Authors note: alright chapter three and tell me if I'm wrong but I think the last one was pretty good. I reread it myself and I think it was fairly good. Also if you haven't already check out my friends story look up the author Gatomon47 and her story Pure light of the Heart.

Chapter 3: The Kingdom shards

Kiyoni once more found herself staring blankly into the white walls of her room, the collar had been removed and replaced with the familiar shackles she had adorned for so many days. The collar had proved to be a near fatal hazard that DiZ didn't wish to risk. Her neck was bandaged as were a few other cuts and scrapes from the battle.

A nice sized bruise on her cheek from where the Keyblade had struck her remained. The fatigue was worse the injuries, often restricting her mobility even more than usual. Demyx had brought her bowl back and even though she was unable to use her powers to 'see' Roxas she had a very good idea what he was doing at the moment.

She just wished she had been able to fulfill the mission she'd been sent to accomplish in exchange for her freedom. Who knew when the next opportunity would present itself?

Twilight town

Roxas sat staring distantly into the sky thinking of previous events as well as the constant dreams he had. Two full days had past and everything seemed to be changing and he seemed to be the only one who noticed anything happening.

After the battle he'd woken up in the middle of the street with the woman from the candy shop standing over him, trying to rouse him. His chest had hurt terribly and just sitting up had winded him. She thought he might be having some sort of chest troubles and had advised that he go straight home and rest.

However he couldn't, he couldn't just go home and rest without witnessing more memories or dreams or whatever it was that appeared during his unconsciousness.

Currently he was sitting on the steps to the station looking over the battle field. He could have sworn there had been large inclines in the ground where the girls' weapons and strange powers had struck the ground. But nothing remained to indicate that anything out of the ordinary had taken place at all. Not even a stone was scattered anywhere to show for it.

His chest pains he knew very vaguely were from the breaking of the Keyblade and he felt it pulsing in him. It was a creepy thing to know. Some foreign object was inside him somewhere.

No one had been up that night to see the other shards fly off in every direction. No one else but him had these odd chest pains, no one else knew that he was now being hunted.

"Gah! Why is this happening to me!" he yelled at the sky that was dashed with pinks and oranges of the afternoon.

"Hey! Roxas!" He turned to see who had called him, warily standing up and on guard.

He was greatly relieved that it wasn't another attack on him and just his friend Hayner.

The blonde boy with burgundy colored eyes dashed up towards him gleefully obvious happy about something.

"Roxas guess what was just announced?" The boy urged smiling happily at a confused Roxas.

Receiving no reply the boy continued. "You know how you won that Struggle match against the reigning champ? Well you won't believe this, since you beat him you have the choice to continue to tournament elsewhere!" He blurted out hurriedly.

Roxas stared wide eyed at his friend confusion and surprise unmasked on his face. He'd get to leave Twilight Town and actually go compete against other champions? He never remembered there being such a prize along with the munny and the trophy. This was something that he would eagerly accept. But then another thought dawned on him.

"But what about you Hayner and Pence and Olette? They can't come none of you can…." Roxas said having enough problems without losing his friends as well. If he left who would protect them from the strange happenings?

Hayner waved off the concern. "Roxas, this is you chance to leave here. To see the world and other places. You'll only be gone a couple of months and you'll be back before you know it. Just don't lose!" he pushed and Roxas couldn't help but grin up at him, temporarily forgetting the many problems at hand, the many threats to his life and theirs.

Perhaps leaving would help them, if he wasn't there the things would come after him, right?

"Alright I'll think about it how long have I got to decide." The blonde grinned sheepishly rubbing the back of his wavy hair with a grin.

"Well you're sort of already signed up. You're leaving tomorrow morning…"

Roxas couldn't believe what Hayner was telling him! Signing him up for something and telling him AFTERWARDS! Meyer was a good friend but that could be rearranged.

"But hey listen, the sooner you leave, the sooner you get back and tell us everything that happened." Hayner pointed out contentedly and Roxas hung his head, shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no way around it; he would be leaving tomorrow, perhaps for the better.

He and Hayner talked, Olette and Pence he said were shopping together and he was free. They talked until the street lamps were the only available light besides the glittering stars and the beaming moon above.

