The screen flickered a bit before you find yourself in a theater right next to the author as he worked on the projector before noticing you.

*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 and welcome back to another chapter of The Familiar of Twilight.*

*As promised this chapter begins the Mott Arc and before July ended as promised.*

*And for those wondering why the theater, two reasons actually.*

*First off this chapter is mainly based off one of the best chapters of A Heart in the Void and I finally get to use the chance the characters I had gotten permission from DrWriter21 which I have been waiting quite a long time to use. So I hope you all will enjoy that.*

*Secondly...to my surprise with only five chapters this story has passed 200 favorites and 200 followers. Making it the second story of mine to do so with a total of 201 favorites and 228 followers as of the time I post this chapter. It warms my heart to see so many people appreciate this story, so thank you all for the support. I couldn't have done this without you.*

*Now then, I believe it is time to start this chapter shall we.*

*First off I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Familiar of Zero.*

*Secondly just sit back, relax, maybe put some music on, and enjoy. I will see you all at the end of the chapter.*

The author tapped the projector and it flared to life, beginning the chapter.


Love?


Roxas woke up as the sun started to shine down upon the land. He tried to get up, only for him to be entrapped in Slyphid's embrace once again.

The Nobody just sighed, having been used to the dragon sneaking up here with him by now.

Roxas quietly sneaked his way out of Slyphid's hold, knowing that it take the sun to rise quite a higher before the dragon to wake up.

He surveyed the position of the sun. Louise had told him to get her up early to get into town, but she didn't specify when.

"I suppose that I could slip in some training." Roxas said, creating a Corridor of Darkness to the top of one of the surrounding towers and stepped forward.

Once he did he took in a deep breath as he began to gather wind around his feet. Roxas took a good look at he where he wanted to go, before jumping off the tower's roof.

The wind propelled him high and far into the air. Once he reached the apex of his jump he surrounded himself in wind and kept afloat for a few brief moments before he started to fall. Roxas just sighed before gliding back down to the next tower's roof.

"So close, just a little better then yesterday." Roxas sighed out before getting into position and trying again.

The day after his duel with Guiche and during his first time in class with Louise he noticed several students practicing to fly without any form of fairy dust.

Seeing that and missing the feeling of flying back in Neverland Roxas began to practice trying to fly during his spare time every now and then.v

Getting a few brief pointers from Tabitha when she came to the top of the academy to find out where Slyphid had disappeared too.

Still it looks like it will take quite sometime before he could get it quite down, unlike the other spell he had picked up.

He continued to train like this for a while longer before he miscalculated how he was in the air and immediately began to glide past a tower's roof and tried to reach for academy's wall, but it was too late.

As the Nobody continued downwards he was about to open up a Corridor of Darkness.

Only to be snatched of the air by Slyphid, who let out a soft roar at Roxas.

"Thanks for the save Slyphid." Roxas said as the dragon flew up to the central tower and began to nuzzle against him as they landed."I'm alright, I just had a misstep. Just need to be careful next time I practice."

Slyphid stopped nuzzling him and gave Roxas a concerned glance.

"I am not going to continue to practice for awhile after that misstep if that is what you are thinking about. Besides need to get Louise up soon." Roxas said.

Slyphid just let out a huff at that.

"Though I suppose she can have a few more minutes of sleep." Roxas said with a small smile as he figured what Slyphid want as he scratched it's neck. Getting the dragon to preen and cooing as he did so.

Besides it was a beautiful sun rise, he could wait just a bit more before heading into town and seeing what else Halkeginia had to offer


A little bit later he woke up Louise, she was less then pleased to have been awaken early until Roxas reminded her about what she told him last night.

After that she changed her tune and immediately got changed and the two of them departed Tristain Academy to the nearest town, which actually wasn't a town at all.

In actuality it was the capital city of Tristain, Tristania. A little redundant when it came to the naming, but Roxas could careless though.

They had to get to Tristania by a three hour horseback ride from the academy. Something Roxas swore to do the least amount possible. It was a bit of an unpleasant experience for the Nobody who would have preferred to walk or used a Corridor of Darkness next time.

Right now they were in Tristania.

It was a lot more rural then the World that never was and much, much more lively. There was people everywhere instead of Nobodies. Walking down the bustling streets where people either taking in the sights, going into shops or browsing merchants's wares from the various stands lining the streets, or just going about with their lives.

In all honesty it was a welcome sight for Roxas, it kind of reminded him of Twilight Town.

"Alright familiar listen up, you are permitted to wander around the city and familiarize yourself with the layout of the streets. We will be coming back and I might need for you to know your way around Tristania. Meet me back here in over an hour after I have gotten everything I need, understood familiar?" Louise said with a huff.

"Got it." Roxas said nonchalantly, not really caring about her orders.

Louise let out a slight growl at that before silencing herself. Letting this disrespect to her slide as getting a new wand was more important.

So with a huff she turned in the opposite direction and walk into a nearby crowd. Which promptly split for Louise as she walked by through them. Some people looking at her in fear or more specifically her cloak.

The Nobody guessed they might have crossed paths with some of the worst of noble kind or need horror stories about them.

Personally he didn't have any kind of encounter with such nobles in the academy, minus his first encounter with Guiche. Most have give him a wide beareth after the duel with some sent him glares and mutters under their breathe.

