-Freeing the Others-

Sean looked at Serenade with renewed energy.

"Okay. I found my motive to live, now what?"

Serenade then informed the youngster of her plan.

"The Dark Nebula draws its strength from the darkness in peoples' hearts. So we need to rid the others who have the Nebula inside of them."

"Shouldn't we try to that to ME first?"

"I'm afraid to tell you this. But it seems that the Main part of the Nebula resides within you, Sean Obihiro. Its strength comes from the branch Nebulas in the other Members of Gospel. But the Nebula exists on a level beyond that of the Net. I know how to travel there. But, it would require you to 'leave' your body."

"But if I leave my body, the guy who took over would be in total control again."

"True, your presence here and that of the Invader's seems to be putting your body in a cationic state. But I think my presence here will help hold him back until your mission is complete.

"I'm going to send you to a level of existence of that where the crossroads of peoples' fate and destiny intertwine. I believe that the Nebula Branches are feeding on the negative energies of the people you saw earlier, and that they must also be sending that energy to the main Nebula inside of you. With your keyblade, you have the power to repel any unnatural forces that attacks the hearts of others. And once to vanquish the Branches, the Main would be weakened and his grip on your body would loosen. From there, we shall expel him from you permanently."

Sean considers what Serenade plan. There were great amounts of doubt within him. He extended out his arm and concentrated on his unique weapon and soon enough, it appeared in a flash of light as it materialized in his hand. He studied the sword's from.

"I…I can't do it." He admitted, "I know what will happen if I just do nothing… but… I'm just a kid; I don't know anything about sword fighting. Even if I did, I'm not sure if I can do it. These… things take over the human minds… turning people into monsters."

"I understand your doubt, Obihiro. Doubt is an emotion that everyone faces everyday. And the task I have set up for you is massive, and I wish that there is another way; but what must be done, must be done; and you're the one with better chances of victory than I. And though I can't accompany you, know this: That symbol on the end of the Keyblade, I've seen it before. It belongs to a Navi and his NetOp. The two together have great power and potential. Your blade is the same, the strength of the two are linked to you. They will guide you in battle, I promise you that."

Sean took a look at the emblem that Serenade referred to. Sean pondered on whose powers is in the Keyblade. He then realized that he saw the same emblem on the headband of the boy in the last moments before passing out in a room of Severs… and again on another headband of the boy that he meet on the Boat of his parents funeral. Sean knew that this boy meant something to him, and he know his name… but he couldn't recalled.

"Also, Obihiro," continued Serenade, "The people who are under the influence of the Nebula are just like you, poor souls being manipulated against their will by their pain and suffering. I've dealt with true cut throats before, and they are not like those."

"Alright," said Sean, "I'm ready."

"Safe journey, young one."

And with a simply wave of Serenade's hand, Sean disappeared. And right after that, the room vanished and was replaced with a black fiery void. Serenade reacted immediately by sitting cross-legged, put her hands together in a style of a pray, and began to chant to keep the darkness to take full control of Sean's body.

000

BEEP!!!-BEEP!!!-BEEP!!

The sudden sound of Sean's heart-monitor made Inspector Oda jump right out of his nap. Shortly after he got himself together, the 'beeps' began to slow down to a normal rate.

Beep-beep-beep

"Hmm," murmured the old man, "Must be my mind playing tricks." Oda then got back into his chair and kept a vigil eye on the young boy. Then there was another noise. Not from the machine, but the sound of his cell phone in his pocket.

"This is Oda," he answered when he held the phone, "talk to me."

"Inspector, something came up with members of Gospel. You need to come to the station at once."

"Can't this wait? I had something planed earlier today, but had to reschedule it for this job here."

"Sir, it appears that the members were under influence during their crimes and actions."

"Say that again."

"After a being the arrested, the members of Gospel had their personal materials confiscated. All of them had one item in common."

"Well, what is it?"

"A watch, sir?"

"And what is so special about this watch?"

"It had a device built into it that gave off a frequency that travels through the body, altering the brain parts as well as the chemical balance, and causes an increase of aggressive behavior."

"Or to be more specific, become cynical to almost everyone and thing in the real world."

"So are you coming, sir?"

