The Oathkeeper

by SepticAbzies

Kairi knew in that moment that her life was changed forever. How it would change, she couldn't tell you. / Major AU, Kairi-Centric, Major SoKai, Platonic SoRiKai, Some RokuNami / Revised Version / Chapter 12: KH2, Part 4

11. Chapter 11

A/N: This is a story that is basically an AU I've had on my mind for a while now, where Kairi is far from useless or defenseless and actually has her own role to play. This story is Kairi-centric, which means most changes will revolve around Kairi, and since we've arrived at KH2, some will also revolve around Naminé (and somewhat Xion).

Also, please review! Tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Disney in any way, shape, or form! I only own an OC who will appear much later in the story (about KH3-ish).

Note: Remember that if I don't add a scene (or don't write out the whole thing; same goes with the designs), it means that it's the same as in canon. Just FYI.

This chapter will focus on Kairi's imprisonment in The Castle That Never Was, and we'll also get a little more focus on how Axel's and Naminé's friendship has also changed since Days.

Also, I just found out that I incorrectly named Betwixt and Between as "The Dark Realm", so I've corrected that mistake in this chapter.

!~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~O~A~T~H~K~E~E~P~E~R~~A~U~~!

Kingdom Hearts: The Oathkeeper

Chapter 11: Kingdom Hearts 2, Part 3

~Betwixt and Between~

Axel yelped out loud in pain as Kairi bit his hand (the one holding hers), making him let go by accident, "Ow! Why?! You promised to come quietly!"

Kairi backed a way, gaining some distance between them, as she clenched her fists in anger, "Serves you right! And I made no such promise! I just wanted to get you away from the others. Now we can finish our fight in peace!" With this, she summoned Oathkeeper again.

Axel remained stoic, "That would not be a wise idea, Princess." Pluto growled. "Even with your guard dog helping you, you won't win."

"What are you—?!"

Axel cut her off, "I was going easy on you before. If I use my full power, you will not survive." Kairi was silent, somehow knowing that he meant this. "I will admit that I don't intend to harm you, but I am being chased by people who aren't afraid to. So if you want to see your two friends again, the wisest choice right now is to just keep walking with me."

Kairi was quiet, before she de-summoned Oathkeeper, and chose to follow him in silent obedience, as the two (and Pluto) began walking again. Kairi was startled when she realized that she was lagging behind, "Wait, you're walking too quickly! AXEL!"

"I told you already," Axel replied. "I'm being chased by people. Stopping is not a good idea right now. And I have no idea what they'll do to you, Kairi."

"You're one to talk," Kairi shot back. He was the one who kidnapped her. But she tried her best to catch up.

'We'll be okay,' Pluto told her, and Kairi warmly smiled at the dog.

Her attention was, once again, captured by Axel, as he said, "So, you really are a Princess of Heart. Even in the path of darkness, nothing happens to you. An average person would have become a Heartless by now. Yes, even your guard dog."

'Queen Minnie cast Protega on my collar!' Pluto shot back.

Knowing that Axel couldn't hear him, Kairi translated, "Pluto's collar is enchanted by a Protega spell. He's fine." Axel nodded, showing that he understood. Kairi continued, "Anyways, why are you fine, then?"

Axel pointed to the black coat he was wearing, "It's because of this coat. If I don't wear this, I'll disintegrate and disappear."

"Disappear...?"

"Yes," Axel replied. "We Nobodies will eventually disappear. Before I do, I have something that I need to do first, and I need you to help me."

Kairi was surprised at first, before she scoffed, "You know, there's better ways to ask someone for help than kidnapping them. All you have to do is ask." She sighed. "Fine. What do you need my help with?"

"I...only want to find one of my best friends," Axel said, knowing he was lying to her, to an extent. He was feeling a stabbing pain in his chest. What was this feeling? According to his memories, he'd never felt like this before. Was it grief? Anger? Regret? He didn't have a heart, so he didn't know.

He, just then, realized how close she was to him now. What happened to personal space?

"I've misunderstood you, Axel," Kairi said. "We really are similar..."

"I know. I said that when we first met."

Kairi gently rolled her eyes, "So, what's your friend's name?"

"Roxas."

Something snapped in Kairi's mind, "R-Roxas? I-I've been trying to find him too!"

"Really" Axel asked, remembering her prescence in the virtual Twilight Town. "I'm surprised you remember what happened..."

He noticed how surprised and confused she looked, "What happened? What are you talking about? That week I spent with him...It was just a dream, wasn't it?"

Axel sighed, before revealing, "No, that week was not a dream. Roxas is real. You and I were both there."

She was still confused, "Where...was 'there'?"

"A simulated Twilight Town."

"'Simulated'?" Kairi asked. "You mean...that town was just a computer program?" Axel nodded. "I guess that explains why the real Hayner, Pence, and Olette didn't recognize me. And why the real Seifer was a lot nicer than the fake. And why I still have this." She took the purple crystal out of her black hip pouch and held it up. It originated the in virtual world, after all. She then remembered what Axel told her before, "Wait! Why were you there? Why was I there? Why does a simulated Twilight Town even exist in the first place?!"

"Because Roxas is Sora's Nobody," Axel revealed. "Naminé had to rewrite Sora's memories, and to correct that, she needed to sacrifice Roxas. You wanted to help him avoid his fate, while I was tasked in bringing him back to our Superior."

"W-What...is a Nobody anyways?" Kairi asked. "And who's Naminé?" These two words were the ones that stood out to her the most.

Axel was quiet, as he chose to lie, "I...I don't know what a Nobody is." Kairi was silent, suspicious because she felt like he knew more than he was letting on. "And Naminé? You'll know when you see her."

Kairi was surprised at the second answer. She then pondered over who this Naminé was, what she looked like, how she acted...Were the two different? Or similar? Did they have different moral codes? Just, who was she?

Did this Naminé have the heart fragment that Kairi knew was missing from her own heart?

Axel continued, "But that doesn't matter." As he looked at Kairi's confused, wide-eyed stare, he found himself once again wondering what he was feeling and why.

Kairi simply shook her head, a sympathetic look on her face, "No. I don't think you believe that..."

Just then, out of nowhere, a Berserker Nobody ambushed Axel and hit him over the head.

'Oh crap...' Axel found himself thinking, as he landed on the ground with a concerning thud.

"Axel!" Kairi called out to him.

In front of the Berseker, a Corridor opened and out stepped Saïx, a second Berseker being summoned next to the first. "This ends here now, Axel. Give the Princess to me. I've already seen through you. Don't obstruct the plans of the Organization because of your whims."

"Good to see you too, Saïx," Axel muttered, from his position on the ground.

The Berseker then grabbed Kairi's arms and held her up off the ground. She immediately struggled against its tight grip, "What are you doing?!"

As the second Berserker easily picked up an angry Pluto, Saïx turned to her, completely stoic, "This person will only bring you trouble. He is going to use you in order to turn Sora into a Heartless."

Kairi's built-up trust in Axel began to dwindle with this revelation. She shook her head, sadness filling her heart, as she tried to deny it, "You're lying..."

Saïx didn't answer her. He merely turned to the two Bersekers, "Take them away."

Kairi struggled harder, "No! Lemme go!"

Suddenly, the head of the Berserker holding Kairi was struck, fire and smoke rising from where its head was. Saïx turned to see one of Axel's Chakrams clanging to the floor and Axel smirking.

"Even if it's a traitor, getting rid of you is such a pity," Saïx said, summoning his Claymore. "However, you still have to disappear."

The two men clashed with their respective weapons.

"If you feel that it's such a pity," Axel shot back, "then let me go and pretend you don't see anything, then!"

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Saïx said, before his eyes began to glow, going into his Berserker mode. "DISAPPEAR!" He then landed a solid strike on Axel.

An injured Axel gasped for breath. This was bad. "Getting out of control is violating the rules, you know," Axel said, before Saïx struck at him again.

Axel immediately opened a Corridor.

Still in Berserker mode, Saïx cried out, "You're escaping?! If this is so, then disappear in the shadows! Nobodies do not have any feelings such as friendship! What you're searching for is an illusion caused by the memories of those around you!"

