Home is Where the Heartless Are Chapter 06: Two Ton Anchor, Tangled up in Wire Reeve was searching through the many drawers in his large desk for a hidden bottle of painkillers when his secretary, Lola, came into the room. "Um, sir." she said meekly, obviously afraid of giving him the news. The Shinra president had been especially cranky in the last few days. He'd been staying up night after night, trying to solve the city's hunger crisis and deal with the Heartless attacks as well. "What?" He asked, finally finding the bottle. He swallowed two dry, closing his eyes as his migraine began to pound harder. "There's a crowd outside the main building sir, they're asking to see you," Lola said as she wrung her hands. "Miss Lockhart is down speaking with them, she seems to think you should see them personally. I told her you were busy, but she was very persistent and-" "Tell her I'm on my way," Reeve said, stopping her in mid-babble. He grabbed his coat from where it was thrown over a chair and slipped into it as he walked from the room. The ride down the elevator to the ground level was short, but anticipation was running through his body. Riots had started before, right outside his office. Angry parents demanding food and clothing for their children, angry children demanding medical attention for their parents. The Heartless made anger and depression grow in the population, like fuel to a fire. He walked through the main lobby and outside into the chilly air, but there was no noise. Only a crowd of people in black stood on the steps of the Shinra building, completely surrounded by security guards. Men, women, even children. They all wore the exact same thing: black hooded trench coats and a necklace that barely peeked out from under it, a ring of silver. On the necklace were two long beads, each carved with different designs and symbols. They were all silent, all focused entirely on Reeve. "I am President Reeve," he said, buttoning up his coat. "We are the Nobody," a man said, stepping away from the group. A patch of bright, blond hair stuck out from under his hood, but he didn't seem to notice. "We know the Keybearers are all here. We are the ones who don't exist, the ones who will aid the Keybearers against the Black Planet." "Aid the Keybearers?" Tifa asked, moving to stand beside Reeve. The man nodded. "They will need us very soon. We must prepare now." "What's going to happen?" Reeve asked, heart beginning to beat faster. "War," the man answered. ------- Aeris sat in the huge library of Hollow Bastion, emerald eyes focused on the thick, leather bound book in front of her. It was a very detailed description of the years leading up to Maleficent's takeover of Hollow Bastion, written by a prominent doctor of the time. She shivered slightly, hugging herself, but unwilling to stop reading to get her jacket. "You're going to catch a cold," Cloud's smooth voice murmured into her ear as his muscular arms slipped around her body, hugging her back into his chest. He set his chin on her shoulder and leaned their heads together. "You scared me," Aeris said, smiling softly. "I'm sorry," Cloud replied absently before he began to kiss her jawline. The brunette woman scoffed and smacked him playfully. "You are not." "Of course I am," Cloud said in a mock surprised tone. "You'd doubt my sincerity?" "Maybe," Aeris replied, voice becoming quiet when she realized they weren't alone. A cloaked man stood in the shadows of a large bookcase, watching them silently. Cloud whipped into a fighting stance, silently wishing for the feel of the Buster Sword's hilt in his hands. "Don't worry about me," the hooded man said, deep voice bemused. He stepped out into the light to reveal a smile across his lips and strands of spikey black hair falling from the hood of his jacket. However, the rest of his face was hidden in shadow. "I am Nobody, or one of the Nobody, created, sent and here to aid the Keybearers. But hey, none of them are on this side of Kingdom Hearts anymore so what are we supposed to do.?" His voice was careless and he shrugged, grinning ferally. "Aid the Keybearers.?" Aeris asked, pretty face in a frown as she stood up. "What do you mean?" "You sense it, Cetra," he said as he folded his arms across his broad chest. "The second wave of Heartless, the final attack. We, the Nobody, were created to help the Keybearers. But, since none of them are on this side of Kingdom Hearts like I said before, we've been redirected to the Hollow Bastion." "So Sora made it through.," Aeris said quietly. The man nodded. "The Nobody don't really have names, but just call me Guardian. There are also Nobody on the other side of Kingdom Hearts, most likely moving out to various worlds to prepare for war." "War?" Cloud asked, still on edge. His clear blue eyes didn't miss a detail about the hooded man's movements, catching every minute shift or slight change in stance. Guardian nodded. "Sora