The beach was quiet. It was a rare escape from the city. The two twins were hardly allowed out of the sight of their temporary guardian, who seemed to change once a month to the twins. This seemed to be the first time they had been alone since at least a month ago. And the first time they had been outside the city in months.

Y stood in the shallows, her shoes abandoned on the sand behind her. Her short blonde hair brushed her shoulders as the ocean breeze blew by. The scent of salt permeated everything around them. It wasn't unfamiliar, and it did for once seem to be a comfort.

Back on the sand X sat reclined. His own shoes were beside him as he let the sand rub on his bare feet. His own blonde hair was blowing out of his eyes. His eyes watched his sister, waiting to see what she would do. If she did anything besides watch the ocean. The two young twins, hardly old enough to be allowed on their own, were always unusually silent between the two. Words weren't something they needed to exchange.

"Hey X," Y said turning to look over her shoulder. Her wide brown doe eyes looked at her brother with curiosity and something else. Were there tears in her eyes? Or was it just the light reflecting off of them to seem like tears?

"Hm?" X locked eyes with Y, waiting for her to speak. Explain why she had suddenly turned around to speak to him when she had been silent since they arrived here, just like she always was when at the beach.

"You know I love you, right?" Y asked. X frowned his eyebrows drawing together as he tilted his head to the side.

"Well yeah, and I love you too," X said. "Why? Something wrong?" Y showed her affection for X often. She would hang off of him and hold his hand. She kissed his forehead every night before going to sleep. It was no secret she loved him. She went out of her way to show it. And he never doubted it for a second.

"No, I just. I feel like I should tell you," Y said looking back to the ocean. The sun was hanging low, almost to the point it rested on top of the water. Y frowned, her lips pursing together as she looked into the twilight. "Could I ever do anything that would make you hate me?" Y asked.

"No," X said without waiting. He knew there was nothing that could tear them apart. They had been together for far too long to ever be separated. No matter what happened he would never hate her. Though he couldn't say the same of her.

"Come on, there has to be something. What if, what if I left you to die?" Y asked. She turned back around and walked out of the water. She dropped to her knees beside X grabbing onto his arm. X smiled closing his eyes.

"Nope," he said. He reached out and ruffled her hair. Y glared and pushed his hand away. She dropped her hands into her lap.

"Seriously, I'm not joking," she said. X sighed opening his eyes. He gave a crooked grin and looked to the ocean.

"I know you're not. And neither am I. If you left me to die I'd gladly die for you. That's a brothers job," X said simply. Y frowned and looked down at her hands. She closed her hands, looking back up at him.

"But, I'm the elder. I'm supposed to protect you," Y said firmly. There were tears in her eyes this time. X looked at her again keeping his smile.

"So let me repay the favor every now and then," X said taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. Y smiled and looked down, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Are you sure you're ok?" X asked, leaning forward to look more closely at his sister.

"Yeah, a weird feeling is all," Y said reaching up to brush her tears from her eyes. X smiled and brushed her hair back from her face. She looked up at him and smiled briefly. Her eyes looked back to the ocean.

"Do you know the story of this beach?" X asked. Y looked at him with her head tilted.

"What?" Y asked. X chuckled.

"They say a long time ago, back when the dark queen lived, she escaped the execution," X said. Y gasped leaning toward X.

"What? No way! How?" Y asked. X chuckled again and shoved his sister playfully. He leaned back and watched as the sun sank lower into the ocean.

"That loyal servant you always compare me to. You see, some say that servant wasn't just chosen for no reason. Some say they chose him because he was her twin brother, separated at birth," X said.

"What? That's crazy!" Y said cutting him off before he could continue his explanation. X shrugged and looked down at the ground.

"It's just how the story goes. Anyway, they looked enough alike they could trade places. So they did, at the servant's insistence. He died in her place. Afterward, she ended up hiding around here. This beach had been a favorite childhood haunt of the twins. Standing in the water with tears in her eyes she remembered something her brother she had told her. A fairytale he had heard from an old man. If you write a wish on a piece of paper and place it in a glass bottle, and put it into the ocean. One day, there's a chance the wish will come true. The young queen did just that, she wrote on a piece of paper and set the bottle into the waves and watched it fade away in the distance," he explained as he looked to the water. His eyes went to the horizon as if looking for the bottle in the waves.

"What did it say?" Y asked breathlessly. X looked at Y again, smiling softly.

"She wanted to be forgiven," he answered. Y arched one of her eyebrows, and X almost found himself laughing.

"By?" she questioned.

"Her brother of course," X said. "She realized she had done too much wrong to ever right herself to the people. But her brother who had always loved her, she wanted to know that he still did. She wished for his forgiveness, and to one day be reborn beside him." He picked up a handful of sand and let it run between his fingers. Y watched the sand herself, caught almost in a trance.

"Do you think her wish ever came true?" she asked. X nodded as the last of the sand fell from his hand.

"Yes, I'm certain."

"How?" Y asked. X shrugged dropping his hand to his side again.

"Call it a gut feeling," he said. Y nodded, seeing that as a satisfactory answer.

"Well I'm glad," she said turning her attention to the ocean. The sun was almost gone now, only a sliver still above the horizon. "So what's the rest of that story, if all the other versions are wrong?" Y asked. X shrugged.

"I never said that. I just heard from Hoshiko. You know her and Kiran have access to a bunch of information no one else does," he said.

"Right. I always forget their dad runs this place," Y said crinkling her nose. X chuckled and shook his head. With the way their two friends flaunted it, he was surprised she could forget.

"Only you," X said.

"Hey!"

