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 11

Even though I couldn't recall all that he had said and done to me, Marluxia and I never got along very well. There was no relationship to begin with since he made no more attempts to meet me after the disastrous first meeting. So, as far as I knew, we hadn't met formally before.

I saw him from time to time, heard snide remarks made about him, but never actually spoke to him. I judged a book by its cover, and I was pretty darn right. The way he swaggered around made it clear that he thought that he owned the place. He was too firmly settled in his leadership post to sense the undercurrents in the Organization. So after a while, I decided that Marluxia wasn't a particularly remarkable person, simply the leader of an unimpressive unit.

He never earned my respect, and I grew to dislike the sight of his wild, unkempt hair.

However, the effects of Naminé's recent handiwork left a much deeper impression than the Keeper of Castle Oblivion ever did. She made me hate Sora.

A meeting of old friends... Funny, I would've imagined a peaceful chat over tea, or maybe excited shouts and thumps on the back. Who would've expected to be greeted with a challenge to a duel? Who would've expected to greet a childhood friend with a challenge?

That's right, after having my memories rewritten twice, I was finally about to actually meet Sora for the first time. But unlike him, I wasn't happy to see him at all. In fact, when Vexen casually informed me of his presence, I literally seethed with rage.

How dare he even show his face here, trying to 'save' Naminé? He had long lost that right. After what he did, he would be lucky if she chose to forgive him at all. Now, it was my job, and mine alone to protect her, even if it was from old friends.

So what was that terrible thing that Sora did?

I know it's hard to believe that someone like him could have intentionally done anything to hurt another, so maybe it wasn't deliberate, but it was there, implanted so well that it felt real. My memories contained the same meteor shower episode as before, which was then shortly followed by Naminé's departure. But now I had the Part Two of that story.

What I hadn't known before was that it really had never been her choice, nor was it that her parents chose to move away entirely out of free will. It was that incident that had forced them.

It started on one ordinary day where Naminé and Sora had been playing together. I wasn't with them as I normally would have since there was something about a tuition lesson that my folks made me take. I hated it, but what's a kid to do? I decided that it would be fine; how much trouble could two kids cause as opposed to three?

Heh. Lots.

Somehow or another, Naminé had fallen off a cliff and into the sea. Not the calm waters that you remember, but the more treacherous waves on the other side of the island. For a young girl, those currents weren't easy to break out off. I was horrified to arrive with the others only to see her gasping for air as the sea tried to pull her down again, maybe forever.

The worst thing was that Sora was there by her side the whole time, but he didn't even try to rescue her. Anyone- anyone- else would have jumped in to save her. But he didn't. They say that he just stood there frozen, from either shock or fear. It was Tidus who had chanced upon them and dashed off to get help.

If the adults hadn't come in time, or Naminé hadn't been able to hold on to a rock as long as she had... I guess there's no need to spell it out. As it was, she didn't suffer any permanent physical damage, though I wondered how she could bear to look at the sea that had nearly swallowed her again.

But although she had been physically saved, the damage was done.

Naminé closed up like a clam and being even more silent to the point that one might think that she was mute. Worse, now there was always something about her that made her seem scared. Was it her fear of death? I wouldn't be surprised. A close brush like that at her age was something that never would fully heal.

There was no one she could confide in, because there was no one who could understand. The rest of us were still children and didn't think much of the shadowy thing called Death. Even if she had tried, she couldn't possibly have described the experience to us.

I never realized how alone she must have felt with no one to help her through.

Then, there was one day where I crept around stealthily as I witnessed her abrupt transformation. I was suddenly struck with a desperate need to help her. I remained in the shadows behind her, hoping that my presence might bring her even the slightest bit of comfort. If she noticed me, she never gave a sign. That was what Naminé had become.

I don't think I ever really forgave Sora for letting her become that way.

But I tried my best to patch things up between us. I wasn't willing to give up another one of my oldest and best friends so easily. By and by, it became just a bad, hazy memory, especially since Naminé's parents decided that leaving the Destiny Islands would be for the best.

There was no way to mend the damage done to their daughter's mind, no way to reverse it, but at very least, they could help her push that memory away.

So, they just packed their bags and left.

Within six months of her accident, one of my closest childhood friends had left my life for what I thought would be forever. I remember being heartbroken, though being a kid, I regained my spirits pretty quickly. Before long, I was running happily on the beach again. People are funny that way; they have to be constantly reminded of things, if not, the memory goes 'poof'.

All would have been okay had it not been what happened next. Some time after, there was news of a shipwreck just off the coast of a neighboring island. I remembered my parents talking about it in grave tones... It was the one that Naminé was on. We had heard nothing more.

I was sure that that was the reason why her family was separated and she had ended up miserable in Castle Oblivion.

