Dear Reader,

Author's note is at the end of the chapter... Enjoy the fic!

-S.B.

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It was the pounding on the door that woke him. Snarling, more than still half asleep, gunblade already at hand, he sat up.

"What?!" He snapped at the defenseless slab of wood and iron.

"Squall!" Yuffie called from the other side, "I think you should get out here!"

"That's LEON!" He groused for the fiftieth time that week. Shoving his bangs out of his eyes he reached for his shirt and yanked it on, reaching for the door, "What is it? Heartless?" The young ninja shook her head.

"No. An airship."

"What?"

"That's what I said when the watchman came to get me. It crashed just outside of town."

"Damn." Leon hissed, grabbing his coat, "If anyone's still alive they'll be dead before we can even get there!"

"Cid and some men already went to go see." Yuffie replied, trotting behind him, "And A-Aerith's got the infirmary ready for whoever needs it." Leon didn't miss the sudden catch in Yuffie's voice. It had only been a month since the three had appeared in Traverse town. Leon had been the one to go meet them. Just in time to keep an enraged and sobbing Yuffie from strangling a thoroughly confused Cetra. Leon couldn't really blame her. If he had seen someone dead walking around, he would think they were either Heartless, zombies or clones too. Luckily Cid had kept Yuffie away until things had calmed down. The flower-seller had no clue as to why she was suddenly alive. The last thing she remembered was light and then pain. As if the sword that had run her through was being pulled out and her body mending. He suppressed a shiver as he and the ninja reached the town's gates. He could see light in the distance and cursed again. The airship was on fire now. People were milling around, refugee's from Radient Garden and other, less lucky worlds.

"Where's Cid!" He demanded at random.

"He already headed out with some others to clear the way!" Came the answer from a blond woman in a very... showy negligee, frying pan in one hand, butcher knife in the other. Yuffie snickered as Leon quickly looked away. He could always blame the blush on the firelight in the distance.

"Heartless approaching from the west side!" Came the yell from the wall. Leon cursed a third time.

"I'm heading out!" He snarled. The gatekeeper gulped and meekly opened the side door. Yuffie whooped and pulled out her shuriken where it glittered in the lamp light, eyes wild with eagerness. Charging through they raced for the burning ship. Getting closer the smoke began to thicken and they could hear Cid's search party. Mainly the whistles they wore to keep in contact with each other as they kept Heartless away. Squinting, and trying not to cough a handkercheif was suddenly thrust into his hand. He had no time to thank Yuffie, who had already wrapped her scarf around mouth and nose as she charged into the fray. A hiss to his left made him turn and he neatly cleaved the Heartless in two. These were small fry. Scavengers who fed upon the helpless. They swarmed like over grown insects. Fighting his way to the vessal, which was now keeling to the side he came upon a cornered man, slicing franticly at the black creatures. Neatly batting them away he grabbed the man and yelled over the noise of battle and flames.

"Where's Cid!" He called.

"A-At the head of the ship!" Was the answer, "They're trying to find a way in, to see if there are any survivors!"

"Dammit." Leon hissed, "I'm going in! If you see Cid, tell him if you can't find a door you should damn well make one!" Pointing his gunblade at the hull he fired it, blasting a hole through the side. As he charged in he could barely make out the words on the peeling paint 'BLACK JACK II'.

The inside of the ship was dark and thick with smoke. Trying to stay low he began to make a methodical seach. Opening doors, squinting through watering eyes and calling as loud as he could. Finally he came to a room that looked like the Captain's quarters. Kicking the door down he looked around. Slumped in a corner was a figure. Racing over he rolled the body onto its and winced. The man he had discovered had shoved his hand into his own bleeding belly to try and stop the flow. He knew Heartless claws when he saw them. It was then that he realized that there was also a blood trail leading to the door where he had tried to escape. Taking off his coat he ripped off his shirt and tied it around the man's waist, scinching it as tightly as he dared. The man moaned again and glared up at him through glazed eyes.

"At least allow me the dignity of going down with my ship..." He hissed, slurrily.

"Not in hell." Leon answered curtly, hefting him up in a feat of strength, "Lean on me and use your legs."

"I'd rather die."

"You might yet."

"D-damn you."

"Already am, now move."

The journey from the room to the opening was a long and harrowing one. By this time Heartless were beginging to enter through the breach.

