Valkyrie of Radiant Garden

"Pleasure doing business with you." Roxas said as he pocketed the elixirs and potions that he had just bought from the Moggle behind the counter.

"No problem, come back anytime. But next time wait till I open up, kupo." The Moogle said as Roxas left his store.

About 10 minutes earlier the Nobody had stepped out of the Corridor of Darkness and scared the everliving daylights out of the Moogle who was just opening up shop after his lunch break.

After buying a few elixirs, the Moogle stopped screaming and immediately composed himself in front of a paying customer and not a thief.

Roxas managed to get some words in from the Moogle about the condition of the world and was displeased with what he heard.

The Unversed basically had this world within a death grip as civilians mainly stayed inside for about half of a week through random attacks and most except the bravest ones not coming out unless knowing that Ansem's apprentices in the area to clear out the Unversed, which the Moogle complained was bad for business. The only other time to go out was with what were random times were the Unversed activity decreased exponentially for a few hours and it was currently in the middle of such a time.

Which was a good thing, because he was not exactly comfortable with meeting with the Somebody's of the Organization's founders. Of course there was still a chance, but he didn't want to risk it. Especially if one of them were Xigbar's or Xaldin's original self.

But that could wait, he needed to find Kairi before the Unversed did...which was easier said then done.

Radiant Garden was a far cry from its future as Hollow Bastion. The Heartless had completely demolished it and reduced it to a husk of it's former glory. Instead of a desolations wasteland and a fortified town, the world was a green metropolis. The idea picture of a perfect city.

Minus the Unversed infesting the city of course.

So until he decided to take the simple option and spread his senses to max in order to find her unlike with trying to find Ven. It was going to cause one hell of a headache as this was a massive city instead of the woodlands. But it would be worth it if it meant that Kairi was safe.

The Nobody stopped as he felt the sudden need to protect her more then anything else and sighed once he realized what was causing it.

"Damn it Sora." Roxas cursed under his breath as he pushed that desire down. He knew that he inherited a few things from his Somebody, but that is one thing he would be stomping out when he could.

It was more of a nuisance to him anyway.

Collecting his thoughts, the Nobody spread his sense to the max and grabbed his head in pain as the backlash came to him.

In that one moment Roxas managed to pinpoint Kairi's location, along with a few others that he knew through Sora.

Leon, Aerith, Cloud, and Yuffie with the latter closest to Kairi. The others scattered around the fringes of his senses.

Ansem as well inside his castle, cause the Nobody to restrain the urge to get some payback at the man for the treatment that he once afflicted on himself and Naminé. Only to restrain himself once he reasoned that this Ansem wasn't the same one in his timeline and hadn't been banished to the Realm of Darkness.

The rest were ones that he didn't recognize. A few strong hearts and a few oddities like a heart that was saturated in darkness and a heart that while had a strong light felt like a void much to his curiosity.

But that wasn't even the main vocal point of his headache.

He had picked up what was possibly the 2nd strongest heart he had ever sensed, stronger the anyone else bar the Master of Masters and Terra. The real kicker was that it felt like most of the power was dormant.

He made a quick prayer to Kingdom Hearts that this person was friendly, because if not and they unlock the true potential of their heart it will only spell disaster to whoever they faced.

Roxas gathered his thoughts and began to walk through the town towards Kairi's location at a brisk pace. He had to check on her quickly and head back to Terra soon. He had been gone a few hours and he didn't wish for Terra to wake up while he was gone.

That and as the Moogle said the times of Unversed activity was random. So he hoped to check up her before the time ran out or otherwise it would be a repeat of what happened with the Ras Al-Gul back in Agrabah.

(Same Time)

In the deepest bowls of the aqueducts of Radiant Garden, there was a secret hidden from all of the residents of the city, bar one.

It was a dark chamber were the light of day never touched. The only visible lights were the red eyes of Unversed clinging to the ceiling.

And a massive pair of red eyes down below in the water, stretching it's extremities for a moment.

They all were created for one purpose and one purpose alone, to wreck havoc on Radiant Garden once their king gave the order and to kill a certain target of their king.

To that end they spent their entire time down here, absorbing the negativity generated by their lesser brethren and the chaos getting spread. Getting a little stronger by the day. Although they were plenty strong as it was, their king was earring on the side of caution in order to boast their strength before their fateful time.

As it was an order from there king they didn't mind, but the largest one had to keep the order within this place as quite a number of them were quite reckless with all of the waiting.

Still they were ready at a moments notice, such as when a figure entered their chamber through a Corridor of Darkness.

Fireballs were trained at the figure from all of the Unversed on the ceiling and the largest one producing lightning from it's mouth. Only to dispel it once they saw who it was.

