Pull of the void

Deafening, dying quiet.

No tangerine outlines floated inside their apartment.

Gone was the brontide roar of the ocean. The never ending, rhythmic push and pull of the tides.

Gone were the palm trees and their weird, star shaped fruit. No panicked crab scuttled across the sand to avoid a stray heartless chasing them.

Gone.

The Islands he secretly regarded as a second home ever since they moved into the studio apartment, were gone.

He waited for a while, perhaps his second sight took a break? Vanitas scoffed. Outside the windows, the Pagoda Gate loomed unnaturally close, threatening to tip top first into Los Angeles. His brother appreciated wholesome silence and Vanitas listened, with mounting trepidation, to his twin grumbling about the double murders at Organization XIII. The CEO was arrested as the prime suspect.

"The KBWA didn't stick their noses in it," Vanitas confirmed and settled for dinner. He twirled a forkful of spaghetti. "Riku would've known if Leon planned something," he pushed a diagram away from his plate, "and the boss would probably tell me." He'd be bound to tell me. "You're defending Xemnas?"

No lost heartless gathered in the apartment. The nostalgic scent of the sea lingered and he inhaled deeply.

One eye on his food and the other making sure he didn't accidentally smear his organized arguments with pasta sauce, Sora mumbled in agreement. "The case is strange," he passed a photo; "the security cameras show nothing... apart from a tempest." He chewed slowly, not enough cheese. Crossing to the fridge in a ponderous daze, he retrieved a block of cheese and grated it. Vanitas swopped their plates and Sora frowned. "It's common sense for criminals to avoid cameras, but normally you see a shadow, or get a feeling but this," he brushed bits of cheese from his folder, "it's like the wind committed the crime."

His brother laughed before growing pensively quiet. "I don't know anyone in the KBWA solely utilizing wind magic." An aero fluttered the table cloth. "But then again, what do I know?" Vanitas commented sarcastically. "I checked the Organization XIII manager profiles; none of them could do it. The only person who could, is in a coma, according to you."

Vanitas doled more spaghetti for him and scraped the bottom of the pot on Sora's plate. His brother picked the burned parts and ate it.

"Did you get my cheesecake?"

Suddenly choking, Sora drowned his glass of juice. "Uh..." he avoided his twin's piercing gaze, "I forgot." He unnecessarily reviewed the evidence consolidating Xemnas' alibi. "I was busy at the crime site and then I went to the agency to file... stuff..." he trailed off, wishing he could swallow the excuses.

Deliberately letting the silence between them grow, Vanitas pouted. "You're so useless sometimes. What am I gonna eat for desert?" A spiteful spark entered his eyes. "Play videogames with me," he demanded.

Sighing, Sora rubbed his eyes. "I have a case tomorrow." His brother's face fell. "Come to court with me, we'll stop at the Gatewater Hotel. Kairi's been making these traditional sweets, you can try them."

Collecting the dirty dishes, Vanitas dumped them in the sink and let the tap run, the cold water gushed past his hands. "I miss the sea," he offhandedly stated. "And the noise." Sora joined him in the kitchen. "It feels lifeless," Vanitas soaped the dishes, "I feel like I'm going deaf." He rinsed the plates and stacked them neatly on the rack, wiping his hands with a checkered cloth. "I'm going to the KBWA."

"It's midnight," Sora fretted. "Go tomorrow."

Vanitas shook his head. "I want to know what happened, it's... it's uncomfortable." His brother leaned on the counter. "Go to bed, I'll clean up and leave you a message before I leave."

Articulating another tired sigh, Sora shuffled to the frosted glass cube in the corner of the apartment. The bathroom door closed softly behind him.

The scratches stung. Pressed against the tiled wall, Vanitas waited for the water to grow tepid before diving under the shower-head. He absentmindedly tidied the shampoo and body wash bottles on the small plastic shelf and reached for a new tub crammed at the back.

What's this?

Water gurgled into the drain. He twisted the lid. The cream was unscented. He checked the label... scar cream?

Sora uses this? Vanitas turned the tub over and over, stomach contracting anxiously. Didn't those wounds heal? He stared at the door. Barging in his brother's room while dripping water will only result in Sora throwing him out, with an added scolding for good measure. Did the doctors prescribe the cream? Vanitas assumed Sora came to terms with the trauma; he did visit Ariel... once...

He scooped cream on his fingers and regarded the crisscross scars decorating his skin. Might as well use it and see if it works.

10:30 a.m.

District Court

Courtroom no 5

"Court is now in session for the trial..."

