched in dark blue with lightning bolt symbols reaching up, while dark blue chains with metal plates wrapped around him. In his right hand was a staff as tall as he was, the end looking like a silver halberd.

Meanwhile, from the plume of fire surrounding Roxas, two large mechanical arms slam onto the ground, looking like giant hooves made of green metal and decorated with silver and gold. Large cables connect the feet to a giant body that has no legs but moves along the ground seemingly on treads hidden by a large metallic skirt that serves as its waist, while large shoulders protect the cables running into the body. As for its head, it is encased in a giant helmet with large spirals framing it along its shoulders. The entirety of its body is seemingly made from the same green metal as the giant feet and decorated with silver and gold patterns. Yet, like the Persona from Xion, it too is encased in dark blue metallic chains and iron plates, seemingly holding back its true power as streams rush out from its exhaust ports.

            “What the shit is this!?” Xosh shouts in fake irritation as the fires around Roxas and Xion die, revealing them standing in new attire. At first glance, it looked like Roxas was still wearing the Organization cloak with his hood up, but in a lighter beige colour and etched in cream that now only went up to his knees with a silver interior. His shoulders now had metal pauldrons protecting them, while he had what looked to be a black shirt and pants under the cloak, with brown boots running up his legs and white gloves protecting his hands.

As for Xion, she also seemed to still have the cloak, but it was now trimmed to just above her thighs and etched in silver, with her hood pushed back and instead replaced with a black pointed hat with three smaller points etched in silver around the side. Long black boots raced up to halfway up her thighs, etched in silver, with silver tights covering her legs. Black gloves protected her hands as she glared up at Xunko and threw her left hand out to her side. But instead of summoning the Kingdom Key, she summoned a different weapon.

It was a Keyblade, no doubt about that, but this one had a circular black handle with two small points on either side, a chequerboard-style grip, and four silver spikes, with two on either side of the silver blade that ran up from the guard, which made a stylish '4' at the end before forming into a curve with two silver and two black spikes that made up the teeth. A silver chain ran from the guard, ending in a silver four-pointed spike charm. As for Roxas, he simply flexed his hands before resting his left hand over his right hip, as though he were drawing a sword. And that turned out to be more literal, as he not only managed to summon a weapon in his left hand with the motion but repeated the same with his right hand over his left hip. And the weapons he drew were…

            “TWO KEYBLADES!?” Xunko shouts, her eyes wide as Roxas spins BOTH Oathkeeper in his left hand and Oblivion in his right, dragging the two weapons against each other as the sound of sparks cracking echoes across the area, combined with the furious glare from both Roxas and Xion as they stare down their would-be captors. “How is this possible!?”

            “Don’t you get it, Xunko!?” Xion shouts back, genuine anger in her voice as she points her new Keyblade at them. “We are DONE being your tools for your own enjoyment! We are living out OUR lives and how we want to live them! Let’s show them what we mean, Ramuh!” Without even waiting for a command, Xion’s Persona, Ramuh, summoned a ferocious lightning storm above her and sent it spiralling right at Xunko, the lightning slamming all around her and sending her flying into Yaxkata, just as Roxas glared right at Xosh.

            “We are our own selves, Xosh! And if you and Xemnas don’t like it, then too bad! We are forging our own paths! Right, Alexander?!” With a mechanical whir, the faceplate covering Alexander’s face opens up, revealing a cannon that had already charged up light magic before firing it right at Xosh. The blast of light hits him without issue, sending him flying into Xijn, breaking the formation around Axel and Chixada as they quickly run to regroup with the others.

            “You guys! When did YOU manage to do that!?” Axel shouts in good nature, sliding up to Roxas’s left, and Chixada does the same on Xion’s right.

            “Just now.” Roxas replies with a grin before looking back at Yaxkata and the others. “But we’re not out of this yet.” The grin on Axel’s face is quickly replaced by a frown as the four of them stare right back at their would-be captors.

            “I’ll admit… this was something we did not see.” Yaxkata freely admits to the four of them as he once more stands tall. "But even so, it changes nothing. You, who have only just awoken, stand no chance against myself, Xijn, and Xosh, who have been Persona users far longer than you can ever imagine." Roxas and Xion couldn't really argue against that. After all, they had only just awakened, and even if they had the advantage of surprise, against these supposed veterans, it would still not be enough!

            “Then how about we level the playing field!? Maeigaon!” Dawn’s voice echoes from the side as the Curse magic slams into the ground around the four, forcing them all to jump back just as Dawn, Hail, Mage, and Yu finally rush into the area, taking up positions next to Roxas and the others.

            “You made it!” Xion shouts with relief in her voice as Mage turns to look at her apologetically.

            “We’re sorry about the wait. The Heartless were waiting for us.” She tells them as they all fall into a combat stance, just as Xosh lets out an annoyed scoff.

            “Well, would you look at that. The cavalry has come…” He remarks with disappointment, Yu’s eyes widening in surprise as Xunko shakes her head.

            “Coming to the aid of a worthless doll and some traitorous friends… I am more than thankful I no longer have a heart.” She remarks, shaking her head as Yu also narrows his eyes at her in disbelief.

            “Hold on, do my eyes deceive me, or is that Naminé right there?" Xijn asks, pointing at Mage as Yaxkata, who lets out a hum, analyses her after looking at the others who have just arrived, as his face turns into a dark smirk.

            “My, my, you may be right. It would seem that what I was told earlier rang true: Sora and the Phantom Thieves are really here. And with Naminé being one of them, no less. Perhaps capturing her right here might draw the rest of them out of hiding."

            “That is not going to happen!" Yu snarls, pointing his katana at the Organization members.

            “We are not going to let you have Sora or anyone else." Dawn yells, his hand gripping Way to the Dawn tightly.

            “And if any of you think you can just easily take me, then you are sadly mistaken!" Mage comments, clutching her staff as water wraps around it.

            “Your chase to bring Roxas and Xion back ends now! One way or another!" Hail snarls, grasping Master Defender as Yaxkata lets out a sigh of disappointment.

