Connection Between Hearts
This is the sequel to Unbreakable Connection. This fic is taking place during 358/2 Days and maybe it will go into Kingdom Hearts 2. I'm not sure yet. I'm going to be taking tid-bits from the 358/2 Days novel and the remastered HD clips from KH 1.5! So you'll have all your glorious scenes with Organization 13!
Anyway enjoy the first chapter :D
Disclaimer - Kingdom Hearts is copyrighted by Square-Enix and Disney
Chapter 1 – Familiar Faces
Eleven years had passed since Master Xehanort had attempted to create the X-blade and endangered the lives of four keyblade wielders. The four keyblade wielders were inseparable friends who would do anything for each other. They were courageous enough to put a stop to Xehanort's devious plans, but at a terrible cost. One was casted into the Realm of Darkness. One became a vessel for Master Xehanort. One was in an eternal coma like sleep and the other was forced to be lost in Castle Oblivion with no way out.
With these four keyblade wielders incapable of putting a stop to Xehanort, the keyblade chose a new wielder. The keyblade's chosen one, Sora, a boy who would go to the Destiny Islands to hang out and play with his best friends. He was eager enough to go on and adventure with his best friends Riku and Kairi. Despite being best friends, Sora and Riku were very competitive with each other. They would compete in anything, even attempting to build a raft that would allow them to escape their home world. It was on that fateful night when a storm broke out on the island and the three friends were whisked away from home by the darkness and the Heartless.
Riku's determination to leave his home allowed his heart to be opened to the darkness. He became a pawn of the darkness and was used by Master Xehanort's Heartless, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. The human heartless of Xehanort was just as cunning and manipulative just as the old master. He fed off of Riku's jealously over Sora and his will to leave the islands to see the outside world. If it had not been for Sora, Donald, and Goofy, Riku would've been lost to the darkness forever. Still the young boy still struggled with the darkness and tries his best to fight it with the aid of his friends.
Kairi, a Princess of Heart. There were six others like her who would have lost their hearts if it had not been for Sora and his companions, Donald and Goofy. They were King Mickey's loyal mage and knight who began their search trying to find the one that would help bring peace to the light and they found Sora.
King Mickey was on a quest to find his fallen friends, but he was unable to. He spent most of his time searching the Realm of Darkness trying to find a way out. While on his travels, the tiny king had found a way to use the darkness as his weapon wielding a new keyblade called the Kingdom Key D keyblade. This keyblade mirrored the Kingdom Key, which belonged to Sora, and this purpose is reflected in its coloration. All seemed hopeless for the determined king who wanted to find his friends, when a door opened up that led the small mouse to the land of the summoners, where he met with a friend whom he thought he lost years ago.
Sora traveled through many worlds battling the Heartless with Donald and Goofy. His adventure had somewhat ended when he and his friends arrived at Castle Oblivion, which was a secondary home to a group called Organization 13. Organization 13 was a group of human Nobodies, people without hearts. They had used the manipulation of another Nobody, called Namine, who was altering Sora's memories so that he would forget Kairi. However, Sora's heart was too strong and his love for Kairi over powered Namine's magic. Unfortunately, Sora's memories were broken and the boy had to go into a deep sleep in order for Namine to fix the things she had done wrong.
Riku had also found himself in Castle Oblivion, fighting the Organization just as Sora did. He was also fighting the darkness inside of his heart, which had manifested into Ansem, Seeker of Darkness as well as a clone which one of the Organization members, Vexen had created. The replica was able to mimic Riku's every move and become stronger using the powers of darkness. With the aid of King Mickey and DiZ, a mysterious figure with his own intentions. Riku was able to defeat the dark demons inside his heart. His goal now was to make sure Sora would sleep in peace in order for Namine to fix his memories.
This is where the story of a new Organization member begins…
The preparations for his awakening are complete.
As a Heartless, he has already vanished, the Nobody remaining—and, it is he, returned to n The sound of waves could be heard.
The tide was moving in and out, washing sand away from the beach.
The boy's body sank slowly into the water.
Or, perhaps he was trying to be caught by the waves.
And then, the boy opened his eyes.
A stark white room. A stark white bed. Through the wide window, a pitch black sky and the neon of skyscrapers were visible.
