Jazzerman here, I do not own any of these characters, they are owned by their respected companies, as many as there are. You've heard this crap before. I DO own the OCs. If you'd like to use them in a fic, just tell me.

Am I Heartless?

Part 10

Another strangely uneventful trip faced the group as they headed back towards Radiant garden. Riku and Sora spent most of the trip reminiscing their about their adventures together while Yuffie and Orin sat near the center of the ship, far away from any windows. Orin had drawn the short straw and had the job of trying to comfort Yuffie in her space sickness. Orin guessed that maybe he should try to get her mind off being on the ship by getting her to mind on other things.

"So Yuffie, what made you become a ninja?" Orin asked suddenly.

Yuffie, who had been bent over on her seat in a desperate attempt to settle her queasy stomach looked up to look Orin in the eye. Those yellow eyes of his reminded her a little too much of a Heartless for her taste. But the gentle smile he was giving her put her mind to ease.

"It's kind of a family thing. My dad's a ninja, and so were my grand parents and their parents and so on." Yuffie sighed. "Sometimes I think he thought me more as a ninja then as a daughter."

"Did you think you should talk to him about that?" Orin asked, antennas twitching in a sign that she had his full and undivided attention but Yuffie didn't understand the expression and passed it off as nothing special.

"I've tried, but he's impossible." Yuffie muttered. "From what I've heard it's universal of children and parents ya know?"

Orin shook his head. "I... wouldn't know Yuffie."

"Oh I'm sorry Orin! I didn't mean it..." The ninja girl apologized, bowing slightly as he begged the yellow eyed boy's pardon.

"It's alright Yuffie." Orin said with no true honesty in his words. Yuffie's words had stung him more than he thought. Was his father truly a kind man? Other than a mental image of Jerrad Penwheel he knew very little.

The gang hurried to Merlin's house, upon opening the door they saw that inside were the usuals, Aerith, Cid, and Leon. As the group of teenagers came inside they could see that their expressions changed upon seeing Orin. Aerith's normally cheerful face became distant, Leon's brow narrowed a little, and Cid clamped his teeth down on his toothpick.

"Hey guys..." Leon said absently as he stared at the young man with the antennas. "Um Orin, you mind waiting outside for a second? Kinda sensitive material."

Orin looked pretty hurt but wordlessly complied with Leon's odd request by stepping outside and closing the door.

Sora more than a little confused, not unlike the others who had traveled with him. But before he could ask what was going on Yuffie stormed up to Leon looking pretty ticked.

"Okay Leon what was that all about?" Yuffie demanded, looking the older swordsman in the eye.

Leon looked into the younger girl's eyes, there was that usual fire she would get whenever she'd get angry at him. But it looked to Leon like there far more intensity than usual. Even more then the time Cid glued her shuriken to the wall after she broke his old laptop. Whatever the reason Leon kept his cool and acted like he didn't notice anything.

"What's going on is that we don't think he's human." Leon stated flatly.

"What was your first clue? The black antennas on his head or that he goes bonkers each time he touches someone." Yuffie snorted as she rolled her eyes. "But never-the-less he's a nice guy and wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was attacking him."

Leon shook his head, Yuffie's mouth could get on even his nerves sometimes, Leon absently chalked it up to getting older. "We found something in Ansem's computer we think you should see."

Kairi blinked. "What did you find Leon?"

Leon said nothing and looked over to Cid, silently signaling the airship engineer to show them what they had found. Cid's stern face and hard keystrokes were no comfort as he brought up the video file. The face of Ansem, the false Ansem, stared back at them wearing a white lab coat and not the costume he wore when Sora and Riku had fought him. His eyes didn't seem to have the same menacing glow either, he still looked as deluded as ever but he somehow looked more human.

"Ansem?" Sora exclaimed, he had hoped to never see that face again. "What's going on?"

"Just watch the video kid..." Cid said plainly.

---

"After many failed attempts I have finally discovered the correct process in which to restore a Heartless to it's original form prior to it's transformation into a Heartless." Ansem stepped to the side to allow the viewers to see a shadowy humanoid figure with glowing yellow eyes beating on the walls of the glass tube that contained him, all the while this creature was gnashing it's teeth and growling at Ansem. It wanted out and it wanted out NOW.

