Connecting to Partners

by zcritic88

A few days after the war against chaos, something stirred in the cosmos once more. What was a mystery prior, is soon to be relieved as a particular boy and his band if misfits get swept up into the on going battle between Light, Dark and the Truth. New bonds will be forged, and older ones will be stronger than before as the conflict takes a turn

69. Forgotten Treasure

Sometime during the end of the noon hour, the Secret Squad finished explaining to Poppy, what they've agreed to partake in. The girl in the glasses was left a gasp to one of Namine's adventures in the Realm of Dreams. "You actually imagined that blade and everything?"

The witch blushed as she and Arty played around with the colors of paint, nervous of what is about to transpire. "Due to how the Dream Realm works, just about anything is possible. It doesn't transition that well with the real world though." Denryk corrected her. "Unless you put the effort to make that dream bound to your heart. Like Ken and one of the things he turns his blade into."

Roxas remembered. "Like that Lava Bow?" Poppy's trusty Malamar was left gasping. (Goodness, a weapon that slings molten rock?) Ogerpon found that literal as Fezandipiti giggled. (Ho, ho, ho. What could be a metaphor might become more.) Schemy hmmed in agreement. (Do you continue to underestimate the destructive power these children possess?) The fellow bird shook no in respect as the Peach asked curiously. (You... need help getting that treasure?)

Ogerpon growled. (What you're asking for?) The Peach eeped. (J...j...I got ghost powers that can help me go in there.) He blushed. (You let me have some fun... so the deal has gotta be repaid.)

Namine sat on the couch and imagined what the Peach was asking for. "Two of these boys have a keyblade that can help me get into the depths of my subconscious, while Denryk could come along with the power of this Force. The more the merrier, but..." Dupmic advised to the Peach. "Trust me, Namine has seen and dealt with things that would make your friends look like chums."

Okidogi huhed. (What do you mean? We're chums with each other.) Dipiti laughed as Dori nodded. (Sure, to each other and to anyone who's got something shiny and valuable-) He had a vision of a vicious bonk against the back of his head and turned to Ogerpon, who was wanting him to reconsider the topic. He coughed and asked the Witch. (The Boss could use that trip.)

Denryk sat to begin meditating and wave a hand to Ogerpon. "Sometimes that journey is all you need to grow. Ogerpon, let the Peach help. He and his friends actually mean well." The Ogre grunted and stood in guard as Poppy asked. "If this will knock you out, then the rest of us should keep watch in case someone doesn't understand that Bryn and the Sensei are watching."

Namine appreciated that, took a deep breath and relaxed. "With this arranged, we should be ready."

Roxas and Dupmic nodded to each other, drew out their blades and focused, opening a way and causing everything to shine in gray. The two awoke to find themselves with in a very familiar room with a décor of gray followers and a hall going up into forever. Appearing by them was Ceruledge, Shedinja, Espeon, Schemy and Grumpig. Who were surprised to be included. Sitting on a chair and dreaming in was Namine, who had the Peach with her and the ever strange Magney. The witch opened her eyes and found herself less than surprised. Appearing with an aura of purple was Denryk, who was beside Scraggy. The Hoodlum lizard looked around in confusion as his partner found a door going upward, the Padawan applied force to open the door was Roxas understood what he's looking at. "So this is the road into the depths of your shadow?"

The Peach looked around curiously and squeaked. "Pretty place. But where's the color?"

Namine approached the hall that was most familiar. "It is the nature of my birth. From a place of oblivion, where your memories come to haunt you the further you go."

Denryk sensed more coagulating together in a fusion of dreams and nightmares. "That's just one part of it. You pushed beyond this place once before and if the system thinks other wise." He rolled his eyes. "I think some Force ought to dictate that you can go further."

The band laughed as Dupmic presumed his roll. "The most Roxas and I can do is monitor this and keep guard of any Dream Demons. But someone's got to pave the way for our fair lady?"

Denryk nodded stoically. "As far as she wishes." Thus, Namine took the lead, going up the stair way to the first glowing door. Denryk followed behind with his and recalled. "As you told us, you were forced to mess up Sora's memories by those Organizaiton wackos. This place was where it happened?" Namine nodded while trying to keep a brave looking face. "They'd threaten my life if I didn't go along with it, among other things."

Denryk remembered befriending a figment of memory and being forced to witness that friends fate, from a Knight that wished to make a difference for his world, to an Ever Burning Soul of Cinder that witnessed the futile end. His voice cracked in sympathy. "This castle's been nothing but a painful trip for anyone who walks in."

Namine is aware of what Denryk was remembering. "Yep. And Ken's lack of knowledge at the time brought about a fitting end to it all. This castle was never meant to last forever." She stepped across and entered what looked to be Destiny Isles, Denryk followed in with remorse. "I never did apologize for making you guys bring up the stuff you were all forced to do. I wasn't even thinking about that."

Namine didn't mind and followed to a memory of a young Sora, Kairi and Riku goofing around on the beach. "You were scared of hurting people that didn't deserve it. Honestly, your other needs the therapy, so it's right that Deborah and the others know."

The memory shifted around to where the Witch was slowly taking the place of Kairi, demonstrating what she did to mess Sora's mind up. "All these memories help you become the person you're meant to be. Experiences with friends, their wants and sorrows, helps you better connect with them."

Denryk wasn't too pleased with what the scenery was showing. "Which was why, posing as one of the two people Sora treasured most was a pretty screwed up thing to do? By the time it got far, he must have been... crazy."

Rumble! Rumble!

The island begun to break apart in a dark storm and the band hurried, finding a pack of shadows getting in the way. The Peach eeped at the Heartless and fired toxic chains as Magney ascended to fire a barrage of flash cannons. Namine focused to conjure the Forgotten Chain as Denryk and Scraggy rushed through the shadows, using kicks and force to make them easier to vanquish. Parts of the island began to suck up into the void above as the water faded, something that Denryk recalled witnessing once before. They arrived on a smaller island and witnessed a shadow emerging from the center. An imposing Darkside, Scraggy was left a gasp as the Peach shivered. Magney beeped firmly and floated to Namine's side as Denryk let Scraggy hide behind him. "This isn't our fight."

