A/N: Hey all, Shay here with another chapter. Please be warned, there is a trigger warning with this chapter so read at your own discretion. But we are deep into the 358/2 days story now. I hope you enjoy this little bit of angst that I've been busy writing for you all.

TW: EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND MANIPULATION.

For the next month after the vacation day, Shaylex continued going on missions with Tenebrae, collecting heartless for the organization. They revisited many worlds, Wonderland, Halloween Town, Agrabah, Hollow Bastion and Twilight Town to name a few and then going for ice cream on Sunset Hill after the mission was complete. Shaylex was also experiencing more visions of the Light Protectors now that she had names for some of the faces she saw. She had visions of playing with a young Mojie, Ray and, Solas when they were kids, talking about school and wanting to become keyblade masters when they grow up. Visions of some missions she went on with Mojie and Laci and them talking once all was done. She even saw visions of times she spent with Keval, just the two of them. These visions became more frequent as the month went on and she began to wonder what she should do to figure them out as they were still hazy visions. She was also still on the lookout for Riku who she had to talk to and figure out where the two of them stand now. She also wanted to see if he knew where Namine was as a conversation the two Nobodies had in Castle Oblivion had her wondering if Namine could help her regain her lost memories. She never mentioned this to Tenebrae though, he worried enough about her since the last time a memory almost had her become Heartless toast. She also noticed he was beginning to withdraw further from their friendship, choosing to not join her on missions much. So, she ended up going alone on missions as the month continued.

Meanwhile, deep in the realm of heartless, Hashley was also suffering her own sense of self-worth. The more memories that kept bleeding into Shaylex, the more she felt herself losing more control over her own mind. It made Heloa's day as it made Hashley more malleable and easier to manipulate. As the two heartless trained and hunted, Hashley would find small glimpses of freedom from her mind where she was able to run off on her own and go to Twilight Town to watch Keval train from a distance. She even spent some time with Tenebrae, sparring with the seeker while he himself was confused. "Why do you pull away from everyone?" She asked one day as they finished their sparring session.

"What do you mean?" The seeker asked as he dismissed his keyblade and stretched.

"I've noticed you barely hang out with her and the Light Protectors anymore… Did something happen?" Hashley asked as she walked over to him and sat down on the floor.

"No, it's none of your business, I still can't trust you, you're still losing control of yourself," Tenebrae explained as he sat down next to her.

"I know… But our memories… She's remembering more. It won't be long before she finally regains all that she lost from the war…" Hashley said softly as she pulled her legs up to her chest and looked out at the dark ocean before them.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Tenebrae asked a hint of happiness in his voice.

"Yes… and… no." The heartless responded.

"Why?"

"Because… we chose to give up our memories… we chose to start a new life… because we were so overcome with grief over losing everything and everyone, we held close to our heart," Hashley explained as she placed a hand on her heart.

"Oh…"

"And when she remembers, she'll regret everything… she may not have a heart… but it'll still hurt that we chose this path…"

"That's why you're losing control whenever Shaylex experiences a memory, you're trying to stop her from remembering," Tenebrae said, putting the pieces together.

"Yes… In time, she will remember, but it's too soon right now, not while her mind and thoughts are conflicted." Hashley added.

"What do you mean?" The Seeker asked as he took out a water bottle from his bag and took a sip from it.

"There was another we cared about before we split… Riku." Hashley said with a soft sigh.

"Your friend from the islands?" He asked. Hashley nodded.

"Yes… we, like Keval, loved him, but… this is only a crush. But because she doesn't understand her own feelings because her heart lives in me, she's confused as to where she stands with both Riku and Keval." Hashley explained. Tenebrae sighed softly.

"It must be torture for her," Tenebrae whispered as Hashley nodded, looking over at the seeker who was looking out at the ocean.

"Is that why you're pushing yourself away?" Hashley asked.

"Maybe… I'm… also conflicted."

"Your light is getting stronger; I can sense it… But it bothers you."

"For years, I've studied and lived in the darkness… since meeting you, Shaylex and reconnecting with the Light Protectors… I know I've gotten stronger, but it still doesn't feel like it's enough…" Tenebrae explained as he opened his hand and then closed it.

"Surely this is enough, right? Remember when we first met, and I almost killed you? Look at you now, able to land hits on me without my claws ripping through your flesh." Hashley giggled, recalling the first they met.

"Yeah, but I need more power… I'll never be like the others… I need…" Tenebrae said as Hashley jumped up and knelt in front of him.

"Don't you dare Tene!" She exclaimed.

"I didn't say anything." The seeker said holding his hands up as Hashley slapped him.

