When Sora, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles returned to the fox's workshop in the Mystic Ruins the next day, to their surprise they found Riku, in his normal clothes, sitting on the front step.
"You guys didn't leave the door unlocked for me." Riku told them.
"Riku? You're back already?" Sora asked. "What did you find out?"
"Shadow and Daxsowh are one and the same." Riku told them. "Organization XIII used a dark Keyblade to seal Shadow's heart away, in himself, to make him like a Heartless. Sora, I think your master Keyblade might be able to undo what the dark Keyblade did, and make Shadow whole again."
"Yeah!" Sonic cheered, and Tails added, "We can save Shadow!"
"But I assume we have to trap him before we can stab him with a Keyblade." Sora spoke up. "How are we going to do that?"
Sonic held up a finger. "That's easy." He told Sora. "Daxsowh (since he's still a Nobody, we'll call him that for now) has six of the seven Chaos Emeralds. He has every Emerald but the green one. We'll set a trap for him there."
"But how are we going to find the green one?" Riku asked.
"I know!" Tails spoke up. "We can use my computer to track the location of the Chaos Emerald!"
The group hurried into Tails' workshop. The fox hurriedly turned the computer on, and Sonic and the others watched as the computer booted.
"Soon, Daxsowh, very soon…"
Xemnas was sitting in his chair in the meeting room in Castle Oblivion. Sitting at two other place around the table were Vexen and Saix.
"I have a suspicion that Daxsowh might betray us." Xemnas announced. "Saix, go find Daxsowh and make sure he retrieves the last Emerald. Vexen, get the other Emeralds and come with me. We're going to the entrance to Kingdom Hearts. Saix, meet us there when you're done."
He stared at the wall, emblazoned with the Guardian Unit of Nations symbol. The last Chaos Emerald, the green one, was in those walls somewhere.
But entering now would be risky. No, better to wait for darkness to fall. Then he would attack.
He gave a small hollow laugh, and then slipped back into the forest to wait for nightfall.
Soon he, Daxsowh, would have the final Chaos Emerald in his grasp. Then he would have his heart and memories back.
Sora moped around Tails' kitchen. "How long is that computer going to take?" He asked.
Sonic, busily devouring a chili dog, shrugged.
As if to answer Sora's question, Riku and Tails burst into the room a moment later.
"We found the Emerald!" Riku announced.
"It's in the G.U.N. base." Tails added.
"That's a long ways away from here." Sonic told them.
"I can take Sora and Riku and Knuckles with me in the Cyclone." Tails said. "And Sonic, you can run. We might make it there before Daxsowh does."
Sonic raced through the town, heading towards the G.U.N. base. Following him over head was the Cyclone, which was carrying Sora, Riku, Tails, and Knuckles.
The sun was starting to set in the West.
"We don't have much time now," Sonic said as he noticed it. Then he took off, using an extra burst of speed, and tailed by the Cyclone.
"This is the entrance to Kingdom Hearts?" Vexen asked as he looked around.
"Yes." Xemnas replied. "All we need now is for either Daxsowh or Saix to bring the last Chaos Emerald."
The wall was high, but not high enough to stop him. Without hesitation, Daxsowh took a running leap and vaulted over the G.U.N. base wall. He hit the ground and took off running.
A few G.U.N soldiers patrolling the grounds looked up in surprise as a dark blur went zipping by them.
"What do you think that was?" One of them asked.
"Maybe it was the wind." Another suggested.
Daxsowh quietly slipped into the base and down the main hall. The Chaos Emerald was here; he could sense its power.
"Shadow?"
Daxsowh swung around to see the G.U.N. Commander standing there.
"What happened to you?" He asked the Nobody.
Instead of answering, Daxsowh swung out with his swords. A moment later, the Commander fell to the ground, knocked out by the blow.
"No one is going to stop me from getting my heart this time." Daxsowh told him, and then the Nobody stormed away into the building.
Sonic raced up the wall that surrounded the G.U.N. base and jumped to the ground on the other side as the Cyclone came in for a landing.