'Where is this place, again?' The boy thought. 'This is my room,' He looked around the pale white room. 'This is a place called The World That Never Was',' He kept looking around trying to make sense of everything around him. 'And, my name is Roxas,' He almost smiled as if he was pleased to recall his name. 'That's my name. I'm number 13 of the Organization.' The boy raised his gloved hand to his blue eyes rubbing them slightly. 'I feel like I've been dreaming the whole time. No, I also feel like I was awake the whole time,' He continued to reminisce about things he had done. 'Yesterday—yesterday, I was by a dark ocean. I met him there. Our boss,' the boy held his head slightly. 'After that—I don't really remember so well. Maybe the stuff that happened yesterday didn't really happen at all. Maybe I'm still dreaming.'
Roxas got out of bed, and left the room.
He continued along a corridor, white just like his room, and made of something inorganic. It was a little like stone, and a little like something artificial; Roxas didn't know what it was. Only that there was a space that continued along there. Many doors, like the one to his own room, lined the corridor. The design of the rooms on the other side of the doors were also probably the same. And so, inside were probably people just like him.
Shortly, the space opened out, and he started descending a sloping hallway. At the end of it was The Garden of Weaving Light and Dark—the lobby, it was called. He had been told to come here upon waking.
By who? He didn't really remember.
The lobby was chilly, enclosed in transparent glass, outside of which there was nothing but pitch black darkness and white buildings.
"'Huh? You finally up?" A woman's voice sneered.
Roxas turned. A blonde woman, wearing the same black coat as Roxas, was looking down at him. Roxas couldn't answer at all, and she—Larxene curled her lip, resting her hip on the side of the sofa. Roxas had no idea what on earth the change in her expression meant. But, when he saw that look, he got just a little uneasy.
There were three people other than Larxene wearing that same black coat, spending the extra time they didn't know what to do with inside the lobby.
Roxas approached someone who was looking at the pitch dark outside the window; a person with red hair.
Perhaps there was a reason he was chosen to pair up with Roxas, perhaps there wasn't. Roxas didn't know that, either.
But, when Roxas drew nearer to that person, he turned around, a smile showing on his face.
"Hey, Roxas." Axel greeted the tiny boy.
Roxas looked up at the red head and said nothing. He cast his gaze downwards. He didn't really know what he should say in reply.
"What's up? You need something?" Axel asked curiously.
'I don't really need anything, but I was thinking maybe it would be nice to talk to someone, that's all.' Roxas thought dismissively.
Axel looked at Roxas, who was still looking down.
The small boy kept thinking, 'That reminds me—that's right, that day, it must have been the first day, the one who was with me was—'His thoughts were broken as he heard Axel speak.
"Oh yeah, they said we have to meet at the Round Room today… what a pain." Axel groaned.
"Round Room…" Roxas murmured. 'I remember the place they call the Round Room,' He thought. 'That was also on the first day—no, wasn't it after that?''
Roxas looked up at Axel.
"Apparently there's something we have to hear," Axel told him. "Let's hurry up and go."
Roxas watched as Axel held out his hand and darkness opened up before it.
The smaller boy blankly stared at the darkness in front of him. He recalled what that was. 'That's right, a dark corridor.' He thought staring at the gaping darkness.
"I hate going to meetings, always getting sore from sitting on those hard seats," Axel said, laughing as he spoke.
He was interrupted by a person standing in the centre of the lobby.
"You two, hurry up."
Axel and Roxas were the only ones left in the lobby, apart from a man with long blue hair and a large scar on his forehead—Saïx. Larxene had already left. The others had probably left to be present at the Round Room long since.
"Yeah yeah—let's go, Roxas. Open a dark corridor for yourself, too," Axel said; entering the darkness he had opened.
The darkness closed up before Roxas' eyes.
"Hurry up," Saïx announced, and he also disappeared into a dark opening.
Roxas was the only one left in the lobby. He stared at his own hand. 'How do I open the dark like that?' He lifted a hand, like Axel had, and closed his eyes for a second. He recalled that darkness. 'I have to get to that place—the Round Room.' Beside Roxas, the darkness opened its gaping mouth. 'Is the Round Room really at the end of that?'
Roxas stepped inside.
The hall that they called the Round Room was enclosed by a circular wall. The walls were made of the same white material as the other rooms. In the middle of the room was a large circular table—a stage-like 'round table', and thirteen seats surrounded it. The chairs were tall, and each had a different height.
And, twelve other black-coated people had also taken their seats.
Roxas couldn't remember all their names very clearly, and he stared vaguely at the 'round table' placed in the middle of the room. Painted there was a mark that was very similar to a cross; it was also painted on Roxas' bed. Roxas knew what it meant.
That's the seal of the Organization—of the Nobodies.
"Today is a day that deserves commemoration." Xemnas spoke.
The air quivered with the resounding voice.
'That voice belongs to—that guy, our boss, Xemnas.' Roxas thought.
