KINGDOM HEARTS III:

CHAPTER TWENT-FIVE: SHRAX'S NEW LOVE

(I only own Kenji and Xidane)

"So, Radiant Garden, aye?" said Axel leaning back in his chair. "Been a while since I've been here."

"You're been here before?" asked Roxas.

"In the weird canyon, yeah." said Axel. "Never been to the town."

"It's nice there." said Kenji. "I grew up in that town."

"Does it have girls? Really nice girls?" asked Axel.

"Yeah." said Kenji. "Why?"

"Oh, yeah!" said Axel. "This'll be great!"

Trinxty came up the cockpit and walked over to Kenji. "Trinxty?" said Kenji. "I thought you where asleep."

"I woke up." she said. She leaned over to be next to his face since he was sitting and she was standing up. "Where are we going?"

"Home." said Kenji. "Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, it is…something's close." she said looking around out the window.

"How can you tell?" asked Kenji.

"I can sense it…" she said. She locked her vision in one direction and pointed. "…there…"

Axel looked in that direction. "I don't see nun'."

Roxas also looked. "It must be really far out there, then. How could she see something from such a long distance?"

"She must have 15/15 vision." said Axel taking out a par of binoculars. "There it is!"

"Yeah, it's coming into view." said Kenji before turning to Trinxty. "Is that it?" She nodded. "Amazing, that thing was 12 kilometers away."

"She couldn't have seen that." said Axel.

"I sensed it." she said. "I just felt that it was there."

Roxas looked closer. "That's Shrax's gummi ship."

"Shrax Edmund?" said Kenji sitting down and opening the communications link. "Hey, gummi ship to the port side, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear!"

"Kristian?" asked Kenji.

"Huh? Are you that Kenji guy?"

"Yeah, what are you doing in Radiant Garden orbit?" asked Kenji.

"We thought we'd get some rest, so we came to the closest world from the last one we where at."

"I see, well, welcome to my home." said Kenji. "Over and out."

Kenji drove the ship closer to Shrax's and slowly lead him to the gummi ship hanger for the town. Shrax's ship landed first and then Kenji's. Shrax and his friends left the gummi ship as soon as it was positioned and parked. Shrax stretched. "Ah, fresh air!"

"Guess you've been in that thing for a while." said Kenji. He walked over to him with Trinxty right next to him and Roxas and Axel behind them.

"You guys look like you're doing good." said Kristian.

"Yeah, well it hasn't been long since we last seen each other." said Kenji.

"You're right." said Shrax, but then Trinxty caught his eye. "Whoa, who's she?"

Kenji turned to Trinxty. "Oh, she's Trinxty, we found her on Destiny Islands."

Shrax whistled. "Destiny Islands, eh?"

"Sorry, man." said Axel smiling. "Kenji found her first."

"No, I wasn't…" he said. "That's not was I was thinking!" Kristian started giggling. "Hey!"

Trinxty gripped Kenji's hand at the sight of Shrax angry. "What's wrong?"

"He has sharp teeth…and wings…"

"Yeah, Shrax is a day vampire." said Kenji. "Don't worry, he's our friend."

Trinxty nodded faintly.

"Hey Shrax, want a tour?" asked Roxas. "I'm giving Axel one."

"Oh, um." He turned his attention away from his companions and to Roxas. "Sure, why not?" He followed Roxas and Kenji. Lane and Kristian followed as well. Roxas lead them to a house first. "Nice place, no crosses."

"Crosses?" asked Roxas.

"Y'know, the thing they nailed Jesus to?" asked Shrax.

"Oh, crucifixes." said Roxas. "I don't keep those."

"Thank god, they burn like hell." said Shrax looking around some more.

Axel flopped down on a bed. "Hey Roxas, go on without me, I'm going to get some shut eye."

"On Aerith's bed?" asked Roxas.

"Who's Aerith?" asked Axel. The door opened and a woman in pink clothes walked in with a basket of herbs.

"Hello." she said smiling.

"Hi, Aerith." said Kenji.

Axel jumped off of the bed. "Oh, snap."

"You're back early." She said putting the basket down. "Did you find your brother?"

"No." said Kenji. "But I found some friends that would like a tour of the place."