More of an annoyance then antagonistic.

Still Roxas hoped that he wouldn't encounter such a noble as he walked in the opposite direction of Louise.

There Roxas walked down the streets taking in all the sights and to memorize every detail as best he could.

After all he might come back later in the week when he had time for it. So it would be for the best to memorize a place to open up a Corridor of Darkness to.

Anyway people all around him of all ages where walking around, most of them stopping at a merchant's stands to get items like food, clothing, trinkets, and potions.

The later of which interested Roxas, curious on what they were like and if they functioned like the ones he was used too.

But after seeing an entire shop full of potions, the Nobody decided against it.

He had more then enough potions from during his time with the Organization that he could open up his own store full.

Chuckling at the thought Roxas just walked past it.

Only to feel a sharp pain wind up his arm from the rune.

"What the?" Roxas asked as the pain started to clam down before shrugging and walking down the street as to investigate what caused his rune to act up before he moved on with his walk through the city.


About 10 minutes later in a blacksmith shop the owner thanked the Founder it was a slow day despite quite the boon in business lately due to a thief named Fouquet robbing nobles blind.

He closed the shop down with a bottle of liquor in hand, questioning why he promised his father on his deathbed that he wouldn't melt down that annoying, rusted slag of steel.

It all started when from underneath a pile of swords what sounded like a mix of joyous sobbing erupted and scared away a messenger from a noble for an order of swords. And no one else coming through, having hear the man screamed about his shop was haunted.

It was going to take him a day or two to clear up the misconception and it was starting to get old.

At least he managed to sell one of his best swords though.

"Shut up Derf or I will melt you down for scrap!" The owner shouted out, getting the sword laugh out loud.

"Never you knave!" Def shouted out from underneath the pile of swords, getting the blacksmith to grumble out as he unflasked the liquor and started to drink, already going to the cabinet and planning to get some more.

In order to drown out the sword's sobs, cheers, and eventual insults.


Roxas sighed as he inspected the elixirs in front of him.

He had heard about someone was selling them and decided to check them out to see how they compared to the ones Moogle's make.

Which was a slight disappointment as instead of being a liquid gold it was more akin muddy water.

He was sure they might have held some properties given the magical nature of this world, but it probably would pale in comparison to whatever the Moogle's could synthesis.

Roxas just sighed before he turned around and began to walk away to explore more of city.

Before her heard a small scream and the sound of something breaking caught his attention.

"You stupid little brat! Do you know how much écus this robe is worth or the elixir you just waited?!" An angry voice snapped at someone.

"I-I'm sorry sir!" A terrified young voice cried out getting Roxas to turn to see what all the commotion was about.

The Nobody saw a young girl about 10 years old with brown with bright green eyes back into an older woman who Roxas guessed was her mother in fear.

The source of her fear was a tall black haired, grayed eyed man with his blue robes marred by a dirty brown stain. Judging by the man's red cloak underneath a white ruffle and the staff in his hand that he was a noble.

His demeanor and this fact had Roxas on edge, even more so with the strong amount of darkness radiating from his heart.

"Count Mott please forgive her, she is just a little girl! She didn't know what she did, so please forgive my daughter! It will not happen again!" The mother begged out in fear.

Count Mott calmed down somewhat before his face darkened.

"Your right." The noble said coldly as he trained his staff towards the girl. "It won't."

With that he launched several shards of ice from his staff that struck the little girl and embedded themselves into her stomach.

Roxas, her mother, and the crowd could only watch with horror as she crashed into the ground, blood started to pour out of her wound.

The mother erupted into tears as she rushed to her daughter and began cradle her as the blood began to pool down onto the ground.

Roxas was trying his best not to see red as tried to grab Oblivion from his bag in order to deal with the noble.

He and Sora had seen many horrible events among the worlds, but this... this was just no words to describe just how horrid and petty this was. Killing a little girl for bumping into you a ruining your clothes?

This Count Mott had to have been far worst then any of the he stories he heard from the academy's staff about nobles. He needed to be dealt with immediately.

As Roxas grabbed Oblivion however, he stopped himself.

The look in Count Mott's eyes reminded him of something he had experienced while inside of Sora.

Shan Yu, a man with an utter lack of regard for any other human unless it suited his own ends.

So if he tried anything here... then there would be a lot more people in danger.

As much as he hated to admit it... he was going to wait a bit inorder to help the girl out.

But if Mott tried anything else, there would be no hesitation.

"Enough with the crying woman, either quiet down or you will join be next." Count Mott said coolly.

The girl's mother struggled to choke back her sobs as tears streamed down her face even more.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you commoners." Count Mott said before turning to the horrified crowd. "You see what happens when you step out of place and assault a noble."

"Assult! " The mother screamed at him, raw anger in her tone. "She bumped into you by accident!"

"I will give you one last chance woman. One more word out of you woman and you will join your daughter in death." He said menacingly.

The mother gave Count Mott the most spiteful glare the Nobody had ever seen someone seen before tending back to her daughter.

"That's what I thought." Count Mott said with a twisted smile before walking away, the crowd parting fearfully as he passed through them.

Once the gap in the crowd closed up, Roxas steeled his nerves and began to approach the crying woman and her daughter.

He could hold back his rage towards the noble for now, as he had to make sure the girl didn't die on his watch.

