Author's note: This was written in August, 2007, but twintailed poked me into posting it up here. Please keep that in mind re: all canon and/or quality discrepancies.
Roxas, by nature, is a sceptical person. He does not easily believe in childish stories or fairy tales, just as he does not believe in things like love, hope or friendship. For number thirteen, there is only harsh reality – although, perhaps, in all his ventures throughout various worlds, seeing and experiencing so many things many would never live to do (and would kill to have a chance to), he has eventually grown to maintain an open mind. After all, he is part of the supernatural himself, a being that does not exist and yet does. A Keyblade wielder and a member of Organization XIII, travelling across worlds through corridors of darkness, to destroy that same darkness and collect hearts.
But even though Roxas is many things, he is not a foolish or gullible child. When Xigbar weaves fanciful tales to him of a war of Keyblades long ago, describing in careful and intricate detail the clash of Keyblade master against Keyblade master, of the rise and fall of great heroes, Roxas merely scoffs and often wonders if his superior believes even his own tales sometimes. The glint in his single amber eye when he tells Roxas these stories make Roxas think he only tells them for his reaction, regardless of their truth or lack thereof, which in turn makes Roxas entirely certain it is all just lies.
Little does Roxas realise, his view on the world is about to change, for better or for worse.
It is a hot summer's day, and Roxas is hot and tired and thoroughly fed up. Though he usually complies with orders, today is a slight exception because he has decided to give himself a break. For most of the morning he has been scouring the ruins of Hollow Bastion for Heartless, but the combination of exercise along with his stiflingly hot uniform – long black cloak, boots and gloves – has drained his energy far more quickly than it really should.
What better opportunity to take advantage of the situation to buy sea-salt ice cream? The break would do no harm, and the Superior would never need to know. And since that irritating Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee had been set up, Heartless numbers dwindled dramatically. Before they begin rebuilding the town, it would seem they intend to wipe out all Heartless, and there is Roxas' valid excuse for his break. It is a perfect arrangement.
Perching precariously on a shaded ledge of what was once Hollow Bastion's castle, Roxas gazes down at the town thoughtfully, his beloved ice cream planted firmly in his mouth. The cold ice against his hot, dry mouth is so relieving, although it is melting fast so he is forced to eat it more quickly than he really would like to. It is a good view from here, and he can see rooftops and streets and, beyond the castle walls, a near-endless stretch of blue crystal that dipped down into deep valleys and ravines. The world was originally built on this crystal, he supposes. Further beyond even that is a sea of clouds, concealing anything that might lie beyond.
Roxas likes high places, coupled with the solitude the ruins bring, so he is content to stay here.
Then, quite suddenly, his savouring of the salty-sweet food from heaven cut short as the ice cream is plucked out of his unsuspecting hand. He stares at where it had been moments before, and looks up to see it floating in midair.
Oh, wonderful, he thinks. The heat is making him delirious. He leans forwards to snatch it out of the air, but it zips quickly out of his grasp until he can't reach it, even on the tips of his toes. The ice cream giggles at him mischievously, and he begins to wonder if he has fallen asleep and is dreaming. With a growl, he takes another snatch at the elusive ice cream, but again it evades his grasp. Scowling, he mutters a belated, "What the hell?"
The ice cream giggles again, bobbing up and down with the sound. "You sure are stupid, mister," it replies in a mocking, feminine voice.
"...Huh?" he blinks, wondering whether to be more confused by the fact the ice cream had just spoken to him, or the fact it had called him 'mister', which was just as rare an occurrence for Roxas.
"You should see your face!" the ice cream continues, and suddenly it moves away to reveal, likewise floating in mid-air, the smallest person Roxas has ever seen. If Roxas believed in such things, he would call her a fairy or pixie, but he does not so she is not. She is a young girl, perhaps Roxas' age (not that it is easy to tell, considering how tiny she is) and perfectly sized for hiding behind sea-salt ice creams if she tucks in her arms and legs. She is like a doll, dressed in equally tiny clothes in fiery shades of oranges, reds and yellows, and her bright emerald eyes with oddly swirling pupils all make him think of sunsets and Twilight Town and Axel. Her long blonde hair is in braids and a messy ponytail, tamed only slightly by the blue headscarf around her head, giving her an altogether wild and roguish appearance.
