Chapter 1: The aftermath of Kingdom Hearts…
Death…
You may think it's unavoidable and that there's nothing you can do to stop it. But, the truth is, there will always be someone who can cheat death.
XXX
All I know is: that I'm falling in an empty darkness-just waiting for something to happen-, but there is no one and nothing is here…
As I keep falling, I'm silently remembering the past…
XXX
"Don't stop moving or the darkness will overtake you!"
I finally found Sora surrounded by a bunch of Nobodies; and, I made my entrance by destroying a few of them.
… "Got it memorized?" (What did I say before this? Why can't I remember?)
Suddenly, the Nobodies surrounded Sora and I.
"I think I liked it better when they were on my side…" I whispered sarcastically to Sora.
Sora replied with a grin, "Feeling a little…regret?"
"Nah, I can handle these punks. Watch this!"
After I said that, I jumped far enough away from Sora to launch my last attack.
My Chakrams were suddenly lit on fire, by my magic, and then they started to circle around me.
I summoned up all the energy that I had and I finally released my attack.
When the smoke cleared, the Nobodies were gone.
Sora spoke excitedly, "Whoa!"
When he finally noticed me, on the ground, he rushed over and he realized that I was slowly fading away.
(I remember that we talked while I was fading away, but even now it's still hard to remember…)
XXX
Man, now I know how Roxas felt when he lost his memories…
Roxas…!
What happened to you, Roxas?
XXX
"Are you sure he can't…hear us, Leader?" A distant girl's voice questioned.
"I'm sure Roxie; and, please call me Alexander. I've told you that many times now…" A deeper voice replied.
"I'm sorry, Alexander…it's just that…he looks like he can hear us." The girl whispered nervously.
"Nonsense Roxie, Axel has been dead for over twenty years now. He used up too much energy when he fought the Nobodies… Don't you remember? You did a report on him in the Training Academy." The man, with the deep voice, corrected indifferently.
Axel?
Wait…isn't that…my…?
"Warning…Warning…Malfunction…Malfunction. Containment Unit 606 unstable… Nobody is regaining memories…I repeat…" A loud, (and very annoying), computer-like voice echoed somewhere nearby.
"Hang on a second…Containment Unit 606?! Isn't that…?" The girl whispered, before she gasped.
"Yes Roxie, the Super Computer never lies. Axel is regaining his memories." The man spoke with a strange fascination.
"Then, that means…Axel is…still alive?!"
XXX
I suddenly feel little stabbing pains in my finger tips; and, then the pain slowly works its way up my arms and after that, throughout my whole body.
The pain is so unbearable that I cry out in agony; and, when I do, I swallow a mouth-full of water.
My eyes suddenly shoot open and they immediately dart around, inspecting this strange phenomenon.
I'm in a tank, filled to the brim with water, in an enormous white room.
There are other tanks around the one I'm in, but they are all covered with white sheets, which have strange numbers on them.
Numbers?
They look like…
(Thirteen.)
Why did that number suddenly pop into my head?
Suddenly, the water starts to drain out of the tank I'm in and before I know it, I sink to the bottom of the tank.
I'm gasping for air, before I try to yell, "W-Where am I…?!"
"In due time Axel, you will know everything, but for now…you must be hungry. Being asleep for twenty years must have taken a lot out of you."
I find myself staring up at a man, who is wearing a white overcoat…which seems vaguely familiar.
The only thing which is really odd about him is his long, straight, dark-blue hair and his steel-blue eyes…which reminds me of Saix.
Wait a minute…!
Do I even know this Saix person?
"What the hell is going on here?" I yelled indignantly.
Suddenly, I feel something hard hit against the back of my neck and I immediately pass out on the bottom of the tank.
XXX
"Really Lux, did you have to knock him out?"
"Sorry, Hexon…I just get anxious easily, you know that! Besides, he was asking too many questions anyway… I though this is Axel, not Roxas!" A deep voice, that sounded child-ish, replied inconsiderately.
