Left you with a mean cliffhanger last chapter, didn't I? Hmm, yes, I did. Ah well, this will satisfy your needs. Hopefully.

18: The Shadows Lengthen


"There's so many idiots whose a$$es I have to kick! I'm gonna have to start carrying a list just to keep track of them all!" –Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist


The resolve seeped out of him as he stared at the figure before him.

Their hair was jet black, just like his, but shaggier and the right side of their face was covered by most of it. An angry, piercing, neon blue eye glared at him. Etched underneath this eye was a dark violet mark, like a scar that had been stitched up. A tight black jacket was stretched over a pale chest, the color a fluff of silver fur, the front laced together with black and red strings. A black and red collar decorated with spikes was clamped around their neck, on their left hand was a fingerless black glove, and their midriff was showing where their black pants hung low over their hips. A silver half-cloth swung from a belt around their waist and the ends of their pants were tucked into heavy black boots.

And smack dab in the middle of their jacket was the Heartless symbol.

It was Tom's Heartless.

"Hee hahaha!" The Heartless snickered, looking almost insane as he straightened up, the slash in his stomach healing over with a swirl of black energy, "Hee, hee, hee, hee! Ahaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaha!" He suddenly doubled over, laughing manically, a wild light spinning in his vivid blue eye as he stared at Xhostam, "You're so pathetic, Nobody! Ahaaaaahahahahahaaaaaahahaha-aaahhggggkk!" The Heartless's hideous expression of glee melted into one of shock and anger as a pale blue whip wrapped around his throat and dragged him to the tile floor.

Xilvin stood over Tom's Heartless, fist clenched tightly over the handle of his whip as he brought it up to stab the small blade on the end of it into the Heartless. Tom's Heartless sniggered brokenly, digging his fingers underneath the whip to try and free himself,

"You g-gonna kill me, little Nobody? Hee…hee hahahaha…" The Heartless switched his gaze to Xhostam who was still standing in shock, "If you do…hee hee hee…you d-destroy Tom's only ch-chance to…ahahaha…come back!"

Xilvin hesitated and the Heartless growled in a maniacal sort of way, raising one hand and blasting the Howling Storm off his feet. Then Tom's Heartless ripped the whip off from around his neck and tossed it aside, half giggling, half growling.

He stomped over to Xilvin, grabbed the front of the Nobody's cloak, and threw him as hard as he could against the wall. Xilvin crumpled, the wall cracking and dust showering down over him, and he slid to the floor, unconscious.

"Want your heart back, Nobody scum?" Tom's Heartless rounded on Xhostam who couldn't seem to get himself under control, "Ya' want it? Aheeheehee!" The Heartless let out a sneering laugh and slid closer to the Winged Slayer, "It's right in here! Drowned in darkness! Ahahaha!" He tapped his chest, "Heeeehahahahaaaaaa! Come and get it!"

Tom's Heartless lunged at Xhostam but an arm suddenly came out of thin air and caught him in the chest, knocking him off his feet and onto the floor. A chest followed the arm and then a whole person stepped out of the air. They were a little taller than Tom's Heartless and their skin was darker like they'd been out in the sun for a while. A pair of glasses, the lenses tinted dark violet sat on their nose, in front of glittering crimson eyes, their top was odd; it was trimmed in white, had no right sleeve, and the collar only came up on the left shoulder; there was a silver band clamped around the upper part of their right arm and two more on his lower arm were they held a white-trimmed black glove. Underneath the top, there was a sort of black, half skit with three belts that held it up to their chest and underneath that was a pair heavy black pants that sagged over a pair of black shoes.

The Heartless symbol glowed on their chest.

Kaz's Heartless, without a single doubt.

"Nameless!" Tom's Heartless half whined, half snarled, getting to his feet and glaring angrily at Kaz's Heartless, "What the heck!? I was just starting to have fun!"

"Exactly why I intruded." Nameless hissed, red eyes narrowing, "You, Odium, foolishly revealed us to them!" Kaz's Heartless pointed at Xhostam who was shaken so badly he was frozen, "Our plans are RUINED!"

