I was going to postpone this until I finished the next chater of Sailor Hearts, which totally needs it more… :P whatever. But why prolong anything if its done? Totally got inspired and wrote this pretty quickly. Enjoy!

Roxas bolted up from his bed. "Another dream about him…" he sighed. "But which parts…were the dreams?"

"None of them."

Roxas turned towards the voice. "What…?"

A corridor of darkness opened up, and a girl walked through. She had pale blonde hair, pale complexion, a plain white dress…the only thing about her that wasn't pale or plain was her eyes, which seemed to sparkle blue with life and purpose. Otherwise, she seemed like a pale ghost, a discarded shadow of existence—which, honestly, is almost exactly what she was.

"Roxas," she said, "What you were seeing were memories—memories that belong to Sora. This here is all a dream."

"What are you talking about? Who are you?"

She sighed. "So, its gotten to you, too…Roxas, its me, Naminé. Come on, Roxas. Between you and Sora, one of you needs to keep their memory straight."

Roxas groaned and touched his head. "Wait, it's starting to come back…where are we, anyway?"

"In Sora's heart," said Naminé. "Specifically, the part that's you—the part that's still mostly sleeping."

"Mostly?"

"I think a part of you is awake in Sora. But…Sora himself isn't really awake now. Xion's been absorbing his memories, but…someone or something else is doing even more than that. Either they dramatically sped up Xion's process, or they've figured out a way to completely suppress Sora's other memories."

Roxas only half listened as he looked around his room. "This was from my fake memories of Twilight Town. You did that, right?" he said, a small hint of sadness in his voice. Naminé nodded, biting her lip. "I like this room better than the one in the organization. There were a couple of things I liked batter about my fake memories…" he held out his hand. "Hayner, Pence, Olette…?"

Naminé nodded. "I projected your memories and feelings of Axel and Xion to them. It was the closest I could come to preserving Xion's memory."

"Huh. You know, that really made a few moments with Axel ironic, huh? Don't feel too bad. We would've ended up fighting anyway. I couldn't go back—not then."

The sat in silence for a few moments, then Naminé said, "Roxas, about Sora's memories…"

"Huh?"

"What did you see before?"

Roxas thought. "All kinds of things."

"Did Sora have his keyblade in any of them?"

He paused. "Yeah. Donald and Goofy were always there. Even some of Riku."

"But no Kairi?" Roxas shook his head. "Well, Xion would have those…but still, it seems like a lot of his memories are here. They're just sleeping, with you. That means there's still a chance to wake them up. Roxas, you're going to have to talk to Sora."

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Uh…why me? Why can't you?"

"I can only seem to contact you because we both don't really exist right now, and a part of me resides within Sora as well. I can't contact Sora directly, though—I've tried. I can't even contact Kairi. Maybe because her heart has no darkness…and I'm a shadow…so you'll have to in my place."

Roxas closed his eyes. "Why should I?"

"What do you mean?"

"The three of us—we're finally together again."

Her face fell. "Roxas, what are you saying?" she asked fearfully.

"Maybe I don't want to help Sora. He messed everything up last time. It won't happen again."

"Are you really that selfish? To make Sora suffer like this…?"

"Maybe I am. Xion was selfless, and look where it got her."

Roxas heard the deafening noise before he registered the stinging pain in his cheek. He put a hand there.

"Did you just…"

Naminé's hand was still outstretched. She looked more shocked than Roxas. But for the first time, nothing in her face seemed sorry or apologetic. She swallowed hard.

"Xion sacrificed herself to help you and Sora," she said shakily. "She knew what would happen, and she did it anyway. Don't you have any respect for that?"

"And what's so great about saving Sora, huh?" said Roxas angrily. "I'm okay staying here, in this…prison…but…it was different for Xion. I know it was. We weren't here together. No one could even remember she existed. Even if she sacrifices herself again, no one will remember it. No one will be able to care." Roxas stood up. "I won't let her be left behind and forgotten again!"

"Naminé looked at his face, and was suddenly reminded of Sora. Roxas was even more stubborn than he was…there'd be no swaying him.

"Fine," said Naminé. She turned to go. "Just know, Roxas, that this is beyond all of us. One way or the other, this issue is going to be forced."

"Any scenario you come up with ends with Xion's death. I can't be a part of that. Not…not again."

She sighed. "You really love each other, don't you? I wish I knew what that felt like…"

She walked away, but stopped in the door way.

"You know…Axel once told me…that Nobodies like us could never be somebodies. I wonder if that's true. You and Xion…you make me wonder."

She walked out and disappeared. Roxas looked at the spot where she was and sighed.

"Xion," he whispered softly.

"Sora, remember…"

Sora was running forward in slow motion, not really knowing what he was running towards.

"Sora, you have to remember, who you are…"

The voice was female, but didn't sound at all familiar to him, but for some reason, he knew he could trust it. And he knew he had to keep moving forward.

