Edited and ending re-wrote 1/15/10

I rewrote the point from where Sora asks how Tal knows Leon. I'm so sorry. I know it's terribly fickle of me, it's just. I wasn't satisfied, and that's because of obvious reasons such as: I was writing as if it were a logical person and not a crazy fan girl. So sorry, please don't hate me.

The support I have received is truly inspiring. I cannot guarantee quick updates, but my resolve to not abandon this story has strengthened immensely. I can only hope that this chapter does not disappoint. I am also apologizing for the length of the chapter. I didn't know where to stop so I just kept going.

Recap: Tal was balancing on the throes of becoming a sex slave for Xemnas..

Chapter Begin:

"Sorry Saix. She's with us." He grabbed the sobbing girl by the arm, and dragged her on to the ship. "See ya around." He waved, then muttered under his breath, "You freak." Once safely from Saix's clutches, he turned to the blubbering girl. "Let's get something straight. You start acting psycho and I'll drop you off at The Castle that Never Was. You will behave. You will not drive Riku, Kairi, or me to insanity." Tal felt like a bobble head and looked like one too.

"I will be a good little fan girl." But I'll have to try really hard, but man. I was so sure Mansex was gay... Gasp, unless he goes both ways! She cringed. "I will be very good." She refrained from mauling the Keyblade Master despite her fan girl instincts. He had rescued her, but he still didn't like her. He was human, and not Disneyfied. He battled evil so therefore must have a short tolerance in regards to crazy people. She had to undo many years of fan girl training... but could she do it?

"Good." He walked off, and the protagonist followed him, her head hanging.

The young girl walked behind Sora, her muscles twitching from the strain of not glomping the Keyblade Master.

Entering the bridge, the first words that hit her fan girls ears came from the blessed mouth of Riku; "Is she gone?"

CRACK! SHATTER! That's the protagonists heart breaking in too a bazillion pieces.

"Oh…" Riku looked away grumpily upon spotting the topic interest or disinterest in his case.

Sora shot the heartbroken girl a sympathetic look. Even though she was crazy she was human, therefore she had feelings, therefore rejection hurt.

Tal shrugged, taking a seat. "It's okay. I'm a crazy fan girl. We're used to it." She lied. No she wasn't really used to it. The items of her interest technically weren't real therefore she had never truly experienced rejection and frankly it sucked.

Now she wasn't going to admit defeat, oh no! She couldn't, that's fan girl oath number… 47 or something. Do not admit defeat or defeat will surely admit you! So currently our young protagonist was concocting a little plan.

Except…

She had no idea where to begin. You see, like previously stated, she was trained to be an obsessive stalker, of the fan girl type. She sets her eyes on something, dwells upon it, and then lets it consume her wholly. Up until this misadventure began it was Axel cause I mean come on! I know he isn't real… well wasn't real until now that is, but he's a freakin' demi god!

And he rejected her like how the U.S. forefathers rejected Benjamin Franklin's idea of making the turkey the U.S.'s official bird. Swiftly and ruthlessly.

So… now her main question, which had consumed much of her processing power at this moment, was attempting to diagnose her problem because obviously she was doing something wrong… just, what was it?

She had it! She wasn't an introverted person, that's what friends were for! "Okay, tell me what I'm doing wrong!" She looked at the three Keyblade wielders.

Ah… what a wonderful way to break the ice. Riku opened his mouth only to have Kairi cut him off. "Why don't we talk in back?" She jumped up, and pulling the confused teen with her. "Are you crazy?" Kairi turned to face the girl.

The fan girl rolled her eyes. "Do I have to say it again? Yeah!"

Kairi face palmed herself. Okay, not the best approach. "What do you want from us?"

"Well… I want to stop making you guys hate me."

Well… That was straight forward. "Um…"

Tears brimmed the young girl's eyes. Was it too late? Was the damage done irreversible!? Was she doomed to be hated by Riku forever! This was unbearable! This was unfathomable! This was…

"Wha…? Is something wrong?" Kairi's brow drew in concern. Tal shook her head, and then shrugged.

