Draco: You get twelve guesses. The first eleven don't count.

Characters, weapons, origins © Square Enix and Disney. Monsters, setting, and encyclopedia © Akihisa Ikeda.


Chapter 8: The Assassin's Girlfriend

Newspaper day. We're talking about a stack of copies of what is basically a few paper folds layered together. Those paper folds will have some kind of recent occurrence written down, possibly with a photo or sketch to illustrate it. Add in a few tips on your typical everyday hobbies, maybe a tourist attraction or two. Boring, right?

This.

IS.

YOKAI!

That was, due to the news club's previous experience, a stack of several hundred copies. A few days was enough time for word to get around about the hot freshman Chikai, girl-in-white Kioku, Kingdom with the Key, and fiery beast Kurai beating up one of the most annoying fighters in the school. Said group was also already well-known for being the group that hung around handing out newspapers - not to mention being joined by 'SETZEEER! AAAH!' when their first few papers was depleted - and the freshman Chikai had explicitly stated that their paper was out monthly.

Long story short, Kairi wasn't perched on the front edge of the table this time.

+x+x+x+

"You're kidding me. You mean to tell me that little brat is sitting outside, right now, surrounded by a crowd?"

A small group of figures in sleek black were gathered in a dark white room, surrounding a single crystal ball. From there, they had an easy view all over the school - and one such member was currently focusing the crystal ball straight at the news club gathered at the school gates.

That particular member had silver-blue hair that drifted over his eyes. He had a book in one hand, and the other was set against the base of the pedestal on which the crystal ball sat. "Indeed," he stated in response to the question. "Chikai seems to have drawn quite a crowd, hasn't she. Although it seems the Jenova brothers are deliberately avoiding her..."

"Doesn't matter," the snapper stated. "She's got herself a web, just like I knew she would. And that web is going to be my first target." She got to her feet.

"Sit down," the bookworm commanded. "Last time you charged after her, you made nothing out of it. I told you, you will not be going anywhere until-"

"Until she picks up a mission, right?"

Both of them turned to see someone stepping inside. This lanky figure had crimson hair carved into multiple spikes like a meteor, illuminated from the light of the crystal ball, and he had marks under his eyes like teardrops. "Well, then, looks like everyone's gonna be happy today." He drew out a small card from under his sleeve and flicked it towards the overeager sadist in the shadows.

The sadist caught it with a swipe. "What's this?" she stated.

"A mission," the optimist replied. "Figured if you're so eager then I'd let you do it."

"Target: Kairi Chikai," the sadist read aloud. "Objective: Demoralize target. Physical damage permitted. Reward- Holy Foudre," she exclaimed. "That's it, you gotta let me do this one, Zexion."

The bookworm, Zexion raised his gaze. The sadist tossed him the card and glanced at it. "You're good," he mused, getting to his feet. "Might as well watch how this excursion goes."

+x+x+x+

"SETZEEER! AAAH!"

Kairi winced, turning to see the news club SiC stepping towards the stand with a large stack of papers in hand. Behind him, to Kairi's surprise, was Xion, who was struggling with her own, slightly smaller, stack of papers. "Good timing," Kairi mused. "Lend us a hand, will you?"

Xion set down her papers and sighed, glancing to Kairi as Setzer started handing out papers. "Am I allowed to give it a read?" she asked, "or do I have to get in... um..." She glanced at the crowd. "...line?" she finished awkwardly.

Sora stepped towards her, expertly swiping the copy from Setzer's jacket and handing it to Xion. "Nah, take it and run," he prompted. "Now we're proper even."

Xion blushed. "Thanks," she murmured, taking off.

Kairi, Naminé, and Riku all managed to glare at Sora and continue handing out papers at the same time. Sora didn't notice until he heard Riku start moving at newmoon speed to handle his onslaught. "What?" he asked, glancing at Kairi.

Naminé slammed her notebook onto his head.

"And you chastisized me for slapping a vampire?" Kairi reprimanded.

"He's not in vampire mode," Naminé retaliated, going back to handing out papers. "Doesn't count."

Xion retreated with the paper to find Roxas waiting against a nearby tree. Xion handed him the paper and hid awkwardly on the other side of the tree as he looked over the front page. "So, how's things going with the news club?" he prompted.

"Could be worse," Xion replied.

"You don't seem to be too mad at Sora for impaling a wall with you," Roxas observed, opening up the paper.

