Ok, so the update took a little longer than expected, but hey, I was sick, so I had to make up some homework. Anywho, this chapter covers a lot of things at once, so if you’re a tad confused, I apologize. Either way, let me clarify that the Roxas parts ARE dreams for Sora, but the other parts are not. Also, this chapter is the start of a rather interesting chain of events that I plan.

Disclaimer: Do I have to say?

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Chapter Nine: Castle in the Dark

The Gummi Ship ride from Hollow Bastion had been a slow one for Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Knowing that arguments would lead to another accident, the Keybearer had willingly surrendered his drivers’ seat to the poultry mage. As of now, the vehicle simply buzzed by stars, each one glittering in the pitch black sky. A few rocky asteroids were seen here and there, but as far as anything important, such as a world, went, there was nothing. Rather bored… well, bored was putting it lightly, but, anyway, Sora slumped back in his chair, grumbling to himself. All this silence was driving him nuts, and he felt restless and tense. Not even a conversation among his two friends and himself would suffice at the moment.

I just don’t get it, thought Sora to himself. This Roxas… how does he know so much about me? I’ve never even seen the guy! More than anything, the spiky haired teen wanted to uncover more about this strange boy with the dual Keyblades. For whatever reason, when he had that vision of sorts earlier on, something felt… familiar yet strange at the same time. That, and Yen Sid had mentioned how the dreams had been more than mere visions. Such a fact made the fifteen year old even more mystified. Just once, he would like to meet this Roxas. Then there’s that weird card…

“You know,” Goofy suddenly exclaimed, “that Organization XIII seems to be plannin’ something with those heartless. Gawrsh, I wonder what, though…” Snapping out of his daze, Sora gave a quiet nod. Despite being rather clumsy and/or dopey at times, Goofy was quite right. All those heartless jammed up in Hollow Bastion had to be there for a reason. If not, why would the Organization send their underlings to keep any intruders away? Plus, they had such a high concentration of the little pests in just one world. One could only imagine what would happen if they had this much in OTHER worlds.

“I know what you mean,” Donald grunted, keeping his eyes on the radar. “That’s why we have to keep our eyes on the mission! No dawdling! Okay?” Looking back for a moment, the fowl tried to lighten the mood with a lighter look on his visage. When Sora simply sunk deeper into his seat, he snapped, “C’mon, Sora! Lighten up! This ship runs on happy faces, not frowns. We’ll find Riku and the King, but we also have to stop the Organization.” Now, this was quite an amusing thing for Donald to say, since he was usually such an explosive bag of feathers.

Heaving a sigh, Sora got up. He could easily see that his two pals were trying to cheer him up. Simply ignoring them would only be rude and thoughtless. Though he didn’t truly feel happy, the Keybearer falsely smiled, simply to please his buds. Deep inside, though, his being was filled to the brim with worry and confusion. He could have fooled anyone, though, as his appearance showed quite the opposite. Either way, the ride remained quite tranquil and hushed, with still no signs of near by worlds.

With all this tranquility, no one could say for sure how much time had passed during this unsuccessful voyage. On the Gummi ship, there were no clocks, just simple radar showing the way. Outside, since it was space, there was no sunlight to differentiate night and day, which also meant that knowing the time of day was neigh impossible. In short, the trio had no idea of how long they had been zooming through hyperspace.

Fed up with all this quiet, Sora got up from his seat and ambled over to the window. At least watching near by asteroids and stars would be more entertaining than constantly staring at Donald piloting the ship. There was one advantage to this quiet, however, and that was the fact that it gave Sora some time to swim in a pool of deep thought. The thought of Roxas and that strange memory from the card still dwelled in his mind. “To find is to lose and to lose is to find…” he muttered to himself, absentmindedly at that.

“What’s that mean?” intruded Donald, quite interested. As of now, the fowl seemed to be more mellow, which was always a good sign.

