Author's Note: I'm warning you, this chapter might get pretty boring. No fighting, just a lot of information. I guarantee action in the next one. And to answer Rai-neko-dono's question, the 'x' in Rex's name doesn't mean anything, but his name is very, very important, and we'll find out why later. :D As long as I'm on the subject of reviewers, thank you all of my reviewers so far! I'm happy to be writing this because of you guys. Oh, P.S., I really recommend listening to the songs that are at the beginning of the chapter while you read. They inspire the chapter, and the lyrics I choose always have something to do with the main idea of the chapter.

Chapter Three:

The Apprentice

The rear view mirror shows the towns we're abandoning.
Let's leave this life behind, forgetting all they say.
The time we had is time well borrowed.
Stay out all night; forget tomorrow.
Let's you and me, make a night of it.
Old enough to know, but too young to care.

Anberlin, "Haight Street"

"Where are you from, Kosma?" Leon asked as he and Merlin led her out of Merlin's little lot through the sewers, of all places. It was difficult to talk and hold her breath all at the same time, but somehow, Kosma managed.

"Nebula Heights," she choked out, and at last, they waded through the last of the shallow, dirty water. Her shoes were soaked despite the rest of her already drying from her multiple falls into the water in front of Merlin's house, and her feet were hurting. It wasn't until her teeth began hurting that she realized that they had been chattering. "Where are you taking me, anyway?" she asked, stopping with her hands on her hips.

"I'm not taking you anywhere," Leon argued, though his voice managed to stay relatively monotone, "I'm leading you to Hollow Bastion. The rest of the Restoration Committee is in there, and Yuffie just called Sora, Riku and Kairi in. They'll know what to do with you."

Kosma's eyes widened. "Sora?"

The same one, Rex told her, who had been keeping relatively silent when Kosma was following the two of them, the keyblade master.

Leon looked as surprised as Kosma felt. "You know him, Kosma?" Leon asked her with a little too much curiosity laced into his voice.

Kosma shook her head. "No, I-"

Don't tell him! Rex boomed in her mind. Wait until we get to the committee.

"It's nothing," Kosma finished. Leon, obviously having enough of her psychopathic tendencies for one day, rolled his eyes and continued forward. Merlin stayed quiet, his eyes sometimes wandering back and forth nervously. Kosma wondered for a moment if maybe he couldn't speak, if he was mute for some reason or another.

He can talk, Rex said, reminding Kosma that her mind was no longer her own, he's probably just nervous, seeing as the worlds are disappearing once again. It's not exactly the easiest thing ever to deal with.

So I've noticed, Kosma thought bitterly, but you seem to know a lot about these people for just some random heart that got absorbed into my body. How come?

Heads up. Gummi Ship.

"What- ow!" Kosma growled as her head came in contact with something hard, large and cool, something metal. She stumbled backwards a few feet to get a better look at the monster that she had bumped into. A large, red machine that could very well have been a space ship lay before her. She could easily make out the cockpit and the small area on the inside where others would sit. "What is this?" she asked.

The machine was already opening on the side, revealing a couple of little steps to walk into. "This is a Gummi Ship," Leon said, "used for intergalactic travel. This one's just basic, but they get much better." He then waved it off dismissively. "If you want to know more about them, you'd have to ask Cid. He's in the Committee, too. He's an expert."

Kosma nodded, but she had no intention to sit down and talk gummy bears with some vehicle nerd. She wanted to know what was going on with her, why she suddenly had Rex's heart, why she had the keyblade and why there was some Nobody out there destroying all of the worlds. But mostly, she just wanted to sleep.

And sleep, she did. Immediately upon entering the Gummi Ship and finding the cheap, plastic-coated seats that attached themselves to the edge of the walls (facing another set, most likely for conversation or meetings in the ship), she sprawled herself out on them and fell straight asleep. Kosma didn't even feel the Gummi Ship taking off.

"Do you know the name of who's up to this?" Sora asked eagerly. This was an interesting case, one that seemed to creep in on them out of nowhere, and even cool, calm and collected Riku was on the edge of his seat for the information (though he hid that relatively well). Kairi was playing with her fingernails, which was probably only making Yuffie more nervous. She had sat them down on the couches in the main room of the house on purpose. It didn't seem to be working.

