THIS IS GOOFY… I MEAN WEIRD.

With all the Christmas hubbub going on, I decided that we would have to have a Christmas chapter of this story. But not everybody's Christian, so of course, I asked you all to vote on who should be Jewish.

Oddly enough, you all voted for Goofy.

But hey – the masses have spoken. Goofy… shall be Jewish!

…

(…this is so weird…)

Ahem… anyways, the story is getting pretty spicy, and I've begun to think of this story as my Soap Opera Drama. I didn't realize this was getting so… melodramatic. But, I enjoy, and you guys enjoy it, and as long as I don't make the characters out of character, I think everybody will be happy.

My life has been crazy these past few days. I'm buying a Captain Jack standup! You know, like those things they put in movie theaters. Awesome, huh?

Now, before we begin the story, I have… news.

MY BIRTHDAY IS COMING!!

I was born January 1st, 19somthingsomething, and in a couple days I will be OLD! …er, older.

(happy birthday to me, I have smelly feet.. lalalalala…)

Okay, so, um… let's just get on with the story. HERE WE GO!!!

It was a dingy little city. At the city's center was the ruin of the old city, Midgar; the new city was built around the old, but the only true difference in the two was the amount of people. It was all gray, all dark, all dusty, and dreary.

In an odd way, it made Demyx think this was the Dark City of the Realm of Light.

Demyx, Yuffie, Larxene, and Marluxia had rushed to Edge, the city Leon was in, as soon as they learned of his situation. Xigbar, who had been at the performance, had already joined the group much earlier. Now he and the top members of the org were having a deep discussion about… something.

With one last glance at the dreary city, Demyx jogged to catch up with the others.

Leon was being taken care of in a bar, by people who just happened to be old friends of Cloud, Cid, Tifa, Aerith, and Vincent.

Residing in the bar was a small group made up of two young children, a rough man named Barret, a weird red thing, and a robot with a Scottish accent.

The weird red thing looked like a lion, in a way, but was fiery red like Axel's crazy hair. His name was Red XIII (Demyx grinned at the XIII). The reserved creature was actually a lot like Number XIII in his quiet demeanor and dark eyes. On the end of his tail was this weird glowy thing that Demyx really had the urge to poke.

The robot thing with a Scottish accent was actually this little creature called Cait Sith. It looked a bit like a cat that could walk on two legs, and it rode about on a huge, stuffed mog that had been brought to life by magic.

The children were Denzel and Marlene, a young boy and girl who were both orphans taken in by Barret and Cloud and the rest. Barret himself was a heavy seat, muscular African American man with a cybernetic lower arm. He was fatherly, though a bit intimidating. Kind of like Xigbar in a way. That made Demyx smile.

"Hey, come on", Axel's voice woke Demyx up from his daydreams.

Everyone was sitting around the bar, even Sora and the others from the islands. When the word was sent out, the entire group had rushed together. The only people who hadn't come were Riku, Roxas, and Namine. No one had been able to contact him.

In an effort to keep from overwhelming the commander, the group was going in to visit him a few at a time. Now, it was Axel and Demy's turn.

"Okay", Demyx nodded, standing up from his table, and taking one last swig from his mug, the boy followed the fiery red head.

Down the hallway, to the left, and into a bedroom.

Sitting beneath the window with light pouring down upon him, Squall Leonheart was a right mess. His hair was sweat soaked and messy, and his breathing was ragged. Covered in bandages about his abdomen and his head and his legs and an arm, the man was a right mess.

Sitting next to the bed was a person Demyx didn't know.

"Wait a minute…" Demyx thought aloud, looking him over. "I know you! You're from Monde Race!"

The man, who was sitting in a chair next to Leon's bed, looked up and waved.

"My name is Pip Bernadette, and I work with the Hellsing Organization." Pip had a French accent. "My partner and I were assigned to trail after your leader after he left our residence. When he was injured, we came out of hiding. My superiors are on their way here as we speak." Demyx nodded, trying to take it all in.

Axel looked over Leon and then glared at Pip. "Why were you trailing him?" He asked threateningly.

"Man, are we gonna have a full house, huh, Marlene?" Barret, who was sitting in the back of the small room, interrupted the child who was playing on the floor.