"Tch," Odium spat, "They already knew."

Nameless slapped Odium with a crack that echoed down the hallway, "Idiot!" He growled, "Get back into the Realm of Darkness if you know what's good for you!"

Odium giggled and then started outright laughing. He pushed past Nameless and leered over Xhostam, nearly falling over from laughter.

"Go back and tell that stupid Organization," Tom's Heartless hooted, "Ahaaaahahahahaha! Tell them that Odium and Lord Nameless are gonna kick their butts! Ahahahahahahaheeheehahahahaha!"

Nameless suddenly reached forward and grabbed the back of Odium's jacket, hauling him away. Still holding onto the howling Odium, Nameless' cold eyes flitted over to the horrified Xhostam.

"Here's a parting gift." Kaz's spiky haired Heartless reached out, placed his hand on the Winged Storm's chest, and let loose a blast of super-heated dark energy that made Xhostam stumble backwards. When he'd recovered and looked up again, the two Heartless were gone.

Xhostam's legs collapsed underneath him and he crashed to the floor. Tears streamed from his eyes. He realized how vulnerable he and Xilvin were and crawled over the tile floor to the Howling Storm. He looped a shaking arm around his fellow Nobody's waist, raised a hand, and summoned a Passage of Darkness. Then, with much effort and sniffling, he dragged himself and his companion into the portal, ignoring as much as he could the agony blazing in his chest.

Xhostam collapsed onto a soft carpeted floor, his heading spinning with pain and his breath coming up short. He was well aware of Xilvin's warm presence beside him and…wait a second. Xhostam pushed himself off of his stomach, eyes starting to blur as his consciousness was twisted in circles. There was deep red staining the back of Xilvin's orange-red hair and it was seeping down his neck.

"Xil?" The Winged Slayer put his gloved fingertips to the dark spot on the Howling Storm's head and felt the fabric of his glove become damp. Xhostam stared at the dark blood on his hands, breathing quickening as he comprehended just what was happening, "Xilvin! Xilvin! Wake up!" Darkness was tugging at his mind, he could barely stay upright anymore, "Xilvin! Come on, don't Fade on me!" Images blurred together with sounds. People's voices and the black fabric of Xilvin's cloak, "Xilviiiiiiiinnnnnnn!" Tears blurred everything, darkness converged on him, and he sank to the floor, dead to the world.

Everything came back into focus slowly.

First it was sound and then, as he opened his eyes, sight. He had to blink a couple of times to get everything into focus and when he did, he found himself on his stomach on a mattress with a thick blanket pulled over him. With a groan, Xilvin struggled upright but a throbbing pain at the back of his head made him collapse as the room tilted crazily around him.

"Yeah, I wouldn't move if I were you." It was Demyx, no one else could sound that tentative, "You got hit in the back of the head pretty bad. What happened to you two?"

"Xhostam…?" The Howling Storm whispered and his vision blurred with the effort.

"Passed out. The front of his cloak was blasted off and there was a nasty burn mark on his chest. He's still not awake."

"Uhhhhgg…" Xilvin screwed his eyes shut, trying to control the spinning feeling in his head, "There was…a Heartless…"

"A Heartless did this to you?"

"Tom's Heartless…" A hot sensation made Xilvin's blood boil, "He was…laughing at us…mocking us…with his heart…" Xilvin winced as pain of a different kind stabbed into his mind.

A rustling in the bushes. He turns around but there's nothing there. Suspicion makes him creep closer as more of the foliage moves. He squints at it but there doesn't seem to be—

Something rises out of the greenery, he only catches a glimpse of its liquid-like body crackling with energy before it shoots forward and through him! He stumbles backwards and spins around, eyes wide with fear and wonder. What was that!? He felt it go through his body and…and take something from him! Confused and flooded with curiosity, he dashes off into the forest, trying to chase after what he assumes is the ever illusive Iparu…

Brow furrowing, Xilvin pushed himself upright again, ignoring the spiraling sensation that made it feel like the room was trying to tip him over. He staggered to his feet, cringing from the pain, and stumbled into Demyx who caught him.