"You were going to say it… Isn't seeing what Keval and I have gone through enough to drive you away from such thoughts?" Hashley explained. She knew how badly the split affected her. How it affected Keval. She wasn't about to let her friend make the same mistake.

"What if I'm different," Tenebrae said, rubbing his cheek. Hashley knew she had to say anything to stop him from going down this path.

"What about Laci then?" The heartless asked quickly. Tenebrae pushed Hashley off him.

"Don't bring her into this…" He growled.

"She's like Keval and I. She was split without her say so. She's suffering and in pain too. Do you honestly think it's a good path to go down… Is that why you're not hanging around with her anymore… because you're planning to do it…" Hashley asked, finally realising that no matter what she said, he was still going to take his route.

"I'll be different, I'm giving myself the choice to do this… I need to get stronger… I need… I need more darkness to get stronger." Tenebrae exclaimed as he stood up, the anger inside him threatening to spill out.

"No, you don't, Tene… The light can be just as big a strength as the darkness. What will she think… what about the Light Protectors… We all care about you, Tene… Argh," Hashley screamed as her emotions were becoming unstable again. "He's… He's… coming… you gotta get outta here…" She whimpered as she felt Heloa's presence draw near.

"No… I can face him!" The seeker declared as he summoned his keyblade.

"Please… Tene… Argh," Hashley screamed as the darkness surrounded her and her eyes glazed over. A signal to Tene that her mind was now under the control of the heartless and Heloa. The Seeker dropped into his fighting stance and prepared to fight when a portal opened up and Heloa walked through, shaking his head.

"And I thought I could count on you not to put reckless thoughts into her head." He said as he gripped Hashley's chin and forced her to look up at him. "What a pity, and I was beginning to trust you to become more independent. Seems my trust was misplaced." He said as she threw the girl to the ground, the heartless letting out a little whimper as she looked up at Heloa.

"I'm sorry… Heloa… I'm a good heartless… I promise I am… please…" She whispered as she crawled on her hands and knees and hugged Heloa's leg. "I promise to be good… I promise…" She whimpered as the Seeker's rage increased. He coated his keyblade in flames and charged at Heloa. She smirked and snapped his fingers, causing Hashley to jump up in front of him and take the hit from Tene's keyblade. The young heartless screamed and glitched as she lunged forward, taking many swipes at Tene as he stepped back and blocked the oncoming attacks. All the while, Heloa stood there, laughing maniacally as the two fought. Tenebrae held back, he already was regretting hurting Hashley accidentally, he didn't want to hurt her anymore. But the fury at seeing Heloa just stand there and laugh as he used the girl, he 'loved' so much as a battering ram fuelled his anger even more. He pushed Hashley back and screamed as the darkness enveloped his form and in a split second, he disappeared and reappeared behind Heloa and landed a strong hit on his back, sending him flying. Hashley looked over with her glazed eyes and scrambled over to the dark heartless. "Heloa?" She said softly as Heloa groaned and sat up, chuckling.

"I'm alright, my pet." He said softly as he placed a gentle kiss on Hashley's forehead. Hashley smiled softly as she turned to Tene, fire and anger in her glazed eyes. She stood up and, in a flash, she also disappeared, Tenebrae braced himself and managed to block Hashley's attack, but she was now more powerful and managed to break through the Seeker's defences and slash a few times, causing Tene to drop the darkness that surrounded him. Eventually, after a few more swipes, Hashley's eyes began to focus once more and the emotion in her eyes turned from anger to sadness and regret when she realised that she had hurt Tene, pretty badly and then looked over at Heloa, who was still on the floor, also looking hurt. She stopped her attack and knelt on the floor, beginning to cry.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered over and over again as Tene dismissed his keyblade and also collapsed onto the ground. Heloa slowly stood up and walked over to Hashley, picking her up and holding her close.

"It's okay, my pet, I forgive you. You did well today." He said softly as he planted another kiss on her forehead as she curled into him with a soft and content sigh. Heloa turned back to Tene. "You did well too today. It won't be long now, you have the power in your grasp, you just need to take the final step and take it for yourself." He said as he looked down on the Seeker.

"But… my friends…" Tenebrae groaned.

"You've hurt them enough… what's once more for good measure?" He chuckled as a portal opened and he stepped through, still holding Hashley close. She looked up at Tene and mouthed a small 'I'm sorry' to him as the portal closed and they were gone, leaving Tenebrae alone in the realm of darkness once more.

...

Meanwhile, Shaylex was in her room at the Organization's castle, trying to get a hold of Tene via link pearl. "Tene? Can you hear me?" She said, only to be met with interference. She sighed and dropped the communication and headed down to the lounge to receive her mission for the day. She walked in and saw Saïx, Xion, Demyx and Xigbar in there. She walked up to Saïx who was talking to Xion.

