Hello, all! Sorry I haven't updated since around New Year's, but here goes! Jiod's PoV

I stood there, looking out the window, seeing Demyx and Madara. No, it's Daxaram, I had to remind myself. Madara's Nobody...

I think the thing that shocked me, though, was the fact that I could sense those two approaching even before the earthquake. I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, so I ignored it. Just like when...

I shook my head. No time for such thoughts now. They know they can't win; they're just trying to buy time. I must use every second I get. I sighed and turned to Marluxia.

Surprisingly, the Nobody was still knocked out. Did that Rasengan do that much damage to him? I shook him lightly to wake him up. The only response was his tongue lolling out.

"Sakura," I said, not taking my eyes off The Graceful Assassin - Marluxia's title in the Organization.

"Yes?" Came her voice behind me.

"I need you to heal him." I didn't need to look at them to know their reactions. Sakura and Karin gasped, and I heard fidgeting metal as both Sasuke and Suigetsu reached for their swords. I guessed Juugo had a reaction too, though he hid it well enough.

"Only heal his head," I added. "Juugo, Sasuke, I'll need you two to hold him still, so he doesn't materialize that huge scythe again. You guys are strong enough to keep him still, but I need him conscious now. I can't interrogate a corpse. Karin," I turned to the girl in question. "As I understand, you're able to sense if he's lying. Can I count on that?" She nodded and adjusted her glasses.

Sasuke and Juugo held Marluxia's arms out, and they were positioned right next to his head; even if he managed to summon his scythe, he wouldn't have enough room to swing it without hitting himself. Sakura placed her hand over Marluxia's forehead, while Karin stood next to me. I nodded to Sakura, and the green aura surrounded her hand, covering Number XI's hand.

Slowly, his eyes opened. To his credit, he quickly realized that he was a prisoner, and tried to free his arms. Fortunately, Sasuke and Juugo held fast. I backhanded the Nobody's face quickly, then sensed Karin wince. I had to remind myself that she hated any unnecessary violence.

"Marluxia, Number XI," I said. "You've been in out custody for a while now. I'm going to be direct here. It's actually quite simple: answer my questions, we let you go. Got that?" He glared at me, likely thinking for a way out.

"Don't even think about finding a way around this," Karin added. "I'll be able to tell if you're lying." Marluxia's glare shifted to Karin, and he spat at her.

Infuriated, I punched him in the stomach. Normally calm and collected, I was at my wit's end; aside from ramen with Naruto, I haven't had a single moment of rest or relief since Riku sent me here. I made a mental note to get some R&R as soon as possible.

"We can do this as long as you want, Nobody." An idea came to me. "Unless you'd prefer a long, slow...electrifying death?"

He laughed lightly, and I heard a light whimper from Karin. "I've studied you, kid. I know you don't have the stomach for torture." Marluxia said.

I leaned over to Karin and whispered, "Don't worry...he's right. Unfortunately, I've studied them, too. That's all that might work on these people."

Those words were for Karin's ears alone, and I hoped that Marluxia didn't hear me. That being said, I returned my attention to the captive Nobody. "Are you so sure?" I nodded to Juugo, who slowly crushed Marluxia's arm. He grunted in obvious pain, though he managed to remain silent. I then nodded to Sasuke, who channeled his chakra into a weaker version of his Chidori, a frighteningly powerful lightning ability. The Uchiha then funneled that lightning into Marluxia, who quickly stiffened.

Just before I thought he couldn't take it anymore, I snapped my fingers, and both Juugo and Sasuke stopped their torture. Marluxia's head fell forward, teetering on the edge of consciousness. I nodded to Sakura. She nodded back hesitantly, then healed him just enough to keep him awake.

When his eyes weren't glazed over, I looked down on him with pity. "We can do this all day. Answer my questions. How did you come back?"

When he stayed silent, I gestured to Sasuke, who started to electrocute him again.

