Pieces Lie Where They Fell C29

Chapter 29-Hand in Hand
           "Well, this is not where I expected to be spat out."
           "You and your blasted magic!"

-Twilight Town-
"Well, this is not where I expected to be spat out," Axel said, rubbing his head as he looked around the Sandlot.
"I'd rather be here than someplace dangerous," Riku said, standing up and dusting himself off.  "Shall we head back to Port Royal then? As much as I hate that blasted Gummi Ship, I am getting weary of all these corridors."
"Can't we stay here for just a bit?" Sora asked.  "Get a little bit of rest or something?"
"I'm game," Axel said.  "Let's get some ice-cream before we leave, then we'll go get the ship and head off to the next world in distress."
"Kairi, what do you think?" Riku asked.
"Ice-cream sounds really good," she said.  "Besides, there is something just so nice about this little town, it's like a second home."
"Ice-cream it is then!" Axel said.  "Let's go."
"Did you seriously take down a Xehanort Replica all by yourself?" Sora asked Kairi as they started walking to the ice-cream shop.
"Uh-huh!" Kairi said with an excited nod.  "And I didn't drop the Keyblade once!"
"That's awesome!"

-Restoration Committee Headquarters-
"Blasted magician," Cid muttered, looking at yet another failed cannon.  Thankfully, this one didn't have a chance to backfire too horribly.  Though, it was rather pathetic that it failed taking out some Shadows.  
"You and yer magic!" Cid shouted, loud enough for Merlin to hear.  "Yer messin' everythin' up! You ruined my beautiful cannon!"
"I didn't do anything!" Merlin scoffed.  "And I can't understand as to why you are having so many problems with just a little bit of help."
"I don't need yer help!"
"I understand that now might not be the best time," Aerith said, poking her head in.  "But I made tea."
Cid grabbed a glass and chugged the whole thing.  Leon cringed, unsure if Aerith had put something in or not.  
"What'd you put in this?" Cid asked, wiping his mouth.
"Chocolate syrup," Aerith said with a smile.
Leon gagged.
"It's good!" Cid exclaimed.
Leon threw up in his mouth a little.
"Oi! Who's been touching my materia!" Yuffie shouted from the back.  "The box has been moved."
"Those shiny orb things?" Merlin asked.
"Yeah!"
"Sorry, I was trying to see what they were…"
"Oooh!" Yuffie exclaimed.  "Why I oughta…"
No one heard where that sentence went however, for Cid's cannon decided that then would be a good time to randomly blow up.
"Get out!" Cid roared.  "You and your blasted magic!"
Merlin didn't need to be told twice.  He disappeared before anyone could say "Midgar."

-Land of Dragons-
"Cloud! Wait!" called a girl with brown hair dressed primarily in black.  
The boy with really spikey hair and also dressed primarily in black turned around, taking out a Soldier as he did so.  The girl caught up with him and grabbed onto his arm.  
"What are you running from so fast?" she asked.
"I have to get stronger," Cloud said.  "I have to face Sephiroth."
"We've gone this route before," she said.  "And you told us to keep you from doing something stupid, so why are you so insistent on going this alone?"
A whole bunch of Heartless popped up around them.  
"Hold that thought," Cloud said, readying his sword.  
The girl straightened her gloves.  With a few hits, punches and slashes, the Heartless were gone.  
"I know what I said, Tifa," Cloud said, looking away.  "It's just…"
"It's just, what?" Tifa asked, cocking her head to one side.  
Cloud shook his head.  "I can't explain it."  
He walked over to his motorcycle and hopped on.  
"You coming?" he asked, holding his hand out to Tifa.  
"I'll have to," Tifa said.  "I don't know how I'm getting elsewhere otherwise."
Cloud actually smiled a little as he helped Tifa onto Fenrir behind him.  
He put his goggles on his face and drove off, taking out several Heartless as he did.
Maybe when we are done with all this dilly-dally, Tifa thought. We can go home.

-Where Nothing Gathers-
Xehanort sat high in his seat, very angry, but he did not let his anger show.  
Xigbar lounged in his chair, knowing no one dared reprimand him.  Besides, it wasn't like he had appearances to keep among this group.  And Demyx wasn't around any longer to pick up on other's bad habits.  
Xaldin and Saix both sat stoically in their seats, waiting for Xehanort to speak.
Vexen Omega sat quietly, trying not to be noticed.  
"We have more traitors," Xehanort said, his mouth pressed into a thin line.  "They must be dealt with accordingly."
Xigbar took that opportunity to sit up straighter.  
"Who deals with traitors mercilessly and quickly?" Xehanort asked rhetorically.  "Oh wait, that would be Axel, and he is a traitor as well."
Saix smirked.  
"Unfortunately, we do not have the numbers to send someone out to track them both down.  I can have some Dusks keep tabs on them, but we all know how reliable Dusks are."
There were some snickers to that one.
"If anyone sees them, dispose of them accordingly.  I should have known they would be the ones to commit treachery," Xehanort said softly.  "Though, I was half-expecting you to be the first, Vexen."
Vexen Omega cringed in his seat.  
"Speaking of Vexen, why don't you create a program or something on that computer of yours to track down our traitors, eh?" Xigbar asked.
"I… suppose I could whip something up…" Omega said quietly.
"Or, send some of your Replicas out after them," Xigbar continued.  "We all know you've got dozens."
"Like a Replica could do the job of a human," Saix scoffed.
Omega felt oddly offended by that—like, more than he should be.  But he couldn't place why exactly.  
"That won't be necessary," Xehanort said.  "Zexion and Lexaeus are not our top priority anyway.  We must focus on our plans to plunge the Worlds into darkness."
There were some smiles among the group.  Omega cringed some more.
"That is all," Xehanort said, disappearing.
Xigbar and Xaldin followed shortly after.
"I am not sure what it is," Saix said, looking at Omega. "But I really can't stand you."
Without even giving Omega a chance to respond, Saix disappeared as well.
"I don't like you either!" Omega called out to the empty room.  His voice echoed.  He sighed and disappeared also, appearing right in Vexen's desk chair.  
"Programs for finding traitors…" he muttered.  "Where would I even begin to come up with a Program like that?"