So you see, I thought that Naminé wouldn't want to see Sora since it would probably bring back too many bad memories. It might have just been a bad case of chain reaction, but it had begun with him. Sora should never have let her fall into the ocean. He should've saved her the first chance he could. But he hadn't.

That's why I blamed all her lack of life on Sora. He was the root of her silent suffering so I believed that by keeping him as far away as possible, I was protecting her. But of course, that memory wasn't true at all. Sora was never a coward. Far from it, if anything. Still, caught up in a pretty illusion, I went and confronted Sora.

He had no idea what I was talking about.

It's hilarious, really, he thinking that I was Riku and saying things like 'I've been looking for you'. But then, even I didn't know I wasn't Riku! At first, I tried to chase him away with threats, but Sora just wouldn't take the hint. He only assumed that I had lost my memory as do its inhabitants over time.

Anxiously, he told me that he was here to 'save' me.

What a joke. I knew that it was just Sora being his noble self, but I was sorely tired of him trying to play hero. Before I knew it, we had come to blows. It wasn't kid's play anymore; I was really out to hurt him. Strangely, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. It was frustrating.

"Had... enough, Riku?" Sora panted slightly as he managed to knock me back with his keyblade. The fight had taken its toll on both of us already.

"You kidding me, Sora?" I said, smirking, "This reminds me exactly of the old days, you know... Those good ol' days."

"Really?" Sora perked up, probably hoping that I had come to my senses. I'm pretty sure that he was half-expecting me to drop my sword and start apologizing for fighting him while saying 'I don't know what came over me'. No such luck though.

I nodded, "Yeah. I remember me always kicking your butt until you begged for mercy. And that's what's gonna happen today!" Throwing all force into my swing, I successfully broke his guard and sent him stumbling.

He was clearly disappointed, but I didn't care. To me, Sora was just a naive idiot. He got back up slowly. When he lifted his head, I saw that this time there was a new fire in his eyes. It seemed that he had finally given up trying to persuade me.

We began again.

To put it plainly, I lost. It wasn't that bad a loss, I mean, I could have gone on had Sora not stopped. We stared at each other from across the hall, panting. Instead of attacking me, he merely shook his head and dispelled his keyblade. The way he did it... Like he was deeply upset, "That's enough. I don't want to fight you anymore, Riku."

My will to fight just kind of extinguished when I heard that sort of sadness.

"You'll regret that," I said angrily, turning my back on him and fleeing to another floor. I never did like charity. Silently, I vowed that we would meet again and then I would beat him, for the sake of Naminé and my own pride. I had always been the stronger one! That's the way it should be, and that was the way I intended to keep it.

But even with that reassurance, I found that I couldn't quite keep my anger in and went to an empty room. Marluxia should really have thought of refurbishing since those fancy roses of his break so easily. I slashed and hacked at dozens of them, demolishing like a machine.

It helped tons to hear the smashing of the marble and the delicate tinkling of the shards on the floor. It gave me reassurance that I still could do some things, even if I couldn't get Naminé and myself out, or keep Sora away.

An hour later, when I stood, panting and sweating, Larxene stepped in. I glared at her through the damp hair hanging in front of my eyes and said, "You're the last person I want to see right now."

"Really?" she asked innocently, looking around first from the remains of the destroyed roses then to me. Larxene smiled lazily with dark humor, "I thought the last person you wanted to see would be Marluxia. I have a feeling he won't like the redecorating that you've done. Some anger management problems?"

"Ha ha. Very funny, Larxene." I laughed flatly. Hand on the handle, I leaned on Soul Eater for support. I hoped she wasn't here for a fight, because I was really just quite exhausted from my fight with Sora. "Now, do us both a favor and get yourself out of here. I really don't have the patience to exchange insults with you. So go ahead, scram."

Larxene glanced at me calculatingly before turning away. If I didn't know better, I would say that she was actually nervous and wondering if I could really back up my threat. Finally, she snapped nastily, "You don't command me, pip-squeak. I would be happy to knock you down like you deserve, but I'm already running late for my next appointment."

"In other words, you're scared." I said evenly, with satisfaction.

Larxene gritted her teeth. Imagine Larxene, the Queen of Lightning, to have been humbled by a kid. Oh, I'm sure it hurt her more than she let on... All the better.

"How I pity you, Larxene," I said airily to her back. I just realized that I did one second ago.

She froze, turning slowly, staring at me with a mixture of confusion and anger. But mostly anger. No matter how many death glares she sent my way, I wasn't to be stopped. I may not have known what her story was that she turned out this way, but I did understand what she was now.

I had said before that she was evil, and very likely she was. But what if it was just nothing more than a pretense, for fear that someone would see beneath and realize the truth? What if... Ah yes, she had always dangled 'the truth' in front of me like a treat that I couldn't have, but now I had found hers. But unlike her, I wouldn't jerk it back just as she reached out to take it. No, I would throw it in her face.

