Disclaimer: I don't own anything I've stolen from including Kingdom Hearts and several other stories and/or franchises. Yeah, I'm not creative enough to write something of my own. So This is to be in no way construed as claiming characters, lines, thoughts, or any other conceivable commodity of another as my own. Yeah, I'm in the clear. I guess

My apologies: Though I spent days on editing it I'm sure I've still left droves of typos, inconsistencies and grammatical errors that my stupid word processor won't help me fix. So, I'm sorry about that in advance.

2nd Act

X thought a lot about what he'd heard, and he wasn't sure he was ready to accept any of it. Either way it had to be explored. From what Marluxia told him thoughts and perceptions were easily manipulated with the proper means.

Maybe someone else thought or remembered that or maybe it was his or rather his others memory. Maybe it was just him imagining things hoping for something to come back. By the time he reached the cliffs and began searching or rather walking around blindly it occurred to him that the Organization now knew about as much about this place as he did.

"Why did I join them? It's not like I'm any better off now I just know some more useless information. Perhaps they know something and aren't telling me." he thought more puzzled than ever. But it doesn't make sense just to let him join and send him off to do in effect nothing.

Maybe they narrowed down places to look and a Nobody like himself would sense of be in some way attuned with Kingdom Hearts. This seemed logical enough for him, and so he put it out of his mind.

At that moment he looked over the edge to see how high up he was. He was rather high from his view but he felt no fear as he knew he couldn't feel any emotions. As he continued looking about absent mindedly it occurred to him that maybe Larxene was either in his past or her other was in his past or maybe he was just grasping at straws at this point, the girl looked nothing like her, they somehow seemed to resonate similarly though.

He remembered how he saw that girl when ever he saw Larxene. It was possible if all the other things he heard were true. His ponderings led him back to the question he had been avoiding since he had gotten his new name.

As he began to consider, again he heard the forlorn tune being played only this time it was different. It was as if he had wandered into another realm full of light and colors but everything was still, save for the doleful song.

X wondered what had happened to him only to find himself back on the moonlit beach shaking himself from what seemed to be a daydream. He only had time to look around the place for a second or two but he did seem to know the place as if someone told him about it once.

He then asked himself if that was his memory that he lost. As he trudged on he thought about what he had seen was it imagined, projected or remembered.

"Who am I?" he puzzled over the few things that qualified as memories that he had and came to the conclusion that he was just another face in the crowd that's all he could be. He said to himself, "Seems as if I've always been a nobody, eh."

"Well not that I could expect anything else the odds are against me in this situation." As he made one of his periodic checks over the sheer cliff edge he saw something it was more of a presence that he sensed than an object he saw.

The presence froze him where he was, he couldn't think, he couldn't breathe then he suddenly as if possessed he suddenly dove off the edge into the crashing waves. When he struck the surface he entered not the ocean he had seen, but another place entirely.

Knocked unconscious from the force that dragged him down he silently fell. After an eternity of darkness he awoke on a ruined platform. He observed damaged and cracked images of what seemed to be a boy and a group of other beings. Somehow this place was familiar not in the sense that he had been there but in the sense that there was part of him in some way.

He slowly and shakily got to his feet and looked out into the abyss surrounding him. There were thousands upon thousands of other platforms with ancient, decrepit old stained glass windows. A voice sounded or rather it somehow X just knew he was contacted.

"There is much to do, yet there is so little time."

"What? Wh-who's there?" Asked X, confused.

"There are much power held deep within you all you must do is release and trust it."

"That doesn't answer my question." Yelled X.

"The answers lie far off you can catch them if you follow your heart."

"You're not listening to me, I won't do as you say without a reason." X yelled though he began to feel like he was talking to himself.

"The answers are already with you."

"Quit screwing, with me you know what I wanna know and you're going to tell me, now!" X shouted. For the first time he realized there was some thing there, inside of him. Emotions? Possibly, either way he had to know.

"There are times when you must use your power, to release it there must be a form."

There was a rumbling and suddenly four platforms appeared around X. Above each there was a distinct weapon, it was an elegant blade styled like a leaping flame. Each had a unique element; like color, size or an extra blade of some sort.

However only one of these odd weapons seemed to emanate power. X walked over and examined it; it was a relatively plain blue sword with silver lining its edge. He picked it up and the "voice" began again.

"You have chosen the power of the dark will you continue?"

"Like I have a choice." X thought to himself.

"To accept your power you must cast away another."

