Kingdom Hearts : Worlds Apart

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Dust swirled violently around the planet. The wind was blowing harshly and stung the eyes of the civilians. A black orb appeared in the center of the small town, next to the western style saloon. A girl emerged from it, growling at herself. "Stupid men and their stupid…" she screamed loudly at this. A few townsfolk stared at her oddly.

"Keep it down, lady!" shouted a man. Lexstrik blinked and then looked away.

Why did Maxiwill pick this place? she thought, Not exactly the kindest people. She stuck her nose up in the air and walked into the saloon. It was quiet, excluding the player piano that rested in the corner. She couldn't tell what it was playing; the piano was missing a few keys and wouldn't play those notes. A few men looked up from their alcohol and noticed her walk in. A murmur rolled through the saloon. She ignored the stares and wolf whistles. She approached the bar, sitting on the stool next to a man in a long red coat. She wondered why the other men wouldn't stare at him instead of her. Surely he had a stranger attire than she did. Buttons adorned the jacket at almost every point. His right arm was covered in his sleeve, but something was odd about his left arm. It was covered in leather belts and metal studs. He had a silver elbow-pad. He was thin, but Lexstrik noticed a few bulges of muscle along his chest and upper arms. His coat was as long as hers and a brilliant red. Lexstrik felt like placing a hand on the top of his spiky hair; she thought it would be able to hold it. Upon his face was a pair of orange sunglasses with jagged ear pieces. The man cast a glance at her, then returned to his drink. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Not going to offer a lady a drink?" she said to him, leaning her back on the bar. He didn't look at her.

"Women shouldn't drink," he said simply. His voice reminded her of a boy trying to act serious. She pursed her lips. He continued, "I've seen people in your clothing before. Some Organizers or.." he looked up at the ceiling, "something like that." Lexstrik's eyes widened for a moment.

"Organization XIII?" she asked. He replied with a curt nod, "Hmm. I wonder what they could be doing here."

"He had black hair and an eye patch," he took his left hand (also covered in the same leather as his entire arm) and traced a line along his left cheek, "And a long scar. Carried two guns I've never encountered before." He lifted his right hand. Lexstrik pondered for a moment. It had to have been a member of the Organization that she had never met before. The man he described wasn't Axel, nor was it the same description that Elyxca had given of the ones named 'Demyx' or 'Saix'. And she vaguely remembered that Axel had told her their superior, Xemnas, had white hair, not black.

"Did he give a name?" She asked him, scooting a little closer. She enjoyed the seriousness this man had; much different from Axel's demeanor or the off-the-wall attitude that Jack Sparrow had. He pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Nope. Just said he was Number Two in this so-called Organization." He lifted the drink and placed the edge of the cup to his lips. There was the sound of gunfire and the glass shattered in his hand. His glasses slid down his nose and he let out a soft whimper. The red coated man turned around. At the door of the saloon stood a man much larger than he. His stomach bulged out from beneath a white shirt and his chest was covered with a torn jean jacket. His arms were like barrels and a large gun rested in his fist that was as large as a trash can lid. His legs were short, but much like his arms: round and very thick.

"I've come for the sixty billion double-dollar bounty on your head…" he jabbed a porky finger at the red coat, "Vash the Stampede!!" The blonde haired man removed his sunglasses and placed them in his pocket. He placed his hand on his chin and an odd sparkle appeared in his eyes, which Lexstrik found were a wonderful teal.

"Me? That monster Vash the Stampede?" he let out a boyish laugh and rolled his eyes, "I am not he! I would never---" he was cut off by another gunshot.

"Shut your trap!" the man bellowed. Lexstrik was rather frightened of the tone and deepness of his voice. He jabbed the gun at him, as if it were a sharper weapon, "Now get outside!" The man named Vash placed his hands in the air and let out a soft sigh. He looked over at Lexstrik.

"If only we met somewhere else…" he replied sadly, walking out of the saloon. When he stepped out into the street, the wind caused his coat to flare out around him. Lexstrik stood up quickly and followed out behind the behemoth of a man. Vash paused in the street and the man held the gun to his back. Lexstrik bit her finger, staring at them. Her new 'friend' was about to be killed right in front of her. There was a gunshot and she closed her eyes tightly. "Sorry about that!" said a voice, "Guess my aim is a little off!" A loud laugh echoed in her head. Lexstrik opened her eyes and turned. Vash stood over the heap of a behemoth, scratching the back of his head. He was laughing? And alive? Then who fired the gun? The larger man was on the ground, his shoulder bleeding.

