Disclaimer: Honest, I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Just this story, people, that's all…(And I wish I could say Roxas was mine too…)

Chain of Hearts, Chapter 16: World That Never Was (part 5) By Nagori Kirashi

I have to admit that I was really mad when I typed the part where Zexion kidnapped Kairi and myself. I was like, "Man, will this story not end?! Just leave poor little Sora alone already!!" But what's done is done, so…heh, it works. God, just when even I thought it was almost actually over! (The more the better, though, right?) I'll also admit that this has got to be the hardest chapter I've ever typed, and I've typed some hard chapters… Endings are always kind of awkward to type, because it's hard not to make them slow.

-,-,-,-

Riku paused suddenly. He looked like he was in a state of panic, then hung his head and shook it slightly as if unable to believe something.

"What is it?" Sora asked. "Riku?"

"The room. We left the room unguarded," he said, his voice distraught. "They could go back and…"

"Don't worry, I really don't think they'll try anything yet, not without someone strong like Lexaeus," Axel said calmly. Sora found he was actually growing to like Axel's indifferent laid-back nature. He could see why he and Roxas had become friends in the Organization. "…At least I'm pretty sure."

"What if…Roxas was enough for them to bring back Xemnas?" Riku asked next. His calm mature eyes were as wide as they could become. "I mean, they don't need someone like Lexaeus to bring at least one back, I'm sure."

"Then let's get to them before they get to the room," Sora said with resilience. "Axel's right, I doubt they'll go back there yet."

"Only because they probably assume we left someone there to guard it!" Donald protested, taking Riku's side.

Finally Riku sighed and shook his head while turning away to rub his forehead. "Never mind, Sora, you're right. Let's just get this over with."

"Man, do you sound stressed," Axel commented, tilting his chin to one side as he stretched his arms behind his back. "D'you wanna rest for a minute?"

Riku and Donald especially nearly flipped, yet at least Riku managed to hold himself in like usual.

"No," he breathed in the opposite tone he had nearly used. "Not until…Right, let's just go."

Axel and Sora both glanced at eachother as Riku began to move ahead. He didn't look too well; in fact, most of those who knew Riku at all could just feel the anxiety pulsing off of him.

When they had all disappeared into the next bleach-white corridor, Marluxia glanced wearily around from behind a corner where he had appeared seconds ago. A few seconds later, Luxford appeared where Sora and the others could have easily come back and seen him. The gambler made his presence known to Marluxia by crunching loudly into another apple that was once meant for Naminé.

"You fool!" Marluxia said, jumping and turning. "What do you want, anyway?"

"Just checking on their progress," Luxford replied in his low, daunting voice. "And you?"

"None of your damn business."

Luxford threw the apple he held at Marluxia, who held his fist in front of him and made his scythe appear. The apple was suddenly lodged on the tip of his weapon, and he glared past it at the gambling Nobody.

"Did you hear what they said about Xemnas?" Marluxia asked next, not even heeding the impaled apple. "There's a chance we can still bring him back."

"You just don't ever give up, do you?" Luxford asked in a voice that looked down on the other.

"You know what, I couldn't care less," the former leader said, taking a step forward. "All I care about is that those pests go down. And who'd be better than Xemnas to do it, now that Roxas is gone? I think it might work. If it weren't still for the size of their party, I'm sure I could do it by myself."

"Point taken," Luxford said, glancing at the apple. "But I still think you're overly-persistant. Even I don't gamble that much."

"Just listen, you ignorant…!" Marluxia nearly struck the other member with his scythe after tearing the apple off with his other hand, but Luxford was already gone. He clenched the fruit and flung it, this time so it flew into one wall. It split in half like a broken heart, and suddenly he wished there was such thing as headache medication in the World That Never Was.

"Forget this, I'm leaving. We're falling apart," he said quietly to himself, as if there were someone listening. "Damn the fools who think we're still going to win."

And, with a swift gust of darkness, he was gone.

-,-,-

"Where do we even begin searching?" Sora asked hopelessly. All of them were on an enormous open elevator surrounded by an invisible wall, standing impatiently on the white platform as it somehow raised itself down lower and lower into the castle at a speed that one would think to be enough to lift the ground from under their feet. The wall was probably holding in the gravity, he thought.

"Something tells me we won't have to search far, wherever we look," Axel said, his back to the group as he went into one of his thoughtful moments. "In fact, I'd get myself ready when this thing stops."

"Aw, well, we need rest anyway—"

Sora was just sitting down when almost a dozen high-ranking Nobodies appeared, joining them on the platform. "What the heck?!" he complained, jumping up with his Kingdom Keyblade back in hand. "Just where do they keep coming from, anyway?! I was just sitting down, too!!"

Riku actually laughed as he tore off the neck-like section of a Dragoon in a whisp of smoke.

Then, as they looked around, they realized they were becoming overwhelmed.

"Hayner!" Sora yelled, turning over to the other boy as he fought on with his knife. "D'you know how to do any magic yet?"

A ripple of flame traveled up Sora's Keyblade, and he smirked as Hayner stared at him in awe.

"Fire, huh?" Axel said, already using the element against the intruders. Then he turned to the boy with the knife and advised him; "Hayner, do what we do. Concentrate, imagine it, feel it."