"Were there any others with you." Leon asked and had to repeat the question twice before pale eyes turned his way.

"No..." Came the answer, "I-I was on my way to a party... W-Wedding celebration..." He hissed in pain as Leon stopped to kick a few Heartless away, "I was to take them on their honeymoon..." He smiled as if the thought were a bittersweet memory, "I came to find the castle itself in flames... There was no one there... No one at all... So I went back... And they attacked..." Leon grunted. It wasn't an uncommon story. It was similar to so many others he had heard from refugees. One moment all was well. The next all was chaos and darkness. It also explained how he had managed to bring an entire ship with him through the breach in the world. Squinting ahead he could hardly suppress a satisfied smiled. He could see the hole he had made and there was the blinding flare of torches and flashlights. Cid was there, glaring at him.

"We got the fire under control, did you have to hurt the baby more than she already is?" The pilot snarled. Leon shrugged,

"Your way anyone inside would be long dead before you could find a way to get to them." He answered. Cid snorted and gestured, a streatcher was immediately rushed to them. The man was already leaning heavily against him, head lolling tiredly.

"My ship..." He choked softly.

"Your ship is in good hands now." Cid comforted as they settled him onto the streatcher, "We just need to mend her and you up again and you'll be flying in no time..." A sardonic smirk was his answer.

"...Already flying now..." Then his eyes rolled back and he was unconscious.

"We need to retreat for now." Cid said, sharp eyes glancing around at the waning battle, "It was only small fry this time, which makes us lucky. There was no one else on board?" Leon shook his head, handkercheif or no, his lungs felt as if he had been breathing dust and the need to cough was clutching at him.

"'Ere, drink this before you hoff up a lung on us." Cid growled, thrusting a thermose under his nose. Leon grabbed it and took a sip. Sweetened and cold green tea met his tongue, washing away the taste of ash and dust.

"You think he'll live?" Yuffie asked from the side. Her eyes were wide, as if remembering more horrible sights, "He looked pretty bad, and that was a lot of blood."

"He'll be find." Cid rushed to reassure her, "Aerith won't let him go. Once she's got her hands on someone she rarely lets them die without permission. And he doesn't have her permission." Yuffie nodded and walked away, back towards town.

"I didn't even ask him what his name was." Leon muttered, feeling oddly guilty.

"He'll tell you once he wakes up again... Don't you worry." Cid answered. Leon nodded.

"Okay.."

"Now, Squallie, let's get you home before you collapse."

"My NAME is LEON..." Came the snarled reply.

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Now here's a funny thing. I am not a gamer. I do not claim to be a gamer, I don't think I ever will be a gamer. But that doesn't stop me from loving the games. I love Kingdom Hearts and I love Final Fantasy. Right now I'm really into Final Fantasy VI. I love it. I love Setzer. He's sooo cool. Here's another funny thing. I was looking through Yaoi!Gallery and I found KH fanart. Of Setzer. And Kuja. Together. 'Cuuuute' said I. And it was. Then, a few days ago I was sitting in class, and I began to think of fanfiction. Setzer x Kuja pairing. How would I be able to fit it in. This is how. The theories of dissappearing worlds belongs to Spiderflower who wrote the fic "Lion in the Meadow"... Which is awesome by the way. I like that theory. It makes the cross-over madness make more sense. I wrote this first chapter in under an hour. One shot. All the way through. I'll be adding more as time allows so don't keep your hopes up. I'm really liking this fic though so I think it will get done. Hopefully.

Also... Umm... I apologize to Everfire for this... She's got a very bad cough that sneaks up on her sometimes... She described it once as "breathing dust" and the last time she had an attack I gave her some sweet green tea. It's yummy. And Cid has that freaky tea fettish. I thought it was cuute.

Ummm... I APOLOGIZE IF I MAUL SETZER'S CHARACTER BEYOND HUMAN RECOGNITION. But let's just say he's having a bad year and leave it at that... Anyway I am going to go by the Final Fantasy version of Setzer. I like him better that way...

I don't own Final Fantasy.

I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

Here's to Spiderflower for inspiring me. Write more! I love it!

Here's to my friends Lone-chan, Foggy and Irvine. I love you to. I will get Chapter 45 of BoD done... Soon. I hope. Really. Seriously.

Here's to Everfire... I Looooooove you...

Here's to my reviewers. I love you too.

Stay safe
Stay healthy
Sincerely,

Starr