It was still nighttime in Sublime City but in spite of that, the city was alive, full of people cheering and celebrating the long awaited defeat of the Sisterhood of Seven. They were meticulously not ringing any of the bells though, choosing to wait until dawn as usual. Inside Sublime Manor though, the mood was much more subdued, albeit still cheerful. Nixe sat upright in her bed, watching as Si'Lea fluffed a pillow for her.

"You sure you don't need anything else? I can get you some fresh linens if you'd like?" Si'Lea asked but Nixe merely chuckled, undoing the cloth in her hair, letting her hair down.

"I'm fine mom, really. I just need some rest. I still kinda…feel a bit weird about all that's happened." Nixe said as Si'Lea placed the pillow behind Nixe's head.

"I know. It might take some time to get used to, but if you need anything, you can just call me." Si'Lea said as Nixe gave a nod.

"Uh-huh." She replied. Si'Lea then smiled warmly at her, gently putting a hand to her cheek.

"I'm just happy to have you back. When I saw First-…" Si'Lea said, pausing, visibly uncomfortable from the memory.

"Mom." Nixe interrupted, looking at her sympathetically. Si'Lea sighed with relief.

"Right. Well, if you ever need someone to talk to about it, it's what I'm here for." Si'Lea said, ruffling Nixe's hair, Nixe giggling slightly. They then heard a knock on the door. They turned and saw Riku standing in the doorway, smiling in at them.

"Hope I'm not interrupting. I just wanted to stop in and say goodnight before turning in." Riku said as Si'Lea looked to Nixe who nodded.

"I was kinda hoping you'd come." Nixe said as Riku stepped in, approaching the bed.

"Do you want some privacy?" Si'Lea asked, earning a coy smirk from Nixe.

"Even if I say yes you'll still linger outside the door, regardless, right?" she asked, calling Si'Lea out. The Keyblade Master merely chuckled in amusement.

"I think I can trust him around you…it's actually you I have to trust around him." Si'Lea said, earning a raspberry from Nixe as the Keyblade Master headed for the door. Nixe then looked at Riku.

"How are you feeling?" Riku asked.

"Same as the last dozen or so times mom's asked me. Tired." Nixe replied.

"Yeah, I heard her asking you that so thought I'd add to the aggravation." Riku said, chuckling as Nixe giggled.

"Alright you…so…uh…you're Riku, huh?" she asked as Riku gave a nod.

"Yes. I'm the real deal." He replied.

"What happened to the other you?" Nixe asked, a little saddened by his answer. Riku frowned slightly, saddened by his answer. He placed his hand on his chest.

"Right here. He had me absorb him. He was dying, and wouldn't have lived for very long from the injuries he sustained. But don't worry, his memories live on in me. I remember every moment of the time he spent with you." Riku explained as Nixe smiled, albeit saddened.

"So you're just like him…or was he just like you?" she asked as Riku scratched the back of his head.

"Probably would be fair to say that it's a little of both." Riku replied as Nixe gave a nod.

"Right. So…did he…did he ever…" Nixe stammered, earning Riku's attention.

"Ever…what?" Riku asked.

"Did he ever have…feelings for me? Do you have…" she asked, hesitant to ask the question. Riku took a breath.

"That's…that's a difficult question to answer right now. There are some memories that I got from him that I'm still…I'm still trying to process them right now." Riku said as Nixe gave a saddened nod.

"Right. But you'll let me know once its clear right, even if it's bad news?" Nixe asked, Riku giving a nod.

"You can count on it." Riku said before starting to back away from the door.

"I guess this is goodnight, huh? You going back home in the morning?" Nixe asked as Riku gave a nod.

"Yeah. Kairi's and my training still isn't complete. Sora's still got a lot to show us. But assuming your mom is fine with it, you should drop in sometime." Riku said as Nixe smiled.

"Sure. Oh, one more thing, Riku. I know she's asleep in here right now but, Xenix wanted to thank you for protecting her. She really appreciated it." Nixe said as Riku smiled with a chuckle.

"Any time." He replied, walking out the door, turning out the light, and closing the door behind him. As expected though, Si'Lea was standing outside the door, leaning against the wall nearby with her arms crossed. Riku's smile vanished immediately (Ambiance Cue: Night of the Dark Dream – BBS FM).

