"And WHAT, pray tell, do you think you're doing?"

Ansem the Wise and King Mickey both jumped as I portaled between the machine and its target, effectively blocking the way. "Aanyx?"

"Girl, get out of the way."

"Oh, I don't think so. You see, if I were to get out of the way now, you would destroy the whole plan." I let loose my sadistic grin at full throttle, hiding my eyes behind my bangs as I called Dark Matter all around me, "And we've come too far to have that happen now."

"I don't understand…I thought you were—"

"Oh, Mouse, you really are too trusting. Letting a member of Organization XIII so close to your warrior? Letting said member guide that warrior? It's like you've learned nothing, my dear Mouse King. But I suppose it's a good thing I'm not part of that, isn't it?" I grinned and winked, dissipating the Dark Matter. Mickey slouched slightly in visible relief, but Ansem growled, "Get out of the way, girl!"

"No, I really don't think I will, Ansem. Instead, I think I'll do this…" Raising one hand I morphed the machine's design and jumped out of the way. A beam of grey light shot out the moment I'd jumped, and I grinned in satisfaction when Ansem realized it was too late to stop it.

Phase one complete.

-u-

"I'll tell you why. 'Cause I'm not a total sap like you!"

"Well, that's an understatement," I grinned and jumped to the ground smoothly between the two boys. Riku growled and called Soul Eater, but I held up my hands in defense, "Hey, now, none of that."

"Riku? What're you doing?"

"She's working for them, Sora. She has been this whole time!"

Sora came up to me, searching my face for something. "…I don't think she is." He said at last. I raised my eyebrows, but to my even greater surprise Mickey backed the boy up, "She said she wasn't part of the Organization."

"But you did tamper with Ansem's machine. I saw it."

"The thing would have killed him the moment he started it," I walked a few paces away to grip the railing, looking at the—seemingly—destroyed Kingdom Hearts, "Riku, I told you I'd found the plans. This was no lie. I went over it, and there's no way the machine would have worked without a proper fuel source. So I fixed that."

"Then why didn't you just say that?"

His doubt was to be expected. I shot him a dubious look, "And risk the Organization finding out what Ansem's plan was? I hid the files from them, sure, but almost every time we crossed paths it was too vulnerable a time to say it. I didn't want the Organization to find out that I'd be bringing them down."

"Gwarsh, so all those times you would leave…?"

"Usually entailed keeping them off the scent, yeah."

Sora once more stepped to my defense, grabbing Riku's arm, "Look, Riku, Aanyx is my friend. I trust her."

Riku glared at me. I kept my face open—daring him to find fault. At last he sighed, "Okay, Sora. I'll give her a chanse. But if I think she's lying—"

"You'd have every right to fight me. I did, after all, promise I'd keep him safe."

Though I kept my face in its innocent mask, I awarded myself a mental smirk. The trickest part was over—now it was all a matter of bringing the remaining three members into Darkness.

Phase two complete.

-u-

"Be on your guard," I warned as we ascended to the Altar of Naught, "Xemnas will be that much more powerful. His power is Nothingness, which means he can call on the powers of the other members."

"Why's that?"

"When a Nobody 'dies' they really just fade into Darkness—into Nothingness," I explained to the King before turning to Sora, "I think it's time to pull out that Fusion Drive again. Think you can manage?"

"No problem!" Sora grinned cheekily before closing his eyes. I gathered Dark Matter and plunged, allowing his subconsciouss to enfold me into it's depths.

"He's not gonna like the fact that you're playing him," Roxas greeted with a frown. I looked at him a moment before nodding, "I know."

"You're okay with that?"

"Does it sound like I'm okay with it?" I let out a sigh, sitting on an invisible surface, "Yes, okay, I'll technically not be getting five stars on this mission. I'll have failed," I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes, ignoring the sting from my contacts, "Damn idiot got to me, okay?"

"That's not a bad thing, Aan," Roxas soothed, sitting beside me, "I think I prefer it this way—it's much easier to stay me when you're genuinely friendly around Sora. And if you think about it, it's just like hanging out with me."

"Except you actually use the brains," I tried to remember when my insults stopped being hostile, but I honestly couldn't. The idiot Keybearer had wormed his way in and kept his big-ass foot in the door every time I'd tried to shove him out.

I'd never admit it—especially in the company of any of my friends, as they'd never let me live it down—but I actually sort of missed bickering with the idiot when I'd left. Sure, I still hated him for killing Demyx, but I knew I'd see my brother again. It was just a matter of getting to that point.

