Taro looked over at Sora and Riku as they walked back in the front door. To his reprieve, Sora looked considerably happier than before. Sighing with relief, Taro handed him a plate of food as he walked in and took a seat next to his cousin.

Sora sat down on the other side of Cloud, ignoring his apathetic expression, and turned to Taro and Enik. "Sorry 'bout that, I wasn't feeling very good. Homesick, you know?" he said hopefully, staring at Taro as if he would tell him just what to say. Taro nodded cheerfully. "Yeah, I understand." Enik shot him a worried glance, and he cut off the end of the sentence as he quickly thought of a way to change the subject. "So, um, how about going down to the beach or something today? It probably won't be as crowded; it isn't as warm as it was yesterday. And you guys…" he gestured across the table towards Sora and Riku "…you guys live on an island too, so you'd like that, right?"

"Yeah, we'd love to!" Riku said instantly before Sora could get a word in. Cloud raised an eyebrow and looked to Sora for explanation, but he only shrugged. And, once again, silence fell in the kitchen. A few awkward moments passed, and then Enik leaned forward onto the table.

"So, Sora, tell me. What's it like being the Keyblade master?"

Startled, Sora nearly choked on the mouthful of waffle he had just begun to chew. "Uh…." he coughed. "Well, it's, um..."

"Don't misunderstand; I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable." Enik said kindly, sensing Sora's uneasiness. "I guess what I'm trying to ask is if it's cool getting to see other worlds and stuff like that."

Now surprise, and then relief, crossed Sora's visage. Nodding slowly, a wide grin escaped as he opened his mouth to answer. "Actually, yeah. It is. I get to meet a lot of great people, and see things I wouldn't get to see anywhere else."

"That sounds awesome," Enik agreed, his voice sounding wistful. "I've never lived anywhere other than here, so I wouldn't know what its like."

"Same as Riku and I. We've always lived on the Destiny Islands."

"Well, looks like you two and us two have something in common, then." Enik said happily, chuckling as he tousled Taro's messy hair. Taro laughed and swatted his hand away, beaming. Sora found himself laughing, too.

"Well, we better get all this stuff cleaned up if we want to go to the beach today. You guys ate a lot." Taro pointed out. Grinning over at Riku, he snickered. "More like Riku ate a lot. Ate it all, in fact…"

"Hey, a guy's gotta eat!" Riku retorted, stuffing a last bite of waffle into his mouth as evidence. Enik burst out laughing, and soon everyone was joining in. Even Cloud smirked, though unnoticeably.

Sora looked around the room—his best friend, Riku; one of his best other friends from his previous journey, Cloud; a new friend, Taro; and Enik, who, at this point, didn't seem like such a bad person after all. People who he cared about. People who cared about him in return.

Taro's words from the episode earlier that day rang in his head. Everyone just needs a chance, you know? Before anyone gives up on them. Sora knew he had been right—now that he had taken a chance getting to know Taro, and Enik as well, things were finally beginning to look up.

The only problem was, would it stay that way for long?

Xarik stood stoically in front of the tall door, staring at it with a faraway expression. It was almost as if she expected it to disappear, or swing open on its own. Neither of these things happened as the seconds passed by silently. The faint sounds of conversation could be heard from within the adjacent room, with Nexhayd's raucous shouting audible over all other voices, accompanied by Zaix's laughter and Rarext's harsh chastising. But Xarik remained motionless, still gazing towards the doorway.

Xaice stood close behind her, watching her immobile frame with a grim look. The gaze from his chocolate-colored eyes gave nothing away, but on the inside he was in complete turmoil.

I love Xarik. I love her.

But I can't love her. It's impossible; I have no heart. No emotions. I can't love.

So I don't love her. It's nothing. Ignore it.

No, what it really is, is that I won't love her. My duty is to the Organization, not to myself. I am nothing. I do not love. I only feel hate, false though it may be.

But I have to love her. I need her.

Wait…what am I saying? I don't need her. What does a Nobody need? We need nothing, for we are nothing. We are worthless nothings.

Then why don't I feel like a nothing? Why does she make me feel so…important?

Is it because she needs me? Or because I really do need her? So, do we need each other? Is that it?

Maybe. It feels like that. Or, at least, something close to feeling.

When…humans…feel like that, isn't that what love is?

