Chapter 1 :: Soul Searching

Theron woke with a start for the third time tonight. The voice was still ringing in his head, "Roxas… this man speaks nonsense…" Theron pounded on his own ear, as if to knock the sound out of his head. That only made the other voices louder. "I just can't wait… once we set sail… it'll be great."
"Quit it," Theron said to the voices in his own calm tone.
"How 'bout it Sora? We can join forces to save her!" "Sorry for what I did to her…"
A heavy pounding sounded on the metal doors of Theron's small room in the belly of the space cruiser. Theron rubbed his eyes and ruffled his hair. He turned the large wheel in the middle of the door, subjecting his room to the cold of the rest of the ship. A man in a long jacket stood outside the door, grey cloth covering his entire face. "We've arrived, sir. The King expects you."
Theron nodded his head and shut the door on the man. Theron shuffled back towards his bed. "If they have the decency to call me sir they can at least give me a more suitable room," he thought to himself.
Theron unbuttoned his tunic. The mark of the Shellsoul burned into the flesh on his chest right next to the Nobody mark looked rough, but was smooth to the touch. It marked him as higher than the underlings on the ship, but Theron didn't feel it was enough. He didn't just want to look different. He wanted to feel different. To be different. It's hard to be different when you know you're just a part of something else.
Theron peeked out the small window in his room. A planet was approaching and getting bigger every minute. The Disney Castle. He could just see it. He remembered it. But he'd never been there. But another part of him had.
"It's hard to be so detached," he said to himself.
"You don't have to tell me twice," he commented back.
"What will happen when we find him?"
"You know what Master Xehanort has commanded. The other must perish. Only then could we ever tap the power of Kingdom Hearts."
"I know we have to kill him, but can we? He is us after all."
"He isn't us. We're him."
"Same thing."
"They're entirely two different things."
"This room is too small for both of us, not to mention this head: way too small for both of us."
"It was your choice to become one."
Theron huffed.
"Do you regret it?"
Theron took a deep breath. "I couldn't do anything without your body."
"We still can't do anything. A soul and a body? Still incomplete. We still need our heart."
"Roxas, I'm surprised at you," Theron said, "You seem so adamant about killing him. I thought you and he were friends."
"We were also joined at one time. But it was before we knew we needed the chain of memories to hold the heart to the body."
Theron laughed, "So you admit it then? You do need me."
Roxas remained silent behind Theron's lips.
"Say it."
"I do need you, Theron."
Theron smiled.