A.N.: So, update time! Thank you all who reviewed/faved/followed the last chapter, means a hell of a lot. I would of updated sooner, but we had a death in the family, and we are trying to work through that currently. Even though I wasn't close to my grandmother, my dad is hurting pretty bad, so I have to be there for him and my mom at least. This chapter seemed to be jagged to me, so I apologize for it. However, I did like writing it.

Warnings: Boy love, swearing, blood, odd dreams that make no damn sense .

Pairings: ZexionxDemyx, AxelxRoxas, RikuxSora, and possibly, more I haven't decided. One thing you need to understand is that these couples are not set in stone, as for who 'tops'. Things like that tend not to work that way in real life, and they won't work that way in this story. Hell, it may be quite awhile before we see any couple like action at all. It will come though, just give it time.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Never will.

"Well...I have 'I'm-going-to-stab-Marluxia' senses, and right now, they're tingling like crazy" - Ansem Retort

" Do you know why sunsets are so red? It's the color that can be seen for the longest distance. "

" Who asked?"

Laughter.

This, without a doubt, was his favorite place to be, shoulder to shoulder, company as easy as breathing. The sunset was slowly dimming into twilight, which would darken into night. Axel had flopped backwards, just his legs handing over the edge of the clock tower.

Roxas kept watching, waiting, hoping she would show. With a deep, startling, sense of sadness, he dropped the ice cream stick off the edge of the tower, watching it twist and twirl, until he couldn't see it hit the ground.

" She's not coming."

Axel grunted, sitting up abruptly. He looked at Roxas, with something that the blond would almost call frustration. Roxas was personally startled, at the almost stormy look on the skinny man's face. He knew Axel wasn't overly fond of her, but he didn't think he hated her.

" Did you really think she would, Roxas? She left us, you, for God knows what."

Roxas felt his expression tighten, face pulling into that was something more like a pissed scowl as he regarded his friend.

" You don't know that. Something could of happened, something we don't know about."

Axel snorted, clearly disbelieving. He stood, however, offering Roxas a hand up. There were times, where he was sure that his friend was hiding something from him. Not telling him everything, and it hurt, to know that Axel was keeping secrets about people he cared about.

If that was even possible, for a nobody.

" Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Roxas took his hand, and stood up, rather tired of the conversation already. Axel watched him, something in his chest snarling violently at the regret and sorrow he was showing about something that wasn't even worth it. It whined, knowing it would never be directed where he thought it was.

He opened a portal to the corridors of darkness, and walked in, waiting for Roxas to follow him. He didn't expect to feel a splitting agony in his skull, and then nothing.

Acid green eyes snapped open, and Axel found himself staring at the ceiling, above his bed. God, that had been one of the worst of his life. Non-life. Whatever. He still wasn't sure how he had forgotten everything. The eighth member of the organization ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes against the sudden, far too familiar, weariness.

He opened his eyes again, features resembling those of someone who was lost in a thought he'd had many times before, and didn't enjoy it much more than he did the first time he had it.

" You're in luck, VIII."

Axel jumped, jerking his head to see who the fuck thought they were brave enough to sneak into his rooms. Upon seeing just who it was, he mumbled something about 'fucking-creepy-son-of-a-bitch', jerking into a seated position, pulled his blanket around his shoulders.

Zexion was sitting in a chair, casually watching him, looking as sober and displeased as he usually did. God, he hated it when Zexion, anyone really, did this shit. Just popped up when he was sleeping, or unaware of them. He glared at the shorter man harder, to no avail.

"What? Why are you in my rooms, I thought you were allergic to social interaction if it wasn't with the Giant or Scrawny-n'-Creepy. "

Zexion merely raised an eyebrow, just slightly.

" Here I was, going to give you your mission details. My apologies, perhaps I'll just leave VII to do so."

The slate haired man stood, summoning a portal, with all intentions to leave. Axel, however, made a wild sound, something like a yell and a plea. Zexion stopped, looking over his shoulder.