            “Well, I suppose it was going to come down to this. Change of plans: capture Roxas, Xion, and Naminé, and eliminate Axel, Chixada, and their allies. Our Superior will be most pleased if we succeed in capturing the failure, the puppet, and the witch." Xijn lets out a smirk at that, his hood covering his face as he primes a grenade.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joHST2piP5Q : Vector to the Heavens)

            “Well… I can get behind that! Why don’t you guys show me your weakness!?” At that, Xijn’s Persona forms behind him, sending out a pulse that washes over them all as Hail lets out a shocked gasp.

            “Was that a Persona!?” She shouts, only to suddenly duck under a gunshot from Yaxkata as Chixada fires back.

            “Focus on them first, bluebird!" Chixada shouts back, snapping Hail back into focus as she charges against Yaxkata. As she does that, Yu dashes towards Xijn, weaving through his tossed grenades and slashing out with his katana, forcing Xijn back and ducking under one of Axel's chakrams. Meanwhile, Xion and Dawn both rush towards Xunko as she once more summons two Replicas to her side, one holding a shield and the other wielding a book, not that Dawn was impressed as he slashed the Replica with the book in half instantly.

            “Try something new!" He shouts, rushing up to Xunko and forcing her to fight back with her staff as Xion deals with the other Replica with the shield. As for Roxas and Mage, they are staring down Xosh as he rushes forward at Roxas. But before he can get close, Roxas somehow darts to the left in a flash of light, blinding Xosh as Mage sends a torrent of water at him from her staff, disorienting him as Roxas comes in from the side, quickly slashing at him in quick succession with both blades before knocking him into the air and continuing the onslaught.

            “Leviathan! Aquala!” Mage shouts, summoning her Persona and sending a burst of water right at Xosh, catching him as Roxas quickly drops to the ground. 

            “Alexander! Sonic Punch!” With a flash of blue light, Alexander forms behind Roxas and sends a blast of light in the form of a fist right at Xosh, hitting him square in the chest.

            “You punks!” Xosh shouts, flipping through the air and landing on the ground. “I’ve had it with you!” Rushing forward, he drags his two weapons along the ground before locking blades with Roxas, eyes glaring under his hood. “Life Drain!” The moment he says that, Roxas can feel his strength getting sapped by Xosh’s Persona, only to then suddenly feel it return as Mage casts Diarama on him, much to Xosh’s frustration.

            “Give up already!” Xijn shouts, throwing several grenades at Axel and Yu as the two tank the grenades of fire and lightning, only to get caught off guard by the single Almighty in the middle. “You can’t win against us!”

            “That’s what they all say! Izanagi! Ziodyne!” Yu shouts, summoning his Persona to the field and blasting Xijn with lightning, forcing him to jump back, only to get caught by Axel’s chakrams.

            “What’s wrong?! Not so tough now that it’s two against one, huh!?” Axel taunts, bringing his chakrams back to his side. “Better get it memorized then!” Xijn grimaces at that, ducking under another chakram and using one of his floating grenades to block a strike from Yu.

            “Don't try to act tough! From my initial scans, I know you only have one Persona!" Xijn shouts, eyes narrowed. But he wasn't prepared for the smirk on Yu's face as the latter broke the deadlock and jumped back.

            “You sure about that?! Kohryu! Kougaon!” Xijn’s eyes widen in shock as Yu summons a different Persona to the field and catches Xijn in a blast of searing light before glancing over at Yaxkata as he duels with both Chixada and Hail. “Mada! Inferno!” Without warning, flames erupt from under Yaxkata, catching him off guard as Chixada peppers him full of rounds before Hail comes in with her own combo and activates her Spell Weaver Command Style. This is something that Yaxkata was not prepared for, as he finds himself caught up in the magic attack while Chixada sends out a blast of Ziodyne, slamming the magic right into his back as Hail jumps back.

            “Shiva! Heavenly Strike!” Without batting an eye, Hail summons her Persona to the field, sending a large shard of ice slamming on top of Yaxkata, who barely manages to dive out of the way as his own Persona forms behind him.

            “Megidolaon!” He shouts, raising his voice for the first time as he blasts the two of them with the Almighty attack, almost sending them both flying back if they hadn’t raised their guards at the last second.

            “This has gone on for long enough!” Xunko shouts, ducking under Dawn’s Keyblade as she manages to grab him with the clawed staff. “We are bringing them back, no matter what you do!”

            “You think so?” Dawn shouts, de-summoning Way to the Dawn as dark fires form in his hand. “They try this! Dark Firaga!” Xunko’s eyes widen in surprise as she takes the attack at point-blank range, giving Dawn a chance to glance at Xion as Odin forms behind him. “Xion, move! Odin! Zantetsuken!” Xion, glancing in Dawn’s direction, leaps to the side just as the attack screams into the Replica she was fighting. And since it hit the Replica in the back, it didn’t stand a chance as Xion rushed forward at Xunko as she got to her feet.

            “Ramuh! Double Fangs!” Forming behind her, Ramuh wasted no time in sending out the attack with his staff, hitting Xunko square in the chest twice as Xion came in with her Keyblade. “Two Become One, guide me!” Xion shouts, the name of her Keyblade ringing out as she lashes into Xunko's side with Dawn coming in behind her, the two not giving her a chance to breathe before they both struck her in the chest, sending her flying back just as Xosh was sent flying from Roxas and Mage. The two Nobodies slammed into Yaxkata and Xijn, with all four of them falling into a pile on the floor as their eight opponents stand tall.

            “Had enough yet!?” Roxas shouts, breathing heavily along with Xion. “Or do you want us to beat you again!?”

            “Cocky brat…” Xosh remarks, forcing himself to his feet. “Don’t think you’ve won just yet!” But just as he is about to charge back at them, Yaxkata places a hand on his shoulder. “What?”

            “It is pointless. You will only get yourself killed if you charge them now.” He tells him in a calm voice, pulling himself up. “Our advantage is gone. If we continue, we run the risk of falling here and now. And we cannot risk that, not now.” Xosh looked ready to argue, only to have Xijn let out a sigh and clap him on the shoulder as well.

            “When he says we need to retreat, we need to retreat.” He tells him as Xosh lets out a cry of anger at that, and Xunko rises as well.

