Chapter 5

Ukan hated his life. He was always devoted to improvement and stability. Governments help make that a reality. He voted to create a society that will flourish back from poverty levels.

Yet, bad luck followed. His love of his life was taken away from him by that royal prick Bernard, tortured for being related to him. He wanted to give his life away to save her, and yet, she held on. He chose her because she was fiery and full of happiness, like him, yet he lost his fire. Ukan was forced to become a public announcer, on top of head of intelligence and a knight.

He sighed, walking slowly into the night near the Radiant Barracks. The title contradicted itself, as there is no honor left for him. What can he do? He had always felt powerless, but even now he could not feel the bottom of his fall.

"Ukan!"

Cloud promised to talk to Ukan. Both were best friends, knowing each other from the days that they heard of an election. He talked, and became friends with Cloud and his friends. He meets them near here every night to talk about life.

"Hi, Cloud. How are you doing?"

"Well. Listen, we have less time to talk right now. We got hold of a transmitter that recorded a conversation between you and the King. What happened?"

Ukan did not like to cry, but he was close to doing so. Leon and Tiffa appeared from nowhere, comforting him. "Sorry," continued Cloud, "But we will help. I believe that this man was behind the kidnappings of other citizens who were outspoken. We need your help-"

"To beat him?" cried Ukan.

"To destroy him." said Cloud. "If we don't stop this ridiculous man, he will kill everyone here. He was influenced by outside forces, right?"

"Worse. You remember how we thought that he was respectable? Well, he messed up the elections from before. He knew about your friends. His allies won't be able to devour more planets without dispatching more soldiers to destroy its space-time existence."

Cloud absorbed this, thinking ahead. "Can you help us here, Ukan? I understand the situation, but we need your help. Some of the other knights, like Tenbul and Sezera, are like you. Get them to our side. Can you-"

Suddenly, four Knights appeared. "No need to say it," said Tenbul, the blonde with silver armor. "Sezera"-pointing to the brunette woman with white armor-"Kegur"-pointing to the bald man with green armor-"And Buzimol"-pointing to the white-haired man with red armor. "We will not let this man destroy our home. Here's my plan..."

Meanwhile, Axel and Roxas hid in the shadows, closing in on a prison with Ukan's loved one. "We need a distraction," said Axel.

Roxas threw a wet condom attached to a stuffed dog toy. The guards and the other creatures examined the item with interest while Axel and Roxas move inside the prison. "Really, Roxas? You got a condom?"

"I had to improvise with the items around us. The area around us is full of crap. What happened to garbage cans and recyclable bins?"

The duo entered to the complex and found labels on the prison cells. "Ukan's girlfriend...sheesh, they have to be more professional," commented Axel.

"If they did," remarked Roxas, "We could never find her."

"Who's there?!" whispered a voice. It belonged to a beautiful young girl with black hair. Her face turned Roxas on, and he was blushing nerviously.

"R-R-R-Roxas. Nice to meet you. This is-"

"Axel's the name. Got it memorized? Oh, don't mind my friend-he's still growing down there."

"AXEL!"

"It's ok," laughed the girl. "I'm Kagome, 17 years old, and waiting for my knight."

"Talk about question with the letter Q, but...who would that be?"

"My boyfriend, Ukan. Same age. They threatened him to work for the government. He complied, but they took me for leverage. We have to save him!"

"Alright! Time to-"

Kagome tapped his shoulders. Roxas smiled at him. "I did it. Let's go!"

Axel swore under his breath, and stopped. "Guys, look-who's that?"

"Prisoner 13." said Kagome. "She does have no memories. That bastard Vestus messed with her or something. She looks familiar to you?"

"Roxas..." Axel's mood was grim. That prisoner looked like Xion. No, it was Xion! It had her looks, that sleek body, even the coat!

"Let's take her to base," said Roxas. He regained all of his memories of her. Yet, he was also cautious of what is happening. He picked her body up and proceeded out of the building.

"What's that in your hand?" asked Kagome.

"Oh," blushed Roxas, "Intel. I found sheets nearby, and I wanted to see if there is important information. At the same time, though, it could be a trap, so I will analyze this with my equipment."

They strolled to the coming twilight.

Five hours later, citizens gathered around the Radiant Castle. They complained and griped of better things to do. All the sudden, Sora and his friends showed up. "My friends and fellow citizens, we need to show you this recording!"

Sora was good at getting attention. Riku watched as he played the piece and described it.

"We need to act up! Our family and friends are going to be kidnapped to satisfy this dictator's need! We have to stand up to what's right! We are together!"

