Warned

"Roxas must've left last night," Axel commented, "while we were all asleep." Namine nodded. Her, Axel, Riku and Kairi were all walking down the hallway. Roxas was nowhere to be found, and Tara didn't have anything beyond the palace mapped out on her computer, nor did any of the Twili, the race of people in the Twilight Realm. All they knew was that he was off in the chaos past the palace.

"If he gets killed, we're doomed." Riku commented. "We're losing Hannah, slowly, and loosing Kazuya as well would be the end of everything as we know it." The others nodded in agreement. He glanced behind him, upon hearing a noise.

All that he saw was a flash of silver and red. Then nothing.

You need to sleep.

"I did."

A few hours aren't enough. You're going to kill yourself.

"Never."

Please, just rest for a little while.

"I'll rest when you're free."

"Roxas has left Hyrule." Tara looked over her shoulder at Riku, who walked over and looked at the laptop screen. Sarah peered over as well.

"Where is he?"

"The World that Never Was," Tara answered. She opened the map of the world, and then began searching through the castle. She zoomed out. "Axel, come look at this." The red-head looked over. "What's that?"

"Roxas's room," Axel told her. Tara muttered a 'huh'.

"So he's looking for something… something from when he was still in the Organization." Riku muttered. "What could he be searching for?"

Tara bit her lip. "Axel, from Roxas's 27th to 50th days… who was there to check up on him when he was in that coma?"

"Me. That was it…"

"No, it's not…" Tara frowned. "There's something missing from your memories… someone. Xion." She started going through files on the laptop, until she found the pictures she was looking for, pictures of the raven-haired fourteenth member of Organization XIII.

"Xion's a mary-sue." Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Xion's awesome. She's creepy, has memory problems and a black cloak!"

"You just like that Roxine isn't the cannon pairing anymore."

"Hell yeah."

"Can we get back on task, here?" Riku interrupted.

"Right, anyway," Tara, realizing that the pictures weren't helping the group remember, closed them and returned to the map. "Y'know, when 358/2 Days came out, I spent so much time watching the Japanese cutscenes that I forgot what Axel and Roxas sounded like in English, then when I watched the English trailer that came out I nearly fell out of my chair going 'HOLY SHIT.'… and I discovered that I pronounced 'Xion' wrong."

"ON TASK." Riku smacked Tara over the back of the head. She quickly got back to what she was doing.

"Roxas's leaving…" she muttered, and started flicking through the maps. "He's in Twilight Town… now he's in Traverse Town? What would he find there? Huh…" Tara frowned. Everyone looked up as there was a loud crash. Tara closed her laptop, pulled Riku's radio from the cord and passed it to him.

They darted down into the courtyard.

"Saix!" Axel growled. The Luna Diviner glanced over.

"Hello again, Axel." He turned to completely face the group. "Are you still hanging onto your false friendship, Lea?" Axel hesitated slightly. "You choose a fake friendship over the real one you had."

"Shut up! My friendship died with my friend's heart! Just because you know who I was does not make you him, Saix. I thought I made that clear." Axel growled, as his chakrams appeared in his hands.

"Foolish, hanging onto that which you cannot truly hold onto. If I remember correctly, you didn't hesitate to capture Xion when you were ordered."

"Who the hell is Xion?"

"Still don't remember. Tsk, tsk, I'd expect better of Reno's brother."

"That's enough!" Axel charged forwards, throwing his chakrams at the blunette. A claymore appeared between them and Saix. Riku went to dart forwards to help Axel, but found him and his friends surrounded by Berserker Nobodies. Tara and Sarah went pale; the two of them looked like ghosts.

Axel called his chakrams back to his hands as he continued to charge, and used his weapons to slice at Organization XIII's number VII. Every attack was either dodged or blocked. Saix pulled a swipe at Axel's feet, while ducking under a chakram, sending the fire element crashing to the ground. The Luna Diviner stood over him. Axel simply stared at him, waiting.

"Axel, move it!"

