It's not over yet everyone! I still have some more twists up my sleeve. Sorry for the long update, my personal life got in the way. Thanks for everyone who has been reviwing, you guys rock! Anywho, enjoy!

Chapter 8
Lumaria's POV

It's been five years since we fled that nightmarish town. I had an idea of where we were going, but not exactly. We spent a night in a motel that was infested with mice. Then we walked along a path in the woods until we ran into a clearing with targets hanging from the tree's branches. That was where we met Yuffie, who claimed she was a ninja. She took us to a small home within the boundaries of Traverse Town. She introduced us to her friends Aerith, the very colorful Cid, and Leon. Aerith was kind enough to find us a small cozy house to live in and we were grateful for her.

We enrolled in a high school the next town over, which was five minutes from the boundaries. They bought the old 'orphans who didn't have any money' trick. We both finished up high school, giving each other a shoulder to lean on when we needed it, and earning money from part-time jobs. But some nights Renale would be lost in her thoughts about what happened in Radiant Garden before we fled. What DID happen to Ansem and his apprentices? Was Arina okay? I've been trying to forget about my other life, but sometimes pieces of that life would drift back to me. Then that would connect to more and more memories, like a chain…


I was running and couldn't stop, even if I wanted to. Ragged, angry gasps came from my predator, hot on my heels. My eyes were focused on the dark, wet streets of this abandoned city ahead of me. My wet shirt clung to my body as the rain fell in buckets from the enraged skies. I turned a corner as the beast behind me let out an ear-piercing scream. Crap, I'm screwed without at least a weapon to defend myself.

My feet took me to a skyscraper that lit up the dark night sky that stood in the middle of an empty area. I turned around just to see my opponent show its face. Instead of a monster, a human figure stood in its place. It was dressed in a long black coat with a hood pulled over their features. Silver beads that shone dimly decorated the collar. The figure's black boots splashed through puddles as he approached me. I couldn't help but shake at this guy's overpowering aura.

"Who are you?" I demanded, striking a fighting stance despite my shaky laegs.

The figure chuckled. "Lumaria, you don't know of your own fate? How sad…" His voice sent a chill through my spine.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, nor do I care!" I charged at the figure and attempted to punch him right where the arrogant smirk probably was.

The man grabbed my fist and kicked me in the gut. I wet flying through the air and fell hard onto the ground. I barely had the chance to stand up before he held me up by my shirt collar and threw me across the empty space. I flipped in mid-air and landed on my feet. My blue eyes scanned the area for something to fight with as the man charged at me. I sidestepped to the left, noticing a small silver pole lying on the ground. Grabbing at it, the man tried to kick me but I blocked it with the pole. The man stumbled, but didn't fall. He tried to punch me but I knocked away his hand with the pole instinctively.

The man shook out his hand as I swung the pole under his feet. He jumped up and clenched his fist, preparing to strike. I didn't have to react before his fist contacted with my face. I flew through the air, slamming into the side of the skyscraper. Coughing up dots of crimson, the man slowly approached me. I quickly climbed to my feet and swung the pole at my opponent, hoping to knock him off his feet. Reacting quickly, he jumped back and charged at me once more. I quickly swung the pole at his legs, making a nasty cut on his shin.

Wait, how could a pole cut his shin?

I could only stare at the pole in utter confusion as it glowed white. It seemed to float above my hands as it took on a different shape. A curved blade blossomed from the top as the man stood there, completely unfazed by my glowing pole. My eyes never left my weapon as it stopped glowing and dropped gently back into my hands. My pole was now a scythe with a pink blade and a green shaft. Okay, what the hell is happening?

"You've finally awakened Graceful Dahlia, well done Lumaria." The man sneered from under his hood.

I pointed the scythe at the man. "Who and what are you? I want answers!" I demanded.

The figure pulled back his hood as a few flower petals danced around his head. I couldn't even comprehend what I saw for a whole five seconds. It was…me: same curly pink hair and sapphire eyes. My hair nearly reached mid-back while his brushed against his shoulders, and his eyes sparkled with arrogance. I trembled in fear, gripping my new scythe in fear.

"Surprised? You shouldn't be. After all I am your fate," Lumaria II smirked once more.

I growled under my breath. "Not if I can change it!" I ran towards him at full speed before leaping into the air, scythe raised above my head.

