DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its characters, its plot, etc. The same goes for the game Tales of Symphonia. Disney characters obviously don't belong to me either. The series,Angelic Layer, is also copyrighted.
SPOILER WARNING: Despite being AU, any material within the three Kingdom Hearts games and Tales of Symphonia can be referred to at any time. Also, note, possible spoilers for the Angelic Layer anime.
NOTE: Though this story is largely based on Angelic Layer, it is not simply the series rewritten with KH characters. This does have its own plot, but do not be surprised if the two strongly correlate.
Unto the Open Sky
"I've been wondering why
It's only me.
Have you always been inside
Waiting to breathe?"
- Ryan Cabrera, On the Way Down
Chapter One: Pleased to Meet You-Sora!
It seemed like all his life he had been watching the world through a glass pane. His eyes and that big, wide open sky may share the same hue, but they did not share that same sense of freedom. The rumbling of metal wheels running over train tracks proved that he was moving, but he was still trapped in this aluminum shack of a cage.
Not that the train wasn't nice.
Of course it was nice.
Roxas had a first class ticket upon one of the finest examples of technological transportation. People would figuratively, "give up an arm and a leg" to enjoy their trip in such luxury. Yet here he was- surrounded by carpeted floors, walkways big enough for two, leather seats, temperature control, complimentary snacks, television monitors, and enough room between each chair so as to recline comfortably- and all he did was clutch at his backpack and stare out the window. Roxas kept his wide blue eyes trained on the sky as though willing himself to be out of this body and into a place with no bars or windows. The only thing that would keep him grounded was the tight grip he kept on that green bag.
"Ah, Roxas," the raspy voice of his father called from the stuffed chair. The room was so dark and Roxas glanced at the closed curtains. The rooms were always dark, his father's face always shadowed, and Roxas was always left to wonder if perhaps there was something to hide after all. "Come in, come in." That fake smile upon his lips, his father beckoned him with a gloved hand to come closer.
His mouth sealed tight, Roxas went to him obediently. His father would do this sometimes, request a private audience with him and act out a chat that felt neither real nor natural. Roxas would keep his mouth shut and nod when he had to. Every time he did this though he got the wild thought that he was meant to kneel at this man's feet.
"Have you enjoyed your time here, Roxas?" the man's eyes glittered up at his son. The tone was mildly interested as he set his book down gently on his lap.
Speak.
"Of course," Roxas replied automatically and without thought. "I am very grateful, Father."
Something like triumph flashed in the man's eyes. "Good, good," he murmured to himself, entwining his fingers together. He grinned slightly, showing traces of sharp, white teeth. "You know, Roxas, I have only your best interests at heart."
Roxas nodded. Was this just an ego trip? Something for his father to reassure himself that he was doing a good parenting job?
His father continued, gesturing to the object-filled mansion around them, "All of my wealth, I have shared with you. I have raised you and nurtured you. You owe me everything, Roxas, everything."
Roxas wanted to fidget, to move one muscle, but he was too well-trained and his body stayed still.
"But it is only natural for a father to do so for his son," the father soothed. "Like I said, I really do want what's best for you." His tone became a little harder here and his eyes were flinty, carefully watching Roxas's reaction.
"Which is why I want you to go to that school."
His fingers tightened their grip so much it hurt. Twin fists were quivering with the effort it took to maintain that grip. He hadn't wanted to move; he hadn't had the choice.
"You're nothing but his dog!"
His heart was broken and he let it weep. The parting with his friends- the few friends he had managed to grab hold of between his short bursts of freedom from the house- had not been a happy one. Five minutes were granted to him before he was to be shuffled off to the station and they had gazed at him with sad, but helpless faces. The same look one would give to a bum on the street.
Would like to help you, but can't.
Olette and Pence bade him farewell and patting him on the back, wished him well. Their lives would move on from this, seamlessly, soon to forget the strange boy they had met in school. He did not blame them. There was nothing really to make him stand out to anyone.
But Hayner…
Hayner had…
A scowl had settled itself onto Hayner's face and it looked as though it were going to stick there permanently. The blonde had never been afraid to say what was on his mind and that was part of what made the friendship between the two boys so strained. There were things that Roxas did not want to hear aloud and Hayner had always dared himself to say them. It looked as though their goodbye was going to be one last example.
"Stop glaring at me," Roxas ordered mulishly. Inside, he was bracing himself.
Hayner's pursed lips open unzipped long enough to say, "Why do you always do that?"
"Do what?" Roxas wouldn't look at him.
"This!" Hayner exploded. "You always do what he tells you to. Without thinking! Without questioning it! Tell him you don't want to move! Tell him you want to stay here!"
"He's my father," Roxas mouthed the words, the same words he had spoken countless times throughout his life. "I must obey."
Hayner bristled and spat out, "You're nothing but his dog!"
Roxas winced.