She can't remember, can she? Sometimes I really wonder if she already knows.

She doesn't. She never does, just feelings left behind. She doesn't need to know, not yet. I'll protect her.

X sighed, sitting in the window that took up a large portion of the library wall. He had a book opened in front of him mindlessly skimming over the pages. It was a book he had read many times before, so it really didn't matter that he wasn't taking in a single word of what he read. It all seemed to blur together into one very long line.

"You're gonna be late." X glanced up from his book to find Y standing beside him with her hands on her hips as she looked down at him with a frown. X shrugged looking back down at the page.

"I told you, I don't want to go," X said simply. Y sighed and rolled her eyes sitting down beside X. She tugged on his arm pulling his attention off the book. He looked up at her calmly.

"Come on, do you know how cool this is?" Y asked. X blinked at her but said nothing. "They think you can be a keyblade wielder. That's amazing," she went on. X frowned and looked away from her.

"I don't want it. They're just stupid oversized keys," he muttered. Y frowned and crossed her arms.

"They're weapons to protect the light," she said. X rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Or fight over it." Y looked at her brother in confusion, her eyebrows drawing together as she opened her mouth to question him. Her head tilted to the side and X felt his face flush slightly.

"What?" Y asked. X swallowed looking back at Y.

"The ancient keyblade war, you've heard of it right?" X asked. Y nodded.

"Briefly. A war against darkness."

"Nope. A war that bloomed from darkness," X said. Y tilted her head to the side once again, her brown eyes filling with the light that preluded a question. Several questions usually. X sighed looking out the window. The town was decorated with bright colors. Banners hung across streets and balloons were tied to every light post. He could see vendors lining the main street selling all sorts of things. Masks and toys. Candy and sweets. X sighed watching the streets, reminded of another town from another time. "Long ago the worlds were one. It was a bright world bathed in light. The light was so bright, that everyone forgot you need light for the shadows to grow. These shadows crept unseen into the hearts of even the greatest keyblade wielders of the time,"

"The foretellers!" Y interrupted, practically jumping at the mention of something she knew. X chuckled and nodded as he watched the city outside the window.

"Correct," X confirmed. "Whether shadows of jealousy, doubt, or fear, the shadows shackled and bound the hearts of all but a select group. This group we'll talk about a little later. The shadows led the wielders to a battle, each Union fighting over the light, claiming it for their own. The battle continued in the city until one day, in a barren wasteland, all the unions met. The wielders clashed blades. And the beautiful world of light was lost to the darkness in a war for the one true keyblade, and for the land of all hearts." Y sat in awe releasing a slow breath.

"Kingdom Hearts," she breathed out. X nodded at her whisper silence. The very name brought him to a state of awe and disgust. He fought his urge to cringe back from the name of that place, that thing. Something he hoped he would one day be able to escape.

"The war brought about nothing but destruction, and all who set foot on the battlefield died. Darkness consumed all, even Kingdom Hearts," X said softly.

"But, then how are we living in a world like this?" Y asked her head tilting to the side. X glanced back at her, smiling softly at the way her nose scrunched up when she was confused.

"Remember that group I mentioned?" X asked. Y nodded. "Well, they fled before the war. Like dandelion seeds in the wind. It was thanks to the light in their hearts that we can continue to live. But one day they say history will repeat itself, and that day is the day Kingdom Hearts reappears."

"So, how does this tie into you not wanting a keyblade?" Y asked crossing her arms. X sighed looking back to the town square where he was expected to be in only a few short moments.

"If the war were to happen I'd have to get involved. I'd rather not," he said simply. That didn't begin to cover it. But he didn't need to tell her anymore. She was learning too much as was. She deserved to be a child for a little longer at least.

"Weird reason, rather pessimistic, but ok. You still have to go to the ceremony. Hoshiko will flip if you don't," Y said standing up again. X groaned tossing his book to the side.

"Fine," he said. Y smiled brightly and grabbed his arm pulling him to get ready.

Soon X stood in the town square dressed in all black. Clothes that were far more formal than anything he ever chose to wear on his own. He was surrounded by a large crowd a hush fallen over them as they watched in awe. Fools who worshipped weapons they didn't understand. Y was standing beside Hoshiko smiling broadly. She had wanted a keyblade. They had claimed she wasn't worthy. X knew they were wrong. She was more worthy than him.

X didn't realize why the crowd had gotten so tense until he realized the master in front of him had stopped speaking, extending the handle of his key. X knew what he had said. In your hand take this key, and so long as you have the making then through this simple act of taking, blah, blah, blah. X stared at the handle of the key. He could hear their whispers. They didn't understand why he hesitated. Slowly extending his hand, he gripped onto the cold metal handle. A thrum went through the key, one X recognized.

It has her blood on it. I don't want it.

So don't use it. It's already mine anyway.

"X! X! X! Look at this!"

X looked up from the book he was reading. The courtyard was empty this late in the day, the sun slipping under the horizon. Too soon X would have to go inside if he wanted to be able to keep reading. He leaned against an oak tree, it's leaves turning a bright red as autumn came. Y stood in front of him, her arms behind her back a grin spreading from ear to ear. Bruises and scrapes covered her arms and legs, X could only guess she had been exploring and getting herself into trouble.

"What?" X asked. Y smiled pulling her arms from her back. She made a motion as if rolling up non-existent sleeves. She held out her right hand and in a bright flash of light, a yellow and gold keyblade appeared in her hand.

"Ta-dah!" she said proudly. X dropped his book off to the side pushing himself to his feet. He couldn't breathe. He had kept her away from every keyblade wielder. She had never had any chance for a succession ceremony.

