Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters
Title: Second Chances
Chapter: 1 "Welcome Back"
Pairings: Akuroku, Soriku, Cleon, Zemyx and probably many others
Summary: The Keyblade War is drawing near and the need to find the last Keyblade wielder becomes ever more important. With new hearts, Aeons, and Hollows to fight, Axel and Roxas struggle to find the answer. What roles must they play in this war? Post-KH2 Akuroku Soriku Cleon Zemyx
Author's Notes: (10/7) I just came back up here to re-edit some things. Don't mind me : ) Enjoy!
Rating: M
"Let's meet again, in the next life." – No. VIII, Axel
"Yeah, I'll be waiting." – No. XII, Roxas
"I wonder what Donald and Goofy are up to right now." Sora mused as he crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back against the fallen Paopu tree. It was just another typical day in Destiny Islands; warm temperatures, loud crashing waves, and beautiful sunsets. The wind picked up slightly causing his bangs to wisp about but he hadn't even noticed.
"They are most likely tending to the King." Riku answered back logically. He stood by Sora's side and the two best friends looked out at on the horizon of the setting sun. It had been two years since both he and Sora defeated Xemnas in the World That Never Was and since then, the three friends made sure to spend as much time together as humanly possible. Kairi, Sora, and Riku had been separated for a year and neither of them wanted to waste anymore time without one another. They would spend their days reminiscing about past battles and friends and in doing so, time would pass. Kairi, Sora, and Riku were happy but although no one said anything, it was obvious that they missed the friends that they were forced to leave behind upon their return to Destiny Islands. The Gummi system was inactive due to there being no need to travel between the worlds and so, Sora wouldn't be able to see the friends and allies he had made during his adventures. Riku wouldn't' be able to see the King whom he had grown particularly close to and Kairi wouldn't be able to see the friends that comforted her while she was in Twilight Town.
The brunet let out a laugh, "Yeah. That's probably true." He hummed contently. His thoughts then began to drift to the times he spent with Goofy and Donald from the very first time they had met at Traverse Town to the time they remarked about his growth after emerging from their pods. Sora's thoughts shifted again and suddenly, he frowned sadly.
Riku glanced at Sora from the corner of his turquoise eyes and he frowned at Sora's furrowed eyebrows. The silver haired boy found himself frowning also at his best friend's distress. The other looked tensed as he gazed outwards to the sea. "What's up, Sora?" Riku asked.
The shorter of the two blinked and looked to his side, his eyes locking with those of turquoise. "Do you think he hates me?" He questioned vaguely. He bit his lower lip as his arms drifted downwards to rest at his sides.
"Who?"
"Roxas, the other." Sora mumbled, casting his eyes to the ground. The blond Nobody had become somewhat of a sore subject for Sora because after all, he was the reason why Roxas had been born. Sora was also the reason why Roxas had to leave the life he had. Because of him, Roxas couldn't see the friends he had made. It ultimately left the Keyblade wielder with feelings of guilt and sadness.
Riku hummed in response and crossed his arms. "Where is this coming from?"
"I was just wondering, I mean, it's been two years." Sora scratched the back of his head before boosting himself upwards to sit on the tree's trunk. He rested his elbows on his bent thighs and sighed. Subsequently, the brunet placed a hand over his heart, "It's been two years since he and I joined together as one; I can still feel his presence inside my heart." Riku remained silent, nodding his head curtly as he waited for Sora to continue. "Roxas accepted his fate to be joined with me but I can't imagine he's happy being inside me. I can't help but wonder if he's still crying inside."
"Roxas is sad?" Riku questioned, running a hand through his long silver hair.
Sora nodded gravely. "Yeah, I think so anyway. The last time I went to Twilight Town, I saw Hayner, Pence and Olette and a tear fell from my eyes. I had never met them before but still, I cried." He turned sad eyes to Riku, "It was Roxas crying inside me, knowing that he had to be permanently separated from them."
"That's not entirely true; didn't you say Hayner said that you reminded him of someone?"
"He did say that," Sora said softly with a small smile. "He must miss them a lot. I don't think I would be able to bear it if I had found out my friendship with you and Kairi was a lie."
Riku's frowned deeply at how darkly Sora had said those words. Usually his best friend was optimistic about things and so those words were foreign to his ears. Clearing his throat slightly, Riku regarded his friend with hard eyes. "Don't say their friendship was a lie, Sora. Roxas is as much real as we are; he lies inside your heart. Friendships transcend time and space – it isn't limited by what is real and what isn't. Roxas touched the hearts of everyone in Twilight Town, don't deny him that. Don't ever think that he was simply just a 'nobody'"
Eyes like the sky turned towards Riku sharply. "Riku…" Sora had known this boy for thirteen years and he never once heard him speak like that. Although Riku had dwelled in the darkness, this part of him shone beautifully in the light. Suddenly feeling silly, Sora laughed bitterly. "Sorry, I was being insensitive." Sora's other hand came to rest on top of his previous one and his eyes fluttered closed again, "Roxas, if you can hear me, I'm sorry."
What, are you still going on about that?
Sora's eyes flew open and blinked. Looking downwards at his heart, he felt a warming sensation and he smiled. Roxas must have heard him, he was sure of it. That voice he had just heard, it was definitely Roxas. "If only the Gummi Ship still worked, I'd travel to Twilight Town and visit everyone. I'm sure Roxas would like that." The Keyblade wielder said with a shake of his head.
Riku opened his mouth to respond but the sounds of running footsteps caused him to whip his head and turn his attention behind him. Beside him, Sora did the same. "Sora! Riku!" Kairi cried, waving a hand as she came jogging over. Her long, auburn red hair flowed with the wind before she ultimately came to a stop beside them, bending over to catch her breath. Wheezing slightly, she stood to her feet. "This just came in, I thought you guys would want to see." She reached behind her and pulled out a small envelope.
Taking it into his hand, Sora studied it briefly before turning it over to examine the seal. His blue eyes scanned the white envelope and with a gasp, his eyes grew wide. "That's the Nobody symbol!" He cried, pointing at it with a finger. The symbol was in the form of a seal with it ultimately being white with a black outline around it. "What does this mean?"
