This one, sadly, is fairly short. But don't worry-the next few will be very heavy on moving the plot, promise!

Winter break is finally just around the corner, so I'm hoping I'll be able to work on ATJ more!

Twilight Town. I looked from the dagger in my hands to the world I'd once called home and back. My eyes stayed on the dagger for quite some time, mesmerized by the angled cut of the emerald as I thought.

I did promise Olette I'd stop by…

"Hey, it's back!" Sora grinned. I jumped and quickly attempted to hide the dagger as Sora leaned over the back of the piolot's seat. He smelt damp, hair slowly drying into its typical spikes, so I irritably shoved him away. "What are you talking about? And don't get my nice upholstery all wet!"

"Twilight Town!" He ignored the warning, instead plopping into the copilot seat and pointing at the world before us with his free hand. The other hand, meanwhile, held his various belts, chaps, pouches, gloves, and jacket. "It's always been there, retard. Are you delusional?"

"Uh-uh! It WAS there, but then it was gone when we went to Hollow Bastion, and now it's back!"

"Well, I'm not sure what you've been smoking, but Twilight Town has always been right there; ever since the Great Split." Sora paused in the middle of putting his jacket back on, "The what?"

"Never mind." I said quickly, "Anyway, we need to stock up on provisions, so we'll be landing in a few."

I decided to follow my gut and leave quickly, "Listen, I'm gonna see if I can find a friend of mine. If I'm not back for a while, don't bother looking for me." Offering a salute over my shoulder I headed quickly to Olette's house, knocking thrice. Olette's mother opened the door, "Hello, may I help you?"

I had to remind myself she didn't know who I was, "Yes, I'm looking for Olette? She's a friend of mine I met over summer."

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie, but Olette's not here right now. I think she's on Market Street with her friends, but if you'd like you're welcome to wait here."

"Thank you, but I think I might know where she is. I'll just go look for her." Bidding her goodbye I walked around the corner and portaled to the Usual Spot. "Olette?" Heyner and Olette jumped, Heyner holding a struggle bat at the ready. "Who are you?"

"Heyner! She's the one we found over break, remember?"

"Then how did she just come out of no where? What if it's that creepy guy again?"

"Who, Axel? Very funny, like that dumbass could really pull this off." I snorted. The struggle bat was pulled back, ready to swing—oops, guess I shouldn't have said his name…

I caught the bat bare-handed, "Damnit, Heyner, don't you dare! You know I can kick your ass any day of the week."

"Huh?"

I paled, letting go of the bat and stumbling until my back was against the wall. This was a horrible mistake—I should have known that this would happen. My fist collided with a wall, "Damnit!" I raced out, not stopping until I had reached Sunset Hill. I was gasping for air as I sat, resting my forehead against the metal, and I cried.

I cried as memory after memory flooded my mind, each leading up to my last day in Roxas' Twilight Town. "I can't do it…" I gasped, turning away from the view and curling into a ball. My head thudded against the metal—repeatedly—in a vain attempt of bringing myself together. All the while I swore through my sobs, damning my heart, my emotion, my stupidity, my existence. It was only after I had no more energy that I was found—by none other than Saïx, no less.

"What do you think you are doing, XVI?" I glared at him and said nothing. "How pitiful. See what this mission has reduced you to? Your heart is weak, your body is weak, and your will—weak." I snarled and stood, "What would you understand, VII? You've got it easy—being all buddy-buddy with Superior, living in the castle, delegating everything to everyone else. The field is nothing like the office, so don't you dare try and spout your 'Holier than Thou' shit!" Saïx smirked, "That's the Twilight Morph I know." With that he turned to leave. Realizing what he had done, I called after him, "I'm not saying thank you!"

"Thank Kingdom Hearts for that—it would only prove my point!"

"What happened?" I asked, seeing the look on Sora's face. "Kairi's gone!"

"What? But I thought all the Princesses of Heart were safe!"

"Someone from the Organization grabbed her! I gotta help Kairi!"

Goofy jumped, and I noticed he was holding the Five Souls Trophy—Or rather, had been, before it tumbled to the ground, each stone spilling out and rolling in different directions. I grabbed the blue one as it rolled to my feet, hearing Roxas' voice spiral around me, "Keep this. It will help. Stay strong, Aan." I held it up to the light, passing it over Sora's form on accident. Through the crystal, Sora became Roxas, holding the green orbed keychain to the light. He looked at me and smiled, but when I removed the crystal, it was just Sora, looking through the green orb from the trophy. Roxas…

I looked through it again, but the moment was gone—the green orb suddenly lifted into the air. I looked away, knowing what was going to happen next, and muttered something about 'getting the ship ready'.

I clutched the orb tight to my chest, waiting until I was in the cockpit to summon a whip. Charging my hand with power I fused the orb into the end of the handle, smiling as Wisdom's reflection gave me a thumbs up. "There, now I can keep you close." I smiled.