"Yeah – this place is already stuffed!" Demyx laughed, taking a seat next to Leon.

"We contacted some of Leon's old friends. They're on their way here, too." Axel groaned.

"Great. More freaks." Demyx shot him a look.

A groan came from the bed, and all eyes went to Leon. The man was squinting, trying to see, and he looked to Demyx.

Gasping breath, Leon tried to move his arm as he looked Demyx over. "… Zell?" He let out a rasp of voice, but fell back to sleep again.

Barret sighed. Pip removed the cloth on Leon's head and replaced it with a dry one, wiping some of the sweat off the man's brow.

"Who's Zell?" Demyx asked. Barret shrugged.

"Maybe one of his friends." The man offered.

"Jeez. When these friends of his get here, I'm gonna figure out the whole mystery behind Rinoa and 'Zell' and all this shit." Axel complained moodily. Glaring at Pip, he walked out of the room. "I'm not through with you either, Frenchie."

Demyx chuckled, and oddly enough, so did Pip. Demyx took the chance to speak to the man.

"You said you had a partner. Who?" Demyx asked. Pip smirked.

"A vampire. A Draculina. Her name is Seras Victoria." Demyx gulped.

"So she's asleep now, huh?" He muttered. Pip nodded with a smile.

Only a few minutes later, Demyx walked out of the room. Coming downstairs, he looked to the group.

Everyone was laughing and merry, even though Leon was sick. Everyone knew he would get better.

No one had ever died of a broken heart, right?

Cur in gremio haeremus?

(Why do we stay in the cradle?)


Cur poenam cordi parvo damus?

(Why do we provide suffering to our little heart?)

It was so cold. But he liked cold. Or at least, he liked the tickle it gave his skin; he liked the pain it gave his bare feet, he adored knowing he was still alive, he was still human.

He had his doubts, nowadays. It was hard to believe he was here. He shouldn't be. Not him.

"Tidu! Tidu, come inside!" He heard his mother – (when was it he started calling her mother?) – call to him. He did not respond. His body had heard – his weary mind did not comprehend it.

Yuna watched the boy with worry. He would be okay… wouldn't he? He had taken Twilight Town's destruction so hard. Or was there something else that had happened?

Tidu opened his eyes. Turning to the left, he saw the bomb miles off, exploding in the air with a beautiful display of fire.

Palms shaking the boy looked down. How had he done that? Had he done that?

"What… what am I?" He asked with a trembling voice.

Shaking, Tidu hugged himself, sobbing silently.

Cor mortem ducens

(Heart leading to death)

Vita mollis in stellam

Redeunt

(And the weak life return to the planet)

Animam sacrificare necesse est?

(Is it necessary to sacrifice the soul?)

Tifa smiled to herself as she poured Vincent's drink. She had been the bartender for Barret's bar, back in the day, and now she was playing the part again. It was refreshing, a bit.

As the woman passed the drink under the ice machine she heard Cid speak.

"Hey, anybody seen Cloud?" He spoke loudly. Tifa wondered were the blonde could be as she topped off Vincent's drink, and turned to the bar.

"Here you go, Vincent." She began.

Vincent was gone.

Vincent had left only moments before, rushing towards the exact place he knew Cloud was. For him to return home after so long, and not visit that place would be strange. Cloud could never forget that place.

There he was. Sitting on the edge of the cliff.

Balanced by the edge of a rocky ravine was a sword, a buster sword much like the one Cloud had started out with as a child. It was old and rusted and nasty looking, but so divine as well. It was stuck in the ground, like a burial marker.

It marked a grave.

Cloud was kneeling next to the sword, his head hung low.

"Visiting Zack?" Vincent broke the silence. Cloud did not respond. He didn't need to.

Vincent stepped up and kneeled in respect as well. Cloud was silent.

"… He was my best friend." Cloud began. The wind became colder and blew past the both of them.

"I know", Vincent whispered. "I know."

As the clouds covered the sky with gray and the wind picked up, the two friends sat in a reminiscent silence that neither of them had the heart to break.

Back at the bar, Tifa disposed of Vincent's drink and heard a voice calling her.

"Tifa!"

The woman looked to her feet to see Marlene hugging her leg tightly. With a lithe smile, Tifa bent down and swept the child into her arms.

