A/N Everything belongs to Square Enix and Disney. I own nothing but the plot.


Chapter 7

~Day 71~

"Hard workers, I salute you!" Demyx called to no one in particular from his familiar spot on the couch. Kairi rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the Moogle.

"This bracelet will really double the strength of my cure spells?"

"Of course, kupo!"

"Alright..." Kairi dug around in her pockets, pulling out munny as she found it until she had passed the right amount to the Moogle. She accepted the silver and green band and tied it around her wrist. No immediate effects were shown, but she would no doubt find out as soon as she went on a mission.

When she turned to go to Saïx to receive her orders, she nearly walked into a black mass, but her quick instincts (developed by Xigbar and Demyx scaring her one time too many) allowed her to put up a magical barrier that threw the mass away from her. Roxas let out a cry as he bounced off the transparent purple orb surrounding Kairi. He fell backwards onto and over the nearby table, straight to the feet of a now annoyed Demyx, though No. IX also seemed surprised at Kairi for a reason she could not place. The barrier faded as soon as Kairi realized what she had done, and she quickly ran to help Roxas stand. "So sorry, Roxas!"

"It's okay..." The sun-haired No. XIII rubbed his now bruised head as Kairi pulled him to his feet. "I was just going to ask if you've seen Xion today."

"Haven't, sorry." One hand went to Kairi's chin and the other to her elbow. "Actually, I haven't seen her in several days."

"Roxas, your mission is to defeat shadow globs in Twilight Town." Saïx must have decided they needed to get in the field before they could accidentally kill each other. "Kairi, you are to do the same thing in Agrabah. Roxas will bring you back to the castle when you are both done."

After handing them each a sheet of white paper with information on the shadow globs, Saïx continued listing the assignments to the others in the room, leaving the two teens to their thoughts. "Looks like this will give me a chance to test out some more of the magic I've been learning," Kairi mused.

"I really don't use that much magic. My Keyblade's always been stronger. Maybe I should ask the Moogle if he has anything to help me out..."

"I'd be careful with him. I'm still not convinced his stuff works." She pocketed the paper. "I'm going to go on out. See you afterwards?" Roxas nodded, and opened a Corridor of Darkness for her. "Don't forget."

When she arrived in the Bazaar, it was made evident that the city had been doing a much better job of picking itself back up after the sandstorm. Though not open, more of the shops were set up, the sand was not piled quite so high, and she could hear movement from within the buildings suggesting that people actually lived there again. Thankfully, no one was out and about yet, leaving the entire market to her alone. Well, her, and a bunch of shadow globs. From where she stood, she could only see two globs: one above one of the booths, and the other in the center of four equidistant windows that made a square. The first one she could jump to, but the second would no doubt require magic.

Kairi didn't have long before everyone woke up, so she quickly pulled herself on top of the line of stands and started running across them to the shadow glob, all the while keeping an eye out for Heartless. None had shown by the time she made it to the shadow glob, and a couple whacks of her Keyblade had it fading away. Perfect.

No Heartless appeared in the time it took her to run to a spot where she could fire her magic at the shadow glob, which only concerned her more. Were they planning to ambush her? She could definitely feel a presence of darkness, but she was not able to place it anywhere. Perhaps that was the effect of the shadow globs.

A journey through the city and to the palace gates left not a shadow glob in Agrabah- as far as Kairi could tell, anyway. Saïx had never specified just how many she needed to eliminate, so she could not safely assume she had gotten rid of the required amount. As the sun began to warm up the sand-city, and the people began to scramble to be the first to the market, Kairi found herself sitting on the upper level of an abandoned corner of the city, her feet dangling over the edge as she twirled Rainfell in her hand. Aside from the shadow globs, she had not run into a single Heartless. Was it the same with Roxas in Twilight Town?

"Where is he, anyway?" she mumbled to herself. Surely it could not take him that long to defeat a few blobs of darkness! Was he sulking about Castle Oblivion again?

The darkness was upon her before she could even realize what the shift in her gut meant. She barely raised her Keyblade in time to avoid the strike from behind, but the Neoshadow's swing still knocked her down off the wall. Four Fat Bandits came around her. Kairi started coughing up dirt, and her shakes made it hard to try and possibly stand. The arm of a Fat Bandit made contact with the side of her face, and she was thrown into the round body of one of his companions. She could feel the blood rushing to where the Heartless had hit her. She was too lightheaded to even think about moving. The Fat Bandit she had been knocked into locked its arms around her, holding her against its body as its companion reared back to shoot a fireball at her.

