"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn."

—T.H White, The Once and Future King

I read in the Lifestyle section of the newspaper the other day that everyone corresponds to an element of the universe. Some people are fire, others are water…you get the idea.

I'm too tired to drive anywhere, anyway, right now

Axel would be fire. In fact, the more I think about this, the more it fits. Of course he has all the trademarks that people usually associate with fire; bright, blazing red hair and a fierce, passionate nature that simultaneously warms and sears you. But it goes much further than that. Whereas most people tend to break under pressure, Axel thrives on it, like when you drop wood onto a campfire. He flares up, grows stronger and brighter. And when you force too much onto him, he becomes wild and destructive, burning everyone around him. I guess that's part of the reason why we no longer see eye-to-eye the way we once did; because the last time he went mad like that was the time I needed him sane the most.
I may be being unfair. In fact, it's a great flaw of mine, to expect too much from people. There is every chance that the reason why Axel lost himself was the same reason why I needed his help. That was really only the beginning of it all, anyway. Eventually, just like a real fire when it's buried, he crashes. Not a single ember left, not a touch of heat or light. He's just dead inside, and it takes a great deal to re-light him.

Do you care if I stay?

Next up is Namine, and she would probably be really interested in this, because Namine is a big believer in the Zodiac and spirits and that sort of stuff. If I were to ask her what element she thought she was, she'd probably say she was earth. The mother of our little crèche, who supports us all and keeps us safe. I think, though, that she's most likely to be water. Because Namine has many faces. Sometimes she's gentle and sweet and soothing, like flowing water, but other times she's cold and distant and unyielding, like ice. Namine is absolutely a vital part of our group, but she hurts us just as much as she nurtures us. She and Axel also have never gotten along and they would probably vaporize each other if they were locked in a room for too long. Namine tells me that Axel is mentally unstable and can't be trusted. I just lean back and remember all the times she wasn't exactly a pinnacle of psychological health herself.

You can put on your bathing suits

Myself? I don't know, really. Perhaps I would be air. Made up of almost nothing, which is how I feel a lot of the time these days, ever since Xion's death. I am what kindles Axel back to life when he's nothing but embers, and I am the one who carries Namine when she turns to mist and the one who dries her cheeks when she becomes tears. I can be harsh, and I am deceptive. Sometimes I feel myself to be a storm-bringer—storms of bad luck.

And I'll try to find something on this thing that means nothing without

Rounding off our little group is Arashi. And, in a departure from the traditional four elements that most people use, I'd say if she's any one thing at all, Arashi is lightning. Always different. You never know what she'll do or where she'll go. You watch for her coming, half-afraid and half in awe. And when she does appear, she leaves you momentarily dazzled and a little bit breathless.

Losing my breath

I don't own Kingdom Hearts or anything to do with them.