Shaking his head, Sora replied, “Well, it’s just… back in that black and white world, I found this card. It was right by the cornerstone, and it had a picture of a castle on it. But, and this is the weird part, when I picked it up, I had this weird flashback of me in this grassy field and someone from Organization XIII. The weird part is, since I picked up that card, I keep getting weird thoughts about stuff…” Pausing for a moment, the teenager took another glance outside before adding, “First Roxas and now this… why is it that everything’s so confusing?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Donald retorted, “Because we’re heroes. Of course we’ll get confused… it’s all a part of the job.” With that said, the fowl turned back to the radar, making sure this conversation didn’t open any opportunities for enemy attack. After all, out here in the void of space, one could never be too careful. Sure enough, the Gummi hadn’t entered enemy territory, but… there was something fishy showing up on the radar. The image itself was a giant question mark that flashed various colors on the screen. Its frequency was too obscure to be another vehicle, but at the same time, it couldn’t be a world. Aggravated at this unknown reading, the poultry mage grumbled, “What’s the big idea? Stupid radar!”

Amazingly, Donald’s remark was enough to actually interest Sora, who had been sinking deeper into that pool of thought mentioned above. However, the bag of feather’s instant reaction had to have been important. So, inquisitively, the fifteen year old budged from his spot and sauntered on over to the front of the cockpit, eyeing this radar with much fascination. “What’s that?” he asked, scratching his head. “I’ve never seen anything like that when I flew this thing.”

“I don’t know…” huffed the drake, glaring at the screen, “but I don’t like it.” Something was off about this situation. After all, never once had Donald or the others seen an unknown reading on the radar like that. Plus, it was getting incredibly close to the Gummi, which might not be a good thing.

Unsure of what to do, the trio could only stand and watch as this weird reading approached the vehicle. The closer it got, the more out of wack its reading became. Confusion circulated within Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and the worst part was that they couldn’t do a thing about it. Soon, the reading was almost on top of the Gummi, and a strange sound echoed around. In an instant, Sora toppled to the ground, clutching his head and gritting his teeth. His two compadrés were quick to rush over to his side, despite the racket… but the sound wouldn’t go away. After about a minute of the racket, the Keybearer toppled to the floor, unconscious.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

In a Strange Castle

“I already told you… that girl, she doesn’t care for you… you’re a beast… Give into the darkness… and your pain will fade away…”

In a dark room within a strange castle stood two beings, one being an all too familiar member of Organization XIII. That’s right, Zexion stood before a large beast of sorts. Said monster was large and coated in thick brown fur. His body was large and muscular, and his hands were clawed and dangerous. The face of this beast was terrifying; sharp fangs filled his mouth, and two dangerously sharp horns were mounted atop his head. In short, as far as appearance went, this Beast wasn’t exactly pretty.

“But…” moaned the Beast, clutching onto a strange rose within a glass container, “Belle’s the only one who’s ever seen me for more than just… a monster. If I forget about her and sink into the darkness, I’ll never change back…” Sorrow slowly coated the Beast’s visage, as he stared at the Cloaked Schemer. Of course, Zexion simply scoffed, giving this large creature a nasty grimace.

“You’re only lying to yourself,” he exclaimed, “Forget the girl… shoulder her the way she has shouldered you… give into the darkness and you’ll have everything you desire… Even Belle will realize your…potential… Just…give in.” There was a hypnotic air in Zexion’s eyes, as he made his attempt to manipulate the Beast. His wording sounded entrancing and oddly welcoming at that very moment. Then again, that’s what you get from someone as manipulative as Zexion.

Beast heaved a heavy sigh, as he listened to Zexion’s alluring speech. Perhaps he was right about the darkness. The only way to know was to give it a try. But, on the other hand, this could very well be a rouse Zex was planning to cause him to submit. What a dilemma this was for poor old Beast, who was feeling uncertain of himself. “Maybe…” he began, “you’re right… the way Belle had treated me earlier… it was like she didn’t care. Maybe the darkness is where a beast like me belongs…”

“That’s right,” mused the Cloaked Schemer, sounding quite pleased, “your place is in the darkness…” With that said and done, Zexion slowly made his way towards a dark portal, cackling to himself. Why, it was only a matter of time before the beast ‘cracked’, so to speak. Just a little more persuasion would do the trick. But, at the moment, his ‘turn’ was over, so, he entered his little vortex.

Upon exiting the gateway of darkness, Zexion found himself in the middle of a library of sorts. There, shelves upon shelves were seen, along with a nice area to read. However, that was the least of Zex’s problems right now. Instead of bothering with the books, it was high time that he located Marluxia and Larxene. After all, he had been given the task of keeping his eyes on them, no matter how irking the concept was. Either way, he knew that the two would be waiting for him in this library.