They walked down the streets together joking about old times and fun days together and how he'd have to take pictures when he left to show everyone upon his return. The two parted ways and Roxas felt better than he had, his chest pains were gone and his mind felt a little less cluttered with worries after his time with Hayner. Maybe things were looking up…

As soon as he got inside his mother rushed him with angry worried questions. Having disappeared that night, never came back that morning and having had the woman from the candy store stop by on her way home and tell her she'd found him sleeping at the station.

"I have half a mind to keep you here and not let you go to that 'Struggle' tournament or whatever it is!" She threatened exasperatedly before stalking off into the kitchen.

Roxas sighed, the faintest grin on his face as he trudged up the stairs, kicked off his sandals and flopped unceremoniously onto his bed staring into the ceiling. He was barely aware of his drooping eyelids.

"…Who are you…?"

Roxas opened his eyes feebly hearing the soft chanting voice questioning something. He half expected to see Sora or Donald or Goofy or even Kairi standing over him with a questioning gaze. But no, instead he awoke in a completely white landscape. Everything was white and nothing else seemed to be there but endless oblivion.

He groggily sat up and felt a hand touch his shoulder gingerly, frightened.

"Don't touch him!"

Roxas spun around as the hand was snatched away by another force. He looked now at two children around his age, well the boy was older looking than he but the girl who meekly stood beside him appeared his age.

The boy had angry crimson eyes, naturally wary of this odd event that was happening and protective of the girl. His hair was a dark brown, shielding most of his forehead and trailing to his shoulders. He adorned a black and red bandanna with matching wrist bands. He wore black slim pants with a belt that had a knife on it and a red shirt. He also took note on the pair of black cat-like ears that shifted mindlessly on his head, flicking back and forth, and a slender tail that twitched in agitation.

The girl that now stood meekly beside him was a feminine version of the boy. Her hair was the same length as the boys and the same crimson eyes, but they were softer and less intense, timid and warm. She wore an earth brown tank top that looked a size too big for her small frame. As well as a black dress that fell past her knees and stopped at her ankles. She too had the animal ears and tail like her sibling; her ears tipped in brown were compressed against her head unhappily.

"Who are you?" Roxas questioned unsure if this was another dream and hoping it was.

"Why'd you bring us here?" The boy urged anger and suspicion dwelling in his voice as he eyed the boy before them. His sibling looked uncertainly up at him but remained silent.

Roxas looked from the two and put his hands up in front of him in defense as if trying to fend off his verbal attack.

"I…I didn't. I don't even know what's happening…"

"We're all in a form of limbo."

The trio turned as a white haired figure walked casually up towards them. Kiyoni looked at the three with a blank stare, completely at ease with the situation. Roxas noticed the bruise on her face and couldn't help but feel prideful in damaging his opponent and then guilty for being glad he'd harmed someone and a girl none the less.

The boy had instinctively whipped out his knife he actually growled and it sounded more animal than human, baring canines larger than a regular person should have. His tail curled anxiously revealing his more than obvious distrust.

"Kiyoni…Why…What's going on? Why are we here?" Roxas stammered, he stood up almost afraid the floor wasn't there, he couldn't tell wall from floor from ceiling or if any of them existed I this realm of white.

She smirked sarcastically sauntering up and standing before them at ease even when the boy drew his knife and pointed it at her. She stared undaunted at him before looking back to Roxas ignoring the blade.

"Glad you remember me. But it's not just us I'm afraid..."

"What's going on? Tell us now or fight!"

The cat eared boy growled having pushed his sister behind him and she looked timidly at Kiyoni and Roxas, unsure of who to help.

Kiyoni laughed looking as if the blade was a stick and not as lethal as it truly was.

"Try it." She challenged.

The boy growled and lunged blindly, knife raised and poised to drive it into whatever part of her he could get. However just as he was about to bring the blade down electrical sparks flew in every which direction, filling the once odorless air with the scent of burnt cloth and metal. The knife began to deteriorate as if it wasn't steel at all, evaporating into the air itself. He floated there for a moment and yowled in pain, the hairs on his tail actually sticking up on end as he voiced his pain. He was thrown backwards and managed to right himself in mid air. He crouched on the ground only to fall forward woozily and have his sister crouch beside him looking horrified at his motionless form.

"What the hell! What magic is this?" The boy propped himself up on his elbow, glaring up at Kiyoni who hadn't moved at all. His clothing smoked and was singed in places, even his tail smoked promisingly.

