A/N: Flightfoot, it is a coincidence about Kingdom Hearts and the Onyx Dragon. The appearances are explained in this chapter anyway. But on Axel and Roxas... ooh, you're sooo close I'll tell you that much - but you're still not quite right yet. You're on the right lines with that good guess though.

Almost all of Roxas's worries seemed to get blown away with the air rushing past him as Xion took to the skies with him again. Though this time he had the rucksack containing his belongings on his back again, it was no different, he loved to fly, even if it did have to be with a Dragon's consent.
He filled Xion in on the Gemstone Dragon and the dream once they were away, this time skimming over the top of the clouds instead of diving down through them.
"So that's why we're all here, huh? Because you wished for it."
"I didn't know my wish was going to come true!" he protested. "Besides, isn't this better? You, me and Axel, we all have Hearts now, and you two have lives again."
"You don't hear me complaining, do you? I'm happy here. I mean, come on – who wouldn't love to fly on their own wings?"
"I envy you that. I wish I could fly too."
"Aren't you now?"
"It's not the same though."
"Why not wish for it?"
He entertained the thought for a moment, but shook his head. "I think I'm probably better off as I am, when you get right down to it. Anyway, Axel might think I don't want to be his partner any more."
"If he knows you're still alive, that is."
The comment silenced them both easily. Roxas did not want to think his best friend, his partnered dragon, did not know that he couldn't die while they were partnered. He had only the scales on his arm to track him down, and no idea what to expect but for the heat of the desert ahead, and the frost of Icicle Peak ahead.
After a time, Xion chanced his mood. "You said you were back in your room when you saw the Dragon in the dream, right?"
"Yeah. That's right, why?"
"I'm just trying to understand what makes it appear. You keep telling me all you see is the outline, but I don't remember seeing anything like that."
"You might just have been looking the wrong way at the time. Axel could see it, and so could Gamsworth."
"Maybe. But what makes it shift from the outline to the Dragon? Light?"
"I don't think so. I saw it not far from Shadowwyvern Point during the day, and it didn't seem to have any trouble keeping to an outline."
"Alright, so maybe moonlight then? Or the light of Kingdom Hearts? You said you saw that in the dream too."
"I don't think we should use the dream as a reliable source, Xion. I didn't have any of the Dragonkin marks there. No scales, fire, it was just like before I met Axel. Anyway, I think it can choose how it gets seen."
"Like a passive ability then? Like the yellow Dragons that can wrap themselves in lightning?"
"I think so."
"Think if I wished for it, I'd get to meet it myself?"
"Xion, I'm not even sure I should have told you about it in the first place – the first time I met it, it told me that Gemstone Dragons are exceptionally rare, and don't want to be found by just anyone. It asked me and Axel to keep it a secret."
"So why tell me?"
"Because I trust you. Even if I still can't remember. Sounds like I trusted you before, so why shouldn't I now?"
"You know, it's probably lucky I'm one of those who remembers the old life, Roxas. Otherwise I could have been completely different, like Vexen was."
"Vexen wasn't different. He's still a jerk."
"I don't think he'd have had you shot before though."
"I guess not. I wonder if Saïx is here somewhere, or if he remembers?"
"Never mind Saïx, what about Xemnas?"
"I just had an idea."
"About Xemnas?"
"No, about people remembering. Who do we know that remembers?"
"You, me, Naminé and Axel."
"Right. And we know Xaldin, Vexen, Zexion and possibly Xigbar are all here, but don't remember."
"Where're we going with this, Roxas?"
"Think about it for a moment, Xion. What do those who remember have in common?"
"We both got on well with them?"
"Well, with me at least. I think I remember because it was my wish that brought us here. You, Naminé and Axel remember because you've all been my friends. But the others... I can't really say I got on with them at all."
"How do you explain Vanitas then? He mistook you for that Ventus."
"I don't know. This Ventus could be someone who was already here. I never met any Ventus or Vanitas."
"I get a strong feeling he's like us though, and Kamo agreed with me. We were discussing it when you were talking with him. Kamo reckons there's some kind of link between you and Vanitas."
"How is that even possible?"
"I don't know." Xion paused, then added, "Is it just me, or is it getting really hot up here?"
"I feel fine. Mind you-"
"I know, you've got a few resistances to it. Wish I did."
"Borrow mine. I read up on it before we left, any ability I know I have, I can share with my totem Dragon as long as they're also aware of it. So because we both know about my heat resistance-"
"I can share in it. You know Roxas, when all this is over you and Axel should set up some kind of school to teach about Dragons."
"Hey, most of what I know comes from one book, and personal experience. That's hardly enough."
"You know far more than Jack does," she pointed out.
"The book's got a section on notable Dragonkin. There are Dragonkin in there who undoubtedly know way more than me. Like the Wyrm Master Liessanna – she was the de facto know-it-all when it came to Wyrms. Had a green Wyrm as her partner."
"Green? I've never met a green Dragon before. What do they do?"
"Plant life, mostly. According to the book, the two went around restoring places that had suffered blights and such. Just their passing through was enough to make even the most heavily salted soil become fertile enough for bumper crops for years afterwards."