“So, the twerp returns,” exclaimed a certain sadistic Org member. That’s right, Larxene, the Savage Nymph, formerly dead Organization member had been lazily reading some sort of novel when Zexion entered the scene. “How’s the beast?”

Zex remained quiet for a moment, as he made his way towards number XII. The look on his face was rather maniacal complete with a piercing glare accompanied by a devilish smirk. “He’s almost given in by now,” he explained. “It shouldn’t take much longer for him to… come to his senses.” Quickly, Zex pulled out a slip of paper before adding, “And what about Belle? How is she… faring? Heh…”

Lazily, Larxene replied, “If you must know, the little brat won’t shut up. She keeps on screaming for help, but, oh well. That just makes her torture more entertaining.” The look on Larxene’s face showed that she didn’t really care about any of this. Then again, nobodies were strange in that sense. What’s odd, though, is the fact that she talked about torture as if it were a common practice. But, of course, that’s just the typical Larxene thing for ya. “By the way, I still can’t get over the way you’ve been persuading that freakazoid. It’s like cross dressing on a whole new level! Even Marluxia isn’t THAT bad.”

“Don’t think I can’t hear you...”

Joining this little masquerade was number XI of the Organization, namely, Marluxia. Now, Mar was rather strange compared to the others. Judging by his build and voice, he was definitely male… though when it came to his other features; one couldn’t help but question his gender. Namely, it was his long, pink hair, and interest in flowers that caused many to look at him in utter bafflement. Then again, that’s just the way Marluxia worked. Upon seeing the so called “Graceful Assassin”, both Larxene and Zexion ceased in their conversation, knowing that with XI present, it was best to keep any quips to themselves.

“Well, looks like the gang’s all here,” said Larxene with a sigh of boredom. “What took you, Flower Boy?” Although he didn’t really like this nickname Larx had decided to give him, Marluxia simply shrugged it off and began to explain things. After all, complaining would lead to a… shocking argument, quite literally.

“If you must know,” replied the Graceful Assassin, “I was simply taking care of the castle pests. We don’t want any interference, after all. Anyway, is that throw rug of a beast starting to give in?”

Zexion simply shook his head in annoyance. Perhaps it was his hatred of Marluxia that caused him to be somewhat irate around the ‘flower boy’. “Do I have to repeat myself?” he groaned. “I already told Larxene, but the beast is starting to cave in… soon, he’ll be a heartless.” Silently, he clutched his slip of paper before adding, “I’m quite surprised…Marluxia. I would have expected you to be plotting against the Organization by now, and yet you’re acting… perfectly loyal… What are you planning?”

“Zexion, you silly little boy,” mocked the pink haired nobody in response, “how could you just jump to conclusions like so? Why, I could ask what you’re planning, Zex. After all, you always seem to be carrying around that little paper… and I honestly doubt it’s a grocery list.”

“My list…for your information… is for my eyes only,” snapped the Cloaked Schemer in objection. “I… would never betray the Organization… unlike you and Larxene. Between the two of you, I would say that there’s more trouble than even that repulsive Keybearer could cause…”

“Yeah, it’s great, isn’t it?” snapped the Savage Nymph sharply.

By now, poor Zexy was getting irked beyond belief. Being partnered up with these two was not pleasant to him in the least. Why, it was bad enough that they were traitors… Only the fact that the duo loved tormenting others in a sadistic matter increased the nuisance. To someone of Zexion’s caliber in intelligence, one could say that these last few minutes hadn’t exactly been a picnic. Right now, if anything, he needed some time alone to ponder over his own intentions. “Hmm…” he muttered, turning away from the two ‘traitors’. “If you excuse me…I am going to… take the time to ponder about this situation in private. It’s Marluxia’s turn to torment the beast, anyway.”

With that, the somewhat aggravated Zexion swiftly turned away from the duo of nuisances, growling to himself. Some time alone would likely prove useful for the silver/blue haired Org member. He lifted his right arm slightly, and with no hesitation, snapped his gloved fingers. The result was clearly another dark portal, its essence filling the immediate area. It didn’t take long for Zex to enter the portal, leaving Marluxia and Larxene on their own.