"That's great." she said. "I'm going to finish picking herbs and I'll make you something to eat."

"Sure." said Roxas. "Let's go guys; you can stay here, Axel."

"No prob', buddy!" said Axel. "I'll watch over Trinxty here."

Shrax, along with his friends and Kenji and Roxas, left the house and headed down the path. "Nice lady, is she your sister?" asked Shrax.

"Na, I only have Saburo." said Kenji.

"Do you have any family members other than him?" asked Kristian.

"Well, Tifa's basically my adoption mother now." said Kenji. "She's been looking out for me since I was 13."

Roxas and Kenji lead Shrax and the others around Radiant Garden. Roxas pointed out the places and Kenji gave them info about it. "Hey, what's that big metal thing over there?"

Kenji turned to the large structure that use to be Ansem's lab. "That's the Heart Defender Headquarters. It use to be an ancient lab owned by Ansem the Wise, but we rebuilt it into our Headquarters."

"I see." said Shrax.

Hiding from them, the Gullwing fairies watch as Kenji tells his guests about the building. "Wow, interesting people." said Yuna.

"That one with the fangs can fly, look at the size of his wings." said Paine.

"Are we really going to steal from these people?" asked Rikku. "They're creepy."

"Then they must have some interesting and valuable stuff on them." said Yuna. "Let's get a closer look. Rikku, go see."

"Um, okay." she said flying over to them. Rikku quietly lands on her feet and looks around them. She looks at Kristian's arrows. "Hmm, no." she looks at Lane. "His clothes are all torn; his belonging must be damaged as well." Rikku looks up to Shrax and spies his medallion around his neck. It was golden with weird symbols on it and a blood red ruby in the center. "Oh my gosh! Look at how big that is!" Rikku quietly flies up to Shrax's medallion without him knowing and started pulling up his medallion.

Shrax feels the weight of it decrease and looks down to see Rikku pulling on it. "What the hell?"

Rikku looks up at him and turns bright red. "Umm, heh…hi?"

"…and that's Rikku." said Kenji. "She's a treasure fairy."

Shrax grabbed her and looked at her while she was in his hand. He pulled her away from the medallion and she let go of it. "She's only about a foot tall."

"Actually I'm only 11 inches." she said correcting him.

"You won't be able to carry this think three yards alone." He said holding up his medallion.

"I won't, Yuna and Paine are going to…" she stopped and covered her mouth.

"Oh, so you're friends are here too." said Kenji. Rikku sank into Shrax's hand noticing her mistake. "Let her go, Shrax." Shrax opened his hand and she flew out and hovered in one place. "I don't want you three screwing around with me and my friends today, so just leave."

Rikku sighed and flew off. Yuna and Paine followed as she did. "Well, that's all we can show you guys for today." said Roxas. "Shall we head to the house?"

"Sure." said Lane. Everyone followed Kenji and Roxas, but Shrax watched the direction that Rikku flew away in. Lane turned to him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'll catch up to you guys later." said Shrax running to the edge of the ground they where on and jumped off before spreading his wings and taking flight. He flew over Radiant Garden looking around. He sees Rikku sitting on a roof with Yuna and Paine. He quickly hides and listens in.

"It's okay Rikku; we'll try again next time." said Yuna.

"Okay." said Rikku.

"Next time, try not to open your big mouth." said Pine before flying off.

"We'll see you latter Rikku, bye." said Yuna before taking flight as well.

Rikku sat on the roof and looked at the sun sighing. "Crap, I screwed up."

Shrax took this chance to come out of hiding and walked up to Rikku. "Hey."

Rikku spun around and got up on here feet. She saw Shrax approach her. "No! I'm sorry! Don't bite me!"

"I'm not here to bit you." said Shrax.

"Are you going to eat me then?" she said in fear.

"Nope, chickens taste so much better." she said down right next to her. "So you're Rikku, huh?"

"Y-yeah." she said.

"Well, I'm Shrax Edmund." he said. "And I forgive you for what you did."

"Thanks…" said Rikku sitting down again.

"Do you always steal?" asked Shrax looking down at her.

"Well, yeah, it's like a hobby, or a fun past time." she said.

