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 14

Sora wished Cloud had extra room on that motorcycle of his. For once he'd like a lift to somewhere important instead of having to walk the whole way there. He could've at least offered to be a gentleman and take Kairi or Yuffie along. But of course Cloud had to be himself and take off before anyone could ask.

They were now running as fast as they could through the reconstruction site. The Heartless had done considerable damage to the equipment. The cranes had had their doors torn off and the casing ripped to shreds and scattered about like confetti.

Cid and Leon sat against the wall next to their weapons. Leon's Gunblade was empty of all its rounds and Cid was currently using an old worn whetstone to sharpen the blade of his spear.

"You guys okay?" Yuffie asked, concerned for her two hometown friends.

"Yeah, we're just dandy..." Cid grumbled, noting another large niche in his weapon that he'd have to get out in the future. "Those Heartless were tearing all our construction equipment apart. After we gave them a good lickin' they turned tail and ran."

Leon pointed down towards The Maw. "The ones that weren't slain ran off towards there."

"Did Cloud pass by here?" Yuffie asked.

"Spike head?" Cid responded, using a well deserved nickname for Cloud. "No, why do you ask?"

"No..." Yuffie hung her head. 'Why is that pain in the ass never around when you need him...?'

"Cloud might'a went back out ot hunt more Heartless. It's not like they're in short supply these days." Cid continued, not seeming very worried about Cloud. "Tifa took off during the fight. She might'a seen ol spikes and took off after him."

"Okay, thanks guys. We're heading off for the Deep Depths." Riku said flatly. He didn't want to stand around talking while the old witch had time to prepare whatever nastiness had in mind for them.

"Just be careful." Leon said. "The Heartless are acting strange, there's no telling what they might do."

The group nodded in acknowledgement and hurried off. Leaving both Cid and Leon alone to recoup from their encounter with the Heartless and look around at the broken machinery.

Cid looked over at Leon. "You know Yuffie's going to have to clean all this up."

Leon smirked, amused at the thought of her whining and complaining as she picked up all the broken bits and slivers of metal all by herself. "Oh yeah."

---

Meanwhile in the recesses of the ruined castle, Orin stood before a large black door. This door was set in the cracked wall of one of the towers, but unlike everything else in the broken estate this door was undamaged. The doors themselves were a solid black, more than likely made of a stone like obsidian or onyx. It was reinforced with shiny steel braces that also held the large ring door openers. It wasn't a very foreboding door but it looked like it was meant to hold something in or keep something out.

"So you just want me to open this door?" Orin asked, looking back Maleficent. She had explained what she had wanted him to do before leading him to this door. But he couldn't shake a numbing feeling coming from this door. Like the feeling you get when you're out in the cold for so long you feel your bones themselves becoming chilled.

"Yes," Maleficent said calmly. "According to what is written in that Journal only a speaking Heartless has the power to wrench it open. And you my boy are the only one that can do that."

"I... don't understand." Orin blinked at the witch. This had been an all too eye opening day. He had only just discovered why he had these powers, why he couldn't touch anyone without going mad. For the moment Orin forced these questions from his mind to focus on this question: What did this with want exactly? "What's behind this door?"

"Why it's your home of course." Maleficent said strolling up behind Orin. Her long robe trailing behind her, making it seem as if she was almost gliding along the floor. "Behind this door is the Realm of Darkness, home to all Heartless. On the other side of this door you wouldn't have to hurt another soul my child."

That struck Orin like an arrow, she knew about when Yuffie had... why was he thinking about her? She didn't really care about him. He had told her and she still pushed his buttons. But what about opening this door? Was it really what Maleficent claimed or was did it lead to something horrible? Then again what did he have to loose? If Sora and Riku heard about that he had nearly turned Yuffie into a Heartless than they would try to slay him and he in turn would have to flee or if worse came to worse have to fight them. He didn't want either of that to happen, he wished that he was just a normal kid like Sora... only without the nest head hair.

Orin placed his hands on the door and pushed with all his strength, only to mentally slap himself upon remembering the door had door openers meaning it opened outward. However his second attempt was as fruitless as his first. He couldn't even budge it. Defeated he leaned against the door.

Maleficent sighed, 'This is what I get for using a child...' The witch thought, thrusting the journal into Orin's chest. "The answer to opening this door is in here. I suggest you get busy. Your former friends are coming and I don't think they will be happy to see you."

With that the witch disappeared in a wreath of green and black flames. Leaving Orin alone in front of the door with Xehanort's journal and more than a little perplexed by her sudden departure. Regardless, Orin leaned against the wall and opened the journal and began to read through its latter entries.

