6H:It's time for another fabulous chapter of this tale.

Anaretsu: Sure.

6H: Plot twist in this chapter! Remember the old lady and the girl that I spontaneously introduced in chapter 47 of Shattered Fragments? Well, finally, they play a part in this chapter. Hurray!

Anaretsu:...no.

6H: To the chapter! AWAY!

----

Kingdom Hearts-Adventures at Castle Chocobo

Floor 11-Anya

----

The sky was not blue anymore. She had gone out to pump some fresh water to make lunch when she first noticed. Clouds hurriedly ran across the sky, as if fleeing from something. She dropped her empty tin bucket and watched as they flew past her. A foreboding wind blew some lose strands of flaxen hair out of her ribbon. She brushed them back out of her chesnut eyes, but the wind didn't like to be defeat easily. It picked up more, and thunder actually rumbled from above, and lighting flashed. That's when she knew something wasn't right. It only ever stormed at the evil castle. The weather never came out this far.

She ran back inside after an even louder rumble, franticly shuting the door and throwing the still empty bucket on the ground. The disturbance from the kitchen caused the old lady to look up from her book and try and peak around the corner.

"What is it, child? Why the ruckus?" she asked in her wise voice. The flaxen haired girl darted up straight from trying to get her shoes undone. She slowly walked into the old living room. This tiny cabin was only five rooms-kitchen, living room, bathroom, and a bedroom where the old lady slept. The girl slept upstairs in the loft that overlooked the kitchen. Another rumble came through the open window, wafting into the new space.

"Grandmother-a storm is coming out here." the girl said. The grandmother closed her book.

The cover read "Book of Fragments."

"Something must be happening at the castle." The old lady said. "It's finally started."

"What has?" the girl asked. The lady got up from her chair and took her cane off the arm rest where it had been hanging. Walking over to a shelf by the window, she took down from the top most one a small, black box, on top of which was ingraved a silver heart. Inside were two things-a blank card from the castle, and a necklace with a small, elegant cross hanging off it. The cross was a dark silver with small red stones inlayed in it. In the center of the cross was a larger red stone. A faint glow began to appear around the cross.

"The heartblade master has come, Anya." the grandmother said. Anya, the girl with the flaxen hair, gasped.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." she replied, making her way back the rocking chair. She sat down heavily with the box resting gingerly in her lap. "I have told you the story since you were young, and your father as well. Listen, child-our family has been guarding this treasure for generations-maybe five hundred years-who knows? Our line has a sacred mission-to deliver this to the heartblade master, when the time comes for her to receive it. However, by the time it was passed to me, the family had given up all hope of our duty ever needing to be fulfilled. That has changed now." Anya smoothed out the wrinkles in her brown skirt that fell to her ankles. Her shirt was a red ratan with three quater sleeves that just covered her elbows.

"But how will we get it to her, grandmother?" Anya asked. "You can't make it to the castle, and my father has been long since dead." Her grandmother looked at her with complete seriousness as she leaned forward and placed the necklace around her neck.

"You must go. Bring it to her-she must get it at all costs. This mission has been passed to you." she said.

"But I can't fight!" Anya cried.

"Who said you had to? Surely the path will be cleared for you, and this charm will protect you. You must go, Anya. It is the only way." Anya nodded.

"I'll try my best."

"Leave now! There isn't much time!" Her garndmother pleaded. Anya ran for the kitchen door. Before she left, she yelled back to her granmother.

"I'll do my best, so don't worry, okay?" And she flung the door open and slammed it behind her. Her grandmother smiled and looked at the card that remained in the box.

"I won't. But if you run into your brother...remind him of what he forgot."

----

Cedeile and 427 climbed the stairs out of Agrabah and into the next hall, which was thankfully empty, and then went to climb the stairs leading to the next floor up.

"So it looks like we can't take any shortcuts on getting my memory back." Cedeile said, dissapointed.

"Do you remember anything else?" 427 asked her.

"Yeah! While I was battling with that snake demon I told you about, I heard a voice yelling out my name. I think that voice was one of my memories. And eyes...I remember eyes..."

"Eyes?"

"Yeah. Just their eyes." Cedeile sighed. "I wish I had more to go on, though." The two reached the top of the next stairs and found another empty hall with another door leading to another world from Sora's memories. The two girls went forward to pass through them, but a figure appeared on top of the stairs.

"It seems you've made it this far." the hooded man replied.

"Who are you?" Cedeile asked.

"I..."the man said, throwing back his hood," ...am Axel." He had spikey red hair and dark eyes. He looked at the two girls. "You shouldn't have a hard time remembering that with your head nearly empty."

"Hey!"

"But are the memories you're remembering the right ones?" Axel asked. Cedeile froze.

"What?"

"Don't listen to him, Cedeile! He's trying to use you for his own needs." 427 warned.

"How would you know what she needs to remember? You didn't travel with her that first time, did you?" he taunted.

"I know because..." she didn't go on. It seemed like she couldn't.

