Author's notes: SORRY! Sorry sorry sorry! I didn't mean to take this long... I was distracted with lack of motivation. The distraction is called Final Fantasy X. And Kingdom Hearts I. I won't tell you the story on that one because you wouldn't believe me. Anyway, enjoy this very, very late chapter 10.

Did I mention that installment in the Keyblader Trio series this is going to be longer then the other in the main series (can't say the same for the side stories).

Also, poll, on my profile, vote if you haven't.

Warned

Riku sighed, running a hand through his hair. Tara had gone missing inside the palace somewhere, not coming out from hiding under any circumstances. He could smell her, but he couldn't find her. She was using her powers of Darkness for something. He wasn't sure if it was practice or if she was actually looking for something, but whatever it was, she was using Darkness, and he couldn't stop her. Darkness corrodes the heart, she knew that from all the Kingdom Hearts information she knew, and yet she wasn't afraid of it. He couldn't help but wonder why, wonder how. He had asked Sarah, but she simply smiled and told him that everything needed to be in balance. Whatever that meant.

The Keyblader of Darkness left the room that had become his bedroom, and would probably continue to be for some time, and wandered down the hall of the Palace of Twilight. No one had figured out Hannah's riddle yet. If Tara had, she hadn't said anything.

Everyone was handling various aspects of their search. Xion, Sarah, Axel, Roxas (when he was awake, as he and Ventus could not be awake at the same time) were trying to plan out where the Organization was most likely to strike. Terra, Aqua and Ven (when he was awake) were trying to locate the misplaced islanders. Link and the rest of the Twilis were constantly on guard for any Organization members in the Twilight Realm. Adam and Kyle were on Earth, watching for any 'terrorist' activity. Leera, Leran and Kazuya were trying to find a way to fight Death and survive. And Riku? Riku was trying to locate Kairi. The Princess of Heart had been kidnapped with Tara, Xion and Ven, but she had yet to be found. And so far, all he knew was that she was still being held captive. Riku sighed, shaking his head.

"Kairi's missing, Sora's dead…"

"I told you, he's not dead."

Riku jumped and spun around, summoning Soul Eater, only to realize it was Xion that had spoken. "Sorry." He apologized, relaxing and allowing Soul Eater to vanish.

"Everyone's edgy lately." Xion shook her head. "I understand."

"Anything new on the Organization?" Riku asked her.

"They attacked Destiny Isles, then Seattle, right?" She replied as the two began walking down the hallway. "Destiny Isles is close to you, Sora and Kairi. Seattle is close to Tara, and thus means something to her friends. They're attacking places they think mean something to us."

"So if we made a place seem close to us, and stay there, it'll lure them out?" Riku questioned. Xion nodded. "How do we plan on doing that?"

"Go back to Earth, find a place and make it seem important to us." Xion answered.

"Great." Riku muttered sarcastically. "Last I checked, immigration's still after me, Roxas and Sora."

"You, and Roxas don't have to be there." Xion replied. "I'm sure Tara's been practicing. She could probably hide you."

"I'm not using the Darkness." Riku growled.

"Well, then, we'll send Tara, Sarah, Kyle and Adam in alone."

"What about Jaime?"

"You didn't hear? She went back to Earth because her and Tara got into a spat." Xion answered.

"What about?"

"Jaime's been stealing food and taking money from Tara."

"What's she using the money for?"

"Food."

"That defeats the purpose of stealing food…"

"Hmm. Tara's even gone as far as to stop calling her Yuffie."

"Geez." Riku scratched the back of his neck. "So, we're sending them back to earth?"

"To school." Xion specified. Riku chuckled.

"They may not like that."

"It won't be for too long, if our plan proves successful." Xion explained. "Send them to school, make school look important to them, the Organization attacks, and ta-da." She waved her hands as if to emphasize her point. Riku sighed.

"They're not gunna like it."

Tara slammed her head on the table. "I DUN WANNA GO TO SCHOOL!" She whined. Riku sighed, shooting Xion an 'I told you so' look.

"Come on, we can show off." Sarah suggested.

"Show off what?"

"We're not as sucky at sport anymore, I'm sure. I mean, you fought Saїx and survived. Surely you at least can't be horrible at sport."

"I had an Antiform…" Tara sighed.

"You managed to protect yourself before you entered Antiform." Aqua remarked to the girl.

"I guess…" The brunette sighed.

"It's just for a little while, Tara." Riku assured her.

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so."

"I really, really never thought we'd be back here." Tara muttered as Riku dropped her and Sarah off in the car park to their old high school. The two girls, in their dark blue and white school uniforms, grabbed their bags and left the car, with a 'see you, Riku,' as they closed the doors. Riku grabbed his radio.

"They're on their way in."

"I see them." Aqua's voice responded. "I'm in the staff room by their lockers. No one else is here right now."

"So, just keep an eye on them, help with Learning Support to keep yourself employed and watch for any Organization activity." Riku reminded her. "Terra and Xion are across the road, I'll be down the street, and anyone else we need is ready to come if needed."

"Yep. Someone's coming. I'll radio if anything happens."

Riku put his radio away. They had to keep someone within the school premises, and the school just happened to need a Learning Support teacher, so, after some help fudging credentials, they managed to get Aqua into the job to keep an eye on Tara and Sarah. He pulled the black car out of the parking lot, glancing out the tinted windows. He couldn't risk being seen. A black assassin's jacket, loaned to him by his future self, hid his clothing, and he had his hair hidden under a black ball cap. He was not risking anything.

