Shairo: Yeah. I can't wait for the flashback chapters. It's going to be fun. And don't worry about it. I love it when you review my chapters, even the small ones. And I'm sorry for the long wait... I've been busy but I will try to get more chapters up soon... I just have to write them now XD

Dyingoffeels: Yep, she's put the pieces together. It's gonna be a trip. We gotta love the confusion that KH gives us XD

A/N: Hey guys. And welcome to some of my new followers. Thank you for your patience. It's been a weird couple of months. I was super busy with work and wedding planning but... Thanks to the current pandemic, my work was shut down and I had to postpone my wedding. It did put me in a massive creative slump, but I'm slowly getting back into writing and feeling motivated again thanks to my amazing little family in the Light Protectors. This should mean I can buckle down and start getting back into the story while I'm in self-isolation and try to get more chapters out as I want to complete Re:Chain soon. I hope all my followers and readers are staying safe during this time.


Shaylex looked at Namine. How had she not seen it before? The facial expressions, the body proportions. Even her smile, all exactly like Kairi's. Namine was Kairi's Nobody. That's why she has such a strong connection to Sora. That's why she has these powers. She's the Nobody of a Princess of Heart. Shaylex turned away and looked at the monitor. Sora and the Riku Replica we're finishing their fight. Sora had just beaten him. Shaylex smiled. It was just like before the islands were destroyed. Sora and Riku battling each other. But this time, they were fighting as enemies. Shaylex watched as the Riku Replica ran off. Sora looked sad. She turned to Namine. "Namine, when were you born?" She asked curiously. Namine thought for a while.

"I guess, I appeared here on this castle shortly after Sora gave up his heart to save Kairi." She said softly. Shaylex turned away. Another friend she failed to save from becoming a Nobody.

"Do you remember who you were before waking up a Nobody?" Shaylex asked Namine.

"No. I have no memories of my past." She explained, shaking her head. Shaylex sighed. She was just like Roxas. A special kind of Nobody. But why? Why does she look different? The memory thing she understood, because Kairi was alive and back home, on the islands. Safe. Right? Kairi was still a whole person, with her heart and everything. She watched the screen as Sora spoke to Goofy and Donald.

"Riku, Ashley. What happened?" He asked quietly. Jiminy jumped out of Sora's hood looking puzzled.

"Hmmm... sure was strange. Almost like Ansem was back controlling Riku again." He explained.

"But what about Ashley? She never met Ansem? Did she?" Goofy asked Sora.

"I don't know. I can't remember. But why is she siding with Axel and Larxene? It doesn't make sense." Sora asked himself and his friends.

"And we got rid of Ansem for good," Donald stated. Goofy nodded

"Then, I wonder what is wrong with Riku and Ashley?" Goofy asked as Sora looked towards the stairs where Riku ran off too.

"Hold on... The King? If he's with Riku, he might be in danger!" Donald suddenly exclaimed. Shaylex scoffed. "Sora..." He added, looking at his spiky-haired friend as Jiminy jumped down to the floor.

"I know... you're thinking Riku and Ashley aren't your friends... But that's just not true." The tiny cricket explained.

"Ya sure?" Sora asked.

"Well, I know they both said some awful things to you back there... but you gotta remember, we are in Castle Oblivion. Why folks lose their memory her a little bit at a time. Riku and Ashley have forgotten that the three of you were such close friends. That's all." Jiminy tried to explain. Shaylex lightly scoffed.

"How cute. Justifying my behavior by putting it down to simple memory loss." She muttered to herself.

"So, they just forgot?" Sora asked Jiminy. The cricket nodded.

"My guess is that's so. But Sora, instead of being sad, we have to figure out a way to help Riku and Ashley get their memories back. If we all work together, why, we're sure to get you through this. No need to mope." Jiminy explained. Donald and Goofy seemed to agree.

"Jiminy's right, you shouldn't push your friends away," Goofy said. Sora nodded, still upset at all of this.

"Yeah, okay." He said softly. Donald rolled his eyes.

"Sora, do you remember our very first promise?" He asked

"Huh?" Sora asked as he looked at Donald and Goofy.

"Always smile!" Both Donald and Goofy said together as they both made funny faces. Shaylex had to smile at that. Although, she knew there was no emotion behind the smile, a fake smile because she lacked emotions.

"That was the promise we made to each other the first time we met!" Goofy explained. Donald nodded in agreement. "We promised to never forget to keep smiling!" We added. This cheered Sora up a bit as he looked up at Goofy and Donald and smiled too.

"You're right!" He agreed as he began to walk towards the door. Shaylex appeared behind him.

"How precious. You think you can save me?" She asked him. Sora turned around to face her.