"How did…where did you get…" he was coughing in between his words, clutching his shoulder. Vash put a serious face on.

"You're not going to die. I could never take someone's life." He looked over at Lexstrik and laughed again, "Sorry you had to see that! I'm normally much better mannered!" However, the girl wasn't interested in how 'well mannered' Vash was. She was wondering how he managed to beat that man with a gun to his back. Surely, Vash wasn't a normal human. He approached her, handing her his sunglasses. She blinked at them before taking them. "This planet, Planet Gunsmoke, has two suns. I'm much better used to it than you, so I think that my sunglasses would help you better than they would for me." She smiled softly and placed them on her nose. The sun glinted off the side of them.

"Thank you, Vash," she said, "But how did you…" she nodded at the behemoth who was slowly standing up, still clutching his shoulder. His gun was missing. Vash spun a silver pistol around his finger casually.

"He was too slow," he closed his eyes and smiled. He burst out into laughter, which caused Lexstrik to giggle as well. Vash bent the barrel of the gun and tossed it away. Lexstrik was about to ask him why before she starting to cough as a gust of wind kicked dust into her nose. She stared through the dust and noticed another black orb forming up from the ground. Vash braced himself.

"That's how that guy came through!" he snapped, "Through a black portal!" His hand rested on something on the inside of his coat that Lexstrik couldn't see. As a figure emerged from the darkness, there was the sound of another gun being fired.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!!" cried out a voice familiar to Lexstrik. The man who emerged from the darkness looked down as strands of his hair fell into the dirt and were then carried away by the wind. Maxiwill looked up at Vash, who was pointing another silver pistol at him. However, Lexstrik noticed that the barrel of this gun was much longer and narrowed than the one the behemoth carried. Maxiwill looked at the bleeding man. "What did I miss?" he asked Lexstrik, walking over to her. Elyxca stirred in his arms, opening her eyes slowly. The boy didn't look down, yet he stared at Vash with narrowed eyes. "And what's the big idea? Shooting at me when I haven't even done anything to you yet!" Elyxca looked up at Maxiwill and felt her face grow hot.

"Let me go!" she cried out, pushing him. They both fell over in a heap on the ground. Elyxca was the first to stand, brushing dust off of her coat. A soft blush creeped across her cheeks and she looked at Lexstrik. Maxiwill stood up slowly, summoning a gust of wind to blow the dirt off his clothes.

"You're welcome!" he snapped at the girl. Lexstrik shook her head and crossed her arms. Vash, however, did nothing. He kept the gun pointed at Maxiwill. "You can put that down now," the Nobody growled. The Stampede lowered his weapon.

"So, I take it you're not in league with this Organization, either?" Vash asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Maxiwill did nothing. Lexstrik stepped forward.

"The three of us don't have anything to do with them," she explained, "We're trying figure out a way to get hearts before they do. Once we do..."

"We'll become whole," Maxiwill finished for her, "But it hasn't been easy. All of us have been trying our best to obtain them, but as you can tell," he held his arms out for Vash to examine his whole body, "we're still nothings. We're still Nobodies." He bit his lower lip and it didn't sting. He opened his mouth and poked his canines. They had returned to their normal size and shape. That would mean Elyxca no longer had her wings. Maxiwill walked around the group, staring at her back and nodding. He was right. The feathery-black wings were gone from her body. Vash seemed to ponder over this entire story. A gust of wind kicked up all four of their coats. "Who are you?" Maxiwill asked to break the silence. His question was directed at Vash. The Stampede blinked and looked away solemnly.

"I am nobody. I am an innocent man convicted of destroying the entire town of July.." His eyes had lost their sparkle for the moment, "The sixty billon double-dollar man: Vash the Stampede." He turned his back on the three and began to walk away. "Everywhere I go, trouble seems to follow. Innocent people get hurt and I can't let that happen. So long, friends." Vash seemed to vanish in a swirl of dust and wind, just a faded memory of his red coat was left behind.

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The sound of six footsteps echoed in the barren wasteland of a mountainous region. The three stopped. Sora shut his eyes tightly then opened them. "This world is so bright..." he groaned, looking up. He noticed the rings of two suns shining brilliantly above him. Goofy had placed his goggles over his eyes and squinted. These goggles were a wonderful guard against the dirt that was blowing around, and they provided a decent shade from the two suns.