In his mind, Roxas struck Hayner solidly in the face with his fist. The shock would run through his hand, but he would hear the satisfying crunch as he broke the other boy's jaw. Blood would drip from Hayner's nostrils and mouth and blue eyes would take it in as triumph. Hayner would land on the ground in a lump, with a thud, and not move and Roxas would replay that punch a thousand times over. Pence and Olette would stand there in shock, too stunned to move while he stood there in his victorious fury.
Instead, all he did was turn and seat himself in the car, cursing himself.
Just then, a change in the landscape caught Roxas's eye. The train was approaching one of the eight famous bridges that crossed over into Bastion. The eight bridges were absolutely necessary because, other than by air, there was no other way to enter the city. A thunderous cackle filled the air, signifying the train's transition from sturdy ground to a structure that was built above a large looming canyon that appeared to have no bottom or end. Staring out his window, Roxas could see the city coming into view on his right, but the canyon still seemed to stretch outward endlessly. This was not so, of course. Everyone knew that the canyon ran itself around Bastion in an oval like pattern. There was no telling where the canyon ended or began because it was connected tip to tip. It was less like an oval really, because an indent toward the north gave it more of a heart shape. "Heartless Canyon", it was called in remembrance of the many lives lost during its creation. Lives that hadn't asked to be lost in the terrible earthquake from twelve years ago.
Looking at it, it was hard to believe that Bastion had managed to survive nearly intact and was, in fact, thriving. A little cut-off from the rest of the world, but it remained on of the top most centers of technological progress. So it was only logical that some of the country's top schools would be established there. Roxas supposed that this is why his father wanted him to attend high school here. Graduating from any of its prestigious schools would be sure to give a head start to the good life.
Then the sky disappeared from view as the train pulled into the station and all Roxas could see was a thick wall with blotches of illuminating light. This was his stop. He hefted his backpack onto his shoulders and picked up his skateboard from its storage place above his head. The house he was going to- which was currently awaiting its sole occupant of one- would be completely furnished with everything he would need and more, but he had insisted on taking the pack and the skateboard with him. They were his true belongings.
Despite his selfish wish to hate the place, he found that, tragically, the station was actually a pretty bright place to be. He felt slightly claustrophobic about being around so many people at one time but it was starting to become a little invigorating. Breathing a little more easily, he strode forth confidently. The further he walked the smaller he felt himself become as he pushed himself through the sea of bodies. He kept getting pushed every which way and he started to have the nagging feeling that he was no longer walking straight. 'My way out,' he concentrated, 'I have to find my way out!'
Finally, Roxas managed to break through and out where there were no longer as many people. He spotted the word "exit" along with a figure of man happily pointing straight ahead. However, everywhere he looked appeared exactly the same as where he had just come from. Finally it struck him that he had never lived in such a large, populated area before and that his sheltered upbringing might have left him incapable of handling it. And he was only at the station! Forcing down the fear, he made his way out the doors and into the sunlight. Perhaps he could get his bearings out here.
There He was. It was so easy to pick Him out of the crowd and even if the information had not been given to him, he would have recognized Him. If he had been excited about his mission before, the sight of Him had made him almost ecstatic. He wanted to let out a loud chortle, but managed to restrain himself heroically. It was hard enough to stay inconspicuous with this outfit on; he didn't want to see what would happen if he were to draw attention to himself. No, that would not be good. Still, the time was drawing close. Just a little longer…
Roxas had to blink a couple of times before his eyes could bear the sunshine. Upon his eyes clearing, he immediately found his sight overwhelmed with bustling shops and even more people. The noise was a giant wave of incoherent murmurs that he couldn't make out if he tried. He watched a few moments in amazement as people moved in and out of each other's paths without pausing, each knowing where they were going and how to get there. The exit led out to an outlet of buildings with paths of sidewalk laid between them. On either side lay the streets with cars racing away in their designated lanes.
What really caught his eyes though- what was holding everyone's attention really- was this giant screen displayed on the side of one of the buildings. Some sort of match seemed to be going on from the look of things and a crowd had begun to gather, various cheers and curses emitting from it. This was all normal enough, but the bizarre part was the competitors.
One seemed to be a man but it was a little hard to tell as there was very little of him showing. All of his limbs were covered by a brown full-piece suit and even went so far as to cover his hands completely. A silver breastplate covered his chest and back while his feet were covered in the same style of armor. With a shield on his left arm and a scrawny, brown sword in his right hand, the outfit was complete with an overly large silver helmet covering his entire head. Roxas found it hard to believe that he could see clearly with it on.
Stranger though was his opponent. It was a mouse, but one that looked as though he had jumped straight from the pages of some comic book. He had giant black ears and a nose on a head that seemed as big as his body. The hands were gloved and the shoes looked off-proportioned. But there was a determined look in the mouse's eyes as he fended off the man's blows. He had no such armor, but a simple black jacket trimmed in white and black shorts that fluttered as he jumped. A thin black tail completed the look.
