Well, here we go. The second chapter. Nothing much but...

Naxthan: WE WANT TWILIGHT TOWN!!!

((Author hits Naxthan with Lionheart Keyblade))

Naxthan: Jackass...

BEFORE I was interrupted, nothing much but meeting with old friends and beating on some new Nobodies. Introducing the Black Ravens!

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World 2- Radiant Garden

Relinquished Shadows

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An Old Friend

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The Falcon soared through space, leaving the Islands far behind. Kairi was mesmerized at the number of stars she could see. With all those worlds out there, I wonder why there aren't more Keymasters She thought.

After a while...

"We're here," Aerith finally said. Kairi looked out the window and saw the world rushing up to meet them.

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The two entered the marketplace, Kairi staring at the gigantic visage of Hollow Bastion's castle in front of her.

"Hollow Bastion?"

"Oh. Right, you don't know. The town has a new name."

"What is it?"

"Radiant Garden."

Kairi mulled it over as she looked over the sea of red rooftops around the castle.

"I have to talk to Leon. Until then, wander around town. And try to stay out of trouble?" Aerith pleaded.

"Yes, mom," Kairi joked.

Aerith scowled and continued further into town. Kairi had noticed her becoming even more irked as she arrived. She sighed and walked further into the Market Sector, using what little munny she had on a few potions for light injuries.

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Her wanderings soon led her to the Borough, the housing district of Radiant Garden. To her surprise, a glowing orange circle went around her feet. Some form of digital sound started whining in her ear. "Eh?"

"Kairi? Is that you?"

Kairi looked upwards to her left to find Yuffie crouching on a crane. "Hi Yuffie. What the heck is this thing?"

"Cid managed to get the Town Defense System going," Yuffie explained as she jumped down from her perch. "Give it a few seconds. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Just here to do some world maintenance." And with that she brought the keyblade out with a flourish. Yuffie looked it over carefully like a kid in a candy store. "Aerith said she had a problem here and wanted Sora and Riku to fix it, but they left before she got there."

"They left AGAIN? How unfair!" Yuffie objected.

Before either of them could say anything else, a bluish-silver blur whipped past them like a top, causing both of them to jump in surprise. When it stopped spinning, the Heartless turned its helmeted head at them and flexed its red claws, the Heartless emblem burned on its chest. Two other Soldiers and a large, green, spiky metal ball with clawed hands, long feet, and a coned head appeared behind it.

Yuffie got her shrunken out as Kairi charged at the Heartless. Kairi dodged one Soldier as it topspined at them again, and she countered with a quick cartwheel, striking two of the Soldiers at once. The giant green thing went to attack, but the defense system struck it and sent it flying. The third Soldier lunged at Yuffie, who dispatched it with her weapon. The Morning Star was too busy trying to evade the glowing circles to realize Yuffie and Kairi was charging it until it was destroyed as well.

"Looks like its worse around here then I thought." Kairi said. "I'm gonna check the town out some more, OK?"

"Okie-dokie!" Yuffie said. "There's a good view from the Bailey if you want to check it out!"

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Rikku

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Following Yuffie's suggestion, Kairi headed for the Bailey, curious about the view she mentioned. She stood and looked out the openings in the wall, looking out at the bluish rock of the canyons beyond. It almost felt calming...

"BOO!"

Kairi jumped at the sudden sound. The unknown voice giggled as she turned around, but she didn't see anything. A few seconds later, she was punted in the backside by what felt like a small foot! Waiting a few seconds, she whirled around and swung the keyblade broadside.

"Ack!"

Caught between the two bars of the keyblade, Kairi saw a small figure, dressed in a yellow shirt and orange skirt, a bandanna and a large scarf, with very long stockings, sleeves, and boots. Her hair was mostly spiky and in a ponytail as well. The bright greens eyes were currently shining with a giddy light. "Uh, hi?" the girl said sheepishly.

Kairi carefully pulled the girl out of the blade, holding her by the scarf. "What the heck are you supposed to be?"