"Open it, Sora." Riku told him gravely.
Shooting his eyes upwards and then downwards, Sora's eyes connected with that of Riku's and Kairi's. They both nodded encouragingly and the brunet nodded back before turning his attention to his hands. He peeled away the seal carefully and unfolded the envelope. He hesitantly touched the corner of the letter and pulled it out, his eyes reading from left to right.
Sora,
Come to Radiant Garden. It is imperative that you do.
For this reason, the King has reactivated the Gummi system.
Signed, Ansem the Wise
"Huh? I don't get it." Sora muttered, blinking his eyes in confusion. Beside him, Kairi leaned over his side to get a better look at the letter. Riku grunted softly and crossed his arms. "What do you think this means?" he asked his friends.
"It sounds quite ominous, doesn't it?" Kairi murmured, furrowing her brow slightly. "What are you going to do, Sora?"
Sora shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Why would Ansem be calling for me?"
"Maybe the darkness has become a threat again." Riku opted somewhat pessimistically. Having battled the darkness inside his own heart, Riku was no stranger to its manipulating ways. "I think you should go." He finally said with a nod of his head.
The brunet hadn't replied, he merely just rubbed the back of his head again. "I'm going to go check out the ship." He hopped off the trunk of the fallen Paopu tree and dusted off his pants. Shooting his friends a grin, he made the trek to the shed with them ultimately shadowing his every step. Sora placed his hand on the door and pushed it open. The orange ship was stationed perfectly still and a wave of nostalgia surged through Sora. He walked forward and placed a hand at the hull, a smile making its way on his face. He looked at it fondly as images from his past journeys came to mind. He had made many precious memories with this Gummi ship by traveling to all different kinds of worlds with his friends: Radiant Garden, Olympus Coliseum, Atlantica and even Twilight Town.
"Let's see if this thing still works." Sora pressed a button and suddenly, the Highwind surged with life. He and the others took a step as the cockpit opened, raising its glass skyward. Without another word, Sora jumped inside and started pressing a series of buttons experimentally. His actions caused a variety of Gummi ship related activity to occur; its guns whirled, its thrusters exhausted, and its wings rose. The brunet turned to his friends with a cheeky grin, "I guess it still works."
Riku took a step forward. "I'm going with you. If the darkness is at large, you'll need my help." The silver haired boy saw his best friend flash him a thankful smile and he mirrored him with a smile of his own. He looked downwards towards his side, "Will you be okay, Kairi?" She didn't say a word, only biting her lip uncertainly. Riku bowed his head and jumped into the Highwind's cockpit, settling into his seat comfortably. He gave Sora a thumbs-up, signaling that he was ready to get going. Sora raised his eyebrows at him before turning around to look at Kairi.
"We'll be back soon, okay?"
Kairi shook her head. "No, wait!" She cried, raising a hand to stop them. "I'm coming too. I can't explain it, but something is telling me that I should go too; something…something deep inside my heart." She looked to the side and casted her eyes downwards. She wasn't sure what it was that was calling to her; she just knew she had to go. When she looked back, Sora's hand was outstretched and he was grinning.
"Let's go, Kairi." He invited warmly. She laughed and placed her hand in his. With a jerk of his hand, she was pulled into the Gummi ship. The three friends settled into their seats comfortably with Sora leading the way. The ship powered up and with an excited cry and thrust of his fist upwards, Sora ushered them forward swiftly. "Radiant Garden, here we come!"
"Woah! It's a lot different than it used to be!" Sora cried once he, Riku and Kairi entered the town. In the two years since he was last here, Radiant Garden had turned to a city of bumbling people and business. Townsfolk that he had never seen before littered the streets and different buildings rose high into the air.
"This is Radiant Garden?" Kairi asked, timidly. Her eyes swept around her surroundings and she felt her heart warm. This was her homeland, the place of her birth. "It's just like I remembered." She smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes skimmed fondly over the different attributes of the town and she couldn't help but laugh joyfully. "I'm home!"
"It's different." Riku mused, not knowing what to say. He had never seen anything like this before so seeing Radiant Garden now gave him mixed feelings. It was different than Destiny Islands, that's for sure. It certainly also was a lot brighter than the world of darkness that he had been locked inside of for a year.
"Come on, guys!" Sora said, waving a hand at them. "Follow me!" He took off in a sprint towards the Borough, running as fast as he could. He vaguely turned to look over his shoulder in an effort to make sure that his friends were following. Riku was the closest though he was still a few steps behind however Kairi was several feet away. She was never one for running after all. The brunet slowed so that his friends could catch up to him and together they made their way to the Borough. Sora's eyes sparkled like starlight when he saw a familiar wooden house. "Come on, it's just right there!" Excitement surged within Sora's chest and he came running towards the door as quick as he could. He grabbed hold of the doorknob and practically ripped open the door. "Hey!" He shouted loudly.
Six bodies turned around at Sora's outburst, ultimately revealing themselves as the members of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. "Sora!" They all cried in unison. They all had a series of mixed reactions: Yuffie was jumping up and down excitedly, Aerith had clasped her hands together and was smiling, Leon was smirking, Cloud nodded and looked content, Merlin was clapping, and Cid was tipping his toothpick to them.
Riku and Kairi stayed back while Sora rushed forward excitedly. He took Yuffie into his arms and twirled her around before being swept in Aerith's own set of arms. She ran her hands through his brown locks motherly causing Sora to blush adorably. She then relinquished him over to Leon who ruffled his hair. Sora laughed embarrassingly before moving onwards to Cloud. The somewhat stoic blond nodded, crossing his arms in approval at seeing him once again. Merlin and Cid had clapped their hands on Sora's shoulders with happy looks of their own.
"It's been so long since I've seen everyone!" Sora cried happily, folding his hands behind his head. He then let out a sound and quickly corrected himself, walking backwards to take Riku and Kairi's hands in his. The three friends walked forward until Sora dropped them and began gesturing towards them. "Everyone, these are my best friends, Riku and Kairi."
