"C'mon Ace, don't just sit there and sulk. Help us plan!!" Xaice pleaded, grinning. The other boy sat quietly, his short brown hair twitching slightly as he bounced in his chair. The room was quiet, the white walls reflecting the six Nobodies like a mirror.

"Be quiet, Xai."

"No one calls me that."

"D-men's better?"

"Good point. But still, the five of us are all planning, and you're just sitting over there and being anti-social." Xaice dragged the other boy's chair over and beamed. "There. All better."

"No…worse…"

"Xaice, leave Texal alone." Rarext snapped, glaring angrily. Xaice shrugged.

"What can I say, Princess? I'm kinda like a fly. I buzz in your ear 'till it drives you nuts, then I leave."

"Well, leave then. And don't you ever call me Princess again, got that?"

"Okay, angel," he answered, smirking and laughing. Rarext snapped a pencil in half in her fist and threw it at him. Xarik rolled her eyes as she leaned over a notebook, and Zaix, along with Lenexa, started to crack up. Texal shook his head and stared at the page Xarik was scribbling on.

"Whatcha got there?" he asked as he absentmindedly shuffled a deck of cards, carefully avoiding the razor edges.

"Plans for when Xaice, Len, and I face Sora next week. Any ideas? We've already got…Side Attack, Formation 6, and…'bore him to death'. Wittingly provided by Moron Boy over there." Xaice waved, snickering.

Texal considered the plans. "What kind of area are we fighting in?"

"Ri' said it was an open area, mostly…" The other members flinched. "…with a fountain at the far end from where we enter. There's a flight of stairs to the left and a walkway that wraps around up top. It's called the Second District. Here's some visuals." Rarext handed him a few data sheets with some pictures.

"Huh," he said, his sea green eyes darting across the page. "It looks like Formation 6 would work, but 7 might be better, and 8 would be okay, but that'd be pushing the envelope."

"I like pushing the envelope!" Lenexa cheered, firing a shot into the air. It vanished seconds later, harming nothing.

"We can see that." Xarik said dryly. "But we're not messing up, got that? It's all or nothing, here." There was a long pause as she let that sink in. Apparently it didn't, because Lenexa jokingly fired a shot at Xaice, who returned with a few bursts of flame and a sword swipe. She ignored the chaos and turned to Texal. "Formation 7 sounds fine. Thanks for the help."

"Any time," he replied, moving his chair away from the group and shuffling his cards again.

The door swung open. "Ahem."

Xaice froze mid swing, and Lenexa slowly took his hand off the trigger of his shooter. Xarik and Rarext leapt up, followed by Xaice, Texal, and finally, Lenexa.

Their leader stood before them. "I have an announcement to make."

"Yes, sir," the other answered, bowing.

"Or, rather…he has an announcement." Stepping aside, he revealed a boy standing not too far behind him. The six others gasped.

"It's him." Lenexa murmured, awe-struck. Xaice swallowed nervously. "No way…" Texal added as Rarext tried to calm herself down from the shock. Xarik's expression was clouded by her surprise.

"Listen to him." Their leader instructed, leaving the room.

"Yes sir," the six replied, uneasy at the thought of being alone with the boy. They never saw him, so when they did, it was exceedingly unnerving, sometimes downright daunting. It wasn't his blindness…they hardly even perceived it, half the time; because he was so alert of his surroundings…it was his enigmatic presence. And the history of who he followed only made it worse. It wasn't spoken of, ever.

He stepped forward, and the others jumped up in terror and stepped back, all the way back, until their backs touched the opposite wall.

There was complete silence and then: "Hello."

Xaice was the first to reply. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and walked forward until he was no more than three feet away from the reason for their panic.

"Hello, Fayxt. Pleasure to see you."

"Don't be nervous," the boy asked, staring blankly ahead with dull gray eyes. "I can tell you're anxious. I just have a request."

