I LIVE!!! Okay, first of all I apologize for how long this took. I actually finished this chapter weeks ago, I just didn't publish it because I try to update my tow KH stories as close together as possible, so I waited until I finished that chapter the other night. I kinda made up for being lat because this is a really long chapter. So please forgive me and please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Heart or any of its characters.

"Welcome to the Olympus Coliseum. We thank you for coming today. Would the contestants and their instructors please report to their designated gates so that we may sign everyone in."

//Yeah, well I already have.// Roxas thought bitterly.

They had reached the Coliseum an hour ago at lunchtime. Getting off the bus was not fun. Cloud wouldn't leave Roxas' side, all the while glaring at poor Axel. He wasn't letting the red head any where near Roxas.

Leon, Rude, and Reno went to go check the group into the hotel. The tournament didn't take only one day, oh no. It would last the whole weekend, and possibly longer, depending on the matches.

And the part of all, because he was possessed and therefore not liable for his actions, Seifer was allowed to take part.

The group split up and headed different ways, Aerith and her Glamour students, Cid and his Alchemy students, Cloud and his Sorcery students, and Lulu and her Necromancy students.

Roxas, Fuu, and Lulu traveled downstairs to the locker rooms. Each magic group had to wear certain outfits. And by outfits I mean a plain old colored T-shirt. Sorcery's was red, Alchemy's was yellow, Glamour's was green, and Necromancy's was blue.

All the students shared locker rooms. There was of course separate male and female locker rooms with changing stalls, showers, and surprisingly, lockers.

Roxas and Fuu entered their respective rooms while Lulu waited outside. Roxas had his own locker, as did all the registered magical students. They had them for whatever events were held at the coliseum, such as tournaments.

All that was inside the unused locker was two towels and an extra pair of clothes.. You could never know what might happen in these tournaments. Sometimes they weren't even about magic. Sometimes they were actual fighting tournaments that even mortals were invited to.

Roxas dropped the duffle bag he brought on an nearby bench and unzipped it. Inside was anther set of clothes to change into, a water bottle, and what would appear to be a bag full of rocks. In reality, they were special minerals.

The minerals give off unusual vibes that can enhance or diminish the performance of magic. Different minerals can help different aspects. The tournament coordinators allowed a limit of four per student in battle. The students like to arrange the mineral combinations in their own styles. Although there are some that have adverse effects. Some are even illegal.

They come in four types: Shards, Stones, Gems, and crystals. Each give off a different level of vibe and each are more rare than the first, in the order listed. (See notes at end for more details.)

Roxas proceeded to change. He stripped off his shirt and pants. In their stead he pulled on a white beater, and a pair of jean cutoffs that reached a few inches above the knee. He liked mobility during fights. Over the beater he pulled on a light blue T-shirt. On the front was a black N and on the back was a black crescent moon, the Necromancy symbol. Over his hands he wore black fingerless gloves. Then Roxas got his minerals. He had a Frost gem, a Lucid stone, a Twilight stone, and a Serenity shard. Crystals were too hard to come by, he was lucky to even have a gem. All of his minerals were mounted on a chain he wore as a necklace.

Once he was done changing Roxas left the locker room and met Fuu and Lulu outside. Fuu had changed into a shirt identical to Roxas' and a pair of workout pants. She liked mobility too.

Most of the other students were either at the shop buying last minute minerals for the figh, or training. Lulu's students take a different approach. They meditated. There was a room just down the hall used as a SemiRec/Waiting room for competitors. It had couches, a TV, a pool table, and even a minifridge. The competitors had to wit in this room if they weren't in the ring, locker room, or infirmary. They could watch the matches on the TV.

Roxas and Fuu came in a sat next to each other on one couch while their teacher sat across from them on the couch opposite them. "I realize we have not had very much time to train, but you are still some of the very best. For now, all we can do is meditate. Now close your eyes."

The two did so. They sat cross legged on the couch with their hands on their knees.

"Clear your minds and focus only on the task ahead."

Roxas did, as much as he could anyway, but other little thoughts kept flitting through. Things about Cloud and Sora and Axel. But mostly Axel. Things like: Was Cloud still mad at Axel? Where was Axel right now? Why in blue blazes can't I stop thinking about Axel?

Roxas shook his head. No! He had to concentrate. He took a deep breath, and exhaled. Concentrate. Must Concentrate. Empty the mind. Relax and let everything out.