There king had returned.

"Good to see that you all are ready for battle, especially you big guy." Vanitas said as he walked to the largest Unversed, who let out a small growl as its king approached.

"Nice to see that you are keeping things in line big guy. Believe me if anyone of the Lurkers get out it would have spelt nothing but trouble for you. You might be strong, but against her there is still a good chance that you might lose. So until then you can't get out." Vanitas said as he stroked on of the Unversed's horns, getting it to growl softly. "But I can't say the same thing for the rest of the Lurkers."

The Unversed in question began to chatter in a chorus of growls and roars from the ceiling, until their king raised his hand to silence them.

"I need you all to quite down otherwise you would expose us all. Our accomplice has told me and the old goat that Ansem and his apprentice Even are working on sonar to check for activity in the aqueducts." He said, silencing the Unversed. "Good, now listen here you are are now free to roam around the aqueducts until the time is right. Other then that keep doing what you are doing and do not get caught, do you all understand?"

The large Unversed let out a soft roar and the flickering red lights of the Lurkers indicated yes.

"Good now here is were things get a little interesting. I need about...let's say eight Lurkers to come before me front and center." Vanitas said before a few seconds later a small clattering of fluttering wings and a splash or two sounded off before the Unversed in question appear before him, their heads bowed.

"Alright the task I have for you eight is suicidal, but I trust you all have no objections to this?" Vanitas questioned, only getting silence in return. "Fantastic, now you all have one task. Bring me the girl with a heart full of pure light back to me in the outer gardens if possible and if you have the chance fulfill your main objective and kill Roxas while your at it. Leave anyone else alive and bring anyone else you can with an interesting heart. Of course you all will most likely fail, but you all will cause more chaos then what your brethren can dish out and empowering the rest of you. Still are who is ready to stretch their claw and wings out."

The eight Lurkers in front of him let out a collective roar, happy to oblige and a chance to slaughter anyone.

Like all the Unversed they were absolutely loyal to their king.

But there were a few differences to them as they were created with specifically one purpose in mind.

To be nigh invulnerable killing machines. They were created solely for combat and for killing a certain target in mind.

One of Ansem's apprentices and what their king considered to be a potential big threat to them, a pink haired woman nicknamed the Valkyrie of Radiant Garden due to her combat prowess and the sheer ease she has with decimating the Unversed.

They knew though they might never succeed, but they were eager for a chance anyway. Even if their boss himself declared itself the one to kill her.

Still they were excited for the chance to do so right now.

"Good answer." Vanitas said as the Unversed in question dispersed into puffs of darkness. "Make sure the rest of the Lurkers behave until the time comes." He said as he opened a Corridor of Darkness and stepped through it as the large Unversed let out a roar in reply.

Vanitas stepped out onto one of the castle's balconies and pulled out a piece of paper and pen before moving onto a ledge and sitting on it.

"Gula would have loved this view." Vanitas said softly as he started to write on his paper. "The city reminds me of Daybreak Town from this point." He briefly reminisced before shaking those thoughts free.

He could do so after his test for Roxas, that is if he was right.

Speaking of which.

'Is Roxas in Radiant Garden?' He asked while contacting the intelligent Unversed, still clinging to the Keyblade wielder's back.

'He is my liege.' The Unversed replied.

'Perfect, continue your mission until I contact you again.' Vanitas said, cutting off the connection. He continued to write on the paper for a few more moments before drawing a rune onto it. A quick tap of his finger and the rune pulsated a bit before fading away.

"Looks like everyone is all set." Vanitas said before summoning the Lurkers around him.

As soon as they were summoned, they all vanished. The only tell tail signs of their existence were their flickering red eyes.

"The cloaking should last about five minutes. Enough time for you all to get down there and prepare yourselves for battle. Once it wares off then you all are free to carry out my orders, understood?" Vanitas said, getting the Unversed to roar in excitement before pushing themselves off of the castle, cracking the walls behind them.

"Looks like they do." Vanitas said before folding the paper and hopping through another Corridor of Darkness.

(A few minutes later)

Roxas had just arrived at what he had to guess was the city's central square. He had to admit it was pretty nice. A scenic view of the castle in the distance, some lovely mosaic and gardens all around, and kids with their families running around with-.

Roxas barely held in a yell of pain as a kid in question just ran over his foot. And judging by the feel of the kid's heart it was Yuffie.

"Sorry!" She said before running off, going back to chasing the other kids.

"Seems that she is just about as energetic as ever." Roxas muttered as he began to look for Kairi among the people here.

Which wasn't easy seeing that there were a lot here at the moment. So the Nobody began to look around for her, and once again felt like he bumped into something. But he looked around to see that there was nothing there.