"I asked for it," the snowgirl reminded him.

Roxas shrugged. "You think so?"

Xion glanced over her shoulder. "You said so."

"...You have a point there," Roxas admitted, unable to come up with a proper argument. He glanced back towards the news club gathering to see the crowd was not thinning out. "Did this happen last time?"

"I wasn't there last time," Xion replied, watching the crowd as he was. "You'd know more than I do."

It was then that a shout from the crowd caused everything to go still. Everyone at the stand - including Riku, who was halfway through handing three newspapers to a few girls - turned to see someone in the crowd fall to the ground. The entire crowd parted to reveal three figures there in slick black. One with fiery red hair was in a waistcoat that was tight enough to show he was quite lanky; one with silver blue on his helm in a vest with the sleeves rolled up, and black jeans so dark they hardly looked like jeans; and one who wore her bright blond hair in antennae, with a longcoat that trailed to the ground, and stiletto heels.

The blond had a set of knives in her hand as she raised her gaze.

Kairi could have sworn she'd seen the blond before.

The knives were driven into the ground as she lashed out towards Kairi. This maneuver sent up arcs of earth that caused Kairi to yelp, and she leapt out of the way as those arcs of earth completely shattered their handouts table. The papers were sent flying as the blond stepped towards them, and Kairi stumbled to her feet. With one hand she drew one of her blades; with the other she snapped rapidly - for now she knew she had seen this blond before, and she knew where she had seen this blond before, and was completely blanking on her name.

"Larxene!" she exclaimed as the name surfaced, drawing her other blade preparedly. "You're that chick who split a tree with dirt at the start of the school year!"

"And you're that webspinner Chikai. I knew you were going to be trouble," Larxene snapped back. "You may not have Jenova flapping around you, but this hound is hardly any safer. And what's with this crowd?"

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "You never heard of a fanboy?"

Larxene raised her knives to Kairi's neck. "Look, Chikai," she snapped. "I don't care what you're going to call it. You're spinning a web. Look at you, you got the Keyslinger, you got Kurai, you got this white witch backing you up-"

A card drove itself into Larxene's shoulder. This distracted her long enough for Kairi to back up. Riku then proceeded to kick her in the stomach.

Sora stepped forward with his Keyblade in hand. "Not sure who you think you are," he admitted, "but if you've got a problem, do everyone a favour and save it for after class. We're trying to hand out papers here."

Larxene lashed out at him.

The vampire clashed his Key against the knives in one hand and then the knives in the other. Then he arced into a spin and landed a hit strong enough to throw Larxene back through the gap in the crowd that she had opened up.

Sora whirled his Keyblade in hand and perched it over his shoulder like a tough guy.

And Kairi thought the crowd couldn't get any louder...

+x+x+x+

"That was less than effective," the firehead mused.

Larxene slapped him. Her knives were still in her hand.

"I deserved that," he mused, reaching up to his face. "Hey, relax," he prompted. "He pretty much invited you to come mess with him later today, didn't he?"

As they continued to speak, they had no idea they were being watched.

"Kairi knows Larxene?" Xion mused curiously.

"I guess so," Roxas observed. "But what are she and Axel doing here?"

Xion glanced around. "I thought I'd seen Zexion in the crowd. Didn't you?"

Roxas huffed. "More than likely he decided not to get involved," he mused. "Come on, let's see what they're up to."

The two of them stepped forward. Larxene looked like she was going to take a swing at Axel when he caught sight of them, and the look in his eyes was enough to cause her to turn.

"Hey there, Roxas, Xion," Axel called. "What are you guys up to?"

"Saw you in the crowd," Roxas replied. "Figured I'd come see what got Larxene her ass handed to her."

Larxene lashed out at him, but Xion caught the strikes on a few claws of ice.

Axel set her hand on Larxene's shoulder. "Come on, Larx, lighten up," he insisted. "We were given a mission," he said to answer Roxas' question. "Someone wants Chikai down in the dumps. Got it memorized?" He tapped his forehead tauntingly.

"Count us out," Xion mused. "I'm not doing anything to get on Kairi's bad side."

A scoff passed through Larxene's lips. "You don't seriously believe her crap about being a vampire, do you?"

Xion's eyes widened. "Well, that explains how she made a friend out of this one," she mused.

Larxene raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?"