            “Enjoy your freedom while it lasts. We assure you, it won’t be for long. We WILL be victorious in the end.” With that cryptic remark, the four Nobodies take their leave, vanishing into portals of darkness as the high of battle started to fade away—something that Roxas and Xion could feel the most as they both collapsed to the ground, their weapons vanishing and their attire reverting to normal.

            “Hey!” Axel shouts, grabbing onto Roxas as Dawn does the same to Xion. “What’s wrong!?”

            “It’s the post-awakening fatigue.” Dawn tells him calmly. “Whenever someone awakens to a Persona like that, they enter the post-awakening state where they need to rest up. Don’t worry, they’ll be fine when they wake up. Well, maybe even more than fine, to be honest.” Axel lets out a sigh of relief at that, only now remembering that he saw the exact same thing happen to both Naminé and Hikari after they awakened as both Mage and Muse back at Castle Oblivion, while Chixada only tilts his head. He never had to go through anything like that when he awoke. Or… did he, but he couldn't remember? It has been a long time, after all.

            “Still, that was a shock to see as we were running up the road.” Yu remarks, folding his arms before glancing over his shoulder. “I think it’s best that we leave before any curious townsfolk come and check on the area. The last thing we need is a crowd.”

            “Yeah… not going to argue against that.” Chixada replies, tilting his head. “How DID we not gather a crowd anyway? With how flashy we were being…”

            “Best not question it.” Hail tells him, shaking her head as Dawn gets a good grip on Xion while Axel does the same with Roxas, with Mage looking at him with relief in her eyes.

            “I’m glad we got here… I was worried that we wouldn’t make it in time.” She tells Axel, who lets out a chuckle as they all start making their way down the hill.

            “Hey, what matters is that you guys got here. And I know Roxas would say the same if he were awake right now.” Mage glances at Axel, giving him a shy smile as they start their long trek back to the mansion. One that Chixada was simultaneously awaiting and yet dreading at the same time. It was time he faced the music.

            “They should be back by now… What is taking them so long?” Yosuke asks as he paces around the main hall. Not that anyone could blame him after what they had learned from the Samurai Nobody from Roxas. All of them were on edge at the possibility of something bad happening to them or the escapees, especially this early in the morning.

            “Give them time, Yosuke. It’s still the morning.” Morgana tells him, shaking his head at his fellow Magician, who lets out a long sigh. Just as Naoto was about to check her watch again for the time, the door to the main hall opened, with Yu walking in with a semi-exhausted look, with Riku right behind him carrying Xion.

            “Yu! You’re back!” Yukiko shouts as Yu gives her a nod while Riku moves Xion to a nearby sofa, just as Axel walks in carrying Roxas with sagging shoulders. 

            “Axel…” Sae breathes with relief as Axel looks up at her with an exhausted expression. “I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

            “Yo, Sae… glad to see you. And to the rest of you Thieves, swell. It’s good to still be alive.” He tells her, nodding his head at Ren and the others, all of them giving him relieved looks as he moves Roxas to a nearby sofa. “Man… did things get dicey there during that battle.” He remarks out loud as Aqua and Naminé follow in after him. “Almost turned nasty there for a moment.”

            “Nasty? What happened?” Ren asks as footsteps from the main door grab everyone’s attention with the last person entering. One that no one was expecting to see. 

            “Adachi!?” Chie shouts in alarm as Akechi looks at him in surprise. “What are you doing here!?”

            “Nice to see you as well.” Chixada remarks, folding his arms. “As for why I am here, I was the unwilling guest of Organization XIII.” 

            “Unwilling… hold on a second, does that mean you're a Nobody right now?” Kanji asks, rubbing the back of his head as Chixada nods back.

            “Yep. Chixada. Number XVII. Not that I had any choice in the matter. The so-called supreme leader doesn’t take no for an answer from people he recruits.” Chixada grumbles as he rubs a spot on his chest. “Got a stab right through the chest for saying no.”

            “So, all this time, you’ve been working for the Organization against your will?” Nanako asks, tilting her head as Chixada glances at her, to which he replies with another nod of his head. The rest of the Investigation Team didn’t know what to think about that, considering their mixed history with Chixada and what he did. But there was one person in the room who didn’t have any doubt as he walked up to Chixada and slammed a hand on his arm.

            “You idiot!” Ryotaro shouts in frustration. “Did you know how worried I was when you just upped and vanished like that!? Everyone else believes that you just fled your cell when they dropped their guards! Your reputation as a model prisoner is in ruins!”

            “It’s not like I had a choice in the matter…” Chixada remarks, glancing to the side with a disappointed stare. He already expected to get an earful from Ryotaro. After all, what else did he ever get? At least, that’s what he thought until he felt a hand grasping his shoulder.

            “I’m the only one who believed that you were dragged out against your will… and I’m glad to be the one who's right for a change.” Ryotaro tells Chixada, his gaze softening. “I’m glad to still see you doing okay, even if you don’t have a heart any more.” Chixada blinks at Ryotaro in shock, not expecting the words to come from him as he looks away with a shy expression.

            “Yeah… it’s good to see you too, Ryotaro-san. I’ve missed interacting with you, y’know.” Chixada admits as Ryotaro pats him heavily on the shoulder. “I still want to atone for what I did, no matter how long it takes. I just wasn’t given the choice to stay as somebody.” As for the Investigation Team, they still felt their guard was up, but not as heavily as before, especially since Yu was nodding at them with a reassured look. But that soon changed as they turned their attention to Roxas and Xion, the two of them still sleeping on the couches.

            “What’s wrong with them?” Ryuji asks, hands in his pockets. “Did they get tired from escaping?”

            “Hah! If only that were the case.” Axel replies, shaking his head with a grin before folding his arms. “Nope. These guys managed to awaken to a Persona. Both of them.” 

            “For real!?” Almost everyone in the main hall shouts at once, with Ryuji looking at all of them with irritated groans.

            “Can you guys PLEASE not steal my line again!?” He shouts back as everyone apologetically looks at him while Axel rubs his ears. 

            “But still, you said they had awoken to a Persona?” Haru asks Axel. “That’s amazing.” 

            “I can confirm that.” Futaba comments, a screen hovering before her. “I’m getting a ping from both of them. How about you, Rise?”

