Sabaru's resolve forces a reconciliation between Makoto and Finn and restores harmony to the group. With renewed vigor, the ten friends reboard the train and head for Twilight, home of the late Lady Namine.

Chapter 11: In the Day

Makoto and Sabaru are sitting at a table in the dining car of the train together.

Music Cue: Trouble (Persona 3)

"Feels good to ride the rails." Sabaru smiled.

"Sure does." Makoto agreed.

"Eager to drive once we're in Gralea?" Sabaru smirked.

"If they'll let me." Makoto said it back.

"We're fortunate to have the Regalia at all. We owe the first secretary our thanks." Sabaru stated.

"She'd get more thanks if she gave us a discount." Makoto replied.

"Those transceivers are top-notch. I recall when the Hydraean raged... In the midst of the empire's retreat, one conspicuous craft remained behind: the chancellor's. The last thing I remember seeing was his ship, heading for the altar. I fell unconscious…and was powerless to stop him." Sabaru explained about what happened at Daybreak.

"I'm just glad you're alive." Makoto said in relief then he makes a startled sound and leans into the aisle slightly to look past Sabaru.

"Is someone else there?" Sabaru asked.

"Finn—he just came back." Makoto answered. "Where did he go anyway?" He asked.

"On a brief reconnaissance. Something caught my ear." Sabaru said as Finn walks up to their table.

"Hey, captain, mission complete." Finn stated.

"Wonderful." Sabaru respond.

"So what "caught your ear"?" Makoto asked.

"Rumors of longer nights." Sabaru explained.

"They've been growing longer, day by day." Finn said.

"There was talk of it back in Lapis, but recent days have shown an unseasonably sharp change. Should this trend continue, before long…" Sabaru sadly said.

"There won't be daylight." Makoto sighed.

"Well it's not out of the question. The empire's already slain half of the Six. No wonder the whole world's in disarray." Finn realized.

"I…guess." Makoto frowned.

"And longer nights mean more daemons." Sabaru added.

"Seen that with our own eyes." Finn replied

Um, where Spot and the other?" Makoto asked knowing they're aren't around here.

"They're headed off to another car of the train." Sabaru explained "And I happened to overhear a fellow passenger discussing this very same phenomenon." He responds.

"So he sent yours truly to seek 'em out." Finn assumed.

"Nice police work." Makoto remarked.

"Well, don't wanna keep 'em waiting." Finn Warned.

"No, we don't. Back in a moment." Sabaru said to Makoto as he nodded to him as they both left.

Moments Later

Makoto sits in silence for a moment looking out the window; as the train begins to pass a snowy mountain range covered in mist, Ventus comes running by, then tries to stop and slips when he realizes he's passing him.

"Whoa! There you are, buddy! Did you see this? It's unreal!" He exclaimed after he saw the mist covered up the snowy mountain.

"Yeah. Never seen anything like it. Doesn't make any sense." Makoto said. Then looks around the dining car and suddenly realizes that no one else is moving; everything is blanketed in grey and everyone is frozen in place; Ventus is missing; Makoto stands. "What's going on?" He wondered then he suddenly hears Xigbar's voice behind him.

Music Cue: Ardyn (Final Fantasy XV)

"It's a real mystery." He comment.

Makoto turns to find Xigbar standing in the dining car.

"I'm not liking that snow cloud. Kind of gives me the chills. Like, who comes up with this stuff? I couldn't dream something like this if I tried. It's a wondrous world." Xigbar wondered then noticed Makoto looks so angry as he spring to punch him in the face, but he Dodge him.

"The he k are you doing here!?" Makoto demanded.

"Whoa, what's going on!? Easy there, buddy. Didn't see that coming. You alright?" Xigbar asked confused. Then noticed Makoto summon his sword and began to swing at him who steps back just out of range.

"Shut up!" Makoto yelled

"Be careful there! Wait—is this for real?" Xigbar said in horror, and he began to to run away; Makoto pursues him into the cabin car; he runs into one of the cabins and shuts the door; Makoto jerks the door open.

"Show yourself!" Makoto cried out, knowing how angry he is after he took Namine's life.

Suddenly, Xigbar leaves over from behind him.

"Uh…Makoto?" Xigbar responded, then Makoto swings around with his fist, hitting nothing but air; Xigbar has vanished again.

"That two-face jerk!" Makoto muttered, then he runs to the next car, where he sees Xigbar backing away.

"Come on, Makoto. You're scaring me! Seriously, man, cut it out!" Xigbar panicked as he passes to the next car, where Makoto continues to doggedly pursue him.

"It's not safe. Plus, you're causing a scene. Quit playing around, okay?" Xigbar begged. Then Makoto catches up to him and conjures a sword once again, which he immediately takes swing with, attempting to bisect him horizontally.

"You think this is funny!?" Makoto asked in outrageous. As Xigbar ducks the blade, then quickly scrambles to his feet, and runs toward the next car.

"Dude, are you seriously trying to kill me!?" Xigbar freaked out as he follows him into the space between these two cars.

"Why wouldn't I!? I've got you now." Makoto shouted as, Xigbar is barely able to stand, so out of breath is he; he's holding one hand out, trying to convince Makoyo to stop.

"What are you after, following me around this whole time? It's all YOUR fault!" He cried out to Xigbar as he puts his elbow against Xigbar's neck and shoves him against the door to the next car.