"Okay. It's just that we never see you, and…"

Fayxt interrupted abruptly. "Right, that's true, isn't it? Well, it can't be helped. You, Xaice, is it? Two others are helping you face Sora, right?"

"Yes…Xarik and Lenexa."

"Oh! Xarik…I met her, a while ago. She's back against the wall, isn't she?"

"Uh huh." Xaice turned his head and motioned for Lenexa and Xarik to come stand beside him. They approached cautiously.

"Hello," they said quietly, trembling. Fayxt stepped forward again, sending a rush of alarm through every one of the six, especially the three closest to him. No one moved, however, and they listened as he shared his request.

"When you fight Sora, I want you to watch him closely." he stopped, waiting for them to register the information. "You are Nobodies…we all are, here…so you can see other Nobodies like us perfectly. If, at any time, you see Roxas at all, I want you to stop all manner of combat immediately, and leave." Xarik held in her protest. The last thing she wanted to do was leave the battle without getting her revenge. "You can not, under any conditions, attack Sora if and when you see Roxas. Understood?"

"Understood." Xaice and Lenexa answered honestly. Xarik hesitated, and Fayxt turned in her direction.

"Understood, Xarik?"

The lavender-haired girl glowered angrily. "Understood."

"Perfect," Fayxt ended. "Now I know I'm not in any danger." Turning around promptly, he swung open the large white door and entered the hallway. The echoes of his footsteps reverberated as he climbed the several flights of stairs, but drifted away as he reached the upper levels of the castle.

"It makes sense, what he asked us to watch out for. You know? Who he follows and all." Lenexa said, breaking the silence that had fallen. Xaice nodded.

"Len's right. He's our one hope in the end, after all."

"You really think so?" Sora asked eagerly, beaming. Kairi nodded.

"I noticed, lately." Yuffie glanced over at the two and watched them for a moment as she put some more plates on the table.

"You know, you're right, Kairi! He has gotten taller!" she said with a smile. Riku laughed, sending water flying out of his mouth and across the table, landing with a barely audible splash in the empty seat across from him.

"That's what this was all about? You've been talking about it for two hours!"

Leon sighed. "I was under the impression you were talking about your fighting progress, not your height."

"It is true, though, he's gotten better at that, too. Riku also!" Yuffie added cheerfully. "I've watched you two dodge spells and counterattack in ways Squall—"

"Leon, Yuffie."

"Aw, whatever, Leon…will never be able to! He's trained you well, apparently."

The Gunblade wielder nodded. "A lot happens in a month. They learned just as well as I taught."

"If not better!" Sora shouted, sitting at the table and munching dinner happily. Riku smirked and flicked a crumb at him.

"Don't let yourself get too far up in the clouds."

There was a small whooshing sound from outside. It was faint—as if it was meant to be near silent, but something had gone wrong. The five friends silenced. Sora got out of his chair and walked across the room, peering out the window into the street below. Nothing near the fountain…nothing at the other end of the square. But still, deep down, his instincts were telling him it wasn't as it seemed. And the small burn mark on one of the walls confirmed his suspicion. Something was out there.

"I'm…going outside. Just for a minute."

Riku stared at him. "What for? It was just the wind, don't worry about it."

"I know, I'm just going to check, okay? I'll be right back." Riku shrugged and went back to his full plate of food. Yuffie and Leon picked up their conversation again, and Kairi quietly sat and listened, stealing worried glances at Sora as he went out the front door into the tranquil, lamp-lit streets of the Second District.

"Xarik!!" Xaice hissed impatiently, grabbing the girl by her hood and yanking her back into the shadows of the alley. "You can't just run at him full-force!! Wait."

"I have to kill him…" she snarled, gritting her teeth. Lenexa rolled his eyes and looked up at Sora, who was standing across the square on the upper street, surveying the area with his Keyblade in hand. If not for the streetlight above him, the three Organization members wouldn't have been able to notice Sora in his black clothing. Just the same, there was no streetlight near them, and as they crouched silently next to the wall in a back alley, they were thankful he couldn't see them as well. Their entire strategy relied on them being able to sneak up and strike first.

