Hey all! Miss me? Anyways, I know I promised this back in September. It's November now, so I'm what...2 months late? Man, I'm so bad. I'd blame it on school, but that's not fun. Therefore, I blame it on my laptop. HA! The Acer I was using decided to die on me after 5 years of service. I'm using an Asus now (or Aysus, if you're Filipino like me). On a more serious note, I broke the 'no sequel' rule. If you're new, you might want to read Peaches first. I think that's it for now. Enjoy it, guys.

-Chapter 1-
Some Things Never Change

He could feel the ground shake beneath him. Large boulders fell from up above and crashed on the ground lifting clouds of dust into the air. Keeping his head low to keep himself hidden, he clicked his tongue to pacify his anxious horse. All the dust and debris was blinding, but he knew the castle had fallen; the fight was over. A primal scream ripped through the atmosphere, confirming his suspicion as to who had won. The great dragon of Hell had been slain, just as he figured.

A satisfied smile formed on his face. Maleficent's ignorance had led to her defeat. She had underestimated the key bearer and had wasted a large hoard of Heartless. Radiant Garden wouldn't fall so easily, certainly not as long as both key-bearers still lived. He breathed out a sigh. It was now his turn to put his plan into action. Armed with a stronger breed of Heartless, he would be unstoppable. His research had been a success.

Now with no reason to turn back, the black dressed man tightened his grip on the reins stopping the fidgeting horse. He was finally free of that dreary stone castle and its primitive housing. The cold walls would certainly not be missed he thought to himself. Neither would he. I'll be back soon enough. My quest for ultimate knowledge doesn't end here. Reaching over the animal's back, he climbed over, swinging his leg into the stirrup. He snapped the reins forcefully, urging the horse into a paced gallop. They had a lot of ground to cover, and time was running short. He had an important engagement to attend to.

He turned his head around to glance at the scene behind him. He had ridden quite a distance up to a hill that peaked over the horizon. Adjusting his vision, he picked up on a lone figure just as the dawn was breaking. He laid flat on his stomach, the morning light glistening on his dull keyblade. The man smiled as he turned his horse around and continued on his way.

Rest well, Sora. The next time you do will be your last.

-KH-

Sora blew a lock of brown hair from his eyes as he leaned back onto the sturdy tree trunk. Instantly, his legs gave out, and he fell to his butt. He was far from tired. Rather, it was the boredom that weighed down on him. The male stabbed his blackened keyblade beside him watching the dark ooze slide to the ground. In all honesty, he was tired of fighting Heartless and tired of being bored. It had been three years since Maleficent's defeat, and all of Radiant Garden had been restored back to former glory. The fields were once again lush, shining from the morning dew instead of blood. Even the destroyed castle town had finished its reconstruction. New housing replaced all the rubble. Tall spires were erected, a beacon to strength and good blessing. There wasn't much to fear except the occasional boredom.

He sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. The days have grown dull, he soon found out. Living in a house by his lonesome wasn't fun at all, and the feeling of solitaire reminded him of living in the old gallows. At least Riku was there. Sora turned his head to the mountains. He hadn't seen his friend since that fateful night. Blood soaked, sweating, and beaten was how they parted. It was their final skirmish, and it seemed that things hadn't changed at all.

Sora stood to his feet and wiped the dust off his pants hoping the dirt hadn't ruined another uniform. He squirmed, not yet accustomed to the tight-fitting clothes that depicted his rank. It was sometimes unbearable to wear and a bit embarrassing. The clothing clung to his body as if it was another layer of skin and when hot, impossible to remove. He'd have to thank Kairi for the alterations.

The city was bustling as Sora carefully made his way to home. Peddlers were running amok, yelling bargain prices at the top of their lungs. Gold jewelry shined in the light and colorful flags waved in the breeze. It was an all too familiar sight. He turned left as the cobble road smoothened to a paved road preferred by horses and carriages.

His house was the second on this street. Eventually he came to his door and let himself in. The room smelled like honey, despite breakfast being hours ago. Sora walked over to his room and freshened up before throwing on more comfortable clothing. As he stood in front of his mirror, he looked himself over. His hair had grown longer, but still gravity defiant. Kairi had been suggesting a haircut, but Sora dismissed the idea. He liked his long hair. Inch by inch, his blue eyes inspected each part of his body. The glint in his eyes was near inexistent, replaced by the glaze of normality and routine. He longed for adventure and excitement, but what was being reflected in the mirror was nothing of the sort.

