Chapter 3

"Fuu! Fuu! Hey! Over here!" I tried to ignore the voice calling me, but it got so obnoxious, I just had to answer.

"Rai," I said. He jogged up and stood next to me.

"Seifer... well... Um... Y'know, he's..." he stammered. I raised an eyebrow. Normally, Rai said what he had to say, but this time... he looked... scared.

"What?" I asked. No doubt, this has to do with Roxas.

"He says you have one more chance, or else..." he stared at the ground.

"Or else..."

"He said you'd understand. I have to go. Seifer ain't too happy, y'know?" he laughed. I nodded and walked away. I knew what was coming.

"Bye," I said coldly. Rai's always Seifer's little messenger boy. He never gives a thought to what he tells us, only concerned about what happens to him if HE disobeys Seifer.

I decided to stay out a little later. I need to think about what happened this afternoon.

So only Roxas and I can see the man. I'm supposed to stay out of soemthing. Maybe Roxas got told the same thing.

"Sora," I muttered. Why'd he call him Sora? Who is Sora?

I sighed and decided to go home. Maybe this'll all make sense tomorrow.

Well, it didn't. I couldn't even sleep. I even forgot what I was trying to find out for an hour!

The next day, Roxas told me we were gonna try the beach again. His friends weren't happy when he told them I was going. I hid when I heard them talking about me, but I managed to hear everything. The question that stood out the most was:

"Why do you care about her all of a sudden?"

Why DID he care? He was never nice to mebefore that day. Maybe he got the idea that it wasn't my choice when he saw Seifer grab me. I never did hear his answer. Someone was coming, so I ran before they found me.

"Morning," I greeted Seifer and Rai on my way to Roxas's hangout. They glared and Vivi waved happily. I nodded at Vivi and ran down the hill.

"Roxas!" I called. He turned and waved with a smile. Oh, he should smile like that more often...

I noticed Olette and Pence coming in the opposite direction. I waved and smiled a small smile, still feeling uncomfortable. They didn't seem to notice.

"Hey Roxas," Pence greeted. Then they froze. They just stopped moving. Everything seemed to stop moving!

"What..." I mumbled. A girl walked past Pence and Olette and walked towards Roxas.

"Hello... Roxas," she said. I blinked. Who's she?

"Uh, hi," he answered. I guess he doesn't know her either. Phew!

She took a step closer.

"I wanted to meet you at least once," she said, looking into his eyes.

"And... you are...?" he started to ask. She put a finger over her lips, and walked past Pence and Olette. I ran down to Roxas and stood beside him.

"What was that about?" I asked. Roxas continued to stare where she had left. "Roxas? Roxas? You okay?"

"She's... pretty..." he muttered. My face fell. In that instant, Olette and Pence continued their walk on up the hill.

"Olette dragged me along to do some shopping," Pence whined.

"Wanna come with?" Olette asked. Roxas blinked.

"Um... did you see that..." he started.

"He's stalling," Pence laughed and pointed over at me. Olette giggled.

"Okay, we get it. See you later!" she chirped. I blushed a little and nodded. Roxas didn't even notice. He waved and walked towards where the girl had left.

"Wait!" I said, and grabbed his arm.

"Hm? What?" Roxas asked.

"You don't know her, she might be with the creepy guy," I said. If no one else can see her but us, then they MUST be linked!

"Yeah... but... If she is, we can find out what's going on!" he said, grabbing my hand. "Come on."

"But-" I tried to protest, but he dragged me with him.

I wasn't against him going to find the girl, I just didn't want to pass through the Sandlot on our way there!
"Miss Fujin!" Vivi called. I waved again.

"Hey, chicken wuss!" Seifer yelled at Roxas. God, his insults stink. Here we go, another Seifer vs. Roxas battle. I'll work up another spell.

Roxas never got to reply, because that weird guy in the white showed up again, only this time, there were like, 15 of those things!

"What?" Seifer yelled. Rai and Vivi got into fighting stances. Ooh! I can see what Vivi's learned! Oh wait, magic won't work. Crap.

Seifer charged one of them, leaving Rai and Vivi to handle five on their own!

"VIVI!" I screamed when one smacked him halfway across the sandlot. I tried to go help him, but Roxas held me back.

"Wait! They'll only attack you too!" he said, trying to keep a hold on me.

"Curagra!" I yelled, casting the spell. Vivi was back on his feet in seconds.

Vivi's okay, but what about us...?

"Roxas! Use the Keyblade!" a voice yelled. I looked up to see that blonde girl again.

The key thingy appeared in Roxas's hand.

