The mansion was silent, just like it had been for the past 4 months since Axel's death. No one had spoken about the incident, especially Xigbar. There were others still in the hospital recovering from the horrific event that had left most of them with unsettling nightmares. There were two nobodies that were stuck in a coma, Vexen and Luxord after they had been attacked, they'd been like that for almost 8 or 9 months now, and if they didn't wake up soon... well the consequences would be dire. Xaldin had stopped cooking good tasting food, instead now it was a type of slop that even prisoners weren't subjected too, though it was now befitting since they were all prisoners of fear, sorrow, and pain. Even number 12, whom everyone had seemed to fear slightly, seemed like nothing more than a gnat that wasn't even annoying anymore. Marluxia, number 11, had seemed to have a nervous breakdown and allowed all the plants in the gardens wither and die, just like everything else had in the World that never was. Zexion stayed in the lab or hospital constantly trying to find a way to help the others. Xemnas had refused to come out of Saix's hospital room, hoping that they could save the puppy from losing his arm completely. Lexeaus, strong as he was had felt such an emotional shock from the ordeal that he could now be seen walking around the perimeters of the castle, trying to find some way to regain what was now lost. Roxas and Xion had gone insane from grief and threatened to kill the only person who was now trying to follow the advice that the red head had given him in the last few seconds of his life, and yet the strangest occurrence so far was Sora showing up and trying to help them with their troubles. Xigbar had gone into hiding after the madness that he'd created, he was the reason for all the disaster, and yet who could blame him for being curious and opening the catastrophe that was Pandora's Box? Demyx on the other hand, had locked himself up in his room, he didn't want to make new memories and forget. Forget what Axel had told him before he had disappeared into the darkness; he didn't want to forget the one thing that gave him hope on seeing his friend again. 'We'll see each other again, sometime. I promise. I'm not sure how or when or hell where. But we'll meet again. Just remember that no matter what there is always a light within the darkness.' It was the one promise that Demyx intended to see Axel complete fully.
It was a normal day so far within the dull and deranged castle walls; the blonde sitarist sat in his window looking out over the desecrated city below. He held the red leather bound diary, no scratch that journal, Axel would kill him if he'd said it was a diary. He started to laugh only to stop clutching the place where their hearts should be. If they weren't supposed to have hearts, why did it hurt so much? He opened up the book to a new fresh page picking up a pen and started to scribble down words quickly. 'It's been another typical day again Axel. It seems like everything is…' he didn't want to write the word 'dead' down, in fear that it would bring forth another wave of tears. 'Slow,' he quickly replaced the word and began chewing on the end of the cheap plastic pen. 'Everything is the same, dull and lifeless, heartless and cold… Some of the others have started to get better…from… well… you… know.' He sighed as single drop of water hit the page nearly erasing his last few thoughts. He wiped it away quickly and tried to save it before the ink dissolved away. 'You left without saying goodbye again. Where are you Axel? Where did you go? Where did you disappear too?' Another tear fell hitting the paper again. 'It's so cold now without you here, everyone's so sad, and Xiggy's run away from me again…' A few drops fell down onto the paper staining it permanently. "Dammit... I'm stronger than this..." he sighed and popped the crick in his neck starting again on the now damp paper. 'I want to know more… Who was the spirit? A-and why did you have to die! Why? It wasn't right... You were just protecting me right...? Right?' he put the journal down looking up at the ceiling hoping that he wouldn't cry anymore. He'd started writing to Axel everyday in the journal, that way he would remember, he would remember every question or doubt that he had, that way the flaming red head could tell him what was going on, just like he always did. 'My biggest question was what you told me… Even in that darkest of places, there's always a light there to guide your way. What did you mean by that Axel?' he bit his lip and turned over to look at the heartless that was sleeping beside him. "So what will we do today Rift?" The heartless looked up at him for a second before snuggling back into the 'Pyro' shirt that he was nesting in, one of Axel's old shirts. Demyx chuckled slightly, "Why do you always take Axel's shirts… He's going to be mad…" Demyx trailed off and swallowed hard laying down next to Rift's nest, he could smell familiar scents coming from the shirt, there was the smell of ash, as well as the smell of cinnamon and smoke from his cigarettes, as well as a faint trace of the body wash that he used, he buried his nose deeper feeling the over whelming feelings of sadness trying to seep in his pores. Xigbar was gone, as was Axel, what else did he have left? There was a sudden rush of cold air, and he got the feeling that someone was touching his arm, and though they'd come in with a cold blast, the room had suddenly warmed up exponentially, and all those feelings of sadness that he had before seemed to disappear within a single touch. He rubbed his eyes and looked around seeing a glimpse of red disappearing down the long driveway. He blinked shocked and then looked again. "A-axel?..."