AN: I finished this chapter way early, but Niff took her sweet time reading it. Since the last chapter was romancy, this chapter is very plotty. Very. You may hate me when this is done. I hope not, though. Thanks to Danni-la, Zenxara, -JansenFriedh827-, LiteraryMirage, Niffstral, terracannon876 (especially for making this the first KH fic you've read in a while; I'm glad it was mine too. :) ), luckless-is-me, Schizo-of-Destiny and Knut Case for reviewing. Thanks again to Niffstral for convincing me that the ending of this chapter was not terrible.

Oh, if you don't know what the deal is with Xion, well... it prolly won't come up, but if it does, I'll leave a warning.

Disclaimer: You know at this point, right? I don't own anything. T_T

Chapter 10: No. i, Tron, and the Tide

I have come to the conclusion that he is insane. Utterly. There is no other explanation for the behavior of gathering up a seemingly unrelated group of individuals, addressing them by names from an old story, and locking them up tight. Moreover, he is desperate to have us, going to ridiculous lengths in order to obtain us. But why? In what way are we connected, in that brain of his? Why…

Why have I been Ienzo since before I took the name willingly? Why did he decree that I couldn't see my parents again? Why did he take my sister from me? Why did he say that if I tried to run, they would hurt her? Why won't he refer to her as a girl, or even as my sister, instead calling her an "it?" Why does he call her No. i?

Why are there so many questions that I can't answer? I'm supposed to be a genius, but I can't figure out what that old man is thinking. Maybe I need to do more research. Properly looking into those legends might help. I never paid them much attention before. Demyx said his sister had done some research in that area. Perhaps she can help. If she can't…

Even if it means going willingly into the lion's den when my time comes, I will get you out of that place. I promise, Xion.

…Especially since I now know exactly what kind of freaks you're dealing with.

Another night, another dream about a hallway, a room full of broken glass, and a computer. Zexion hated to admit it, but he was starting to miss his old dreams. When he'd wake up, they would slide away like water, and leave him with a vague, detached memory. This dream, though… sleeping or waking, he couldn't escape it. In his quiet moments, Zexion found himself wondering, what's the password?

Then he would give his face a good whack, and resume his day. Part of resuming his day meant planning his next move. The last three or four days of observing Demyx (if that's what you wanna call it...) had convinced Zexion that his identity was safe for the moment. Little did he know that what he had said to Demyx was what prevented him from getting an impartial read on Demyx's behavior. Demyx was floating above the clouds, riding a wave of bliss. The mere memory of what Zexion had confessed to Demyx was enough to calm Demyx's spirit so that he could act naturally.

Regardless, Zexion was convinced that he was safe, and so was planning his next attack. He wasn't sure what to do, though. What would send a strong message, without being too strong? He couldn't let Xion get hurt because he'd been reckless.

Xion… Zexion had avoided thinking of her for a long time. Demyx had brought her back into the forefront his mind with his initial sudden display of affection. The look on his face before and after had been so reminiscent of his sister when she would do something like that… Zexion had been overcome. True, that was probably the only similarity that Demyx and Xion shared, but it had been enough to trigger his memories. Zexion didn't like the idea that remembering his sister would make him faint. It was weak.

Anyway, a plan. Zexion didn't have one. It could be because he'd gone almost an entire week without being harassed in the middle of the night, but he was out of ideas. Not rage. No, he could fill all the worlds with his rage, and still have some to spare, but his inspiration was…

Zexion suddenly remembered the hallways, full of crumbling walls and broken lights. The study with shattered glass and writing on the wall. The painting of a man he didn't know. The vast room, full of devices that he'd never understand. The computer screen, begging for a password. He knew suddenly where all that was, without ever having set foot inside that exact area: the old castle. The destroyed part, he guessed. If he could get the password to that computer, what would he have control over?

That is, assuming that this computer even existed. Dreams were nothing to base a plan on, if experience had taught Zexion anything.

Nevertheless, Zexion spent that night sitting in his bed, wearing a headset, and staring at his computer screen. He had gotten into the castle's network. Where to go from there? He was waiting for the answer to call him up. It had to happen.

He wasn't disappointed. Zexion promptly answered the phone via his headset.

"It's been a while," he answered calmly, not hating the man on the other end for once.

"Even escaped. You knew that, though."

"I did," Zexion agreed. "Have you found him?"

"He disappeared. I suspect he has fled to another world, one outside of Radiant Garden."

Radiant Garden referred not to one world, but to the confederation of worlds that took Hollow Bastion as their capital. Some didn't, and Vexen would probably be safe in one of those worlds. "That is not why I called, however."

"Do tell."

"Have you been dreaming lately?" Zexion couldn't have asked for a better subject.

"I have. Not like before, though. I keep dreaming of this place that is likely in the destroyed part of the Old Castle, and a computer," Zexion related calmly.

"How odd. There is indeed a computer back there, but it hasn't been used since the last member of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee passed on. No one knows the password anymore."