"Feel it?" Hayner winced more at this thought than he did at the injury he received from a soon-to-be-doomed Dancer Nobody.

"Just imagine it in your head!" Riku said. Goofy stood aside, quite unfamiliar with the realm of magic, and Riku made a translucent shield around him as if it were an afterthought. Both Riku and Sora stood next to eachother, along with Donald, and all three held their weapons outward with a small space inbetween them. Axel was on the fourth side of them, already charging himself up for a strong attack. The edge of the elevator began to glow with flames that matched the subtle flow already flickering off their weapons.

Hayner jumped into the circle, holding his knife out in front of him, then concentrating on his own weapon. Hayner imagined fire at its prime, streaking along a gasline, burning down the handle of a match as it singed his fingers. He was pleased to see a delicate candle-like flicker appearing around his knife.

Riku saw this and grinned.

"I sure hope you're used to the heat, Hayner," they heard Riku say as the Nobodies moved in closer, "…because it's about to get really damn hot in here."

Sure enough, suddenly the group sent out a wave of flames. Hayner's was like a shockwave that cut through the air, and Sora's Keyblade a huge torch that he swung around himself, nearly hitting even Riku. Axel's attack was by far the grandest display, though when it came to fire, his usually was. Even Axel's hair matched the glowing brightness, waving slightly as the heat of the flames moved it. Goofy ducked inside the clear shield, holding his own shield in front of him as if this would help.

When it all stopped—the elevator, the heat, and the constant flow of Nobodies—they all stumbled gratefully out of the scorching hot platform. Hayner especially was gasping for cool air. However, Axel was walking more upright with a grin on his face that seemed to suggest he preferred the searing afterwave of heat caused by the bonfire.

"Is there like a water attack or something?" Hayner was just asking hopefully when they saw Demyx sitting against a wall nearby, playing something quietly on his Sitar. They all jumped and turned so they were facing him.

"You could always dance with mine," the musical Nobody said, looking up with a grin on his face. Then he noticed Axel, and his face seemed to fall. Strangely enough, Demyx simply went back to plucking out a calm tune on his oddly-shaped instrument as if they weren't right there waiting to kill him as soon as he made his first serious threat.

"Demyx," Axel asked, taking a step forward. "Where's Kairi and Naminé? Have you seen them? You know, shorter, young pretty things about ye high…"

"I know who you're talking about, don't throw a fit, man," Demyx said, not even looking up. Sora and Riku's eyes met. "I think the one guy has them. Zexion, I mean."

"Zexion…I know him," Sora said darkly. Images from the Radiant Garden filled his mind. Riku bit his lip and his eyes grew dark as he too recalled memories of his own with the member in a place long forgotten.

"Do you know where we can find him?" Riku asked.

Demyx was amusing himself by playing a tune that began to make water seemingly come out of nowhere and trickle onto Hayner, who dropped to his knees in grateful awe before subconsciously beginning to dance happily right along to the Sitar's tune.

It took a moment for Demyx to answer.

"Um, just go straight 'til you get to this one place, then you turn either right or left and you'll find this one door, and that should take you to this one other place…"

"Never mind," Axel said. "Why don't you just show us?"

"Well that wouldn't be very nice of me, would it?" the Melodious Nocturne said, grinning again. "I'm still with the Organization, you know." As he continued to play his instrument, the tune began to change, grow louder and more familiar. Sora's grip tightened on his Keyblade as a few odd-looking crystalline figures composed entirely of water began to dance around Axel in a circle. If Sora was uncomfortable at all, it was still nothing compared to the pyro before him. Demyx wasn't even standing yet; he still looked like a random civilian enjoying his own tune, though not quite a civilian like any other they had seen. More like one who fit right in with the world they were in.

"Demyx, I never really did understand you," Axel said, still studying the translucent figures surrounding him. "Why don't you quit messing around and let us go?"

The musician did no such thing at first, then suddenly stopped when he saw Hayner wander up to one of the figures and hold his hand out in its path, hoping to get a good shot at using the potential attack to soothe his hot swelling hand. Hayner frowned when the tune stopped and the figures disappeared, yet not before he had at least touched one.

"Woa, and I thought I was weird," Demyx said, shrugging nonchalantly at Axel.

"Don't get your hopes up. You still are."

Demyx looked up at Axel in thought, then over to Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy. Hayner was on his hands and knees, lying his hand thankfully in the thin puddle of water that still remained.

At last he sighed and stood. The weapon instrument disappeared in a wave of air similar to that which they saw when Sora's Keyblade made its exit.

"You know, I think I will help you guys," he said, sighing. "Besides, it's boring around here right now anyway, and I guess I could always switch sides again once I get there."

"You just keep thinking that," Sora said with a look that reminded Demyx so much of Roxas that he couldn't help but admire the Keyblade wielder. "But we'll see if you still want to by the time we're there, whenever that is."

"Just leave it to me," the aqua musician said, and then he was standing next to a portal.

'Of course,' Sora thought. 'You can do that if you know where you're going!' Sora wondered now if the one controlling the portal could really make it lead to the same place no matter who else traveled through it. Perhaps it took more energy.