Apparently, these two had a history together. But that was the last thing on Kairi's mind. She finally managed to escape the Berserker's grasp by summoning Oathkeeper and using Starcracker to force apart his grip, and she tried to run after Axel.

"Axel! Please! Tell me that what he said isn't true!"

Axel lingered on the betrayal on Kairi's face as the Corridor closed behind him, "...I'm sorry..."

Kairi couldn't beleive this. Axel was gone now. The Berserker was still holding onto Pluto, so she had lost her party member.

She was alone now, with only a strong enemy for company, an enemy that wasn't afraid to hurt her (according to Axel).

She hated this. She was sick and tired of being alone.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Castle Oblivion~

Axel had left Naminé in the endless field outside Castle Oblivion. It was the perfect hiding spot for her. Everyone in the Organization knew that she had a (to them) traumatic experience there, so no one would ever expect her to hide there.

It was perfect because it was the last place anyone would think of to look for her.

Naminé was worriedly running up to him as soon as he exited the Corridor. He fell to his knees, holding his injured chest (where Saïx had struck him) and feeling a throbbing pain in his head (where the Berseker had hit him).

"Axel! Are you alright? What happened?" Her Rainfell already in hand (she must've been training), she quickly raised it up in the air, "Heal!"

As he felt the Curaga spell ease his pain, he answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Saïx ambushed me and took Kairi."

"Kairi?" Naminé perked up at her Other's name. "What were you doing with Kairi? Did...Did you kidnap her?"

Axel was quiet.

"Answer me!" she cried out. "Why did you kidnap her? I told you to leave her alone!"

Axel hesitatingly replied with, "I wasn't going to hurt her."

"Oh," Naminé apparently now understood what he was doing. "You were after Sora."

It was scary how dead on she could be sometimes. "Yeah. If Roxas comes back to us, then the three of us can be together again."

Naminé was quiet, and when Axel looked over at her, her head was bowed and her fists were clenched, Rainfell shaking in her hand.

"Naminé?" he asked, concerned.

"D-Did you really leave her alone...with Saïx?" Naminé asked, tears filling her eyes. This question caught him off guard. "Axel...you just placed her in the perfect position to get kidnapped by the Organization!"

"What do you—?"

She quickly cut him off, "Axel, I was a prisoner of the Organization for a year because Xemnas needed me to open Kingdom Hearts. That was one of the reasons I left. That was one of the reasons Roxas left, because we both realized that Xemnas opening Kingdom Hearts is something that must never happen. Xemnas doesn't care about anyone under his command. He only cares about his goal. We're just pawns to him." Axel was quiet as he allowed this information to sink in. What had he done?! "And now you've left Kairi in their hands...by herself..."

"Naminé, listen—"

She cut him off again, "No, Axel. Even after everything you did to me and Roxas—attacking Sora, lying about why you were really with me in Castle Oblivion, hiding information from and lying to both of us—I was willing to give you a second chance after you let Roxas go. I mean, the three of us are friends. We're supposed to be honest with and trust each other. But you crossed the line when you just left Kairi there to fend for herself. As far as I'm concerned, that just proves that you really are just another Nobody out only for yourself."

"N-Naminé..." Her words hurt him.

'You've just gotta trust me, Roxas.'

'I don't. I can't.'

He had done it again. His own poor choices made him lose another friend.

"I'm sorry, Axel," Naminé replied. "But I'm going to save Kairi. She doesn't deserve this."

Then, with Rainfell, she created a portal and ran through it. Axel's numbness and inability to move allowed the portal to close behind her without letting him in.

And once again, he was all alone.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~The Castle That Never Was~

Kairi cried out, "Let me go!" as the Berserker held her off the ground by her arms. Pluto growled at Saïx through his gag, being carried by the second Berserker.

She yelped in pain as the Berseker threw her in a jail cell. She hit the hard ground, and Pluto landed besided her. Saïx lowered the bars, locking the two inside.

Pluto immediately barked, his gag removed, and clawed at the bars. 'Let us out!'

Kairi got back to her feet as a tanned skin man with long white hair and golden eyes entered the room.

The man looked just like Ansem.

"Xehanort..." she growled, before demanding. "What are you going to do with us?!"

"I need you to wait here for a little while, Princess," the man replied. "My name is Xemnas, and I need a favor to ask of you."

"Open Kingdom Hearts?" Kairi accurately guessed, before scoffing. "Not gonna happen." An interesting question then came to mind, "Why me? I'm not the only Princess of Heart out there."

"True," Xemnas replied. "One of the other six would be easier for us to manipulate. But you are the most ideal, as you are also the fire that feeds the anger of both Sora and Riku."

Another headache came on due to the second name. She didn't hear the name, but that didn't matter right now. All she knew was that her two best friends were in danger because of her.

"If you do anything to hurt them, then you will regret it!" she immediately threatened.

Xemnas was clearly amused, "I'd love to see you try, Princess."

"You are in no position to oppose us," Saïx warned, more stoic than Xemnas was. "This jail cell strictly limits your abilities, including summoning a Keyblade."

Kairi was unmoved, "It's not a threat, Xehanort. It's a promise. I will hurt you if you hurt my friends." To add some bite, Pluto growled, in an attack position.

Xemnas, still obviously amused, simply left, Saïx trailing behind him, both of them leaving without a word.

When they were gone, Kairi immediately went over to the back wall, and sat down, sulking. Pluto, worried about her, walked over and slumped next to her.

"I'm sorry I got you into this mess, Pluto," Kairi apologized to her companion. "Do you think...that the three of us can ever be together again?"

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden~

Cloud and Leon were surrounded on both sides by multitudes of Heartless, who were pushing them towards the edge of the cliff. The two stood back-to-back with their swords out and at the ready.

"Think you can handle this many?" Leon asked Cloud.

"Well... Might be tough if one more shows up."

"Then that'll have to be the one I take care of," Leon replied.

"What, you're fighting too?" Cloud sassed.

The two jumped away from each other and began decimating Heartless as they moved in, sending a number of hearts floating into the sky. Cloud cleaved two, but more surrounded him, cutting him off from Leon.

Before he could blink, they were gone.

He turned to see Sephiroth, standing on the edge of the cliff, his sword out, having just cleaved through nearly twenty Heartless surrounding Cloud. Cloud stared him down.

Meanwhile, Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched as the Restoration Committee fight off the Heartless. There were literally thousands of them storming the cliffs.

Yuffie was fighting in the fray. Her shuriken flew back to her, before she fells to the ground, tired. She was suddenly healed, and stood up as Aerith ran over to her, her stadd in hand. The two ladies entered the fight once again.

Paine was chased to the edge of a ridge by an Armored Knight Heartless, but she dodged as it swiped at her. She jumped up on its head and bounced over it. Yuna and Rikku attacked from above, kicking it and spiraling to the ground. The Heartless stumbled over the cliff, as Yuna and Rikku jumped into the air with a high-five. Paine flew back over, as more Heartless chased after them.

Tifa joined Yuffie and Aerith, by giving a Heartless surrounding them an elbow to the face, before giving another a backfist, and then power punching a third from the from.

"Hey, where's Cloud?" she asked.

Aerith and Yuffie joined her in looking around the battlefield, looking for Cloud.

After Tifa deliverd a crescent kick to another two, Aerith asked, "Tifa, could you go after Cloud, please?"

Tifa nodded before running off the field. Aerith ran off the field as well, in the other direction, keen on joining Leon.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy raced to the Restoration Site, where Leon was slicing down Heartless. Aerith quickly arrived for support, and she turned around as soon as they entered.

"Sora! Behind you!" she called out.

The trio whirled around just as several Dancers appeared. The three ran to catch up with Leon after defeating them.

"Sora, listen to me," Leon said. "You have to get Kairi back."

"Of course, I will!" Sora promised. "She's one of my best friends!"

"That's not what we meant."

Sora was confused by Leon's answer, "Huh?"

