Pairing:None for now. This is not shota! Roxas starts out as an 11 year old, so no pairings until he grows up.
Summary:Roxas, an eleven year old boy, loses everything when his village is attacked by the naga. However, when he is captured by a naga named Axel, Roxas is offered a chance at life in exchanged for an uncertain future.
Warnings:AU, very AU. All of Organization XIII plus a couple FF7 characters are naga. It's debatable whether or not its ooc, I tried to stay true to who the characters are, but part of who you are depends on the situation you're in (who you are with friends, versus at school, or with your family) and it depends on your life and experiences, who raised you and what shaped you. Because those life experiences are different in AU, the characters might be different. Oh, and as all Nobody characters that appear later are naga, not Nobodies, so they have hearts and emotions, so that might affect characterization as well. So, if you don't like AU, or any of the things mentioned, feel free not to read. Once again, this is NOT shota.
Note: This is a prequel/sister fic to Moon Light Naga, I suggest reading that fic as well.
He awoke to the sound of an explosion which shook the house around him. Wide eyed, he sat bolt upright. An alarm bell was beginning to sound as he scrambled out of bed. At eleven years old, he was old enough to know he shouldn't panic, but young enough to be terrified. He knew what the bells meant; their village was under attack. The boy headed for the door, but it opened before he reached it.
"Roxas." It was his mother, holding a lantern. "Come on, we have to get out of here." She motioned him forward urgently.
He moved toward her. "Mom, what's happening, where's Dad?"
"No time, follow me." She turned and headed down the stairs, moving silently but swiftly.
There was another explosion, and once more the house shook violently. Roxas stumbled, falling forward down the stairs, but he managed to catch himself on the rail.
"Keep moving." said his mother. She headed through the kitchen and out the back door. Roxas followed; there was no time even to put on shoes.
The back door led to the field behind their house. Across the field was their barn where they kept the chocobo. His parents were chocobo ranchers by trade; the only ones in the village. The barn was a little ways back from the house, separated from the woods by a fence. As Roxas made his way across the field, the cold dew stung his feet. Outside, the rage of the battle roared in his ears, the whistles of explosives, the clashing of swords, the roar of fire, and the sound of screams.
Roxas looked back, and saw the village aglow in angry red flames. Whoever was attacking seemed bent on leaving only ashes.
"Baby, come on." His mother urged, opening the barn door. Inside the chocobo were warking and rustling about nervously.
He went inside, but his mother didn't follow. Roxas looked back at her. "Mom?"
"Roxas." She knelt down so that they were face to face, and ran a hand through his blond hair. He saw tears in her eyes. "Naga's are attacking the village. If they find you they'll kill you. I need you to be stay hidden, go in the barn, keep quiet and out of sight. When you get a chance, when things are quiet, take one of the chocobos and go. Ride as fast as you can and don't stop. Head for Aerith's village; you know the way."
"But what about you?" he asked, "Don't leave me! And where's dad?"
"You're father's fighting, he's a brave man, and I need you to be brave Roxas, promise me you'll be brave. There are other children in the village; I'm going to try and get them out. But you have to stay here, and as soon as you get the chance, you leave."
"Not without you, mom, please!" He was desperate now, and crying.
"You have to promise me Roxas!"
"I…I promise."
His mother kissed his cheek. "I love you." Then she turned, and vanished into the night.
Hours passed, but Roxas stayed; huddled hidden in one of the empty stalls towards the back of the barn. Outside, the sounds of battle continued, louder now as buildings collapsed under the flames. The air was thick with the smell of smoke. Roxas thanked his lucky stars the barn was far enough away from the village that it wasn't in danger of catching fire, unless one of them set it on ablaze intentionally.
Them…naga. He'd never seen one, but he knew what they were. They were monsters, half man half snake from the waist down. They lived in the woods, and ate people. From the time he was old enough to wander off he'd been warned that 'if you stray too far a naga might catch you, carry you off, and eat you alive.'
Why would they come here though? Why would they attack the village? This was like a nightmare.
It would be over soon though, it had to be. His dad was fighting, his brother Cloud too, and everyone else in the village. They'd drive them off, beat them back, and things would be fine, had to be.
Roxas knew his mother had told him to leave, but he was too afraid. She'd said to wait until things were quiet, or he got a chance, but it wasn't quiet enough yet, right? More than fear for himself, he didn't want to leave without his mother. So he stayed huddled and hidden, too afraid to move, and wishing for his mom.
Then, things began to quiet down. Just as he was about to make his way out of his hiding place he heard the barn door open.
Mom! He stepped out expecting to see her familiar form, but it wasn't his mother. His eyes widened as he saw a huge naga slither into the barn. He crouched down and hastily crawled out of sight. Heart pounding, he raced into one of the stalls to hide. The chocobo in the stall paid him no mind, but continued to focus on the naga. Roxas crawled into the corner, in shadow, and curled into a ball to make himself as small as possible.