Just like with-

Roxas let out a slight wince as a flash of pain coursesed through his head, but he kept walking undeterred.

He could focus on that later.

"Ellie." The woman sobbed out as she cradled her daughter's body, with the ice having melted and leaving gapping holes in her stomach. "Someone please help her, she is going to die!" The mother begged, but no one in the crowd did anything.

Most where still staring and horror and shock, though a good portion of them held their elixirs close to them. Some just out right booked it rather then help the mother and her girl out.

Roxas looked at their fleeting forms with disgust and wondered how could some people act like that. Acting more heartless then a Nobody like him.

As he walked past the crowd, the mother looked up at him with urgency and panic in her eyes.

"Please help us, I'll do anything! Please just help me get Ellie to a doctor!" The woman begged, tears streaming down her face even harder.

The Nobody looked down at the girl as he dug through his bag for the items he needed. She had her eyes closed and was whimpering and gasping in pain, face losing color quickly.

She didn't have much time left, probably would have past sooner if her mother hadn't done her best to stop the bleeding.

"Lay her down onto the ground and remove your hands." Roxas said as he pulled out a mega potion and a mega ether from his bag.

" What are you talking about, we need to get her to a doctor!" The woman cried out, getting Roxas to shake his head.

"If we did so it might be too late with how much she is bleeding out. Please just trust me on this, if you do not I will help as best that I can to get here to a doctor." Roxas said trying to reassure the mother and looking directly in her eye.

She stared at him for a few moments before looking back between her daughter and the Nobody before slowly nodding and laying her daughter gently to the ground.

"I hope you know what you are doing." The mother sobbed out as she removed her bloodstained hands from her daughter's wounds as Roxas uncorked the mega potion.

"I do, now can you please hold her done for a second. She might thrash a bit, but this is to prevent any infections from forming." Roxas said as the woman nodded and held her daughter down.

Roxas poured a bit of the mega potion into her open wounds, getting the girl to whimper even more and start to thrash a bit while her tearful mother held her down. Once half of the potion was gone, Roxas stopped and summoned Oathkeeper. Getting the woman to back up in shock and a little fear.

"Here goes nothing, Curaga!" Roxas casted the spell erupted into a magic circle around them.

From there Roxas focus on making it smaller and smaller until it only covered the area around the girl. He struggled to maintain it as condensing the circle like this required more effort then to cast it.

Yet it was working as the girls wounds were closing and the color returned to her face.

The mother could only watch in shock as this mage was healing her daughter as Roxas downed his mega ether as he had run out of magic.

In another minute the girls wounds was fully closed and replaced by unblemish skin. Roxas fell back and panted as he dispelled the spell and his Keyblade.

He was almost completely out of magic and exhausted, but it was well worth it.

The girl's eyes opened slowly as she sat up, wincing as she sat up and wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"Here, this will help with the pain, just make sure to drink it all up. despite how bland it tastes." Roxas said, handing the girl the remains of the mega potion.

Which she quickly drank up before standing up without a hitch and sticking her tongue at the taste.

"Ellie!" The mother sobbed out, looking at her daughter in awe and knelt down to hug her.

"Mom!" Ellie cried out as she hugged her mother's neck and started to cry out into the crook of it. "It hurt so much mom! I thought that I was going to die!"

"It's okay Ellie, it's over now." The mother said as she tried her best to sooth her daughter. "Everything is going to be alright now."

Roxas smiled as he watched the interaction between the two of them. Hopefully everything will be alright for them now. Though looking at them he began to feel a little hollow... moreso then usually.

To see them caring for so much, a mother for her daughter... it must be a nice thing to experience or to even feel.

An emotion he realized that went far beyond just simply caring, an emotion that he could never grasp.

The one Xaldin to deem the greatest of weaknesses, love.

Despite it being seemed a weakness both Sōta's and Beast's actions for Kairi and Belle had proven otherwise.

Then again they might both be right as love seemed to be a rather complex emotion, far more so than any

Something a Nobody like him would probably never get to understand not experience.

"Thank you very much!" The mother exclaimed tearfully, break Roxas out of his thoughts and surprising as the mother was bowing before him.

Roxas just shook his head as he help the mother up.

"There is no need for that, I was just happy to help out and make sure your daughter was alright." Roxas said as he helped the woman up before frowning. "But what happened here?"

The mother bit her lip and held Ellie close to her before answering.

"I had heard that there was going to a sale on elixirs today so I brought Ellie with me as we saved up enough to buy one for emergencies. However they were still too expensive, so I told Ellie we could eat at her favorite place today. She got excited and accidentally ran into Count Mott. Causing him to spill his elixir all over his robe." The mother explained, getting Roxas's frown to deepen.

"And for that he tried to kill her?" Roxas asked his tone turning frigid with anger at how anyone could be so petty.

The mother could only nod her head sadly at that.

"Nobles are not allowed to attack commoners without being assaulted first, but they can sometimes find ways to get around these rules and bend the truth in order to get away with it. Count Mott has done far worse for less... there are still a number of girls in the city that he has taken to be his mistresses. Some never to be seen again." The mother said, getting Roxas's anger to reach a boiling point.

While he didn't exactly know some things like what the word mistress meant... but he knew just enough to get that what happened to the girl's night have been akin to a death sentence from what this man was willing to do to Ellie alone.