The man seemed to be all about power as he swung wildly at the mouse with his sword. He was growing more agitated with each failed blow and it began to show as his strokes became more random. The increase in power slowed down the man's reflexes so that the mouse was able to dodge easily. The mouse not only made it look easy though, he made the movements look as effortless a rehearsed dance. It became clear that it was the mouse, not the man, that was leading each move.
Roxas moved toward the screen, memorized by their strange dance. Looking closer, he could see that it was not a sword in the man's hand, but a weapon that looked more like a giant key. A giant, brown key that looked as though it had been shriveled up. If it were not for the fact that the mouse was clearly in control of the match, Roxas would have thought it unfair for him to be so unarmed.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the mouse turned on the offensive. With a giant leap into the air, he brought down a powerful kick which the man was barely able to block. He landed blow after blow with his bare hands and feet while at the same time edging away from the man in time to avoid retaliation. Then, just as quickly, he would move back in for a hit. The top left corner of the screen began to lose more of its bars as the mouse struck hit after hit.
Fortune seemed to have changed its favors as suddenly the man was able to turn a block into a blow and began edging the mouse toward the edge of the platform. The mouse had no choice but to retreat further and further. It soon got to the point where there was little left between him and the edge and still the man advanced. The mouse put up a valiant struggle to stand his ground and Roxas found that he had strangely begun to root for the little guy.
'There's no way he could win,' Roxas admitted to himself, despair starting to creep up into his heart again. 'He had the edge there for awhile, but the man has more power than him.' He bowed his head and heard the crowd grow silent as though everyone together was holding their breath, awaiting the outcome. 'That's just the way things are. The strong overpower the weak. And there's nothing that can be done about that.' The heaviness inside his heart seemed to crush his beating pulse and it suddenly became a little hard to breathe. Never before had he felt so fragile, as though a hand would suddenly come out of nowhere and crush him.
Yet, instead of cries of dismay, there arose innumerable cheers. It caught Roxas by surprise and his head flew up. Just as the man was swinging in his final blow, the mouse did a quick duck beneath the blade of the key and darted past the man and into the open arena. Something big was going to happen, everyone could feel it. Sure enough, the mouse leaped up once more high into the air, but this time, he raised his hands over his head. There in his grasp, materialized a golden key with a silver handle and a little gold chain dangling with the emblem of a mouse head. Roxas watched in amazement as behind the mouse, the light seemed to bend so as to form an outline of keyhole. With incredible strength and power, the mouse swung down the blade and a laser of light shot of the tip hitting the man straight on and enveloping the arena in bright light. The rest of the bars in the top left corner faded away instantly.
As the light cleared, the arena was revealed with the man laying limply facedown and the mouse surveying confidently. Both keys were gone. For a moment there was complete silence as though no one dared to move. Then, with a cry of excitement, an announcer proclaimed, "And we have winner! Mickey goes on to beat Magnius's angel! The Champion remains undefeated!"
Everyone, on screen and off, cheered like mad. The camera drifted out to reveal a red-haired man, with his tresses bound back in ringlets, pick up the lame figure of the man, who was suddenly doll-size. He stared at the object in his hands in disbelief and could be heard muttering, "How could I lose to such inferior vermin..?"
"They're…" Roxas blinked up at the screen as it was revealed that the two figures he had just seen battle so dramatically were hardly bigger than a pair of dolls, "not human."
"That's right!" a voice behind him chirped.
Roxas jerked forward in surprise, having not sensed someone come so close to him. He turned around to see a bizarre looking man, this one definitely life-size. He was an old man, if his ankle-long white beard was anything to judge by. He was dressed simply in a long blue robe that seemed to shimmer in the light, but Roxas passed that off as a trick of the light. Complete with blue, pointy slippers and a long blue, pointy hat, Roxas wondered if this was one of the people he had been warned to stare away from as a child. The old man peered down at him cheerfully through his small pair of round spectacles and grinned as though Roxas should be just as happy to meet such a random stranger.
"Those, my boy," the man pointed at the screen, but kept his eyes gleefully on Roxas, "are what have become known as angels."
Roxas raised a blonde eyebrow.
The man adjusted his spectacles, although it would have been hard for them to sit straight anyway on such a crooked nose. "They're sort of like dolls," he explained, trying to look professional. "People control them and fight battles with them."
"So they're toys?" put Roxas flatly.
The old man didn't seem to be listening. "They use very advanced technology in which players move their angels with the power of their mind," he went on. "Through this power, people pit their angels against one another in competitions of strength to determine who the best is."
"So they're toys," Roxas repeated.
The old man must have been deaf. "The battle you have just witnessed was participated in by two veterans of the game, also known as Angelic Layer," his voice was starting to run the words together. "Magnius, who is the deus- oh, sorry, 'deus' is the controller, so to speak- has been trying to beat the Champion out of his title for years! However, the Champion has never been defeated. Him or his angel, which is that mouse you see up there. 'Mickey Mouse' is his name. Kind of catchy isn't it?"
