Axel's Heart
"No matter where you go.."
"No matter how far you go.."
"No matter for how long you go.."
"I will be waiting here. Always"
Chapter 1: A Nobody's Cry
Axel walked through the streets of Twilight Town in a daze, he knew Roxas was here somewhere but wasn't too sure whereabouts he had hidden, he sighed deeply to himself, he stretched his long bony fingers and carried on scanning the area for any sign of his best friend or should he say, his target. He slumped on the floor, "Roxas.." he whispered gently to himself, although he allowed no one to hear even in this fictionious world which DiZ had created. His cherry red hair was now falling gently across his face, he stood up and looked around and decided to head to the mansion. Axel knew Roxas would be there, even if he weren't, he would arrive there soon. Or more so he hoped.
The words floated around him but he couldn't pick them out clearly, he could only remember, the last thing he said and he hoped it wouldn't be the last time he spoke to him.
Axel!
You really do remember me this time. I'm so FLATTERED!
But you're too late!
He reappeared in a mist of purple and black haze, on what looked like a tropical island of vast beauty and luxury. He picked up some of the sand and let it past through his fingers enjoying the feeling for a small moment, Axel didn't want to cry, no matter what he was thinking about Roxas, he didn't have a heart and he couldn't just make one, Nobodys can't cry. But something else could, Axel could hear a a small sobbing noise comimg from his far right, it was a gentle sobbing and it sounded as though it was coming from a girl, he turned around and saw a dark-haired girl, crying silently to herself, she held her face in her hands, and she cried, Axel began walking away although the urge he had to go and see if she was alright was pulling him back, why should he care though? She cried even quieter and Axel's desire to know what was wrong won over his urge to see what had happened to Roxas. Axel sat beside the girl, she stopped crying and looked up at him, although her eyes looked cautious, she had the brightest diamond colored eyes which reminded Axel of Roxa's, Axel noticed she had the smallest red colored lips imaginable. "Are you okay?" asked Axel in a concerned voice, the girl still looked up at Axel and didn't utter a word, she looked as though she was spell-bound by him, Axel was starting to get annoyed rather quickly with the girl, "I asked, if you were 'alright?!" repeated Axel irritably, realising quickly this was a stupid idea, "Oh!" said the girl, she wiped her tears quickly away with her fists, "I just.. its really stupid actually, I ..." Axel stood up rather suddenly, he looked out to the ocean through narrowed eyes, "Lemme guess, you got dumped? He cheated? Things you gotta know about guys, they're dogs especially at your age" said Axel, why was he talking about teenage relationships, again? And why wasn't he looking for Roxas? The girl glared at Axel, "How old do you think I am?" asked the girl sharply, her annoyance was completely written on her face, "Well everyone seems to be 15 at the moment," said Axel, well at least his best friend was. The girl laughed, it was a infectionous laugh that Axel couldn''t help but grin at too, "Im 19" replied the girl. "Hey I may look young, but Im wiser than my years." she grinned to herself, "although its more of a family thing I was upset about" added the girl falling into her moody existence again, Axel sat down again, he was slightly taken by this girl, he didnt know why and he probably was never going to see her again, so what was the harm? "So whats your name?" asked Axel curiously, the girl's face lit up, "My name?! Its Lia!" replied Lia excitedly, "Whats your name?" asked the girl politely, Axel, looked up at the ocean again, should he lie? Should he leave now, it was only a name, but it felt slightly odd that a random girl on a remote island would know his name, "Its Axel. Got it memorized? " he answered shortly. Lia giggled loudly, "Cool, Ive never heard a name like that before, why are you dressed in black, isn't a bit hot,for that?" asked Lia nosily, "We could get some ice cream I love Ice Cream," she sounded like an over euthusiastic kid to Axel, he couldn't come to terms that she was actually 19, "I dont like cold things" replied Axel sarcastcally, Lia eyes widened in shock, "But its Ice Cream!" Axel smiled to himself, he reminisced having Ice Cream once with Roxas in Twilight Town, he didnt really enjoy it, but he cherished every moment of it because he and Roxas were together even though it was only for a moment, Axel turned to Lia, her eyes met Axel's deep emerald ones, he felt strange, why was she so interested in him? Axel stood up suddenly which surprised Lia. "I gotta go" said Axel, his back to Lia, he didn't like what this girl was doing, she was far too intrusive and her eyes had some weird unknown power over him. She reached out for his arm and pulled him back, she was rather strong for a such a small girl thought Axel, "Dont go!" urged Lia, "Why?!" asked Axel impatiently, moving away ever so slightly, she still hadn't let go of his arm though. "Well I'm interested in you, you dont get people like you on Fayth Island alot, your unique!" said Lia in all sincereness. Axel didnt want to look back, because her eyes would look at his again and give him that strange feeling, he had never felt before. He turned back but looked at the tree behind her rather than directly at her, "Your a genuine girl, dont let anyone tell you differently," replied Axel and he was quickly gone just as he arrived in haze of black and purple mist.
