Fide led Sera through the underground ruins of Daybreak Town. This upside down city on the underside of Scala ad Caelum was a marvel in of itself. Despite the clock being destroyed; the clocktower itself was in structurally sound and even most of the windows remained intact, thus allowing them to traverse the inside without it being completely flooded.

Looking out one such window, Sera could see the fish swimming by as well as the silhouette of many other identical towns underneath every island. Whatever this place was, it was simple enough to be duplicated. Sera's head raced with a million questions, but she was certain none of them had to do with Xehanort and his Keyblade.

As they made their way through the gloomy and dark building Fide stopped at another manhole at the top of a ladder. He motions for Sera to hang back as he tries to wedge it loose, but it was being stubborn. Sera soon notices a small glimmer of light in the next room and follows it to find two fluctuating holograms having a conversation.

"I thank you. You have no idea how much this will help me."

The boy with the hat expresses gratitude toward the strange looking figure. Sera could clearly tell what the boy in the hat looked like, but the other person was obstructed by all manner of...glitches. She could barely make out what he was saying to the boy.

"...Th- bOoK -tains vALubLe...knOw-"

"I understand. But how did you acquire this? I thought Master Ava only gave these to 5 chosen Dandelions?"

"yOu... bE ONe oF -em."

"But I wasn't chosen. And neither were you. So, you must've taken this from one of the chosen 5. I can't imagine they would let it go without a fight."

The distorted figure made a horrifying screeching noise, but Sera assumed from the body movements that it was supposed to be laughing.

"...Very pOOr -sCuSe ...A -iGhT. -Ut yES."

"You made sure not to take it too far, right? I don't want anyone trailing this back to me. No witnesses, no testimonies, no names. As far as you know; my name is 'Nobody' and as far as I know your name is…"

The figure's voice suddenly came through loud and clear.

"...DARKNESS."

"That's certainly vague. ...That's good. Now...go...dispose of whatever evidence might be left. Or...if you took it too far… Just clean up your mess, Darkness."

The boy in the hat turned and walked away as the figure turned towards where Sera was standing and walked towards her as she stepped aside; not even liking the idea of a hologram of such a monster touch her. But as he passed her, he stopped and seemed to look right at her. She couldn't see his face to be sure, but the feeling of his eyes on her sent shivers down her spine.

She backed off and ran away before the hologram even disappeared and left a parting words to no one.

"I...see you."

Sera ignores the words as she runs back to Fide, who is still fiddling with the manhole.

"Are you kidding me?! We gotta move! Get outta the way!"

Fide steps down as Sera climbs up the ladder in a hurry as fear and adrenaline guide her. She then pushes on the manhole cover with all her might and breaks the seal of what seems to be some kind of adhesive holding the cover in place as she flings the heavy disc out of the way.

Fide doesn't even have time to be impressed as she is already outside by the time the cover hits the ground again and he climbs up after her.

"Hmm. Is this a case of 'hysterical strength' perhaps?"

As soon as he comes out, she shoves the cover back over the hole and secures it tightly as she breathes heavily and grips her forearms in pain.

"There...was a...a ghost!"

"Miss Sera, there are no ghosts here. Ghosts of a machine, perhaps. As I told you; they are glitches in an old system. Memories of that town playing on loop over and over and over again. Whatever you saw was a recording and cannot hurt you. I only told you not to touch anything because it is a historical sight and I didn't want you disrupting anything, not because you'd get cursed or anything like that."

"It...looked at me."

"Hmm?"

"He looked...RIGHT AT ME."

Fide didn't say anything as he tried to comprehend the idea that a recording can see someone in the future. He would have to report this to Master Vacca as soon as possible. But he still needed to see his current task all the way through.

"...We need to press on, yes? How are your arms?"

"Ugh. I think I pulled something. Xehanort's right. I need to know my limits."

"But you pushed beyond those limits just now. Sure, it hurts, but...no challenge worth pursuing doesn't hurt. You must choose to rise above the pain and reach for the light and the end of the road."

She shrugs and smirks at him.

"Who told you that nonsense? Master Vacca?"

"No. A lonely, weak old man by the name of Luxu."

"Well, I'd like to meet him and punch him in the face for being so right that it makes me mad."

