_ This story centers around Vanitas, and is a direct multi-chapter sequel to my previous one-shot story, Nonexistent Union. ( s/10503328/1/Nonexistant-Union) The chapters will be kept within one thousand to two thousand words and won't be too long. This is meant to detail the events centering Vanitas and Xehanort, as well as the 'lost ones' whose stories were supposed to be over, and is a sort of prelude to Kingdom Hearts III. Enjoy! _

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Unknown Meeting

"Are you really going to let Sora's heart keep you forever? Destiny Islands couldn't keep me contained. You can indeed escape if you put your mind to it. You weren't the only one who suffered. I too was strung along a series of events that changed me and placed me into different forms over the years, but that all led to my resurrection."

Words spoken by the Master I had tried to and have long forgotten over these ten or more pointless years. Could I even tell time anymore? After all, I was inside Sora's heart. Time was pointless until I got out. And who knows how one is supposed to escape a heart.

Back on the subject of time. Within Sora's heart, which had taken the form of the cage known as Destiny Islands, time almost seemed normal. The sun would rise, travel across the sky, and then set, soon to be replaced by that mysterious false moon that had made me wonder what the moon really looked like.

I had been freed from the darkness within Ventus. I guess you could say I was artificial. Created by the old man known as Xehanort. So I could not even remember what the moon looked like.

Whenever I tried thinking of the moon, all I could think of was that blasted heart-shaped moon Xehanort had tried so hard to create. The Heart of All Worlds, the mighty entity, Kingdom Hearts.

It was sunset here in Sora's heart. The sun hung over the horizon and was breathtaking. I knew it was fake, but I've learned to deal with it for the time being.

I had taken off my socks and shoes and slipped out of my shirt. I ran towards the water that was gently lapping at the shore, the bits of sand crunching underneath then soles of my feet, and I gently began walking on the cool surface of water.

As I kept running I gradually sank into the water. At last I was within swimming waters, and I started swimming even further. I don't know why, but every day on this cursed Island I have to swim in order to keep sane.

My four other roommates don't exactly do me any favors. As I swam to my unknown destination, I had reached the barrier between Sora's heart and the outside world.

No matter how many times you try, you can't pass the barrier. You just find yourself on the opposite side of the island wondering what the hell had happened.

Once crossing the border, it's like you pass out for a moment and then wake up an hour later not even sure what had happened at all. I knew something would happen, I just needed clarification on what this something is. So I cross the border every day.

And every day, I can't find the answer.

But I intended to find the answer. The answer that will tell me how to escape. How…to escape. How, exactly?

When I crossed the border this time, my entire body felt dry. My negative emotions clicked off. Now I felt…nothing. A jolt of power seemed to course through my veins. I opened my eyes and saw the deserted wasteland I once called the Badlands, right off the outskirts to the Keyblade Graveyard.

When I stepped forward, I noticed I was completely nude. Why exactly was I like this? I could only think of one explanation. I was a ghost. Well, something like that.

And ghosts didn't wear clothes…did they? It didn't matter. I looked around, the sand stinging against my body as it whipped around in a furious storm.

Four people wearing cloaks in black seemed to circle the area, pacing back and forth for a strange reason. I couldn't exactly place who these mystery men were, but when I heard their voices I had some idea.

The first who spoke dropped his shoulders in defeat and screamed, "I'm tired of waiting for that old coot!" Braig. The voice was that of Braig, one of Xehanort's accomplices from over ten years ago. "When will he be here?"

"When he gets here, Braig," a raspy voice I couldn't place said. "But first we have to go over our new agenda. What will we do…to stop those… Keybearers in their place?"

"You paused before you said Keybearers," Braig replied with an overdramatic laugh. "You were going to say Lea, weren't you, Isa?" So the other one's name was Isa. "Or should I call him Axel? He still is our Axel, isn't he?"

"Complete difference," Isa remarked. "Lea's even more stupid than Axel, and even Axel got himself killed."

These two obviously were part of one of Xehanort's nefarious evil schemes, much like I was over ten years ago. The other two that were with them haven't spoke for a while.

At last one of them did speak, in quite a deep voice as well. "Stop speaking to each other in such…melodramatic ways. Don't make this more stressful than it has to be. Axel was a traitor and Lea is just the original form…of said traitor. Isa, get over him quickly."

"Yes, Lord Xemnas," Isa replied.

The last one to speak had a deep voice as well, but not too much like Xemnas's. "All I'm concerned about is how many dark powers each of the new Organization members hold. Remember, there's only seven of us currently…after our last encounter with Sora and the other lights, the other five we had with us returned to their times, just as we did. However, Xehanort still brought us back before the others. Of course, we're Xehanort's top priorities. So bickering is going to get us nowhere."

"Well said, Not-Xemnas," Braig replied. "What's the difference again? He's a Nobody, has power over Nothing, and you have darkness…"

"You realize this Nothing you speak of is what got you to obtain your powers, Xigbar," Xemnas replied, then looked to the last figure. "Ansem, get the younger Xehanort and bring him here. That's what Master Xehanort is waiting for, yes?"

Without another word, the one named Ansem had vanished within a corridor of darkness, much like how Xehanort had used to get around.

So by this point, I wasn't entirely sure of what was going on. I only recognized Braig, but the others called Xemnas, Isa, and Ansem seemed to be important to Xehanort as well. What had happened…while I was away?

And they couldn't see me either. How lucky was that? I could have easily vanished and gone away, until I realized that wherever my real body was, I myself could not disappear without it.

Simply, my brain had started to hurt. I closed my eyes and when I opened them…I was on the opposite side of Destiny Islands, fully clothed save for my socks, shoes, and shirt.

I picked myself up. I felt the exact same way I had every time I blacked out going passed the border.

Except this time, I could remember my journey. The journey beyond Sora's heart.

I think I hit a breakthrough.

Could I escape?

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How did you like this first chapter? Kinda short, but sweet. Vanitas could finally break through the barrier of Sora's heart, and actually remember what his journey passed it is like. So what is this group of black hooded figures doing, and why did Vanitas see this vision? Stay tuned.