“I wonder…” said Marluxia to himself, stroking his chin with his index finger.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Some forest… place

The blistering wind blew like a geyser. A freezing chill filled the surrounding area, while snowflakes beat against the ground like a meteor shower. Ching! Ching! From the tops of the ever so green trees to the soft, damp ground below, it seemed that the forest was a white wasteland. In the midst of this colorless array was Roxas, coated in the chilly flakes. His flesh was eerily pale, and he was barely clinging onto his own consciousness. It was the sheer cold that caused the nobody to nearly slip into slumber.

Due to the damage Cerberus had caused to his leg, it was incredibly difficult for him to maneuver through this terrain. You see, with each step, Roxas’ leg sent a sharp pain, almost like daggers, through his very being. Already, he was low on energy, but he wouldn’t give up. There had to be sanctuary within this frozen forest. The only problem was he was slowly but surely falling victim to the chilly breeze.

Roxas…

Suddenly, the injured nobody came to an abrupt pause, despite the agonizing winter air. For whatever reason, a strange-yet-familiar voice echoed through his mind. Whoever it was… it knew his name. W-who’s there? He responded within his very mind.

Roxas… how? How do you know me?

Wait that voice… there was definitely something up with it. Despite being a figment of Roxas’ mind, it sounded oddly like… Sora. But, how could that be? Most likely, the blondey was miles away from his other. The only possible solution to this question was that, somehow, the Keybearer was able to access the mind of his nobody. Still, this wasn’t exactly pleasant for Roxas, who, despite the intense weakness within him, started running through the blizzard. Intense agony took sweet vengeance as the nobody ran, barely able to keep on his feet.

No, wait! Please! Roxas! Just tell me who you are!

The wind was growing stronger now, and with it, the blizzard intensified. Trekking through this madness was slowly but surely becoming a neigh impossible task for the weakened Roxas. Finally, he collapsed within the sheer frozen wasteland. Unable to advance, the teenager found himself clinging to his consciousness. Vision blurring, and body shivering, Roxas felt as if he were going to freeze to death, but... in the distance, he saw... something... Struggling to focus, he saw a black flash, and then...

“N-Nam...Naminé...?” he uttered, just before falling unconscious.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

In the Halls of the Castle

Alone in the dark, empty hallway stood Zexion, who was pondering to himself. As opposed to the Library, this area was much smaller and lacked the presence of Larxene and Marluxia. However, to the Cloaked Schemer this stillness was quite comforting. Clutched tightly in his hand was the same slip of paper from before. Because Zexion was alone, he was able to examine his list of sorts without disturbance. Hmm, he thought, brushing his unruly bangs out of his face, Marluxia and Larxene are quite troublesome… but, on the other hand… I suppose they could prove quite useful to me…

For a moment, he paused, taking a whiff of the still, lifeless air. There was something about the scent that seemed eerily familiar, to say the least. Having enhanced senses proved to come in handy at this moment, as realization hit the Cloaked Schemer. “Roxas…” he spat, his eyes narrow. Hmm, the little pest seems to show up at the worst times… he pondered to himself. No matter… It’s unlikely that he’ll interfere… at least, with me. Still, those fools told me to handle the brat if he were to show his face… From what it seemed, Roxas was present near by, though that would be expected since the forest was just outside the castle.

Looking back to his little list, number VI simply snickered to himself. His eyes gleamed maliciously, and a twisted, malevolent smirk formed upon his visage. Whatever was written on this mysterious slip of paper, one could be certain that it wasn’t going to lead to a world of rainbows and lollipops. No, there was much, much more to it than that. Anyway, alone, Zexion paced down the hallway, his footsteps the only sound within the walls. It was dark inside, as there was little candle light... the perfect place for a dark denizen like Zex. In the midst of his silent plotting, however, the Cloaked Schemer found himself interrupted, as a voice from within echoed through his mind, just like what had occurred with Roxas.

Don’t make the same mistake twice, Ienzo.

Instantly, he paused. That voice... the voice from within seemed to recall his original name, the one he had used until he discarded his former identity. Something wasn’t right about this... not at all. Instinctively, the only thing Zexion could do was, well, question this inner voice. Wha? Who are you…?How… how do you know… that name?