And then, a lone person appeared in the Round Room.
"A new comrade has joined our ranks." Xemnas said grabbing everyone's attention.
I can't tell what that person's face looks like, what with it hidden so deep in their hood.
"The 14th…" The leader of the Organization said.
Thing were suddenly flitting across Roxas' mind. It was only a few days ago—probably six days ago.
Axel dressed him in a black coat, and then brought him to this room.
The one chosen by the Keyblade—
Xemnas must have said that to me, that day.
'The Keyblade?' Roxas thought. 'I don't even know what that is.'
He looked at the person standing in the middle of the Round Room.
The person lifted their face for just a moment, and Roxas stirred, getting the feeling that they were looking at him.
It looked like that person's mouth, which should have been concealed and useable under the hood, was smiling.
'I feel like I've seen that smile somewhere before,' the boy thought gazing down at the new member. 'But I can't remember where. Until now, these seven days past, I haven't once been scared of the things I can't remember,' He continued to think. 'But now, I'm somehow—scared.' Another thought struck him as he shuddered at the word. 'Scared? What does it mean, to be scared?
Roxas sensed something flicker, and he looked up.
Xemnas had disappeared, wrapped in darkness. And then, one after the other, the members of the Organization disappeared.
The 14th was still looking at him.
And then, Roxas passed out. He started to remember how he had been initiated into the Organization.
The air in the Round Room quivered.
As if the darkness was burning, many dark corridors opened into the seats, and the figures of the black-coated members appeared.
There were seven of them. The seven people between No. I and No. VII—in other words, Xemnas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexeaus, Zexion, and Saïx.
"To allow the newcomer to attend." Vexen stated.
The biggest newcomer amongst the members in attendance—Saïx stared straight at the centre of the Round Room, without showing any particular reaction to Vexen's words.
"Have we been able to extract the 'key'?" Xigbar asked.
"Key? You must be talking about the fragments. If it's only the fragments, we can take them out without the aid of the witch's power," Vexen answered.
"Are more fragments necessary?" asked Zexion.
"That depends on the movement of the hero," Vexen said, without hesitation.
Lexeaus opened his mouth. "More importantly, are the movements of the heroes being properly monitored?"
"Marluxia has been ordered to act without any slipups," Saïx answered, this time.
"The hero's Nobody appearing was pretty irregular in itself, anyway," said Xaldin, and all gazes concentrated on him. "Doesn't the existence of the hero's Nobody make continuing the plan meaningless?"
"Well, we need some kinda insurance, is what I'm sayin," said Xigbar.
"The plan has been set in motion," Xemnas interrupted, and all six faces lifted. "In order to assure our new power, we will put our first plan into action," he stated, in conclusion at last, and the other six each nodded.
Roxas opened his eyes, and found himself on top of his bed. 'What happened yesterday?' He thought hazily realizing he was in his room. 'I can't really remember, like always.'
He got out of bed, and went to look out the window.
The sky is as pitch dark as always, so I don't really know, but it seems like the date has changed.
'I have to go to the lobby once I've woken up,' He thought. 'At the moment, that's all I understand.'
Roxas left his room and walked the hallways just like had had the day before, heading for the lobby.
"Roxas," Came the call, the instant he stepped into his place of destination. It was Saïx. Roxas stared vaguely up at him. "You have a mission."
'Mission?' Roxas thought. 'Somehow I get that it's not okay for me to just be here. I don't really understand what I'm here for, though, like always.'
"It's closer to training than a mission," Saix said to him. " There are various things we'd like you to remember before going out on missions. Today you will be moving with Axel. Isn't that nice, Axel."
Roxas shifted his gaze to the side of Saïx, and Axel was standing there. And, behind him, Roxas saw one more member was standing there.
That was the 14th.
"What is this… am I supposed to be his mentor or something?" Axel answered, scratching his head.
"Yes. Teach Roxas mission basics." Saix ordered.
"Yeah yeah. Understood." Axel retorted.
Saix lightly glared at the red-head. His carefree nature would hold back the Organization in their true goal. "Change of plans," He said to Axel. "There's been a disturbance at Castle Oblivion."
"Did Xemnas tell you that?" Axel turned around.
"Yes," Saix replied. "Find out what the disturbance is and then train Roxas."
Axel sighed. "Of course," He said. "I always get stuck with the icky jobs…"
Removed from Axel and Saïx's conversation, Roxas watched the 14th.
Like always, their face was hidden deep in a hood, and he couldn't tell anything.