"And he just gets away with all of this?" Roxas asked bitterly, getting the mother to once again nod her head sadly.

"Count Jules de Mott is the royal messenger to the palace, if anyone of us try to report him he will bring his wrath upon us commoners." The mother said sadly.

"I see." Roxas said bitterly.

How could someone with a heart like that remain in a position like that and was capable of openly attacking and killing a little girl both puzzled and infuriated him.

He had heard a couple of stories from the staff at the academy of the horrors that some nobles could do.

But to see it for real and for Mott to be able get away for it was a whole other experience entirely and only further aggravated him.

However took a breath to calm himself as a lot of people now had their attention on him.

"Did you see that?"

"I did and I could hardly believe it. A mage saving that girl's life."

"Are you sure he is a mage, he looks like an elf and has a strange sword like I heard that some use."

"No his ears aren't pointed, besides it could be a swordwand."

"Then is he a fallen noble then, it likes quite regal compared to any other swordwands I've heard about?"

The crowd started to break into chatter and with so many eyes on him it was starting to make the Nobody uncomfortable.

"I have to go. Make sure to take care of yourselves." Roxas said as he began to walk away, deciding that it was time to leave.

"Wait!" Ellie cried out as she gingerly separated herself from her mother and approached Roxas. He stopped and turned to face the little girl as she shyly approached him.

"Can you please bend down for a second mister?" Ellie said shyly, getting Roxas to shrug as he did so. Seeing no harm in it.

Only to be surprised when she had wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, causing him to flinch for a second before embracing it.

A few moments later Ellie began to separate herself from Roxas, only to surprise him once again by kissing him on the cheek.

"Thanks for saving me mister." Ellie said before turning around, her face blushing from embarrassment before running back to her mother. "Mom! I kissed his cheek!"

Roxas blinked at that before he rubbed the spot where the girl had kissed him.

It was the same way Siesta had done the night after his duel with Guiche. So was this kissing a way to say thanks?

Roxas promptly banished the thought from his mind as he gave the mother and daughter a smile and waved goodbye as he walked away.

Comments flying left and right as he walked through the crowd, but he didn't pay any mind to them.

Right now he just wanted to wait for Louise and get back to the academy. She would probably yell his ear off if he upped and left her in this city.

He had enough exploring Tristania and if his experience with Count Mott and Ellie had shown, then he had just gotten a good glimpse of both the light and darkness of Halkeginia.

Unaware to him that at a nearby alleyway that there was two people who had seen the whole thing play out.

"Tabitha tell me that you saw that?" Kirche asked her friend.

Tabitha nodded as they were both surprised by what they saw.

The former was surprised that he was a mage, but they were both surprised by him having a second strange looking swordwand and being able to heal the girl that fast with a spell like that.

Considering the grievances of Ellie's wounds, it would have taken longer for a square class water mage to have healed to such a degree. Even then there was still a slim chance Ellie wouldn't have made it, but she was alive and well.

"Did you know that he was a mage?" Kirche asked Tabitha, getting her to nod once again.

"Yes." Tabitha said, shaking her head.

She had thought that he was a dot mage when it came to use magic due to what she had seen and him asking about wind magic.

A foolish observation now after seeing him heal the girl with a square class spell.

Yet he asked her help with a spell meant for dot class mage and was struggling with it from what she saw.

So that left the question of what class of mage he was?

"Tabitha, can you tell me all that you know of Roxas then." Kirche said, a certain fire in her eye that got the petite mage to sigh at her friend.

She knew what Kirche was planning tonight and she would have no part of it.

So she went back to her book and ignored most of the questions her friend asked her considering Louise's familiar.


Roxas walked down the halls of the academy with a sigh, the events of earlier in the day still fresh on his mind.

After he had reunited to Louise after she hard gotten a new wand the two of them rode back off to the academy. It was mostly a quiet ride back there.

Once back there the two mostly stayed apart from with each other, with Louise more focused on making sure her new wand wouldn't explode on her anytime soon.

Roxas took to helping out the academy's servants if they needed help, something which they always appreciated from their key.

However Roxas was disappointed that he couldn't get a chance to interact with Siesta, however Marteau had promised that he would get the chance to do so tomorrow.

Something that had brightened up the Nobody's spirit.

Yet Roxas couldn't help but notice that there was something hidden in the man's tone. The exact nature of which he couldn't tell.

Roxas just shrugged his shoulders at that and prepared to open up a Corridor of Darkness to the roof and just call it a night.

Until he heard a familiar croaking from behind him and turned to see Flame. The familiar walked up to Roxas, who expected the salamander to wanted him to scratch it's head.

Instead Flame grabbed his pants leg and tugged it several times before Roxas took a step back and the familiar to let go.

The Nobody was about to ask Flame what he was doing, but the salamander croaked and gestured it's head to a slightly opened door down the hall.

Where he could sense that Kirche was behind it.

"I take it that Kirche sent you for me." Roxas said as he bent down to scratch the salamander's head, getting it to let out a soft growl before trying to drag him back there once again.

He pondered what she could want with him and decided it wouldn't hurt to check.

So he followed Flame to Kirches's room and noticed it was pitch black in there besides the glow coming from Flame's tail.

"You wanted to see me?" Roxas asked.

"Yes I did, now do you mind closing the door?" Kirche said from the darkness, getting the Nobody to do so.

