Disclaimer: I don't own anything I've stolen from including Kingdom Hearts and several other stories and/or franchises. Yeah, I'm not creative enough to write something of my own. So This is to be in no way construed as claiming characters, lines, thoughts, or any other conceivable commodity of another as my own. Yeah, I'm in the clear. I guess

My apologies: Though I spent days on editing it I'm sure I've still left droves of typos, inconsistencies and grammatical errors that my stupid word processor won't help me fix. So, I'm sorry about that in advance.

5th Act

X leaned on his sword heavily. The hall was in ruins and X was in little better condition. His bones were ready to give way, his strength to give out. His breath was ragged and his vision blurred. His muscles ached and his mind exhausted. On the far side of the room Xanatos knelt in similar condition.

"You dead over there?" X called out realizing his mistake only after the pain shot up his side.

"I thought you were." Xanatos chuckled before rolling over in pain. X knew he'd be finished soon if he just let himself fade away.

"No, not now. This is nothing!" X thought raising himself to his feet. His enemy followed suit and readied for the battle to continue. X switched out the original blade for Broad Edge and hurled the sword at his opponent with all his might. Xanatos blocked the projectile, not without difficulty though. As he began to move he was forced back. X had been traveling in the shadow of his own sword and used the extra blocking time to slip into the striking zone and kick Xanatos in the throat. He doubled over holding his neck convulsing as he tried to breathe through his collapsed windpipe. X watched him try to curse and disparage him but for all his strength in the end all his words failed him. X turned and hobbled his way to the stairs and sat there to rest.

-

"Is that all?" Sora taunted as Solken was left barely standing.

"No, I wasn't supposed to fail, not here and now." Solken choked out through his heavy breaths.

"You're finished." Sora leapt to deliver the finishing blow but before he could their was a brilliant light that stopped him. It emanated from a flame shaped mark that had appeared on Solken. He cried out in pain and faded into darkness, a surprised expression never leaving his face.

"I only just figured out I could do that." The voice resonated with power the very sound made Sora's fix itself.

"What's that? The keyblade bearer has nothing to say. That is beyond cruel, now I know that I'm Nobody if he can't remember me." The voice chuckled and the speaker appeared. It was a thin boy not much older than Sora if he was at all. He wore a raggedy old coat and had mid-length black hair with two defiant spikes radiating from the back of his head. He carried a strange sword that was styled after a flames appearance. It was plain blue and outlined in immaculate silver.

"Who are you!?" Sora yelled half angry half scared. He was getting a weird feeling from this guy. And it wasn't right whatever this feeling was.

"I'm no one of consequence, you may call me X." X said as he couldn't help but smirk as he saw the one who had gotten him into this. The one who had set it all in motion.

"Alright X why did you just kill him?" Sora asked tensely.

"To see if I could do that move." X replied emptily.

"Are you with them?" Sora asked edging away, to where he didn't know but it wasn't right to be where he was.

"I see you're well. I can't say the same of Allen, Sora?" X changed the topic to a more favorable one. He began to circle casually as not to let Sora away.

"Who?" Sora couldn't help himself.

"My other, I think you may have known him. Heh. That makes this all the more ironic." X paused and faced Sora.

"What's going on?" Sora almost yelled.

"Just a failed experiment." X continued pacing. By this time Sora noticed the circle of light that had fallen around them. He was at the middle and X was on the edge.

"Tell me where I am!" Sora was ready to hit this guy.

"We're obviously in your heart. Always closer than you'd like to think. Always farther than you'd imagine. Oh well, I'm rambling. It really shouldn't have to be this way Sora but at this point it's you or me, live or die. And for some reason or another I'd rather not die. I know it's selfish but that seems to be all I have." X seemed almost sorry but he knew he wasn't. He was telling the truth but that didn't make it any less vile.

"What? I thought you were…" Sora trailed off and knew it was time for him to fight. He resumed his fighting stance and waited for X to do the same. X sighed and raised his sword into a suitable fighting stance. Sora struck first to gain an advantage. X evaded all successive blows without even trying. Sora was dumbfounded, no one not even Xemnas had that kind of skill. X stepped forward and nodded as if to ask if that was all.

Sora hurled his keyblade at X who easily evaded it and began a counter offensive. Sora summoned his keyblade and parried. They clashed several time but Sora was clearly losing. His movements looked feeble and clumsy when compared to the expert blade work of X. Sora lost his balance and fell, totally helpless. X held out his hand to help him up.