Riku bowed his head in greeting, "It's nice to meet you." He said formally.
Kairi waved with a smile. "Hello, it's a pleasure to finally meet you all!"
Before Sora could open his mouth to introduce them to the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee, Yuffie let out a squeal. She clenched her fists ecstatically before flashing them a winning smile. "I'm Yuffie Kisaragi! Nice to meet you!" She cried, her voice seemingly hyper.
Cid crossed his arms gruffly, twiddling the toothpick in his mouth. "Cid Highwind." He introduced.
Cloud nodded his head detachedly, his blond spikes brushing against his eyes gently. His eyes closed briefly before opening again and even Kairi was in awe at how beautiful this man's eyes were. They were like eyes of the sky infused with some sort of strange energy. "I am Cloud Strife."
Leon ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair before raising his brow amusingly. His eyes connected with Kairi and Riku's and he hummed. "My name is Leon Leonhart. Call me Leon." Riku blinked at Leon's name, thinking it was strange to have a first name so close and similar to his last name but he knew not to ask why that was so.
Aerith laced her fingers together and smiled beautifully. She nodded her head, her brown bangs bouncing. Her long braid twirled and with a sweet voice, she introduced herself. "I'm Aerith Gainsborough."
"And I am Merlin." The wizard said after returning to his position in his red chair. His dark eyes danced with mirth at seeing the young Keyblade wielder again. "I'm glad you were able to reunite with your friends, Sora." The old man said kindly.
Sora felt his hands being taken by Kairi and Riku and he grinned. "Yeah, I'm glad too." He glanced at them fondly and squeezed their hand in his.
"What brings you back to Radiant Garden?" Leon asked. "How did you even get here? The Gummi system has been down for a couple years now." He added after sharing a look with Cid.
The brunet dropped their hands again to cross his arms thoughtfully. "Didn't you guys know? The King reopened the Gummi channels again." He reached into his pocket and took out the letter he had received. "I got this letter this morning, it's from Ansem. He said to come here and well, naturally Riku and Kairi came too." He shared a look with his best friends before looking back at the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee.
"I wonder why he would do that." Aerith mused, crossing her arms and rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "He certainly never told us he would be calling you over here." With a hum, she smiled. "You guys better get going then, it wouldn't be good to keep him waiting." The brown haired woman turned to Leon and Cloud, "You two will take them to Ansem's Study, won't you?"
Cloud glanced at her with suspicious eyes but she shrugged her shoulders adorably and smiled. The blond stared hard at his old friend before his mako blue eyes swept over to Leon. He did so almost fondly before grunting softly and sweeping his long cloak behind him. "Yeah. We'll go." He walked forward, the sound of his heavy black boots hitting the floor echoing throughout Merlin's house.
"Hey Cloud, how's it going?" Sora began conversationally once the blond came up to him. "Do you think I grew up any? I've grown up like four or so inches!" He grinned cheerfully as his friends hastily began following after him. Cloud mumbled something in response and Sora scoffed, "What? Not everyone can be blessed with tall genes like you!" Sora turned to his best friend, "Can you believe him, Riku?"
Their conversation got quieter and quieter the further they got away from Merlin's house. Leon watched them go with sympathetic eyes and he clicked his tongue amusingly. Knowing he ought to get going, Leon walked forward towards the door. The brunet then paused at the door and looked over his shoulder, "You need to stop meddling." Aerith just smiled at him knowingly while Yuffie gave him a thumbs-up encouragingly. Shaking his head in disapproval, Leon walked onwards, following the four that had left earlier.
Five minutes had passed and Leon had successfully caught up to the others. He and Cloud stood apart from the group as they led them towards the Bailey and eventually Ansem's hidden study. The brunet and blonde were silent as they walked, their arms hanging by their sides. Although they were not that physically far away from one another, the lion could vaguely hear Sora conversing and laughing with his friends. His thoughts suddenly drifted.
Two years.
It's been two since Radiant Garden had been restored and it was only just now that it was fully restored to its full potential. The people that gone during the times of Hollow Bastion when the heartless ruled had returned and Radiant Garden was a city of life again. He and the rest of the committee did their part to restore the city to its former glory and although things were finally back to normal, he still felt like something was missing. Leon couldn't quite figure it out but a part of him still wasn't happy. He felt a brush of skin against his hand and warmth spread throughout his body. Cloud had been walking so closely to him that his hand had brushed against Leon's by accident. Leon looked downwards and hummed softly causing Cloud to react.
The blonde followed the other's actions and once he saw where his hand was, he cleared his throat uncomfortably and stepped away. Leon automatically frowned at the loss of warmth. The two refused to look at one another but inside their hearts, they couldn't deny the comforting feeling it gave them once they touched.
"Are we there yet?" Riku's voice lazily drawled. Both men blinked and immediately looked, their earlier awkwardness gone. Walking briskly, they quickly led the four islanders to the door of Ansem's study. "It's about damn time." Riku muttered to himself, running a hand through his silver locks.
"He should be inside and make sure to knock before entering. We'll be waiting outside." Leon explained, leaning back against the bricked wall. Cloud floated over to stand beside him and he nodded for them to go.
Sora let out an excited yell and gave them a two-finger salute before walking inside. Riku hadn't said anything; he just followed his best friend wordlessly. Kairi, always the polite one, bowed her head in thanks to the two older men. "Thank you." She said sincerely before following her two friends hastily. Two pairs of blue eyes connected before their owners looked away, an uncomfortable yet warm silence spilling between them.
The very moment that Sora and his friends entered through the doors to Ansem's study, the blond man was already waiting for him. He was dressed in his usual white lab coat and red scarf. "Sora, I've been expecting you." He said lowly. He saw two more bodies emerge from behind the Keyblade wielder and the man frowned almost in disapproval. "I didn't call for you." He sharply stated upon seeing Riku and Kairi. When his eyes landed on Kairi, his eyes burned intensely before returning to its former luster.
