Chapter 14

"Naminé."

Finishing an outline on her drawing, she looked up to see Diz at the entrance to her room. She had to admit she was surprised; Diz never spoke to her ever unless prompted. It seemed beyond him to start a conversation.

"Hi, Diz," she said. "Come in."

"This isn't a social call, Naminé. There is something I need from you."

Naminé knew there had to be a catch, and she was right. He had the people skills of a wooden plank. Apparently his mother had never even taught him the meaning of the word "pleasantries", never mind its use.

"It's something you want me to draw, right?" she sighed. Picking up a crayon, she started colouring her picture. It was of Riku; one she had sketched when he was skateboarding. She had several rough sketches of the tournament, but this was the only one she really wanted to draw out properly. He was poised mid-air; performing an ollie that Naminé never wished to forget.

"No, it is something different. Something much more challenging that will require a lot of tact and skill on your part. I did not want to have to resort to this, but as the current situation is rather bleak I believe it is our only option."

Naminé put down her crayon and looked at him, genuinely intrigued.

"I'm listening."

Riku had escalated his training. His defeat, now just over a month ago had been utterly humiliating, and he swore it was not going to happen a second time. It had taken him a lot of time to get better, but thankfully, he was a fast healer. He had been back to his regular training after two weeks, but the beating he had received had prevented him from pushing himself this hard until now. He had to fight him again, and win this time. He had disappointed so many people, and right about now he felt like they all needed some good news. Sora had been asleep for close to three months now, in which he had a major growth spurt. If he got any taller he was going to burst out of those ridiculous clothes. When he had some time maybe he'd go into town with Naminé and pick some out-

Furiously, Riku brushed the thought from his head. He and Naminé still weren't okay, and it was foolish for him to start thinking about things like that when they weren't even on speaking terms. Her lie was huge. She should have told him. Riku wasn't looking for her life story, but this was crucial to what she was. Naminé was secretive, and he knew there were things she never wanted to reveal, but he had felt so hurt when she had even denied him this one small thing. Being honest, it wasn't so much what she was, but it really crushed him that she had so little faith in their friendship that she couldn't trust him. He had thought they had been stronger than that, he really had.

"Why do you continue to train down here?" Riku looked up to see Diz stride past him towards some machines. The man was intelligent, he knew that much, but he honestly didn't think he could so be technologically compatible. The first time he had seen him operate the equipment in the lab he had to admit he was stunned by how effortless he made it look.

"Did I not tell you that you were no longer needed?" he continued, sitting down to stare at the screen. Noting some of the changes floating across the monitor, he responded by entering a sequence of keys faster than Riku could follow.

"Mickey said-" he began, but was cut off immediately.

"I don't care what the King said. You had your chance, and you failed."

"I almost did it," Riku insisted. "I just need to be a little stronger..."

"We've lost the element of surprise, Riku. You no longer have any impact on the situation."

"I can still help!"

"If you want to help, then I would appreciate it if you would stop distracting me and allow me to do my work. Besides, I have set another plan in motion as of today."

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Naminé will capture him, " he replied simply.

"You're not serious," Riku said with a laugh. "Naminé. Really?"

"I believe she can perform a better job than you ever could."

"There is no way she can do it! She's not strong, she's not fast-"

"She has other talents."

"How the hell is she going to draw Roxas when he is bearing down on her! She'll get killed!"

"Naminé is a nobody, Riku. It is only obvious that she would be able to have empathy for him, and he would long for that. Nobodies only want to belong, and Naminé is also aware of that fact. We could use that to our advantage."

"No!" Riku insisted, his hand sweeping to his side angrily, cutting across the empty air. "It's too dangerous. What if he hurts her, or-"

Diz's rippling laughter caused Riku to stop. He glared at the man, his anger and impatience evident.

"This isn't funny, Diz," he spat.

"You're priceless!" he answered, a touch of humour in his voice. Even swathed in bandages, it wasn't hard to tell what he was thinking. "Do you actually love her?"

"I-" Riku began, but the words wouldn't come. Diz chuckled in amusement.

"Ahh, perfect," he commented. "You and your little emotions, they never cease to entertain me. I hardly thought it could become more ironic, but here we are, Riku, you've done it again. The shadow and the nobody, how poetic."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked defensively, folding his arms stubbornly to hide how much of a nerve Diz was actually hitting.

