WOOH! DOUBLE UPLOAD POWER! I actually finished this chapter before the last one, and both were finished like a day after the last chapter I uploaded, but it really needed to be edited. And by edited I mean glanced over mildely as I rush to finish homework, which really means letting it sit there and collect dust. So I'm done pretending to edit and am just uploading now. I really need to update Sailor Hearts, but...I can't seem to make myself :P Why did I make this a two-parter again? And of course there's supposed to be another part after this...blah. I've actually planned out a bunch of stuff, but this definately isn't going to go beyond the next one. I guess that just means I'll have to stuff as much awesomeness as possible into the next one^^

Also, whoever (I'm too lazy to look up your name, aren't I nice?)-Yes, it had to be time travel. ALthough if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. I mean, Xehanort's always everywhere...

EDIT: Okay, a made a few little changes. I changed the beginning conversation between Riku and Kairi to add a little detail and decide for them to meet. I feel like it's a little early for them to meet, but at the same time it felt a little early for what I was going to add next, so here's what you got. Also, Riku and Kairi won't meet again until a while after that, so :P

Also, I needed to put in some HotaruxRiku action. I think I hinted at what it would be...as much as I hate writing romance (and yet I adore couplings!), I really want it there (I'm complicated). I'm also thinking of doing something totally different with Sailor Hearts...which I really need to update before I get to far into this...this was bad idea doing both of them at once . I really kind of want to scrap Sailor Hearts. I made it almost exclusively Sailor Moon, and I'm really a bigger fan of Kingdom Hearts now, especially since its ongoing and has many mysteries and plotholes to expand on, while Sailor Moon...it was over ages ago. But there are a few things I make happen that follow into RR, so I will tread on. Maybe I'll shorten it...or do summaries...lol. Next chapter will be up hopefully soon-studying for AP Tests! And as a senior about to go to college, I officially feel to old for this stuff...and don't give a darn.^^

After traveling to a few more worlds and finding no more leads, Kairi and the gang decided to check with Riku and the King on what to do next. Kairi moved towards the back of the Gummi Ship where Hotaru was snoozing, apparently taking a break from staring blankly into space. It reminded her of when Hotaru had first arrived—she had been so quiet and unsure of herself, and there was so much pain that seemed masked behind those eyes…

Kairi turned her thoughts from Hotaru and typed on a keypad in front of her. She waited a few moments, and a screen came up displaying Riku's face. The screen on the gummi ship's front window would have been bigger, but she wanted a more private conversation with Riku.

"Hey, Kairi. What's up?"

Kairi slowly relayed the story of what had happened at Wonderland. Riku's initial suspicions about Hotaru flared up for a moment, but he held them back down. Honestly, what right did he have to judge, especially after his most recent failure?

"So, you think she might be Hotaru's nobody?"

Kairi nodded. "And it was the same girl we met on the islands." Riku's eyes widened. "No way! I met up with her too! Back on Agrabah! After some taunting, she healed another new organization member just as I was about to finish her…"

"Hotaru had healing powers too…" said Kairi, then quickly blushed. "What?"

"Hotaru didn't want me to tell you!" said Kairi, smacking herself on the forehead. "It happened a few days after she first arrived. I cut myself, and Hotaru just reached out her hand and…healed it. She begged me not to tell anyone, especially you, because you were so suspicious of her at first. She tried so hard to be our friends…"

"Yeah, I remember. Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie were a little jealous of her."

"Selphie was openly mad at Hotaru and I," said Kairi, smiling a bit. Then she shook her head. "But back to Hotaru's nobody—did she ever show her face?"

"No, she was careful to hide it. She didn't let anyone call her by name, either. It's like she's playing us on purpose."

"She mentioned that she'd look different from Hotaru. Something about the darkness changing her. I don't know what it is, but Hotaru seems terrified by it. She can't remember anything, but…I think what might be under that hood scares her more than anything."

Riku turned. "Yeah, I know the feeling," he said sadly, thinking about his time as Ansem. "And Xion…you haven't run into her again?"

"No, and there's been no other sign of Organization XIII or Sora anywhere. I've been to Deep Jungle, Pride Lands (which by the way being a lion sucks), and Land of the Dragons. Plenty of heartless to take out and people to save, but no more on their overall goal."

"Same here. Highlight of my journey was an annoying pirate named Jack Sparrow. Excuse me, Captain." He didn't mention what happened in Agrabah—he couldn't bring himself to. "The heartless are really getting out of control though. So, what world are you headed to next?"

"I think Donald said the Olympus Coliseum."

