As our heroes emerged from the museum they walked across the grass towards the town when suddenly Rikku vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Whoa RIKKU!" Ven yelled as they noticed and started looking all around them as suddenly a swarm of men in nineteen thirties gangster attire, complete with Tommy guns, appeared and surrounded them.

Suddenly an all too familiar and sinister cackle was heard as Sanzun appeared with Rikku in his grasp at knife point with his Keyblade.

"Hello dear…did you miss me?" he asked Aqua sinisterly through his helmet.

"Mune…let her go!" Aqua ordered as the pudgy gang leader approached.

"Eddie Valentine you slime…I knew you were low…I just didn't think you'd sink this low." Irvine said with a growl as the gang members kept their aim on the cowboy.

"Mr. Kinneas…can't say that I'm surprised you're here…but as long as I get paid…I'm happy." Eddie replied.

"What do you want Sanzun?" Terra asked.

"Simple…" Sanzun replied as he tightened his grip on Rikku, "…I want the clue you found in there…I know you have it…I can feel it."

"The guard…that's how you knew where to find us." Aerith said as she saw the guard come out with his gun.

"Aren't you a smart one Aerith Gainsborough…I also want you and Aqua along with the clue." Sanzun replied with a sneer.

"You can't read their writing can you?" Aqua asked as Sanzun sighed in annoyance, proving that she was right, "Well guess what…'dear,' I can read it now thanks to that 'clue' so you won't need her…but you're getting none of it."

"Is that right…I think you'll change your tune when you find out who I have hidden away with me." Sanzun replied as he held up a small lock of red hair and the heroes, sans Irvine, went wide eyed.

"Kairi." Aqua said breathlessly as Sanzun nodded with a sinister smile.

"So here's the deal…you give me the clue and Aqua…and I'll let your friend here go...straight trade so you know it's an honorable agreement." Sanzun said as Aqua turned to Ven who shook his head knowingly.

"No, no way." Ven said to her.

"Ven please…he has Kairi…I have to go with him." Aqua replied.

"But what if he's bluffing? What if he's just going to take you and have you tortured for information?" Ven asked.

"I'd rather take that chance than risk Kairi's life…" Aqua replied as she then whispered in his ear, "…it's also the only chance I have to try and put Mune back in control."

Ven finally sighed and nodded.

"Ok Mune…you have a deal." He said reluctantly.

"Then come on kid, hand her over so we can all go home." Eddie said as Aerith glared at him.

"What's it like working for a Calamity, Eddie? Huh?" she asked as Eddie looked at Sanzun with an arched eyebrow, "Does he pay you in Munny or Gil?"

"What's she talkin' about?" Eddie asked.

"Oh yeah just ask our friend Cloud Strife or Vincent Valentine…I doubt there's a relation, but he's got Black Materia, Jenova's head, the works." Ven interrupted as Eddie turned back suspiciously to Sanzun who started laughing as if Ven and Aerith were bluffing.

"They've been hanging around the moonshine too long." Sanzun laughed as Rikku spoke up.

"Ask him where he got the munny; ask him what the clues are for." Rikku said as Eddie was getting even more dubious as to his "client's" allegiances.

"Talk fast Sanzun." Eddie said to the man whose helmet turned transparent.

"You tell him Eddie." Irvine said as Eddie yelled for him to "Shut up!" without looking.

"Aw come on Eddie…I'm paying you well…does it matter who I work for?" Sanzun asked as Eddie narrowed his eyes.

"It matters to me." He replied, "I may not make an honest buck…but I'm a hundred percent loyal to the Cetra…and I don't work for no two bit Clammy."

Eddie then drew a pistol from his pocket and aimed it at Sanzun's side.

"Let her go." He ordered softly, as the rest of the gangsters turned their guns towards Sanzun much to our heroes' surprise.

Sanzun glared at Eddie emotionless before cracking a smile and letting out a hearty laugh before yelling…

"CUMTEANC YNECA, TECYNS DRAS HUF!!" (SOLDIERS ARISE, DISARM THEM NOW!!)

Suddenly armed soldiers in black armored suits swarmed out of the bushes and surrounded the Gangsters and heroes.