"You can't say. Because you're protecting someone-someone like me." Axel glared as 427 dropped her head to look at the floor, and her pale hair fell forward.

"427? What does he mean?" Cedeile asked.

"She can't tell you. Didn't she say she had to tell you something? But she can't, because you don't remember a thing. She can't even say who she's helping." Axel replied.

"I know who she's helping!" Cedeile declared. Both looked at her in shock. "She's helping the trinity soliders!" Cedeile declared. Axel looked at her exaperated, and 427 put a hand over her face in annoyance.

"That's not what I meant." Axel murmured.

"What? She is a Trinity Solider, though!" Cedeile said, confused.

"Yes, but she's going outside of her duties as a Trinity Solider to protect someone. Someone who no longer exists...because his heart was taken. And now he thinks he can alter your destiny by telling you what you need to know. Foolish bastard." Axel cackled.

"Don't you dare talk about HIM like THAT! He want's to help, because he put the burden on her!" 427 yelled.

"You better watch your step, Agent 427, or else you're gonna slip into hell. You're getting too close to him."

"I'll watch my own step, thank you. And I don't care about what happens to me. As long as he is safe...as long as Cedeile knows what she has to...that's enough for me." 427 replied strongly, but her face looked like she was about to break.

"You would get close to a non-existant, go as far as to make contract with him, vow to help him at all costs, at the risk of losing yourself?" Axel asked. 427 nodded. Axel smirked. "How foolish you are. It is great amusement." 427 drew out her sword, losing her patience. Axel shook his head disaprovingly. "As much as a battle with you would be enjoyable...I came for the heartblade master." He took out his weapons-the fire wheels from before- and threw them both at her. She braced herself to block both attacks, but missed the one. It knocked her to the ground, and Axel called back the wheels.

"Agent 427!" Cedeile yelled.

"Forget her. How do you know she's been trying to help you the whole time?"Axel asked as Cedeile was going to go to 427 and help her. The girl skidded to a halt and looked back at Axel.

"But...she said she-"

"She's trying to decieve you, so that your enemies can take you down." Axel said vicously.

"What a load of crap!" 427 yelled at him.

"Cedeile, she's actually preventing you from remembering the right things. She's slowly implanting false memories in your head. So that you'll think that you went on some journey before you came here. The truth is, Cedeile-you work for us!"

"No..."Cedeile whispered in disbelief. "But-"

"It's true Cedeile. 427 made us out to be evil, but we aren't, really." Axel said, coming down the stairs and walking to her back. "You were using your powers to help us defeat the Trinity Soliders, and Sora. Sora is coming to destroy us, and you, so that he can be the single savior of the universe. In reality, it is the organization who will save mankind."

"Shut up, Axel! Stop abusing her just because she's lost her memories!" 427 yelled from the floor. Axel flung his fire wheels at her, both of which hit her dead on and sent her flying. She hit the wall and fell to the floor, a small puddle of blood forming below her. Cedeile watched, helpless and confused. Axel came up behind her.

"So, what do you say? Will you come with me to regan your former status." Cedeile clenched her teeth.

"Bastard! I was never one of you! I don't believe a word you say!" She turned to use the heartblade on him, but he dodged effortlessly and landed several feet away.

"If it's a fight you want, then I'll give it to you." And he came at her with both wheels. She blocked him with the heartblade but he forced it away. He tried to come at her again, but she was able to bring the hearblade back down just in time. He shook it off and went at her again, but again the two metals of the two weapons met and threw each other back. Cedeile made the next move-she twirled around and went to kick him in the head, but he leaned away and threw one of the wheels at her, she blocked it and it flew away, landing on the floor. Axel threw the other one, and she blocked it as well. She swung the heartblade at him with all her strength, but called his weapons back to his hands with magic and threw them both at her. That's where she was caught. The two wheels tore through her and sent her to the ground breifly. They flew back into his hands, and she went back at him.

"HOLY PURIFICATION!" She yelled. Axel crossed his arms in front of his face, as if to block the attack, but suddenly, his fire wheels appeared again and he slashed them out, bringing his arms straight out to the sides. The cross of light and disappated into millions of tiny sparkles that fell to the floor and disappeared completly. Cedeile stared in shock.

"Surprised?" Axel asked.

"How did you-?"