Namine took a deep breath and approached the giant that wasted little time trying to punch her into the ground. The witch gave a fast roll and a counter slash as the Magneton followed with a fast thunder bolt. The Darkside rippled to get a far distance and charged with the heart shape hole in it's body.

Pew! Pew! Pew!

The two dashed one direction as the Peach closed in his shell and sneaked to the other. Namine had her blade bring about a collection of chains while Magney let himself fly to the far end, attaching with magnetism and glimmering in steel and lightning. Swipe! ZAP! The combo smacked the giant across the face while a cluster of malignant chains burst from the Peach and wrapped around the giant, leaving it in a dark purple hue and having it recklessly charge off course. Exposing it's back for the Witch to glide towards and jump on, she broke apart the chain as Magney fed a spark into the blade, allowing her to strike down on the head and spread electrocution all across. The Peach popped out of his shell and laughed. "Pechahaha! Watch what I can do now!"

He let loose a ghostly hex on the heartless and made it erupt before the Peach's power. The Darkside reached to the ground and expanded a shadow before pulling out a red orb to ascend to the sky, spooking the Peach rather quickly. "He should be giving up!" He squeaked. "He should be giving up!"

Magney flew towards him and turned with a charging flash cannon. "Heartless entity must be destroyed!"

Pew!

Namine glided off the giants back and flew to the Peach, having a fast plan in mind. "That hex, think you can cast one on this?" She showed off her blade and confused the Peach that was seeing the orb about to rain down destruction, he didn't hesitate to do so. "Better be peachy keen."

Namine took the spectral power, tossed a chain wide into the shadows and had lights shine all around the Heartless, pew, pew, pew! Chains shot at the giant and pierced it's hide before making him burst in multiple sides, making it dissolve back into the darkness.

Denryk looked up to the orb, raised his hand to it and gestured side ways, tossing it to the horizon and out of anywhere significant. The band reunited and saw a scene of Sora being all confused and a Namine that was admitting to something, with another behind him, urging him to remember someone who should be in the scene. With the girl reveling to be Kairi and a charm, looking like a yellow star, unveiling into a familiar good luck charm. Slowly the apocalyptic scenario turned back to normal but it left Sora staring at it confused. Namine was quick to signal the band to hurry away, adventuring further.

Denryk sensed some relief and asked. "It was at that moment, he figured out that something was really wrong there. So you all decided to set things right?" The Witch nodded and looked around, finding a small path in between trees. "It was when he figured out that the girl in that picture wasn't me. When we started to shatter the plans of the ones who wanted Sora to be their tool." Denryk remembered Elrena and Lauriam, the two people who makes every attempt to keep as far away from the girl as possible. Two people he's remembered being on speaking terms with. "The others of those two?" He blew out of his nostrils, annoyed that his recollection isn't really his own. "For some reason, it took well over a year for those guys to be whole again and some prophecy obsessed witch had them tied into a scheme of hers. Thinking that would stop the Forces of Chaos for good."

He laughed. "Nabbing the pink guy and then having his friend think a certain kid with an ash covered blade had anything to do with that. Elrena was pretty mean over that but I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted to put the good fight out there."

Namine heard the pronoun and was at the door. "We never did get the chance to ask who you were hanging out with, until our paths crossed again. Ken and Kairi only saw one person, while I saw another." Denryk felt warm in the chest, expecting one to call a demon. "I know that memory isn't my own, being Ken was the only thing I knew when I woke up. But what am I suppose to do about it?"

Namine kept away from the door and saw Denryk looking to his hands, his cybernetic and more of the same form he's always been. "You've helped set things right when the universe as we knew it was about to implode. The moment Ken reclaimed what is his, what did you do when you've learned the truth?"

Denryk snapped his fingers and asked back. "Darn it, I'm No Body this whole time?" He raised his hands up in a surrender and laughed. "Ken needed his body back, and there was a master plan that took over a decade to put together." His tone change to that of a gangster. "Be a real shame if that had an accident. You know?"

Namine found that amusing. "A front row seat at a miracle that you've caused." Denryk nodded. "I didn't want anyone to figure out about me. But you and Roxas couldn't let me slip away. If I'm not Ken, who would I be? Everything he's done, felt... everyone he's ever cared about... I remember that."

He didn't wish to let those feelings go and looked more like a scared child. "But it's not me." His eyes watered and he slumped his head down in defeat. "I can't just say, screw that to their faces. Not them."

Namine saw a lost one while Scraggy hopped and admitted. "Ken's Mom took you in anyways, you saved her life and kept me and the Ogre safe too." Denryk sighed and smiled to Scraggy. "Of course I did, you and Ogerpon are my friends and I wasn't going to let that scumbag hurt the two of you or anyone else again."

The Hoodlum nodded as Magney was looking at something else. "If there's anything you did that Ken didn't do, you became my friend and got me in a good gig." He asked the relaxed Witch. "It's just, this trial isn't for us." Denryk agreed to that. "Right, sorry for changing that subject. I'm guessing since you couldn't fight back then, those two went to plan b and got physical?"

Namine wished to deny the purpose of the trial and moved along. "Especially Elrena... or Larxene. For the time, you wouldn't imagine anyone more sadistic." She turned to a door and found it already opened, with the Peach missing. Magney heard enough and went across. "We should retrieve the Peach before he finds out about her."

The band sprinted into a familiar hall way, with what looked to be Dupmic in a dark uniform, tossed aside like he was a puppet. The Peach was quick to realize he should have waited and was having a sweat as he looked upon a familiar woman in a black coat and having yellow knives in her fingers. Finding the Peach to be unimpressive and giving him a cold glare. The Peach eeped. "Um..., uhhh-" He turned fast to find the band and saw Namine giving a stare of mortal terror. "This is your trial, right Namine?"