No reason.

There is a reason for everything… snapped Zex, all in his head, of course. So, tell me… tell me the real reason… the real reason why you know my name. For about five seconds, the voice refused to speak, all before continuing...

You’re steeping into the shadows… falling into the abyss…

No matter what this strange voice said, it surely lead to bafflement on Zexion’s part. Despite his unusual intelligence, it seemed that the Cloaked Schemer couldn’t decipher the meaning of this unknown speaker. What’s worse was that, whoever it was, they seemed to know more about him than any average Joe. Irate, he gave yet another response, Enough riddles… start making some sense, you twat!

Beware the darkness… for your sake… beware…

All at once, a sharp pain shot through Zexion’s very being. Wincing in agony, he gripped at his chest, moaning. What are you doing to me?! This…my… no! The pain continued, erupting at a brisk pace, causing the Cloaked Schemer to collapse. Something was definitely not right… the sharp jolts of vicious throbbing from within It was only a little shock of reality that snapped Zex out of this little trance. And literally, I mean a SHOCK.

“Hey, Zexion, hello?!” shouted a seemingly annoyed Larxene. “Don’t make me shock you again! Seriously, I will.” Looking rather irate, the Savage Nymph stomped over to Zexion and gave him a flick on the shoulder. This time, however, he was quick to respond, shoving Larxene out of the way before trudging a few feet forward.

“It’s quite interesting… Larxene,” said number VI out of nowhere, “I can’t help but wonder why Roxas would end up here… Perhaps I should attend to the matter?” Larxene simply shook here head, heaving a pestered sigh.

“I’ve already taken care of the runt,” she explained. “Why else would I bother with you? Obviously, you’re not worth my time…” She quietly paused, pondering over what had occurred just earlier. Marluxia and Zex seemed to have a grasp on something she did not, and it made her quite curious, which is saying a lot for a nobody such as herself. “You know,” she added with an air of fascination in her voice, “Flower Boy thinks you’re pretty crazy. I can’t help but agree. How a twerp like you survived the Replica Vexen made is beyond me. Still… what are you up to, Zexion?”

“That information…” replied the Cloaked Schemer “shall remain clearly confidential for the time being… Why I’d waste time conversing with a n--- a traitor like you is still something even I fail to understand… No matter, there is still so much to do.” Quietly, Zexion brushed his long, silver bangs out of his face before walking further down the hall. He seemed to be pondering over a lot as of late, and a bit of quiet would do him some good. However, as he went further into the halls, he could hear the sound of boots against the cold, wooden floor. Pausing, he said, “Don’t think I can’t sense you, Larxene…Now, tell me why you are following me like some lost, hopeless animal…”

“Look, Zex,” snapped the sadistic nobody, “there’s a lot you still haven’t answered… and frankly, if you don’t tell me, I’ll force the answers right out of you and your midgety self. It’d be fun to watch you squeal like the little wimp you are, anyway. Plus, I thought you’d like to check up on XIII.” Oddly enough, Larxene was… smiling. True, it was one of those insane, psychopath smiles, but still… it was almost as if she were being friendly with Zexion.

Shrugging his shoulders, number VI muttered, “Very well… take me to Roxas. I am rather curious about the child, anyway. However… don’t expect me to give you any insight on my plans until you prove yourself trustworthy… understood? I have better things to do than deal with traitors.” With that, Zexion turned towards Larxene, though he seemed unsure about this ordeal. Oddly enough, number XII just started ambling towards the west wing of the Castle, beckoning for him to follow. Surely Zex would regret this…

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Somewhere…

Roxas…

Darkness filled an empty void. Not a single sound could be heard nor a single thing could be seen. It was as if this strange, lifeless place had no existence. In the center of this emptiness was Roxas, floating in the abyss. Weakly, he opened his eyes to find himself alone. He sat up, glancing around in hopes of finding… well, anything, but such wishes seemed hopeless… well, at least until a bright light could be seen in the distance.

Roxas…

More light started to illuminate the area. Instead of being an endless void, a deep, blue sea could be seen. The ground went from nothingness to warm, soothing sand. A pleasant breeze blew through the air, while the sun beat down upon the ground. Roxas found himself, instead of in nonexistence, on Destiny Islands, or what appeared to be said paradise. How…how did I get here? He wondered, taking a look around.

