A/N: Sorry for taking so long, but I had to get new fresh ideas and some things came up that I had to attend to. Now that it's over here's chapter 10.

Disclaimer: I don't own the creative work of Square Enix or Disney. Rated something for something.

Chapter 10: The Next Level

The three girls finally arrived at the main lobby of Castle Oblivion after countless attacks by Heartless and being separated from each other. "So, back to square one." said Xion as she waited atop of the stairs along with Kairi and Namine. Kairi checked her sonar to be sure that they were on the main level and it seemed that they still had thirteen more levels to go. Namine along with Xion suggested that they check their equipment. Kairi only had four healing position, five ether positions, five smoke bombs, one summon sphere, and was out of explosive stars. Namine and Xion had all of their equipment, but Namine didn't have anymore stars or a summon sphere. "Well, we're still okay, but it wouldn't hurt to be safe."

"Safe from what." said a man's voice as the three girls turned towards the entrance and found another hooded man as he closed the door behind him. "No one is safe."

"Where's Roxas?" asked Xion as she drew her keyblade while her friends followed her example and drew their own keyblade. The man didn't say anything as he walked closer to the three girls while they backed away when he came close.

"Is that what you're really here for? A useless piece of trash." said the man calmly. Xion stared down at him as he mocked Roxas. "Why should I hand him over? What is he to you?"

"He's our friend." spoke Kairi as Namine and Xion agreed with her.

"Friend." spoke the man as he looked at each girl to examine their faces. "You're friends with that loser. A nobody that you don't even care about. Do you three even know what he is? He's a heartless bas…"

"You're Wrong!" said Xion as her friends stare at her while the man had only chuckled. "For the last two weeks, I know he's not a bad guy. He might be lazy and sometimes annoying, but he's courageous and confident." Xion quickly charged the man as Kairi tried to grab her, but she noticed that Xion was a lot faster. The hooded man didn't move as Xion went through him, but her keyblade never hit anything.

"A hologram." said Namine as Kairi examined the hooded man and ran her hand through him. Xion turned around as the three girls watch the hologram disappear from sight.

"So you've noticed." said the hooded man as he stood by the door to the next room. Namine turned around and managed to catch a keycard that he flick towards her. The pearl black Corridor appeared behind him and once he stepped through, he was gone along with the corridor. "Let's hurry." Namine ran up to the door to open it with the keycard. Once it was opened they all went through. All three girls were on there own as they each defeated a Heartless in every white room they entered and soon met up with each other as they came to the final room. Xion held onto the last keycard that would open the door that lead to the second level of the castle. When the door was opened, Xion along with Kairi and Namine went through. They soon stood by the flight of stairs that lead to the 2nd floor as Xion ran ahead, but quickly stopped when the corridor appeared to block her path as the hooded man stepped out.

"Is Roxas really that important to you?" asked the man.

"I thought the blonde would be a great match up for him, but she has my approval." said another voice that echoed as another Corridor appeared from behind the hooded man.

"Why are you here?" asked the hooded man as Axel stepped out from the corridor.

"I got board of babysitting." said Axel with a smirk as the corridor disappeared. "You should learn to share."

"Share?" said Xion in discuss. "You're sick, you know."

"What can I say, I like girls and it's just how I roll." said Axel with a smirk as the hooded man let out a huge sigh. Axel looked at the three girls and waved at Namine as she waved back.

"Fine. You deal with them." said the hooded man as he disappeared from their sight. Axel crossed his arms and examined the three girls that stood in front of him. "It's nice to meet you again blondie, so do you want to tell me your name now and introduce me to your friends?"

"Is this guy Axel?" asked Kairi as Namine nodded. "Oh, okay. Hi, it's nice to meet you at last. Namine has told us about you."

"So, your name is Namine." said Axel as he uncrossed his arms and extended them out as large balls of fire erupted from his hands. When the fire had cease, he held two eight sided chakrums in his hands as he spun with his left than right while slightly bobbing his upper body. Namine noticed that his movements was different from before. "That's a nice name for a pretty girl."

"Must we fight?" said Namine as Xion and Kairi both drew their keyblade. "You seem like a nice guy, so why not just take us to Roxas?"