"Ahh, Shaylex. We have received reports of an imposter running around the worlds in one of our coats. Our intelligence suggests that they are at Beast's Castle. I would like you and Xion to go investigate and eliminate this imposter." Saïx explained as Shaylex looked at the younger Nobody.

"An imposter? Okay. We can do that." Shaylex said as she nodded. Xion also nodded as Saïx walked away. Shaylex thought for a second. 'An imposter… running around in an organization coat? It can't be any of the members who were in Castle Oblivion… They faded back into the darkness… Unless... Could it be Riku?' The blonde Nobody thought until Xion looked at her.

"You ready? She asked. Shaylex nodded and opened up a portal. The two Nobodies stepped through it and out of the other side into the courtyard of Beast's castle. Shaylex looked up at the castle and then at the gate leading to the forest and into the town. Xion looked up at Shaylex. "Any ideas on the imposter?" She asked, Shaylex decided to keep quiet about her suspicions, so she shook her head.

"This is the first time I've heard of an imposter. But this is a big world and I'm not sure we can cover all the places he might hide together. I suggest we split up, Xion, you have better knowledge of the castle, you can check in there. I'll take the forest and the town." Shaylex explained. If her suspicions were true and Riku was the imposter, she wanted to find him and have a conversation one on one with him first. Xion nodded and summoned her keyblade.

"Got it. Shall we meet back here once we've done our initial sweep of our areas?" Xion asked. Shaylex nodded and summoned Promise.

"Of course, and then, we can bring our findings together." She added as she began to walk through the gate and over the bridge into the forest as Xion crossed the courtyard and through the secret passage that led into the castle.

Shaylex walked through the forest, keeping her eyes out for the imposter as well as any heartless. It didn't take long before a small group of heartless surrounded her. Shaylex made quick work of the group and continued forward through the forest. She sensed no other presence within it as she approached the outskirts of the town. She looked around and it had seemed that everyone was going about their regular day like the world hadn't been lost to darkness many months ago. Shaylex stayed on the outskirts as she walked around the village, not noticing any other presence that was out of place. She sighed softly when she had done one loop around the town and found nothing. "Figures." She mumbled and turned her back on the town and began to make her way back through the forest to the castle, taking out a few more stray heartless that popped up. As she got closer to the gate, she felt it. Two figures, on the bridge that separated the castle and the forest. One she recognised as Xion and the other, she couldn't make out the scent as it was masked. She ran through and found a tall tree that would give her a good enough vantage point to see what was happening. She dismissed Promise and began to climb. She climbed up to a sturdy branch and looked over at the fight that was happening on the bridge. Shaylex's eyes widened when she glanced over at Xion's opponent. The silver hair was longer, but the features were still distinct. Riku. Shaylex watched as Riku, wearing an organization coat and a black blindfold over his eyes managed to dodge and parry Xion's attacks with Soul Eater. Eventually, Riku managed to knock Xion's keyblade out of her hand, sending it flying and implanting itself on the ground. Riku dismissed Soul Eater as Xion collapsed on the ground. Shaylex stayed where she was. She needed to speak to Riku alone. She watched as he walked up to Xion and crouched down by her. Shaylex couldn't see what he did but he got up and stepped back quickly, Shaylex caught a glimpse of Xion with her hood down and Riku's voice which was a little deeper than when she last saw him.

"Your face... Who are you really? And why do you have a keyblade?" Riku asked as Xion pulled her hood back up.

"Tell me first… why you are dressed as one of us," Xion asked as Riku turned and walked towards the young Nobody's keyblade.

"To make sure my best friend… sleeps in peace," Riku said. Shaylex thought on those words. Did Riku mean Sora? "I don't know who you're supposed to be. But… you can't fight fire with sparks. This keyblade, it's a sham… worthless." He added as he picked up the keyblade and threw it at Xion's feet.

"My keyblade is not a sham! What gives you the right to say that?!" Xion exclaimed as she picked up her keyblade and ran at Riku, but he spun out of the way and planted a hard punch to her back, sending her toppling forward. This made Shaylex's blood boil as she clenched her fists. Ow could Riku do that to someone who had just endured a beating. Riku looked down at Xion.

"Find a new crowd. Trust me. Those guys are bad news." He said as he turned and walked towards the gate that leads to the forest. Shaylex knew that this was her chance. She watched as Xion managed to lift herself onto her knees.

"Why? You're the real sham!" She retorted as she groaned softly at her injuries. Riku just stopped and gave Xion a fleeting glance.