Roxas was trying to come up with the best way to extricate himself from this man when he heard the announcer broadcast the departure of the Champion. Despite himself, he was strongly curious to see who had been the mastermind behind the mouse. However, just as he turned to look at the screen, the camera angle shifted to a schedule of upcoming matches, and he lost his chance to see the man's face. The fact irked him more than it should have.
As the crowd began to drift apart, a thought struck him. He glanced back at the old man who was smiling at him expectantly and decided that perhaps this encounter could be useful for something. "Hey, mister," he addressed as politely as he could, "if I wanted to, say, purchase one of those angel things, could I?"
"Absolutely!" cheered the man, his eyes wrinkling closed with pleasure. "At any local toy store. In fact, they're so very popular, you're bound to find them almost any-" His eyes opened and he was shocked to discover that the boy was suddenly gone. Spinning around frantically, he scanned the crowd high and low for some sign of where the boy had taken off to. "Hey! Where'd you go?"
"What a weird old man," Roxas wondered aloud as he made his way down the street. All of the previous excitement seemed to have drained him enough to make him calm and right now the empty house with all its privacy was beginning to look a little desirable. A bed, in any case, did. Having found some local street signs, he had been able to deduce his location from the map in his backpack. It would probably take him a half hour if he walked and if he was lucky. Perhaps he ought to just ride in a cab….
A sign to his left caught his eye and he stopped to look at the poster in the store window. On it was a cheerful pair of a boy and girl playing with their individual angels and it read: BUY YOUR ANGEL HERE! The feeling he had come to know as temptation was nagging in the back of his head. The look on the boy's face made it harder. Just the idea of having someone there, a friend whose mere presence made things a little better….
'Are you really that lonely?' that inner voice sneered at him. 'Are you really so desperate that you'll create a friend just to have one?'
He didn't bother to reply, but instead just strode through the automatic door. Even the stores were huge here! Junk and junk piled everywhere as far as the eye could see, but no signs of anything that looked like it could be related to that game. Angelic Layer. He peered around curiously, hoping he didn't look as out of place as he felt. Luckily, he soon caught the attention of a passing clerk.
"Can I help you?" the lady asked, smiling politely.
"Um…" he refused to blush under the sudden attention but the reality of the situation suddenly hit home. Here he was, a sixteen-year-old boy about to start high school, and he was looking for a toy called an angel? He fidgeted and shifted his eyes to the side. "Ah… I'm looking for a toy." Mentally slapping himself for being so vague, he tried again. "Y'know… one of those angel toys… Angelic Layer, I think it's called."
"Well, of course," replied a very unexpected voice. His head snapped up and suddenly he was locking eyes with that creepy old man, who cheerfully took hold of his arm. "Right this way!" With a strength belying his age, the man suddenly took off, dragging Roxas along behind him and chortling all the way.
Slightly dizzy, Roxas found himself deposited in front of a giant selection of shelves clearly marked with the game's name brand. Boxes and boxes were piled on top of each other and though they seemed to all contain different things, it just further confused Roxas as to where to start. 'This is a little more complicated than I thought it would be,' Roxas thought, a bead of sweat making its way down the back of his head.
Meanwhile, the crazy, old guy was shuffling through the different boxes. "Not this one… not that one…" he muttered to himself. "Aha! Here we go!" He pulled back and presented Roxas with what looked to be a silver egg with white wings. A girl would have found it cute, but Roxas…
Staring in front of a mirror only to take one step back and look at him trapped inside, inside that beautiful shell of glass…
"An egg?" guessed Roxas aloud. What was he supposed to do with this?
"A very special egg," the stranger explained, his eyes beaming fondly down at the object in Roxas's hands. "It is from this egg that an angel is born. It is from this egg that your heart will come through."
The blonde thought it made an ok slogan if in reality it sounded a bit corny.
"What you make," the man went on gently, "will be your own, special angel. Each heart is different, so it only makes sense that everyone ends up making a special angel. Magnius's heart created a different angel than that of the Champion; so shall your heart will create an angel unlike any other."
As sugar-coated as it sounded, the idea couldn't help but appeal to Roxas. He looked down at the egg with a different set of eyes, wondering anew at the secrets it kept within its shell. Perhaps that secret part of himself which he had kept buried and smothered deep inside him could finally find an outlet. Perhaps, at last, he could give some part of himself strength.
He glanced at the old man who was once more beaming happily down at him. "What's your name anyway?" asked Roxas, figuring he might as well learn it if this man was going to make a habit of popping into his life.
Delighted, the old man cheered, "I'm Merlin!" He retained his proud position in the hopes that the boy would get it.
Roxas flushed away any hope of considering the man sane. "Uh huh," he let out; his eyes glancing around to make sure that there were people around. One couldn't be too careful.