The cognition was half surprised by the girl and her misfits. "You went along and tried being buddies with another toy? Weren't you suppose to be doing something for us?" The Peach had a sweat as Namine ordered fast. "Magney-" The Magneton hurried as Larxene aimed a her weapon and let loose a fast jolt of lightning, shocking the daylights out of the Peach before tossing him aside.

The Peach felt himself stopping by a will of Force as Magney got into Larxene's personal and unleashed a tri attack barrage. The Cognition was set back, warped to Magney's side and sent him flying with an upper cut.

Strike!

Namine hit the cognition back and barked. "Hey, back off!"

Larxene back flipped and snarled. "Excuse me?! Thanks to you all our plans are ruined and you think your pets are going to keep protecting you?" She crackled while the Peach was about to be in a crying fit. Namine calmed herself. "No, it's just it's my turn to protect them." She posed not unlike Kairi as the Cognition laughed. "Oh this is going to be fun." She let loose a bombardment of lightning as the Witch glided left and right, shooting a burst of light for the first barrage and making an opening. In two strikes the Cognition let loose a burst that forced the girl to back flip, with a particular jolt aimed at her nerves.

Magney shined in a light screen and make a barrier for Namine, allowing her to deflect while a second Larxene appeared to slash at the girl. Namine went for the defensive and tossed the cognition aside in a parry while letting loose petals of gray and gliding to avoid a rush. She conjured fast chains to coil around the cognition and had them shine in light, Magney complimented by feeding flash cannons and trapping Larxene in a fast barrage. The cognition warped and giggled as she flickered above and dropped down like a bolt, Namine floated backwards as the foe split in three. The central one stepped back and fired lightning as her clones crossed for a clawing slash. Namine countered with a gray burst and rushed for a slash, only to find her blade going through the cognition.

Denryk, who was left observing, sensed a spike of danger, had Scraggy fly to the ceiling and high jump to avoid a double slash. Denryk held Scraggy with both arms, back flipped to a wall and watched the Cognition appear on the other to shoot an intense bolt. Denryk used a hand to force the lightning into his palm and had it fizzle out, all the while his danger directed to his left view. "Don't think I've been ignoring you, kid!"

Crackle!

Scraggy turned to the left to find a Larxene charging and leaped to her face for a fake out clap, making her flinch as Denryk tensed and had the cognition freeze in place. Making her kick around as the supposed observer landed on his feet. The Peach was coming through his shock and saw that as his chance to fire his chains at Larxene, catching her in a bind before tossing her over to the door way ahead. The toxic sizzling caused the cognition to yelp and roar. "Youch!" Thud! She landed in a spin and sent the chain flying broken, looking dazed in the head and more enraged. "That hurt you little punk!"

The Peach laughed childishly and glowed in spectral power. "I'll bet it did! Now dancey dancey!" He waved his hands like one a chicken and was met with the Cognition dashing after him like a raging bolt, he shielded himself and dived down while Namine found her opening and struck her foe on the side. Larxene was on a roll and tossed her frantically, while a clone appeared to lash out, missing Namine entirely although more sporadic. Then another who was getting close to the mark, Namine kept defensive and ordered the Peach. "Hex her!"

The Peach was in a whimper and used his power at the distant cognition, making her engulf in the spectral flame and making her scream. She disappeared and created circling spark around Namine and her companions, appearing as clones of five that closed in after the girl. Magney gave Namine a fast lift and fired upward against a spark of lightning. His eyes shifted to Denryk and used his magnet to give Namine a slight toss. The Larxene clones intercepted for a fast slash and Namine found herself pulled fast towards Denryk. The two were intercepted by more and Denryk turned on his light saber and slashed through a clone as a counter attack, Namine parried another and kept back to back with her brother in arms. Denryk was in a spike of anger and kept to the defense as a particular cognition dashed to their side. "Isn't this cute!"

Punch!

Scraggy leaped for a pay back punch and rolled from a cognitions counter attack. The sense of confidence brought Denryk into trying to calm himself. Namine felt a voice whisper. "One of them isn't attacking like the others. Think you can keep that one busy?"

Namine heard that advise as Scraggy was making a run to the two, two clones tried to trip the lizard as the third and fourth made a mistimed trip on the duo. The fifth was right above, charging for an electrical cage, Namine high jumped and struck the Cognition, sending her flying with her shadow clones taking the defensive. They found themselves kept in place and Denryk turned off his light saber. Using both hands to slam them together in a clap. By that will, the clones came crashing into the central one, leaving Larxene more dazed while she let loose multiple, giant lightning orbs. Magneton intercepted for a tri attack and was met with a knife toss, while the Peach sneaked to her side and let loose his malignant chains, binding her and giving Namine the chance to rush around each orb and get closer and closer.

Slash!

That blow sent Larxene falling on her rear, she tried to get up and growled. "No, no. I'm not losing to a bunch of losers. I won't-" She saw herself fading and begun to panic in a dull tone. "No, this isn't how... I won't allow-" It wasn't more than a second before she disappeared from site. The Peach waved to the empty space. "Bye bye, you mean, mean witch!"

Scraggy laughed crudely as Magney shifted his eyes to Namine. "Dreadful memory, neutralized. Requesting respite." Namine nodded and lead up a set of stairs, to a room with a great door. Denryk imagined what happened to Namine when she didn't have a means to fight back nor the will to defy such a menace. "I'll bet she's still one of the nastiest even when you were having to play along."

Namine turned and leaned to the door. "Don't make me bring that up. Ken's lucky to have met her whole self instead. The both of you were scared about the changes going on, so you had to do what you could to find answers and survive." Denryk nodded. "She was trying to look for her friend, while not really remembering that stuff and I...Ken was just trying not to get killed by Fomyna's crud. But seeing that bully again while the Chaos gods were watching, nearly brought blood to a whole mountain."

ROAR!