did nothing but close Kingdom Hearts four years ago. The Keybearers are now on the verge of attack the thing that creates the Heartless themselves, the point of creation for the Heartless." "You keep saying Keybearers," Cloud said, narrowing his eyes. "There's only one. Sora." "Wrong." Guardian smirked. "There are four. Sora, Riku, Stella and Vemme." The smirk dropped from Guardian's lips, turning them into a thin, determined line. "You have to prepare Hollow Bastion for war again. This is world is the best place for the Heartless to attack from, because its Keyhole leads to Between." "What is 'Between'?" Aeris asked. "Between the worlds, a long stretch of road where the lost and wandering find themselves. A world that's stretched out between the planets. You can't see it, or touch it, unless you're there. It exists, but it doesn't. The Nobody have been there since we were created, and when the Keybearers no longer need us, we will return there." Guardian spoke clearly, without any pause or break or hint of lies. His words were clear, they were the truth. "You say there are other 'Nobodies', where are they?" Cloud asked, obviously still suspicious. Guardian tilted his head towards the window. "Outside, hidden outside in the shadows and under the Rising Falls." He shrugged. "We know Hollow Bastion's King isn't the most personable of people and wouldn't be too happy with us sneaking around his palace to see him, so I went in alone. I chose to speak to you first because I knew you'd believe me." "How do you know we do believe you?" Cloud asked, body relaxing just a bit. Guardian shrugged. "I never said you did, but you have to admit, I have more a chance of convincing you than I do of convincing Leonhart." ------ Sora stared outside the small window next to his seat, watching with uninterested, tired eyes as the barren snow desert rushed by outside. He sat in a transport vehicle heading towards the Lunatic Pandora Laboratory, which was where the Translations had been held. Riku sat beside him, sea green eyes hidden under his lids, relaxing in his chair during the brief calm. Nobody and Stella were sitting in front of them, Stella snoring quietly from his slumped, sleeping position on Nobody's shoulder. "He's probably going to drool on you again," Riku said quietly as Nobody opened a book. "At least he isn't having wet dreams about Tifa," the older man replied absently. Sora snorted his laughter, elbow falling into his lap from where it'd been sitting on the armrest. "I'm just not going to ask." Riku opened his mouth to reply, but Stella suddenly mumbled incoherently in his sleep, a half-moan, half-sentence. "Hmmmffhhhgggg, put my waffles down Riku, marrghhhh." Stella muttered, moving in his sleep so his arms were draped around Nobody's frame, nuzzling into the crook of the blonde's neck. Sora raised a ginger eyebrow at Riku. "Do I want to know?" Riku was about to respond when, again, he was interrupted. The transport vehicle suddenly slammed to a halt, causing all of them to lurch forward in their seats. Nobody managed to grab the front of Stella's shirt before his friend was flung to the floor by the abrupt stop and yanked hard to pull Stella back. If not for Nobody's quick reaction, Stella would have been thrown from his seat as he was torn from slumber. "What the hell?" Sora muttered, getting up. An Esthar soldier came into their compartment with a frightened look on his face. "Heartless!" "Shit!" Stella was already awake and fully aware, adjusting the straps of his equipment. "We'll hold them off, you get on the radio and get reinforcements from the Lunatic Pandora Laboratory," Nobody said calmly to the soldier and unsheathed his swords. He walked outside briskly and easily spotted the coming wave of Heartless. "I see mainly Neo Shadows, why aren't there stronger Heartless?" Sora asked as he pulled his Keyblade out. "They probably weren't expecting us," Stella responded absently around a yawn. "Stick together," Nobody said quietly. "Neo Shadows are weak, but they work together as a unit and there are probably a hundred here. Stella, you're with me. Riku, watch Sora. Let's go." "Hey! I don't need anybody to watch me!" Sora said heatedly, but the older man was already running with long, huge steps towards the Heartless. As Riku watched Sora run into the fight, he knew it would be Sora who watched him. His friend was powerful, almost amazingly so. Nobody was more experienced, but Sora's brute strength still provided him with more Heartless defeats. As he watched, Riku became more and more surprised. During the battle at Nibelheim, Sora's attacks had been sloppy and wild. Now, only two days later, he was moving like liquid. He seemed to have an extra sense of his surroundings, taking on the Heartless that approached from any angle without getting attacked himself. Sora struck out almost viciously and kicked one of the Neo Shadows in the