But love doesn't exist for me. It doesn't exist for any of us.

Then why? Why do I need her this badly, why do I have a longing for her to stay by my side? If it isn't love, then what can it be?

I love Xarik, but I can't love.

Xaice shook his head, attempting to clear the mess of thoughts swirling through his anxious, over-worked mind. Xarik hadn't moved from her position facing the door. Stepping forward cautiously, he laid a hand gently on her shoulder. Instantly, she spun around to meet his gaze, her metallic eyes brimming with an indescribable longing of some sort. Gradually reaching up with one hand, she placed hers on top of Xaice's and held it securely, yet still tenderly. She lowered both of their hands until they hung by their sides, still clasped together.

I love her, Xaice thought, desperately trying to disprove his own notion. I can't. A fleeting hint of exasperation flashed in his expression before he nervously jerked his hand out of Xarik's.

"We, um…we have to go. We'll miss the meeting," he blurted out uncertainly, gesturing towards the door to enhance the excuse.

Xarik looked up at him regretfully, nodding so slowly it was barely even noticeable. "Yes, you're right." Turning back to the door, she pushed it open. As it slid across the floor, revealing the rest of the Organization to the two in the hallway, Xaice made a hurried decision.

I love her. I know I do. That doesn't change the fact that I can't. I won't let Xarik see that I love her. Maybe then, she'll hate me. Maybe then, this pain will subside.

Maybe then, I can keep on being dead without her making me feel so alive.

"Hey, Xaice!" Zaix called from within the room, his bronze hair completely disheveled. It was evident that he had been involved in some type of scuffle—most likely with Lenexa, who was sprawled on the floor at the other end of the room, moaning. Rarext was standing on the table (surprising in itself), pointing at Nexhayd and screaming at him so hatefully she was practically spitting venom. The boy was apathetically pulling at his spiky purple hair, completely ignoring her, while Texal sat beside him, looking completely fed-up.

Xaice waved to Zaix and walked over to him, trying his best to look like nothing was wrong. But that didn't get past Zaix; he instantly looked confused and tilted his head questioningly.

"What's got you down, D-men?"

There was no immediate answer; Xaice was watching Xarik, who was standing all alone, looking like she always did when they had meetings concerning Sora—very angry and determined. Zaix tapped his friend on the shoulder, looking for an answer.

"Huh?" Xaice replied, thrown off. "Oh. I'm fine, just tired, you know?"

Zaix nodded, still looking a little wary. "Mm, right."

A loud shot emitted from the corner of the room, and one of Lenexa's energy bursts flew by at an alarming speed, catching Zaix on the shoulder before it passed mere inches from Xaice's head, scorching the tips of his hair. Zaix spun around and glared at the snickering culprit.

"It's over for you now, Len…" he muttered, stomping over menacingly as the burnt shoulder of his cloak continued smoldering. Screeching very obnoxiously, Lenexa jumped up, ran towards the doorway, and made a desperate attempt to escape, only to have the door swing open suddenly, hitting him in the face and knocking him out cold. Rarext paused in her ranting and grinned, looking pleased, before turning back to Nexhayd and slapping him upside the head in frustration. Texal had apparently had enough; he stood up and walked over to Xaice.

"That must be the rest of them," he mumbled jadedly, shuffling his deck of cards.

"I believe you're right," Xaice agreed, "but I really wish you were wrong."

Two cloaked figures walked into the room, side by side, both the same exact height. Rarext halted her abuse of Nexhayd and stared at the pair with a mixed expression of dread and abhorrence. Flipping his spiky purple hair, Nexhayd turned in his seat and grinned at the two figures.

"Heya Rent, Kassy! Long time no see!"

The figure closest to him flipped back their hood, revealing the face of a very happy-looking girl. Rarext grimaced and turned away, looking repulsed. Xaice stifled a laugh, and Texal rolled his eyes and walked towards Xarik, who was caught up in her usual habit of stabbing the floor with a kunai knife.

"Nexy! It's been so long!" the girl shrieked happily, her bright blue eyes glowing with joy. She shook out her long blonde hair, which had been flattened by her hood, before throwing herself into Nexhayd's open arms with an overwhelming amount of delight. The other Nobodies did their best not to gag. It was unlikely for a Nobody of their kind to ever be so peppy, and it was unsettling—not to mention uncomfortable.

