Disclaimer: I don't own the creative work of Square Enix or Disney. Rate T for some reason that I don't even know.

Chapter 9: Mission Continues (Re-Edited)

The three girls stood on the 8th basement level as Kairi used the last card she had in her hand. So far they been to Spira, Gaia, and Traverse Town. Namine's theory has been right so far since they remembered singing the Hymn of the Fayth as a airship flew by, while in Gaia they were sent to escort Princess Garnet, as for Traverse Town they learned magic from a wizard name Merlin. The card then disappeared from Kairi's hand and opened the door. "I wonder where we're going?"

"I don't know, but I'll see you guys later." said Xion as she stepped through the door as Namine follow while hesitated for a moment and finally step through. Xion stood in a dark ally as she scanned the area and found that she was alone. She headed around a corner and followed the ally into a busy street.

"Loveless Ave." said Xion as she looked at the theater and saw an advertisement for the LOVELESS play that were from Act 1 to 3. From what she knows they never found the fourth Act, but they believed that a SOLDIER named Genesis had found it. When he died it was said that the Fourth Act was lost forever. "I don't want to start a panic, so I better head to Sector 7." Xion ran at full speed towards Sector 8 and went up a flight of stairs as she headed for the train station. When she had arrived the train had also came in as a man with blonde hair leap off the train. He carried a giant sword on his back.

"Cloud? What are you doing here?" asked Xion as Cloud was surprised by this strange girl that knew his name as he drew his sword and gripped the handle.

"How do you know me? I've never met you before." spoke Cloud as he slowly took a step to the left and faced Xion.

"You don't remember me?" asked Xion.

"Why would I know you, Xion?" asked Cloud as Xion noticed that he did remember her name. "Wait, how do I you?" Suddenly a group of Heartless appeared and surrounded the two as Xion drew her keyblade. "What are these thing? What's going on?"

"Their Heartless." said Xion as she attacked the closest one while Cloud swung his large sword. They each cut down a Heartless that stood in their path as another group of Heartless appeared. Xion then lit her hand on fire and spread the fire on her keyblade as the flame lit it up. She then continued her attack as she swung her fierily weapon. Cloud and Xion finally met back to back as Xion destroyed the last Heartless. Cloud quickly turned around while Xion had also turned around and blocked an attack from Cloud as they both crossed blades.

"Listen, Xion. I don't know who you are or why I even know your name, but don't follow me." said Cloud as he withdrew his sword and placed it on his back. He then headed to Sector 8 leaving Xion alone. Xion looked on the ground a found a single card as she looked for a door and found it at the end of the platform. Once the door was opened she stepped through and was now in Sector 7. She scanned the area and saw some people running in one direction as the police told them to keep moving and head to the bomb shelters. Xion radio gave a feedback as she wonder who was trying to contact her.

"This is Xion, over." spoke Xion as her radio gave another feedback.

Elsewhere

Namine spoke into her radio again, "Xion, Kairi, come in." said Namine as she looked around. She was getting some kind of interference from somewhere. She found the source of the interference that came from a television antenna as she drew her keyblade and threw it towards the antenna and sliced it down. She easily caught her keyblade as it returned to her and tried her radio again. "Xion, Kairi, come in."

"This is, Xion. I can hear you loud and clear." said Xion. "Where you at?"

"I'm in the park, how about you?" asked Namine as she leap off a slide and stood in the soft sand. "I ran into some Heartless and I'm headed to the next room. Have you found Kairi? Where you at?"

"I'm here in Sector 7 and it's just in chaos, I've haven't seen Kairi yet." said Xion as Namine heard the police giving direction to the people that were running by whenever Xion spoke into her radio. "I met Cloud, but he didn't remember me. It was strange he remembered my name, but it was like he never saw me."