chest, sending it slamming back into more Heartless. An entire line of Heartless were knocked down, and Sora wasted no time exploiting the momentary weakness with a powerful fire spell. Riku adjusted his grip on his Keyblade and rushed into the battle, knocking away Neo Shadows on either side of him easily. ----- Zell was the first to arrive at the Lunatic Pandora Laboratory's transport station, and he wasted no time in rushing off to help the Keybearers. He grabbed his modified T-board and flipped the on switch before tossing it on the ground, hopping onto the small hovering platform as Quistis and Irvine showed up. "I'll meet you there!" He yelled as he pushed his foot down a bit, moving the T-board forward. The board quickly accelerated and he crouched slightly, wild blond spikes whipping around in the wind. The Keybearers had nearly reached the Lunatic Pandora when they were attacked and he easily spotted them, a patch of black against the ice blue ice desert floor. The black patch grew bigger as he got closer, and he squinted to make out the forms of the four Keyblade wielders amidst the wave of Neo Shadows. His pale lips stretched out in a radical grin and he steered the T-board right in the Heartless, smashing them into the ground mercilessly. He spun the board around in a 360-degree circle, knocking the Neo Shadows down. "Zell!" He looked and found Stella motioning for him to come over. Zell kicked one of the Heartless off the board and moved towards the Keybearer. Stella jumped on and knelt down, holding his Keyblade out like a long thorn. Zell grinned and steered the T-board through the fight zone, the small machine now like a tank as Stella slashed through the Neo Shadows. Within minutes after Zell's arrival, the battle was over. Sora barely panted and brushed away a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. He walked over towards Riku, a frown working across his face when he noticed his friend was clutching at his upper arm. "Are you hurt?" He asked worriedly, peering at Riku's fingers. A small trickle of red slipped between them and Riku pulled the hand away, revealing a long jagged cut bleeding heavily. "That doesn't look too bad," Zell said as he hopped off the T-board. He kicked it up and held it, bending to look at the wound. "But, I'd let it heal naturally. If you used a cure spell or potion, you'd have a huge ass scar." "There's an emergency kit in the car," Stella called, jogging into the vehicle. He came out a few moments later with a small black bag and held it as Nobody went to work bandaging Riku's cut. "Quistis and Irvine are coming," Zell said, sticking his free hand into the pocket of his jeans. "Quistis is going to yell at you for taking the T-board again," Stella said, laughing. Zell laughed too. "Probably, but oh well. Man, I'm freaking hungry. I want a hot dog." "There's a surprise," Riku said, wincing as Nobody applied disinfectant. Sora watched the casual exchange, remaining silent until Zell seemed to finally notice him. "Hey, you're the other Keybearer?" The blond asked, tilting his head. Sora spotted the long, curving black tattoo on his face, wrinkled slightly by the huge smile on his lips. The youngest Keybearer nodded, stepping forward to shake the man's hand. "Cool. I'm Zell Dincht." "I'm Sora," Sora replied, but his eyes weren't on Zell. They were focused on Riku, worriedly watching as Nobody tightened the bandage. Zell noticed Sora's wandering eye and cast a questioning look at Stella. The Keybearer shrugged, looking past the blonde's shoulder. Zell turned and looked across the ice wasteland to find a military style jeep speeding towards them. The martial artist laughed to himself as Irvine waved lazily out the window. Zell waved back castually, grinning widely to crinkle the black tattoo. "Irvine's going to be disappointed that Sora isn't a hot woman," Stella said, smirking. "Are you sure?" Zell asked, checking Sora over mockingly. Sora gaped sarcastically. "You've found me out!" "I bet Riku feels so used," Zell said, grinning at the black haired man. "It's not like we slept together," Riku muttered, flexing his arm to see if the bandaged restrained his movement. "Well, yeah, if you did I bet you would have noticed Sora was missing some equipment," Stella replied, folding his arms across his chest. "Unless you were totally stoned or drunk or.something," Zell added. "I think even drunk Riku would have noticed Sora's penis came off when his boxers did," Stella said. Zell seemed to 'hmm' and 'haw' over this, nodding vaguely. "I'm not even going to ask." Quistis said delicately as she approached, having only heard Stella's last comment. "Is anybody hurt?" Sora raised his hand. "I lost my penis again." "Did you remember to put it on this morning?" Stella asked, looking at the other Keybearer's crotch area. Nobody shook his head and chuckled quietly to himself from inside the transport vehicle. ------ Guardian stood in front of Squall calmly, easily looking back into the President of Hollow Bastion's ice blue eyes. The brunette man leaned back in his expensive leather office chair, tapping his index finger on the desk for a few moments before looking at Aeris and Sephiroth. "You're our experts on this," he said calmly. "What do you think?" Aeris sighed, folding her arms behind her back. "I believe him." Squall looked at Sephiroth, pausing to assess the older man. He appeared fixated on Guardian, eyes focused on the man so intently Squall thought Guardian's head might pop at any moment from the pressure. "What do you think, Sephiroth?" The silver haired man crossed his arms over his muscular chest. "I believe he's telling the truth." Sephiroth's Mako eyes never left Guardian, and under his hood, Guardian's eyes flickered to stare back. Sephiroth's breath came quickly when he caught a flash of dark, cocoa brown rimmed with a hot amber glow under the hood. His lips thinned, though it was the only thing that gave away his deep thinking. Disjointed and fragmented memories glinted up at him from his mind, like a thousand shards of a broken mirror each reflecting a past event ready to rip him apart. However, before he could catch the memories, they shifted away back into his mind, leaving only the lingering smell of a burning flesh and smoke. Across the room, Cloud's cerulean eyes were fixed on Sephiroth. Every hitch in the ex-General's movement, every change in his body, was caught by the blonde's sharp attention. When Sephiroth appeared to calm down again, Cloud looked towards Guardian, who was explaining the purpose of the Nobody army in greater detail to Squall. Cloud thought he felt Guardian's eyes on him, but just for a moment, as the man's voice lowered slightly when he was distracted. The change was very hard to hear, and Squall didn't seem to notice as he jotted down notes. Yuffie could nearly feel the tension in the room, Sephiroth watching Guardian like a hawk, Cloud watching Sephiroth like a protective mother wolf. She looked at Aeris and discreetly poked the older woman in the leg to get her attention. Aeris looked at her and gave her a questioning look. Yuffie flicked her eyes momentarily towards the three men standing. Aeris shrugged a small frown on her fore head. Squall noticed this and looked at her. "Something wrong?" Aeris knew he was paying extra attention to her now, ready to jump to attention at a moment's notice. The petite woman knew her friend didn't want Hollow Bastion or any of its people to suffer again, and if it meant driving himself into the ground with work and research, he was damn well going to do it. She shook her head, long, creamy brown hair waving around her. "No, I'm fine." ------ The Lunatic Pandora Laboratory was a very wide compound, spread out instead of built upwards. The outside of the building was non-descript off white and the only thing that gave away its status as a military base were the security guards outside every entrance and high-tech security system. The building had a very sterile feel and the smell of disinfectant seemed to be everywhere, despite the fact that small potted plants were put in almost every corner. Military personnel in labcoats, camouflage, or formal uniform were walking the halls, each giving Nobody a quick nod of recognition. Sora felt like he was being watched as they were led through the complex hallway system. His quick eyes spotted cameras and various other surveillance and security devices everywhere and the guards each carried huge, high-power personal firearms. The outer walls were made of concrete, painted over to try and hide the fact. The entire place felt very impersonal and medical; everybody seemed to have a task to complete and moved to do it without caution. Sora felt out of place, as if something separated him from the people around him. "Unnerving, isn't it?" Stella asked quietly, looking over at the younger man. "I looked the same way you did when I came here for the first few times. It feels weird to be around so many no-nonsense people, doesn't it?" Sora nodded, folding his arms across his chest as if he were trying to pull himself in the smallest area of space he could. "Don't worry," Zell said, catching Sora's nervousness. He shrugged. "Everybody here looks scarier then they really are, I think it's a job requirement." "Then why do you work here?" Sora asked in an astonished voice. Zell gasped. "Are you saying I'm not scary looking!?" "Zell, you tripped over a potted plant in the lobby," Stella said blandly, managing to stay blank faced. "Oh, screw you too!" Zell huffed, folding his muscular arms over his chest. "We're here," Quistis said as they rounded a corner, finding a mostly vacant hallway save for a small handful of security people. "General Trepe," one of them said, nodding quickly before stepping aside to allow her and the group entry to the