Usually easy-going and comical, Lenexa turned to Xaice with a gaze of utmost seriousness. "We're not gonna mess this up, got it?" Xaice nodded his agreement and elbowed Xarik. "Hey, Xar." She nodded to show she was listening, clutching a kunai knife tightly in one hand. "We're counting on you to strike first and get him down here, okay? Don't freak out and try to kill him all in one shot. Just hit him once, lure him down here, and then we'll all go."

"And remember what Fayxt said," she added, stepping forward to the edge of the wall. "Stay here for now. This won't be long."

Sora stood still, turning his head left and right as he watched for any movement. There was none—the square was completely soundless. Clasping his Keyblade tighter, he walked further away from the door. One foot away…two feet away. He was trying, purposely, to allow space, but not a lot of space, for an attacker to sneak in. Leon had taught him…if you allow space, they'll come; not realizing it's a trap. So he continued forward, little by little.

Xarik sneered. She had seen it all before. Watching Sora walk away from the safety of the door, she knew perfectly well that he was trying to trick her into sneaking over from behind. But the girl knew better—she had lived her life fighting, fighting for something only she could decide. Her life had taught her many things. This was one of them. Slipping out of the shadows behind the fountain, she ran forward until she was just beneath Sora. So close she could hear his breathing. So close, that with one blast of lightning—which she could use, regardless of what Lenexa and Xaice said—she could decimate Sora completely. Suddenly, her face lit up. She had an idea.

Guess Riku was right. Just the wind, Sora decided, shrugging. That burn mark, though, seems familiar. Only one type of shot could make that. But… he dropped his guard. Oh well. It's nothing.

Just as he had convinced himself it was harmless, there was a flash of light from his left. Turning, he saw that a streetlight had apparently short-circuited, or something.

That one turn, plus the added advantage of his dropped guard, gave Xarik her chance. She leapt up. Sora reacted just a second too late, and she struck him full-on, slashing one side of his neck from just above the collarbone all the way to the end of his shoulder. Sora cried out, swinging his Keyblade in shock. Xarik deftly avoided it and turned a back flip onto the ground below. He followed, one hand holding the spot where she had cut him.

"We meet again, Keyblade master."

Sora stood motionless, taken aback. "Xarik…?"

She nodded and laughed grimly, pulling out three more kunai knives. "Oh, not just me." Xaice and Lenexa stepped out from behind her, causing Sora to only become more bewildered.

"Hello, Sir Sora! It's so nice to see you again!" Xaice greeted him sarcastically, holding a gigantic sword. Smiling sadistically, he separated the two swords, one in each hand, blades shining even in the dim light. "Too bad this'll be our last little get-together, hmm?"

"The name's Lenexa." the other boy muttered, stepping forward and twirling his shooter around in his hand. "I wish I'd have met you earlier. This'll be my only chance to watch you suffer."

Sora was completely distressed. "Why won't you just leave me alone?"

Xaice's eyes widened, and he stared at Sora as if he were completely insane. "Why?

WHY?!" His anger mounted. "You dare to ask us why?!" A blast of flame shot towards the Keyblade master, narrowly missing him. "We have reputations to uphold. An Organization to fight for!"

"Organization…" Sora gasped in realization. "You're…but how? They're all dead!"

Lenexa shouted in outrage, and both he and Xaice turned to look at Xarik. She was brick red in the face, clutching her knives so hard they were cutting into her own hands. Blood dripped onto the pavement as she stiffly stepped forward.