"We came for Sora." Riku countered easily. He crossed his arms, feeling Kairi lean against his side. "I sure hope you don't have a problem with us coming here, Ansem." The blond scientist merely scoffed and shook his head.
"Why did you call me here?" Sora asked, skipping the formalities and right into business. "What was so important that you had the King reactivate the Gummi system?" His tone was suspicious as he spoke and Sora found himself frowning.
The sage-king looked to the ceiling briefly before turning around. "Follow me." He said gravely. Without checking to see if the others were indeed following him, Ansem pressed a button on the side of a wall. It was partially hidden by the painting of Xehanort and upon activation, a hidden room appeared. Ansem ignored Sora, Riku, and Kairi's cries of surprise and calmly walked through the new room. The friends look at each other nervously before following. Ansem led them to a white room with fourteen pods all aligned in a row. The pods were large yet nontransparent. It was impossible to see what was in these pods because of the cloudiness of the pods' glass.
"What are these?" Ansem heard Sora say.
Recognizing these immediately, Riku's eyes turned fierce. "What's the meaning of this, DiZ?" Riku demanded, referring to Ansem by his name of darkness.
Sora walked forward alone and looked around the room. "I've seen these before." He took a step back and looked at his hands. "I've been in one of these before." He turned his sky blue eyes to look at Ansem. "What's going on?" He asked.
Ansem walked forward to the pod on the furthest left and place a hand on his cloudy hull. He stroked his thumb against the glass and grunted. "As you all recall, a Nobody is born when a person loses themselves to the darkness. They don't feel emotion nor do they possess hearts but if a person were to have a strong will, they will continue on as Nobodies and retain their human form." Sora's growled lowly at that, his fists clenching. Somewhere inside, he felt something stir within him. "Organization XIII was formed by thirteen Nobodies with an ultimate goal to reclaim their hearts and become whole again. Under my apprenticeship, six men studied alongside me to uncover the secrets of the heart. They fell to the darkness within them yet were reborn as Nobodies."
"What are you getting at?" Sora demanded.
Ansem's eyes suddenly turned soft. "I admit that it was by my doing that drove these people on a path of darkness. I was testing them and they reacted accordingly. It is my deepest regret; I stripped these people of their lives and for that, I am deeply filled with regret." He turned around and looked at Sora, Riku and Kairi. "It's taken me two years but I've finally done it."
"What exactly have you done?" Kairi asked.
The sage-king turned back around to face the pod. "To atone for what I've done, I intend to give these people back their lives." Before Sora could open his mouth to ask how, Ansem continued. "I had their data programmed into my Master Computer and managed to reconstruct their bodies. Naturally, they have assumed their Nobody form as opposed to their original personas. They've been laying dormant in this room for a full year now; I expect their memories are almost completely restored."
"The members of the Organization are in these, aren't they?" Sora asked, his eyes raking from left to right. He suddenly understood. Clenching his fists excitingly, Sora grinned. "Ansem, you're giving them all a second chance, aren't you?"
The man nodded. "Yes." He replied simply.
"Is that wise?" Riku spoke up. He crossed his arms and looked around the room doubtfully. "How can you be so sure that they still do not have darkness within them?" He asked wisely.
"You've always been very analytical, Riku." Ansem pointed out with a laugh. "During the reprogramming process, I was very careful and mindful to erase the darkness within them. These individuals will be reborn as individuals of light but perhaps not as pure as young Kairi, here. Their allegiance is no longer to the darkness. I wouldn't call them complete beings either however they now have hearts of their own but they have, in a sense, been reborn. They will have emotions but they may not remember how to use them just yet." He then paused before continuing. "It was the least I could do." Ansem said the last part more to himself but nonetheless, his voice was strong. "I called you here, Sora, so you could witness their return. You do have considerable history with them."
Sora nodded. "Yeah." He then folded his hands behind his head and grinned cheerfully. "It'll be nice to see everyone again. I just hope they don't hold a grudge." He joked.
Ansem then turned to Riku and Kairi as if asking for their approval as well. He and Riku also had a history between them; it had been Riku who guarded Roxas during his time in the simulated Twilight Town. Kairi smiled and nodded encouragingly while Riku scoffed and looked away. It was slight but the man saw the silver haired boy nod. Ansem placed his hand on the first pod's hull. He pressed a button and the smoke that occupied the pod now began to clear. "No. 1 and Rank I of Organization XIII: Xemnas, "The Superior of the In-Between"; Nobody of Xehanort." The way he spoke was very scientific, as if he was reading off some his reports.
The pod opened and smoke steamed outwards from it. A few seconds passed and a familiar face made itself known. Xemnas hadn't look at like he aged since the last time Sora and Riku fought him and his face was sincere, not at all corrupted like before. With shaky eyes, Xemnas awakened and opened his golden irises. "What?" He asked, slightly disoriented. The pod fully opened and he took his first steps out. Looking around, he studied his environment and frowned before looking at Ansem. "You! What is the meaning of this? Why am I-?"
"Alive?" Ansem answered for him. He regarded his old apprentice with grave eyes, "You have been reborn, Xemnas. You are no longer a Nobody; you now have a heart of your own. You've been given a second chance to live and the darkness is gone." He explained, gesturing to Sora and the others.
Xemnas hummed thoughtfully and looked at his hands. They were solid and he was too. He looked at his body and noticed that he was still dressed in his black Organization coat. "I've been given a second chance? Why?"
"I've done wrong as well, Xemnas. As a way of atonement, I've been working to restore you and the other members of Organization XII. You will all be given opportunities to live again with the comforting thought that you now possess a heart. You also have the ability to feel emotions."
The Superior couldn't even begin to form words; he was still in awe of what was happening around him. His golden eyes connected with those of blue and turquoise and he saw that Sora was grinning reassuringly at him. "Have I been forgiven?" He asked quietly, lowering his hands.
