Jazzerman here, I do not own any of these characters, they are owned by their respected companies, as many as there are. You've heard this crap before. I DO own the OCs. If you'd like to use them in a fic, just tell me.

Am I Heartless?

Part 11

Sora and Riku were both awaked by both the sound of the door to their room opening and the light that came in from the hallway lights. But before they could ask what was going on they saw Kairi, who was looking very awake and worried about something.

"You guys awake?" Kairi asked

"Well now we are..." Riku muttered, he was never one for being woken up in the middle of the night. But then again who is? "What's wrong Kairi?"

Kairi walked into the room and closed the door behind her. She didn't want anybody listening in. "Aerith and Tifa brought in Yuffie and set her down on the other bed in my room. She was shaking and she had this look in her eyes like she was scared to death of something..."

Riku sat up in his bed, unsure what to make of this sudden news. "Did either of them say what happened?"

"No. They just laid her down and left quietly. I think they didn't know I wasn't asleep." Kairi said in a worried tone. "After they left I got up and shook Yuffie to see if she could talk but she just curled up in a ball on her bed and kept shaking."

"Was she hurt?" Sora asked, now sitting on the edge of his bed. Glad that he had decided to sleep with his pants on due to the chilly room otherwise Kairi would've belted him for being a pervert.

Kairi shook her head. "There wasn't even a scratch on her. I'm kinda worried you guys."

"You think we should go out and find out what's going on?" Riku asked, looking at both Sora and Kairi.

"Yeah." Kairi said. "You two go on and find out what's going on. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Yuffie."

Sora and Riku nodded and got up, getting dressed as quickly as possible and silently wishing they had thicker clothes. When you live on a tropical island you don't often have sweaters in your wardrobe. But they put aside the cold they felt and headed outside.

Kairi walked back to her room and sat down next to Yuffie who was still shaking like a leaf in a storm. Kairi sighed and ran her fingers through the older girl's short hair. Kairi prayed that this had nothing to do with Orin.

---

Orin slowly transversed the Great Maw, which was little more than the bottom of a wide crystal chasm devoid of any living thing. Orin sat down in the center and looked around. This place was eerily quiet and it was getting cold, quietly he cursed that the Heartless had torched his vest. He could've used the extra warm clothing. Still, it was a small price to pay for being far enough from the town. He couldn't hurt anyone if there was no one around. He remembered the agonized expression on Yuffie's face when he had come to his senses and knew without a doubt it would haunt his dreams for many nights to come. Yuffie was just trying to make him feel better but the reason why she kissed him still escaped him. Had she done it because she liked him or because she just forgot about what he told her about coming into skin contact with people? Orin shook his head, there was no way she would like him now even if she had liked him before. What he did was horrible and unforgivable. If living here in this wasteland was to be his punishment for hurting a former friend then he welcomed it.

Orin was jerked out of his thoughts by a clanking sound behind him. Instantly the young man whipped around to see a group of Soldier Heartless approaching him with their jerky movements. Orin wasn't about to lay down and die for these things, he knew this was one of the few times when could let himself go and not have to worry about hurting someone. As they approached him he could feel his right arm tense up and grow icy cold as it changed once again into the black clawed arm of a Shadow.

The Heartless's armor was no defense as Orin lunged at them, eyes glowing with a fury one can only obtain from bottling up a great deal of emotional pain and repressed anger. Orin's inhuman growls and sounds of his claws cutting through the Heartless echoed throughout the chasm making it sound like a massacre was taking place.

The small platoon of Heartless Soldiers were doing their best to avoid Orin's swift attacks and counter with their own claws but they just weren't fast enough. Orin grinned evilly, this was just what he needed.

---

"Well well... So while Pete is currently out searching the other worlds the little whelps who defeated me once before practically deliver the child of the Heartless on my doorstep. I should thank them for doing this." Maleficent chuckled, not at all surprised that Pete had once more been utterly useless in her orders. Seeing the child destroying her Heartless sentries down in the canyon from her tower was more than enough to brighten her mood.

---

Riku and Sora opened the door to Merlin's house and were both instantly thankful for two things: Leon was in there so they didn't have to search around in the cold night anymore and that the house was heated.