He eventually stopped and saw a pod in the middle of a white room. As he slowed down, the pod opened up, revealing…him? Yes, that was him, floating inside the pod.

"Me? But I'm…"

"You're memories," said the voice again. "You have to take them." Sora began moving forward, slowly, instinctively. "My…memories?"

Suddenly, a darkness surrounded the pod, and several figures popped out. They resembled heartless, completely black, but they also resembled people, like his anti-form. And their eyes…they were red instead of the normal yellow. He looked across the figures and saw six of them.

"Undo the hurt to unbar the way…" the figures seemed to say without speaking.

"Huh?"

"Sora? Sora, what's going on?" said the voice frantically. Sora started backing away. A corridor of darkness opened up, and a figure in a mask stepped forward. "You're memories aren't the only ones here in your heart. If you want to recover the ones you've lost, you'll have to accept the pain, too." The figure held out his hand. "Come on, Sora. We'll go together."

Sora couldn't find his voice, couldn't feel his legs, anything. He just kept backing away, unable to decide for himself. Suddenly, he felt himself fall, as if over an edge somewhere, just like he had done earlier on the tower…

Kairi stood above him, holding her hand out towards him…

Kairi?

The image quickly rippled, and now it was Xion holding her hand out, and Sora collided with the water…

Xire rolled out of bed and hit the ground, instantly waking up as her head collided.

"Ugh…that was graceful. About as graceful as…"

It was at the tip of her tongue, but the name suddenly escaped her, as if it was remembering that it didn't want to be uttered. Xire got up slowly. She couldn't really recall much about her dream…

In the name of Mars, I will torture you!

But she knew it wasn't the first time she'd had dreams like that. Dreams…or memories? And not for the first time, doubt crept into her mind. The feeling that she should be out doing…something.

"What am I doing here…?" she whispered out loud. She shook her head. This was stupid. She was just sleepy. She needed air.

She walked out of her room, wearing a nightgown that was orange at the top and gradually darkened to red. Most members usually just slept in their regular outfits, but she desperately wanted to see some color around here, even if it was just on herself. She suddenly wondered if there was a punishment for wearing anything else but black. She pressed herself closer against the wall and deeper into the shadows. She couldn't really see much, so she just closed her eyes to let her senses take over. That would be good practice for her missions.

She tried to reach out harder as she got closer to the balcony. Nope, she didn't feel anything…

SMACK!

Xire rubbed her forehead and looked at the person she'd run into. "Sora!" she shouted, then quickly brought her voice down. "Sora? I should have known it was your hard head I ran into."

"Sorry," he groaned. "It was dark, and I tripped over my feet…"

"Ugh, you klutz!" She stood up. "It's no wonder, you're feet are so huge! And what are you doing out of bed anyway?" She held out a hand to help him up. He looked at it in surprise, but took it. "What are you, my mom? Besides, I could ask you the same."

"True enough," she said shrugging. "Care to join me?" The two of them walked out onto the balcony, and both instantly looked to the sky at Kingdom Hearts. "So much darkness…" she murmured absentmindedly. "You're getting too good at your job, Sora. At this rate, we'll never..."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. They both perked up as they heard a violin playing. "Oh, that's her!" said Xire. "Wow. Even without a heart, she plays so beautifully…"

"You knew each other before?" She nodded. "I even sort of looked up to her before." Her face clouded over a bit. "I don't know why, though. I remember so little about my past. Every time anything creates the tiniest little nostalgia, I go crazy…" she shook her head.

"Did you have a weird dream too?" asked Sora out of the blue. She nodded. "Hey, Xire…you ever feel like…there's something else we're supposed to be doing? Something greater?"

"A destiny that needs fulfilled?" she chuckled, not really joking. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It's funny, we argue a lot, but we're not so different, are we?"

"It's all in good fun," said Sora, flashing a grin. "I mean, we're friends, right? Friends argue all the time."

"Friends…" she whispered softly. "You know, you remind me of someone. A lot of someone. It's almost kind of creepy."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Xire smiled. "Normally I'd tease you and say it's a bad thing, but…it's mostly a good thing. She was one of my closest friends." She sighed. "Not that I bothered to remember her name."

"Well, do you remember anything else about her? Maybe if you talk about her, you'll remember her more."

"Let's see…crybaby, lazy, blonde…"

Sora frowned. "Sure you're not talking about Mixa?"

"They were always eerily alike…but it's not just that. She was rash, impulsive, headstrong, a little too easy-going…sound familiar yet?" Sora rolled his eyes. "Just keep going." Xire looked up at Kingdom Hearts again. "She was the kindest person you could know. She's always cheering people up, like the gentle moonlight…and she always looks out for all of her friends. Even if it means sacrificing herself." She turned and looked at Sora. "She had eyes like you, too." Sora ran his hands through his hair awkwardly. "I don't know if I live up to all that…"

Xire suddenly had the craziest impulse to tell him the truth. To tell him that he did live up to that, and more.