"Fair enough. You could say… I'm the biggest Nobody of them all." Riku said softly as he walked through the gate as Xion cried out loud. Shaylex felt hat pain, she knew she couldn't let Riku get away with this. She waited until he had walked a couple of steps through the gate and just on the outskirts of the forest before Shaylex jumped down from her spot.

"So, you're resorting to bullying young girls? Very mature of you." Shaylex said as she landed and crossed her arms, Riku gasped softly and then smiled.

"Shaylex… I'm glad you survived Castle Oblivion." He said as he turned to face her. Shaylex also smiled softly, just happy to see that her old friend had survived.

"Likewise… So… You're the imposter running around in our coats." The Nobody said, dropping her arms. Riku nodded and turned away.

"It's necessary," Riku said softly.

"Why? To protect Sora?" Shaylex asked, Riku turned back to her and nodded.

"Yes… He's currently in a deep sleep while Namine attempts to reverse the mistakes your colleagues forced her to do." Riku explained. Shaylex thought, Riku knew where Namine was. This was probably her only chance to find out where she is.

"What Marluxia and Larxene did, I had no part in it," Shaylex said as the memory of Castle Oblivion came crawling back. Riku looked down.

"I know… Even without a heart… You wouldn't do that to us…" He said softly as Shaylex took a step forward.

"Then why run around in our coat? Can't you go around wearing something else?" The Nobody asked softly.

"Because the coat protects against the darkness. Surely you know that." Riku said bluntly. Shaylex sighed.

"I do… Wait… What's with the blindfold?" She asked, finally noticing the piece of cloth that was over his eyes properly. It was the black tie she gave Riku when they ran into each other in Monstro all those months ago when Riku had aligned himself with Maleficent.

"To hide the truth from myself…" Riku said softly, looking away.

"What truth? You defeated Ansem… Right? That's why you're here." Shaylex asked. She was sure that Riku managed to defeat him or else, he wouldn't be here.

"Not… exactly…" Riku muttered. Shaylex raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she crossed her arms again.

"Ansem… the darkness… he's still a part of me… If I take the blindfold off… I'll risk losing control and him taking over again." Riku explained, looking down at his hands.

"Oh… I'm sorry." Shaylex said softly as she dropped her arms and looked down. Riku looked back up at her.

"Why are you here?" He asked sternly. Shaylex sighed and looked up at him.

"My mission is with Xion. Find and eliminate the imposter." The Nobody explained. Riku chuckled.

"The Organization needed a better team than you two if you were sent to take me down." He said with a smile. Shaylex clenched her fists.

"And there you go, bullying my friend, again." She said through gritted teeth as she glared at her old friend. Riku stopped laughing and crossed his arms.

"Then tell me. How does she have Sora's keyblade then?" He asked. Shaylex looked away at the gateway where she could see Xion still kneeling on the floor.

"I… I don't know…" She said softly as she turned back to Riku.

"You don't? Then tell me this, who do you see under the hood?" He then asked. Shaylex looked at her friend.

"Riku… I…"

"Who do you see?" Riku demanded. Shaylex looked back at the girl, she was reminded of the first time she saw Xion without her hood and the similarities her face had with Kairi's.

"I see just an ordinary girl… with features similar to Kairi." She explained softly, turning back to her friend.

"That's all I saw when I looked under the hood. So, who is she?" Riku agreed. Shaylex shook her head.

"I don't know… She has no memory of her past before she was a Nobody, and I know she's not Kairi's Nobody as that's Namine." Shaylex explained, knowing that Roxas is Sora's Nobody and Namine is Kairi's.

"Yet, she wields Sora's keyblade," Riku explained. Shaylex shrugged.

"So what? Maybe that's the standard keyblade everyone wields when they first learn the power." She suggested. She didn't know how true that would be, but it was the only explanation available to her.

"You didn't," Riku said, gesturing to her hand. He was talking about Promise. Shaylex chuckled.

"I've been a keyblade wielder a lot longer than you think Riku." She said with a soft laugh.

"What does that mean?" He asked. Shaylex shook her head.

"Forget it… My orders are to eliminate you. Plain and simple." The Nobody explained crossing her arms again.

"So why haven't you struck yet?" Riku asked curiously,

"Because believe it or not, I still made a promise to you… Or have you forgotten?" Shaylex said with a soft smile.

"I haven't… So, you're gonna betray the Organization for me?" Riku asked softly.

"Only if I can ask a favour in return."

"What favour?" Riku asked. Shaylex took a deep breath, it was now or never.

"Tell me where Namine is." She said sternly. Riku stepped back and crossed his arms.

