Naminé finally appears in this chapter! I really want to be fond of her, but KH: CoM never did show enough of her that I could get a clear idea of what she was like. All I remember is that she always looked sad and was mostly quiet. And that she never seemed to care much about the poor replica... I'm not sure how to portray her, so any opinions would be nice. I really don't want to make her a flat character.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts/ Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Resemblance to any other fanfic is purely coincidental. So no one try to sue me or anything of the sort!

Day 3

The fun just went on and on... By my third day of life, I'd had the good fortune (or bad fortune) of meeting a two of the other Organization members- namely Larxene and Axel. I guess you could say that I had a sort of bizarre relationship with them.

I always trod carefully, inserting barbs of harsh words when I got the chance simply because I disliked and/or secretly feared them, particularly Larxene.

I liked that sort of power, knowing that I was part of some big mysterious group whose intentions were not yet known. That's how we all were, really. Over the days to come, this strange collection of people became my family. We weren't exactly close, each hiding behind some mental wall or another.

But, they did make life much more interesting.

We made quite a band– Larxene with her lightning quick temper and taste for dragging out the agony of her victims. Beneath her cool and somewhat innocent (uh...) exterior, there was a hideously ugly soul that could only lead her to a sorry fate.

Then there was Vexen. Poor, unstable Vexen.

The man was always shut up in his lab working on some crazy experiment or another. He was almost always bitter and grouchy, especially when Larxene provoked him. He must have had an inferiority complex of some sort. Either that or he was just a mad scientist whose actions can't be predicted by any form of logic.

Axel was a whole different story. I couldn't read him at all. It was rather scary, but as I realized later on, he was also very dangerous.

Sure, he was the kind of guy to make a joke out of the most serious of things, but for all I knew, it was all an act. On the outside, he was laid back and often friendly. Or maybe just indifferent, I can't be sure. But out of the four of us, I suspected that he knew the most about what exactly was going on.

I watched him carefully, searching for some clue, but whenever he caught me looking at him, he laughed as if to say 'I know what you're trying to do, kid. It won't work.' I got nothing out of it for all my efforts.

Sometimes, I wondered why each of the three I mentioned had joined the Organization. But even after closely observing their antics, I couldn't even begin to fathom the possibilities. Finally, I gave up and decided that our pasts were best untold.

I wasn't in the mood for sob stories anyway.

Simply put, my 'colleagues' and I had a cool acquaintance. Our weak bonds of friendship were about as lasting as a snowman in summer. Naturally, watching your back was important, and maybe more literal than figurative.

It was really very tiring to live like that, but being so new to the world, I didn't know that there were better things out there.

After the first few days, I became more and more curious about the true goals of the Organization. Why did it exist? Who formed it? What were we all supposed to do? Turned out that I would get the answers bit by bit, and I did it by simply listening.

I was at my first official meeting; or rather I simply walked in on their conversation, when I learnt a bit more about the whole 'big picture' of which I was obviously a tiny part.

Vexen had taken the liberty of disappearing just when I wanted someone to complain to since I was getting bored with Castle Oblivion and its many rooms. Somehow, they all managed to look exactly identical.

Some way or another, I found myself lost. Frustrated, I wandered around and happened to luck out. I heard familiar voices coming from a room, and I invited myself in.

The topic of conversation was about a certain young man whom you all should be very familiar with — Sora. His name was probably the word that I heard most often in a day. It was always Sora this, Sora that, Sora will do this, Sora mustn't do that... You get my point.

Anyhow, I hate not being the center of attention so I grew more and more annoyed whenever I heard his name mentioned. I might not have had met him face to face yet, but already I knew more about him than I cared to know.

What a simpleton, I thought, scoffing. Yet, everyone was talking about him like he was some hotshot VIP.

Once, I even argued with Axel over this. "What's so great about that kid, Sora? Can't any of you defeat him, or are you all just too weak?" I demanded, throwing him a disdainful look that I hoped he would react violently to. What was it that could break this guy's calm?