"Sora Kingdom," Roxas explained. "He'll kick your ass in a heartbeat - and that's assuming yours hasn't stopped when he starts flaring."

"I'll be the judge of that," Larxene criticized, stepping away.

Axel sighed, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "See you guys," he mused. "She's gonna get on someone's nerves sooner or later."

He took off, leaving Roxas and Xion standing there on their own.

"I don't like how they do things," Xion murmured. "I never did like how they do things."

Roxas sighed. "If they don't get in our way," he prompted, "that's all that really matters."

Xion wasn't so sure; but just then, the bell went off, and she and Roxas - as well as Sora, Kairi, Riku, Naminé, and really everyone in the crowd - realized that they were going to be late for class if they didn't get going.

+x+x+x+

The news club got right to work when the club period came around. Xion and Roxas had decided to pop in since their club was 'taking an off day', and the first thing that came to mind was helping out the news club. Everyone welcomed them warmly.

Sora dropped his pencil and cleared a workspace for Xion.

Kairi picked up Naminé's notebook and crashed it over his head.

Xion sat down with a heavy blush on her face as Roxas pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards. "You guys have a new story already?" he mused.

"Nah, just doin' the extras," Riku replied. "Big stories and deadlines... don't seem to get along. You should have seen how rushed we were for the one with Niju."

"You mean like your 'Top Visits in the Human World' bit?" Roxas prompted darkly.

"Those were purely from my personal experience," Riku defended, noticing his tone. "Didn't you see the disclaimer? This column has been written by Riku Kurai. It expresses the views and opinions of the columnist, not necessarily those of the Yokai Academy student body." He picked up a photo. "Have you ever been to Altar Cave, Roxas?"

Roxas nodded. "As it happens, I have," he prompted. Then he countered, "Have you ever been to Midgar?"

"No," Riku admitted. "That's probably why it wasn't included."

"What about Wutai?"

"...No."

"Pravoka? Bafsk? Ordon? Rose Town? Tokyo?"

Riku sighed. "Fine, then," he snapped, dropping his pencil and shoving his work supplies at Roxas. "You do the column."

Kairi raised her gaze to see Roxas looking at the supplies and sliding his chair away. "I'll pass. I can't do that in one club period and no one can work with a half-written piece by someone else."

The werewolf opened his mouth, then closed it. "Point taken." He grabbed all his stuff and pulled it away from Roxas.

Roxas turned to Naminé, who was focused on her work and letting her hair drift before her to cover her face. As Kairi watched, he stepped forward and glanced at her paper. She seemed to be doing a small sample art akin to her tips column in the paper, and as she lifted her pencil of the page Roxas mused over her shoulder, "Nice work as usual."

Naminé squealed and spun, driving the eraser end of her pencil into Roxas' chin. He grunted with a wince and reached up to the impact point with his left hand, causing his sleeve to fall down his arm slightly.

"Sorry," Naminé said hurriedly, her face turning an embarrassed crimson red.

"Ah, it's nothing," Roxas insisted, lowering his hand. A gleam caught Kairi's eye, and she raised her gaze to see what looked like a bracelet peeking out from Roxas' sleeve as he drew it back over.

He glanced at Naminé's art. "Your work's pretty good," he mused. "Were you going to make the art tips a normal thing?"

"Um, maybe," the witch murmured nervously. "I thought I'd wait and see... you know, what kind of reception I got... what people thought of it..."

Roxas chuckled. "Relax," he insisted. "It was a compliment." He thought about her reply. "Why don't you guys hold a little 'what do you want to see in the extras' vote from your readers?" he said, turning to the others. "Maybe see what you get?"

Sora thought about it for a moment. "That... is an excellent idea," he mused.

+x+x+x+

"Hey, Rox, wait up."

Roxas came to an abrupt stop, turning to see Axel stepping towards him. "Heard you and Xion were hanging out with the news club." he prompted. "Well?"

"Yeah, she was," Roxas replied. "I mean, we were. Just during the club time, though - we had an off day. Why? Larxene getting pissed about it?"

Axel didn't comment on the slip. Roxas had a tendency to do that when it came to Xion. At first Axel thought it was a guilty mistake, but as it turned out Roxas was (or at least used to be) the 'background' guy, which meant a lot of the other students didn't realize he was there until Xion asked him something. That left the impression of Xion being the only one there, even to Roxas himself.