Demyx held his hands out, displaying the vortex, then bowed at Riku courteously while crossing one leg as he said, "Ladies first."

Riku made no reply whatsoever before walking indignantly into the portal, and Sora couldn't help but laugh slightly as he followed, as tense as he was. Donald was hesitant before going into the black swirl, but some persuasion from Goofy and Hayner to hurry up was enough to inspire his onward approach.

Axel, the last of the party to step through, snapped his fingers quietly on one hand, causing the edge of Demyx's sleeve to catch fire out of nowhere. It took Demyx himself several moments to notice it, and when he did he yelled and hit it until it was gone.

"Oh, Axel, it is so on," he said in a slightly amused voice as he followed after them.

-,-,-

"Alright, now it's my turn to guard them," Luxford said, appearing quite suddenly. He looked as bored as he did serious.

"Who says I'll let you?" Zexion asked. At the moment, Kairi and Naminé sat nearby while leaning their backs against the tall white wall. The two girls—still unharmed, it seemed, watched the two much taller figures talking, and occasionally one of their eyes shook. The whole room had the impression that there was a window casting pure light into it, though obviously nothing of the such was anywhere in the castle, despite its white appearance.

"I say you will, so you'd better," Luxford said, raising his voice with every word as Zexion turned his back to him.

"Go play with your cards if you're so bored," the younger one replied in such a casual tone that Luxford's fists clenched in unison with his teeth. He grinned when the gambler suddenly disappeared, returning moments later with a stubborn-looking Larxene. Very obviously Luxford had told her something to make her mad at Zexion, though her soon-to-be opponent barely looked anything more than amused.

"So you think you're in control now, do you?" she said. Luxford still looked mad, though he also had a sly look on his face as he stood by. "And just what exactly did you say about me?"

Zexion shook his head as if disappointed in Luxford, and the gambler frowned.

In an instant, Zexion's figure transformed into something so dark and violent that none could comprehend its actual form right away. All they could see was a rush of fangs, a spatter of blood and darkness, and suddenly Larxene was gone.

Then he was Zexion again, standing in front of his fellow member with a look of serenity on his face that never would have suggested what he had just been or done.

"I always knew her temper would be her downfall," he commented wryly with his back to the other member.

Luxford stepped back, his face a mask of slight horror as he stared over at the blue-haired member. Though he couldn't feel fear itself, he could still tell when he was in danger. Zexion was a much higher rank than him, after all. The younger-looking member was number six, one of the first six members that had started the Organization itself after Ansem the "Wise" had voided the research.

Luxford was the tenth one to join the Organization, long after it had been created. Of course, Luxford thought, numbers and history had nothing to do with who was stronger, did they? After all, there had been a time when Marluxia was partially in charge, and he had joined some time even after Luxford had.

"I-I'll get you…I'll bet you anything," Luxford vowed, still keeping a short distance between the two.

"I'm sure you will," Zexion said, still casual in his appearance. Then a child-like smile appeared on Zexion's face, though it did nothing more than cause a weary chill to travel through the two girls who happened to have been watching the entire time. The smile twisted itself into a daunting grin as he watched Luxford stumbled into a portal that one of the two members had made.

Although getting rid of Larxene alone would have probably been enough to startle his colleague, Zexion still admired himself slightly because of how effective his shapeshifting appearance alone had startled his low-ranking partner. It had certaintly earned him a great deal more respect from his captives, anyhow.

It didn't matter; at least for now the gambler was gone.

And he could scent how close Sora was now.

-,-,-

Sora glanced around the corner, looking into the open room. He could see Naminé and Kairi both there, sitting next to eachother while a quiet Zexion guarded them and paced back and forth. The careless look on his face every time he glanced at the girls made Sora's stomach quiver.

Suddenly he got a burst of juvenile inspiration, and he stepped just out of Zexion's sight.

"Oh Ze-xi-on," Sora said in a mocking voice from behind the partially-open door, a grin playing the edge of his lips and the Keyblade gripped tightly in his hands. While Riku motioned desperately for him to be quiet, Hayner had to bend forward and cover his mouth to keep from laughing.

"You're both so immateur," he whispered to them. "Shush, he's coming!"

"Good," Sora said somewhat smugly. Riku wasn't sure what it was with Sora, but ever since Roxas' defeat, it seemed like the friend was posessed. It was as if his sanity had gone away when Roxas did. Riku made himself taller as if to back away, and he glanced down at his brunette friend nervously. If reckless had been thrown in there as well, as it would seem, then they were in trouble.

Then again, Sora was often reckless anyway.

Donald held his beak shut with both hands to keep from throwing a fit as they all listened for the sound of Zexion's approaching footsteps.

In the meantime Kairi, who had heard Sora's voice, looked up with hope shining in her eyes, surfacing above the fear that glazed them over. Naminé too sat forward, feeling as if somehow her own savior was about to come, despite knowing in Kairi's heart that he would not. Even so, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine him clearly. Who knew, maybe Sora could still even bring Roxas back, if they were really connected.

Sora would have been wondering the same thing were he not busy trying to figure out why their opponent was taking so long.