//Heh heh heh.//

Roxas snapped his eyes open and searched the room frantically. Fuu and Lulu were both meditating with their eyes closed. No one else. Roxas hesitantly closed his eyes once more. He must have imagined it.

//That's what you think rookie.//

Roxas flinched. He wasn't imagining it. And what's worse, Roxas recognized the voice, and it sure as hell wasn't Zexion's.

//Haven't we taught you anything rookie?//

No. Roxas started shaking. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening. Roxas couldn't open his eyes. He wouldn't He was too afraid of what he might see. Every dread and fear he had ever lived through was coming back to him ten-fold.

//Never leave your mind empty and open.//

No. Stop it. Everything was getting fuzzy. Roxas put his head in his hands. Stop it! Please…..stop Xigbar.

//Just go to sleep rookie. Just go to sleep.//

The room started spinning rapidly and wildly. Up was down. Right was left. Pink was green. It was all too much for the blond. He slumped back on the couch, letting the darkness take him.

Sora was in the mineral and charm store. Charms weren't allowed in the tournament, but minerals were. Sora had forgotten one. It wasn't very important or valuable, but it always gave Sora an unthinkable advantage in a fight.

Sora was examining some blazing shards when he heard a familiar voice. "I thought you were under Glamour."

The brunette turned to look at his silverette house guest. "Oh I am. But this, is my secret weapon."

Riku looked skeptically at the younger boy. "That, is your secret weapon?" Blazing minerals were normally used by those under Sorcery.

"Yep!" Sora took his selected shard to the register. Riku was right behind him.

"How is that your secret weapon?"

"Uhh-Uhh-Uhhhhh." Sora responded, waving his index finger with each syllable. "If I told you it wouldn't be a secret."

"True, but secrets are meant to be shared."

Sora snickered as he walked out of the store with his purchase and Riku. "You know what they say. The only way to keep a secret with three people is if the other two are dead."

"You know that doesn't really apply in the magic world. What with all the ghosts talking to magicians these days."

Sora stopped in his tracks.

"Never thought of it that way."

Riku chuckled and patted Sora's back. "Yeah, well, it's okay. Most of the people that saying really pertains to aren't from our world."

Sora cocked his head to the side as they started walking again. "How does that change anything? The ghost could tell a magician who could tell someone important to the ghost!"

Riku blinked, then sighed. "Never mind. You're complicating it too much."

"Uh. Okay."

They walked in silence, until Riku blurted out. "Do you want to-"

"No." Sora interrupted flatly.

"You didn't let me finish."

"I'm not going to talk to Cloud about Axel."

"Okay, so you don't need to let me finish. But why not?"

"He probably won't listen to me anyway. 'You're too young to understand. I'm doing what's best for him.' Blah, blah, blah."

"Ah. I get it."

"Doesn't matter to me though."

Riku rose a brow. Doesn't it?"

Sora smiled "Nope." He stood on his toes and landed a peck on the older boys cheek. "Roxas and Axel belong together like you and I do."

Riku blushed and ruffled Sora's chocolate spikes. "I thought you wanted to keep that secret."

"I don't see anyone around, do you?"

Riku smiled. "Guess not." He leaned down and placed his lips on Sora's, wrapping his hands around the younger boys waist. Sora wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, deepening the kiss. A door opened somewhere in the hall. They pulled back lightly and stepped away from blushing. Whoever it was, they were much too faraway.

"I guess we should go get changed now." Riku said.

Sora nodded. "Yeah I-"

//Must be imagining things.//

Sora froze midsentence. As much as that sounded like his brother was teasing him, Roxas knew he could only hear the boy through his head under two conditions, one: if they were locking eyes, and two: if one was feeling immense pain or fear. Riku frowned. "Sora? What's wrong?"

Sora put his hand to his head. "I think it's Roxas. Something's-"

//No. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can not be happening.//

Sora snapped his head up. "Roxas."

Riku put his hand on Sora's shoulder, concerned. "What's wrong with Roxas?"

//No. Stop it.//

Sora took off running down the hall. Riku was surprised at the boy's sudden actions. He took off after the brunette. "Sora!"

//Stop it! Pleas….stop Xigbar.//

"Roxas needs me!" All Sora focused on was finding his younger brother. Down the hall, round the corner. Sora skidded to a stop in front of the rec room. Roxas was in there. He banged the door open, eyes frantically searching for the blond. There1 On the couch.