"I'm just… ugh! I hate myself!" She turned away, biting back sobs. Never before would she have cared what Kairi thought but… if Kairi couldn't stand her then how could Riku!?

Said girl put an arm around the hurt protagonist. "It's just… you come off a little strong."

Tal wiped her eyes, sniffling. "Please… don't be so nice about it… I come off way strong don't I?"

Kairi nodded, smiling. "Yeah…"

"Wahhh! I knew it! I'm failure!"

The red head's eye twitched. "Shut up." She whispered harshly. Tal sucked in her lower lip staring at the girl. Did Kairi tell her to 'shut up?' Kairi, the nice one? "You need to quit doing that!" She firmly held the blubbering teen by her shoulders staring her down with such an intense look, that confused the misnamed teen.

Kairi had a backbone? Kairi could be forceful and scary? Kairi was actually helping her?

"You need to quit freaking out over everything. Quit crying all the time. Quit acting like the world revolves around you, because it doesn't."

Tal's nose twitched. What was Kairi blabbering about? Of course this whole adventure was about her, I mean, people just don't hop into other dimensions for no particular reason. They save the world and stuff. Maybe it would greatly behoove the young girl to share this information, so Tal opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Kairi.

"I hear something…" She murmured walking forward. Tal's lower lip stuck out. Man! This was so not cool. Not only was she denied Riku molesting privileges, but she kept getting cut off! Stomping her foot several times, she made an oath to herself. She would make those three endear her to the point of worshiping. She was a fan girl, and it was her right!

She followed Kairi, mentally preparing the speech that would make her awesome.

"Everyone take a seat!" Sora commanded, taking a hold of the steering wheel. "We're under attack from Heartless and Nobody forces."

Tal did take her seat, and she watched at Sora maneuvered somewhat skillfully through space. She watched Riku do alright with shooting down some of the forces. She watched Kairi not do so well.

"Kairi, don't let them hit us on the left flank!" Sora gripped the wheel tighter.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very good at this, Kyaa!" She screamed, as another attack broke through their defenses, further injuring the ship.

Tal unbuckled, unsteadily making her way to Kairi. It was just like the game. The controller, and everything, it was just like playing the game except for the whole being reality part. Another attack threatened to knock the protagonist off her feet.

She had finally reached Kairi, and clung to her seat. "Kairi. I know you're trying, but if we get hit one more time, we'll die." Sora turned to look at her, his blue eyes hard as steel.

"Let me give it a try." Tal murmured, scooting the girl off the seat, and taking control. Kairi plopped onto the floor, observantly watching Tal expertly take the controls, and beginning to decimate the enemies.

"Whoa, you're good." Kairi smiled. The fangirl didn't respond. She couldn't respond. She was the game, and the game was her. She was going to win because that's what she did. She bested the high scores, and she was going to best this one.

"Sora, flip the ship." She commanded. "Now!" Sora jumped, and willingly obliged. Kairi screamed, and desperately held onto the seat Tal was in. The protagonist didn't notice Kairi's dangling. She was winning.

Kairi's grip was slipping. "Sora." She said in between clenched teeth.

"Not yet." Tal yelled. "Just… a few… more…"

Kairi's grip slipped. The fangirl's hand reached out, securing on Kairi's wrist. "Flip the ship, dude."

Sora happily obliged. Unfortunately for Tal, Kairi landed on her lap.

"So… um… how's life?" The anime obsessed teen grinned widely. Kairi scrambled off her lap, blushing furiously.

Riku jumped up, and stormed over to Tal, spinning her seat to face him. "I could've taken them."

Tal stared at him wide eyed. The two factions in her mind duking it out. The side that was desperately in love with Riku said, "Gasp! You upset Riku-kun! Fiend! You call yourself a fangirl. Repent! Beg for mercy… and babies!" The competitive gamer side of her said: "Heh! You kicked so much butt, and he sucked so bad. Rub it in his face! Rub it in his face!