After casting a Holy spell at a few Heartless, Aerith was the one who replied, "Kairi is the Crown Princess of Radiant Garden." Sora, Donald, and Goofy were surprised by this revelation. "Ansem the Wise was our Regent, only looking after this world until Kairi was old enough to take the throne for herself. It's highly likely that she doesn't remember this. She was only five when this world first fell, after all, but the fact that this world is being restored so quickly is because of her light."

Sora was quiet as he digested this, "You guys...really do care about her...don't you?"

"Of course we do," Aerith smiled. "Even as a little kid, she was always so kind and bright. She always made you feel like you had a purpose." The woman's face turned from gentle to determined. "Don't worry about us. We'll be fine here."

"She's right," Leon said. "Just focus on saving Kairi. The King's in the bailey. You better head over there!"

"Got it!"

With that, the trio left the Restoration Site and entered the Bailey, seeing no one. They approached a rock formation and look out over the expanse.

Sora saw everybody still fighting, and he remembering what Leon and Aerith told him about Kairi. Their loyalty to Kairi filled his heart with determination, "Leon, everybody—hang in there!"

Just then, Mickey dropped from the sky and held his arms out, his back to them. "Okay, fellas, you've gotta go find Riku and Kairi!"

"But Leon and the others are friends too!" Sora protested.

"Don't worry," Mickey reassured him. "There's already lotsa help here. We'll take care of this fight."

"But..."

Mickey gently cut him off, "Remember what they told you about Kairi." Sora went quiet. "Donald! Goofy!" The two of them straightened up at their names. "Take Sora and get goin'!"

Donald and Goofy looked toward each other and nodded, then straightened back up.

"Your Majesty!" Donald replied.

"We understand. We'll go search for Riku and Kairi!" Goofy added.

"Right. Watch for danger!" Mickey advised.

"You be careful, too!" Donald called back.

"Wait, you guys!" Sora called out. He looked back at Mickey, who was scouting the area, still looking away from them.

"Sora, do as you're told!" Donald cried.

"You're comin' with us whether ya want to or not!" Goofy added.

"C'mon, Sora! Ya gotta be good!" Donald said, before winking at him.

Sora immediately caught on, "Gotcha!"

"Well then, skedaddle!" Goofy called.

Sora mouth to them the words 'Thank you.'

"Let's go!" Donald said.

The trio ran right past Mickey and down into the cliffs, with Sora calling back to him, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty!"

The trio saluted him, as Goofy said, "Hope you can forgive us!"

Mickey sighed as the left over the rock face, before smiling with pride.

Meanwhile, Sora's shaking and clenched fist was pressed against his chest, as he pleaded to himself, "Riku, Kairi...give me a little time, okay? Wait for me. Please."

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

After the Great Maw was cleared of Heartless, Sora continued through the cliffs. He stopped to catch his breath as Donald and Goofy ran up to him, catching up.

"Where's the King?" Sora asked.

Donald saw Mickey defeating an Armored Knight Heartless in a clearing ahead, "There he is!"

"C'mon!" Sora called.

The trio ran up to Mickey just in time to hear the following conversation.

Xehanort's Nobody was standing, facing Maleficent's dark castle. Mickey stood behind him, who heard Donald call out for him, before Mickey called out, "Xehanort!"

"How long has it been since I abandoned that name..." Xehanort's Nobody replied.

"Out with it, Nobody!" Sora demanded. "Where's Kairi? Where's Riku?!"

"I know nothing of any Kairi," the Nobody replied. "As for Riku...Perhaps you should ask your king." He turned to face them, as Sora looked from him to Mickey.

"Stop!" Mickey cried.

The man started to disappear through a Corridor, as Mickey ran up and jumped into the portal afterward.

"He's gone..." Sora muttered, before slumped to the ground and slammed his fist into it. Goofy placed a gentle, comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Way to fall right into their trap," a familiar voice said. "I see you're still as carefree as ever."

The trio turned around to see a tall, red-haired man in a black coat leaning against a rock nearby.

The man continued, "C'mon, it's a set-up by Organization XIII. Xemnas is using you to destroy the Heartless—that's his big master plan. Can't you tell that you're walking straight into their palms?"

"Xemnas?" Donald repeated.

"What do you mean they're using us?!" Goofy asked.

"Yep!" the man replied. "You're playing right into the Organization's hands."

Sora lowered into a battle stance, "Aren't you one of them?"

The man was unfazed, "The guy you just saw. That's Xemnas. He's their leader. Got it memorized? X-E-M-N-A-S."

"Organization XIII wants to get rid of the Heartless?" Goofy asked.

"Man, you're slow," the man sighed, before pointing to Sora's Keyblade. "Every Heartless slain with that Keyblade releases a captive heart. That is what the Organization is after."

"So what are those guys gonna do with the hearts?" Donald asked.

"I'm not telling."

Donald demanded, "Tell us!"

But Sora had different concerns, as he remembered what Hayner, Pence, and Olette told him about the man who had interrupted their Struggle tournament, "You...you're the one who kidnapped Kairi!"

"Bingo," the man admitted. "The name's Axel. Got it memorized?"

"Where is Kairi?!" Sora angrily demanded.

To Axel, there was a brief moment where an angry Roxas overlayed the angry Sora. He laughed out loud.

Still mad, Sora asked, "Hey! What's so funny?!"

"I won't give up just yet, Roxas," Axel said, before noticing Sora's confusion. "Nothin'. I'm just thinking out loud." Axel then scratched his head. "Look, about Kairi...I'm really sorry."

Sora angrily continued, "Where is she?! Where's Kairi?! Please, tell me!"

As Sora got closer to him, Axel replied, "Look, I'm gonna be honest with you..."

"I've found you, Axel," came Saïx's voice. Sora halted in his tracks when the blue-haired man appeared out of a Corridor between him and Axel.

"Uh-oh!" Axel said, before vanishing through a Corridor.

Sora tried to run to him, but Saïx held out his arm and stopped him again. As the remnants of Axel's Corridor disappeared, Saïx told Sora, "We'll ensure he receives the maximum punishment." Saïx turned around to face the brunette. "Now then, why don't we have a little chat, Hero of the Keyblade?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Sora shot back.

"You're telling me you're not concerned about Kairi?" This caught Sora by surprise. "Because if you are, then you'd better start showing me some courtesy."

Sora immediately asked, "Where is she?! Is she hurt?!"

"...Do you wish to see her?" Saïx asked.

"Very much so," Sora's answer was automatic.

"Is she that important to you?"

"Yes. More than anything," Sora immediately replied.

"Show me how important," Saïx ordered.

Sora paused, thinking about what his enemy was actually asking of him. Could he really do that? His blue eyes lowered in sad resolution.

Donald and Goofy could only watch as Sora, without hesitation, knelt on the ground on a dogeza position. They both cried out in surprise, "Sora?!" Did Sora actually humble himself to their enemy?!

"Please," Sora whispered. This was for Kairi. He'd do anything for her.

Saïx was quiet, "So, you really do care for her. In that case...the answer is no."

Sora immediately jumped up, feeling that he wouldn't be able to hold back his anger anymore, "You rotten—!"

"Are you angry?" Saïx asked. "Do you hate me?"

"Don't screw with me!" Sora shot back.

"In that case, then take that rage," Saïx said, "and direct it at the Heartless." He snapped his fingers and several Armored Knight Heartless appeared behind him. He looks toward the sky. "Pitiful Heartless, mindlessly collecting hearts. And yet they know not the true power of what they hold. The rage of the Keyblade releases those hearts." He held up his hands. "They gather in darkness, masterless and free...until they weave together to make Kingdom Hearts. And when that time comes, we can truly, finally exist."

"What in the world do you think you're prattling on about?" came the familiar voice of Maleficent. The three turned around to see her appear behind them. "Kingdom Hearts belongs to me! The heart of all kingdoms, the heart of all that lives. A dominion fit to be called Kingdom Hearts must be my dominion!"

"Maleficent, no!" Sora cried out. "No more Heartless!"

"I do not take orders from you!" Maleficent shot back, before raising her staff and Soldier Heartless surrounded Saïx.