Ansem appeared to be almost amused at how energetic the Heartless had become, hopefully he would gain that same energy soon. "Unfortunately this is only half the equation. I have yet to discover how to keep a person from losing their identity during the transformation. Still this test subject could be useful. I have come to an interesting prospect: What makes a person who they are? The answer to that is their memory, their personal experiences. I intend to give this mindless creature some memories based on some of the people who live in my newly renamed town of Hallow bastion. I will then document his reactions and tweak his memory until he is oblivious to the knowledge of what he is. After I'm through he will be stored for future study."

Ansem smirked. "Once I complete my transformation and become one with the Darkness and am restored to my proper form I will continue my research of the Heart of all worlds. Restoring my 'Colleagues' their original forms would just be a waste of time and resources. Once my experiments on this mindless husk are finished and I have undergone my transformation I will attempt to gather more information on the Heart of all worlds and the 'Keyblade'. As the Master Control Program likes to say; end of line."

And with that the video ended.

---

The group didn't know what to say. They had just been visited (in a sense) by a very unwelcome ghost from their pasts which they hoped never to see again. For Riku seeing Ansem again was very upsetting although he didn't allow himself to show it any more then the others who just narrowed their eyes a little.

"That's the only one I was able to dig up. Even that there computer program Tron couldn't find any more that weren't in locked files." Cid said.

"Haven't you been trying to unlock them Cid?" Kairi asked plainly.

Cid took the toothpick out of his mouth and stretched. "Been tryin' to... I haven't had much luck."

"So what does all this prove?" Yuffie said, looking defiantly over at Leon. "What's this got to with Orin?"

"You didn't get a good look at the thing behind Ansem did you?" Leon said dryly before looking back at Cid. "Can you rewind the video to get a look at the Heartless behind Ansem?"

"Sure, just a sec Leon." Cid did just as Leon asked and brought the video picture to where they could get a look at the Heartless Ansem had experimented on.

The Heartless sure did look like a person. It had hair and was much more human in shape than any other Heartless they had seen but it was all black, had antennas, glowing yellow eyes, and claws.

"That doesn't prove anything." Sora said, "Besides, Orin hasn't done anything bad. "

Leon sighed, "Maybe so. Still we can't take the chance. If he was made by Ansem we can't say what he could do. I'm going to have to ask you don't bring him back here because we're going to turn the security system back on and confirm that he is a target."

That was certainly a conversation shaker, the younger members of the group where shocked to say the least. Leon was never one to sugar coat things.

"Come on Leon, what's this about?" Sora demanded, stepping up to the older man. He gave Leon a stern look. "Even if Orin's a Heartless I doubt he'd ever do anything bad."

"Sora I'm sure you and your friends trust him but we can't really trust he won't do anything." Leon said. "Remember how the Heartless turned this Radiant garden into an ugly ruined tower?"

"And do you remember that back in Transverse town you didn't think I was really worthy to use the Key blade?" Sora shot back.

Leon grumbled, he HAD thought that back when he had first met Sora and defeated him in combat. But that was before Sora had had practice using the Key blade. Now Leon was certain Sora could defeat him rather easily with it.

Leon gritted his teeth, he'd give Orin a break for Sora's sake. "I'll give Orin a chance. ONE chance. If he does something like attacking civilians Cid's turning the defense grid back on."

Riku nodded. "Okay then. That means we have to keep an eye on him. Kairi?"

Kairi nodded, understanding what Riku wanted and opened the door. "Orin, you can come in now."

No response came. Kairi walked outside to see Orin leaning up against the wall with a very shocked look on his face.

"What's wrong Orin?" Kairi asked, moving outside so she could get a better look at him. "You didn't... hear anything did you?"

"Oh you mean other than that little 'he may be a danger to the entire town' thing? Oh no..." Orin snapped, glaring daggers up at Kairi.

Kairi took a step back, Orin looked very... dangerous with that look on his face. But she quickly collected herself and looked away from Orin's angered eyes. "Well... I don't think that about you."

Orin blinked and slid down the wall of the house until he was sitting on the street, feeling pretty low for blowing up like that to one of the nicest people he had met. "I'm sorry Kairi. It's not right to yell at you. But it's just that I was spying on you from a small crack in the door. I saw and heard everything. I guess that makes me a monster..." Orin ended with a nervous laugh.

Kairi was about to put her hand on Orin's shoulder to comfort him a little but stopped herself. If she did that Orin might do something that might make Leon have to... "You aren't a monster Orin. I don't believe what Ansem said, he's a liar and he used a lot of people to get what he wanted."

"I... need to think. Please don't look for me." Orin said as he got to his feet and walked away from Kairi.

Kairi was confused but decided to honor Orin's wishes and went back inside.