"How did you-?" he began to ask, trailing off when he couldn't find the words.

"I don't know! But it's awesome right!? This way when you finally get yours we can stay together!" she answered happily jumping up and down. She spun the blade in her hand with ease. Like she had been born wielding the key. X clenched his fist, his eyes narrowing at the key.

"I'm not getting one," he hissed out through a locked jaw. Y stopped her easy movements to look at him, her head tilting to the side.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm not getting one. I don't ever want one of those stupid things," X said. His fist tightened to the point he could feel his nails cutting his palm. He couldn't help it. This wasn't right. He had done everything in his power to stop it. Why was it still happening? Why did it keep going wrong?

"X?" Y asked. She banished the key into the same beam of light it had appeared in.

"You can't tell anyone you have that," X said. His eyes darted to the hand she had once held the key in. This was still savable. He could keep things moving and no one would have to know.

"What? Why not?" Y asked, frowning as she crossed her arms.

"Promise you won't," X insisted. He offered no other explanation. She couldn't know yet. All they had to do was keep it a secret.

"I don't get what the big deal is," Y said. X felt his anger surge through him, his blood boiling. Why couldn't she know? Why did it have to be him?

"Just shut up! Do you know how much danger you'll be in!?" X snapped at her. His voice echoed in the empty courtyard. The sun was down now, the twins standing in darkness. The castle lights fell into most of the courtyard but failed to reach the tree they stood under. Y stepped back from X, her arming raised as if to protect herself.

"You're not making any sense," Y said slowly.

"It doesn't matter! No one can know!" X said.

"X, you're scaring me!" Y snapped back. X blinked in shock and took a step back. He hadn't seen her eyes widening, light reflecting off of tears that weren't to be shed. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. He looked away to the ground.

"Sorry, please, just don't tell anyone. You trust me, don't you?" he asked, his voice hardly at a whisper. He wasn't supposed to scare her. He was supposed to protect her.

"Yeah, of course. But what's wrong?" Y asked. She lowered her arm and took a step toward X her arm stretched out to him. X stepped away from the hand.

"Just, just don't ask. Please."

Y frowned and dropped her hand. X could feel her gaze watching him. Waiting for some kind of explanation he couldn't give. The words were sticking to his throat. How could even explain what he knew? The things she had forgotten like she always did.

"Ok," she agreed quietly.

Why, every time. She can't get caught. I won't let her.

Maybe now I should tell her. They'll find out soon, and we'll both die.

No, not yet.

She's too young.

X spun the daggers in his hands slowly. He wasn't used to their feeling yet, nor their weight. The handles were smooth, save where the symbols were engraved. He had been wary of the symbols in the dagger. He knew what most of them meant, the crossed out heart and the heart with spiked wings. They were symbols of only the creatures of darkness. His thumb brushed over a mark he wasn't familiar with, a spiked heart.

Spinning the blades again he fumbled, dropping them to the ground. He cursed kneeling down to pick up the blades. Oscuro, the Moogle had called them. Another dark name. It wasn't amusing to X, but there was nothing he could do about that.

"X, I need to talk to you."

X looked up, his brown eyes meeting with soft blue eyes. The girl in front of him was around the same age, perhaps a year or so older. She had long black hair pulled back behind her head in a low ponytail. She wore silver and white, with small lilac crystals hanging off her clothing.

"I didn't do it," X said straightening up, his daggers tightly held in his grip. The girl gave a soft smile putting her hand on her hip.

"No, you didn't. And that's the problem," the girl said. X tilted his head to the side, flicking his wrist to store away his daggers. It took a few tries before he could successfully get them to vanish from his grip.

"Uh, what?" X asked.

"You never got the keyblade," the girl said simply. X pursed his lips and looked away. He hadn't thought they would bother to bother him about that. He was still fairly young, though training was expected to start fairly young here. Something about remaining true to old traditions.

"I guess I just wasn't worthy," X said with a shrug. The girl scoffed reaching out to touch X. He let her hand fall on his shoulder, glancing up at her again, trying to look disappointed.

"X, you're smarter than anyone in this city, braver than half, and more loving than all but one. If anyone is worthy, it's you," the girl said with a smile. X attempted to return the smile, but it quickly dropped. He shrugged turning away from her and walking toward the edge of the training grounds. The ground was packed dirt, worn from years of sparring upon it.

"Things are weird and picky. Maybe they don't like my sarcasm," X suggested turning back to the girl with a crooked grin. She looked at him coldly, her light blue eyes narrowed shards of ice. X swallowed nervously.

"I know Y has a keyblade," the girl said. X felt his body go rigid.

"What?" he asked in a whisper. The girl looked away from him crossing her arms.

"I don't think she knows I saw. She was out at night practicing. But I figured she would have told you at least. So, did you give her yours?" the girl asked. X scoffed looking off to the side. He needed an excuse, something to pass it off. It wa s a stupid question anyway. She had to know how keyblades worked.

"You have to be master level to hand off keyblades. You should know this," X said turning back to her. He saw anger briefly flash across her face and felt a wave of relief. It didn't last long.

"I do. But that didn't answer my question," she said crossing her arms. Her eyes narrowed at him. Looking away again he frowned. Distracting her hadn't worked. She had caught on too soon. His foot tapped nervously as his mind raced. She was dead set on getting an answer. If he lied it would be bad. He'd be forced to show he could use that thing. And already being a master with no training. It was almost a declaration they were right.

"No, I didn't," he finally said flinching as the words left his mouth. He should have lied. He should have saved her.

"Huh, that's pretty weird. Someone getting the keyblade without a succession ceremony," the girl said.