"Talos are you alright?" The girl whined placing her hands on her brother who winced at the contact. She looked from him to Roxas and then to Kiyoni with a pleading gaze.

"I'll live, Miyune" he choked trying to draw air into his lungs with difficulty. He clutched his chest as he drew air into his lungs.

"Please what are you doing to us? Why'd you bring us all here?"

Kiyoni's gaze narrowed dangerously, her gold eye visible beneath the white bangs that concealed it. She crossed her arms haughtily over her chest and growled herself at the assumption that she was behind this.

"What makes you think I brought you all here?"

The boy, Talos, coughed clearing his throat and shifted as much as he could without showing his discomfort. One eye closed as he gritted his teeth, holding back the pain. Looking up weakly at them while trying to sit up with his sisters' aid.

"You're a little too calm about all this it sort of implies you know something about all this." He replied angrily finally sitting up while his sister held his shoulders.

Kiyoni didn't reply immediately her less obscured eye revealing her own rising uncertainty as she mulled over what was happening.

"I'm almost as lost as you. Wherever we are we're unable to harm one another." She looked mordantly at the boy who looked away. She looked back to Roxas who was looking elsewhere with the same bemused expression. Something seemed to come to mind and she spoke,

"We're connected by some form of magical item or something that has brought us together."

It was a long shot but what other logical explanation did they have? Roxas barely listening to the conversation around him recalled the night he'd fought Kiyoni and had seen Axel again. Then it hit him,

"The Keyblade." He murmured drawing their attention to him curious of what he had come up with.

Talos looked inquisitively at the younger male, his ears shifting towards him to better register his insight on their predicament.

"Huh? The Keyblade? What's that?" Miyune inquired equally as curious.

Kiyoni answered for him looking towards them briefly as she explained. Her eyes flashed as her mind worked to try and see where this conversation was leading and if it was a topic she wanted to stroll on. Miyune shrank visibly under her gaze and her brother's hand shot to clasp hers reassuringly, his glare rekindled and forewarning.

"It's a very powerful weapon that more or less is light itself." Kiyoni brought her gaze from the two cat people and back to Roxas who didn't shrink under her close scrutiny as the girl had. "What about it Roxas? Why has the light summoned us?"

"I…I don't know." He thought uncertainty evident as he began to regret opening his mouth since all eyes resided on him now. He forced the memory to return, bringing back the battle and everything that had happened. She had been a fierce opponent and even while in pain had been a dangerous enemy. Hopefully he'd never have to repeat that night and find out what would happen if Axel hadn't insisted she stop. He recalled her pain, desperation that he couldn't place. It was like watching an animal pacing having to do something to get at what it wanted so badly.

Then in her last attempt to take the Keyblade and the sudden power surge and that's when the image of the blades breaking.

"The shards! That's what is it's the shards of the Keyblade!" His head shot up abruptly realization dawning and the three looked intently awaiting further confirmation.

Kiyoni frowned, her lips pursed as she tried to follow his train of thought.

"What are you talking about? How could the Keyblade call us here, it only has one master."

Talos growled as he became excluded and piped up even when his sister tried to stop whatever he was going to say.

"Hey mind letting other people into the conversation? What's a Keyblade and if it only has one master why did it choose us all?"

Roxas and Kiyoni fixed their focus on the two, Kiyoni's stare disapproving at the interruption

"Kiyoni and I were fighting not too long ago. My weapon was the Keyblade and she wanted to take it from me."

Finally whatever he was going to tell them dawned on the girl who he was currently mentioning. Her eyes narrowed in warning not to expose any further information that included her. Talos noticed and looked back to Roxas expectantly, wanting to know what she was trying to hide.

Roxas looked from her to the siblings hesitantly, he didn't want to make an enemy out of Kiyoni but he didn't want to leave the two siblings in the dark either.

"During the battle something happened and the Keyblade broke and scattered. I think that's what's going on the shards are trying to reunite itself and that's why we're all here."

As he finished Roxas doubled over, clutching his chest gasping frantically for air as if someone had just punched him in the gut. His knees buckled and sent him to the floor and the cat eared teens looked accusingly towards Kiyoni who looked at them abashed.

"I didn't do it!" she protested the two were unconvinced.