"It's your move Eddie." Sanzun said as Eddie gave a huff and dropped his gun along with the rest of his men. Aerith then realized what the Soldiers really where.

"By Minerva…They're some of the BNL soldiers from Midgar…they've been brainwashed and infused with Calamity cells…they're practically modern day Calamities now." Aerith said in sad distress as Sanzun released Rikku and motioned for Aqua to come which she reluctantly did.

"Difference between Calamity and Jenova cells?" Ven asked.

"Well they're extra vulnerable to light magic now." She replied as Sanzun's helmet turned black again.

"Silence." He ordered as a loud low hum was heard off in the distance and a large black and red gummy ship flew in slowly over the museum as Sanzun smiled sinisterly at the sight.

"It's been a pleasure knowing you Ven…" Sanzun said as he turned back to the blond, "…oh and don't worry... all the little darlings at the castle are fine…However Lulu has been in better shape."

"Why you STINKING (Naughty Word)!!" Ven yelled outraged as Terra and Irvine restrained him.

Sanzun just smirked and handed Aqua off to three silver haired soldiers as he turned and headed back a bit before stopping and turning towards Eddie.

"Goodbye Eddie…" he said with a sinister smirk as Eddie stood there with anger written all over his face and the Soldiers cocked their rifles.

"…and happy…'Valentine's' Day." Sanzun taunted with a snicker.

Suddenly two large beams of light appeared from the street revealing a massive mob of gun toting Rocket Town natives.

"YOU'RE TIME IS UP CLAMMY!!" Cid yelled from a bullhorn.

"It's the Cavalry!" one of the gangsters yelled.

"Shoot them!" Sanzun ordered as Ven lunged at Sanzun with his Keyblade.

"Lousy CLAMMYS!!" Eddie yelled as he quickly grabbed a discarded Tommy gun and turned to his men as they just as quickly retrieved their weapons.

"LET EM HAVE IT!!" Eddie yelled as he and the gangsters started firing at the Calamity troops and the mob behind them charged forward with their guns blazing.

It quickly became a two to one shootout with the Natives and gangsters against the Calamities. Ven and Terra were also going at it against Sanzun as Aqua went without resistance towards a ladder that led to the roof of the museum and then to the Gummy ship.

"Give it up already Ven!" Sanzun growled between blows.

"You dared harm my wife…I'll see that you pay for that…on that I swear it!" Ven growled.

"She still lives…I don't know why you're so upset." Sanzun replied mockingly as Terra yelled to Ven…

"DON'T LET HIM GET TO YOU!! HE'S TRYING TO PLAY WITH YOUR MIND!!"

Ven knew he was right but still had to defend himself.

Down below Irvine, Yuna, Vincent, and Wall-e were firing their weapons at the Calamities (Wall-e now with a modified laser), as Kimahri, Cloud, Aerith, Rikku, Cid, and Mickey fought in the melee aspect as Cloud then noticed the three soldiers taking Aqua to the Gummy ship seemed familiar.

He looked closer and realized that he had indeed seen them before…in Midgar before and after Sephiroth had taken control of Bahamut…it was Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz.

"Why those stinking traitors!" Cloud growled as he ran towards the museum roof with buster sword in hand and in one great leap, jumped to the roof to confront the three traitorous SOLDIERS.

"You three!" he yelled as the three turned to him.

"Oh look…its big brother." Yazoo said as he drew a small gunblade.

"Why yes…it is." Kadaj said with a smirk as he drew his duel bladed katana.

"Don't cry with joy just yet Kadaj…we still have to kill him first." Loz said as he prepped his new pile bunker. (A/N: anyone have clue at all WTH a pile bunker is? Cause I sure don't)

"Enough fooling around…where's Sephiroth?" Cloud growled as Aqua sighed and climbed the rope ladder to the gummy ship.

"I wish we knew…but we don't…sorry brother!" Kadaj yelled as he charged. But Cloud quickly side stepped and tripped the charging SOLDIER as he tumbled off the roof and landed unconscious.