"Oh? We're heading there too."

Kairi smiled. "Good. We're not really getting anywhere, so we might as well get together and compare notes in person. And maybe you can train me a bit more. I don't want to look stupid in front of nobodies again!"

Riku smiled and nodded. "Yeah."

Kairi turned off the communicator and turned to Hotaru. Hotaru hadn't wanted to talk about what had happened, and tried to act like she was fine, but Kairi could see differently. Hotaru was usually hard to read, but a general emotion such as pain was easily discernable. Hotaru was spooked by the endless possibilities of what might have happened to her before, but refused to open up. Kairi had almost mentioned something about Riku—at his request, she had glossed over anything involving Riku when telling her about their past adventures—but decided that was something he was going to have to tell her himself. Other than that, Kairi could think of nothing to say to console her, not that Hotaru would listen. In fact, Kairi had the distinct feeling that Hotaru was pretending to sleep just to avoid conversation.

In truth, Hotaru was sleeping. But more importantly, she was dreaming. Dreaming of a young man on destiny islands, holding out his hands as if he was trying to capture the sun.

This world is just too small…

Sora sat on the tower eating his ice-cream. None of the others had come by yet, and he was starting to worry. He had drastically improved from his first mission, taking out way stronger targets in a much shorter time span. He needed to stop always getting here so early, but he wasn't sure what else to do. He always felt like there should be more to his life, that there was something missing—a heart, of course, or so he had been told. A heart and memories. Part of that gap only seemed to be filled on this clock tower.

"Hey, squirt," said Axel, coming from behind him and rustling his hair. "You're here early."

"No, you're just late," replied Sora automatically. Axel paused for a moment, then laughed it off. "Sometimes you two seem so different, and other times so similar…"

"Huh?" said Sora with his token look of confusion. Axel laughed. "My point exactly."

"It's not my fault I don't know what you're talking about!" said Sora. "You're always acting all mysterious."

"I am a man of many secrets. Got it—

"Memorized, yes, good lord Axel, we all have it memorized," said Xire walking forward. "Hm. You seem snippy."

"I almost died today," said Xire. "Think about that. What would you do without me?" she said, taking her seat on the other side of Axel. "What? How? What happened? I mean, uh…" he ran his hands through his hair blushing a bit. "So, I'm assuming mission failed?"

"Actually, mission was a success, just barely. Riku and Mickey showed up—it was Riku that almost did me in."

"Riku?" said Sora crinkling his nose. "That name sounds familiar…"

"Did I say Riku? I meant…uh…Terra!"

Axel gave her a look that said, that was the best you could come up with? Rei shot back a glare that screamed, it was the best I could do! Shut up!

"Terra…that sounds familiar too." They both stared at him, holding their breath. "Oh well. Can't be too important if I can't remember," he said shrugging and taking another bite of his ice cream. Axel and Xire both sighed in relief. "You are way too happy-go-lucky kid, you know that kid?" said Xire. "You remind me of someone I once knew."

"Who?"

"Just forget it." Geez, thought Axel, he's more inquisitive than even Roxas was. Axel once thought that Roxas was an open book, but that was nothing compared to Sora. Looking back, Roxas had kept a lot more to himself and was overall much more stoic and silent. Or was that just the difference between a Nobody and a Somebody? Axel knew he was definitely changing.

"Gee, I wonder what's taking Xion."

Axel and Xire exchanged glances. They constantly gave each other heart attacks every time Xion or Sora ever did any little thing out of the ordinary—all it would take was one slip, one memory returned, and it would all fall apart. Axel had wanted to cancel their tower trips, but Vexen and Xima insisted they continue; this way, the memories of the clock tower would fill in blanks of the past and reinforce their organization life. Axel had to admit that it worked, but still…

"You're right. Xion's always here on time like clockwork." Axel sniggered a bit at Xire, who just glared at him.

As if being summoned, Xion appeared just then. Her head was bent low, with a dejected look plastered on her face. Axel's eyes widened. He recognized that face. That was Xion's token "My-World-Is-Ending" look. The last time she had that look, she had lost to Riku, who called her a fake.

Xion had found something out.

"Uh, Xire," he whispered. Sora may not have known exactly what was going on, but he recognized the hurt. "Xion? What happened!"

She sat down next to Sora, and Axel relaxed a bit. When she'd lost to Riku, she'd locked herself in her room after all. That she had actually come here was a good sign.

"Sora…it was…I don't even know," she said, burying her head in her hands. Sora wrapped an arm around her. "It's okay, Xion. You can tell us anything. We're here for you."

That was Sora. Plain and simple.