Sora refused and got up on his own. They continued in spite of the inevitable, fated one may say, conclusion. Sora was getting desperate and he backed off for a second to gather himself. X let him and merely waited for his adversary to begin. Sora wasn't sure but he thought he had one last trump card and if it failed he was finished anyways.

He tried to drive and it worked. He attained Master form and now wielded Oathkeeper and Oblivion. He transformed into a master of swordsmanship and sorcery instantly. X wasn't phased by the dramatic change in appearance but he summoned his katana, Honor, all the same and held the sheathe in one hand and the blade in the other. They clashed but this time the match up wasn't so uneven. The odds weren't so stacked and the contest had become conceivable.

X used his sheathe as both a shield and a weapon. Sora floated and sped about with ease as he leapt multiple times in the air as if it were solid ground. X was still unconcerned with the challenge. After several especially violent exchanges X retreated and sheathed his sword. Sora rushed in and began with an aerial assault. X ducked out of range and just as Sora landed he unleashed his attack. Sora easily blocked and countered only to find himself getting slammed into the ground by X's sheathe.

Sora rolled out of the way before X drove his blade into the ground and stood just out of striking range. Sora decided to take a different approach he leapt off to one side and began flying through the air casting thunder and blizzard spells. X attacked Sora but was blocked by the constant stream of powerful spells. X was losing, he couldn't evade every spell, no one could and when he did get close enough to strike he was stopped dead by a powerful blitz of fire.

He was outmatched but not outclassed. X almost laughed to himself and attacked once more but instead of allowing himself to be pushed away by the flames when they clashed he slammed his sheathe into the back of his sword pushing through the fire and cutting Sora. Sora fell out of the air and reverted to his original form. The wound wasn't grave as it was now spread over three people instead of just one, but it wasn't too nice either. A long clean cut crossed Sora's chest from shoulder to hip. He gasped in pain and clutched at his side. X just smiled as if savoring his victory.

"So are you finished yet?" X asked in a superior tone.

"Heal!" Sora raised his keyblade and the wound closed but he was still tired and still finished. He got to his feet and defiantly raised his blade, ready for battle.

"So your not done yet? Good I'd be almost saddened if you were that easily defeated." X answered Sora's challenge and lifted his sword as well. They clashed again and again. As Sora's strength waned X's seemed to grow. Sora was soon disarmed and at the mercy of his opponent. He closed his eyes and prepared himself. X seemed to reflect for a moment before he struck.

CLANG!

Sora's eyes slowly opened but it wasn't Sora looking through them it was Roxas.

"Who the hell are you?" X asked lazily.

"I'm a part of Sora, another him if you will, and this is our heart! You're not welcome here!" Roxas yelled as he charged forward. Roxas clashed against X with all of his might. X was off guard and soon found himself retreating before the blows. Roxas gained confidence as he advanced and his blows became stronger. X leapt out of the war zone and collected himself.

"That's not the same boy I fought before, I'll have to change up a little." X thought to himself. He lowered his stance and sheathed his sword. He looked straight at Roxas and exploded off his feet with such speed Roxas only barely had time to block. The battle raged on until Roxas slipped, he had X's position compromised and he alternately swung his blades downward with terrible force. X blocked with his sheathe and stabbed Roxas through his chest right where his heart should be. Roxas staggered back and slowly he faded back into Sora who fell to the ground unconscious. X walked over and chuckled to himself. It was over he had won.

-

"Nose rag get the hell over here!"

"I'm already missing Seagle."

"Shut up! I have something to say!"

"Yes ma'am. You would do well not to be so overbearing."

"Shut up! Nobody wants to hear you. Anyways Solken and Xanatos have been terminated and Allen's Nobody is still at large. He's taken over the mission for now. Anything from the top brass?"

"No. They only said as they have before finish the hero and terminate the defectors."

"I guess we can let them fight for now. None of our operatives can top both of them. I'd say they'll finish each other off."

"Don't be so optimistic about everything. The betrayer hasn't even released the limit, the hero's done and so's the organization if we do nothing."

"When'd you get here Professor? I've been told you were indisposed."

"You were misinformed. I'm quite alright and I don't take kindly to my colleagues making fun of me."

"Whatever. You got any news or are you here for another lecture?"

"I'm already missing Seagle."

"Will you people stop that! It's annoying I'm the Superior now and you really have top be more respectful."

"Perhaps you should do the same."

"Whatever."

"I do have some news from above. You want to hear it or would you rather yell all day, hmm?"

"Go ahead."

"Alright then. The top brass has told me that I should give you my completed research to use and to give you this."

"What is it?"

"Well it is a specimen of the new hybrid we've been testing there are many more where that came from but don't squander them it wasn't easy to make them."