Both voices were quite unhelpful. She wanted Riku to like her. She wanted to rub her victory and superior gaming skills in his face as well.

"Um, well…" She didn't know where to begin, and she had no clue where to finish. She was faced with a conundrum.

"Riku. You were over your head. So was Kairi." Sora stated, unbuckling himself, and making his way to the three. "Fact is, she saved our lives." He turned to Tal, smiling. "You're psychotic, but you're not all bad."

Well, we all know now Sora's a retard. Here is the well defined reasoning for my prior statement: Tal is insane. She is a fangirl. Insane fangirls don't handle compliments very well, well due to their, um… insanity. Let us watch what happens…

"I was… helpful?" Her face blushed bright crimson. Sora's smile died. Both his and Riku's fangirl senses were tingling.

"You idiot!" Riku glared at Sora. "She's crazy and you go and compliment her?" Riku wasn't an idiot. He knew how to deal with a fangirl. One cannot be so angsty and not deal with them. Both boys watched like two deer caught in headlights at the terror that was about to unfold.

Said fangirl's eyes were growing extremely wide, and she was becoming very giggly. Kairi grabbed Tal by the collar of her shirt, hauling her out of the cabin in record speed. Leaving Sora and Riku to wonder what Kairi had to do with all this.

Entering the bedroom, she threw the bubbly muttering girl onto one of the cots.

"Hey!" She slapped Tal across the face. Tal blinked, then her eyes narrowed on the girl in front of her. "Don't give me that look. You were going crazy in there. I pulled you out before you made a fool of yourself."

Tal stood up slowly, her eyes never changing. Kairi stepped back, looking quite fearful. "Why?" She growled.

Kairi smiled hesitatingly. "Because… I didn't want you to do anything you'd regret. I think you're pretty cool, insanity aside."

The fangirl blinked. "You… think I'm cool?" Her lips parted slightly, looking quite vulnerable. Kairi nodded with a smile. "But why?"

Kairi shrugged, "I've been on a ship with two boys for three months. No girl friends. You're the first, and you're not all bad… insanity aside.."

A broad smile made it's way to Tal's face. So Kairi liked her after all. Well… she wasn't Riku, but if Kairi was willing to beat the fangirl quirks out of her, he might be hers yet. "So any time I start acting crazy, just slap me or something."

Kairi winked. "Sure thing."

Tal officially amended her view of Kairi. The only way she could hate the girl now was if she hooked up with Riku, which obviously wasn't going to happen because she liked Sora. Finally, finally! Things were looking up for the protagonist.

She followed Kairi out into the cabin. Riku cautiously peaked over his shoulder, giving Tal the stink eye. The victim of this ugly stare glared back.

That's when it hit her. She had an idea. It was crazy, unorthodox, and totally against the laws of physics, but it could work.

Sora raised an eyebrow at the grinning girl. Kairi warily glanced over her shoulder as she made her way to her seat. Tal leisurely sat back, smiling broadly. "Where to next Sora?"

The Keyblade Master began fiddling with his navigation. "We are on our way to Radiant Garden." This definitely peaked Tal's interest. Finally she could meet Squall and Cloud. Maybe maim Yuffie, and replace Cid's toothpick or whatever with a cigarette.

Also she could finally get to try Sea Salt ice cream.

"Why are we going there?"

Riku turned in his chair to face her. "That's none of your business."

Time to put the plan into action. "Hey, Emo Boy. I didn't ask you." She smirked. Riku twitched. Oh that was satisfying.

Despite their attempts to remain neutral, the two younger people in the cabin started laughing. The white haired boy glared at them, but they didn't pay him any mind. "You're crazy." He growled directing his glare at Tal again.

The girl laughed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, and you're emo. Point being?" He spun around in his chair facing away from her. "So, what is the purpose of going to Radiant Garden."