"Just wanted you guys to stay out of the way," he replied. "Told you, she's got a mission, and you have not seen Larx in full mission mode."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Um, yeah I have," he mused. He had actually been on the receiving end of one of Larxene's missions.

Axel chuckled. "No," he mused. "You haven't." He tapped his forehead. "Got it memorized?"

It was at that moment that Roxas' eyes went wide, and he spun and took off, leaving Axel standing there with a confused look on his face.

+x+x+x+

Xion had decided to meet up the news club after classes, and the five of them were currently hanging out near the Monster Tree. Naminé - who had been both relieved and disappointed to find that Roxas wouldn't be joining them - was sketching again, Sora was sparring with Riku, and Kairi was just lounging about. Xion kind of just floated until the werewolf and vampire both called a break - then she stepped forward and asked, "Mind if I join you?"

Riku and Sora both were surprised at that, but Sora only shrugged and replied, "I don't see why not. Grab your blade."

Xion nodded and was about to call her weapon when a tearing sound emerged from nearby.

Kairi's gaze shot up to see arcs of dirt tearing towards them.

She shot to her feet and leapt away as the arcs shot past, just missing the tree behind her. Sora and Riku both spun, bracing their weapons as they saw Larxene stepping towards them. She had a menacing glare on her face, and Xion only stepped away as she neared the group, aiming straight for Kairi.

The human girl grabbed her blades, but she didn't raise them in combat position. "What do you want, Larxene?" she demanded.

The sadist didn't respond. She just kept walking.

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to answer my question?"

Larxene wasn't slowing down.

Kairi stepped forward. "Are you asleep or some-"

Without warning, Larxene appeared before Kairi, closing her hand around the girl's neck and raising her into the air. Everyone yelped as she spun once, twice, three times before hurling her into the Monster Tree at high speeds.

The impact sent Kairi plummeting towards unconsciousness as she bounced off the Yokai Academy landmark and hit the ground below.

"Kairi!" Sora and Riku both dashed at Larxene, weapons ready, but the sadist only swept past both attacks and lashed out with stiletto kicks that sent them flying. Soul Eater impaled itself next to Riku's head as he gripped the puncture on his arm, and Sora used his Keyblade to help him get to his feet as he reached for the wound on his back.

Larxene had yet to say a word as she raised her hands, fingers splayed.

Four knives ripped up from her palm, forming claws between her fingers as she closed them into fists.

Riku spun around and swore. "Son of a bitch! You're...!?"

Sora grit his teeth. "A monstrel," he muttered. "The hybrid monster!"

Bite-Sized Monster Encyclopedia: Monstrels
Monsters of mongrel ancestry. The most common monsters. Their abilities vary widely, but many can morph their bodies, even turning their limbs into weapons.

If Larxene heard Sora's observation, she certainly didn't react to it. She only stepped towards Kairi again, driving her knives into the human girls' shoulder. Kairi gave a scream as Larxene forcibly lifted her into the air, blood dripping from the impact point.

The dirt flared up around Larxene, forcing her back as Kairi fell and hit the ground. Naminé stepped towards her, drawing out a few bandages as Riku and Sora dashed forward again, weapons flaring. Larxene's eyes gleamed menacingly as she lashed out with a flurry of kicks and slices, but Riku and Sora only parried, dodged, and arced around her until they found right behind her.

Sora swung at her left.

Larxene caught it with the knives of her right hand.

Riku swung at her right.

Larxene caught it with the knives of her left hand.

A tremor coursed through her body; then the sadist arced into a whirling spin, sending the two flying into a spiral as they hit the ground.

Kairi struggled to get to her feet as Larxene stepped forward menacingly.

She probably didn't count on Sora swiping at her feet, planting her face in the dirt.

The sadist spun to see Riku and Sora back on their feet. The two of them glanced at each other and nodded; then they crossed their weapons, causing them to spark against each other as they shot forward.

Larxene shot after them, swinging for the weapons' owners, but Riku and Sora only broke into a slide, parting their weapons to hook them on Larxene's knives. The force managed to drag the sadist to the ground as they shot back to their feet, leaping away from the heel-biting strikes as Larxene tried to rise. Arcs of dirt wrapped around her, continually forcing her to the ground, and both of the swordsmen turned towards the tree. Naminé's pencil was racing across the paper as Kairi got to her feet, picked up her fallen blades, and prepared herself.