"Sorry cutie, but I have my orders." said Axel as he threw a chakrum towards Xion. Xion quickly swung at it, but as she hit the chakrum, it had exploded on impact. The blast sent Xion back to the white wall as she fell to the white floor, feeling stunned from the impact from the wall. Axel quickly regenerated another chakrum in his hand as Kairi charged him. Axel quickly moved aside from Kairi's attack and blocked another attack as he quickly leap to safety. He threw his other chakrum that erupted into flames towards Kairi. She quickly cast a ice projectile towards the chakrum that instantly froze the chakrum as it fell to the floor and shattered. Kairi quickly cast another ice projectile towards Axel while he was still in the air, but Axel only smirked as his body erupted into flames and disappeared. He reappeared next to Namine as Kairi searched for him. "I think her boyfriend is missing."

"Who Sora?" asked Namine as Axel nodded. "Why would you say that? How do you even know him?"

"With no way off his island, how would he missing? Cause he's not here, but I'll explain things later." said Axel as Kairi finally spotted Axel. She hurled her keyblade towards him that emitted a cold mist from her keyblade. Axel quickly threw both his flaming chakrums towards the keyblade that collided into each other that was followed by a huge explosion. Kairi saw the flicker of her keyblade as she dodged it as her weapon flew pass her and went straight into the wall that instantly froze. Xion quickly stood upright, but she still felt a little dazed as she spotted Axel regenerating another pair of chakrums in his hand while Kairi quickly went to withdraw her keyblade from the wall. Axel seemed to be sneering as he threw his one of his chakrum towards Kairi while his other one flew towards Xion. Namine had finally decided to move as she sent one keyblade to protect each of her friends as Axel heard the air being slice. He saw as each of his chakrums split in half and exploded.

"Not again." sighed Axel as he only scratched the back of his red hair. He then lit up in a pillar of fire to dodge Xion's attack and stood by the stairs. Xion was about to pursue him, but Namine held her back as Kairi had finally managed to fully pull her keyblade out of the wall. "Bravo, way it go Namine." clapped Axel, "For your hard work, you deserve a prize." Axel dug into his pockets and held up a single keycard as he flicked it at the girls. Kairi, Xion, and Namine had all managed to catch one in their hand as the Corridor appeared. "Good luck."

Axel waved at the three girls and disappeared out of their sights along with the Corridor. Xion examined the golden keycard in her hand that had a small picture on it. "Why would he give us three?"

"Nice guy, but he's weird." agreed Kairi as her keyblade disappear from her hand as the three girls walked up the flight of stairs.

13th Floor

Roxas watched as the Corridor appeared in front of him and disappeared with Axel standing in front of him. "They reached the second level." said Axel as he walked in circles around Roxas. "I can take on the red head and the one with the short fused, but I'm still no match for Namine."

"You fought her before?" asked Roxas as he shifted his arms in a comfortable position. Even with his gloves on it felt like the ropes where being tore into his skin. "When?"

"That time I showed up and knocked that noggin of yours. I was supposed to take you here, but that day Namine stopped me from doing so. I didn't feel right about fighting her, but I had my orders." said Axel while he kept walking circles.

"So, why are you helping Marluxia?" asked Roxas as he shifted his weight around so that his leg wouldn't get numb. "What's in it for you?"

"He didn't guarantee anything in return for our service, but if he does manage to succeed in taking over as head leader, than I guess I'll switch sides." explained Axel while he scratched the back of his head.

"How does he plan on controlling me? It's not like I'll work for him." said Roxas as Axel thought for a moment while staring out into space.

"Either he'll force you by threaten one of your three girlfriends, but I think he figured out which one of them cares the most for you." said Axel as he placed a hand on his chin and thought of another theory. "Or maybe he'll cut a deal with Vanitas."

"Vanitas?" said Roxas questionably.

"Yeah, Vanitas was known to be able to possess others." said Axel as he looked to Roxas.

"Oh, right." said Roxas sadly. "He possessed Sir Ventus, but I think Vanitas would only go along with Marluxia's plan until he doesn't need him anymore. Which scares me more."

Axel could see the seriousness on Roxas' face. Roxas looked to the ground thinking to himself, until he heard Axel snickering, "Even though you're a Nobody, you still feel fear." laughed Axel. "Uh…you're different from the rest of us."