Miyune worked up enough nerve to step from behind her brother and to his side, she looked apprehensively at her brother who met her gaze reproachfully but she didn't falter this time.

"Are you alright?" she asked meekly her hands clasping one another.

"Your chest hurts doesn't it?"

They all turned to the slightly baritone voice as it spoke and another group approached them.

The boy in front had the longest hair, a deep navy hue and well trimmed as he fell past his shoulders and stopped short at his waist. His eyes were a brilliant blue as well and he wore a cape that was also blue and trailed behind him as he strode forward. His boot heels clicked as they touched the ground and unlike most of his clothing they were black instead of blue. His belt that had a rapier hanging from it was also black as were the leather gloves.

The figure to his right was either male or female. He or she was either a boyish looking girl or a feminine looking male. Their hair was rich obsidian and fell only to his or her shoulders and cupped his or her face. Elliptical lavender colored eyes stared blankly at them all not a trace of emotion within them to hint on his or her feelings on their condition. Their shirt was baggy and a dark violet nearly black, which contributed to the fact that if it was a girl her chest was unnoticeable. The pants were defiantly black and baggy as well stopping at the knees where leather laced sandals began the straps lacing up and touching the knee where the pants had stopped. If he or she had a weapon it was well concealed, an eerie assumption but a smart one to take into account. He or she had slim legs that looked right for jumping and running.

The third figure to the boys left was a small child if not infant with the ability to walk. He was shorter than the rest and had he stood next to Kiyoni he would have just barely reached her waist and she was an inch shorter than Roxas. His eyes were large and blue flaked with gray. His cheeks were rosy and he wore a nearly full body animal pelt of what looked like a bear cub. The head of the animal covered his auburn, amber dappled hair that from where they stood looked very unruly. The bears' paws were tied around his neck like a scarf. The rest of the animal's skin trailed behind him like a cloak and surprisingly the little boy brandished his weapon that was his size if not bigger. It was a crafted hammer that he shouldered easily in a way that was rather weird,

"Who are you?" Kiyoni growled watching the trio warily. Roxas looked up painfully wincing as he clutched his heart and nodded all the same.

The leading boy waved off the question casually, his gaze fixed on Roxas. He gave off a wave of majestic nobility that seemed to irk Kiyoni as she took a daring step forward and the boys hand rested on the hilt of his blade but wisely didn't draw the weapon.

"That is irrelevant. All you need to know is that I too was summoned here by the power of the shard."

"Yeah my chest hurts I think it's because of the key shards."

Miyune looked to her brother who nodded as well, implying that he too had chest pains recently.

"Mine too."

"It's like you said, the shards are trying to reunite and it's trying to break away from your heart."

The boy stated as the smaller male to his left hurried forward towards them.

"This is so cool! Nothing like this ever happens on Shet Rock Island! Are you people witches or demons?" He spoke rapidly his eyes shinning with glee. He didn't even await their answers as he turned around with an arrogant smirk, shouldering his mallet and puffing out his chest.

"In any case I'm Hugo and seeing as I'm probably strongest here I claim the position as leader."

The other teens stared down at the boy each with a gaze of amusement, surprise and disbelief. All accept the he-she person who looked away without a word.

Talos however voiced his opinion, glaring at the boy who by size alone looked very much likes a child of five.

"If you haven't noticed shrimp, you're a shrimp."

"Hey! Call me a shrimp again and you'll get to meet my mallet!"

Before the situation turned ugly Kiyoni jumped in to quell what might turn into a contest of retorts and insults. She stepped between the two who had closed the gap between them a little.

"Settle down kids, leave the kitties alone Hugo."

Hugo pursed his lips and moved a step back, rolling his eyes up at Kiyoni disappointedly but doing as she wished but not before muttering.

"Lucky this time to have her save you."

"Why you little—"

"Save it."

Once more their attentions were diverted towards the royal blue dressed boy who sighed in mock frustration. Kiyoni looked at him with unmasked defiance as he too tried to halt the slowly escalating mine field of insults and arrogance. Completely ignoring the boy, who frowned at the exclusion, looked to Roxas.

"Right now I think we're in some sort of dreamscape. Roxas were you sleeping before you got here?"

"Yeah how'd you guess?"

"I was too. I woke up in here it was even creepier than my room."