Until his senses picked up the signature of a heart right behind him.

"You alright kid?" A voice said behind him, a voice he dreaded hearing.

Turning behind him he saw what he had been dreading to see.

Xigbar's Somebody, who hardly looked like he did in the future.

He looked about 10 years younger, had both eyes which were both brown and not gold, his ears weren't pointed, and his hair was much shorter along with lacking the white stripe he held.

Other then that he was pretty much what he pictured a young Xigbar to be, minus the gray uniform.

"I'm alright, just looking for someone I haven't seen in a while." Roxas said evenly, getting Xigbar's former identity to nod.

"I see then, do you need any help looking for this person kid?" Xigbar's Somebody said, getting the Nobody to shake his head. "Fine then, be on your way then-ahh!" He cried out as Yuffie ran over his foot playing tag with a few other kids. Giving a chance for Roxas to leave.

"Sorry!" She shouted back to him as he clutched his foot.

"Little hellspawn, that's the third time this week." He muttered out, before seeing someone approach him. "How do you deal with kids like her Even!"

"For one I do not deal with kids like her Braig." Even, Vexen's Somebody said as he approached him. "Besides I've only looked after one child and Ienzo still won't come out of his shell accept for around Aeleus."

"Minus your sister you mean." Braig said as he set his foot down

"Clair was always the standoffish type, more so now then ever." Even said before placing a hand behind his head, as if expecting something.

And a small pebble flew right into it.

"You would think that basically raising her for the better part of 7 years would give me some respect with her, but apparently it doesn't." Even sighed out as he dropped the pebble to the ground.

"She lets you call her by her real name most of the time while the rest us of besides master Ansem and the kid receive the cold shoulder, the rest of us receive more then a simple rock to the head." Braig said, before a pebble bounced off of his forehead. "Ow."

"I swear I don't know where she gets it from." Even said, catching another pebble.

"I don't blame you, since you've been nothing more then a mother hen to her." Braig chuckled out. "Speaking of which, were is your new fledgling? Hanging off of Aeleus once again?"

"Not at all, I asked master to look after him. It is time for me to cheek up on Nero and I figured he would be in the square." Even said, getting Braig to nod.

"Good choice, you might want to hurry though. Last thing we want is for him to go off during the middle of another Unversed attack. He should be with his brother, Rosso, and that little red headed girl...what was her name again?" Braig said before snapping his fingers. "It's Kairi isn't it?"

"Correct, anything else I should know?" Even asked.

"Nothing much, a suspicious looking kid but that's all. Besides I think that your sister may have that covered." Braig said, pointing towards a nearby roof.

The two apprentices saw a flash a pink as a blur raced around the rooftops until stopping, surveying the area for a target.

"So we have nothing to worry about, unless the Unversed attack again." Braig said, brandishing his arrowguns. "Still I suggest that you hurry up and grab the kids. I have a feeling that things will get ugly soon."

"I'll keep that in mind." Even said he disappeared into crowds of people.

He might have been the senior apprentice, but when it came to the matters of the Unversed Braig and Clair where his superiors in dealing with them.

Once Even had disappeared, Braig trained one of his arrowguns directly at one of the Unversed trailing after Roxas.

"Looks like things are about to get interesting." He said with a grin, looking forward with what was about to come.

(Radiant Garden Town Square)

Roxas spent about another minute looking for Kairi, when he felt that he was being stalked. Seems like Xigbar's Somebody might have pointed him out and now he had the person he wanted to avoid the most tailing him.

So he just needed to find Kairi fast and then book it into a Corridor of Darkness.

He was getting closer to her location, when something tackled into him and sent him sprawling onto the floor.

"Nero get off of him." A voice called, getting the Nobody to see what had struck him.

Sprawled out on him was a small boy, possibly around 5 years old with black hair and magenta eyes with slit pupils. He was wearing a gray shirt with a wing pattern on the back, blue shorts, and gray sneakers. But that was not the most unusual thing about the boy, his heart was almost completely saturated with darkness.

He had sensed this same heart earlier and if what he sensed earlier was of any indication, then the void like one he sensed earlier was not that far behind.

He was proven right when the boy, Nero if he heard right was pulled off of him by a tall boy who looked to be around 9 with spikey white hair and blue eyes with a yellow ring around his pupils. He was decked out in simple all white clothing.

The white haired boy plopped Nero down onto his feet and offered the Nobody his hand.

"Sorry about Nero, he must've been attracted to your light." The white haired boy said as he helped Roxas up.

Roxas was a little taken aback, these boys where capable of sensing his light. Something that was unusual given most people couldn't even sense another, but it was not unheard of.

So while he didn't expect that these two boys would be able to sense him, it wasn't unusual.