"Lookie there, Sora! It's a town!" the dog pointed down the mountain side. Sure enough, a small town was nestled securely below them. It looked as if it were split in half, with buildings towering on the left and right side, and a single path beaten into the center. Sora looked to Goofy then to his other companion, Donald.

"Fancy a look?" the boy asked. The two nodded, carefully climbing down the side. Donald had slipped on many occasions: webbed feet were not a decent way to scale a mountain. Goofy had to continuously hold onto his hat whenever a gust blew through. Sora, on the other hand, had no problem moving down. His fingertips were stinging a bit from the rocks, but other than that, he was fine. It took them about twenty minutes or so to reach the bottom. From there, it was a simple decline in elevation to the town. No rocks to climb over, no cliffs to climb down. A simple decline.

"Well! It's Roxas!" called out a familiar voice. Instinctively, Sora's Keyblade was summoned to his hand. The silver weapon glistened in the light. However, he removed a keychain from his pocket. It was shaped like a life preserver, black and white. The chain dangled from the top. Quickly, he detached the mouse-shaped head keychain of his Keyblade and clipped the life preserver onto it. There was another bright flash of light. The Keyblade's shape changed drastically. The handle was now encased inside another large and white floatation device, with black rope spaced evenly around it. The blade of the key was now a large tube that expanded as it reached a hub-capped shape to the top. Three smokestacks, getting smaller from top to bottom, pertruded from the side of the tube. The weapon looked as if it had been taken through grayscale, called the Monochrome. Goofy and Donald had also revealed their weapons, unchanged from before. "Wow. Looks like you're getting ready to fight," said the voice.

"Who is that? Show yourself!" Sora barked.

"Come out and stop hiding!" Donald squawked. The voice was coming from a black cloaked man with chains dangling from his hood and along his neck. A silver zipper shined brightly. His hood was up and his face was hidden. He removed his hood. Long black hair tied in a ponytail rolled out from beneath his hood. The top of his head had streaks of grey in it. He wore an eyepatch over his right eye and there was a dark scar on the left side of his face. He held his arms loosely at his sides.

"Roxas was never like that," he said casually, shaking his head. Sora scowled.

"Who's 'Roxas'?!" he ordered, "Tell me!" The grip on his new Keyblade tightened. Goofy blinked for a minute and lowered his shield.

"You'll find out." He held up a hand and five orbs formed a star around the three heroes. From these orbs emerged white creatures. They were gangly and their actions were sparratic. They twitched violently. The member of Organization XIII formed one last black blob and disappeared through it. Sora gripped his Keyblade and looked at the creatures around him. He had fought them before, back in Twilight Town at the train station. Only, the King was there to help him before and now he doubted that he was going to appear to save his skin again.

"Go away!" Sora yelled, running at the closest creature and bringing the Keyblade down. With each strike, white and black stars spilled around him magically. The white creatures, known as Dusks, jumped into action. Goofy tossed his shield, and it spun dangerously around and caught one in the head. The creature fell to the ground in a heap. Sora spun around on his heel and smacked another one away from Donald. He was running at the Dusk and casually slipped behind it. The tip of his Keyblade began to glow with a blue light. "Blizzard!" he shouted. A flurry of snow blast out and encased the Dusk in ice. He smashed the frozen creature, but the only things that feel were the chunks of ice. The white creature had disappeared in a flash of black light. The battle raged for another twenty minutes. The creatures had disappeared. Sora sat in the dirt, one leg stretched out and the other bent. He rested his forehead on his knee and took many deep breaths. Sweat dripped from his brow and his nose. Goofy kept his goggles on, removed his hat and wiped away the perspiration. Donald was shaking the sweat off his feathers. Sora looked at his companions. "This world is too hot," he groaned. The two nodded in agreement.

After a five minute rest and a little more complaining, they began to make way toward the town once more. Sora held his Monochrome up to his forehead and used it as a shade from the two scorching suns that beat down upon them. Goofy held his round shield above his head like an umbrella and Donald would blast them all with a soft Blizzard to cool them off. This made the trek there much more enjoyable. They were silent for a time before brushing past a tall man in a long red coat. Sora looked at him blankly as they passed. "Excuse me," Sora said. The man paused and looked at him, "We're looking for someone. He's got long hair and-"

"He's in the town," the red coated man said, jabbing a thumb behind him, "long hair. And he was with two others." Sora's eyes widened.

