Kairi landed lightly in the dark room, making a slight tapping noise as her feet made contact with the marble. She took an angry, confident step forward.

"Axel! Show yourself!" She growled at the shadows of the room, of which there were plenty. She could hear clapping from behind her, close behind.

"I'm surprised that you figured it out. I didn't think that you were bright enough." He laughed, his voice echoed off the walls and doubled back at Kairi. Instinctively she turned in a roundhouse kick, thinking that she was going to take him by surprise, but before her leg made contact with him, Axel had her ankle in his hand. His knuckles were white with the force he was using. Kairi tried to stay strong though her knees were buckling.

"Listen to me now Kairi." He spat at her. "I will not accept that tone from you, got it memorized!?" Axel threw her down to the marble, he was pissed. His eyes were fire that burned into the depths of her soul. Kairi backed away fearfully, she recognized this look. It was the same look that Seifer gave her when he attacked her. She wasn't able to save herself without Riku in that situation, so she doubted that she could take on Axel on her own. She jumped up quickly as Axel approached.

"I need to ask you some questions!" Kairi yelled, standing her ground. He stopped the instant the echoes from her yell died away, as if trying to tell her that he was listening. She swallowed hard.

"I want to know what's going on Axel, why didn't you give me your real name!? Why is it that, whenever I pass out or go to sleep, I end up here!? I want answers!" Kairi yelled at maximum volume, her sharp words bouncing off of the walls, wherever the walls were, and back at Axel, cutting into him.

"First of all, Kairi." He spat. "I still don't like your tone. As for why I gave you a pseudonym, I can't answer that. As for what's going on, well, you're talking to me in a dark room. As for why you come here when you close your eyes, that's because we're connected Kairi." Axel took another step forward, he was now standing right in front of Kairi. He slid his hand under her chin and forced her head up, trying to make her look at him, but she still looked down.

"Look at me Kairi.." He growled, fire rising in his green eyes. Kairi pulled away and took a few steps backwards.

"I'm sorry Axel, I.." Kairi turned away, pleading silently, hoping that Riku wouldn't find her note and wake her up.

"Kairi why are you sorry?" He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her, but she just pulled away.

"I.. I need to leave Axel.. Let me go back to Twilight Town.. Back to.."

"To Riku?" Axel cut in. "To that silver haired freak?" He grabbed her wrist and turned her around to look toward him. Kairi went red in the face from anger.

"Don't you dare call him a freak Axel! Or should I call you flaming hedgehog!?" She challenged, pulling away towards the only wall that was near them. Axel walked with her, still clutching her wrist, until she backed into the wall.

"Let me go!" She yelled, squirming. Axel slammed her wrist against the wall to her right, using his own hand to hold it there.

"I suggest you stop talking now Kairi." He yelled, lifting her chin up once again. "Because I will not hesitate to hurt you." Axel had her pinned to the wall with the whole of his body and she wasn't in a position to argue. He leaned closer, his green eyes piercing hers. She could feel the heat of his breath on her lips seconds before they met his. Oddly enough, she didn't want to stop or resist. Without herself consciously moving it, she could feel her arm wrapping around his neck and her fingers entangling themselves in his hair. She could feel through the silk of her shirt, Axel's hand traveling down her side until finally resting on the small of her back, it sent shivers up her spine. The kiss seemed to drag on forever, and although she knew that it was wrong, she didn't want to pull away. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Axel pulled away. Kairi blushed and looked down.. ashamed, she felt as though she'd betrayed Riku. Axel stepped back, releasing her wrist from his tight grip, which had left dark red marks on her pale skin.

"Axel!" A yell came from the shadows. Axel's expression changed entirely, from pleased to afraid. He took a step forward and turned, standing over her protectively.

"Show yourself old man!" He yelled back. The man in the black cloak appeared from the shadows to their left.

"I've told you Axel! You cannot let your own feelings get between what's best for Kairi! She must be with the silver haired one!" His voice was harsh, angry, brutal.

"I don't care anymore DiZ! I just don't care!" Axel threw down his arms.

"Axel, send her back.. she's heard to much.." DiZ murmured. Axel nodded, turning to her he whispered,

"Kairi, I.. I'm sorry." His lips grazed hers, stealing a quick kiss before darkness consumed her thoughts. Through the darkness she could hear the last of the argument.

"If she stays with the keyblade wielder then she will not die! Don't you understand that?"

"Leave me alone DiZ!" She could hear a smack and a thump, then silence.

