Mario emerges from his portal outside of the castle basement, and after swiping his knight's symbol at several checkpoints, he reaches Ansem's Lab and the computer beyond. "Tron?" he calls out as he approaches the terminal. "You there? I have something top priority with me. Code twilight."

"Code accepted." Tron says.

The door opens to the Simulation room. A group of Knights walk out, heading to the elevator, talking about exams. Once they were gone a scanner opens.

"What have you found?" Tron asks.

Mario makes sure the coast is clear before placing the documents on the scanner. "Something I'd like to call the Xemnas reports. This is a portion of his research our spies recovered from his lab. It's possible this could give us the means to not only understand Xemnas's intentions all those years ago but also find a way to break the Angels' control over the Nobodies."

"Got it." Tron says. Once all the documents were scanned, a processing loader appears on the screen.

Mario gives a nod. "Just give me a ring if you find anything," he states before heading back through the passage into the main castle.

Dante is standing infront of Mariya's and Axel's room, standing guard, moving his eyes at any sign of movement.

Axel is up in Sora's old office, looking threw files. After a couple minutes, he sits and rubs his head.

Mario goes up to Sora's office, stopping at the door as he looks around. "Almost feels like yesterday when Sora was last here..." he mutters with some sadness. He soon lets the feeling pass and approaches Axel. "The Nobodies got something. Something that could be big. We're talking a code twilight."

Axel immediately sits up. "What did they find?" He asks.

"Xemnas's notes," Mario states in a low voice. "This could tell us more about the plans and desires of the leader of Organization XIII, as well as perhaps a way to stop the Angels from controlling the Nobodies. Without the Nobodies to support them, we can swoop in and get them without as much less risk."

Axel nods. "Yeah, cause I'm coming up short here. I've searched all these files....there's nothing to kill over that I can see." Axel says, before sighing.

---

Mariya wakes, and sighs. She gets up and heads out, nodding to Dante. She then heads to find Axel, Dante not far behind her.

"Well, Tron's looking it all over right now. He'll let us know if he finds anything," Mario answers as he leans against the wall. "Any idea where Mariya and some of the other higher-ranked knights are? If this proves to be a valuable breakthrough, they have a right to know."

"Mariya was feeling tired, so she went to take a nap." Axel says. "As for the other higher knights, some are out on missions, but I'll send them a message to gather ASAP."

Mario nods, leaning against a wall as he waits for any word on the reports.

Mariya comes in then, and smiles. "Hey you two." She says, smiling. "What's up?"

"Code Twilight." Axel says.

Mariya's eyes widened. "What was found?"

"We're waiting on exactly what, but basically Xemnas' notes on the Nobodies."

"So it's possible to say how they were controlled in these notes?" She asks.

He nods. "We should tell some of the Knights, their starting to talk." He says.

"Alright." Mariya sighs.

Mario continues to wait, checking his phone to see if he had any messages that he hadn't been notified of. Seeing none, he sighs and returns the phone to his pocket, a little impatient as he waits for what could be the long-awaited end.

Mario's phone beeps, a message from tron appearing, saying the processing was done. Axel sends the message to the knights then, saying to meet in the Throne room as soon as they arrived back.

Mario gives a nod to Axel after reading the message, rushing back downstairs and approaching the terminal. "What's the news?"

Axel, Mariya and Dante all follow Mario.

"It took longer then expected. Xemnas has it in code. I de-coded it as well as I could, but as far as I can tell, there's nothing on how he controlled nobodies."

"There has to be something." Mariya says, pulling the files up. She reads it carefully, careful not to miss anything. "There, on the tenth page." She says, pointing to a sentence. "It's in a riddle..."

Mario raises an eyebrow as he reads the line. "It's too bad I don't speak in riddles..." Mario states as he tries to make sense of it.

Mariya examines the riddles. She clutches her head a second later. Axel panics, seeing this. "Mariya?!" He says, holding her. "What's wrong?"

After a moment, Mariya releases her head. She blinks once, then looks at Axel. "A memory...from Xamira...." She murmurs. "I know how they did it...."

