A/N: Alright, first of all I would like to thank all of you for your never-ending patience for me and my ability to only spit out one, maybe two, chapters a month. Second of all, I would like to also thank you for reading this. It's definitely not my most popular story, but I have to admit, it's my favorite. Also, I would like to thanks NinjaSheik for reviewing. Thanks for your support! And with that, I shut up once again so that you can finally read the next chapter.
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts, its characters, and other whatnot does not belong to me. There's a shocker.
"The pieces are moving at long last," Xemnas said in his rumbling voice. The entirety of Organization XIII was assembled around him on their thrones; some listening attentively while others dozed in their seats. "The keyblade warrior has slain the Heartless called Ansem, and the Princesses of Heart have been returned to where they belong. The worlds have been healed, and all has returned to the way it was."
Listening to his Superior's every word, Saix allowed his gaze to flicker in Number XIII's direction. The boy seemed to be paying more attention as of late; however, his eyes remained empty, almost as if his mind was elsewhere. At least his performance on his missions seemed to be improving; otherwise he would have been nothing but a useless burden. And that was the last thing the Organization needed him to be. Whether Saix liked it or not, Roxas was the only one with the ability to summon Kingdom Hearts. Well… him and one other…
"--which concludes the briefing on Castle Oblivion. The assigned members shall depart within the next week. Now, I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat." Watching a feminine figure enter the room, Saix eyed the cloaked figure with distaste. "Number XIV," Xemnas murmured in his monotone. At this, Saix had to suppress a growl of loathing. It was intolerable that this… doll was being accepted among their ranks. Although it was only a false induction, it was enough to make the berserker's teeth grind together. As the doll's introduction came to a close and the other members began to depart, Saix noticed Xemnas turn his head toward him. Taking this as a signal to stay, Saix remained on his throne as the last members finally left. "Has the other keyblade warrior been found yet Saix?"
"I'm afraid not milord," he confessed.
"My patience is wearing thin Number VII. That warrior should have been at our disposal by now," the silver-haired man said, eyes narrowing at the Nobody seated below him.
"Only a little more time is needed, I assure you. I beg your patience in this matter."
"Very well, but I shall expect progress to be made soon. Do you have any possible leads?"
Instantly, Runa's face came to mind. "Indeed I do milord," the Luna Diviner smirked.
"Then go." Bowing his head to his Superior one last time, Saix then disappeared in a flash of black.
"Thanks again you three!" Runa called out, a bag of supplies under her arm. "And be sure to stay out of trouble! I'm tired of chasing all of you across town," she said, giving a pointed glare toward Huey, Dewey, and Louie. However, the three ducks seemed to pay her no mind as they hurriedly turned to greet their next customer. The three ducks had returned a few days ago, along with the majority of the original inhabitants of Hollow Bastion. However, she had seen neither hide nor hair of her other friends. None of the villagers knew where Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid could possibly be hiding either. Sighing and shaking her head, Runa simply began to make her way back toward the castle. Snow now covered the walkways throughout the small village, and the hills had grown more slippery as well.
Speaking of slippery hills, Runa was now sliding down one of them at a dangerous rate. Desperately digging her heels into the soft snow, she began to slow down slightly but not nearly as much as she needed. She was sliding so fast that it only took a few seconds to send her rolling to the bottom of the hill. The contents of her bag spilling all over the ground, Runa cursed underneath her breath as she began to dig through the snow. And as she continued to gather her things, a black boot suddenly appeared in front of her. Glancing up at its owner, she cursed yet again when she saw whom it belonged to.
"Scrounging about, are we?" Saix questioned, raising a single, slender eyebrow. "Befitting for one such as yourself."
"What do you want now?" she grumbled. "I'm in no mood to put up with you at the moment, so if you've come all the way here just to mock me…"
"As entertaining as it sounds I must decline. This time, I am here on business," the Luna Diviner said in his monotone. "And I have questions for you wench."
"Oh really," she huffed. "And you couldn't ask any of the other people here? They would be a lot more willing to deal with you." And with that she stood up and brushed by himwithout a glance. For a while, Saix stood frozen where he stood, unable to believe her cheek. Didn't she know now that he could dispatch her in a second?! A low growl rumbling deep in his throat, Saix's eyes flashed with a dangerous light. 'How dare she turn her back on me,' he thought, as each of his emotional barriers crumbled at his fast-approaching rage. Then, with a speed rarely used, Saix had grabbed Runa from the back of her shirt and threw her to the ground. Watching as she slowly pushed herself back up, Saix gave a small sneer as he walked towards her.
"I'm afraid that they can't answer the questions I have in mind," Saix smirked darkly, crouching on his haunches so that they were eye to eye. "Now, I have received information that a keyblade warrior holds residence here. What I want you to tell me is where to find him. Now," he hissed, grabbing her by her collar. "Where is he?"
Fixing the Nobody with a cool gaze, she murmured, "I have no idea what you're talking about. The only keyblade wielder I know of is that boy that came a week ago. His name was... Sora, I think?"