" Wait! Mission details? I thought you-know-who would want me out of the way. Considering last time around, and all."

The schemer closed the portal, with a wave of his hand.

" It was, debated. Unsurprisingly, seeing as you quite neatly stabbed a dagger into the back of the organization, it was almost decided that you would be kept here until everything was complete."

Axel sensed a 'but' was coming along the lines.

" However, I managed to speak something in favor for you. "

Axel raised an eyebrow, silently waiting for the man to get to the point. Zexion spoke, half the time to confuse others and drag out the point. Though, he had to admit that it was never pointless.

" I thought you hated me?"

He could hear the closest thing the schemer got to a smirk.

" I do. However, I'd really prefer not to end up destroyed, yet again, into nothingness. Aside from that, you're serving my purpose quite well, as of right now. "

Axel raised an eyebrow.

" Right, so mission specs?"

The schemer tossed a folder onto the bed, and the amused look that was given to him as he did so, make Axel's skin crawl. No matter if the schemer was apparently helping him, he hadn't forgotten the look of horror on the man's face as he'd-.

No. No time to dwell on this.

He looked up, only to find the shorter man gone, silent as he'd come. He scowled again, opening the folder, where page upon page waited for him. Damn Zexion, he knew that Axel wasn't a huger reader, he just preferred to wing it. With a sigh, he dug in though. The shorter man wouldn't of gone through the trouble if it wasn't worth the time to read it.

For the first planet they had visited, this was definitely not what he had expected. It was surprisingly civilized and lacking at the same time. It was hot, and there seemed to be some major turmoil going down. It was exciting though, to walk amongst these people and have them not suspect a thing about them being from off planet.

It was something that he had once read when in English class, that had actually caught his attention and enjoyed it. He wasn't much of a reader, but he had liked that. He guessed that's what this was like. Only, real.

Yuffie had told them to lay low, and not be suspicious, or ask stupid questions, and for the love of the Gods, don't ask anything that would make them think they were from some place called Arcadia. He still wasn't sure what that was about.

The food, wasn't so bad, if you didn't look at it. Demyx found himself shoveling the food into his mouth, though it wasn't as if the food was cooling. Even in the coolness of the building wasn't doing much. Sweat was beading on his skin, and the lanky blond was thankful for the cool clothes they'd changed into.

He still wasn't sure how that happened, precisely, the whole 'clothes-change-magically' thing. All he knew was it helped them blend in, and he was grateful for it.

Roxas was digging into the food, perhaps a little slower than Demyx, and Yuffie was nowhere to be found, claiming something about visiting the Bazaar. Demyx had just nodded when she told them to wait for her there.

The people in the tavern, this Sandsea, was something he couldn't even of dreamed of. There were things called 'Seeq's', and then there were the lizard like 'Bangaa' and honestly, they were a little odd to see speaking the same language as humans.

They were sitting on the indoor balcony, above the bar and main floor. The people here were eating, drinking, and escaping from the sun outside. Demyx, who had a better view of the door, stopped mid-bite as the door opened again.

Yuffie walked in, happily talking to a young girl, well, around their age. Her air was a pale blond, almost platinum. Her hair was drawn into two short braids, almost long enough to touch her shoulders.

Yuffie spotted them, and all but hauled the girl up with her, pushing her into the fourth empty chair at the table.

" Guys, this is Penelo."

The girl smiled politely, perhaps a little shyly. Demyx smiled, and Roxas nodded at her. The girl looked between them, back at Yuffie, and towards the door, as if planning an escape.

" Penelo, this is Roxas and Demyx. Tell them what you told me, okay?"

Demyx wondered if the short ninja had brought the poor girl here because she doubted Roxas would believe it coming from her.

"W-well, it's nothing much, really. It's just something my friend said he saw. I didn't really see anything-"

" Yeah, yeah, skip to the good part, girly!"

Penelo gave her a short look, before back at the brothers. Yuffie leaned back in her chair, but the shark like smile never left her face.

