Disclaimer: I own very little.
Sort of Heaven
Nobodies had no heart, no soul – this was made clear by their origin of being. So what could a Nobody expect to see when their life came to its end? Nothing, had once been Axel's firm response. Their body, and whatever awareness resided within, was all they consisted of. When the body was defeated, fading into nothing, the Nobody, too would fade out of existence. A human could always speculate on the nature of afterlife, a Nobody would have to be content with the knowledge there is none.
Then why, thought Axel, was he still aware? Why did he still exist?
He did not know the place, any inspection of his memories proving futile in his attempt to identify his location. It was a simple grey space, not entirely unlike the Realm of Darkness, but it was obviously different. He could sense that much.
Glancing down at himself, Axel saw what seemed to be his body. But he had just faded away, hadn't he? Broken into countless chips of Nobody flesh, gone out like a cooling ember? He should not have a body anymore. He should not be anymore.
His weapons, he discovered, did not answer to his call. No matter what he tried, he could not summon them forth as usual. No wheels of fire to heed his nigh-desperate call, only a feeling of emptiness he couldn't shake despite his best efforts.
It was, Axel noticed, getting cold. He never felt cold, though. He was made of fire, after all. So why was the coldness so clear now, invading his body little by little? Why would such a foreign thing be the only sensation he could find in this vast, empty space?
He tried walking, now, yet could not advance that he noticed. Whatever he did, however he moved, everything still seemed the same.
He jumped and wasn't sure whether he landed.
The coldness was really getting to him, now. Accustomed to such a feeling as he was, Axel shivered, glancing around for any kind of sign, any kind of explanation as to where he was. As soon as he discovered that, he was sure, he'd find a way to deal with it. But what place could deprive him of his weapons, of his fire? What place could make him so – loathe though he was to admit it – so helpless?
"I don't like this," he said, and the darkness was quiet. There was no response, not even an echo to his words. They just hung in the air, useless, empty, dull-sounding even in his own ears.
Was there no escape? Yet another glance around showed him none. Was he doomed to be trapped in this emptiness for the rest of the eternity? Was this the afterlife – or lack thereof – of a Nobody? Honestly, he would have preferred simply to cease being. At least then, he wouldn't have felt cold.
"Sorry to have taken so long." Now, that voice was certainly not his.
Spinning around – not that he could tell, not here, in this emptiness – Axel stared at the boy standing before him. Spiky blond hair, bright eyes, a tiny smile. He really hadn't changed one bit.
"Roxas," he breathed. "What are you doing here?"
The response was simple. "Waiting for you."
Axel took a step forward. "Do you remember me?" he asked quietly, hardly even daring to hope. "Really, truly remember me?"
Roxas smiled, cocking his head a bit to the side. "I've got it memorized," he said softly.
A hand was reached out, towards him. Axel grasped on it. The smaller boy turned around and started walking away. Not for a moment did Axel hesitate to follow.
Nobodies had no heart, no soul – this was made clear by their origin of being.
This didn't quite explain the warmth that spread through Axel as he followed Roxas into the emptiness, for once content not to lead.