Let’s take the raft and go, just the two of us!

A familiar memory flooded his mind, as the blonde saw himself staring at a younger version of Sora and Kairi upon the dock, staring into the sunset. But, it didn’t make sense. Why was he seeing Sora’s memories again? Already he had been experiencing the dreams, yet, for the second time, he found himself gazing upon his other’s past.

Sora… don’t ever change…

All at once, the clear, azure sky darkened. The once warm breeze was now cold and unruly. Storm clouds formed in the distance, and the tropical paradise shifted into a rugged environment. Roxas’ eyes widened as he gazed upon his other and Riku. Another flashback seemed to ensue.

The door has opened, Sora. Now we can go to the outside world!

A dark aura formed around Riku, who reached out his hand. In mere seconds, the boy was engulfed by the shadows, leaving Sora all on his own. It was only a moment later that the brunette received the Keyblade. Something was peculiar about this whole situation, though. Why on earth was Roxas viewing Sora’s past? Weren’t the dreams enough? There had to be more meaning behind this… otherwise, what was the point.

“Naminé!” Roxas shouted, running through the harsh winds. “Where are you?” No response or even a mere sign from the golden haired girl were given. Instead, harsh gusts blew on, Knocking Roxas down. Shadows emerged from the sand, and what was once an illusion of Destiny Islands became an empty void once more. Breathing heavily, the teenager fell unconscious once more.

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“Do you think the poor dear’s alright?”

Gathered in the middle of a musty dungeon were several figures. Each of them was quite obscure in shape. As opposed to being human or animal, they all appeared to be household appliances. Strangely enough, said appliances were actually alive, and… gathered around Roxas. In the center of this small circle sat a young girl with long, chocolate colored hair. She was in a sky blue dress that was, at the time, quite tattered and coated with dust. A look of concern was planted across her visage, as she examined the unconscious teenager.

“I think he’s ok…” sighed the young lass, placing two fingers to Roxas’ throat. “He’s breathing, but… he has no pulse.” Quietly, the nobody gave a slight groan, leaving the group surrounding him in confusion. All at once, a large teapot, apparently female, hopped towards Roxas, staring in curiosity. One could suppose that she was quite interested in the boy.

“My,” exclaimed the teapot in awe, “I wonder where the poor child came from. Perhaps a cup of tea would help the darling.” Once again, Roxas moved slightly, making another moaning sound. His breathing deepened, and his eyelids just barely lifted. Frightened by the figures surrounding him, he jolted backwards, only to wince in pain, due to his leg.

Instantly, the girl scooted forward, exclaiming, “Are you alright?” She was quick to place a hand on Roxas’ leg, which in turn only caused more agony for the fifteen year old.

Still gritting his teeth in pain, the blondey managed to get a good look at the young lady. Her facial figures along with her chocolate colored hair surely seemed familiar. It wasn’t that he himself had met the lass, but rather, she was an acquaintance of Sora’s. It had been just a year ago, in Hollow Bastion no less, that his other had met this girl, along with the Beast. Clearly, she was none other than Belle. This was far more comforting, since the nobody realized that she was not the enemy. Still, in order to avoid issues, he would have to pretend that she was an unfamiliar face.

“I’m… I’m fine,” Roxas moaned, gently pushing Belle’s slender hand away from his injured appendage. To sum things up, the blondey was being rather stubborn when it came to his injury. “But… where am I?” he added, his gaze shifting all over the vicinity. Instead of being in a frozen forest, the teenager was now in the middle of a musty dungeon, the walls coated in mildew and other junk.

“You’re in the castle dungeon,” Belle explained. “It’s really terrible… the Beast that lives here, my friend, had us all locked away.” Soft tears slowly dripped down the fair lady’s pale face. Simply mentioning how harsh the Beast had been caused poor Belle to become somewhat distraught. Then again, such behavior would be expected if one’s close pal suddenly turned on them in such a harsh way.