"Impressive ability. I'll bet she never went hungry. Just plant a few seeds and you've got an instant fruit tree or something."
"I know, right? Shame there aren't many green Dragons around any more. The book isn't dated, so I can't tell how old it is, but even it said they're one of the most endangered colours."
"Wonder what happened to them?"
"It doesn't say. Does say that the purple Dragons really are extinct. All I can find out about them is that they were the opposite of the green – poisons, killing things... one purple Wyrm could undo anything a green Wyrm could do just by passing through."
"Maybe that's what happened down in The Abyss."
"I think that's more natural. I mean, with all the layers of clouds there, it doesn't get much light, I couldn't see any rivers or water at all... I guess where rivers go over the edge of the cliffs, they must fall down, but my guess is something happens to that water before it gets down to the bottom."
"How do you figure that?"
"Simple – if there wasn't anything, surely The Abyss would have filled up, at least part way by now? The ground down there was totally dry though."
"What happens to the rain that falls there then? And what about the water on the top of the cliffs, surely that would run out sooner or later?"
"Hey, I don't pretend to be a geologist, Xion. I just work with what I know."
"Oh yeah? Well what does that ahead tell you?"
Roxas looked up. The cliff edge ahead was well-worn sand, with a near continuous fall of sand into The Abyss were the seemingly interminable desert went right up to the edge. Nestling in some yellow rocks, totally free of sand was a town that was made from the same yellow stone. Or perhaps had been carved from it, as there seemed to be no discernible chinks or lines that would define bricks or pieces of stone.
"Fardesert Heights," Roxas said. "It looks like we've arrived. Want a rest before we go on?"
"You bet. And a long drink. A very long drink."

"Here we are, young master. Oldhollow Crags."
Sora roused himself from his doze, looking down the hill to the massive sprawl of the double-city below.
"Looks a bit shabby in the outside bit," he remarked.
"That's where the lower class live," the driver of this caravan said dismissively. "Have you seen the inner city?"
"Impressive. But the outer one definitely detracts from it. Something ought to be done about that."
"You might want to keep those views to yourself while you're there, young master. The locals don't take kindly to people telling them what to do."
"I guess. What's that over there?" he gestured to a curious structure that was being build by the cliffside, in the outer city. There were a lot of pipes to it – in a way, it reminded him of Hollow Bastion.
"That's new," the driver said. "That wasn't there last time I came this way. In the outer city too... I suppose whoever's building it couldn't get planning permission in the inner city for it, whatever it is."
Someone at the head of their caravan convoy flowed from the back of a caravan to a nearby horse, turning to ride up towards them.
"The organizer says you need to stay alert, Sora," the rider said. "Sometimes the residents in the outer city try to assault the caravans. Obviously, since you're paying for your passage by protecting us, you can't let that happen."
"I guess I can't weasel out of my agreements, no matter how much I dislike it. I'll keep you safe to the inner city, but I'll leave you there. I've got my own business to attend to."
"Once we're in the inner city, we'll have no trouble at all, believe me."
Sora found his misgivings about defending the convoy were well warranted as they drew closer. As usual, he was perched on top of the caravan to get a better view of the surrounds. It seemed some of the residents had the same idea, keeping a lookout for the caravans in return. Once they were spotted, it wasn't long before several gatherings had appeared on the main thoroughfare.
There were other mercenaries that would guard the caravan. They fought for the money, not for ideals or morals. They wouldn't have a problem fending off something like this. He did though. They looked half starved, desperate. The sort of thing you'd expect to see in a disaster area for the worst off people in any world. He wanted to side with them, and give them the supplies the caravans were carrying – anyone could see they needed it.
But he wasn't one to break an agreement, and though his heart wasn't really in it, he joined them in pushing back the crowds. He refused to use the Keyblade or resort to actual harm, but made up for it by worked extra hard at keeping them off the caravans nearby.
The malnourishment of these locals made up for the numbers they brought, making it somewhat easier to hold them off. Despite this, the other mercenaries cut down anyone who got too close to them without a second thought. He tried not to notice the bodies they passed from the mercenaries further up the convoy.
The city's guards at the gates between the squalor of the outer city and the splendour of the inner city seemed to understand the situation at hand, allowing the convoy to fully pass through before being searched, permits examined and such. When one of the guards came nearby, Sora stopped him.
"Excuse me a moment," he said.
"Yes? What is it?"
"I'm looking for a friend of mine, and I was told he'd come here. Do you know if he's come through? His name is Roxas."
"Roxas? You are friends with the great Dragonkin Roxas?" The guard seemed taken aback by his statement.
"Uh... yeah. We're... sort of related actually, but we go with friends to make it easier."
"Related?" the guard breathed, then shook himself to regain his composure. "Follow this street to the cliffside. The Dragonkin is staying in the hotel on the left, the Frostling Hotel. If he's not in, they'll let you stay until he returns. The manager has been quite generous for the Dragonkin and his friends, I'm sure it'll be no different for you."
"Thanks."
Great Dragonkin? What had he done to earn that title?