"Kasix…" the other figure muttered in a monotone. She glared.

"Rent, stop being a bad brother! Leave me alone!" Kasix protested, leaning against Nexhayd and frowning like a little girl.

"Kas, you're fifteen, not five," her brother added, pulling back his hood and staring at her disapprovingly. His eyes and hair were the exact same shade as his sister's, which was not unlikely for a pair of identical twins. "Not to mention that the last two are on their way down right now and I really don't need you embarrassing us in front of the entire Organization," he ordered, glancing behind him at Lenexa, who was just coming to after being unconscious for several minutes.

"Aw c'mon, Rent," Nexhayd interjected, "she isn't embarrassing, she's cute."

"Oh shut up," Rarext hissed, kicking the back of his chair in disgust. He turned and stuck out his tongue at her, adding to the overflow of loathing spilling from her glare. Zaix started laughing in spite of himself, and she kicked him in the stomach harshly. Just when it seemed that Zaix was about to kill her despite the fact that she could very well kill him first, the door opened up again and two more Nobodies entered the now-crowded room, both with their hoods down. One was a boy; the other, a girl.

"Hello everyone…" the boy mumbled. All present turned their heads in surprise, staring at the black-haired boy as he stared back with passive green eyes.

"Xantu?" Xaice asked disbelievingly, stepping forward a little. Xantu nodded solemnly and walked across the room in silence, calmly taking a seat near Rarext despite the fact that everyone was continuing to watch him carefully.

"What brings you up to this neck of the castle?" Zaix asked casually. All heads turned to face Xantu, who was looking right at his questioner. The answer came almost instantly.

"Sora."

A deafening shattering sound erupted from Xarik's general location. A few of the Nobodies, including Xaice and Nexhayd, who had jumped at the sound, turned to face her and were not surprised to find that at the mention of Sora, she had slammed a kunai knife into the floor so forcefully it had shattered a good portion of it. A system of deep, wide crevices spread out in a spider-web pattern from where she had placed the knife, and small pieces of broken glass surrounded her. Uninterested, the attention turned away from Xarik back to the other girl, who had just entered with Xantu.

"Let me guess," Lenexa mumbled, sounding woozy as he tried to re-orient himself. "Taxi?"

"Don't call me that," the girl snapped distastefully, pushing her dark brown bangs out of her face to reveal eyes as black as coal. "My name is Taxea. Get it right, Len." She glared at everyone standing around her, and then turned to Rarext. "Hello, Rare," she said softly. Rarext's cynical expression softened as she nodded a greeting back, and she motioned for Taxea to come sit nearby. The girl began to make her way over, and the door swung open once more. She paused mid-step and turned as silence and anxiety settled over the area.

"Are all present?" the Superior inquired as he strode into the room. Xaice was the first to stand up, straight and tall, and he was soon followed by the rest. Zaix elbowed Rarext, and, grudgingly, she rolled her eyes and stood up, slouching slightly.

"Yes, Superior," echoed throughout the room. In unison, the eleven cloaked Nobodies bowed gracefully to their leader before straightening up once more and staring directly ahead with concentrated sincerity.

"Fayxt, enter," he called, turning slightly to look behind him.

"Yes, sir." The boy walked slowly, but surely, past the Superior until he stood about four feet in front of him, facing the rest of the members with a blank, distant stare. Lenexa shuddered beside Nexhayd, and Kasix stood closer to her brother. "I am only here to say one thing. Some of you have heard it, some of you have not. My wish is this and nothing but this—if any of you, during any battle with Sora, see the one we call Roxas…" shivers rippled through his audience, "…you are to cease battle immediately. Is this understood?"

Everyone nodded—except Kasix.

"Uh, um, excuse me? Fayxt?"

Fayxt paused, trying to decipher who was speaking to him. "It's Kasix, correct?"

"Y-Yes, sir." She turned to her brother, who was watching her with a horrified look. "Why do you wish that? Why do we have to stop fighting if we see Roxas?"

The boy grinned eerily, his milky gray eyes narrowing. "You do wish to have me remain as part of the Organization, correct?"

"Of course…" Kasix answered reluctantly, unsure of exactly how to answer. But Fayxt only nodded as he turned to exit.

"Well, there, Kasix, is your answer."