She smirks at him perkily, still holding his captive ice cream aloft, and he blinks, coming back to his senses enough to remember his situation. She is not going to make a mockery out of him. Glaring, he snaps coldly, "Give that back."
"Not without the magic word!" she winks, her smirk broadening into a grin. For such a small person, she is loud, to say the least. "Manners get you everywhere. Didn't your mother ever teach you them?"
"Didn't your mother ever teach you stealing is bad?" he retorts, annoyed. Apparently this strikes her hard because her face falls and her hand that is not clutching the stick of his ice cream balls into a fist.
"You're definitely not getting your ice cream back now, you meanie!" she proclaims haughtily, abruptly disappearing in a flash of light.
If fairies are all as annoying as her, Roxas concludes, then he definitely does not want to believe in them.
It is weeks later when Roxas returns to Hollow Bastion, and he has almost entirely forgotten the incident. Heartless have returned in their swarms despite the efforts of that Restoration Committee, seemingly desperate to reclaim a world that had once been theirs. As usual Roxas has been asked to wipe out every single one of them, and as usual he does so without question, as tiring as his task may always be. If there is one thing Roxas has learned in his time in Organization XIII, it is that showing any sign of weakness can be a fatal error. They are those with such an unshakable strong will they continue to live even after losing their very hearts, and the Superior is an unforgiving man willing to leave any behind who do not maintain that will to survive and progress. And the Superior is not a man who makes empty threats.
Roxas tugs the hood of his coat up and over his fair hair to conceal his identity as he enters the town, picking his way around the ruins of the castle entrance. It is not entirely necessary, because he is accomplished at avoiding the residents here and has never once been caught. If he ever is seen, it would cause all kinds of problems – for one, they might get the impression he's helping them, which is something he is certainly not. He is here for one reason and one reason only: himself, and in turn, the rest of Organization XIII. Things are better if he keeps himself a secret.
He arrives at the bailey, but quickly comes to a halt. There, chattering away cheerfully by an iron gate is that thing from before. Roxas had almost forgotten about her, but there she is, with two similarly doll-sized female companions hovering beside her. One is clad in blue, white and pink, the other entirely in black. That one is sharp, because her crimson eyes flick up immediately to see Roxas.
"Someone's here," she says hurriedly, and she and the one in white vanish. The thief from before has her back to Roxas, however, so she is a little slow on the uptake and turns around to see the newcomer.
"You!" he growls accusingly upon seeing her face.
"Who, me?" She tilts her head in confusion, looking perfectly innocent but at the same time intimidated by his imposing appearance. "I-I'm sorry, have we met before?"
Roxas isn't surprised she doesn't recognise him, because, after all, his face is hidden. "You stole my ice cream," he replies, reluctant to remind her of that embarrassing fact.
She taps her chin thoughtfully for a moment as if trying to remember, but then jolts in surprise as realisation hits home. "OOH! You're that jerk!"
Roxas rolls his eyes to himself, replying indignantly, "You call me a jerk? You stole it."
"Yeah, well," she struggles for a moment to come up with an argument. "You deserved it!"
"I didn't do anything!" Roxas says, half-wondering why he is arguing with this idiot in the first place. And it's over ice cream, of all topics to argue about. He could easily just step on her or something and be done with it, but he's determined to get to the bottom of this thievery.
"Okay, so I don't actually remember why you're a jerk," she admits, "but there was a reason, believe me."
"And was there a reason why you stole my ice cream, or did you just feel like it?"
"I'm not telling you anything if you use that tone with me," she replies huffily, crossing her arms. Roxas merely looks at her, and she shivers and says quickly, "Fine, fine, just stop looking at me however you're looking at me! It's creepy, 'kay?"
Unwilling to play any of her annoying games, Roxas replies in annoyance, "Just get on with it and tell me."
"Geez, keep your hair on," she says, but quails again under another one of Roxas' so called 'creepy looks'. "Well... don't tell anyone, but we're treasure hunters! Gullwings! Y, R, P!" she announces proudly with a pose.
"We?"
"Me and those girls I was talking to, duh," the fairy rolls her eyes. "Yuna and Paine. I'm Rikku. We're fairies! See? Y, R, P! We're the Gullwings!"