"Ashley. Please. This isn't you. You're my friend." Sora pleaded with her. Shaylex rolled her eyes.

"Of course we're friends. You were one of my best friends Sora." She explained sarcastically s she took a step towards Sora.

"Then, why are you doing this? Why are you and Riku acting so different?" Sora asked as he held out his hand to her.

"Maybe consider that the problem doesn't lie with us, but with you, Sora?" Shaylex asked, pointing to her old friend and smiling.

"Me?" Sora asked as he pointed to himself. Shaylex nodded.

"Do you remember when the three of us found each other again after the islands were destroyed?" She asked. She knew he wouldn't remember thanks to the Castle erasing his memories. But she still had to explain to him why she decided to join the Organization.

"Erm..." Sora tried to think. Shaylex just laughed after a few minutes.

"I'll spare you the main details but you had been traveling with Donald and Goofy for a couple of weeks now and when we found you again, you decided to stay with them instead of joining us. That was your first, big mistake." Shaylex explained. Sora's eyes lowered.

"I didn't realize how much that hurt you. I wanted you guys to come with us. I really did." Sora tried to explain. Shaylex just rolled her eyes again and scoffed

"But you didn't fight hard enough for it!" Shaylex exclaimed. "After that, Riku and I fell out over Maleficent. I found my new family. And Riku, he finally saw sense after the whole situation with Ansem." Shaylex added. "And here we are, in Castle Oblivion, determined to make you see how much you've wronged us Sora! If you had just come with us, we wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe we could've worked together to find Namine!" She explained, walking around Sora towards the stairs.

"You didn't even know her... you came to the islands long after she was gone!" Sora exclaimed.

"But I've gotten to know her and her past with Riku and yourself," Shaylex said as she flipped her hair. Sora looked at her with a confused look.

"Gotten to know?" He asked softly. Shaylex chuckled. Sora could be quite the stubborn one sometimes. It kind of made Shaylex miss those days on the islands.

"Did you forget what Larxene told you? Namine is being held captive by the bad guys. Well more like being kept safe for a very special reason... oh and I'm part of that bad guy group." She explained spinning around and flourishing her coat as she did so.

"You're lying!" Sora shouted. Shaylex couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Am I? I wear this coat, I know a lot about Namine despite having only met her in this castle, and I embrace darkness like Riku. Although..." Shaylex began to explain as a dark aura surrounded her, "Unlike Riku, I've always been in control of my darkness." She added as she let her dark aura disappear.

"Ashley!" Sora exclaimed as he ran towards her, but Shaylex jumped back, laughing.

"Have fun Sora! I can't wait for the four of us to reunite at the top of the castle." Shaylex said as she waved and teleported back into the room where Namine was still sitting in her chair. She looked at the screen to see Sora shout out her name and then look down.

"Ashley, what happened?" He softly asked. Shaylex turned away and looked at Namine.

"Namine, why are you doing this to Sora?" Shaylex asked the blonde Nobody sitting in the chair.

"What do you mean?" Namine asked, looking up at Shaylex.

"Why are you going along with Marluxia to rewrite Sora's memories? Surely you can see this is wrong?" Shaylex tried to explain as she knelt beside Namine.

"I have no choice. And..." Namine began to say. It sounded as if she wanted to reveal a truth to Shaylex about something. She placed a gentle hand on Namine.

"And what?" Shaylex asked softly. Namine just shook her head and shrugged Shaylex's hand off her.

"It doesn't matter. Soon, Sora will forget Kairi completely and Marluxia will have his puppet. I can't undo anything now." Namine explained. Shaylex knew there was more to Namine's reasoning than she was letting on. But she decided not to press it. Maybe Sora did deserve this. But Shaylex knew that it was wrong. But it was just her against Marluxia and whoever else was on his side. She turned to Namine.

"He won't forget her you know... no matter how much to try to replace Kairi... he won't forget. Those memories will be buried deep down, waiting to be awakened. You should know Namine. You are just Kairi's shadow after all." She explained. Namine looked down at her pad. Shaylex just sighed and left the room. She began to walk along the corridors. She decided to clear her head and try to find the Chamber of Waking. As that was one of her tasks. She walked down hallways and opened up doors to peek inside. Most of the rooms were empty. Some had furniture and some were computer rooms. Some were bedrooms and some had the bare minimum. She found a kitchen but nothing that screamed the Chamber of Waking. What was so important about this Chamber? She decided to see if anyone had more information about it. She made her way down to the basement where Zexion and Lexeaus were watching Riku.

"Ah. Shaylex, how is everything up there?" Zexion asked.