"There was this girl…on my mission to wonderland…she looked just like me, and she had a keyblade…"

Xire, who had been taking a lick of her ice cream while listening intently, nearly inhaled the whole thing and began choking. "A girl just like you?"

Xion nodded. "She said she knew you."

Sora frowned. "I have to admit, being around you always feels familiar, but…"

"Me too!" said Xion quickly. "But she said…she said I was a fake. Just a puppet. And she kept asking about you and my keyblade…"

"Don't listen to anything she says!" said Sora angrily. "She sounds like a big jerk. I bet she's the real fake." He took Xion's hand. "I definitely don't know any girl like that. Xion, you're important to me…"

Xion smiled a bit. "Thanks Sora. But…I just can't help thinking how similar we are. And how different. I mean, our keyblades are the same, and…"

"Xion, that stuff doesn't matter," pleaded Sora. "What everyone else says and thinks…it doesn't matter. Things that do matter are up here," he said, motioning around the clock tower. "And…in here," he said, pointing to his chest. But that was the wrong thing to say.

"But there's nothing there, Sora." That was it, then. Xion got up and walked away.

How ironic that those words at Kairi were really words he'd say for Kairi.

Xima was working in the lab, typing on the computer fast. She held out the report from the Wonderland mission. "Dear Xima—the Daihmons suck."

Xima groaned. "Well, that's descriptive…" she said, throwing it down.

Zexion came out behind her. "What's this?" He picked up the note and shook his head. "Really…such laziness shames the Organization."

"Yes…I'm going to assume that it responded to a pure heart—probably Kairi's, an ultra-pure heart—but was easily dispatched." She frowned. "Well, they're not really that much more advance than heartless or lesser nobodies. Not much we can do in terms of strength for a while. But at least we know they work."

"All thanks to you," said Zexion coming behind her and resting his chin on top of her head. They smiled at each other for a moment, then quickly separated put their usual faces back on.

"I assume they think you're dead, then?"

"I don't see why they'd think otherwise." The master of illusions smiled. "Good. Slowly but surely, everything's coming together…oh, have you seen Kingdom Hearts yet?"

"Already?" said Zexion a little alarmed. She nodded. "We have a lot more keyblade wielders these days. Even Kairi has one!" Xima laughed a bit. "What took months before has only taken a few weeks. Kairi, Riku, Mickey, Sora…Xion's almost redundant and unnecessary aside from keeping Sora out of commission.."

"That reminds me: where's Vexen? I hardly ever see him anymore."

Xima made a noise of obvious dislike. "Hey, stop that! The man used to be my idol."

Xima rolled her eyes. "He's working on the same things as me, but prefers to work separately. It doesn't really make sense to me. But then, a lot of things around here don't really make sense to me when I think about it."

"Oh? Like what?"

She sighed. "It's just when I review past files. Some things don't seem to add up."

Zexion frowned at her. "You know you aren't supposed to be reading those outside of what pertains to Roxas and Xion."

"I know, but I couldn't help it!" she said.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"My curiosity kills cats. And other things as well. The first thing that struck me was the fact that Marluxia and Larxene were once traitors and yet are still among the organization."

Zexion frowned. "Yes, well, that's…"

"And Axel. He seems like a pretty loose cannon. He ended up betraying the organization as well, and never really seemed to be in on it in the first place. His treatment of Roxas and Xion in particular seems…strange."

"He's doing fine with Xion and Sora now," said Zexion, his annoyance rising though he didn't know why. "What are you getting at?"

"I don't know. It just seems like…you guys are really just going through the motions around here. Despite having hearts, you all still act more like nobodies. You all are just going on as if nothing happened…"

"Xima…" said Zexion angrily.

"I guess I'd need a heart to understand." She got up from her computer and walked right past him as if nothing had happened. "Good night," she called. Zexion glared at her, unsure of why he was suddenly so angry. He clenched his fist. It was because she had made a good point. Marluxia and Larxene had betrayed the organization. They certainly couldn't be trusted, even if their current goals were now closer to theirs had been. And Axel…for god's sake, Axel had killed him! He burned as the memory suddenly returned to him.

Sorry Zexion. You just found out way too much.

The rest of the organization had no idea about this betrayal, never mind his apparent later ones. Xima was right. This was wrong. Something was really wrong with the Organization. And come to think of it, what were their goals now? What were they working towards? They seemed to just be doing the same thing they did as nobodies, as Xima had pointed out. Why were they again trying to assemble a fake kingdom hearts when it so obviously didn't work the first time?