"It could be the King and Kairi!" Goofy laughed, "C'mon, Sora! Let's go!" He grabbed Donald and ran toward the town. Sora continued to look at the man curiously. The long red coat was interesting and he stopped trying to count the seemingly endless amount of buttons. The man's teal eyes reflected in Sora's blue ones.

"Sora?" the man whispered, "A man in a black cloak was looking for you," He looked away then to him again, "You were supposedly with someone named 'Roxas', as well. He attacked the town and now I'm looking for him. If you spotted him, tell me." Sora was itching to leave the man behind and go back to his friends.

"What did he look like?" he asked.

"He had an eyepatch and a scar on his face," the man traced along his cheek. Sora gasped.

"We met him in the desert!" The boy pointed to the direction he had come from, "He ambushed us on our way down from the rocks." The man nodded and left the boy behind without another word. Sora watched him leave.

"Sora! Come on!" Donald called out from the city's limit. Sora turned quickly and nodded. He dashed away from the spot, leaving behind the red coated enigma.

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There was a shattering of glass and the splatter of liquid all over the floor. Maxiwill, Elyxca, and Lexstrik stood in the doorway of the saloon, their expressions void. Two men were fighting on the bar, smashing bottles of alcohol on each other and throwing glass shards across the room. A bottle was hurled toward Elyxca. She put up her hands to defend herself and felt nothing as it shattered behind her. Maxiwill and Lexstrik both blinked as they watched the girl disappear and reappear before their eyes. "So!" Maxiwill laughed, patting her on the shoulder as a bottle whizzed past his ear, "That's what you can do! I'm impressed!" Elyxca looked at him coldly. The boy scratched the back of his head sheepishly and ducked as a shard of glass about the size of his fist fly over his head. He looked over his shoulder as it shattered on the ground.

"Okay! That's it!" Lexstrik barked. Maxiwill nodded in agreement, then held up his hands. Wind whipped about from the outside and blew sand into the saloon. Every bit of motion stopped and focused on them.

"You three got a problem?" growled a gruff voice. It came from a man with a very bushy beard, wearing coveralls. Maxiwill shook his head and strode into the bar. He looked at the man and then placed a hand on his chin.

"No," he said simply, "but it is hard to get a drink when there's a bar fight going on." Maxiwill slammed his fist on the bar and three bottles of a clear liquid fell into his hand. He bid the men farewell, walked out of the saloon and took Lexstrik and Elyxca with him. He paused in the doorway, turned to look at the men inside and smiled. They were glaring back at him. "Carry on!" he said casually, making a waving gesture with his hand. One man laughed and as Maxiwill closed the saloon door behind him, he heard more shattering of bottles and gunshots. He shook his head with a laugh. The boy handed the two girls the bottles and opened his. As Maxiwill was about to take a swig from the liquid, he noticed movement from the corner of his eye. "Huh..?" he blinked, looking to his left and squinting. Three figures were running into the town, one rather far behind the other two. He adjusted his half-moon spectacles and dropped his bottle. It shattered the moment it hit the ground. Lexstrik had just opened hers and Elyxca had already taken a small sip before spitting it out in digust.

"This stuff has turned sour!" she groaned, forcing the bottle into Maxiwill's chest. However, he didn't make a grab for it and it fell to the ground next to his in a loud crash. The liquid inside the containers oozed beneath his boots and in between the floorboards of the saloon's deck. Elyxca waved a hand in front of his face. "What're you looking at?" she asked, beginning to stare in the same direction. The figures were coming into a better view and a scowl appeared on Maxiwill's face.

"It's that kid with the oversized key!" he barked, slamming his foot on the ground. The boy motioned for the girls to follow him behind the saloon wall. The three figures slowed down and looked around. The tallest of the three, known as Goofy, looked around.

"I thought I heard voices," he said with a drawl, "It could have been Riku or the King!" Sora caught up and took a few breaths before walking up onto the deck of the saloon to allow the lip of the roof that hung over him to block the suns.

"I sure wish we could find them. Kairi, too..." he sighed. Maxiwill had been watching from the side of the building and backed away slowly. He smirked and nudged Lexstrik.