"Honestly I am not surprised, I guess he does this sort of thing often?" Roxas asked, getting the white haired boy to shake his head.

"Not at all, only those with a strong light like Braig, Lightning, and Kairi." The boy said, once again surprising the Nobody.

He could understand Kairi, had no clue who this Lightning was, but the last one he guessed was Xigbar's somebody.

Seriously Xigbar's Somebody of all people had a strong light in his heart, then again he didn't sensed his heart as he was actively avoiding the man. It seemed that he was every bit unpredictable as his Nobody was.

Roxas was broken out of his thoughts when he noticed Nero pulling on the older boy's pant leg.

"What is it Nero?" The older boy asked as Nero gestured for him to lean down. The older boy knelt down as Nero whispered into his ear. "Are you sure?" The boy asked, getting Nero to nod.

"Alright then it seems like Nero wants to introduce you to are friends." The boy said, getting Nero to nod and point to the left. The same direction he could sense Kairi from.

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Roxas asked, before getting the older boy to chuckle.

"Personally no, but if my little brother wishes to do so with such certainty then who am I to judge. Besides I have a feeling that he only wants to be surrounded by so much light." The older boy said, getting Nero to pout. Possibly some truth to his words. "Still it will also keep Lightning from cutting you down."

Following the boy's gaze, he saw a pink blur on a nearby rooftop before it disappeared, this Lightning's heart clearly revealing that this was the same person following him.

"If you say so..." "Weiss, it's Weiss." Roxas said, before he was interjected by the now named Weiss. "Anyway Nero, would you like to lead the way?"

The younger boy nodded with a small smile, before walking forward with a small march. Getting the older boys to chuckle.

"Come on, I just want to enjoy this before he goes off once again." Weiss said before he and Roxas followed the younger boy.

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked, getting the white haired boy to point off to a small crater on the other side of the plaza. It's was completely scorched black and reeking of darkness.

"Nero and negativity never really go hand and hand. I try to keep him positive while otherwise he releases small bursts of darkness that scorches anything that touches it. Typically it isn't too bad, but with the Unversed around it has gotten worse." Weiss said with a sigh.

"Their increased negativity stresses him out more and causes more of these bursts?" Roxas asked, getting Weiss to nod.

"Correct and believe me it wasn't a pretty picture. The Ruler of this city, Ansem the Wise and his apprentices have been looking over him from time to time to hopefully stop these bursts or at least to control them." Weiss said with a sigh, getting the Nobody to nod with a hidden grimace.

If what Weiss said was true, then in a years time his younger brother would be a prime candidate for the experiments conducted by the very same people who run this world into ruining it given the condition of the boy's heart.

Hopefully nothing like that comes to pass this time.

Speaking of which, their was the issue of this Lightning still tailing him.

He should have at least heard of someone with this strong a heart in the Organization. The first 8 members all came from Radiant Garden, and with a heart as strong as this Lightning's it was almost 100% likely they would have become a Nobody along with the them when Radiant Garden fell.

Unless they weren't around at that point.

If so, then what happened to them then?

"You thinking about Lightning?" Weiss asked, snapping the Nobody out of his thoughts. "You keep looking back at her, but considering the fact that she is following you I would too. She has cut down so many Unversed with ease it is not even funny. Add in the fact she is undisputedly the strongest person in this city and her aloof demeanor has earned her the nickname the Valkyrie of Radiant Garden, much to her irritation, and the contestant amusement of Ansem's other apprentices."

"I see, definitely someone not to mess with." Roxas said truthfully, having no intention on messing with anyone during his trip. Only staying long enough to check Kairi and booking it back before Terra notices his abscense.

That and he was still a bit tired after dealing with the Ras Al-Gul not even an hour ago.

Still there was one thing that had the Nobody curious, if Lightning was an apprentice under Ansem. He should of at least heard about her from the more senior members of the Organization. So like the apprentices, something must've happened to her like with how the apprentices were no longer around.

Just another of many mysteries that keep seeming to pile up.

Still one to possibly explore.

One is those with hearts as strong as her's and Terra's do not simply disappear into thin air. The only reference he had was with the Master of Master's and he had probably disappeared at the end of the Age of Fairy Tales, a literal world shattering event. So something must've happened to her before Radiant Garden fell to darkness. Something that might turn up investigating after figuring out what would happen to his new friends and if possible prevent it.

"You seem to know quite a bit about her." Roxas said, getting Weiss to nod.

"I often see her while Nero and Rosso are getting checked up by Even, her older brother and senior apprentice under Ansem. They usually bicker a bit whenever they met, but he is just trying to look after his younger sibling like myself with Nero." Weiss said, surprising Roxas a bit.

Now he knew something had happened to her.