"Are you okay?" Axel asks, a bit surprised at Xamira's name. It had been so long.

"Fine, fine." Mariya says. "It was this weird item....it may be impossible to get."

"We have to try." Axel says.

Mario raises an eyebrow as he looks to Mariya. "What exactly is this thing we have to get?"

Mariya gets a piece of paper, and draws the item. She sighs as she hands it over. "I just hope Xemnas wasn't lieing to her."

"Agreed." Axel says, looking over the drawing. "It looks a bit like the Nobody symbol...but at the same time..one of those things that control Marionettes."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too." Mariya says.

Mario looks at the image as well. "...So...this object...should we assume that K might have it in his possession?" he asks. "If so, we might have some other problems unless we can find a way to counter its power."

"Most likely, yeah. He probably has it under lock and key." Mariya says.

"And close to him." Axel says.

"Yeah." Mariya says, tucking the picture away. "You know the drill, Tron, thanks."

"No problem, your majesty." Tron says.

Mariya sighs. "Well, we'd better get busy."

Axel sighs. "Mariya, don't over stress yourself. Have you even told your mother?"

Mariya pauses. "Crap, knew I forgot something, but we have Knights waiting, remember?"

Axel sighs again. "Call her after, okay?"

"Will do." Mariya says. She heads to the Throne room, Axel and Dante following her.

Mario goes with them, sighing as he tries to make sense of everything. "So, what will we do? We now know what it is that controls them, but unless we find a way to counter its power or break it, we're no better off than we were before learning about it. Think Merlin or Yen Sid would have any insight on this?"

"We'll ask them then." Mariya says. She looks around at the knights and sighs. The knights become quiet when they spot Dante.

"Knights, thank you for coming, Mariya and I have an announcement to make." He says, then looks around after bringing Mariya close to him and holding her. "Mariya's pregnant."

All the knights seem shocked, murmuring to themselves.

"Now, with the Fallen Angel's still out there, it's important that you tell no one, or our child may be in danger." He said, before kissing her. "Understood?"

"Understood, sir!" The Knights shout.

"Dismissed, then." Mariya says.

Yen Sid and Merlin stood in the back, watching the Knights leave. When the room was clear, they approached the bunch.

Merlin smiles. "Congratulations, Mariya, Axel."

"Thanks, if you'll excuse me I have to go call mom." Mariya says, and walks off, Dante behind her.

"You wanted to speak to us, Mario?" Yen Sid asks.

Mario nods. "We've got some intel on how the Fallen might be controlling the Nobodies." He then shows them the picture Mariya drew. "Tron has a more detailed analysis of the notes, but this thing, whatever it is, has the power to control any and all Nobodies under its influence. I thought there could be some magical properties that you two might be able to identify and, if so, find a counter-spell of some sort."

"We will do our best." Yen Sid says, memorizing the drawing. He and Merlin then walk out, heading to the Computer Room to analyze the notes.

Mariya comes back over, rubbing her head.

"Kairi ecstatic?" Axel asked, smiling.

"Yup." Mariya says. "So, what now?"

"Well, whether or not we have something, it seems as if we need to make a move against the Fallen soon," Mario states. "If we wait too long, who knows what they'll do next. I suggest we take the time to let Merlin, Yen Sid, and whoever else it might interest to look into the controller, but during that time, we should make sure we have a force ready to infiltrate The World That Never Was."

"Well, we might have that force." Axel says. "Many world leaders were upset by the news of Lucas and Lexi murdering Sora, they may back us up if we ever were to confront them."

Mario gives a nod. "We need to be sure to select a good team, though. Too small a force, we'll be unable to fend off the Nobodies or the Fallen. Too large, we'll be noticed too quickly. Therefore, however many we take with us have to be the most capable of fighters. Think there'll be enough worlds to help us there, or will we have to reach out to some of the worlds who aren't yet aware of the whole "multiple worlds" thing?"

"Well it depends on who we can get, who will back us up if needed." Axel says. "I could send out a mass-letter to all the World Leaders, then see if we need to break the fourth wall."

"Do that, then," Mario states.

Xildus steps forward, already ready to make a massive run if needed.