"Yeah," X agreed softly.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" the girl asked. X shrugged keeping his eyes down.

"Bad feeling."

"So you kept it a secret? You risked the lives of everyone in the world to hide a bad feeling?" the girl demanded, taking a step towards X. He didn't move and didn't bother to look up at her.

"Yes."

"How selfish. I never thought you were like that," the girl said. She turned her back on him, her hair whipping around her from the movement. X slowly raised his eyes and stared at the back of her head as she walked away. She was at the edge of the courtyard when he finally spoke.

"Hoshiko," the girl stopped and turned to look at him. "If you threaten my sister I'll make your life a living hell."

They know. I have to protect her.

So tell her.

"Hey X?"

X glanced up at his sister's quiet voice. She stood a few paces away from him with a piece of paper clutched tightly to her chest. Her shoulders were hunched, almost looking like she was cowering back from him. He sighed closing his book and setting it off to the side.

"Hm?" he asked.

"Are you mad at me?" Y asked, not daring to step closer. X frowned leaning back into the window behind him. He had hidden away into the library again, just to avoid the main parts of the castle. Y had been somewhere else, probably with Hoshiko training.

"No, why would I be?" X asked. Y looked down, pouting as she seemed to cower back further.

"Well, they found out I had a keyblade," Y said, shuffling her feet. X sighed looking down. He had been rather insistent no one could know. He held back a shudder remembering that day. He had scared her. Something he should never do.

"It was only a matter of time. There's nothing you could have done," X said simply.

"Right," Y agreed. She didn't seem convinced, only agreeing out of concern. X sighed again and held his hand out to her. Y stared at it before smiling and taking his hand, sitting down in the window beside him. She curled into his side, her head resting over his heart. He smiled at her softly, curling her hair around his fingers.

"Shouldn't you be training?" he asked.

"Huh?" Y asked, pulling her mind from the distraction of X's heartbeat. "Oh, Hoshiko wanted me to come and ask you something," she said. X frowned quirking an eyebrow, dropping her hair.

"Um, ok. What is it?" he asked.

"Well, she said, since I kept falling asleep while she was telling me stories, I should come ask you since you're so much better at it," Y answered turning her head so she looked up at X. X chuckled smiling down at her.

"What stories?" he asked.

"She gave me a list," Y replied handing X the piece of paper she had been holding. X groaned taking the paper from her and skimming over what Hoshiko had written in her neat handwriting. He pursed his lips together as he read each story listed.

"I've already told you most of these," X said lowering the list to look back at Y. She tilted her head to the side.

"What? You have?" she asked. X chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, keyblade war and world formation were covered before the succession ceremony, dark queen, soleli, and Tempus are three of your favorite stories. The only ones you don't know are light and darkness and the kingdom keeper. Providing we're thinking of the same stories," he answered glancing back at the list. Y shrugged before resting her head on X's chest again.

"So tell me them and recap the rest, please," she said. X sighed and ran his fingers through her hair again. He almost wished he didn't have to tell her. But, then she wouldn't get to be the sweet child she was. Better to let her have her innocence.

"Ok. The story of Light and Darkness started long long ago, before even the world of light. There were three gods of a sort, I guess you could call them. The eldest was Kingdom Hearts. A mysterious force of great power guarded by its counterpart, the X-blade," X began to explain, staring out the window into the town.

"Keyblade?" Y asked.

"Not like the ones you and Hoshiko carry. It's their base so to speak. The true key I mentioned a while back. X-blade," he explained. He drew an X on her shoulder as to explain his point. Y giggled softly and X found himself smiling. "It's an old letter in some weird alphabet. Anyway, Kingdom Hearts had two children for lack of a better term. These children were Light and Darkness. Now, here's where the story gets a little mixed up. There are a lot of different versions. No one knows which one is the truth. The most common version is that the people loved Light so greatly they worshipped her above all else. Kingdom Hearts became regarded as a bringer of Light only and Darkness was forgotten about. He became so angry and bitter and jealous he plotted to kill his sister. He fed his power into the wicked, and eventually, he killed his sister his followers killing any who got in his way," X explained. Y shuddered and curled closer to him, her grip on his shirt tightening.

"But, we still have Light," she said softly. X nodded, brushing her hair aside.

"Correct. As it turns out, forces of enormous power that basically become a part of every heart are impossible to destroy unless you maybe destroyed Kingdom Hearts. Darkness killed that body of his sister, but he didn't kill her entirely. Kingdom Hearts was furious. She was prepared to destroy Darkness, but Light was too kind. She pleaded with Kingdom Hearts. Instead of killing her brother, she asked that he be given a second chance. Kingdom Hearts decided to allow it. She made it so the two were reborn as humans, and would be forever reborn that way until Darkness lost his anger and bitterness and no longer sought to harm his sister. To this day, they are reborn as human twins, for Darkness can never change," X said. Y shuddered in his arms again. She tried to get closer to him, but X wasn't sure it was possible. He gently squeezed her, running his fingers through her hair to calm her.

"That's awful," she said. X nodded in agreement. He could never imagine the amount of hate that would drive one to do something like that. To kill their own blood.

"That's just the most common version. There are others," X said.

"Like what?" Y asked.

"Well, some say Darkness just came to represent everything evil because humans were afraid of him. He only led to people to Light and never welcomed them. They assumed he was evil. Darkness was fine with that, he was only meant to protect Light after all. But Light became furious. She refused to give any human who hated Darkness her full power. Or even any of it. Kingdom Hearts saw what was going on, and she decided humans should be wiped out. Light and Darkness then stepped in. They offered the solution of living as human until the humans realized they needed the balance. Kingdom Hearts agreed and in essence, the end is the same," X explained calmly. Y seemed to relax hearing that version of events, her grip on him loosening. It seemed the truth calmed her.