Sora sighed, letting a silence settle in the cabin. Now Tal, psychotic as she may be, wasn't a fool. She knew when to shut up, and right now was one of those moments.

"Evil forces are stirring."

The girl snorted, and laughed out loud. The three friends turned to face her with incredulous looks. The protagonist noticed her blunder, and sucked in her lower lip fighting off the urge for another bout of laughter. "Sorry, it's just… Aren't evil forces always stirring?"

Food for thought. It was at this moment he saw the truth in that question. "Yeah…"

"Do you know anything about it?" The boy slowly shook his spiky head. Of course not. He wouldn't know squat until he was finally facing off with the foe.

"I'm hoping Leon will know more about what's going on."

She nodded. "Oh I'm sure he will." The three friends stared at her. "What?"

"You know Leon?"

Oops. The not so beloved girl made a blunder as is the price for being "all-knowing." Or did she make a faux pas? Why would she hide her origins? As far as these three were concerned, she was inconsequential, but, if by enlightening them of her status as inter-dimensional traveler, she could gain official rights for tagging along without being some lame baggage. She had to tell them! For the sake of her already damaged fangirl ego, and the possible plot that was unfolding at her wake.

"I come from another world." She even added in the dramatic voice effects, and shifting her gaze pinning each listener with her eyes.

Riku snorted, Kairi and Sora shared the same look. "Get on with it." The white haired teen couldn't look more enthused.

The fangirl resisted the urge to hug him and sob at the same time. Ironically the look he was giving her was identical to the one Axel gave her the first and last time she met him. Oh the bitter rejection that haunts her to this moment

"Okay," she took a deep breath. "So, I was like in Clark Park, chillin' with my bf Rae, and like she was playing with a duck. Then I saw black ooze. I touched the ooze and then woke up in the Castle that Never Was. There I met Axel and…" Her voice cracked. Did she dare enlighten them of her rejection? No, it was far too painful.

"Never mind." She sucked in air, blinking back the tears begging to come. "But, so Saix was coming for me so I jumped out a window, and I was falling in nothingness, and it was awful, and I was hungry…" She frowned. She still was hungry.

"Um, how do you know Leon?" Sora wondered if half sentences were normal for her, or bad grammar in general. Actually he wondered if her missing a few marbles was normal where she came from.

Tal rolled her eyes. "I was getting to that. So, like where I come from you guys are in a video game."

Words couldn't describe the strange looks she was receiving from the trio.

"That's how I know you! See, I'm not insane… mostly." The last part she muttered under her breath looking away.

Riku slightly squinted. "Please enlighten us about this video game."

Gasp. Shock. Riku was interested in Tal… or more like what she had to say, but Tal related nonetheless! "Of course my darling Riku!" He recoiled at the statement. "So it's called Kingdom Hearts. It's about you, Sora." She pointed to the named character. "And, you darl- er, Riku are the antagonist. Kairi is mostly the driving plot for the game." The three still looked perturbed. There was a video game about them? And they weren't getting any of the shares?

"So, yeah. That's how I know everyone."

"So then… we're just characters in your world?" Kairi looked distressed.

Tal shrugged, nodding slightly. "Yeah. So?"

Riku's face became more miserable. "We're not real?"

Oh man. The protagonist felt a great sense of foreboding. What did I do? She couldn't get the episode of the Fairly Odd Parents out of her head when the Chin discovered he was a comic book character.

If that were to play out here, the results would be catastrophic! Riku had enough angst and power to effectively destroy the galaxy. Kairi was her only friend, and if Kairi went catatonic it would drive Sora to vengeance… on Tal's face! Oh man!

"But, it's a good thing! It really is!" she screamed, starting to hyperventilate. "It's good because you guys are famous."

Sora crossed his arms, frowning. "We're made up? But then, how are you here?"

"Well that's obvious. To make love to Riku-" Crap. She so didn't mean to say that. It was involuntary. Like breathing. Alas the curse of the fangirl, spouting random lustly desires, hoping said bishie take full advantage. Sadly Riku wasn't picking up on this.