" I don't know how much it's worth, but Vaan claimed that he saw something to do with Lord Vayne. A dark aura sort of thing, but I didn't see anything. He kind of flipped out when he saw it, said it was like something he'd been seeing down in water ways."

Roxas was looking at her intently, and Demyx had pushed his bowl away.

" That sounds like it could be a lead. What do you think, Yuffie?"

Demyx looked towards her as he asked, while Roxas scoffed.

"Sounds like we got something to check out? Where can we find Vaan, Penelo?"

The blond girl sighed before standing.

" Probably out in the Westersand. Old Dalan put an idea into his head, and well, Vaan is Vaan. He's got his head in the clouds."

Yuffie stood, slamming some money on the table, and almost reluctantly, Demyx stood to follow the other three out the door, into the Dalmasca summer. It was blinding, burning, and Demyx really hated deserts.

The boy they found, after about an hour of running around in dangerous, hot, monster-infested land, was proud of himself, holding a rock that was glowing and shifting.

A sun stone. Whatever that was.

Then he went on about how Old Dalan had told him how to get into the palace, and Penelo could only try and convince him that it was a bad idea to even go into the waterways. Yuffie got impatient, and started asking questions.

Somehow, this later found them following the Dalmascan boy through the water, beating off flying monsters, rats, and hoping that they would be able to find the damned palace.

After they managed to get in, and Vaan got into the heralded treasure vault, Demyx, Roxas, and Yuffie spirited themselves to the main party, where nobility and gentry were twirling away. Yuffie pointed from the balcony, to a tall man, with regal features and dark hair.

He was talking to someone, some man in ornate robes. Then he looked at them. Directly at them, and he smiled.

It was around then that Demyx started having serious doubts about getting in and out unscathed. Because, really, that smile had too many teeth, and those eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

They didn't have time to even sneak down to the main floor of the party, before an explosion rocked the palace, and dust was falling from the ceiling, nooks, and crannies. Then, there were soldiers clashing against royal guards, and the smell of metal and blood was filling the air as surely as the screams were. There was one member of the infiltrating party, that got close enough to Vayne that Demyx was sure the regal man could have felt the air from the swing of the blade.

He didn't even flinch.

Instead, he smiled, and the three off-worlders were treated to the sight of a slight aura, dark purple and nasty in nature, twisting itself around him. He held out a single hand, and the soldier, the rebel, was blasted away with the sheer force the aura produced.

In the end, the rebels were running back to the secret opening, and the soldiers of Arcadia were chasing them likes the hounds of hell. They lost track of Vaan, and the three of them had to find their own way out of the ornate abode, and into the twisting, dark allies of Rabanastre.

Eventually, time seemed to return back to normal, and Demyx could feel his heart pounding, and adrenaline was still making his arms and legs shake. They were hiding out in the inn rooms they had rented for a few days. Yuffie, perched on the edge of the dresser, Roxas on one bed, and Demyx sprawled out on another.

They were all jumpy, all panting, and twitching at every creak outside their door. Demyx ran a hand over his face, sighing into the motion.

"That, boys, was a clusterfuck. "

Roxas laughed, breathlessly, a humorless chuckle.

"Really, you think so? Was it that obvious?"

The dark haired girl shot him a dark look, but didn't move over to smack him. Instead, she crossed her arms, glancing out the window, tossing her head to get her bangs out of her face.

" Well, what did we see there tonight?"

Demyx tilted his head to look at them, with a long sigh, yearning to just sleep this night the rest of the way out .

" An aura? I don't know, really. It looked strange, but not what we're looking for, I don't think. I'm not exactly an expert."

He waved his hand in a vague, shrugging motion.

Yuffie 'hmm'ed again. With a grunt, she landed on the floor, stretching as she stood. Both brothers turned to watch her as she started throwing their things into the bag they'd taken from the ship.

"Yuffie?"

Demyx sat up to watch her, cautious about the young woman's serious silence. It wasn't her, and it was starting to make his teeth itch.