Aanyx…I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up…

I nodded, even though I knew he couldn't see, and established the connection, "Don't push yourself too hard, I'll be right out." I hugged Roxas and allowed the Defusion to engulf me, somewhat surprised that Xemnas wasn't there. I looked around at the group, "What did I miss?"

But they were all staring over my shoulder. I turned, surprised to see a glistening doorway akin to those that I'd seen in the Chamber of Wakening.

"Kingdom Hearts…" I heard Mickey mutter. Riku cleared his throat, "Let's go. Xemnas must be inside."

"The worlds gave us this doorway. They want us to be the guardians of their destiny!"

I snorted, "No offense, Your Majesty, but that's a load of bullocks. These doors aren't from the worlds, they're from The three All-Gods."

"The who?" Sora asked stupidly. I sighed—leave it to him to ask the stupid question. "The All-Gods. Her Darkness, the goddess and All-Mother to those who choose the Dark or Twilit path. Her Lightness, the goddess and All-Mother to those who choose the Light or Dawn path. Kingdom Hearts Himself, who watches over all four paths and keeps the balance between the two sisters. Kingdom Hearts is neither Light nor Darkness—he is both and neither at the same time."

Riku turned to Sora, saying something to the latter boy. But before the former had even opened his mouth, the sounds of The World that Never Was were replaced with a motherly voice echoing through my mind—the very same one that had first spoken to me back at the beginning of the journey.

Beyond this door is the beginning of the end of your journey. Are you prepared for what lies ahead?

'I will accept my fate, My Lady.' I nodded and turned to the others, "Ready?"

"Let's end this!"

(POVSWITCHPOFSWITCH)

The moment the group had entered they found themselves in Neon Town. Aanyx held up an arm, stopping the others before they could jump into battle, "It's an illusion. Keep your guards up!"

Xemnas appeared above one of the skyscrapers a few buildings down, looming ominously over them, "So…it seems your hearts have led you to obliteration. Perhaps it doesn't pay to be too loyal to one's heart. I will have to be sure and remember that."

"Oh, I don't think so…" Aanyx grinned, jumping high into the air. She dodged the oncoming building with ease, calling forth her whips in the typical swirl of energy. Extending their reach, she latched hold onto the top of the nearest skyscraper and turned to Sora and Riku, "You guys lower the defenses! The illusion will only last as long as the power source does!"

"What about you?" Sora called back over the wind. Aanyx glared up at Xemnas' form in the distance, "I have some unfinished business to attend to with Superior Sparkle over there…Don't wait up!" With that she jumped, swinging from building to building.

Riku shook his head, "This friend of yours…she always this suicidal?"

"Aw, Aanyx can take care of herself. I mean, she has helped me a lot on our journey…"

Aanyx, meanwhile, had landed on the mecha-dragon's back, crouched low to the ground as she dissmissed her whips. Braid whipping behind her from the alarmingly fast winds, she stood upright and marched towards Xemnas-the latter now clad in a metal bodysuit of sorts. "I have done as you asked, Superior. Tell me what I must do." She yelled over the wind. "Good, XVI. But your mission is not yet over. Take me to Kingdom Hearts."

"How the hell am I supposed to do I do that?"

"Simple; we fight."

Without warning, he advanced, shooting a blast of Dark Matter at her. Aanyx, caught off-guard, barely managed to absorb the energy between her hands. She let it grow into a ball before throwing it back at him. He dodged with a high jump, letting the Dark Matter form a portal as he fell feet first into it. With a jump of her own Aanyx tumbled in after him, letting the portal close as they faced off in what appeared to be a hall in the Cave of Wonders.

No sooner had she rolled in, however, then another blast of Dark Matter came flying towards her, aimed for the one weakness against it—her heart. Catching it inches from contact with her chest Aanyx grunted from the impact, throwing it straight at him with a muttered yell of "Aeroga!" as the Dark Matter ball left her hands. The ball spun into a spear with the wind spell, but was batted away with more Dark Matter. The spear embedded into a mountain of gold, causing the booming voice of the Cave to erupt around them. "INFADELS! YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE SACRED TREASURE!"

But by this time the two had long since left the confines of Agrabah, now each impaired within their lion forms of Pridelands. Xemnas let out a deafening roar, to which Aanyx responded with a feral growl and a low crouch, ready to spring in any direction. He portaled directly behind her, making her wince in pain as his claws, dripping with Dark Matter, sank into her hide. Letting out a snarling roar of her own she gashed at his face before jumping into a back flip and kicking him down with her hind legs. He stumbled into a portal once more, Aanyx in hot pursuit, and came out at the Alter of Naught.