"I see, hey." he reached into his pocket. After a few seconds he pulled out a gold ring, no writing or anything on it. "Here, you can carry this right?"

Rikku looked at it. "Um, y-yes…I don't know what to say…"

"It's okay." He said. He gave it to her. "Keep it, I bought that thing a long time ago, but I don't need it anymore."

Rikku held it in he hands and examined the whole ring. "Is it magic or anything?"

"I don't know." said Shrax. "But it's your now, you can find that out."

Rikku took a piece of fabric and wrapped it around her waist, then she wrapped it around the ring and tightened it. "Thank you."

"Sure." said Shrax standing up. "It's getting late, I'd better go."

"Okay." she said. Shrax jumped off and took flight to the house he was staying at. He landed and looked at the sky. "Did I really take that long?" He grabbed the handle and the door opened by itself. "Huh?"

"Welcome back." said the young girl at the door, but she was about two years older than Shrax.

"Who are you?" asked Shrax.

"I'm Yuffie." she said. "Kenji told me to open the door to a dark looking fellow with fangs and black wings."

"Oh, okay." he said walking in. Everyone was there and socializing.

"Dinner's almost ready." said Yuffie skipping over to the kitchen and opening the door. "Hey, is dinner ready yet?"

"Nope." said Axel cutting up lettuce. "Not for another ten minutes."

"Oh, okay." said Yuffie. "Where's Aerith?"

"She went to get more potatoes since I turned the last ones into great balls of fire!" said Axel tossing the salad.

Shrax sat down with the others. "Hey."

"Shrax, where have you been, man?" asked Roxas.

"Um, girl scouting." he said scratching his head.

"Okay." said Roxas.

Axel came out with dinner twenty minutes later. The food was actually pretty good even though Axel's never cooked in his life and he screwed up on making some of it. "What do ya' know, I'm a future chef!"

The day was over and everyone checked in. axel even volunteered to sleep on the couch so everyone else could sleep in a bed. Shrax stood up looking out the window. He kept thinking of Rikku. "Damn, what's going on with me?"

Merlin's house…

"Merlin?!" called Rikku flying through his house. "Merlin, are you home?!"

"What is it?" said an old man walking over to Rikku.

"Oh Merlin, there you are!" said Rikku. "I want you to perform a spell on me."

"To make you stop coming into my house and making you wake me in the middle of the night? Okay." he said pulling out his wand.

"No, I want to become human!" she said.

"Oh, okay." He said. He walked over to his books and opened one that said: 'Transfiguration'. "Now turning you human is an easy spell, it's staying human that is up to you."

"What do you mean?" asked Rikku. "So it's only temporarily?"

"Yes." he said flipping through the pages. "If you don't kiss the man you love by midnight tomorrow."

"Midnight…" she said. "I see."

"You won't be able to fly again." said Merlin. "But you will certainly be taller."

"Okay." she said.

"Let's hope this works and you don't become a crocodile." said Merlin.

The next day…

Shrax wakes up hanging off his bed. "Uhhhh…too much to drink…"

"Dude, you only had three sodas." said Kenji looking down at him.

"You okay?" asked Roxas.

Shrax got up. "Yeah, I just had the weirdest dream that a man with long knives on his fingers came and attacked me. I bit him."

"…yeah, I had the same guy attack me." said Roxas. "And you where in it, and you did bit him."

"I had the dream too." said Kenji. "I broke his knee caps with the lead pipe."

"Yeah, that was funny." said Shrax. He got dressed and walked outside and yawned. "Man, it's not Halloween town, but it's pretty good."

"Shrax!"

Shrax flinched and looked around. "That sounded like Rikku."

"Shrax! Over here!"

Shrax looked down the street and saw a blonde teenaged girl running towards him. "Ri…Rikku?!"

She came to a halt right in front of him. "Shrax, it's me: Rikku!"

"Where's Knife fingers!?" said Shrax looking around. "This is a dream!"

"No, it's not a dream." said Rikku putting her hands on his shoulders. "I had Merlin, the wizard; turn me into a human so I could be with you."

"T-to be with me?" said Shrax.

"Yes." said Rikku. "Ever since I met you I've started to get these feelings."

