Kingdom Hearts: System X

By Christine Lennoiore

Beta: None (but would like one! ...hint, hint!)

Summery: "Nobodies that heartless.." and no, I didn't make a grammer error. Hearts are corrupted. Heartless nobodies? Who in the hell is System X? It's from the King... But Ansem... Roxas... Sora... But he's my friend! Lae? Kingdom Hearts... Keyblade. They're... smart! They came after me... It's him... BUT SHE'S A GIRL! They're working together... We have to do something...

a new journey has begun

Note from the Author: Confused? I hope so... that's kinda what I'm going for, you know with the suspense thing and all. Well, I really hope you enjoy this. Olivia and I worked really hard on the ideas for this. Please review... and flames are for roasting marshmellows. They will be used for such. But I can handle constructive criticism. Thanks, and now, on to the story!

Prologue: Years, Days, Moments

Three years... three years of growing, learning, and peace but most importantly peace. Sora watched the sun set on his perfect day with the same tinge of sadness he got each time a day would end. Lost in his thoughts, he would wonder if the next day could be just as wonderful. And for a long time: a whole three years, each day was. Even school was bearable, if you could call what Sora did 'bearing'. Of course, Sora hadn't changed... well, he hadn't changed much, that is.

Sora was taller of course. Riku didn't tower over him the same way anymore. Sora stored away his special clothes and pulled out some normal clothes. So he made due with a pair of baggy jeans and a close fitting red and white shirt with Japanese symbols and English words on it: both saying the same thing: 'You can open any door... as long as you have the key...' Kairi and Riku had chipped in and bought it for him last year for his birthday.

It's pretty obvious that he loved it. So far, it was his most treasured gift from his friends. Kairi had also grown a bit, but in other ways. Mostly, it was her figure that grew. To his embaressment, he had to admit that she had quite a nice hourglass figure now and her hair had grown out into a long pool of beautiful red locks that she wore up in a high ponytail most of the time... because she was running around with him and Riku all the time...

Riku... well, at least he didn't get any taller. His muscles were more noticable then ever. After his wounds from the final battle healed, he worked out pretty regularly. And Sora obviously went back to being jealous. But at least now he knew that he had something special that Riku could never imitate... even if it did sound really corny, he still believed it, although he kept that locked up for his own information. If anyone ever heard that...

They would die of laughter. Who would have ever guessed how close the friends would come? Even the once rather cool and distant, in a way, Riku had opened up a great deal after their last battle. Now they hardly ever left each other's sides unless pulled apart. Together they would swim and play blitzball, do homework and study, sing, dance, and laugh, and when they didn't feel like doing anything else: they would tell stories.

Kairi was always asking them to tell her about their adventures. In a way, she was jealous. She wanted to see the other worlds for herself. But she was just content staying with them and hearing their stories. By now she had heard all of them. All of them but one...

Earlier they had promised to meet on the beach. As usual, Kairi was the first to arrive. She usually took a small visit to the secret place, before going to meet up with her friends at the dock. Today was no different. Yet, it had been a while since she came in here. Every time she came it seemed to be getting smaller. At that thought, she giggled.

"Mmm. No, I'm just getting bigger." She laughed, tracing the pictures on the wall. It was her favorite pasttime of all, to come into the Secret Place and look at the pictures they had made on the wall together. But her favorite was right by that strange door. Kairi had often thought about trying to open the door but decided that she should wait and go with Sora and Riku.

Losing track of time a bit, she sat on the ground and began to trace the picture she drew of Sora. "He's changing so much. I don't think he sees it, but really, he is." She said sadly. Kairi noticed the way he looked out to the horizon every night. Often times she wanted to ask him what was wrong, but something kept it from coming out.

"What's wrong, Sora? Why won't you tell your best friends? D-don't you trust us? Don't you trust me?" She asked sadly, dropping her hand to her side. One strand of red hair fell from behind her ear and covered her face partially, hiding her in the darkness. Without warning, a familiar hand came to brush it away. Quickly she gazed at the retreating hand and gasped.