Xemnas fell to his knees as Sora and Riku appeared once more, gazing up at the broken heart-shaped moon in agony as he wordlessly cured his injuries, "I need…more rage…I need more…hearts…"

"Xemnas, there's more to a heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?" Sora said desperately. Aanyx held out her arm in a silent warning, not letting the two Somebodies any closer to their fight. "Unfortunately…I don't…" He said sadly before turning back to Aanyx, "So, Number XVI. It seems this battle cannot be conquered by will power alone."

"Time to break out the big guns, then?" Aanyx grinned, tossing aside the downed potion bottle. It smashed upon impact, the last droplets of the green substance slowly forming a puddle around the shards of glass. "Bring it!" Sora growled, but Aanyx glared at him, "This isn't your fight, dumbass."

"But—"

"Look, I can handle myself, alright? You just find a way to get the hell outta here. Oh, and Riku," She paused to glance in the silver-haired boy's direction, "This makes twenty." Riku gave an annoyed growl, "Just get outta here."

"You first. This is my battle field, if you'll remember." Her tone was lighthearted as she turned her focus back to Xemnas, preparing herself as the Ethereal Blades came into view. "Nothingness is eternal!" Xemnas growled. Aanyx let out a quick "Ha!" and jumped high, cracking her whip mid-air. The tip licked his shoulder as he jumped, making him flinch in pain and slight surprise. The look turned quickly into one of challenge, his form rising up and disappearing into a portal. Grinning in reply she cast another wind spell and accelerated into the portal just before it closed up.

Finding herself in the I/O Tower Hallway she quickly adapted to the extra weight of her DataSuit and tumbled to the ground, barely parrying Xemnas' ambush attack in time with her newly-formed staff. Forced on the defensive, she slowly backed into the Communications Room before finding an opening and switching to offensive. She jumped onto the Terminal Pad in an attempt to press a height advantage, only to realize a second too late the smirk on his tanned face.

Without warning the two of them were transported to the Game Grid, racing along in Light Cycles—or, rather, Dark Matter Cycles—against the NPC Heartless. Aanyx gave a low growl of annoyance as she dodged the endless rain of energy spikes, "Damnit, this is why I fucking hate driving!" She swerved close to the wall, letting the energy blast through its seemingly impenetrateable surface as she rocketed out. "Come now, XVI. RTCing without completing a mission?" Xemnas' voice said through her headpiece. Aanyx grinned, doing a 180 as she screeched to a halt, "On the contrary, Superior, I'm just getting warmed up!" Punching the big red button in the middle of her control screen with an all too familiar bout of magic, the Game Grid erupted in green sparks as her Thundaga spell short-circuited the arena. She waited for Xemnas' anguished cry to dissipate before chuckling, "Really, Superior, you should learn to pick your battlefields better…"

"I'll keep that in mind!" Xemnas' voice said suddenly. Aanyx shot foreword off her bike as a Dark Matter tire made contact with her shoulder blade, making her cry out in pain as she fell through the awaiting portal. She fell to the ground hard and rolled onto her back groaning in pain, only to have her eyes widen as she rolled out of the way. Not a second later, the end of her braid snapped clean off with a metallic shing from the dropped guillotine, making her look at it in shock. "Okay, now it's personal," she growled, glaring through the darkened shadow of her bangs at the man before her. Golden eyes glowed from under a half-mask of black-and-white swirls, pearly fangs glowing in the moonlight, "Surely you can think of a better taunt than that, XVI."

"Tell me something, Superior. What are we doing? Why do we have to fight? And what's with the change in worlds all the time?" Aanyx asked, spitting bloody saliva to the ground. Xemnas lowered his Ethereal Blades slightly, "You mean you haven't noticed? I've been trying to send us to Kingdom Hearts. We fight because your friendship with the Denizens of Light is crucial to the future. If they were to realize they had been duped this entire trip, then everything would have been for naught. By taking on this mission, you will have saved us all."

"That explains the portals. Okay, so we fight then. But you do realize that it's nearly impossible to open a pathway to Kingdom Hearts."

"Unless three Keyblades are used to unlock that path."

"Three? But there's only-wait. You mean to tell me...that when Sora, Riku, and Mickey go to close the DTD...they're actually opening The Path to Kingdom Hearts?"

"Those that reside in Light are always far too ignorant. They never bother to think of alterior motives."

"So this whole journey-loosing everyone, starting Organization XIII-it was all...?"

"A ploy to reinact Ikxe's experiments? Indeed. Shall we?"

