Darkness stuck to the walls, the cobblestone, and the fine mist of rain sweeping down from the equally charcoal sky, warded off only by the fluorescent blue and red lights banging from the buildings. Shadows didn't move; only the blinking of the lights did. Both darkness and silence continued to unnerve me as yellow buggy eyes bubbled up from the stony ground. The shadows moved now. I stood in the middle of the square panting, shirt torn in places and dirt smudged on my cheek. I could feel the bruises welling up. The Heartless jumped up and down, head bobbling to the beat of my breathing. With the small dagger in my hand, I backed away from them. They lunged at me. A mass of black shoved me to the ground, their bodies tangled up and stalking over me. I struggled and kicked. My breath caught in my throat just as a Heartless hovered over my hurting face, its antennas twitching back and forth. Rapid lights released me. I sat up, coughing, and saw him slash through the last few crawling about. The two keyblades disappeared as he walked to me and knelt down.

"Jenyl, you shouldn't be wandering around here alone."

"I had to. Xaldin sent me to get more Dark Crystals. He's run out."

"That idiot. Why doesn't he get them himself?"

"It's alright. Gathering's my job. I'd be even more useless if I didn't."

"You're not-"

"Roxas, you're bleeding." I pointed to his cheek. He wiped away the smidge of blood and smiled.

"Got it from a fight with some guy with silver-hair. It's no problem. You, however, need help."

He pulled me up and walked me to the white castle. We went up the stairs and down the halls.

"Where's Axel? Wasn't he supposed to be with you?"

I shrugged. "He said he was leaving for another mission. He wouldn't say what though."

"Oh...good then."

"Did you need something?"

"Nah."

I nodded and kept back a sigh. He, however, glanced at me with those knowing eyes of his.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar," he said with a small smile.

"Well, you never ask me for anything."

"Neither has Axel."

"Yes, but...oh never mind. It doesn't make any sense." I smiled back and shrugged before letting him ask his question. "Thank you for saving me back there Roxas. You always do."

"Maybe I should teach you how to fight," he spoke, chuckling.

He patted me on the shoulder and walked around a corner. I watched him disappear and waited a couple of seconds before heading into another hallway that led to Xaldin's quarters. At his door, I set down the items, knocked, and rushed away. Unfortunately, I crashed into someone. He, for he had a hard chest, snickered as I groaned from the floor.

"Distracted, aren't we?"

"Saix-"

He grabbed my arm. I slammed into his chest again. Groaning, I tried to pull away from him, but he tightened the hold until I squirmed for oxygen.

"My little scavenger, how are you?"

"She'd be a lot better with your mucky hands off'a her."

I backed away as soon as Saix turned to face Axel.

"So you're back already? Did the stains wash out all right? I know how blood can get."

"I bet you do. Let's go Jenyl." He directed me out of there with a hand on my back. When we were out of hearing distance, we slowed down. I looked at Axel.

"Thanks for that. That's twice I've been saved today."

"Out of the hundreds before." He raised a thumb, his smile reaching up to his eyes.

"How do you smile like that? Everyone else either glares or looks like they're bored. Well, except for Demyx."

"Heh, yeah. He's hyperactive."

"I'd say that about you too."

"Hey thanks."

"No problem."

"Any new experiments?"

"Of course, but it's top secret."

"Oh really? Dangerous stuff, eh?"

"You'll see. I'm almost done with them."

"Them?"

"Mmmm...uh, you're hair is such a pretty shade of red Axel."

"I know. And yours is just the color Roxas likes: satin black."

"W...what?"

He swung his arm over my shoulder while chuckling. "Oh yes, and those pretty purple eyes of yours, they're to die for."

"Don't say that. I hardly look like anything."

"You definitely look like something alright Jenyl."

He tugged one of my long, low pigtails and finally glanced at my clothes.

"First rescue?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you should probably get cleaned up before Saix shows up again. God knows the weirdest things turn him on."

"Could we not talk about that please? He scares me."

"No worries. As long as you have me and Roxas, you don't have to worry 'bout him. Now hurry up and get cleaned."

"Alright."

With a wink, Axel left me in front of my room where I entered, showered, and pulled another set of clothes-white and pink top, beige skirt, belts, and shoes-on me. I sat on the floor with my set of items before me and tinkered with them until I finished it up. It had taken about a month, the hardest part being actually collecting the items to synthesize it. I looped the thin chains through the holes, creating three necklaces. I fit them together to form a heart, and then took them apart again.

"Done. I hope Roxas and Axel like it."

