The story has undergone some significant restructuring. What was formerly chapter 1 is now chapter 3. Chapter 2 is the most recently added one. This change should contribute to continuity and make for better storytelling.

Cheers

~CoW

Chapter I: Ghosts

The full moon shone down on the Destiny Islands, leaving a trail of white light from the beach out over the water like a long, luminous road. A few gentle waves lapped at the beach, climbing halfheartedly up the sand and then receding. From the second story bedroom overlooking the ocean, Sora strained to hear them. He gave a contented sigh and watched Kairi's breast rise and fall with each breath. Her short, boyish brown hair was plastered against her neck and her flushed face was covered in a fine sheet of sweat. He propped himself up on one elbow and toyed with the ends of a silken tie on the back of her nightgown. For a moment he contemplated waking her, but feared rousing their young daughter, who slept down the hall. Then again, what would she hear? That he loved her mother, and she loved him.

Watching Kairi sleep somehow made Sora feel very old. Twelve years after returning to the Destiny Islands and she looked as though she had only lived through half of them. He looped his arm around her waist and kissed the side of her neck. A smile spread across her face and she let out a soft, feminine sigh. In her half waking he felt her hand seeking his. Sora's rough, calloused hand closed around hers. He savored the moment of bliss. He smiled and began to slip back under the blankets.

There was the hollow clunk of boots on hardwood floor and Sora felt a cold metallic point pressed against his neck. "Rise and shine sleepyhead," a woman's voice, singsong but contemptuous spoke. "Now let's play a game, if you do anything, and I mean anything that I don't specifically order, you to lose an extremity of my choice. Are we clear?"

Sora only caught a glimpse of the woman through the gloom but he knew her at a glance. It had been years, but that voice still sent shivers down his spine. A lithe, beautifully curved body hidden by a long black coat. He could barely see her face through the shadows, but could make out thin lips curled into a smile and two strands of hair that stood out from the rest not unlike antennae.

"What's wrong?" the woman cocked her head and let ought a laugh that seemed disturbingly genuine. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."

Sora stared, speechless at the woman he had killed with his own hands a few years ago. "Impossible," he hissed. Next to him, he felt Kairi begin to stir.

"The knife at your throat says otherwise," she giggled to herself and gave Sora's neck a light prod, "morning hun." With her spare hand she gave a jaunty wave to the still groggy Kairi. She flipped another dagger out of the sleeve of her coat.

She laughed mirthlessly and withdrew the knife. She glanced around the room humming some unrecognizable song. "You've done really well for yourself, kid." She glanced around the room and made a show of examining every inch of the room, "who'd you have to kill to get a place like this?"

"You, if I remember correctly," Kairi was awake now, her eyes narrowed.

"Ah, you're Naminé's other, aren't you." Kairi nodded. The woman let out a low growl and leapt towards the bed, dagger in hand. "You backstabbing little bitch! All our plans, everything we worked for, ruined because of you." Kairi shrieked and raised her arms to shield her face as the black clothed woman descended on her in a flurry of snarls and blows. She raised a knife above her head, breathing heavily.

Sora drove his shoulder into the woman's side, knocking her off her feet. She impacted the floor with a heavy thud. There was a surge of light as the keyblade began to materialize in his hand. From her spot on the floor the woman expertly tossed a knife up in the air, caught it by its blade and threw it at Sora's hand. There was a fleshy thud as the knife embedded itself halfway to the hilt in Sora's palm. She sprung to her feet and descended on him, two knives at his neck. He stared into her eyes, defiant.

"Larxene," a calm, but surprisingly firm voice spoke. "The superior was quite clear that they were to be taken alive."

Larxene pouted and her voice regained its sickly sweet quality, "I wasn't going to kill him, Luxord… I was just gonna cut on him a little."

"And yet I am not fully convinced He would see it that way. You are on thin enough ice as it is."

Larxene began to withdraw the knife, paused, and gave Sora one last strike with the flat of her blade, "you'll get yours, Sora."

Luxord snorted, "If everyone got what they deserved, neophyte, Xemnas would have destroyed you the moment you regenerated, if I may be so bold as to suggest that you not invoke any divine justice lest you find yourself on the receiving end." His expression changed, "now then, let's take a walk, shall we?"

Larxene cackled and yanked Sora out of the bed. "See?" she cocked her head and smiled at Luxord, "I can be helpful."

Sora groaned and clutched his wounded hand, "If you're going to kill me do it here and now, but leave my family in peace, they aren't a part of this."

Luxord sighed, "if only you truly understood what 'this' is. As for your family," he drew a card from within his cloak and tossed it to Larxene.

She caught it, looked it over for a moment and let out a laugh. She showed the card to Sora. Printed on its face was a young, lanky auburn haired girl with large blue eyes. His eyes widened, "Naminé," he shouted and lunged for the card. Larxene placed her foot on his chest and kicked him onto his back.

Luxord gave another heavy sigh, "of all the names in all the world."

"Release her," Larxene turned to find Kairi standing with the keyblade in hand, its point at Larxene's neck.

She smirked, "I'm a little surprised that you know which end to hold," in one motion, Larxene ducked under the blade, spun and planted a kick across Kairi's face. Before Sora could react, she followed through and drove one elbow into the side of Sora's head. As he recoiled she caught him in a choke hold. Sora struggled for a moment or two, then went limp. Larxene let the unconscious body fall. "I told you they'd go easier if we knocked them out."

Luxord rolled his eyes and plucked the card containing the picture of the young Naminé out of his companion's hands and tossed it onto the floor. There was a sudden surge of light and the girl lay gasping for breath on the floor. Larxene stepped forward, raising her fist, "no," he snapped and she withdrew. "Now then, love, are you ready to cooperate?"

"Who…" she gasped, "who are you?"

"Ghosts, you might say. Little fragments of people, cursed to wander the earth until the end of all things…"

"Who don't seem to know when to stay dead!" a high, nasally voice spoke.

Luxord turned in time to see a heavy iron shield hit him squarely in the face. There was a hollow metallic thud and he crumpled. "Got him, Donald!" said a deep, jovial voice.

Larxene began to back away from the door as the King's two retainers, Donald and Goofy, stepped in. "You wouldn't hit a girl would you?"

Donald gave an indignant quack and hurled a bolt of glistening ice.

The spell struck Larxene squarely in the chest, knocking her off her feet and shattering into a cloud of glittering crystalline shards. She winced and looked up at Goofy, "this is why they say chivalry is dead." She pointed her hand and Goofy and Donald and a bolt of forked lightning struck the two retainers, but they rebounded quickly. "Alright, I know a losing battle when I see one." She grabbed Luxord's unconscious body, pulled him close, and vanished in a surge of dark energy.