He saw the naga directly across from the stall where he hid. It was more than twice his height, and reminded him of a dragon. The back of its hair reminded him fire and spikes, and its tail was a matching red, broken with a pattern of yellow and black.
The naga took some rope from where it hung in the tack room, and then headed towards the chocobos in the stalls across from where the human was hidden. He worked fast, his long rangy form darting around the clawed feet. The bird's reaction to the naga ranged from skittish to panicked, but the naga warked softly to calm them. His calls, miraculously, seemed to work. He then spoke to them, assuring the beasts they were safe.
He looked around then, probably trying to pick out the biggest, the flock leader. Roxas knew chocobos, and knew that if you gained the trust of the flock leader, they'd all follow you, which was probably what the naga wanted.
He also knew that the flock leader, Legend, was the Gold chocobo in the stall he was currently hiding in. The naga was heading right for him.
"Easy, big guy, easy." the naga said, focusing on the large Gold. "Not gonna hurt you, good bird." The naga patted the calmed chocobo's side, before tying on a halter, and leading it out into the barn.
Roxas watched, not even daring to breathe, with the chocobo out of the stall, there was nothing to keep the naga from seeing him. Sure enough when it looked back, it spotted him at once. "A chick?" It squinted at him, and then realized what it was looking at. "A human!"
Panicked, Roxas stood and darted out of the stall.
The naga jumped back in surprise, hissing. "You should have run! Wait a minute—"
The boy paid him no mind but dove for a pitchfork which was lying near the other tools. Taking the makeshift weapon, he held it in front of himself defensively. There was no way he becoming that thing's meal without a fight.
The redhead rolled his eyes. "Honestly, now?" He smirked, before raising a pair of chakrams and darting forward with a speed that even his own kind had a hard time matching, and poor Roxas stood no chance against. In one fluid motion, almost too fast to see, the naga cut the pitchfork into the four pieces, which fell uselessly to the ground. The naga then wrapped his coils around the youth, and pinned the boy against the wall. The green eyed naga looked down on what's he'd caught, licking his lips.
Roxas's blue eyes went wider as he was easily over powered, and pinned. In the dark, lit only by the light of the fire, he didn't notice how close the naga was to his own age, only a teenager. He just knew he was bigger, stronger, and probably going to kill him. Roxas struggled, teeth gritted in determination, but it was becoming clear there was no escape. Wide eyes began to fill with tears. "Let me go!"
The naga just smirked as it considered him."Wait...you mean you're not food?" he asked, his tone sarcastic.
"Yeah, not food, definitely not food!" he said hastily. "Don't eat me, please, don't... I don't wanna die."
The naga seemed to almost soften when he saw the boy's tears. "Oh, don't do that." The naga leaned in licking him and making a face. "Now you taste way too salty."
Roxas cringed at being licked. "Then don't eat me?" he suggested meekly.
He smiled softly. "You're just a kid aren't you? How old are you?"
"Eleven." Roxas answered.
"A bit too young to eat I think." said the naga. "Besides, I bet you'd make a nice pet. Adorable little thing like you." He pinched Roxas's cheek.
"Stop it, I'm not a baby," he said, "and, I'm not a pet either."
"Look." The naga's voice had gone soft now, his natural instinct to soothe and calm the skittish was coming out, and he spoke to Roxas like he had the chocobo. "I'm just rounding up the livestock, which includes you. I don't want to kill you; I couldn't kill something that reminds me of the one who hatched me. So little Yellow, you have to come willingly, as a pet, as livestock. It's the only way I can let you live. Besides, I could use another pair of hands in the stables; I'm betting these birds are yours, so you come trained."
Roxas shook his head. "Please, just let me go! You have to let me go! I have to find my parents I—"
"Axel?" Another naga slithered into the barn, though this one looked nothing like Axel. His face was scared with an x shaped mark. His hair was a deep blue, spiked on top, but long in the back and on the sides. The tip of his jet black tail swished as he spoke. "Axel did you get the..." The naga spotted Roxas and paused, before smiling maliciously. "Oh, you found a snack, I see. It looks good."
Roxas instinctively pressed himself closer to Axel as the blue haired one eyed him.
Axel's head shot up, a smirk in place. "Nah, Saix , this one's too little, wouldn't be enough to fill me up at all. 'Sides, he knows chocobos, could be useful. I want to keep him, for now." Axel said, smirking. "And when he's a little bigger," Axel shrugged, "I guess I'll eat him."
The human paled slightly at the naga's words. So he was food after all, just not right away.
Saix paused, looking slightly annoyed. "Xemnas won't like this. Though I guess he is a little small." He slithered closer, looking at Roxas, "He could stand to be fattened up."
"Bingo, he'll make a much better meal later." Axel agreed, his smirk never wavering, "And for now I'll need another pair of hands for all these chocobos."