"Fool..." Was all he said, before he snapped his fingers. Nobodies appeared at his command and took down the Heartless. The Nobodies then turned their attention to Sora.

"Oh no!" Sora said.

Maleficent then appeared between Sora and the Nobodies. She glowed with a green aura and spread her arms out. A wall of flame blocked her from Sora, as she said, "While I keep these creatures at bay, you devise a way to vanquish them—forever!"

"Maleficent..." Sora muttered.

"Do not misunderstand me. I shall have my revenge on you yet," she vowed, before the Dusks overtook her, pulling her down beneath their weight.

"Maleficent!" Sora called out.

"Leave! Now!" she shot back.

"I don't take orders from you!" Sora threw her own words back at her.

But Donald grabbed Sora, saying, "Sora! C'mon!"

"But...what about..."

The flames died down, revealing Maleficent nowhere to be seen.

"Now then," Saïx said. "Where did we leave off?" He snapped his fingers, and the Nobodies disappeared, Heartless taking their place.

"Which side are you guys on anyway?" Sora asked, aiming his question to the Heartless.

Saïx was the one who answered, "The Heartless ally with whoever's the strongest." He flicked out a hand toward Sora, and the Heartless attacked. Sora knocked them away, releasing hearts into the air, and Saïx smiled. "Yes, Sora! Extract more hearts!"

Saïx left through a Corridor as the hearts Sora released were sent to Kingdom Hearts.

"No!" Sora cried. "The hearts!"

The trio was still surrounded by Heartless. An Armored Knight slammed its saber down at Sora, who blocked with his Keyblade.

"Maybe everything we've done..." Sora muttered to himself. "Maybe it was all for nothing. What am I supposed to do if I can't use the Keyblade!?"

"Imbeciles! You can't be trusted to do anything!" Maleficent suddenly called out.

"Huh?" Sora tried to ask, but he didn't get very far.

Right that moment, the trio was engulfed by a great flash of light.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

The trio woke up to find themselves surrounded by blackness.

"What is this place?" Goofy asked.

"Could it be...the Realm of Darkness?" Sora wondered, looking around, but seeing nothing. "Kairi! Riku!"

Donald spotted someone in a black coat, holding a white box. He asked, "Who's there?!" He ran over, but the person disappeared, leaving the box behind. Donald picked it up, "What is it?"

"Are ya sure you wanna open..." Goofy asked, as Donald open the box, the thing Goofy was referring to, "...that?"

Inside the box was a photograph of a group of friends and a sea-salt ice cream bar. Donald handed the photo to Sora.

Goofy looked at the photo, from over Sora's shoulder as the boy held it. "Gawrsh, it's the gang from Twilight Town. There's Hayner, Pence, and Olette...Kairi here's too! And, uh, um..."

"Roxas," Sora replied.

"You know him?" Donald asked, surprised that Sora knew the mystery boy's name when no one else did.

"No..." Sora replied. "The name just popped into my head...This is Roxas."

"Why is Kairi in this photo?" Goofy asked.

"I don't know," Sora replied. "Maybe Roxas is someone she met during the past year..."

"There's only one way to find out," Goofy brought up a good point. "We gotta ask her."

Sora simply nodded, as Donald picked up the ice cream bar.

"Are you sure you wanna eat..." Goofy asked, as Donald tasted it, "...that?"

Donald pulled it out of his mouth, "Salty...No...sweet!"

Then, the ice cream bar flashed and rose into the air. Sora's Keyblade appearred, allowing him to open another gateway.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Dark City~

Once she saw Sora on his way back to the worlds, the battle at Hollow Bastion over, Naminé had arrived in The World That Never Was. She knew coming here by herself was reckless, but she needed to save Kairi.

But she was immediately faced with Dusks. Lots of them.

She cast Stopga on them, but it was like they had multiplied. She felt like every one she took down, two more spawned in its place.

This was bad. She couldn't lose here. She knew if they caught her, she'd be their prisoner once more.

She turned around to block a Dusk about to ambush her, even though she knew she'd be a split second too late. Fortunately, the Dusk was struck down by someone else before it could hit her. Pretty soon, the rest of the Dusks followed.

Surprised, she looked up to see the hooded face of someone familiar. "W-What are you doing here?"

"It's too dangerous for you to be here alone," Riku, her helper, replied.

"But Kairi needs us now," Naminé immediately replied. "She's in the exact same position as I once was."

"I know," Riku assured. "I understand the urgency, but we won't be any help to her if we get captured or killed too."

"But—!"

He cut her off, "Kairi's strong. She'll be able to tough it out for a while longer, until there's a way for all of us to get here and actually have a chance at succeeding."

Naminé hung her head and lowered her eyes to the ground, knowing he was right. There was strength in numbers, after all. "Right...I just...I don't want to just leave her here."

"I know," Riku replied. "Neither do I, but we have to, for now. Go back to Castle Oblivion. I'll come get you when it's time for us to make our move."

"Okay." She prepared to open a portal with Rainfell.

"Besides, when the time is right, the recklessness that is Sora will storm the castle. That will give us an opportunity to sneak in and find Kairi without much trouble, since your connection will also allow us to find her faster."

"Right," Naminé said. "It also...wouldn't be fair on Roxas if I failed here."

"Yeah. You made him a promise, after all," Riku added. Naminé felt her face heat up as Riku opened a Corridor. "Come on."

She entered the Corridor, and Riku entered after her, letting it close behind him.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Beast's Castle~

Xaldin's defeat was the cue to the castle servants and Belle that they could come out of hiding, with Belle holding the glass case that held the magical rose. Everything was safe again.

The Beast immediately went over to Belle, and she handed the rose to him, "Here. It's yours again."

The Beast took it, "Belle..."

She sadly remembered the last time they spoke, their argument and what he said he wanted her to do, "I know. You want me to leave the castle." She didn't want to leave. She loved it here. Here, she was accepted. Here, she stood out, but in a positive way. Unlike her village...

"No!" the Beast immediately said. "Uh, I mean...What matters is...You weren't hurt by Xaldin...You're safe. And...I'm very grateful to you...for bringing the rose back to me. Thank you. And I'm...very sorry, for hurting you."

Belle smiled, "I accept your apology. Because when it came down to it, you chose me over the rose."

The Beast opened his mouth, but closed it back up. He looked like he wanted to ask her something, but hesitated for some reason. Sora saw this and, part of him wanting to give the Beast time to gather courage, he stepped in, wanting to ask Belle something too.

"Belle, can I ask you something?" the brunette asked.

The Princess turned to him with a smile, "Of course."

Her smile faded when she saw the sadness clearly laced in Sora's features, as he said, "Kairi...was captured by the Organization. As a fellow Princess of Heart, is there any way that you can sense where she is?"

"Sora..." Donald muttered, both he and Goofy caught off-guard by his question.

Belle was quiet before answering softly, "I'm afraid I can't get an accurate location. I can only tell you that while her heart is holding strong, it's somewhere surrounded by darkness."

An obviously discouraged Sora replied, "Right. Thanks."

Belle gave him an encouraging smile, "You'll find her, Sora. I know you will."

The brunette gave her a sad smile, "Yeah."

Just then, the Beast placed the rose case on the ground, before saying, "Listen, Belle..."

"Yes?"

But the Beast was obviously having a hard time forming words. He glanced over at Sora, Donald, Goofy, and his servants.

"Say it!" Sora encouraged.

"Go on!" Lumiere said.

"C'mon!" Donald added.

"You can do it!" Mrs. Potts reassured.

"We have confidence," Cogsworth said.

"Don't be bashful, now," Goofy replied.

The Beast looked back at Belle, "Belle, I'd like you to stay...with me...Please?"

Belle smiled and held out her hand. The Beast understood and placed a hand on her waist and another around her hand. And she said, "I will."

The Beast smiled, and Lumiere ordered, "Maestro—music!"

The two began to dance as the music played. Sora, Donald, and Goofy took this as their cue to leave. They headed back to the Gummi Ship, Sora filled with renewed vigor to find Kairi.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Agrabah~

Jasmine struggled against the chains Jafar placed her in, "Just you wait, Jafar! You'll get exactly what's coming to you!"