"No, but you did provided me with some essential information for my current assignment. Call me if anything else comes up."

"But, Sir, I- CLICK" Oda closed his phone and put it back in his pocket.

"So," he said the unconscious kid, "There's more to you that's meets the eye."

000

Sean found himself in space. A dark void filled with countless stars. All of them were shining brightly. Sean never saw so many before, do to living mostly in the city. He felt weightless as he flew towards a black cluster of clouds in the void. He flew by the clouds and saw various stain glass windows with the images of the people that Sean meet in the Flashbacks. Araishi Kazefuki, Speedy Dave, Princess Pride, and Magnus Gauss. Each window was stylized with each one's personal styles, which included portraits of people that Sean didn't recognize. All of the windows seem to have been 'herded' together into a cement block, keeping all four together.

As Sean touched down on the platform, he noticed that each portrait had a long purple crystal shard sticking out of each one of them.

"Well," he said to himself, "Doesn't take a genius to figure this out…"

The boy then strolled to one of the shard. He then took his Keyblade with both hands, raised it above his head, and slashed the shard in two. The broken piece fall to the ground, the sound of it echoed far. But it did not shatter. Instead, the two shard piece turned into black smoke and suddenly, all of the others shards transformed into smoke as well.

"… although, any idiot would know that it would be too easy," Sean said to correct his last statement.

The smoke then turned into a small sprite like beings whose bodies were composed of violet flame.

By acting out of fear, Sean swung his Keyblade at the sprite and it soon disappeared as it turned back into smoke and floated away. Sean considered what happened and just went running and began to hack and slash the others sprites.

Hack

Slash

Hack

Slash

And soon all of the Sprites were all gone. But Sean kept his guard up, keeping a tight grip on his sword. He then notices that the clouds of smoke that the Sprites turned into didn't really disappear, but acclimated overhead. Swarming together as a dark storm clouds Sean looked up, but showed no fear.

"Not Good…"

A plume of the dark cloud began touched down on the platform. It started out as thin as a rail but soon grew to be as thick as a trunk of a tree, than as thick as a car. It grew to the size that it could have completely covered one of the four glass platforms if they were not herded together. The pillar of smoked faded away, leaving behind a towering sprite that loomed over Sean like a thirty-story building. This Sprite had fangs, huge bulgy arms of flame and a crocked horn growing out of its forehead. Though Sea was prepared for the worst, this sight overwhelmed him. The beast like humanoid of flame let out a roar that shook the strange ground that both he and Sean were treading on. Sean slowly backed away from the monster but soon found himself at the edge of the platform.

The fear of dying at the hands of this beast scared Sean down to his very being. The keyblade in his hand felt heavy and was starting to strain his arm, his legs are frozen stiff, and an ice cold chill covered his spine and his heart thump against his chest. If he failed, he would never reclaimed his life as well as the others who are the same boat.

Peoples' lives are at stake? Sean thought to himself, reflecting on what he could remember about his parents' death. Peoples' lives are at stake. Peoples' LIVES ARE AT STAKE!!!

Knowing that the lives of others were fated with his actions, Sean felt his body giving into the sense of duty. The keyblade began to become lighter and Sean could move his arm. His stiff legs were ready to burst forward. The cool numb feeling in Sean's spine and his hard beating heart were still present, they some how felt good to him. He began to walk forward and started talking to the monster.

"I think I understand now. You're a bully. You keep people in the dark, just to remind them of their worse memories. Using them to strike them down whenever they start to get a lift in spirits. But there's one thing that overlooked. You bring down the ones who try to save themselves, because when they're alone, they're easy prey. But when that person, who you have under your control, has people counting on him… people who believe in that person… when that person has someone to support him, you are powerless. And guess what… I am that person!"

Sean then rushed towards the monster at an astonishing speed. He then dealt a swift blow with his keyblade at the base of the monster. Sean then sped around the monster and continued to hack and slash at the monster's stem like base. Sean then backed off to take a breather. He did all that damage in last than a second.

Sean was amazed about his new bound speed and strength. He knew it was because it was because his confidence and will to win. A fitting end to this grotesque creature that lives on the misery of others.