Axel couldn't believe he let Saix take her away from him, in a moment of weakness, he had succumb, and now he had lost the only way he would get Sora to him and turn him into a heartless, and meet with Roxas once again. Hollow Bastion was in a mist of a battle. Axel wasn't into caring what side to take, he was only on his side. However he felt an urge to tell Sora what was happening, like he owed it to him. As he walked throught the empty streets of Hollow Bastion, every step he took echoed silently back at him, he looked through an empty door that stood ajar, the place looked like it had been attacked, the dishes and cutlery were amess on the wooden floor, he walked in and sat on one of the empty sofas placing his legs on the coffee table, a framed picture was the only thing left still standing on the top of the coffee table, he picked it up and looked at it through his icy green eyes, he felt as though he had seen it before, the picture was taken on Fayth Island, the girl, was, she was Lia, the girl he met months ago, who was crying silently to herself. What was a picture of her doing in Hollow Bastion? Axel had no time to ponder over it, he had to look for Sora, and straightened out the mess he had created.
He stood on one of the rockier hills and look amongst the chaos below, the heartless were attacking from all sides, he could see the residents of Hollow Bastion fight amongst them, Yuffie and Aerith were taking down the East Side while Cloud and Leon were holding the West. They were a real team thought Axel to himself, he made out other figures, he could see Sora, Donald and Goofy in the center taking down most of the heartless, and in the North End, he saw a small feminine figure, she was holding down her own as well, she had a long sword and she was slicing through heartless as if they were just butter, he saw those diamond colored eyes, it was her, Lia somehow was in the battle, not only was she in the battle, she was winning too. Axel watched her intently, why was she fighting in Hollow Bastion? Who was she? He watched as she sliced through many heartless, she was the only fighter by herself, he watched her with renewed excitement, and held his breath as she tripped and fell onto the hard rockly ground, he turned away, he couldnt let himself beknown so quickly, he couldn't help her, he knew Saix was around, he couldn't take that chance.
Lia fell to the ground, her legs were badly grazed and she bite her lips and held back the tears of pain which were brewing in her eyes, she fought off one, two , three heartless as they tried to jump at her in her moment of weakness, but she couldn't fend all of them off at once and she reluctantly fell to the ground once again.
She laid on the ground watching the heartless draw in at her and then she couldn't resist any longer and she was engulfed by the darkness.
Axel picked her up and moved her with him on the tip of one of the safer higher hills, he laid her head softly against one of the rocks, she opened her eyes slowly she saw a blurred figure of red and black, "Whose there?" she asked faintly. Axel opened his mouth and closed it again maybe it was best if he just left her now in her solitude despite the curiousity to find out who she truly was, her vision came into focus and she whispered his name, "Axel..?" and he disappeared from her vision in the same way he did when they first met.
"Lia!" shouted Leon as he made out her figure laying against the rocks, "Leon.." said Lia in barely a breath. "Are you okay?" he asked her frantically. She brought a hand to his face and stroked it gently, "Leon , always the worrier, I'm fine!" replied Lia trying to stand although slowly, her legs felt like jelly. Leon hugged her tightly unwilling to let her go, "Well isn't it Hollow Bastion's Romeo and Juliet," said a voice from behind them, Yuffie jumped up at Leon and ruffled his hair, "I thought I'd never see you go all gooey over a girl, Leon," said Yuffie pointing a guilty finger abruptly in his face, "Are you okay?" asked Yuffie to Lia seeing her as Leon let her go reluctantly."Im fine, honestly" replied Lia earnestly looking up at Leon. "Is everyone okay?" added Lia to Yuffie, "A bit shaken up but yeah they're fine" added Yuffie with a sly grin. "I better leave you two lovebirds alone. Gotta dash!" and Yuffie backflipped off the edge of the hill and landed elegantly on her feet.