Once the door was closed, Kirche snapped her fingers and the room was lighten up by lanterns.

To reveal Kirche standing right next to him, giving him a flirtatious smirk and what she was wearing...what could best be described as very skimpy nightwear.

Roxas felt his face heat up a little and a strange feeling welling up inside his chest.

What was going on? He never had that kind of reaction before?

He immediately tried to look away from Kirche, who immediately started approach him.

Finding his reaction at trying to look away adorable.

She had seen this kind of reaction before. The shy type, if she came onto him too soon or two fast he would bolt.

But she knew the perfect stratagem before her the fun can begin.

Get him comfortable before going making her move.

"Roxas I saw what you did today at Tristania." Kirche said as she approached him.

The Nobody paused, took a deep breath, and kept his attention on Kirche's face. Doing his damnest not to look anywhere else at her body, else that sensation he felt would return stronger then before.

"You did?" Roxas asked.

"Of course, today is the Day of the Void after all. I went with Tabitha to Tristania on Slyphid. But I clearly never expected to see what you did to that little girl." Kirche said.

Left unsaid she saw him leave with Louise and dragged Tabitha into following them.

Upon hear that Roxas figured what she was going to ask and just shrugged his shoulders.

"So what if I can use magic, wasn't exactly keeping it hidden and Tabitha knew. As for the girl, I couldn't just stand there and do nothing after what Count Mott did to her." Roxas said, his tone turning bitter at the end.

Only for that bitterness to vanish and replaced by...something else as Kirche draped her arm around his shoulder and started to press herself against him.

That strange feeling reached a critical point, to the same level it did the day Siesta kissed his cheek.

Only his side didn't feel something this soft as Kirche pressed her barely covered chest against his side.

"Now now Roxas it wouldn't be could to think about that right now. You saved the girl's life and that is all that matters." Kirche said before her tone turned serious. "Yet your ability to use such powerful magic is important considering how you healed that girl instantly."

"And?" Roxas asked, trying his best not to look down. Kirche just sighed at his response.

"You really don't get it do you, if that girl's mother didn't get her to a mage willing to help she would be dead by now with how grevious her wounds were. Maybe crippled for life if she found a competent commoner doctor in time. Either way, it would cost a fortune in écus for the remedies or procedure to save her life. Either way it took quite a bit of time to heal her like what you did in a minute or two." Kirche said. " You are able to use magic and yet act like a commoner. Are you a fallen noble perchance?"

Hearing this Roxas could only sigh.

"I am not, just because I can use magic does not make me a noble. I was simply taught how to use it." Roxas said, getting Kirche to frown.

"If you are not a fallen noble or a commoner, then what are you?" Kirche asked.

Roxas pondered briefly on what to tell her, before coming to the best conclusion.

"I'm just a nobody." Roxas said honestly, getting Kirche to stare at him for over a minute before sighing.

Figuring that pressing onto the issue to get more answers would only get her nowhere unless he wanted to talk about it.

"Well if you say so handsome, but to me your more then a nobody." Kirche said seductively as she placed her head against his shoulder and moved her arm drape it over his chest and began to gently trace her finger over his chest.

Getting the Nobody to feel himself shiver for some reason and a chill to travel down his spine.

"What are you doing?" Roxas asked shakily.

"Nothing~" Kirche said seductively. "You know it was rather kind of you to heal that girl."

"I suppose that's something a good portion of nobles would care about no matter her condition." Roxas said, getting Kirche to wince. "Considering what Guiche did to Siesta and Louise seems indifferent to them at all."

"Well for Guiche he was lashing out at being caught and after your beating I am sure that he will never make the same mistake again. As for Louise, her behavior towards commoners is shared by a majority of nobles as they were brought up on it." Kirche said.

"I figured as much from most of the student's reactions when he tried to bury Siesta. Hopefully what I did to him truly sticks otherwise I will not be as merciful." Roxas said.

"You really seem to care about the maid." Kirche said, getting Roxas to nod.

"Of course she is my first friend here." Roxas said, not mentioning Slyphid or Tabitha as he wasn't sure on his exact standing with the dragon or her. "I do not lose another any of my friends again."

At hearing this Kirche blinked, hearing Roxas actually let lose part of his past.

"You lost someone?" Kirche asked, getting Roxas to pause before nodding.

"More then once, not sure if they are alright or not." Roxas said, thinking of Axel and who he was struggling to remember as of late. Their was still a chance that Axel was alive,and he was hoping that whoever his second friend was alive as well.

The saddening vibrations of Oblivion from his bag only increased his concerns.

"I see." Kirche said, before she gained a seductive smile. "Then maybe the both of us can make our pain go away."

Roxas was confused on what she meant by that, until she grabbed his free arm and placing his free hand onto her chest.

Directly over her heart.

"K-Kirche." Roxas said, feeling the strange sensation wash over his body in full force from her actions.

"Do you feel that Roxas, the warmth of my heart. Lit aflame with a burning passion to rival my runic name, the Ardent." Kirche said with a seductive passion. "It burns this way because of you. It burns this way because of my love for you. Ever since you defeated Guiche I have fallen in love with you Roxas, and seeing you heal that innocent girl only solidified my feelings for you."

There it was again, love. A confusing emotion he will never get to experience. One whose thoughts plagued him all afternoon.