"Well, I'll meet up with you and Kairi later, but remember we were here to prevent the bombing of Sector 7. So, be careful. Okay." said Namine as Xion promised her. "Cause remember that last time you got…" Then Namine heard it, the gun shot that was followed by Xion dropping to the ground. "XION!" Namine hurried out of the park and opened the door to the next room and found two guys with one of them carrying a rifle as she could hear them arguing about something.

"What the hell were you thinking?" said one of the guys. "You just shot that girl!"

"Shut up! She was calling for backup!" said the guy with the rifle as they went towards the Slums. Namine headed to the closed door, but was soon surrounded by a large group of Heartless as she drew a keyblade.

"I don't have time for this." said Namine as her body lit up. Her hair was once again bleach blonde and she wore her reflective spaghetti sundress. She then became a blur and defeated all the Heartless as another group appeared which she had defeated as another group appeared. She then levitated above the Heartless while emitting electricity from her hand as she levitated back to the ground as she gather more energy. While she concentrated on her energy ball, the Heartless tried to attack her, but whenever they came close they were being destroyed by either her keyblades or by the electric energy. Namine had gathered enough energy that she withdrew her keyblades and touched the first Heartless within her reach with her energy ball. Her ball released an electric field that wiped out the Heartless that surrounded her as Namine reverted back to normal and took a card from the ground. She quickly went to the door to opened it and stepped through once it was opened.

She found that the people went still being evacuated as some police officer followed after the person that shot a gun on the people. Namine looked around and couldn't find Xion anywhere, so she decided to go to higher ground as she easily leap and ran along the building top, until she stood on the rooftop. She found Xion laying down on a roof as she quickly jump to it and landed hard next to Xion. "Xion!" said Namine as she gently turned Xion over. "No this can't be happening."

"Uh, It suck getting shot." said Xion as she groaned in pain. Namine happily smile as she wiped a tear from her cheek and tightly hugged Xion. "Ouch, that hurts even more."

"Sorry, I'm just happy that your alive." said Namine as Xion sat up and examined the hole in her shirt. Xion dug in the hole and took out the bullet and tossed it aside.

"I didn't think that Kevlar corset would work. I'll thank Rikku when I get the chance." said Xion as she stood up with Namine. Suddenly there was a loud explosion that shook the foundation as the people panicked more and pushed and shoved their way through the police.

"Xion! Namine! You there!" shouted Kairi.

"Yeah, are you okay?" asked Namine as Xion listened.

"Hurry and get to the church in the Slums." said Kairi as Namine and Xion leap off the roof and went through the opened door. They didn't have time to deal with the Heartless as they hit and run to the closed door. Xion then threw her keyblade and saw a flicker as one of the Heartless dropped a card. She caught her keyblade and continued to the door with Namine as she easily scooped up the card and cut through another Heartless while Namine dealt with the large group of Heartless. Xion held up the card and opened the door as she quickly grabbed the collar of Namine's tank top and pulled her through the door.

They both stood in the back of the Church as they saw Kairi battling a large group of Heartless in the front row. Xion and Namine ran down towards Kairi, but they stopped as a glyph appeared before them that was followed by a flashing light that touched glyph as another glyph appeared above it. "It can't be." said Namine as she recognized the symbol of the glyph. "Xion take this and help Kairi. I'll deal with him."

In the middle of the glyph stood a man with long sliver hair and he held onto a long sword, he wore a trench coat that blended in with his winds as one of his wing stick out of his right back. "Good luck." said Xion as she went another way. The man quickly drew his sword as Namine prepare for his attacks and manage to block his multiple attack. The man leap up into the open roof as Namine followed after him. Xion met up with Kairi as they both stood back to back.

"Where's Namine?" asked Kairi out of breath.

"She's dealing with Sephiroth." said Xion as she cast a fireball at a Heartless. "I'll go left while you go right."

"Okay I'll go right while you left, right?" asked Kairi.