"Feelings?" asked Shrax.

"Yes."

Shrax started thinking about a lot of thinks. Now that Rikku was human, he didn't know what to do He liked her from the started but he doesn't know how to express that. "Um, well…how about, um…"

"Yes?"

"Um…I guess we could…take a walk and…talk?" he said.

"That sounds fine, let's go." she said pulling him as she ran.

Kenji walked out and looked around as soon as Shrax was pulled out of sight. "Shrax? Don't you want breakfast?"

Rikku stopped in the market and looked around. "Want to go shopping?"

Shrax looked at the shop choices and turned to Rikku. "Um sure, why not?" Rikku and Shrax went to a shop that sells accessories and other forms of 'bling-bling'. Shrax looked at the types of items that Rikku might like, but every time he saw a cross, a chill ran down his spine. "Hmmm, I'm guessing she's into anything that's valuable…"

"Something wrong?" asked Rikku.

Shrax stood up and looked to her. "No, nothing…"

"Excuse me."

Shrax and Rikku turned around to see a man wearing all black clothes that had only one sleeve, blonde hair, and a large sword. "Yeah, what cha' need?"

"Is Aerith around here?" he asked.

"I think I saw her back at Roxas's house." said Shrax. "She might still be there."

"I see." he said.

"Hi, Cloud!" said Rikku. "Remember be?"

Cloud looked at her. "Ummm, no, not really."

"I'm Rikku, but I'm human now." she said.

Cloud looked at her at different angles. "Hmm, are you telling the truth?" Rikku nodded. "Okay, see ya." Cloud turned and walked away to Roxas's house.

"Strange guy." said Shrax.

"He's Cloud." said Rikku. "He's just as emo as Leon is. He's Aerith's boyfriend."

"Aerith's boyfriend?" said Shrax.

"Did you find anything you like?" she asked him.

"Not really." said Shrax. "Not a very wide selection and too many crosses."

Later in the day, when the sun was directly over head, Kenji sat on the ledge of the second level that leads to the bailey and looked out at the town. "If I was Saburo, where would I be…?"

Trinxty walked up the stairs and ran over to him. "I found you."

"Hey, what's up?" asked Kenji.

"Shrax's missing, Kristian and Lane can't find him." she said. "But I can sense him, he's happy."

"Happy?" asked Kenji. "Hmmm…I wonder what he's doing."

"Should we go find him?" asked Trinxty.

"I guess, but if he's enjoying what he's doing, we should just leave him be." said Kenji jumping off the ledge and walking down the stairs with Trinxty. "I'm sure he's fine."

"Okay." said Trinxty.

Shrax and Rikku sat on a bench in the market. The sky was already dark, and it was nearing midnight. "So, the last time I saw you, you where human, what happened?"

Rikku looked to him. "Like I said, I asked Merlin to cast a spell on me." then she looked down. "But if I want to stay human, I have to…"

"Well, well, well…" Shrax shot up and looked in front of them. He had long silverfish-blue hair and shoulder pads on his shoulder over his coat. It was Xidane, of Organization XIII. "So this is what they call young love?"

Shrax jumped up and glared at him. "What do you want?!"

"I'm here for the Key Bearer." said Xidane. He approached Shrax.

Shrax summoned his Keyblade and jot in front of Rikku. "Rikku, run."

"But…"

"I'll be fine, just go!" he said.

Kenji and Trinxty started running to the market after hearing that an Organization member has appeared. "Hello, Kenji Ishikawa…" Kenji stopped running at the sound of a female's voice and a chill ran down his spine. He slowly turned around and saw a woman wearing the same coat as the Organization members. "I've been looking for you." She said brushing back her hair.

"Identify yourself…"

"I'm Xehra, the Arctic Tempest." she said.

Trinxty hid behind Kenji. "Get away from her, she's…powerful…"

"I know, you should hide." said Kenji summoning his Keyblade. "I'll fight her."

"Why would you fight a pretty woman like me?" she said.

"I'll admit, you do seem unusually attractive, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a dangerous threat." He said getting into a fighter stance.

"You're so right." she said. Then she flicked her hand right open to her right as if she threw something. Then she stuck her index finger out and pointed it at Kenji.