He had been fighting roaming Heartless, hoping to stay busy. He trained with the soldiers daily, doing anything that involved action. Sitting still was never a strong point, and he never liked to be idle. There were times when he would drop by Leon's old store, hoping that the hanging swords and spears would make some adrenaline flow through his veins. But each visit only served to remind him of his fallen master. Even Yuffie wasn't her normal self. She had mellowed out, filling Leon's role of the boring shopkeeper. Sometimes, they would talk about the old times before she would complain that business wasn't booming as before. Apparently, there was no need for weapons during times of peace.

Sora took a seat on a nearby chair and propped his feet up on the window sill. Maybe tomorrow would bring more excitement. Stretching his arms, he folded them behind his head and drifted off into sleep.

Some things never change.

-KH-

He dismounted his horse as he came upon the giant building that he called home. Holding the reins tight, he led the animal to the stables letting it roam free to find its hay. He had gotten to his destination quicker than he expected. Dawn had just begun to settle in, tucking away the midnight sun. He was hungry, and though his lower back was aching, there was still work to be done. The results of his experiments still had to be recorded; the words had been floating in his mind all night. Rest would have to come later.

The echo sounded like thunder roaring in the sky as the man knocked on the sturdy edifice. Moments later a peep hole opened up revealing a set of lips. They seemed to whisper something. The man bowed his head and muttered a brief reply. The peep hole suddenly closed and the brass sound of metal bars shifting could be heard. Stepping back, the man patiently waited as the doors slowly opened, revealing a blinding light. He walked through the threshold, dropping his hood to reveal silver hair.

"Welcome home, Superior," a voice called out from one of the corridors. Xemnas turned his head, unsurprised as Saix approached from the darkness. "It has been a long time- three years even."

Saix had been his right-hand man for quite a while and his most trusted subordinate. His calm demeanor had always put him off from the rest of the Organization, but there was none who could match his work record. There had been times where Xemnas had put him in command, and the results were always flawless. This instance was no different.

Xemnas continued walking, leaving his second to catch up. "I take it that everything here ran smoothly," he said as Saix pulled up beside him.

"Yes, there hasn't been too much trouble," the scar-faced man replied. He produced a thick document full of papers, placing it gently in Xemnas' waiting hand.

The superior looked it over, no emotion showing on his face. He did, however, nod to show his approval.

"He's a little raw," Saix said, adding to the news. "However, I think he can handle the job."

"Have you had him complete any trials?"

Saix nodded. "Yes. The results are in that document there. I've had him train in all aspects for the job you'll be giving him: fighting and tracking."

Xemnas held up a hand cutting Saix off. Immediate silence followed as he used this moment to think.

"Where is the boy now?"

Saix shifted his gaze to the stairwell. "He should be in his room."

Xemnas ruffled his hands around his black robe. "Take this," he said handing a parcel to Saix. "Ride back to Radiant Garden, and tell the others these are my exact orders. I expect them fulfilled by the time I arrive."

Saix bowed as he disappeared into the darkness.

Xemnas looked up to the balcony of the second tier, trying to remember the overall layout of the building. He must have been a teenager since he last stepped foot on these familiar marble floors. Ever since moving to Radiant Garden to continue his education and his experimentation, he seldom thought of returning. He had left Saix in charge of his personal affairs as he sought to further his influence. Now he was back.

He walked briskly up the stairwell, counting the never ending doors until he came to a particular one. Knocking three times and hearing a muffled reply, he entered. It wasn't long until he found the boy, sitting on his bed staring back with piercing blue eyes.

Sora?

Xemnas nearly retaliated as his eyes played tricks on him. A moment too late, and he feared he would have pierced the boy. Taking a breath, he reminded himself that the one before him wasn't who he thought he was. The similarities were astounding: messy hair, blue eyes and the ability to wield a keyblade. The difference was more minute. Blonde hair.

The boy, too, seemed startled that the man standing across from him was not Saix. For months, it had just been him and the scar-faced man. He had grown to hate him and his boring nature. He was all business.