Riku was watching her with vauge interest. "I always wondered where you went. Now I know." he said, sitting down next to her. A weird look passed over his face as he looked at the drawing on the wall. "You know... I noticed it too. The changes in Sora. But it started long before now. It wasn't just when we returned to the island... and it certainly isn't you." he smiled. "If anything, you're helping. It was only a matter of time."

Momentarily, Kairi forgot to react. She sat there, staring at Riku with her mouth hanging open slightly. Aware of her sudden 'spacing out', she jumped to rather quickly, causing Riku to laugh. "I..." Kairi paused, looking at Riku. So she wasn't making it up... something was wrong with Sora. Somehow that didn't make her feel better. But what Riku said... it helped in a way. "What are you talking about!" nose in the air, she stood up and ran.

Overcome by intense laughter, Riku ran after her. "You can't hide it forever! Eventually even he will notice!" Riku shouted after her, only after noticing that she had stopped in the middle of the beach, looking towards the dock, where Sora was currently tieing down his boat. Horrified, she turned and smacked him lightly on the shoulder, blushing quite brightly.

"Notice what?" Sora asked, running over to his two friends. Both of them looked away from each other. Kairi's face was cherry-red and Riku just laughed.

So maybe Sora hadn't changed that much...

After that was all over, Sora was still oblivious and Kairi went back into denial. Riku stayed with them anyway. Together they walked down to the shoreline and took off their shoes. For a while, they just stood there, watching the sun on the horizon, just about to set. The beautiful golden rays quickly faded. 'Nothing lasts forever...'

Kairi was wearing a orange skirt with white flowers stitched along the sides and a white tank top. Her 'shoes' were a pair of yellow and orange sandals that matched her dress. Riku wore a pair of baggy black pants and a blue and silver shirt with the twelve Chinese symbols of the animals of the Zodiak in a circle on the front and a picture of all the different animals drawn on the back. His shoes were black with silver stripes running along the sides.

"Guys?" Kairi asked moments later, when they were sitting just on the edge of the beach together, watching the sunset. "Tell me a story... please?" she begged. Riku and Sora exchanged glances, unsure of what story there was left to tell her. Sora looked out at the fiery sun as it set in the distance and sighed.

"Sure. I've got one for you..." He said in a slow, serious manner. Interested, Kairi leaned in closer, hoping that maybe, just maybe he'd tell them what was bothering him so much lately. Riku's ears also picked up, curious as to what adventure Kairi hadn't heard of yet, because he couldn't think of one. Then again, he and Sora hadn't been reunited until after Riku had been reunited with Kairi at least.

Sora took in a huge breath and slowly began his story.

Well, you see... I've been to many worlds and seen many things. I went underwater to swim and sing with the fishes, and traveled within the circuts of a computer. Once I was a lion and ran all over the glorious Pride Lands on four feet. There were good times and there were bad times. But it was always worth it. So, anyway... what I was saying was, I've had a lot of experiences and they all showed me something new and taught me new lessons. But the greatest lesson I ever learned was in the Betwixt and Between: a place in between the two Twilight Towns.

I was fighting hordes of heartless. They just wouldn't stop coming at me. My life was flashing before my eyes and I didn't know what to do. Just as I thought I was going to die, someone who I hardly concidered a friend, helped me out. He saved me. Fighting by my side wasn't enough though. Both of us together wasn't enough. We were still getting beat. So he used everything... his entire being to do an attack that would kill them all off... and protect me.

At first I was so happy, because they were all gone. But then, I realized that he was meeting his fate - the fate of any nobody... to fade back into darkness. Then, an intense sadness I had never known before swept up inside of me. Maybe it was Roxas. No... I'm sure it was Roxas... I felt so weak that I could barely hold back the tears.

Kairi wiped away a stray tear. "Oh, Sora! That's so sad. No wonder you've been so distracted all this time! What I mean is, it's sad, but it's not your fault! Please don't feel sad. I don't want you to be." She said, wrapping her arms around him tightly and refusing to let go. Sora looked over at her and smiled like his old self again... but then it faded away to that look of torment again.

It's not over yet. Before he faded completely... before he died, he told me about his friend. Told me that... although he wasn't supposed to have a heart, there was this person he was dying to protect - the one person who made him feel real... made him feel wanted - like he was somebody... like he had... a heart.