Rainfell was stuck in a position where she could not strike, but she could still cast. The haze on her mind lifted just enough for her to whisper "Cure" against her coughs. The green aura surrounded her and absorbed the fireball just before it could singe her face. The Fat Bandit released her in surprise. Her coughing had stopped the moment the spell had been initiated, and she quickly tightened her grip on Rainfell and swung for the Fat Bandit. Unfortunately, she had forgotten that straight attacks were useless again the round Heartless. Her Keyblade arced off its body in the same way it had struck, setting Kairi off balance. Kairi gathered her bearings just in time to jump from another attack and between two of the Heartless, getting herself outside their circle... and into a larger circle of Neoshadows and Luna Bandits. Her earlier suspicions were correct. Ambush.

A block to the Neoshadows only resulted in a strike from behind from the Fat Bandits. She recovered and countered. She continued doing this, trying her best to block the attacks, but so many were coming at once, she soon was not even able to tell if her cures were working, much less the bracelet she had gotten. Where in the worlds was Roxas?!

A flash of white, and the vague feeling of blood flowing from the back of her head. She did not even feel the actual hit. Kairi collapsed, Rainfell dropping just from the reach of her curled fingers. The fall knocked the wind out of her, and she gasped for breath, only to start coughing again. Except this time, it was not just dirt she was coughing out. Blood swam around in her mouth, staining the sandy ground below her. Black dots tainted her vision. Her body shook with every burn, every strike, but the scariest part to her was that she could not even feel it anymore.

A curse to Roxas and the fact that he really did forget about her was threatening to be coughed out when she registered No. XIII himself calling out her name. The darkness around her lessened as Heartless began to dissipate. Something locked around her shoulders and lifted her off the ground. A foreign voice, and then a warm, bitter liquid was moving down her throat. Kairi gasped as she felt all her wounds closing up. As the ringing disappeared from her ears, laughter replaced it. "Carry an elixir around next time and don't be so cocky about your magic! Got it memorized?"

"Axel! More are appearing!" It was Roxas, again. Kairi's vision straightened, and her sense of balance returned to her. The lanky red-head she knew as Axel yanked her the rest of the way to her feet as soon as she grabbed Rainfell. Roxas stood a few feet off, the Kingdom Key in hand. Axel released Kairi and held out his arms. Flames gathered around his fists and turned into two identical chakrams.

"Block and counter. We're in no rush." Another chuckle escaped Axel as he lazily spun his chakrams in his arms. The two teens obeyed without a word, and though it took longer than a more offensive approach, there was not a single other wound to speak of when all the Heartless had finally been defeated. The fight also gave Kairi time to get over the shock that a dead man just saved her life.

As soon as it was over, Kairi turned to Axel and indignantly said, "I wasn't being cocky! I've just never used an elixir before. I've hardly even heard of them."

"They're the third best thing in the worlds! You're welcome for saving your life, by the way."

"If I had been picked up on time..." Kairi grit her teeth together. The prospect of Axel being another whose sole mission was to make her squeal immediately put her on the offensive, though she managed to let Rainfell fade from her hands. "What happened? I thought everyone at Castle Oblivion was... you know..."

"Then you thought wrong. As it turns out, I'm the only one who survived."

"But how?! Why are you just showing up now?" Her eyes widened as a realization hit her, and she immediately turned to Roxas. "Is that why you're late picking me up?"

The boy was not even paying attention to her, and was instead looking off into the distance. Kairi followed his gaze, but saw nothing. When she called for him, he turned to her and Axel, then asked, "What are the first and second best things in the worlds?"

Axel chuckled at the question, and muttered something about zombies before saying, "Sea-salt ice cream is the first." A Corridor of Darkness opened. "Now, I get the feeling the noise of that fight didn't go unnoticed by the locals. Shall we go? While we're heading back, you can explain to me about that fancy Keyblade of yours."

"What's there to explain if you already know what it is?" Kairi asked as she followed Roxas inside. As best as she could tell, he was still trying to figure out what the "second best thing" was.

"How about we start with when you got it, what happened, and how the heeeeeeck you can wield one." Axel barely caught himself from saying something that he clearly deemed unnecessary for their, as he would later call them, "virgin ears."

"A few weeks ago, I was being murdered by Neoshadows, and I don't know how wielding them works."

"You're running around swinging an oversized Key at demons and you don't even know why?"

Kairi stopped walking as soon as she was out of the corridor, and Axel nearly ran into her. Roxas had stopped just a few feet ahead of them, and Kairi pointed to him as she said, "He probably doesn't know either!"

"Know what?" Roxas clearly was still not paying any attention.

Axel threw back his head in laughter as he walked past them and down the hall to his room. "You people need to get it memorized! Man, I'm getting the idea the Organization isn't going to be anything like it was before I left."

As No. VIII disappeared through his door, Roxas turned back to Kairi. His face was back to its usual state of innocent puppy. "What do you think the second best thing in the worlds is?"