Sora held out his hand and summoned his keyblade. "But I can try, right?" He held up his keyblade heroically. "I swear on my keyblade to always be there for my friends, and to one day live up to Xire's friend…what?"

Xire burst out laughing. "I honestly can't tell if you're joking or serious…"

"A bit of both, probably," he said grinning again. She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to bed. Good night."

Of course, she couldn't tell Sora anything. To do that would be to wreck the Organization's plans, to wreck her only way of gaining a heart. That would be stupid. No, both Xion and Sora had to be fooled for a little while longer.

As Xire got to her room, it suddenly dawned at her that she had laughed. Sora…he was really something else.

She always made people laugh, too. And believe. That was the other thing she'd forgotten. The light of hope within the darkness…

A sad and mournful tune spilled out throughout the world that never was. The tune could be heard most nights, and was a reflection upon the emptiness of the one who played it. She moved her bow across the violin strings slowly and deliberately, a sad yet lovely sound spilling out with each note struck, each contributing to the beautiful, heartless melody.

"Ugh! Quit that racket already!"

The figure with the violin turned. She had been standing in the lounge, her eyes glued on Kingdom Hearts floating above. Xigbar was standing the doorway, looking a little miffed.

"You don't like it?" she asked with a hint of amusement. She had wavy aquamarine hair that went a few inches past her shoulders, and eyes that held the calm of the sea.

"Some of us need our sleep around here, even if you apparently don't. What is it with you water types and music anyway?"

"Funny, the music never seems to bother anyone else." The pointy ears must be more sensitive, she thought, but held her tongue. "It helps me focus. I'm still on that 'secret assignment', right?"

"Funny, you haven't gotten anywhere yet."

"Maybe if you didn't have me doping other missions as well…"

"Hey, you know we're short-handed!"

"Quite."

"Speaking of which, work would go a lot faster if you didn't do all you missions with her."

"We work well together. It's the least you could do…"

"Blah, blah, blah. You've got the day of tomorrow and Xima's new machine should be helping you out. I wanna see results soon. Now put that violin away."

"It's a violon," she said curtly.

Xion tossed and turned in her sleep. She awoke the next morning with a strange feeling going through her. She looked in her hand and realized she had written a note in her sleep. She set it to the side and sighed. She'd have to report this to Vexen and Xima…

"A strange dream?" asked Xima. Xion nodded. "But...you don't remember anything about it?" Xion shook her head. "It just left me with a weird feeling...and you guys told me to report to you if I had any weird dreams going on, so..."

Xima nodded. "Yes, Xion, good job. Well, you should be fine. We'll run a few tests before your mission. Go with Zexion, please." Xion hesitated for a moment, recalling the note she had in her hand behind her back. Then she stuck it in her pocket, determined to wait and figure it out herself. She nooded at Xima and walked off. Xima turned over to Vexen. "Do you think its anything to worry about?"

Vexen closed his eyes in thought. "Well...we took precautions as soon as it came to us to make sure that Sora's memories don't become its memories. This dream may not have had anything to do with Sora or its own past memories. Perhaps its merely a strange dream. Though I am curious as to what a replica would dream about...a shame she couldn't remember."

Xima wanted to roll her eyes or show some other sign of exasperation she didn't actually have. Vexen could be such a pompous idiot sometimes that he wouldn't even consider any other possibilities...nor would he recognize Xion's independence, something that had led to the downfall of their plans before. Xima sighed. She'd talk about it with Zexion later, and maybe add something to her personal reports she kept separate from Vexen's.

The heart was much more than any system. Hearts are unpredictable; that is the only nature of the heart that can be counted on. Sure, they may have created Xion, but that didn't mean they had control over her, or that she couldn't be independent from them. Just because they had created an artificial life...didn't mean it couldn't exceed their expectations.

I almost put Young Xehanort in Sora's dream just for the sake of mindfucking, but it really wouldn't make sense, and I wouldn't want to change the plot as much as I would have to in order to suddenly bring Young Xehanort into all of this…things from DDD will make their way into this fic though. After watching the ending of it (Spoilers are a fan boy's best friend), it was too late—my mind was forever blown and influenced.

And I don't really know why every time I describe Naminé, I feel the need to describe her like she's a new character and we have no idea who she is. I mean, Naminé hardly needs a character description every time she walks in. I guess I just like describing her.

And the scene between Sora and Xire was originally supposed to be put at the tower, but…well, bad planning; I didn't realize I was at this part already, so I'm sort of rushing to stuff ideas in that are supposed to be there before what happens next…yeah that makes sense. But things sort of clicked into place, and I like the balcony scene under Kingdom Hearts even better.

And just to be clear, this is the night before the special missions Saïx/Isa told Riku and Kairi to carry out. So the next chapter will be the next day, and it will be those missions. Should be done…eventually.