" We've been played."

Demyx blinked, and Roxas' lips thinned, and Yuffie turned to look at them, serious and sad, quietly fingering the bracelet on her wrist. Roxas' eyebrows came together as he stood as well.

" What do you mean we've been played, Yuffie? For all we know, he could of made a deal with a heartless or something-"

"You don't get it, Roxy-babe! You can't 'make a deal' with a heartless. They're mindless, they are savage, and they have to be ordered to do something, to have any true power, other than simply swarming every world them come across!"

She whirled to face them, hear features twisted with an emotion that she quickly shoved away with a deep sigh, putting a hand to her own cheek.

" Take my word for that, Roxy-cakes. Okay? They don't make deals. They kill, they maim, they destroy. They're stupid, instinctual monsters. They'd kill you as soon as look at you. "

Roxas nodded, features tightened into annoyance at being spoken down to in that manner. Demyx made eye-contact with his little brother, a softer look, to which his rough sibling snorted at him, shooting him a harsher look.

" I don't think he's in leagues with whoever is using them."

Demyx was staring down at his feet, thinking back. The aura around that guy, about the man who had a shark's smile, it wasn't the same as the one he'd seen the heartless when they'd appeared back on other planets. He was dealing with something much different than just Heartless.

Roxas scoffed, and walked over to the tiny window that was in the room, looking out into the streets below.

Yuffie, however, was agreeing with him. A slow nod, and a smile that had become her trademark as she looked at him.

" Well, maybe you have potential yet, Dem! I agree with you, this guy is a big roller, but I don't think he's playing with Darkness. Not yet at least."

She rocked back on her heals, mouth moving silently, as if talking to herself, or counting something. After a moment, she kicked the dresser. Then, as she regretted this choice, she hopped on one foot, cussing as her foot throbbed.

" Oh, damn, stupid, ugly, sturdy, mean, lame, useless dresser! Gah, that hurts,"

Roxas snickered.

"Shouldn't of kicked it then, idiot. "

The woman stuck her tongue out, gingerly placing her foot on the ground again. Demyx however, was giving her a look that made her think he thought she had lost her mind. Which, in all honesty, was a good probability.

" We followed a false trail. Somebody led us here, and kept us here. Someone is playing games with us, we shouldn't of even landed here in the first place. "

Demyx felt a headache start behind his eyes.

" I thought you said that you can't replicate a heartless trail, in space, or anywhere else. That they were always genuine. "

Yuffie winced, a moment of doubt broadcast to both brothers.

" Actually, I said it took a high level spell-caster to do that, and most of those were dead or hiding. I never said it was downright impossible. Just improbable. "

There was a sound, in the corner of the room, and all three members of the crew whirled to face it. Demyx couldn't help but put a hand to his head. Why did this man seem familiar. He was sure he would remember who had a goatee like that.

" Well, you know what they say about such things. When you eliminate the possible, you must then turn to the improbable. Though, most fools just file that under 'impossible'. "

The three warriors of light turned to the new, clear voice in the room, and Demyx had a moment of 'oh fuck', before his brother screamed, Yuffie went flying through the air, and Demyx found himself smashed through the glass of the window, and falling three floors, towards the Rabanastre streets.

" Terra, behind you!"

The bulky warrior turned in time to meet key blade with key blade. His features twisted into a snarl as he stared into the desolate, ancient eyes of an enemy he had once bowed his head and will to.

Bastard.

With a snarl, he threw himself into the fight, in correlation with Aqua's magic and Ven's speed. The three of them were a formidable team indeed.

The enemy didn't say a word to them, just held that smirk on his face, and the demented glint in his eyes that made Terra feel sick to his stomach. No matter how fast or how hard he swung, trying to break his defense, the older man blocked him with ease.

It was infuriating.

He hadn't expected to run into the older, twisted soul there. After all, the place had been destroyed years ago, it's pristine white walls were supposedly graying and cracking, but when they had transported onto the planet, they were as hauntingly white as when it had been destroyed.