"To lose is to gain, to gain is to lose, eh?" said X to himself. He walked over to the largest most unwieldy blade and cast it off the edge of the platform. As it plummeted the "voice" began.

"You have given up the power of the dawn, shall you proceed?"

"Again, do I have a choice in the matter." Before X a path of pieces from shattered windows appeared.

"Your path is set, all you must do is follow it."

"I'm not gonna lie it's been fun, but I don't think you rule me, got it?" X replied with a distinct change in tone as he instead of following the path set for him leaped over the edge. He plummeted down without fear to the depths of the abyss. As he fell he lost consciousness as he had before but it seemed to be another power at work, still he continued sailing the sea of darkness.

He landed on another ruined platform depicting a young girl surrounded by thorns, this time he didn't slowly float down this time he crashed right through. Somehow he remained unharmed through his descent. After his fall he landed or rather smacked into the ground hard.

He awoke with a pain in his head and looked around to see what was happening. He had left the stained glass platforms long ago and stood on a plain stone floor that stretched on forever in every direction despite the lack of light he could see. He picked a direction and walked. Not long after he began a being from darkness appeared in the shadows before him.

"Yo, X how ya doin', my man?" The being said in a friendly tone.

"You don't know me at all, now you will be struck down if you do not move from my path."

"Oh, is that any way to greet a friend?" He said walking into a spot of light that trickled down from the surface, revealing himself as just a normal boy about X's age with spiked red hair.

"You… are no friend of mine!" X said louder with every word. With that his blade appeared in his grasp and he sliced the boy in two.

"How can you not remember me X we are best friends after all?" The boy said reappeared behind X.

"I have no friends."

"The told me this'd be one tough nut to crack but this is ridiculous." Said the boy with a sigh.

"Go away, this is my final warning."

"Oh well I guess the higher ups were right you don't remember anything. I think it's time for plan B!" The boy opened his eyes wide with the last words and was immersed in darkness for a second revealing him as a humanoid monster covered in black spikes protruding from his skin along his skeletal frame.

"Like I said no friend of mine." X said assuming a fighting pose.

"Sorry it had to go down like this man, but orders are orders." Said the boy turning his mutated face towards X. he then lunged forward X easily parried and struck for the heart.

CLANG!!!

X's sword merely slid off.

"I hate how the superiors are always right man." Said the beastly boy laughing at the failed attempt to kill him.

"Meet the invincible Sharku and the ultimate defense. How do you like it, huh?" The boy then proceeded to rip off his skin revealing that the long pitch black spikes continued to cover his entire body like a bug's exoskeleton. X stood for a moment reevaluating his situation. Then he closed his eyes and waited.

"What's wrong man? Surprised? I did ask you what you thought of the new me, so come on be honest what do you-- GUAAGH!!! Wh- what the hell did you do to me!" Sharku howled when X had slashed him in half. "That's impossible--HUK HAK."

"As they say if at first you don't succeed, use a bigger sword." X gloated flourishing his sword; which had drastically changed. It now had a long, wide gladius with a sky blue blade the size of a claymore. The flames were still there but it was no longer the blade but the new blade extended from either side of the flame's base and tip.

"How did you--?"

"Think back…" Said X with a slight smirk.

"No… I…C-can't…Not…Yet." Pined Sharku as he faded into nothingness.

"It's your own fault Heartless." X said unfeelingly. He turned and continued on his way.

-

For a ways he continued with only the sounds of his footsteps to keep him company. Eventually the blankness birthed thought. As he walked on he began to wonder why he was here everything had been so random, so fast and why did this place feel like home to him? He quickly put those thoughts out of his mind because he suddenly felt some presence.

It washed over him like ice water and made him for the first time feel fear. He turned about to see what it was. He saw a painful light come down and with it something appeared. It was a girl, a young pretty girl with long black hair and dark eyes… too muddy to see the bottom she was definitely powerful. Although in her tasteful black dress and nicely curled hair a casual observer wouldn't see the bloodlust in her eyes.

"Hiya!" She yelled cheerily, waving innocently.

"What do you want with me?" X asked impassively, already knowing the answer to this question.

"Is that any way to talk to a lady? I don't think so." She said pouting as she did so.

"If you've nothing to say of any relevance then I must be on my way." X said to her curtly.

"Aww, don't be like that all we want is for you to come back to us, the Superiors told me that you were special and stuff." She grinned.

"Drop the façade you're no different from that idiot Sharku." X said beginning to walk away slowly.