Saix found himself stumbling to the side, the Oblivion Keyblade having struck his side. He looked at the blond standing in front of Axel. The kid looked exhausted – black circles under his eyes, eye lids drooping – but the strike had stung none the less.

"Only one?" Saix questioned, noticing the lack of Oathkeeper.

"The other one's here!"

He spun around, just in time to receive a firm smack from Oathkeeper that send him flying backwards and skidding across the black stone. The raven-haired girl that had attacked him straightened up and brushed her raven hair from her sapphire eyes. She gave Roxas a thumbs up and a smile, both which he returned, although sleepily.

"You two help the others," Axel, who had now stood up, spoke, "I'll worry about Saix." The two teenagers nodded.

Riku and the others weren't fairing too well. For starters, Riku was the only fighter in the group, Link being unable to reach them, and the pellets Tara had fired only succeeded in annoying the large Nobodies, so she had quickly stopped.

Suddenly, a group of the Berserkers were struck down by two different Keyblades. As the Nobodies faded, Roxas and Xion both moved on to attack more of the Nobodies. Riku nodded in thanks, taking down a couple more.

Soon, the three had destroyed all the Berserkers. Roxas collapsed immediately after, only to be caught by his raven-haired accomplice.

Axel managed to land a hit, lodging his chakram in Saix's stomach. The Luna Diviner grunted, yanking the weapon out, before vanishing into a portal. Axel turned to look over at the rest of the group.

"Roxas!" He exclaimed, dropping his second chakram and darting over. The raven haired girl looked up, having laid her blond-haired friend on the ground. Axel crouched down beside Roxas, placing a hand on the teenager's forehead.

"He's fine." Xion shook her head. "He's just exhausted." Axel looked over at her. It took a moment, but, slowly, he remembered who she was. He nodded, and picked Roxas up.

"I'll take him inside." Axel said as he stood, and then walked inside. Xion watched them leave.

"Hello, Xion."

She looked over her shoulder, hearing the familiar, soft voice of Namine.

"Namine." She nodded. Xion then looked over at Riku, who was looking back at her. "Do you remember?" He nodded.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?" He commented. Xion only hummed.

"You seem sad…"

"Sora's dead."

"No." Xion shook her head. "Not dead. Shattered, maybe…"

"What do you mean?"

Xion only smiled and walked into the palace.

"…What's that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out for yourself you lazy bastard?" Tara suggested with a shrug. Riku looked over at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you inferring something?"

"What? Me? Never." Tara shook her head, but then promptly ran inside. Sarah followed close behind. Riku sighed and shook his head.

"Any clue on the Organization's whereabouts?"

"Earth." Axel answered Riku. "They know that you can't go there without risking getting in trouble with the law again, so they're hiding out there."

"As long as they don't destroy it." Tara commented. "I get my internet access from there." Riku rolled his eyes.

"Roxas still isn't awake." Axel commented. Everyone went quiet for a moment. It'd been a week since Saix had attacked them. Roxas had simply exhausted himself, trying to awaken Xion, and had fallen into a self-induced coma.

"As long as he's not out for 23 days," Tara shrugged. Axel nodded. She had a point, he figured. "Xion's with him right now, right? She'll let us know when he wakes up." She cringed slightly, remembering something.

"What's your problem?" Riku asked her.

"Long story that is better left untold." Tara answered. "Basically a role play with Sarah in which the content would made you think I was insane."

"Aren't you?"

"Good point. HIGH FIVES FOR INSANITY!"

Riku and Axel looked at each other and shook their heads.

Riku opened his eyes. Shouting? What was going on at… he checked his watch, two in the morning? He sat up and looked out the window. Leera was going off at someone with long, silver hair, and a wing… It wasn't Sephiroth, because his wing was feathered, this one was bat-like with the coloration of Soul Eater. He left the room and quickly darted down through the hallway.

He paused as he finally exited the castle, entering the court yard. Both Leera and the oddly familiar man standing there stopped to look at him.