Fuu had noticed the boy's odd shifting on the couch. She had gotten Lulu. The instructor was checking her pupil's temperature while Fuu watched. They both looked at Sora when he loudly entered. "Roxas, what's wrong with Roxas?"

"Nothing much." Lulu replied. "He just has a slight fever. He fell asleep during meditation."

Sora rushed to his brother's side. "But…I heard him. He was in trouble."

"It must have been a nightmare induced by the fever."

"Sure…" Sora wasn't convinced. Roxas had said Xigbar. That was one of the members of Silent Whispers.

Riku came in, panting from running after the chocolate haired boy. "Uhh…Can you two find Cloud please? He'll want to know about this."

Lulu nodded. "Of course." She stood and walked out the door past Riku. Fuu followed.

Once the other two Necromancers were gone, Sora moved himself on the couch next to his twin. Riku watched with concern. There was no way Sora was just going to sit patiently. "Sora?"

"Tell me if someone's coming. I'm going to find Roxas."

"You're going into his mind?! Do you know how dangerous that is for amateurs?!"

Sora placed his forehead against his blond twins'. It was abnormally warm he noted. "We're twins Riku. And this isn't my first time."

The silverette looked skeptical. "But-"

"Just do it." Sora closed his eyes and let his mind slowly meld with his brother's. The room began fading into darkness. Soon everything was pitch black. Roxas was no longer in Sora's hands. Sora opened his eyes as a new scene came into focus.

It was a hall. Just a simple hall that led to only one door at the end. And that was where Sora went. He passed the door without a second thought. The inside was, chaotic.

The room was divided in two halves. One was pure white. White bed, white floor, white toys scattered about. The other side was dark. The walls and floor were made of wet brown stone, like the inside of a dungeon. There was nothing really significant about the darker side other then the far wall. It wasn't a wall. It was a set of prison bars. The other side of ther bars was pitch black. Nothing could be seen.

Roxas was there. He sat on the bed against the white wall, knees drawn up to his chest. He didn't even acknowledge that Sora had entered the room.

Sora approached the bed. "Roxas?"

The blonde's eyes never left the prison bars. "Yeah Sora?"

Sora took a seat next to Roxas on the bed. He stared at the bars like his brother. "I thought we fixed this." He stated, referring to the dark side of the room.

Roxas bit the inside of his lip. "We did." He replied nervously. He shifted a bit, giving Sora a quick side-long glance. "But they unfixed it." He looked back at the bars. "They're here Sora. At the Coliseum. They're watching."

Sora examined his brother closely. "You sure?"

Roxas nodded. "They were speaking to me."

"Xigbar?"

"Yeah. I know I'm asleep, but I was awake when he was. He put me to sleep."

"Hate to say it Rox, but no one's going to listen." The twins looked up. Their elder brother was standing in the doorway Sora came through.

"Why not?"

Cloud sighed. He squeezed himself a seat in between his younger brothers and wrapped his arms around them, hugging them close. "You have a fever Rox. Anyone will argue that whatever you heard was fever induced."

Roxas buried his face in his brother's shoulder. He was trembling badly. "It wasn't." The blond mumbled.

Cloud rubbed his youngest brother's shoulder comfortingly. "I know Rox. I know."

The brother's sat there in silence. Then Sora randomly commented. "I thought I told Riku to let me know if anyone was coming."

Cloud chuckled. "I guess you could say I didn't let him."

Sora looked at Cloud alarmed. "You didn't hurt him did you?"

"Of course I didn't. I just came in and told him to let me handle it."

"Oh, Okay."

Cloud sighed and pulled his brother's up. "we should wake up now. If we stay like this for too long we'll cause a stir of panic." Roxas looked at the bars fearfully. Cloud saw this. "Don't worry Rox, I'll make sure someone trustworthy is with you at all times. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Roxas nodded hesitantly. "Okay." Now time to wake up." Cloud placed each hand on one of his brothers' head.

The room began to blur once more. Roxas' lids fluttered open. He was staring straight into his twin brother's eyes. Their foreheads were still pressed together. Cloud was still standing over them with his hands on their heads.

Cloud opened his eyes and smiled. "Morning sunshines."

Sora and Roxas pulled away from each other and smiled back at his older brother.

"Awww…." The three whipped their heads to the door. Axel was leaning against the door, which was being banged on. Riku's shouts from the other side were audible. "That's just about the cutest from of incest I've ever seen."

Axel had just taken back his job as moment ruiner.

Cloud gave the red head a sickeningly sweet smile before saying. "I'm going to kill you."