"Why, do you forsake the light? Who do you think you are anyways?" Her tone had turned hostile with the last questions.

"I'll tell you… at your grave." X said drawing his sword which had reverted to its original form. He brandished his sword and laid it against her neck. She merely smiled and laughed.

"You should've taken my head off when you had the chance, because you won't get another." She hopped back and drew out of the air a Chinese styled straight sword out of the air. She laughed again and took a leap towards X catching him on the left cheek letting a drop of blood fall.

X countered with a similar style of fencing. They fought clash after clash neither prevailing, however X new she was toying with him drawing out his inevitable death. He tried everything he could think to from fakes to berserk charges nothing could match her flawless swordsmanship.

"So, when are you going to end this useless exercise." Laughed X as she caught him on the left arm.

"Oh, it's not my job to kill you unless you try another stupid stunt like before. It is my job to make you remember before." She said casually.

"Looks like I'm about to pull another stupid stunt … Alice!" X said as he turned tail and ran flat out. Her eyes widened and she began yelling something at X but he couldn't hear it and he didn't care. She pursued for a time and then stopped and began talking to herself. X was saved; for a time.

He slackened his pace and began to devise strategies on how to win if he encountered that girl all scenarios ended badly for him however. He began to ponder the reasons these Superiors might have for attacking him. Then there was silence not just in his ears but his mind it was at peace save for that one image of the blond girl he was trying to remember before.

"AAUUGH!!!" X suddenly burst out. He stopped clutching his head out of aggravation and What is wrong with me? Who is that girl ever since I woke up more has come back but… it's like I've been thinking about a lot lately I don't know, is any of this real or not?" Slowly, X snapped himself out of it and said

"The only way is to find the "voice" it knows everything it is one of the Superiors." He continued with his thoughts but they kept swirling through his mind slowing only long enough for him to see a bit of each thought before it was swept away again.

-

"So he seems to be proceeding well, no?"

"Are you entirely sure about the procedure? It seems that it was a miserable failure from my view point I hope you can convince me otherwise."

"Oh don't be so uptight all the time I'M the boss of you after all I know exactly what I'm doing."

"It's not I don't trust you it's that new Superior he doesn't seem reliable."

"Like I said it is fine don't worry so much no wonder you've gray hair. And the new guy, I bet you're just sore the created a new post for him and you have to work your way up. Not that we can blame you. But be patient my life is nearing its end you'll have my problems in no time, I suggest you have fun while you can now while you don't have to worry about everyone else's problems all the time."

"Section leader I already do that."

"Well that seems awfully stupid. Like I said you'll be a Superior soon enough I've had you're path set for you, already you know."

"Don't be ridiculous; outside "That Place" you can't do anything."

"That is such a lie; I am so good at Su Do Ku that it should be my power."

"I can hardly agree with you on that and by the way don't die too early I've got to get my affairs in order."

"You're no fun. No wonder I'm dying all that stress you put on me."

"This isn't a playground just try to be serious for once in your life, for a friend."

"Alas, I don't have any of these friends you speak of."

"Aw can it. You know I'm your friend, just in a business capacity for the most part."

"There are no friends in business."

"You sounded almost serious for a second there. Are you sure you don't need my help?"

"Whatever. I've a few affairs to set straight as well, so if you don't mind would like some time alone."

"Sure just remember Sharku was one thing but that Alice is to connected she may break with the stress you've been putting on her."

"Oh shut up I know exactly what I'm doing and don't forget you haven't succeeded me yet. So don't try to run thing behind my back, okay."

"What ever you've had warning. And now even I can't help you out of this hole you've dug yourself."

"Didn't you say you had things to do?"

"Sorry I've wasted enough time as it is. Farewell."

"Conceited punk."

-

"What am I going to do now?" Mused X as he stopped to rest. At that very moment he was struck in the front of his head.

"Oww, that hurt, dammit." He said rubbing his forehead. Then he saw a package lying on the ground, presumably what had hit him. He cautiously walked over to it and picked it up. It was a plain white box. He opened it out of curiosity and found it was empty.

"What?" He said confused. He told himself it was nothing and he should worry about getting out of this place. For a while he was still bothered by it enough to carry the box around as he continued his journey. What seemed to be X ages later he stopped again and began to question if there was in fact a way out at all.

"This place, from the beginning I knew it was weird but… no there has to be some way, if I know anything that must be it. But still what is this sensation-- doubt-- no I cannot fear there is only one way to go from here…" With that final thought X once again began his trek through the dark plane. Not long thereafter he came across an odd door. It was pale rose colored and didn't lead anywhere, when he looked behind it there was nothing there, so he decided to open it but it refused to open. X was convinced it was another trick from the Superiors to kill him.