The citizens roared at their approval, and then gasped and widened their eyes. Just as Sora expected, Vestus revealed his true self.

"My citizens," replied the fair-skinned, devilish red-haired king, "I promise you that you will cooperate with me. This warrior is beyond a traitor. Accusing me of wrongdoing by fabricating a tape recorder-"

"Why should anybody believe your lying tongue?" countered Riku, moving towards him. "You have forgot that you invited these monsters to attack people who cannot defend themselves."

Realizing that his plans are in ruins, he growled at the crowd. "Very well then. Let me give you all my RESIGNATION IN BLOOD!"

He whistled, and many shinigami, heartless, and other creatures showed up. "KILL EVERYONE!"

Donald, Goofy, and Master Yen Sid stood to confront them. At the same time, many soldiers, who were led by Tenbul and his friends, showed up. "For Radiant Gardens!"

War ensued. Riku, Ichigo, Sora, and Ukan ran towards the main hall, fighting more samurais. They reached the end of the hall, towards the massive throne room.

"Well, heroes," said the king, "You have done well. Generic comments aside, I shall reduce you all to neithermens! That's right-another being formed from the rift caused by a defeat of the nobodies and of a person's heartless! Prepare!"

Before the shocked eyes of the protagonists, he turned into a monster samurai, wielding a gray keyblade. "DIE!"

Ichigo started to attack with shunpo, and sneaked behind Vestus. Slamming him with the blades, he sent the wannabe king to Sora and Riku.

"Super Dark-Light Fire!" The keyblade heroes hit the man, who buckled from the blast. Vestus stood up, throwing blasts around the room. As Ichigo moved, Vestus suddenly mimicked him, slamming into him. Ichigo collided with the wall, dazed at the strength that he has witnessed.

"No!" yelled Riku. Vestus used a huge energy blast, hitting the other two warriors. They were on the floor, dazed.

"Tozansho!" A pyramid formed around Vestus, trapping him in. Rukia and Renji appeared, determining to beat the king who imprisoned them.

"Oh, how weak!" laughed the pathetic king.

"That's...IT!" Sora got up, and called on a power within him. Suddenly, he was wearing very oversized sneakers, and had a red-black outfit on. "Limit form!"

Ichigo got up, joining Sora. Riku joined them, turning to his dark ego. "CHARGE!"

Renji slashed with his zanpaktou, breaking the prison and damaging Vestus. Rukia used ice to seal the hands and feet of him, and Riku followed up with a heavy smash. The ice broke, shattering his armor with it. Sora and Ichigo combined attacks for an ultimate slashing attack, pushing him upward. "Ragnarök!" Multiple energy beams hit Vestus, and Ichigo finished the combo with a shattering blow to his body. The body fell deep into the earth until it exploded. He is dead.

"It's not over, Sora." Ichigo pointed to the portal that formed over the throne. Then, a figure stepped up, with orange hair and eyes like Ichigo.

"Survive...my son," said the figure. Sora realized that this is Ichigo's mother...it make sense, as he saw his friend stumbling and shocked. Rukia and Renji looked as shocked.

She disappeared, prompting Riku to ask the question. "She was suppose to be dead, right?"

"Yes." Ichigo was numb by the scene that happened. "I think that something else is happening. That was no illusion. Why is she here?"

"We will worry when we tell Yen Sid," said Riku.

They reported to Yen Sid, who took care of the enemies. "Ukan was reunited with his girlfriend. You should have seen them, they were into more suitable traveling clothes. Anyways, here's the truth. Neithermen exist from rifts after a man's hollow and nobody are defeated. It can also happen after a person splits from the heart, which could have happened. I believe that there is a certain person manipulating them to fight against us. We need more clues-and on that note, we need to find more worlds to save."

Axel, Roxas, and Cloud appeared. "We will join you," said Axel. "We are in this as you are. Got that memorized?"

"Yeah, but...Roxas, why are you blushing?" asked Sora.

"He saw two girls of his dream. He has more lusty cravings than Cloud here-"

"Shut up, Axel!" cried Roxas. "Why do you pick on me, man?"

Everyone laughed, until Riku realized something. "Two? Kagome I get, but-"

"How do you guys know her name?" asked Axel.

"-as I was saying, who was the other person?"

"Xion."

Shock appeared on Sora's and Riku's face. Both have heard and remembered her. "Why is she here?"

"We'll find out," said Yen Sid. "As soon as we find out what happened to her, we will contact you. Now go, warriors. And thank you for saving this world."

They left on the ship, ready to explore more of the planets.

A hidden figure was under a bunch of rubble. He was angry about the setback. Now, there is more to contend to.

He would wish that he never fought the group.