Author's Note: (forevermagik13) You can honestly thank Joseph for this chapter. Which is funny, because he doesn't usually reside in my head. However, rarmaster gave me the go-ahead for this chapter (And then helped me tremendously with the conversation between Namine and Joseph toward the end there.)

The unmistakable sound of dark corridors appearing penetrated Castle Oblivion.

Namine and Riku had been sitting next to each other on the couch. Several other people lounged about. Joseph sat in the middle of the floor, doing something actually as harmless as coloring.

"Get out of here!" Riku hissed, looking at Namine. "They're looking for you."

Namine was about to form a dark corridor of her own as means of escape, when Joseph spoke up.

"Here, let me take her somewhere," he said.

Riku frowned, not sure if he liked this idea.

"You do realize that Joseph knows more about Castle Oblivion than the rest of us put together?" 29 whispered. "Because he's spent every day since the Rebellion started learning every hiding space to hide when he's in trouble?"

Riku sighed. He turned to Joseph.

"If something happens to her, I'll kill you myself," he said.

Joseph saluted.

Had the situation been different, Namine would have chastised Riku for threatening to kill Joseph, but now wasn't really the time.

Joseph reached over and grabbed Namine's hand. He then led her through a dark corridor of his own.

"Well, there, now we won't have to worry about him in battle," Amaryllis said.

Riku couldn't really argue with that, but he was still worried that something would happen to them. Joseph couldn't really fight… but 29 was right when he said that Joseph knew every hidey-hole in Castle Oblivion.

Riku then turned to the lovely raiding party. It consisted of one Lexaeus Replica, two Marluxias, one Larxene, and one other Vexen besides 37.

"Let's take 'em out," Riku said, charging after the Larxene, merely because he wanted to kill her before she talked.

Though, if she did start talking, she'd probably piss Riku off to the point where he'd just kill her anyway. Moral of the story, that Larxene Replica was doomed to die.

"Hey! You used to be on our side!" said one of the Marluxia Replicas, looking at the only Lexaeus Replica on the Rebellion.

"Yes," he replied stiffly. "And then Saix disabled 4."

The Marluxia Replica didn't have an argument for that. Though, that might have been because Snapdragon and Amaryllis started fighting him.

"Do you just hate me or something?" the Larxene Replica asked Riku, sending a lovely blast of lightning in his direction.

"Yes," Riku replied, dodging the lightning. "Especially when you do that!"

"Ooh, does poor little Riku not like lightning? How about I send some more his way?"

She did just that. Riku backflipped out of its reach.

"Where's your precious Namine?" she asked. "I know she's here."

Riku growled and landed a combo on the Larxene Replica's head. Sadly, it didn't kill her. However, she was left rather reeling from the blow.

"Why do you protect her so much?" she asked. "I mean, she's not the most…"

"Shut it Larxy!" one of the Marluxia's (the one not dealing with Amaryllis and Snapdragon) hissed. "He's just going to kill you faster!"

"Don't call me Larxy!" she shrieked.

She shouldn't have responded, Riku plunged his blade through her chest when she wasn't looking.

"Didn't want to hear what you had to say anyway," he told her disappearing body.

Then he turned to the Marluxia Replica.

"I didn't say anything!" he said.

"Yeah, but you're on Saix's side," Riku replied, launching into Helm Split.

xx

"Joseph," Namine said, looking around. "Are we in Twilight Town?"

Joseph nodded. "They can search all of Castle Oblivion if they want, but they aren't gonna find you. Because you aren't there!"

"That's a good idea!" Namine exclaimed. "But then how are we going to know when the raid's stopped? Riku comes to my room right after…"

Joseph frowned, he hadn't thought of that part. "Well, how long do the raids usually last?"

Namine shrugged. "I really haven't paid any attention."

Granted, she had a meltdown every other raid or so. And she had no concept of time when she was having a meltdown.

"Well, I think we have time to get an ice-cream, don't you?" Joseph asked, looking hopeful. "Then we can just go back to Castle Oblivion and hide out somewhere. 29 and Riku both know we're supposed to be hiding."

"Yeah, that's true…"

"So, ice cream?"

Namine laughed, then nodded.

"Shweet!" Joseph said.

xx

The only two casualties so far had been one Marluxia Replica, and that Larxene Replica. Both of them had come with 37, and both of them had been killed by Riku. Now most of everyone's attention was being focused on the Lexaeus Replica. A few people were focusing on the Vexen Replica. The second Marluxia Replica had accompanied 37 to gather the Program—considering 37 never seemed to be able to manage it by himself because Alpha always had a couple of Vexen Replicas to help him.

"Please!" the Vexen Replica pleaded. "Have mercy! I have information!"

"How can we trust you?" 19 asked. "You're on their side."

"Please, let me just tell you what I know. You can decide if it's truthful or not. I don't want to fight anymore!"