hallway, which was blocked with yellow "DO NOT CROSS" tape. They stepped under the tape and went first to the room the three Heartless had appeared in. "The Heartless appeared in this room," Quistis began, moving to allow them a view of the room. "They took the Diary, along with a copy of the translations copied off this machine here." She motioned with her hand towards the center machine. "You've seen the security video, so explaining it would really just be a waste of time. Any questions?" "What type of Heartless were they?" Sora asked. The blond woman replied, "They were a new type, which we've decided to call Wire Patch. This will be their official name from now on." "Are all the Heartless gone?" Stella questioned, looking around the room. "Yes," Quistis replied, nodding. "Alright," Nobody began after a few moments silence, drawing all attention towards him. "Let's look around and take note of anything unusual." ------ In Midgar, Reeve sat in front of his computer screen, the black and white grainy security video replaying again and again for his tired eyes. A half drank, cold cup of coffee sat on his desk, along with a soggy tuna sandwich. He'd been focused on the tape for hours, forgetting to eat or drink as he analyzed it over and over, watching for details or anything that could give them a clue to. What? A flicker of motion caught his attention and he frowned, moving the video back a few frames. His dark brown eyes went wide as he watched the scene frame by frame, the flicker taking shape and suddenly making sense. He scrambled for his phone and dialed Shinra's communication center. "Get me a signal to the Lunatic Pandora Laboratory ASAP!" ------ Sora watched as Nobody retraced the steps of the Heartless for the umpteenth time, the brunette's body heaving as he sighed. "What are you looking for?" Sora asked, frowning. ".I'm not sure," Nobody replied. Sora sighed again. It was the same answer he'd gotten twenty minutes ago. "Do you want help?" Sora asked. "Come here," Nobody said, and Sora walked towards him. He grabbed the younger Keybearer by the shoulders and moved him a foot over. "Stay here." "Okay." Sora trailed off, watching the older man attentively. Nobody walked backwards, to the area where the Heartless had appeared. He walked forward towards Sora again, crouching down to the floor. "Four," Nobody said, squatting as he traced with his gloved index finger on the floor. "Four?" Sora asked, raising a brown eyebrow. "Four sets of prints," Nobody replied. "But there were only three Heartless," Sora said. But his mind flashed back to the battle with Clayton in the Deep Jungle and the Stealth Sneak. The huge lizard had been invisible, only traceable by its huge shadow. ".Three that we could see." "Exactly. We need to look at that tape closer." Nobody walked out of the room and Sora followed him. They moved out into the hall where the rest of the group was. "Find anything?" Riku asked from where he was carefully examining the outside of the wall for anything. They really had no clue what to look for. "We need to watch that tape again, there were four Heartless in that room," Nobody answered, looking towards Quistis. The blond woman was already pulling out her mobile phone to call and request a copy of the footage. "What!? How!?" Stella cried, whipping around to look at his friend. "There were four sets of foot prints in the area the Heartless appeared. Three lead off towards the computers, while another went off towards a corner." Nobody thought for a moment. "The Heartless could still be here." "But what for?" Sora asked. The hooded man shrugged. "I really don't know." "Maybe a spy?" Stella tried. "Is there anything else the Heartless would be interested in stealing here?" "But we've already assumed the Heartless are being controlled, so that's impossible to answer," Riku responded, catching onto the same track Nobody was on. Their stances were almost the exact same again as they thought, as if they were connected telepathically. "If somebody is controlling them, who knows what they want?" "Okay, but why would they need an invisible Heartless here in the first place?" Stella questioned, flopping down into a plastic chair he'd gotten from the lobby. "I mean, what else is here that's of importance?" "Nothing that I know of," Nobody replied. "I doubt the Heartless need military equipment. The technology being developed here is advanced, but it's nothing compared to the Black Planet's endless source of power. Tanks and guns can be destroyed, but Heartless can't be destroyed, only sent back to the Black Planet to be recycled." "Recycled?" Sora looked at Nobody. "What do you mean?" "The Black Planet recycles the Heartless. When one is destroyed, it doesn't just disappear. It's turned into the darkness that coats this universe, and is eventually returned to the Black Planet and used to create new heartless. That's why we can't simply defeat all