No one dared to even breathe as he elegantly walked away, his footsteps echoing down the hall for several moments after he had left. The Superior turned to them.

"Fayxt is like a pillar for this Organization," he explained. "Without him, everything we are, everything we've accomplished so far, would crumble. Including the efforts of those before us." Xarik's muffled shriek of indignation was ignored. "Thus, we must honor Fayxt's wishes if he sees them fit to his liking. Now…" he stepped further into the room. "To discuss the attack on Memory Isle."

"Sir?" Lenexa asked, coming closer. "When does the plan take effect, sir?"

Their leader chuckled to himself before raising his head to look at the boy.

"Immediately. Now all of you, sit down and listen very carefully."

Pointing to the bandage on his face, Sora smirked. "You think it's okay, Riku?"

His friend observed the bandage, turning his head a few times as he considered it. "Mm, yeah. It should be fine, by now."

"What's okay? What're you talking about?" Taro asked curiously as he walked in from the living room with his shoes in his hand. Enik stood not far behind him, watching Sora and Riku exchange anxious glances and eyeing Sora's bandage warily.

"Oh, we were just discussing this bandage, here," Riku answered finally, nodding towards it. "Sora hurt himself before we left, but he should be able to take it off now." Pausing, he nodded towards his friend. "Go ahead."

The younger boy looked at Riku uneasily, hesitating as he lifted his hands to his face and slowly tore away the white cloth. As more and more of it was removed, a sky-blue eye identical to his other became visible beneath Sora's dirty-blonde hair. Seconds later, Sora disposed of the bandage and turned to Riku, Taro, and Enik.

"How do I look?" he asked, directing his question more towards Riku, who had seen the gash when Sora had first gotten it.

But there was silence. Riku was staring at him regretfully, and Taro and Enik exchanged sympathetic looks.

"What? What's wrong?" Sora asked, confused. Taro stepped forward.

"That's a pretty bad scar…good thing it's faded some."

"Scar? What scar?" he shouted, looking anxiously from one person to the next. Sighing, Riku grabbed him by the arm and led him to the nearest mirror. Pointing to it, he shook his head.

"Just look."

Leaning over cautiously, Sora tilted his head closer to the mirror. Sure enough, there was a scar—a thin, slightly faded line, starting from his temple and continuing to his jaw. Xaice had obviously left it there when he had slashed at Sora's face. Shuddering, Sora turned and faced his friends solemnly.

"That'll look nice in the yearbook," he mumbled, trying to sound optimistic. Taro grinned and laughed.

"It sure will," the boy answered with cheerful sarcasm. Riku scoffed in an attempt to conceal his amusement, and Enik bit his lip as he noticeably shook with laughter. The hilarity subsided as Cloud began to come back downstairs. Staring at Sora's scar sullenly, the swordsman gestured towards the door.

"So are we going or what?" he asked, looking around apathetically. All turned to Taro, who nodded and started towards the door.

"Yeah, we'll leave right now. Before the place gets too crowded."

Enik walked briskly out the door, jogging slightly to catch up with his younger cousin. Sora, Riku, and Cloud hung back for a moment before they too left the comfort of Taro's home and stepped out into the world once again.

Waves lapped up against the sandy shore, creating a clock-like rhythm that matched the beating of Sora's heart. A few wispy clouds floated lazily in the azure sky as small birds turned flips in the air and chirped happily. Soft, snow-white grains of sand were swept up by a cool, salty sea breeze, the smell of the ocean lingering in the air even after the wind had died down. Rays of sunshine drifted through the trees, bathing the entire beach in soft, warm light.

Standing at the edge of the ocean with his eyes closed, letting the cool water rush freely towards him, Sora was home. For a fleeting moment, he forgot everything that had occurred so far—where he was, why he was there….everything. Just for that moment, he was back on the Destiny Islands, at the water's edge, with all the people he knew and loved beside him. Riku was there. Tidus, Selphie, Wakka….even Sora's mother stood nearby, watching her son with a calmed expression.