A sharp CLANG! echoed through the damp air. My newfound shock was Lumaria II was holding the EXACT same weapon as me. He pushed my scythe away before he attempted to swing his at me. I blocked it easily and jumped back as Lumaria II slashed at my arm, making a clean cut. I gripped my arm as pain made its way up my arm and the smell of blood invaded my nostrils. Lumaria II charged at me again but I blocked it, my arm stinging painfully.

Lumaria II pulled back his scythe and held it up to the sky. The blade glowed white and he jumped into the air, vanishing from my sight. I barely had time to react before he reappeared in front of me and slash at my shoulder. Gritting my teeth in pain, I swung my scythe at him but he dodged it as if it were child's play. He charged at me again and I knocked his aside, using the shaft of my sycthe. I smirked, knowing I had a chance at getting the upper ground in this battle.

My arrogance cost me the battle. I felt something slam into me, throwing me into the air. Then more glowing red dots shot at me, sending jolts of pain throughout my body. I felt Lumaria II jumped up behind me, probably smirking with victory, and whispered in my ear:

"Nothing you can do will change your fate…Marluixa,"

"No!" I screamed.

My hands sank into the soft cushioning beneath me. Eyes darting around the room, I examined my surrounding. I wasn't in that dark city and Lumaria II was nowhere to be found. I lay awake on the couch in the tiny living room of my house. Even with my racing heart and my cold sweat-drenched shirt, I managed to sigh with relief. Just a dream, just a very realistic dream. Outside, the sun was beginning to climb slowly over the horizon sending orange and pale blue beams across the sky. I groaned with annoyance, there goes another sleepless night. Muttering to myself, I reluctantly pull myself to my feet and start to get ready for the day.

"Lumaria, are sure you haven't gone crazy?" Renale raised an eyebrow after I finished describing my dream at breakfast.

"Positive, it was the same dream as the one last week. I've had this dream at least three times, and I think it's trying to tell me something," I probably sounded like a lunatic.

Renale was lost in her thoughts for the longest time. I tried to read her acidic green eyes, but only a thoughtful expression was there. Her lips moved as if she was murmuring something, and then she shook her head.

"Do you think it has something to do with the heartless popping up all over town?" Renale wondered.

"There weren't any heartless in my dream, but the figure was giving off a nasty aura that reminded me of heartless," I answered. "In fact when I was running from him, his screams sounded a lot like a heartless roaring,"

"But how can a heartless look exactly like a human? That's impossible," Renale pointed out, tossing back her short blonde hair.

"Maybe not, it can shape shift or make illusion to make itself look like me," I probably sounded crazy.

Renale shook her head before she stood up and lightly kissed me on my forehead. "You're just messing with me now, and that sounds like something a lunatic out of an asylum would say. Be careful going to Leon's today, there's a rumor going around town that a giant heartless pops up around the clock tower everytime the clock tower strikes noon,"

"Now who's that crazy one?" I wagged my head and trudged to my room to get ready for the day.


"No," A stern voice replied. "We still don't have enough,"

"Sir, we've just recruited numbers nine and ten, and it wasn't easy," The man sitting across him sighed, sinking into his chair. "Can't we get a break? I'm getting too old for this,"

A swirl of darkness circled one of their towering chairs and another fellow member appeared. He pulled back his hood, revealing his platinum blonde hair and disappointed green irises. Their leader raised his eyebrows in anticipation.

"Well? What information do you have for me Vexen?" He asked.

Vexen shook his head. "Nothing, Xemnas. We're still the only ten Nobodies that actually look and act like humans. I did a through recon of every world we know of and nothing has showed up," He reported as Xemnas sighed in annoyance.

"Question Xemnas," The newbie sitting a few seats away from the scientist, Demyx, started. "Why are we called Organization XIII when there's only ten of us?"

"Technically shouldn't we be Organization X?" Another member with fiery red hair, Axel, pointed out.

"We're getting off track!" Xemnas boomed, silencing the members. "We need a few more members because it'll only get us closer to Kingdom Hearts. But from Vexen's report we have no one to recruit!" The silver-haired Nobody ranted. "But I suppose, what can we do about it?" He sighed.

"We'll just bide our time, and see what comes up," Xemnas's right-hand man, Saix, agreed.

"Everyone, you're dissmissed. Get out of my sight," Xemnas commanded, an annoyed twinge to his voice. The ten Nobodies left without a word between any of them.