"He's looking for someone," he said cooly, "What if we find them first and hold them hostage for him?" Lexstrik shook her head disapprovingly.

"No, no," she whispered, "we have enough to deal with when it comes to Organization XIII. No need to put more on our plates." Maxiwill sighed, snatched the bottle that Lexstrik held in her hand and took a swig from it. However, he spat it out in a loud spray.

"Man! You weren't kidding when you said it was sour!" he groaned, throwing it on the ground.

"Who's there?" called out Sora's voice. Maxiwill gulped and looked at the other two. He mouthed the words 'stay here' to them and walked out from behind the building with his hood up. The Nobody noticed Sora grip his Keyblade tighter. He also noticed how different the weapon looked from the last time he saw it on the mysterious ring-world of Halo.

"It's me, Sora..." he masked his voice slightly, making it slightly deeper, but added a bit of a raspy tone to it, "The one you've been looking for." Maxiwill searched his mind for the name of the boy they mentioned but nothing came to him. Sora loosened his grip on the Keyblade.

"Riku?" he whispered, taking a step toward him. Goofy and Donald gasped.

"He's here!?" Donald squawked. Sora took another step towards him. Maxiwill gave himself a silent laugh. Then he removed his hood, revealing who he really was to the boy. Sora took the initiative and immediately gripped his Monochrome into a white-knuckled grasp.

"Oh man!" Maxiwill laughed as Elyxca and Lexstrik strode out from behind the building laughing with him, "You're too gullible and trustworthy, kid." He shook his head.

"Looks like his emotions are his weak spot," Elyxca whispered into Lexstrik's ear. This was answered with a nod. Sora growled and ran at Maxiwill with his Keyblade extended. The Nobody side-stepped him.

"You...Organization XIII reject!!" Sora cried out. His Keyblade shined with a bright light as he sent out orange bursts of flame towards the Nobody. Maxiwill gasped and kicked up the wind to extinguish the fire. Goofy and Donald brandished their weapons and moved in to help the Keyblade wielder. Donald lifted his wand and brought down bolts of electricity. Maxiwill felt the electricty surge through him. He fell onto his knees, shaking his head. He stood up slowly, looking at the duck. Goofy threw his shield at the Nobody, and hit him square in the stomach. Lexstrik decided it was time for her to step in. She held her hands out and a flash of light initiated the appearance of her daggers. She dashed at Goofy, bringing a blade down upon his arm. A loud clang echoed through the town when Sora held up his Monochrome to block her weapon. Elyxca clenched her fists and watched as the group fought. Maxiwill was spinning Goofy's shield around him with gusts, letting it build up momentum. Once he deemed fit, Maxiwill let the wind throw the defensive apparatus. Sora had turned sharpy to notice it. The boy was hit, hard, in the shoulder. Sora fell into the dirt. Elyxca flexed and clenched her fingers many times before she finally decided to play. Shadows from the buildings flowed toward her like black water. Even the shadows of the combatants disappeared as well. These whisps of smoke wrapped themselves around her hands and with a bright flash (which didn't seem so bright because of the light from the two suns), her gold and lilac claws could be seen. She jumped into the fray, slashing for something. She heard a groan from Donald as her attack damaged his arm. The duck jumped back and shot down more lightning. Elyxca shut her eyes tightly and disappeared, the Thunder spell striking the ground harmlessly. Then the fighting stopped. Lexstrik paused with her dagger above her head. Maxiwill had Sora up off the ground by the collar. Elyxca emerged from nothingness and looked up. The man in the red coat was standing on top of the building opposite the saloon, fighting against another person in a black cloak. Sora took the pause as a chance to kick Maxiwill in the chest and retreat back to the deck of the saloon. Upon feeling the force in his chest, Maxiwill stumbled back and coughed loudly. Then their attentions all turned back to the event on the building. Sora, Goofy, and Donald immediately recognized the opponent: the man they met in the desert. Pinkish shards of light were firing in all directions.

"Your aim isn't very good, Xigbar!" shouted the red coat. Lexstrik gasped.

"Vash! Be careful!" she cried out. Sora blinked. He now knew the man's name.

"If you don't shoot to kill," the Organization member laughed, "why shoot at all?" Xigbar fired more shards from his weapons. They were odd looking guns with dorsal fin-like attachments on the bottoms. The barrels were long and pointed. There was a purple outline along the inside of the weapons. Xigbar had his hand on a small metal bar encased in a round barrier. Vash scowled and fired his silver gun. It struck the Organization member in the shoulder, causing a loud yell of pain.