A fresh roar echoed and the room turned to that of the frosty mountain of Aredelle. With a chaotic rift opening, a giant black skin, horned demon with a daemonic skull for a head, blue eyes, a great ax, a lash and mighty armor. Appearing before an Elrena that was scared for her life, the Daemon's voice echo'd. "When you finally meet a larger monster, you cower like those that feared you?" He pulled himself off and scoffed. "Pathetic."

Elrena was quick to bring out her blade and let down a lightning bolt before zipping around to fight, only to be back handed. Namine felt herself rushing at the daemon on instinct, knowing what would happened if it was allowed to run rampant into real space. The Peach was too petrified as Magney attempted to fire at the Bloodthirsters side. The Daemon turned with a lash of a fire whip and crack it at the girl. The strange cognition of Elrena came rushing at the Daemon and toss an electrical net. The Daemon was ready to swing his ax when it was stopped in place, Scraggy dashed for a fake out leap as Denryk leaped on the ax and drew his light saber. He jumped at the daemons skull and pierced his blade into the forehead, the blow sent the Bloodthirster tumbling back and gave Namine the opening to channel gray light and spear herself through the daemons chest, causing it to destabilize into mist that smelled of iron. The siblings jumped back while the cognition was blinking in confusion. She turned, going from seeing Namine as a stranger to having a pretty intense guilt. Like she sooner take off than trouble the girl anymore.

Namine pitied the woman and allowed the area to turn back to some sense of normalcy. "That someone wanted that Hatred to burn a whole world down. We couldn't let that happen, even if I had to let her go."

Denryk turned off his light saber as his voice cracked with terror. "That same Daemon that's kept showing up until Ken took him down onboard that evil," his voice raised in anger. "evil battle ship." He lowered his tone. "Elrena still tried to help us even when all that is colliding in her head. We kept each others back while you guys were trying to get that chaos under control. Yet in time, she ended up remembering that she hurt you. Remembering a someone who has your form, voice... even manners, doing that."

Namine kept still while having her hand at the door, making sure the Peach understands what the trial has in store. "And there was the other one who still tried to get at Sora, through me. Even after seeing that, you still feel bad for the friend Ken's made?"

Denryk pointed to the Witch. "It's complicated okay. No one deserves to be treated like how she treated you. I only got involved in that because like any bully, she saw she couldn't get at you that easily anymore and went for the next target." Scraggy sighed. "That's a big mistake."

"Nothing but a coward. Least she kicked instead of cry when she saw that she was finished."

A voice, much like Denryk's, echo'd. Namine sighed and gave a gentle smile. "I'm not the helpless girl that they wanted me to feel like." Her voice echoed. "It was my fault for letting them get to me like that." Denryk gasped as his voice echo'd harshly. "How was that your fault?!"

He became more annoyed by something slipping from his mind as Namine advised. "I think your anger is showing Bro. It's okay to be mad about this." Denryk cringed. "Not when it's let out like that. That's a little battle I have to do when this is over."

The girl understood and lead the way deeper into the castle. Oddly there isn't much of a presence on heartless, if any. Ripple. "Delving further into the past? Hasn't everything been set in stone by now?" The familiar voice of gentleman whispered and the siblings were quick to be in arms. Namine felt a hand on her shoulder as the Peach felt a spike of fear, turned to see a pink haired man in a black coat. The Peach squeaked in shock and shot out a chain, the man warped away to the other side of the room and was familiar enough that Denryk shivered. "That whole mess Sora up gig was his plan, wasn't it?" Namine readied her weapon and nodded. "The other of the two that scared me the most. Marluxia." The foe raised his hand up and called upon a petal to his palm, transforming it into a green shaft scythe with a pink sickle.

Magney spun his screws nervously. "Reasons, obvious?" Scraggy half dropped his eye lids. "Ya think?" He lifted the shed skin on his hind legs and Denryk waved his hand. Namine and Magney approached as the Peach was bewildered.

The Cognition scoffed at the foolish bravado, warping with a trial of petals, Namine rolled fast to avoid a scythe slash and fast turned, firing a fast beam with Magney as the Peach thought of something and snickered. Marluxia raised his scythe and slashed down, unleashing spectral pink scythe slashes upon the girl. As Namine and Magney kept to the defensive, the Peach silently floated towards the cognition and unleashed his malignant chains. Ripple! The Cognition burst into a pink bubble and appeared by the Peach, slashing upward. The Peach used his shell as a shield and flipped back to fire again, catching him in the binding and letting the toxins burn. Marluxia cringed and screamed out before letting loose a cloud of petals to force the chains away, the Peach laughed and waved his hands, causing a spectral power to seep into the man. "One touch of my chain and you be my plaything!"

The cognition glared sharp and had a dark rift burst out from under the Peach, thorns and petals reached out to snare him and force the Puppeteer to eek and fly away. "Not working, not working, not working." Namine saw the man having a dark purple hue and tapped the floor, bringing about a rift of chains that were ready to snare the man in.

Warp!

Namine ducked to avoid a backwards side slash and flipped as Magney unleashed a thunder bolt counter. "Peachy, hex him while you can!" The Peach whined and did so, doing quite the damage while Denryk observed. "Super natural... poisons that work like some kind of mind control... could be an influence to those three. Poison... ghost?" He looked down to Scraggy. "Poison and ghost?" The Hoodlum felt it made sense. "Only a ghost type would use this kind of combo."

Warp!

Scraggy saw a faint shadow appear behind his partner and was left a gasp, Denryk had a brief moment to see a scythe right at his neck and a chill. Namine had a freeze of mortal terror as the Cognition asked. "What do you have to gain from following this maiden into these depths? You think yourself among the spirits?" Denryk was quickly over the disturbance and shifted his eye to Marluxia. "I'm just making sure nothing else messes with her dive, but it's not gonna let me observe."

The tone was more to disturb Namine than the man who's made very clear threats on her life. "Denryk, what are you doing?!" Marluxia got closer and readied to place a hand on the boy's shoulder, as a way to show he's has a hostage. "Such a tone, how do you intend to aid this witch? What more is there to s-" Fling!