"You Meany!" Loz yelled in tearful anger as a spark flew from the pile bunker and he charged only to get tripped up by the non-bladed end of Cloud's buster sword and fell unconscious on the ground next to Kadaj.

"You will pay for that!" Yazoo yelled as Cloud quickly blocked the shot from the gunblade and kicked the gunman in the groin. As the temporary falsetto fell to his knees in agony, Cloud shrugged, grabbed him by the back of the collar and the belt around his back and hurled him off the roof where he too fell unconscious next to his brothers.

Cloud then noticed a dead Calamity sniper nearby and quickly donned his clothing before climbing the rope ladder where Aqua was the only one who knew who he really was yet remained silent.

Sanzun in the meantime was still dukeing it out with Terra against his former friend and just as the two had him trapped between them he vanished in a puff of black smoke and reappeared onboard the gummy ship.

"Get us out of here." He said to an all too familiar black and white robotic steering wheel with red optic center.

"Aye Aye Captain." AUTO replied in his autonomous voice as Sanzun reached for a radio microphone.

"A valiant effort if I do say so myself…but utterly futile…farewell my friends…I know we'll meet again soon." Sanzun said to the mob below as the gummy ship roared off.

"Now my dear…" Sanzun said as he entered Aqua's cell, completely oblivious to Cloud's presence, "…we are together again."

He then lifted a glass of Champaign as if in a toast and drank it as Aqua looked out the window at the world behind her.

Later…

"Hey kid." Eddie said as he approached a somber Ven.

"I know it's not going to bring her back…but I'm sorry for the pain I've caused…Minerva knows I'm the last person to believe, but if you ever need a quick army to fight those sons of (Naughty Word) …you give me a call…and I'll back you up one hundred percent." Eddie said as Ven sighed and nodded.

"Thank you Eddie…" Ven said as he shook the gangster's hand, "…it means more than you realize to know that even the criminals of the universe are on our side."

"You always know an enemy is an enemy when even the dishonest amongst us are willing to go fight them." Eddie replied with a nod as he turned, then paused as he dug in his jacket pocket and pulled out the envelope of munny that Sanzun had given him earlier.

"Hey kid…one more thing…I can't take this munny…it was given to me by a Calamity…and I'd feel like a traitor if I accepted it…you probably need it more than I do." Eddie said as Ven shook his head.

"Actually Eddie if there's anyone who needs it more…its Midgar's Refugees…do yourself the first of hopefully many good deeds…and donate the munny to them." Ven said as Eddie nodded.

"You have a good heart my friend…I only hope that when this is over…that you have the best damn time in the universe with your friends and family at your side." Eddie said as he walked away.

"Hey." Terra said as he approached, "How ya holding up?"

"Not well…I'm torn in two here Terra." Ven replied, "I don't know whether or not to check on Lulu first and then find Aqua or vice versa."

"I would go with Lu first." Terra suggested as he looked towards Vincent as he was clobbering the captive Loz in the face trying to get info regarding the whereabouts of where Sanzun was heading.

"They say that Cloud's missing too…chances are, he found a way to sneak onto the gummy ship without their noticing." Terra said as Ven looked at him hopefully.

"Maybe when the time is right, he'll be able to tell us where she is and/or bring her and Kairi to us." Ven replied with a sigh.

"We must always hope for the best." Yen Sid said as he approached.

"Master…we've been failing you…we get a clue to Kingdom Heart's location and then it's snatched away from us." Ven apologized to the wizard who shook his head.

"No Ven…you have made more progress in finding Kingdom Hearts than Xehanort or Munesanzun put together." Yen Sid said as the two Keyblade wielders went wide eyed.

"What did you just say?!" Terra asked as Yen Sid arched an eyebrow.

"I said that you have made mo-""No, no, no the names you mentioned…who were they?" Ven asked.

"You mean Xehanort and Munesanzun?" he asked as Ven and Terra looked at each other with shocked expressions.

"Just who exactly is Munesanzun?" Terra asked.

"Why Xehanort's apprentice of course." Yen Sid replied as the two turned white as a sheet.

"What's the matter?" the wizard asked confused.

"Uh boy…uh master could you describe Munesanzun to us?" Ven asked.