"Wow," Y breathed out. They sat silently for a moment. Neither saying anything. X was glad for the moment. Nothing seeming to go wrong. He was almost sad to let Y push herself in a sitting position. "So what about the Kingdom Keeper?" Y asked. X shrugged.

"That's just the holder of the true X-blade. They can talk to Kingdom Hearts and all that impressive stuff. Not much is known about them, so I don't have much to tell," he said. Y smiled and nodded.

"Ok, well thanks. I'll see you later," Y said standing up. X nodded retrieving his book from beside him.

"Yeah, see ya," he said. Y smiled and kissed the top of his head before walking out of the library. X glanced up and frowned as he saw a flip of black hair on the upper balcony of the library. It looked like Hoshiko had been watching them. X felt his heart sink in his chest.

That was a test. They know for sure now.

Tell her. She needs to know.

No, I'll just keep them away from her. I'll get her out of here.

How?

X glanced up from his desk, not bothering to hide his smile as he heard Y's footsteps approaching him. She had been training for some time to learn how to move silently and avoid detection. But no matter how hard she tried she could never sneak up on X. He leaned his chin on his hand as he waited for Y to join him in the study.

In moments she stood beside him with an ear to ear grin.

"Guess what!" Y said happily.

"Hm, I dunno," X said calmly, tilting his head to the side. He watched in amusement as Y puffed up her cheeks in annoyance.

"Do you know what today is?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. X frowned and looked up at the ceiling, counting days in his mind. There was snow on the ground, and they had just had the festival for the winter solstice. So it was after December 21st.

"Uh, December twenty....second?" X guessed looking back at Y. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. She stared at him for a moment in utter shock.

"Two days off. How do you get that far behind?" she asked. X rolled his eyes and ignored the question.

"So it's the twenty-fourth?" he said.

"Yup!" Y confirmed cheerfully. X stared at her blankly.

"Ok," he said. Y once again stared at him in shock, her mouth slightly open as she tried to wrap her mind around what X had said. She blinked a few times, but it couldn't hide the gears turning in her mind. X had to stifle his laughter.

"You're an idiot," Y said simply after a moment.

"I am?" X asked.

"Do you know what today is?" Y asked. X stared at her blankly again, his face expressionless, which was hard to do when he wanted to laugh so badly. But he kept his grip, waiting for the right time.

"Uh, no. Sorry," X said looking away. Y slammed her hands down on the desk in annoyance.

"X! Today is the day we were born exactly ten years ago!" Y said. X held back his snicker and looked back at her, eyes wide as if he had completely forgotten. Y stared at him before throwing her arms up and rolling her eyes. "You're hopeless!" she declared. X chuckled, earning a suspicious look from his sister. He smiled as he pulled a box from under the desk and set it on the desk in front of Y.

"No, I'm not. I was just messing with you," he said flashing a smile. "Happy birthday."

"X! I thought we agreed this wasn't necessary! You were born today too!" Y said crossing her arms and staring down at the box. X shrugged.

"You are correct, we did agree this wasn't necessary. But I did it anyway because I wanted too," X explained. He slid the box closer to her. She glared down at it for a moment with crossed arms. He could see the strain as she fought her urge to open the box. She couldn't contain herself long and quickly pulled the red ribbon off the box and opened it. A smile spread across her face quickly.

"Aw, it's so cute!" she said as she picked up the plush that was inside it. It was a small cat-like creature, with a pouch on it's front and a purple cape on it's back. It was a creature that hadn't been seen in a long time, but X remembered when they were common well enough to know it was a fairly good replica.

"That is a Chirithy. They say in the old days every wielder had one. They're what are called dream eaters, spirits to be precise," he explained.

"Like the symbol on the tower," Y interjected. X nodded.

"Exactly like the symbol on the tower. They ate nightmares and protected wielders dreams. I figured you should have one, but since I can't make dream eaters, this was the closest I could get," he said with a shrug. He could feel heat rising in his cheeks as he looked away from her.

"I love it. Thank you," Y said hugging X. He chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"No problem." Anything to see her smile.

They haven't moved yet. It's fine. She's so happy. I have time.

Maybe it won't hurt to wait a little longer. There's three years, right? So long as I tell her.

X leaned against the wall of his sister's room, arms crossed as he looked down to where she sat on the floor. She had various bits and pieces of machines scattered around her. She was smiling as she pieced them together into something new, X had no clue what she was planning to do with it. Maybe she was just fixing it for someone. Or maybe she was just so excited she needed something to do with her hands.

"A keyblade master from another world?" X asked.

"I know, right?" Y said excitedly as she wove wiring together, not even looking up at X. She was smiling so brightly. She hadn't smiled so much in a while.

"He say why he's here?" X asked. Y shook her head, her hair falling into her face. She huffed brushing it aside, though it quickly fell back into her face. X chuckled as he entered the room, pulling her hair out of her face and holding it behind her head gently.

"Just that a friend of his was from here and he wanted to see if she was here. Apparently, she went missing," Y said, smiling at him briefly over her shoulder before continuing piecing together the object in front of her.

"Think it has something to do with the old lab?" X asked. Y gasped, her head snapping up so quickly X hardly had time to react and prevent her from pulling her hair.

"Ooo, maybe," she said. She tapped his hand, letting him drop her hair before she pushed herself up.  X smiled as she turned to look at him.