"Ah, just forget it… Just carrying him to the Infirmary and then head to the Meeting Room. Alexander has some important news he wants to tell us." Hexon-who is the guy with the long, dark-blue hair-spoke with authority.
"Right away, Mister Bossy! He he…" Lux spoke jokingly, before he chuckled and then he broke out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
XXX
"Ugh, why does my head hurt?" I questioned softly.
"That's probably because Lux hit you, on the back of your head, with his sheath…Axel."
I'm lying on a bed, with white sheets, in yet another white room, but this room is smaller and it doesn't have any tanks.
In fact, this room is longer than it is wide; and, it has rows upon rows of beds like the one I'm on.
The only other piece of furniture-in the room-is a white desk, which is right next to the bed I'm on.
Sitting at said desk is a girl with short, wavy, silver hair and pink eyes; and, she too is wearing the same white coat as the dark-blue hair guy.
"Really, you people have no fashion sense…" I whispered dully and automatically.
I turn my head away from her and I just stare up at the ceiling.
"What are you talking about, Axel? You were practically wearing the same thing before… Don't you remember?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about… More importantly, how is it that you know my name?" I asked begrudgingly.
I quickly swing my legs, over the side of the bed, as I sit up to face the girl so I can glare at her.
The girl sighs deeply before she pushes the red-violet, glasses-which I hadn't noticed until now-up on her face; and, she returns my glare with a serious expression.
"You may not remember everything right away, which is only natural, because you did die after all, Axel. So, please just bear with us until you can remember. We are in the same boat here…We are all Nobodies…"
I stare at her mockingly until my head begins to spin and I suddenly gasp.
Nobodies…don't have Beings to begin with…
I grab my head, with both of my hands, and I glare at the girl again.
"What the hell is wrong with me?! What did you do?" I questioned accusingly.
She sighs one more time, before she answers, "You have so many questions-I'm sure-, but I'm not allowed to answer any of them yet. Sorry, Axel…"
She suddenly gets up and she bows slightly.
"I have to go now… I'm supposed to wait here until you woke up, but now that you're awake, I must return to the Meeting Room."
"W-Wait, you can't just leave me here!" I spoke nervously and as I stumbled to my feet, I noticed a creepy doll in the girl's hands-which hadn't been there before.
"Please rest, Axel. You still haven't recovered from the Awakening Process. If you refuse to listen to me, then I'll have to sic Mirabel on you…" She whispered coolly.
The little doll-which looks exactly like the girl, but creepier-growls menacingly.
"Alright fine," I held up my hands in defeat, before I added, "You win, but before you go…do you mind telling me your name, so that I can memorize it?"
She laughs slightly and she whispers secretly, "I always found that saying of yours interesting, Axel."
She suddenly regains her composure and she answers indifferently, "My name is Ximara."
I decide to sit back down on the bed and I just stare up at her, expressionless.
"And, how would you pronounce that name? If you don't mind me asking…" I replied curiously.
"It's Zi-mah-ree-ah… Why?"
I smirk before I answer, "I'd like to know how to pronounce such an interesting name, which only fits such a pretty girl like yourself."
She blushes, but her serious face returns immediately.
Ximara places the creepy doll, (Mirabel, was it?), on the desk near the bed I'm sitting on.
"Don't leave the Infirmary or else Mirabel will attack you and she will subdue you. And, believe me Axel, you don't want to make her angry…"
I smirk at Ximara again and I reply casually, "I got it memorized, Ximara… No need to worry, I'm in no hurry to leave this place."
Ximara turns to leave, but glances at me as she asks, "Happy that you're alive, are you?"
"You know it…" I whispered back, before I rolled my eyes.
I think I hear her chuckle, before she leaves me alone in the Infirmary with the crazed doll.
XXX
It must have been what seems like hours, before I start to grow impatient.
I still sit in the same spot, where Ximara had left me, as I suddenly glance over at the doll.
She has the same short silver hair as Ximara, the same white overcoat, and she even wears tiny glasses over her pale pink eyes!
As I stare at the doll, her eyes suddenly blink.
"No way, I'm just seeing things…" I whispered reassuringly to myself.