"Alright, anything else?"

"Ah, one more thing, don't send anyone else. Use the array to put things in a more advantageous light."

"You k now I hate that thing it was Seagle's specialty not mine."

"As the highest ranking Superior the proctorship and utility of the device is yours alone."

"Great. You may leave now."

"Don't you want to know where?"

"I already know. The top brass is a bunch of bureaucratic pigs, not too hard to predict, huh?"

"I see. Good day ma'am."

"Bye."

"What now?"

"Get out nose rag you're making me sick."

"Very well ma'am."

"Why that place? What?"

-

"You look to be done, hmm?" X asked the limp body of Sora as it lay on the ground waiting for it's light to be snuffed out. X twirled his sword in his fingers and lifted Sora to his feet. "You should die standing up." X thought to himself. He aimed his blade at Sora's throat and prepared to jab. Suddenly the venue of combat blurred X dropped his sword to his side and then everything soon returned to normal.

X decided this came first he'd find out what was going on later. He raised his blade again and thrust quickly and precisely at his target.

Clank.

Sora had by this point woken up and narrowly blocked the deadly blow. Sora released himself and counter attacked. X was caught off guard and sustained a minor blow to his arm. But the keyblade's power seemed to not effect him, he stood as if he was hit with a plain club or bat.

X stared at the perplexed Sora and they soon resumed battle. They clashed as before only this time Sora was slower and weaker than before. He hadn't even the time to heal himself. In short order he found himself on the precipice of death once again. Sora stood his ground and readied for a final exchange determined to at least get in one more blow before he died. X moved. Sora didn't see him move all he felt was cold steel running the exact same course as his previous wound. His eyes were closed and he knew he was dead.

But then, he felt something behind him. He opened his eyes and X's blade was exactly where he felt it the length of it imbedded not one centimeter into his body. He looked around for the cause of his safety and heard a laugh. It was familiar, friendly, it was Riku. He looked just behind him to see Riku fending off X's blade with his own keyblade. Sora smiled and took a swing at X. Who leapt back instantly and stood several meters away waiting and contemplating.

"Riku what're you doing here?" Sora asked joyful at his friend's arrival.

"Donald and Goofy told me something was up and I somehow found my way here." Riku answered not taking his fierce eyes off of X. "Who's this?"

"X is my name. And if I may say, you look spiffy." X taunted, pretentiously smirking at Riku.

"Don't let that fool you this guy is stronger than Xemnas." Sora warned assuming a battle stance.

"Really, a challenge for once?" Riku returned the smirk and raised his keyblade into a battle pose.

"Yeah, a challenge." X said dully, rubbing his neck and yawning as he spoke.

"What's that?" Sora snapped angrily.

"Nothing." X replied in an annoyed tone. He tossed his sheathe up into the air and sheathed his sword as it fell. He transformed his blade back to normal and next he likewise assumed a battle ready stance and waited. Riku leapt into the air as Sora charged forwards. They worked in perfect synch. One attacked, the other covered, one opened a weak point the other took advantage of it. However, X skillfully evaded all the successive combinations and maneuvers. Riku stood stunned as Sora once had.

X smiled maliciously and began his own offensive. He drew his sword forwards with lightning speed within seconds he'd drawn blood. Riku's left shoulder was pouring blood slowly onto the ground beneath them. Sora healed the wound and the battle continued. Soon however X had the two entirely beaten. Neither could lay one blade on him and he had them running ragged. X charged and Riku yelled something.

X didn't care as long as he won. Suddenly Sora and Riku met in the air and unleashed a frightening power. First the two let loose a swift close quarters shredding assault. X was forced to block all the strikes. It didn't end there they blasted X with a flurry of dark energy, though, X managed to fend off the attack. But the next blows hit home. X blocked the two massive blades they swung but his strength wasn't enough his arms collapsed and he was swung around like a rag doll. Next, X was thrown to the ground and he struggled to his feet in time to see the final attack. Both heroes threw their keyblades into the air on either side of him.

X stood stunned for a second and in that second the assault began. Intense energy blasted between the two keys began pummeling X. He, however had the presence of mind to stop himself from being destroyed. Sora and Riku thought their enemy was finished, but X still stood when the light faded and he was in as good condition as ever. X was slightly out of breath but other than that he seemed to be almost bored. Sora stood there staring stupidly at the sight Riku did likewise.

"What, that all?" X taunted cocking his head to one side.

"How? No one could do that." Sora shook his head slowly as if there was something wrong with the world.

