I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and most of Saturday, I will NOT BE UPDATING ANY STORIES, INCLUDING THIS ONE!!!!

I've been officially banned from the computer, since I have relatives coming over for Thanksgiving, and they aren't leaving until the middle of Saturday. (As directed from my mom (sweat))

I'm really sorry, but I'm working as hard as I can tonight to add another chapter to this, get mostly (hopefully done) another chapter of this completed to be put up immediately Saturday, and then update a third time on Sunday. I'm spending WAYYYY too much time on this story, and I'd like to get this story done before the end of November (besides, I made a friend a promise that I would (looks at you-know-who-you-are).

Also, as soon as I'm done this story, I can finish the SOBD story, not to mention all the other stories that are ready to explode in my mind!!

So, with that said, here's Chapter 25:

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I found myself in my office one morning, reading through some Heartless reports I had just been given from Numbers III and XI, the outcome of their latest mission. Time had passed nicely, weeks passing into months, not so obvious was their change, yet not oblivious to the eyes of Organization XIII. The summer was coming to an end in only a few weeks; meaning roughly one year will have been completed.

And Sora was soon to awaken.

This posed a problem. Once the Keybearer of Light had awoken, would it still be easy to keep Xedramon from knowing until the opportune moment, when it was to our greatest advantage and gain?

Of course not.

But we could certainly try. And we would. In fact—

"Xemnas?"

I looked up, a young voice breaking me from my train of thought. The door before me cracked open, and the brown-haired girl stuck her head in, smiling innocently.

"Good morning, Number XIII." I greeted politely, laying my papers down for a moment to make eye contact with her. She smiled a little wider and said,

"Morning." She looked around, a blank yet slightly curious look on her face. "May I come in?"

"Certainly." I signaled her to come in with my hand, and the girl walked in, closing the door behind her. She then took a seat in one of the chairs before my desk. I sat up straight, clasping my hands and resting them on my desk. I looked over at her and sensed immediately that she had something to ask me. I also noticed the longer she sat there in silence, the more anxious and uneasy her expression became.

"Is there…something you wanted to ask me?" I questioned, deciding to break the stiffening silence between The 14th Key and I. I could tell whatever she was about to say was big: she took a breath, and diverted her eyes from mine.

"Xemnas," she began, twisting a lock of her hair around her finger—a typical nervous habit of hers, "you know how everyone has a private place in the Castle? Just for them?" I nodded, raising an eyebrow at the same time.

"I believe that's called their bedrooms, Xedramon."

A light, musical chuckled escaped Xed's lips before she responded, "That's not what I mean. What I mean is that, have you noticed that each person has his or her own personal area in The Castle That Never Was? You know, the place that their Proof of Existence Portal takes them to?"

Thinking for a moment, I nodded again, "Yes, I've come to realize that."

"Well," Xedramon's eyes darted around, before finally looking straight at me, "where's my place?"

I stared at her for a moment; my interest peaked by her odd question. "Your place is the Weapons Workshop in the basement." I watched as she rolled her eyes, obviously not pleased with my answer.

"Xemnas, there's no door on the Weapons Workshop." She sounded a bit exasperated, but there was definitely no whining in her voice. In a way, I was relieved. "People come in and out of the room while I work, and bother me." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "It's hard working on weapons when people keep barging in. Also, hardly any of the lights work, and, with it constantly being a 'night sky' outside, I really can't see what I'm doing all that well."

I took her words into serious consideration. Of all the rooms in The Castle That Never Was, the Weapons Workshop was probably in the worst condition, taking into account that not one of us had ever fixed our Weapons. I ran my fingers through my hair. Hmm. Come to think of it, I couldn't remember exactly how we obtained new weapons when our old ones broke.

"Yoo-hoo, Xemy-sama?" I blinked twice, realizing I had zoned out. I registered what she had just said, and furrowed my brows in frustration.

"Don't call me that." Apparently, to Xedramon and Demyx, it was amusing to call me 'Xemy-sama', not only behind my back, but to my face as well. I preferred to be called Xemnas, The Superior, even Number I, to being called something that meant 'old Xemnas'. Xedramon laughed lightly before saying,

"Sorry Xemnas." She stopped laughing, but the smile still remained on her face. I leaned back in my chair, folding my hands in my lap.

"Now then," I started, looking intently at the girl in front of me, "what do you propose we do about 'your space'?"

A hopeful smile brightened on Number XIII's face.

"I was wondering…" she said timidly, looking down at the floor nervously, "If I could make my new personal space in…another world…"

Oh, she had BETTER been joking.

"ANOTHER WORLD???!" I shouted, jumping up from my seat, the girl jumping back and stumbling out of her chair and onto her feet. I slammed a fist down on the desk with so much force it left an imprint, I'm sure. "ARE YOU INSANE?! Absolutely not!! Xedramon, you're not going!!" May I take the time to let you know that I do not raised my voice often. But right now, I needed to.