She opened her eyes to Riku, who was sitting in a chair near her, fast asleep. Soft, pale light was coming in through one of the windows, indicating that she had slept through the night, and what a night. Kairi sat up, yawned, and as she was rubbing her eyes, noticed that her wrist was dark red. She shrugged it off and stood up. At first she was kind of wierded out, since she had been so weak lately, but she walked it off trying to find Naminé. As she turned, she caught another glimpse of Riku, and only then did she realize why all the girls mooned over him. His long, silver hair sparkled in the morning light, his eyelashes were long and dark, and he had a perfect swimmers body. Kairi blushed and turned away, though, out of the corner of her eye, she could see a piece of paper in Riku's hand. She quickly scurried away, checking everywhere she could think of for Naminé. When she turned to look in the kitchen, she found a bag with a note attached. It read:

Hi Kairi! You guys were asleep when your mom came, so I grabbed your costume from your mom when she dropped it off. BTW very cute! When you wake up, bring it over to my place, We can get ready together! Oh yeah, Be sure to write out a note telling where you'll be, Riku can be an ass about that kind of thing sometimes.

Luvs ya!

Naminé

Kairi carefully untied the bag to make sure that everything was still there. Then she grabbed a pen off of the counter and scribbled out a note on the back of Naminé's note. As she tiptoed into the living room, she thanked god for the plush carpet that was absorbing all of the noise. Carefully, she set the note on Riku's lap, then snuck out the front door. She was a little upset over the fact that all she had on was a semi-transparent oversized dress shirt, but it was a very short walk and Naminé was waiting for her at the door.

"Hey! I didn't think you'd make it over here before nine Kairi!" She said with a surprised look on her face.

"I had a bad dream.. It woke me up early.. You really think that my costume's cute?"

"Yup!" She replied, waving Kairi into the house. She gratefully followed, the wind outside was cold and the grass was wet and squishy beneath her toes.

"So.. when did you come back here Naminé?" Kairi asked.

"A little while after Riku finally fell asleep, meaning about six o' clock." She shrugged.

"Why did he fall asleep so late?" Kairi asked again.

"He wanted to make sure that you would have another.. um.. what'd he say again?" Naminé tapped her chin lightly, pondering the answer.

"Oh yeah! He wanted to make sure that you would have another fit." Naminé led Kairi up the stairs.

OK.. how am I supposed to take that. Was he just calling them fits to give them a name, or am I really starting to annoy him? Kairi pondered grimly as she walked up the creaky wooden stairs, following Naminé's lead. She soon led Kairi into a room that reminded her of an insane asylum, all white. Every piece of furniture, from the tables and chairs to the desk and the bed, was the exact same shade of white.

"This is my room." Naminé beamed, flopping onto her bed.

"Oh.." Kairi replied. "When exactly did you go insane?"

Naminé giggled. "They found out about it a couple years ago, but I'm not entirely sure when I lost my marbles.." Kairi nodded in mock-understanding.

"So when do we get ready?" She asked, holding up the heavy bag in her right hand.

"Now!" Naminé hopped off the bed and grabbed Kairi's arm, leading her into a disturbingly colorful bathroom.

"You can change in here." Kairi nodded and started to unload her costume from the plastic bag labeled 'Stop n' Shop'. She unloaded the immensely simple costume of a black pleather vest with a collar covered in black, purple, red and blue feathers, black pleather shorts and black pleather boots. She then tied her hair back with a scrunchy made of the same feathers as the collar.

"Naminé?" Kairi called as she pulled the remaining strands of hair back and tied them.

"Yeah." She replied.

"You're good with makeup, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Can you do mine, I'm crap at the dramatic stuff." The door to the bathroom opened to reveal a very angry Naminé in half a polka-dotted bunny costume. She was holding a white phone, with her hand over the mouthpiece.

"I'm on the phone Kairi." She said, glaring and tapping her foot.

"Oh.. Sorry. With who?"

"Sora and Roxas. It's a three-way-" Kairi giggled. "-Call! You two-year old! Anyways, I've got to finish changing, will you talk to them for a little bit?"

"Sure." Kairi replied and took the phone.

"Naminé? Naminé? Are you still there?" Sora's voice echoed through the phone line.

"Yeah, I mean no. This is Kairi."

"Kairi? What are you doing over there?"

"Oh.. I, uh.. I stayed over at Naminé's."

"But she stayed at Riku's.. Did you-?"

"We'll explain later, um. Well, don't forget about the gig tonight Sora, bring your drums! Gotta go! Bye!" she hung up quickly, red from head to toe.

"Why did I hear a click? Tell me you did not just hang up!" Naminé stormed in.

"Sorry… The guys need time to get ready too ya know…" Naminé sighed.

"Whatever… Come here, I'll do your makeup…"

---

Several hours later Riku's pickup pulled into the driveway.

"C'mon!" Naminé squealed. "He's here!" The girls ran out of the driveway in their ever so adorable costumes and jumped into the packed truck.

"Sorry girls, we're a little full so you're gonna have to share a seat with somebody." Riku said apologetically.

"I call Sora!" Naminé yelled and jumped into his lap. Kairi looked around for somewhere to sit.

"You can sit here Kairi." Roxas smiled. She nodded and sat down.

"Don't worry." Riku said, seeming kind of irked. "It's only for two hours."

It was going to be a looooong ride...

Hey peoples! I know it took me a while to update, sry! School's taking over right now so there might not be another update for a bit! KK? Also, I think I'm gonna shorten the chapters a bit...