They blink again, then Mirabel turns her head and she glares at me.
"Don't think that I don't know what you're planning…" She whispered with a ghostly voice.
"Uh, I have no idea what you're talking about…" I whispered indifferently, despite the fact that I'm shocked she could even talk.
"Don't play dumb with me, Axel! You think you can wear that coat and become the newest member of our Organization, don't you?"
I stare at her in confusion for a second, until I lift my arms out in front of me.
There are white gloves on both of my hands; and, sure enough, my arms are in the sleeves of a white overcoat.
"Why does this look so familiar…?" I whispered suspiciously.
My head starts to spin again as memories flash back to me.
XXX
"Welcome to the Organization, Axel; and, you will also be known as Number VIII." Xemnas spoke coolly.
I stared up at Xemnas-who sat in a chair with a high back and it was high off the ground than a normal chair should be-and I just rolled my eyes at what he said.
'Like I care about a stupid number anyway…' I thought silently to myself.
I smirked at the others-who sat on chairs lower than Xemnas', with the same high backs on their chairs as his-and I noticed that they all wore black overcoats.
I lifted my arms out in front of me and I saw that I wore: black gloves, on both of my hands, and the same black overcoat as the others.
"You know, you all have a weird fashion sense…" I whispered half-jokingly.
XXX
My head suddenly stops spinning as the memory fades.
I smirk silently to myself at that distant memory.
"You have noting to worry about, Mirabel… I have no intention of joining your silly Organization." I replied coolly.
I lift myself off the bed and I stroll around the room, before I sigh deeply.
"Well, this boring… I'm going to go see if I can find that one room with the tanks." I whispered softly, secretly hoping Mirabel didn't hear me.
"Oh, no you don't!" The doll-girl hopped off the desk and she marched over to where I stood.
"Listen, Mirabel, if you are following me, then technically you're still watching me. We just won't stay in the Infirmary anymore…"
I watch the doll-girl consider this for a moment or two, but before she even answers me, I'm already out the door and into a white hallway.
As I'm strolling down this white hallway, I'm noticing that it's not an ordinary hallway at all: this hallway is ten times in height and width then it needs to.
"What is with this place anyway? Do they even need all this room?" I questioned skeptically.
"Of course we do, you moron! It's if an intruder appears; and, because small hallways get destroyed too easily!" Mirabel spoke angrily as she caught up to me.
"Ah, I see…"
We pass by many white doors, which each have different names on their black plaques, and we still amble down the hallway until I spot a door with white words: "Meeting Room", on the door's plaque.
"Huh…didn't Ximara say she had to go here? Let's take a look inside." I whispered curiously.
"Hey wait, you can't go in there! They're having a meeting now! Wait…! Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?"
I purposefully ignore Mirabel's cries of protest as I shove open the white door; and, I see yet another hallway in front of me, but this one is much smaller.
I smirk at the small hallway, before I stride on until I reach the end of the hallway, where the only other door stands in front of me.
I can hear faint voices whispering back and forth, so I kick the white door open, with one foot, and I find myself in a brightly lit room.
Instead of this one being white like the other rooms, the walls are black-and-red and a long mahogany table is in the center of the room.
Ten people are sitting around the rectangular table and most of them are staring at me accusingly.
"Welcome Axel, you're looking well. After I heard that Lux had knocked you out, I worried about you…"
I turn my head, looking at the head of the table, and I glance at a guy in a hooded, white overcoat; and, he is sitting in the fanciest chair I've ever seen: the arms of the chair are a deep coal (and, I assume the legs of the chair are as well), the lining of the chair is golden, and the back rest (and, possibly the seat cover) is crimson.
As for the other chairs-which the others are sitting on-they are all white and plain-looking, with nothing out-of-the-ordinary about them.
"Don't make me laugh, you aren't worried about me!" I replied heatedly.
Suddenly, the hooded guy smirks at me, before he responds coolly, "Don't mistake me for someone else, Axel… Out of all the organization members from Organization XIII, you are the most important person."
I only glare at him from his words.
What the hell is he talking about…?
Xemnas was more important than me and after him was Saix!