"Well let me see now…uh tall, dark hair, go-tee…" "And a little knick on the back of his neck shaped like the letter Z?" Ven asked as Yen Sid arched an eyebrow.

"You've seen him?" he asked.

"Heck yeah he just flew out of here with Aqua as his hostage!" Ven replied as Yen Sid looked like a deer in the headlights.

"By Minerva…I am a fool for not seeing this…I should have known when he said he was going off to try and locate Kingdom Hearts that he was really searching for it in the hopes of finding everlasting darkness." Yen Sid said in shock.

"Wait I thought that Kingdom Hearts is everlasting light?" Terra asked.

"Not even I know the answer to that…but judging by the fact that she was kidnapped tells me that they cannot find the required clues to its whereabouts." Yen Sid replied.

"So Sanzun's behind this?" Terra said as Yen Sid shook his head.

"No…I'm afraid that he is merely the darkness's equivalent to a queen piece in a game of chess in this deadly game of light against darkness." Yen Sid said with a sigh.

"So if Sanzun's not behind this…and we definitely know that Hojo's not behind it…that leaves only one person…" Ven said as a sense of dread swept over them.

"No…you don't mean…" Terra said as Yen Sid nodded sadly.

"Yes…my former apprentice Xehanort is the mastermind behind these events." Yen Sid said as Mickey who had overheard the entire conversation approached.

"Then what do we do master? Xehanort is bound to have agents waiting for us at every turn...we can't give up now." Mickey said as Yen Sid's face turned serious.

"You must step up the pace…Xehanort still requires all the pieces of the puzzle in order to locate Kingdom Hearts…you must find the last two pieces of armor before he does." Yen Sid said as a faint rumble was heard in the air. Everyone turned to see the Fahrenheit hovering overhead.

"Let's go boys and girls the trail's getting cold!!" Cid yelled through the speakers as the gummy ship turned and extended its boarding ramp.

Our heroes then started running for the gummy ship, but just before Terra started retracting the ramp…

"WAIT!!" Irvine yelled as he ran up the ramp.

"While I doubt that you need another gun in the group but that Clammy attacked my home…and I don't take kindly to that." Irvine said as Terra smiled.

"Welcome aboard Irvine…glad to have you with us." He said as the ramp started to close.

"Thanks and please…call me Irv." Irvine said as the Gummy ship roared into space.

Aqua opened her eyes and blinked at what she saw…it looked like she was in her house back on the islands…but was this for real, or just a dream.

She got out of the bed and found herself in her usual white tank top, gray jogging shorts, and socks. She put on her slippers and walked through to the kitchen…everything was exactly the way she remembered it.

As she entered the kitchen she was shocked to see a certain red haired four-year-old in her pajamas sitting and coloring at the kitchen table. She also had the lucky charm around her neck.

Aqua looked around in disbelief, as Kairi noticed her.

"Morning Mommy!" she shouted with a smile as Aqua smiled back at her.

"Morning sweetie." She replied nervously.

Then Kairi noticed something behind her mother.

"Morning Daddy!" she yelled with a smile as Aqua froze and slowly turned in shock to see…

"Good morning Kairi…dear…" Sanzun said with a look of false happiness as he then turned to Aqua with a sinister smile. He had red hair but Aqua could tell it was Sanzun in control by his yellow eyes.

"And isn't it nice to be one big happy family?" he asked with a sinister chuckle as Aqua glared at him with a mixture of anger and fear as she realized that she wasn't dreaming…she was literally in a living nightmare.

End Chapter 36.

I do not own Eddie Valentine…Eddie is from the 1991 Disney film the Rocketeer. And this chapter being set in Rocket Town I figured that it would be rather appropriate to put him here.

Oh and for those of you curious about Mune/Sanzun's appearance I found the perfect actor to compare him to.

The actor Cliff Simon, best known for playing the role of the Goa'uld System Lord Ba'al in the sci-fi series Stargate SG-1, is how I envision Mune/Sanzun…and Stargate fans should notice the similarities between Mune/Sanzun and Ba'al…such as the yellow eyes when Sanzun is in control as opposed to the familiar glowing eyes of the Goa'uld.