And of course, standing closest to him, with her hand in his, was Kairi. She smiled up at him, leaning contently against his shoulder. Even as he heard voices around him, he ignored them, wanting to prolong his daydream as long as possible. Clenching and unclenching his fist, Sora realized with a pang of disappointment that she was not really there; it was only a dream after all. He hated to think that, he hated having to admit to himself that any happiness he could imagine was just that—imagination and nothing more. Frustrated, he continued the motion with his hand in a desperate attempt to convince himself, for once, that he might be right. He opened his hand, feeling the breeze drift through his fingers, and then, slowly, closed his hand—expecting it to only close in on itself.

Instead, it closed in on another hand. Sora jumped in astonishment, but didn't dare open his eyes. He gently clasped the hand, and immediately he felt a rush of happiness. In that instant, he really felt as if Kairi were there. She herself—whether she was a figment of his imagination or not; Sora couldn't care less at this point—even stood on her tiptoes, leaning closer to his face to whisper something in his ear.

"Hello, Sora," she whispered, grinning.

Sora froze.

The voice he heard wasn't Kairi's. It was calculating, frigid with hate, and one he had never heard before. This wasn't Kairi.

Jerking his hand back defensively and instantly snapping himself out of his daydream, he turned on the spot and summoned his Keyblade, taking a protective stance.

The scene that met him was so shocking; it nearly caused him to faint.

Enik and Taro were standing about 4 feet away on either side of him; Taro gripping a sword in both hands with all his might. Riku and Cloud were up ahead, standing face-to-face with four cloaked figures. All four of them were laughing hysterically.

"Oh good, now you decide to snap out of happy land!" Riku sneered, glaring with frustration. "Do you have any idea how long we've been trying to get your attention?!"

"But I was….and you…."

"Sora, quiet." Taro whispered from beside him. Sora turned to look at him and was surprised to see that the boy was visibly shivering with fear. "It'll be okay." Enik looked at his cousin nervously and then glowered at Sora so hatefully that the boy wanted to turn and run.

He had done it again. Just when things had seemed right, he had attracted more danger and put everyone he cared for at risk of harm—or worse, death.

I hate myself. For this, I will never forgive myself.

"Hello, Sora!" a voice called from nearby. He jerked his head up, recognizing it as the voice that he had heard only moment before.

The figure who had spoken pulled back their hood. A girl's face smirked at him, full of hate and pleasure all at once. She pulled her blonde bangs away from her robin's-egg-blue eyes and giggled.

"Hey, you know, he's kinda cute." The girl trilled, turning to her allies. In a flash, she unexpectedly appeared to Sora's left. No one had time to react as she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek; Taro swung his sword at her, but she was already back where she had been before as it sliced through the air. "I changed my mind, you're really cute," she said gleefully, taking out a sword of her own.

A second figure came forward and put their arm around the girl's shoulder. "Aw Kassy, leaving me in the dust like that? Not cool." She laughed and pulled back the other person's hood, revealing a shock of spiky purple hair, eyes as black as coal, and a row of grinning, pearl-white teeth.

"Nexy, you know that you're cuter than that Sora, of course!"

"Mmm, that I do know."

"You two, cut it out." The two turned to stare at one of the other figures. The voice sounded so familiar to Sora, and he realized it was familiar when Riku spun around and looked at him fearfully.

"Whatever, Xai." Nexhayd muttered, pulling his arm away before unnoticeably taking Kasix's hand.

Sora's blood turned to ice inside him, causing him to shudder violently. Xaice pulled back his hood and stared at him, slightly amused.

"Ooh, is that fear I see? Fear exists, even in the all-powerful, unstoppable Keyblade master? This is news to me, what about you, Rent?"

The final figure pulled back their hood, and Sora received an apathetic, yet still bitter, glare from the blonde-haired boy. To his surprise, this boy looked almost identical to the girl.

"I wouldn't have thought it myself."

"Exactly my feeling!" Xaice snapped, glowering at Sora. "Oh wait, that's right. We don't have feelings." Anger clouded his dark eyes. Suddenly, as he studied Sora's face, he burst into laughter. "That scar….that must have been me, right?" He pulled out his two swords, clicking them together into one and swishing it through the air threateningly. "Too bad there's only one. We'll have to fix that."

Nexhayd grinned with pleasure. "Now?"

Xaice nodded over his shoulder and braced himself against the ground. "Now."

The boy leapt forward, and the three behind him followed immediate suit.