This guy is just trying to mess with my head…
"I would do no such thing, Axel." The hooded guy suddenly whispered.
I silently gasp and I nearly jump out of my skin.
Did he just read my mind…?
The hooded guy nods.
I take a step back, but Mirabel suddenly appears from behind me and she pushes me into the room, before she closes the door behind her.
"Alright, fine… Answer me this: why the hell am I alive now?" I inquired half-curiously and half-accusingly.
The hooded guy's smirk grows wider, at my sudden question, as he answers, "Ah, so you do remember something then. Good, we can take you to the Information Room later… For now, I'd like to introduce you to my Organization, Axel."
Suddenly, he lifts his gloved hands up and, in one quick motion, he removes his hood to show his face.
He has shoulder-length, straight, black hair and blood-red eyes; and, the only thing which makes him seem really abnormal is the X-scar under his right eye.
"My name is Alexander, Number I of Organization Clear Hearts."
Alexander glances directly at the guy sitting to his left and he nods to him.
He's the same dark-blue hair guy I saw earlier!
"Hexon is my name, my Number is II… I am also second-in-command, at the moment."
The guy directly across from Hexon-who has short, spiky, auburn hair and orange eyes-turns his attention to me, before he glares in my direction.
"Xander is what they call me; and, I have no relation to Alexander in any way… My Number is III, by the way." He spoke roughly and indifferently.
"You look just like me…" I replied jokingly.
Xander growls, before he argues, "Shut the hell up, loser! I'm nothing like you…who died while trying to defeat the lesser Nobodies!"
"Xander, calm yourself or you'll upset Alexander." Hexon spoke coolly.
Xander turns his attention away from me, so that he can mumble something incoherently under his breath.
A hooded guy, who is sitting next to Hexon, raises his gloved hands so he can lower his hood and he smiles at me.
His violet-blue hair is long on one side and short one the other side, making him look a little girlish. (It could be his hair, or it could also be his violet eyes… Just saying!)
"Hey, my name is Lex…but, sometimes I'm called Lux. My Number is IV; and, it's nice to meet you, Axel."
I don't smile back at all.
In fact, when I heard "Lux" I lose my cool.
"So, you're the one who attacked me, huh?" I replied heatedly.
He nods sorrowfully, before he whispers wholeheartedly, "Yeah, sorry about that…it was my other personality, Lux; and, he's so uncontrollable at times."
I growl low and deep towards him, as a strange sense of anger overcomes me.
Since I'm standing by the door, I start striding over to where Lux, (or Lex, whatever…), is sitting.
A guy with short, wavy, royal-blue hair and teal eyes, blocks my path by spreading his arms out wide.
Suddenly, he speaks to me with the calmest tone I've ever heard, "There is no need to fight, because he isn't Lux now. So, you would only be hurting Lex…"
"What does that even mean?!" I questioned heatedly.
He lowers his arms and he sits back down next to Xander.
"My name is Lenex, I am Number V; and, my specialty is my calm demeanor."
He just completely ignored my question!
That dirty little rat…
"I'll say…" I whispered reluctantly.
I calm down, but only a bit.
I find myself moving closer to the door, which is the furthest away from Lex.
I see a girl with short, spiky, blonde hair, and bright, blue eyes, standing up to introduce herself.
As she smiles warmly in my direction, I can't help but stare at her more closely; and, then I suddenly realize that she looks almost exactly like Roxas!
"R-Roxas…? Is that y-you?" I whispered breathlessly.
Her warm smile fades, before she shakes her head slowly.
"I'm sorry, but my name is Roxie… I'm Number VI; and, I'm a Keyblade user."
Key…blade?
Why does that sound so familiar?
Roxie sits back down, next to Lex, looking a little depressed.
The two girls in front of her, (in front of me, I should say), turn in their seats and they smile together.
One of them has short, straight, plum hair with white highlights and the other has only short, straight, plum hair; but, they both have the same matching orchid eyes.
"We know it's Ximara's turn next, but you've already met her, right?" The girl with purple hair, and white highlights, asked impatiently.