If he was following the Organization's naming rule then Even was Vexen. Someone who had a habit about flaunting his achievements and seniority on occasion during the limited time he saw him during his first month at the Organization. So if the fact this Lightning was his little sister, then he should have at least mentioned her at least once.

Then again he probably did, but Roxas was only a month old at the time. So it would have been rather pointless to talk to him about it in the first place.

So the Nobody decided to let this issue lie for now.

"You mentioned that this Rosso was were Nero is trying to bring be too, does she have a similar issue like him?" Roxas asked, getting Weiss to shake his head.

"Nothing like that at all. In all honesty Rosso is being treated for a different issue. Just a word for the wise. Whatever you do, do not let Rosso bleed, a single drop of blood touch her, or let her see her own blood. It is not pleasant sight." The white haired boy said with a wince. "Last time that happen, Even had to reapply sedatives in order to knock her out and she had nearly beaten Dilan to a pulp."

"Noted." Roxas said with a wince while trying to hold in a chuckle.

If he was correct, then that meant that Xaldin, one of the strongest members of the Organization had gotten his ass handed to him possibly by a little girl which was a hilarious thought.

But still, what could cause such a reaction from a little girl involving blood in order to do so? Probably best not to test it out.

"If you are worried about Rosso, then don't be. When she isn't being terror and bloodlust incarnate, she is alright to be around. As for Kairi, other then lacking any darkness, she is a completely normal little girl." Weiss said before Nero began to point to a small patch of flowers in the square. "Speaking of which, here we are."

True to word, there were two red haired girls around the flower patch. An older one in red and black dress with crimson eyes and a younger one in a white and purple dress with blue eyes. With the older one looking after the younger one as she was picking flowers. Judging by the feel of their hearts he had could tell that the older one was Rosso and the younger one was definitely Kairi.

He had found Kairi and seemed to be doing all right.

He had accomplished his goal, but now he had two issues to deal with now.

First, how to shake off Lightning and vanish into a Corridor of Darkness.

Second, how to slip past Nero, who was currently dragging him towards the two girls at full speed.

This kid was deceptively strong for his size.

As Nero was dragging the Nobody along with him, Rosso noticed the three of them approaching.

"Glad you caught Nero Weiss, but who the hell is the flake he is dragging with him." Rosso said, before Weiss smacked her on the back of the head. "What the bloody hell was that for you pale haired arsehole!"

"One, stop using such language. Even has admonished you enough on that, especially around Kairi." Weiss said while pointing at the now confused looking Kairi. "Secondly this is Roxas, he is a bit similar to Kairi and Nero dragged him in order to meet them...that and to be surrounded by so much light."

Nero pouted at that.

"You know that it is true." Weiss said, getting his younger brother to huff. "Anyway Lighting is keeping an eye on him, so there nothing to worry about." He explained, getting Rosso to huff.

"Got it, so leave him be incase he effes up and get his arse handed to him. Fine." She said, getting the Nobody to sigh.

"Is she always like this?" Roxas asked, getting Weiss to nod.

"Sadly she is, I told you that she is alright to be around. She is a good friend once you get to know her...and past her stubborn streak and sailor's tongue that is." Weiss sighed out.

"Bugger off Weiss!" She hollered back.

"See what I mean, anyway Roxas can you please look after Nero and Kairi for a minute. I just need to give this girl a tongue lashing." Weiss said as he walk over to the girl.

"Ok." Roxas said uncertainly, having no clue what to do in this situation before he felt a tug on his pant leg. Looking down he saw Nero trying to drag him over to the flower patch. "Alright I am coming just give me a second."

Nero nodded and rushed towards the flowers and started to shift through them. Roxas sat down next to him and began to look through the flower bed, unsure of what to do but decided to follow Nero's lead. He shifted through the flower bed until he found he found one that caught his attention.

It was a purple flower with a large yellow center. Figuring this would be a good one, Roxas gently picked it up from the ground.

"Xion."

The Nobody held the urge to scream as it felt like his body was struck by a full on bolt of lightning...which given his experiences Heartless hunting he could say that it was a usually painful experience.

What the hell, how did they know that person's name.

That one word literally sent shocks through his body and brought along the similar sensation of his missing memories, only worse.

And as for the person who said it.

"What did you say?" Roxas asked, surpassing a groan.

"Shion." Kairi said, getting the Nobody to clutch his head in pain once again although without as much pain as last time.. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just a headache." Roxas lied, trying not to upset her. If her nod was of any indication it seemed to be working. "So that is what this flower is called then?"

"Not really, they are called something I can't pronounce. But Grandma calls them Shions." Kairi said, missing another wince from the Nobody. "She says they are used for medicine and they have a special meaning."