He knew why the other team wouldn't come here. It was the same reason his team refused to go to the place they once called home. It was the same reason that Leon refused to go by Squall anymore. It was why Aerith and Cid refused to go deep into the heart of the old district in Hollow Bastion. It was why Riku rarely slept through the night, and why Sora and Kairi refused to let him wander alone, with only his thoughts for company.

The past, memories, were powerful, and they could shred a soul within seconds.

With a scream of pure anger at the smirking face, he flew at the old man, lashing out in his fury. When the hunched figure disappeared in a puff of smoke, he froze, staring at where his Earth Shaker had split the figure.

He was panting, and he could hear his friends behind him, catching their own breaths. He turned on them, a bright fury in his eyes.

" What was that? This place is supposed to be a dead cell!"

He whirled on Aqua, who was casting a quick healing spell over Ven, who nodded in thanks. He looked pale in the harsh glare of the castle, and Aqua seemed almost wilted within the grip of the living walls.

"You said it was a dead cell, Aqua!"

He took two steps towards her, rage in every motion. Ven stepped between him and Aqua, blue eyes meeting blue, and a seriousness was settled over their youngest friend that he hadn't seen in years.

" It wasn't her fault, Terra. We all thought it was a dead cell, not just Aqua. So, why don't you chill the fuck out, and tell us what you saw!"

The last sentence made his blood run cold, and his features tightened almost painfully. He stared into the dazed eyes of Aqua, and the saddened eyes of Ven, who looked ready to go toe to toe with him, again, hand tightened on his key blade.

" Why, you saw him too. Didn't you? "

Ven shook his head.

" I saw Vanitus. I saw you fighting him, that's all."

Aqua took a deep breath.

" I saw you, Terra. Like before. Before you-"

He shook his head, closing his eyes, pained.

" I saw him, his eyes. They were, Gods, they were the same. Like he was laughing at a joke we had yet to understand. "

He shook his head slowly, dismissing the blade. Aqua placed a hand on his shoulder, with a soft sound.

" This was supposed to be a dead cell. I don't understa-"

" I didn't think you would, simple minded warrior that you are. No vision in any of you, nor common sense."

The three turned, and Terra felt his muscles tense at the sight of Marluxia, standing there as proud as any king of the castle.

" You, "

"Me."

The pink haired man smirked, observing them.

" They said you were supposed to be smart, you know. Warned me not to under estimate you three. Yet, here you are, disappointing me."

Aqua stepped forward.

" Did you revive this place?"

The egotistical nobody snorted, disdainfully.

" No. I am a powerful magic wielder, as are you, but I could not do it alone. "

He smiled.

" I owe it to you, as well. "

Aqua froze, staring at him, shock and horror in her features.

" Your saying it takes two to awaken the castle. "

" More, if they are weak magic users, but you have helped me revive my abode. My domain. You walked into the slaughter like a well trained dog to the dinner bell."

Ven stepped forward, hands clenching at his sides.

" How did you know we'd be here? We didn't tell anyone else-"

" Do spare me. Namine. Xion. Two nobodies appeared here in the past. Don't tell me you think us stupid enough to think you wouldn't come sniffing around after VIII disappeared. You take us for fools, don't you? Be honest, now. "

The man stepped closer, casually down the stairs, his gait that of someone who honestly didn't give a damn if he had sights trained on him, ready to kill. He walked with that oil smooth gate, until he was easily within reach of Aqua, who stood her ground, fearlessly.

" So tell me, pretty bird, did you honestly think we'd leave our greatest asset to the whims of time and destruction? "

Aqua didn't shudder, though her two friends could see her back tense up as Marluxia leaned down, just slightly.

" Either way, little bird, " he traced her face with gloved fingers, " You will be caged soon enough. Wings clipped, and singing from within your bars."

Aqua jerked back, blue eyes enraged.

" You sound so confident, Nobody. "

The pink haired man scowled sharply. He waved his hand, and a portal opened, black as tar, and just as sickly looking.