"Why?" He asked, his answer cold.

"I believe she's the only person that can help me," Shaylex explained softly.

"Help you with what?"

"My memories…" Shaylex responded. She knew it might help if she explained her situation to Riku.

"Your… memories?"

"I've been experiencing weird visions lately. I believe they're memories of my past. But they are somewhat hazy and unclear. Namine said something to me in Castle Oblivion… She said that my memories were locked away somewhere and that's why I can't access them yet. But with these visions and dreams I've been having, I'm almost certain that Namine can help regain all that I've lost… I need to know why I can't remember… Why did I forget?" Shaylex explained as she looked up at the night sky. Riku looked up too and sighed softly.

"I wish I could help you… But… I'm sorry… Shaylex… I can't tell you…" Riku said softly as he looked down.

"Why not?"

"How do I know that you won't tell the Organization her location once you're done," Riku said. Shaylex looked down and clenched her fists.

"I made a promise to protect you, Sora and Kairi before you decided to destroy the islands. I intend to keep that promise, even if it means going behind the Organization's backs."

"I'm sorry… But I can't…"

"What about us then, Riku? Did… did you ever feel something for me? Because I know I once did…" Shaylex exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest.

"Shaylex…" Riku tried to say but Shaylex cut him off.

"I cared about you…" She said softly, looking at him. Riku turned away from her.

"I did too… but we're not kids anymore, Shaylex…" He said coldly. Shaylex clenched her fists.

"So… that's it…" She said softly. Her eye stung but no tears came.

"Yes… What will you do now?" He asked her softly. His voice sounded like he was about to cry too.

"You have one chance… Stop masquerading in our coat, go back to Namine and Sora and never bother the Organization again… Or the next time we meet, I won't hesitate to strike…"

"That's fair… I hope it won't ever come to that… You should go tend to your friend." Riku said softly as he walked off through the forest. Shaylex sighed and turned and ran through the gate towards Xion who was still on the bridge, crying. Shaylex walked over and cast a quick cure spell over Xion.

"Xion… are you alright?"

"Shaylex… I'm sorry… I tried to fight…" Xion said, coughing slightly. Shaylex shook her head and knelt by her.

"It's okay… I'm here now, I'm sorry I didn't get here in time…"

"Did you see him?" Xion asked.

"I did… Xion… when we report in, let me do the talking with Saïx. Okay. Don't tell him you saw his face if he asks… Okay?" Shaylex explained. She made a promise, she had to make sure Xion would also keep her mouth shut.

"Okay… He… he called me a sham…" Xion said softly.

"Xion… You are not a sham… he doesn't know what he's talking about. You're real, just like Roxas and I."

"You think?"

"I know… Come on, let's get back to the castle and report in. I'm sure Roxas will understand if we miss one day without ice cream."

"Okay…" Xion said as Shaylex helped her up and through a portal back into the Organization's castle. Shaylex took Xion back to her room and let Xion rest as she went to Saïx to report in.

"You're late… Where's Xion?" Saïx said coldly as Shaylex entered his office.

"She sustained some injuries while fighting the imposter. I sent her to her room to rest while I report in."

"So… it failed. And what of you?" The blue-haired Nobody asked Shaylex. Shaylex shook her head.

"The imposter is strong. You shouldn't have sent Xion and I alone to face them."

"Did you see his face?"

"No… I did not. He had his hood up the entire time." Shaylex lied. She made a promise to Riku, and she was intending to keep it.

"A shame. Were you able to gather any information from them?" He asked her. Shaylex shook her head.

"No, by the time I caught up with them, he was gone. And Xion was on the ground." Another lie, but one Shaylex thought was worth it.

"Very well. Thank you for your report. You better get some sleep. You're going to be very busy with hunting this imposter down."

"Me?" Shaylex asked, a little surprised.

"Consider it an extra assignment on top of heartless collecting." The bluenette said coldly. Shaylex just nodded.

"Very well, Saïx," Shaylex said as she left the lounge and went to the kitchen to make some dinner before heading back up to her room. "Why didn't he want to help? Riku… What happened?" She said softly as she changed into her pyjamas and crawled into bed. Eventually drifting off to sleep.

A/N: And thus brings the end to another thrilling chapter. I wonder what's going to happen with Tenebrae and Hashley and will Riku and Shaylex ever fully discuss the events on the island. Will Shaylex figure out her memories? Thank you to Knightmare1618 for letting me use Tenebrae and to Kale Lampkin for letting me use Heloa in this chapter. I hope you all have an awesome day, night, morning, afternoon, evening wherever you are in this world, reading this story and thank you for the continued support, and may your heart be your guiding key.