Zexion felt himself break out in cold sweat. He was terrified and excited. He was flabbergasted at the implications of his recent dreams, but he didn't have time for that now. He typed furiously, until he reached a password entry screen. Somewhere inside him, he knew the password. He'd always known it. But the computer rejected it.

"I take it you've had people try to crack that password for a long time?" Zexion asked casually, flipping through a book on old Hollow Bastion legends.

"I have. That computer controls the town defense system, so no one can change it without the password. The story goes that when the keyblade hero was drawn inside the computer-" This was getting a little weird for Zexion, he had to say. "The password changed."

Zexion knew what the password was. It was right here in this book. The story of a sentimental computer program that changed the password to the names of his friends. What friends could a program possibly have?

"You're a fool," Zexion announced, entering the password. "I win." Zexion hung up, attaching his headset to his laptop. This was either going to be the easiest hacking job ever, or the hardest.

On the screen, Zexion saw something that he couldn't believe. He blinked. Again. It was still there. Unless he was going mad, Zexion faced an anthropomorphized computer program. Probably a security program, if he had to go through it after entering the password.

"A user," the program remarked (cheerfully? It sounded happy. Utterly impossible). "It's been a long time since I had a user."

"They all passed on, and didn't tell anyone the password," Zexion explained, feeling like an idiot for talking to a computer program.

"Then how did you get in?"

"It was an absurdly easy password, Tron." Zexion had consulted the book for the programs' name. "I'm surprised that no one figured it out before."

"You were always the smart one, Ienzo," Tron announced confidently.

"Why did you call me that?" Zexion felt that cold sweat coming back.

"Aren't you one of Ansem's apprentices? Or no, wait. If he's gone, they must be gone too."

Zexion had no time to ask this program what he meant by… well, most of what he'd said so far. He had a plan now, but he would have to ask Tron to carry it out.

"Tron, can I ask you to do something for me?" Asking a security program for permission… what kind of hacker was he?

"What do you need?"

Zexion proceeded to give an abbreviated explanation regarding who lived in the castle, what they had done to him, and so on, with the point of giving Tron the idea that the castle's main occupant was not a good person. The look on the program's face as he explained told him that he was succeeding.

"What I need you to do is reroute the defense system within and around the castle, such that it blocks entry or exit while still keeping the Heartless at bay," Zexion explained calmly.

"For how long?"

"A week," Zexion decided. "And please change the password when you're done."

"Understood. What should the new password be?"

Zexion consulted the book. His lips formed the ghost of a smile. "Make it "sea salt ice cream." "

"It was a pleasure being able to help you, Ienzo," Tron declared, before the connection between the two computers went dead. Zexion didn't even have time to correct him, and he didn't know if Tron had actually done it. Well, he'd know soon.

Axel had been allowed out of bed, only to be escorted in front of the living room's TV. Roxas allegedly had a bad feeling about today, so Axel, Roxas and Zexion had all woken up early to watch the news together, Axel and Roxas munching on sea salt ice cream (another unhealthy breakfast…). Mostly, the together part was to humor Axel, who was sick and tired of being in bed.

Roxas' bad feeling manifested in the first item of news. "Ienzo has struck again" the title of the story.

"Thousands have gathered outside of Hollow Bastion's old castle this morning in a show of support for our now trapped president, Ansem the Wise. Late last night, the section of the town defense system that guards the castle turned hostile, preventing aid or escape for those trapped within. In an address to those standing outside, the president said that the culprit is the hacker Ienzo, without any doubt. He would not say what made him so certain of this conclusion, and communication from within the castle ceased shortly afterward."

Tron had done it. Zexion felt more than a little pleased at his ability to convince a computer program to do his bidding without writing a single line of code. Then again, Tron was hardly a normal computer program.

Zexion felt his phone vibrate, and found a text message from Axel, with a question that he could hardly ask aloud with Roxas right there: "Did you do this?" Zexion turned to look at Axel, to gauge the redhead's mood. Axel's face was turned resolutely towards the television, so Zexion had no choice but to type out the three letter word that could finally be the breaking point of his friendship with Axel: "yes."

Roxas was saying something about officials being concerned that the rest of the defense system was affected, so once again, everything was closed, but Zexion's attention was on Axel. The redhead examined the message impassively, and then turned to face Zexion. The look he now wore wasn't angry, or even irritated. Axel just looked sad that Zexion was still doing shit like this. Not the breaking point, then.

"Axel!" Roxas's voice brought Axel and Zexion out of their moment.

"What?"

"You won't miss any class today," Roxas answered, just a little bit annoyed. "Another national emergency keeping everyone inside."

"They really think that an attack on the castle affects us at all?" Axel was annoyed too, even though this was a good thing for him. "Ienzo doesn't do things in waves. If it's obvious that he attacked the castle, then the castle is the only place affected."

"The president was attacked, Axel," Zexion offered smoothly. "Who knows what someone who would attack the president would do."