"I'm going to go talk to him," X decided.

"Tell me what happens," Y said smiling. X tilted his head to the side in confusion. Y sighed heavily, her shoulders slumped forward. "Hoshiko says I have to read more, bleh." X chuckled at her.

"Yeah, I'll let you know what happens," he said.

He left her room and found himself in the library easily. If anyone was looking for information that would be the first place they went. If he couldn't find the master there he would have to try asking Hoshiko or Kiran. Not that that would yield any results. Well, Hoshiko certainly wouldn't tell him. But he could probably trick Kiran into telling him. That boy was always easy enough to trick.

Luckily X was able to find the master in the library, flipping through several books at once. He was an older man, with black hair pulled back in a ponytail. He wore a white coat over a black shirt and grey pants. His face was scarred, but X couldn't tell what would cause that. It certainly didn't look like any weapon X knew.

X watched from around one bookshelf. The man seemed oblivious for several moments, not looking up from the books scattered around him. He eventually did glance up, his eyes meeting with X's.

"Why, hello there," the man greeted, smiling warmly at X. He was clearly a user of light. That wasn't a bad thing really. X slowly came out from behind the bookshelf and approached him, looking at the books scattered around him.

"Is it true you're a keyblade master?" X asked, looking up at him.

"It is?" the man answered, clearly confused by X's question. His grey eyes searched X, looking for an answer.

"And you're looking for someone?" X asked again. The man nodded slowly.

"That is also correct," he agreed.

"How long are you staying?" X asked.

"Not very long, I have apprentices waiting for my return," the man said. X nodded looking the man up and down. If he had apprentices that could be useful. A wielder of light who knew well how to teach others. And one who didn't know the stories this world practically worshipped.

"Oh," X said, trying to seem uninterested. "Well, me and my sister were talking, and we thought maybe the person you were looking for, they might have something to do with the abandoned lab." He walked a little bit away, flipping over one of the books the man had open. It was one X had read a few times. It had a lot to do with the heart and how it should be balanced, though not equal parts light and dark.

"Abandoned lab?" the man asked. X nodded not looking up.

"Technically we're not supposed to talk about it," he said.

"I don't wish to get you in trouble," the man said quickly. X laughed, which seemed to surprise the man. X looked up at him with a grin.

"Trust me, this is the least troublesome thing I've done in a while," he said. The man stared at him in shock and X had to hold back another laugh. This man really was a follower of the light. "Anyway, they were doing experiments on the heart, and one day everyone vanished. Me and my sister were too young to remember any of it, but we hang out at the lab a lot."

"And where is your sister?" the man asked.

"She's studying. She's a keyblade wielder too," X answered with a soft smile.

"Is she?" the man asked. X nodded, causing the man to smile slightly. "And who is her master?"

"Doesn't have one," X said looking down with a pout. "She didn't have a succession ceremony so no one really wants anything to do with her. But her heart is pure light I swear." X watched the man's eyes fill with thought as he looked at X.

"You sound rather fond of her," he said.

"I am," X said simply. "She's my twin. I love her more than I can ever explain. I just wish she could have a real master."

There was a pause of silence as the man seemed to think. His eyes searched X's looking for something. X wasn't sure what it was. Did he think X was lying? Or was he trying to find out more? Some sort of indication what Y was like just from him? Was it the old assumption all twins were exactly the same?

"How would you feel if I took her?" the man said calmly. X smiled brightly.

"Would you?" he asked hopefully. Was it really working?

"I have three pupils already, I'm sure another wouldn't be a problem. You understand she would have to leave this world though," the man said. X laughed, which seemed to confuse the man. And maybe it should.

"Yeah, but at least she'll learn. And she can always come back one day," X said simply. Not that he wanted her to. She should stay away as long as she can. "Let me go talk to her."

X didn't wait for a reply before running off to find Y. Luckily she wasn't far from where he had left her, now sprawled across her bed. She had a book open in front of her, her Chirithy plush beside her. She looked on the verge of falling asleep, her brown eyes drooping as they slowly scanned over the pages.

"Y, I found you a master," X said. Y jumped sitting up. She looked at him in confusion for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing together and her nose scrunching up.

"What? How?" Y asked.

"The traveler. He said he could take you," X said. He leaned against the door frame, watching as Y seemed to work through what he had said. She frowned looking back up at him.

"But I'd have to leave the world," Y said. X shrugged.

"So, you can always come back when training is over," he said. Y stared at him with her mouth hanging open. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and continued to stare at him.

"But, what about you?" Y asked. X shrugged again. He didn't matter.

"I'm not going anywhere. It's fine."

"Fine?" Y echoed. X nodded calmly. He could manage on his own. "X, I've never been more than fifty feet from you my entire life! And suddenly you think it's a good idea to have us live in separate worlds?! No! You can't make me!" Y said, her voice slowly growing louder.

X glared at her in annoyance. She had to make things difficult. She had to be such a child. He clenched his fist tightly looking to the ground. He wanted to scream at her. To tell her the truth and have her understand. She just needed to stay safe. That was all that mattered. But he couldn't, the words died in his throat before he could even open his mouth. He would have to use another method. All that mattered was that she got out.

"I can," X said simply. Y glared at him, and he glared back. "You either go with him or I never talk to you again."

"What?" Y asked quietly. X frowned looking away.

"It's time to grow up Y," he said. "White rabbits don't lead you to Wonderland, and you can't just fly off to Neverland. They're just dreams, so accept it. We can't stay together our whole lives. It's not possible. So lets at least make this in your favor." He turned his back on her, not daring to look at her watering eyes. The one thing that could shake his resolve. He just wanted to keep her at his side their entire lives. But that would only end with them dead. "I'm telling him you agreed. And if you don't, that's your own problem."