"Don't they realize I'm already dead." He then pointed his blade at the door and waited. As expected the door opened in short order and he passed through. He found himself in the world from his vision on the cliff. The place seemed warm and welcoming but he saw it in a different light. To him it was an empty world full of mocking laughs and jeering faces.

"Home sweet home." He said to himself as he walked towards a signpost. It read 'Welcome to Traverse Town' in bold letters.

"Hmph, just like before." Then he decided to go to the one place he remembered he could find anything of worth. He walked around the marketplace and small animals tried to talk to him but he ignored them. He walked up some stairs past a clock shop and up a ramp.

He came to a door and entered. He walked mechanically through the place called the second district. He past everything by focused on only one thing, his destination. He walked down an alley and through a door. He ended up in a place that was called the third district. There was an odd door with a symbol for fire on it.

He held up his sword and like before the door obediently moved aside. He walked through finding himself in a cave with a lake and a house in the middle of it. He easily jumped past the moving stone platforms and came to the island in the center of the lake.

He walked past the boarded up door to a hole in the back of the house. He then entered the house. He was greeted by an empty room with a raised platform built into the middle. He walked over to it stood on it and began descending on a platform that magically appeared.

He came to another, smaller cave and he walked down the stairs to an open chamber. From there he walked over to a depiction of a moon on the wall.

As he put his left hand up to it he sighed "So it really is true." He closed his eyes as a light brought him back to the dark empty plain. When he opened his eyes he was surrounded by Heartless and instead of the dark plain he had expected he was in a small cave with many drawings on the walls and a wooden door with no handle.

"They really must want me to remember 'that' eh." He said drawing his sword. He made short work of the Heartless horde. He took a look at the door and walked up to it. He saw a keyhole in it and said, " 'He' was here too it seems." as he prepared to pass through he saw a picture on the wall out of the corner of his eye.

He went over to examine it more closely. It was the boy from the platform he began on and one of the people that was around him. That already seemed to be lifetimes ago to X.

"That's right, this was you're place wasn't it." He then left and went back to the dark plain. He found he had just been through the same door he went through first. He walked around to see if he was followed but he was alone, just like before. He resumed his previous path with new confidence in his path that he chose. It seemed like it was the right way, there was no reason for it, but it was a feeling that he went with.

As he continued he came in contact with Heartless of varying degrees of power and rank. Sometimes he was assailed by droves of Shadows and Neoshadows but others he was attacked by small troupes of Defenders and Wizards. Either way it made no difference, he destroyed them easily.

After some time he came across another door. This one was different it was white and bore odd symbols. He walked through this one just as he had with all the other doors. He found himself in a completely white room of the same style as the door.

He walked forward cautiously as unlike the other places he had never been here before. As he proceeded he was met by a figure wearing an Organization coat like him. The figure began to speak and he recognized Marluxia's voice.

"Hey Marluxia how'd you get here." X said much relieved to hear a familiar voice. However he didn't get quite the reaction he wanted.

"Who are you?! And how do you know me?!" Yelled Marluxia raising his hood.

"Huh? Don't you remember me it's X the new member of you're Organization?!"

"I don't remember any of this. Xemnas must have found out about the coupe. And you must be the one he sent to kill me."

"What?! No I don't even know who this Xemnas is I'm on your side. Come on don't you remember me?" Marluxia summoned a scythe and struck at X. X naturally parried to defend himself. The battle went on for a while. Partly because X was trying to explain to Marluxia who he was the whole time who he was and how they were comrades.

Marluxia wouldn't have it and Marluxia insisted that he was an assassin sent to murder him. Eventually X gave up and fought full strength. He quickly overwhelmed Marluxia and incapacitated him by destroying his scythe. "Now will you listen to me?"

"Just finish it don't try to act all innocent. I know The Superior sent you."

"I am innocent I can't believe you don't remember, you already were killed by Sora and he stopped you from taking the Organization."

"What?!" Marluxia snapped, in total surprise. He obviously wasn't the same as when he had met X. Suddenly there was a distortion in the room and everything except X suddenly froze where it was. X looked around and wondered what was happening. He wondered how Marluxia was there, he wondered how he was there, and he wondered how Marluxia knew of the Superiors. He decided there was nothing left for him there in the frozen room and he had to move on.