The rest of the words drowned in the blood roaring in Sora's ears. He obsessively arranged and rearranged his papers on the bench. Keeping his hands busy, he neatened his cashmere muffler and fixed the cufflinks on his suit.

I hate you Mr. Wright.

Next to him, Athena activated Widget, the holographic screen greeted her like a longtime friend before going blank. She placed a comforting hand on Sora's shoulder and he glared at her before the anxious frowns on his face returned. "You'll be alright," she soothed.

The Judge banged the gavel, however, the stray whispers from the viewing gallery did not abate. People commented on Xemnas, his attention glued to his tablet; and if Sora strained his ears, murmurs of pity floated from the gallery.

A lost case, they snickered and stabbed him with rueful gazes.

Opposite the defense's bench and pristine cravat fluttering in the air conditioned breeze, Miles Edgeworth politely performed a half bow. "The prosecutor is ready your honor," he said while looking at Sora.

Wishing he brought a shovel to dig a grave for himself, Sora spared one last, furious glower at Phoenix and Apollo. At least his senior appeared apologetic. Next to them, Trucy and Pearl waved exuberantly, unusually, Maya remained absent. Wiping sweaty palms, Sora inhaled deeply.

He raised his head. "The... the defense is ready your honor." He trained his gaze on Edgeworth's capable hands.

This morning he jerked awake to an ear splitting alarm, Vani was so sweet sometimes, and mildly confident, Sora arrived at court, ready to wrestle the guilty verdict away from the accused. In the lobby, he exchanged pleasantries with his co-workers, implored Trucy for a cheesecake and staunchly avoided Edgeworth and Phoenix, conversing in low tones. For a brief moment, he worried about the rival prosecutor; but if the prosecutor was some demon, surely Mr. Wright would tell me?

"Witness, state your name and occupation," Edgeworth prompted the detective. An old lady in the stands swooned at him.

The real demon turned out to be Mr. Wright. How dare he do this to me? Sora clenched his fist, body more in flight rather than fight mode. I'm not ready to face against Mr. Edgeworth in court!

"Mr. Edgeworth, it's good to see you prosecuting again pal!" Gumshoe grinned proudly. "Hehe, the defense is trembling-"

"Your name and occupation," Miles requested through gritted teeth. "Now."

The prosecutor and Vanitas can do a staring competition. Sora brushed a thumb across his badge. I'm not sure who would win... and that's a feat on Mr. Edgeworth's part.

"Dick Gumshoe, homicide detective pal," the detective glumly stated and scratched his chin when the prosecutor asked for a testimony. "Around eleven p.m. two nights previously, a sudden and unexpected attack occurred on Organization XIII's headquarters, situated in the commercial district." Dick retrieved the pencil behind his ear. "The guard at the front said no one came through. I checked with the security stationed at the back as well, they have nothing." Gumshoe reported. "There are two victims, stabbed once and multiple times... the body count will increase if the one in hospital dies," he finished his testimony and warily waited for the defense.

The banging of the gavel resounded through the wood paneled courtroom and signaled the beginning of the cross-examination.

"Detective," Sora breathlessly began, "can you explain the victim's wounds?"

Gumshoe nodded, thick fingers clasping the witness stand like he wanted to strangle the wood. "The scientist was stabbed once-"

"Objection!" Sora slammed his hand on the bench.

The prosecutor smiled thinly.

Urk... he's a reaper wearing a suit. "This evidence contradicts the statement your honor," Sora squeaked and presented the autopsy report. "Here it clearly states Vexen and Marluxia died from multiple stabs."

The court twittered respectfully while the Judge turned to the prosecutor for an explanation.

Tapping his temple, Edgeworth spread his hands. "I have updated the autopsy report," he said and everyone waited with bated breath. "The first victim died from a single stab wound." Sora's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Yes," Miles smirked, "those four stabs comes from a single weapon."

The gallery twittered, their words a damp mizzle around Sora's head.

"What could produce such frighteningly neat stabs?" the Judge asked, echoing everyone's confusion. "It looks like a... I'm not sure what it looks like," he admitted and banged his gavel for good measure.

Dismissed, the detective joined the ranks of the viewers and grinned encouragingly at the meditative attorney. Another familiar witness stepped up and politely tipped his hat to Sora.

Edgeworth pushed up his glasses. "Witness, state your name and occupation." He crossed his arms and tilted his chin upwards.