"I imagine you have questions." Si'Lea said but Riku merely looked straight ahead.

"A few, but not for you. Besides, at the moment, I don't fully trust you. You took something from us, something we cherished. I don't want to hear your reasoning right now, but I will eventually. For now, I leave you with this warning. Cross Sora again, and I will reveal all to the worlds." Riku said as Si'Lea took a deep breath, a look of consternation on her face, before she gave a quiet nod.

"I understand." Si'Lea said. Riku didn't even react, walking away from her down the hall. Si'Lea shivered slightly as she looked at her coat, the blue coat with golden cuffs and lining that denoted her as a Keyblade Master. She gently touched the right sleeve, quietly reminiscing upon her past before quietly walking away from the door, heading for her room.

…

Elsewhere in the Manor, Kairi and Namine sat alone in one of the spare rooms, Kairi brushing Namine's hair. Namine was back in her familiar dress and blue sandals. Her coat however lay draped across a nearby chair.

"You were incredible, Namine. I'm sorry to admit, but I didn't think you even had that kind of power." Kairi said, Namine smiling slightly.

"Don't apologize. I surprised myself. I'm just glad everything's worked out for the best." Namine said with a smile. That smile was short lived as she unexpectedly frowned.

"What's wrong? Did I find a tangle?" Kairi asked.

"No, it's not that. It's nothing really." Namine said. Kairi stopped brushing, moving to sit down next to her, looking at her Nobody worriedly.

"Namine, what's wrong? Something's bothering you. I can tell." Kairi said as Namine took a breath.

"There's…there's something I want to ask you." Namine said as Kairi looked at her curiously.

"About what?" she asked.

"I'd…I'd like twenty-four hours, maybe less, I can't say for sure how long it would take. But there's some things I need to take care of. When I'm done, then I'll come back to you." Namine said but Kairi seemed disappointed.

"Of course you can have that. I'd even understand if you wanted to remain separate, to keep your independence. I'd have no problem with that." Kairi said, Namine smiling appreciatively but sadly.

"But I would. Without you, I am Nothing. A Nobody. My place is part of you, completing you." Namine said before rising from her seat, moving towards the chair with her coat on it, and pulling on the coat.

"Namine?" Kairi asked, worried for her Nobody.

"Kairi...you've known for some time now that I'm suffering. I am the Witch on Sora's list. My suffering is not yet ended. There are wrongs that I must right. Sora will be returning to the Destiny Islands tonight. Don't go after him until tomorrow. He'll need time to himself." Namine said before disappearing in a Corridor of Darkness, leaving a concerned Kairi behind.

"Sora?" she asked into the empty room, worried for what might happen.

…

Si'Lea was walking to her room when she saw Terra leaning on the wall outside her door.

"I was wondering if I'd see you before bed." Si'Lea said, Terra looking at the opposite wall.

"You've seen my Darkness. You should be afraid of me." He said softly.

"I don't fear your Darkness, Terra. If anything, it only reaffirms that you're still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago. I've always known you to have that bad boy streak in you." Si'Lea said as Terra allowed a small smile to appear on his face, a slight snort of amusement.

"All those years ago…and now? Now that we're so…" Terra said, looking at her.

"I'm not as young as I used to be." She replied.

"I'm not as old as I should be." Terra added.

"How do we want to approach this?" Si'Lea asked as Terra stood up off the wall.

"It's…it's still too fresh to process. It still feels like only yesterday that I last saw you." Terra said as Si'Lea smiled slightly.

"Is it the eye? Be honest. I know it's not pretty." Si'Lea said but Terra shook his head.

"Your wounds are physical. Mine are of the heart. I envy you that. I wish it were my eye that was injured by the Darkness…not the other." Terra said, starting to walk away. Si'Lea watched him departing with a sad smile.

"I wish my wounds were physical too." She mumbled, walking into her room, closing the door behind her. She shrugged off her coat, tossing it onto her bed before sitting down at a makeup mirror. There weren't really any cosmetics to speak of. Just a brush, comb, and mirror along with some old photographs of the Guardians, her and Nixe, and the photo she had of Terra, Ven, and Aqua from eleven years ago. She reached into one of the drawers where a box full of spare eye patches were. She pulled one out of the box, pulling it out of the wrapper, holding it up towards her face. She looked herself in the mirror for a moment, contemplating putting it on. Finally, she took a breath, putting the patch back into the wrapper and tossed it back into the drawer, closing it. But when she looked back up, she saw a familiar blonde Nobody standing behind her in the reflection.