Now maybe he wasn't sure if what Kirche was saying was true or not. But maybe she may know something about the love that he was inquiring about it.

"Kirche." Roxas said, getting her full attention.

"Yes Roxas." Kirche said, believing that after five days of trying she finally had Roxas right where she wanted him.

"What is love?" Roxas asked.

Only to shatter those hopes with a single question.

"Pardon?" Kirche said, hoping she simply misheard the Nobody.

"What is love?" Roxas repeated, getting Kirche to separate herself from him.

She was expecting him to say a lot of things, but not this.

How in the Founder's name did he not know what love is? He looked to be about 15 years old and yet he knew nothing about love.

It was a basic emotion, and yet if that was truly how did he grow up this long without knowing so.

"You truly do not know what love is?" Kirche asked incredulously, getting Roxas to nod. "How?!"

"Never had a chance to learn or truly understand it, I guess." He said, getting Kirche to stare at him in surprise.

"You never had a chance to learn about love? What about your parents or your family, weren't they supposed to teach you about love." She asked incredulously once again.

"Never had any family. Even then the people around me were for as you could say emotionally stunted. I pretty much had to figure everything out. So do you know what love is?" Roxas said honestly, stunning Kirche into silence.

This is not what she had planned at all.

She had planned on luring Roxas into her room, finally seduce him, and if there wasn't any interruptions then could have a steamy, passionate night together. The perfect reward for her first challenge since entering the academy. However Kirche could never expect this, any of this. It had all turned into something incredible different. She was staring at someone who was an orphan, had possibly lost everything close to him before be summoned, basically had to learn how to admit that by himself, and never knew what love actually was.

Just what kind of life did Roxas live before Louise summoned him?

The sheer concept of such a life was lost on with such passion as herself. All she did know was that it sounded like a very hollow existence.

For several minutes Roxas waited for Kirche to respond as Flame rubbed his head against his mistress's leg in order to make sure she was alright.

She wasn't answering his question at all, so maybe she truly didn't know at all?

The Nobody sighed as he shook his head and reached for the doorknob.

"Thank you for the talk." Roxas said politely, not really sure how to respond in this kind of situation as he opened the door and left.

At this Kirche snapped out of her stupor and opened the door to call Roxas back in.

Only he was long gone by then.


Roxas closed the Corridor of Darkness as he stepped onto the top of the academy's tallest tower.

It had been a long day, with the issues of corrupt noble and love. He had enough for one day and decided to focus on those topics another time. And decided to get so sleep in order to perhaps have better progress with them tomorrow.

So he simply fell asleep on the tower's roof.

Not before adding one last entry into his journal.

Day 371: Love?


The next day passed the same as it had for most of Roxas's time here at the academy.

Though their was a feel minute differences.

First was that Kirche had left him alone for the day, which was a first.

Second the commoner staff seemed to be a bit more distant then usual. Sure they seemed to be just as friendly as usual. But they seemed to be a keeping something to their selves from the Nobody.

Finally there was Siesta...she seemed to have something weighing on her heart. Literally, her light felt dimmer in a sense and whenever he tried to ask her about it she always shyed away from the topic.

This concerned Roxas as he hadn't really seen her act this way since Guiche, but considering he hadn't seen her yesterday and she seemed alright maybe she just had a bad day yesterday.

If not then he hoped that his friend would at be willing to talk to him about it if something was truly troubling her.

Right now he was just watching the sunset, this one a quite clouded then he had seen in a long time. Looking like the clouds where trying to swallow up all the light. It looked like he was under a great grey sea with the sun shining dimly through the clouds.

Truly a unique, if gloomy sunset.

Roxas was enjoying the sunset to it's conclusion when he had heard the familiar wing flaps of Slyphid as the dragon landed on the roof.

With Tabitha climbing off of her dragon giving the Nobody with a calculative gaze. Without a book in hand, something that surprised Roxas.

She was never without a book in hand, so this was a first for him.

"You're here for some more answers are you?" Roxas asked, getting Tabitha to nod. "I honestly should have expected that you would do so after last night with Kirche."

"Only one question." Tabitha said, her tone seeming to have a twinge of emotion to it. "How strong is your healing spell?"

The Nobody was once again caught off guard by this, never hearing Tabitha saying more then three words at a single time. And never with such emotion in her voice either.

"It depends on how much magic I use, but it had brought my body back from the brink multiple times." Roxas said honestly, seeing nothing wrong with telling her this.

Yet it seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Tabitha bit her lip slightly.

"The body, I see..." Tabitha trailed off before she shook her head and brought out a book. She immediately brought it close to her face and Slyphid tried to get her attention, but to no avail.

Roxas tried to figure out how his answer would cause such a reaction beyond not being the one she wasn't looking for.

But seeing that Slyphid was not even getting her attention decided to focus on the sunset before heading in for dinner or if Tabitha decided to get his attention.

Something Tabitha was also thinking off, while also wondering how someone who admitted have learned how emote on his own was so well adjusted.

After seeing him sending a few concerned glances her way and thinking about what he did yesterday and in the week prior the answer was clear.

Roxas unlike a certain person she knew and despised who could not feel any emotions, he hard a hard time grasping emotions that were new to him.


After dinner Roxas helped of the academy's servants taking care of the dishes and Marteau had him work with Siesta the entire time.