"Up. That's my cue." Axel yanked the door open and blasted past Riku in the hall. Cloud left after him and shouting.

Riku shook his head as he walked into the room. "This is just a wild guess, but I think he's over sulking about Cloud's protectiveness."

Sora grinned "That really is wild." His gaze softened as he and Riku locked eyes.

Roxas on the other hand, rolled his eyes. "Would you two love birds get a room."

Riku's eyes widened while Sora squeaked. "Wha-huh-bu-How-Whan-"

Roxas placed a hand over his twins mouth to silence his twins incoherent babbling. "I'm your twin, I notice these things. I've known since you two started. I haven't told Cloud. Am I leaving anything out?"

Sora blushed and pouted. "No fair. You had your empathy to help."

Roxas shrugged. "It's not my fault you tow feel for each other in the same room."

This time both Sora and Riku blushed. "You didn't have to put it like that!"

"Why? No one's here to hear."

Sora rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed. "Yeah, but you still didn't need to put it like that."

"Who put what like what?" The magnificent Axel has returned.

"None of your business." Riku said flatly.

Axel rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yeesh. Why are you so grumpy?"

Riku glared at the red head. "Gee, I dunno. Maybe because you tricked me and locked me out in the hall? Ring any bells?"

"Uh, the door has no lock, so technically I didn't lock you out?"

Riku crossed his arms and glowered at his red haired friend.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! Alright?"

"No you're not." Roxas said boredly.

"What makes you say that?"

"When you say 'sorry' that means you'll never do whatever you did again."

Riku chuckled. "Then he's definitely not sorry."

"Roxas stood and wobbled a bit. "Well I've had enough idiocy for one day. I'm gonna wait by the drawing box."

Sora watched his brother's slight swayed way of walking. "You gonna be okay Rox?"

Axel quirked a brow up. "Why wouldn't blondie be okay?" He stood blocking the doorway.

"Because I'm sick and I'm gonna barf on your shoes if you don't move." Axel jumped aside. Roxas took his chance to walk out of the room and down the hall before the red head could realize that he was bluffing.

Which brings us back to the present where Roxas was standing irritably in a large room with a table and a white board in the middle. On the table was a small box with a hole in it large enough for an arm to fit in it. The was a sort of an upside down tree diagram on the black board. The room had slowly filled. Seifer and his group, which Fuu had once more joined were there. Then there were the three Senior girls, or the Gullwings as they call themselves. They're always on the lookout for jobs to make money. Kairi, Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie all stood together. Hayner, Pence, and Olette stood by the twins, while Axel, Demyx, and Riku stood together not too far off from them. There were eighteen kids participating in the tournament in all. Namine wasn't in the eighteen. She didn't like fighting.

They had a system to pick the order of the fighting. The box in the center of the room was full of folded slips of paper with numbers on them. They pair up the numbers for the matches.

They were calling out the names for the drawing now.

"Yuna." The brunette senior with mismatched eyes stepped forward. "Here." She stuck her hand in the box and pulled out a slip of paper. "I got number six."

The MC guy recorded it on the white board.

As Yuna walked back to here place with the Gullwings, the MC called out the next name. "Seifer."

The blond came forward and haughtily pulled a slip of paper out of the box. "Number eleven."

The MC quickly wrote it down. As Seifer passed the twins one his way back to his friends he sneered. "Pray you don't get twelve losers."

Roxas subtly flipped the blond off as the MC called out the next name. "Olette."

The green eyed brunette daintily retrieved a slip. "Sixteen."

The red head pulled out two slips. "Oops. Sorry man." Wakka put the papers back and selected a third, different one. "I got three."

"Roxas." The blond hesitantly stuck his hand in the box. He was secretly wishing for any number but twelve. He didn't need to face Seifer first thing. He slowly pulled out a paper and read it aloud. "Number eight."

"Sora."

The brunette twin came forward. He squeezed his eyes shut and dove his hand into the box whispering. "Please not seven. Please not seven. Oh please, please not seven." Going up against his twin round one was not what he wanted. He peeked open one eye to read the paper he pulled out. "Yes! He cried pumping his fist. "Thirteen."

"Paine."

The seeming gothic red eyed Gullwing came forward and boredly pulled out a slip of paper. "Eighteen." Was all she said as she tossed the paper at the MC while walking back to the Gullwings.

"Um, yes. Hayner."