"You don't actually think that way, do you?" Axel seemed offended.

"Of course not. But that's what they're thinking. Better safe than sorry, I suppose."

Zexion passed the day peacefully, sitting on his bed and reading up on Hollow Bastion's legends. He was particularly interested by the fact that the names of the six apprentices were all in the book somewhere, but the name of the wise ruler wasn't. Did no one know what he was called? The story was commonly believed to be true. If so, why then could one man's name not be found anywhere?

And then there was the person that Tron had referred to. He claimed not to have seen a user in a very long time. If that were the case, why would he know the name Ansem? Furthermore, referring to him as one of Ansem's apprentices, and calling him Ienzo… Was the wise ruler in the story also named Ansem? If so, was it coincidence that they had the same name (and obviously the same title)? If it wasn't a coincidence, then neither was that frustrating tendency to call certain people by the names of the apprentices. Several important questions remained, however: why was he Ienzo, Vexen Even, and Xigbar Braig? What connected them to those people, and why was Ansem seeking them? Did the old man have some connection to the story? Was he off his rocker? Zexion believed that the answer to the last question was obvious.

A knock on the door interrupted his musings, and Demyx appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Zexy," Demyx greeted him cheerfully.

"You know that classes are cancelled because it's not safe to go out," Zexion scolded, this being the second time that Demyx had willingly gone outside during a "national emergency." He closed his book, leaving one finger inside to mark the page.

"Being alone in my apartment felt more dangerous than going outside. Besides, the Claymores are too slow to be a real threat, even if they were going nuts. Which they're not, by the way," Demyx explained smugly, traipsing into the room and sitting down next to Zexion on the bed.

Zexion couldn't help but silently agree.

"So, what were you reading?" Demyx leaned over, trying to get a look at the title of the book on Zexion's lap.

"A book of Hollow Bastion legends," Zexion answered neutrally, opening the book again.

"The story of Organization XIII is a Hollow Bastion legend?" Demyx asked disbelievingly, noticing the chapter that Zexion was on. "My sis would chew this author out. Organization XIII didn't actually do all that much in this world."

"The majority of its members became Nobodies here," Zexion explained, turning the page idly. He froze when he got a good look at the pages in front of him.

The names of the members of Organization XIII had been lost over time, but their faces had not been so lucky, apparently. The pages before Zexion were covered in photographs of paintings of each of the founding six members before they had become Nobodies, the remaining seven after becoming Nobodies, though only the first two of those were on this page. The first question raised by this was how someone had managed to paint portraits of all of them. But that was sort of irrelevant to the main point: what the fuck?

"I now know," Zexion began, his hands shaking, "Why it always takes so long to go through security in the gummiport, and why Axel and my brother have similar trouble." He held out the book for Demyx to see.

Demyx's eyes widened as he took in the sight. "They stop you in security because you look a bit like VI, and Axel looks like VIII? They've been gone for hundreds of years! That's a bit paranoid."

"Not "a bit like,"" Zexion corrected, still shaking. "The resemblance is exact, though Ienzo looks a bit younger than myself. Axel even has the same tattoos as this man! Aeleus is the spitting image of my brother."

"Zexy," Demyx began in a soothing tone, "They say that nature reuses patterns, and that everyone has someone somewhere that looks exactly like them. Maybe Ienzo was yours, Aeleus was your brother's and this guy was Axel's."

Zexion turned the page, revealing the faces of IX, X, XI, XII and XIII. The pictures of IX and XIII drew their attention quickly. Demyx also noticed XII.

"That's… me," Demyx whispered, noticing IX and joining Zexion in the completely freaked out camp. "And Larxene. They always search us more carefully than our parents… And that's Larxene's best friend!" Demyx exclaimed, pointing at XI.

"This is Roxas… though the boy in this picture is several years younger than him," Zexion observed thoughtfully. "He's never complained about gummiport problems, though."

"Maybe it's because of the keyblade? Roxas is obviously a good person. They don't know that about us," Demyx murmured, not quite believing the words coming out of his mouth.

"You don't think it's a coincidence anymore?"

Demyx shook his head. "No, though I don't understand why looking like dead Nobodies would get us searched in the gummiport. Since when does looking like a dead guy get you on a terrorism watch list?"

Zexion actually had an idea about that, and it began and ended with a crazy old man, who had all the power in several important worlds. Not that he could say so to Demyx, but…

"Does this book have the story of the Nobody who sacrificed himself for another?" Demyx asked suddenly.

"Yes." Zexion remembered it well. "It said that VIII died defending XIII, who had become one with the keyblade hero. The story theorizes that this act bound VIII and XIII together, to return to each other for eternity."

Suddenly Zexion knew why Demyx had asked. His mind automatically turned to his two roommates, chatting peacefully in the living room. Were they the answer to all of those questions?

AN: T_T Yeah, not so AU anymore, huh? Don't kill me, please...