It was always a good time to spend with them and to chat with his friend, yet he could still feel the dimness of her heart and it only seemed to have gotten a bit worse as the day progressed.

At the end of cleaning everything to the surprise of Roxas and Siesta, Marteau asked for the Nobody to walk with Siesta back to her room early as she had been busy all day.

Roxas could tell there was something else going on, by how everyone's hearts in the kitchen seemed to darken.

Yet Siesta seemed to be happy about it and immediately lead Roxas with her out of the kitchens, grabbing him by the arm while she did so.

For what reason he didn't know, but all he could care about was being with his friend at the moment.

All along the way the two talked about their day like what has become their normal, all with Siesta leading the way and happily pulling him along.

Not that Roxas minded, and was just happy talking with his friend.

Though he was surprised at how strong her grip was.

In a few minutes they had reached her room and Siesta let go of his arm as she stopped in front of the door and turned to Roxas while her lower lipped twitch slightly.

He was about to ask her what was wrong, but she bowed before catching Roxas by surprise and embracing him in a hug.

"Thank you for everything Roxas." Siesta said, getting the Nobody to blink.

"For what?" Roxas asked as Siesta separated herself from him with a bright smile.

"As I was saying Roxas, for everything that you have done for me. Saving me from...that horrific experience with Guiche." Siesta said, breaking her smile for a moment with a shutter. "Meeting with me everyday, talking with me even if I tend to rattle off sometimes, helping me with my tasks from time to time, and just for being my friend. These past few days have been some of my favorite moments since coming under the employment of the academy. I will always treasure them, and they will give me the strength to continue moving forward."

Roxas could tell something was off. The way of her smile, her eyes gaining a slight shimmer too them, and the feel of her heart dimming of ever so slightly.

Something about all of this just felt off to him.

"Siesta is everything alright? If have something wrong you can tell me as your friend right. We have each other's back just like our first day together." Roxas said, getting Siesta to pause.

She was silent for a whole minute before a small smile broke across her face and her eyes seem to glimmer even more.

"I know, but everything is alright." Siesta said as she opened the door to her room. "You have such a kind heart Roxas, don't you ever forget that. Goodbye."

With that she quickly closed the door behind her. Roxas frowned at that and reached for the door, but stopped himself.

Something just felt wrong with this whole situation.

Siesta was his friend, and if something was wrong she would tell him right?

But this was probably like with Tabitha, she will not talk unless she wants too. So he will try again in the morning.

Roxas opened a Corridor of Darkness and hoped that he was wrong about his feeling.

As it closed Siesta's door opened and she took a quick look to make sure Roxas was gone before letting lose the tears she had been holding back before closing the door.

Knowing that tomorrow would bring nothing but sadness if the rumors were true.


The next morning Roxas rushed into the kitchen sometime after breakfast.

He was hoping to have caught Siesta earlier, but he couldn't sense her anywhere else.

So he asked a few of the academy's servants, all telling him Marteau was waiting for him in the kitchen. Something that after last night only worsened his suspicions that something was wrong.

Which was proven right for when he entered the academy's kitchen to find Marteau all alone in there, cleaning the dishes.

The moment Roxas stepped towards him, Marteau put down the dish in his hands with a sigh and turned towards the Nobody.

"Marteau where is everyone?" Roxas asked as he walked towards the head chef.

"They are on a 10 minute break right now, they all should be back soon. I wasn't sure if you wished to hearing the news with others around Roxas. Unless she told you last night?" Marteau said seriously,getting Roxas to stop in his tracks.

"Where is Siesta?" Roxas asked, worry starting to fill his tone.

"So she didn't, I should have known. Siesta is gone Roxas, she is no longer employed at the academy anymore as of this morning." Marteau said with a sigh, getting Roxas's blood to run cold.

Siesta was gone... his first friend here had left not that long ago...

Hearing that left him for the lack of a better term hollow...

And if her behavior yesterday was of any indication, then wherever she was now employed it could not be any good...

"So she is gone then." Roxas said, his tone hollow as Marteau nodded somberly.

"Not by choice, two days ago a noble saw Siesta...and took an interest in her if you know what I mean. She was allowed to finish up any business she had at the academy before being taken away. " Marteau said solemnly. " The noble in question has a direct connection with the royal palace, as much as I hate to admit it we can't do a thing about it. Even if she was hired to be a mistress, and considering the rumors around that man I hope that she hasn't.'

At hearing that Roxas tensed up and felt dread rise up inside of him.

No...it couldn't be..

"Please tell me that the noble wasn't Count Mott?!' Roxas asked Marteau, praying to Kingdom Hearts that he was wrong!

However Marteau only nodded at that solemnly, confirming Roxas's fears.

"Then you have heard about the man, I don't know if the rumors are true or not. But I can only pray to the Founder that she will be alright." Marteau said as he turned around and went back to doing the dishes. "For against a noble of his standing and a triangle mage at that, it is near impossible for a commoner to stand up to that."

After saying that the head chef blinked as he noticed the light in the room flickering a bit before they settled as Roxas ran out of the room.

There were few times in his life the Nobody could remember being as angry as he was right now.

The last time being when he first encountered DiZ in that accursed digital prison.

But it compared in comparison to the feelings radiating from Oblivion and the glyph on his hand. It could only be described a pure murderous intent.