"We forgive you." Sora and Riku said in unison. This man seemed changed from what he was two years ago. Xemnas' goal was to complete Kingdom Hearts so that he and his Organization could reclaim their hearts and he would've stopped at nothing to accomplish that goal. Standing here now, Xemnas felt a new sense of life within him and he couldn't help but feel like he was now a cleaned slate.
"Thank you." The once Nobody replied honestly. He turned to Ansem and a small smile tugged at his lips. "Thank you, Ansem." His voice was sincere, not at all laced with malice. "And you said the other members will awaken?"
Ansem nodded before moving to his right to the next pod. "No. 2 and Rank II of Organization XIII: Xigbar, "The Freeshooter"; Nobody of Braig." He repeated the process he had done earlier with Xemnas and Xigbar grunted uncomfortably. He let out a small groan and stepped out of the pod, holding his head. "Welcome back, Xigbar." Ansem greeted easily.
The dark haired man looked Ansem before turning his over to Xemnas. "Superior, what is the meaning of this?" He asked thunderously yet his voice was small. Xemnas relayed to him the information Ansem had told him and Xigbar felt a new sense of life surging through his body. "A second chance? How fortunate." He mused, shaking his head with a laugh. He rubbed his head with a small smile before joining Xemnas at his side. The two looked content at being reunited with one another.
The sage-king moved again. "No. 3 and Rank III of Organization XIII: Xaldin, "The Whirlwind Lancer"; Nobody of Dilan."
The shaggy haired man with the dark hair groaned uncomfortably at being reawakened. He stepped out of his cleared pod and looked around his surroundings with curious eyes. "Isn't this a turn of surprise?" He said dryly before crossing his arms. Wordlessly, he went over to join his other fellow members.
"No. 4 and Rank IV of Organization XIII: Vexen, "The Chilly Academic"; Nobody of Even." Ansem introduced after pressing the button to awaken the blond scientist. By now, Sora, Riku and Kairi were standing close together. They were ultimately in awe at how each member of Organization XIII were being reborn anew. Ansem's work was actually working true to his word!
Vexen crossed his arms, regarding his old teacher with suspicious eyes. "I'm amazed at how you managed to do this, Ansem." He stalked over to the other members, standing beside a disgruntled Xaldin. His eyes focused on Riku who smirked at seeing him. With a scoff, he looked away whilst at the same time, Ansem drifted off again.
"No. 5 and Rank V of Organization XIII: Lexaeus, "The Silent Hero"; Nobody of Aeleus." The quiet man arose from his pod and didn't say a word. He just walked over to Xemnas and stood by his side with his head bowed. Although he didn't say anything, Kairi could see the faintest of a smile on his face and she smiled back, happy that he had been given another chance to live.
"No. 6 and Rank VI of Organization XIII: Zexion, "The Cloaked Schemer"; Nobody of Ienzo." The gray haired boy stepped out of his pod. Naturally quiet, he looked around and merely hummed at his surroundings. He ran a hand through the large fringe of his hair before drifting over to Lexaeus' side. "You haven't changed." Ansem said warmly to his past apprentice. Ienzo had always been special to him; even Ansem could still see himself holding Ienzo's hand when he had been a child.
"It is good to see you again." Zexion said softly but kindly.
The sage-king nodded warmly before moving onwards again. He pressed a button to release Saïx and he stepped back to give the blue haired man some space. "No. 7 and Rank VII of Organization XIII: Saïx, "The Luna Diviner"; Nobody of Isa." Ansem introduced, nodding his head once the berserker had exited his pod.
"Stranger things have happened." Saïx inquired amusingly. He found himself walking towards Xemnas and with a bow of his head, he stood by Xemnas. The Superior nodded his head back, feeling even more content with the blue haired man by his side.
"No. 8 and Rank VIII of Organization XIII: Axel, "The Flurry of Dancing Flames"; Nobody of Lea." Ansem stated, pressing a button. The smoke cleared and the tall individual stepped outside of his pod, holding his head uncomfortably. The red haired man let out an annoyed curse at the pounding feeling in his head and shook it wildly in his efforts to rid it of pain.
"What's going on?" He muttered in a disoriented voice. He was able to make out the seven members of Organization XIII and he blinked in confusion. "What the hell?" Ansem then relayed to him the information that he had with the others though this time; his tone was a little guarded.
"Axel!" Sora cried, running forward. His loud outburst caused the spiky haired man to turn around. He was overly ecstatic at seeing Axel, not only for himself but also for the boy who dwelled inside his heart. Riku however hung back, he wasn't particularly close to this man nor was he fond of him. After all, Axel had been the one to almost mess up his and DiZ's plans back when Roxas still lived in his simulated Twilight Town. Kairi also opted to stay behind for she could still vaguely recall that he had been the one to kidnap her from Destiny Islands. Still, she was in his debt for having helped in the reunion between her, Sora and Riku.
The spiky red head turned towards the voices sharply and his lips curved upwards into a grin. He gave the running teen a two finger wave, "That's my name. Got it memorized?" He asked, using his trademark phrase. What then happened surprised the hell out of him. Sora had thrown his arms around Axel's thin waist and was hugging him tightly. "I forgot how happy you can get." Axel joked, reaching down to ruffle Sora's hair.
"Hey!" Sora greeted with a grin. Axel had been the one to save him during the Nobodies' attack, even sacrificing himself so that Sora could move onwards. He looked up into Axel's striking emerald eyes and suddenly his sky blue eyes flashed. Axel blinked and leaned his face down so he could study Sora's eyes, was it just him or did those blue eyes look a little different?
Axel?
A voice inside Sora called and the brunet felt himself surge with warmth. Sora placed his hand over his heart and took a step back. "Roxas says hi." He said with a silly smile. "He missed you." Ignoring the sarcastic remark Roxas sent his way, Sora's smile turn into a grin. "He really missed you."
Something tugged inside of him and Axel involuntarily placed his hand over his heart. The sound of beating was foreign to his ears and honestly, it frightened him a little. Having not had a heart for so many years, Axel thought this feeling inside him was a little strange and awkward. "I feel terrible, like there's this weight on my chest (1)."