The security guard placed a newspaper on the stand. "I cut out all your cases from the newspaper!" he gushed and Sora groaned, praying for a normal witness and a normal case. "Don't worry Mr. Clavius, my testimony will prove your client's innocence," Forester blithely announced, completely oblivious to the prosecutor's paralyzing glares.

After another vaguely threatening demand from Miles, the security guard testified, "As I told you yesterday, around eleven at night, a very strong wind gusted across the park opposite Org XIII and rattled the front doors. Normally the department store closes later but policies changed since that incident." Barton flipped through the newspaper. "I heard no noise at night." Sora blinked. "And come the morning, the reception was a mess. A huge crowd gathered around the ruined building and tried to snap photos." He closed the newspaper and draped it neatly over the stand once more. "Crowd control is really a tough job, don't you agree Mr. Clavius?"

A single heartless seeped from the floor and stumbled over the security guard's shoes.

I'm disappointed in your Mr. Forester.

"Your cross-examination Mr. Clavius," the Judge declared. "I wonder if we should install a mike option on your bench?"

The gallery chuckled courteously.

Ears hot, Sora tucked his chin and turned to Athena for assistance. "I know he's lying." The tiny heartless groped blindly on the courtroom's polished floors. "But I can't prove it."

Manipulating the holographic screen with her state of the art, three fingered glove, Athena cycled through the individual sentences in Barton's testimony. "When he talked about the wind, he was excited. Usually, people would be frightened by such a sudden tempest," she advised. "And here, when he heard no noise, Widget is dark blue; therefore there is a strong element of fear... or in this case, denial." She grinned assuredly. "Press him on those statements and check what comes up."

Grateful for the counsel, Sora cleared his throat and faltered under Miles' expectant glare. "Can you tell me what else happened before eleven that night?"

The witness eagerly saluted. "Of course." He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. "Yesterday, Luxord escorted Mr. Xemnas to a business meeting. The initial gust of wind came right as they drove past the gate." Forrester eagerly read from another, larger slip. "Mr. Luxord is known to carry a deck of cards wherever he goes, when he signed out, the card, you won't believe this-" the viewing gallery hushed, intent on the sensational testimony, "-his deck of cards glowed and stopped the wind for a moment!"

Recording his statements, Sora searched for new heartless. None. The deck of cards glowing and acting as a barrier to the wind hardly surprised him.

"…About the noise, can you elaborate on the noise?" Sora presented a picture of the ruined windows to the court. "This glass is blast resistant and fell from pretty high up, from the fourth and twenty second stories to be exact. Mr. Barton, a partially deaf person would be able to hear the crash of breaking glass. Your security booth," the attorney paused for a split second when Miles cleaned his spectacles, "is situated in front-"

"Objection!"

Aackk! He gave me a heart attack! Sora clutched his scarf when the prosecutor objected with a wag of his finger.

"The security guard maybe asleep if he failed to discern the crash of breaking glass." Miles crossed his arms. "I am sure he will also fail hear the return of the perpetrator on the scene of the crime."

Twirling his beard thoughtfully the Judge added, "Of course. Sometimes I fall asleep during court proceedings." He stifled a yawn.

How very irresponsible of you, your honor.

"That... that's not true!" Sora began.

"Then show us evidence the security guard was awake when the windows broke," Edgeworth invited with open arms.

Hands shaking, Sora turned to Athena. "I don't have it," he whispered, ducking to avoid the prosecutor's smug smirk. "The witness is lying. I can't tell him there are heartless around his legs, can I?"

Composed, his co-counsel checked the court records. "Approach a different angle," she advised. "You don't have evidence to prove the witness was awake, but you do have decisive evidence which contradicts the prosecutor's claims." She punched her fist into a palm. "Go for it!"

For once, I wish you could tell it to me straight. This isn't riddle me that!

"The defense is speechless." Miles tapped his temple. "Ergo, we can conclude the incompetent guard was fast asleep and the defendant returned to do the deed-"

"Objection!" Sora slammed his hands on the bench and pointed. "My client did not return until the very early hours of the morning." Fuelled by momentum, he carried on, "Here is Mr. Xemnas' meeting minute," a document beamed on the dual monitors, "the meeting only finished three o'clock at night!"

Edgeworth crumpled on his bench, glasses askew. He glowered violently at Sora.

"Per...perhaps the witness can provide another testimony?" Sora glanced at his shoes. He missed a spot this morning when polishing them. "About what really happened-"

Recovering from his mistake, Edgeworth righted his spectacles. "Witness," he slammed his hand on the desk, a half smile playing on his lips when the attorney jumped like a frightened rabbit. "Testify about the scene of the crime and leave your incompetency out of it!"