"And that is?" Roxas asked, the pain diminishing.

"They mean that 'I won't forget you.'" Kairi said, getting the Nobody to stare for a second.

Before he let out a chuckle which soon turned into a laugh.

Not the funny kind, but the hollow and heartbroken kind...well as heartbroken as one could get without a heart anyway.

Roxas just let out his laugh for a minute, before calming down and seeing the young redhead with a expression that was demanding for an answer.

"Sorry, I was just laughing at a bit of irony." Roxas said, confusing the girl. "It means the opposite of something. Anyway I have a friend named Xion, like the flower. Sad thing is that I can't remember then." He continued, oddly feeling at ease spilling this to her.

Once again, he blamed Sora.

"If they where your friend, why did you forget them?" She asked incredulously, shocked at the thought of forgetting one of her friends.

"Not by choice, and I dearly wish to remember them. But it is going slowly." Roxas sighed out, before the flower was stuffed into his face. "What?"

"Then take this, maybe this will help you remember them better." Kairi said while placing the flower into his hand.

Roxas just looked at it for a moment before he let out a small chuckle.

"Who knows maybe it will, maybe I will give it to them when I remember them." Roxas said, lying about the fact that he might never have the chance to do so. As Xion was possibly killed by Xemnas and erased from history.

But she didn't need to know that.

"I hope so too." Kairi said, before her face went pale and took a few steps back in fear along with Nero.

Before Roxas could even ask, a familiar presence made itself known to him.

"Fancy seeing you here Roxas."

The Nobody turned around and summoned Oblivion, with it trained at Vanitas's helmeted face. The two younger kids hiding behind Roxas.

"Relax I'm not here to try anything with you personally." Vanitas said, before producing a folded up piece of paper. "Just to say you might want to get the little kids out of this area, because I would prefer not to have any kids as casualties in what I'm about to do."

"And that is?" Roxas asked, ready to strike.

"Simple." Vanitas said, before throwing the paper towards him.

And dodging a bullet that cracked the glass on his helmet, alerting the people of the plaza. He dodged a few more shots and Roxas had to even block one with his Keyblade as Kairi and Nero coached behind his back.

It ended when people started to run out in panic and Vanitas summoned his Keyblade just in time to block an attack from someone else.

A woman who looked to be about as old as Terra with long pink hair and aqua colored eyes. She was wearing a uniform similar to Braig, only it seemed like she was wearing shorts, had a black scabbard on her belt, and dangling from her neck was a lightning bolt pendent. In her hands was a intricate sword, that looked it could change form. And if he had to guess it was a gun of the bullets were of any indication.

Judging by the feel of her heart, this was Lightning and the way he could actually see Vanitas struggling to push her back only cemented how much of a threat she could be if she decided to attack him.

"Simply it is too kill the Valkyrie here." Vanitas admired with a groan, getting Lightning to glare at him coldly apply a bit more pressure to her strike.

"Like hell you will!" A voice shouted before a small clump of ice hit Vanitas's helmet, frosting it over the distraction proved to be enough to lose his focus and for Lightning to overpower him. Vanitas's Keyblade was sent flying from his grasp. The ancient Keyblade wielded took a step back in order to avoid another attack.

Only for a fist to connect with his helmet, shattering part of it and for him fall backwards onwards the ground.

But Lightning intercepted and moving at speeds that the Nobody could barley keep up with landed a kick on Vanitas's midsection and sent him sprawling into a nearby wall.

Roxas was nice again making a note not to piss her off, but he was in a bit of a shock at seeing who threw the punch.

"Clair, what the hell did you think you were doing!" Even demanded as he rubbed his sore hand and began to march over to Lightning.

Roxas just tilted his head in little in confusion.

Here name was Clair, he thought it was Lightning?

"That is her true name, just don't call her that. Don't know why, but anyone who calls her that doesn't go unscathed." Weiss said as he comforted Kairi and Nero with Rosso not that far behind him.

Roxas just nodded figuring it was better to be silent.

"I was handling it." Lightning said cooly.

"If you meant by shooting into a crowd of people, then you handled it perfectly! You are lucky none of your bullets deflected into anyone, otherwise we would have had more to worry about then some thug planing to kill you!" Even shouted at her.

"That wasn't some thug Even." Lightning said before leveling blade her towards the Nobody. "And this one obviously knows something if they were conversing earlier was of any indication."

"It is because, I was telling him that he might want to get the kids out of here." Vanitas said, pulling himself out of the wall and the top of his helmet broken. "Believe me if you don't heed my warning, then you won't like what happens next." He said, before turning to face Roxas. "As for you, we'll see each other soon enough."