the Heartless and be done with it, because even if we managed to destroy every Heartless, they would eventually return when the Black Planet had the power to recreate them." Nobody explained. As Nobody was explaining, Riku was watching a small plant over Quistis' shoulder. His sea eyes watched as the leaves fluttered when people walked by, catching every glint of electric light on its green surface. His gaze never left the spot, never shifted angles when Quistis' golden hair would get in the way as she moved from foot to foot on the phone, or when a passing worker would obscure his view. Suddenly, seemingly without warning or provocation, Riku whipped his Keyblade out and jumped in two long steps across the hallway to bring the Keyblade up in a diagonal arch and slice the planter cleanly in half. Sora watched, amazed, as the decoration melted away to the shape of a Heartless similar to a Power Wild. The Heartless was cut in half as the planter had been, pitch black blood seeping out in a pool around it. The oil reflected the silent room like a mirror, gleaming brightly. "Good work," Nobody murmured. "How long did you know it was there?" Riku asked, looking over at the older man. Nobody shrugged. "I spotted something different about it when we first walked in, but I didn't know what it was exactly until I saw the fourth set of prints." He turned to Quistis. "We're going to Esthar, for now. We can continue the search tomorrow, as I suspect you want to have the tape examined by experts now?" The woman nodded. "I was thinking that too. I'll arrange for your transportation there." ------ "I've already spoken with Quistis," President Laguna Loire of Esthar said as he leaned back in his chair. "Nobody spotted the fourth Heartless at probably about the same time you did, Reeve." "Good," Reeve said, sighing with relief. "The last thing we need is a Heartless lurking around the Lunatic Pandora. How is the Ragnarok coming along, by the way?" "Very well," Laguna replied, smiling as his secretary walked into the room. The secretary handed him a note and his smile turned into a huge grin. "Ah, the Keybearers are here in the palace. Have been for sometime, apparently." "Go spend time with Nobody," Reeve said, laughing at his friend's enthusiastic voice. Laguna sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in worry. He felt a leg cramp coming on and started digging around for his pain relievers. "It may be the last time I get to for a long time." "It may be," Reeve said gravely. The two men ended the conversation and Laguna sat back in his seat, closing his laser blue eyes tiredly. He popped two pills into his mouth and swallowed them with a healthy amount of water. A few minutes later, with an almost happy hop, he got out of his chair and walked out of the huge presidential office. ------ Nobody sat alone in the Esthar palace library, his long body curled up in one of the huge reading chairs with a large book in his lap. He was utterly relaxed, shifting sometimes between slumber and consciousness as he slowly picked his way down the pages and through the paragraphs. He'd always felt at home in Esthar, which was his place of birth. The city was heavily guarded and had almost a million inhabitants, though its streets remained clean and its air fresh. He found it easy to unwind there, and he secretly agreed to go with Ralph just for a few hours of calmness there. "The Nobody are on the move." He jumped slightly at the voice, looking towards it. The small figure wearing the ratty old cloak stood a few feet away, watching him quietly. The figure jumped up into a chair and shook its head at him. "I sometimes forget you're only 21 and still very much in love with this place, Vemme." "Nobody is my name," Nobody said, closing the book. The figure stared for a few moments at the young man before asking, "The Translations were stolen, weren't they?" Nobody nodded. "They were. And you released the Nobody army, didn't you?" "I did, but they would have eventually torn their way through the fabric of Between and into reality. They are very persistent people." The figure adjusted his dirty cloak around his tiny body slightly, shifting in his seat. "What are the Nobody, exactly?" Nobody asked, moving so he was sitting properly in the chair. "They are those connected to the Keybearers. Many, many people are Nobodies, but they aren't in their ranks because they aren't dead yet. When Tifa dies, she will become a Nobody, because she is so deeply connected to you and Stella. Those who become Nobodies don't have to know the Keybearers, but have to feel for them. All those who hear of the Keybeareres' pain and feel for them, want to reach out and fight against the Heartless with them, will eventually become Nobodies." The figure suddenly jerked, looking over his shoulder. "President Loire is about to come here, so I'll be off!" He hopped from the chair and ran across the