Cloud, however, refused to sit down, as usual. He rested his back against the wall, looking at his feet. "We don't know his name. But we do know that it's a he, and we do know that it's got to be a Nobody. The same Nobody that King Mickey wrote you about."

"How do you figure?" Riku asked, raising one silver eyebrow at the man.

"Simple," Cloud answered, "Radiant Garden had been under attack. Obviously, looking at the state of the city, it was recent. It's why we came back here. Yuffie, Tifa, Aerith, Leon and myself scoured the city for any clue of who could be behind it, and we found this."

Cloud reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a torn piece of cloth, an icy blue from the look of it. At first, Sora could not tell what was so important about it, but upon receiving it, he noticed the Nobody symbol on it. "Well, that would just figure," he said, "and it has to be a Nobody, because only Nobodies can control other Nobodies."

"Exactly," Yuffie nodded. "Unless Organization XIII found their way back to the realm of light, it looks like we're dealing with a Nobody. And we called you over because we think that it's the Nobody that King Mickey wrote you about. Do you have the letter?"

Of course Sora had the letter. He kept it with him constantly, reading it and re-reading it, trying to find the slightest clue as to who this new evil could be. Mickey had been so vague, and his handwriting was that of someone in a huge rush.

Sora,

Sorry I'm writin' this in such a rush, but Maleficent's at it again. I haven't seen any big action anywhere, but there's been a lot of dark activity over at the Castle that Never Was. I don't think you have to worry about it right now, but she's got a new apprentice. I haven't gotten a lotta information about him, fellas, but I know he's a Nobody, I know he has the keyblade, and Maleficent ordered the Heartless to make him that way, but that was some time ago. Apparently, they've known each other for a long time. I have to go, but keep safe, and if ya need me, I'll always be at Disney Castle!

-King Mickey.

P.S. Pete's in on it, too, but that shouldn't be a problem for you fellas.

Yuffie skimmed over it once or twice, but when Cloud was handed the note, he read it thoroughly the first time through, and then shook his head. "The only Nobody that could be unlocking and destroying worlds," Cloud said, "is Maleficent."

"But why?" Kairi asked, her red eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"Why else?" Riku asked. His voice was noticeably more on edge than it usually was, probably from nerves. He remembered very clearly what it was like to work with Maleficent; it wasn't the most pleasant job. "Maleficent is power hungry. No number of times being destroyed will make her anything else. She wants power, and if this is a Nobody that's working with her, he probably wants a heart. Especially after Maleficent took his."

"It helps to know the enemy," said Sora, his cornflower blue eyes determined and narrowed, "so I say we should go to Disney Castle as soon as possible and talk to King Mickey. Maybe even now. If we know his name and his weaknesses, his special powers, maybe we'll be able to beat him easier. Maybe King Mickey's learned more by now."

Kairi nodded. "And Maleficent has to be over at The World that Never Was, in her new castle." Kairi didn't mention how ironic she thought it was that the Nobodies she wanted Sora to destroy owned that castle before her, and now she was working with a Nobody apprentice. "What are the roads like?" she asked now, "Is there still enough light to make it there?"

Cloud shook his head. "Cid just checked yesterday. So many worlds are locked up that darkness is everywhere. No doubt Maleficent's doing." At Sora, Riku and Kairi's distressed faces, he added, "Well, what else would Maleficent do? Leave her hiding place out in the open? She knows that you know that she was going to stay at that castle, and she'd protect it with all that she's got: darkness. Sorry to break it to you."

"What my pessimistic friend is trying to say," Yuffie cut in, "is that, yes, it's blocked by darkness, but with enough worlds sealed from the darkness, no more can get through, and you'll be able to make it through. You probably don't have to worry as much about that as you do about the Nobody, so why don't you get a move on?"

Riku nodded his head. "Sounds like a plan."

Sora was the first to stand up, followed by Riku and Kairi at his rear. "Alright. Let's get to Disney Castle."

"Not so fast."