Roxas is unimpressed. Dryly, he replies, "I don't believe in fairies. And by 'treasure hunting' you mean 'stealing ice creams'?"
"No! We get better treasure usually."
"Like...?"
"Y'know, treasure! Shiny, valuable stuff!" Her eyes, amusingly enough, almost gleam with enthusiasm as she says this. "The ice cream sorta... happened. I didn't actually plan on stealing it at first."
Roxas is immediately suspicious. "So what were you doing? Spying?"
"On some weird kid eating ice cream in a mouldy old castle? Get a grip," she rolls her eyes, zooming over with surprising speed to poke him in the chest. At least, he thinks she does, but she's so small he barely feels it. "I just happened to see you and I thought you looked kinda sad about something is all."
Roxas narrows his eyes. "So you were spying?"
"No!" She pokes him in the chest again. "Did you listen to a word of what I just said? I just happened to see you!"
"Alright, alright," Roxas grumbles. She's so loud and obnoxious for something so small, and it gives him a headache. "And the ice cream? Why did you steal that?"
"Uhm..." Rikku goes back to tapping her chin again. "I have no idea!" she replies, a little too cheerfully unconcerned for his liking. "Like I said, I forgot, okay?"
"So pay me back," Roxas scowls. "You owe me for it."
"Ugh, look at you, Mr. I'm-So-Big-and-Tough-With-My-Big-Scary-Cloak," she says sarcastically, and Roxas raises an eyebrow. "Put your hood down, it's bugging me."
"And you're bugging me," Roxas replies, but reluctantly lowers it. She claps happily and zooms up into his face, inspecting him so closely Roxas has to go cross eyed to watch her and resisting the urge to swat her away.
"That's better," she chirps. "Now let's see about getting you that ice cream!"
"I didn't say you had to get me another ice cream!" Roxas replies hastily. "Just pay me back."
"I'm paying you back by getting you an ice cream. Makes sense, right? C'mon, slowpoke." Before he could even protest, she had already slipped through the gates and vanished into town, and he finds himself having to resist a small smile threatening to creep its way across his face.
And that is how Roxas met Rikku, also known as the most annoying little thing in the world since Axel. She is rude, demanding, treasure-obsessive, has no concept of personal space, loud, overdramatic, obnoxious...
...Kind, generous (by treasure hunter standards), cheerful, bubbly, talkative and generally likeable. For all her negative traits, Roxas somehow manages to find Rikku intriguing at the least, and before he knows it, they are friends.
Their spot on the ruined ledge overlooking the town, the place where they first met, has become their meeting point, and every now and again they turn up to meet one another. Whenever Roxas appears there in a cloud of darkness, Rikku follows almost instantly after in a flash of light, almost as if she has a sixth sense for his coming, and they spend hours on end together. So much that even Axel gets suspicious – Roxas, in his free time beforehand, simply secluded himself to his living quarters in The World That Never Was, and now he spends so much time away. He doesn't tell Axel about Rikku, though, because he knows the redhead will only get over-possessive and jealous of his best and only friend. He doesn't tell Rikku about Axel, either.
Most of the time in their meetings, they chat about everything and nothing – more accurately, Rikku does all the talking. Roxas is not fond of talking about himself, and Rikku likes the sound of her own voice, so they are both happy to listen to her talk about her treasure-hunting adventures or more mundane things like her favourite food or colour. She also heaps her personal problems on him, such as when she once argued with Paine and was incredibly upset, and proceeded to relay the entire story to him. Roxas listens to just about anything she has to say. He supposes his apathetic and uncaring attitude is what makes her talk, talk, talk, because she knows he will listen and it gives her someone to vent her complex array of emotions on.
Emotions. That is why Roxas doesn't give advice, and merely listens. A Nobody like him couldn't possibly understand her feelings, so he doesn't try. She doesn't mind, because, for some reason Roxas can't quite puzzle out, just having his company is enough to cheer her up. Roxas finds her cheerfulness infectious sometimes, and finds he smiles a lot more than he used to.
A cynical part of him knows nothing good lasts forever, but when he is with Rikku she has optimism enough for both of them and still some to spare. She's so bright and boundless and her size certainly belies the size of her heart. She becomes a light within his darkness.