There was a distortion in the flying dirt; then Larxene was standing a foot away from Kairi, driving her knives into the girl's arms. Kairi screamed as Larxene drove her stilletto into Kairi's stomach, arcing into a flip that sent Kairi flying. She collided with Sora, causing the two of them to tumble across the ground as Larxene stepped towards them.

"What's the matter, little vampire?" Larxene's voice was dark and demented. "I've always wanted to test my strength against one of you." She stepped forward, crossing her arms before her. "Too bad you're just TRASH!"

She raised her knives to strike.

And ice began to race down her arm.

Larxene spun to see Xion standing before the Monster Tree, an aura of cold flame rippling around her. Her right hand had become claws of ice - in her left was her Keyblade. She had seen the blood on Larxene's knives and used it to her advantage, hoping to distract Larxene long enough for Sora to go into his wild vampire mode.

"Stay away from them," Xion snapped as ice wrapped around her hair, forming menacing spikes across her helm.

Half a second passed; then Larxene was right in front of her, and only a quick flare of icy fire prevented Xion from being impaled on the sadist's knives. She clashed the blows against her claws and tried to go in for a strike, but Larxene was lightning-fast, dodging blows and forcing Xion back until she was right up against the landmark.

Larxene brought her hand back to drive it into Xion's skull.

And found them caught on a dragon wingblade.

Riku grabbed Larxene by the back of her longcoat and launched the sadist into a flip, leaving her facedown on the ground. She tried to lash out at Riku, but the werewolf only leapt into the air, hurling Soul Eater at her. Larxene rolled away as the blade impaled itself where her back had been, leaping at Riku. The werewolf dodged each blow, moving faster and faster with each evasion until he landed a blurred kick that sent Larxene skidding across the ground.

A fur-streaked Riku pulled Soul Eater out of the ground and whirled it to a forehand grip before growling menacingly.

Larxene glanced at Riku, Naminé, and Xion before turning back to Sora, who was helping Kairi get to her feet. Larxene's attacks had left Kairi weak, and she was having enough trouble sitting upright, let alone standing on her feet.

"Kairi," Sora prompted. "Take off the rosario. Please. We can't..."

He was interrupted by his own shout as Larxene drove her knives into his shoulder. She raised him into the air, causing Kairi to stumble away as Larxene hurled Sora to the ground single-handedly. No one had seen Larxene dash up to him - what was she doing?

Xion hurled her Keyblade towards Larxene, as she had seen Sora do before. Larxene spun and slashed at the weapon, knocking it to the ground. Xion responded by raising her ice-clawed hand and launching bursts of icy fire at Larxene. The first one hit home on her knives, but she only shattered them with a flex before dashing forward, sweeping between shots until she was right up in Xion's face and driving her blades into the snowgirl's side. Xion gave a scream as Larxene proceeded to hurl her into the tree.

Larxene only huffed, turning away.

And a fireball hit her in the face.

Everyone's eyes went wide, turning towards Kairi and Sora.

Standing between the fallen duo was Roxas, his left hand aimed right at Larxene. His fingers were smoking, and he had a menacing glare on his face. There was darkness shifting around his right hand, and as he spoke, no one wanted to know what he was going to do.

"Stay away from her."

Larxene was quiet for a moment; then she rushed towards him, her knives searing towards his face.

Roxas only stepped to the side, letting Larxene swing at the air he had been; then he arced into a roundhouse kick that connected with Larxene's lower back and ignited. The flaming kick sent Larxene flying towards the school as he raised his smoking hand before him and swept his right hand out to his side.

Slowly, Larxene got to her feet, glaring at Roxas; then she turned away and took off, rushing towards the school.

Everyone was staring in awe as Roxas lowered his hands. The smoke stopped emitting from his left as he turned towards all of them. "Didn't think she'd be like that," he murmured, scratching the back of his head nervously. "You guys alright?"

Riku bit his lip. He had taken the least blows of the group and he still wasn't unscathed - Larxene had landed a few glancing blows, and his kick had caused her knives to run across his arm. "We're all alive," Riku replied, "and I think everyone's mostly conscious."

"You just faced Larxene Kaminari," Roxas stated. "She is a murderess when she gets serious. Your blade has to stick out the other side of the impact point before she'll acknowledge the wound. If you're all conscious, that's considered alright." He glanced around. "Let's get out of here and hope she doesn't come back for round two."

+x+x+x+

Roxas wasn't kidding.