Kairi suddenly smiled warmly at him, "A heart is a heavy burden (1)." She saw Axel turn his eyes to nervously and her smile turned reassuring. She was never one to hold grudges after all.
Axel flashed another nervous smile at Kairi before straightening his form and stepping away from Sora, only just now realizing that the smaller boy was still hugging him. He looked behind him at the other members of Organization XIII and with an afterthought; he walked over to join them. Vexen looked slightly hesitant at his movements but who could blame him? Axel had killed him. The redhead merely smirked innocently before standing beside Saïx. "It'll be nice to see everyone." He said earnestly, referring to the event of him being reunited with his friends. 'Looks like we'll be seeing each other again, Roxas.' He thought happily, his eyes sweeping over to look at the other six pods that had yet to be opened.
Ansem closed his eyes at Axel's words before shaking his head. He honestly hadn't planned on reawakening Roxas because if had, Sora would be losing a part of himself and thus making him an incomplete being. He could see the fiery redhead furious at the thought of him not reawakening his former best friend but Ansem would cross that bridge when it was necessary. The sage-king progressed onwards, moving to the right. "No. 9 and Rank IX of Organization XIII: Demyx, "The Melodious Nocturne"; Nobody of Myde (2)."
Demyx opened his eyes once he stepped out of the pod and looked around wildly at his surroundings. He saw Sora and pointed at him with a finger, "The traitor!" He then grinned, running a hand through his rocker's mullet. "It's been a while!" He greeted and Sora grinned back, nodding. Like with the others, Demyx had been informed of the happenings and he turned to look at his other fellow members of Organization XIII. His blue eyes looked for Zexion and upon seeing the stoic boy, Demyx's lips turned into a full blown smile. Zexion looked at him with curious eyes but he found himself smiling back, there was just something genuine in the way Demyx looked at him. The water-controlling individual practically sprinted his way over, opting to stand beside Zexion and Axel.
"No. 10 and Rank X of Organization XIII: Luxord, "The Gambler of Fate"; Nobody of Dulor (2)." Ansem introduced before quickly making his way over to the next pod. This had been going for nearly half an hour and he was tiring of it all. He needed to get back to his work and research.
Luxord grunted and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a deck of cards. He shuffled them out of habit and flipped over the first card. He picked it up with his thumb and pointer finger and with a smirk, he shook his head. "I've still got my Ace." The card he had drawn was indeed the Ace of Spades. Letting out a laugh, he walked over to stand beside Vexen. "I need to play a game." He mumbled, shaking his head.
"No. 11 and Rank XI of Organization XIII: Marluxia, "The Graceful Assassin"; Nobody of Lumiraa (2)."
The rather effeminate looking man gracefully stepped out of his pod just like his namesake, running a hand through his brown locks. After throwing Axel a dirty look, he practically floated over to stand beside Xemnas. "This is very strange." He mused to himself, dusting off his shoulder.
Ansem moved onwards again so now only two more pods remained. "No. 12 and Rank XII of Organization XII: Larxene, "The Savage Nymph"; Nobody of Reneal (2)." Since Larxene was the twelfth member of Organization XIII, the bridge he wasn't looking forward to crossing was drawing very near. He let out an aggravated sigh, shaking his head.
The only female of the Organization, Larxene stepped out with sass. She clicked her tongue amusingly as her eyes settled on Sora and his friends. Wordlessly, she touched two fingers to her lips and blew a kiss to Sora and Riku, to which they both reacted differently. Sora looked embarrassed and opted to look away while Riku just rolled his eyes. Kairi on the other hand bit her lip and her brow furrowed, feeling uncomfortable with the looks the older woman gave her two best friends. "It looks like the toy grew up a little." She winked at Sora once more before turning around. Her blue eyes settle on Axel and she blew a kiss towards him too. Axel's face was hard as stone at her actions and he merely grunted. With a cheeky yet sadistic giggle, Larxene pulled out one of her knives and twirled it in her hand. She walked quickly over to stand by Marluxia and the smile she sent his way was sincere and kind.
Ansem cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. He stepped away from the two groups and stood in the middle of the white room. "Thank you all for your patience. You have all been reawaken and given hearts of your own. Place your hands over you hearts and feel the steady beat of those hearts, you all now possess the ability to feel emotions and perceive them. It's taken me two years but I have finally managed to reawaken you all. I drove you all to darkness or played some role in it and so, this was my atonement. I've decided to give you all a second at life so that you may all live again. It was the least I could do." Ansem remarked, crossing his arms. "You all may live your lives the way you choose to. There is no longer any darkness with your hearts." He then turned to face the members of Organization XIII. "The Organization has been restored." Ansem bowed his head and walked in direction of the exit when a thunderous voice stopped him.
"Ansem!" Axel shouted, clenching his fists and running forward to the middle of the room. "What about Roxas? Don't you plan on waking him up?" Axel questioned, his eyes blazing with fury. "You said you would give all the Organization members a second chance at life! Why must Roxas be excluded from that?" No. 8 demanded. He had been so close to finally being reunited with his best friend and yet this man was trying to stop him! "Everything I've done for this damn Organization, I did it so I could restore Roxas on my own! I kidnapped Radiant Garden's Princess of Heart! I eliminated Marluxia and Vexen! I even sacrificed myself so that Sora could beat Xemnas! How dare you make all my efforts go to waste!?"
Ansem shoved his hands in his lab coat pockets and fearlessly turned around to face Axel. "I never intended to awaken the boy. Roxas will remain in this room forever, till the day Sora dies. Unlike you and the other members, Roxas does not have a heart in which to live. He is as much a Nobody as he was before. His body may be in this pod but he will never be given a second chance at life." Ansem turned back around and walked forward towards the entrance. "Awakening Roxas would mean that Sora would need to give up a part of him as Roxas' heart now lies within Sora. He would not be a complete being by doing so." Ansem passed by Sora, Riku and Kairi who were all watching him with hard eyes. "I would never ask that of the Keyblade's Chosen One, he is much too important."