"Roxas," she says one day. "Do you believe in love?"
"...What kind of a question is that?! I don't know."
She pauses thoughtfully, perhaps a little disappointed with the answer. "And you said you don't believe in fairies before. How come?"
"I'm not a kid," he answers simply. "Why should I?"
"You're talking to one right now, stupid," she says, sticking out her tongue. "And besides, who are you fooling? You are a kid."
"Teenager," Roxas corrects with a small smile, making a motion as if to swat her away like an insect. His hand goes straight through thin air, however, because she disappears and reappears in front of his face, flicking him on the nose.
"Haha, got you," she teases, doing a weird kind of victory dance she is probably just inventing as she goes along.
"Not fair," he whines, going to swat at her again. He only succeeds in hitting himself in the face because she vanishes again, reappearing on his shoulder and doubled over with laughter.
"See? You are a kid," she grins once she has recovered enough from her laughter. Roxas glares at her, but the corners of his mouth twitch as if resisting a smile. "Teenager, kid, same thing. Stop being in such a hurry to grow up and just have fun."
"I don't know," Roxas rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He's already looked down upon enough for being the smallest, youngest and newest member of Organization XIII, and embracing immature tendencies like Rikku does is only going to make things worse.
But then again, maybe it's worth it.
"I'll try," he says finally, and she smiles happily.
"Great! So, now that you've joined the dark side, wanna go pull a prank on that Restoration Committee? Yunie and Paine are in on it as well..."
Rikku also proves to be incredibly caring and compassionate; a concept Roxas has trouble wrapping his mind around because no one really cares about him in Organization XIII – not even Axel, but Roxas suspects he doesn't know how to truly care. One day Roxas barely has the strength to summon a portal of darkness to arrive at their meeting spot, but he manages it, staggering through and collapsing against a wall, one hand clutching his shoulder. She is at his side immediately.
"Hey, Roxas! You're pretty late today," she says – or at least he thinks she does, because he can barely hear her, distracted by the ripping pain in his shoulder.
"I was busy," he says through clenched teeth.
"Busy?" she cocks her head in that familiar, inquisitive manner of hers. "Is something wrong?"
"Hurt my shoulder," he responds curtly.
"What?!" she flits to sit on his uninjured shoulder, leaning across to look at his gloved hand pressed against his opposite shoulder. "Is it bleeding?"
"No," Roxas replies, removing his hand to show her. Sure enough, besides the black material being slightly torn, there is no sign of damage. After all, Nobodies have no hearts, and therefore no blood, in turn meaning they cannot bleed. He is only holding it in pain, not to stem a flow of blood.
"How did you hurt it?!" Rikku asks, suddenly disapproving. She can be serious when she wants to be. "Have you been fighting again?"
"Yes," Roxas admits, and Rikku is surprised, because he usually tells her nothing of his own adventures. "I wasn't strong enough."
"And that's how you hurt yourself?" she questions gently.
"No. It was after that I was hurt."
Rikku eyes him, a little confused now. "By what?" He takes his time to respond, glassy eyes staring off into the distance, and for a moment Rikku prepares to yell at him for ignoring her.
But then he speaks, so quietly she almost misses it. "My superiors. Failure is always punished." He says it in such an unnerving, monotonous, robot-like way, but she can tell he is troubled. She's good at detecting what little emotion Roxas shows - but she does not press on it. This is the first time he has talked about himself in more detail, and she doesn't want to discourage him.
"But I'm not weak!" Roxas declares with a sudden flare of passion that makes Rikku almost fall off his shoulder in fright. "I-I'm just..."
She looks at him with large eyes, settling back onto his shoulder. "Yes?"
"I'm just tired," he says heavily. "I'm tired of fighting. It's all I do for them."
"Tell me, Roxas," she says, pushing herself off her shoulder to hover in front of his face. His distant expression clears and he watches her expectantly. "Who are you really?"
"Nobody," he says shortly. "I couldn't tell you. I don't know myself."
Rikku is used to such cryptic replies, but she continues valiantly, "At least tell me who or what it is you work for."
"I work for no one. Nothing," he says, and Rikku can't make sense of that.
"You have at least two bosses, you said." She is thoughtful, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "Please, Roxas, don't lie to me."