Fide mutters to himself so she can't hear him.

"...You may get your chance."

Meanwhile in the future, Vanitas meets up with Namine and the other girl she was training with. As he stared at the black haired girl for a while; Noro Star passed by him and smiled at Namine.

"So, I see you BOTH have been making your own progress. One of you learning how to use the Keyblade and the other remembering your past?"

Namine having warmed up to him shares her excitement.

"Yeah! She's really good! She's been helping me understand the Keyblade a lot better. And her memory is almost fully recovered."

Taken aback by her sudden cheerful demeanor around him, Noro Star takes a moment to adjust to her new attitude as he wonders what the two of them were talking about while he was gone.

"Uh...Well then. Can I assume that you can tell me a name now, miss?"

She nods.

"It's -"

Vanitas finishes for her.

"Skuld."

Everyone turns to Vanitas is shock as Skuld squints her eyes.

"Yes, but...how did you know that? I don't think I know you. Unless you're part of the other stuff that hasn't come back to me yet."

"No. We've never met. But you HAVE met my brother, Ventus."

"Ventus!? I had no idea Ventus had a brother!"

"Yeah? Well, neither did he at the time."

"Oh? You're like a long lost brother?"

"More like 'long forgotten' brother."

"I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"Can't be helped. You're more likely to bring up bad ones on accident than good ones on purpose. Just do me a favor. Don't ask me about the past...ever. Everyone's got things they'd rather forget."

He glares at Namine for that last sentence which makes her uncomfortable again. He eases off of her and returns his attention to Noro Star.

"Now...I believe you owe me an explanation. I'd ask about how and why Skuld is here in this worldline, but I'll save that for later. First, tell me who that woman was."

"...I don't know."

"You what?!"

Vanitas started seething with darkness again.

"You said that you'd tell me who she is!"

"Yes I did. And don't you think it's quite telling….how you feel a bizarre level of love for her, but neither of us know who she is?"

Vanitas was stunned to silence; not quite grasping what he was insinuating.

"I have Sora's memories. You have his feelings. But neither of us know her. Based on that, I have a hypothesis. But you to be VERY descriptive for me to come to the right conclusions."

Vanitas looked confused.

"Descriptive? Of what?"

"What kind of love is it that you feel?"

Vanitas growls as he scratches the back of his head in frustration.

"Aaaaa! Fine! It's...uh...um...I don't know what you'd call it! She makes me feel...warm. Safe and warm. Like being with her is the safest place in all the worlds, but I also have this fear of her wrath. Not the fear that she could hurt me, but that she'd...just be angry at me. It's a feeling of having someone who's always watching out for you even if you're not aware all the time."

Noro Star and Namine are speechless. Mostly due to Vanitas description of what he's feeling was far more sweet and wholesome than they ever expected to come out of his mouth. Skuld however is far familiar with him and simply expresses her reaction more verbally.

"Aaaaww.~ That's so cute!"

Vanitas face displays a strange mixture of rage and bashfulness as no one can tell how much of his face is red from embarrassment or the unbridled fury boiling inside.

"It is NOT! It's vexing! It's annoying! It's the absolute worst feeling I've ever felt! And it makes me want to kill some-"

He cuts himself off as he reigns in his temper and sighs

"...Well? Is your theory correct?"

Noro Star shakes his head as seems baffled by this discovery.

"No. Not at all. This is not what I was expecting. This doesn't make any sense. But maybe I don't have all the pieces of the puzzle. I need the memories Xehanort banished from his heart. They're inside you Vanitas."

"Sure. Take em. If it's something Xehanort put in me then they're probably designed to make me suffer."

"Alright. Namine. I need your power to transfer the memories from Vanitas to me."

Namine pumps her arms as her face fills with determination.

"Leave it to me!"

Skuld awkwardly looks around.

"Uh...what should I do?"

Noro Star lies down for Namine.

"Focus on getting your memory fully recovered. Try and remember everything you can."

She shrugs as Vanitas tugs on her arm and whispers.

"You COULD do that. Or...you could go meet up with some old friends. I happen to know both Ventus AND Lauriam."

She quickly looks over at Noro Star who isn't paying attention to them then nods.

"Tell me where I can find him."

He smirks deviously.