Finally, growing edgy with anticipation, Sora risked his own neck by sticking his head out into the doorway to peek at where Zexion was. He could no longer hear footsteps, but it didn't take long for him to learn why.

Sora suddenly found himself eye-to-eye with a smug-looking male who came just above his height and had sleek bluish-gray bangs that traveled past his chin, despite his hair being roughly short otherwise. His blue eyes seemed strangely vague as they studied the sudden fear in Sora's. The Key wielder managed to straighten himself.

"Let Kairi go," was all Sora could say after a moment. Zexion, however, did not listen, only gave them a grin that made Sora's knuckles grip the Keyblade more tightly. Riku let out a heavy breath as if he'd seen this coming.

They'd lost the advantage of surprise.

"You honestly believe I'm going to listen to you like that?" Zexion replied at last, taking a step backwards and holding his arms out to his side. His eyes showed no emotion whatsoever, which was probably because he felt none at the moment either. Sora was reminded of the fight he'd had in the Radiant Garden again, as if Zexion's eyes might as well have been hidden behind a blindfold.

"Why not? I'll just have to finish you off if you don't," Sora warned, suddenly alert and posed for action. He used his Keyblade to swipe open the door, exposing the rest of his team. Upon seeing this, the others held their weapons at the ready.

Not one of them who noticed were surprised, however, when Demyx randomly took a step backwards so he could lean on the wall far out of Zexion's view. Axel still didn't seem to want to stay out of this fight, and the weapons he held were suddenly nothing but fire; two large rings engulfed in flames just waiting to singe their enemy.

Zexion laughed and continued to take several more steps backwards. The room was quite large, they saw, and as soon as he was far enough back from the door, the others crowded their way into the room.

After they were all inside, each with their own different stature, he took a strong notice of Axel.

'That one could give me a difficult time, should I use my own weapon,' Zexion thought, recalling one of his past favorite means of destruction. 'With his fire, I might not stand so much of a chance.'

Zexion decided that, like he had with Riku more than a year before, he would have to play this with quick strategy, talent…

…And illusion.

The others stood tensely, waiting for it to begin, yet the enemy member only studied Sora for another moment, his arms still held out. Sora briefly remembered Roxas mentioning something to him before about what the powers of this member was, a subtle fraud who knew possibly more than any other member did how to talk his own way into victory, not to mention his ability to change his form.

Sora could feel his neck growing damp as he imagined what kind of horrors the member before them could transform himself into.

Then it looked as if Zexion were beginning to change. Sora barely had time to hold his Keyblade up to defend himself before he had something leaping at him that reminded him of a large dog except for the fact that it was surrounded in a dark aura rather than fur. It was like facing the Anti-Form of a wolf.

"What—?" Sora nearly yelled, still holding up his Keyblade to block it off. By the time his Keyblade struck against what turned out to be thin air and it hit him that the dog was no more than a distraction, it was already too late. A rush of blue hair came out of nowhere behind him, and he was speechless when he could somehow feel that it was Oathkeeper itself knocking him off his feet.

"SORA!!" Kairi cried, taking a step forward. The quiet girl next to her also took a step forward, but only so she wouldn't be forced to let go of the redhead's arm.

"Kairi, don't worry about me!" The Keyblader barely had time to glance in her direction before he forced himself onto his feet using his Keyblade. Once he was standing again, the tension of the moment somehow drew him back to his senses.

This was what he was born to do, and this was the final reason for why he was here. He spun around, a sixth sense he couldn't identify telling him Zexion's exact position. Instead, he was warded off by two Keyblades at once. He struck again, not letting the unexpected weapons distract him, and their weapons locked.

"I can see why Roxas was so confident," Zexion said, their eyes locked barely a foot apart as Sora shook with strain. "Two really is better than one."

The true wielder was just beginning to wonder why his friends hadn't come to his aid yet when Zexion drew back one of the Keyblades he was using to defend himself from Sora. As he did their weapons brushed enough so that Sora's face stung with sparks, and he gritted his teeth.

Then Zexion swiped out the weapon he had just lowered, tripping Sora again and spinning around to hit him again in the same swing.

Just then Donald came into view, risking the blades that were moving faster than either opponent realized. As he held up his staff and ran into range, Sora's head turned in Donald's direction.

"Of course, a surprise attack," the Nobody said, sweeping the duck aside strongly with one of his Keyblades. "It's about time."

"Donald!" Sora yelled, already unable to stop the attack from happening.

"ACK-ack-ack!" Donald was sent against one wall, and after landing on the ground, he was left out of commission. Sora looked furious about this, and he sent himself towards the enemy at a speed that made the others feel useless.

Naminé and Kairi were very close to embracing eachother, as closely as they stood to one another, as both were fearful that the fight might come in their direction. Then, to their relief, a familiar figure lept in front of them with his back to them and his weapon held out, ready to eradicate anything that might come too close to the girls.

"Riku, thank you," Kairi said, not expecting so much as a nod in return from him but receiving one anyway.

Instead of saying anything else to the girls, Riku yelled to Sora, "Hang in there; he's still with you! He hasn't left you—you are Roxas now!"

