A/N: So, I wrote this a while back...just a oneshot about how Roxas came to be. Nice and fluffy, like warm socks. Enjoy!

XIII: The Key of Destiny

Do not ask me when I was born or where I came from. I came from shadow, and that is all I remember. The pitch was all-consuming, blackness with no end. Light and joy do not exist there; only darkness and hunger remain. Out of the void I came, naught but a name to my memory. It was faint, but still there.

Sora.

Whether it was my name or a name for a distant friend of mine, I was not sure. I know who he is now. He is the one I must find, for neither of us can truly be whole without the other. I am Roxas, number XIII. My past, my future, it all begins here. This is my story.

I first came to the town by accident. The darkness brought me there, spitting me out onto the sidewalk like an ember sputtering from a firework fuse. I lay there for a long while, basking in what dim light the neon signs above offered. It was not long before I sat up, sensing something was wrong.

They're coming…

I sprung up quickly. There was a pool of shadow forming at my feet, first liquid in its state, and then becoming more solid. It formed small, mouse-like creatures that twitched their heads at me, gold eyes wide.

My first instinct was to run. My feet flew beneath me, barley aware of where I was going. I just knew I had to get away.

I skidded around a corner, only to realize the alley led nowhere. A dead end. I turned my head a fraction, seeing the exact sight I'd been hoping to avoid. There were hundreds of them, all swarming in my direction. I put a hand up to my face, as if it would save me from them.

Fear not, for you hold the greatest weapon of all.

The voice was clear to me, as though it had been whispered in my ear. But I knew that was not where it came from. The answer was a flutter beneath my chest. An answer from the heart.

Suddenly, there was a bright gleam of light, and something solidified in my hand. I opened my eyes to see a unique sort of blade there, shining gold and silver in what little light came from the eerie heart-shaped moon hanging overhead.

An Oathkeeper for your promise to him…your bond…you will find him someday, I promise…

Another blade appeared in my other hand now, black and glittering like hematite.

An Oblivion, dark as the abyss from whence you came…use them well…

I wielded them both now, flashing down in arcs as I swung my arms. There seemed to be fear in the eyes of the small shadow creatures as I hacked them in two, dissolving them back into the darkness from which they came…the same darkness from which I came.

I was not aware that he had been watching me until I heard the sharp sounds of applause. He stepped down from a box in the corner, taking down the black hood of the strange coat he wore.

"Very good," he said, his heavy-lidded eyes gleaming with pleasure. "I think I just may have use for you, after all."

"W-Who are you?" I stuttered, tripping as I backed up in an effort to get away.

He held out a hand and helped me up. "I am Xemnas." His smile was friendly, but his eyes were cold. "But, I think the better question is who are you?"

Xemnas told me of many things as we walked, but mostly of his group he was forming.

"We have twelve members," he said. "Will you consider being the thirteenth, Roxas?"

I looked up slowly, puzzled. "Roxas?"

"It is your new name, if you join us. We do not want you as our enemy, Roxas. We want to help you. Become our thirteenth member, and soon we shall have enough power to change this world for the better." He paused, perhaps checking to see if I was still listening. "Will you join us?" he asked, holding out his hand once more.

I took his hand once again, and stepped through with him into the dark portal that had appeared before us. "Yes."

We arrived at his castle soon, where Xemnas told me I would meet the others. A feeling I took as joy flooded me. There were others like me! Xemnas had explained to me on the way that I was a different Nobody, one of the special ones. He also told me of the creature that had attacked me, the Heartless. It was the Heartless that created the Nobodies, but the Nobodies like us that were the stronger bunch, the ones who could think and decide for themselves.

He led me through the castle until we came to what appeared to be the dining room. There was a table, stacked with many glorious foods. Twelve Nobodies sat around the table, all in black cloaks like the one Xemnas himself wore.

Xemnas gestured to each of them, spurting off names and titles. "Xigbar, number two, The Freeshooter," a man with an eye patch and a hideous scar on his cheek nodded, then went back to eating his chicken. "Xaldin, number three, The Whirlwind Lancer," a large burly man with black sideburns gave a curt nod, "Four, Vexen, The Chilly Academic, and five, Lexaeus, The Silent Hero," he gestured to a lean, sandy-haired man and a bulkier one with a short crop of spiky auburn hair. "And here is Zexion, number six, The Cloaked Schemer." He appeared to be the youngest, perhaps the most boyish, with shocking silver hair and dark eyes. Zexion gave Xemnas no recognition, so he continued. "Those are the original founding members, along with myself. Next to join was Saїx, The Luna Diviner, and not long after he joined, along came Axel, number eight, The Flurry of Dancing Flames." Saїx was a stern man with white hair and a strange X-shaped scar that went down the middle of his face. I turned and looked at the other one, whom Xemnas had called Axel. He appeared to be happier, perhaps more content than the others Xemnas had mentioned so far. His hair was an amazing shade of red, and it stuck up in straight spikes. He was laughing with the member next to him, who was playing some sort of large, blue guitar. "Demyx, number nine, The Melodious Nocturne," Xemnas said, following my gaze. Demyx looked at me now, and Axel followed his gaze.