"That's the plan." said Xion as she threw a large fireball at the crowd of Heartless that exploded and charge first to the left while Kairi went right hacking at the nearest Heartless to them as they made their way to the flowers until things got worst when they were surrounded. "Okay back to back" instructed Xion as she and Kairi stood back to back defending themselves. They both defended themselves in a circle as they danced gracefully with the keyblade in their hand.

"You go high while I go low." said Kairi.

"Got it." said Xion as she spun in a high circle and jump over Kairi while she spun in a low circle. When Xion landed she gave Kairi her keyblade and grabbed her by the legs and spun her in a full circle while Kairi did figure 8s with their keyblades. "Ready, Kairi?"

"Ready!" she yell while Xion spun faster and faster, than finally let Kairi go while Kairi then curled into a ball holding their keyblades to her sides. Xion didn't have a weapon so she started to throw fireballs as she made her way back to Kairi. Kairi uncurled and dropkick a Heartless to stop her movement and started to defend herself while making her way back to Xion. When they finally got back to each other Kairi gave Xion her keyblade and they stood back to back again.

"Now, what." sighed Xion out of breath.

Meanwhile

"You're an usual swordsman." said Sephiroth as he gracefully attacked Namine, but his attack never touched her. "So, you're a keyblade master."

"What of it?" said Namine as she drew a keyblade.

"You must be its wielder. I wonder if it'll change its mind, once I defeat you." said Sephiroth as he took a quick step while he drew his sword. Namine had manage to stop the oncoming attacks as Sephiroth stood behind her, he then turned around and swung his weapon at Namine. She easily dodged and quickly took a step towards Sephiroth as she started her own attack patterns that Sephiroth parried. Every time their weapons made contact, sparks arose with every attack that they both parried as their clangs got louder. Namine quickly swung her weapon towards Sephiroth, but he quickly leap over Namine then leap to a higher ledge while flapping his enormous black wing as his body emitted a purple aura. Namine knew what he was planning as she threw her keyblade towards Sephiroth and watched as he deflect it while his body stopped glowing. She easily caught her weapon and ran up a stone wall and leap off it while drawing another keyblade. In midair Namine began her attacks on Sephiroth as he easily dodged and parried her attacks. He moved aside as Namine missed her attack, Sephiroth saw the chance to attack and so did Namine as she quickly shifted her body and used her keyblades to block the powerful swung that sent her through a window. Namine quickly shifted her body as she came close to a wall and quickly cut a hole through it. She then stopped her movement by skidding on the smooth floor, but quickly blocked another attack from Sephiroth. They both locked weapons as Sephiroth stared into her eyes that scared her while he smirk. "Why don't you die?"

Namine quickly broke away from Sephiroth and dodged his attack as she cut through the ceiling while making her way to the rooftop. She never looked back, but she had a feeling that he was following her as she cut through the ceiling and stood on the roof. She quickly rolled along the hard surface of the roof as Sephiroth broke through and levitated high in the air. He swung his huge sword left and right that shot out a series of energy blades towards Namine.

Namine stood her ground as she stayed calm and swung her keyblade that shot out the same energy blades to deflect Sephiroth's attacks. Sephiroth kept his attacks coming while falling towards Namine as she deflected his last energy blade while Sephiroth landed softly on the roof and held his sword to his side. He then threw his hand out as black orbs surrounded Namine that slowly homed in on her. Namine quickly spun in a full circle as her keyblades destroyed the orbs and she quickly faced Sephiroth in time to see his body emit dark energy. She studied his position and knew that he would be more powerful and faster as she position herself for his attacks. Sephiroth quickly rushed towards Namine as he left a trail of black feathers behind him and quickly swung his sword that Namine was able to dodge. They rush toward each others with weapons in hand. Sephiroth leaped over Namine's first attack, landed beside her, and aimed a deadly roundhouse kick to her jaw. Namine deflected the kick with a forearm, whirled, and aimed a disabling punch at his solar plexus, which he deflected just as easily.