Enik reacted more swiftly than the others. "Taro, go!" he shouted in a demanding voice, shielding his cousin protectively. Taro pushed him aside and stuck his sword out in front of him, still quivering as he watched their four enemies advancing.

"No, Enik. I have to fight back. I can't just keep running."

"Taro, you don't have to do anything; get out of here now!" Enik's voice was desperate; his eyes brimming with useless tears.

"Enik." Sora muttered as he stared dejectedly at the ground. The older boy swung around, staring at Sora with complete abhorrence. "You have to let Taro do what his heart is telling him to do."

"You stay out of this!" he retorted, shoving Sora away roughly. There was no reaction; Sora looked up at him sorrowfully and shook his head.

"You just have to let go sometime."

At that moment, Kasix came out of nowhere and stopped dead in her tracks, right in front of Sora. The boy did nothing to defend himself, and merely glanced up at her in surrender. The girl raised her sword, and Taro leapt forward to stop her. Enik grabbed him from behind suddenly, and he struggled against his grip as he forcibly held him back.

"Let me go, Enik, let go of me now!"

"Don't get involved," he pleaded, but Taro yelled in defiance and thrashed wildly in his cousin's arms.

Beaming with satisfaction, Kasix twirled her sword around in her hand, held it out straight, and jabbed it into Sora's side with all her might. The boy emitted an ear-splitting scream of pain, his knees buckling as he sank to the ground.

"SORA!!!" Taro cried, punching Enik desperately as he shook with sobs. Riku, who was several yards away, fighting Renterx, turned at the sound. Noticing Sora lying in the sand, moaning in agony, he shouted furiously. He turned back to Renterx for a split moment, kicking him forcefully in the stomach before knocking him unmercifully unconscious, and then bolted towards his friend. Cloud abandoned Nexhayd and Xaice to do the same. Uniformly, the lasting Organization members stood stock-still as they watched the injured Keyblade Master with utter fulfillment.

Enik stared at Sora, horrified, and let go of Taro out of sheer astonishment. The boy threw himself towards Sora, who was still screaming in anguish.

"Oh my god, Sora…." Riku muttered, watching in panic as patches of white sand around him began to turn blood red. Sora whined, tears of suffering streaming down his pale, insipid face as he faced his friend.

"R-Riku….help….me…." he pleaded, whimpering helplessly. His gloved hands were pressed weakly to his side, soaking with blood.

"Don't worry, Sora, we'll get you help, just hang in there, okay?" The younger boy managed a weak nod, his breath coming out in short, pained gasps.

Snickering erupted behind Riku. Seething with rage, he stood up straight and looked over his shoulder at Cloud before nodding to him. Cloud nodded back and stepped forward to stand beside him, shielding Sora from the view of Xaice and the others.

"Hey, down in front!" Nexhayd called, laughing. "You're obstructing our view of the show, genius!"

"Show," Riku repeated with disgust. "You sick, twisted, evil, nothing."

"That's just a little harsh, don't you agree?" Xaice asked, raising an eyebrow. Renterx struggled to his feet nearby, but added a small nod to Xaice's comment.

"Not at all," Cloud mumbled, drawing his sword. Xaice frowned and shrugged.

"Your loss, then," he replied, pointing his own sword towards Riku and Cloud. Riku gripped his Keyblade securely in his hands, and prepared to attack.

Just as he was about to leap forward, Taro rushed past him, sword at the ready.

"TARO, NO!" Enik screamed, trying to run after him. Cloud grabbed his sleeve and dragged him back. "Don't' even try to stop me! Let go!"

"Stay with Sora." Cloud looked at him, an expression of utmost seriousness on his face. Grimacing, Enik only struggled harder.

"He's going to die; you can't just leave him…."

Taro lunged towards Xaice, swinging his sword wildly. Scoffing, Xaice leaned forward and tripped him, staring at him condescendingly.

"Oh, SOLDIER boy, how we've missed you," he said in a sing-song tone. Nexhayd kicked sand into Taro's face, getting down on his knees so he could glare directly into the boy's fearful eyes.

"You useless lab rat, we want you back."

Taro glared up at them, tears streaming down his face in frustration. Memories, tortured memories, flashed through his mind, filling him with fear. He heard Enik yelling at him to stop, to turn around and run.

He wanted to. He wanted to get away as fast as he could.