"Indeed I will, Princess," Jafar replied. "All of Agrabah will belong to me, while you, my queen, shall weep at my side for all eternity!"

Jasmine continued to fight against her chains, "Tch! You wish!"

"Oh, please," Jafar said, before placed a hand under her shin. "Right about now, your precious Aladdin is whispering your name, with his last breath."

Jasmine suddenly gasped at something behind him, before she turned back to him with a determined smile, "You don't know him like I do."

Jafar wondered where her sudden confidence came from, until Aladdin's voice sounded from behind him, "What was that you were saying, Jafar?"

Jafar looked away from the group—Aladdin, Sora, Donald, and Goofy—as if disgusted by their prescence. Then, he saw Iago, his former minion, on Goofy's shoulder. "You dare defy me! You useless bird!"

His snake staff's eyes glowed as he threatened Iago. Goofy cover the bird with his shield as Donald broke Jasmine's chains with a simple Thundaga spell, freeing. Jafar then switched targets and shot a beat of energy at Aladdin.

"Al!" Iago cried before flying in front of him, taking the hit.

"Iago!" Goofy cried as the bird fell to the ground, unmoving.

"You'll be joining him...very soon!" Jafar said, raising his staff to strike again while their guard was down.

But his aim was knocked off by Jasmine knocking him from behind. He turned back to face her, flowing with magical energy. Red smoke billowed from behind him. He lifted up his hands and entered the smoke. He changed into his genie form and grew enormous, ready to strike Jasmine down.

"Jasmine, watch out!" Aladdin cried.

But then she vanished in what Sora recognized as a Dark Corridor. But he and Aladdin had no time to figure out where she went and who took her there, because just then, Jafar had ripped off a tower from the palace and had dropped it on them.

Fortunately, the carpet caught them and swept them away from the debris, as Jafar cried, "All shall bend to my will! The world is mind to control!"

Sora summoned his Keyblade, ready to fight.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

Jafar exploded in a burst of magic and his lamp melted away. That was when the Genie appeared.

"You went mano a mano with Jafar, and you didn't invite me, Al?" he asked.

"Sorry, Genie," Aladdin replied. "Things happened kinda fast."

The Genie turned around, his back to Al, "And I had some new moves to show off, too..."

Just then, a Corridor appeared, disappating to reveal Jasmine in the arms of a tall hodded figure. He gently set her down, before disappearing again without a word. Sora and Aladdin both ran up to her.

Aladdin helped her stand up, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jasmine reassured them. "No, he did not hurt me."

"Who was he anyways?" Sora asked, before remembering the man on the mountain in Mulan's world, "Wait...was that Riku?"

"I don't know," Jasmine confessed. "He never spoke, so I didn't catch his name. But his darkness...was comforting. I...felt safe with him."

"Then it's gotta be Riku!" Goofy said.

Sora smiled, "Yeah! Then, he's okay!" But his smile faded as he remembered Kairi. "Jasmine, I need to ask you something else."

"Alright?"

"Kairi's been taken by the Organization," Sora told her. "Belle said she couldn't get a location. I...I was wondering if you could...Or is that impossible?"

"It is possible," she admitted. "We just have to concentrate." She paused. "No, sorry. I can't tell where she is. She's surrounded by enemies on all sides, but she's holding strong."

"Right. Thank you for all your help."

"No problem," she said.

Donald noticed that the Genie was about to leave. "Wait! Hold on, Genie! We still need your help!"

"Who's gonna fix Agrabah?" Sora asked him.

"Oh, yeah!" the Genie got excited. "One super-duper spruced-up Agrabah comin' right up! You won't even recognize the place when I'm through with it!

But Jasmine ruined it by saying, "Just like it was, please."

"Really? Same old, same old?" the Genie asked. Sora, Aladdin, and Jasmine all nodded. "Alright." He swung his arms, causing magic to fly everywhere, restoring the buildings of Agrabah. "Et voila! Next time let me put in a few swimming pools, 'kay?" he said to Jasmine.

She giggles, as she picked up Iago and began to healing him with her light. "We'll see."

Aladdin stretched as Sora said to him, "I guess Agrabah's alright now."

"Yeah!" the other boy replied. "Thanks, guys."

Sora turned to a healing Iago in Jasmine's gentle hands, "Hey, you behave yourself, got it?"

"I most definitely got it!" Iago replied, as Jasmine continued to heal him. "No more lookin' out for number one. I'm reformed! I wanna be a good friend, like Genie, but I can't do anything to help you. What kind of a friend is that?"

Sora shook his head, "It's not like that, Iago. Friends don't have to 'do' stuff. As long as you have fun hanging out together, that's all that matters."

"So...what do you guys do for fun?" Aladdin asked.

Donald made a funny face with Goofy, "We do this!"

"Uh...that's not quite what I meant..." Aladdin replied.

"Well, anyway..." Sora trailed off.

"Ow, my beak..." Iago spoke up.

"Gawrsh, Iago," Goofy said. "I hope ya didn't hurt yourself."

Jasmine finished her healing and let him fly, "You'll be okay. Just don't hurt yourself anymore."

"Thank you, Princess," Iago said, as he took to the skies once more. "At least I can still fly."

Goofy walked beneath Iago to catch him if he fell, but he didn't watch where he was going, despite Donald's "Look out!" And Iago crashed into a market stand.

"Ooh! Was that my cue?" the Genie asked. "Am I on? C'mon, Al, lemme build a freeway or something!"

"Everything's fine," Aladdin assured him. "Don't panic..." But they saw magic flying around once again anyways. "Genie!"

"But I can't hold it any longer!" the Genie spun around in the air, before laughing. "Oh, that's good! Sora! Donald! Goofy! You guys are too much! If you're ever in the mood for some more cosmic razzle dazzle, gimme a shout, okay?"

"You got it!" Donald said.

Aladdin turned to Sora, "Well, you've done it again, Sora. Don't forget about us, okay?"

"I won't."

Aladdin continued, "And Sora...about those friends of yours, the ones you're looking for...You'll find them. Trust me."

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~The Castle That Never Was~

After seeing the same two Dusks guarding the entrance, Pluto walked from the bars back to Kairi, who was still sulking. He sat down next to her, and she gentle pet his head with smile.

But then, one of his ears perked up and pointed to the cell bars. She took up and jogged up to the bars to see who was coming, with Pluto following soon after.

The two were surprised to see Axel standing there, with both Dusks disappearing, having been defeated by the tall spiky redhead.

"I expected them have more security around you," Axel told her.

"Axel?" she asked in mild surprise. He kidnapped her, and then left her to deal with Saïx alone, a fight she lost.

"Sorry for causing you trouble, Kairi," Axel reassured her. "Sit tight. I'll get you outta there ASAP."

Pluto growled, as Kairi muttered, "Geez, you sure took your time! And you're not going to use me against Sora or the other boy! No way in hell!"

"I know, I know," Axel surprisingly said. "I deserve that. To be honest, things aren't going too smoothly on my end. But I'm here to help you."

"You really did some crawling back, Axel," came Saïx's voice out of nowhere, to Axel's surprise.

Saïx was Kairi's security. The Dusks were just the alarm, and taking them out was tripping it.

Saïx continued, "I take it you've come prepared, right?"

Axel smirked, right before the two clashed with their weapons again. Kairi could only watch them fight. Saïx swiped up, hitting Axel in the chest, but the redhead managed to catch himself, long enough, at least, to throw an enflamed Chakram Saïx's way.

But Saïx blocked it, before going in Berserker mode again.

Axel was now on edge. Saïx was so much stronger than before. Axel was barely managing to hang on. He barely dodged a strike and managed to strike Saïx in the back, knocking him down to the ground.

"Heh," Axel laughed. "Once again, you've shown the same holes in your defenses!" He de-summoned his Chakrams and turned to Kairi. "Are you hurt, Kairi?"

"No. I'm fine," she told him.

He smiled, "Thank good—"

He stopped thanks to Saïx stabbing him through the chest, out of nowhere, still in Berserker mode.