"Where's Orin?" Sora asked, slightly confused that he hadn't come in with Kairi.

Kairi looked away from the group, she was a little ashamed of herself for not trying to talk Orin into running away. "He overheard everything, he said he was going to go off to think."

Leon wasted no time in looking over to Yuffie and Aerith. "Go after him. I want him watched."

"But Leon..." Aerith objected, not wanting want to interfere with Orin. She knew sometimes people need time to themselves.

"Aerith, please do this." Leon sighed in irritation. "I just want you to find him and keep an eye on him. You don't have to bother him."

"You want us to help Leon?" Riku asked.

"No, you guys can stay at our new Inn. It's not as nice as the one in Transverse town yet but it's comfortable." Leon said. "Just tell them you're members of the restoration committee and they won't charge you."

Sora nodded. He still had the member card he had gotten when he had come back to Hallow bastion at the beginning of his last adventure.

"I'll see you guys later. I promise I'll keep Orin out of trouble." Yuffie smiled and walked out of the door with Aerith to go find Tifa. They were gonna need a little help with this one.

---

Later...

"I hope those guys are enjoying the Inn." Yuffie muttered to herself as she looked up to the moon and shivered. It had been a while since she had been outside on these clear nights and it was getting cold. They had found Orin huddled on the edge of a building staring up at the moon. They were keeping their distance about three rooftops away and staying out of his line of sight just in case he was going to turn around.

"I'm sure they are." Tifa said, sitting not far from the other two young women. "This kinda reminds you of our adventure huh? Being outside... We'd just need the others and this would be just like back then."

"Say Tifa, how's Cloud? I haven't seen him around lately." Aerith asked.

Tifa walked over and sat down next to Aerith on the small blanket she had brought. "Ever since he got back he's been spending most of his time out by the Maw hunting Heartless. He only comes back to town real late at night."

"Has he been acting more like himself since he defeated Sephiroth?" Aerith asked.

"He's... improved a little." Tifa said none too convincingly. "He's still mopey ol' Cloud at heart."

Both Tifa and Aerith stopped their conversation when they noticed Yuffie was staring over at Orin.

"Something wrong Yuffie?" Aerith asked, jarring the ninja girl's train thought of the tracks.

"I'm going to go over there and talk to him." Yuffie just suddenly blurted out.

"What?" Tifa said. "But Leon said she weren't supposed to bother him."

"Well Leon has been to full of himself these past few weeks." Yuffie said flatly. "I'll go over and find out what's going on. You two can go back to the Inn if you want."

Without another word Yuffie leaped over to the next building and headed towards Orin.

Tifa looked over at Aerith and smirked. "Wanna stick around and see what happens?"

Aerith smiled and nodded, giving an over exaggerated look of concern. "We should stay and make sure nothing happens right?."

Tifa giggled and nodded.

---

Yuffie decided to approach carefully, leaving her shuriken laying on the rooftop as she walked up to Orin. "Orin?"

"I thought Kairi would tell you guys that I wanted to be left alone." Orin stated in a melancholy tone. He didn't even look back at Yuffie he just kept staring ahead, not really noticing that for the first time since he could remember his antennas hung unmoving over his eyes.

"Yeah but-" Yuffie began only to be cut off.

"Just leave me alone Yuffie." Orin said.

A blood vassal bulged Yuffie huffed, no one told Yuffie Kisaragi that. Not Leon, not Aerith, not even Cloud. "Is that anyway to talk to a friend?" Yuffie snapped as she defiantly sat down next to him on the roof.

Orin scooted a few feet away from the ninja girl, turning away from Yuffie in disgust.

Yuffie gritted her teeth and shook her fist. He was acting WAY too much like Cloud for her taste, always so mopey and down about everything.

"You wouldn't understand Yuffie." Orin said. "Please just go away..."

Oh that did it. Yuffie would've clocked him over the head with her fist but stopped when she realized that might knock him off the edge of the roof. Yuffie wasn't sure if he would survive a two story fall, Heartless or not.

Yuffie thought about this. She had to snap him out of this depression and a good pounding wouldn't could it this time. Besides hitting him might wake up Orin's darker side and she'd have to do something she really didn't want to do. Slay Orin.

'Am I sure I wanna do this this way? I mean he may thing I like him or something. No, I'll just explain to him afterwards that I just wanted to snap him out of his blues. That's right.' Yuffie grinned a little, but she then wondered why she was enjoying these thoughts as much as she was. 'This should cheer him up a little.'

