A/N: Yay! All of you reviewers, I love you so much!

The Savage Nymph:

Chapter Three:

After speaking with the witch, Naminé, I returned to talk with Axel once more.

"It looks like Sora's memories have taken root, just as we planned." I spoke, and I was sure that he could hear relief in my voice. For some reason, Sora scared me not unlike Roxas had scared me when he had first appeared. Nobodies don't believe in fate, or destiny, but I did. Destiny had tied my fate to Sora's as I was soon to find.

"Let's see how far our boy will go, then. Think it's time for another round?" he said, sounding reckless and daring, as usual. It was, kind of a comfort, to hear him talking as though our world hadn't just been turned upside-down. Which it had.

"Only if it's my turn to play. You had your fun on the first floor!" I said playfully, disguising my true fear. I was anxious about meeting the true Keyblade wielder face to face, but I would have to do it sometime. Die a hero or live a coward. Axel looked at me, knowing something was wrong. He threw the world cards to me, and said warningly,

"Remember, Larxene. Our job is to deliver him in one piece." Not on a stretcher. I added, as if to remind myself. I was too afraid of him right now. Hoping that I was projecting the illusion that I wasn't frightened at all, I continued playfully,

"Fine. But who says I can't have my way with him first?" Maybe I could scare him, and he would leave us in peace. I doubted it, though. His desire to find Naminé seemed almost unearthly, but so was Naminé's ability. She could manipulate memories unlike anything I had ever seen.

"Don't break him."

"Do I detect a soft spot?" I kept my girlie, playful tone, but the words were truly out of concern for Axel's well-being.

"He's partly one of us." He said shortly. No more beating around the bush for Axel. I knew exactly what he meant. I felt like I already knew Sora, because of Roxas. It was a little scary; to know someone you had never met.

Preparing to leave, I said, "I'm not going to break the toy, Axel — just play with it. I'm not dumb." I added the last sentence out of frustration at Axel's constant warnings about pushing Sora too far. Who said that the Organization didn't want the Keyblade wielder dead? The ones who were planning to take it over, of course. Namely me and Marluxia, not the most desirable cohort, but still. I knew I couldn't do it by myself.

"Then you won't mind the warning. Remember, Sora is the key. We need him if we're going to take the Organization." At his last words, a pang of relief spread through me. So Axel didn't see me as a filthy traitor, totally unworthy of the Organization's shelter and training. Well, we were still traitors, but at least we were traitors together.

"So you're in on it, too? Well, keep it under your hood until the time is right." I said, dropping the playful act and getting straight to business. With one last sigh, I teleported to find the Keyblade wielder. But even as I was now on the other side of the castle, his next words seemed to echo through the empty halls to reach my conscience.

"You would have been wise to do the same, Larxene."


Larissa was at Catássa and Avery's house when the Heartless attacked.

It was not unusual for Larissa and Catássa to be together, they could often tell what the other was thinking. They sometimes seemed like two halves of a whole person, two extremities, Larissa quite and reserved, Catássa bouncy and cocky.

Catássa was braiding Larissa's hair. "Ooh, I just love your hair! It's so long, and soft..." Larissa sat, ever patient, as Avery's sister braided her brown hair into a long pleat down her back. Except for her bangs, which only just reached past her shoulders. They constantly got in her face, in front of her eyes, and she sometimes thought about dyeing them back and growing them out. But, no, Catássa often assured, They make you look gorgeous.

"Oh, my goodness!" Catássa said as she finished and examined her work from the front.

"Does it really look that bad?" Larissa replied to her friend's shocked look, with a small smile on her own face. But she knew, that even if she looked hideous, her friend would never say anything bad about her. Catássa never said anything bad about anyone, and if she thought negative things, she never let it show.

"No! You look beautiful." She handed Larissa a small hand mirror. She had to admit, it didn't look half bad. In fact, it looked a whole lot better than half bad. "See?"

"I guess you're right." Larissa said, flashing a smile her way. As soon as she turned her head back, Avery burst through the door, looking panicked. 'Shadows' as they had come to call the weaker brand of Heartless, followed in his wake.

"Larissa! Tassa! Run!" He shouted, showing them that there was no time to waste. Catássa pulled Larissa up from her cross-legged position, and as soon as she was standing, time seemed to stop. Almost completely. She felt that she could move, and she could also hear Avery's ragged breathing. He had run here, apparently, to save his sister and her sister's friend.

"C'mon, Larissa, let's go!" he said urgently, though all movement had stopped, except for their own.

"Avery, no! What about your parents? Your sister? We have to stay!" She had not spoken to Avery this much before, let alone shouted at him in disagreement.

"But what about you!" He walked fast, taking long strides to where she stood, her eyes blazing.

"I would listen to the girl." said a cool, dark voice from behind them. A cloaked figure had appeared from nowhere, and they both spun around to face him. They could not see his face, but they knew that, no matter who this person was, he was no friend to them. "She always has been the rational one, hasn't she?"

It seemed almost that the figure was mocking them. Avery's eyes narrowed, he looked furious. He was still breathing hard. "Did you send these—creatures—these Heartless after us?"

The figure laughed. "In fact, no. The reason these Heartless have ambushed this world is totally beyond my knowledge or control. I have come for a much greater prize than this poor, pathetic city."

"What do you want from us?" Avery spat in return, looking at Larissa for a short moment. As he glanced at her, he looked concerned, but it passed before Larissa could decide if she was imagining it or not. His fists were clenched tightly, his knuckles white as he fought back frustration and anger.

"Simple." The figure said calmly, as if discussing the current weather with the two high-schoolers, "I want her heart."

"What!" Larissa cried, putting her hands over her chest so she could feel her own heartbeat. "My heart!"

"Yes. I knew you'd pick up fast." The figure continued, "I am assembling an army. Our girl Larissa here would make a perfect candidate, with such a strong heart like hers."

"No!" Cried Avery, extremely distressed, "Take my heart instead!" he said, stepping in front of Larissa, his arms outstretched.

"Of course," the figure sounded amused at this point, "Your heart will do just as fine. The heart willing to make a sacrifice must be strong. I can't say I remember." And Larissa watched, horrified, as the cloaked man brought his hand up in a sweeping motion, as if truly grabbing Avery's heart from his body. But, before the figure had truly withdrawn his heart, Larissa clung toAvery and whispered in his ear,

"We'll go together."

A/N: Hm... that chapter was more memories than actual events, but you guys know how I love to draw things out like this. Thank you, once again, to all my lovely reviewers, you guys brighten my day! Oh, and I'm sorry if this chapter was slightly depressing. Love from Skye's Rain!