"Killing is not what I do!" Vash barked, firing again. The other bullet landed in the man's hand. This caused Xigbar to drop the weapon he held in his left hand. It clattered on the ceiling. Xigbar grunted and fired a whole round of pink shards at Vash. They ripped at his coat, adding holes to the bottom. These holes looked as if someone had put a cigarette to his jacket; it had the same type of burn mark around them. The group on the ground figured that these shards were white-hot. Lexstrik, Elyxca, and Maxiwill looked at the other three and shook their heads together. They all ran up to the building, then had Maxiwill lift them upwards with a very strong gust. They brought dust and small debris with them. Xigbar growled.

"Nobodies against Nobodies?" he shook his head, causing his ponytail to fall over his shoulder. He brushed it out of his way, "Now, we shouldn't fight." He bent down and picked up his other gun. Maxiwill held up his hand and felt the wind rush around to his palm. The tell-tale metal bar materialized in the air. When he wrapped his slender fingers around it, light began to emit from the handle and form into his jagged boomerang. He buckled his knees under its weight and smirked.

"What do you want here, anyway?" Maxiwill asked, swaying back and forth cooly with his weapon.

"The same thing you could want," Xigbar replied, nodding in Vash's direction, "His heart." Vash's eyes widened as he looked from Xigbar then to the three Nobodies he had called friends. He took a step back, his gun held loosely in his hand.

"His heart?" Elyxca repeated, looking at Vash. The red coated man looked away.

"Gee. Kids these days don't exactly hear as well as they used to," Xigbar shook his head again, "Yes, pretty girl. His heart." Maxiwill looked from Vash to Xigbar.

"You three," Vash whispered, "are just like him." He tapped his gun against his leg casually. "You're part of this Organization, too, aren't you? You're all in on it, then?" Lexstrik shook her head many times.

"No, no! We told you, Vash! We don't have anything to do with them!" Her daggers clanked together as she placed both of them into her right hand. She held out her left to pat him on the shoulder, but the Stampede pulled back harshly.

"How do I know you weren't lying?" Vash's grip on his gun tightened. There was a sudden change in his voice. It was very sad sounding. Xigbar noticed this change in secruity and let out a soft chuckle.

"They were lying to you from the start," he said, "They were here helping me take your heart away." Maxiwill's jaw dropped and he gripped the handle of his boomerang until the knuckles beneath his black gloves turned white. He looked down at the town and saw Sora staring up at them. The three on the ground had not moved. They were listening in on what very little they could hear. The Nobody pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. He was starting to feel this world was becoming a bit cramped for him. Elyxca crossed her arms and drummed her claws against her arm. Down below, Sora was becoming a bit impatient. He was walking back and forth along the town's center, still gazing up at the roof and his Monochrome held loosely at his side. Vash looked from the ground to the four Nobodies. He held up his silver pistol. Lexstrik's eyes shimmered behind the orange sunglasses the Stampede had given her earlier.

"Get out," he said. Another change in his tone. Maxiwill stared at Vash from the corner of his eye.

"Don't be stupid. We're wanting to get this guy out of--" he was cut off by the click of the hammer. Vash was serious. At this point, Sora was now scrambling up the building along the clothing lines that hung out between buildings. He finally reached the top, pulling himself up by his elbows. He gripped his Keyblade tightly. Elyxca now eyed Sora intently. She gripped her arm a little too tightly with her claw and immediately dropped her hands to her sides.

"You three are just like Organization XIII! Hurting people to get what you want!" Sora barked. He stayed where he was and didn't make any advances. Xigbar laughed and shook his head.

"Well, you're ignorant like Roxas, too."

"And who's 'Roxas'?!" Sora demanded, "That weird guy in the Underworld kept calling me that, too!" His mind envisioned the Organization member with the blue sitar, remembering the many water clones of him that he had to battle. He made a dash towards Xigbar, his Keyblade extended. Maxiwill, however, held his foot out. The Keyblade weilder stumbled and fell onto his stomach. His Keyblade made a loud clatter as it landed a few feet away from him. Lexstrik and Elyxca both contained their silent giggles.

