Xion did not turn up at all that afternoon, or any day after that. I held firm about not searching for him myself, he had reason not to be at the castle so maybe I'd encounter him away from it – assuming he wasn't also aware of the observation Xaldin had mentioned on me. It made it seem unlikely he'd risk getting seen like that.

Without him around I fell back to my original plan – doing only as much as was necessary, then ignoring the rest of the Organization entirely. I had a few complaints about that, since they felt it was my obligation to pull Xion's duties as well, but they dropped of sharply after Saïx and I clashed yet again.

Put simply we had an argument that rivalled mine with Xemnas's for volume, and when Xemnas told us to put a stop to it I formed a corridor that dropped Saïx into Twilight Town, up beside the clock tower. And I mean beside it. Interestingly, he somehow managed to survive that without apparent injury, but he learned the lesson of not arguing with me up close.

Even with the small library of games to try and take my mind off things, I couldn't ignore it entirely. Something was going on, and I had to find out what. After taking on a mission alongside Xigbar to eliminate a Morning Star in Olympus Coliseum, I returned to the Grey Area and to Stiltzkin.

"I know you won't tell me anything if I ask you about him," I said, keeping it quiet so no one else would overhear. "But is there anything about Xion you can tell me?"

"Check his room, kupo. He told me to direct you there when you got worried enough. Take this too – he bought it off me for you." The chain he gave me was Oathkeeper's of course.

"Is there..." I started, but Stiltzkin shook his head. "Thanks anyway. I'll stop by in the morning to buy another chain off you – if you've got any more in stock."

"'natchly," Stiltzkin replied. I wonder where he picked that up, since the only other person I've ever known to say 'natchly instead of naturally is Liam.

The plot thickened, and it was already thick enough to leave a fork standing upright in it. It's hard to refrain from thinking of all the possible what-ifs a situation like this inevitably brings. Being at least a bit practical though, I tried to ignore them except where they suggested what I could find in Xion's room.

I was cautious about it though. Anything could have been in there, and like the sectioned-off part of Vexen's old lab, something inside had prevented me from Seeing in there. Curiosity suggested a connection, but I'd investigate it later.

The door was unlocked, which is suspicious in itself. Like my room, only he and I had a key and no one ever came into either without knocking first. Except Vexen that one time I mentioned way back.

So I pushed it open, remaining outside in case he'd rigged something to happen to unwelcome guests. Nothing happened at first, making it appear to be safe. Most people would head inside at that point, but Xion was smarter than that. I waited a little longer instead. There was a 'twang' like a bowstring, then a dull thunk as an arrow – no, more like a crossbow bolt embedded itself in the door at about head height. Since no one was shorter than either him or me, it was fair to say it was either aimed deliberately to hit the shoulder or arm of any other member, or that it was deliberately aimed for my head.

There was wooden sounding clink from behind the door frame. Another bolt being reloaded, perhaps. I nudged the door a little further and it sprouted another bolt beside the first, proving that theory. This time I entered before the crossbow reloaded, closing the door behind me even as I took in the room for any further traps.

Aside from the small rig above the door that had shot at me, the room seemed to show no sign of it's occupant. The bed was untidy, but like me he'd never bothered about that. So long as we got a good night's sleep, that was all.

Ordinarily going through Xion's stuff was something I'd never have thought of doing, but these were hardly ordinary circumstances. Whatever had blocked me from using my mind to look in, now also blocked me from looking out as well. But since there was nothing here to even suggest at how he'd achieved that, I had to look the hard way and search the room.

The draws under the bed were an obvious place to stash anything in the bare seeming rooms we all started out with. They were just as likely to be trapped though, since if the door had not been trapped specifically for me, then he would obviously have been trying to discourage anything beyond that.

It wasn't trapped though. They contained a collection of items though – Vexen's shield, Lexaeus' massive axe-sword, Marluxia's Scythe, Larxene's knives and Zexion's Book of Retribution. Why had he collected the weapons of our lost members?

I reached curiously for one, but as I did so I felt the same weakness, the same oppressive pressures I had when I'd entered Castle Oblivion. Something about each of these had carried the nature of Castle Oblivion with them. I could no more approach them than I dared enter the Castle itself again. These must be what was preventing me from using my mind instead.

For all the curiosities in the draw though, there was nothing that explained Xion's disappearance, or his odd behaviour in the visions I'd had. Where else would he conceal something? It was then I realized that untidy as his bed was, the pillows had been neatly stacked in two piles of two. They never stay like that while I slept if I arranged them, and Xion shared a number of things I did. Perhaps this was one of them, and they'd been arranged like that as a clue.

Apparently they had – there was nothing under the first two pillows of course, but I checked anyway to be thorough. Underneath the second pair was a folded piece of paper with my name written on it. This must be what he'd had Stiltzkin direct me here for, so I sat down to read it.

'Roxas,

If you're reading this, it means I've left the castle and the Organization. Sorry about the door, by the way – I didn't want to encourage anyone else to come looking.

I know you want to do what has to be done for Liam to awaken and his story to continue, but you have something to look forward to afterwards. Even if he doesn't realize it, you'll still exist as a part of him. Maybe you'll get lucky and be able to act as well, working with him, I don't know. But think about it, what'll be left of me but a few memories?

You at least will remember me – I've been assured of that, I can't tell you who by, but he did it at my request. Others will be able to remember only if they're given a nudge in the right direction.

But all that will only be useful if you succeed, Roxas. I don't want you to. I don't want to be forgotten, even if you'll remember me. I don't care about Kingdom Hearts or the Organization or anything. In the real Xion's life, she was reprogrammed by Xemnas to attack you – well now I'm reprogramming myself thanks to that same person – the one I said I wouldn't name. If you want Liam's story to continue, you, Riku, Naminé, DiZ – you'll all have to square with me, even if I have to threaten them one by one to bring you out.

Come out of the castle and play, Roxas – out where their rules and restrictions won't get in our way. I'm waiting for you.

Xion.'

"Oh, bloody hell," I muttered. "What have you done, Xion?" More concerning was the question I didn't voice out loud – who was this person he wouldn't name? Who had enough power to ensure I'd remember Xion after his impending demise, without ever being noticed by me – or was it someone I already knew?

At the very least, I now knew the reason for Xion's actions in the vision. Riku, once he'd figured out who Xion was, would undoubtedly want to take him back for the same reasons I would – without the memories he had, Liam wouldn't wake up.

Now I was faced with a dilemma. Who could I tell about this? Sora would refuse to get involved, that much I was certain of. Xion, obviously, was out of the question, and the rest of the Organization would inevitably inform Xemnas, who'd order Xion's destruction. I wanted that to be on my terms though, not when Xemnas commanded it.

I kept Xion's message, then headed back to my room as I continued to considered this.

That left Riku, Naminé and DiZ as my only option. I doubted DiZ would want anything to do with me, knowing his general attitude to Nobodies. Naminé I'd probably have to sneak past DiZ to reach. Just Riku then, and tracking him down was likely to be a chore in itself.

Unless... Xion had lodged a message with Stiltzkin, and Moogles are happy to operate their stores to anyone at all. No doubt Riku would stop by a Moogle or two sooner or later. But what to ask them to tell him?

Simple. I looked ahead, found my next mission would be my first visit to Halloween Town on heart collection duty, then asked Stiltzkin to pass a message on to Riku, asking me to meet me there. Hopefully he'd see another Moogle before that day.