Merlin seemed a little deflated after that, but nothing seemed to really keep his spirit down. "Now…" he took a deep breath, and then attacked the shelves like a mad man, throwing heaps of boxes into Roxas's unprepared arms. "You need this! And this! Oh, can't forget this! Definitely this! Can't forget that! You'll want that. And… well, that isn't necessary, but let's gets it anyway!" Finally done, he turned back to the boy to see him almost tipping over from the sudden weight. Pleased, Merlin announced, "That ought to do it!"
"Do I really need all this?" cried Roxas skeptically as he swayed.
"Hush boy!" commanded Merlin. "This is Angelic Layer we're speaking of! You can't be a penny pincher when it comes to this game!"
Roxas glared, "You're really a salesman, aren't you?"
"Chip chop, lad," Merlin clapped his hands, ignoring that last comment. "Off to the register with you!"
Roxas gave an exaggerated groan but headed off to the cashier all the same. Obedience had been bred into him after all.
Merlin watched him off with fond, twinkling eyes. The boy was really something. Too bad he didn't know it yet. "And so it begins," he whispers, feeling a bit sad. His work here was done. It was time to go.
In accordance with his thoughts, a persistent beeping sprang up from his right ear. Casually, he reached up and pinched the rim of his ear. With a click, the beeping stopped and his connection was established.
"Yes?" he called, wishing he could see his ear for all the good it would do him.
A voice spoke, "Did you give it to him?" The sound came out of the speaker installed where an eardrum should be.
"Oh, yes," Merlin nodded, though the person had no way of seeing him. "He doesn't seem very enthusiastic but there is great potential inside him. I think you will be pleased."
His correspondent said nothing for a long time, but Merlin didn't mind. It was understandable after all.
"So," the voice spoke finally, "are you on your way back?"
"All in good time," Merlin chuckled and he pinched his ear to hang up on the call. "Goodbye, Roxas," he called softly. "I know you will do well. May we meet again soon."
"Hey, Merlin!" Roxas cried, running back from the cashier. It was sort of difficult since he was weighed down with so many boxes, now safely purchased and in bags. "I bought everything. Man, you should have told me how expensive everything was!" He stopped with a start when he realized that he man was no longer there. "Oh, sure, now he leaves," he commented cynically. "This probably was just a gimmick all along. I'm such an idiot." He sighed, feeling more tired than ever. Shuffling his feet stubbornly, he headed back out the store. "I should really get home. It's getting late." His head suddenly hung lower with a realization. "Oh man! And I spent nearly all the money I have with me! There's no way I can afford a cab now."
Once he was outside, he was stopped by a deep voice, "Excuse me?"
He looked up to see a subdued looking man with red hair and a plain dark gray suit. Despite the passive look on his face, Roxas wondered wildly for a moment if he was about to be struck down by a gang member. He knew very little details about what his father did for a living, but he did know that it was extremely successful for him to make so much money. However, Roxas had never before had a threat made on his life so he pushed the thought away as him being silly. Looking again at the man, his presence didn't put Roxas on guard as much as Merlin's had, but there was still a sense of power hanging around him. The man spoke again, looking Roxas straight in the eye, "Are you Master Roxas?"
His serious tone quelled the blonde's urge to raise an eyebrow. "I am Roxas," he admitted slowly. "But I'm not the master of anybody."
Brown eyes narrowed slightly, but the man's overall expression stayed the same. He bowed slightly, his posture perfect. "I am Kratos," he introduced. "I work for your father. He sent me here to act as your chaperone." Words were clear and to the point.
At the mention of his father, Roxas fidgeted slightly. "What exactly do you mean?" he asked.
Again, Kratos spoke very precisely, "I am here to protect you, guide you, and provide various services which you may need."
"Oh," Roxas blinked. "So like a guardian then…"
"If that is the label you wish to use," was the reply.
"Ok…" Roxas decided to file that information away for later use and focus on what was really important here. A very focused look grew on his face and looking Kratos straight in the eye, he asked, "Do you have a car?"
Kratos blinked, managing to look somewhat surprised. "Yes," he answered after a moment. "I did come here to pick you up from the station after all. But I lost you in the crowd and it took some time to find you again. I hope you do not plan to wander so carelessly again."
A bead of sweat slid down the back of Roxas's head. "Yeah, well," he smiled sheepishly, "sorry about that. But I didn't know someone would be here." 'My father probably conveniently forgot to mention it,' he thought to himself. The ache in his arms reminded him that all this talking could wait after he was safely buckled and on their way.
Kratos seemed to read his mind for he said, "Come. We should get moving." Then he turned and led the way, Roxas trotting dutifully after him. Roxas concluded that perhaps living with Kratos wasn't so bad after the man had kindly offered to carry his skateboard and some bags. "I see you went shopping," he commented idly.