Refulled with this insight, Aanyx grinned, lunging foreword, "We shall, Superior. We shall." She delivered a roundhouse kick, pushing her tan opponent backward into a portal. She followed soon after, landing soundlessly on the deck of the shipwrecked Interceptor and parrying the attack that awaited her with a bought of lightening. Her staff quickly morphed into two short-sword-sized keyblades, the teeth the Nobody Symbol and a heart engraved in each handle-two lethal counterparts to her one piece of jewelry she never took off.

"Pirate!" Xemnas spat blood, panting slightly. Aanyx allowed herself a short bow, "Why thank ye." Xemnas lunged. Again and again the Ethereal Blades pounded against the steel keys, pushing Aanyx back until she loomed over the crashing waves of the ocean, "Time to walk the plank, XVI."

"With pleasure!" Grinning Aanyx did a backwards mid-air flip, straight into the portal that awaited her below. She plunged into the familiar waters of the Open Territory, instantly adjusting to her fin. "Attempting to press your advantage? I think not!" A hand grabbed her by the hair, pulling her back into another portal. Aanyx fell continuously, Big Ben growing taller and taller before her.

Closing her eyes tight, she pulled herself into a ball as her back suddenly erupted in pain. A pair of aquamarine butterfly wings grew from her very flesh, antennae sprouting from the crown of her head as Aanyx let out an agonized scream. She hadn't ever willingly brought them out before…

Xemnas waited for her at the top of Big Ben, staring in shock. "I see XVII and XVIII weren't the only ones he experimented on."

"Yeah, well, to be fair, I still have no idea how the hell to control them. I've only used them once before…" Aanyx admitted as she landed gratefully on solid ground. She then glared at her Superior, "But I though the whole point of this part was for me to kill you, not the other way around!"

"Minor miscalculation," Was all Xemnas offered in reply before suddenly pushing her backward into a portal.

She landed with a large THUD on her wings, crumpling one badly, and let out continuous pitiful cries of pain. She stared at the—seemingly—broken Kingdom Hearts above, ignoring the chorus of worried cries behind her. Xemnas crouched over her, "You have lost, XVI. I won…everything…say goodbye to your precious friends, you stupid girl, because this is the last time you will—"

His words cut off as blood bubbled from his mouth, and he looked down in shock at Aanyx's determined face, "That's for breaking my wing, damnit." She said, shoving the shard of glass deeper into his chest before letting him stagger up.

A droplet of the green gooey Potion fell from the protruding end of the glass shard, landing on Xemnas' shoe as he looked up at the group in a dumbfounded expression. His gaze locked with Aanyx's, both turning into knowing, determined glares at the shared conclusion: This was NOT over.

Xemnas disappeared into a portal of darkness as Aanyx attempted to get to her feet, the invisible barrier between her and the others vanishing. Sora, Riku, Donald, and King Mickey raced over, all casting Curaga at the same time. "Guess this makes nineteen again, eh Albino?" Aanyx panted in an attempted lighthearted tone. "This isn't the time for that." Riku snapped in response. "I didn't know you had wings, Aanyx!"

"Yeah, well, when you have a mad scientist for a stalker..." Aanyx shrugged, wincing at Sora's curious prods. "What's this?" Donald frowned, picking up a piece of paper. Aanyx snatched it away before the duck could find out, instantly having recognized the writing. She read with growing annoyance, refusing to let Sora see.

07—An experiment with flaws

Month upon month has piled up in this day-less world. With every week brings a new experiment, and with every experiment I have learned that much more.

The week has come for her transformation—to give my Queen the Darkness she has yearned. She demanded suggested to be given animal DNA as well, and I sincerely hope it is to her liking. Flight will do her wonders…

I have also taken the liberty of making sure to wipe her memory of all thoughts before she donned the crown. It was…painful…to be forced to do that manually in Narexk's case, especially concerning her lineage.

But I am sure that THIS time, this monumental experiment, will go well. More to follow after inspections.

She was…problematic. The removal of memory during her creation caused a complete blank—she was quite literally a newborn. But no matter, no matter. She will be that much easier to shape to my every whim. Already am I looking foreword to the things she will be able to do once she accepts the situation.

One concern, however, is her animalistic DNA. Unlike Narexk, the wings and antennae seem to be in some sort of slumber, as though still a caterpillar, rather than the majestic Butterfly I'd chosen to give her flight…

I am hoping it is merely due to her age—come her 16th she will undoubtedly have them ready at hand.

Narexk seems to prefer the Nobody to Anya. To call them the same being would be far from accurate. Not that that matters; the lust is prominent by her looks alone. And I am confident that this little beauty will be the ultimate Queen of Darkness…

And so, my flawed mistress, the Darkness herself has given you your name: Aanyx.