"A key...blade?" he questioned. I got into my fighting stance.

"Well, you heard her!" I growled. He nodded and attacked a few. I cast another spell, causing a large hole in the ground. Two or three things fell down and I closed the hole.

"Regular magic's no good," I sighed. Looks like I'm stuck with earth magic. Roxas finished defeating the other white things. I cheered and clapped. Then, Seifer and Rai and Vivi stopped moving. Only we could... I feel... dizzy...

I'm not sure what happened next, but I woke up in the weirdest palce...
"Fuu... Fuu..."

I groaned when I heard my name being called. I rolled over, away from the noise.

"Fuu!"

Whoever was calling me started shaking me. I shrugged them off.

"Five more... minutes grand...pa..." I mumbled.

"Grandpa? Wake up Fuu! It's me! Roxas!"

I opened my eyes, and sure enough, there he was. But his face was so close to mine, all I could see were two big, blue eyes straing at me. As cute as he is, I don't appreciate him being that close.

"Mmph," I grumbled. I pushed myself up and looked around.

"What happened?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Not sure, but are you okay?" he asked. I nodded and shook my head, getting rid of the grogginess that was left.

Roxas helped me stand up, and I observed the area. There was absolutely no sky. I mean, just an endless black oblivion. We were on a stained glass window.

The boy on the window... Have I seen him somewhere? He looks like Roxas, but his name...

It just sorta popped into my head.

"So...ra..." I felt myself say. Roxas looked at me with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Sora, that's his name," I said, pointing at the picture. "He looks like you."

Roxas stared at me and walked closer.

"How do you know him?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Not sure. I just do," I sighed. Roxas groaned and looked towards a door that had appeared.

"C'mon, let's go."

"Go where exactly?" I asked. Roxas pointed to the door.

"That'll get us out. I'm sure of it," he said, smiling. I reluctantly followed. The door didn't lead out, I can tell you that much. It just lead to another window similar to the first.

"You were wrong. Let's go back," I said. No reply. I felt worried when I didn't hear a complaint or something.

"Roxas?"

I started to shake a little when I found that Roxas was gone.

"Roxas! Stop fooling around! Roxas!" My voice began to sound frantic. I turned to run back through the door, but it was gone.

"Oh no..." I muttered. What do I do now? If those white things attack, I can't defend myself! What do I do? What do I do? Okay, calm down Fuu. Deep breaths! deep cleansing breaths! There's nothing to worry about!

"Nothing to worry about," I said to myself. I repeated the phrase softly over and over again.

You're wrong.

I jumped when I heard a voice.

"Wh-who's there?" I asked, trying to sound brave. I failed miserably.

There is much to worry about.

"Hey! Did you hear me? Who are you?" I said again.

You cannot fight. HE is not here to save you.

"Heeellllooo? Can you even hear me?" I began to get impatient.

Yes. I'm just ignoring your question.

"Impolite," I muttered.

Whatever. You cannot fight with regualr magic.

"Regular magic? Is there even such thing?" I asked. I was always taught that all magic was equal. Only an opposite element could stop one type of spell. Earth magic was different, because you could control plant life and earth with it, but it was no more powerful than the elements.

Yes. Magic by hand can be done by even the simplest of creatures. To defeat the Nobodies, you need something to conduct it through.

"What... like a staff or something?" I asked.

Bingo.

As soon as he said that, something bright flashed in front of my face. When the light died down, I saw it was a staff. The head of it was a blue crystal heart with three circles carved in it. It looked like a circle with mouse ears. The handle was white and glimmered even in the darkness of that place. At the bottom was a dark red pommel stone.

This staff can increase your magical abilities. And feel free to smack a few people around with it too.

I swung it around a couple of times.

"Thanks, but who are you?" I asked once more.

They call me Ansem.

"Ansem... Thanks," I said quickly. A flight of glass stairs formed near the front of the window.

Go. Test it out. He is waiting for you.

I smiled and twirled the staff around in my hand before taking off up the stairs.

"Roxas!" I called when I reahed the top. I sighed when I didn't see him. Where could he be? I walked towards the center of the window and looked around. No more stairs. This is probably the end. Three of the white creatures appeared out of thin air.

"You again?" I growled, twirling the staff again. One of them jumped at me and I countered it. I moved around behind it and hit it with the staff, knocking it back several feet. When the second one attacked me, I tried to use magic with the staff.

I expected one little ball of fire, but at leats five or six large ones came out.

"Whoah!" I yelled. it hit the first and second, destroying them in an instant. The third didn't even stick around for the fight. It vanished as soon as I looked at it.