"Oh, you don't get it." X said almost disappointed sounding. "Well you see I have two levels of combat to keep from destroying all my enemies too quick. So I have set limits that release when I'm in trouble or some kind of tight situation. You see?"

"How? How could such a being exist?" Riku stuttered.

"I don't exist, not in the strictest sense of the word, and also I'm not a being I'm a non-being." X explained seriously all of a sudden.

"Argh!" Sora yelled as he rushed at X before Riku could stop him.

"I'll show you how I stopped that move, right now." X said as he raised his sword. There was a flash of light and Sora lay motionless on the ground. Riku saw it all though, it wasn't possible, nothing could do that. X stood over Sora prepared to deliver the final blow.

"It's over." X said reverting back into his usual monotone. Riku rushed over in enough time to save Sora but he was slashed across his face as X saw Sora escape yet again.

"Why do you want to kill him?" Riku asked desperately, holding Sora up with one arm and his blade with the other.

"I don't." X answered tersely.

"Then why!?"

"It's not my choice. It's how things are supposed to happen. No one has the choice." X advanced on the pale haired hero.

"You always have a choice! No one hasn't the choice to do what's right!" Riku yelled panicking as he did so.

"No! I have never had a choice. I have to do this, and how would you know this isn't the right thing?" X seemed almost angry, but Riku knew better Nobodies couldn't feel.

"I know because that's what my heart tells me!"

"Hearts are silent, they have no words, no ideas, they are empty. They are not alive in themselves, there is no point in fooling yourself. No one needs a hero with nothing to save, no one needs a heart when they're alone, and face it, we're always alone." X said impassively.

"No. A heart may be weak and sometimes it may even give in but I know now without a doubt that deep down there is a light that never goes out." Riku responded harshly.

"Light… Darkness. Does that really matter that much?"

"As long as I have my friends here in my heart I know that no one can defeat me. My friends are my power. Sora taught me this."

"Great for you. It doesn't change that you are alone, all of us are alone we live alone and die alone, there is no escaping that one truth."

"You're wrong everything I've done, it wasn't for nothing. It was for everything there is. There may not be a reason for a heart, no one may need a hero, but they're with us and that's a fact."

"Perhaps I should change that."

"No. You can't, I don't care how strong you are or how much you know, it doesn't matter, you're by yourself and you have no one to help you."

"I don't need help, not from anyone I never have and never will. Send anyone you want they all fall just as easily." There was a flash of light and Riku closed his eyes because of the brightness. X hadn't done anything, he just stood there glaring over at Riku. Riku suddenly realized that The King, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy had appeared next to him.

"Hey Riku! I hope we got here in time." The King said in his usual chipper tone.

"Is Sora alright?" Kairi asked worry written all over her face.

"A hyuck who is this guy?" Goofy asked raising his shield cautiously.

"What happened?" Donald quacked.

"Here's the spark notes version guys. Sora and I can't beat this guy and he wants to kill Sora. I don't know why but he seems to hate hearts."

"What!?" They all burst out in unison.

"Maybe I can tell you better, hm?" X had been patiently waiting until now. "I am X nice to meet you all. I hope you have no notions on saving this, 'hero'" He waved his hand toward Sora distaste in his vioce. " 'Cause that won't work. And I'm gonna stop it there and hope you'll skip the Q&A."

"Why?!" Kairi burst out on the verge of tears.

"Alright. I suppose it would speed things up if you got my point? Well, I think maybe I should tell you my story and then I'll let you decide if I'm right or wrong. That sound good?"

"What are you talking about?" Riku asked cautiously.

"Oh no need to worry. I won't resort to dirty tricks when I could beat you just as easily if I play fair. Now where to begin? When I came here? No. When found him, I think that's right." X muttered to himself.

"Who?" Mickey asked almost concerned.

"You don't need to know him." X proceeded to tell in full detail how he came from the ocean between the realm of light and darkness to the deep dive to the great plane and even the grand bastion from which he had just come. The heroes of the light stood dumbfounded.

"So that's my story, I don't have much else to tell, I don't feel, I don't really need to think. I just need to find out why." X slowly began to pace throughout his story and suddenly stopped with those final words. "That is why the hero is my target."

"I don't understand how could you do that to all of them!" Kairi screamed almost crying again.

"I did because I had." X began to turn his head.

"What's wrong with you? You act like all that was nothing you're just a monster!" Kairi cried.

"Maybe I am. Does it matter? It won't make a difference I'll just be another nothing if I do not follow this. I need a purpose or I'm better off gone." X stared at the group shaking his head.

"Why do you follow that path?" Mickey asked pointedly.