"Oh someone just take him into custody," Riku said. "I think we can keep him from causing harm."

Thistle rushed to aid 19 in taking the Vexen Replica away.

"Wonder what he has to say," 23 wondered.

"Don't know, don't really care," Riku replied. "But if he's gonna go and snivel like that and say he has information, I'll let him talk."

"You won't even be the one questioning him," 29 said.

Riku shrugged. "It doesn't matter right now. We have to take care of the rest of the people."

Granted, now that the Vexen Replica was no longer a problem, it was only the Lexaeus Replica. This raiding party hadn't been as prepared as others it seemed.

"You should go after 37," Snapdragon said. "Especially since he has help. He may be after more than just the Program."

Which Riku took to mean: Make sure Namine is safe, because I don't want to deal with you if she isn't.

Riku gave a curt nod and formed a dark corridor to where the computer room was. 37 and his Marluxia helper were most likely going to be there.

xx

"So, Joseph," Namine said, swinging her legs over the edge of the Clock Tower. "Was this just one of your ploys to get ice-cream?"

"I suppose," Joseph said with a shrug. "It's been a while since I've had ice-cream."

Namine laughed. "But don't you go by yourself if you ask permission?"

Joseph shrugged. "I do, but it's boring without someone to go with."

"Maybe I could go with you sometimes," Namine suggested.

"Yeah," Joseph said. "Except you're always with Riku."

Namine wasn't sure what to say to that. She bit her lip.

"Well… maybe I could convince him to come, too," she said after a moment.

Joseph grimaced. He opened his mouth, and then paused, not sure how he was supposed to explain the fact that being around the two of them together was… well… awkward. Finally, he just settled on: "Riku doesn't really like me…"

Namine sighed. "Okay, well, how about this? Next time Riku's busy, we'll go get ice cream." She turned to Joseph and smiled.

Joseph slowly took a bite of his ice cream. Once he had swallowed, he grinned. "Sure, if you don't mind!" he replied.

Namine laughed. "It's no problem."

"Cool!"

"So Joseph-" Namine began, but was forced to pause due to a bit of poor planning. She had taken a bite of ice cream right as she had started that sentence. She finished chewing, swallowed, and continued what she had been saying. "This might be a random question, but why doesn't Riku like you?"

"I annoy him," Joseph replied simply, sounding the least bit bothered by this.

"Do you have any idea why?" Namine asked slowly.

"Nope!" Joseph laughed.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

Joseph shrugged. "Not particularly."

xx

37's Marluxia helper had come in handy, considering he was the one who currently had Alpha in a headlock. 37 was questioning Alpha, completely ignoring the now unconscious Vexen Replica lying on the ground. (He had an icicle spear going through his leg.) Granted 37 could probably ignore said unconscious Vexen Replica because he had been the one to stab the icicle through his leg.

"If you give me the Program, I'll tell Saix that Namine isn't here," 37 said coolly.

"I'm not going to give you access to the Program," Alpha replied stiffly.

37 frowned. "Does your lack of mentioning Namine mean that she is actually here?"

Alpha didn't respond.

"Where is the infamous Miss Namine?" 37 spat.

"I honestly don't know," Alpha replied, his voice level.

"She has to be here, doesn't she? She's always with Riku!"

"I can honestly tell you, that right now, Namine is not with Riku," Alpha said.

"How do you know?"

Alpha tilted his head slightly forward, gesturing to behind where 37 was standing. 37 spun around and was face-to-face with Riku. Just as Alpha had said, Namine was not with him.

"Leave now and I'll pretend that you never said a word about Namine," he said, his voice flat.

"She's here, isn't she?" 37 said, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm not about to tell you," Riku spat.

37 flinched. He raised his hand and formed a dark corridor around himself. The Marluxia Replica did the same.

"I should've killed him," Riku muttered.

"You say that every time," Alpha told him, rubbing his neck where the Marluxia Replica had been pressing a scythe. There were only a couple of drops of blood.

"Are there still others?" he asked.

"Just a Lexaeus Replica," Riku replied. "Though I'm sure they've handled him by now. The only other one was a Vexen Replica that begged to be taken into custody."

"Why?"

"Said he had info."

"Is it any good?"

Riku shrugged. "I don't think anyone's questioned him yet. Well, 19 may have started."

"So we take people into custody now?"

Riku shrugged again. "I just know that if he's lying, or just said that so we won't kill him—he'll wish he died in battle."

Alpha grimaced.

"Here, can you help me get 26 into the computer room?" he asked.

"Sure," Riku said, banishing his blade. He was itching to get back to Namine, but he'd have to go hunting after wherever Joseph had taken her…

(Yes, I promise there is more to come. Riku and Namine will be reunited and that pesky Vexen Replica will have to be questioned. Why do I sound like I'm introducing next week's episode of some TV show?)