            “It’s the same with me.” Rise confirms with a smile, her own screen hovering before her. “But… that’s not all I’m getting from them.” She looks over at DiZ, who has been standing silently in the corner with his lone eye watching Axel. “Roxas and Xion… they both have hearts.”

            “Say what?” Axel asks, surprise evident in his eyes as DiZ slowly walks forward, his gaze shifting to the two.

            “So… it would prove my theory correct. The more human-like Nobodies are capable of growing hearts of their own, while the monster Nobodies are incapable of doing so…” DiZ comments softly, his eye going over the two as he lets out a breath of air. “Truly, hearts are unpredictable.”

            “So… we really were told a lie this entire time.” Axel comments, grasping his hands at his side in frustration. “All those years of working, being told we would get hearts of our own at the end… it was just one big lie to keep us from growing hearts of our own. But… what about our hearts that have been taken by the Heartless? What happens to those?”

            “That is indeed the question.” DiZ remarks, nodding his head. “While in the case of Roxas, Xion, and Naminé, it is clear as day; with the other Greater Nobodies, such as yourself and Chixada, it is far less clear. Do you grow a temporary heart to fill the void until you reclaim your true heart, or does it replace the one you lost forever? Such answers I do not have, nor do I believe I will find them for a long time.”

            “Actually, DiZ, you have two more examples of people growing hearts right here.” Teddie remarks, nodding his head at Isara and Sophia.

            “That’s right. I started out life as a model tank before getting life through a program that Futaba made. So doesn’t that mean I also started as a Nobody and grew my own heart?” Isara comments, folding her arms. “And by that logic, wouldn’t Sophia also count since she was the same as me? An artificially created life?”

            “It does make sense. Even if we did not know the concept back then." Akechi remarks, shaking his head. Still, it leaves more questions than answers, some of which I believe we will not be finding anytime soon.

            “At least we don’t have to worry about the Organization for now.” Shiho comments, stretching her back. “Now all we need to do is wait for Sora to be healed, and we are good to go.”

            “We can’t let our guards down just yet, Shiho.” Riku suddenly comments, folding his arms. “After all, the four that we had to fight back at the clock tower, even though they retreated, I don't think they will be giving up the chase against us quite easily, especially since they have general knowledge that we are here in Twilight Town.”

            “Are they really that bad news?” Ann asks, tilting her head. 

            “They were.” Yu remarks in a dry tone, eyes narrowed. “And to make matters worse, three of them could use Personas.” 

            “What!?” Morgana, Mishima, and Shiho all shout as one as a cold sense of dread falls over everyone.

            “There are more Persona users working for the Organization!?” Mishima asks, shaking his head. “Who the hell would work for them!?”

            “Those who are either desperate, easy to fool, or have their own agendas, I would assume.” Yusuke remarks, shaking his head. “Either way, this is a grave problem we have discovered.”

            “It's not helped that we have grown weaker while we waited for Sora to recover.” Makoto grimaces, grasping her hand as Ren lets out a sigh. “If they attack now, we might be at a severe disadvantage.”

            “All the more reason we cannot drop our guard for a second.” Mickey comments as he, Zack, Rinoa, Hikari, and Lavenza enter the main hall.

            “You’re back. How are Sora and the others?” Sophia asks, tilting her head as Hikari lets out a sigh.

            “Well, it could be better.” Hikari admits, leaning on the stairs. “We've almost finished healing them up, but it will still take at the very least a week until Sora and Bahamut are fully healed, and Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy's memories are fully restored.”

            “A week…” Hifumi comments, a hand over her mouth. “That’s still too long…”

            “Yeah. It is.” Zack remarks, rubbing his head. “Not helped that we need to leave as well.” He motions to Rinoa and himself. “It’s been far too long since we saw Aerith and the others. It's time we head back to them.”

            “Are you sure? You can still stay for a bit longer if you wish.” Nanako offers, only for Rinoa to shake her head.

            “Thank you for the offer, but we need to go.” She replies sadly. “Besides, this might help to get them off your trail for a bit if they see us with Squall and the others. Distract them while you finish working on Sora.”

            “That might work…” Ren comments, folding his brows.

            “In that case, I should probably go as well." Aqua adds, stepping from the side. "There is a place I need to check, as well as someone else to see. I need to tell them what has happened so far, if he doesn't already know." Mickey's eyes seem to widen in realization before he nods with a smile as he turns towards a certain former Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon.

            “What about you, Labrys? If you want, I can see if I can bring you to where your other friends are back in my homeworld."

            “As much as I want to, I think it's better if I stay here with everyone else." Labrys replies, folding her arms. "I know that part of me wants to rejoin Mitsuru and the others, but just in case the Organization comes knocking now that they have a general idea that Sora and the rest of us are somewhere in Twilight Town, the more hands on deck, the better." Mickey nods at her, stroking his chin for a second before nodding to himself.

            “In that case, I should also head out as well. The more of us moving through the worlds to distract the Organization, the better.” Mickey announces before letting out a sigh. “I would be lying if I said I wanted to be here and see Donald and Goofy wake up, but we need more information about the Organization. And even with Demyx as our inside man, we still need more.” No one could really argue with that, even if having him stay here would be a boon to them. But despite that, there was one person in the room who had not decided what he was going to do—something that Lavenza could not help but wonder about.

            “What shall you do, Riku? Will you also act as a decoy?” She asks. Riku closes his eyes as he lets out a sigh, debating whether to stay and wait to see Sora wake up or to go out and deflect attention away from Twilight Town.

            “I don’t know. Yet.” Riku admits freely, opening his eyes. “But I think I’ll wait until they wake up.” He nods his head at Roxas and Xion. “When they do, I’ll come to my decision on what to do.”

            “Then I guess all we have to do is just wait." Morgana comments before hearing his stomach rumble. "That being said, is anyone else feeling hungry? It might be worth getting some food in our stomachs, especially since some of us missed out on breakfast due to the earlier battle." This earned replies from almost everyone, excluding the sleeping Roxas and Xion, as both Ren and Haru went into the kitchen to make something for lunch, with Mickey, Aqua, Zack, and Rinoa sticking around to have something to eat before they head off, while everyone else relaxes as the tension of what happened earlier in the morning passes through them.