The security guard smoothed his pressed uniform and from his sleeves, pulled out another sheaf of slips. "Yes sir!" He saluted. "After Luxord drove away with the car, the hurricane started again and as Mr. Clavius said," he bowed his head in shame, "I heard the crash of breaking glass. A lot of it. It was loud and it frightened me," he confessed. "Whoever killed the victims tossed out a bunch of stuff, a chandelier... even a desk came flying out of the window! It was crazy!" Barton coughed to regain his calm. "The strangest thing was the wind stopped after a little while, but you could see it on top, like a hovering tornado." Edgeworth scoffed. "It's true!" Forrester insisted.

The Judge banged his gavel. "Mr. Forrester, carry on with your testimony please."

"I know the murderer," Barton declared much to the prosecutor's shock. "I observed him leaving the scene of the crime the morning after he-"

Slam!

The noise stopped the rambling witness. Sora involuntarily reached for Athena and remembering the scrutiny, grabbed a page instead.

"Tsk, tsk!" Edgeworth tutted. "Lying in the court of law has severe repercussions," he sternly reminded. "Your honor, I question the credibility of this witness," he performed a bow, "we should dismiss-"

"Hold it!" Sora gulped when Miles remained silent. "The witness is not lying." Not now anyway. "There is evidence to support his words." A gust of wind whistled past the courtroom's windows, a smattering of golden, crinkled leaves whirled past the glass. "Your honor, I present this to the court."

"The court accepts the evidence," The Judge solemnly said while Edgeworth jerked back in disbelief.

A set of fingerprints, along with an identifying profile, flashed on the monitor. "These fingerprints were found inside the department store. Our criminal was wise not to leave any incriminating evidence on the scene of the crime itself," Sora detailed. A picture of a long faced man split the screen. "This is Flick Wyatt," he couldn't help grinning triumphantly, "our mystery perpetrator."

1:50 p.m.

District court

Courtroom lobby no. 5

The gold gilt picture on the reception wall depicted an old farmhouse and a field of vivid, purple lavenders. Sunlit clouds puffed across the horizon. Twisted trees grew at the back. Sora admired the painting, desperately trying to drown the voice of the demon, chief prosecutor, Miles Edgeworth.

Footsteps on the carpet.

Is he coming here? Sora renewed his intense focus on the painting.

"Clavius," a smooth baritone voiced. It's him! "Your evidence and defense was adequate."

"As usual," Wright added sardonically, "your complimenting needs work."

Sparing Phoenix a half glower, Edgeworth extracted a slim pen case from his suit. Level 6 glittered on top in fancy script and he presented it to Sora who malfunctioned.

A... a gift from Miles Edgeworth? He accepted the pen and bowed, mumbling gratitude. Am I dreaming?

"Wright told me you are fond of pens; I see we have something in common." Edgeworth cracked a smile and picked his leather satchel resting on the couch. "I look forward seeking the truth with you in court."

Bopping his head again when the prosecutor left, Sora reverently turned the pen in his hands. "I suppose Mr. Edgeworth isn't so bad." He flushed in glee.

Sipping a drink, Apollo's upright fringe drooped. "You are so easy to manipulate," he muttered sarcastically and exhaled.

A loaded silence hung in the boardroom after Leon reported the latest statistics. The leader of the Fey clan sat on the opposite end of the marble table, her dreamy eyes trained on the monitor while the occupants in the chamber gravely digested the news.

"Destiny Islands is gone," Squall's words reverberated. "The Land of Dragons breached this micro-planet's orbit and is in danger of imploding on itself... or," he paused, "exploding and taking a sizable chunk of Los Angeles along." A graph flashed onscreen. "Olympus remains in a stable position, but Castle of Dreams and the Keyblade Graveyard are gravitating towards each other and," he confirmed his words with a researcher seated to the right, "very soon, they will pull towards Los Angeles."

The High-tier members around the table ceased commenting. Jiminy recorded the minute, which will be sent to King Mickey via the Grey Knight. From there, the King will search for solutions.

However, solutions dwindled in the face of such pressing danger.

A half-planet gone. The Los Angeles KBWA strained under the bulk of refugees flung from the Islands. Confused and afraid, some went into shock, refusing to believe the existences of other worlds apart from their own.

"Wasn't Destiny Island on the verge of erasing?" Joshua, hair eye-watering bright, asked. "It was inevitable."