"Why did you do it?" Namine asked, Si'Lea gasping in alarm and spinning around to look at her.

"Namine! Do what?" she asked. Namine was scowling at her.

"You took her from Sora. I want to know why." Namine said as Si'Lea took a breath.

"We're not talking about Nixe, are we?" Si'Lea asked, Namine narrowing her eyes.

"No, we're talking about her. The one you took eleven years ago." Namine said as Si'Lea took another breath.

"Your powers are that of memories, aren't they? I can faintly feel your fingers digging around in there. Don't strain yourself. Everything you need to know is right here." Si'Lea said as Namine looked contemplative before she gasped in alarm.

"I see. I suspected it wasn't for selfish reasons. I understand now. What you did was for the greater good. But that doesn't fully excuse your actions. Sora is suffering because of you. Eventually, you will need to come clean about everything you've done." Namine said as Si'Lea looked towards her, shame written across her face.

"Please…let me be the one to explain everything. Riku already knows. He'll likely be the one to keep me honest. I can assume you're the one who helped him remember." Si'Lea said as Namine gave a nod.

"Indirectly, but he would've remembered on his own. But I will allow you the opportunity to come clean. I can't alleviate your own suffering. You are the Forgotten Master, after all." Namine said, confusing Si'Lea.

"The what?" she asked, looking towards Namine. Namine glanced away towards the door.

"Not long ago, Sora had a dream, a dream that told him of thirteen locks that had been placed upon his heart. These locks corresponded to people who were connected to him somehow, people who were suffering. Whenever he alleviated the suffering of those he is connected to, the corresponding lock would open and he would grow stronger from it. He's unlocked eight of the locks so far, and will soon unlock a ninth. You and Nixe are the tenth and eleven locks that he will need to open." Namine said as Si'Lea looked away in soft-spoken realization.

"The Thirteen Awakenings." She mumbled, Namine nodding.

"Yes. First was only a stalling effort, along with her efforts to create the Neo-Beings in our worlds. The real enemy is still out there…waiting. He could strike any day now." Namine said as Si'Lea took a breath.

"Chaos." She muttered as Namine headed for the door.

"You'll need to be ready. We all will." Namine said as she opened the door, stepping out into the hall and closing it behind her. Si'Lea shivered again, turning back towards the coat lying across her bed, a look of apprehension and subtle dread on her face.

…

Riku was stood on the roof of Sublime Manor, looking over the city as most of the people started to return to their homes, planning to save their strength for a much bigger celebration in the morning. He had a look of consternation on his face, scratching the back of his neck. His thoughts were disturbed when he heard a Corridor of Darkness opening and closing behind him. He turned and saw Namine approaching, her hood up over her head but her face still clearly visible.

"The memories you have are real. I know you were probably curious." Namine said as Riku turned towards her.

"That's what I thought. But how? How could I have forgotten something so important?" Riku asked as Namine sighed.

"It was the spell placed upon your memories. It was done to protect you, and the people who placed it upon you. Don't be angry at those who did it to you. They acted for the best." Namine said, earning a scowl from Riku.

"Tampering with my memories was for the best?" he asked, clearly annoyed by the revelation.

"It is. You have to believe me on this Riku. Everything has happened for a reason, and that reason, although it is hard to trace, is Sora." Namine said, confusing Riku.

"Sora? I can only vaguely see what this would have to do with Sora. I see how he would be involved but how is he the 'reason' for all of it?" Riku asked as Namine took a breath.

"Because he's the Hero. Sora's List…he's the Hero. He is suffering but he doesn't realize it yet…only, you know how he is suffering. You've known all along." Namine said as Riku grimaced and looked away.

"Yeah." He said as Namine turned away slightly.

"He needs to know, Riku. He needs to remember." Namine said as Riku looked up at her in alarm.

"What? No, please, you can't do that to him! It'll kill him!" Riku said but Namine grimaced.

"I have to! I used that very memory against him! I turned it on him in Oblivion! At first I was content to let it lie, content to live with the guilt of even having used it! But after finding out about his list, about how he's connected to it…I knew I had no choice." She said as a look of panic swept Riku's face.

