A/N: Okay, YAY, new fic! This one I've altered like ten thousand times, and I'm gonna give you the best version I have so far, meaning it's still in the works...

Teek: So what else is new?

Me: ((shrug)) Dunno.

The back of her head throbbed painfully, jarring her half-concious mind back into reality. Biting back a curse, she sat up, quickly at first, then more slowly as her head gave another painful throb and a wave of dizzyness swept over her. Propping herself up on one hand, she looked around at her surroundings calmly, taking in every detail with the ease of forced habit.

Somehow she had managed to land in the middle of a plaza, surrounded on two sides by balconies accessed by stairs. Directly to her left was a small alcove leading to a door emblazoned with a simplified flame. To her right were two larger doors, one made of wood, one of some unknown substance and painted bright colors, shaped vaguely like a star-topped keyhole. In front and to her left was a brightly lit fountain.

Using the wall behind her as leverage, Mizu got slowly to her feet, fighting back another wave of dizziness. Finally standing somewhat erect, she looked around again, this time for anything she could use as a possible weapon. She took a step forward and something crunched under her foot. Looking down, she saw the splintered blade of one of her wooden scimitars.

Sora's gonna kill me, she thought absently. Reaching down, she unbuckled what remained of the welcoming presents given to her by Sora and Selphie. Sighing regretfully, she tossed the useless hilts to the side. She took another couple of steps forward, then decided she didn't like the feeling of not having a weapon with her. So, she turned back and grabbed the hilt of one of the splintered scimitars. It still had enough of the blade left that she could use it as a weapon. Feeling reassured with something solid and sharp, if wooden, in her hand, Mizu started walking toward the large wooden door again.

She heard a soft scrabbling noise off to her right after about five paces. Her head snapped around and she scanned the shadows for the source of the noise. She thought she saw a shadow moving amongst the other shadows, but it could have been her imagination over-acting. To her left, she head what sounded like a footstep, and her head automatically pivoted towards the sound.

"Hello?" she called. "Who's there?"

Subconsciously, she brought the splintered scimitar up into a guard position, holding it instinctively like a dagger. Then, she heard the scrabbling noise behind her again, and turned in time to see some sort of creature lunging at her. She back-pedaled and sliced at it in one swift motion, her heart hamering somewhere in her throat. Then, as another creature attacked, she grew calm, calculating, as her world narrowed to just her and the enemy. Adrenaline flooded through her veins, giving her extra strength and endurance and heightening her senses. All fear, all emotion drained away, leaving only enough thought for her to accurately judge what the Heartless were going to do next.

The Shadow leapt at her again, and she kicked it out of the way, right into a Soldier Heartless which had been crouched to attack her side. An Air Soldier chose then to swoop down at her head, and she ducked and rolled out of the way, right into a corner. She swore and held her impromptu blade in front of her as the trio of Heartless advanced.

Out of nowhere, a large, broad blade swept the Shadow and Soldier asside, just as the Air Soldier made another pass at her head. Mizu punched out with the hand that held the scimitar hilt as hard as she could, connecting solidly and sending the Heartless tumbling head-over-rump into a nearby wall.

"Run, kid!" shouted the man weilding the Gunblade, taking another swipe at the grounded Heartless. Mizu needed no more encouragement and pelted for the large wooden door, wondering briefly how she knew what the Gunblade was then shrugging it off. She wrenched the door open and ran through, pausing long enough for the man to across the threshold as well, then shoving the door shut with his help on the faces of the Heartless.

When the door had closed with a satisfying boom, Mizu turned and leaned against it, trying to regain her breath and slow her heartrate. The man recovered faster than her, and stood a few feet away, surveying her through a glare, his face hidden in shadows.

"Thanks for the help," Mizu managed to gasp out. "Damn, I'm out of shape."

"You're welcome," the man replied absently. Then, much more sternly, "Who are you?"

"Me?" Mizu asked stupidly. "I don't know. Most people just call me Kage, sometimes Shadow."

"You don't know?" the man repeated skeptically.

"Amnesia," Mizu explained. The man opened his mouth as if to say "Ah," and nodded once.

"How long?"

"'Bout a year. Mebbe longer, I wouldn't know. The most recent case started almost a year ago, at any rate. Why?"

"Just curious, I guess. You remind me of someone is all."

"Well, I'm afraid I can't help you there. All I really know about my past is that I must have had a lot of training in weapons, since I recognized your Gunblade for what it was."

This seemed to surprise the man, as he tensed slightly.

"Have you ever heard of the Keyblade?" he asked. Mizu gave him a blank look.

"Okay, there you stumped me," she admitted. "No, wait... A sword shaped like a key, right? That would fit the name...Um... Y'know, the name does ring a bell, but I don't know why. More like a gong, really, but that's beside the point."

"Don't worry about it," the man said. "Look, you should probably stay here a while. The town's still a little dangerous, though. This is the safest District. I'd suggest you rest up a bit."

"Know where I could get any good weapons?" Mizu asked, holding up her scimitar hilt as an explanation.

"Afraid not," the man replied.

"Y'know, I just noticed something," Mizu said almost accusingly. "This entire time I haven't been able to see your face, and I don't know your name either. Frankly, I tend to like to know who I'm talking to." The man stepped forward enough that she could see his face. His really, painfully familiar face.

How she recognized him she couldn't say. Everything about his face was familiar--the scar running across it, the eyes, even the set of his mouth, were all so familiar she could almost put a name to them. She drew in a sharp breath and stepped back a pace, eyes widening in shock.

"I know you," she whispered. "I don't know how, or from where, but I know you!" She shook her head and looked at him again, but the familiarity of the features did not go away. "Who are you?"

"Call me Leon," the man said. Mizu shook her head again.

"I'm sorry," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose slightly and squeezing her eyes shut. "I think I'm thinking of a different person. I thought for sure..." Her eyes snapped open again and she stared at him. "What's your real name?" Leon looked slightly shocked to hear her ask this, but replied just the same.

"Squall Leonheart," he told her.

"I don't get it," Mizu murmered. "I'm sure I've never met you before, but you look so familiar." Her head snapped up and she looked him dead in the eye, her own eyes opening wider. Now she knew where she recognized his face from. He was one of the men in a nightmare she had had back on the Destiny Islands. "You... You were there when... Oh my god... I-I gotta go!"

Mizu turned away and ran, pressing a hand to her head, which had started aching fit to burst when she finally got to see Leon's face. She turned right and ran up a flight of stairs, then turned left and continued running into a dead-end alleyway where she leaned against a large, wooden wall, gasping and shaking.

Who the hell was he? she kept asking herself. How do I know him? Where do I know him from? She turned and pressed her head against the cool stone of the building next to her. Who is he? He's so familiar, who is he? She lifted her head up slightly and let it thump back against the wall three times.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" she asked out loud for the billionth time that year. "Why can't I remember?"

She didn't even notice the tears pouring down her face, not even when she began choking back sobs. She slammed her fist against the wall in frustration as she continued to cry.

A/N: ((sigh)) I can make Mizu such a crybaby...

Mizu: Yeah, well, I kind of leak when I get frustrated.

Me: Yeah, me too. Oh, well. Anyway, guys, I hope this fic is better than New World so far...