Author's Note: Hey y'all, me again! I've noticed that you guys are seriously lacking in the review department....yeah, I think we know what I'm getting at. I also noticed that you guys seem to be understanding Zero more, which is good! Now I totally get to make your apologies moot! Hehehe, I'm such an evil author! Anyways, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, however I do own YOUR SOULS! Or at least, a soul I.O.U...

Chapter 10: Embitterment

Kairi struggled with the bars of her caged prison. She tried everything, from pushing against them, to pulling them, but of course, nothing worked. She gave up and sat on the ground, exhausted from her attempts.

"How pathetic," said a voice. Kairi gasped and jumped to her feet. Zero appeared in front of the bars.

"Wh-Who are you?" Kairi asked.

"Number Zero," Zero replied. "You must be the girl Axel tried to kidnap."

"What do you want from me?" Kairi demanded.

"I personally want nothing from you," Zero replied. "However, Axel wanted you to bring back that traitor. I tried to warn him that his plan was stupid, but he's so stubborn. He got what he rightly deserved."

"I don't understand…" said Kairi. "…where am I? What's going on?"

"You're in the Castle That Never Was…" explained Zero. "…the stronghold of Organization XIII. Well, it was Organization XIII until Sora destroyed a good number of our members." Kairi gasped.

"Sora!" she cried. "Where is he?" Zero shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "But I'm about to accompany one of my comrades in destroying him." Kairi flinched.

"What?" she cried. "No! Don't!" Zero shook her head.

"I don't think you'll have to worry," she said. "The one they're sending is so incompetent that he'll surely screw it up. Sora will be fine. If anything, he'll most likely eliminate his opponent. And I won't interfere."

"Why?" Kairi found herself asking. "Aren't you supposed to help if your comrade falls into trouble?" Zero shook her head again.

"He doesn't deserve my help," she said. "Besides, it's his mission, not mine. My business is not with Sora, but with someone else."

"Who?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Riku?"

"Who? I don't believe I know a Riku."

"Then who?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"I guess it doesn't matter; there's nothing you can do about it. You're too weak to stop me. I'm going to destroy a girl by the name of Vanessa." Kairi gasped.

"Vanessa!" she exclaimed. "But why?" Zero furrowed her brows.

"You talk as if you know her," she observed. "Tell me, do you know her?"

"What do you have against her?" demanded Kairi.

"She's an enemy of the Organization…" said Zero. "…and a personal enemy of mine."

"But why?" asked Kairi. Zero turned her back to Kairi.

"You wouldn't understand," she said. "But the reason doesn't matter. What matters is that soon, Vanessa will cease to exist."

"But you can't!" cried Kairi. "You just can't!"

"And why not?" asked Zero. "Who will stop me? You? If I had a heart, I'd laugh." Kairi bristled at the insult.

"Sora would never let you do it!" she yelled. "He'll stop you!"

"The Keyblade master…" said Zero. "…if I cared enough, I'd destroy him as well." She turned back to Kairi and smirked. "But then again, my anger knows no bounds. If he gets in my way, his fate will be the same."

"No!" cried Kairi. "Leave them alone!" Zero just walked away. "Hey! Come back!" Zero ignored her and continued to walk until she found Demyx in the Grey Area. He was sitting on the sofa, fidgeting his fingers in a nervous manner, just as Zero expected him to.

"You could at least try to be less pathetic," said Zero. Demyx groaned.

"Look Zero, I'm not in the mood ok?" he said. "You're not the one who has to fight Sora!" Zero folded her arms.

"You failed in the Underworld…" she said. "…and yet the Superior sends you again. What is he thinking?"

"Well, at least I have back up," said Demyx. "You're coming too aren't you?"

"I'm accompanying you, yes…" Zero admitted. "…but this is your fight and yours alone." Demyx flinched.

"What?" he cried. "You're not even gonna help?" Zero shook her head.

"My business is not to help you…" she said. "…but to eliminate Vanessa." Demyx looked down.

"So you're really gonna do it…" he muttered. He sighed. "Poor Vanessa…" Zero scoffed.

"Why do you pity her?" she asked. "She was just a pawn. She was used, now it's time to throw her away. She was nothing." Demyx jumped to his feet.

"Don't say that!" he yelled in Zero's face. Her eyes widened. "She was more than you! At least she had a heart!" Demyx's face flushed. He jumped back. "Z-Zero! I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean it like that, honest!" Zero's face grew expressionless.

"So you do have some balls after all," she remarked. Demyx faltered. "I'm not going to attack you; that'd be a waste of my time and energy. Besides, I'll get my revenge soon enough; Sora will do away with you for me."

"Why are you being this way?" asked Demyx. "You're so cold and unfeeling Zero. Even more so than Saïx, or even the Superior himself! In fact, you're colder than Vexen, and he was pure ice!"

"Is that so?" said Zero indifferently.

"And you're especially cold to me!" Demyx complained. "Do you hate me or something?"

"No," said Zero. "I simply don't like you. If I hated you, I would've killed you by now."

"Then what's your problem?" asked Demyx. Zero sighed.

"It's none of your business," she said. "Stop asking me, before I get upset." After she finished her sentence, Saïx appeared.

"Are you two ready?" he asked. Demyx gulped.

"You mean now?" he inquired.

"I believe that's what I asked," said Saïx.

"Err, sure, I'm ready…I guess…" said Demyx uncertainly.

"And you Number Zero?" asked Saïx. Zero smirked.

"I was born ready," she said.

AN: Yikes! I didn't realize the chapter was so short until after I typed it! Sorry guys, I promise the next one'll be twice as long!