"Ah," Roxas responded, feeling more sweat beads slide down the back of his head, "That is… right after I got out of the station, I saw this fight on this giant screen. This mouse- well, I know it was an angel now- but this mouse was one of the fighters and I never thought I'd say this about a rodent, but he was pretty cool. Then this old guy dressed like a wizard appeared and talked me into buying all this." He was a bit embarrassed to admit to being tricked but something about Kratos made him easy to talk to. Probably the fact that he hardly spoke. The two entered a parking lot and Roxas wondered idly which car was theirs.
"I see," Kratos murmured. He glanced down at the bag he was holding. "So this is all to play Angelic Layer?"
"Oh," Roxas blinked in surprise, "You know about it?"
The man's reply was business-like, "The game has been exceedingly popular since its debut six years ago. At first it was just a craze among children but it soon swept into all age groups all over the world. As the birthplace of Angelic Layer, Bastion boasts some of the world's greatest players. Because of that, it is increasingly difficult to find someone that doesn't own an angel."
Roxas wondered if Hayner or Pence ever played Angelic Layer and had angels of their own. The game was obviously a communal activity so perhaps they had not thought to share it with their strange friend who lived in almost-isolation? Aloud, he wondered, "Wow, Angelic Layer was created in Bastion…?" A thought occurred to him and since Kratos did not act like a typical servant, he dared to ask it aloud. "Does that mean you have an angel, Mister Kratos?"
"Hmm," Kratos stopped and Roxas wondered if he had been too forward. Instead, Kratos reached inside a pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "We're here," he announced, unlocking the car.
Roxas had spent most of his life watching and the precise timing did not go unnoticed. He quietly put his things in the car and didn't ask another question.
The house was smaller than the one Roxas had lived in with his father, but any middle-class working man would have still exclaimed over its size. Roxas liked it instantly, even though it was barely furnished, there was hardly any food, and his only companion was a stranger he had known for a total of one and half hours. Still, something about it was cozy. Kratos offered to set the luggage in Roxas's room while the boy took a bath. He did it in a way that was politely subservient and it made Roxas feel guilty, but a bath sounded so nice… He reluctantly agreed, but inwardly resolved to not take advantage of Kratos's position. Roxas had hated doing that at his home and he was not about to do that to his one house-mate.
Before he left, however, he grabbed the box that held the angel egg. "The label said to open in bath water," he explained awkwardly. Luckily, Kratos asked nothing.
The bath water felt as wonderful as he had imagined and he let himself relax for the first time that day. After two days of traveling, his broken heart felt a little less heavy and instead he let it fill with the excitement of creating his own angel. It would be a task worth throwing himself into. Settled, he idly reached for the box and opening it, pulled out the directions.
"Warning," he read aloud, "None of the parts included are edible and can cause strangulation upon swallowing…?" He blinked for a moment before continuing. "Please use under parental supervision." It was hard not to snort at the irony. Thinking about the person he knew his father to be, Roxas knew that if he were still at that huge house he would never have learned about Angelic Layer or anything else beyond studying. His father would never, ever let him do this, never ever…
Bitterly, he opened the box and pulled out the egg. It was just as beautiful as when he had seen it in the store. Upon seeing its glossy blue surface, he rubbed his forehead where a slight ache had settled. Probably from all the stressful thoughts he had been having. With that, he focused back on the egg and the growing excitement inside soon overcame that tiny ache. Looking back at the directions, he read aloud, "Submerge in hot bath water for ten minutes. Do not open in bath. After bath, wait until slightly damp before continuing." Blue eyes glanced over to try and peer into the egg. There was something inside it but it was hard to see what. He carefully submerged it under the water and felt the material soften slightly in his hands. After a few moments, it was heavy enough to stay under water on its own and he quickly finished his bath.
After putting on the pajama set he had grabbed from his backpack, he drained the water and gently lifted out the egg. He held it over the sink and gingerly opened the lid. Cool water flooded out and down the drain leaving behind… a light blue blob. That was how Roxas would describe it anyway. Just a little mass that had no shape or form. "This looks nothing like a doll," he hissed under his breath. Feeling slightly gypped, he calmly carried the egg out of the bathroom and into the hallway.
"Sometimes I wonder why I even took this job," Leon spoke aloud, his eyes lazily watching the computer screen before him. It was filled without countless stats about innumerable angels, but at the moment, all the figures just blurred together before his brown eyes.
"Oh, don't be like that," giggled his young coworker, a pretty brunette named Yuffie. She set down a mug full of hot coffee that looked suspiciously as though someone had dared to put cream and sugar in it. Wimps. Yuffie inhaled the rich aroma from her own warm mug before continuing, "You took this job because of the great pay and benefits." With that, she set herself to chugging down the liquid goodness.
Trying to ignore both the comeback and the girl's bad manners, Leon scrolled down the page a bit faster. "What are we looking for anyway?" he wondered. "We gather all this data together, but what exactly do they do with these numbers?"