Axel looked over at Roxas. I won't be long," He smiled. "Why don't you get to know the 14th member a little better," He shrugged. "Maybe get them to talk or something." He disappeared through a dark corridor to Castle Oblivion as Roxas looked at the new member of their team.
Levina continued to wander through Castle Oblivion. She didn't age at all by wandering the castle for eleven years. She was confused as to how she got here and why she couldn't get out.
'How long have I been here?' She thought dismissively. She looked down at her wayfinder. 'Why do I have this?' The tiny yellow trinket was the only thing that gave her joy. She held onto the wayfinder tightly. She kept thinking to herself trying her hardest to recall memories, but she couldn't. There were times where she heard voices whisper in the halls. Something about a keyblade wielder…
"Key…blade…?" Levina repeated the word. Her heart felt like it was aching. There was something…no more like someone she missed. Her friends? Did she have friends? The tiny girl held her head in pain. The pain would always return whenever she thought of friends.
She suddenly saw somebody in front of her. They had used the means of darkness to enter this hallway.
Levina backed away slowly, like she almost knew this person was dangerous.
Axel looked at the girl in front of him. 'Something about her…,' He thought. 'Seems familiar.' He then spoke to her, "So you're the one whose cause a disturbance," He laughed jokingly. "Man way to get all tense for nothing Saix. Jeez, it's just a little girl."
"W-Who are you?" Levina asked as her knees trembled.
"The name's Axel," Axel replied. "Got it memorized?"
Levina nodded her head and backed up against the white wall of the hallway as Axel held out his hand to her.
"You don't want to stay here," Axel told her. "It's much dangerous here than you think."
Levina looked at the gloved in front of her. "But…," She began. "I don't even know where to go."
Axel sighed in dismay. "Look, if you're not going to come willingly, I'm gonna have to use force." He said making as his chakrams appeared in his hands in a blaze of fire.
Levina had no means of defending herself. The tiny girl lowered her eyes to the floor. "A-Alright," She stammered. "I'll go with you."
Axel took the girl's hand and opened a dark corridor. Seeing the rift of darkness in front of her caused Levina to tremble. It reminded her of something more like someone who used those corridors of darkness. The girl shut her eyes tightly as she passed through the darkness.
Axel had returned from his small mission. He still saw Roxas and Xion in the lobby. Levina had been handed off to Saix, who had imprisoned the terrified girl in one of their cells.
"We're going, Roxas," Axel said reminding Roxas of his mission. Following his gaze, he turned to the 14th.
Saïx opened his mouth as he approached. "It's Number 14, Xion."
"Xion, then…" Axel muttered.
"Xion…" Roxas voiced, quietly.
"Got it memorized? Roxas." Axel asked him.
Roxas nodded his head. He looked at his friend questionably. "What did you find in Castle Oblivion?"
Axel shrugged. "Don't worry about it," He reassured the boy.
"Indeed, you have no need to worry," Saix added. "The person causing the disturbance is our prisoner now."
"Prisoner?" Roxas asked. 'That doesn't sound like a nice thing.' He thought.
Axel rubbed the back of his head trying to figure out how to explain to Roxas what a prisoner was. "Meaning that girl locked in the cell can't do anything without us knowing about it."
Roxas frowned a little. "Can we see her?" He asked.
"Sure!" Axel replied whole heartedly. "Let's go –" He was suddenly cut off by Saix who was looking more agitated.
"After your mission." Saix ordered.
Axel rolled his green eyes. "Fine, fine," He replied. "Come on Roxas, let's go." The two disappeared into a dark corridor.
At the end of the dark corridor was Twilight Town's underground passageway.
"So… well, first I'll explain the mission, and we'll go from there, will we…" Axel began.
Axel turned to face Roxas, who was following behind him.
"Okay? Today's mission is—ahh…" The red head tried to think of something to do here.
Axel went to explain, scratched his head, and sighed.
Roxas' eyes were as indifferent as always, like he wasn't seeing a thing.
"Rather than explaining stuff, it'd be faster to just do it. Okay, first, come with me."
Axel started running. He hadn't seen Roxas ever move fast before, but to his surprise, Roxas followed him pretty quickly.
Climbing up a level, Axel stopped halfway, and turned to Roxas.
"During a mission, you shouldn't run straight for the target. You gotta pay attention to your surroundings." Axel told him.
"—Pay… attention?" Roxas repeated.
"It means you gotta look hard at the things around you. You'll overlook surprising things, otherwise. Got it memorized?" Axel said to him.
"Yeah—got it." Roxas nodded obediently.