Sora barely heard Riku; he was busy concentrating, and the only sound was that of what remained of his heart and Zexion's breath when he drew too closely. His face was twisted in determination, and at the moment he was taking a long leap backwards as the black shadow of an eagle that might as well have been a dragon began to form around Zexion. Almost as soon as his feet touched ground again, Sora was jumping back towards the creature.

It turned out to be another trap. Instead of hitting the eagle, he fell through it, landing in a blinding haze that only grew. The next thing he could consciously feel was the ground beneath him being swept away. Fury and adrenaline raged through him as he tumbled back into the others' view.

In the meantime, Zexion was still submerged in the depths of his own illusion when he could feel fire tear past his left side. The fire proved to have another effect, tearing away the haze of darkness that hid Zexion, and he was left exposed.

"This should show you," Axel said, letting another one of his weapons loose at Zexion. The younger member could feel his feet skid backwards slightly as he held up his weapon to block the attack, and seconds after he was plowed into from one side by what the shield of what he considered to be an annoying floppy-eared individual.

All of this gave Sora enough time to recover. A small grin of success came onto his face, and he could already see Zexion lying on the floor before him as he bolted towards his target, holding the Kingdom Keyblade at the ready.

At the last moment, however, their enemy managed to swing out one of the fraudulent Keyblades, this time leaving Sora breathless on the floor.

It was all happening too fast. Hadn't he just lost half of himself back at the last fight?

'Riku's right; I am Roxas…'

When Sora stalled suddenly, clambering onto his knees and staring at the ground to catch his breath, he could feel his heart stall as well.

The shadow of someone Sora knew so well in so many ways was on the ground in front of him, and he could see their feet as they stood over him. When he looked up, tears were in the corners of his eyes as he studied the hand being held out to him.

Finally, in a voice almost too weak to even manage, he asked softly, "Roxas…?"

His blonde reflection said nothing at first, only smiled down at him in a way that made Sora's heart cry with a mixture of longing and joy. At last, Sora reached his hand out and took the hand being held out to him. Roxas was really back…

A voice ripped harshly into his consciousness somewhere else in the room. It was Riku.

"Sora, it's a trap! Don't fall for it like I almost did!"

Then his Nobody was gone, replaced by a different Nobody whom he learned from that moment on to despise. Zexion was laughing as he tore Sora to his feet and knocked him down again with such force that he could feel his cheek being torn up upon impact with the floor. Somewhere in the back of his mind he hoped the injury wasn't as bad as it felt, but the main thought on his mind now was how badly he wanted to destroy Zexion.

When he found himself on his knees again, he saw he was now faced against another member, but by this time he wouldn't let himself be fooled. Sora knew very well that Xigbar had been destroyed, and the moment of victory that felt like so long ago was still imbedded in his aching heart.

There was no way he was falling for a trick like this again.

"Do you honestly believe that'll work on me twice?" Sora said, jumping up to face his opponent while still gripping his Keyblade like the lifeline it was.

Zexion, rather than feeling like his plan had been abolished, only smiled slightly as he let himself transform himself back. "I'm impressed, Sora. You really do catch on quickly."

Sora was beginning to question himself. Just like Hayner had been when he'd seen the illusion of Naminé on the cliff, Sora was confused. He knew that hadn't actually been Roxas just now…But someone had been there, just now; he had seen him!

Would that be the last time he saw his own Nobody? Through an imposter?

Then he remembered something else that Riku had once said, and for just a moment inbetween dodges, he allowed himself to close his eyes.

'Roxas…'

Sora could almost feel the same presence within him. There was a wall there like none he had ever felt, a wall surrounded by sadness and longing, but even that wasn't enough to separate him from his own other whom he'd befriended.

Zexion took an alarmed step backwards when Sora opened his eyes again. They were stronger somehow, and so was Sora, from what he could tell.

For the next few moments, as the fight waged on, Sora would look over occasionally as if Roxas were by his side, and after several moments it was almost as if he really were. More than once Sora was sure he really had seen him, and not even reality could convince him into believing otherwise.

On the other side of the fight, the Sixth Member was becoming weary of his own possibly dillusional hope that he was going to win the fight, assuming he didn't something incredible soon.

'I can still use this to my advantage,' Zexion thought quickly, dodging Sora and his fellow fighters as if they were nothing. His main challenge was the Keyblade Wielder at the moment, though he was glad that Riku seemed intent on guarding the two girls. He didn't need two Keyblades on him at once.

Then, holding back another small grin, he made another illusion appear, this one another distraction.

However, this time it resembled himself.

"Very funny," Sora said, trying not to admit that he had somehow mixed them up. He took it for granted that the one who disappeared a few moments later was the illusion.

However, when Zexion reappeared elsewhere, he was standing in front of Luxford. Rather than confronting the member as himself, he made himself appear as Roxas.

"Hey," he said with a grin, making his voice sound slightly daunting. "Did you miss me?"

'What the hell, who brought him back…?!' Luxford thought crudely to himself when he noticed the short blond. Instead then spat outloud, "You little ingrate, what right do you have to come back? And where is that naïve little sidekick of your's?"

"Sora?" the impersonator of Roxas questioned slyly, pacing slowly around Luxford in a way that gave him the same chills only Zexion could usually provoke from him. "He's back with Kairi right now, isn't it obvious—?"