"Sora, Riku, What are you two doing out of bed?" Aerith asked, walking up to the young men who were meanwhile busy rubbing their arms to help warm their wrists.

Leon and Cid turned to look at the two young Keybladers, each had a slight smirk on their faces. They remembered their first night back home in Hallow bastion very well as well as the sharp winds that get produced at this time of the night. It's like they go right through you.

After Riku and Sora had regained the feeling in their extremities Sora finally replied; "Kairi told us that you guys brought Yuffie into her room and that she was freaking out."

Riku groaned at his friend's lack of subtlety. "We'd like to know what's going on."

Leon turned back to Cid's computer. "You two should go back to sleep. We've got things under control."

"Tifa's gone to find Cloud outside the town." Aerith said, both young men could see a little bit of remorse in her eyes but couldn't tell if it was meant for Orin or Yuffie. "Cloud should be able to find him, he knows the outside area very well."

"Did Orin say anything before he took off?" Riku asked.

"He told me to tell Yuffie 'I'm sorry' and that he that he wouldn't ever come to Radiant garden again." Aerith said. "I think he was really sorry about what happened, but he was too upset to reason with before he ran off."

"Well we got to out there and find him!" Sora exclaimed, eager to get back out there and look for Orin. "What if Cloud finds him before Tifa explains things and he thinks he's a Heartless?"

"He IS a Heartless Sora." Leon stated without looking back to face the Keyblade's chosen. "You heard what Ansem said in the video."

"Do you think Xehanort would ever tell the truth?" Sora retorted. "I mean this could all be some kind of mind game from beyond the grave he planned out if he lost."

"Maybe but creating a creature like Orin does fit in with what Xehanort would do." Leon responded, turning to look Sora in the eye. Telling Sora that he that he was very serious about this indeed.

"Come on Sora." Riku said as he tugged on his friend's arm. "If we're going to do anything it's clear we're going to be the ones that will do it." Riku shot a look over his shoulder at Leon before he opened the door. "We're obviously not going to get any help."

Sora looked at Leon for a second before following Riku outside.

Once the Keyblade wielders had disappeared outside Aerith turned to look at Leon with an intensely disappointed look on her face. Cid caught a glimpse of it and wisely decided to focus his attention on his computer and try to act like he wasn't there.

Aerith crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Aren't you being a little harsh Leon?"

"I'm just trying to make sure that Orin doesn't accidentally hurt anyone else." Leon said, letting out a tired sigh. He hated having to argue with the flower girl. "What if he had attacked you?"

Aerith couldn't think of a response to that. After a short pause she said; "I just hope you made the right decision Leon..."

Leon turned away from her, thinking exactly the same thing.

Cid meanwhile just rolled his eyes. 'And thus ends another spat from the newlyweds...' He thought. 'I swear they act like they've been married for years.'

---

Orin fell to his knees once the last of the Soldiers had faded back into the darkness they had come from. Orin felt a vague sense of accomplishment, knowing that he had just taken out some of the Heartless, lessening their grip on this world. He also felt a little lighter after letting out all those negative emotions rather than carrying them around. This feeling only lasted for a short time, once Orin's adrenaline wore off his mood once again fell into darkness. He longed to go back and beg forgiveness from his friends but knew he shouldn't. He knew Leon might do something to ensure that he'd never hurt anyone in Radiant garden ever again. Orin couldn't blame Leon, he was just looking after his town the best he could. Orin would probably do the same thing in his place.

Orin continued his trek through the canyon until he reached a dead end, if he had more knowledge of the area outside the town he would have known this steep cliff that looked outward to more barren crystal flats and a ruined castle that stood out like a festered scab amid the landscape baring the mark of the Heartless. This castle sparked a memory or two but they failed to come to light. Leaving him feel a little bit empty inside.

Orin walked over to the edge of the cliff and sat down, letting his feet dangle over the edge and laid back on the hard ground. Orin stared up at the night sky, the stars seemed a little clearer out here than back in town. Maybe it was because there were no street lights to obscure them. He didn't really know for certain. The cold winds that had been blowing began to catch up with Orin as he crossed his arms and walked over to a small out cropping in the wall that would shield him from the winds.