"Yeah, you've already met her, so now it's our turn!" The girl with just the purple hair added excitedly.
"Uh, I suppose, but-" I'm cut off by the girl with the highlights.
"My name is Xanthis, my Number is VIII, and Xanthus is my twin!"
"My name is Xanthus, my Number is IX, and Xanthis is my twin!"
"Okay, wait, so which one is which…? I'm confused!" I spoke feeling exasperated.
"So are we…" A girl with long, black hair and cobalt-blue eyes, whispered indifferently.
I see Ximara sitting next to the girl with long, wavy, black hair; and, Ximara smiles calmly at me when I glance at her.
"My Number is VII, by the way, Axel… I think Xanthis is the one with the highlights and Xanthus is the one without; although, one day, they switched places on us. So, no one really knows who is who today…" Ximara replies casually.
The twins smirk at me, devilishly, before they spring out of their chairs and they rush over to me.
They both grab either of my arms, (tightly, I might add), and I cringe from the pressure.
"Come on Axel, play with us!"
"Come on Axel, we're bored!"
"Xanthis and Xanthus, control yourselves and sit back down." Alexander ordered coolly.
The twin, with the highlights, turns to frown at Alexander; but, she nods and she returns to her chair.
As for the other twin, she sticks her tongue out at Alexander, but she returns to her chair as well-she is more grim than her sister, at the moment.
"You're no fun, boss!" Cried the twin without highlights.
"I'd be quiet if I were you…" The girl with the long, black hair replied unenthusiastically.
I turn my attention to her and when she meets my gaze, under her bangs, she gives me a lazy expression before she yawns softly.
"My…name is Nerux, I'm Number X; and, I'm tired…!" She spoke while yawning dramatically.
I glance around the room, at these strange people, and I wonder why they remind me of someone else…or something else.
"You didn't answer my earlier question, though, Alexander…" I finally spoke.
"Oh, so you're still worried about why you're alive, even after hearing about us?" Alexander inquired curiously with a raised eyebrow.
"What are you talking about, now?" I asked impatiently as I crossed my arms.
I'm growing impatient from all this talking…
I mean really, do they even need to tell me about them?
After all, I'm a complete stranger to them…right?
"We are Organization Clear Hearts. We killed countless people for their hearts. Do you want to know why, Axel?" Alexander questioned me with a sly grin.
"Not really…I'm not interested in the details." I replied indifferently as I uncrossed my arms.
Alexander smirks before he replies enthusiastically, "That's what I like about you Axel: you ask questions, yet you get easily bored with wanting to know the answers to those questions.
"Well, I'll tell you anyway… Since you died over twenty years ago, it was nearly impossible to bring you back to life." Alexander added solemnly and with a slight frown.
"Nearly impossible…? What do you mean?" I questioned curiously.
"Please, let me finish…" Alexander smiled warmly, but I could see an evil glare behind his eyes.
"After the fall of Kingdom Hearts, everyone who had lost their hearts had their hearts returned to them. I too had lost my heart to a Nobody…and, after it returned, something strange happened to me." Alexander paused as he placed a gloved hand over his chest, where his heart is.
"My heart was not yet complete, as if I were still missing a piece of it. So, I went on a journey in search of that missing piece." He added grimly as he removed his hand from his chest.
"I found myself at Castle Oblivion, or actually, what was left of it. I watched in awe as the moon above me, which was in the shape of a heart, break apart; and, the smaller hearts flew away in every direction."
Alexander words left me in awe, just as he had been himself…
I had always wanted to know what had happened, after I vanished from this world, so I guess now I know.
"Eventually, all the hearts had returned to where they belonged; and, yet, I saw a black heart float down in front of me. This heart is no ordinary heart either, Axel…this heart has a mind of its own." Alexander paused again, but only to see my reaction so far.
I think now he's about to get to the point of this conversation.
I wonder if I even want to hear what he has to say…
Oh well…too late to turn back now!
When Alexander seems content from my serious expression, he begins again, "The black heart came to me and it asked me if I could be its host, since it lost its real body; and, I agreed without knowing what this heart really is. It belonged to the first Nobody…even before Xemnas was ever created."