"Pretending doesn't change anything. You should know that, Larxene. And you thought no one would notice?" I went on scornfully. "No amount of cruelty you display can change the fact that you are weak. In the end, you're just a poser. A nobody pretending to be a somebody."

Was I pushing my luck too far? Larxene turned an amazing shade of red and shouted at me, "Who are you to lecture me about being a nobody? You of all people! I–"

"I what? Nothing you say will change it, you know," I cut in, coldly. This was getting old. "It's the truth, Larxene. Your truth."

That shut her up. "All this time, you've really been jealous of Naminé. You couldn't bear to see her clean while you dabbled with your messy businesses. You couldn't believe that someone like her could still exist in this kind of world."

Larxene's mouth opened and shut like a fish's, but no words came. I grinned craftily, "I see, so that's how it is. I was right."

"I'm warning you..." she said, voice trembling with rage.

I went on happily, as though not hearing her threat. "Even with all your powers, I don't envy you, Larxene. The way I see it, Naminé will always be better than you. She has me. That will always be true; it isn't something that will disappear with time. So what if you have strength now? I wouldn't lower myself to your level for all the power in the world."

Time never ceases to flow, no matter how much you want it to stop. And Larxene, who was still very much a mortal, would age and die. We both knew that.

Then, I almost felt sorry for the inner Larxene who was more human than demon. Quietly, I said, "You live a lonely life that offers nothing but pain and betrayal. The road you chose is a one way path that always leads to the same dismal place. That is why I pity you."

Our conversations usually end up with shouting, never silence. This time, something was very different. Normally, Larxene was easy to read, but now... she had just frozen, as if figuring out my game. She became quiet and still and I had no way of telling if my words had gotten through to her.

Finally, sneering at me, she said simply, "You're an idiot, you know?" I guess not.

"So blissfully ignorant... You think you're so clever, but what do YOU know? How can you know that your thoughts can be trusted?" She laughed loudly in glee. "How do you know that your memories aren't all LIES!"

In my mind, I wrapped my fingers around her slender neck and choked her to death. Instead, I only shook my head slowly, smirking. "You're so pathetic, Larxene. Your cheap shots won't work on me. The only joke around here is you."

"Oh?" Larxene asked. Her composure was back and well maintained. "You know, even if it's against Marluxia's orders, I actually wish that the Keyblade Master would reach Naminé and steal her from right under your nose."

"Traitorous words, Larxene," I said, smirking.

"For you, Riku, I'd risk it," she replied, with a smirk of her own. "Just wait 'til it happens. I'll make sure to come back and laugh in your face, you poor, stupid baby." Amazingly, Larxene started to leave of her own accord, smiling as though she had won.

But something prompted her to turn back. Just before she exited, Larxene stared hard at me once more, disgust clear on her face. Incredulous and scornful at the same time, she finally said, "I can't believe it. Even with all your stupid fanciful ideas, I thought that you at least had some sense. But I was so wrong." Her voice rose in frustration, "All this time and you still dare to hope?"

She had to be talking about Naminé and me. "I can do better than hope. One chance is all I need."

But maybe we were thinking about different things after all.

Larxene was after blood; she wanted me to break down and wallow in self-pity and misery. But her plan was failing, and she saw that. Desperate, she spat out, "Are you slow or what! There is no chance! There's nothing to hope for, because you'll never be anybody! You, 'Riku', simply don't exist!"

Meaningless ramblings. "Buzz off Larxene, you're crazy."

"You really think so?" My look answered her question. Larxene seemed happy for some reason, she smiled her sickeningly sweet smile. "Ha! Mark my words, soon you'll realize how kind I was to warn you. Don't blame me for saying 'I told you so' then." She waved once and left, "Ta ta."

And that was the last time I saw Larxene.

My last image of her was one departing from the room, back straight. Was she truly proud? I let her leave without any trouble. Can't say I missed her though, the world was a better place without her after all.

But I wonder sometimes if she ever regretted not leaving a mark on the world. She existed only in the present, leaving nothing to show the future that she had ever been there. When it really came down to it, Larxene would be the one who never existed.

Quickly, I calmed my thoughts, and was shocked to realize that there was a sudden fear in my chest. It struck so fast that I had no time to determine why I was afraid, though I had a pretty good reason why.

Larxene's predictions clung to my memories. Sooner or later, I would have to face that truth. Frustrated, I summoned Soul Eater and began hacking and smashing again.

Finally, I collapsed onto the ground, sitting with my legs stretched out. Soul Eater clattered once beside me as it hit the tiles before disappearing silently. I gazed around, taking in the destruction I had caused. In place of my anger, a heavy emptiness had set in. Suddenly, I was only tired.

Words don't mean anything without action. They can't hurt me, I thought stubbornly to myself, determined that it should be true. What kind of wimp was I, to let Larxene's trash talking bother me like that? Words have no power over me.