Yeah, um. I'm done writing this. The rest of it should be up before Wednesday.

Which, conveniently, is the first day of November. And the trials of NaNoWriMo shall begin.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Song/lyrics belong to Hellyeah.

Stars are falling,

Fires lighting all around me,

Burning me down

-----------------

Rilyn yawned like a lazy cat, stretching in just the same manner. She looked around, realizing that Axel was gone; instead, Demyx sat across the room, strumming a tune on his sitar as musical notes of water danced around him merrily. She stared in amazement, a wide smile growing on her face. She began clapping animatedly when he finished.

"How do you do that?" she asked excitedly. "That was so cool!" Demyx looked up, surprised, finally noticing that she was awake.

"You… liked it?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes!" Rilyn exclaimed. "How do you make those things dance like that?"

"I can control water," he said proudly. Her eyes widened in wonder.

"What are you doing, Demyx?"

The two turned in surprise at the unexpected voice—Axel was back, looking as annoyed as ever.

"Where've you been?" the musician retorted weakly.

"Nowhere special." He spared Rilyn a sideways glance before turning his attention back to Demyx. "Out."

"Why?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Go," Axel growled.

"Fine," Demyx conceded, taking his sitar and disappearing into a portal. Rilyn crossed her arms and scowled at the red-head.

"What?" he demanded.

"I don't have to spar again, do I?" He chuckled, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"Of course you do," he replied smoothly. "Just not with Roxas."

This, of course, caught the girl's attention.

"Then… who?" Axel allowed himself a small laugh of amusement, a devious sparkle appearing in his emerald green eyes. He stretched out his arms dramatically, hands open and waiting. Almost instantaneously, a flurry of fire appeared at each hand, materializing into ornate chakrams which Axel clutched lazily, spinning them in what looked to be an odd mixture of arrogance, readiness, and… was that… boredom?

"Me," he announced. Rilyn was startled; she was far more used to the Nobody being either aloof or annoyed rather than… eager. She stared at him in shock. "Well?" he prodded expectantly. "Where's your weapon?"

"Where's Roxas?" she retorted.

"What does it matter? I'm here. Isn't that enough for you?" he asked in a mock-hurt tone.

She stared him down a bit more before she finally ripped the pendant from its chain and allowed it to grow to the size of an average blade, like before. For some reason, she couldn't make it any larger.

"Why—" She hadn't enough time to vent her frustration when a red chakram went flying by the front of her face. "Wha—"

"You should've been ready!" Axel yelled, laughing as he threw the other. She squeaked and held up the little staff, hoping to parry, deflect, something. The chakram hit it hard, spinning her from mere force before flying back to the Nobody with its twin. Rilyn stumbled dizzily, flailing her arms in an attempt to regain balance. "Come on, Riley. What's the problem?" he taunted.

"It isn't nice to throw those Swirling Rings of Death™ at people!" she whined.

"It's called sparring for a reason." He yelled something she couldn't quite understand as his chakrams flew around him in a swirl of flame and metal, and the next thing she knew, she was surrounded by flames, and the soles of her shoes were getting very, very hot. She tore her horrified gaze from the wall of fire, only to discover the terrible scorching the floor—and her shoes—was receiving. She squealed in pain and jumped from one foot the other and back.

"How do you do that?!" she demanded desperately. "And where'd you go?!"

"Take that!"

She felt a streak of pain on her back and arms. She stumbled forward, looking over her shoulder. Oh! how the flames colored his façade! Oh! how manic a grin his was!

With a sudden flash of energy and a fierce yell, Rilyn swung the small staff, letting out a small "tch" in frustration when he disappeared into the flames again. She stood still in her place despite the heat she felt through her shoes, eyes moving wildly in an attempt to locate the Nobody. When he jumped out next, he was to her left—easily evaded.

She parried Axel's attack and hit him hard enough for him to allow the floor to return to normal, although the wall of fire was still intact. He didn't hesitate to counter, landing one good hit to throw her off balance. Rilyn rolled on the floor, coming dangerously close to the flames and losing her weapon in the process.

"When do I get to spar with Demyx?" she groaned, snatching the obsidian staff and forcing herself to her feet.