Somehow, Alexander's words suddenly give me a chilling feeling, as if my whole body wants to freeze over just from his words.
Before I can even react, Alexander finishes by adding, "The heart inside me now is: The Grim Reaper's heart."
From beginning to end, his story slowly sinks into my head; and, yet, I am unable to process any of this information.
So, instead of trying to understand the situation, I only stare at Alexander in utter shock.
"What the hell are you talking about?! The Grim Reaper doesn't even exist, he's made up… Got it memorized?" I spoke heatedly.
Alexander laughs, but I can hear evil lacing into that laugh, before he replies coolly, "Of course you would say that, Axel…but, the only reason why you're alive today is because: I have the Grim Reaper's ability to bring people back from the dead."
If those words haven't shaken me up, at this point, then what Alexander says next leaves me completely speechless…
Since when can I foresee things?
Is that natural…or just a side-effect of being brought back?
"Although, the only way I could bring you back was to have a vast amount of hearts… And, let me tell you Axel, it was no easy task to collect those hearts." Alexander added wickedly.
I can suddenly feel my legs moving, as I slowly start to back up, and I don't stop until the door handle digs into my lower back.
This guy…is insane!
Along with everyone here!
"You're crazy; and, I'm getting out of here!" I replied hastily.
I find myself turning towards the door, grabbing the handle, and throwing open the door.
I barely hear the door slamming against the wall as I dash out of the room and down the small hallway, which I had just been in a few minutes ago.
I finally return to the larger hallway only to start running again, but this time with no destination in mind.
I don't care where I'm heading at all…
I just had to get out of that room; and, to get out of here!
XXX
But, why am I running…?
What's so weird about this…?
Is it because Alexander said that I was reborn from other people's hearts?
I-I…d-don't know!
I can't think straight now!
And, how is this situation any different from Organization XIII?
I immediately stop running as I thought about Organization XIII.
"Organization XIII… That's right, I was Number VIII…and, Roxas was… Roxas!" I whispered absently.
A random tear falls from my face, so I rub my eyes with the sleeve of my white overcoat and I laugh ruefully.
"Since when can I cry or better yet, why would I cry over that idiot…Roxas?" I whispered jokingly.
I turn in my tracks when I suddenly realize that I'm standing at the end of the huge hallway; and, in my realization, I spot a door labeled: "Awakening Chamber".
Didn't Ximara say something about Awakening, earlier?
Although, that seems like so long ago…
What the hell, I'm not getting any younger!
I shove the white door open, rush inside before anyone can stop me, and I slam it shut behind me.
I pivot where I'm standing, to glance around the room, and I see the same tanks from when I first woke up.
As I'm passing by each tank, I find myself reading the numbers off silently in my head; and, I'm slowly remembering who those numbers had belonged to.
It isn't until I reach Number XIII, that I stop dead in my tracks to stare up at the huge tank.
I take a deep breath, my nerves finally catching up to me, as I grab the edge of the white cover-which hangs lazily over the tank like a tablecloth-and I pull at it.
It takes me a good few minutes, I practically have pulled at the cover from every angle, until it finally falls to the ground.
I gasp as soon as the cover lands softly and silently on the ground.
The tank is empty, except for water that's filled to the brim.
"Where's Roxas…?! What have they done with him?!" I yelled furiously at the empty room.
A growing emptiness suddenly engulfs my chest as fire completely surrounds me.
Two crimson Chakrams appear at either side of me and when I grab them, they set themselves on fire.
The fire-which was around me-suddenly disappears, once I grabbed the Chakrams.
"I'll kill them! All of them… Roxas, I'm going to find you; and, we'll get out of here together!" I shouted at the space around me.
"Axel, is something wrong?"
I turn my head to see Ximara standing in the center of the room, which isn't that far away from where I am now.
I smirk devilishly, before I whisper, "So, you're first then?"
Suddenly, I charge towards her, my Chakrams ablaze, and she gasps.
XXX
X…To Be Continued…X