" I'll take my leave, little bird. Enjoy your cage, your home, of Castle Oblivion."

With that, he stepped through and disappeared.

Aqua turned to her companions, blue eyes wide with subtle fear, and darkened with determination, while Terra turned to look at the main door, which was now gone.

" Fuck."

Which really, summed it all up rather nicely.

"Superior, I have never questioned your will for no reason, but surely you can take a moment to at least explain why you thought it to be a reasonable idea to simply hand Oblivion back to XI. "

The silver haired man turned to look at the speaker, nothing readable in his eyes. Xemnas had always been hard to read, even when he was Xehanort. Though, admittedly, he had been but a boy then.

" I am aware, that I have been schemed against, VI. I am aware, that there are plans even now into construction,"

Blue eyes met vibrant orange for a moment, before the broad-shouldered nobody turned back towards the window, hands once again clasping behind his back.

" But have no fear, our plan will be executed with more, precautions. There will be no lose ends, no wild cards, and certainly, no traitors suffered. "

Zexion dipped his head politely, as was expected. He knew a threat, when he heard it, and Xemnas had been perfectly clear. He had his favorite hound with his nose into the wind, scenting for the first hint of wrong-stepping.

Which meant he'd either have to kill the berserker before he put his plans into action, or step more carefully than he had before.

It was like walking in a room full of guns that were primed to fire, and the wrong misstep would get your head taken off.

He rather preferred his head where it was, thank you very much.

" With your leave, sir. I do have things that have yet to be completed."

He inclined his head politely, and took a step back.

" Of course. Don't let me keep you."

Zexion took that as his cue to escape the noose that he had felt setting around his neck, and retreated to his favorite place; his study.

The room was darkened, bookshelves nothing but black forms in the darkness of the room. The schemer quietly lit a few lights, and grabbing one of his thicker, older tomes, putting it on the desk that had scattered paper, a few books, and a number of pens. As he settled to his work, a moment of doubt washed over him.

No. He had to see this through, what he had done thus far, was treason enough to be destroyed. He was going to go all the way, and he was going to end this cycle, that brought nothing but the same thing. Death.

He had always found the punishment of the six original members of the Organization to be understandable. They were the ones who opened the door, and welcomed the darkness. They were the ones who caused the fall of so many, the death of thousands. It was their hands that were coated in the blood of innocents.

Strangely, it didn't bother him until the first neophyte had appeared. Saix, then Axel, followed by the next five.

It had been wrong, to accept them. To bring them into the fold when there was nothing they could truly offer them other than destruction.

It had been a foolish dream of theirs, to open their hearts to darkness, to let it take everything from them. They had paid for their folly, as had millions of others.

So had Demyx.

It wasn't the death of innocents that bothered him, but the creation of higher nobodies. Because that meant that it was more power to Xemnas, who was willing to subject them once again to the agony of trying to create Kingdom Hearts, despite the failure it had been the first time around.

To be honest, he loathed the key blade master, the ones who deemed them monsters, disgusting, freaks, things to be killed like rabid dogs. Who saw nothing in them but their motives and desire to use others to get what they wanted.

Life truly was made of shades of gray.

The end product, of his mission. His goal, was death. It would also mean that those who had yet to be awakened again, would stay innocent. Would never know the truth about themselves.

On the other side of that coin, though, it meant that those that were self-aware, would die again. Burned from the inside out, eaten by their magic, consumed yet again.

He almost wondered if Axel was aware of the end-game yet. If he knew that he would never get the blond that he had been protecting since they had met.

Part of him thought that perhaps he did, and another part sneered and muttered how he would ignore it until he was dead, because the truth was easier to ignore when you have hope.

That same part hissed that he wouldn't get to see Demyx again, not like he promised. Not like he had sworn to the blond. He had a feeling that the Nocturne already knew the truth, the more he became self-aware.

Time would tell, and the truths would be scattered amongst the lies.