They had taken a big step today, as well as struck a major blow against Organization XIII and their plans. They could only wonder how they would respond after this. But no matter what came next, they would be ready.

All of them.

Chapter Text

Epilogue: Last Days of Summer Vacation Begin.

The gloom in the meeting room was palpable as all remaining members of the Organization gathered. Tension thickened as everyone took their seats, apart from the three glaringly empty seats around the edge. This was something that Xaldin and Luxord couldn’t help but wonder about.

            “Well, this is strange. We are missing a few cards from the deck, as it were.” Luxord remarks, hand on his chin.

            “I agree. Where are Roxas and Chixada?” Xaldin asks with a raised eyebrow. “And for that matter, where is Axel? Has he not recovered the puppet?”

            “No. They will not be returning.” Xemnas’s voice echoes from his seat, his gaze locked on the empty chairs of Roxas and Xion. “Axel, Roxas, Xion, and Chixada are no longer members of our order. They are all traitors to our cause.” Xaldin and Luxord both look up at Xemnas in surprise, neither of them expecting to hear those words today, especially after everything that had happened.

            “Is this true? Have they really turned traitor?” Xaldin asks, narrowing his eye at Saïx.

            “It is.” Saïx reveals in his cold tone. “They have turned their backs on us and have joined forces with our foes.”

            “Well now… that is certainly an interesting turn of events.” Luxord remarks, shaking his head. “Our deck has been cut, as it were. We are now the ones at a disadvantage.”

            “And what of those devices you had Roxas place? What use do we have of them now?” Xaldin asks, looking at Xunko, who is going through her own notes and not giving him any attention.

            “The devices are destroyed.” She tells him bluntly. “So our original plans have fallen through, even if they were still with us. They had been planning this for far longer than any of us realized.” Xaldin lets out a tsk of annoyance at that, leaning back in his chair as he glares at the empty seat that belonged to Axel.

            “And yet, it is not as bad as we may believe.” Xemnas remarks casually, leaning back in his chair. “For thanks to the traitors, we have finally found the location of not only Sora, but also Naminé, Hikari, and the Phantom Thieves.”

            “Really?” Demyx asks, feigning ignorance. “Where are they hiding?”

            “Why, where else but Twilight Town?” Xigbar remarks with a grin. “After all, that’s where the four traitors ran off to, and when their rescuers came, Naminé was with them. Looks like they have been hiding out with that Yu person in that mansion this entire time.” Demyx could feel the hair at the back of his neck stand on end at that. If he knew how the others thought, and he was pretty sure he did, then he knew what was going to happen next.

            “So why the hell are we just sitting here?! Let’s get going already and tear that mansion down!” Xijn shouts, already summoning his grenades to his side. “We want them dead, right? So let’s go kill them already!”

            “No.” Xemnas declares, shocking them all as he looks at them one by one. “Roxas and Xion are still alive, and if what we believe is true, then Sora has almost recovered from his injuries at Castle Oblivion. And it would seem our plan to have Xion absorb his memories has failed before it even began.”

            “What do you mean by Sora recovering from his injuries?" Xosh asks, rolling his right hand. "Didn't you say that one of the main projects of Castle Oblivion was for Sora to be stripped of his memories?" Xemnas nods his head before snapping his fingers, creating a projection in the middle of the room.

            “I did. However, it would seem that is not the case, as this surviving recording from Castle Oblivion shall show us." He snaps his fingers, letting the projection play as it shows Marluxia confronting Knight, Naminé, and the Phantom Thieves, of which some of the Organization members take notice of Hikari dressing similarly to the Thieves before they all take note of Naminé loudly declaring to Marluxia that she could never tamper with Sora's memories.

            “So… our ace in the hole was nothing but a joker all this time." Luxord remarks, pulling out a joker card and shaking his head as he and the others soon bear witness to Naminé's Persona awakening before the projection vanishes. "It would seem we have been played for fools the entire time.”

            “Where did you get this recording?” Xaldin asks Xemnas, raising an eyebrow. “If we had it this entire time, we would have known our plan was foiled.”

            “I only found it a few days ago when I paid a visit to Castle Oblivion." Xigbar replies, leaning on his chair. "Of course, it was encrypted by Vexen's algorithm, so I handed it off to Xunko to decode. She only managed to decode it yesterday, but with all the commotion of her finding out about the devices being destroyed not too long after, and that Axel, Roxas, Xion, and Chixada had turned traitor, she forgot to mention it.”

            “Even so, we now stand at an impasse.” Yaxkata remarks, hands laced together. “Our mission to collect hearts is no longer possible without the Keyblade. And I fear that we will no longer be able to drag either Roxas or Xion back to the Organization.”

            “Which is why I propose a new plan.” Xemnas begins as all eyes go to him. “Why gather hearts ourselves when we can let our enemies do it instead?” That caused a wave of realization to spread over everyone as they all grinned darkly at each other. Well, except in Demyx’s case, as he was putting up a fake dark smile.

            “Hah! Now that’s a plan I can get behind.” Xijn remarks, leaning back in his chair.

            “Weren’t we doing that from the start when that Sora kid was just starting out?” Xosh asks, tilting his head at Xunko.

            “I believe we were. And now we are going back to the old plan, with some extra Keyblades in the mix. Either way, it gives me more time to work on my own pet projects.”

            “And so it shall be.” Xemnas commands, closing his eyes. “Choose which world is yours, and focus on increasing the darkness within. Draw the Heartless to those worlds, and force the Keybearers to slay them. With every Heartless slain, our plans will grow. However…” He opens his eyes, turning his gaze to Xosh as he looks back. “…Xosh. You will have a new mission. Find Axel and Chixada, and eliminate them. And if they have Naminé or Hikari with them, bring them to me.” The dark smile on Xosh’s face seemed to grow larger as he let out a dark laugh.

            “I have been waiting to hear that since yesterday.” He replies as Xemnas dismisses everyone, with Xosh being the first to vanish into a dark portal as the majority of the Organization follows suit, until the only ones left are Xemnas, Xigbar, Saïx, and Demyx, the latter currently still lost in his own thoughts.

            “Demyx.” Saïx commands, snapping him out of his thoughts. “You have your mission at Olympus Colosseum. Do not waste time.”

