Edit: For some reason, I mistyped Axel's number yesterday. . .

Demyx was lost . . . completely and utterly lost. Everywhere he went, there was sand. Some time ago, he had accidentally left the city, which worked out, he supposed, since the Heartless he was supposed to defeat was somewhere in the sandy abyss. But even the elixir he'd been sipping on (the last one he had left!) couldn't restore his energy enough for him to care.

How long had he been on this mission again? He'd left early the morning of the mission, but he had no idea how long he'd been passed out in the shade. Maybe there was something to this whole idea that Nobodies might actually be able to get sick. If they really did have hearts, like Demyx liked to think, then maybe…

But that vein of thought wouldn't help him at this point. He glanced at his map and then stuffed it in his pocket. Dumb world where all the sand outside the city looks the same for miles! He stilled. Is. . . Is that a tree?! Oh, and water, too?

He broke into a dead run, losing his balance and falling at least three times. Every time he took a breath, he accidentally inhaled the sand in the air around him. He groaned and tried his best not to cough.

Demyx stumbled into the clearing, thrilled for a chance to touch water once more. Eyes mostly closed against the harsh wind, he put a hand to his aching head. It would all be over soon. He would defeat the Heartless and go home. If he were lucky, with how he was feeling, Saïx would give him a day off to rest before sending him on another long mission.

Maaaaaaan, what am I saying? He'd never do something like that. Demyx opened his eyes . . . and then sighed. Only sand stretched out before him. "Was it all a dream?"

~\*/~

When Roxas walked into the Grey Area the next morning, he noticed three Organization members, all high-ranking, standing around Saïx. "What's going on?" he said to himself.

"You mean you don't know?" Axel sauntered up behind him. "They say Demyx didn't return from a mission. The higher-ups are trying to figure out if he's dead, or if they should send someone after him."

Pulling on her hood, Xion ran up to them. "What do you think they'll do, Axel?" she said, biting her lip. "Poor Demyx."

"Who knows? Either way, are you ready? We've got recon again in that new world." Axel tried to hide his shudder.

Xion smirked. "Like you're excited. You hated that world!" Her voice was teasing.

"Only 'cause it was freezing! What kind of world is covered in snow all the time?!" Axel sulked.

Xion's smile could have lit up a room, Roxas thought. She was so excited she had begun to bounce a little bit. "But it was so pretty! Just think, we could go there and eat ice cream, and it would never melt!"

"Wow! I wish I could go!" Roxas exclaimed. "Last I heard, I'm supposed to team up with Marluxia for a mission in Halloween Town." He rolled his eyes. "I bet it won't be half as fun as what the two of you will be doing."

Saïx chose that moment to approach the three, leaving Xaldin, Xigbar, and Vexen to discuss the topic of their previous conversation alone. He glanced at Axel and Xion and stated, "If you're done nattering, Numbers VIII and XIV, you can go on your mission." As the two turned to leave, Saïx's eyes landed on Roxas. "You will be on a mission with Zexion today."

"Oh, but what about my mission with Marl—" Roxas was cut off by Saïx's exasperated sigh.

"Plans have changed. Your new mission is to track down Demyx in Agrabah and defeat the Heartless he was supposed to take out. Number VI will be joining you and should be able to assist in locating Demyx." Saïx's voice showed no emotion. Maybe he didn't like Demyx?

To be fair, much of the Organization thought Demyx to be lazy and incompetent. Roxas shook his head slightly. The sooner he went on the mission, the sooner he could eat ice cream with Axel and Xion and find out more about the new world they got to visit. He looked up at Saïx and nodded. "I'll get prepared for the mission and then head out. Do you know if the Heartless has any weaknesses?"

After getting the necessary information from Saïx and stocking up on potions, Roxas walked over to Zexion. "Ready to go?"

Zexion closed the book he always seemed to have in hand and nodded briefly. "I suppose." He opened a Corridor of Darkness, and the two of them stepped through it to Agrabah.

~\*/~

Axel shuffled through the snow, scowling. "So, what we've learned so far is that the whole world was cursed to snow because the princess has these snow powers? Great."

"Look!" Xion held out her hands. She had gathered snow together and formed it into a snowball. "I made a ball out of snow!" She tossed it in the air a few times. "What do you think?"

Her grin was contagious. Axel found himself smiling. This world might not be quite so bad if he got to spend it with one of his best friends.

~\*/~

"I don't see him anywhere. Where do you think Demyx went?" Roxas lifted up a hand to protect himself from the sun beating down upon him.

Zexion shook his head. "Who knows?" His tone was just as bland as it had been when they started looking an hour ago. "Perhaps we'd better take care of that Heartless first and look for Demyx on the way."

"But if Demyx's hurt, then we should—"

Zexion shushed him. "Demyx will probably be close to the Heartless because that was his mission."

By the time they made it to the Heartless, a massive Kurt Zisa, Roxas was just about ready to ditch the desert forever. Sand, sand, and more sand, but no Demyx. . . He summoned his Keyblade and attacked.

With Zexion's help, the two were able to defeat the emblem Heartless within about thirty minutes. Naturally, this was twenty-nine minutes too long, in Zexion's opinion. "The heat from the desert must be affecting us," he mumbled. "Nevertheless, it is done. Now to find Demyx."

They turned and continued walking. After a few minutes, Roxas had to beg for a rest. He kept tripping on the shifting sand. At one point, he lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Do try to keep your balance," Zexion said.

Roxas huffed, "Well, I wouldn't have fallen if this thing hadn't been sticking out of the ground!" He pointed to something black sticking out of the sand. "It's . . . It's . . . Wait!" He fingered the object and then froze. "It's a black coat! Maybe it's Demyx!"

With Zexion's help, Roxas dug Demyx out from under the sand. Thankfully, he still appeared to be breathing, but he appeared to be in bad shape. How much sand had he inhaled? And how long had he been buried in the sand? And what if h—

"We should RTC," Zexion stated, "Demyx can get the assistance he requires at the castle."

Roxas blinked. "Oh. Good plan." He summoned a Corridor of Darkness and helped Zexion carry the limp body of their colleague.

Hehe! Another chapter, you may ask? Already? :3 Enjoy!

Edit: I edited this chapter and the three before it today. It should read a little bit smoother now. Plus, there were some plot holes I needed to fix...

Soli Deo gloria!

~LHDD