"How…dare…you." she whispered, her silver eyes brimming with disgust and loathing. "You killed them all. All of them. Respected leaders, respected fighters, battling for a cause more worthwhile than your own pathetic life, you horrible waste!" She threw a knife at him. "And you have the guts to tell us about what you think you've done. We know you've done it, loser. That's why we're here. To kill you!!" At that, Xaice dashed forward and swung. Sora blocked the hit with his Keyblade, trying to push him away. But he only drove down harder, laughing maniacally. Lenexa fired a shot, catching their opponent in the side. Sora screamed and fell back into the wall, giving Xaice his opening to strike. He did so with full, unbridled force, gashing the side of Sora's face. Sora yelled, nearly blacking out, and rolled back, desperate to protect himself. Flames licked at his back as blood slid slowly down his face. Ignoring the searing pain, he concentrated with all of his ability and whipped back around, his Keyblade held at arm's length ahead of him.

"FREEZE!!" he cried, blasting Xaice with a Blizzard spell. Seeing him temporarily weakened, Sora started attacking with everything he had. Lenexa came in to help, but was knocked away by an explosion cause by a rebounded fire blast from Xaice. Xarik gritted her teeth and jumped behind Sora, pointing one kunai knife at the back of his neck.

"Move," she snapped, poking him sharply to get the point across, "and I'll kill you."

"Not if I can help it," a voice said firmly. "Sora, get over here." Sora slashed down, knocking Xaice unconscious, and spun, kicking Xarik in the stomach and sending her flying into the wall. Then he staggered over to his ally.

"Riku, you stupid…"

"Hey, I wasn't gonna get into it until I had to," he said, grinning. "And apparently, that was the time. You're lucky I hear well." Noticing Sora's several gashes and his matted hair, he shook his head. "Nice going, all-star, you got yourself all cut up. Kairi's not gonna like that."

Xarik, watching from nearby, was furious. "Stop talking like this is no big deal! I'll kill you both!!"

Riku glanced at her with slight annoyance. "You the one that sliced Sora here?"

"Yes, and I take pride in it. Want one to match?" she threatened, advancing. Riku shrugged.

"No, I think girls like you need to be trendy. Not guys like me." he jumped forward and swung, striking her exactly as she had struck Sora. "See? There you go!"

"Idiot!" Lenexa roared, firing at him. "Quit belittling us!"

"Yeah…" Xaice rasped, weakly rising off of the ground. "We haven't even been trying, up until now."

"Then dazzle us." Sora said, coming to Riku's side. Xarik grinned.

"A pleasure." She shot a lightning bolt at them both. Even as they tried to avoid it, it seemed to track them as they ran. Struggling back up again, they turned to their attackers. Five consecutive lightning spells hit them, all while Xarik simply snapped her fingers for each spell. Xaice and Lenexa stood by, letting Xarik get what they considered to be her revenge. Sora gasped, breathing heavily, his entire body sinking slowly to the ground.

"Riku…I can't…" his knees began to buckle gradually.

"No, no, you can." Riku insisted, grabbing one of Sora's arms and yanking him back up again. "Hang in there, don't back out yet."

"I just…I just can't…"

From somewhere in his subconscious, Roxas was having a complete fit.

Sora! Back out! Leave, now! You can't die, you can't die…don't, Sora…

"I can't…" Sora moaned. Riku was saying something, but he couldn't hear his words. His vision swam and blurred as lightning spells persistently flew at them.

This can't be happening; it can't be…Roxas mourned. Please, with all of my heart, I wish for him to survive. Please…even if I don't have a heart, I wish I could do something. I have to help him, somehow…

Suddenly, Lenexa gasped. "Xar!! Xar, stop!!" he screamed, pointing. The lavender-haired girl turned around and shrugged.

"Why?"

"Just look." Xaice instructed, pointing as well. Hesitantly, she turned around.

About ten feet away from them, looking as surprised as they did, stood Roxas. He had a Keyblade in his hand and a look of complete amazement on his face.

"How did I…?" he marveled, holding his empty hand out in front of him. "I'm not see-through?"

Riku blinked. "What are they looking at, Sora? Sora?" Sora had managed to come to a full standing position, and was staring at Roxas with extreme shock and wonder.

"He's standing right there? But how did he do that?"