"Namine, you can't! I promised his parents I'd never do that to him!" Riku said but Namine whirled back towards him, her hood falling back as she turned, a look of pain on her face.

"He is suffering, Riku! There's more at stake than just emotional anguish on his part! You may not see it now, but it will become clearer soon! He has to become aware of his suffering if it is ever to come to an end! More than that, Riku, he'll need you, he'll need Kairi, now more than ever before once it all comes to light! He'll need you both to be the pillars of support you already are! You knew that this day would come one day! You've known it for years! Well…the day has come." Namine said as Riku grimaced while taking a deep breath.

"Alright. But please, don't tell him without me being there." Riku said as Namine nodded.

"I was hoping you'd be there anyway." She said. Riku gave a nod.

"Alright. So, you want me to find him?" he asked, Namine nodding.

"Yes. Please bring him to the back lawn. I'll be waiting for him there." Namine said as Riku sighed before leaping off the roof to the ground, heading inside. Namine turned away from the roof, heading for the back yard. As she did, she spotted a familiar Elvaan girl sitting on the edge of the roof, kicking her feet out over the edge.

"So…what's it like being the 'Last Sister,' Sev?" Prishe asked as Namine walked over to stand next to her.

"Not much to say, really." Namine replied. Prishe looked up at her curiously.

"Hey, I wanted to apologize for beating up on you. Had I known beforehand you were on the good side, I probably would've-…" Prishe said but Namine shook her head.

"No, it was for the best that you didn't know. I didn't want to put you in further danger." Namine said but Prishe merely chuckled.

"Uh, hello? Miss Immortality over here. I probably could've taken whatever she dished out. Probably can take what anyone dishes out on me now, especially now that First's gone, along with the key to curing me." Prishe said, slightly depressed by her condition. Namine looked at her sadly for a moment before looking towards the ground below.

"Actually…it wouldn't have made a difference." Namine said, earning a confused look from Prishe.

"Huh?"

"A while ago, I looked into First's memories. Her memories of when she cursed you. She was afraid of you. She feared you. I didn't understand why until you appeared on our side during the battle. That's when I found out why." Namine said before looking at Prishe.

"She used you, Prishe. There was never a cure. She only strung you along with the temptation of a fake cure to keep you subservient. She knew that if you ever turned on her, she wouldn't be able to stop you." Namine explained, a look of disbelief appearing on Prishe's face. She looked like she'd been socked in the gut, lowering her head in grief.

"Somehow I always knew. Somehow I always knew I was being played. Thanks for telling me." Prishe said as she stood up, starting to walk away.

"Prishe!" Namine called out, trying to stop her but Prishe stopped, turned, and smiled at her.

"Sev, it's okay. I'm a tough girl. Tougher than most. I'll live through this. Besides, it's not like I can kill myself. I just…I need some time to come to terms with this, that's all." Prishe said as Namine smiled sadly.

"I'll keep looking for a cure. I'll let Kairi know. She'll keep looking even if I can't. And I promise, I won't allow myself to die before you do." Namine said, earning a laugh from Prishe.

"And if for whatever reason you can't keep that promise; I'll still forgive you." Prishe said before approaching Namine.

"You were the first friend I've made in eight years. I actually owe you my life in some respect. If you hadn't come along, I'd probably still be under the Sisterhood's thumb. So thank you, Seven." Prishe said as Namine smiled appreciatively.

"You can call me Namine, if you'd like. It is my name." Namine said as Prishe tapped her chin in thought.

"Namine…Namine…that's going to take some getting used to." Prishe said as Namine laughed a little.

"I'm fine with Sev too." She said as Prishe grinned.

"Sev it is, then!" she said before turning and running towards the front of the manor.

"Hey, where are you going?!" Namine called, causing Prishe to pause near the steeple on the front of the manor.

"I've been cooped up in a ruddy palace for the last eight years! I've got some exploring to do! I won't forget to write!" Prishe called before leaping off the roof, a dull thud being heard shortly afterwards, causing Namine to laugh slightly. She then heard voices coming from the backyard behind her. She turned and saw Riku leading a confused Sora out into the yard. Namine saw Sora and took a deep breath, bracing herself for the revelations to come.

"It's time."

End Chapter 65

One more to go…