"Who's this kid?" I heard Axel mutter.

Demyx looked at me a bit longer before whispering back, "I dunno a new member?"

Axel groaned and dumped some hot sauce on his french fries. "Does this mean we're changing our name again? I was perfectly fine with 'The Cloaked Twelve'. It has some class to it."

Xemnas glared harshly at them both before continuing. "Ten, Luxord, The Gambler of Fate, eleven, Marluxia, The Graceful Assassin, and number twelve, The Savage Nymph, Larxene." He said these last few names rather loudly, causing each member to glance up. Luxord turned out to be a rugged man with a blonde crew cut and an earring. Marluxia had a shaggy brown main of hair, and there was a white flower tucked behind his ear.

Larxene gave me a wicked smile as she turned around, her blonde pigtails sticking out in odd directions. "He's a bit scrawny, this one, isn't he?"

"Silence!" Xemnas said, in a voice that had everyone staring at him in a matter of seconds. He commanded their attention by pointing at me with a single finger, as if he were condemning me of some sort of crime. "I bring you Roxas, number thirteen, The Key of Destiny. From now on we shall be called 'Organization Thirteen'. Let our name be feared through out the lands!"

No one spoke. There was no movement in the room for a few seconds, until finally Axel spoke. "He doesn't seem so special."

"Fine." Xemnas answered. "If you think you're so hot, you can fight him. F-I-G-H-T. Got it memorized?"

Axel frowned and got to his feet. "I guess I can take on this pipsqueak," he said, walking out of the dining room. "But stop using my catch phrase against me, for God sakes!"

There was a great amount of chatter as all the diners got up at once, heading out the doors. Xemnas put a hand on my shoulder and led me out, where he pressed something black and fluid into my hands. "Your cloak, number thirteen." he said simply.

I changed in a side room, while Xemnas waited outside the door. The cloak fit me perfectly, as if someone had custom-fitted it for my very body. I put up the hood and smiled. Suddenly, I felt powerful, as if I could now take on a hundred of the creatures that had attacked me in the alley at once and come out without so much as a scratch. I liked it, this feeling of power.

My hand trembled as I took the doorknob in my palm and prepared to take on Axel.

Axel was waiting for me in what appeared to be a battle arena. It was a large, white room, with balconies surrounding the top. Each member sat in his or her own separate balcony as they prepared to cheer us on.

I couldn't explain it, but my legs began to tremble as the doors opened and I stepped into the ring. Axel would have most of the support, I was certain, because he knew each of the members better than I did. My black boots clacked loudly on the hard marble floor as I removed my hood and faced Axel. "I'm gonna wipe the floor with you," he whispered menacingly. "Got it memorized?"

I stood silent. I wasn't sure how to retaliate to his threat, so instead I concentrated on my strategy. I'd dodge his attacks and hit him hard when I could. My fists clenched hard as my nails bit through my gloves and into my palms. I could do this.

"Give him a beating." I looked up, trying to find the source of the voice. My eyes met with those of Zexion, who was staring directly at me. "Don't let him get away with insulting you like that." He said again, his voice strangely loud in the otherwise silent room.

I was so confused by his encouragement that I didn't see Axel when he dove at me. He hit me full force in the stomach, and I found myself writhing on the floor. My eyes stung and watered. I couldn't figure out why until I saw Axel standing over me, his chakarams aflame. "This ends here," he growled.

"No," I said, my voice sounding more sure than I felt. "It doesn't." I wiped the tears from my eyes and somersaulted backwards, landing on my feet. I summoned up all my strength and held out my hands, praying that this time the blades would come.

I felt a weight in each of my hands, and I knew that the blades were there. The room suddenly grew silent, and I opened my eyes to see Axel standing across from me, eyes wide, jaw slackened. There were whispers all around from the balconies. "Two?" "He wields the keyblade?" "How is this possible?" "Did Xemnas know of this?" "Axel, what the heck are you doing?"

The last phrase did nothing to snap Axel out of his astonished state. I reared back, feeling the momentum of the keyblades. "Like you said," I roared, slashing down with both blades, "this all ends here!"

Axel tried to dodge my assault, but he was too late. Both of my blades hit him dead on, and he flew back into the wall. I held up both of my swords, and they slowly vanished in flashes of light. "Who's next?" I called.

My shout was greeted by a chorus of cheers. "Roxas, Roxas!" they called. Then they began to file out of the balconies, still muttering to themselves about my unique ability. I was about to follow them, but a meager groan from Axel stopped me.

I crossed over and bent down beside him. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"Crap," he said, rubbing his head. "You don't have to be so happy about it."

"No," I held out a hand and helped him to his feet. "I'm not…happy. I don't feel anything, actually. But…is there…something they call this?"

Axel raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I don't…know. I just…I want…I think I want to help you. I know there's a word for it, but I'm not sure what."

"You know, Roxas, I think I feel it, too."

"Friend. That's what they call this, I think." I put a hand to my chin for a moment, contemplating.

"Yes," Axel agreed. "I think I want this too…friend."

"Good." I said, grinning as we walked out of the door together. "I think I've always wanted a friend."

"So have I, Roxas. So have I."