"Let's go!" The blue hedgehog called as the other hastily exited the ship.
"What's going on?" The G.U.N. soldier from earlier asked.
"Maybe we'll have time to explain someday." Sonic said as he raced by, followed closely by the others.
In an empty room deep in the G.U.N case, Daxsowh stood at the top of a pavilion similar to the one on Angel Island. G.U.N. had built it to hold their Chaos Emerald. But the green Emerald was still sitting there.
He was walking back down the steps to the floor when Sonic, Sora, and the rest burst in.
For a moment, no one moved. Then Daxsowh turned to Riku.
"You're Riku?" He asked the white-haired boy.
"Yes." Riku replied.
"What do you know about a dark Keyblade Organization XIII is using?" Daxsowh asked him.
Tails gave him a confused look. "Who told you about that?"
"Never mind!" Daxsowh said impatiently. "What do you know about it?"
"Organization XIII used it to turn you into a Heartless." Riku told him.
"Then what Axel told me was true." Daxsowh muttered to himself.
"Sora can help you get your heart back, if you want." Riku added.
"I won't need Kingdom Hearts?" Daxsowh asked.
Riku shook his head no.
"Fine." The Mobian Nobody said, and he turned to Sora.
Notwithstanding, Sora pulled out his Keyblade and stuck Daxsowh through the heart with it. A moment later Daxsowh's eyes closed, and he slumped to ground
Noting the shocked expressions on the faces of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, Riku told them, "Don't worry, he'll be fine."
"Well, well, will the intrusions never cease?" Sonic, Sora, and the others (except Daxsowh) turned back to the Emerald pavilion.
"Do you have nothing better to do but interfere in Organization XIII's plans?" Saix, who was standing on top of the pavilion, asked.
Sora brandished his Keyblade at the Nobody. "What do you want, Saix?" He asked.
"I already have what I want." Saix said as he held up the green Chaos Emerald.
"What!?" Sonic demanded.
"Put the Emerald down!" Sora demanded. "Or we will fight you for it!"
"Fight this." Saix calmly replied.
From dark portal that opened on the base of the pavilion, thousands of simple Heartless came pouring out.
The heroes braced themselves for battle as Saix watched.
"Good luck." He added just as calmly, and then he portaled away.
"Sonic Wind!" The blast of blue energy cut through the ranks of the Heartless. Sonic dodged another Heartless and then spindashed ten more.
Sora cut two down with his Keyblade.
"Hey look," Sonic told him. "We're starting to win."
"What you had doubts?" Sora asked.
Behind the heroes, Daxsowh, now back to Shadow, was starting to wake up.
"Uhh… What happened?" Shadow asked as he attempted to wake up.
Sonic noticed that the other hedgehog was awake. "Daxsowh, you're awake!"
"Daxsowh?" Shadow asked. "Who in the world…" He trailed off, suddenly remembering the events of the last few days.
Saix turning him into a Heartless…
Working for Organization XIII…
Collecting the Chaos Emeralds and giving them to Xemnas…
Fighting Sora and Sonic and the others…
And Axel…
Being manipulated by Xemnas…
"Xemnas." Shadow growled as he pulled himself to his feet. He was no longer wearing the long coat of Organization XIII, but had his hover shoes and gloves back. Except one gold wristband, which he pulled out of hammerspace and slid onto his wrist.
"Yeah, Xemnas is the guy who's responsible for most of this mess." Riku told him.
"And he's probably getting into Kingdom Hearts right now!" Sora added.
"So what are you waiting for?" Knuckles asked. "The Heartless are nearly defeated here. Tails and I can handle the rest of them. Sora, you and the others should go after the Nobodies!"
Sora nodded, and then used his Keyblade to open a keyhole. He jumped through it, followed by Sonic, Shadow, and Riku."
"You're not gonna win, Xemnas!"
T.A.R.N.S.: Woot! We are getting there! I can hardly wait 'til the next chapter! Anyway, please review and tell me what you thought! (Nyoshi took the day off, lol.)