"To think that he died from a shard to the heart…" Riku said, looking at the place Xemnas vanished from. Aanyx scoffed, stuffing the now-folded Ikxe File in her back pocket, "You seem to be forgetting he lacks the organ. If I'd managed to do that before horribly injuring myself, I'd go after him, but now he's probably healed himself enough to fight more."

"You aren't going anywhere! Not as injured as you are!" Sora protested, grabbing her forearm.

Aanyx snorted, "I wasn't planning on going alone. In order to finish him off I think I'm gonna need the power of the Keyblade…" I glanced at Sora, "Think you're up for it?"

"If Sora goes, then so do I." Riku frowned as he folded his arms over his chest. She shrugged, "Might take all three of us—he's pretty damn powerful."

Aanyx stood, brushing off her cloak and flapping her wings experimentally. Grinning to the two boys she held out a hand towards Kingdom Hearts.

"I, Aanyx Twilight, request entrance to the land of Kingdom Hearts Himself. Lend myself and my friends, Riku and Sora, the ability to enter, so that we may complete the task set upon us and bring balance between those of Darkness and those of Light."

All of The World That Never Was rumbled with anticipation before a set of stained glass stairs appeared, linking the Alter of Naught to the heart-shaped moon. "Well, she's useful for something after all," Riku muttered jokingly, leading the way. Aanyx scoffed and slugged him in the shoulder, "Whatever, Albino. Let's just get this over with, all right?"

The three reached the end of the staircase and were suddenly engulfed in grey light, transported to what looked like a monochrome version of Betwixt and Between. Xemnas waited for them in a modified Organization Cloak—its material white with thick, intricate designs of black.

"Heroes from the realm of Light…I will not allow it to end this way—not yet. If Light and Darkness are eternal, then surely we nothings must be the same…Eternal!"

"You're right, Light and Darkness are eternal. Nothing probably goes on forever, too." Riku paused to grin, "But guess what, Xemnas?"

"That doesn't mean YOU'RE eternal!" Sora answered. Xemnas let out a chuckle, "No more eternal than that radiance of yours."

And so the fight began—an elaborate dance of three-on-one, either side equally matched. Aanyx and Riku were suddenly blasted away into an invisible surface, Sora and Xemnas suddenly surrounded by a sphere of blue energy.

"Can you spare…a heart?" Xemnas asked curiously, slowly filling the boy with Dark Matter. Aanyx growled and propelled herself further, only to be faced with a clone of her Superior. She and the clone fought while Riku approached undetected, successfully slugging the Nobody in the jaw. Sora was dropped from the choke-hold as Riku smacked Xemnas in the face with the hilt of his blade. He grabbed Xemnas horizontally and spun him around, throwing the Superior across the arena as Sora gasped for air.

Defeating the clone at the same moment, Aanyx dove for Sora, "Oi, Spikes! You okay?"

"Fine," he gasped, "Think I can borrow your Drive Form again? I would use one of my others, but—"

"You can use them here," Aanyx reassured, "No boundries to power—that's why Xemnas was able to do whatever it was he did."

"Awesome." The boy grinned. Sure he was okay and ready to fight again, Aanyx rejoined Riku in the fray, successfully stopping a bolt of Dark Matter from catching the boy in the back. "Eyes open, senses alert, Albino," Aanyx chided. She received a grunt in return as Sora's Antiform suddenly attacked Xemnas. "What?"

"Relax, Sora's fine. It's one of his Drive Forms," Aanyx explained, "It probably reacted to the Dark Matter Xemnas was using against Sora—he'll be fine. Focus on cornering Xemnas."

"Right."

And so the three worked together, Anti!Sora all but tearing the Superior limb-from-limb. When the Drive Form was nearly extinguished, Aanyx and Riku were suddenly blown back once more, but this time, Aanyx decided to improvise. She portaled straight to Xemnas' side, snatching Sora's Keyblade as his grip went slack and stabbing Xemnas through the chest with it, keeping Sora's hand under her own.

"I, Aanyx of the Thirteenth Order, Princess of the Jade Kingdom, do hereby call upon the powers of Her Darkness. Lend me thy power and vanquish this evil, so His Majesty Kingdom Hearts can reign in peace. I offer my cured self in return; take that magic and vanquish the evil before me. By the Powers, I wish it so!" Aanyx declared, increasing her volume to be heard over Xemnas' wailing crescendo of pure agony. After her enchantment, seaweed-green locked with gold, and she whispered, "I'm sorry…" as pure, thick Darkness enveloped them all…