Which is why the tips of two blades embedded themselves in the wall behind Larxene's arm.

"Boy, do I hate liars."

The weapon was drawn out as Larxene fell to the ground. That was the fourth strike in a row - one on each of her limbs, leaving four identicall scars. The moment she had approached who she had assumed to be her client - a long-haired pretty boy with a blade at his waist - he had drawn the weapon as the fastest brute anyone had ever seen grabbed her from behind. She had been dragged to a soundproofed room in the core of the freshman dorms.

Larxene grit her teeth. "I'm telling you the truth," she stated. "I attacked Chikai. I stabbed her with my blades and threw her to the ground repeatedly. The only reason I didn't continue was that group of losers who kept fighting her battles for her."

It was dark, but that didn't stop her interrogator - who, it seemed, was the real client - from glaring at her from under the silver hair that draped before his eyes. "Is... that right?"

A sound between a grunt and a gasp passed through Larxene's lips. The wounds were deep, and trying to move her arms or legs was a bad idea. "If you wanted me to eliminate her," she protested, "you should have said so."

The client laughed. "I didn't want you to eliminate her," he mused, stepping forward. His eyes began to pulsate. "I wanted you to break her. Crush her heart. I wanted you to ruin her with such torment she'd never see the light in anything again."

"So you want her out of your hair. Is that it, Jenova?"

All three of the Jenova brothers - Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz - turned to see a figure standing at the entrance to the room. The meter-and-a-half of hallway before the door meant he was cast in darker shadows than the rest of the room, but it wasn't a problem of where he was so much as what his face looked like. He was dressed in a vibrant white robe with blue trim, standing out in the shadows, and his helm was adorned by a spreading hat with a mystic-looking emblem on it. In his right hand was a long silver staff with a gold half-ring at the top that circled where his hand gripped it.

Twin cocks of a gun caused him to turn to see Loz and Yazoo both standing there, aiming a Velvet Nightmare at him. "Come now," the newcomer prompted. "Is that any way to treat someone hoping to lend you a hand?"

Kadaj raised his right hand, causing his brothers to lower their weapons. "You got a problem with Chikai?" he prompted. "Get in line."

"Not just Kairi Chikai," the guy in the shadows stated. "Haven't you had problems with her allies in the news club as well?"

"...Yeah," Kadaj admitted. "Sora Kingdom. Naminé Kioku. Riku Kurai."

The newcomer seemed as though the list was not complete. "What about those other additions? Roxas Kaigara, and... what was her name?" Here he turned to Larxene.

Another gasp. "Xion," she replied, saying the name Shy-on. "She's never given her last name.

An irritable growl from her client. "She's got more allies?" Kadaj protested.

"Got a way to take them all down in one fell swoop," the figure in the shadows stated. "Have you ever fought Miss Chikai yourself?"

"Kingdom got in the way," Kadaj replied.

Larxene sighed. "The whole damn crowd keeps striking her fights for her," she muttered.

"I've seen her fight," the ally stated. "She's hardly mediocre at hand-to-hand, and she doesn't stand a chance against an armed foe. She's cut by nothing more than wooden weapons. One strike is enough to knock her down. And her blood..." A chuckle emerged from the darkness.

Kadaj raised an eyebrow. "What about her blood?"

"It keeps flowing," the newcomer replied. "Monster blood holds in place, suppresses the wound. But her blood soaks into her garments, trickles across her skin. She can't get in a lot of fights - she's always covered in bandages because that's how long it takes her wounds to heal."

The swordman's eyes widened. "You mean..."

It was now that the figure in the shadows raised his left hand. A ring of wood was in that hand, and within that ring was a photo of the subject of their conversation.

"Kairi Chikai. Freshman. Leonheart's class. And she's human."


Draco: I'm going to address this now, before anyone brings it up - Xion wields her Keyblade left-handed in my works because she's the only Keyblade wielder to ever be shown wielding a Keyblade left-handed without another Keyblade in their right hand in a finished work. (Ven was a lefty in the promo video in KHIIFM, but that's not a finished work).

Alright, Chapter 8 concludes Volume 2. I'm going to go fight the Cloud of Darkness. Maybe. I might give up, go and STOP USING THE GODDAMN SAGE. I don't know whether to blame Square Enix for nerfing the Sage in the DS version or myself for using him anyway. A Sage is only good for one who wants that many sorcerers.

Hope you all enjoy!