Kenji looked around but saw nothing, then he heard something, it was like a light whistle of something cutting threw the air really fast; and it was coming for him on his left. He swung his keyblade in that direction hopping to deflect it. He felt something hit the blade and he saw a blade like a scalpel hanging from it from an invisible line. "A throwing blade…and it's thought controlled…"

"Very good." she said. Then she flicked the same hand to her right again and the invisible line pulled Kenji and his keyblade into a wall. "Let's have some fun!" She flicked her hand to the left and that threw Kenji into a roof. Xehra laughed as she did this, then she heard Trinxty whimper. Xehra looked to her. "I'm sorry, where are my manners? You want to play too?"

"No! Stay away from me!" she said.

"Run, Trinxty!" said Kenji still on the roof.

"I don't think so!" Xehra pointed at Trinxty's feet and ice developed around her feet, holding her to the ground. Xehra smiled and pointed her left hand at her and threw another dagger, but it still couldn't be seen.

"Ah!" Trinxty put both of her arms in front of her.

"What the?!" Xehra said.

Kenji looked at Trinxty. "Huh?" Trinxty moved her arms out of her face and saw the dagger. It was still, and sitting in midair right in front of her. "She stopped it?"

"Impossible, this girl can stop one's time." said Xehra. She looked at Trinxty for a second and smiled. "Heh, I see. But even with those powers, you're helpless."

In the Market, Shrax stood in front of Xidane ready for battle. "Hm, you seemed determined to fight me, especially to protect that girl." He said reaching his arm out and summoning an incredibly large sword into it with a blue hand guard on it that was made over a section of the blade and had a section extend out to cover the place where the sword was held. "I'm guessing killing her will hurt you deeply."

"Touch Rikku and you'll be sorry, pal!" said Shrax as his eyes began to glow red.

"I wouldn't get too close to me if I where you." He said reaching into his cloak where hi neck came out. He searched around for half a second and pulled out a chain. On the end of it was a silver crucifix. "Unless you want to feel immense pain, vampire."

Shrax gripped the handle of his keyblade at the sight of the cross and started sweating. "Damn…"

Xidane gripped his sword and held it out at Shrax. Without warning, he charged at him. He swung his sword down right over Shrax. He quickly blocked it with his keyblade, but the force from its weight made him lose balance. He jumped out of the way and got his guard back up. Xidane came over with a second strike to Shrax's right. Shrax blocked it again, but the force from it flung him off the ground and into a wall. "Heh, is this it?"

Shrax started slowly sitting up as Xidane proceeded closer. "Dammit, he's just too strong…"

Xidane grabbed his cross and pulled it off his neck. "Let's see how long you can take pain from one of your many weaknesses." He stood right in front of Shrax and squatted down. Shrax looked up at him and saw him raise the hand with the cross in it. Xidane looked right at Shrax's chest as he slapped the hand with the cross wrapped around it right on it.

Shrax cried out in pain as the cross began to burn into his chest. "You…monster!!!"

"Yes, this is what pain should feel like." he said pressing harder. But he pulled his hand away and jumped away as soon as a sword blade just as big as his own came down and struck into the ground he was sitting in. It was Cloud. "Cloud Strife…"

Cloud raised his sword and pointed it at Xidane. "You, leave."

Shrax tried greatly to take the pain still in his body as he began to get himself up from the ground while gripping his chest. "Ah…ah…"

Xidane put the cross around his neck. "You are in no position to tell me what to do, Cloud. For, you see, you aren't capable of beating me." Cloud grunted. "But I shall make my leave, for I have other things to deal with." Xidane turned and started casually walking away.

Shrax got to his feet and watched him leave. "R…Rikku…I hope you're safe…"

Kenji was flung into another wall for the fifth time. "Ah!"

"Kenji!" cried Trinxty. She was still unable to break out of the ice.

Xehra walked over to Kenji and sat down on one knee two inches away of him. Kenji started breathing very hard as blood leaked out of his mouth. He tried to move his head away from her as she leaned in closer to his face. Kenji gripped his teeth since he knew she was close enough to jam one of her dagger into him. But instead, she put her head right next to his and licked the blood of his face. "You're just my type, Ishikawa. I wonder how handsome your Nobody would be if I cut out your heart and feed it to the Heartless."