            “R-Right. Sorry.” Demyx replies, quickly vanishing into a dark portal as only the main three are left, with Xigbar letting out a long sigh at the moment.

            “Still, who could have seen Roxas and Xion awakening to Personas of all things?” He remarks to Xemnas, shaking his head. “We definitely didn’t see that coming.”

            “Such an awakening should not be possible." Saïx retorts, shaking his head. "Neither of them should be able to use a Persona without a heart inside them."

            “And yet… what if the impossible has happened once again?" Xemnas asks, closing his eyes. "What if they grew hearts of their own? Just like Naminé?" Xigbar and Saïx fall silent at the question, both of them remembering the recording they saw in private that showed Naminé finding out about having a heart of her own, not too long after awakening to a Persona. And if she managed to do it… then who's to say that Roxas and Xion didn't do so as well?

            “Man, if everyone else heard about that, it could shatter our Organization into pieces, more than what it currently is.” Xigbar remarks, rubbing the back of his head. “It will ruin our real plans forever.”

            “Then we do not tell them.” Saïx replies, eyes closed. “This truth about another way to obtain hearts, we shall bury with all of our might. Crush it until not an inch of it remains.” Xigbar grins at Saïx, already loving the plan as Xemnas nods his head slowly.

            “Let it be done.” He commands, opening his eyes once more. “Our true plans begin now. Sora and his friends will never be able to stop us. For nothingness… is… eternal.”

It felt as though he was swimming back to the surface of a lake as Roxas began to wake up from his slumber. He had no idea how long he had been asleep, but he honestly felt more refreshed than anything as he managed to open his eyes. He found himself on a bed in a room made of warm mahogany wood, with Xion just waking up on a similar bed nearby.

            “Where…?” Roxas starts, pushing himself up and rubbing his head as Xion lets out a tiny groan.

            “Why is it so bright?” She asks, shaking her head as she sits up. Roxas lets out a groan of his own as he shakes his head free of the cobwebs that had started to take up residence in his mind. Just as a soft chuckle echoes across the room.

            “Well, we were wondering when you guys would wake up.” Axel comments, a grin evident on his face as Roxas and Xion look at him, seeing Chixada standing next to him as a sense of calm washes over them. “How are you guys doing?”

            “Axel… I’m fine. A bit groggy, but fine.” Roxas comments, shaking his head as Xion lets out a yawn.

            “It’s the same with me.” She replies, rubbing her eyes before pausing. “Wait…” She looks down at her chest, resting a hand over it as she feels a strange presence inside her. And it wasn’t the Persona she had awoken to. “What is this… feeling?” Roxas looks at her, raising an eyebrow until he realizes he can feel something similar inside him. Something that felt alien but, at the same time, filled a hole in his chest that he never even knew existed. Something that could only be…

            “…Do we have hearts?” Roxas asks hesitantly as Xion lets out a gasp of shock.

            “Yep. You do. Both of you.” Chixada replies with a grin, pushing himself off the wall. “How about that, huh? You awaken to a Persona AND gain a heart at the same time. Just like Naminé.” That got Roxas and Xion to look at Chixada in surprise as he held a hand up to them. “Hey, it’s better if you ask her that story yourselves than hear it from us. After all, she and the others are waiting for you downstairs, although some of them have already left.”

            “Who?” Xion asks as the two stand up, moving to the door as Axel opens it.

            “Well, Aqua and three others whom you haven’t met yet. But something tells me you will one day.” He tells them, easily guiding them out of the door and onto the landing, overlooking the main hall where they spotted a group of people all wearing the same cloak as them, with one face among them that they recognized alongside Naminé, Riku, Yu, Nanako, and the others.

            “It would seem our guests have awoken.” Yusuke remarks, turning all eyes to Roxas and Xion as they come down the stairs. Although they were slightly taken aback by the warm smiles that greeted them, temporarily.

            “Roxas! Xion!” Nanako shouts, running up to hug both of them. “I’m so glad to see you again!”

            “We feel the same, Nanako.” Xion replies as the three separate. “You have no idea how good it feels to be free of the Organization.”

            “Nana-chan has been bouncing on her feet, waiting for you to wake up." Teddie remarks, shaking his head. "She was beary excited."

            “Bear pun again?" Hifumi asks, shaking her head as Yosuke gives Teddie a karate chop to the head. "Not the best impression there, Teddie."

            “Well, moving on from that, how are you feeling? Awakening to a Persona is not the kindest of experiences.” Shiho asks the two as they grip their hands.

            “I feel… complete.” Roxas comments, looking back up. “As though a part of me that was missing has been found.”

            “It’s the same with me.” Xion agrees, resting a hand on her chest. “It’s strange, but at the same time, it feels just right. Is this what having a heart feels like?”

            “Better get used to it. After all, you’re not Nobodies any more.” Futaba snarks with a grin as the world bounces around their heads. They just couldn’t believe that they now had hearts of their own along with Personas. And… that wasn’t even taking into account the Keyblades they now had. But besides that fact…

            “Sorry to sound rude, but… who are all of you?” Roxas asks, raising a hand at them. “We already know some of you, but the rest of you…”

            “Yeah, we had a feeling you would ask that.” Ren comments, shaking his head. “After all, it is rude for us to know about you and you not to know about us. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Roxas and Xion. I'm Ren Sakura, leader of the Phantom Thieves that Axel might've mentioned to you both a while back." With that, excluding Sae, each of the Phantom Thieves introduces themselves to Roxas and Xion, including Hikari and Lavenza, breaking down any tension that was beginning to fester. In addition, Labrys and DiZ also properly introduce themselves to Roxas and Xion, seeing as neither of the two had met them yet, with Axel and Chixada having been introduced to them properly alongside Mickey, Zack, and Rinoa before they and Aqua had left. But even as they did, Futaba could not help herself from scanning Roxas and Xion again, something that caught their eyes as a screen appeared before Futaba.

            “Um… what are you doing?” Xion asks, seeing the screen before Futaba as she lets out a chuckle.

            “Futaba, you did it again.” Labrys remarks, shaking her head as Futaba shrugs her shoulders.