Sean ran back into the fray, this time taking his aim hirer this time. When the beast of dark flame swung his bulky arms at him, the young boy used the spiked side his keyblade to be used as hook to dig into the flaming flesh and parry it with back-flip. But Sean didn't keep a look out for the other arm.

KEER-SMACK!!

Sean skidded across the platform, skipping on the surface like a skipping rock to water. Though he was struck by a being of flames, Sean wasn't burnt at all. Infect, the flames seemed to be as cold as ice. When he stopped crashing, Sean said to himself.

"This is not a game, Sean… so don't get cocky."

The boy dusted himself off and went back to action. Sean noticed that after he took out pieces of the flame like monster monster, it diminished in size to compensate its lost. It was now half its original size, about ten feet. But one part of the body was irregularly shaped. Right below the head and between the shoulders, there was orb like swell that appeared from all sides Sean thought it was the enemy's oblivious weak spot.

Lunging back his blade arm, Sean ran straight at the monster at a blinding rate of speed, avoiding the monster's arms while trying to reach at its base. When Sean was in position, he droved the keyblade upward at the growth, but the flames around it held together and absorbed the blow, preventing the keyblade from striking whatever that was beneath it. The monstrosity bellowed a demonic roar. Panicking, Sean did a series of fast strikes to the beast, hoping to cut down the flame defenses around the weak spot.

The monster continued to shrink down to size; he was now as big an adult. The growth seems to have taken over the entire lower torso of the monster, living only his arms and head being normal. This gave the monster a definite bizarre sight compared to its terrifying first appearance first time around.

Seizing his chance, Sean once again lunge his blade in the balloon like belly of the beast. This time around, it made contact as the sound of something shattering could be heard within the monster. Soon the beast began to melt, as though the only thing that gave him life was destroyed

Sean quickly ran away from the monster as it melted into a puddle of purple ooze. The details of the red claw like hands and the face on the scarlet mane were distinctive from the pile of the colored slop. The face of the monster began to drift away from the rest of the pile, cruising over to Sean. The young boy just watched on, knowing that even as pathetic as this thing is now, it is still a threat. This kind of evil can do real damaged if given the chance. The running liquid was about to touch Sean's sneakers, but it came to a complete stop when Sean strike it with his keyblade. Soon the ooze disappeared at once.

With no more evil forces to feed it, the dark could disperse and the view of the countless stars appeared once again. The ground under Sean's feet began to shake and swift. It was because the stone like structured that held the various glass portraits of the members of the Net Mafia Gospel has disappeared. Sean felt some unseen force lifting him up in the air. The young boy saw that the portraits had a refreshed look upon them and also, they seem to going their separate ways. But something inside of Sean that they're still connected to each other, but not by dark forces…

000

In a dark computer room, in a place far, far away. A man slammed his fist on the side of his computer desk. Some how, he lost all links to the other members of Gospel. First he noticed a drop of power, a steady raise, but now everything is dead.

"What happened?" the man growled to himself, "How was the power of Nebula Grey destroyed. It can't be all gone! There has to be something!"

With the Nebula pieces out of their hosts, the frequency watches that gave the man control were now useless. The man typed on his keyboard with great rage, trying to find a trace of his precious project. All was lost, until he came up with something in the recycle bin, the fate of most deleted files. The man pondered at his new discovery. It looked like a porous orb, but the man knew there was more to it. He compared all of his statistics of what occurred.

"Occurred to this," he said as he read his computer screen, "the parts of the Nebula that were inside the members of Gospel fluxed together and must have created matrix like orb that combines the feeds the emotions of people into Nebula Grey… giving it more power than before… but by the looks of it, it had a weak structure… it must because it was from to many people… but if one sure mind was linked…" A wicked smile appeared on the man's face, "The results would be impossible to calculate. Laserman!"
A face of a dark robotic Navi with a thick green visor appeared on the man's computer.

"Yes, sir?"

"Go and bring up my father's project. I just found a very interesting use for it."

"As you wish… Dr. Regal."

The Navi's face then disappeared from the screen. The man then pulled out a window on his computer, to check up on his last existing subject. His pride and joy. His very first experiment in human darkness.

"And now," he said to the profile picture of the subject's statistics, "Let's see how much longer you have to live, my dear nephew. Had you stay on you Grandfather's course, you could have lived as a king."