Zexion walked through the hallways quickly and angrily. Why had none of this occurred to him before? Why was he only interested in this now?

"Zexion? You look troubled." He turned. It was Saïx standing there with his arms crossed. "Perhaps…have you finally woken up, Ienzo?"

Ienzo. Yes, that was what he should be calling himself. He was no longer a Nobody, after all. "Saïx…Isa, then, that's your name isn't it?"

"Yes." Saïx moved closer to Zexion. "It seems your eyes have been opened. You actually realize that something is amiss in the Organization. Few people seem to notice what's going on."

Zexion—Ienzo—slowly nodded. "So, you do, I imagine?"

"Tell me," said Isa, "What do you remember about Xehanort?"

Ienzo thought about it. "Not very much. I was young when I first came here. I do remember…" he closed his eyes. "He and Xigbar seemed very familiar with each other."

Isa's eyes narrowed as he absorbed this new information. "I see." He turned from him. "I have a feeling that we've been betrayed—and I don't mean by Axel, Marluxia, or Larxene. I think our very own Superior is behind it. Tell me, when was the last time you saw him?"

Ienzo racked his brain, but couldn't remember seeing Xemnas—or Xehanort, or whatever he'd call himself once he came back—at all since awakening whole again.

"Something is indeed wrong—and I'd like to enlist your help in finding out what. For now, I'd like you to keep quiet about what you know." Ienzo considered.

"All right then, Saïx. I'll play you're little game."

For now, he added silently.

Xemnas stood there outside of Castle Oblivion, looking onward longingly. A female figure appeared in a corridor of darkness behind him.

"Are you still hiding around this place?" she asked. "It's about time you got over it, don't you think?"

"You said you found him when you awoke?"

"I can hardly remember that," she said a little agitated. "He didn't respond, so I just left him there and kept looking around. I tried going back to navigate my way towards him. It didn't work. What's so special about him anyway?"

Xemnas looked at the castle longingly again. "He just may be the key…"

The figure regarded him for a moment. "Xemnas…who are you, really?"

He looked into her eyes for a moment, and they stared back into his blue ones. "What's left. What exists now, after everything's said and done."

She laughed at that. "What you really mean is that you don't know. Well, no shame in that. I will keep looking, though." He ignored her and opened a corridor of darkness. "Oh? So where are you going to go now? You'd be better off at the Organization, you know. At least they practically worship you."

"There's nothing left for me there," he said. "Just broken plans of the past. What about you? You hardly seem like the type to be one of them."

"Just biding my time, hatching a plan or two of my own. It all depends on waiting, though. Assuming I'm able to make any of them come true. To be honest…I just have nothing better to do. I'm just along for the ride. I'm not sure how much longer before they turn me into a dusk anyway. It's not like I'm useful in battle. I had power before, but I can't seem to unlock it."

"Too bad," said Xemnas distantly. "And what's with the hood?"

"Oh, call it penance or a vow of silence if you will."

"Penance? You?"

She shrugged. "Or a vow of silence. Things would fall apart if anyone were to actually see my face."

"Hmm…" He turned away from her, ceasing to be interested.

"Oh, of course great Xemnas. Why listen to my petty ramblings? Go on and finish whatever mission you're trying to fulfill."

He wordlessly stepped into the corridor of darkness. The girl frowned. She couldn't quite figure out if he had a heart or not. He was able to use the corridors, but…he seemed almost like…he had part of one? Just what the heck was he doing anyway? And why did he only talk to her?

The girl shrugged. This kind of thinking was more up Xima's or Vexen's alley, definitely not hers. She'd wait a while and see what happened. One thing was certain:

Interesting things were going on across the worlds.

What an appropriate name for the title...okay, I just stuffed in here all of the side stuff that I wanted to be in here but was starting to forget about. I decided this was a good enough point to add it in. I'm not sure if I've already said it or not, but I'm not going to be writing in a lot of worlds. I think Riku and Kairi are only gonna have like four apiece (that I write about; they went to other worlds, just nothing noteworthy happened), cause I'm just a little lazy...things are going to be tough for them until they increase their numbers...(Terra, Aqua, ven...come back! Don't worry, it will be soon! Along with a few others...)

I sometimes forget about Hotaru :P Her powers will come back eventually.

I was also thinking about having a side fic (ANOTHER ONE!) that details Xima's experiments a bit more...let's just say her somebody would cry. They are pretty similar to Terranort's original experiments, so its more about her views and hypotheses. I was going to call them the mercury reports, but I ended up making them like the secret reports from days and adding little blurbs from everybody. So look for that soon (?).