            “Sorry. Force of habit.” She replies, shaking her head. "You see, I'm not just a fighter; I'm also a Persona Navigator, just like Rise here." She gestures towards Rise, who smiles at the two former Nobodies as her own screen appears before her. "What our jobs are, other than helping with navigation, is keeping tabs on everything: health, status, and what their Personas can do. In fact, I can look up what your Personas' strengths and weaknesses are right now.”

            “You can do that?” Roxas asks, eyes wide as Futaba nods back.

            “Yep! For example, Roxas, your Persona, Alexander, who is part of the Judgement Arcana, is weak to Psy attacks but resists Fire, Light, Bless, Dark, and Curse. As for his skills, he only knows Bash, Kouha, Sonic Punch, Tarunda, Makouha, and Swift Strike.”

            “That’s… wow.” Roxas stutters, blinking his eyes in shock as Futaba easily reads everything he knew about Alexander.

            “As for Xion…” Rise suddenly speaks up, grabbing her attention. “Her Persona, Ramuh, who is part of the Star Arcana, resists Elect, Light, and Bless but is weak to Ice and Psy. As for skills, he knows Single Shot, Zio, Double Fangs, Tarunda, Mazio, and Double Shot. Somehow, I’m not surprised you have some similarities between you.” Roxas and Xion let out some chuckles at that as the others shake their heads. But despite that, there was one looming question that was building up over them.

            “Where is Sora?” Roxas asks, looking around the place. “Is he still recovering?” That question brought down the mood as some of them looked at the ground dejectedly, while others let out long sighs of resignation.

            “We’re afraid that he is.” Makoto tells them gently. “The damage he took from Marluxia was extensive. While he is in a much better position right now, he still needs at least seven days to fully recover. At maximum, we are looking at nine days.”

            “Honestly, we were hoping he would be in a good enough state that he could meet you." Ren admits, shaking his head. "But it's taken far longer than we would have liked."

            “The same can be said of Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy.” Naoto tells them, shaking her head. “We had hoped they would have recovered enough to step outside the pods by now, but they still need more time.”

            “Time that we don’t have.” Akechi speaks up, shaking his head. “Despite our best efforts, the Organization knows we are here. It is only a matter of time until they send a search party to find us.”

            “Then… what can we do?” Roxas asks, looking at everyone. “What can we do to throw them off us?”

            “At the moment, four of our allies, including Aqua, have left for other worlds in order to try and distract their attention.” Yu tells them, folding his arms. “It’s not ideal, but we’re hoping that it can distract them long enough for Naminé, Hikari, and Lavenza to finish. But… that’s not the only precaution we’re considering.”

            “What else are you thinking about?” Xion asks as Chixada lets out a sigh.

            “Well, what we came up with is something that both Axel and I agreed on. Even if part of us feels uneasy about it, if it can throw the Organization off you, then it’s worth a shot.” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, unsure how to feel about that as Haru walks up to them.

            “There is a virtual reality world or simulation of Twilight Town that DiZ has created for you to hide in. We are hoping that if you are hiding there, it can help increase the progress needed to heal Sora and the others.”

            “So… we will be hiding in a fake world while helping Sora heal?” Xion asks, tilting her head.

            “That is the plan.” Kanji replies before rubbing the back of his head. “Although… there is a small part about it that we are not really happy about.”

            “What is that?” Roxas asks, feeling some dread build up inside him as DiZ walks over.

            “In order to throw off your pursuers more convincingly, your memories of your time with Organization XIII will be temporarily sealed away.” DiZ explains to them with brutal honesty.

            “What?” Roxas asks, eyes wide as Xion rests a hand on her mouth. 

            “Our memories will be gone?” She asks, a little hurt by the notion.

            “No, not gone.” Naminé reassures them as she walks up to them. “It will only be temporary. When the time comes for you to leave, your memories will return without issue. This is only so we can fool the Organization about where you are, even if I’m unhappy with it myself.” Roxas and Xion glance at each other, unsure how to take that bit of info.

            “We understand that what we are asking of you sounds excessive. However, it is for your own benefit as well.” Lavenza remarks, grabbing their attention. “It will also allow us to remove any problems left by the Organization, such as the curse that Xion has.” Xion winces at that, remembering that she still had the problem of absorbing Sora and Roxas’s powers, even if they were inactive for now. If this could allow them to remove that curse from her, then maybe…

            “If you still feel a bit unsure about it, then think about it like this.” Morgana suddenly speaks up, pushing himself away from the wall with a grin. “You’ll get to experience a life without having to worry about any world-ending threats. Just a normal life as normal people. A life you never got a chance to experience as real siblings.”

            “A real life…” Roxas whispers, his eyes going soft as Xion looks at the floor with a building realization.

            “We figured that you deserved a chance at a normal life after everything you have gone through.” Ren tells them, folding his hands. “Even if we're not okay with the downside.”

            “We know that what we’re asking of you sounds unfair, but it is the only way to keep all of you safe.” Sae tells them honestly as she lets out a sigh. “We have also lost a lot of our strength from hiding. None of us are in any condition to take on the full might of the Organization as we currently are, especially Sora and the others.” That one comment was seemingly all they needed to hear, as Roxas and Xion glanced at each other, a silent conversation passing between them before they shared a single determined nod.

            “Okay. We’ll go into the simulation.” Roxas tells them, determination in his voice. “But before we do, we have a favour we’d like to ask first.” 

            “A favour?” Ryuji asks, raising an eyebrow, with Xion nodding at him.

            “Yes. We want to see our brother.” She tells him bluntly as everyone either looks at her in surprise or stands in silence. “Roxas is, or rather, was, Sora’s Nobody. And I was created as a failed Replica of Sora. So, by that logic, doesn’t that make us Sora’s siblings?” While the Thieves and Investigation Team fell silent at that, Axel couldn’t help but shake his head at the two of them.

            “Man… you kids really didn’t waste any time, huh?” He remarks in good nature, folding his arms. “Vexen was right when he said you were Sora’s brother and sister, even if you didn’t know it at the time.” Shiho, Sumire, and Sophia all chuckle at that, while the rest shake their heads at the two, even as Hikari walks up to them.