But he only replied with a laugh, as though I were too stupid to understand. In his eyes, I was probably just an ignorant child that he had chosen to humor. Flicking some hair out of his eyes, Axel casually replied, "You don't get it. Sora isn't the problem. He isn't strong enough to destroy all the Organization, you know.

"Then what's the problem?"

"He's the Keyblade Master. That's why we gotta have him alive." Then Axel gave me this really mysterious smile that made me feel inferior and small compared to him. "But don't worry, you'll learn in time."

I scowled. Was he implying something? "I want to fight him." I declared bluntly.

Calmly, as if he had been expecting it all the long, Axel said, "Oh, believe me, you will. Soon, but not right now. When it does happen though, it would be something to watch, wouldn't it? Save me a seat."

It seemed that his voice had a perpetual hidden smirk behind them, like a cobra pretending to be a harmless grass snake. Both were still snakes. He didn't fool me.

Folding my arms across my chest, I sullenly turned away. And that's how the first serious conversation about Sora and my upcoming battle with him ended.

My resentment for my own ignorance and this faceless Sora character grew.

Day 5

I've mentioned before how I'd always watch my back, even from my supposed allies, but Castle Oblivion also had a more docile sort of inhabitant.

When I first saw her, she had been seated in a plain chair set in the midst of white marble walls, and that is how I always remember her- eyes cast timidly at the ground, hands clasped together in front of her plain white dress.

I hardly needed to search beneath the surface to find her true emotions– or at least the feelings that she wanted me to see.

Back then, I didn't underestimate the ones who looked weak. Somehow it felt as though she were hiding something from me, and from everyone else.

Back then, I never trusted anyone completely. How could I? It was probably the wisest thing to do when in my situation.

I remember this clearly. Naminé constantly wore it on her face, that expression of lingering sadness and loneliness. In the beginning, I didn't think much of her, a frail creature who barely said two words, but I knew that she was important.

During their discussions, no one acknowledged her quiet presence, and so she sat blending into the background. I wondered if she heard. Heard and thought. Thought and planned.

She was so silent. I was suspicious. It was always the quiet ones who were the most dangerous. However, soon I decided that I was being too paranoid. Anyone with an ounce of will left would never stand for the way they were treating her.

They asked her to do things. Mess with Sora's memories, I heardmake him forget reality and remember lies.

The way they played with her; it was sickening.

Someone with such powers, I initially assumed that she was an experiment, just like me. But of course, I truly was one of a kind, and I learned that she was a prisoner from the outside world. How she come to be here was and still is a mystery.

Unlike me, she must have had a home that she had come from.

"Say hello, Naminé," Larxene instructed as she showed Castle Oblivion's prized pet to me. Her deadly voice caressed the girl, though it was only giving a false sense of security. From Naminé's look of fear, I could tell that she knew it too.

But there was also something desperate in there, shocked too, when she looked at me. Now I wonder if she had been thinking about the original Riku when she looked at me?

When Naminé said nothing, Larxene became impatient. "Don't be rude. He's here specially to meet you." She nodded her head towards me.

"Hello." Naminé said finally, doing exactly what Larxene had told her to, nothing more. Her voice was only just audible, and her eyes never met mine. As cute as she was, there had been no pleasure in being greeted by someone who was being forced. I didn't reply to her half-hearted word.

Grumbling, Larxene shook her head remorsefully, "That's all, Naminé? You're such a cold person." How laughable, it was the pot calling the kettle black.

In any case, I didn't think that Naminé was cold, just afraid, and with good reason too. Larxene was not the kindest of people (heck no!), and frightening others was something of a hobby to her. "Isn't there anything I can do to make you talk?" she said, pretending to be at loss. Naminé drew away ever so slightly.

Pure violence was about the only thing that Larxene could be referring too.