"How have you been, Marlene?" Tifa asked kindly.

"Awesome! Denzel and me have been taking care of Cloud's house!" Marlene announced as if it was the most important thing in the world. Laughing, Tifa stepped out from behind the bar and joined her friends.

"Cloud has a house?" Sora asked.

"Of course he does." Kairi corrected him with a laugh. Sticking out his tongue, Sora waited for Tifa's answer.

Tifa nodded. "Cloud lives in an abandoned church." Sora's eyes went wide.

"Cool." He stated, before gulping his soda down.

Marlene made herself comfortable in Tifa's lap, snuggling into the woman's embrace. Kairi smiled at the scene.

"Whoa!" Suddenly, Marlene shot up, staring amazed at something in the air. It was Yuna! The girl was in sprite form, flying around gaily. Marlene giggled and gasped happily.

"Yuna, I have someone who wants to meet you." Tifa explained with a motherly tone. Yuna spun about, and when she saw Marlene's wide, happy eyes, understood and flew down to the girl's level.

"Hey Rikku, Paine, come over here!" She called, and her friends came flying towards her.

"Aw." Kairi giggled. Sora watched her with a smile.

"Hey, ever bodies dats in the hissuout!" Cid stood up drunkenly and slurred his speech. Sora strained to understand what he was saying.

"Come again?" Saix implored sharply.

"Wereeees Monkee?" Cid slurred, stumbling forward. Yuffie attempted to catch him, but was too small and too intoxicated. They both fell, and Yuffie giggled stupidly.

"WEEREEEES MONKEE?" Cid repeated. Kairi looked down on the man and asked incredulously.

"I think he's asking where the monkey is." She stated.

"Oh!" Demyx laughed. "He means Xaldin!"

"Now that I think about it…" Axel began. In the back of the room, Auron piped up.

"Where are the top numbers of the Organization?"

SOMEWHERE ELSE

"Are you sure?" Xigbar asked, looking over the statistics again.

"Absolutely. But whether or not it will work I'm not so sure. It might." Vexen sighed, his eyes ringed and red.

"Rest, friend. We'll take care of the rest." Xaldin stated kindly, leading number four towards the exit. With a sigh, Vexen stepped out the door.

"Be careful." He whispered, and then he was gone.

"This is dangerous business." Zexion murmured.

"If we so much as slip a millimeter off the mark, we're doomed." Xigbar muttered angrily.

"Don't worry so much everyone! I have faith." Lexaeus stated. "Right, Superior?"

Xemnas perked up out of his day dreaming state and sleepily looked to Lexaeus.

"I can only hope." He sighed. Lexaeus smiled and stepped up to the table, taking hold of a flower that sat there.

"Hope is all we need." Lexaeus smiled.

SPIRA

Riku couldn't stop from staring. It was too much. It was… just wrong.

"Riku, wake up. It's time to go." Roxas spoke as he finished his transaction at the cashier.

"Riku?" Namine asked worriedly.

The three were at a place that was like a small Market, but it was mainly a Shoopuf loading zone.

Now you may be asking a couple questions right now.

What is a Shoopuf? And why the hell would anyone get on it?

Well, a Shoopuf is like a blue elephant with a curved nose; a very slow, steady creature that is perfect for crossing rivers, like the Moonflow that Roxas, Namine, and Riku aimed to cross.

The drivers of the Shoopuf were weird little blue men with frog like faces and bent backs; the worst part was the accent.

As Roxas left the small store and stepped up to a driver with Namine and Riku in tow (Namine pulling the stunned Riku along), the driver spoke to them.

"Rides she ShooPUFF?" He asked with a heavy, really WEIRD accent.

(Anyone who has played FFX knows what I'm talking about. Freaky little blue things.)

As Riku was pushed onto the lift that would take them to the Shoopuf, he looked back to his allies and pondered rather rudely:

"What the HELL are they!?!?"

"The drive the Shoopuf, that's all I know." Roxas laughed at the glare the driver was giving Riku. Riku glared back, twice as hard. The driver peed his pants.

As they got into the cart that sat on the back of the Shoopuf, Riku sighed and collapsed tiredly.

"What's next, Elmo's world? What are those things?!" Riku groaned.