He parked the car a ways down the road, then turned it off and sat there, waiting for either three o'clock, or a radio call.

Tara was tempted to slam her head down on the desk. Why? Math. They were revising perimeter of an ark or something they'd done in year eight, then again in year nine, now in year ten. They could've been in year eleven, but Kyle and Adam were in year ten, plus the two girls had missed year ten, and Riku decided to put them into the year they missed. PE was next. They were going down to the soccer field for a game of soccer. They had been here for about a month, and no sign of Organization XIII was visible. The class was in their sports uniform. Tara glanced over her shoulder as Adam passed a note to her. She unfolded it.

'Tu oui drehk Xion'c bmyh femm fung?'

Tara quickly recognized the Al Bhed and managed to translate most of it off the top of her head. The rest she picked out from missing letters.

'Do you think Xion's plan will work?'

She quickly scratched down a response: 'E tihhu. Hud cu vyn. I dunno.' Not so far.

She passed the note back to Adam.

Not soon enough, the bell rang loudly. Everyone packed up and, once dismissed, bolted out to the ovals.

It was too easy for Tara, Sarah, Kyle and Adam to recognize the blunette talking to the two PE teachers. She looked up and smiled at them.

"Hey, you four."

"Hey, Aqua." They answered. One of the PE teachers gave them a very stern look. They all felt very small until he looked away.

The group was divided into two groups of two teams, one playing on one field, the other group on the second field. Sarah and Adam were on one team in the second group, Tara and Kyle in the other. Of course, on this field, there was a group of markers surrounding where some birds had laid their eggs. Stupid birds, laying them on the ground instead of in a tree.

It wasn't long before the game started. Tara, although the other kids seemed to reject her and Kyle on the team, bolted forwards to quickly take the ball. She shuffled away from Adam with it, then passed it onto Kyle, who turned and took a shot at the goal. The goalie managed to knock it away, where Sarah stole it. She passed it to Adam, but it was intercepted by one of the kids on Tara and Kyle's team, who passed it back to another team member, who missed it. Several people went for it.

They froze when Tara screamed, falling to the ground. She rolled so she was sitting, her right leg extended out in front of her. The teachers ran to her side. A strange, white-hot dart-like arrow projectile was stuck in her leg. Xigbar. Aqua saw this, and grabbed her phone from her pocket.

Riku picked up his cell phone. He was parked just across the road from the school. He answered it. "Speak."

"It's Aqua. Number two has shown."

"I'll radio the others and come right down." The Keyblader of Darkness hung up. He abandoned the baseball cap, letting his hair fall. He grabbed his radio. "Number two has shown." He repeated Aqua's message, then got out of the car and ran towards the school.

Tara hissed as Aqua carefully removed the dart from her leg. She wrapped a bandage around the wound, but muttered 'cura' under her breath. The brunette Seattleite resisted the urge to smirk. She nodded her thanks.

"Well, well, been awhile since I saw any of you lot."

Aqua stood as she heard Xigbar's voice. He looked genuinely surprised for a moment.

"Well, if it isn't the Keyblade Mistress herself." He remarked. Aqua only crossed her arms. "I'm not here for you. We've all seen what you've done."

"Braig, turn around, and walk away."

"No." He answered. He turned and walked slowly towards Sarah. Aqua went to stop him, only to slam into a barrier.

"Aqua!"

Aqua looked over to see Terra, Ven and Riku bolt up to the group.

"What'd we miss?" Terra asked, helping her to her feet.

"I think they're testing Sarah."

Sarah, meanwhile, was pouting. "But I can't be bothered fighting you!" She whined. Xigbar rolled his eyes.

"You have no choice." He readied his guns.

"Rahs!" Tara exclaimed.

Xigbar fired a shot, which Sarah barely avoided. She managed to evade several more, before it became easier for her. She smirked, then twisted her hand around. The grass began to twist, until it shot up into a vine, shooting for Xigbar. He shot it down. Apparently he'd fought with Marluxia a couple times.

"Aqua, use a Fire spell!" Tara exclaimed. "Aim it towards them."

"Why?"

"Trust me!"

Aqua, hesitantly, shot a fire spell towards the barrier. It began to warp, then shot through the barrier towards the Freeshooter, who had to duck to avoid it. He glared at Sarah, aiming his guns at her.

"Let's see you dance."

"Someone's hung out with Demyx a bit to mu-UUUUUUUCH." Sarah quickly began running in circles around Xigbar to avoid the shooting. Tara, meanwhile, had taken her school ball cap and was smacking her forehead with the brim.

"What?" Kyle laughed at her.

"Yaoi." She whined.

"I like trees."

"I HATECHU VEN." Tara slammed her fist on the ground. She looked over at Adam. "Terra, Ven's teasing the yaoi fangirl." Adam just pointed and laughed at her.

Xigbar had ceased shooting circles at Sarah, ducking quickly when a bird swooped them for being too close to the net. It altered directions suddenly and smacked Xigbar in the face. He howled in pain. It was then Tara realized what Sarah had done. She, like Tara, had gained a power. Sarah could alter the elements around her to her will, and she'd altered the air to send the bird swooping Xigbar. Sent it right at his eye. A black hole was all that remained. Xigbar turned and fled.

By this point, sirens were wailing. Riku swore.

"Let's get outta here." He quickly opened a portal. The group all darted through it, leaving Earth once more.