"Damn you both, then!" Luxford fumed, disappearing instantly.

When he appeared in the battle-heavy room, Sora was still dancing closeby with the illusion Zexion had left him with. When Sora's eyes met with Luxford's, the gambler could feel a kind of burning hate in them that caused him to see his own doom coming before it had even come.

It was as if the boy thought he was someone else, Luxford thought dubiously. Had he not been so provoked by the blonde traitor of Organization XIII, he may have realized the danger he was in, especially when Zexion's image faded and disappeared nearby.

Just then Sora shut his eyes, hiding the glare that seared through Luxford as he felt for Roxas' presence again. His heart reached for his other side more strongly than ever, and only when he could feel him again did he take a step back to let loose what he somehow knew in his heart would be the final blow.

At the same time in a dimension not unlike Hell itself, as Roxas continued to fall into the never-ending darkness, he could feel Sora's heart again.

Then his eyes opened.

"What the—?" Luxford began, still unsure what it was he had been dragged into, yet he couldn't be heard above the various sounds that filled the room, including Sora's heart that filled his own ears. When Sora looked past Luxford, he could see his other side faintly, exactly where he would have been standing had he still been there fighting near his side. Sora's eyes met with his other's, and time became slower as both—one of whom was barely existant—smiled, nodded at eachother, and let their Keyblades loose.

Luxford didn't even have time to swear when all in the room were suddenly knocked backwards by a blinding force that could have only been made by the striking of Sora and Roxas' three Keyblades. Sora hadn't even opened his eyes yet when he could hear his own Keyblade clatter onto the ground near his side.

"What…?" He could hear Riku say. Riku, along with all the others were not looking at Sora, nor at the place where the final opponent had last been seen.

Instead they were looking at Roxas.

"Sora, you guys…?" The blonde looked around, then at himself. The world was growing steadily more clearer to himself, just as he had already become to the others after the flash of light. He was beyond being transparent, no longer a reflection. He touched his chest, a final daring attempt to see if he really was alive, and a smile spread across his face when he felt the essence of Sora's heartbeat again.

Axel, Hayner, Kairi, Naminé, Riku, Goofy, and a still dazed-looking Donald were coming over by the time Sora and Roxas were already next to eachother, jumping around and trying to ruin eachother's already messed-up hairdo's. It all felt like a dream.

"We did it—we beat them!" Sora exclaimed, and the others were all smiling.

Then Roxas stopped, a look of disappointment on his face suddenly as he looked over the others' shoulders and saw Axel sinking back from the group and turning.

'He must have been helping, too,' he figured out right away. Walking away from a slightly confused Sora for just a moment, he said, "Axel, wait up!"

The pyro stopped, then turned and looked at Roxas. A smile spread across his face. He liked this side of Roxas, and he was glad to be on his good side now.

"Welcome back, Roxas," was all he said, but when Roxas was standing in front of him several feet away, he wondered if there really was something else he should say instead.

"Hey, aren't you coming with us?" Roxas asked, then looked over at the others. None of them said anything, but were all looking at Axel as if they too were wondering the same thing.

"You know, I don't know," Axel said, looking away and scratching the back of his own neck. "There's a lot I'm still looking for, if you know what I mean."

Roxas hung his head.

"Yeah," he said after a moment. "I know what you mean, but…"

Seeing Roxas like this bothered Axel, and smiling himself, he said, "Hey, c'mon, you're acting like we'll never see eachother again."

Roxas looked up with a smile of his own, but Sora could feel that there wasn't much heart in it. "I guess we will…"

"And I know we will," Axel said, waving a finger at Roxas confidently as he spoke. "Seriously, I thought it was you who's usually the optimist."

"Me?" Roxas said, now the one who was looking a bit confused. Sora and the others laughed, despite there being what felt like tears forming in Sora's eyes. Roxas' disappointment was affecting him, and Sora was the one who usually let his emotions get the best of him.

After a moment, with a silence that seemed to tell them there was nothing left to say, Axel stood tall and held up one hand casually as though waving, and suddenly Roxas felt he had never known a better friend.

"Hey, we'll see you around," Axel said, looking like the confident comrade that Roxas admired. Demyx was standing next to Axel now, and several of them couldn't help but smile when he thought about how those two would get along with eachother.

Suddenly Roxas wanted to step forward, to tell Axel to wait, but a glance from Riku held him back. Before he could change his mind, Axel said with a final grin, "…That's a promise."

Suddenly he and Demyx were both gone, leaving the group by themselves.

For what was probably the first time in his conscious life, Roxas wanted to break down. He had just come back, and he had already had to say goodbye to one of the people he honestly loved. All he could do to keep from doing so was to remind himself he still had Sora and the rest of his friends, or at least for now.

"…Think we'll really see them again?" Riku said, still looking at the spot where Axel and Demyx had been. Sora wiped a thick tear from his cheek and took a deep breath, and Roxas just stared thoughtfully in silence at the same spot as Riku.

Kairi looked at Riku and giggled, "Of course we will! They're our friends, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Goofy agreed. "And you know how it is with Sora n' friends."