"Just forget about it, Riku. We'll be fine." Namine giggled, sitting down and looking out over the Moonflow. The Shoopuf began to move.

Roxas looked to the driver as they moved.

"Any chance we'll be on the other side in ten – twenty minutes?" The driver looked shocked.

"Empossibibbel! Empossibibbel!" The driver slurred. Roxas stared.

"I guess its emposs – impossible." He smirked, trying not to laugh. Riku smirked too, and Namine hid a giggle behind her hand.

"So…" Namine began. "What's the point of exploring Spira?"

Riku shrugged, putting his hands behind his head.

"Vacation I guess."

"What about the Destiny Islands?" Roxas offered.

"I can't go back while he's there!" Riku murmured angrily, eyes flashing. Namine gave Roxas a look, and everyone went silent.

The sun was high in the sky and beaming down upon them, but Namine felt stifled.

"New topic!" She declared to herself silently.

"How about blitzball? I heard about it, but I don't know what it is." Riku heard Namine and laughed.

"Blitzball is a sport my friends Wakka and Tidus play. They are in love with it. It's also the national sport here in Spira." Riku explained.

"Can we play it where we're headed?" Roxas implored. Riku shook his head.

"The place we're going to is underground, a place called Guadosalam. It's famous here. A race of immortals called the Guado live there. They watch over a place called the Farplane."

"Farplane?" Namine asked.

With a serene smile, Riku launched into explanation. "When someone dies, they pass on into the Farplane. In Guadosalam, there is a gate where you can pass to visit the dead. They don't speak or move, but you can see them. It's amazing, I've been told."

Both Roxas and Namine were speechless.

"Roxas and I don't exist." Namine smiled. "We don't have dead ones to visit. Who… will you visit?"

Using a wide grin as a cover for his immense pain, Riku told them. "My parents. My mother… and if he's dead, my father."

SOMEWHERE ELSE

Footsteps came up behind him.

"Tidu?"

The boy turned, wiping his eyes so no one would know he was crying.

"Yea – Xemnas?"

The tall enigma stood silently behind the young boy, and immediately extended a request. "My friends request your aid in an experiment."

"Does it have to do – with what I am?" Tidu muttered. With a sad smile, Xemnas agreed.

"Yes."

Without a sound, Tidu stood, and took hold of Xemnas' hand. The man led the boy towards the lab – in the hopes that future generations could be saved.

The door opened, and Xigbar stood. It was Xemnas with the boy.

"All right kid, are you ready?" Xigbar asked with a kind smirk. Xemnas handed the boy over to Xigbar; number two was always the one who did best with kids, and Xemnas was uncomfortable in that area.

"Is Leon okay?" Lexaeus asked. Xemnas sighed.

"No better than before."

The clicking of computer keys came from the back of the room as Xigbar led Tidu to a small table.

"Here's the basics kid." Xigbar began, resting his head on his hands. "As you may or may not know, beings of light and darkness do not mix easily. There is a disease that will harm any woman harboring a child that is part of a different realm – for instance, Vexen's wife."

"Recently, though, my friends and I have been doing immense studying in the area, and have come up with a sort of – vaccine, hopefully. You see, you yourself are the result of an odd birth. Tidus your father, Yuna your mother, Sephiroth your carrier. In that way, you are many different races and realms.

Yuna is half human, half Al Bhed.

Sephiroth is human, but also has Jenova cells.

Tidus is human, but not real – a dream.

"So you, Tidu, are part Dream, Light, and Darkness; half human, a quarter Al Bhed, and a quarter Jenova."

"I know." The boy whispered rather sadly.

With a somber sigh, and a fatherly gaze, Xigbar continued. "So, we thought that the secret lied in your creation. That was until Demyx found this."

Reaching across the table, Xigbar picked up a flower that was white and black and speckled gold. It was amazing beautiful and odd as well.

"This thing is from the realm of darkness. But look into the center." Leaning over, Tidu gasped at the sight. The very center of the flower was like a star, shining and sparkling.

"We wondered how light could be in darkness. Vexen came to a conclusion."

"When you are lost in darkness, when life is a nightmare, what gives you light?" Xigbar asked.

Tidu thought for a moment. He was silent.

Xigbar watched the boy's mouth frown in thinking with a smile.

"… Dreams?"