"This is the only road I've been given to choose. I know it's too late, it's too late to change, my path is set." X seemed almost regretful, but still he held his ground.

"You're messed up. The reason has always been right in front of you and now you can't even see it staring you in the face." Riku shook with rage.

"It's not my reason I see. It's yours. I don't know why but I can sorta understand you guys. I know what you're trying to do and I don't think you're in the right. I guess we've reached an agreement. We disagree with each others views and now we can fight guilt free, no regrets. How's that sound?" X said casually as he raised his blade.

"Wait a second." Sora struggled to his feet and began to talk. "I was out of it for a while, but I know what happened. Why can't you find a better way? We have friends, not to just help us or give us something but so we can form connections and feelings that show us the way. Can you be a friend?" Sora was out of breath and clearly on his last legs but his words held something. Not hate or anything like that, something different, something better.

"I don't feel. I don't care what others feel. I may remember emotions but those memories aren't mine. I have to walk my own path. I can't just let a shadow dictate my every action. This is my story and the ending is coming up soon. Now all of you just stop thinking of yourselves for just one second and consider what is happening outside your horizons. I'm not perfect, no one is perfect, but my horizons are spread far and there is much to see. I just haven't found just the right thing yet." X shook his head.

"You're right, no one is perfect, but I think that all of us can be." Sora said weakly as he stumbled trying to remain standing. "Together."

"Maybe that's so, or maybe there is no all. Just individual pieces that form the worlds as you know them. I don't understand personally. Because, I'd have to imagine all things are alone, separate, there is no true understanding between anything in this universe. It all is just a bunch of particles meaninglessly mashed together, just waiting to break apart." X looked down at the plain stone floor they stood on.

He'd never realized in all his time here that it was just one slab of stone that extended forever. There were no seams, no joints just a perfectly uniform surface never changing or calling attention to itself. X thought about all that he had done on this floor. The same one where all his story took place. The same stage, the same players. It was funny, he'd come all this way and he was in the same place as where he had started.

"I guess it's the small things that make up the mess that truly matter." X said mostly to himself.

"Have you made your decision?" Mickey asked hoping he new the answer already.

"Yeah, I have an answer." X looked up at the strange bunch.

"All the small things." He whispered to himself. "I think I'll still fight you, but I now have a theor,y and it may work things out a bit." X for the last time he would smiled his empty imitation of expression.

"I thought this would happen." The King drew his own weapon and all the group followed suit. X launched himself high into the air and switched over to Duality. As he lingered in the air for a moment he slammed one sword into the back of the other. It was very quick and subtle, therein lay the genius of Inverse Potential. The action was not so much the important part as the reaction. A burst of energy would be released most would dismiss it as additional physical force but at this range it would be easy to tell what was happening. The energy seemed to take the form of a wave at first but that soon dissipated into small sparks of light they darted towards X's enemies with precision accuracy and lethal force.

Mickey easily detected these minute projectiles as did the others. They all managed to protect themselves, but the attack was by no means over. X came down hard slamming his blades down sending shockwaves through the ground. While his enemies were off balance X flipped over and began a close quarters melee. Mickey met him in a mighty clash. Riku and Sora followed close after. X began retreating, slowly at first, but surely enough, they were winning.

After many violent clashes X took action. He gracefully slid past his pursuers and effectively split the force in half. He charged at Goofy, Donald, and Kairi before the others could stop him. After several minor clashes Kairi and Goofy were finished, Donald was able to escape and regroup with the others but the damage was done. X showed himself not the mindless beast he had seemed but a brilliant strategist, even on such a small scale.

X flashed his blades forward and waited. Like always Sora charged in first without thinking. X took this and instead of taking down the weary Sora he went for the King. Mickey parried the successive blows perfectly but his size made it difficult for him to attack effectively. Riku jumped in and so did Donald. After some time Sora joined the fray and the tide of battle shifted. X again was forced to back off. He changed tactics and decided to sweep them all away in one move. Duality was replaced by Gladius and X readied for the final exchange.

He lowered his head for a second and then he struck it wasn't like before this time it was the end. X rushed forward and leveled his sword for a wide parallel slash. The heroes of the light in turn readied themselves. Sora assumed master form again and he, Mickey and Riku stood there waiting. They clashed X with all the force he could muster and they with all they could. Neither prevailed in this deadlock, but still they fought on. X had one more move to win this. He suddenly switched his sword out for Honor and performed a powerful unsheathing technique. But, it was in the opposite direction of his first blow and it aimed for the unguarded side of the defenders. All of them saw it but a this point it was too late the sword was already more than half way there, they had failed.