The Scythe was ripped right out of the cognitions hands and Scraggy made a run to Namine, the boy nearly glided away and turned fast, barely containing an outburst while his expression went stoic. "Do.. not...touch...me."

He squinted his eyes in a glare. "A tiny, tiny nightmare that only knows how to get by in the back end of the girl's brain. But Sis is far beyond you." Marluxia hurried to call his scythe back, taking great offense. "Mere specters, born from the shadows. You believe she can defeat me on her own?"

Namine felt that vigor as Magney and the Peach kept by her. "I'm not alone now. Because of Sora, Kairi and everyone, I've gotten a stronger nerve that you or those like you won't chain down again." Marluxia was ready to continue his attack as Scraggy sprinted for a fake out clap and back flip, he punched the palm of his hand and hissed. "She's just gotta saw the word and we can take ya's." Denryk allowed his partner to assist out of line as the Cognition smirked. "That hope will be doomed to wither-" A shadow grew behind him. "into the dark oblivion." Bursting out was a tall, gray, angelic like figure with that scythe, having two sets of wings, two of feathers and two looking like black scythes. It's hood resembling a pink skull. It swiped a twister of petals and sent Denryk, the Peach and Magney blowing away.

Scraggy stepped back in a dance as Namine glided after the central cognition for a fast strike, Scraggy gave a low sweep. Marluxia blew the two away and had the Angel warp to smash the blunt end of the scythe. Namine and Scraggy found themselves floating up and the girl used her chance to unleash two chains, circling around the angel and rushing at the cognition. She tossed Scraggy over and let him dive down with a head butting payback. The angel warped back to it's host and Marluxia spotted Denryk raising his hand up, influencing the battle through his power. He warped to get close and personal, giving a light tap and bringing a strange sense of doom. Denryk shook and had the cognition on a hold before shoving him away. Namine flipped a dive and slashed a twister of gray light while Magney and the Peach saw a counter above the boy. Starting at 4 and going down to 3. The Peach whistled. "Oh oh!" Magney asked. "Perish counter?" Namine turned around fast to see and froze in shock. "Denryk you got a number over you." Denryk half dropped his eye lids as Marluxia used the chance to slash at the girl's back. In a sudden, the cognition was stopped in a choking grasp. 2. Denryk opened his eyes and let the cognition realize where his strangulation is coming from. 1. Marluxia had a brief moment to realize he was out played as Denryk tighten his grip and twisted his hand.

SNAP!

The counter disappeared and Namine turned around to find the cognition with his head bent over side ways, his neck being snapped like a twig before he and the angel broke apart in petals and darkness.

Even with the air lessening, the girl was all the more terrified. The Peach stared over to Denryk and hid in his shell as the boy approached and insisted. "I think you proved enough of a point Sis. These guys are long dead, so what ever they said and done to you doesn't mean squat anymore. Are you okay?" Namine held her breath and looked the boy in the eyes, ready to scold him harshly. "Denryk did you snap his neck?!" The boy wasn't regretting that. "After what he and that Larxene wacko did to you, they deserved worse." He blew out to the air. "It's no wonder Elrena and Lauriam are trying to stay away from you. Remembering all this and then some being done to you." He had another second to realize what he done as Namine put her hand to her chest. "Yeah, I wouldn't be forgiving myself for that either. They were lucky they weren't killed for all of this when they showed up."

She eased her breath. "I don't know if I can ever forgive them for what their others have pulled." She remembered the missing puzzle to that tale. "All the trauma from losing Lizia, set them on that path. Where there's no going back from. But-" huff "I need to move on."

Denryk looked to his hand shamefully and found a door forward, he was eager to open it for his squad mate. "Regardless if they've taken the chance or not, you need to be the better person. If not you'll just end up filling in for them." He had his hand on the door as the room began to smell of smoke and glow in fire. Scraggy knew it's from his partners inner thought and hurried to jump on his shoulder and give him a tap on the head. The flames were glowing brighter and Namine realized what the greater trial is. "Even if sometimes, you really do need to punish people who aren't ever going to change."

The fire roared out as Denryk's eyes started to cry. "We need to stop them from hurting more and more people. If they treat others as nothing but toys to break, then it's only going to be a matter of time until someone turns the tables around and breaks them."

In a sudden, the room changed to a strange island, where an armored warrior with a brass symbol, was in the way. Breathing roughly like a rapid animal as Namine was ready to confront the Avatar of Khorne. "That's what me and Roxas figured out, all that killing's ever going to do is keep us trapped in evils game."

Magney and Scraggy hurried to guard their partners as the Avatar glared at them in annoyance and sprinted, back handing the two away and causing Denryk to gasp. "Scraggy!" Namine was in a fast pant and unleashed chains to bind the Avatar in place. Denryk closed his eyes to fight off his urge and had the Avatar float. Together, he and Namine tossed the Avatar, leaving it to scream across the horizon. The two pokemon were getting up fast as the scenery changed to the clock tower of Twilight Town. Where Namine, Ken and the merry band of Twilight were enjoying a view of a world at piece. The witch had a second look at the scene, with Ken staring more into space. "With that cycle defied and most of us alive, you almost wonder if any of it is real."

Denryk remembered his other eventually crying. "So many of us have been messed up, things aren't ever going to be back to simpler times." Namine turned away and walked over to a scene at the mansion. With in the gray chamber is Namine having to work along side a Riku in a black jacket and blindfold, while a strange man in red wraps as overlooking. "Things didn't really get better once those two are gone. A lot of work had to be done to make sure Sora gets his memories back and wake up."

The Peach was confused at the similar looking boy and focused on the strange man. "Sneaky things?" Namine nodded. "Very, every piece of his memory had to be put back together, link by link. For that, we needed to contain Roxas and have him ready to reunite with Sora."

Denryk understood. "And considering who he was working with at the time, I don't think he knew to come along quietly. There's also the things with him and Xion." By him, looking around ever curious and lonely was a cognition of the mysterious girl. "If I remember correctly, it took a year for you to fix Sora up and the way you're saying it, you didn't get Roxas here until towards the end of that cycle."