Shifting uncomfortably, the blondey replied, “The dungeon…? But, how could I end up here? I was out in the woods and—“

All at once, a strange wooden clock jumped out from the crowd. His face was located appropriately along the uppermost of the clock, the ‘hands’ forming a neat little moustache, while his body formed at the base. In a huffed tone, he intruded on the conversation. “Allow me to explain,” he announced. “The master has been rather different as of late. Ever since these three strangers in black coats appeared, he has become cruel and absolutely brutal… I really don’t know what has come over him.” He quickly paused before adding, “as for you… I do believe that one of the three brought you inside.”

Roxas’ eyes lit up. Only Organization XIII could fit the description of strangers in black coats. Plus, if Beast had become irate just shortly after their appearance, then surely that had to amount to something. Still, it definitely wasn’t a good sign. He had been found by one of the members, and, being a traitor, punishment would likely ensue. “So,” sighed the nobody, trying to be as calm as possible, “I guess Organization XIII is trying to—“

Yet again, the teenager was interrupted, as the door to the dungeon cell swung open. As the sound of leather boots met the stone floor, two cloaked figures became visible. At once, the short lived conversation halted. Both Zexion and Larxene ambled towards the small group of prisoners. As they went, the duo paid no attention to a single one of the suffering captives with the exception of Roxas. Upon being inches away from the fifteen year old, both nobodies gave him nasty glares.

“Roxas…” Zex whispered, crouching down to examine Roxas more closely. “I am surprised to see you here of all places… let alone in your current state. So tell me… why are you world hopping like so?” His gaze sent a chill down the blonde’s spine… it was like staring at fear itself. Then again, VI was rather fearsome and sinister.

“I… I can’t tell you that, Zexion…” whimpered Roxas, scooting backwards. Although he was unsure why Zexion was so interested, the blondey was well aware of the Cloaked Schemer’s attitude. If he were to spill the beans about his hiding from Sora, who knew what would happen? After all, Zex seemed to be the type who was manipulative and enjoyed suffering.

“Well then,” sneered the sinister sixth member of the Organization in a vicious tone, “I suppose you’ll endure the same torture these fools have received… that is, until you reveal your little secrets. Organization XIII has just been dying to find you…heh…” Sniggering to himself, Zexion turned away from XIII and headed away from the cell. He would deal with the boy later, as there were still other matters to attend to. As for Larxene, she passed a sharp glare at the prisoners before following her fellow Organization member.

The two nobodies leisurely made their ways through the halls. The only light within came from the dully lit torches plastered to the walls. Despite being able to portal this way and that, it just didn’t seem all that necessary to warp to short distances, such as the castle entrance. Either that or the duo simply didn’t feel like giving the slight effort to transport themselves. All the same, it did not take long for Larxene and Zexion to arrive in the castle entrance, where Marluxia greeted them.

“Well, I see that you two have kept yourself busy,” he said dully. “As for me, I had a wonderful time with that beast. You were right, Zexion, when you said the fiend was sinking into the darkness. I already gave him a gentle push even deeper.” Both numbers VI and XII nodded serenely at that little explanation. The trio had been ordered to handle this world’s amount of heartless to prepare for the Keybearer, and the Beast would surely make a handsome addition to the collection. With three Organization members doing the dirty work, it was only a matter of time…

As the threesome stood in the entry way of the manor, another unusual scent was carried through the air. Said odor was obviously something that only Zexion himself could pick up, due to his strong senses, thus the Cloaked Schemer’s focus was pulled away from his ‘comrades’. His eyes narrowed as the smell grew ever stronger. His serious expression slowly shifted to a maniacal smirk as revelation hit the young-aged nobody.

“It appears that we have yet another visitor…” Zex exclaimed, facing his fellow Org members. The two simply stared at him in confusion before a proper explanation was given. “Sora and his lackeys are nearing this world… This makes things oh so… interesting. We must prepare to give them… a proper greeting.”

“This is excellent,” Marluxia replied, crossing his arms. “Not only will I be able to get back at that wretched child for defeating me, but we’ll be able to deliver him to the Superior as planned, correct?”

Giving an approving glance, the sixth member responded, “That is correct, Marluxia. And, we can’t disappoint our superior now, can we?” Sighing, both numbers XI and XII had to agree. Still, it was clear by their falsely annoyed expressions that they were not interested in helping Xemnas in the least. Then again, once a traitor, always a traitor it seemed. Zexion was smart enough to tell… which is one of the reasons why he still lacked any trust in the duo… which was actually ironic. “Anyway, I had best start my own little preparations. Don’t do anything you’d regret.”