room, disappearing into the darkness. Nobody shifted back into his reading position, wishing he had had more time to talk with the figure. He knew much more than Stella or anybody did about the Keybearers and the Keyblades, but the figure still kept him blinded to many facts. He looked up when the door opened and President Laguna Loire of Esthar walked in, a large smile across his beautiful face, salt and pepper hair tied back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. "Hello Laguna," Nobody said politely, putting the book on a small table next to his chair. "Hullo," Laguna replied, flopping down into a chair next to Nobody. "Long time no see, how've you been?" "Same as always," Nobody replied, lips curled in a small smile. Nobody enjoyed the President's company. He was a cheerful, bright, and mature man who could converse about a number of subjects Nobody enjoyed. It was hard to stay depressed with Laguna around, but even harder to stay silent. He made everybody talk with gentle coaxing Nobody doubted he was even aware of. "How have you been?" "Oh," Laguna waved absently. "Same old, same old. Could be worse though. I could be bored." Nobody chuckled quietly, loving Laguna's sense of humor. Laguna had been the one to train Nobody in combat, to prod amd illuminate his potential as both a Keybearer and a human being. Nobody, or Vemme Bailec, had grown up among a group of travelers living on the barren, wasteland like outskirts of Esthar. He'd been an orphan since he was born, and shunned for it, believe to be the cause of his mother's death. Tossed from relative to relative, till one day he stumbled into Esthar and defeated a band of Heartless with the swift ease of a Keybearer just born. The Keyblade had come to him that day, and for those few minutes of first combat, had given him the strength and abilities to strike down his enemies. President Laguna Loire had been making a speech that day, rallying for the annual Esthar street races, when it had happened. Laguna easily spotted the Keyblade and scooped Vemme up under his wing. Though Nobody had been seventeen at the time, he looked much much younger. Underfed and wearing clothes far too big for him, he looked barely twelve. Laguna had cared for him, and humanized him. He'd had no social skills, skittered in the dark places of the palace and refused to think of himself as an equal to other humans. Slowly, surely, over months, Laguna had worked Vemme out of his shackles and into the strong, confident young man he was now. Their relationship was paternal. Laguna was the father figure Nobody had been deprived of, and Nobody took the place of Laguna's lost son. "How're Tifa and those guys?" Laguna asked, breaking Nobody's contemplative mood away. "Good. Nibelheim was attacked two days ago." Laguna frowned in worry. "Are you okay? Is everybody okay?" "I'm fine, and so is everybody else," Nobody said, smiling again. He frowned then, thinking back to the battle against the Darkside. "Sora is incredibly powerful, much more than myself or Stella or Riku. He's not as experienced, or graceful looking, but his attacks are especially strong." "Does it worry you?" Laguna asked, watching the young man with his laser blue eyes. "No. But I have to wonder why. We've all had our Keyblades for about the same time, but why is he so powerful compared to the rest of us?" Nobody felt relaxed when he asked this, which was somewhat unusual. He didn't dare share these thoughts with anybody else, not even Stella. "Maybe because he got his Keyblade at such a young age?" Laguna replied. "He was about fourteen, right? Or because he's been through so much with it?" "There are so many questions about the Keyblades I have," Nobody said, with a sigh. "I hope there's some way of getting the Diary back." "We will, don't worry," Laguna replied as he patted the younger man on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, you probably wanted to talk about something other than the Heartless," Nobody said, sighing slightly. "I wanted to hear you talk," Laguna said, smiling. "Whatever you have to say, I want to hear it." "Do you know about what happened at the Lunatic Pandora?" The younger man asked, removing his trench coat. Under it, he wore a black wife beater tank top and a pair of faded black pants. He suddenly appeared to Laguna as he should have been; twenty-one without the responsibility of pulling three other people and himself through hell and back without snapping. "That Rain, or Riku, didn't like the décor? Yeah," Laguna said, laughing. When he laughed, chicken feet appeared at his temples, causing Nobody to chuckle quietly. ----- >_> Too much humor in this chapter for me to be okay with it. I liked writing it but eh ._.;;. I'm too hypersensitive about my writing ^^;;. I have about 450983498047239 worries over this chapter, like I do everyone. Hoorah for paranoid fanfic authors! =D *trips on left over sarcasm*