Orin sat down and brought his knees up to his chest in an attempt to conserve heat. Orin sighed and looked around at his surroundings one more time to make sure no one was around, Heartless or otherwise and closed his eyes to get some rest.

"Well this is a pleasant sight. It is very rare indeed that I see anyone near my castle." A voice said.

Orin's eyes shot open to see a tall woman standing in front of him. She was wearing a long flowing black robe that trailed behind her and had black horns on her head. Whether she was wearing these or they were actually growing out of her head he wasn't sure. In her hand was a black metal staff with a green gem embedded in the top of the device. Her face was an olive green and her eyes were bright yellow with vertical slits like that of a snake. The smirk she was giving him was enough to make Orin's skin crawl.

"Who are you?" Orin asked harshly, jumping to his feet and bringing out his black claws. Although he was surprised how easily they had appeared this time he instead focused on Maleficent. No telling what this weird lady would try do to him.

"Like you, a denizen of darkness." The witch said in a soothing tone, all the while walking around Orin with her staff in hand giving Orin a look that reminded him of a viper circling a wounded mouse. "Why are you here child of the Heartless?"

"I am not a child." Orin snapped. This woman was different than the ones he knew back in town, different in a bad kind of way. "And if I am a Heartless what would you know?"

"My dear it's all over your face. You've been ostracized by the humans in Radiant garden because you are different. Because they fear you." Maleficent said, stopping her circling to look down at the smaller Orin. "They fear all creatures of Darkness."

"Huh?" Orin was confused, what was she getting at?

"Denizens of light and denizens of darkness can never live in harmony." Maleficent explained looking very sure of herself. "There is far too much distrust between them."

"You don't look like the trustworthy type yourself miss." Orin said crossing his arms and shooting the witch a very skeptical look.

"You may refer to me as Maleficent." The witch said, clicking her staff on the crystalline ground. "I am a seeker of Darkness and hidden and forbidden secrets."

"Secrets huh? You wouldn't know anything about some of Xehanort's experiments would you?" Orin asked.

"Perhaps. I know he left behind many notes about the Heartless in his personal Journal." Maleficent said coyly as she produced a beaten old leather bound book via her black magic, knowing full well this kind of opportunity would be irresistible to Orin. "Would you be interested in this?"

Orin instantly found himself reaching for the book. He would've gotten a hold of it if Maleficent had not have lifted it out of his reach.

Orin could only scoff at her. She was offering him something that could explain everything about him and yet she was playing these games with him. "Okay what do you want for it?"

"Not much my dear, you just have to come with me and help me with something." Maleficent said, still using the soft tone she reserved for tempting and talking down to people she was clearly superior to.

"And you aren't planning on destroying me?" Orin snorted.

"My dear boy I wouldn't think of it." Maleficent said, looking down at the youth with a satisfied smirk. "You're far too... unique to me to destroy."

Orin sighed in annoyance, why didn't she just tell him what she wanted from him in exchange for the book? "What do you want for it?"

"Just for you to come with me, I require your help in a small venture of mine." Maleficent said. "Promise you will help me and you will have this book."

Orin thought about it for a second. What did he have to lose? He had just practically exiled himself from what he had thought of as his home town and he was sure that by next morning the townspeople would know about him and want to make sure he didn't come back and have the security system see him as a target. Sora and Kairi might still trust him but Riku... Orin didn't know. He may do anything to him next time they met.

"Okay... I'll come with you..." Orin grumbled, not liking this deal one bit.

"Excellent." Maleficent said, walking behind Orin and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stand still."

Orin was shocked when green and black flames suddenly appeared and enveloped them. In no time both of them were no longer at the Great Maw.

A man with spiky blond hair stood on the top of the wall of crystal above where Maleficent and Orin had conversed. Obviously neither of them had seen him take off back towards town on a midnight blue motorcycle.

To be continued...

A/N: Okay okay I know Cloud didn't have his motorcycle in Kingdom Hearts but I thought it'd be fun to include. Yes I own advent children and I do enjoy it very much as I loved FF7 ever since I got it way back in 97 (I belive). I don't care what you say, 7 is the best RPG game ever made despite what people say about it being 'blocky' by today's standards.