"Okay, let's go practice, will we," said Axel, brightly, able to think that those eyes were finally taking him in. "There's a treasure chest somewhere in this area. Today's mission is to find that."
"So we should look for the… treasure chest, right?" Roxas understood.
"Yeah, that's right. Look carefully, now," said Axel, and Roxas looked around him.
Axel watched as Roxas tried his hardest to find the treasure chest. 'From the beginning, Roxas was like a pure white canvas that had to be painted on,' He thought. 'Some of his reactions are slow, but it feels like there's some bigger reason why. From the first day we met, he's been different from the others somehow.'
It took some time to find the treasure chest, but Roxas was able to do it. Axel smiled proudly as the treasure chest opened. Inside it was a potion which healed injuries. Just then, Roxas' gaze shifted.
"Hm? What's up?" Axel asked.
At the end of Roxas' gaze were some of the town's children.
'I've seen them countless times.' Axel thought looking at the children.
A noisy group of three kids from around the town. They look like they'd be about Roxas' age.
And, in their hands was sea-salt ice cream.
A special flavor—a sweet salty blue ice treats.
Axel didn't exactly hate it—actually, he liked it. Well, he remembered liking that ice cream.
"…We'll go home after we eat some ice cream, alright?" Axel told the small boy.
Axel started walking towards the shop in the middle of the town plaza.
"Follow me, Roxas! I'll even show you around my special place!"
Roxas didn't move.
"Let's go," Axel said, and when he started walking, Roxas came along. Slightly relieved, he headed for the milk bar in the middle of the plaza.
"…What's up?" The red head asked curiously.
"Today's mission was to find the treasure chest…" Roxas repeated the mission.
"You know, Roxas. Even if you've found it, it doesn't really mean much if you don't take what's in it, right?" Axel told him.
"Is it okay to take it?" Roxas thought looking at the potion in his hand.
"Yeah, you can do what you like with whatever you find inside boxes during missions." Axel told him.
And, a shining key appeared in Roxas' hand.
Each member of the Organization has their own weapon, but, could that be—a keyblade?
'It's a keyblade, no mistake,' Axel thought watching Roxas as he held the keyblade in his hand. 'That's right, on that day, when I took Roxas back to the castle, to stand under Xemnas, he said so. The one chosen by the Keyblade— if so, is Roxas the Nobody of the keyblade hero? But of course—I haven't heard anything about the hero becoming a Heartless.'
"Do you kind of get how a mission works?" said Axel, making an effort to be composed.
"—Yeah." Roxas nodded absent mindedly.
"You really okay?" Axel asked him concerned.
Roxas lifted his face. "The prisoner—"
"Hm?" Axel asked curiously.
"It's nothing," Roxas said, with a shy smile. He couldn't get the thought of the prisoner out of his mind. He really wanted to see her for some reason.
Axel knew Roxas was following behind, even without turning around.
The special place—the big clock tower on top of Twilight Town station.
You could look out over Twilight Town from there.
Axel sat down at the front of the tower, and looked up at Roxas, who was still standing.
"You sit down too," he said, and Roxas sat down next to him.
"Here, a reward." Axel smiled.
And so, Axel gave Roxas a sea-salt ice cream.
Roxas stared at the ice cream.
"Sea-salt ice cream—I told you before, right? Memorize it properly," said Axel, gnawing on his ice cream. Roxas gnawed on his own ice cream, copying Axel.
"Salty—but sweet," Roxas murmured.
"Roxas, you said the same thing recently, you know." Axel said.
"Did I—I don't really remember all that well…" Roxas replied.
Roxas turned his gaze vaguely at the sunset.
His spikey brown hair was moving in the wind.
"Come to think of it, it's been about a week since you joined the Organization, hasn't it?" Axel asked.
"Maybe…" said Roxas, eyes still on the sunset.
"Maybe…? Don't you remember that, either?" Axel asked curiously.
Roxas' gaze dropped.
"Well, it means you finally get to go on missions like a real Organization member." Axel commended the boy.
"Organization member…" Roxas was making a weird face for some reason.
"That makes today the beginning, or something, maybe." Axel said.
"The beginning—" Roxas repeated.
Roxas was looking at his ice cream again.
"If you don't hurry up and eat it, it'll melt on you." Axel told him.
"—Okay." Roxas bit his ice cream.
The clock tower's bell rang out, telling the time, and a train was running in the distance.
This was Twilight Town.
And this clock tower—was still a special place only to Axel.
So what did you guys think of the first chapter? Will Levina be able to escape the clutches of the Organization? Will she find friends? Will Lira be able to help in anyway? Find out next time!