Sora smiled, despite the tears on his face.

-,-,-

At the same time in the same world, Zexion had just changed back to his own human form.

A small grin was on his face, and Luxford's scent was gone. That had been too easy.

Vexen, a logical thinker of sorts, managed to catch up with Zexion after the member had left the huge castle, currently enjoying the silence as he paced through the back alleys of the World That Never Was.

When Zexion turned to look at his elder, he looked irritated, as if the other member had said something.

"I told you, did I not?" Vexen said the moment he saw Zexion, not seeming to notice the look on the other one's face. "The princesses belong to those boys, and thinking you had a chance was a foolish and reckless act. I am personally amazed you're not dead right now…"

"Who says I lost that fight?" Zexion said, still staring at his company with an annoyed yet attentive expression.

Vexen, again not feeling that he was in any danger, continued to pester the other Nobody.

"I say we leave. Right now, while we still can. Forget about Xemnas and find a way to restore Kingdom Hearts ourselves," Vexen said, then finished, "while there's still a few of us left."

"You still wish to restore Kingdom Hearts?" Zexion asked, suddenly seeming interested.

Vexen said nothing for a moment, then said, "Has that not been our purpose? Until I know what it's like to have a heart once more, I doubt I could begin to tell you a purpose that fulfills me otherwise. Are you so caught up in revenge now that you've forgotten?"

There was silence for a moment, until finally the member spoke. When he did, he sounded like he barely cared about the conversation.

"I really do think hearts are overrated," Zexion commented offhandedly, then suddenly transformed into a faceless creature that was quite like the last thing Larxene had ever seen. Vexen only had time to take a step backwards before he met the same fate, and Zexion transformed back in time to watch with satisfaction as Vexen disappeared.

He never had liked Vexen that much anyway, especially after what he'd mentioned about revenge just now. The man had always been quite arrogant since their worst experiment had failed, not to mention overly-persistant.

This kind of power felt good, Zexion noted. A power that flowed through his existence and surrounded his title. How he couldn't stand the ones before him—they had all been so full of themselves. No, Zexion knew he was different.

Still, to become a leader that was even somewhat like those before him, he would have to become stronger, smarter. It was clever to have made Sora think he had won while escaping at the same time, but it was still fleeing from battle, nonetheless. The Keywielder was stronger than he had been ready for. Next time he would be ready. He still owed it to himself to replace what once was of their Organization and prove himself as an individual.

This was his world for now, but even it wouldn't be enough one day. And one day, everyone would know it.

-,-,-

They were standing next to the Gummi Ship that Cid had made, and none of them were really sure whether or not to get on yet. Roxas and Riku both had used their powers to lead them to where the Gummi Ship was at, mostly just to save time. Yet this seemed in vain by the way none of them said anything for a long moment.

Finally Sora decided to.

"Donald, Goofy, you guys…" Sora kneeled down so he was even with Donald's height, then looked up at Goofy next. "You guys can take the ship if you want. Riku and Roxas can get us where we need to go."

"Sora," Goofy began, then realized there wasn't much avoiding it. It was time to say goodbye for now.

Sora tried unsuccessfully to hold back a tear while the others just watched. "Remember what you said, Goofy? You're right…I thought before that I'd never see you guys again, but look at us now; we're together again."

Everyone was silent as they listened to the short farewell speech. Roxas ached with the pain inside his somebody, though he wondered if some of that pain was still his own.

After another moment of heavy silence, the brunette fighter said, "I just know we'll meet again."

"I guess you're right," Donald said reluctantly, and suddenly the duck-like companion was picked up off his feet as Sora enforced a small group hug. No one else said anything, though several of them smiled when Sora refused to let go until Donald threw a fit.

"I'll see you guys soon, 'kay?" Sora said. Riku came over next, though he wasn't about to give anybody a hug.

"Tell Mickey I said 'hi', alright?" Riku requested calmly.

"Aw, phooey, I'll tell him," Donald said, wiping his eye suddenly. Sora wondered how long it would be until the magician's sadness turned into an angry tanterum.

As the remaining friends watched the two climb onto the ship, Sora could feel someone gently take hold of his arm. When he looked over, it was Kairi, and this was enough to keep him composed at least for the moment.

Finally the proud Gummi Ship was off. Sora stared after it longingly, not surprising anyone when he swore he could feel a tear.

The next to bid farewell to was Hayner, and Sora and Roxas both turned to Hayner. The knife-wielder was suddenly alert, trying to act nonchalant, though whether it was his inner-child or if it was the heart he knew he had, he couldn't help but act at least a bit disappointed. When he spoke, his voice gave much of him away.

"I can't believe this is it," Hayner said, then suddenly cleared his throat and made himself look taller. He didn't want to make himself look weak, Hayner thought subconsciously, but not one of them there honestly would have thought that he was. He had grown so much in such little time, and he had learned so much more about not only who he was but what he believed in.

Sora managed a smile as he stood in front of his new favorite companion. Roxas stood next to him like a mirror reflection, and for a moment neither spoke until Sora answered for Hayner; "I don't believe this is it. We'll still see you, alright?"