"I am currently pleased with my recent experiment. He seems to be more adjusted and intelligent than my other attempts at creating a humanoid from their dark make up. Words fail to describe the others, they are not as aware as my latest creation, nor are they as human. Granted this Shadow creation is not perfect it does have potential. I have tried infusing memories into the others but they seemed to reject them and descend into madness making them useless to me. If that's possible for these soulless things that is."

"Others...?" Orin said to the book. "Like me?"

Orin hung his head, what was he supposed to feel? He knew he was supposed to feel something, anger, surprise, sadness, but nothing came. In his heart he felt numb, like it didn't matter that there were other creatures like him. 'What is wrong with me?'

---

Sora and the others had had little resistance from other Heartless as they raced towards the tower. Only a few local Heartless like the heavily armored Morning Stars. Large ball like Heartless covered in a metal like armor with spikes and two large claws that stuck out an almost ridiculous length from their bodies. They liked to spin like a top, using their clawed appendages to slice their strike their enemies. They were highly resistant to damage but if knocked into the air they could be subject to a devastating combo that could easily slay them.

As they fought these Heartless Sora couldn't help but think: If Orin was a Heartless that was made into a good person, wouldn't it be possible to lead these Heartless back to a path of good? Or at least make it so they weren't mindless killers, you know, give them consciousness? If they did that enough times then maybe the Realm of Darkness would no longer be a threat to the Realm of Light.

Finally after reaching the Dark Depths, where Cloud had disappeared with Sephiroth during their duel the group stopped. One little detail remained to be solved, how were they going to get down the side of the cliff?

"I don't suppose you know some sort of ninja trick that can get us down there do you?" Sora asked, looking over his shoulder at Yuffie.

Yuffie took a look over the edge of the cliff, shuddered in an attempt to keep her lunch down, and backed off. "No way can I get down there by myself much less help you guys down."

"Maybe I can help you down." Said a gruff voice.

The gang whipped around to see a familiar and unwelcome face. Standing there was Pete as confidant as can be with a small platoon of Soldiers. Each of these heartless were clanking and hopping up and down in a hyperactive manner.

"Pete? You're still around?" Sora said in a tone that could only be described as having only mild interest within it. Sora really hadn't expected to see Pete again and since he, Donald, and Goofy had beaten Pete on various occasions and he knew that with Yuffie, Kairi, and Riku's help he didn't expect much opposition from the fat flunky.

Pete wasn't dumb enough to not catch the disrespect in the brown haired kid's voice, not that Maleficent would agree. Pete stomped his feet in a short temper tantrum and bellowed out his order to his Heartless to attack.

Yuffie chuckled lightly at the sight of the Soldiers running towards them. "Man, I haven't seen these guys in a while. I remember they used to be pretty tough back in Transverse Town."

Sora nodded in agreement. These Heartless were barely a threat, maybe if Pete had them in numbers in the thousands Sora would be nervous but not in the dozens. He summoned his Kingdom Key, as did Riku and his Way to the Dawn, and Kairi's newly named Summer Days Keyblade.

They never got to use them. Before the Soldiers could engage their enemies Shadows began to appear and surround the armored Heartless. The Soldiers seemed vaguely confused by the actions of their lesser cousins and shrank back until they were caught back to back with the Shadows circling them like hungry predators.

Pete meanwhile was disgusted with his Heartless's cowardess and shouted; "You worthless ninnies! Get in there and show those rouge Heartless what's for!"

The Soldiers seemed somewhat bolstered by Pete's words and attacked the other Heartless with their red claws only to be swarmed and slain by their smaller cousins who instantly turned to small glowing hearts and floated off. To where none could really say.

Pete was now faced with two choices: Either fight all four of these kids, three of which had those nasty Keyblades or run and beg Maleficent not to turn him into something unpleasant. He took the latter option and fled for his life back out towards the Maw.

Sora smiled as he watched Pete flee. "Some things never change."

"You've met that guy before?" Yuffie asked, cocking an eyebrow at the Sora and the others.

"Yeah, his name's Pete. He's one of Maleficent's flunkies. He said he was working for her before we liberated Hallow Bastion from Xemnas." Sora said. "Me, Donald, and Goofy fought him a few times. He might be big but he's not much of a fighter and he's likes to running when the going gets tough and hiding behind Maleficent and her magic."

"That old witch? Man I hoped that we saw the last of her when you guys beat the Organization..." Yuffie said disappointedly.

"But that still doesn't tell us how we're going to get down from here." Riku said pointing out the obvious. "If I still had the power of the Realm of Darkness I could just-"

"Well you don't. But I think I have an answer for that." Sora said, holding out his Keyblade. With a thrust into the air and a burst of light a small flittering ball of light appeared and zipped around the group before coming to a rest on Sora's head.

Sora smiled up at the small fairy that sat on his head. "Hey Tink, think you can give us a hand?"

To be continued...