Yuffie released a well-satisfied gulp of air and set down her now empty cup. "Probably some sort of demographic test," she commented absently, peering down into his computer screen. "Woohoo! Numbers!" she laughed, but really she was peering sideways at his untouched coffee cup. Just as she made a grab for it, Leon calmly picked it up and took a long sip. Knowing she was watching him with tearful eyes, he made sure to gulp it down audibly. Yuffie glared at him and went over to her desk- which was unfortunately right next to his. "You're no fun," she pouted.
A noise caught her attention and she turned her chair around in time to see a queer little figure of an old man in blue marching obliviously down the hallway. "There goes that weirdo again," she commented aloud. "I wonder where he was. He doesn't usually leave the building…"
"Don't you have a job to do?" Leon's gruff voice cut into her thoughts.
She scowled at him. He was so very un-cute. Spinning back around, she muttered, "Right, right."
So much had been going on that Roxas had not realized right until he opened the door that this would be his first time in his new room. Curiously, he switched on the light and took in his new quarters. Just like the house, he took to it immediately. There was a simple bed in the corner- luckily, already furnished with cotton sheets and comforter. On it was a fluffy, white pillow and the purchases he had made earlier that day. An empty bookcase stood against one wall with what he knew to be an empty dresser right next to it. The wall directly in front of him had a big, lovely window with blinds already installed. Then next to the bed was a study, with plenty of drawers and a computer nicely set up on the desk. It was cozy and comfortable and wonderfully lacked that feeling of imprisonment. 'I wonder who furnished this place anyway,' he thought, feeling slightly amazed. 'It couldn't have been my father. But then who else?'
No answer would come to him and he let the thought drift away. Feeling slightly empowered, he set the egg on the desk in front of the computer and went to grab his bags. It was time to make his angel.
Boxes were soon littered all over the floor with the packaging lying out like carnage. Roxas promised to clean the mess as soon as he was done, but he was a bit caught up in the process. There were wires to connect, pieces to put together, and software to install. After quite a bit of effort, he was finally seated in front of the computer with the egg connected to the modem and covered with a protective material. Roxas made sure to read both the instruction booklet and the screen carefully. "Upon connecting, press 'enter'," he read before pressing the button. The protective covering soon lit up, filling the egg with a warm, orange glow. The teenager was impressed and pressed onward eagerly. He was so close…
It was time to look at the booklet again. "Connect hand piece into slot C," he echoed the words. "Hand piece..?" Looking to his right, he saw that it was the last unopened box. "This must be it." Carefully, he unwrapped an accessory that almost like a smaller monitor, but Roxas could see the faint outline of a handprint upon its screen. He plugged the cord in and heard a short chime as the software registered it. A box had appeared containing a new set of instructions. Once more, Roxas read, "To finish creating your angel, place right hand upon hand piece. Box will then respond by lighting up. (Do not be alarmed by slight warmth.) Visualize the kind of angel you desire. The computer will alert you when your angel is finished. Hint: Do not focus on the specific details. Instead, look deep inside yourself and visualize what you see reflected inside." With a deep breath, Roxas sat back in his chair. "They sure like to use such flowery language…" He stared at the accessory before him. 'This is it,' he thought. 'Visualize my angel..' His right hand seemed to fill up with tiny beads of static. 'Seems kind of strange to build my angel with my mind,' Roxas thought vaguely. 'Amazing what they can do with technology around here.' With that, he laid his hand against the small screen and closed his eyes.
Soft warmth grew beneath his palm and he calmed himself by focusing on his breathing. A paranoid fear started to build that he was doing it wrong but he shoved it away fiercely. He would let himself only think of his angel. For good measure, he also ignored any thoughts that would make him think of how silly he appeared.
'I want…' he started off slowly, 'I want a fast angel, I suppose. A little on the small side too, like me. None of this brawn over brain. … Knowledge would be useful too, but I don't want him to be a genius. More of an… insightful fellow, I suppose. Human, too. The mouse was pretty cool, but I think a human would be best. A boy… around my age. Hmm…' The last set of instructions reverberated back to him softly. 'What do I really want? I know nothing inside myself that I could give, nothing I would give either way. But… if Icould give something… what would it be?' The answer was blaringly obvious and he focused in on the thought so strongly, it was almost as though he were yelling. 'I want him to be strong. Not just in muscle, but in heart too. He would have the strength to do things I never could, to fight back the darkness within one's self and always reach out for the light. … Not only that, but…' And the voice inside became a little quieter. 'He will fight for others. Fight so that others may have a chance to reach that light. … If I could have a friend like that… perhaps I may finally gain a little strength myself…'
As Roxas concentrated, a halo of focused light formed at the base of the egg. Slowly, as Roxas's thoughts pulsed from his mind into his head and into the computer, the halo of light made its way upward. The little lump had began to glow and as the ring passed up, it began to morph its shape. The ring soon completely cleared the bottom of the egg, leaving behind a tiny set of toes, feet, the curves of legs…
An indignant beeping noise startled Yuffie from a slight doze. Startled, it took a moment for her to realize that the annoyance was coming from her computer. An icon was flashing at the bottom of her screen, but it was one that she had never seen before. "What the.." she gaped. "Leon, look at this!"