A nervous chuckle and a mutter from the child, "Possibly…"

I took a breath, forcing myself to calm down before I ended up breaking something. "Xedramon, the other worlds are DANGEROUS, and especially if The Organization is not there." She opened her mouth to say something, but I held up my hand, silencing her. I wasn't quite finished yet. "The Heartless and Nobodies are unruly and could attack, even us, the beings who control them. Not to mention various other enemies who could be lurking in other worlds. It's simply not safe for you to be there, particularly since The Organization cannot be there to protect y—"

"XEMNAS!"

I stopped short and looked over at Xedramon, surprised and faintly angry with her for interrupting me. Her eyes held anger and frustration, her expression reflecting annoyance towards me. Number XIII was known to have an explosive temper at times; coming quickly and lasting only long enough to snap at people, even her Superiors. The child took a breath, and said,

"Xemnas." Her voice was calmer, yet she still seemed frustrated. "I wish you all would stop treating me like a little kid! You're so over protective of me that's it's not even funny! You claim that there's danger out there, and you act like I have no clue as to what danger truly is! But I do know! I've plunged myself into Darkness before, if you've forgotten." Xedramon looked straight at me, her eyes sharp with determination shining through. "I'm not the weak girl you first brought into the Organization, Xemnas. I wish you would just look at me and open your eyes to the true reality: that things are now different! That I'm different!"

I believe that, for the first time, I heard the wisdom the girl had to offer.

For the first time in a long time, I decided to look at her. Really look at her.

It's funny, how fast time flies. I don't any of us had realized how much Xedramon had grown.

She had recently turned 15, last month, I believe, and I never had noticed how much she was beginning to look like it. She was taller now (she had been roughly three heads shorter than Axel, but now was two), not by much, but definitely taller. Her short hair had grown very much, what was once barely touching her shoulders now fell down to the middle of her back. She had lost the childish look her in face, replaced by a more mature look (although there were times where that maturity could easily be questioned). She had developed a muscular yet lean figure, most likely due to the rigorous training she received on a pretty much daily basis nowadays. She had grown noticeably skinnier, but Xedramon claimed it was due to the 'illness' (as I've come to call it) she had. Although she seemed frail, she was strong and fast, her strength of will surely making up for everything else she lacked.

Indeed: she was no longer the shy, timid, and weak Raemond we brought into our Organization ranks.

She was now Xedramon: strong, outgoing and confident; a powerful tool to be in use soon.

I sighed, rubbing my fingers against my temples, thinking deeply.

If I let Xedramon go into another world, she could be used to clear out the Heartless and unruly Nobodies. She could also keep an eye out on the happenings of the world, which could provide us with a big advantage. On the other hand, if I were to let Xedramon go, then it's very possible that she could have a run in with our Keyblade Hero.

And it would be then that our plans would fall apart.

I smirked inwardly. But, if that were the case, Xedramon could always be fooled over with lies. The girl believed anything we told her, for a terrible fault she had was that she trusted far too easily. Besides, in the end she'd believe us over Sora every time.

We trained her that way, after all.

I sighed, this whole ordeal providing me with a headache. I looked up at her, hope still full in those eyes of hers. "What world did you have in mind?" I asked, my tone indicating unwanted faint submission. I could see her eyes light up a little.

"I wanted to go to Hollow Bastion." She said. I could see she was struggling to remain calm and not overflow with joy. She then smiled and clasped her hands together in front of her, in an almost pleading fashion. "Please Xemnas? I promise I won't EVER ask for anything else!"

I crossed my arms and closed my eyes. I knew that as soon as I spoke these words, I'd wish to take them all back.

"Fine. You have my permission."

Immediately, Xedramon smiled brightly, a smile that could light up this entire world coated in Darkness. She ran up to me and threw her arms around my waist, hugging me tightly.

"Oh thank you, Xemnas!!!" she cried cheerfully, hugging me tighter. I awkwardly patter her on her back until she stopped hugging me. I was never much of a person who enjoyed human contact. She pulled away and smiled brightly at me. "I've got to go tell Demyx!!" With that, she ran out of the room, and bounded down the stairs, I assumed. I frowned, feeling the headache pound in my head. I sat back down in my office chair, and took a long, deep breath.

I had almost forgotten how much I hated teenagers…

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LOL I liked writing this chapter :D

So, for those of you who've read SOBD, you all now know exactly how Xed came to hang out in Hollow Bastion and work on her weapons:)

Oh, and there's a specific reason I mentioned that right now the story is in the 'summer time'. Don't forget that, kay+coughwinkhintnudge+

Chapter 26 Preview Time:

Xed had a lot of preparation to do before going to Hollow Bastion.

"Number XIII, sit down. There are rules that must be followed."

Xed rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother."

"Hey Xigbar, would you take me shopping? Xemnas said I'm not supposed to wear my Organization coat around all the time."

"Sweet place, Xed!"

"C'mon, we wanna show you this place we found!"

"The view's amazing!"

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The next chapter's a bit of a filler, but sort of funny, and definitely important!

Night people, see you when I'm allowed back on the computer+cries+

HAPPY TURKEY DAY PEEPS!!!!