Their arms became blurs as they pummeled each other with more slashes of their keyblades, none of which landed solidly enough to put either Sephiroth or Namine down. Vicious as the attacks seemed, they were just exploratory actions, on the part of combatants who knew they were too evenly matched to risk a poorly-planned offensive. Less than a minute into the battle, Sephiroth retreated ten feet in a single leap.

"That's enough." said Sephiroth as he quickly drew his sword. To a normal person it seemed like he only attacked once, but Namine knew that he had drew his sword multiple times as she was able to deflect all of his attacks. Sephiroth stood behind Namine as they didn't move or face each other. "You are very skilled, but I don't have the time to deal with you."

"I'll be waiting for you." said Namine as she withdrew her keyblade and heard a loud swooshing sound. She turned around to find that Sephiroth was gone. Ever since they were sent here she waited for a rematch, but it never came. So day by day she lived her life with her friends. Namine inhaled a huge breath and exhaled. She examined her surroundings and found the church under the crumbled highway. "Hang on."

Slums: Church

"What did Namine give you?" asked Kairi as she swung her keyblade at two Heartless that were attacking. She stood back to back with Xion as the Heartless surrounded the two girls that stood in the flowerbed. Xion took the golden sphere from her pocket and quickly examined it.

"Her summon sphere." said Xion as she destroyed the Heartless one after the other.

"We should summon him. We could use his help." suggested Kairi as she shot a ice projectile that a group of Heartless and then created a huge block of ice on top of the frozen Heartless that crushed them.

"MASTER YOJIMBO! I SUMMON YOU!" shouted Xion as she held the sphere high in the air. Time had slowed down, except for Xion as she stood on a glyph while the sphere bloomed into a cherry flower and fell from her hand as more cherry flower peddles fell from a large cherry tree. She stood beside the cherry tree as she heard footsteps approaching her and she turned to look at the man called Yojimbo that was clad in golden armor and had on a sulk blue robe. He stood ten feet tall as he held his hand out while Xion dug in her side pockets and gave him a pouch of gil for payment that he took and placed into his robe. Time then went back to normal as Yojimbo threw a series of daggers at the Heartless while he quickly drew his short sword at a roll of Heartless and easily cut down the Heartless that stood in his path. He then held his hand out as his long sword rose out of the ground while Xion and Kairi were busying dealing with the Heartless. Xion saw Yojimbo's sword shot out of the ground which he easily caught as he slowly unsheathed his sword and gripped the handle with both hands. He quickly ran towards the Heartless while leaving a trail of cherry flower peddles behind him as he finished his attack that Xion nor Kairi were able to see as the flower peddles fell across the church. Suddenly all the Heartless were split in half as they all disappeared along with Yojimbo while Kairi and Xion breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good thing Namine gave you her summon sphere." said Kairi as her keyblade disappeared along with Xion's. "Let's start looking for some cards that might've been drop."

"That won't be necessary." said Namine as she leap off the opened roof and landed on the flowerbed and gently walked over the flowers. "There's one by the front aisle."

"Thank goodness your okay." said Kairi as Xion found the golden card where Namine had seen it. "And thanks for that little item, but we couldn't stop the terrorist from blowing up Sector 7."

"Yeah, we were busy with the people that kept us here while you went after Sephiroth." said Xion as a loud explosion erupted elsewhere. "We should go." they agreed with her as they left the church and found the golden door in front of the church. Once it was opened, Xion could see another flight of white stairs that went up to the next level. "Let's hurry."

All three girl ran up the stair to the next level and found another flight of stairs as they continued up the stair and found another one. After they had ran up ten flight of stairs they were out of breath and tired from running. "We should've been there by now." said Kairi out of breath.

"Yeah, but don't you think it's strange that were still on the 8th basement level." said Namine as she recognized the golden door from before as Kairi and Xion realize what she was talking about. "We've been going in circle."

"What's going on?" said Xion out of frustration as Namine walked up to her. Kairi watched as Namine punched Xion across the face as Xion stared up at Namine with wide eyes. "What did you do that for?"