That question directed at her was not expected. Kairi's mouth parted to answer, but nothing would come. She could not really think of anything. "I don't know... I'd have to decide on the first before I do that."

"You don't think it's sea-salt ice cream?"

"I've never had any."

"Oh... it's really good. You should try it." Silence. "Well, goodbye, Kairi." He started for his room, then stopped, and glanced over his shoulder, smiling sheepishly. "And, uh, sorry for being late."

Once he was gone, Kairi leaned against the wall and let out a breath she did not know she had been holding. Now that she was alone, she finally let her mind function at its full. How was Axel alive when Xigbar said everyone at Castle Oblivion died? What past gathering hearts did Axel think was so great about a Keyblade? How did all of those Heartless manage to sneak up on her like that? What were Axel and Roxas doing that made him so late to come and pick her up? And, though it bothered her that she was bothered by such a thing, what was the second best thing in the worlds?

A groan escaped her as she realized she probably should not have freed her thoughts just yet. Kairi rubbed her temples as she walked to the Grey Area. Saïx was looking out the window, his golden eyes locked on some point in space that, to Kairi at least, held no true value. He was staring so intently, she almost turned around and backed out of approaching him. For an emotionless guy, he seemed to be exceptional at making her feel uncomfortable. He was on her list with Xigbar, Demyx, and, depending on how things went over the next few days, possibly Axel.

"There were a lot of Heartless in Agrabah," she finally said. She stayed in the doorway, as if she intended to escape. Saïx never turned to her. "More than usual. I just... if I needed to go back... tomorrow and collect... yeah..."

Just as she was thinking (hoping) he had not heard her, "I will send you and Roxas for your mission tomorrow."

That last word was her key for dismissal, and Kairi had no problem turning on heel and speed-walking to the safe haven that was her room.


~72~

It was decided very early that morning that she would not enter the Grey Area until she had come up with a logical solution to all of her questions. Axel played dead because he was scared of Saïx. Keyblades must have greater magic ability than chakrams. The shadow globs had dulled her sense of the darkness. Roxas, being so slow-minded, had taken a lot longer than her to accept that Axel was alive and that he was not seeing things. And the second best thing, from Axel's point of view, must be fire.

These answers seemed satisfying enough, and Kairi did not want to keep Roxas waiting for too long to go on their mission. She peaked out her door into the hallway, and scowled when she saw an all too familiar Dusk standing by her door. She had found out a few days after Demyx had first shown her magic that it actually was the surviving one. It had been outside her door each morning since. Kairi stepped outside and locked her door with the Keyblade, before giving another look to the Dusk. "What's wrong with you?" Of course, it didn't respond. They never responded to her. Surely they were not still mad at her for killing that one Dusk!

When Kairi made it to the Grey Area, she was almost immediately put on guard by the fact that Roxas was grinning to a point she would almost describe as freakish. What had him so happy? Did the elixirs at the Moogle Shop go on sale? She would have to check that out. Axel would not again shame her like he did the day before. "Hey, Roxas, you almost ready?"

"Saïx is actually sending me out with Axel to Agrabah today." Roxas's grin suddenly faded, and his face held confusion while his eyes reflected sadness. "He said I'm a 'slap on the wrist.' Why would he say that?"

Honestly, as bad as it was to think in such a way, Kairi was just glad she was not the slap on the wrist. "I don't know... so what am I supposed to do today?"

"I think Saïx said you have some kind of evaluation. Axel's waiting for me, so I've got to go. See you later!" Roxas's grin returned as he went to find the Flurry of Dancing Flames. Kairi's eyebrows knit together. He sure was fond of No. VIII.

These thoughts were soon fading from Kairi's mind as she fully grasped what Roxas had said, and her breath hitched. Last time she had an evaluation, she had completely humiliated herself. Admittedly, that was before she had gained the Keyblade, and she was a lot stronger now. But the evaluation would probably also be a lot harder.

"Kairi, today you will be put under an endurance evaluation. Xigbar will be overseeing."

That was even worse than collecting emblems! Kairi squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth together. Endurance meant a bunch of crap would be thrown her way, and if Xigbar was overseeing it... she was doomed. Kairi turned to No. VII as he turned away from her and went to his usual spot by the window.

A chill ran up Kairi's spine, and she spun around, fully expecting Xigbar to be there in an attempt to scare her. Only a white wall waited behind her. A frustrated sigh passed through her lips. She was way too jumpy. That was probably why they liked to spook her so much.

"I hear you're with me today, Princess." She didn't shriek this time, but accidentally made a magical barrier come up around her as she spun to the disturbance and summoned her Keyblade. Xigbar was smart enough to stay out of range of the barrier, and was smirking at her with his one eye. "I've got my own mission today, so I'd prefer we get this done ASAP. Meet me in the Hall of Empty Melodies."