Lightning's sword shifted into a gun and she fired a shot directly between his eyes. It would have it if Vanitas had opened a Corridor of Darkness right below his feet and vanished into it.

"Damn it." She said, before once again training her weapon on Roxas in order to get some answers, through

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Even said, as Weiss and Kairi stepped between him. A moment later, a reluctant looking Rosso. Nero was behind his older brother, wisps of darkness spreading off of him.

After a few moments, Lightning relented and lowered her weapon.

"Fine then, talk." She said coldly, getting the kids to back away.

"You could have asked without using your...gunblade?" Roxas asked, getting her to nod at that.

"True, but you are an unknown who was interacting with an individual who openly stated that he wished to kill me. Alongside the fact you are currently armed, I consider you a possible threat to Radiant Garden. The fact that the kids were willing to stand up for you and the fact I would never hear the end of it from Even are the only reasons why you don't have a bullet inside of you." She said, getting an indignant "Hey!" Even.

"Fair enough, though I am surprised Rosso stood up for me." Roxas said.

"I don't fully trust you, ya flaky lookin bloke. But if the rest stand up for you, I suppose I should too. That and I am always looking for a chance to miffed up that effin bird whenever I get the chance." Rosso said with a grin. Getting Weiss to face palm, Nero and Kairi to look confused, Even to hold back a chuckle, and Lightning's eye to twitch.

The Nobody decided it was best not to talk about it anyway.

"Anyway, that man was Vanitas. Don't know much about him, but he came after me sometime ago and would have done something to me if my friend hadn't saved me. I thought he was after me this time, but it seems like you are his target at the moment. Other then that all I know is that he is very strong and he controls the Unversed." Roxas said, omitting the fact about being Keyblade wielders or any info about other worlds.

Lightning and Even shared a grim look with each other for a moment before nodding.

"Alright then kids come with me, Weiss make sure to carry Nero. Don't want him to go off again. The sooner we get out of here the better." Even said, as Nero picked up his younger brother and made a mad dash away out of the plaza.

"Alright whatever you say, just don't get your knickers in a twist ya shitty geezer!" Rosso exclaimed as she trailed after the brothers.

"Stop calling me that!" Even shouted at her. "Kairi come on, we have to go."

"Wait a second." Kairi said, before running up to the Nobody and handing him a red flower. "For luck."

"Thank you Kairi, I will make sure it is safe.." Roxas said, pocketing it away and getting her to nod.

"Will you be back?" She asked, getting the Nobody to look confused. "You said that the bad man was after you. So are you going to leave?"

"After this yes." Roxas said, getting the young girl to look a little down cast. "But I promise to return one day."

"Promise." She asked, raising a pinky.

Roxas just smiled and raised his own.

"Promise." He said as they shook on it.

And for a moment, he swore he saw Naminé for a second in her place.

But the image was shattered as Even scooped the girl up.

"Then make sure to keep that promise." Even said before facing Lightning. "Stay safe Clair."

"Like I need you to tell me that Even." She said coolly, causing him to sigh.

"I figured that you would say that, still just stay safe. And try not to be too hard on the boy." Even said before running off, Kairi waving at the two as they left.

After about a moment, Lightning let out a sigh and held out her hand.

"I saw him hand you a paper earlier, So hand it over." She demanded, getting the Nobody to nod.

She unfolded it, only to let out a grunt in annoyance and handed the paper back to the Nobody.

Roxas looked at it and saw a rune over the paper and a little writing.

If anyone else besides Roxas reads this, then I got one thing to say to you.

Frick off and hand this to him.

Especially the Valkyrie.

Now Roxas could see why this annoyed her.

The rune flickered out of existence and was replaced by more writing appeared.

Roxas if you are reading this, then you will be seeing me again soon enough. With another test for you to undertake. That is if you can survive the Lurkers that is, and let me tell you it will not be an easy experience.

Hope you survive.

-Vanitas

P.S. This message will self destruct in 10 seconds after you read this.

A large orange rune appeared on the paper afterwards and began to glow.

Lightning snatched the paper, balled it up, and threw it right in front of them.

It exploded amd there was a loud roar as there was a flickering before the source made itself known.

The Unversed was a large serpentine monstrosity about as long as a man with golden scales and pronged horns. It had long arms ending in talons that took chunks out of the ground, instead of legs it had long tails tipped with spikes, and massive wings folded along its back. It growled at them as it rubbed the burn around it's red eyes.

Lightning shifted her weapon into its gun mode and Roxas summoned Oathkeeper.

"I take it that this is one of the Lurkers mentioned?" She said as the Unversed let out another roar, scarring away the remaining people in the plaza.

"Seems like it." Roxas said, while bracing himself for the fight about the come.

