Wow...I'm really late on this one. I apologize majorly to my fans. I just hadn't realized how long it had been since I had updated. Whoops! Won't do it again...I think...Um...I don't think it would be polite to ask for reviews now...Give em if ya want, but I don't expect many. I hope you like this chapter. It's very fast-paced so be prepared.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Excuse me? You want to say that again?"

"I said, you were born here, Ela. Or should I say Axel instead?"

"There's no way! How in the world could I have been created here? This is where the 'Master' did his research. Why would he be creating Nobodies?"

"I never said it was Ansem."

"Oh really? Care to explain?"

"…I'd rather not."

"Cloud! I have a right to know!"

"Two minutes ago, you didn't want to know!"

Silence again. Axel was taken aback by his so-called friend's outburst, holding back his own insulting reiterations. Cloud sighed at this sudden emotional break he was having. These types of moments didn't happen too often for him.

"Come on. I'll show you."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Axel was in awe. Everything he saw, all the information he was taking in was overwhelming. But there was still emptiness in his mind, making him think that there was more to the story than Cloud was telling. Through intricate hallways they walked. Covering the tan-colored walls were pipes of varying sizes, all leading them to one ominous door.

Cloud walked up, turned the knob, and opened it.

Broken bookshelves, scattered papers, and a single exotic desk and chair were all that remained inside. But, Axel ignored all that. The one thing that caught his eye was a large picture on the far wall, portraying someone very familiar.

Recognition stunned him for a split second.

"That's….That's…."

Cloud turned back to him, his expression completely blank. He wasn't sure whether he should just tell his old friend the entire story, or let him find out on his own. Either way, it would be hard to except.

"This is Ansem's private study room. Before he left, this place held a large amount of importance for his students, along with the rest of us," Axel's eyebrows met as the memories flooded back. He remembered. Everything. "You remember it, don't you?"

"Maybe. I just," Axel started, "I just don't understand all of it."

"Two years ago, Ansem's apprentices started experiments without their Master's guidance. Ansem never knew until it was too late. The King came to aid with the disaster that was to follow, but there was nothing any of us could do. By then, Sydney had disappeared and you had become a loner, traversing the town by yourself. Many of us thought that you were just grieving, yet you wouldn't let us help you. Then, we found out just what Ansem's apprentices had been doing."

"And what were they doing, Mr. Know-it-all?"

Cloud stared half-heartedly in Axel's direction. Axel didn't realize it, but Cloud was very serious about this whole situation. "Experiments of the heart."

"Wasn't that what they were doing in the first place? What's the big deal?"

"If you had been there, you would have known exactly what the big deal was. They were turning themselves into Heartless, just so they could study how darkness entered the heart. Then, in turn, their Nobodies came into being. You yourself should be familiar with them."

"The first six members of Organization XIII."

"Mmm."

"And me? You said something about me being born here?"

"…I did."

"Yeah? And?"

"…You were one of their experiments Ela. Your Superior is the one who did that to you. I had to watch you turn into a Heartless, and then you, Axel, came into being. I was there the whole time. I just can't…I can't believe I didn't do anything to stop him."

"Cloud, I, well, I, um…"

"No. Don't say a word. It happened. It's over. There's not much we can do about it. All we can do now is keep the two of you safe, and stop Organization XIII at all costs."

Axel had to admit, he was sort of expecting this. How could he not? Xemnas, the Nobody of Xehanort, had killed Ela, bringing his Nobody out into the real world. It wasn't impossible.

No. Not impossible at all.

Cloud turned, and left the room, leaving Axel behind. Neither of them were prepared for the news that was awaiting them when they returned.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was only a matter of time until Cloud and Axel had arrived back at the old house they were all staying in. Comfortable, cozy, and warm were all good words to describe it. Unfortunately, the static in the air was dizzying, telling Axel that there was something wrong.

Very wrong.

Inside, a fire flickered in the background, threatening to go out. The distinct shadows of Aerith, Squall, Yuffie, and Cid held their respective positions. Aerith's small, choked sobs echoed off the walls. Yuffie was over her, comforting her in the best way she could. Cid was typing away codes and keys into the base computer, searching desperately for something. Squall paced back and forth between two walls, his hand up to his temples like he was suffering from a severe headache.

"Not again, not again…" He muttered to no one in particular.

"Hey guys!" Axel said cheerily, despite the depressed tone of the room. "We miss something?" But even Cloud was silent. Aerith had never cried, not in all the years he had known her. It just wasn't in her nature. What could possible make her cry like that?