"What are you talking about? Do you really mean that, Makoto?" Xigbar asked in horror.

"What... are you saying it's not?" Makoto asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"Yes! What good would it do me to hurt you!?" Xigbar panicked.

"Who cares!?" Makoto yelled.

"Makoto, please. Can't we talk for a sec?" Xigbar begged.

"Never." Makoto answered harshly.

Then Makoto is thrown violently to the floor as the train's brakes bring it to a screeching halt.

Eusciello

The deserts of the western continent have long been littered with imperial armories and outposts. The slaying of the Glacian, however, gave birth to a paradoxical phenomenon: snow fields and sand dunes coexisting mere miles apart. Makoto and his friends would be wise to flee this treacherous terrain posthaste.

Makoto comes to on the floor with Ventus awakening him.

Music Cue: Careening into Danger (Final Fantasy XV)

"Makoto! Are you okay?" Ventus asked in worried.

Makoto groaned "Not really. Where's Xigbar?"

"Wait... he's here?" Ventus exclaimed. "If he is, that would explain all this weird stuff happening. I bet he's behind the train stopping. Finn, Sabaru, Spot and the others went up to inspect the engine room. I say the two of us go check out the rear." Ventus suggested?

"Yeah." Makoto agreed. As he and Ventus runs back the way he had come while in pursuit of Xigbar; in the car before the cabin car, the train suddenly shakes and windows shatter all around; Makoto falls to the floor, but quickly gets back up.

"Did they bomb us!?" Ventus panicked. "Makoto, we have to protect the people and the train!"

Makoto nodded as he runs onward into the cabin car, where a magitek trooper jumps through the glass and pursues several people; the civilians run past Ventus and Makoto.

"Head to the next car!" Ventus said.

"Leavethese guys to us!" Makoto replied as he destroys the magitek trooper.

"So much for a safe ride. More of 'em might be on board. Let's check the rear!" Ventus deocared.

"We need to get the train moving again." Makoto said to Ventus.

"I'm sure our friends will come up with something." Ventus reassured.

"Hope so." Makoto agreed. "Let's go."

Makoto runs onward, moving through the dining car. "How bas do you think it is? Hope nobody got hurt." Ventus said in worried.

They continues on through another cabin car, where the glass all shatters as yet another violent shake rocks the train; when they reaches the car past the passenger car after that, they're thrown back by an explosion that takes out the side of the car.

"It blew up!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Man, the MTs can self-destruct." Ventus said in remarked

A multitude of magitek troopers are visible through the twisted wreckage; they're either firing upon the train or trying to reach it.

"We can't let them inside." Makoto informed.

"Well then! We take the fight to them!" Ventus cheered.

He and Makoto head outside through the hole created when the side of the train car was blown open; visible in the distance is a massive pyramid-shaped flying fortress; many smaller imperial drop ships are emerging from the fortress and flying toward the train.

"That thing's huge!" Ventus exclaimed and then noticed trooper are with them. "We've got company!"

"Sure do." Makoto agreed knowing that's he ready for battle.

"Let the party begin!" Ventus cheered as he and Makoto begin dismantling the magitek troopers.

"It's us against an army…" Makoto noted.

"What're the odds we'll win?" Ventus suggested as the two continue fighting their way through the advancing horde.

"There's just too many of 'em." Makoto exclaimed.

"Oh, the fun never ends!" Ventus smirked, knowing that they can't give up. Moments later, after the two destroy a great number of the magitek troopers, a number of imperial tanks in the area begin firing on the train.

"Looks like they've rolled out the big guns!" Ventus noticed.

"Ventus, stay back!" Makoto warned. As he point-warps to one of the tanks, rips open a hatch leading to some explosive cylinders, conjures a sword, shoves it through the cylinders, then point-warps to the safety of a water tower as the tank explodes; meanwhile, the train has begun moving again; Ventus's voice rings out.

C'mon, we're leaving!

Ventus is back on board the train; Makoto point-warps to the top of the train.

"Look—they're hot on our tail! They're gonna blow us to bits!" Ventus panicked.

"Not if we blow 'em up first!" Makoto replied as he takes out two more magitek troopers that had gotten on board.

"How's that now?" Ventus asked.

"Shoot 'em." Makoto answered with a smirked.

"Oh, now there's an idea." Ventus beamed.

Makoto point-warps to the inside of one of the ships, where he begins hacking the magitek troopers to bits

"Every single one of 'em's a bomber!" Makoto stated. Makoto began to take down taking out the four ships carrying shock troops, finished them with his royal arms..

"That'll do it! Better head back down." Makoto said as started to head back down, but then he noticed something on top of the train much for his shock, He saw Ventus and Xigbar," the former holding one of the latter's own guns on him; Ventus hands appear to be up; Makoto noticed that Xigbar is going to shot him as point-warps down to the train near them.

"Ventus!" Makoto shouted.

Makoto takes a swing at the gun Xigbar is holding, knocking it to the roof of the train, and then another swing at Xigbar, causing him to fall backward off the train; at this point, Makoto becomes able to see that it is Ventus who is falling; so horrified is Makoto at the realization, he doesn't even look behind him to see Xigbar standing there, holding up one of Ventus's guns.

"How long were you in the dark?" Xigbar taunted him.

Makoto turns to look at Xigbar but is left completely open to the blow to the back of his head that Xigbar administers with the butt of Ventus's gun; he falls to the roof of the train, unconscious.

To Be Continued...