"My name is Xemnas, but you can call me Superior," the mysterious man said. The boy could sense overwhelming authority in his voice, and he gulped. The weight of his gaze was overpowering, eyes like hawks. He had never been as scared in his life until this very moment. He was going to miss Saix.

Terrified and unable to respond, all the blonde haired boy could do was straighten his slumping sitting posture. He slid off the bed and stood to his feet, shoulders back like a soldier. Xemnas eyed him carefully, looking for any sign of fear.

"Boy, what is your name?"

Fighting the shivers that crawled up his spine, he answered.

"Roxas."

-KH-

The sound of steps echoed in the great hall as the messenger briskly walked up to the throne. His face was flushed, and he was breathless. He fought to calm himself down and walk with pride and grace. He was in the presence of royalty, after all. Under the orders of the captains, he quickly saddled a horse to bring important information to his majesty. What the captains could infer from an old empty house was beyond him, but their quick reaction and wide eyes signaled that something was amiss.

Still breathing heavily, he approached the king and slipped a rolled parchment into his hand before backing away. He was glad at the moment to idly stand. The king unrolled the message and read it silently, unbelieving of what he read. He turned his attention to the messenger.

"Is this information is accurate?"

The messenger shook his head unknowingly. "The captains sent me here to give that document to you without telling me its contents."

"It says here that Ansem had been harboring information about the Heartless," he told the boy. "Apparently, he had been experimenting on them." The messenger grimaced. It would have been better if he didn't know.

The king sighed. He had no choice but to believe the report. Shifting in his seat, he tried to collect his thoughts. The years had been kind, and the problems were those of minor incidents. It had been a while since drastic news had reached him. He had grown accustomed to the quiet atmosphere that had surrounded the city. The king rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to process the information in his mind. Ansem had been missing ever since the night before the Heartless siege. He was not present at any meetings. No one had seen him. As a matter of fact, no one knew if he was even alive.

Silence filled the large room as the king rubbed his chin. If Ansem truly had been linked with the Heartless, common law would label him as a traitor and he would be brought in for trial. It had been strange that the Heartless had not yet vanished completely despite Maleficent's downfall. Though they weren't threatening, their presence still jeopardized safety. Just what is he doing?

"We must find him," the king simply said, breaking the momentary silence. "Have the scribes bring me a copy of the census papers. I want to know where Ansem has been all these years. I want to know the name of every bar he's drank in, every latrine pool he's pissed in, and every inn he's slept in. Tell the guards to establish a perimeter around his house. I want no one to step foot on his doorstep."

"I'll send for the guards immediately," the boy said as he turned around ready to relay the message.

"No, wait!" a voice called out. The guards stepped aside as a blue dressed magician walked through the door. "I think I could help with this investigation."

The king nodded, permitting the wise sage audience. Merlin was the king's personal magician, medicine man, and even teacher. The amount of knowledge he knew even surpassed the largest library in the city.

"If I do remember correctly, Riku was an assistant to Ansem," the old man started out saying. "Maybe he knows something we don't know. He was always a smart lad."

The king shook his head. It wasn't going to work. "Like Ansem, we don't know where he is." His frustration began to grow. Despite all the progressive efforts, the lack of information troubled him. The two most important people linked to this mystery had gone missing. One of them had been a keyblade wielder.

"There was note that he was last seen in Naxos, but that was years ago."

A look of bewilderment appeared on the king's face as he turned to the boy. To be outdone by a messenger. He was thankful his wife wasn't in the room. The sound of her laughter at his embarrassment would have been too much. He loved his wife dearly, but she had been known to be a gossip.

"I was looking at the census reports one day," he fearfully admitted. Documents such as those were restricted and kept safe under lock and key. Sensing the king's eyes burning into his skin, the boy took a step back. "It won't happen again, sire."

"Well, there we have it," Merlin smugly replied as he folded his hands into his robe.

"Then I'll just send the guards-" the boy said, once again ready to run out of the room.

"We'll send Sora," the king insisted. "There is no need to put Riku on the defensive. Maybe a little chat with an old time friend would bury some of the guilt he's been harboring." He produced a bow and arrow and handed them to the boy. "I hope you know how to use these."

So that's chapter one. I hope you all enjoyed it. It picks up speed in chapter two so you definitely don't want to miss out on that. Thanks for reading, review if you want, and I'll catch you around. Take it easy.

Rock out, party hard, live hardcore