So, once again Zexion trudged off, muttering to himself as usual. His strange list was clutched tightly within his grasp as he went. There was really still so much about the Cloaked Schemer as of late that was left in the dark. From his strange list to the fact that he was seemingly plotting, one couldn’t help but be suspicious. Nevertheless, this was simply typical of him… since he was indeed the Cloaked Schemer.

Once Zexion was out of site, Marluxia approached the Savage Nymph with a beaming gaze. Placing a gloved hand upon her shoulder, he whispered, “Tell me, Larxene,” he cooed, his gaze digging deep inside her, “did Zexion give us any useful information?” Larxene shifted uncomfortably, trying to pull away from the Graceful Assassin before even considering a response.

With a groan, she retorted, “Yeah, I actually got him to openly admit he even had plans. It’s funny, cuz he didn’t even notice. What a freak…” She managed to escape Marluxia’s grasp before continuing, “So, what should we do? I mean, we obviously have no idea what he’s up to, but what if it’s something… well, GOOD?” Though the two were traitors, it did seem as if Zexion wasn’t exactly agreeing with the Org either. Why else would he have his own plans, let alone secret ones? This whole thought brought up much speculation.

“It’s really quite simple,” the flower loving nobody alleged. “If Zexion’s plans are of any interest to us, we choose to side with him…” his gaze then shifted to a more mischievous one, “But, if it’s rather dull, we can always report him to the Superior and end up on his good side. That would always help us… especially if we ever plan to take over.”

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

…

Silently, Zexion stood atop the balcony of the castle, peering into the night. Though it looked as if his eyes were locked upon the colorless sky in the distance, his mind was elsewhere. It was earlier that a strange voice that was… eerily familiar had spoken to him. It mentioned him sinking into the darkness and making the same mistake twice. What’s weirder is, whoever had spoken to him knew his original name… the one he hadn’t used in nearly a decade, despite him keeping his teenage appearance after all this time.

Hmm… making the same mistake twice? He pondered to himself. Heh… yeah right. It won’t be the same this time… The only ones who are bound to fail… are those who side with Xemnas. Keeping a solemn expression, Zexion pulled out his little slip of paper and cackled. It’s only a matter of time before Sora arrives… sooner or later, he’ll tear the Organization apart… I’ll play this game, for the time being… they won’t notice anything peculiar… They’re too foolish to even consider it…

The tranquility was soon interrupted, as the sound of Gummi engines could be heard in the distance. A bright light was approaching the castle and fast. “Right on schedule…” Zexion muttered. “I guess it’s time to greet the boy…” Tucking away his list, the Cloaked Schemer shut his eyes tightly, as a dark aura surrounded him. Instead of wearing a black cloak, he was clad in blue waders and a sleeveless yellow top. As opposed to his dark blue/silver bangs from before, he now had long silver locks and aquamarine eyes. Black half-gloves covered his hands, and, in short, Zexion had taken the appearance of Riku… or, at least what he had looked like a year ago.

“I expect that Sora will be eager to reunite with his best friend…”

End of Chapter

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AN: So, now you know that Zexion is indeed planning… something. However, I’m not going to say. Also, yes, Sora and co will be in the same vicinity as Roxas among other things. Next chapter we have some fun stuff, though, and I can’t wait to start writing! Anyway, as usual, Reviews are appreciated.

Also, believe it or not, I am considering another fanfic based after this one… though it will NOT have any relation to KH3, etc. It’ll be totally spawned from my own ideors. The way this story’s turning out lately, it’s becoming different from KH2 as well, so yeah. Aint it amazing how you get ideas you never even considered when starting a fanfic? XD Course, one thing at a time… though, I may possibly give a teaser about my next fanfic idea later on. This one is going to take a LONG time, as it is… I expect it to be novel sized by the time it’s done. O.o I may not even be done ‘til next summer. Hmm, I may give a teaser on plot ideas for this later on as well, as it would be more logical. If you'd be interested in either, just lemme know in those reviews! XD