"Isn't it sweet, Axel...?" Saïx said. "It seems you and I are quite different after all! No mistaking it..."

Kairi was horrified as Axel screamed in main. In that moment, an unfamiliar scene came to her.

"You ready, kiddo?" Lea asked her.

"Yeah!" five-year-old Kairi replied, slipping her hands in both Lea and Isa's, letting them lead her. "Where are we going?"

"To the beach," Isa answered. "If we can."

"I've never been to the beach before," Kairi said. "Is it fun?"

"Of course it is," Lea said, as the three walked through the main square's flower garden.

"Promise?" she asked.

"We promise, kiddo," the redhead boy answered.

Unfortunately, they never made it, their path being suddenly blocked by a tall menacing figure.

The new scientist under Ansem the Wise's command.

Back in the present, Kairi called out for Axel, but a different name popped up instead, to the surprise of everyone in the room, "LEA!"

This made Axel and Saïx both stop in their tracks, shocked at the name Kairi just said. Pluto furiously barked as Saïx removed his Claymore from Axel's chest. Axel dropped to his knees, and he hastily tried to summon a Corridor.

Still in Berseker mode, Saïx cried, "Think you can run?!" Axel stopped him by setting the floor on fire. A burning Saïx muttered, "Curse you...!"

Kairi watched, once more, as Axel left through the portal he created, "Axel!"

He turned to Kairi with what he hoped weren't his last words to her, "Don't worry, kiddo." She started at the nickname he said. It sounded familiar. "I'll get you outta there. I promise!"

The Corridor closed, and a worried Kairi watched Saïx yell out in rage, "AXEEEEEEEEELL!"

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Betwixt and Between~

Axel found himself in the world betweens worlds, trying to heal as he walked through the realm.

He couldn't fade away here. Not yet. He still needed to see Roxas and Naminé both one more time, apologize to them for keeping secrets and making the mistakes that tore them all apart. He still needed to save Kairi, and apologize for all the pain he's put her through.

At this rate, it was just going to end up as an empty promise.

In the distance, he saw Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey enter this realm through a portal. He watched them, before realizing that he could still keep his promise to Kairi.

Sora was his last chance.

He then saw as the group was surrounded by Dusks. They tried to fight them, but the enemy just kept coming.

"It's no use!" he heard Sora cry out.

"Don't stop moving," Axel decided to announce himself, "or the darkness will overtake you!" He jumped in and sliced at a few Dusks with his Chakram. "Get goin'!"

Sora asked, "Why?"

"Don't ask," Axel replied. "Just do it!"

Two Dusk pulled him to the ground, but Sora ran over and knocked them away. "You okay?" he asked, as Axel got back to his knees.

"I kidnapped Kairi, but she got away from me," Axel confessed, with complete honesty this time. "After that, Saïx caught her. He's a member of Organization XIII. Saïx. Got it memorized? I tried to save her myself, but I couldn't. Now it's up to you!"

A Dusk appeared, flying at the two, but Sora whirled around and knocked it out, "Leave us alone!"

Axel stood up, his back to Sora's, as the horde showed no signs of slowing down. "I think I liked it better when they were on my side."

"Feeling a little...regret?" Sora sassed.

"Nah..." Axel smirked. "I can handle these punks. Watch this!"

He then jumps into the center and focused his energy. His Chakrams spun around him spouting fire. He screamed, creating a gigantic torrent of flames which obliterated the Nobody horde.

"Whoa!" Sora cried, before the trio saw Axel lying on the floor, unmoving. Sora quickly rushed over to him, feeling a pain in his chest that he couldn't explain. He knelt beside Axel, saying, "You're...fading away...

"Well, that's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack," Axel quietly replied. "You know what I mean? Not that Nobodies actually have beings...right? Anyway, I digress. Go, find Kairi. Oh, almost forgot...Sorry for what I did to her."

"When we find her, you can tell her that yourself," Sora said.

"Think I'll pass. My heart just wouldn't be in it, you know? Haven't got one," Axel said, before weakly laughing. He couldn't stand to tell Sora that he wouldn't be alive long enough to see Kairi again.

"Axel, what were you trying to do?" Sora quietly asked.

"I wanted the three of us...me, Roxas, and Naminé...to all be together again," Axel admitted, with words that hit Sora hard. "Those two were the only ones I liked...They made me feel...like I had a heart. It's kind of...funny...You and Kairi make me feel...the same..." He then changed his tune. "Kairi's in the castle dungeon. Now go."

He held up his hand and opened a Corridor, which would lead Sora and his friends to The World That Never Was.

"Axel..." was all Sora could utter, as he, Donald, and Goofy watched Axel faded completely away with the smallest flicker of flame.

The three stood before the Corridor Axel created.

Sora's felt unbearable heavy for a reason he couldn't discern, "This leads to..."

Fortunately, Donald snapped him out of it, "Aw, come on! Let's get going!"

The three then walked through the portal.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~The Castle That Never Was~

Kairi was done waiting. It felt like forever since Axel had left and had not returned (even though it had only been about a day). Half of her was mad at him for not keeping his promise, but the other half of her was worried about him. He was severely injured when he left, after all.

So, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

She tried to squeeze through the bars after seeing Pluto trying to failing to bite them. Unlike Pluto's attempt, though, she succeeded in getting her head and shoulders through the bars.

"Ah-ha!" she quietly cheered. "I did it!"

Pluto happily barked, 'Yay! We're leaving!'

"Pluto, shh!" Kairi whispered, before getting to her hips. But she was stuck. "You gotta be kidding me...!"

Her hips didn't fit through the bars. Not even when she lied down on her side.

She immediately stopped when she noticed a couple of Dusks enter the room. All she could think was that she had been found out.

But she took careful note of how they moved, and from this, she got an idea.

She copied their wiggling, trying to get their attention. She didn't know how to say 'Help me, I'm trapped' in Dusk-language, but it was worth a shot.

She and Pluto were both surprised when the two Dusks immediately wiggled back. Somehow this became a conversation!

The two Dusks raised the bars, freeing their prisoners. They were actually helping her. They were actually setting her free. Probably because she was acting like one of them.

Kairi still wiggled, as she said, smiling, "Thank you."

But she immediately went silent. She had just spoken words. Out loud. She had just given away her cover.

"C'mon, Pluto!" she cried, as she and her canine friend quickly turned and ran out of the prison block. She didn't need to turn around to know that a whole horde of Dusks was chasing after her.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Dark City~

Roxas was sick of this. He was tired of people telling him that his only choice was to return to Sora. He was tired of always being separated from Axel and Naminé. He just wanted the three of them to be together again.

'I wanted the three of us...me, Roxas, and Naminé...to all be together again. Those two were the only ones I liked...They made me feel...like I had a heart.'

Axel had sacrificed himself to let Sora into the The World That Never Was, so Sora could save Kairi and defeat the Organization. Why was it always Sora?! Why did DiZ choose Sora instead of Roxas? He had more personal stakes in this fight than Sora did, so why Sora? Why was his choice to be his own person always taken away from him?!

Naminé, at least, had been honest with him, when she didn't have to be. She could've simply chosen to let the cards play out normally and not let him know she was involved. But she disobeyed DiZ's wishes, revealed herself, and told Roxas the truth anyways.

And despite all the dishonesty and the unanswered questions that caused their fallout, Roxas knew that Axel really did care about him and Naminé both. Axel's final words in Betwixt and Between only proved that, as well as the fact that Axel let Roxas live after their explosive fight in the Old Mansion.

'Take care of Naminé, will ya? Let's all meet again in the next life.'

The three had gone through enough pain. Hadn't they earned their right to self-determination by nnow? Why did them being Nobodies matter so much to other people?

But Naminé had been taken away from him. And now Axel was dead, gone for good. Despite all his best efforts.

Not to mention, the Hayner, Pence, and Olette he knew were just data versions—fakes—of the real trio. Even Kairi was taken away from him (and he wasn't even sure that she remembered him).