No one dared to throw him a disapproving glance. The teenager twirled his fringe, suddenly missing the Black Saint's uppity comments. At least he provided variety to these utterly droll meetings. Only the higher ups gathered today behind obsidian glass walls, leaving the rest of the KBWA safe in blissful ignorance.

The monitor changed to a diagram estimating the location of the micro-planets relative to the stable ones.

"Sir." The researcher superimposed a chart of the erased planets on top of the current map. "The Islands were cleaved in half some twenty years ago," he rechecked his notes; making a minor error in a gathering like this often led to disaster later on. "We suspect," he peeked at Squall, sliding lower in his seat and the boss tilted his head in languid agreement, "the King and Black Saint were residents of Destiny Islands before half of it was lost to darkness. They arrived at Los Angeles while very young. Their parents did not make it."

Hercules closed his eyes in a moment of sympathy while Nox blinked, mildly surprised.

"How unfortunate," Joshua drawled. "Maybe I'll cry."

More silence.

"Grandmaster Yensid fostered them till they were, whatever, I forgot their age when he left." Squall ran a hand through his hair. "He was right under our noses and we never found him. In any case," he sipped water from a bottle next to his laptop, "we are unable to pinpoint his location. Not even his Majesty is able to persuade him." A stray thought floated across Leon's mind. "Clavius calls him Grandpa Yensid," he snorted, "…Grandpa."

A quiet wave of laughter erupted around the table, easing the helpless atmosphere.

"Maya, your thoughts?" Lockhart urged the spiritual medium. The magatama around her neck pulsed softly to the changes in emotions and magic.

Fey placed her clasped hands on top of the table. "The dead are restless," she intoned, uncharacteristically grave. "They can feel the collapsing of the world. The Elementals are awake."

The mood in the boardroom sharpened to one of panic and disbelief. Each and every Association member sat ramrod straight. Squall, infamous for constantly slouching, gripped his water bottle, metal blue eyes widened in alarm. Initial surprise melting, Joshua grinned in private amusement while Isa, a mere wraithlike presence, scowled, the cross shaped scar on his forehead wrinkling.

Opening her palm for Jiminy who jumped from shoulder to hand, Tifa wrestled her voice into a neutral tone. "What do you mean the Elementals are awake? The Wind Mage should be fast asleep, his hibernation cycles-"

"Has changed," Maya interjected. "He is awake Tifa, I have seen him. I first though it might be his Replica," she trailed off thoughtfully. "I don't think I'm mistaken." She smiled shakily.

The two monitors in the boardroom blanked, returning to static mode. One displayed the mellow, old fashioned vistas of Traverse Town; while the other, behind Leon exhibited a classical style painting depicting the founding members of the KBWA. The Wind Mage stood regally between the Sea Queen and Earth Titan, their motifs a barely perceptible watermark above their heads.

Chairs scraped the floor and the members rose to leave. The walls of the boardroom became transparent and Squall shielded his eyes from the sudden, bright glare of control room monitors and lights. One by one, the operatives filed out of the chamber till only he and Maya Fey remained.

Silent.

Brooding.

Lost stars

Evening

KBWA, Chief's office.

Selphie, Wakka... Tidus...

The photographs of three children littered Leon's table. He absentmindedly shuffled through papers, searched for coffee and finding none, wheeled away from his desk.

Immortalized in threads of beige and cobalt, Balamb Garden faced him. He touched the silk screen, sadness simmering in his chest. Three new teenagers, misplaced and struggling to adjust after their home world exploded before their very eyes.

He crossed the curtain and into Tifa's office. The vice-chief slumbered on top of her laptop, long lashes casting a faint shadow on her cheeks. Draping a jacket over her, he studied the photographs she tacked on the wall.

One showed a teenage Isa blushing awkwardly as Tifa hugged him to her chest. More images showed Strife on his bike. Zack crushing Cloud in a hug. Clavius sleeping in a corner, his hair ruffled by Zack. Aerith and Tifa decked in evening gowns and Tifa and Yuffie in battle poses.

All these people from lost worlds, doing their best to survive.

The boss smiled at a photo of himself, drinking a mug of coffee. A recent picture showed Isa, irises a burnished gold, towering over Tifa, his face trained away from the camera.

The vice-chief stirred.

And Leon skulked back to his office, processing paperwork for the three teenagers.

A/N: The classic update autopsy trick of Edgeworth's makes a dramatic comeback. How I hated him and his smug smile.

Questions and reviews are welcome. Sora needs all the support he can get to fight off the demon prosecutor.