"Watch your step," Maxiwill sniggered. Sora stood up, brushed himself off and summoned his Monochrome back to him. He jumped up and brought the Keyblade downward. The Nobody swung his boomerang around to his front, the opposing weapon clanging loudly against the top of it. "Temper! Temper!" he laughed. Sora felt himself being pulled back by a strong arm. Vash looked down at him and let him go. The teal eyes of the Stampede examined each weapon before him. Guns, claws, daggers and a boomerang. All strange looking, but all similar to weapons he's had to face in the past.

"When you're like me," he whispered to Sora, "you have to learn to fight everyday." A glint appeared in his eye. In a flash, the Stampede snatched Sora by the collar, jumped into the air and landed on the ground below. Fifty pink shards rained from the sky and landed in the exact spot the two were just moments before. Xigbar cursed under his breath and looked to the sandy ground.

"Thanks," Sora said to Vash.

"We're not done yet." At this, Elyxca, Maxiwill and Lexstrik both landed a few feet across from Vash and Sora. The sound of footsteps could be heard as Donald and Goofy joined their spiky-headed pal. It was four against three, the odds in favor of the heroes. Xigbar still remained on top of the building, looking down. His two guns held loosely at his sides were dangerously close to slipping from his grasp.

"This ought to be interesting. Sad I don't have anything to eat to watch." He shook his head, lifted his hand and walked backwards into a black portal. The world was now occupied by only three Nobodies. Vash spun his pistol around in a flashy manner and pointed it to Lexstrik. He then held out his hand as if wanting something.

"My sunglasses, if you please," the Stampede said. Lexstrik pulled the orange glasses off her nose and held them out. The two moved closer to each other until the female could simply drop them into his hand. The Stampede placed them over his eyes and looked up at the sky. The two suns reflected brightly against the lenses. Elyxca looked at Maxiwill. His leg was shaking slightly. It could have been from anticipation or it could have been because the boomerang was getting fairly heavy.

"What'll happen now?" she asked him. The Nobody cast her a glance from the corner of his eye then looked at Vash and Lexstrik.

"I dunno about Ol' Red and Lexxy," he then looked passed them to Sora and his friend on the other side, "but Sir Poofy Pants is mine." He looked at Elyxca with a smirk and then quickly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He dashed with his boomerang at his side, sweeping passed Vash and Lexstrik and aiming straight for the boy with the Keyblade. There was a loud gunshot and the clanging of metal on the ground. Elyxca let out a soft scream and clasped her hands over her mouth. Lexstrik took a few steps back in awe. Maxiwill's boomerang lay alone on the dust, the edges becoming covered with sand. The Nobody clutched his wrist as his left hand twitched in pain. He looked over to see Vash pointing the silver weapon at him. The barrel of the gun was smoking.

"Don't even think about it," he scowled. Maxiwill cast a glance to Sora, Goofy and Donald and jumped back next to Elyxca. Lexstrik strode over to them, the three Nobodies standing tall against the glare of the sunlight. Maxiwill snapped his fingers and his boomerang floated upwards into the air. It spun over to him then disappeared right before he could grab it. He smirked.

"Faster than I thought," he gave a thumbs up and extended his pointer finger. Maxiwill fired his imaginiary gun at Vash. The wind blew very harshly and forced the Stampede to hold his arms to cover his face. Elyxca made a move to attack, but Lexstrik held an arm out to block her. The Nobodies each raised their hands to chest level, created a swirling black portal and bid a farewell to Vash and Sora. Their portals disappeared in a whisp of black smoke. The shadows that Elyxca had stolen returned to their rightful places. Everything was right. Vash turned to Sora.

"How did you manage to hit him like that?" Goofy asked. Vash scratched the back of his head and laughed.

"Lucky shot, I guess!" his laughter echoed in the street. Sora couldn't help but join in the laughter.

"You could have probably done more damage than you did, Vash," Donald said, "Why didn't you?" Vash's expression changed and became serious.

"I do not kill. No matter who the culprit is, I do not see it fit to take a life..." He then laughed and extended his arm. He wrapped his middle and pointer finger around each other. "Remember this, Sora and repeat after me!" At this, Sora, Goofy and Donald extended their arms and imitated the Stampede's finger position. "This world is made of...LOVE AND PEACE!" Vash pulled his arm back and then moved it forward. "Love and peace! Love and peace!" He repeated.

"Love and peace!!" the group shouted together. The empty street became filled with laughter, which dissolved into the whispering winds and dusty blue sky.