I pocketed them in my pack, straightened my hair, and was about to leave the room, but someone beat me to the door. I opened it to find Demyx there.

"Hey Jenyl. Just dropped by to tell you that Marluxia wants you to meet him by the entrance right now."

"Okay."

Demyx swung his guitar over a shoulder and walked off. I went the other way toward the entrance. Marluxia leaned against the wall.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes...I need you to get some Orichulum, lot's of it by tomorrow."

"But...that's impossible. It's rare and-"

"Just do it. I expect it by tomorrow."

He too walked away, leaving me standing by the door. It was already late, and this place never got lighter. Sighing, I went back in and headed to Roxas' room. I knocked once, twice, three times and waited. No one opened. Perhaps he was sleeping.

"Guess...I'll go by myself."

Outside, it was the same. But this time I held two daggers. They wouldn't be much help, but it was better than nothing. The bare lighting of the moon and the mixture of neon signs skimmed the place. Strange thing was I barely saw anyone liver here. It was like an elaborate, ornate shell, beautifully, hauntingly hollow. A noise crept up behind me. I skirted around the corner and pressed myself against the wall, throat constricting again. As soon as the Heartless came, I slashed at it, hoping that it carried something. Another jumped me. I lurched forth and screamed, but slammed my back against the wall to get it off. More scrambled around my legs, eagerly climbing each other to get to me. Breathing in sharply, I kicked them away. I ran. This was going to be a long night.

More Heartless ran by as I huddled in a high corner by the wiry fence, legs aching and tight.
"I really should have made Roxas teach me how to fight."

I clamped a hand over my mouth as the shadows rushed by. The little sac of Orichulum hung on my belt. Unfortunately, it was still too light for me to go back and rest. So I was left with slumping down on the cold ground, hoping that somehow a stack of Orichulum would appear before me. Instead, the Heartless found me. I climbed the fence and jumped up to the ledge of the building. Teetering, I lurched back and kept my balance as the Shadows hopped up and down. Soon, they oozed out of the building walls. I stepped back as the moved forward. To jumped; I slashed earning another treasure. More came with each kill. My chest heaved; my legs ached; my arms quivered. As they leaped, I stepped back from the pure weight of their flung bodies. At one point, I stepped on the ledge and swung my arms forward to regain balance. But the Shadows trudged forward and crawled up my legs until my foot slipped. Almost slowly, the air rushed past me, my hair flying forward like some sort of mocking image. Dropping. Falling. Plummeting. I was really falling. As my back hit the ground, a strike of sharp, knife-slick pain shot up and outwards, stretching from limb to limb. A scream came from my mouth. They were crawling nearer and nearer until I could feel them scraping against my bare legs, bare arms, then bare shoulders. I flailed about, suffocating and throbbing. Twisting around, I dragged myself away from the pile and stumbled up. Sweat and blood trickled down my head, arms, and legs. With both daggers in hands, I blocked off several Shadows until they clawed my upper arms and neck. I took another claw across the face; my eyes watered. Salty, bitter blood crossed over my lips. I gathered the fallen metal quickly and tucked them away. I ran now, deeper into the district and the darkness. Heartless continued to phase out of the floor to stalk me. They closed in until I could feel their antennae brush against my leg.

"Jenyl!"

"Axel!"

As I ran into the square, Axel saw me, unsheathed his chakras, and destroyed the Shadows. He hurried over to where I stood, placed my arm around his shoulder, and led me to the castle.

"Why were you out there alone? You were missing for hours."

"I...had to get..Orichulum for...Marluxia by today..."

"Damn idiot. Where's Roxas? Didn't he go with you?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Why not? You know you're supposed to get him when you go out."

"I...tried. But he didn't answer."

"And all this time I thought he was with you. Where is that guy?"

We entered the castle and wobbled down the halls. Axel had to carry more and more of my weight as whatever strength left in my legs dribbled out.

"C'mon Jenyl. You'll make it."

As we approached another corridor, Roxas passed by but saw us.

"Jenyl!"

He took me from Axel and lifted me up into his arms. I tried to get down, but he held onto me, shoved his way into a room, and placed me on the couch.

"Axel, what happened?"

"Apparently Marluxia sent her on a wild chase for Orichulum. She went alone after she couldn't find you."

Roxas wiped away the grime on my face, but his finger stopped on the blood.

"I'm fine Roxas. I just feel...kinda sleepy."

I closed my eyes and hovered between dream and present. But before slipping into sleep, I heard someone speak.

"Damn that Marluxia."