I don't what made me step in, but I suppose it was because I didn't like seeing Larxene bully Naminé who obviously wasn't going to fight back. I hate those who pick on the weak.

"Cut it out," I growled, putting an arm out to keep Larxene away. Both ladies stared at me with wide eyes, though Naminé's was more of surprised gratitude, while Larxene's was like the calm before the storm.

"Why you-" she gasped furiously after a while. "Who are you, you little pip-squeak, to try to tell me what to do. I can't believe you're taking her side! Don't you know that she's only a manipulative witch?"

"I don't care about that. What you're doing just really annoys me," I said, smirking.

Larxene looked as though she didn't understand what she was hearing. Somehow I think that she believed that being a replica - one of Vexen's pet projects, no less – would make me as easy to push around as Naminé. But she should know that I was no one's pet.

"You're such a brat! I ought to teach you a lesson about messing with my fun," she said with an ugly smile. In an instant, the lightning charged needles were in her hand, and the Soul Eater was in mine.

We would have actually come to blows had it not been for a very fake sounding cough at the entrance.

"I do hope I'm not interrupting anything. You two seem to be very busy," Vexen's dry voice came as he stepped in. He pretended to be surprised, throwing his arms up in the air. "Oh my. Not fighting already, are you?" I doubted that any voice could sound any more flat.

"It's none of your business, Vexen. This little squirt was being disrespectful!" Larxene snarled, through narrowed eyes, but she put away her weapons anyway. "You should teach your toys some manners." I glowered at her.

"Really?" Vexen said, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't overly sympathetic to Larxene's plight, I noticed. "For someone who doesn't know how to show respect herself, you do demand a lot."

"Oh, shut up," Larxene shot back, still scowling. The, suddenly lapsing back into her light mood before out little rift, she questioned Vexen, "Anyhow, what are you doing here?"

"The usual. So I would appreciate it if the two of you got out of here," Vexen said, none too politely. He pointed at the door, directing us out.

Larxene glanced over her shoulder at Naminé who had, as expected, been forgotten. "More orders, huh? This should be interesting." She leaned down to Naminé's ear and whispered, "I hope you enjoy playing with that poor unsuspecting boy's memories. It's all good for you, isn't it?" She laughed sharply as the girl stiffened before standing straight and sauntering out.

That was all very perplexing to me, but I didn't care. Obviously, they were using Naminé to deal with Sora, and Larxene was just being her regular evil self.

Now, Vexen turned to me. His expression clearly read, 'Out!' I started to leave, but when I had gone a few steps, I gave Naminé a backward glance, realizing that she was looking at me.

As soon as I noticed her, however, she looked down again like a skittish kitten. I was taken aback by her seeming shyness. Didn't she notice that I wasn't out to hurt her? Or did she simply trust no one who had affiliations to the Organization?

Right from the start, I had thought that she was a strange girl, and I was right, more so than I knew. It still is hard to believe that she had so many dark secrets hidden within her. Naminé was the last person who I would've suspected.

Actually, there was no one in Castle Oblivion who was completely guileless, except maybe Sora, who was already clearing the earlier levels.

I should have suspected the full extent of the Organization's plan, as well as the true personalities of my colleagues from the start, but I foolishly believed that what appeared on the surface was the truth. Maybe it was pride that blinded me; I thought that nothing would slip by me.

But as we all know, just because we don't acknowledge something, it doesn't mean that it isn't there.

At first, I thought that Naminé was a slave of the castle, never guessing that she would have a mind of her own. I didn't like anyone looking down on me, but unknowingly, I considered myself superior to her just because I had a loud voice and wasn't afraid to use my sword.

Often, I acted indifferent and uncaring towards Naminé, as though I didn't give a hoot about her well being, but just as I had turned back to take a last look at her that time, I continued to do so after that day.

It's amazing how one can cling to that single piece of stability in an ever-changing world.

Hn... That almost sounds poetic.