Alright, here we go again. I needed to change a few things. This is now reverted back to a one-shot.
The ending I had planned when this was a multi-chaptered will be incorporated into a different fanfic in the future.
I'm not Square Enix- obviously.
Castle Oblivion.
How she hated that name.
Oblivion.
Nothingness.
True, she was nothing. A nobody. But that didn't mean the castle was nothing. The castle was real- as real as her. But while she was never meant to exist, the castle was. So then why did it have to be nothing, like her? It is probably odd to feel pity for a building, but while I can't exist forever, this place can. But when it is empty eventually, it will not exist. Oh, I know it will remain standing, but it will have no purpose. No-one will live here. It will not even be remembered.
I vaguely recall a saying: "If a tree falls in the forest, and no-one is around to here it, did it really fall? I could ask this question as well. If this castle exists, and no-one remembers it, does it really exist? I've heard that the soul of a building comes from it's memories. And I know that the most beautiful memories last the longest. My first memories is of a shooting star, after all. But what beautiful memories will be left here? Only bloody battles and deceit. Ugly and evil. There must be something I can do…
The slender young woman sat quietly in the pure white room, pondering the problem. Suddenly, a smile graced her lips. She rose, moved to the center of the room and stood there, her eyes closed, her mind desperately searching for memories of a waltz that had taken place in her Somebody's life.
She grinned as she remembered the trail of violin notes that had played so long ago. The beat set firmly in her head, she slowly began to move, her eyes still closed. The slight breeze her companion, she stepped, swung and twirled, the strings in her head playing perfectly on time.
As the notes swung into a crescendo, she twirled out of her invisible partner's arms, her fingers pirouetting in the air. She paused for a second, poised to twirl back in, when she heard it.
A slow, deliberate clap.
Her crystal-blue eyes flew open, her body frozen in shock. The violins paused. Her lips parted slightly when she realized that the sudden fuchsia flurry surrounding her was a storm of rose petals.
Suddenly, she felt cool fingers alight on her shoulder and trail down her relaxed, non upright limb. She looked down at her arm, vaguely wondering how such cool fingers could leave her skin so hot. The storm was so thick, however, that she could not even glimpse her limb. Then the mysterious fingers reached her hand, stroking her finger tips, before forcing her fingers apart, splaying them wide, as the hand grasped hers firmly.
At that moment, the petals parted, and she immediately realized it was a man's hand. The fingers trapping her hand were too large to be a woman's. Besides, Larxene wouldn't do this. Which means…
She slowly raised her head, though she already knew… the petals were unmistakable. As was the hair. And his face… She gave a little gasp. She had never seen him look so regal, so unapproachable. Like a prince… no, too common. A king. Of a castle of nothingness. Wait, does he even know why I was dancing?
She was forced out of her reverie when he wrapped his right arm around her waist and tilted her back, leaning over her as her did so. "Are you alright, Namine? You seem a little… bemused. Is it so surprising that I should wish to dance with the princess of the castle?" "I wasn't exactly… that is, I…" By Kingdom Hearts, why must I sound like an idiot at a time like this? she thought.
"Ah well, I suppose answering that would only put you up higher or down lower than you should be. Instead, let's dance."
He pulled her up from her leaning position, readjusted his posture, then remembered his manners. He stepped back, dropped to one knee, and extended one hand. "May I have this dance?"
Namine hesitated, then timidly reached out her hand. "Yes."
/-/-/-/
It was a clumsy dance, to be sure- for which Marluxia apologized profusely later, saying he really ought to be somewhat shorter.
However, reflected Namine later, I felt as close to happy as I can, without a heart. Which isn't much. One has to rely on physical sensations to provide a sense of pleasure. But, as far as that can make me feel good, it did. Perhaps this was not so much a beautiful memory as a happy one.
Just as good.
Finis.
Reviews are appreciated.
And "Finis" is a legit term. So is Afric. But that has nothing to do with anything.