"I wonder which floor they're at now." thought Roxas.

"Wherever they are, they better hurry." said Axel as Roxas looked to him as Axel strolled over to the nearest wall. "Once we've locate your other self then we'll leave this place and fuse you two together."

"I wish I could've let this whole thing go and just ran." said Roxas with a sigh, but he knew that it wouldn't matter. If someone was looking for the X-blade they would know that they would need his help, even though he didn't want to get involve with their plans.

"So, how was it to not deal with all this crappy orders and just live a normal life for once?" asked Axel as Roxas was brought out of his train of thought. "I'm sure it was a good life."

"Yeah, it was. I lived in Twilight Town and easily made friends. I got to know them and went to school with them, but I didn't like the independence studies or the homework that were required for you to pass a grade." said Roxas as he thought about Hayner, Pence, and Olette. "Everyday after school we would all go to the clock tower and have ice cream, but I could never tell them about my past. I knew that I was happy being with them, but every time I thought about the Organization hunting me down, it felt like the right time to see Ansem the Wise. I told him everything that I knew about the X-blade and knew that someone was looking for it, I even gave him the journals that I had. When I think about it now, maybe it was better that I didn't left."

"When you think about it, maybe it wasn't a mistake to leave." said Axel as Roxas looked at him. "Besides, you wouldn't have met Namine, the red head, and the cute one."

"Yeah, your right and FYI she's auburn." said Roxas with a chuckled as Axel laughed along with him, until the pearl black corridor appear with a tall woman stepping out, "What's she doing here?" asked Roxas as the Corridor disappeared while he noticed that the woman still had blonde hair with green eyes as she wore the same black clothes and boots. "She worst than Xion."

"You can't blame Larxene, Xemnas did assigned her to this castle along with half the other members." explained Axel as Larxene walked over to Roxas.

"Nice to see you again." sighed Roxas sounding annoyed. "Can you still pick up cable with those antenna?"

"Shut up, traitor." said Larxene.

"Yeah, she still does." said Axel as he and Roxas chuckled together while Larxene turned away from Roxas and walked over to Axel. "So, why are you here?"

"That's what I want to know. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be dealing with the three trespassers?" asked Larxene as she crossed her arms and glared at Axel, but he wasn't intimidated by her as he only smirked at her.

"Sorry, but I'm babysitting right now." said Axel as he gestured to Roxas as he glared at him. "Why don't you deal with them? Weren't you the one that wanted something to do? Anyways itching for a fight when we all ignored you?"

"Shut up I get the point." said Larxene as she strolled over to Roxas and looked him in the eye. "What's so special about you? I could gut you like a fish, right here, right now."

"Then what are you waiting for?" asked Roxas as Larxene drew a one inch cross daggered out of nowhere. She was now sitting on Roxas lap with the knife pointing into his neck, but she move when she didn't see the fear on Roxas' face. "Do you need permission from Daddy?"

"Roxas, that's enough." said Marluxia as he closed the door from behind him. "I already have Axel doing a solo mission for me." Marluxia took a step forwards and stopped in front of Roxas as Larxene withdrew her knife and got off him. "As for you, Axel does have a point. You sit around with nothing to do. Your only choice for entertainment is throwing your knifes and making holes in the wall. You can deal with the trespassers. They're on the sixth floor."

"Take this." said Axel with a card out. Larxene looked at the card and snatch it out of Axel hand. She puffed her cheeks and summoned the corridor and left the room without a word.

Sixth Floor - Castle Oblivion

"Well that was the last card." said Kairi in a happy tone that Xion found annoying. Namine rolled her eyes as they all exited the door to the next level. Once through the door, Kairi closed the door behind her and turn towards the flight of stairs with her friends. Xion breathed a long sigh of annoyance and boredom. She felt her body getting weaker and tired as it also applied to her friends. Xion than took a deep breath as she walked over to the stairs and sat on the first step. "You okay?"

"Just tired." said Xion as Namine and Kairi agreed with her. Who could blame her? They started from the 12th basement level and had been fighting nonstop as they went up a level. "Why did Rikku say not to used the Corridor?"