But then he heard Riku, calling to Sora and trying to keep him conscious; Sora sobbing in torment as he tossed back and forth in the sand, twisted with pain.

That's what kept him where he was, kneeling helplessly as he was surrounded by the four armed Organization members, intent on completing their mission of murder and abduction. But if he was to have any hope that the universe would someday be free of this evil, he had to keep the hope alive.

Sora was that hope. Without him, there would be no way to defeat the darkness.

"Hmm, looks like he's given up." Nexhayd commented, grabbing Taro by his hood and yanking him to his feet. "Shall we be off, then?"

No, Taro thought as anger, hatred, and fear welled up inside him. No, no, no…

Suddenly the beach lit up with a white light, blinding the cloaked Nobodies temporarily. Enik jumped up and bolted forward, only to be stopped by Riku.

"TARO!!!" he cried, seeming more anxious than ever.

"He'll be fine, calm down!" Riku pleaded, but Enik only shook his head mournfully.

"No, he won't be fine, he's having an attack!"

"What?!" Riku asked, horror dawning on his previously calm face.

As if in reply to Riku's disbelief, the light disappeared, and Taro was revealed once more, standing before them as he had been. But something was tragically different—he was standing erect, quivering with rage, his hands clenched into tight fists.

"How can we stop him….?" Cloud muttered, having returned to Riku and Enik's side.

"Any way you can." Enik answered, sounding defeated.

At that moment, Taro sprung forward, seeming catlike as he leapt into the air and threw himself at his foes. Xaice jumped out of the way hurriedly, now looking more cautious than confident. Kasix and Renterx frantically converged, muttering something inaudibly. As Kasix stepped away, holding her sword steadily before her, her brother lifted both hands into the air and tried to shout something loudly, apparently attempting to cast a spell of some sort. Before the sentence was finished, Taro sped over, grabbed him by his arm, and flipped him backwards into the sand before jumping on top of him, snapping his ribcage. The boy, being a Nobody, made no sound, not feeling the pain; he merely drifted into an unconscious state as Taro turned to his sister. She faced him bravely and slashed him with her sword, cutting his arm deeply. The injury did not faze him; he grabbed her sword and his own and sliced her in two different directions across her shoulders.

"You done for brat, you'll pay for facing us!" Nexhayd roared, rushing forward. Taro stood completely still, most likely waiting for his enemy to get close enough to be attacked at short range.

"He's…he's out of control." Riku observed, staring up at Enik with a mixed expression of awe and horror. But the older boy was already walking forward, his face blank of any emotion.

"We have to stop him before they do," was the reply.

Sora was on fire. His side burned with intense throbbing, sending shockwaves of stabbing pain coursing through his body, piercing him all over. His arms and legs were slowly becoming numb, and his vision was blurring into black nothing-ness. He could feel his hair becoming matted in the drying blood, and his hands were stained deep red as they remained closed against his wound.

Sora, a voice called desperately. Sora, answer me!

"Rox…Roxas….?" Sora whispered to himself, shuddering as he breathed in weakly.

Sora, are you…are you dying?

"I think so, Roxas…."

You're not going to die, I swear you won't! I'm going to try and get out like last time…I think it's the only thing that will drive them away. Can you help me?

"Wh-what should…what should I do?"

I'm not really sure, but I think the reason I got out last time was because I knew you needed help, and our combined willpower allowed me to separate from you. So you need to want the help for it to work.

"I do…want help…" Sora whispered as everything started to fade.

And I want to help you. Concentrate on that, Sora. Concentrate.

It wasn't hard for the boy to focus on the help he needed. He closed his eyes, struggling to stay conscious, and begged with all his heart for some type of deliverance from the pain. Moments passed, seeming like an eternity, before…

"Xaice, it's happening!" Nexhayd called as he skidded to a halt yards from a waiting Taro. Seeing this as a chance to attack, Taro flung himself ahead full force, swinging his body around and kicking the Nobody forcefully in the head. Stumbling, the boy staggered over to Xaice and pointed towards Sora.

Roxas stood upright in the sand, not looking surprised as he had the last time he had separated from Sora, but looking confident and intimidating. His bright blue eyes drilled holes in those of the Nobodies, and they stepped back in heightened fear, seeing only Fayxt as they stared in horror at the boy.