Then he told me that he did it... because he had hoped that he could see his friend again. But... that he was glad to have met me and that... that I made him feel the same way.

Something changed within me from that moment on. I no longer believed that nobodies were heartless. How could I after seeing that? But that didn't change the truth. I had one of them living inside of me... Roxas. Slowly, I started noticing his own traits becoming part of my routine... because... truth have it... I didn't want him to fade too.

No matter what I'm told... no matter what, I believe that Roxas is his own person and so am I... so was that man who died for me... for Roxas.

Roxas and I were always different. If we were really just pieces of a whole person, then we would have been exactly the same. But we are a special case. I know it. But... I have this dream... Nobodies just fade back into the darkness. That is what everyone says their fate it. Not death... but darkness. My dream is this...

I want to go into that darkness... I want to bring that man back. I want to make his dying wish come true. I want to make Roxas whole again, because... I had a lot of people that helped me when I lost you guys. I know how it felt to lose a friend. I'm incomplete without you guys. So... it's probably impossible, but...

Kairi smiled, wiping another tear away. "Namine... she liked your story. She doesn't think that it's impossible. Namine wanted me to tell you that if the time ever comes, she will help you and Roxas." Sora smiled widely and nodded, wiping away the tears on his own face. He hugged Kairi back finally and let himself search for Namine. He could see her smiling back at him, and she winked...

We pray for our sorrows to end and hope that our hearts will blend. Now I will step forward to realize this wish...

There are many worlds... but they share the same sky: One Sky - One Destiny.

We'll go together.

Roads are far and few between the door to light and the door to darkness

But the hearts that can and will find their way on the invisible fragments of a dream are the strongest of all.

I hope to find yours their... yours and mine.

Years have passed in silence. Each season brings new purpose... new feelings... a new day.

Days have passed in succession. Each hour brings you new memories for each moment.

Moments have passed, but they stay in our hearts forever, as a part of us...

And so I step forward to claim the other pieces of my heart. You step forward to claim yours back.

We step in the same direction... together, with all the memories as each moment brings you closer...

Brings you closer to me.

Sora, Kairi and Riku watched the sun set in content silence. Kairi fell asleep and Riku offered to take her home if Sora wanted to stay a bit longer. "Thanks, Riku. Don't know what I'd do without you." he said, fixing his gaze on the distance. Riku patted the boys head and then messed it up, unable to stop himself and laughed.

"You really haven't changed. You're still the same, old Sora." Riku said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sora closed his eyes and grinned in that absolutely adorable way that he could. Riku could almost visably see the way Roxas would roll his eyes and laugh at him for being such a dork all the time.

"Awww, but, Riku! You sound disappointed!" he laughed. Riku picked up Kairi, careful not to drop her or anything. "Oh, and hey!" he shouted at Riku's retreating back. "Don't try anything funny on Kairi!" Riku nearly choked on the air. How could he say that and yet be so oblivious to the way Kairi showed how much she cared for him? He laughed and continued on his way. It was a mystery - too bad Sora didn't come with a manual... Riku might have actually read it out of interest for his friend's strange way of living...

Once they were gone, Sora was left alone to his thoughts. Earlier, he had heard Roxas. What he had said... part of it was like the letter from Kairi. The rest was straight from the heart. He liked it. If he had half of a brain he would have tried to remember it. It was... poetic. So not like him at all.

He laughed. "Roxas... you're weird."

No, Sora... YOU'RE weird.

For a moment, he imagined Roxas was sitting next to him, instead of resting inside of him. Roxas would roll his eyes and grin, but not without punching Sora in a playful way. Once, he bet Roxas had been cold and uncaring. But not anymore. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that a heart was growing inside of Roxas every day. "It must be my great guidance that's leading him." Sora boasted, laughing himself.

If it weren't for the fact that I could wield the keyblade, I'd wonder if you were really my other...

"Yeah... me too."

Okay, so how do you like it? Please review. It just popped into my head one day and I got a friend to help me work it out. This will be continued as soon as possible. I'll try not to put it off like I do with some of my others... ;

So, REVIEW!

Cupcakes for all who do!

Christine Lennoire