"Come on...where are they? They gotta be around here somewhere." Hope thought as he raced through the labyrinth looking for any of the guardians.

He then rounded a corner and saw Riku taking on Repliku and Xigbar all on his own.

"Riku!" Hope said getting into the arena.

"Hope." Riku said as he two grouped up.

"Well well, look who showed up. Little Baby Blue." Xigbar said.

"Somehow I knew I'd end up facing you again Xigbar. Its fate." Hope said as he got into a fighting stance. "I've been waiting a long time for this."

"Well...it's a shame but...I gotta put your lights out. Distort, Sharpshooter!" Xigbar said summoning his arrow guns.

"Lets go, Riku." Hope said.

"Yeah." Riku said as he clashed with his Replica.

Hope and Xigbar then exchanged blows all over the arena, Hope doing his best to dodge Xigbar's shots. He was able to get blows in, but Xigbar kept moving.

"Stop moving around!" Hope called.

"You should know better, blue. It's my specialty!" Xigbar said firing shot after shot.

"Maybe you're right. But I know your tricks. And ever since we met in Radiant Garden, you were the one who always got on my nerves." Hope said as he figured out where Xigbar would appear next and knocked him down. "Well guess what? Little Baby Blue is all grown up!" he declared entering Azure God Mode: The Heroic.

"So, you got a new power. Impressive." Xigbar said. "But it aint everything!" he said charging up and letting loose a powerful shot that rained down dark bolts.

"I'm done with your little shooting games!" Hope called as he punched a path through.

"What?!" Xigbar said.

"Let me show you just how wrong about be you were!" Hope said as he blasted Xigbar with a fist straight to the gut. "Azure Gods...Heroic… Resolute Fist!" he called following up with another punch that sent Xigbar straight to the ground.

"Ugh… so that was your power…" Xigbar said struggling to get to his feet. "Figures. If I had a keyblade, things would be different."

"As if you're worthy." Hope said.

"More worthy than you know. The old coot promised to bequeath me his. Why else do you ever think I would put up with all his nonsense?" Xigbar asked.

"You wanted No Name?" Hope asked. "Just… who are you?"

"Since the other kid is preoccupied...guess it's safe to tell. My name...is Luxu." he said.

Hope gasped in shock. "You're…. The Master of Masters' apprentice?! But...how come Naomi didn't recognize you?"

"You mean Ava? Well I have changed bodies a few times since that past of mine." Xigbar said standing up.

"But Sheer said you left with the Book of Prophecies and No Name. I guess you wanted No Name back." Hope said.

"Book? Oh...I get it. So that's what everyone thinks is inside the chest." Xigbar said laughing a bit.

"What's so funny?" Hope said.

"Kid...if I told you what was inside...it would turn what you thought upside down. Besides...all I've been doing is following the role I was given." Xigbar said.

"But….if the book isn't in the box...then what is inside?" Hope asked.

"Sorry...but that would spoil a lot of things." Xigbar said appearing on the pillar and ledge. "Fraid this is where we part ways. Who knows...maybe we'll meet again in the future. Oh...and if you see Ava...though I guess she goes by Naomi now...tell her this. Me and the others are gonna be waiting for her or rather...I'm gonna pay her back for her help." he said falling off the ledge backwards.

"I hope one day we will meet again…. Luxu The Cloaked." Hope said as he turned to Riku and Repliku. "For right now though…." he said running over to the battle. "Riku, need a hand?"

"Glady, this is getting a little hard…"Riku said as Repliku pushed back.

"Even with you both here, it won't make a difference. I'm unstoppable!" Repliku said.

"I think we can stop you. I helped Riku overcome you before, walk the way to dawn. And now we're both not afraid of the dark." Hope said. "You don't hold my friend down anymore."

"I've heard enough!" Repliku said rushing towards them only for Riku to parry as he laid down a series of strikes against Repliku.

"Time to finish this, Riku!" Hope said.

"Yeah!" Riku said as they both came from opposite directions and slashed and struk from all angles before finishing off with a cross attack that finished Repliku off.

"Agh… no…" Repliku groaned. "You're… not real. I'm...the real one…"

"Aren't you my past self? From when Ansem possessed me?" Riku asked.

"He's not." a voice inside Riku said as the first replica appeared.

"No. You beat Ansem and you're still here. This guy...is me." the replica said as he plunged his fist into Repliku. "I knew it. So did your friends. It's a replica. A soon to be empty vessel. I've been waiting for a chance like this." he said removing Repliku from the body, reverting it to a blank doll.

"What are you doing? Take the vessel!" Riku shouted.

"No. The world already has you. Besides, there's someone else who needs that more than I do." the replica said.

"You're trying to save Namine." Riku said.

"Hmm. Good luck." he said fading away along with Repliku.

"Riku, who were you talking to?" Hope asked.

"Just an old acquaintance." Riku said.

"Is...is that what I think it is?" Hope asked.

"A replica...for Namine." Riku said.

"She can finally be able to have the life she wanted…" Hope said. "When she gets back, I'm gonna thank her personally."

"As for me...I gotta go after Ansem." Riku said. "You should hang back and rest. Maybe watch over the replica."

"You got it. Good luck." Hope said. "Show Ansem your way."