X jumped feeling something soft hit his back with surprising force. He turned and looked over his shoulder, seeing the Chirithy plush on the ground. He glanced up at Y. She was glaring at him with fire burning in her eyes.

"I guess I don't need that if I can't dream," she said. X sighed and knelt down, picking up the plush. He didn't say anything as he walked away to find the master again. She would be safe. That was all that mattered.

I don't have to tell her, I just have to protect her. I don't want her to hate me, but it's for the best.

I can just explain before she leaves. It will be fine. There's still time. I waited a year, a little more time can't hurt.

X stood at the edge of the courtyard watching as a crowd milled around Y and the master from the other world, who was named Eraqus as X had found out. The crowd was slowly clearing, giving Y congratulations and wishing Eraqus luck. X stood watching for a little longer, waiting until Eraqus was distracted by Hoshiko's father.

"Y," X said calmly as he approached her. He was prepared to just turn around as soon as she snapped at him. But he had to try. Maybe if she understood why, then she wouldn't be so mad.

"X," Y said, looking at him calmly. She didn't seem mad. Maybe that was a good sign.

"Listen, I'm sorry. But, this is important, right?" X said softly. Y nodded looking down.

"Yeah. I know. I'm just scared," Y admitted. She looked up at X and attempted a smile, but it fell as tears formed in her eyes. X wanted to reach out to her, but what if she didn't want him near her still. Was she too nice to tell him to leave?

"Don't be. I'll still be there," X said softly. Y looked at him again, clearly trying to hold in her tears.

"How?" she asked. X smiled and tapped his own heart.

"No matter the distance we'll never be apart," he began. Y smiled and finished for him, taking a weight off his chest.

"Because we grew to the same beat of our mother's heart."

X looked down nervously before holding the Chirithy plush out to Y. She looked at it before glancing up at him.

"For those dreams you have left?" he offered. Y smiled and took the plush. She smiled down at it as she moved its arms like a child would. X held back his smile. He still had so much to tell her.

"Thanks. I'm sorry too," she said. X shook his head.

"It's fine. I was the jerk, as usual," he said. He frowned looking at her. He only had a few more minutes. Why weren't the words forming? Why couldn't he say what he knew he had to. "They say every world has the same sky. If you really miss me, just look at the stars. I'll be there."

"Same goes to you. Don't pretend you're not sad too," Y said, tears slowly falling down her cheek. X chuckled and brushed one of her tears aside.

"Well, you're the one crying," he said. Y chuckled and pulled X into a hug.

"Jerk."

X chuckled as he pulled Y closer to him, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Not wrong," he muttered. He had to tell her now. No one could hear him but her. This was his last chance. "Love you, sis."

"Love you too."

I can't tell her. I can't.

This was my last chance, and I blew it.

She'll be fine.

But will I?

X panted heavily his daggers at his side, coated in blood that wasn't his own. He was doing his best not to look at the blood, instead focusing on the blue eyes of the boy who laid on the ground in front of him. His breathing was shallow as Hoshiko crouched beside him, looking at the cuts and stab wounds that covered his body.

It had all happened so quickly. X had hidden away, out of the sight of most of the towns folk. He had made it two years without any trouble. He thought he could make one trip to the beach without being in danger. But it hadn't worked out that way. He was jumped and fought back without thinking.

"He, he tried to kill me," the boy managed to choke out. X growled, clenching his blades tightly.

"That's a lie! You attacked me first!" X snapped back. Hoshiko looked up at him with a cold glare. X could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the rhythm steadily getting faster and faster. She had to believe him. She knew he wasn't a monster. Right?

"Kiran isn't that stupid. You finally snapped then," she said. She kept her eyes on X, ignoring her clearly smirking brother.

"What? No! I- I didn't, he, he was the one," X tried to argue, but his voice failed him. There was no point. They had made up their minds about him long ago. They were just looking for the opportunity to take him down.

"Monster."

No, I can't die.

I should have told her, maybe I could have escaped then too.

X leaned against the cold brick wall behind him. He sat in the thin slats of light that fell through the barred windows. It was warm and familiar. He had sat there before many times. It wasn't so bad down there. It was only bad when the sun went down. Then it was incredibly lonely.

"I hope you understand."

X turned his head to look at Hoshiko. She stood on the other side of the cell door. She smiled at him softly, her arms crossed as she looked down on him. He didn't respond, staring back out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sky.

"I thought you would prefer to stay out of the light," Hoshiko commented. X snickered, anger shooting through his veins. Why would he want to stay away from her? These people really were fools, weren't they?

"No, I'm not alone in the light," X said calmly. "It's like she's here."

"You really miss her, huh?" Hoshiko said. X nodded slowly. He didn't want to waste time on her. She was just going to kill him in a few days. That was the only way this went. They always thought they knew best, and never stopped to listen to his side of the story. He was dismissed as a monster at birth. "X, I'm sorry it's you."

"Are you?" X asked.

"Yeah, they always told us you would be evil and cruel. Yet, I don't think I've met someone kinder than you," Hoshiko admitted. She wrapped her hand around one of the bars. X glanced at her with a bored expression. She smiled at him, but he ignored it, looking at her eyes. So much light, but somehow it seemed so dark. A fool then.

"Have you ever considered they're the ones who are wrong?" X asked.

"No, darkness is evil. There is no way around that. But, you're not a monster. You're just unlucky, and we're going to stop you from becoming him," Hoshiko said. X snorted and looked away.