"Nexhayd, get Kasix; I'll get Rent and we're leaving." Following the orders, Nexhayd lifted Kasix off the ground and into his arms, sticking one hand out in front of him to open a portal back to their headquarters. Xaice nudged Renterx with his foot, putting one arm around his comrade's shoulders as he dragged him towards the portal.

"We have get Taro before he follows them!" Enik warned, sprinting forward as he closed the distance between him and his cousin. Riku started onward, but Cloud held him back and ran ahead himself. He and Enik tackled Taro from behind, catching him off-guard. The boy thrashed violently as they restrained him, biting, kicking, and scratching.

Xaice watched silently from the portal, having been the last Organization member remaining. Staring at Roxas from across the beach, he smirked.

"You've really caused a lot of trouble for yourself, staying with him like this," he accused, glaring hatefully. "And, now that I think about it, you've caused more than enough trouble for him and all the rest of the world, too.

"And how is that, exactly?" Roxas looked back fiercely in response.

"If you only realized why it is we don't just kill you, you might understand." With that, he snapped his fingers, disappearing along with the portal. Enik let go of Taro immediately and dashed away. Cloud made the mistake of not knowing to follow his lead, and suffered for it.

Taro immediately bit down on the swordsman's arm forcefully enough to draw a considerable amount of blood. Cloud yelped in surprise and pain, pulling his arm away—another mistake. The younger boy took the opportunity and freed himself from his captor's hold, instantly turning on him, sword raised. Cloud raised his own blade in defense, but Taro attacked so ruthlessly that he managed to almost sever Cloud's hand from his arm. It was then that Enik stepped in, putting his cousin in a headlock and ripping his sword out of his hands.

"Taro, shh, calm down now. Stop what you're doing, calm down…" he whispered soothingly, ignoring the boy's flailing and growling. Enik continued talking to Taro in a calm, even voice, holding him gently yet securely at the same time. Moments passed, and sure enough, the rage left Taro's eyes and he passed out in Enik's arms. Without hesitation, Enik laid two fingers against the comatose boy's neck, paused, and sighed with relief.

"What was that for?" Cloud asked as he wrapped his hand in a piece of cloth he had torn from his shirt. Enik looked up at him gravely.

"Making sure he was still alive."

"Sora? Hey Sora, I got them to leave." Roxas knelt down and nudged his other very gently on the shoulder, avoiding his injured side as much as possible. There was no response. "Sora?"

"Huhhh….?" the boy moaned after a moment, opening his eyes despairingly.

"They left. The Organization, that is. It's over, for now."

"Oh, good…." Sora mumbled faintly, as if he were dreaming. Roxas watched him with concern, before turning to the cobalt blue sky and sighing.

"This is killing me inside, Sora. If you die, so will I. If you die, so will Kairi. She wouldn't be able to stand it, knowing you no longer exist in this world. And if she dies, then so does Namine. If you die, we all do, and then there's no hope of defeating the darkness. None. I'll…I'll do whatever I can to help, but something's telling me I won't always be here to help you. There'll be times when you have to tough it out on your own." He turned to see Riku, Enik, and Cloud approaching; of course, none of them could see him. Grinning, he took Sora's hand. "Like now." Closing his eyes, he began to fade away, sparkling in the bright sun as he did. Just as he disappeared completely, Riku knelt down where Roxas had previously been and evaluated Sora's condition.

"What was that sparkling?" Enik asked curiously, looking around, clueless.

"Sora's Nobody was disappearing; that's why the Organization left, because he made himself appear to them," Riku said calmly, as if this was ordinary news.

Enik stiffened. "So that was the Organization….have you seen them before?"

"Riku, it hurts…" Sora moaned, his expression contorted in distress.

"I know, shh…" he mumbled to Sora. "Only one of them was familiar," he commented to Enik as he took off his vest, now wearing the black zip-up sleeveless jacket that was usually underneath. Tenderly, he lifted Sora's hands away from his wound and laid the vest against it instead, wincing as Sora cried out in agony.

"That can't be good news; that means there's more than a few of them." Enik said bitterly, glancing at the sleeping Taro he held in his arms.

"I know that," Riku replied, "but what I don't know is where the rest of them are." He put one arm behind Sora's head and lifted him gently, trying his best to ignore the shouts of protest. "Forget about it for now; let's get Sora and Taro home."