"Ansem, for that, you're about to get one hell of a show!" Axel promised. A wall of fire surrounded everyone, stopping Ansem in his tracks. The fire was hot and burned intensely as Axel fueled it with his anger. He extended his arms outwards and straightened them, his emerald green eyes burning. With a cry, he summoned his Chakrams and twirled them eagerly in his hand. Using his pyrokinesis, he laced the Chakrams with fire and threw them viciously at Ansem. "Burn!"
Reacting quickly, Sora held his hand out and summoned his Keyblade. He jumped in front of Ansem and quickly shielded him from harm. A shriek sounded throughout the air as the Chakrams spun against the Keyblade's metal surface. With a flick of his wrist, Sora sent them flying back at Axel. "You've got to calm down, Axel!" Sora cried.
Axel merely laughed sadistically as he sent another set of Chakrams their way. Sora blocked one of them but one of them quickly diverted and was hastily approaching Ansem. Kairi, who was standing beside Ansem, was in danger of being hit and burned. Like Sora, Riku was quick to react. He summoned his Way to the Dawn Keyblade and blocked off Axel's attack. "Look's like your little experiment turned out to out to be a dud, Ansem." Riku sneered, annoyed at the thought of Kairi getting hurt. Shoving the girl behind her, Riku pointed his Keyblade at Axel. "Leave them out of this, I'll fight you instead."
The spiky haired man smirked in response, moving his hips and torso as he danced with his flames. "If it isn't Riku," He twirled the Chakrams in his hands, "I see you're no longer a puppet of the darkness." He then sprinted forward, Chakrams out and ready to attack.
"Restrain him!" Xemnas ordered, outstretching his hand as he commanded the members of Organization XIII. Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Saïx, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, and Larxene all summoned their respective weapons and charged forwards, some more eagerly than others. Sora and Riku stood in front of Kairi and Ansem, Keyblades at the ready in case Axel attacked again. Axel was enraged, how dare this man dictate who could live and who couldn't?
"Bring back Roxas!" Axel screamed, holding his Chakrams out and infusing his fire energy with them and ultimately causing them to blaze hotly. "Bring him back!" He threw his arms back and fired straight for them. Sora's fingers clenched at the Keyblade's hilt and he bit his bottom lip, not wanting to fight a friend.
Stop him, Sora!
Sora's eyes flashed again and the brunet sprinted forward, blocking off another of Axel's attacks. The grinding sound of the two weapons colliding boomed throughout the room and Sora growled, knocking back Axel's weapon. "You've got to relax, Axel!" He admonished. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw movement. "Axel, watch out!" Sora suddenly cried, running forward to help his friend.
The redhead barely had time to react as he turned to look over his shoulder quickly. Marluxia had gotten to him first and was in the process of swinging his Graceful Dahlia. Axel hastily blocked off the attack but Marluxia was too fast, he summoned thousands of petals and ordered them to attack. Axel had managed to burn a few and he would've been severely cut had it not been for Sora knocking some away.
"This fighting stops now!" Ansem ordered, sweeping his arm. "Stop this pointless fighting at once, No. 8!" He knew that Axel was going to react badly to not awakening Sora but he honestly hadn't expected for the man's reaction to be so violent and explosive.
"I won't! Not until you give me back Roxas!" Axel shouted, glaring at the blonde haired man. "I've been waiting too damn long to see him again!"
Sora, you've got to stop him!
"Wait!" Sora shouted, holding up a free hand to stop Axel. He quickly jumped in between Axel and Ansem and looked at them both, turning his head. "Axel, you have to stop this fighting. Ansem, I'm not going to ask for your permission but I just wanted to let you know that I will be the one to reawaken Roxas."
Ansem shoved Riku and Kairi away, causing her to stumble slightly. Luckily, Riku, due to his quick reflexes, caught her in time and placed a hand on her shoulder to straighten her form. "Don't you even dare, Sora!" Ansem roared. "I absolutely will not let you sacrifice a part of yourself for him! You are the Keyblade's Chosen One, the one that will banish all the darkness of his world! I cannot let you do this!" He swiftly turned to Xemnas, "Stop him!" The Superior didn't need to be told twice; he quickly summoned his Ethereal Blades and charged forward to join his fellow Organization XIII members.
Axel was taken back, "What? Sora, you'd do that?" He asked breathlessly, his eyes growing wide.
Despite the tension around them, Sora turned to the redhead with a cheeky grin. "Yeah. Roxas was born because of me; it's only natural that I give him his life back, right? I'm sure he misses his friends. I want to do this for him and you know what? I don't care if I'm incomplete because of this, Roxas deserves to be happy. I owe it to him. He has the right to be his own person just as much as I do."
Emerald eyes focused hard on those of sky blue. "Sora…" Axel whispered, his Chakrams dangling loosely in his hands. He couldn't believe it, maybe now he and Roxas could finally be reunited. Turning away slightly, Axel let a genuine smile grace his lips. He uttered a mental word of thanks before he twirled his Chakrams. "You all will have to get through me if you want Sora."
He was then joined by Kairi and Riku. The silver haired teen held his Keyblade at the ready and smirked at the incoming challenge. Kairi closed her eyes briefly before opening them sharply. She summoned her Keyblade and swung it experimentally. "You'll have to get through all of us." She said determinedly. The three formed a circle around Sora, shielding him from harm.
Sora closed his eyes and suddenly it felt like the world had faded away. He could barely hear the cries of battles or the sounds of war. It was like the only thing that existed right now was him. The Keyblade wielder placed both his hands over his heart and bowed his head. "Roxas," He called gravely. "It's time I give you back the time you gave to me." A bright and warm light emerged from his chest and Sora held it in his hands. It floated, packed with energy and Sora smiled. "Thanks for being with me all these years, Roxas. It's your turn now, live well." He raised his palms skywards and watched as the light floated upwards, coating the world with color.