"He just…He just…took her," Aerith started, as if to answer Cloud's mental questions. "I…I couldn't…" The young woman held her knees to her chest, cupping herself into a tiny cocoon-like state. Yuffie felt powerless, helpless.

"Wait, took what? Who?" asked the oblivious redhead.

Squall sighed and looked up to face Axel and Cloud.

"They took her Ela. She's gone."

Axel's face blanked. He stood still for a few seconds longer, but immediately took off, slamming the door on his way out. No one bothered to follow him. They all knew where he was going. They knew what he was going to do.

Wondering the streets of his hometown, Axel's rage hurtled back in forth inside his mind. He couldn't contain it any longer. Lighting a flame within his left hand, he threw it headlong at one of the construction piles. Barrels, leftover wood, and haystacks lit the night air with their fiery blaze. But it wasn't enough.

Axel knew that it was the Organization behind this. They were getting him back for disobeying orders. But this was taking it too far. Taking Nex was the last straw. He had put up with all their other self-respecting crap, but he wouldn't stand on the sidelines any longer. Axel meant business and he knew exactly how to prove it to them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nex couldn't help but get annoyed. She had been taken captive. Again. Annoyance was in her nature at this point.

What is this…the third time? Jeez, I must have a problem or something.

What was bothering her most was that Nexydys half-expected to be captured. It was like a dark omen that lay before her after Demyx had left. Had he said something? Was that how the Organization found them? No, Demyx would never betray them. It just wasn't like him to do that. But how else could they have found out where they were?

Xemnas must have some sort of spy watching our every move…

Nex nearly forgot about Axel. What was he doing while she was holed up in this cage? Was he looking for her? Was he searching everywhere for her? It gave her courage that the one man she knew and trusted with her life just might be the one man searching the star systems for her. And maybe even her old friends were doing the same.

She stared out the cage door, seeing nothing but an all white hallway, stretching out forever along the walls. As far as she could tell, her cell was the only one in the entire room.

Crawling into a corner, Nex waited. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for, but she knew that whatever it was, it would come soon enough.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Sora had nearly caught them.

If Ela had been here a few minutes longer, that keyblade would have been in his face.

Squall stood hidden in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of others. He was deep in thought and didn't wish to be disturbed.

If they have taken her back to their stronghold, it just might be out of our hands.

He hated having that type of negative thinking, but it was the only conclusion he could think of. Squall was just glad that Sora hadn't found them.

Earlier, after Axel had stormed off, the boy with the keyblade had shown up unexpectedly. Of course, none of them told Sora who had been there or why. It really wasn't any of the boy's business anyway.

Squall couldn't help but laugh at Sora's innocence. Those friends of his were just the same. Still, the kid was just that: a kid. He had seen so much that most people never should have. Yet, he still had the courage to fight for good and right the wrong. Sora never ceased to amaze him.

For now, we need to help Sora in his fight against the Organization…

Ela…You're on your own.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey…I feel like we're friends already."

"You're not acting very friendly!"

He almost had her.

"I tell ya, Kairi, you've got a lot of guts, jumping right into the darkness like that."

Saix had got to her.

He took her.

His chance at saving Nex was gone.

Well, he thought, time for plan B.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Faint footsteps echoed from down the hall. Nex didn't even bother to lift her head. Obviously, one of the Organization had been sent to interrogate her. Why try and resist?

As she had thought, it was a hooded figure around her size and height. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the man (or woman, she couldn't be for sure) stopping directly in front of the barred entrance to her cell. Whoever they were, they put their hands on their hips and made a 'tsk, tsk' sound with their lips.

"My, my, my. Look-y what we have here. Another Nobody, never meant to exist." Female. There was no mistake. Nex easily recognized the sting in the woman's voice, but it didn't affect her as much as she thought it would. But, had Axel ever said anything about a woman being in the Organization? There was mention of someone named Larxene, but Nex wasn't sure if this was that person. So, like any sensible person, she asked.

"Are you Larxene?"

"Don't insult me. That old hag faded over a year ago. She didn't have what it takes to rebel against the higher ups."

"So, you're a Nobody too?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Actually, I would," Nex replied, her own tone growing fiercer.

"All in due time. But for now, enjoy your time in this cage, Nexydys. It's a very suitable home for you."

The figure laughed all the way down the hall, a light, merciless laugh. Nex thought there was something familiar about it, but what?

"By the way," yelled the figure, "Your little buddy Demyx? Dead and dying my friend. Dead and dying."

- - - - - - - - - - - -