"They're just Nobodies, like me," Roxas says, the hint of a wry smile playing about his lips. "Do you want the whole truth?"
Cautiously, wringing her hands nervously, Rikku nods once.
"They're shadows, and they don't exist. Just like me, just like this nonexistent wound and the nonexistent pain I don't really feel. I'm a pathetic imitation of a human being, Rikku." He uses that same cold, harsh tone that he always does when he talks about himself and it makes Rikku wince visibly.
"R-Roxas..." she averts her eyes, still unsure of what he means but sincerely saddened by his words. She always knew there was something strange about the quiet boy in the black cloak, but she never imagined it to be anything like this, and she gets a terrible feeling this is the beginning of the end.
Silence stretches on between them that feels like it lasts an eternity, both immersed in their own thoughts. Rikku wants to comfort him, but she can't, and she knows sympathy is the last thing he wants. She settles for just taking two of his fingers and hugging them close to her chest, which Roxas supposes is her own unique way of holding his hand. He allows her to do so, and they remain, motionless like time itself has frozen them in place, two sentinels watching over the city in a gargoyle-like vigil.
And then nightfall closes in, the last traces of dusk disappearing on the horizon, and lights begin to flicker into life like stars below them. Roxas finally stands, but Rikku does not move from her position on his shoulder. He almost thinks he can see Rikku wiping her eyes out of the corner of his own, but he decides not to mention it.
"I've decided," he says, staring out at the beauty and entirety of the world before them, the fading light reflected in his eyes. "I'm leaving. I'm going to go find myself."
"Huh?" Rikku replies, at a loss, and decides to repeat it again more loudly for good measure. "Huh?!"
"If I don't get killed for leaving in the first place," Roxas continues, "I doubt we'll see one another again anyway. I'm sorry, Rikku."
"You— what?!" she clings to his hand tighter as if he might disappear if she doesn't. "Don't do it if you'll – you'll die!"
"I can't keep this up any longer. Like I said, I'm tired," he says with such a heavy finality Rikku releases his hand, moving to stare at him in disbelief. "I'm sorry," he says again, and she knows he means it. "Maybe we'll see one another again someday."
Rikku still isn't all that sure what Roxas is talking about, but at the possibility of meeting again she nods vigorously, her grin returning. Roxas is so mysterious, and he has always done as he pleases. He belongs to no one, not Rikku, not his Organization. Rikku should have expected nothing less, because that is what makes Roxas special. "So let's promise we'll meet again!"
"If you believe in things like promises," Roxas replies, extending a hand for her to shake the promise on. "...Because I know I do, so I promise."
"Oh, poopie," Rikku says, wiping her eyes roughly with her sleeve again and ignoring his proffered hand. Instead she flies up to his face and plants what Roxas is certain is a gentle kiss, and he feels the colour rising to his cheeks. "I promise, too," she says as she draws away, and Roxas wonders if he is imagining that proud and accomplished glint in her eyes. Even now she remains as mischievous as ever, and Roxas suddenly realises just how fond he is of her because of it. His voice feels constricted and his empty chest aches sharply with emotions he can't quite identify.
Swallowing, he says, "...See you around, Rikku."
"Later, tater!" she replies cheerfully, but instead of leaving Roxas hesitates.
"Rikku?"
"Yeah?"
He struggles with himself for a moment. "I believe in fairies, too."
"Hm? Why the sudden change of heart?"
"This fairy gave me back my smile. That has to be magic, right?"
She blinks, surprised, then flustered. "O-oh, don't mention it. Anything for a friend!"
And Roxas leaves, giving Rikku one last look of farewell, and there, for the first time, is the first true smile Roxas has ever given.
Time passed, memories were eroded, and Rikku sometimes wondered if she just dreamed Roxas up. But she was sure she didn't, and she visited their meeting point every day to confirm this. But eventually the ravages of time destroyed even that when a pillar collapsed, sending a whole wall and ceiling of that old castle down on it and concealing it entirely under ruins and debris. Like the castle, Rikku sometimes thought Roxas was doomed to fade out of memory, becoming that nonexistent shadow he believed he was.
Until much later, neither of them realised that their faith in a supposedly childish promise would serve to bring them back together again, when a brown-haired boy and his two companions stumbled upon a trio of treasure hunting fairies.