Thank you, Sora
Sora reopened his eyes and collapsed into a crouching position. He had one knee on the ground and rested one elbow on the bent knee. He huffed and panted slightly before looking up at Ansem and the members of Organization XIII. "Roxas is back." He told them. He looked upwards as Riku outstretched his hand, just like he always did. Smiling at his best friend, Sora accepted Riku's invitation and the other teen pulled him to his feet. Sora twirled his Kingdom Key before resting it on his shoulder.
Ansem closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. "No. 13 and Rank XIII of Organization XIII: Roxas, "The Key of Destiny"; Nobody of Sora." He recited softly though mostly to himself.
Once the words left Sora's lips, Axel had thrown his Chakrams at the thirteenth pod where a sleeping Roxas stood. The tip of his weapon connected cleanly with the button to open the hull and Axel's breath caught in his throat as he watched the glass open. By now, the members of Organization XIII had drawn back and were watching with grave eyes at the revival of their thirteenth member. Ansem grunted in disapproval but being powerless to stop it all, he crossed his arms and let it happen.
"Roxas?" Axel called, taking a few steps closer. The smoke spilled outwards from the opened pod and a figure stepped out. There was a sound of mild discomfort as Roxas walked forward. His movements were shaky and he had a hand pressed to his temple. His blue eyes opened and the first thing he saw was a pair of striking emerald green orbs.
"It's me." Roxas answered back with a soft smile. He briskly walked forward, ignoring the other members of the Organization. All he wanted was to get to Axel; Axel, his best friend. The blonde paused right in front of him and his smile widened. "It's me." He said again.
Axel's hands began to shake and he was quick to drop the Chakrams to the floor. He raised his hands and grabbed at Roxas' arms. "Do you - Do you remember?" He asked timidly. The first time he had been reunited with Roxas, the blonde hadn't remembered anything. The second time they had been reunited, Roxas remembered him yet it was too late. For some reason, his long arms ached to hold Roxas, to bring the boy close to his chest and embrace him forever. Still, he resisted the urge and just stared.
"I remember everything." Roxas answered back honestly. He was flooded with images of all the times he spent with his friends. Memories of his life played like a movie; struggle matches with Hayner, exploring Twilight town with Hayner, Pence, and Olette, eating sea-salt ice cream on top of the clock tower with Axel, and finally, joining with Sora. A sense of realization filled him and Roxas looked behind Axel, "Sora!" He cried.
"Hey Roxas, it's good to see you again." Sora said honestly with a grin. The two boys looked at each other and it was as if all the tension in the room disappeared. Sora had given up a part of himself so that Roxas could live again. "Don't mention it," Sora replied, answering Roxas' unanswered question. "I was happy to do it."
Roxas nodded and smiled back. His other self wasn't so bad after all but he had always known that. It was only at this moment that Roxas realized how amazing Sora truly was. "Thank you, Sora." He said again. He turned around to look at his fellow Organization members. "And I thought you'd all be glad to see me." He said half-jokingly. He outstretched his hands and summoned both his Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keyblades, "If it's a fight you want, I'll fight too."
Xemnas raised an arm and shook his head. "We shall not fight two of our numbers. We only did so because Ansem ordered us to attack No. 8. Everyone, lower your weapons." Although some did so hesitantly, each number lowered their weapons. Demyx had been the first one to lower his Sitar; he never did like fighting after all. "Ansem," He called, "What do you propose we do?"
The sage-king grunted and turned away from them all. "I have research to be getting back to. You all are no longer under my binds; you may go and do as you please. Live and live well." And with that, Ansem left the secret room. Once he got further away from them, Ansem's expression turned kind. "I should've known Sora would do that." He mused.
Back in the room, the tension was lifted. The members of Organization XIII joined together with Sora and his friends. Although some were awkwardly doing so, they all attempted to make use of their new emotions by forming connections with the teens. Demyx adapted easily and was talking animatedly to Sora while some like Lexaeus mumbled small words to Riku who just shifted uncomfortably. Some members opted just to converse with each other. What was probably the most shocking was how well Larxene and Kairi were taking with each other; it was as if they had been friends for ages from the way they laughed together. As they all joined together, they all forgot about the fourteenth pod that lay dormant and unopened.
Axel and Roxas stood apart from the group and the two made good use of their time. The spiky red head turned to his best friend with a small smile, "Looks like it's our next life." He placed his hand on Roxas' shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly.
Roxas looked at him and Axel was a bit taken back, had those blue eyes always looked so beautiful? It was either that or Axel was now just beginning to notice the sparkling brilliance evident in those eyes. "And you said you wouldn't have a next life." Roxas murmured, grinning. He then rubbed the back of his head, a trait he picked up from Sora, no doubt. "Sorry to keep you waiting." He mumbled. He felt the hand on his shoulder squeeze again and Roxas suddenly very warm.
"I'm sorry too." Axel replied sincerely. "It doesn't matter anymore. We've been given new life." He then lowered his face so it was level with Roxas'. "Roxas, I promise you that this time, nothing will come between us ever again."
The blonde's cheeks tinged pink. "Don't say stupid things like that." He muttered, pushing Axel's face away. The pyromaniac laughed joyfully before ruffling Roxas' hair and it wasn't long before Roxas found himself laughing along. The two best friends were finally together again.
"Roxas! Axel!" Sora called, waving a hand. The two friends looked towards Sora and saw that he and the other members of Organization XII were slowly making their way out. "We're leaving, don't get left behind!" Flashing each other a quick grin, Axel and Roxas made their way to their friends. The further away they all walked, the more and more they all forgot about the fourteenth pod that had yet be opened.
(1) Howl's Moving Castle Quote, said by Sophie to Howl
(2) I made these up by switching around some letters and taking the X
Author's Notes: Hey! Chapter 1 is finished! What did you guys think about it? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Whatever you feel, please tell me so in a review! Getting reviews make me really happy and want to update fast! If you want to see this story continued, please, please leave a review! The end result will be Akuroku, Soriku, Cleon, Zemyx by the way. Though I wonder, is Zexion the seme or uke? I'm assuming he's usually the seme.
(10/7) EDITED.
Final Words: 10k
Final Characters: 55k
Final Pages: 18