Namine tapped the side of her head. "Correct and nothing about Xion comes to mind, for a reason." The room changed to a familiar gray thrown, where Ken, Roxas, Dupmic and Volty were confronting a cognition of a certain dark menacing figure, who was marveling at the sight of Xion struggling on the brink of madness.

Denryk glared at the man in particular while images of a Braig in that coat and Bill came to be. "That one scumbag didn't take the hint and worked with Bill to go after Xion, to awaken things that should have stayed forgotten."

"Of all the things they could have done to her." The image broke out to the boys having to deal with both Xenmas and a Xion who as sporadic and attacking beyond any sense of logic. "Do I need to show her?"

Namine insisted. "Back when it was just Ken, you've dived into the depths of Xion's heart and snapped her out of this. You know the darker secrets better than I do." Denryk followed with his voice nearly raising. "This is what that Xenmas blabbered about, Xion was made as a back up plan if Roxas tried bailing. A lot of that has to do with Sora and the memory to wake up." The dream turned to a station of stained glass and a form of Xion in white armor that resembles Sora. "When Xion didn't follow with that program the first time around, that monster had her killed." Namine shivered as Scraggy asked. "Or... they made her attack Roxas?"

Denryk paused and covered his mouth. "You know, those guys would take a step further into that. That must have been why she was screaming. Some Chaos Sorcerer used some weirdo magic to bring Xion back, snap that memory away for a reason and had her and Dupmic grow the nerve to bail. That life and the life she's had collided together."

The form of Xion began to shift into a white hooded figure that was melting, having a set of yellow eyes while attacking in various places. Using many familiar weapons while battling with Ken and Shadey. Denryk stared on in horror as Namine recognized the confusing state as pure Delirium. A voice, resembling Xion, garbled in distortion. "E vebsda'i nu oIhl! E vebsda'i nu oIhl! E vebsda'i nu oIhl!"

The fight escalated more to where Ken drew out his wings, Delirium let go a Xion in red and black armor, she had two swords and lashed all around. The one armed boy hurried to give Xion and embrace and blanket her from the madness. Denryk and the pokemon turned to Namine, who realized something and was covering her mouth, sorrow filled her eyes, followed by a just anger. "What did they think was gonna happen?!"

Denryk shook his head bitterly. "The burn face and the Triangle really didn't care much beyond hurting Xion." He was on the point of wanting to cry again. "All she ever did was stand up for herself and others. All these two care about was hurting the lot of us for standing up to them."

The scenery changed to the moment a bat and pistol wielding Denryk and a Shadey in the form of a Zoroark, were about to free six maidens in crystal. With Braig trying to provoke something, only to be ignored by Denryk for that moment as he went to his task. As the crook barked out, Denryk didn't even look at him and used his las pistol to blast him in the knee cap, sending him falling to the floor. The boy watching his own action, felt more rage. "*Haaa* All I felt at that point, was annoyance. All the pain he's caused and he was just annoying." He turned to the Witch. "But to everyone else who would give a crud, he's nothing but a murderer and a scumbag who's a nightmare across the land."

The dream returned to the mansion, with fire and smoke rising. "Should have aimed for the head. But no, I wanted him to stay broken. Then someone patched him up and allowed him to keep hurting people again."

Namine watched the flames spiral out of control. "What were you more concern about then?" Denryk didn't regret the question. "Freeing the Princesses that got captured by Nort. How I was feeling otherwise didn't matter, but the world was gonna end." He looked on to the flames and focused, using the Force to push the inferno away. "Since we're in the realm of the subconscious, things are laid to bare."

Namine found that likely. "And as a Jedi in training, you need to keep your emotions in check at all times. Or you'll end up breaking someone's neck for real." Scraggy scratched the side of his head. "Like letting go of that fear and getting the job done? Or knowing that you're getting more mad about somethin' than you should?"

Denryk nodded. "Fear, Anger, Hatred. The three things that binds one to the Dark Side, give into it once and it will just get easier and easier." The Peach looked around and popped out a mochi, offering it the padawan. "You need to take a sweet and take it easy." Denryk didn't bother humoring the Peach as Namine regained control of the trial. "You can only have a hate towards someone who's done nothing but hurt your friends and family. Sooner or later, you just want them gone. Bro, how were you able to even let him go after you had him in that grip?"

Denryk blew out. "Mom helped me remember why I protect the town in the first place. I love these worlds and those on it." A strange corridor appeared for the rest of the way. "I have more of that, than I do a hatred on one guy that ended up being banished from the worlds anyways. Sis, you've had it much rougher than I have, yet it all lead to Kairi."

Namine smiled and followed in, witnessing the moment she dived into the dark World that Never Was and helped a certain Princess and a dog escape from a cell. Making an escape that lead them to confronting what looked to be a feral Isa with two claymore wielding nobodies. "Using the Darkness like that without protection wasn't good for me." The scene played out with a mysterious hooded figure driving Isa away and the name Riku coming about. With Kairi hurrying to undo the hood and finding a familiar stranger instead. Scraggy and the Peach looked on confused as Magney asked. "Elaborate this."

Namine hand waved. "Riku thought he needed the power of Darkness and he used a special blindfold to take the form of a certain someone who had a faint hold in his heart. The one we use to call Ansem."

Denryk bobbed his head. "Right, right. Darkness can mess you up bad." Namine waved to a moment on top of the castle, where the Witch was nearing to fade as she opened up a corridor back home. Leading to where Roxas stepped out of Sora and intermingled with the Witch. Leading to the others glimmering in light and reuniting with their others. If flashed to the Destiny Trio, and their band of misfits on the Islands, with Sora and Riku crashing down to the water from the sky and swimming. Ending with Namine and Roxas smiling to each other, through their others.

Denryk guessed. "By all accounts, that was as happy of an ending as the two of you were going to get. As things happen, you evolve and find ways to see that world." He laughed smugly as a chaotic ripple come.