"Namine's powers have done their work on both Sora and the Riku Replica. It's only a matter of time." Shaylex explained as she sat on the floor.

"And we'll have another keyblade wielder," Lexaeus grumbled. Shaylex nodded.

"Mmhmm. But I think there's more to Marluxia's plan than he's letting on." She explained as she placed her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands.

"It seems that way..." Zexion said softly as he placed a hand under his chin. "But we have Vexen taking care of things up there. There's no need to concern yourself over it." He added. Shaylex shook her head.

"Sora was my friend. I know Marluxia's actions are almost treasonous at best. But I still want Sora to suffer..." Shaylex explained as she looked up at the master illusionist.

"I understand Shaylex. But we can't go accusing Marluxia without proof. Xemnas placed him in charge of the castle and Namine. We can only sit back and hope that Vexen will clear up the mess or Sora will see to it if he doesn't lose his mind by then." Zexion explained as he took out his Lexicon and began to read. Shaylex sighed. Zexion was right. There's not much they can do right now. Marluxia was in charge and any attempt to stop him could result in them being hurt... or worse. She shook her head and stood up again.

"Zexion, what exactly is the Chamber of Waking? Why is Xemnas so determined to find it?" Shaylex asked. Zexion sighed and closed his Lexicon.

"Back before we became Nobodies. Xemnas built this Chamber called the Chamber of Repose. Most days he would go into the Chamber and not come out for hours. Sometimes you could hear him talking to an old 'friend.' The Chamber of Waking is a chamber built by someone else that contains another 'friend' of Xemnas'. Xemnas wishes to find his old friend." Zexion explained.

"And why would the Chamber be here? Not in some other castle?" Shaylex asked, sighing lightly.

"This Castle was once something different. A different world, according to Xemnas. Someone with a higher power warped and changed it into the Castle you see today." Zexion added on. Shaylex started to stroke her chin as she processed the information.

"So, Xemnas knew about this Castle long before it became an organization research facility?" Shaylex asked. Zexion nodded.

"But no matter how many times we've been here for research or to search for this Chamber, we have not found it. We turned this whole place up once, tore down walls, etc. Nothing." Lexaeus added in.

'A Chamber that can't be found because someone who inhabited this world used a higher power than anyone to warp and change it? Interesting' Shaylex thought to herself as she looked up at her comrades. "Thanks for the help. Let me conduct my own search. Seeing as this is my first and hopefully only visit to the Castle." She explained. Zexion and Lexaeus nodded and Shaylex left the room. She wandered through the hallways of Castle Oblivion. "A Chamber that can't be found? Locked away maybe?" Shaylex thought out loud as she summoned Promise to her. "Do you think you could find me the Chamber of Waking?" She asked her keyblade. Promise hummed as if to say that she would try. Shaylex held Promise close by her side and started trying out every door that she came across. Most of them were open and just lead to storage rooms or the odd bedroom. She eventually came to a door that was locked. Shaylex tried as best as she could but it wouldn't budge. She held up Promise and tapped at the door handle. She heard a click as if she had unlocked something. "We might be finally getting somewhere Promise." She softly said as she dismissed her keyblade and opened the door.

The room inside was drastically different from the rest of the castle. It was a bedroom but the walls were bright and had a hint of color to them. The bed was slightly messy and the decor told Shaylex that the room belonged to a boy. "Kind of reminds me of Sora's room back on the islands." She chuckled to herself as she stepped further into the room. She noticed to her right were bookshelves filled with books. She picked one up. It was just a book on magic techniques. She noticed quite a thick layer of dust had settled over the room. "Whoever slept in this room hasn't been back for quite possibly years," Shaylex said to herself. As she looked in drawers and under objects to find any clues as to who's bedroom it belongs to. After about 20 minutes of searching, she stood up and dusted herself off. "I don't think this is the Chamber of Waking. Although it must have been special to someone for it to be locked away like this." She said as she turned around and shut the door. She summoned her keyblade and tapped to lock it again. She wasn't going back in there anytime soon and there was no need to tell anyone else about it. It was just an empty bedroom with nothing of value. She continued searching a little bit longer before deciding that there was no way she could find the Chamber. That it was sealed away. She turned and headed back to Zexion and Lexaeus to report in.


A/N: Well... We finally made it to the end of his chapter. Sorry again that it took so long, but I am hyped to write more now and to get to the end of Re:Chain because that is where the fun will begin and because I want to reunite Shaylex with the Light Protectors and to have her finally remember her past. Thanks again for your continued patience and I will try to get another chapter out soon for you all. I hope you are all keeping safe and that you have a super, fantastic, awesome day, morning, afternoon, evening or night wherever you are in the world and may your heart be your guiding key.