"You do know she can never love you. Her thoughts, feelings and demeanour are but a reflection of her true self. She will never be free of that woman, and she most definitely will never have an independent thought."

"That's not fair!" he exclaimed. "She is still a person, no matter who else she might reflect. The things she's done, the mistakes she's made, they're all human qualities. Even is she doesn't have a heart, Naminé is still Naminé!"

"You seem to have it all figured out," Diz said slowly, slyly. He made his way over to Riku, bent down and whispered something in his ear. Riku froze, stunned, letting Diz walk out of the room, the obvious victor.

"What proof do you have that it was Naminé's actions? Is she really somebody, or do you only want to believe that?"

Riku punched his fist violently into the wall. How was Diz able to discern instantly what he was thinking? How was he actually able to know what just to say to make him doubt himself?

And did he really love Naminé? He hardly knew how to feel anymore.

"Riku?"

The silver-haired boy turned sharply, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn't want to see her standing hesitantly at the door, waiting for an invite. He didn't want to hear her voice calling his name, no matter how much he enjoyed the way it rolled off her tongue. Not now, not when he was so confused... Was she really her? Was she really Naminé? If not, who was it he had gotten to know? Who was she?

Not receiving an answer, Naminé nodded to herself. She supposed he was still very annoyed with her. She had, after all, been lying to him. Riku had told her so much about who he was, and she had failed to even tell him what she was. Her past was something she would never divulge to him, no matter how close they had gotten or would get in the future. But this...this was just an aspect of her, one that was no big deal. But she had made it a big deal. She thought that if he ever found out, he would hate her. After all they had been through, all they had seen and experienced, she had not wanted to go back to that. But it had, and she was finding it harder and harder to take with each passing day.

"I guess...you're busy," she said lightly, her cheery tone sounding fake, even to her. "I'll talk to you later, okay?" With that, she hurried out of the lab, leaving Riku standing alone once more. Reflexively, he opened his mouth to return her good bye, but shut it obstinately. Turning back to his soul reaper, he continued his training.

Riku knocked on the door of Diz's room. Hearing a grunt and taking it as a signal to come in, he turned the doorknob and walked inside. The room didn't have a bed, and looked more like an office than a bedroom. Diz was sitting behind the desk, writing in what seemed to be a large, leather-bound journal, which he shut as he saw who it was.

"Yes?" he asked curtly.

Riku had to ask it, so he did.

"Where the hell do you sleep??"

"I don't."

"Oh," was all he said in reply. He really didn't know what to say after such an outlandish statement. It seemed crazy, but Diz was the strangest person he had ever met, and that was really saying something when his best friend was Sora. It could very well be true.

"Do you have business with me?" he asked. "I have several matters to attend to that are quite pressing, and I'd rather not engage in idle chit-chat."

"Naminé is not going to capture Roxas," he stated bluntly. "We're finding another way."

"I have offered a solution," Diz said. "And it is the only one we have presently. Unless you have another means of doing this, the plan will proceed as arranged."

"There is another way," Riku said. "And I will find it."

Diz opened his book again and began to write. "I doubt it, but you can have your fun. Naminé will be going to meet Roxas in one week. You have until then to find an alternative strategy."

"Thanks, Diz."

"Goodbye," he replied, pointing his pen at the door. Riku took one more baffled look around the strange bedroom before doing as he was told.

Author's Notes:

It might be a small while before the next update. I'm currently about 4000 words into it, and I can tell that it's going to be a long one. There's so much to say and to do in it, and I'd feel wrong just cutting it halfway through for the sake of an update. It all just feels right together, that's all.

But yeah, it's coming closer and closer to the end, and I think people are going to be surprised at how fast the fic will actually finish. Let's see, we're on chapter 14...so there are about...five chapters left I think, possibly stretching to seven.

This chapter was pretty short, I know, but I loved doing it. DIZ IS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE!!! Seriously, impeccable English is fun to do, and Diz is just the perfect candidate for such an opportunity!

Anyway guys, thanks for all the reviews (you three are awesome!!) and thank you so, so much for reading! I hope I see you all very soon!

LastCetra.