"It was easy. You aren't nearly strong enough to defeat me." he replied. Cedeile speechless. He suddenly was up in her face, as if he had telelported himself there. He slashed both wheels across her, their blades ripping through her skin. She fell backward and hit the groud, blood splattering on the white floor. She looked up at him distastfully. He smirked evilly. "Ah. So you're just a little girl after all. Can't do a thing without your sinning nanny over there to lead you through someone else's memories so you can get your own back. Isn't that sad?" She gritted her teeth to surpress a growl and some insults she would've like to thrown at him. This gave him more satisfaction. "Ah. Well, while you lay there acting like a lap dog, the question remains-" he held one of the fire wheel blades under her chin, in a dangerous postion to slice her throat-" should I kill you now and get it over with, or wait till later. If you were Sora, I would think twice. But then again, I like Sora more than you, so I don't think you desvere the consideration." And then it happened. Cedeile snapped and threw the heartblade at him-actually threw it- without calling an attack or sending out the purifying light. The metal rod hit him square in the face, between his eyes and sent him staggering backwards, while Cedeile jumped up and grabbed her weapon before it fell. While Axel was still recovering, Cedeile sent out three weak slashes of light to cut through him. They did little damage, save for slitting his jacket a bit, but that was all. He looked over to her, a huge spot of blood on his face, like a spider, legs beginning to trickle down the curves made by bones and flesh. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, but more blood came anyway.

"Do I deserve the consideration now?" Cedeile taunted.

"Okay, okay...I can play your game too. But think-do you really want to remember? Why not cast away the old, useless memories and begin anew? With good memories come bad ones too." He disappeared and reappeared behind her, on the steps leading out of the room to the next floor. She turned, ready to fight, but he smirked and pulled his hood back over his head, grinning at her. "So, Cedeile...are you ready to learn the price of memory?" And then he was gone.

----

Anya walked down the sandy path, the overcast sky becoming darker the further she went.

'It's that castle. Something's happening there. A gathering of power...' she thought as she alone walked the path, her shoes making a cruching sound as they treaded over the dirt. Suddenly, lighting flickered above her, and thunder crashed. She watched as the clouds began to blow across the sky faster in the direction from which she came. 'At this rate, the whole sky will be covered. I have to hurry. The heartblade master...' she clutched the necklace that hung around her neck. 'She'll need this...' She continued on her way, running this time, and trying to make her way towards her destination.

----

As Ryu continued on his way, he felt himself get dizzier, and lightheaded as his stepps were more unsure. It had to have been from the bloodloss, and he had no way to stop it, of course. The snow behind him turned red as he went on further, the silent woods the only witness. Soon he could go no further and collapsed in the snow, on his knees.

'Damn it...I can't see a thing anymore...' He fell forward to the ground and panted heavily to try and gain his breath again. Even now he could still feel the blood flow out of him, hopefully not enough to kill him. But if he didn't stop it soon, he might be out of luck. 'If only Aru were here, then she could easily heal me.' Suddenly, he heard the snow crunching in front of him. He was too tired to look up, but made the attempt anyway. However, he didn't have to look up, for a famillar voice sounded in his ears.

"Ryu, get up." a voice comanded. He knew this voice-comanding, regal, older...alightly sad. He struggled to at least kneel in the snow and pushed himself up.

"Hikari...Tagami?" he asked, unsure. He was able to rest himself back on his feet and looked up. It was indeed the master blacksmith mage of 500 years ago, standing in front of him. "What are you doing here? Are you and Aru okay?" he asked. Her mint green eyes were unchanging. She snapped her fingers and suddenly he felt the famillar healing spell flow over him. No, it was different-a little colder and brisker than Aru's magic. He felt much better without the hole in his side and stood up fully now, brushing snow off of him. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter how you got here. We're together now, so let's get out of here." he said.

"I don't think so." Hikari replied, eyes narrowing.

"What do you mean?" Ryu asked, confused. "We've got to get out of this place. We're looking for Silvia, remember?" He looked down at his black gloved hands. "With these hands, I gathered them, just like Ansem wanted me to. The whole time, he knew my family and I would bring the fragments right to him. I'll find them-the fragments as they are as Silvia-and repent for my sins." he said, determined.

"You won't get the chance." Hikari said. Ryu looked up at her, and a cold wind blew through the trees, blowing his hair all around. He was stunned.

"Hikari? Is something wrong?"

"I'm going to kill you." she said, and swirls of water appeared in her hands, suspended upright by magic.

"Hikari?" Ryu asked, stepping away. Hikari flung one of her hands around and threw a long cyclone of water at him, it's full force knocking him back to the ground. She threw the other one at the ground, spraying up snow to cover him. He couldn't see a thing, and before he knew it, He was entangled in a web of vines that were constricting around him. "H-hikari! Have you gone mad?" he asked, trying to resist against the vines.

"Hardly. I'll kill you, just like I killed Aru." She summoned electricity to her hands, their currents running up her arms. She bowed her head down. "Goodbye...Ryosuke Takita of the Ryu Clan." A lighting blot came down and struck him through the chest. He screamed out and felt himself falling. He should've hit the ground, but he kept going, falling into the darkness.

----

6H: Dude, I killed Ryu!

Anaretsu: Really?

6H: Not really...I just wanted to see how the readers would react.

Anaretsu: They don't.

6H: Shut up! Please give me reviews, so I know I'm not wasting my life for nothing!

Anaretsu: You are though.

6H: Can't you be nice, just once!

Anaretsu: I have been nice several times. I just don't feel like giving any love today.

6H: Damn.