This Unversed felt like it was about as strong as the tree like one he had faced in the Dwarf Woodlands if not a bit stronger. That wouldn't be much of a problem usually, but he was still exhausted from dealing with Vanitas earlier today and the Ras Al-Gul not that long ago. Add in the fact that there were multiple of them added in the danger factor.

He didn't like the odds of a whole swarm gaining up on them.

The Unversed let out another roar, before it was struck in the head by a barrage of laser arrows and a few salvos from Lightning.

Looking past it, Roxas noticed that Braig had whipped out a a pair of arrowguns from all the way across the plaza and seemed to be just as capable of a shot as his Nobody was.

The Unversed let out another roar as it staggered, before it started to glow green and the damage started to fade away.

"So these things can heal, this is going to be annoying." Lightning muttered as all around the plaza there was more flickering to reveal 7 more Lurkers including one right next to the first one.

They all let out a collective roar before they covered themselves in smoke and started to fly around them. Soon the two found themselves trapped in a massive plume of smoke, barley able to see each other.

That might have been just a hindrance to the Nobody usually, but the smoke was also playing havoc on his senses. Making it all but impossible to sense even Lightning's heart.

Vanitas really went all out in making sure this things were ready to kill her.

The two of them kept their guard up incase the Unversed attacked.

They didn't have to wait long as four pairs of red eyes made themselves know.

Along with four fireballs approaching them at rapid speed.

The two of them barely had anytime to weave through the salvo before the Lurkers unleashed another set. This time they dodged, but due to the trajectory of the fire balls forced them back to back. The Unversed vanished into it soon after.

This was a bit of a new experience for Roxas, he might have had experience dealing with Heartless that preferred ambush tactics but these Unversed took it to a new level along with the ability to work in tandem perfectly.

"Roxas was it?" Lightning said without even looking over her shoulder. "I might not fully trust you, but it seems we are currently corned, how about a truce."

"You cover my back and I cover yours?" Roxas asked.

"Correct, but if you so much as think about stabbing me in the back I will do the same to you." Lightning said as he cocked her gunblade.

"I can live with that." Roxas said as he relied his Keyblades.

She just sent him a quick nod as they braced themselves for the Unversed lurking in the smokescreen.

(Same Time)

Vanitas reappeared on top of a nearby building where he quickly settled down as he looked at the chaos the Lurkers were causing.

People running around like there heads cut off, Lightning and Roxas cornered by 4 of them, one of them chasing after the bunch of kids being lead by one of Ansem's apprentice, one of them chasing a black haired girl, and finally Xehanort's accomplice Braig was snipping at all of them while two of them were attacking him.

Honestly he was enjoy seeing the man suffer a bit, the man was a mystery to the ancient Keyblade wield and he didn't like how he acted around old coot.

Then again he had a general hatred about anything relating to Xehanort, so it was a moot point.

Still he could tell that the man was hiding something and with any luck might find out through this scenario.

Still though his main focus was on Roxas and Lightning.

For Roxas, it was just out of curiosity. He had found a Princess of Heart in this world and what he briefly glimpsed was that Roxas might've had a history with her. Presumably from whenever he came from.

Still he was inclined to mostly leave the girl alone unless one of the Lurkers got near her. He was willing to push him as far as he needed in order for his plan to succeed, but he has drawn a line at his Unversed intentionally hurting children.

That just left a bad taste in his mouth at the mere thought of it, but still he was willing to cross that line if it hastened his goal of being whole once again.

As for Lightning, this was merely just a test run for his actual plan to kill her.

The Lurkers were weaker then what he has going for, but these 8 would serve as an excellent test on where to improve upon them for his real plan to kill her starts.

She was now considered a major threat as he has revealed himself to her, unintentionally of course.

He really should have kept his guard up a bit more around Roxas, he'll admit that.

Still she needed to die, her strong heart and according to Braig how she immediately took to the ways of combat to levels about close to a fully trained Keyblade wielder showed her potential as a threat. Even if according to him her near microscopic reserves of magic allowed her unable to cast even a simple spell. Yet despite this she showed talent as a natural born warrior and was not worth underestimating.

He heard legends about similar tales about similar warrior.

A man nearly unable to use of magic, yet managed to not only end a century long war, become one of the greatest Keyblade wielders of all time, and eventually trained two pupils you became the Master of Masters and his younger brother Garland, the greatest conquer the former united world ever seen. Minus their older sister of course.

So he knew it would be best to squash her here and now before she could threat him, or better yet his own plan now she knew of him. As much as a waste that would be, it needed to be done.

So with that in mind he resummoned his book and once again went back to work on it, all the while enjoying the sight of the Valkyrie of Radiant Garden struggling through the eyes of the Unversed.

(Chapter End)