"Namine! What's gotten into you?" said Kairi in shock as she went over to see if Xion was okay, but Namine held her back.

"Who are you?" asked Namine as Kairi questionably stared at Namine and looked to Xion. "You're not Xion. What did you do to Xion?"

Castle Oblivion: 8th Basement Level

Xion stepped through the door and found the white flight of stairs. She ran up to them but they broke away to review a spiral portal as parts of the structure slowly broke off and were sucked into the portal. Xion turned back around and found another room that was different. The room was dark that had a fireplace with the fire being the only light as Xion examined the room and saw some furniture that were kept clean and a few pictures of finger paintings of Huey, Dewy, and Louie that Xion remembered doing. She turned to the carpet and found a small girl doing another finger painting as she sat on a red carpet while her friend came into the room and examined her painting. She asked her friend that was painting a question, but Xion couldn't hear what she said. "My mommy and daddy." said Xion as she realized what she said. Then the girl asked her another question that was followed by her shouting at the girl that was painting. "NO! THERE NOT DEAD!"

Suddenly the fire crackled as a charcoal flew out of the fireplace and the charcoal started to burn the carpet until it erupt in flames. Xion saw both girls scream as they ran out of the room to the next one while the fire swallowed the whole room, but the girl that was shouting at her friend came back into the room and walked up to Xion. "What have you done?" asked the girl as Xion saw the girls skin being burned.

"I didn't do anything." said Xion as she started to cry.

"you could've saved me."

"I didn't know you went back for my painting." cried Xion as the girl faded away. Xion could feel her knees shake as she fell on the burning floor and cried even more. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you come for me?" spoke Zexion in the girls voice as he stared down at Xion as she kept crying. Zexion smiled at Xion, he knew what she fear the most now and decided to toyed with her more. "You only cared for yourself! You're the worse friend I've ever had!"

"Don't say that!" sobbed Xion as she clawed at the floor. "I was lonely when my parents abandon me. When you became my friend…I didn't feel so lonely, but ever since you died in the fire…I had to live with that grief…I've lived with it for so long that I've never told Kairi and Namine."

"You've already replaced me! Your pathetic!" smiled Zexion as he created a replica of her keyblade and held it in front of him, so that the tip was pointing at Xion. The tip lit up brightly while Xion kept crying as the keyblade had gathered enough energy. "I could never forgive you!"

The keyblade shot a beam of light as Xion kept crying while not knowing of the danger she was in. Xion suddenly could feel being bathe in light as her body slowly fell. She had her eyes closed, she felt lightheaded as she could feel her body fall into a bottomless pit. "Why couldn't I save you."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happen to your friend. It's not your fault."

Xion opened her eyes that were still watery from the tears she shed, "Roxas?" said Xion as Roxas appeared upside down with Xion while slowly falling down with her.

"Roxas? You must being mistaking, my name is Ventus, but Terra and Aqua called me Ven for short."

"Sir Ven." said Xion as Ven stared at her kind of confusedly. "How are you able to speak to me?"

"I heard what that man said as he mimicked your friend's voice and trapped you in this illusionary place."

"This is just an illusion?" asked Xion as she wiped her face clean as Ven nodded. "But it felt real, the heat of the fire, the smell of the old furniture."

"He only deceive you in order to keep you and your friends from reaching your goal. As of now your mind is lost inside your own body and if you don't wake up you'll be here in nothingness forever and your friends will be in danger."

Xion shifted her body as Ven also did the same so that they were upright. "Why do you care so much?" asked Xion as Ven smiled and dug into his pocket and showed her a star shape charm.

"The bond that you share with your friends, even the dead one, reminded me of my bond with Aqua and Terra. It's funny, even though we had made mistakes, we were always their for one another. Cherish your friends by honoring their memories, and they'll cherish you."