When the third dusk disappeared, another flight of stairs appeared. I ran up it, finding Roxas.

"Roxas! There you are!" I yelled and ran over. He said noting. In front of him, falling off the edge of the window, was a large white creature. Much bigger than the ones I fought.

"Wow! Did you beat that thing all on your own?" i asked in amazement. He once again said nothing, but fell on top of me.

"Ack!" I yelled in surprise. He was a bit taller than me, and a good bit heavier, so I was almost knocked to the floor.

"Roxas? are you okay?" I asked when I managed to hold him up steadily. He nodded slowly.

"Just... tired..." he mumbled. I smield and threw his arm over my shoulder.

"You can rest. I'll get us out of he-"

I was cut off by a white light that surrounded us both. We were taken instantly from the dark place to a white room. A bit too white for my liking. The sun reflected off the walls, causing me to squint. Roxas looked up.

"Wow, how'd you do that?" he asked. I blinked.

"I...didn't..." I said, and pointed to the blonde girl sitting in front of us. Roxas tried to ask her something, but she put her finger over her lips.

"My name is Namine," she told us. I waved and Roxas continued to stare. Grr... what's that skinny little brat got that I don't?

"Roxas... do you remember your true name?" she asked.

"True name? Your name isn't Roxas?" I asked him, trying to make myself visible to the girl, who seemed to ignore me.

"My name is..." he began. At that instant, a dark portal opened up behind her and the creepy guy stepped out.

"Hah! I knew you had something to do with him!" I yelled at Namine. She stood up and whirled around, backing up a few steps as he advanced on her.

"I don't think they're working together," Roxas muttered, taking his arm off of my shoulders and walking fowards.

"Who are you?" he asked. He ignored Roxas and stared at Namine.

"That's enough Namine," he said. His voice sounds... familiar.

"But if no one tells him, Roxas will-"

"I'll what?" Roxas asked. I stepped in front of Roxas.

"Ansem! You're the one who gave me the staff!" I yelled. He nodded.

"Smart little girl, aren't you?" he chuckled. He snapped his fingers and a portal opened behind Roxas and me. I looked back at Ansem, but he grabbed me by the collar by the shirt. I struggled and kicked, yelling at Roxas to do something, but he had already been shoved through the portal. Ansem brought be to eye level.

"I told you to stay out of it," he growled before tossing me through the portal roughly.

"No! I'm not leaving Miss Fujin behind!"

Whos' yelling this time?

"Leave her! If she wants to lie around with her new boyfriend, let her!"

Seifer?

"But, she don't look too good, y'know?"

Rai.

"Miss Fujin! Please! Open your eyes!"

Vivi!

"Vivi!" I said happily when I sat up. he jumped up and down and clapped.

"see! I told you she was fine!" Vivi said to Seifer and Rai. I smiled and stood up. Roxas stood up beside me.

"Where are we now?" he asked, half asleep. I giggled softly when I saw the expression on his face. He yawned loudly and scratched his head.

"We're in Twilight Town," I said. "Vivi, how long were we asleep?"

"Why, almost the whole day, Miss Fujin! We thoguht you had gotten sick, or maybe you were hurt or..."

I looked at Roxas. He groaned when he saw his friends walk over. They were supposed to go to the beach today! I forgot!

"Roxas..." I tried to say something, but he shook his head, as if to say 'I can handle this'. I backed off, watching him talk with them. I felt guilty. I mean, it wasn't my fault, but I still feel bad.

"Miss Fujin? Are you okay?" Vivi asked, grabbing my hand. I looked down and nodded. He let go and backed away when Hayner walked past us.

"Stay away from Roxas," he growled when he passed me. I blinked and lowered my head.

"Fuu?" Rai asked. Seifer put an arm in front of him, to keep him from coming towards me.

"Leave her. Come on Vivi," he said.

"But-" I looked at him.

"Go on ahead, I'll be okay," I muttered, giving him a small smile. He blinked and followed Seifer and Rai. Seifer shot me an angry glance, Rai didn't look back, and Vivi gave me his sad face. Argh, I hate his sad face...

I ight as well cooperate with Hayner. I didn't even say boodbye to Roxas. I just hopped on the train and went home for the night.

Once again, I couldn't get to sleep. I felt guilty, like it had been my fault his friends were mad at him. I am the one who agreed to follow him.

Anyway, tomorrow wasthe Struggle. I may not get to talk to Roxas, but I can still cheer for him, right?

I asked my grandpa what "Nobodies" were. He told me not to worry, and that I needed some rest.

Ansem... Why did he help me if he wanted me away form Roxas? That was the one question never answered.