That voice was all too familiar, as familiar to Sora as Yuffie and Cloud's. Leon. He didn't even need to look at the door to know it was him, but it was a good thing he did. Leon was carrying a limp girl in his arms. A curtain of wavy, slightly damp brown hair was falling over her peacefully closed eyes. She was dressed in normal teenage clothing- a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and gloves, and vintage black shoes. She could have very well come from Hollow Bastion, but she had an air about her that said she had come from a different world.

"Leon!" Sora was the first to shout.

"Met this thing at Merlin's house," Leon said, jerking his head in Merlin's direction. He walked into the house with a pleased wonder plastered to his face; it had changed much since he left. Rooms had been added in the back for Committee members and more if they needed to spend the night, the front room had been cleaned up, and a stairway to the roof had been added. "She was talking to herself, soaking wet and carrying a keyblade."

"No way," Kairi breathed, her eyes widening. Sora and Riku exchanged equally as surprised reactions with each other, but Yuffie just pursed her lips. Cloud didn't seem remotely interested. "Is she okay?"

"Hm?" Leon raised an eyebrow, and looked back down at the girl. "Oh. Right. She's fine, she just fell asleep on the Gummi Ship ride. Of course, that came after her walking right into the damn thing. She'll probably get a pretty good bump for that." He shook his head. "I don't know how to explain it. She was talking to herself, making the oddest facial expressions. She didn't seem with us at all, even after we tried to help her."

"I thought she was insane," Merlin smiled. Everyone ignored him, as usual.

"She's not a Nobody, is she?" Kairi asked, afraid that maybe King Mickey had gotten the gender wrong. After all, King Mickey had mentioned that Maleficent's new apprentice was a keyblade wielder, and it wouldn't be the first time that they searched worlds for something that was with them all along. This girl could very well be the apprentice.

Leon shook his head. "No. She put my hand to her heart." For a moment, Leon became silent, his head bowed to look at the girl. He took slow steps over to the couches and set the sleeping figure down on them, gentler than Sora could ever imagine him to be. "She has spunk, this kid. Just grabbed my hand and made me feel her heartbeat. Or... heartbeats."

"What?" Sora asked dumbly.

"She has two heartbeats. Either that or a very irregular one, in which case she should have died by now, because I'm pretty sure that's a sign of a chronic illness. Feel for yourself," he suggested, waving to Sora. And Sora did; he took his hand and placed it just below her left clavicle, and almost jumped back in response, a reaction similar to the one that Leon had.

"What could that be from?" Sora asked.

"I was going to ask her when she woke up," Leon said.

"Sleeping Beauty time?" Riku asked, standing up. Angrily, Kairi pulled him back down to the couch that they were sitting on, the one opposite of the sleeping girl. Riku smiled sheepishly, and Kairi rolled her eyes; how could he go from being grave and serious to acting like a carbon copy of Sora? Sometimes that boy had major problems.

"Kosma," Leon said loudly, shaking her shoulder lightly. Sora went to take a seat back with Riku and Kairi. So much for leaving for Disney Castle immediately, but then again, King Mickey did say that he would always be there, and this information was probably very important for everyone to hear. Which reminded Sora.

"Where's the rest of the Committee?"

"Aerith went out investigating more. So did Tifa. Don't worry about them, we'll fill them in later," Cloud said, but Sora could tell that Cloud would just be uncomfortable with the two of them in the same room as him. He was probably feeling as uncomfortable as ever with those two being alone on a mission together.

The girl's eyes, Kosma's eyes, flickered open slowly, and Sora could see that they were a warm brown with golden strands in them that, under that light, made it look like fire was dancing behind her eyes. "What? What is it?" the girl asked, confused upon the sight of Sora, Riku and Kairi. She turned around and saw Leon, and maybe looked a little calmer. Maybe. "That's... Sora, Riku and Kairi?" she asked.

"Oh, did I mention?" Leon asked, "She knows these things without anybody telling her."

"What are you talking about?" Kosma asked him, bitterness laced in her voice.

"I told them how you're constantly talking to yourself, making faces, falling into water and knowing things without ever learning about them before. How could you know barely anything about a keyblade, but you could know who Merlin, myself, and Sora and his friends are?"

"Well, first of all, someone is telling me," the girl said stubbornly, and turned around. She was silent for a moment. "Okay. But I don't think anybody else is coming."