The girl struggled out of her grasp, straitening her scarf so it stuck out of either side, like wings. Floating in midair about eye level, she pouted at Kairi, "You didn't have to hit me, y'know! I was just having a bit of fun!"

"Teasing someone?"

"You're not from around here! It's more fun!"

"Hmm... Let's see, you must be Paine, right?"

"Ooh! 20 questions! But you're wrong!"

"Yuna?"

"Getting warmer!"

"Then you must be Rikku," Kairi said confidently.

"Correctamundo!" Rikku did a small flip in midair. "How'd you know?"

Kairi smiled. "Sora told me about three pint-sized troublemakers flying around here."

"Ouchie. That's a little harsh..."

"So, what were you doing here without your friends?" Kairi asked.

"Just wandering- Uh-oh!" Rikku suddenly began gesturing behind Kairi wildly. She turned around to see more of those small creatures from her dream, as well as two floating balls with four limbs ending with rocket engines for hands and feet and two large ears holding it up.

"Quick! Warn the others!" Kairi called out as she stanced up. Rikku nodded and proofed out of existence.

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Battle in the Bailey

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The first of the five land-based beasts charged at her, growling in a high-pitched whine. She stabbed it in the neck, decapitating it before it turned to mist. Two others charged, and she pearled the leader, and then decided to try something. She pointed the blade and focused on very cold thoughts. A jet of ice shot from the blade and struck the second target, causing it to be frozen in place.

Suddenly, the rocket-limbed beasts sped at her at the same time. She quickly guarded, causing the two critters to hit the blade and bounce off. She then swung at the closest one, destroying it. The second one suddenly launched four rocket shells from the engines, the explosions sending Kairi flying backwards. She got up and quickly blizzard it. Finally, the last two critters charged, and she went to slash them, but suddenly a figure pushed past her and slashed the pair with the gunblade he was carrying.

"Uh, hi Leon," Kairi said sheepishly.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble..." Aerith grumbled, appearing beside her. She was now in the pink outfit she remembered the last time, but with a red jacket over the top.

"It wasn't my fault!" she objected.

"Will you two shut up? There's another wave coming!" Leon growled.

Kairi and Aerith looked up to find 10 more of the six-limbed critters appeared by flying through the far window in their stalactite form. "Great, more Icklings..." Aerith muttered, spinning her staff out.

Behind the Icklings, a large mass of mist formed itself into a large beast, about the size of a Morning Star, with two well-muscled legs and no arms, a long tail, a large mouthful of teeth, and like the other new Nobodies, no eyes. It roared at the trio, showing all its teeth. All ten Icklings suddenly charged at them. Aerith went to cast a spell, but Kairi blasted the leader with Blizzard, causing the other nine to stop suddenly. Aerith then cast Thunder, killing about 6 of them. Kairi then ran in and comboed the rest of the Icklings.

Leon, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the large beast. As he swung the sword, it leaped to the side and knocked him over with its tail. It turned around and growled, nose-to-snout with him, and went to bite.

SLASH

Kairi had come in and sliced right through the beast's neck in one blow, returning it to its misty form. Kairi extended a hand to Leon. "A little close that time, huh?"

Leon smiled and let Kairi help him up. "Well, princess, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Very funny..." Kairi scowled.

"I told her she could help us out a bit," Aerith explained.

"Really? I didn't know she could fight," Leon joked.

"I'm right here!" Kairi complained.

"As is, we're still not sure where the Black Ravens are coming from," Aerith told Leon, ignoring her.

Kairi steamed as Leon replied, "True, but maybe locking the keyhole will help?"

"You know the road to the castle collapsed. There's no way to get there at the moment," Aerith argued.

Leon sighed. "Then why-?"

"I couldn't find Sora or Riku, alright-? Kairi, wait!"

Kairi swiftly moved out of the Bailey, a tear sliding down her cheek.

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The Black Songstress

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Kairi's thoughts were muddled together as she left the bailey, through the houses and towards the market. If she couldn't- or wasn't expected- to help, why was she here?