Orin was shocked as Yuffie suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into a hard kiss. Orin's mind which had been a confused vortex of questions a minute ago was now pointed at what was going on now but even with all that focus it was like he was completely frozen. He didn't know how to respond to this, but Yuffie solved his thinking problem for him by giving him a tight embrace. If Yuffie had kept her eyes to her Orin's eyes were glowing and his hands were twitching at his sides.

---

"Isn't that cute?" Aerith asked Tifa as they peeked over from another rooftop. Both had been there since Yuffie had found Orin sitting on the roof and were now watching with great interest in what was going on between them.

"Shhh Aerith. You don't want us to see us and spoil their moment do you?" Tifa said in a subdued tone.

Aerith clasped her hands on her mouth. "Oops. Sorry Tifa."

Tifa shook her head in a silent acceptance of her friend's apology and turned back to watching Orin and Yuffie, Aerith doing the same.

Both young women smiled, both thinking of someone they had in mind. Their day dreams were interrupted by a sharp but brief cry from Yuffie over on the other rooftop.

---

Orin had shoved his black clawed hand into Yuffie's chest without even drawing a drop of blood.

Yuffie looked down in disbelief at Orin's arm, she could feel it inside her and she could also feel a biting cold flowing from Orin's arm and slowly spreading outwards to the rest of her body. Yuffie could feel what she felt was his frigid claws around her heart. Was he going to turn her into a Heartless? No... Please if there's any gods anywhere please don't let him do this.

Whatever force or entity that guides the universe must've been looking after Yuffie that moment as Tifa had grabbed Aerith's Guard stick and flung it. It twirled across the roof and struck Orin in the side of the head with enough force to knock him to the ground. Thankfully his hand was empty as he connected with the ground, otherwise there'd be a new Heartless to deal with.

Orin was about to get up when Tifa's hard boot gave him a sharp blow to the mid section. Knocking him all the way to the other side of the roof.

"Get back you... you..." Monster, demon, fiend? None of these words seemed to fit for what Tifa had in mind. Not for what Orin had tried to do. "Aerith, is Yuffie okay?"

"She's in shock but I think she's okay." Aerith said, as she began to charge up her magical powers for a Cure spell to heal any injuries she might have internally.

Orin meanwhile had changed back to this normal form and tears were streaming down his cheeks. He had nearly done what he was most terrified of. In his mind there was no question now, he was a Heartless. A monster that likes to take people's hearts and spread corruption. He wouldn't be able to stay with the people he wanted to call his friends. He'd go away, far away from anyone. He'd rather live alone for the rest of his existence than hurt anyone. He only prayed that Yuffie would be okay. He didn't care if she hated him now, he deserved to be hated for what he tried to do.

Tifa got into her fighting stance as she watched Orin get to his feet. She did notice that his eyes looked a little red and his face was a little puffy like he had been crying. Tifa didn't know if he was really capable of crying or such feelings, he might be like the Nobodies and only acting like he has emotions. Never the less she decided to heed the old adage 'better safe then sorry'.

"Please tell Yuffie I'm sorry... I won't darken your nice city ever again." Orin sounded like he was about to burst into tears but before he leapt down to the streets and began to run out towards the outskirts of Radiant garden.

Aerith looked up at her old friend with an uncertain expression on her face. "Tifa?"

"We'll tell the others what happened. We need to take Yuffie back to rest." Tifa said. "The kid's not coming back anytime soon."

Aerith nodded and picked Yuffie up with some difficulty, she wasn't as physically toned as Tifa was and not used to carrying a seventeen year old ninja girl. Absently Aerith made a remark about Yuffie needing to loose some weight and would've fallen over but Tifa helped her back down to the streets.

As they carried Yuffie back towards Merlin's house Tifa thought to herself. Orin had attacked Yuffie viciously after what she thought was a romantic gesture but once they had gotten him away from her he seemed to return to normal. More than that he seemed sorry that he attacked Yuffie. Things didn't make much sense... But then she had seen stranger things.

To be continued...

A/N:I don't know how consistant this will look compared to my other chapters, I had to upload this as Notepad because wasn't accepting MS word documents.

Also to Phantom64; A humanoid Darkside eh? The prospect sounds nice but it doesn't look right when I picture it. It comes out looking something like the reggae singer Bob Marley with all his dreadlocks. But the idea is interesting. I may keep him in mind but I'd like to know what you have in mind for his appearance. If you had any.

And on that note... -Collapse-