Sora looked at Kairi and Riku worriedly for a moment. What was she talking about? When Kosma's voice interrupted his confusing thoughts, it finally gave them a few answers. "When my world was being destroyed... by those things... those Heartless, I got a keyblade. I started to get rid of the Heartless, but they were multiplying. I thought it was those little pink things that were flying out of them when I destroyed them, so I caught one.

"When I realized it was just a heart, I tried to let it go, but instead, it absorbed into me. And ever since then, I've been hearing this boy- his name is Rex- in my head. He's the one that knows about you guys, keyblades and Heartless and Nobodies. He told me everything I know, even if it's not a lot." She was silent for another moment. Sora thought, at first, it was her allowing them to take everything in, but then realized that it must be this Rex that she was talking about. "He says that he knew some keyblade wielders before his heart was taken."

"And you just..." Riku narrowed his seafoam eyes, "absorbed the heart? Is that even possible?" He looked at Leon for some support, who only looked as stunned as the rest of them.

"It's not possible," he said, "hearts only belong to one body, one soul."

"Well, it did," Kosma snapped, her fingers coiling into fists.

"Actually, it is," Sora said, "Kairi's heart was in me. But I never heard her voice in my head or anything. I think that's something unique to Kosma."

Kosma nodded. "This is weird. All of it. And Rex can see what I can see. And hear what I'm thinking. And even feel a little bit of what I am. Emotionally, I mean. And he's helped me survive up to this point. If it wasn't for him, I probably would have been destroyed by the Heartless. So if you'll excuse me, you guys obviously aren't any help, and I need to find a way to get Rex's heart free, and get him to his body, wherever it is."

"It would be a Nobody by now, if he produced one," Riku said, "and that's a big if."

"Kosma, is it?" Kairi asked politely. Kosma nodded her head a couple of times. Kairi let out a breath, and continued. "If you're that adamant about finding Rex's Nobody, or maybe finding a way to restore his heart to a body, some way, then the best one would be to come with us on our journey to see if we can find him on the way."

"Wait, her come with us?" Riku asked. "No offense, Kosma, but-"

"Why do people say that?" Kosma said, and everyone was suddenly silent, staring at her. She had a way of making things awkward, Sora realized, but at least she was dead honest, and that was a semi-admirable quality. "Why do people say 'no offense' before they're about to say something offensive? Why not just say 'offense completely intended', because that's exactly what you mean." She crossed her arms over her chest angrily.

Riku let out a sigh. "Fine. All offense intended, but you just got your keyblade, right? Then you don't know shit about what we have to do, and you'll probably just weigh us down."

"That's not true," said Leon now, and everyone looked at him. "She says she has Rex. If he's really helped her through everything, if he's really as amazing as she says he is, than she should be able to get through anything with this Rex."

"Rex is all I need," Kosma said stubbornly.

"Then I say you guys let her go with you. If Rex is all she needs, then she should be up to your speed in no time." His voice seemed to be more amused and accusatory than it did to be genuine. "What does Rex know about Maleficent's new apprentice?"

Kosma was silent for a moment before answering, "he says it could be anybody. He knew a bunch of keyblade wielders, and it could be either one of them or none of them."

"At least he's not a know-it-all," Riku said, but Sora couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"Take Kosma with," Leon said, "so we can find out why she can hear his boy's voice in her head and why he can see what she does and hear her thoughts. This might be important. It might mean he's strong. And if we can get him a body or over to his Nobody, if he's got one, he'll be strong and maybe he'll be able to help you beat Maleficent and her apprentice."

"How do I know which Nobody is his?" Kosma asked.

"Your heart should just react with it," Sora said, "you'll just know."

Kairi nodded. "When I found my Nobody, I just knew there was something different about her, that we were connected in some way. And I think Sora felt the same."

Sora blushed. He didn't, really; the first thing he did was try to kill Roxas, but that was a different story. He stood up eagerly. "Okay, Kosma, it looks like you- you and Rex- are with us. Now let's go to Disney Castle before King Mickey dies of old age."

Author's Note: Like I said, pretty boring, but at least we've got some background now, and Kosma's in the group! Pay attention to some of the last things that Kosma said, though, because they'll be important in the next chapter. Thank you for reading, and please review!