"Liar," he said coolly, "You know whom I'm talking about… I can see it in your eyes." Flicking his gaze about the area, a small smirk touched Saix's lips. "Where do you live anyway? You don't appear to inhabit the village." Hooking a finger under her chin, he suddenly felt a strange longing as he watched the fire dance in her emerald eyes. Before, it had only been simple anger. But now, the emotion had transformed into a fire he himself could never feel again. "I wonder… are you the one I've been searching for? Are you the one who has been evading me all this time?"
"Now you're just speaking nonsense," she retorted, jerking her face out of his hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be on my way before it gets any colder." As she turned away from the Nobody and began to walk away once again, Runa suddenly found herself surrounded by a group of Dusks.
"You didn't think that I'd let you go that easily, did you?" Saix smirked. "Foolish woman, I still have plenty of questions for you."
Swirling around to face him, she spat, "Go ask someone else! How many times do I need to say it?!"
"And how many times do I need repeat myself? …Perhaps the Dusks will persuade you to listen if I can't." And with a snap of his fingers, the Dusks descended upon Runa in the blink of an eye. Barely having enough time to even think, it was all she could do to dodge their attacks… and balance the bag she carried. A quick count told her that she was currently against about ten of them, and she was already tired enough from all the falling she had done lately, as stupid as it sounded. A desperate leap made to dodge one of the Dusks landed her next to the blue-haired man himself. "Ready to talk yet?" he asked, arms crossed as he leaned against a large boulder.
"What do ya think?!" she growled, panting for breath.
"As you wish," Saix shrugged, closing his eyes. "Although, you may want to move quickly." Giving a shrill shriek as one of the Dusks suddenly appeared beside her, Runa resumed her efforts to dodge their attacks. It annoyed her to no end how Saix could just stand there and watch, while she struggled for her life. 'Knowing him, it's probably some kind of sadistic pleasure. Yeah that's it... a sadistic pleasure alright,' she thought, running away wildly from the pursuing Nobodies. It amazed her that she had even made in one piece this far in the fight. After all, it was her brother who was used to this sort of thing. Looking behind as she ran, her face broke into a wide grin when she no longer saw the Dusks following her. "Ha! Suckers!" she laughed, beginning to slightly slow from her desperate run. "That's what you get… when you… mess with… crap." Right in front of her was what seemed to be an entire battalion of the annoying things.
"There you go again," Saix chuckled darkly from where he stood behind the Dusks. "Now, give me my answ-"
"Are you seriously doing all this just because I won't answer some stupid questions?!" Runa interjected exasperatedly. Saix was about to open his mouth for a stinging retort when the woman suddenly marched up to him, apparently forgetting the Dusks separating them, and slapped him across the face. "That is either the most immature thing I have ever heard of, or you're just the stupidest man I've ever met! I've put up with your crap time and time again, but this is it!" And while Runa continued her rant her abhorrence of him, she failed to notice Saix's eyes grow wider and brighter. "How can anyone put up with you?! Just standing in the same room as you must drive them insane!"
"Well, you've gotten his personality pinned down," a smooth, cocky voice chuckled. As Runa glanced around wildly for the voice's source, Saix attempted to regain his usual cool demeanor. In the matter of a few seconds, a portal of darkness opened at his side, and steeping out was none other than the crimson-haired Nobody himself. "Saix's, that is."
"Axel, what are you doing here?" Saix murmured, never taking his eyes off the woman before him.
"Thought I'd stop by and say hello. Isn't that what friends are for?" he smirked.
"Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Looks like somebody's in a bad mood. Oh well, I guess that can't be helped seeing as you're never even in a tolerable mood," he sighed, grinning slightly. In response, Saix simply raised his hand to summon another corridor. "Fine, fine. I get the message. Let's go, we've wasted enough time here, yadda yadda yadda," Axel said as he stepped through the same corridor he had exited only a few minutes ago. Pausing before he entered his own portal, Saix turned toward a wide-eyed Runa. Golden eyes narrowing, he snarled, "We'll meet again soon Runa." And with that, Saix disappeared into the darkness once again.
For a while, Runa could not move from the shock of what had just occurred. Apparently, there was more where Saix had come from... wherever that was. 'Well, at least it seems that he's starting to use my name. That's some improvement at least.' Taking a brief look at the setting sun, she gave a small sigh as she began the long walk back home. The supplies that she had bought earlier had been scattered beyond salvaging after that psychopath had set those… things on her.
After a while of trudging through the snow, Runa had finally approached Ansem's castle. Entering the complex maze that would eventually lead to his office, she walked through the series of turns until it seemed that she was hopelessly lost. However, when she suddenly placed her hand on a small patch of smooth brick, the wall opened to reveal a fairly large room. And within that room, was a small boy with red hair and green eyes, practicing with his keyblade. As he turned toward the sound of the door opening, his face broke out into a large grin. "Sister! You're back!" he said happily. "What took you so long?"
"Sorry about that Alec," Runa smiled, ruffling his hair. "I got a little side-tracked by that man again today. And you know what? He made me lose all our groceries too!"
A/N: Aaaaaaaannnnnd that's it for now folks! So, the keyblade warrior that you've heard about is finally revealed. Yeesh, that took long enough. Well, you'll be happy to know that the plot will be progressing more from this point on. Thank you again for reading!