            “If you want to see him, then follow me. The pods are near the room where the portal to the simulation is located anyway.” In muted but giddy silence, the two follow Hikari while everyone else follows after them. They walk into what is supposedly a large library, only for the floor to vanish and reveal a secret hidden chamber with a door leading to a small room with a computer terminal and a strange device.

            “This is where we are keeping tabs on Sora and others’ conditions.” Ann explains to Roxas and Xion, pointing at a screen that shows Sora’s digital sleeping face. “That, and if anything comes up that needs attention.” Roxas and Xion nod along, trying their best to understand everything as they follow Hikari into another boxed room before ducking into a smaller corridor lined with cylindrical devices, of which only two are powered on, revealing two familiar faces.

            “Are those two… Donald and Goofy?” Roxas asks, subconsciously remembering them while looking at the two sleeping toons.

            “That’s them.” Mishima replies with a smile. “Surprised that you already knew that.” Roxas shrugs sheepishly at that, unsure how he knew himself as they followed Hikari into the final room. Similar to where Sora was put to sleep in Castle Oblivion, it was a large white room with green patterns on the floor and a large pod directly in the centre, with a certain someone hovering gently inside the pod, sleeping without a care in the world.

            “That’s… Sora.” Xion breathes as she and Roxas walk up to the pod. The see-through surface gives them a view of their sleeping brother. Although… there is one thing about him that they can't help but notice. And it's not the longer hair.

            “His clothes… they are way too short.” Roxas bluntly points out, biting back a laugh as he looks at the others. “Couldn’t you at least change his clothes while he was sleeping?”

            “How are we supposed to do that when he can’t leave the pod?” Yosuke asks, shaking his head. “Believe me, we WANT to change his clothes, but we can’t.”

            “He’s not the only one.” Sumire comments, patting down her cloak. “We also need to change our clothes. I can feel mine starting to get a bit tight around my chest and hips.”

            “Don’t remind me…” Ann and Hifumi groan as the others roll their eyes at them. Not that they could blame them. At this point, they ALL needed a change of clothes, Yu’s team being no different. Although he already had an idea of what they should wear, that was for another time. Still, seeing their brother peacefully sleeping in the pod, Roxas and Xion no longer felt any trepidation in their decision as they made their way back to the terminal room, with DiZ taking his seat at the computer and starting up the machine.

            “By the way.” DiZ remarks, stopping Roxas and Xion from entering the device as he looks over to them. “When you enter the simulation, it will feel as though you have only awoken from a long nap. At that point, how you live your life will be up to you. But you will not be alone. The denizens of my simulated Twilight Town were taken from data from the real citizens of Twilight Town. You will find it to be a living city, just like reality. But that will not be all…”

            “Huh?” The two ask, tilting their heads as Nanako walks up to them with a grin.

            “Well, I managed to convince my Dad to let me enter the simulation with you. That way, when it’s time to go, you won’t be alone.” She tells them with a grin before letting out a slight chuckle. “Even though my memories won’t get sealed away temporarily.”

            “Please don’t say any more before I change my mind.” Ryotaro groans, pinching his brow as Chie and Yukiko chuckle at him. Roxas and Xion do the same, feeling the last bits of hesitation vanish as they step into the device, with DiZ powering it up.

            “Good luck, you two!” Chie shouts, waving a hand. 

            “We'll be waiting for you." Yukiko adds with a smile.

            “Hope you enjoy this week-long break from all those missions." Chixada comments, crossing his arms with a smirk.

            “And try not to do anything reckless, you two. Got it memorized?" Axel adds, tapping the side of his head.

            “We won't. Despite what you said about our memories being lost temporarily, I'll try my best to make sure Roxas stays out of trouble." Xion comments as Roxas playfully punches her arm.

            “The next time we see each other, we'll have to take note of giving you both codenames." Ren comments, hands in his pockets.

            “Codenames?" Roxas asks, tilting his head.

            “It's a tradition amongst Phantom Thieves since your style of awakening, according to Axel and Chixada, mimics that of ours. But we can talk about that more once you both are out of the simulation. And when this whole thing regarding Sora is done, let's head on out to other worlds together!" Isara calls out to them as Sophia bounces on the spot.

            “We can't wait to go adventuring with you!" Sophia shouts, even as Ren and Makoto try to stop her bouncing. Seeing all the warmth they are getting from everyone, Roxas and Xion can't help but feel a tear go down their cheeks as they glance one more time at Naminé and Riku.

            “We’ll be waiting for you, Xion.” Riku tells her with a smile. “You still haven’t shown me what you’re capable of now.”

            “We'll stay in touch as much as we can, even if you can't remember us at first." Naminé promises, resting a hand on her chest. "Then, we can all go out together." Roxas and Xion both nod in silent agreement before they turn towards DiZ.

            “Alright, DiZ…" Xion starts as she and Roxas let out one last smile.

            “…send us in." Roxas finishes, and with a nod, DiZ activates the machine and transports them to the simulation of Twilight Town.

Now, the final work could truly begin.

            “So… despite everything I had researched, everything that I had seen, a single fact had managed to elude me for this entire time.” Xehanort comments to Nyarlathotep, watching as Roxas and Xion are sent to the simulation in his dark void of a prison. “The power to obtain a Persona is within reach for even those who lack hearts. Moreover, such a process can actually birth a heart as well. And those who have such power can retain it even as they are turned into a Nobody… such a unique discovery.”

            “As much as I despise them, I cannot help but agree with you, Xehanort.” Nyarlathotep admits, folding his arms. “It would seem that both Personas and the heart will forever be enigmas to us all, especially those damnable Wild Cards… But I must ask, what shall our next moves be? I understand that we have some ‘worthy’ candidates for our future plans, but is that all?”

            “Oh, my friend. It is far from all.” Xehanort remarks, shaking his head slowly. “There are still far more candidates to consider, such as these.” He waves a hand in the air, projecting images of Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Marluxia, and Larxene. “I find their potential to be… more than appealing to me. But only if we play our cards correctly.”

            “Oh?” Nyarlathotep asks, intrigued by whatever scheme Xehanort has planned. “And what are these cards that you plan to play?” Xehanort glances at Nyarlathotep, a dark grin forming on his face as he lets out a slow, dark laugh.

            “Why, the card that shall grant them the opportunity of a lifetime… but only if they are strong enough to take it.”