Namine was in a gray room by herself, trying to manage a Chaotic Rift that had a symbol of Male and Female together. The Witch joined in the memory and took a stand against the Chaos. "Then this happened. The Forces of Chaos, they know where to strike from here."

The imagine shift to her crouching at venomous words. "Why do you mask yourself in her shadow? Why do you shield her from us?" "You are nothing! An illusion, a voice, a nobody. If she knows the truth."

Denryk had his light saber brought out as the Peach growled and unleashed a hex blast at the rift. "Hey! You don't talk about my buddy that way!"

PEW!

The hex made contact and the rift shrieked, bringing about a nightmarish gray fiend of masculine and feminine traits, with sharp crab claws and a snake like tongue. The Herald of Slaanesh screamed and sprinted, only to be parried by the Witch that followed with a blast of light. The rift collapsed into three rifts of Chaos, bringing about a diseased corpse, a raging horned daemon and a pink mass of tentacles and magic. Only for the nightmares to collapse into one shape, a Triangle with a single eye and a top hat. Laughing maliciously. "The party just keeps coming and this guys know how to bring it."

Namine took a step back as Denryk glared. "From the Daemons, to Bill." Namine shook and took a stand with him as Bill clapped mockingly. "Hahahahahaha! Look at this one, trying to act all brave for her friends. Isn't that cute?"

The laughter deepened and mixed, with a demonic Sorcerer in Armor and taking the form of a demonic mass of eyes, maws, limbs and a striking skull with a black top hat.

Denryk took one step and rushed at the nightmare, slicing through it with one strike as Namine glided high and let loose shining chains to puncture the Entity known as Za'pher, bringing a twilight rift that readied a blast. Za'pher fired many lasers, swatted Denryk away and rushed to Namine's personal. "That little trick won't work on me again!"

Denryk landed in a back step and focused, bringing about a force that compressed the entity in place, giving Namine time to direct the rift and charge up. Namine called out in command. "You dare to laugh at a power that even you don't come close to understanding! One day you will just end up as another bad memory that we can move on from."

Za'pher struggled and screamed, making Denryk more determined to keep him in place. Bill's voice laughed in the mass. "Hahahahaha! Real funny since you hang out with a Wannabe Padawan that thinks he can keep the Odium locked away by love."

Namine scoffed as she unleashed the rift. "That can be possible." BLAST! Za'pher was vaporized in twilight and Bill was sent screaming into the Darkness.

The scenery shifted into a chaotic darkness that was burning away in fire, the girl breathed bitterly. "Even after everything, they still think we're helpless and weak."

Denryk relaxed as the fire made way to a cave with a Registeel possessed by the Demon, Roxas, Dupmic, Namine and the Loyal Three did battle and brought the Peach to a panic. Enough that he used his ghostly powers to keep control of the situation. With Ogerpon appearing by Denryk and joining him in keeping Registeel in place.

Namine's voice echoed. "We're not the helpless mistakes they keep saying we are."

Denryk's voice joined with familiar gloom. "I shouldn't have happened." "No one will miss me when this is over." "Just another crime that no one needs to know about."

Namine heard those phrases and turned to her brother in arms. "You have those thoughts too?"

Denryk froze and felt his voice roaring in the fire, showing an imagine of Ken corrupted into a Chaos Lord. "Those cowards only want to twist us into monsters like them."

It shifted to the moment Denryk had Braig on a force choke reaching to where the crook was going limp. "If a voice didn't come, I would have just been another one like them." The images turned into smoulders that melded together. "Sis, the Dark Side is beyond what these idiots can imagine. You are far stronger than them, stronger than I am when it comes to keeping it under control."

Just then, the sound of Namine screaming out a cry sent Denryk into a stance. The Witch held her brother by the hand. "Denryk, it's okay to tell us. No matter what, you're nothing like the monsters we've fought. Show me what you're scared of, we can face it together."

Bzzz! The faint sound of a light saber was heard in the fire and Scraggy turned. "Oooh boy." The smoke blew into shape, wearing a black robe and having eyes closed. Revealing a figure with Namines hair, Denryk's arms and a face resembling both. On it's hand is a Forgotten Chain, with the inner red glow of a light saber. The figure, the Odium, opened it's eyes to reveal yellow eyes with halos of blood red. Denryk's voice whispered across the burning room. "Sith."

The Odium aimed the Saber Key at the sky and unleashed a curve of red burning chains. The Peach made a run back and was followed as the Odium aimed it's free hand and caused the flames to shoot out in force. It sprinted in blinding speeds and the siblings parried as one, sending it rolling back into a scream of both. Namine channeled a pulse of water and blasted it afar as Denryk and Scraggy rushed together. Magney used the water for a firm shock as the Peach used the hex to enchant the lightning and burst into the Odium. The Odium faded away and the siblings turned to see it readying a back attack. They parried for a push and was kicked back by a jerk reaction. The Odium covered itself and stepped back, not wishing to be touched, wanting to escape and rush over to a rift of a giant card. Many cards floated around to fire elements of lightning, ice and air. Namine channeled a mass warp to get her band out of danger as Denryk found himself tackled in a blind side by a rushing heart. Rolling in the dirt and finding himself on top, having a double pinned in a crossing of two blades. The other used his bat and swung frantically. "I'm not having this happen again!" Denryk dodged the swing and did what he remembered, reaching out to help his other up.

The other reveled to be an astonished Odium, too stunned to see Scraggy and Magney coming with a head butt and flash cannon. The Peach shot his chains at the Odium that leaped away in a spin. Namine followed with a strike against the Saber Blade and was pushed back. The Odium gave her a cold glare and aimed a hand. Denryk had his senses flare up and with Force, had Namine hover mid air and be tossed towards the Peach. The boy sprinted after the Odium that unleashed "BOOM!" a bright bolt of lightning. Denryk used his Light Saber to deflect against the lightning and was shoved against the dreadful power, keeping a ground regardless. Namine regained her footing, was terrified for Denryk and flickered to get at the Odium's side, gliding for a blow that sent it rolling. Denryk was left to fall on his knees and pant as Namine turned around, nearly speechless as her voice screamed out. "Why would you try to take that on?!"