"Let's go write some letters, Xildus." Axel says, heading to Sora's office.

"If you need me, I'll be at the archery range." Mariya says, and heads down to her classroom, Dante following.

Mario nods, sighing as he goes to rest against a nearby wall.

Xildus follows Axel, waiting outside Sora's office for the letters.

Axel starts writing the letters, finishing a half-hour later. He sighs after sealing the last letter with the sticker-seal. He hands them all to Xildus. "Watch yourself out there, Sidul." Axel says.

Mariya sighs after releasing her last arrow, and Dante walks over to retrieve them as she sits on a near-by bench, setting down her quiver.

Xildus nods, taking the letters and putting them in his royal messenger bag. Making sure the bag is safely under his wing, he opens a portal and is off in a flash. He is out of the room before anyone can blink.

Axel sighs and goes down to the archery range. He sits next to her and kisses her. "How's your shot?"

"Off." Mariya says.

"You have something on your mind." Axel says.

"How did you know?" Mariya asks, leaning on him.

"Your my wife, I know everything about you." Axel says, before kissing her.

Mario soon falls asleep in the hall, having been a little restless as of lately.

About twenty minutes later, Xildus dashes out of another portal, skidding to a stop in the main hall and panting as hard as a bird can before plopping onto his rear. He had done his service.

Mariya and Axel leave the Archery range, and spot Xildus. "You okay?" Mariya asks, petting him. "Axel, you didn't make him over-exert himself, did you?"

"No, he's the one who left before I could blink." Axel says.

Xildus soon catches his breath, giving the closest thing to a thumbs-up and a smile to say that he delivered every letter.

Mariya smiles. "Dante, would you take Xildus down to the stables and make sure he's given cold water and some treats." She says. "Axel can manage to watch me while your gone."

Dante nods and picks Xildus up and takes him to the stables.

Mariya and Axel keep walking and eventually stumble upon Mario. Mariya laughs. "Always in the weirdest of places."

"Should we wake him?" Axel asks.

Mario does not need awakening, however, as he soon comes to with a yawn. "...Oh, hey, Axel, Mariya. Hope I didn't get in anyone's way."

"If we didn't spot you, we would have tripped over you, Mario." Axel says.

Dante sets Xildus down, and goes to a stable hand and relays Mariya's message before heading back to guard Mariya.

Xildus soon falls asleep, needing the rest.

Mario sheepishly chuckles. "Right...sorry...so, when should we expect news from the worlds?"

"Who knows..." Axel says. "Depends on how quickly they respond. Could be days."

"Lets hope it's soon." Mariya says.

Two Days later.
Axel looks at the responses he had on his desk, looking disappointed. He leans back and stares at the roof.

Mario steps through a portal of darkness, having returned from Maelstrom Peak. He goes up to Axel's door and knocks. When let in, he asks, "I was told Xildus had picked up some responses."

"Yea." He motions to the letters. "You know, had I told them that there was another Keyblade war, the responses would have been all yes." He sighs. "We're so desperate I'd even ask the Phantom for help."

Mario reads a few and sighs. "Well, it's too bad this isn't a Keyblade war; it's just as dangerous, though..." After a few moments, he continues. "So I guess we'll have to look to other worlds now?"

Axel nods, pulling out a map of known worlds. "We should start with Alageasia, and move from there." Axel says, pointing to Alageasia's location.

Mario nods. "Okay, I'll go ahead and get everything ready for our departure." He gives a nod and leaves, making some calls to let everyone know the current situation.

Axel sighs. He then stands, locking the study behind him he then goes and finds Mariya, telling her the situation.

Mario is soon waiting in the courtyard, ready to go on this journey. Xildus stands by, but neither of them are sure if he will be necessary on this trip or not.

Axel soon comes into the courtyard and nods to them. "Ready?" Axel asks.

Mario nods. "Let's just hope no one disapproves too greatly of us breaking the fourth wall." He then opens the dark portal, and he and Xildus step through.

{Mario and XIldus to Alagaesia}

"Agreed." Axel says, following.

{Axel to Alageasia.}