"Perhaps it's because she doesn't know much about this place and I don't think she'd been here." said Namine as she took out her MP3 player and turned on the sonar map. "The sonar reads that our position is the sixth floor, but on the fifth floor it doesn't show any of the rooms."

"Maybe it's the cards." said Kairi as her friends looked at her as she thought of a way to explain. "Think about it. When we started from the basement we've been using cards to go from level to level."

"What about the others? They were able to used the Corridor." said Xion as Kairi thought for another moment and came with a conclusion.

"They might've already been to all these floors." said Kairi as Xion thought her answer was kind of stupid while Namine talked into her cell phone.

"Your sure about this?" asked Namine as her friends wondered who she was talking to. "Okay, thanks Rikku." she closed her phone and turned to her friends. "Rikku said that Kairi's theory has been right, it's the cards that rule the castle and if we attempt to used the Corridor we would be stuck on the same level." Namine than opened the Corridor and step through. The Corridor disappeared and reappeared with Namine stepping out. "See what Rikku means."

"Where were you going?" asked Xion in disbelief.

"I tried to go to the 13th floor, but I still ended up here." said Namine as Kairi took a seat next to Xion while Namine sat on the opposite side of Xion. They didn't have anymore cards left as they waited to rethink of a plan. Namine's bag was feeling heaver, she than took off her bag and placed it next to her. Kairi had placed her elbows on her knees as she rested her chin on her hands while humming a happy tone that she made up. Xion lead back to rest on the third row step and look up at the white ceiling as she tried to stay awake, since Kairi's humming sounded like a lullaby.

"Maybe we should just go back to headquarters." suggested Xion as Kairi stopped humming and turned to look at Xion along with Namine. "Roxas should be safe with the Organization, right?"

"What are you saying?" asked Kairi as she stood up and clutched her hands into a fist. "The Organization knew about the X-blade, but it's not like Roxas will help them."

"Only until he becomes useless." said Namine as Kairi agreed with her. "That's if he doesn't have a choice to help them create a world of their own."

"You can't give up now when we're so close." said Kairi as her tone sounded more furious. Xion didn't say anything. She knew Kairi was only trying to encourage her, but she was almost at her limit. "It's not like you to just give up."

"She won't listen." said Namine as she stood up with Kairi and slang her backpack on her shoulder. "If you decide to change your mind we'll be waiting up stairs. Come on, Kairi."

"Xion, please, come with us." said Kairi as Xion still sat motionless. "I guess your mind made up." Kairi then followed after Namine up the stairs. Xion closed her eyes and listen to Kairi and Namine rush up the stairs.

"How heartbreaking." said a voice as Xion opened her eyes and sat up to look around. There was no one in sight, it was just her, but the voice sounded like a woman's voice. Xion than stood up and looked up stairs, but Kairi and Namine was nowhere on the stairs.

"Whose there?" said Xion as she drew her keyblade. Suddenly the Corridor appeared and disappeared as a woman with the same black coat stood in front of Xion. Her blonde hair was slicked back and had two antenna like lock of hair that sick out to the side. "Who are you?"

"Why should I tell you my name? You and your friends are trespassing." said the woman was a smile, but to Xion it sounded more like a come back.

"I usually like to know who I'm dealing with." said Xion.

"I usually like to know who I'm dealing with." mocked the woman in a little kid's voice. "Oh, please…your pretty lame for your age."

"Watch it." said Xion as she glared at the woman while gripping her keyblade. "I'm not in the mood to play around. Tell me where Roxas is."

"Roxas, Roxas, what is so special about that traitor?" said the woman with gnashing teeth. "My name is Larxene and I was sent to take out the trash. I was hoping their be more losers like you, but I guess you'll have to do." Xion saw that electricity was emitting from Larxene's hands as four pointy cross shape knives appeared between each of her fingers. Larxene than position her left forearm across her chest while her right arm was slightly held out off to her side. "You just had to piss me off."

To Be Continued…

Finally finish with this chapter and I hope you all were waiting patiently. Also, I would like to note is that I may need your help with future chapters for later on, but for now I hoped you enjoyed this and would also like to hear your feed back. So, please review, but no flames and I like to thank those that left their comments. Next chapter, "Shocking" see you until than.

Preview:

"Great, she losing it." sighed Axel

See ya.