"Ugh, that's sick." Riku snarled. This earned a pouty look from the protagonist. How could Riku reject someone who was willing to sate his lustly desires?

Unless he was gay.

"Hey Riku. Are you gay?" Ah, how we all love the straightforwardness of it all. How many people get the chance to ask this? No one. Tal was definitely going to have to take advantage of the rights to interrogate everyone with questions that were plaguing people like her for years.

The white haired boy spluttered. He made faces. He snarled. "I will not justify that question with an answer."

"Oh. So then you're gay."

Snarl. Splutter. Growl. Glare. "Yes." His voice dripped with sarcasm. Of course he was straight. Why would this insipid girl ask otherwise? She must have it out for him. That's why she was acting like this now. Sadly for Riku, his sarcasm was deleted from Tal's brain so all she heard was the conviction of his answer.

"Wow. I was only kidding… kind of. I'm sort of sorry I asked."

Riku resisted the urge to attack the girl and smack her over the head. Sora was afraid to interfere. After the recent developments, he wasn't sure how he felt about this girl, and decided they would address the issue of her origins with Leon.

Kairi was at a loss of what to do. With the impending identity crisis, Riku's mental stability and torture brought on by his own cruelty sat at the bottom of her list.

The fangirl noticed she wasn't being rebuked for her behavior. Now Tal had two options. To be deep or to be shallow? Whether 'tis nobler to show concern for others or to cover ones own hide, this was what plagued the young girl.

The unremitting growl from her stomach had the final verdict: Feed me for cripes sake!

"Um... do you have food on this ship?" Drama aside, the girl's hunger remained persistent, and had yet to be satisfied. She could do damage control later.

"Yeah, in the back on the room to the left, that's our kitchen." Kairi absently gestured to the back of the ship, her eyes vacant.

"Thanks, you want anything?"

"No." Sora sounded like how Kairi looked.

"No. Riku?" Kairi looked towards the sulking white haired boy.

Said boy grunted, refusing to look at anybody, still fuming. The hungry girl pointedly ignored their pathetic dispositions. She would take care of that later, and danced her way into the kitchen. She was quite pleased that Sora kept his kitchen well stocked.

She found a cup of instant ramen decided that would be her meal. Once finally meeting one of her basic needs, she headed back to the cabin. "So, how much longer until we reach Radiant Garden?"

"At least seven more hours."

The fangirl gasped. "Seven hours?" She was actually hoping for some instant travel, as was in the game. I mean, the longest you had to travel was for like five whopping seconds before you reached your destination. Actual laws of physics, and space and time didn't apply. Technically as far as the game was concerned, everything pretty much existed in the same galaxy.

"So… What do you guys do in-between departure and arrival time?" Already the dear girl had begun to formulate plans of what she was to do to entertain herself. A thorough "not personal" interrogation perhaps. Some therapy for identity issues. Sing longs for bonding. Maybe a story time, and somewhere in the mix a game.

I apologize for the long chapter. I didn't know where to cut if off so I just kind of kept going and going.I can only hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. Has anyone noticed that we have no idea what Tal looks like?

Now time for shout outs to the people who make this fic worth it.

Three Cheers For Treason: Well, I'm thankful that I can make you lol, and I am continuing, slowly, but surely.

Yumi-Loves-Axel: Although I find it a little alarming that I've "described you down to a T," I guess it's kind of cool. But a thing to keep in mind, when making fun of Tal I happen to be mocking myself in my former years… so then at one time I guess we must've been a lot a like.

Kiexa: It is good to see my mocking is for naught. I can only hope this is what you would expect. And to attempt to comfort your Axel/Zexy fandom, I believe deep down we are all fangirls, now depending on the extremes, that's a whole other story.

So, now our dear protagonist has some issues to work through. Poor Kairi, the only one who showed her any support is having a severe identity crisis. It's a shame Tal can't catch a break for long.

Until next time.