"Alright! I'll talk!" He shouted, pain lacing his voice. Sasuke stopped his torture, and I faintly heard Karin breathe a sigh of relief. "Your word that he'll release me?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I'm a man of my word. You keep your end of the bargain, I'll keep mine. How did you return after Castle Oblivion?" I asked, calming down somewhat, though still panicking from how much of a rush I was in.

"Ha! Lord Xemnas brought us back. He sent me here to wipe out any possible threats like you and that pathetic village." He replied, venom dripping in his voice.

Sasuke responded with a jolt of electricity through the Nobody's body. "What else do you have planned?" he demanded.

Marluxia laughed maniacally. "We have no need of this world anymore!" I looked at Karin, who shook her head. "Partial answers won't cut it," she said. I nodded before turning back to the captive.

I heard an explosion outside, and guessed Daxaram was the source. I continued to question Marluxia, having Sasuke electrocute him or Juugo break an arm whenever he refused to cooperate. As a result, I learned quite a bit: Organization XIII was looking to recruit people like Madara. Marluxia lived because Xemnas found a way to continually revive the Organization's members when they fall. Xemnas actually found a new Keyblade wielder to do his bidding. Perhaps the worst was that they had their eye on recruiting Luxus.

"The Superior always has ways to get what he wants," the Graceful Assassin had said, laughing. The most frightening part was that Karin confirmed to truth of his words. I had Karin and myself turn around, and gave the word to Sakura.

"Wait, you said you'd let me go!" Marluxia shouted, shadows of...was it fear?..managed to sneak into his voice. I laughed lightly, though to the Nobody it probably sounded cruel. "These two let your arms go, yes? I didn't say I'd allow you to go free. Besides, if you're telling the truth, you'll be revived again, will you not?" With that, Sakura and Sasuke finished off Marluxia.

"Come," I said to my friends in the room, looking outside. "They need our help. Madara is already perhaps the most powerful shinobi around. Now that he's become one of..."I gestured to where Marluxia once sat - he already faded away into nothingness. "One of them, he's only stronger, and even more ruthless. Temari, Flash and Naruto need our help." Where's Sai? I thought. Surely he should be here by now...but no sign of him, or his inklings.

We ran outside the hospital, and my jaw dropped.

Demyx's eyes burned with a ferocity he didn't normally possess. Both his sitar and his eyes were blue, but had a purple glow. Duplications of him, made entirely of water, danced around Naruto, striking here and there. Naruto was tiring out quickly, and out of throwing weapons.

Daxaram was even more frightening. He removed his mask, but kept his hood up. His eyes had a strange Sharingan-like pattern; one red, one purple. He had his right hand held out, toward Temari. The Fan of the Sand was paralyzed; she couldn't move, and couldn't wave her fan to cause her massive, razor-blade gusts of wind. However, his eyes were locked on Flash, who was on the ground.

I looked in horror at Sasuke. "Listen, I know you're burning for revenge, but I need you to focus." He didn't hear me. If looks could kill, Daxaram would be long gone, to put it lightly. I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes and shook him by the shoulder, practically shouting "Sasuke, listen to me!" in his ear. He finally shifted his attention to me, and I was almost petrified by his gaze.

I shook my head and pointed to Demyx. "Listen, you're the only one who can beat Daxaram, but you're also the only one who can beat Demyx. Get rid of him first. That way, he can't interfere."

Sasuke's hand balled up in a fist, and I figured he was struggling. After a minute he nodded. He turned to Demyx and place one hand down in front of him, his other hand holding his wrist. His body began to glow blue, and he cackled with electricity. The electricity focused and gathered in his arm, a thick blue ball appearing in his hand. A sound was made, like tons of birds chirping together. A ring of lightning danced around his feet.

Sasuke ran towards Demyx and punched the Melodious Nocturne with his Chidori arm. The water-style Nobody stiffed, jolts of lightning racing through his body. Demyx fell, his sitar vanished in an explosion of water. Demyx himself was flaking away, some of him becoming water, the restof him just disappearing. We then turned our attention to the newest Nobody, Daxaram.

So how was that? I hope the length of this chapter makes up for the long wait. There's hopefully about to be another update today, unless my brother keeps annoying me like he is right now.