All he wanted was to live his own life with his friends and eat ice cream on the clock tower. Was that really so hard to give?

Seeing Axel's death gave him the necessary momentum to reawaken within Sora's heart. This was his last chance to be a real person, to have a heart that was all his own.

He made his move as Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked through the city, reaching Memory's Skyscraper as it began to rain down on them, lightning flashing through the sky. Roxas kept his hood up as he summoned two of his Samurai and silently ordered them to keep Donald and Goofy busy.

Sora didn't notice the two Samurai until Donald cried out his name. The brunette turned around to see the Nobody duo blocking his two companions.

"Donald! Goofy!" Sora tried to run to them, but he stopped when his vision became hazy. He turned around in time to see Roxas, in his black coat, hooded, appear. Roxas immediately summoned Lunaraqua. "A Keyblade?" Sora asked.

Roxas rushed at Sora, who blocked the attack with his Keyblade that he just barely managed to summon. Underneath his hood, Roxas lowered his glare before re-strengthening his stance. Both Keyblades struggled against each other, before the world between and around them flashed and turned white.

The brightness dimmed to reveal the two on Sora's Station of Awakening. Roxas had summoned Solarflare as well, and he and Sora charged at each other, and they immediately blocked each other's attacks.

"Wh-Who are you?" Sora asked. Roxas briefly wondered if Sora was feeling the same anger that Roxas was. The blonde found that, since the two shared the same heart, he could feel the brunette's emotions. He wondered if the other way around was also possible.

"Someone from the dark," Roxas replied.

Sora knocked him back, but Roxas quickly caught himself. "You can't be Riku? Can you?"

Roxas remembered that name as the boy who he fought against that fateful night. "Riku?...I defeated a Riku once." At least, until Riku revealed his strong inner darkness.

"You what?!" Roxas felt Sora's anger rise.

"Tell me..." Roxas shot back, lowering into a battle stance, both Keyblades ready to attack. "Tell me why he picked you!" Why did DiZ choose Sora?

The only answer he got was, 'You reside in darkness. What I need is someone who can move about the realm of light and destroy Organization XIII.'

He then ran at Sora, scraping his two Keyblades on the ground with a screech, sending up sparks. He attacked Sora, but Sora managed to dodge the strikes. Sora blocked Lunaraqua with his Keyblade, and knocked it away. Solarflare struck upward, but was also parried. Downward again, yet more blocking from Sora. It seemed like the two were equal in terms of skill.

So what made Sora so special?

Roxas jumps into the air, spinning, before landing on his feet. He jumped at Sora, who leapt up to dodge. Sora was hit by Lunaraqua and thrown up in the air. Roxas jumped up towards him, but Sora flipped upside down and blocked both Keyblades with his one, then let himself drop to the floor. Roxas hovered above, before he noticed the tiles on the floor of the Station.

The tiles that depicted Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy.

Sora's friends.

Roxas may not have had any momentum until now, but he was awake and alert enough to essentially be a tag-along on Sora's journey across the worlds (much like how Kairi was a year earlier). He had seen how easily Sora got along with and helped influence the decisions of other people. He had clearly seen the positive changes Sora was able to make just by being friendly.

"I see," he softly said, finally understanding DiZ's explanation. "That's why."

But this was his last chance. He had to, at least, go down fighting.

He saw Sora raise his Keyblade, ready to either block the next attack or make the next strike himself. Roxas let himself fall to the floor and tried to strike Sora with Lunaraqua. But Sora jumped away and continued to dodge his attacks. Sora deflected one more strike, opening the way for Roxas to pound continuously on Sora's blocking Keyblade.

Roxas found his chance when Sora seemingly slipped and fell on one knee and Roxas immediate knocked Sora's Keyblade away from him. Sora ran to it, or tried to, but Roxas stopped him by slamming Solarflare into the floor between Sora and his Keyblade. Sora automatically slid to a stop. Roxas held him at gunpoint by pointing Lunaraqua in his face.

Roxas could clearly see Sora struggle against his anger and frustration. He could also feel Sora's emotions as the brunette remembered Riku and Kairi, and how much they needed him. Sora then surprised Roxas by holding his hand out toward his Keyblade, and it disappeared from Solarflare's hold in a flash of light.

"What?!" Roxas asked.

The Keyblade flashed back into Sora's hands and he immediately proceeded to strike Roxas across the chest. The sudden pain combined with the understanding Roxas recently found made him drop his two Keyblades, and they vanished.

Roxas then began to walk past his Somebody as his world went white.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~The Castle That Never Was~

Kairi was unaware of the duel currently going on in Sora's heart. She was currently too focused on escaping this castle with Pluto, all while trying to avoid catching the attention of the Dusk horde currently searching for her. She and Pluto peered around the corner, both of them seeing the platoon of Dusks wiggling around, looking for her.

She did have Oathkeeper and a year's worth of training under her belt. She knew she could take on and defeat some Dusks, but she didn't think she could take on all of them. She'd probably be defeated midway through the fight, just like her respective fights with Axel and Saïx.

Then she'd never see Sora and the other boy again.

Another problem, and definitely the most challenging, was the fact that she had no idea where the exit was. How would she get out of here?

She softly whispered to Pluto, "Can you smell an exit or something? Where do we go from here?" Pluto responded by growling, and she quickly held him back, whispering "No, don't!" to him. "We can't give away our position..."

But that's when she sensed something behind them. It was a mix of light and darkness, from two different sources. The light came from a heart that Kairi found very similar to her own, while the darkness felt very familiar and surprisingly safe.

She turned around to see a blonde-haired in a white sundress leave a Corridor, which closed behind her. The girl knelt down next to a confused Kairi (what surprised her the most was that Pluto seemed to know this blonde girl already; his tail was wagging), and whispered, "I know the way out. C'mon, we have to hurry."

"Who—?" Kairi tried to ask. Why did this girl feel so similar to herself?

But the girl politely cut her off with a simple hand to Kairi's face to quiet her, before holding out a hand for the redhead to take, gently smiling, "Believe in yourself."

Kairi felt the honesty the girl's light held, and she swallowed her hesitation and took the blonde's hand.

Light began to glow from the two's connected hands...

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Roxas' Heartscape~

Roxas opened his eyes to see himself sitting on the top of Twilight Town's clock tower, his head in his lap, seeing that familiar all-familiar and always-welcoming sunset. He looked up to watch it, like he's always done.

"Look who's finally awake," came a familiar female voice. Roxas gasped and turned to see Naminé standing there, in a white sundress, and Axel standing next to her, both of them smiling warmly at him.

"Axel. Naminé," he said.

"Or...maybe you have it wrong," Axel said to her. "Might be time to sleep. Soon, the three of us won't be able to talk like this anymore."

Roxas looked down at his lap, "Does that mean it's time for me to go back to where I belong?"

The redhead man and the blonde girl both sat down on either side of him, as Axel continued, "You know, I've been thinking about something you said, Naminé." He turned to the boy between them, " Roxas...are you really sure that you don't have a heart? Is it possible that we all have one? All three of us...Or is that just wishful thinking?"

"I don't know," Roxas shrugged, before glancing down again. "I can't...just look inside."

"Y-Yeah, I guess not..."

Roxas continued, "But I figure...if there is something in there—inside us—then we'd feel it, wouldn't we? And if so...No...Nevermind."

"C'mon," Axel gently complained. "Don't leave me hangin'."

"The bonds we share...are eternal," Naminé quietly spoke up. "Even if we're apart, we'll always be together. That's proof enough of a heart. Don't you think?"

"I guess," Axel shrugged.

"Sora will find the answer we're looking for," Roxas said with incredible conviction. "I know he will. Because, he's me."

As Naminé smiled, Axel replied with, "True enough." He then handed Roxas and Naminé both a sea-salt ice cream bar each. Roxas was a bit taken aback, but he accepted it, while Naminé warmly accepted hers.

And in that moment, all the dishonesty, all mistakes, all the pain were forgotten. In that moment, their friendship was mended, as if it all never even happened.