"What's the problem? This too much for ya?" He laughed.

"No. I'm just getting started!" she shouted, charging at him. He dodged easily, smirking as their weapons slammed together. She tumbled to the ground when he tossed her staff to the side. She released an incomprehensible yell and rose, running toward him and preparing to attack. Axel laughed again, his arrogance dominating his demeanor.

"Burn, baby!"

The chakrams burst into flame, swirling around him in such a magnificent way that Rilyn was sure she would've admired had she not been up against it herself. She hesitated as one hand touched the ground, and the floor was scorching hot once more.

"Tch!" Rilyn muttered. She shifted her weight to her back leg, bent her knees, and jumped forward. As soon as she was within range of the floor, she firmly planted the staff and pushed off again, hurtling toward her enemy through the air.

Axel dodged the incoming kick, but failed to fully evade the slash of her miniature staff. She attacked and he blocked until finally she managed a good shot to the solar plexus. He stumbled, and the flames died off.

"That's enough… for now," he said, barely panting.

"So does… that mean… I win?" Rilyn asked hopefully.

"Not on your life," Axel retorted. "Look at you—you're about to pass out."

"That's not… true!" she protested.

"You know it is." Rilyn glared at him for a moment before forcing the staff back to pendant size and reattaching it to her silver chain.

"I can definitely beat you," she said sulkily.

"You wouldn't stand a chance, even with your—" he stopped abruptly, realizing what he was saying. The girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously, the blue of her irises darkening to almost black.

"With my what?"

"I was just saying that you could never defeat me. Got it memorized?" he dodged deftly.

"Don't not answer the question!"

"Didn't have to."

"…Well, I can defeat you, with or without whatever you're talking about!" She folded her arms across her chest and stared him down defiantly, a glint of challenge in her eyes. "You're just too arrogant because—"

"Hey, Riley!" She turned irritably to face the musician.

"What?" she snapped. Demyx flinched.

"Well, if you're so adamant about it," Axel countered calmly, "why don't you prove that you can beat even one of us?" Rilyn focused back on him as he spoke, a questioning look in her dark eyes. "Fight him," he said, gesturing at Demyx, "and win."

"Now?" she asked, mildly surprised. He nodded. She sighed and grabbed her pendant once more, lunging toward the musician and slashing when the miniature staff reached what was now its full size. He barely managed a dodge to his left and quickly summoned his sitar, assuming a defensive posture.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"Fighting," she grunted, launching into a spinning attack she didn't know she knew. It was a master's maneuver; how she had managed to do it, she decided she would never know.

But she performed it beautifully, and marveled at the foreign

natural

grace with which she did it. She twirled the small weapon so fast it was a mere blur. She rushed toward him when it had gained enough momentum, twisting her foot at the take-off just so that her body twisted lithely through the air. Finally, she slammed it down on the back of Demyx's neck brutally, barely hesitating a second before she made contact. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Rilyn's feet touched the floor and she straightened to her full height, turning her dark eyes toward Axel in a glare.

"You did catch him by surprise," he said pointedly. She hissed at him. He couldn't help but notice how ridiculously funny she looked like that, blue locks slightly tousled as always, eyes nearly black instead of their typical bright blue, fury sculpted onto her façade. He realized, too, that this could just as easily be a cowing sight, if the odds weren't so obviously tipped in his favor. This girl could definitely be one hell of an opponent, if she put her mind to it, memory or not.

"Calm down," he snapped, suddenly irritated with her. "That's enough for today. Help me get him over there." Axel hoisted one of Demyx's limp arms over his shoulders and waited patiently as she did the same. Together, they laid the musician on the bed gingerly. Rilyn sat on the floor silently, hugging her legs to her chest. As he took his usual pose, leaning against the wall, he wondered what she was thinking of, behind those creamy eyelids.

Before the question arises, no, this will not include any "romance" sort of thing with Riley and Axel. Actually... No. I'll keep that thought to myself. I don't want to spoil any of y'all -winkwink-

Anyway, would y'all mind telling me if I should post an author's note when I get the sequel up? If you even want to keep reading it after this one, that is.

A simple yes or no will suffice.