He looked around and saw a door at the top of some stairs. He went through it. He found himself in the same room as he had before and Marluxia was there too. The same thing happened as it had before with little deviation. X did this several more times until he realized what he was being told to do.

"So it'll be that way huh?" He said to the ceiling before he walked over to the door and shook his head before he passed through. He killed Marluxia the next time it repeated and when he left he was in a large empty hall styled similarly to but with many differences from the room where he had been.

First it seemed to be an open area with many floors open to each other then he saw it to be the central hub for the upper floors of some kind of castle. He walked through to the other side and went through the door without incident.

Again he found himself in a totally new place. The contrast from the last places he'd been made his eyes hurt. The place was dark and dank; it suited him well.

"Well what am I doing now?" he chuckled. He walked around the room he ended up in; it was a moderately sized corridor that led through a veritable labyrinth of traps and levers. He made his way through the strange gates and waterways all he found were Heartless and a dead end. "Just like my life" he sighed as he turned to leave. However just as he went to leave he felt a presence, it was Ansem.

"Hello his Majesties little add-on."

"You'd do well to watch you mouth boy." It was a voice that could chill even the hottest of warriors blood.

"Oh, what are you gonna do turn out the lights? Grow up, that wasn't meant to be known. I'm surprised you're so persistent though." X replied nonchalantly.

"You're the immature one. Acting all strong and self assured, you're darkness itself, and you just fight yourself over and over." Ansem countered harshly and honestly.

"Only light shows up in the dark. That is the road I walk, it's the only road I've ever known." X shrugged.

"Don't get smart with me, boy. You're the same as I ever knew you and you know what I still don't think you're worthy of the power "he" granted you." Ansem replied sourly.

"I'll say this once and you all better listen: Allen is dead. So now that that is cleared up, go play mister sinister or something. The fact that I even remember you at all disgusts me." X shook his head disappointedly.

"Well I suppose I must liberate your true nature then, fellow creature of the dark." Ansem sneered.

"You're a figment of memory you can't do anything to me, and you may say I'm steeped in darkness, but at least I'm not its slave." X replied calmly.

"Are you quite finished yet?" Ansem said condescendingly.

"Yeah…" X said somberly as he trailed off thinking of how much his memories had changed him. With that Ansem summoned the Guardian and disappeared. As X had predicted Ansem reappeared behind with a mass of darkness in his hands. X disappeared just as Ansem had and attacked from above. Ansem had the Guardian parry and he blasted X with the mass of darkness. As he flew through the air X smiled to himself and his sword transformed into a katana with a sheath and the hand-guard was in the style of a blue and silver flame like his swords before it. He landed softly on his feet despite the force of the last blow.

He faced Ansem in a stance ready to draw. Ansem silently advanced and the battle resumed. X drew with lightning speed and was able to cleave clear through the Guardian's block, though he was unable to reach Ansem. Ansem quickly withdrew and disappeared again. X was prepared this time, he leapt into the air and brought his sword down on Ansem as he appeared, however Ansem was one step ahead and it was only the Guardian he sliced in two.

It reformed behind Ansem where he stood about four meters away from X. X saw through the clever deception and quickly parried a strike from the real Ansem, who was behind him. "How long do you intend on flitting around like a little bugs shadow? I guess there really is no honor among thieves."

"As long as I have to." Ansem smirked.

"Well I guess that won't be too much longer."

"No, it will not."

"Let's end it then." Ansem disappeared yet again, only this time he left the Guardian to do battle with X. X ignored it entirely and launched himself over it slashing at Ansem as his hiding place was revealed. Ansem leaped away and created a dark cloud around himself . X charged forwards but was caught on his left leg by none other than Ansem. He had disguised his teleport with that cloud and X fell for it. X was lifted upside down then thrown into the air.

Ansem summoned his double edged blade and mounted the Guardian, which carried him up to X. X tried to regain his balance but it was too late to do anything but block. Ansem strung together massive combinations that X only barely blocked all of. When they landed X disappeared for a second, then he went behind Ansem. Ansem easily countered only to find that it was nothing but an illusion and before he had a chance to turn back around he was stopped.

He looked down and he saw the tip of Xs sword was sticking through him. X turned his sword sideways and brought his blade out in a violent sideswipe. Ansem didn't have time for last words he was finished before his body faded away.

X looked down at the remaining darkness before it dissipated and softly said. "Dammit…"

Note: I'm still unfamiliar with some things here. Sorry for any inconvenience or stupid mistakes. This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin. Peace. Out.