"Hey! I didn't say you guys could bring an expert! That's against the rules!"

Kairi looked at the direction of the crane, and saw one of the oddest beings she had ever seen. The girl sitting on the crane boom was about the size of a preteen, with a sky blue breastplate and armored undies, metallic boots, and a cloth belt that had a long covering of cloth draping over her left side of it. Her light brown fur matched well with her darker brown hair, which was tied in a braid and a couple strands were held with a clip that looked like the Nobody symbol. Large bat ears stuck out of the hair, and small bat wings came out of her back. Currently, her red eyes were in a 2-year-old's pout.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Kairi asked.

"Hey! Young ears here!" The girl said, leaping from her perch into the open area Kairi was standing with a clank. "Anyway, I'm Saicax."

"Bless you," Kairi said dryly.

"I wouldn't be so smart if I were you," Saicax warned. "I could always bring more of those critters in..."

"You're the one causing those... things to come here?!?"

"They're not 'things,' they're Black Ravens. Animalistic Nobod- Dammit, me and my big mouth," Saicax grumbled, whacking herself in the forehead. "Well, anyway, gotta jet!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Kairi growled, drawing the keyblade in one fluid motion.

Saicax gave a small snicker. "Put the toy down before you hurt yourself. You probably can't even fight!" A small disturbance of darkness began behind her. "Go get your boyfriend if you wanna stop me without killing yourself."

That did it.

Saicax suddenly found herself slamming into a building. Looking back, her door of darkness had faded, and Kairi, eyes livid, held the keyblade in an almost-expert grip.

"Impressive," she said more to herself as she got to her feet. With a small cartwheel, she stood opposite of Kairi, each looking at each other. Kairi's gaze was full of pent-up emotions, Saicax's with a cool curiosity. "Very well, you asked for it!" She flung a hand out, a staff forming out of bending waves of some clear material. On one end of the blue staff was a large bell embossed with a strange symbol- a pawprint with four claws, and three claws on each side. On the other end was a flat bat motif with a wide sword blade coming out of its top. "Hope you brought earplugs," she said with a grin that showed off her large incisors, "They don't call me the Black Songstress for nothing!"

Saicax swirled the staff and tried to slash Kairi with the sword blade. Kairi dodged it and fired a blizzard spell, but suddenly, the magic spell veered off as if it hit a wall! Saicax grinned, inhaled, and then screamed at Kairi. The noise was so deafening, Kairi quickly covered her ears, tears going from her eyes again.

Saicax waited for Kairi to recover before she said, "Give up to my awesome power yet?"

"Awesome my foot. More like a two year olds 'power...'" Kairi taunted back, straitening herself and flinging the keyblade back into her hand. "This time you asked for it."

"Heh. Respect those who best you," Saicax replied. She then went to charge Kairi. Kairi, in response, suddenly charged then slid at her opponent like a baseball player. Saicax, who didn't realize it in time, gave a rat like squeak as she was sent airborne. Kairi then jumped up and started pummeling her with the keyblade, her fists, her feet...

After several seconds of beating the crap out of her, physics mercifully separated the two combatants. Kairi landed on her feet, but Saicax landed on her butt and flipped several times.

"What was that about 'hurting myself'?" Kairi said with a smirk, her triumph sinking in.

"Don't- expect me- to give up- so easily!" Saicax groaned, using her staff as a crutch to get up.

"Kairi!"

Kairi looked up to see Leon and Aerith finally exiting the Bailey, headed towards the pair.

Saicax noticed as well. "Heh, looks like that rematch will have to wait." She gave another small giggle. "TTFN!" And with that, she managed to disappear.

"Drat," Kairi said under her breath.

Aerith and Leon reached her at that moment. "Kairi, are you ok?" "Who was that?" "Why do you look so angry?"

Finally, Kairi got a question in: "Is there a place we can talk?"

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Kairi's Decision

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"So this girl was behind the- what do you call them?" Leon asked.