The blond proudly came forward. Unlike Roxas, he wanted twelve. He had plans to deliver Seifer a nice can of ass whopping during the first round. He frowned when he saw his paper. "Number five."

The MC nodded. "That puts you up against Miss Yuna." Hayner scowled. He didn't want to fight a chick. H wanted to fight Seifer! Or at least a guy! He crumpled his slip up and drop-kicked it across the room.

"Hayner!" Olette scolded.

The MC inwardly sighed. Why did all the tough kids act like immature brats when they didn't get what they wanted? "Next is Fuu."

The silver hair girl came forward and pulled her paper out. "Ten." Then she went back to her place next to Seifer and Rai. She did everything briskly.

"Axel."

The red head strode pridefully up to the box and snatched a slip of paper. He grinned as he read it aloud. "Number fifteen."

"That puts you up against Miss Olette."

Olette smiled nervously as Axel walked back to Riku and Demyx. "Please go easy on me."

Axel smirked mischievously at the girl. "Notta chance."

"Rai."

The large teen came forward in a clumsy fashion. He nearly knocked the box over when his big hands pulled out his slip of paper. "I got two, ya know?"

"Um, yes. Riku."

"Which one?"

"The one with one K."

The silverette pulled a paper out of the box. Shock crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced with a form of nervous excitement. "And the plot thickens."

Axel rose a brow. "What the hell's that supposed to mean? What's your number?"

Riku held it up for all to see. "Number seven."

"That puts you up against Roxas." The MC said as he wrote it down.

Roxas blinked while Demyx and his brother gasped. Axel just whistled. "Now there's a fight I'd pay to see."

Riku walked back over to the group. "Well aren't you lucky then, not having to pay for it."

"Rikku."

"He just went." Demyx said.

"The one with two Ks."

"Oh."

The blond Gullwing with the large ponytail bounced over to the box. "Yay! My turn." She fished her hand around through the remaining papers until she decided on one. "Fourteen."

"That puts you up against Sora."

She grinned mischievously at the brunette twin. "I'm gonna trounce you!"

Sora stuck his tongue out at her childishly. "Just you try it."

"Yes, well. Tidus."

The blond boy came forward . He pulled out a slip and frowned "This sucks! I'm against Wakka!"

"Which means you got four," The MC commented. "Thank you. Kairi."

Namine's red headed friend came forward and daintily pulled out a slip. "Nine."

That puts you up against Miss Fuu. Pence."

The black haired boy came forward and pulled out a slip nearly as clumsily as Rai did. "I got twelve."

"Ha!" Seifer yelled. "You're dead fatty!"

"Shut up Seifer!" Hayner shouted. "You're gonna get your ass whupped! Just you wait!"

The MC gave a small cough. "Yes, well. Selphie."

The brunette girl came up and took a slip out in the same fashion that Kairi did. "Number Seventeen."

"That puts you up against Miss Paine." The MC wrote it down and stepped back to examine the board. "Which leaves Demyx as number one against Rai." The man quickly wrote that down too.

Roxas surveyed the lineup. One thing could certainly be said about this tournament. The first round would be anything but boring.

For those that didn't put the lineup together, I did for you, and before you review about it, I did chose these all randomly. I put all the name into a box and pulled them out one by one to determine who went when.

1. Demyx vs. Rai

2. Wakka vs. Tidus

3. Hayner vs. Yuna

4. Riku vs. Roxas

5. Kairi vs. Fuu

6. Seifer vs. Pence

7. Sora vs. Rikku

8. Axel vs. Olette

9. Selphie vs. Paine

Have fun betting who will win. An here's the list of the minerals and powers like I promised. I got these all out of the back of the KHII guide book.

Blazing- Preferred by Sorcery- adds more heat and fire power to the magic.

Frost- Preferred by Necromancy-cools down the user and magic.

Lightning- Preferred by Alchemists- Adds static electricity into the magic.

Bright- Preferred by Glamourists- imbues magic with light.

Twighlight- Boosts a summoned creature's power.

Mythril- Materials the wands are made of, conducts magic well.

Energy- Boosts stamina

Serenity- Calms down and clears the mind.

Power- Boosts power.

Lucid- Increases time a summoned creature can stay, weighs down the magician's body though.

Orichalchum- generates its own magical force. Used to keep rune gates powered from afar.

Dark- Illegal- Forces power to the peak, drastically drains lifeforce.

Dense- Illegal- scrambles the brain's activities, very much like being drugged. Often mistaken for Lucid.