Miyune looked bewildered at the people surrounding them having somehow gained more courage than she'd shown earlier and speaking. She managed to sit cross legged beside her brother, tail curling and uncurling around her legs.

"Talos and I were in the mountains on a hunt and he just fell down. That's the last thing I remember…"

The boy with the Rapier by his side rejoined the conversation, Kiyoni barely muffling a scowl that rose on her face.

"Same here, I was with my noble men on my return from another kingdom when I suddenly blacked out."

"I was eating some of the boar I'd caught and that's about it." Hugo added rubbing his stomach in memory of the meal.

Everyone looked to the last silent member who met their gaze without flinching at all. He or she crossed their arms and stared unblinkingly at them.

"You don't need to know what I was doing."

Everyone seemed to grow suspicious at the same time. Finally agreeing on one emotion, but it was Kiyoni who spoke on their behalf.

"Look we're all in this little escapade together if the shards are trying to reunite then we might be seeing each other real soon. And unless you want us to find you and see what you do and judge you then, then by all means don't say anything."

The she-boy looked away from them, as if distracted by something else either that or trying to conjure up something to satisfy their curiosity. He or she shot a wary gaze their way the first show of emotion even if it wasn't a favorable one their way.

"I was on an assassination mission."

Everyone tensed at the casually made statement and the young assassin scowled turning away completely unashamed of the assignment. The silence that ensued didn't help either and in an attempt to make light of the situation Miyune spoke,

"Well, that's nice isn't it?"

"You're an assassin?"

All focus returned to the blue garbed teen who looked intently at the she-boy who met the gaze with a forewarning glare not to press for answers.

"Have a problem with it?"

The boy's brow's rose and he shook his head,

"Not in the least I assure you I've had my own misfortunes dealing with them myself however and I must be sure whose side you're on?"

"The winning side."

The topic was dangerous to continue and the cat people seemed the first to notice the rising tension. Talos decided to shift the conversation to something less hazardous.

"Well now that we've established that how about introductions, who's first?"

"I'm Roxas from Twilight Town."

"Hugo from Shet Rock Island." The younger boy said eagerly, the arrogance renewed as he stood with all his three feet puffed up proudly.

"Talos,"

"Miyune from Eleon village."

"Prince Maxwell of the Kingdom of Kattleburge." In addition to his introduction the boy bowed at the waist. His hair fell over his shoulders and hanging on either side of his face in a princely fashion.

Everyone turned to their assassin companion.

"Kurai, where I live is confidential."

Kiyoni looked sheepish for a moment and couldn't help but ask.

"Hey are you—"

Obviously having had either similar or exact situations addressing his or her gender the assassin didn't even bother looking at them.

"No I'm a boy."

"Kiyoni, same as Kurai can't say where I'm from."

Roxas looked at her with a questionable frown. He knew more about her then these people did he should have expected she wouldn't give him any more leverage than needed. But if the shards wanted to get together they had to get together they needed to know where they resided.

"Why not?"

"How are we supposed to find you if we don't know where to look?"

Kiyoni visibly tensed even as she tried to mask it from them it was a vain attempt.

"Uh…I'll find you, trust me"

Maxwell grunted a very un-princely sound as he looked to Kiyoni with what could only be labeled as distaste.

"Quite frankly I don't know if you can be trusted. You're too calm about all this."

Kiyoni glared up at him; there was a distinct wave of contempt from coming from her and flashing vividly in her eyes.

"I don't see you screaming Maxwell."

"That's PRINCE Maxwell to you."

He reprimanded with a frisk of his cape.

"It'll be Prince Maxwell with a foot up his—"Kiyoni began her fists clenched.

"Will you two quit it?"

Roxas stopped the argument and the two looked away from one another angrily.

Roxas felt more then saw as the surrounding light brightened. It's intensity weighing heavily on him as if it were personified into a mass that burdened him.

"It's time to go."

Roxas brought his gaze from Kiyoni and then felt as if some part of him was being torn away. He looked away and found that his lower torso was beginning to deteriorate right before his eyes.

"How do I find you?" He called now feeling the sensation creeping up his spine and torso. His outstretched arm began to dematerialize and he watched as the others also began to fade in a similar way.

"don't worry Roxas, I'll find you…"

Roxas sat up with a jolt and found he was once more in his room.