"I know," came his voice. She turned to see him staring intently at his own screen. "Our system is being notified of something… but what?"
… Delicate hands hanging on either side, a firm stomach, well-tone arms, the chest…
Leon, for not the first time since he had taken this job, was looking at Yuffie dumbfounded. "Are you…" he gaped, trying to put together his words. She wished she could see the look on his face, but she was a bit busy at the moment. "Are you hacking?"
"Maybe," was all she said, biting her lip. It was sort of hard to talk with her fingers flying so fast.
"You can't-!" he started to say, but stopped himself. This was Yuffie he was dealing with after all. He sighed deeply and rubbed at his forehead. "You idiot! You shouldn't be hacking into our own system!"
"Oh, hush," she giggled. "I want to know what's going on. So do you, I'm sure. And what do you want to bet that the higher-ups aren't going to tell us."
Her only answer was a string of grumbles she didn't bother to interpret.
… Sturdy neck, then the head with the eyes closed, finishing with a wild mess of brown hair…
Yuffie finally stumbled onto something, but it wasn't quite what she expected. "Well, that's strange," she voiced.
Leon's attention was peaked and he leaned over to see, "What is it?"
"It's…" she tried to make sense of it, but it was hard to believe her eyes.
The completed miniature body almost seemed to breathe. Unbeknownst to the blonde, a tiny set of eyes opened slowly to reveal irises the color of the wide, open sky.
"The number thirteen," was all she could say. "Just… the number thirteen over and over…"
"Some sort of computer code?" Leon guessed in a way that was not at all confident.
"You're thinking of ones and zeros," Yuffie replied. "But, no, this is definitely the number thirteen…. Hey, what's this?" She scrolled down.
Beep.
The screen went black. Yuffie and Leon stared at it dumbly for a moment before realizing that the computer had shut down. Yuffie leapt to her feet, screaming, "No fair, no fair!" Leon just leaned back and rubbed his forehead, wondering again why he had taken this job.
A soft noise emitted from his computer and Roxas realized that it was done. Somewhat bewildered, he opened his eyes to see that a miniature human doll had formed inside the egg. Some part of him must not have believed that this would work because he stared at it in amazement. "It worked," he breathed wonderingly. "It's finished…"
Another beep emitted from his computer making Roxas jump. Startled, he turned to see that the screen had changed. It was now asking for his name, the name of the angel's deus. He shook his head and begun typing.
"R. O. X. A. S," his fingers spelled out. He clicked "ok" and then the screen changed again. This time, it asked for the name of his angel.
It occurred to him that he had never really thought of it before. Having not really been raised with a wide variety of toys, it had never really struck him that he would have to name his angel. But looking back at the figure that had been created on account of his thoughts- or heart, whatever- it seemed only natural to give it- no, him- a name. Yet he couldn't claim to be particularly creative. What would do for a name? He stared into the wide eyes that mirrored his own in color…
The big, wide open sky lingering so high above him as he stared through the window, always looking through glass and up into freedom…
That was when the perfect name hit him and without a second thought, Roxas typed it in.
"S.O.R.A," filled the blank and Roxas eagerly clicked on "ok". With that, the name of his angel became official and the team of Roxas and Sora had been born into the world.
The light faded from the egg and Roxas was allowed to remove Sora from the egg. The angel wouldn't need it anymore. Roxas, a bit awkwardly, managed to put the long white shirt that came with one of the packages over Sora's head so that he was covered from the neck down to the ankles. It lacked all the coolness of a battle uniform, but Roxas still looked down at Sora in admiration. This was- after all, no matter what- his very own angel.
"Sora," he whispered at last, the name making his lips curl up in a soft smile.
"That was quite a fuss that boy made," Merlin chuckled fondly. He had heard the chaos go off across the building. It made the dark room a little easier to bear. The figure seated before him always wanted it dark and even if he couldn't understand why, Merlin was more than happy to bear a dark room for that person's sake.
That person smiled and looked down at the angel he held on his lap. As his finger traced Mickey's ear, the smile grew a little fonder. He laid back his head gently against the chair and breathed softly, listening to his heart beat.
NEXT TIME:
Part of the fun of moving to a new town is meeting new people, right? Roxas has an early run-in with an interesting brother and sister pair. Then there's the guy at school, who is more interested in guitars and aliens than angels. Roxas is just breaking through his shell when he is thrown unexpectedly into Sora's first angel fight! It might be a little difficult seeing as he hasn't learned how to use the Layer quite yet…
Chapter Two: First Fight-Defend Your Friends!
For Kit Kat,
Thanks for helping me think up a title.