The next installment! Again, I apoligize, but it starts right where the last chapter left off, so you might have to go refresh your memory. Hope you enjoy it!

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Twilight Town is in a dire state. I write this in the hopes that someone will find it, and will be able to interpret my ponderings on the possible causes and solution to the dilemma. I never quite knew it would come to this. I did harbor fears that my tampering with Twilight Town might cause damage, but I hoped that the real town would stay safe. What harm could a computer program possibly do? But it seems that the digital world I have created has left me with as many problems as it solved. It appears that something misfired in the computer program, and now the digital projection of Twilight Town has gone haywire. Strangely enough, it appears to be acting much like a nobody. Is it possible that worlds can have heartless and nobodies as well? It is indeed a strange thing to ponder.

However, I digress. The situation at hand is that the digital world seems to be extracting elements of the real town and adding them to itself. Through this process, the digital world has gained a strange, but nevertheless real, heart. This is why I compared the world to a nobody: the world appears to be seeking a heart of its own. Why the world is doing this, I can only guess. The reason may in fact lay with Roxas himself. It is possible in that his leaving, the world lost a crucial part of itself. The world was created as a haven for Sora's nobody while Sora regained his memories, after all. As an odd, but plausible reaction to Roxas's leaving, the world began to search elsewhere for something to replace him with. The closest place that the world could find anything similar to what it had lost was the real Twilight Town. Several people and objects have already disappeared, and everyone has lost all memory of them, save myself. I can only assume that I am not affected because I am from a different world.

Something must be done about this soon, for before long, the real Twilight Town will no longer exist. The digital one will have consumed its heart like the snuffing out of a candle. I know that the solution does not lie in the destruction of the computer or the program, for then the digital world will still retain parts of the real world's heart as its own. The only thing I am sure of is that the Keyblade Master, with his strong heart, is needed.

When Sora had finished, they all were left speechless. The situation was direr than they had anticipated.

" 'The Keyblade Master with his strong heart,' " Naminé repeated softly. "That must mean you, Sora."

"Yes," Sora said, but a shadow of doubt crossed his face. "The keyblade should know what must be done." He held out his hand and the weapon materialized into it. As he lifted it up, the ever-setting sun glinted off its hilt.

Kairi looked questioningly at Sora. "Wouldn't something have happened by now?" she inquired.

"That's what I'm worried about," Roxas interjected. "The keyblade seems to have a mind of its own. If it knew what to do, it would be dragging Sora along by now."

Kairi looked up at Roxas as he spoke, and a sudden flash of revelation lit her face.

"Roxas! Of course!" she cried.

"What?" Roxas asked, plainly confused.

"Technically, you are the 'Keyblade Master' as well. Couldn't you try doing something?" Kairi said.

"But I don't have a heart," Roxas countered, shaking his head.

Kairi's face fell. "I forgot about that part."

"Wait!" Sora said. "Just because you don't have a heart doesn't mean you couldn't get one."

Both Naminé and Roxas looked on in bewilderment.

"That's what we've been trying to do for our entire existences," Roxas replied, crossing his arms.

"You were always able to obtain them, but at the cost of someone else," he rebutted.

"And now it's not a problem?" Naminé asked, incredulous.

Catching on, a dismayed look crossed Kairi's face.

Sora shook his head. "There's only one way," he said softly. He held the keyblade out in front of him. As his hands changed position on the hilt, Kairi's suspicions about what he was doing were confirmed. Horror was soon evident on her face.

"Sora! No!" she cried, as Sora thrust the keyblade deep into himself. As he fell slowly to the ground, his heart emerged from his chest to hover, spinning slowly, in the air. Kairi couldn't help but remember the time this had happened before as dark images of Hollow Bastion invaded her mind.

Resigning to the fact that what had been done was done, Kairi urged Roxas to take the heart. Neither of them knew exactly how these things worked, but they had no need for worry. As soon as the heart felt Roxas's touch, it spiraled down to him, and pressed itself into his chest with a ruby glow. Roxas took in a sharp breath, and Naminé and Kairi stared in wonder, as his features became crisper, his cheeks rosier, and his hair more glossy.

"So this is what it is like to have a heart," Roxas breathed. Kairi smiled at Roxas's wonder. Nearly startling him, the keyblade materialized in Roxas's hand. Now knowing what to do, he allowed the keyblade to move of its own will. It lifted until Roxas was aiming it straight into the sky. He planted his feet firmly on the ground in preparation. Kairi and Naminé watched nervously in anticipation.

Abruptly, the surge of light shot from the keyblade's tip with blinding speed, causing Roxas to stagger backwards at its force. He had never done this alone – he had always been joined with Sora during these occurrences – and the feeling left him exhilarated. Roxas, Kairi, and Naminé all gazed upwards as the beam soared towards the heavens. As the shimmering light faded like the dying sparks of a firework, the three waited for something to happen. Just when the sickening feeling of despair began to seep into their veins, a thunderous boom sounded across the sky, and suddenly they could see twinkling dust falling down upon them. As it came closer, they could see it was not dust, but rose-colored shards of what appeared to be crystal. They slowed as they neared the ground, and without thinking, Kairi reached out a hand to allow a piece to fall into her open palm.

"Is this the world's heart?" she inquired softly. Naminé and Roxas too had held out their hands to touch the glimmering pieces. With a gasp of surprise, Naminé found that the piece she touched had floated up to embed itself in her chest.

Roxas turned to her, open concern on his face, but it all dissipated as Naminé took in a breath and smiled. As before, with Roxas, she seemed to become more whole, more clear and present.

"You have a heart now too." He smiled, grasping her hand. They glanced shyly at each other, each enjoying the new emotions and sensations they could now feel.

In Roxas's other hand, the crystal that had been hovering there now also floated upwards to sink into his chest. At first Roxas was confused. He thought he already had a heart! But he soon realized what was taking place as Sora's heart left him, to join with its owner.

Kairi ran to kneel beside him as his eyelids fluttered open. Kairi almost cried with relief. "Now promise me you'll never do that again," she said, her voice quavering.

"Oh, Kairi," Sora said, weakly. "I would promise if I could."

Kairi knew that the Keyblade Master might be required to do something like this again, and immediately realized that her wish was selfish.

"Never mind, I understand," she replied. "Here." She held out a hand to help him up. The two went to stand beside Roxas and Naminé. But as they all looked around them, they soon realized the world was fading – fast.

"We should probably get back to the computer room," Roxas said, glancing nervously about him.

"Let's go!" Sora cried. They fled down the steps, through the sandlot, and into Tram Common, feeling the ground begin to shake slightly under their feet. As they made their way into the forest, they were met with nearly invisible trees.

"We're not going to make it!" Roxas said in despair.

"Come on, we have to!" Sora replied, trying to catch his breath. The four continued on through what used to be the gateway, and entered the mansion. They clambered up the stairs, just in time to see them vanish completely. The walls too, were becoming transparent, shimmering in the evening light that now permeated them. They had finally arrived in the computer room, and hurried to the teleporter. One by one, they touched it and vanished, Roxas allowing everyone to go before him. He took one last look around at the world he had once believed to be his home. With a small sigh, he touched the teleporter, unaware that if he had waited a few moments longer, he would have had no way of returning to the real world.

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Don't worry, it's not over yet. I think I've got about one more chapter left. Thanks for reading – and reviewing...maybe...please?