Roxas placed the small, blue flower on Axel's pillow, placing a small note next to it. With a soft sigh, he turned away from the bed, hands clenching into fists. This was the best way he could figure out how to do it. How to let Axel know just how much he had meant to him. But Roxas had to leave, he knew this. He had to know why the Keyblade had chosen him, who his Somebody was. He knew Axel would be hurt, but Roxas' mind was made up. He was tired of living and not knowing who he used to be. All the other Nobodies remembered, so why couldn't he? He had to know, he couldn't do this any longer without knowing.
Roxas left the room, looking down at the floor to avoid eye contact with any of the other Nobodies in the Organization. His decision was final; no one would change his mind now. He knew when Xemnas found out he was leaving, he'd be hunted down, branded as a traitor to the Organization. But Roxas was strong, and he never intended on being caught.
Roxas quickly left the castle, making sure no one saw him. But the castle was only a small portion of The World That Never Was. The castle of Organization XIII floated above a city. A city that belonged to Nobodies. Beings that weren't even meant to exist had their own world, ironic enough. The city wasn't light, it was mostly all dark. Neon lights, neon signs, and a heart shaped moon being the only sources of light for the city.
"Your mind's made up?" A strong, familiar voice asked. Roxas hadn't noticed there was anyone else down here; he thought they were all off on missions or in the castle. Roxas turned around, his eyes falling on his best friend. Axel. The red head was looking down, refusing to look at his friend. It was tearing him up inside, he knew what was happening. And he just couldn't stand it. Roxas refused to act surprised when he saw Axel. Why should he be surprised? Axel had a habit of coming out of nowhere, Roxas was almost used to him popping up out of nowhere.
"Why did the Keyblade choose me?" Roxas asked, not actually expecting an answer from his red haired friend. "I have to know."
"You can't turn on the Organization!" Axel said, turning fully to face Roxas, looking up at him for the first time. There was a hint of desperation to his tone… Or maybe it was sadness. "You get on their bad side, and they'll destroy you!"
"No one would miss me," Roxas said, an uncaring tone taking over. Roxas looked away from Axel, beginning to walk away from the red head.
"That's not true!" Axel shouted after the younger blonde. "I would…" Axel whispered, trailing off of his sentence. Roxas had heard every word Axel had said, but he refused to stop. Axel wouldn't miss him too much. After all, Nobodies didn't have hearts, they couldn't feel. So Axel couldn't miss him.
Axel wanted to run after the blonde. He wanted to run after him, wrap his arms around him in a hug, and assure him that everything would work out. But instead, he stood still, watching his best friend walk away. A burning sensation tore at him. Axel remembered what pain felt like, but he never remembered it feeling this bad. Axel backed up, placing a hand on the wall behind him for support. He felt like he was going to faint, he had lost almost everyone. First Xion, and now Roxas.
"What's wrong Axel?" a voice came from the shadows. Axel didn't need to look up to know who it was. They had been friends long before they became Nobodies, Axel would recognize his voice anywhere.
"Saix," Axel snarled, looking up at the older Nobody. Saix kept a straight face, stopping just a little away from the red head. "Did you make him leave?"
"No. In fact, I tried to stop him," Saix said, shrugging his shoulders. Saix knew he was getting under Axel's skin, and he knew all too well of Axel's fiery temper. Axel looked away from his 'friend', trying to control his rage. "But he was so persistent. He just had to know why he was the Keyblade's chosen one. Even though, you know, he's not the chosen one at all. He's not even meant to exist. I blame that puppet, Xion. You must admit, ever since she began to wonder on herself, he has too."
"Shut up!" Axel barked, his head snapping to look back at Saix. "Xion didn't cause this!"
"Oh really? Then tell me why he got so curious of himself all of a sudden." Saix almost let a smirk fall through, but he kept his composure. Axel wanted to make a witty comment, but he found himself speechless. Was Saix right? No, Saix had to be wrong. He just wanted to turn Axel against Xion. But what did it matter? Xion was dead anyway. And it had been Roxas that had killed her while Axel hid in the shadows and watched.
Axel bowed his head, a small, salty tear escaping him. He clenched his hands into fists, tears? Nobodies weren't supposed to have feelings. This wasn't making any sense to him. Saix shook his head, what had become of his friend? Even before they became Nobodies, Axel had been the stronger one out of them. And now he acted like the weaker one.
"Come back to the castle soon, Xemnas will be alerted of Roxas' departure. He'll want to see us all," Saix told the red head. He turned away from him, walking away into the dark portal he'd summoned. When Saix was gone, Axel let out a pained scream, falling to his knees on the cold concrete. He wasn't supposed to feel this hurt, he wasn't supposed to be crying. He was a Nobody! He was a heartless being. Why was this happening to him? None of this made sense.
Axel kept his hood drawn until he was safely in his room. No one was to see his pain; no one was to see his hurt. They'd never let him live it down if they had. He'd always been the arrogant, sarcastic one. Not the weak one. When he had shut his door, he pulled his hood off noticing the note and flower right away. It did stick out against the grey colored room after all. He slowly walked over, picking up the fragile, blue flower first. He held the pretty flower in one hand, reaching down and opening the note with the other. Inside the note was Roxas' writing.
Axel,
I know you know why I left. And I know you understand. Don't think I never cared for you, because I did. You were my best friend and I love you. I know you'll do fine in the Organization without me. I'm so sorry. But I have got to know who my somebody is… Who Sora is.
Don't ever forget me Axel. And I'll never forget you. I've left a Forget Me Not flower for you. Always keep it near, and I'll always be with you. I'll never forget you, so never forget me.
-Roxas
Sora.
That name rang inside Axel's head. How many times had Axel mistakenly mentioned Sora? Axel was beginning to feel as though this was his fault, that burning sensation tore at him again. Axel placed the fragile flower on the table, placing the note beside it before falling face down on the bed. Roxas, for as innocent as he was, sure knew how to hurt a guy. Axel gradually flipped over so he was laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
"I promise Roxas, I'll never forget you," Axel promised to his long gone friend.
The young blonde was breathing heavily; this had to be his hardest opponent yet. They sure were putting up a good fight. The people in the Sandlot were cheering, some in favor of the blonde. Three young teenagers, his age, stood on the side lines, cheering the loudest. His closest friends. Leaning against the stands, cloaked in shadows, was a figure in a black cloak. He watched silently, his eyes closely following the blonde.
"Guess what, Roxas… You forgot," the figure mumbled in barely a whisper.
Just as the blonde struck the final blow, knocking his enemy off his feet, the cloaked figure raised his hand releasing dark magic to freeze time. The blonde rose from his crouched position having gotten his breath back, only to notice the now quiet Sandlot. The cloaked figure stepped forward, clapping for the younger blonde boy.
"Roxas. All right. Fight, fight, fight," the figure encouraged him. The younger didn't say a thing. "You really don't remember? It's me. You know, Axel," he said, throwing his hood down. The words stung, Roxas didn't remember him even after he promised to remember him.
You broke your promise. But now the end has come. My turn to say I'm sorry… Roxas.