Axel's fingers all but flew over the keys, green eyes locked onto the screen, a simple scowl marring his features. The area was quiet, and he worked quickly, keeping an ear open for any sound of someone approaching.

The words on screen were seriously starting to piss him off.

When Zexion had given him the folder, he had scoffed at it, in the beginning, then, he'd been pissed off. This was not what he wanted to be doing, not when he had other gifts that could be given in the name of getting what he wanted.

Finally, the search results returned something.

1 FILE FOUND.

He clicked on it, opening what looked to be a large file, with multiple sub-files. Zexion was a clever bastard, but Axel wasn't exactly dense either. The files aligned themselves on the screen, and he smirked.

Superior in attitude he may be, but Zexion knew his shit. He knew that there were files that still were around, regardless of what Xemnas had done in the past.

As he moved the cursor over the first file, he froze, acid green eyes narrowing slowly, straightening.

" You know, there are a surprising few who can sneak up on me quite like that. "

The tip of something sharp rested on his shoulder.

" Consider me thrilled. Now step away."

" You were supposed to be off-planet, last I heard."

" Just got back, wouldn't you know. Thought I'd find Leonhart here. I was wrong, but I did find something just as interesting."

" Gee, you think I'm interesting. I'm so touched!"

He whirled, summoning his chakrams to his hands, the spikes and metal frame pushing the sword away from his easily pierced skin.

Green met blue for a split second, before there was a beeping. It was sharp, high pitched, and it had both their attention. Both men whipped their heads to stare at the computer, and Axel had a moment to damn Zexion to hell.

Then, everything went white, and there was an explosion so loud that his ears rang. After that, well, it was anyone's game.

Leon had been minding his own business, trying to convince an old woman that it really was safer inside, and she was being far from helpful.

Trying to keep his mind off the fact that they had lost contact with two out of three of their teams. Though Yuffie did say that they were going to be on-planet for a few days, so he wasn't so concerned about them. However, he had been trying to get in touch with Terra, Aqua, and Ven all day. Cid couldn't even rouse them on the long-range radio, and that concerned Leon. Especially since he had been the one to send them to what was left of Oblivion.

They'd lost contact mid-day, and it was now almlost sunset. It wasn't like Terra to just let the radio go quiet like that. Something wasn't right. Not at all.

It was around then that an explosion took place, and rocked what seemed to be the entire city. The gunblader whirled around, to see the source of it, in time to see part of the castle go flying, smoke and fire making him swear under his breath.

The brunette started at a quick pace towards it, fearing the worst.

A heartless attack.

A nobody attack.

Dozens dead or injured.

Something else to lay on his conscious.

When he rounded the corner, he came skidding to a stop, gun blade held before him, even as the nobodies ignored him.

Which wasn't, strictly speaking, normal.

"Back off guys, I got this one. "

Leon felt his muscles tighten almost painfully. The Restoration leader turned to see the speaker. A single shot was heard, and he quickly deflected the bullet.

" Gotten better squirt. I'd say I'm almost impressed."

Leon glared at the figure, the silver and black hair distinctive, along with the eye-patch.

" Nobody. "

Xigbar gave him a look of mock disappointment.

" Come on, Squall, we were buds. I taught you everything you know, you could at least give me a polite hello."

Leon just glared, a cold fury in gunmetal eyes. The sniper just sighed, shaking his head in what was supposed to be disappointment.

" You always were a frigid bitch, Squall. "

Leon tightened his grip on the weapon.

"You should of stayed dead Braig. "

The man's good eye narrowed on him sharply.

" Ooh, someone grew a pair. This should be fun. "

The smile on the nobody's face made Leon's adrenaline pound, and for a moment, it felt like he was a kid again. Then, he was being faced with either getting shot or defending himself.

Today had gone horridly wrong in a big way.

A/N: So, what'd you think of it? Let me know, okay? Loved it, hated it, I want to know. I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as I can, but I must go back to school soon, and that means slower updates. :3

Lots of Love,

C.C