Scraggy got in the way of the Odium and answered. "That lightning's bad stuff! Really bad stuff!" Denryk was unable to speak his words out, yet his voice echoed. "Unconcentrated, destruction, Hate."

He stood up, more determined to bring the Odium in it's place. Namine snapped her fingers to make Magney warp in a shine, allowing him to hover above the Odium and shock it in a thunder wave. The Peach saw the chance for a hex as the Odium crackled in it's hands. In a sudden, Denryk was tossed one end of a chain and Namine signaled that he follow her lead, they dashed around the Odium that shot wide webs of the lightning. The chains glowed in reflective light and kept the bolts at bay while the two surround the Odium, Namine turned to flicker her blade and aimed, making the chains close in. The Odium was trapped, it screamed out mindlessly and unleashed waves of lightning and fire. The two calmed down and had the chains bring about a unified light, sending the Odium into a passive slumber, melting in smoke that seeped into the core. That was over and Denryk felt comfortable with letting the chain go, Namine let go and gave her brother a side ways hug. "Remember, you are a far better person than this."

The Padawan confessed. "You've put this thing away for a time and it won't be coming out unless we let it happen." He placed his hand to his chest in a vow. "Forget what ever those like Bill or who ever would say. You're far more amazing than they can ever hope to be, than they can over hope to understand." He tensed in justified vigor. "Long as I keep breathing, I'm not going to let them lay a hand on you or the others again. Not now, not ev-" Namine held him by his hands. "That's what I've been talking about. This is how that Hate is quelled." She teared up. "We're protecting friends and family we care deeply for, not striking down those who keep wronging us."

The flames died down as Namine kept Denryk close. "That's how we share the gift of life with those who need to see the True Light." The Padawan teared up and hugged back. They let go as the room turned to a familiar mansion in a morning shine, Namine hoped. "Maybe one day, this Fear, Anger and Hatred would just be a bad memory that we can forget about." She turned to the door way out. "Let's get back, I think we seen enough."

The band agreed with that and stepped across the sunshine, Namine suddenly found herself alone in a crystal walk way. The wonder echoed. "It's always when you have someone to protect, that you act."

Namine turned to find a short, green elf like elder in robes, having a cane to walk on. The voice felt familiar and she was quite amused. "In a world where thoughts reflect, it's amazing what you keep at bay with enough will power."

The Elder understood it well and walked with her. "That shadow will always be a part of you, but allow it power over you, you must not." Namine agreed to that. "With some love and a voice to share life with us, that Hatred can slumber away forever more." She was annoyed at the very doubt. "Denryk shares that love and the world let's him know it will always be returned. It's no wonder that word... set him tilting over the edge. Braig has the audacity..."

The Elder grunted. "If one such as vile, were to call you and your kin monsters, Denryk would defend you. As you would him." Namine vowed. "We won't ever stop trying to help people. To protect these hearts and guide them to a place to call home." She asked the stranger. "You're the voice that came to Denryk, when he begun to tap into that wonder. Guiding him along and helping him let that fear, anger and hatred he had for himself go." The Elder mphmhmhm "That he did his own will. The Force guides all."

The Witch didn't have any regret diving into the nexus of Denryk's ordeal. "Thank you. I don't know how long he was going to keep denying who his is before we butt heads one too many times. But I'm glad I can start calling him a Brother." The Elder appreciated the gratitude. "A wise Sister, you are." The two were at the end of the light and the image faded. "Prevail, you shall. The Force will be with you, always."

Namine found herself at the Train Station, Denryk and the misfits found her oddly quiet. The sister and brother put their hands at the door, Denryk smiled wide. "That has to be the Blade getting in sync with you. You were following along in space around here, so something has to have been happening." The Witch was charmed. "Here's hoping."

They opened the door to find Roxas, Dupmic and their guard pretty amazed. The boys felt their presence and saw the band on quite the adventure. "Namine!" "We felt a surge over there and then everything started to burn." Roxas blushed. "Then it started to turn into this place." Dupmic asked as Schemy perked curiously. "What happened?" Denryk sighed. "Some of the things Namine had gone through dragged me out of being the commentary." Dupmic rolled his eyes. "You and that Force have been hogging things that didn't belong?"

Namine spoke in defense. "It's fine, we needed to see things through a different lens is all." Denryk had the chance to confess. "I have a bigger problem that I wasn't up front about. There's a similar stuff that have been beaten down on us and it pooled into the subconscious. Most is the things Ken has seen that I keep remembering. Even if I know dang well that I didn't even exist during those moments." Dupmic blew out roughly. "You have some of those too?" Namine answered with him. "Denryk, they may not be your memories entirely, but they have made you. It's why you've turned out as the kind of person you are, regardless of the Force being involved. We'll just keep guiding each other through this crazy world and outlast any who doubted that we can be better as people." She was ready to get going. "Come on, we need to think about how we're going to pull off our heist."

The band hurried along back to the waking world. Finding Poppy, Malamar, Ogerpon and the Loyal Three working on making a pastry threat. The two psychics picked up on a change and Poppy noticed, turning half way in a cheerful smile. "You guys are done already? It was awfully quiet, so we'd thought to make some treats." She stirred the dough in one direction for a while and brought about a sweet, cinnamon like aroma. "Did you all find what you were looking for." That was something that needed to be seen, Namine kept a distance and focused on her hand, slowly light glimmered in her fingers and took the form of the Forgotten Chain. Scraggy was left gasping as Magney and the Peach circled around each other in joy, Denryk placed his hands together and was losing breath. "That forgotten link is remembered and it pulled out potential that can reach higher."

Namine sighed at a journey that's never truly finished while Roxas checked out the dough. "So what are you making, smells good." Poppy imagined the taste being better. "Something more filling than a Poffin. A treat you give to Pokemon if you want them to do better in contests. Just replace some berries with ingredients you'd find in this world and it's all a matter of honing a skill."