Without giving any insight as to what she may be doing, the Freeshooter teleported away. For several minutes, Kairi stood still in the Grey Area, alone once Saïx teleported out for his own mission. Everyone else had already left, excluding the Moogle. After she was sure the waves of frustration and panic had passed, Kairi dismissed Rainfell, and ran down to the Hall of Empty Melodies. Time to get it over with. She would probably hide in the library afterward, and pray Saïx did not chew her out if the results were bad.

"What am I supposed to be doing?" Kairi asked when she finally arrived at the lower level of the hall. Xigbar was standing on the balcony above, his elbows boredly propped up on the side as he looked down onto the platform where she stood.

Xigbar finally snapped his fingers, and four Dusks appeared, each in a corner of the platform. Kairi took in the quick change, before looking back up to Xigbar, who was smirking as always. In those days, she mostly managed to ignore that snide cast of his lips and eyes, but for the moment, the ominousity it cast was pulling at the edges of her nerves. It was taking all of her control to stay calm. It was just Dusks, after all. It could not be that bad of a test, right?

"We get to see how long you can go in there with the Dusks attacking you before you either call a stop or go unconscious. Have fun!"

Kairi's jaw slacked, and she was too busy gawking at Xigbar to notice the first Dusk that slithered up behind her until it struck its legs like a whip across the back of her head.


"Alright, cut it out." The spindly arms finally ceased their assault and slithered away from the blood-covered young girl in the center of the platform. Kairi slowly lifted her head from the cocoon she had made in her arms and shoulders and uncurled, at first too dazed to notice Xigbar's laughing. "You made it thirty minutes in this thing without killing a single Dusk or getting KO'd. Impressive, Princess."

Kairi grit her teeth and tried to roll onto her back, but the cuts and gashes burned too much, so she ended up on her side again. The raw, split skin across her back, on her legs, and on the parts of her arms that she had left unprotected was oozing with blood. A weak cure spell came around her, slowing the bleeding and easing the pain just enough that she was able to stand. She would have much rather been knocked out and suffer only minor pestering than withdraw and have them going on for over a week. It seemed, though, that she would not have to suffer either, since Xigbar was the one who called it off. "So... I'm done?"

"Pretty much." Xigbar threw a small bottle down at her. She almost missed it, as her reflexes had slowed thanks to her blood loss. As soon as it was secured in her hands, Kairi yanked the lid off the potion and lifted the bitter green liquid to her lips. Since she refused to attack Dusks, the potions went quickly, and thanks to all the barriers she tried to put up there was hardly enough energy in her to try cure spells. If Xigbar had let it run for even a minute longer, she would probably be unconscious. "Roxas had only been here sixteen days when he lasted an hour with hardly a scratch."

The bottle fell from Kairi's hands and shattered. Her fist clenched where she had been holding the potion, then slowly lowered back to her side as she wordlessly left the room. Xigbar had again fulfilled his duty to upset her. Why did she have to be compared to Roxas, the Key of Destiny?

Since her problem was not really with Roxas, but rather with Xigbar's comparing her to Roxas (and everyone else who did it through thought,) she assumed her anger would evaporate rather quickly. But combined with all the other stress and annoyance from the past day- nearly being killed by a horde of Heartless because Axel distracted Roxas, Axel playing dead and then returning like nothing had happened, the insult to her magic, and then the entire present day as a whole- she did not relax a bit until she was sitting down in the castle's library, retreating there as she had previously planned. She just needed something to help her unwind, she decided. She was actually feeling a bit ridiculous about storming out of the training hall, and could only hope Xigbar would have no need to bring it up again.

Sighing, Kairi sat crosslegged against one of the bookshelves and scanned the titles along the other side of the row. Just like it did in her dreams, even just being in the presence of the books did wonders for calming her down. She almost felt like she could see the old library from her dreams again, with no annoying coworkers and a day of adventure awaiting her. Even some of the titles were similar to the books she had seen in that library. They were all familiar to her, but she did not realize just how familiar until she saw "The Mastery of Illusionary Magic- Zexion" printed in gold letters along the binding.

It wasn't the title that was familiar, but something else. Kairi reached over to the shelf and pulled the book down. That name, the one of the author, was what had drawn her attention. One of the former Organization XIII members, yes, but seeing it in writing, she noticed that there was something simply different about it than just a Zexion she had heard a few souls talk about.

Her finger slid over the "X," and her mind automatically rearranged the letters to spell "Ienzo."


A/N Clearly Kairi doesn't get the whole deal about the Keyblades choosing people. Actually, she has many misconceptions about a lot of things, due to her memory issues. So, just remember, the misconceptions are hers, not mine.

Thought 14: Why didn't the pasts of the Organization members play any decent part in the canon story?

Merry (late) Christmas, and Happy New Year!