"You're much too late for that."

They're such idiots. How can they be so blind?

The light can be a little too bright.

X stared at the creature in front of him. It was humanoid, entirely black with long antenna and bright yellow eyes. It was staring at him just the same, though X wasn't sure why. They were supposed to be mindless. He sighed leaning farther back into the tree behind him.

"Well, I supposed there are worse ways to die," he decided. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head back. His ankle was throbbing, very likely broken from his fall. Maybe it wouldn't hurt if he kept his mind on his ankle.

He gasped his eyes shooting open as a cold feeling spread through his chest. Ice flooded his veins, his entire body going numb. He could practically feel himself fading into nothing. He looked down as the creature pulled back its hand, a black orb sitting in its palm. His heart. As black as they always thought it was.

He could feel his eyes drift shut, memories of the days he spent with her flashing behind his eyes. Maybe your life did flash before your eyes before you died. That wasn't such a bad way to go. Thinking of her, those were the good memories. It didn't hurt so much. It didn't hurt at all. Her smile made all the pain go away.

Will she feel it?

I hope she's ok.

X glared up at the man in front of him. He was clearly old, bald with only a silver goatee and yellow eyes. The wasteland around them stretched as far as the eye could see. Only cracked dry earth and sun barely making its way through the clouds. His mind was fuzzy, he couldn't remember anything. But something was missing. What was it?

The old man had already said a few things. Things X didn't really care much for. Just one thing mattered. He could control them. The things that attacked when he felt that fear. The man said he could stop that. All he had to do was help him in return. That wouldn't be a problem. Even with his mind filled with white noise of things he couldn't remember.

Who am I? What am I doing here?

Somethings not right.

X groaned pushing himself up slowly. He spat off to the side, blood marking the ground. His narrowed purple eyes glared at the old man who had taken him in. X pushed himself to his feet, only to be slammed with a keyblade and thrown to the ground again. He coughed, trying to push himself up but his shaking arms gave out.

He heard a scoff and receding footsteps as he laid on the ground. His eyes fell closed as the warm dirt pressed into the cuts covering his body. He couldn't make himself move. He was too weak. He wasn't strong enough yet. He had to get better.

X opened his eyes at the sound of returning footsteps. He was surprised to see a different set of boots in front of him this time. He felt a soft warmth spread through his body as the figure stopped. He slowly pushed himself up to see a raven-haired boy standing over him, a strange creature marked with the spiked heart floating around him, still faintly glowing green.

X frowned and looked away. He could still see the old man in the distance. His eyes narrowed as he forced himself to his feet.

I have to do this. Get up. Move your ass.

Why did it come to this?

X narrowed his eyes at the blonde girl who had slipped into the open room where the test was to be held. The Mark of Mastery. She whispered over to the blonde boy, smiling despite what had to have just happened. She glanced to the center of the room her brown eyes skipping over him like he wasn't there. Brown eyes that used to match his own.

It's her. She's the reason I'm stuck like this. It's her fault.

But am I sure?

X scoffed from his position above the fight. It was pure luck they had managed to take down that Unversed. Now they all stood together, talking and acting like things were ok. As if, two of them weren't even supposed to be here. How long until they fell apart?

The group of four stood in the courtyard of Radiant Gardens, laughing as the blonde boy handed something to each of them. X stood above on an elevated portion of the field. His fist clenched as he watched them. They weren't supposed to be getting along. Were they really believing each other with no proof? Did they foolishly place so much trust into each other? How stupid could they get?

Friendship, how naive. Even blood can't bind two people, what makes them think something as flimsy as friendship can.

That's wrong. I'm wrong but why can't I chase out the thought?

X did his best to hold in his laugh, eyes watching as his sister shot forward to hit him with her keyblade. A cursed weapon she didn't even know. He easily dodged her into the sea of keyblades. He heard a ringing in his ears, the same sound he had heard since arriving here for the final battle. She was practically screaming for it to end. And X would be sure it did end.

I finally end this. It's over.

Stop it! Stop it! This isn't right! I'm not supposed to hurt her!

Shut up! Shut up! I'm right! I have to be!

And if I'm not?

Then, then I, I-

Then I die too.

It was a strange sight, her life in his hands. Y's hands clawed at the hand wrapped around her throat. Her feet kicked helplessly as X smirked at her.

"I'm sick of playing with you. What do you say we get this show on the road?" X asked. Y only gasped in response, her face turning blue as she lost her ability to breathe. X shoved his hand through her chest, easily grabbing the warm orb that rested in her chest. He pulled back his hand, studying the orb of light he had taken. It was so small. And the exact opposite of what his hand looked like.

He dropped Y to the ground, watching as her breath slowed to a stop and her body began to fade into nothing. The white light in his hand blew away in the wind like a dandelion's seeds. He smirked to himself proudly.

It's done. I did it.

What have I done?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~*<3*~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I really just want to explain the title of this story, since it seems a little weird even to me and I know why I chose it. So, while working on this I was listening to YouTube, just kinda letting stuff play, and I ended up listening to Unravel, the opening to Tokyo Ghoul, I think. I've never watched the anime so I'm not sure which one this is an opening to. Anyway, while listening to the song (multiple versions of it) I was really, really reminded of X. Especially of the way his mind was an absolute mess during Birth By Sleep, and how he felt after realizing shit really hit the fan in between BBS and KHI. So I chose to call this story Unravel as it was X's world entire life unraveling day by day. I would have put a YouTube video in here somewhere, but honestly, I can't pick a favorite version, so I didn't.
Excuse me while I go cry for the character that I just keep throwing more shit at.