Roxas had no idea what could cause such a reaction from from the presences, but he did know one thing.

That this reaction, how callous Count Mott was to murder a little girl in broad daylight over something simple, and the fact he took Siesta into a possible fate worst than death had it all the more clear on what to do.

Bring the full blunt of his wrath onto the dark noble and rescue Siesta before it is too late.

And unlike with Guiche, there will be no mercy this time.

But first he needed to find where he lived first either wise he would never find them.

So he opened up his senses and ran towards where Kirche's room was either to find her or Tabitha there or along the way to ask if they know.

Either one of them were possibly his only chance to locate Count Mott.

Louise would probably not care that Siesta was put Count Mott's employment.

The teachers were a mixed bag and while he had come to trust Osmond and Colbert they would most likely dissuade him from coming after him.

Plus the Nobody didn't really know anyone else of the students well enough that they would be willing to help him.

So they were his only options in order to find-

Roxas was broken from his thoughts as he ran straight into someone and the both them were sent sprawling onto the ground.

Looking up he saw that it was Guiche who he had run into, with the mage looking at the Nobody with a mixture of fear and respect while holding on of his arms to his ribs.

Ever since their dual nearly a week ago he had thought about his actions and with some help with Colbert inorder to never make a similar mistake like with Siesta ever again.

The weeks of detention, the letters of his mother and farther concerning their disappointment for what he did, and them cutting him off from his allowance for two months just hammered it in.

Though his father did send him a letter in secret saying that he was proud for at least making an Iron Rose with half a month's allowance, knowing that his mother would never condone such a thing.

Besides that he has been trying to win back Montmorency back, which was a bit difficult considering he had no idea where he lost her perfume she gifted him and stopping her attempts at getting back at Roxas for him.

He appreciated bit, but it was not a good idea to stand up to Louise's familiar as his still healing rib could attest to.

"I recommend that next time you do not rush through these halls like that Roxas." Guiche groaned as he got up and he clutched his side.

'I will keep that in mind." Roxas said as he stood back up before blinking.

Guiche hadn't done anything and Siesta had forgiven him after he apologized. Are in that he was a noble it wouldn't hurt to ask if he knew where Count Mott was.

But first, he supposed he held onto something.

"Here, I believe you dropped this the other day." Roxas said, grabbing the bottle out of his bag. Which Guiche immediately snatched out of his hand with a swish of his cape.

"Thank you Roxas, you have no idea how much trouble I had looking for this." Guiche said excitedly, knowing this would help him on his track to get back with Montmorency.

"Your right I don't, but I do know how you are going to thank me. Tell me, do you know who Count Mott is?" Roxas asked, getting Guiche to stop and stare at him. A twinge of anger in his eyes.

"Yes I do, he and my father have hated each other's guts for decades now. I also know there are several unscrupulous rumors created by commoners floating around him lately. Why would you like to know about him?" Guiche asked, irritation bleeding through his tone at the memories at how often the Count had caused trouble for his father.

That irritation and anger soon turned to pure fear as Roxas adapted a cold look on his face, the exact same on he had adopted halfway through his dual.

The same one that had haunted his nightmares for around the past week.

"He took Siesta to be a mistress and considering what I have seen him do I fear what he will do to her. And you should know better then anyone here what happens if you mess with my friends." Roxas said coldly, getting Guiche to nod profusely as he tried to compose himself.

Hearing of the situation and the frigid tone of Roxas there was more going onto then he would probably like to know.

Still when Roxas's gaze softened he let out a massive sigh of relief.

"Believe me I am well aware, if what you are saying is true then I will gladly point you in the right direction. Though I have to warn you are you sure about this? Unlike myself Count Mott is a triangle mage and the royal messenger to the palace. Their will be serious ramifications of you going after him." Guiche said seriously, getting Roxas to nod with equal seriousness.

"I know and quite frankly I could care less. Count Mott had been using his position to escape any consiqunces, until now. He took Siesta and I will do whatever I can to protect my friend and make sure he pays. Now where does he live?" Roxas said coldly, hopping that Siesta will be alright until he gets there.


The projector dies down as the chapter ends and you see author stretching in his seat.

*Hey guys Hakuorofan7 here and I hoped that you all enjoyed this chapter. Cause I spent about the entire month writing and editing it before I believe I got it right.*

*It took a while to perfect it, but as you all can see I believe it turned out alright... and to tell you the truth I cried a little while writing Roxas's and Siesta's exchange. The second time while I was ever writing one of my stories. Not expecting anyone else to have the same reaction bit I figured I would share that little tidbit.*

*And as you can see this chapter had a quite a bit going for it, especially that bit with Derflinger. Don't worry you'll get to see him eventually, but let's just say his reaction has to do with something important to come soon enough.*

*Now then the next chapter Roxas goes up against Count Mott to rescue and it will be a long chapter. And don't worry, the corrupt Count will get everything he deserves next chapter.*

*I hope you all will enjoy it when it comes out.*

*And to those going on about Louise, she starts to change after next chapter after seeing the true horror of Count Mott... which is pretty dark and leaving it at that.*

*Anyway that is all for now.*

*If you have a question just leave a review or PM and I will get back when I can. So until next time ciao!*

The author snaps his fingers as the screen fades to black.