"Black Ravens!" Kairi and Aerith said, exasperated.

"Right, anyway, she was the one sending them in," Leon summed up Kairi's story.

"Yup." Kairi said. It had taken a few minutes, but with a cup of tea supplied by Merlin and her adrenaline finally draining, she was able to tell the events after she ran into Saicax.

"Curious..." Merlin said. "Most interesting, these Black Ravens."

Aerith sighed. "I was out of line with what I said, but I guess some good came out of it."

Kairi raised her eyebrows at Aerith, who went back to looking in her tea mug, embarrassed. "Say it," Kairi said pointedly.

Aerith sighed, then...

"Sorry."

Kairi gave a small smile.

"So now what?" Leon asked. "If we can't reach the keyhole..."

"There are always other worlds."

Leon, Merlin, and Aerith all looked at Kairi in confusion.

"Come off it," Kairi said. "Sora and Riku are only out for information. They're not gonna worry about Keyholes. Someone has to do it!"

"But how are you going to go to these worlds may I ask?" Merlin queried.

"Her."

And with that, Kairi pointed at Aerith.

"ME?!?"

"She has a point," Leon said. "You're the only one who has a working ship besides Cid, and he's busy working on the computer systems."

"I- well... allright," Aerith sighed.

"So now that we settled that, what do we do?" Kairi said

"Hold your horses, Kairi," Aerith said quickly. "We still need some supplies before we traipse off." Aerith got out of her chair. "Excuse me, please."

As soon as Aerith had left, Kairi got up as well. "I guess I better get ready to go."

"Before you go, I think I can conjure something up for you," said Merlin matter-of-factly. And with a sweep of his wand, a book sailed to Kairi's hands.

"A book?"

"Something to help with your magic studies," Merlin explained.

"T-thank you!" Kairi stammered.

"No need," Merlin said. "After all, I helped Sora out with his magic."

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Naxthan? What are you doing on my keyboard?

Naxthan: I won't move until you write Twilight Town!

You sitting on my keyboard defeats the purpose...

Naxthan: ...Darn technicalities.

Anyway, there's one more left before there, so you can wait one world, right?

Naxthan: I guess...

Good. Now GET OFF MY FRIGGENKEYBOARD!!!

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Next Chapter: Kairi and Aerith get roped into a scheme to find a girl to play princess, but what will be their reaction when they find out that they got the actual princess? These questions, and more, will be answered in the pair's trip through Czar Dynasty!

Chapter Hint:

Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember,

And a song, someone sings, once upon a December...

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Yuffie- I actually liked her when we met in Traverse Town. She hasn't really changed much, or if she has, it's been more subtle then, say, Aerith.

This super-secret ninja tried to take on Cloud and co. in Final Fantasy VII

Rikku- One of a trio of treasure hunters and pranksters running around Radiant Garden. Maleficent hired them to spy on the others, but when Sora mentioned 'treasure,' old allegiances were forgotten.

This spunky Al Behd made her thievery mark in Final Fantasy X

Leon- Leon's got a good head on his shoulders, not to mention skill with that gun-sword thingy of his. I still don't understand why everyone keeps calling him Squall, though!

Squall, er, Leon, was the protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII

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Icklings- These spindly creatures rarely work in packs less then five. Coming in like flying stalictites, they unfold to thier 6-limbed fighting form.

Icklings are the most numerous form of Black Raven, and are based off of Zerglings from Starcraft.

Sky Screamer- Black Ravens with four rocket engines for limbs. They use ther sharp bat ears and rockets to attack thier opponents.

Saicax's personal Black Raven, based off of bats.

Ravizard- A large lizard with two large feet. After knocking thier opponent down, they go for the jugular with thier large serated teeth.

As the name suggests, they are Black Ravens of AdventureQuest's various species of Frogzards.

Saicax- I don't know why, but this girl seems too immature to be controlling such power. Is she some form of Organization XIII, or what?

The 5th Member of the White Claw, the advanced form of the Black Raven Nobodies