"Yes. The idea that things will get better. An escape to a place where everything is as you want it to be. Now, elaborate. Dreams are light. Now, in our situation, the darkness inside the child will kill the mother in child birth. How would dreams play into the equation? How could a dream save her?"

This one stumped the child, but he stubbornly thought it over.

"How do I put it into words?" Tidu thought aloud.

"I know what you're thinking." Xigbar smiled. In surprise, Tidu glanced up, waiting for an answer.

"Our conclusion is this; we save Miss Vexen by, with our vaccine, making the darkness a dark dream. Its still darkness, but it's a dream. Not real. What's not real…" Xigbar smirked. "Can't hurt us."

"How can I help?" Tidu asked.

"Simple. Just help us test out the theory. No pain necessary." Tidu grinned and stood up.

"All right. Let's go."

SOMEPLACE ELSE

(This part is kinda confusion. Someone is dreaming. Whenever I say he, it's the person that's dreaming. Everything else is the dream.)

Squall…?

Squall, come on, this way!

He was following the voice… but to where?

There was darkness… then light… and twilight came…

Ahead of him was a bright light, and a figure. All he could see was the outline, but it looked like a teenage boy, and the boy was walking towards the light. Someone was screaming… crying…

"Don't go! Don't go!"

The figure heard. The boy paused, and turned slightly. He could make out brown hair. The boy gave a dorky smile before lifting his hand, waving, and turning back towards the light. Another voice came, more voices.

"No, Wait!"

"Don't go, please!"

"SORA!"

He watched the figure as the boy became bathed in light. The picture changed. He was seeing everything from a girl's point of view, as the girl ran across a dark area, tears streaming down her eyes.

The girl was rushing about, screaming, crying for 'Sora'. Spinning and looking around, she ran through a field of flowers – beautiful flowers that were speckled gold and black and white. They shone in the night, like fireflies.

"Sora!"

The girl came to the center of the field.

There was the boy, but he couldn't see the boys face. As the girl cried, the scene changed again.

There was a procession going through the streets of the Dark City. Everyone was cloaked in white, and it was a huge procession of people. Every person carried a small candle.

Leading the procession, he could see, were Aerith on the left, Yuna on the right, and … Rinoa standing between them. His tired lips tried to speak to Rinoa, but the scene changed, and Rinoa disappeared.

It was back to the first scene, the scene of the boy walking towards the light. Now, he was running, but it looked like it was in slow motion. Then, it sped up back to normal, and from his point of view he was running next to the boy.

Man, Leon, this place is cool and all, but… I don't think you're supposed to go with me. The others need you. I can't wait to see you again! Tell the others I'll miss them!

Leon stopped running. Tears were streaming down his face as he watched the teenager turn to him, grin, and wave, all in slow motion. Squall broke down and cried when the boy ran slowly to the light, running towards it, slowly disappearing from view. The female voice came back, with a male voice –

"Come back!"

Riku?

"SORA!"

Kairi?

"Sora!"

Was that… that was him, Leon. That was his voice, crying.

Why was he sad? What was wrong?

Squall sprang up in bed, covered in sweat, and he immediately regretted doing so, as pain coursed through his body. Groaning angrily he collapsed back down, but even then he grasped the bedside table and quickly got to his feet. Barret noticed and immediately went to set him back down, but Leon was already out of the room.

Even though every step hurt him terribly, his mind was working overtime. Leon was going to find him, no matter what, and he was going to give him a long lecture that never was he to sacrifice himself or do anything noble, brave – or otherwise stupid.

Stumbling down the steps, Leon came to the front room.

There was laughter, and smiling, and cheering joyfully. Leon saw the boy, the little brunette hero, laughing insanely with Kairi, and Yuffie, and Auron, and everyone else.

His eyes were alight with happiness.

His smile lit up the world.

He was such an innocent boy – such a strong man.

It was so serene, the scene before him. The laughter reverberating off the walls and the friends clasping each others hands and shoulders and arms, joined together. Sora was in the midst of it all – it would not be the same, not without him, not without him.

Squall had always been a strong man.

Leon cried.


Cur in gremio haeremus?


(Why do we stay in the cradle?)


Cur veniam petimus?

(Why do we beg for mercy?)


In terram fatali?


(In the fatal earth?)