The man's eyes matched both Riku and Leera's – a sky blue color. Soul Eater resided in the man's right hand, and his long, silver hair reached his knees. Riku was lost for words, and he felt his knees buckle before he collapsed. This man… this one-winged angel… was him. Him twenty years older.

Is that my fate? To become a fallen angel?

Hardly seemed a high enough price to pay for killing Kairi.

Riku looked up, someone having pulled on his hair to make him look at them. He looked into the eyes of his future self.

"Don't cry." Was all the man said, before releasing Riku's hair and turning away. He took a few steps, before stopping and turning to Leera. "If you want to save him then calm your anger. Otherwise you may scare your boyfriend away."

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" Leera hissed like some teenage girl, annoyed with her parents for teasing her about the boys she hung out with. Riku's future self only chuckled, before looking back at Riku as he fainted.

"Good morning."

"Fuck off."

The fallen angel chuckled, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Riku forced himself to sit up, and glanced around the guest room.

"I'd thank you for stopping Leera for killing me, but it'd be a bit weird thanking myself."

"You remember every word you're saying, don't you?" Riku questioned. The fallen angel nodded. "Is there anything I can-"

"Leera calls me Xehanort, but I don't think you'd like to call me that."

Riku hesitated. This guy knew every word he was going to say before he said it.

"Creepy, isn't it?" His future self chuckled. Riku nodded slowly. "Some things we never forget, Riku. Don't forget this. I know you won't, though, because I haven't."

Riku was still at a loss for words. Finally he looked down. "Is it possible to save Sora?"

"Yes."

Riku exhaled. "Will I succeed?"

"I'll let you find out for yourself."

"TELL ME GODDANM IT!" Riku would've thrown something, if there was something other than the pillow to throw.

"No. Your fate is not something you need read out for you. It's something you need to live out on your own."

Riku slumped down into the lying position, sighing.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If I knew my fate, what would surprise me? It wouldn't be fair."

"I will tell you this, though. Sora's death is caused by Death's Mark. Whether that means now, or later, you'll have to find out."

Riku nodded slowly.

"Roxas's death is suicide – death by fire."

"A connection to Axel."

"Aye."

"So they die before us?"

"Sort of…"

"Great."

"Sarcasm."

Riku didn't answer, simply stared at the ceiling. He only glanced up as there was a knock on the door. The fallen angel froze in horror, before he darted forwards, grabbed Riku's shoulder and easily pushed him to the floor before jumping out the window.

A flash of red and silver and he was gone.

Riku sat there in shock for a moment, before another knock rang out. He got up and opened the door.

"Xion, what's wrong?"

"Roxas is still unconscious… I'm worried about him…" The girl answered. "Asides from breathing, he has no signs of being alive at all… he doesn't move at all…" Riku stepped aside to let the girl enter the room. He left the door open and sat beside the girl on the bed.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." He assured the clone.

"I can see the pain in your eyes… it hurts you to look at me… knowing who I am."

Random change of subject. Riku thought. He didn't answer Xion, however, simply stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry about Sora, Riku."

"So am I… but, there may be hope, so let's not give up."

"He's worn off on you." Xion commented with a bit of a smile. "You're being optimistic."

"For a change."

She nodded. "Did I take Sora away? It seems odd that I appeared when he died."

"No. Death took him away."

"Are you sad?"

"And angry."

"I'm sorry."

"Where are we, Destiny Isles?" Riku laughed dryly, before remembering that the Islands were gone. Xion stood, knowing it best to leave him alone now, and left the room.

"Leera?"

"Riku." The silver-red haired woman answered, gripping onto Riku's upper arm. "I need your help to awaken some friends of mine."

"Why don't you ask the fallen angel?"

"Because he killed mother."

Riku let out an 'hmp'. "What do you need me for?"

"In Radiant Garden, there's Ansem the Wise's computer. If a certain set of passwords is entered into that computer, the underground laboratory is opened up. Two of my friends are unconscious there." Leera answered. "I need you to open up the laboratory."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the only one who knows how."

Riku raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll come, but no guarantees that I'll know any of this stuff."

"I'd hug you if I didn't hate you."