Lia walked into the base and saw everyone's eyes on her, she blushed a crimson red, "everyone was worried about you." said Leon looking down at her, Lia saw a familar brown spiky hair head at the far of the room and ran over to it, "Sora!" she said her energy returning rather quickly, she gave him the tighest hug she could muster and held on for as long as she could, "Erm, Lia, oxygen is becoming a bit of an issue" said Sora from beneath her arms and she let go of him finally, "I hope your not going so soon, I know you have other places to be, but.." Sora held a finger up, "Were here for a bit longer, there some pages of Winnie's book which need repairing" said Sora, flexing his elbows up resting his head on his palms, "I have to go though soon, " he added, his face was painted with a down look expression, "I know where Kairi is, Saix has her, I need to save her!" he said with a sense of reinforced urgency." Who told you that?" asked Aerith curiously from where she was sitting, she was drinking a cup of tea and fixing a wound on Yuffie's arm, which Lia had not noticed before. "Axel" said Sora his face still downbeat, "Axel!" said Lia in amazement, "Yes, he kidnapped her and then Saix took her from him, " said Sora repeating what he had heard, although it was not making it any easier for him, "He kidnapped her?" repeated Lia in a surprised tone, "Why do you sound so surprised?" asked Leon sarcasticallyas Lia sat down beside Yuffie as her legs started to feel like jelly once again, "He is a member of orgainisation 13, a nobody with no heart like him can do such things." said Leon flatly. Lia could feel the water in her eyes start to swell up, "I .. I." she uttered silently. "I have to go!" and she jumped off her chair and leapt for the door, leaving most of them in a confused state due to her sudden outburst.
Sora walked through the isolated streets, wishing time would some how speed up to his will. He noticed a shadowy figure in front of him hiding behind a wall, it started coming in closer to him, he held his keyblade before him, "Please, its just me!" said the voice of Lia, from beyond the darkness, "Why are you alone?" asked Sora although thinking about it, it was a rather personal question, "I just felt like it, I needed time, do you know what a Nobody is?" added Lia rather abruptly now slumped against the wall. "Not really, they're half a person, thats really all I know" said Sora feeling slightly useless. "Half.." repeated Lia to herself. "Are they evil?" asked Lia lamely. Sora scratched his head, realising what she was asking, "I don't know, I guess it depends." He heard a slight sob come from her direction, he ran over to her, "Are you okay?" he asked her, he could see her visibly now, "I don't know" replied Lia honestly. "It will be fine," reassured Sora, "No matter how bad things seem now, they always get better!" he said in typical Sora fashion. Lia smiled at him, "Thank you Sora!"
"I saw you with her!" said Riku from beneath his hood, Axel looked up, he had his arms crossed and he was leaning against the wall. "Yeah and what is your problem with that?" asked Axel clearly iritable. "Your suppose to be laying low, I placed Namine in your care for reasons I thought you were capable." said Riku obviously in a foul mood, "I agreed to play babysitter but I didn't want it to get in the way of my plans!" said Axel in annoyance. "Do what you must Axel, but try and keep away from Hollow Bastion from now on!" said Riku and he vanished leaving Axel with Namine in rather awkward silence, "Is there something wrong?" asked Namine. She looked up at him, he could see the sincereness in her question, "Is it Roxas?" asked Namine with a hint of her own intent. "Roxas has become one with Sora, I need to find a way to get Roxas back," said Axel, glenching his fist. "But he's become whole! He's how he should be!" Axel glared back at Namine, "Humph! Yeah cause I can really go up to Sora and say "Hey Roxas how you doing? How things inside there!" Namine lowered her head, "I guess.."
The day was slowly being taking over by night and Lia stood on top of the hill looking out to the horizon, "I just want you here.." said Lia faintly she watched as the Sun fell beneath the rocky hills. "You know, I am here." said a voice from behind her, "Axel!" she turned and saw him standing there looking back right at her, she had the urge to go over and hug him, but she didnt know if he would take to kindly to that she still didnt even really know him. "Your different, what happened to that girl who cried to herself?" asked Axel walking closer to her, "I left her behind on the island when I met you" said Lia telling him the whole truth, "You made me believe in myself, I heard rumors of a red haired man and I heard random stuff but I never found out the truth about you, well not until tonight." said Lia wiping the traces of tears away from her eyes. "What did you hear?" asked Axel in a slight demanding tone, "That you are part of Organisation 13 and you are not a real person!" said Lia her face resolved in what looked like an image of complete denial.
"Its all true!" said Axel flatly, "What?" asked Lia astounded, "But it can't be!" said Lia shaking her head frantically, "Suck it up, Lady, because you may not want to believe it, but I can't hide it," Axel said turning his back on Lia again. "You! you! Your evil, I hate you!" said Lia in a voice of complete anger, Axel shut his eyes as he heard her say those words, the hurt clearly shown across his face, "I know, I dont have a heart, I cant be a good friend, let alone anything else," said Axel he sounded as though he was on the verge of tears. Lia couldn't see his face but she longed to. "Axel... wait..." shouted Lia running over to him but it was too late he disappeared once again in a mist of purple and black sparks.