"Promise?" Hayner said in an upbeat tone, though his lower lip twitched a bit as he wiped his eye and held back his sadness. Kairi wasn't sure why, but for some reason she found the scene to be almost cute, a tough young teenage boy trying desperately not to let his feelings get the best of him.

"Of course," Sora said, then watched as Riku turned and, with a wave of his hand, made a portal. He seemed more natural now about it, as if wielding the darkness in action had made him better at resisting and using it. Still, they couldn't possibly see how tired his heart really was, nor how much he had been since these powers had come to him.

Riku made a promise to himself next, and that was that when he finally did banish the darkness in himself, he would be by his friends' sides. Not on a journey by himself. Destiny was too determined on keeping Sora and himself together. The last few days had made him realize this.

"Hey, wait up," Roxas said suddenly, stepping forward next. They turned to look at him, Sora and Hayner in particular.

So Roxas turned to his someone.

"Mind if I go with him for a little while?" Roxas asked somewhat hopefully. Crossing between this Hayner's Twilight Town and the Destiny Islands would be a cinch for him, now that his old powers were back. Unlike Riku, however, he didn't mind one bit. "I'll only stay for a few days, I swear."

Sora could read Roxas' mind about how dishonest his statement was, yet rather than getting angry or jealous, Sora only laughed in hopes of redeeming himself from the tear that almost followed.

Everyone was leaving again.

Then, with a deep sigh that seemed to restore him, Sora said, "Just don't forget about home."

"I'm not," Roxas said with a wink, glancing at the portal. Sora was quite sure for some reason that his blonde Nobody was actually referring to Twilight Town.

'See you soon, then,' Sora thought to his other self, and all watched with heavy hearts as first Roxas then Hayner disappeared through the portal. Neither looked that sad. Then again, that was some of what made the two so special and close.

After the portal closed again, Sora was left with his two favorite childhood friends and a third who somehow still counted as such.

"Riku, what about your journey, or Aerith?" Sora asked Riku after a long moment, more than half expecting his friend to either cry the girl's name and disappear without so much as a goodbye or snap his fingers and say something along the lines of "Oh, that's right, see you in a few years."

But Riku only smiled at Sora and said, "I can visit Aerith any time. As for the darkness, that is something we all have. That's part of what makes a heart in the first place…what I need isn't to get rid of it, but to accept it."

"And by this you mean…?" Sora motioned for Riku to continue, still quite sure for some reason that he was about to be ditched.

"If I'm going to put aside something like that, I'll need friends like you to fill in that place in my heart, Sora," Riku said. He was smiling genuinely. Sora stalled for a moment, feeling as if he didn't deserve the complement, and finally he smiled back.

Riku waited a moment before finishing his statement, and it was as short as it was sweet.

"As for now, I'm just looking forward to home."

Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Naminé smiled around at eachother as if agreeing with their eyes alone, and at last Riku formed a new portal that would bring them home.

-,-,-

The sun was lowering itself in the sky, a typical symbol of unity that seemed to reflect the moods of the five friends as they lay together on the sand. Roxas was back after more than a week well-spent in one of his favorite of all the many worlds they had been to, yet at the moment his favorite place was here, with his closest friends. The calm breeze was rustling the foilage that surrounded the center of their island. Every now and then they could see birds taking flight in the distant towards the horizon, journeying towards a place they would probably never know about.

For once this didn't bother them, Sora especially.

After a moment Kairi turned to look at Sora, who looked back. Naminé turned to look at Roxas, who also looked back. Riku turned to look at all four of them as they lie next to him, and all of them slowly smiled.

"I'm so glad to be home," Kairi said, still looking at Sora. Her eyes were sparkling like the stars just beginning to shine in the opposite horizon.

Riku grinned after a moment, facing them while leaning on one elbow that was dug in the sand.

"If you two are going to kiss now," he commented wryly at Sora and Kairi, "then I'm out of here."

"Hey!" Sora began to turn several brighter shades, but Roxas who happened to be the one closer to Riku was the one who oblidged himself to hit the tallest friend on the shoulder. Riku only laughed, thinking of starting a sand-fight but deciding of something else instead.

"You know, I think I saw something growing on the Paopou tree," Riku said suddenly, his voice a bit smug. "Want to go look?"

Sora glanced over at Roxas as Riku gave them both his challenging stare.

Suddenly all three boys were on their feet, bolting towards the bridge connected to the sandbar that was just off the island itself. The two girls also got up, giggling together as they tried to keep up. Roxas decided he'd rather play the same game like before where he let the girls think they were ahead until the last second, but by the time he rushed ahead of them and the three friends caught up, Sora and Riku were already either leaning against the tree or sitting on its firm trunk.

It had been a tie.

-,-,-,-

Now, I won't say there isn't going to be a sequel…but every chapter I typed was harder than the last one, and let's not even mention starting from step one…Although I do have a few ideas that may eventually equal up to par, erm…other than that, I hope you enjoyed this, I've been working on off and on for over a year, and I edited it myself, so until next time…!

P.S. Of course I won't refuse idea's for a sequel, but I can't promise you even a reply, not to mention promise I'll use the first idea I get…but who knows, miracles can happen!!

After all…they did for Sora.

-,-,-,-