"Stay away from him!" cried Trinxty.

Xehra stood up and looked to her. "So, I take it you're his lover?" Xehra laughed. "I guess I should kill you first, Time Stopper." She walked up to her as a dagger was generated in her hand. "Let's see you stop a point-blank shot." She took two more steps before a disc of fire flew at her. She jumped back as it missed just to get hit in the back be a ball of fire that make her fall to the ground. "Ah…f…fire…" She turned around to see who produced it to see Lane standing behind her with his hand out and Kristian with her bow and arrow.

"Nice shot." said Axel holding both of his discs. "Time to heat this battle up!"

Xehra stood up grabbing her side and created a portal. "You're not going to take me out." She turned to Kenji. "I'll be back for you, Ishikawa."

"Stop!" Kristian fired one shot from her bow, but Xehra got into the portal before the arrow came close to hitting her. "No, she got away."

Shrax walked over with Cloud supporting him along with Roxas. "Hey…"

"Shrax?" said Kenji still sitting on the ground. "Looks like you're pretty messed up as well."

Rikku opened the door of Roxas's house and saw Shrax. "Shrax!!" She ran out and grabbed onto him as soon as she saw him. At the same time, Lane had gotten Trinxty out of the ice. "Shrax, are you alright…?"

"I'll live…" he said. "Any longer and I wouldn't have made it."

Rikku looked up at the clock hanging from the light post next to Roxas's house. It read: 11:59 p.m. "It's almost midnight, the spell!"

"Spell? Midnight?" asked Shrax.

"If I don't kiss you, I won't stay human." she said. "And I want to stay human for you."

"Rikku…" Shrax stood up on his own legs after recovering enough energy and pulled Rikku close to him. He brought his head down to hers and put his lips against hers. Kenji smiled as they did. So did Roxas.

Axel watched with his hands on his hips. Then he turned to Lane. "Dude, that girl that you just shot was as fine as hell." Lane, still maintaining his normal face expression looked to Axel. "What? You agree, right?" Axel turned to Shrax and Rikku just in time to see her glow a faint blue for a second.

Shrax and Rikku broke away and hugged each other for the rest of the time. "There's something that my brother and I might never get that Shrax has." said Kenji.

"You've done that with Aerith, right Cloud?" asked Roxas.

"Umm, no." he said.

"Dude, you suck." said Axel.

Organization XIII HQ…

Displeased with Xidane and Xehra's mission, Saexma sees both of them in an organization meeting. "Xehra, I understand why you couldn't complete your duty against Ishikawa, since fire and ice are exact opposites." she said to her.

"Yes ma'me." said Xehra.

"It's Xidane who I'm disappointed in." she said walking over to him.

Xidane casually leaned against the wall as Saexma walked up to him. "What did I do?" His remark made her slap him.

"You didn't finish of Edmund!" she said. "You where vastly superior, yet you didn't kill him. Even when you had the opportunity!"

"Cloud stopped me." he said. "If Cloud Strife didn't interfere I would have done so…" She punched him for his excuse.

All of the Organization members chuckled at the situation. Saexma glared at them and they ceased. "When I tell you to kill some one, well then you better fucken' do it!"

"I'll do it next time." he said. "…leader."

"Again we failed to destroy the Key Bearers, even when Ishikawa had only half of his power!" she said. "Are you all trying to make me look like a fool?!"

All of them stood with a serious expression. "Actually, it's about one fourth of his power." said Xero twisting his small finger around in his ear.

"Do you have something to say, Xero?" said Saexma. "Then say it!"

"I'm most of Ishikawa's power." he said. "Which is why he needs to perform his drive capability to make up for that."

"I'm aware that he uses that power." She said. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Yeah Xero, if you have something useful to say, then say it!" said Caplexa.

"I don't have much to say, but let me introduce you to someone." he said. At that time, foot steps could be heard coming into the room. Everyone turned to the entrance to see a tall man with long silver hair that reached his back enter the room. "This is Xeta, and he's here to join our cause."

TO BE CONTINUED…