"Take it easy! What if you Fade!?"

"I'm not…not gonna Fade!" Xilvin growled, shoving himself away form the Melodious Nocturne, "Where's Xhostam!?"

"Over there." Demyx pointed and Xilvin turned around slowly to see the Winged Slayer stretched out on a table top. Number XV's cloak was missing, as was the shirt he'd worn underneath, and Xilvin could see the raw and shiny skin left by a third degree burn.

"Why haven't you healed it!?" The Howling Storm growled, glaring his hazel eyes at the unfortunate Demyx. Under any other circumstance, it would have been hilarious to see a grown man cringing away from a teenager.

"We just got you two in here." Xilvin turned away from Demyx to look at Luxord who was standing in the doorway. Two faces peered past him; Roxas and Axel, "You only came back a few moments ago. How Xhostam managed to remain conscious with a wound like he has now is a great feat."

"I don't care!" Xilvin snapped and jabbed a finger at the unconscious Xhostam, "Heal him!"

"Roxas…" Luxord motioned and the Key of Destiny moved past him, summoning Oathkeeper with flourish. Roxas stepped up to the Winged Slayer, raised the Keyblade, and whispered a single word that the Howling Storm was unable to catch. Green light accompanied by flowers and tinkling bells descended across Xhostam and the horrid burn on his chest faded away. Roxas moved away as the Winged Slayer groaned, opened his eyes, and sat upright, blinking a couple of times. He noticed all the Nobodies gathered around him, let his eyes settle briefly on Xilvin, then got up and dashed out of the room.

Xilvin barreled past a rather surprised looking Axel and tried to follow. He caught up with the Winged Slayer in the bathroom. Xhostam was leaning over a sink with the tap running, tears streaming down his face; he was practically screaming he was crying so hard.

"Xhostam?" Xilvin said tentatively, "What's up?"

"I…I…I know A-Axel said we w-w-weren't supp-pposed to f-feel anything!" Xhostam cried, bare shoulders shaking, "B-but I w-w-was s-so scared! I c-couldn't do a-a-a-anything! Even wh-when they were k-k-killing you! I was j-j-j-just t-to sc-scared!" He sank to the floor, sobbing.

Xilvin crouched down beside him, a cold sensation spread across his chest as he put a comforting hand Xhostam's shoulder, "Hey, it'll be okay. We can deal with this. We'll get our hearts back and then everything will be the way it's supposed to be. Okay?"

Xhostam nodded and sniffed, wiping his face with the back of his hand, "I saw Kaz's H-Heartless." He whispered, "H-he was s-so…evil…"

"Enough." Xilvin said, shaking his head, "We'll talk about this later." He stood up and pulled Xhostam to his feet as well. Then he shut off the water and headed for the door.

"Xil?" The Howling Storm stopped, his hand resting on the door handle. Xhostam sounded so small and alone.

"Yeah?"

"Do you…does your chest ache when they get close to you too?"

Xilvin looked at the tile floor beneath his heavy black boots, hazel eyes narrowing and dimming as he thought back to what it had been like around the sentient Heartless, "Yes." He whispered softly, "The empty space inside of me was calling for the heart that was wrapped in their darkness." He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment or two and then slammed the door open and stomped out. Xhostam followed a little ways behind.

Both of them ignored the stares and whispers of the humans who were wondering what had transpired outside the Cafeterias.

Would it be cliché of me to say things are getting a little chaotic? (grin)

It seems to me that even though they said that Nobodies could only copy emotions and couldn't really fell them, that in KH 2 Axel genuinely cared about Roxas. I mean, he was really upset when Roxas left, wasn't he? And how can you fake friendship? They were best friends! So there.

Baka chapter titles. I couldn't think of good one. Went through, like, three. Looked through all my manga for a good idea. Ended up reading them really. Grrrr.

Thanks for reading, please leave me a review, and have a great day!