Ven then faded away from Xion. She thought about what Ven had said as she drew her keyblade and closed her eyes. "This is for you master Tifa." said Xion as she took a step while keeping her eyes closed. She turned in one direction and sniffed the air and followed a foul smell. She found the source of the smell and swung her keyblade as she felt her weapon enter and exit the invisible target. Xion opened her eyes and saw that she was on the 7th basement level with the man that took Roxas. "You."

"How did you find me." said Zexion as he collapse to the white floor. "I had you trapped."

Xion stared down at Zexion while Namine and Kairi could hear the groan sounds from the lower level. Kairi didn't gave a second thought as she went to the next level while Namine followed after. They found Xion with the man that Marlene described down on one knee in front of Xion, "You smell like sh…"

"Xion!" said Kairi happy as she ran up to her and hugged her tightly. Zexion saw the chance to escaped as the Corridor opened from under him. Namine ran towards him, but he was already gone with a deck of cards that he left behind that littered the floor. "Who was that?"

"Zexion." said Xion with a sigh as her keyblade disappeared from her hand.

"You okay?" asked Namine when she noticed that Xion's eyes where red as if she was crying. Xion smiled and reassured her that she was okay as she pushed Kairi aside. "We were so worried about you."

"Yeah, it's weird you came through the door with us, than I thought Namine had lost her mind when she punched a replica of you." said Kairi as Xion and Namine picked up the golden keycards one by one. "Where'd you go?"

"I got trapped in an illusion, but it was more of like a memory of my worst fear." said Xion as she placed half the keycards in her side pocket while Namine placed the rest in her utility belt. "Just reliving that memory made me realized that I'm thankful for the both of you, even though I don't show it."

"So will you let me read your diary?" Kairi asked eagerly.

"Nice try." said Xion in annoyed voice while rolling her eyes. "Where's the replica?"

"When we heard that guy scream, that's when she disappeared when our heads were turned." said Kairi as she looked to the door with her friends.

"How did you escaped the illusion?" asked Namine as she held onto one keycard.

"I remembered what master Tifa taught us." said Xion as they all walked up the double door. "Stay focus, use your sense of smell, use your ears, and master all your other senses without using your eyes." when they came to the door Namine held the card in the air as the door and card lit up. When the light died down the card had disappeared from Namine's hand as the lock on the door unlocked, "Come on, Roxas is waiting for us."

Castle Oblivion: 13th Floor

"Hey, Axel does it feel as if someone else is in the castle?" asked Roxas when he felt something that somehow seemed familiar to him. Axel as usual was leaning on the white wall with his arms crossed.

"Probably Vexen's new toy." said Axel as he stood upright.

"Couldn't be. This felt different." said Roxas as Axel examined him closely.

"Different than the replica." said Axel as he thought for a moment and lead back on the wall. "No, I couldn't feel anything, but it looks like Zexion is no longer with us." the black Corridor suddenly appeared as Marluxia stepped out of it and looked to Roxas and turned to face Axel. "Couldn't find him?"

"You shouldn't say anything stupid." said Marluxia in his deep soft voice. "It appears that Vexen sent his replica to kill Zexion. That's why I decided to have you deal with him."

"Can't you get someone else to do the dirty work." suggested Axel with a smirk as Marluxia gave him a cold stare.

"It's probably best you don't piss him off." said Roxas as Axel gave a sigh and decided to deal with Vexen while Marluxia disappeared. "What's going on?"

"Vexen is a threat." said Axel as he crossed his arms and thought if places where Vexen would be hiding. "And you know the rule about traitors."

To Be Continued…

A/N: I just finished Batman Arkham Asylum and was inspired to base Zexion off one of the characters. I like to thanks those that left a comment, posted as favorite or alert. So, please review so that I'll know you reader are still reading this, but no flames. Next chapter, "The Next Level." see you until then.

Short Preview:

"Hey, if it isn't blondie." waved Axel with a smirk on his face.

"Hi, Axel." said Namine with a smile as Kairi and Xion drew their keyblade.

Preview may change. See ya.