"Who's standing right there? I can't see anybody."

Sora ignored Riku's questioning, still looking at the boy standing in front of him. He couldn't see his face, but he knew for a fact that it was Roxas. He could tell.

Xaice backed up. "U-um…c'mon guys, let's go." Lenexa followed him into the alley, but Xarik remained in the square, looking madder than ever.

"No, I can't leave!! I was so, so close…" she seethed, quivering with rage.

"Xarik, seriously, let's go." Xaice said, grabbing her wrist and dragging her away. The girl kicked and screamed like a spoiled brat, tears forming in her eyes. Sora ran after them, passing Roxas hurriedly and skidding to a stop in front of the alley.

"Hey, you can't just run off!! Who told you to kill me, huh? Get back here!"

Xarik glared at him intensely and sobbed harder. In desperation, she hurled a single kunai knife in no direction at all. Miraculously, it grazed Sora's arm and clattered to the ground several yards away. Smirking bitterly, she pointed to the abandoned knife.

"Remember that. I'll be back for you, we all will! And next time, that worthless turncoat Nobody over there won't have a chance of protecting dirt like you!"

"Hey!" Roxas shouted, defending himself. "I'm not worthless! Don't you dare speak to me like I'm lower than you!"

They didn't hear him, or even try to. Lenexa snapped his fingers, opening a swirling portal. He jumped through, and Xaice struggled to push Xarik in ahead of him. Finally, he managed to trip her, sending the obstinate girl into the portal and back to their castle. Just before he left, he turned to Sora.

"You have no idea, do you? And you got the news before we did. Moron." With that, he waved sarcastically and hopped into the portal, closing it behind him and leaving the square as quiet as it had ever been.

"Roxas."

"Sora."

"How did you…"

"No idea."

Riku stared at his friend, who appeared to be talking to thin air. "Sora…?"

"Well, um, guess you have to…"

"Wait! Please." Roxas pleaded, stepping back hesitantly. "I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"I need to tell you that you need to shut your mind up."

What?! Sora thought, thrown off. "Shut my mind up…?"

"Wait, that came out wrong…" the blonde-haired boy corrected himself, chuckling. "I meant you need to stop thinking so much. It's going to overwhelm you, and I can tell you're already getting close."

"Okay then." Sora said absentmindedly, looking around at the almost destroyed square. "Do you have any idea who those people are? They said they were Organization members."

"No." Roxas answered disappointedly. "I wish I did know, they seem familiar. But I'm not sure how, or why. They just do, like…déjà vu."

"That's weird." Sighing, Sora stepped forward halfheartedly. "I've gotta go inside. I'm kinda, um…" he laughed ironically. "…bleeding a lot."

Roxas nodded slowly. "Yeah, I understand." Turning in place, he surveyed the area around him, taking a deep breath of fresh air. "It's just been a while since I breathed air on my own, you know? Since I've had a chance to be just…me."

Sora watched him forlornly. He felt bad that Roxas was stuck with being a Nobody, not being able to live a life on his own, but only as part of Sora. It was true—Roxas never had chances to experience anything on his own, except for in his own thoughts.

"Hey, is that Riku?" Roxas asked, pointing to the other boy. Sora turned and nodded, laughing quietly at Riku's confused gaze. "He can't see you, that's why he's all freaked."

"Figures. He probably thinks you're insane." Roxas joked, punching Sora's arm humorously. "Well…" he hesitated, his grin fading slightly. "Guess I better go, huh?"

"Guess so. Uh…" Sora took Roxas's hand. "Right?"

"Right." Roxas sighed and closed his eyes. A few seconds passed, and then he slowly started to grow fainter. Within a few more moments, he was completely gone. A faint glowing aura surrounded Sora, and then it was over. Riku blinked.

"So it was your other you? I thought you were talking to air."

"No, it was Rox…" Suddenly, a rush of pain shrouded Sora. Dizziness set in, and the world turned fuzzy, then completely dark.