Roxas and Naminé both stared out at the sunset, while Axel nibbled on his ice cream, saying, "Man, I miss the old times. Still got it memorized? The day we had our first mission together, after you two got your new names, the three of us sat right here and watched the sunset."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed. "This place is home. Me... Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Kairi...We've shared a lot of adventures."

"You'll see them again. I know you will," Naminé promised.

Roxas nodded at her in appreciation, "Yeah, you're right." He then turned to Axel. "Well, we should go."

"Yeah, it's about that time, isn't it?" Naminé asked.

Axel looked sad, before but especially when Roxas elaborated, "Sora and Kairi are waiting for us."

"Yeah, I suppose they are," Axel said, before looking away and taking a bite out of his ice cream. "Man, this is some good ice cream, huh?"

The three sat in silence for a while, gazing at the comforting, nostalgic view of the sunset, before they all began to glow.

"Goodbye...Axel..." Naminé smiled.

"Take care, okay?" Roxas added.

Axel's eyes were filled with tears, "Right back at ya...buddies."

A single tear fell from his face and fell, hitting the ground of the clock tower, as the world turned white once again.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~Dark City~

Sora remembered his opponent's last words to him as he left his own Station and back into the real world.

Sora was back in the city, the rain having stopped. He was filled with confusion as to what just happened and the emotions he was currently feeling.

His opponent's hood had fallen off, and Sora almost broke his glare in surprise at how similar the two looked. The other boy had blonde hair that could've easily been mistaken as brown, and the same striking blue eyes that Sora himself had. All throughout the fight, he could feel the other boy's emotions. He could sense unbridled rage and great sorrow beneath the surface.

This pain and anger had suddenly shifted to understanding and desperation at one point, when Sora was protecting his Station, his friends' images beneath him. His opponent's emotions had shifted a third time after Sora had struck him down, this time to gratitude and a renewed vigor.

Sora also knew that this boy had given him a new keychain, for a Keyblade named 'Two Become One', a Keyblade for both of them to use.

"'You make a good other'," Sora repeated the boy's last words to him. Was that boy...?

Was that boy Roxas?

"Are you okay?" he heard Donald ask from behind him.

"What...just happened?" Sora asked, as Donald and Goofy walked up to him, the two Samurai Nobodies gone by now.

"Gawrsh, I dunno," Goofy replied. "You just disappeared. Then me and Donald had to fight some Nobodies."

"Oh," Sora felt numb, remembering what this boy said about Riku. "He said...he defeated Riku..."

"Who said that?" Donald asked.

"That guy," Sora answered. "In the black coat."

"Buy nobody could defeat Riku," Donald reminded him.

Sora tried his best to sound reassured, like Donald was trying to do (which Sora appreciated), "Y-Yeah, you're right."

But it was obvious that Sora didn't necessarily believe that.

"A black coat means Organization XIII," Goody added. "He musta been tryin' to trick ya."

"Yeah, that must be why we didn't see him!" Donald said.

"Huh?" Sora was still confused. He was kinda surprised they couldn't see the boy, but he knew that this boy was not their enemy. He was obviously way too close to Sora to be against him. He had brought Sora into his own Station of Awakening, after all. He knew very well that Donald and Goofy were being wary of their enemy, like they were told to be, but Sora was beginning to have mixed feelings.

"You must be tired, Sora," Donald said, slightly concerned.

"C'mon, let's just find a way to get into that castle!" Goofy said.

Donald and Goofy walked on ahead, with Sora following. But Sora stopped and took another look behind him, half-expecting the boy to be there.

But he couldn't deny that his body somehow felt lighter than it did when he first came here.

!~~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~~!

~The Castle That Never Was~

The light between the two girls faded, but they left their hands connected, both being unable to let go of the other. Now that Kairi finally understood who this girl was, what her name was and what it meant, and how they were related, she didn't want to lose the girl again.

Their hearts had connected, which made sense since both hearts were two halves of the same one, and they could now sense the other's emotions.

Naminé could feel Kairi's sense of completion, like a crucial part of her had just returned. Kairi could sense Naminé's gratitude, like the redhead had given the blonde something only she could give.

Kairi saw tears forming in Naminé's blue eyes, "H-Hey...are you okay?"

But Naminé was smiling through her tears, and Kairi realized that they were happy tears. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you, Kairi."

The way a Princess of Heart uses her powers was not through thinking or even just doing. She feels and it just happens. The moment Kairi and Naminé connected hearts, the redhead had allowed the blonde to connect with her two best friends, Roxas and Axel, one last time.

That was what Naminé was talking about.

"You're welcome, Naminé," Kairi replied with a gentle smile, feeling in her heart access to a new keychain, to a Keyblade called 'Eternal Gratitude', a Keyblade only they could share.

To Be Continued...

!~~K~I~N~G~D~O~M~~H~E~A~R~T~S~~O~A~T~H~K~E~E~P~E~R~~A~U~~!

Author's Note About Various Changes: Once again, the scenes with Kairi and Axel (and Saïx) are based on the manga (and I told you that Kairi still had some fight left). They are important to Axel specifically because it begins his redemption arc here. Naminé also basically tells him off the same way Roxas did at the end of Days, making Axel realize the mistakes he's made, securing him the (sort of) Atoner role that he gains in DDD (in canon anyways; here, he gains it earlier). Also, the canon game only said that Kairi managed to get away from Axel, only to run into Saïx. They never showed it on screen, to my disappointment. A big rule for writers when they want to make a point is "Show, don't just tell".

In both Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden and the scene where Axel tries to save Kairi, Kairi's past begins to get clearer, which is important, because it leads to what I have in mind for DDD. Also, Sora's encounter with both Axel and Saïx are both based on the manga. And again, a dogeza is a position of ultimate humiliation, so Sora performing one for his enemy on Kairi's behalf is a big deal, especially for someone as prideful as Sora is, which is also why it's insulting when Saïx says 'no'.

The scene where Riku stops Naminé from acting recklessly gives the relationship between Kairi and Naminé a little more depth than what we got in canon (it's the same connection that Roxas and Sora share, after all, but Roxas and Sora got more development for some reason).

I changed Beast's apology and Belle's following line to make it less creepy and awkward and more realistic. Besides, Belle knows how to stand up for herself and is usually a good judge of character. I added Riku saving Jasmine from Jafar, mostly because it would've been nice to see him directly make up for kidnapping her in KH1. Once again, Belle and Jasmine being able to sense the location of Kairi's heart is important and ties to what I said about them last chapter.

Also, I added Naminé to the Roxas and Axel goodbye scene, because remember, all three of them are friends. So it just feels right to have one last scene with all three of them (though, most of you probably suspect that they will reunite with both each other and with Xion later on in the KH3 segment—and you're all right). Also, canon never states where the goodbye scene takes place, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I headcanon (until stated otherwise) that it takes place in Roxas' Heartscape (it's in some version of Twilight Town, which makes sense for Roxas).

Eternal Gratitude is Kairi/Naminé's version of Sora/Roxas's Two Become One, though obviously with a different design (it's all white, with a star motif; I'll describe its appearance next chapter). One day, I will draw it out. I promise (and yes, I will tell you guys when that happens). And Somebodies being able to sense of their Nobodies (and vice versa) is just a personal headcanon that I have.

Note: While I am a big fan of Kingdom Hearts, I just recently got into the fandom, which means I still don't understand most of the lore. So if I get anything wrong, I'm sorry. I'm trying my best to stick to canon as closely as this AU will allow me to. Please, no flaming. Instead, just politely inform me in a PM or a review, so I can correct any mistake I make. If you have any ideas or questions, please let me know.

If you want to know what I imagine Kairi to look like, then go to my DeviantArt page, titled "SepticAbzies", and go to the piece titled "Kairi ~ Oathkeeper AU (Full Color)", and if you want an idea of what I have in mind for Naminé, then you can find it on the piece titled "Number 14 AU". I will update the cover image to match Kairi's appearance (as well as Naminé's and Xion's) as I update each chapter, but keep in mind, Kairi's design in this AU matches how I imagine her growth to be.

Next chapter will focus on a reunion or two as the Destiny trio becomes the main focus once again.