Saix nodded. "The human knows birds, huh? Still, you might need another naga to help. I'll send Demyx. Idiot didn't do anything useful during the fight so he might as well be useful now. Besides, I want him out of the way, and I think even he can manage some birds." Saix turned and slithered away, before pausing a moment to look back. "Oh, and Axel, you still have to ask permission to keep that thing." He motioned to Roxas. "Don't get too attached, you might have to kill it, or let them do it, if you can't manage." With that he was gone, leaving them alone for the moment.
Roxas relaxed slightly when the other was gone, not completely, because the redhead was still frightening in his own right. Sure Axel was the only thing standing between him and instant death but he was a naga and he still intended to eat Roxas, eventually.
Axel sighed in relief, smirking down at the little blond one. "Just keep quiet and make them think you're stupid." He said, tilting his head. "Are you stupid? You don't look it...and they always underestimate chocobos...."
He shook his head. "No, I'm not stupid and I AM NOT a chocobo!" Roxas was frightened, but he wasn't going to let anyone call him a chocobo.
Axel fixed his gaze on him for a moment, and Roxas bit his lip. Maybe now wasn't the time to refuse teasing.
All his life he'd been warned about naga. If a naga gets you it will gobble you up as soon as look you. Well, that wasn't true, but he still didn't like being in the clutches of one. Despite Axel's friendliness, the naga was still frightening. The red scaled creature was much bigger than him, after all, and much stronger. And that wasn't the worst of it, maybe it was just the light, but his green eyes seemed to glow. The markings which framed them, combined with the naga's obvious fangs, made him seem very inhuman, and predatory. Roxas wasn't sure why it was leaving him alive at all, and knew he shouldn't do anything to provoke an attack.
However, after a moment Axel burst into laughter. "Human's got spunk. I like." He said approvingly as he sniffed him over again.
Roxas relaxed, and actually smiled, just a little, at Axel's words. It made him glad, and not just because that meant he wasn't going to be slapped, or worse, for his cheekiness. Roxas liked how Axel said it, and thought the naga really seemed, kind of…well cool. If he wasn't a naga, and this was a different situation, Roxas might have liked him.
However, as it was, he was a little too frightened by everything to warm up to anyone. Then the naga sniffed him, and once more he stiffened. Please don't let him think I smell good enough to eat, please, he thought silently like a prayer. Roxas tried to keep himself from panicking, maybe naga's were like puppies, and it was friendly to sniff him.
Axel just smirked. "Well, then, let's go convince my elders not to eat you. And you are gonna help me with the birds."
Roxas nodded, he could help. Maybe if he was useful Axel would keep him around for labor and not just have him for a snack later. His stomach clenched slightly at the thought of that, and at a worse one: what if Axel couldn't convince the elders? Would they eat him, or would Axel? Would it be quick if one of them did kill him? He tried to stop himself from going there before he made himself sick. Find something else to focus on, Roxas told himself, and so he found himself taking a closer look at Axel.
He now took in details other than the fact he was a naga, and fanged, like how young he actually was. Despite his size, Roxas saw now that the naga was just a teenager, maybe a few years older than Cloud, Roxas's older brother.
"Good then, this is fun, eh?" he uncoiled from Roxas. "Now get those guys rounded up."
"Sure…uh…I mean… yes sir, I can help." He said, glad that the snake had uncoiled.
"Oh, and you do know that if you try to run I will bite you and you will die, right? My poison is lethal l-e-t-h-e-l lethal, got it memorized?" He asked as he started checking halter knots.
"Yeah," he said hastily, "I got it."
"Nothing personal," said Axel, "but I've got orders, and letting a human escape just isn't part of the deal. But I promise, if I can let you live, I will."
Roxas nodded. "Thanks."
"Hey, Axel, Saix said you might need help with the birds?" Came a voice as yet another black tailed naga slithered in, this one sporting a dishwasher blond mullet turned Mohawk and a goofy smile. The smile turned predatory when he spotted Roxas. "Whatcha got there?" He circled the boy, eyes narrowed. The blonde naga then began to take in Roxas's scent, mouth watering. "Yummy."
Roxas froze in terror. That sniffing was definitely not friendly, and he couldn't help but whimper slightly. It wanted to eat him, and he was completely defenseless and practically tiny compared to the full grown naga. He looked at the red head, eyes wide, silently pleading, don't let him hurt me. Roxas was a child left alone and surrounded by monsters, but the red haired one was the closest thing to a friend, so he looked to him for protection.
Axel frowned at the new comer. "He's mine, Dem. So quit sniffing him." Axel said, putting himself between the terrified boy and the drooling naga, shoving Demyx away. "And back off."
Demyx pouted, and whined. "Awe can't I have him, he'd be so tasty."
"Hmm, let me think about it." said Axel, pausing to consider, before darting away to grab a chocobo who was making a dash for the door Demyx had left wide open.
Now there was nothing between Roxas and the naga who wanted to eat him. Roxas looked to Axel desperately, tears once more spilling from his eyes.
Demyx slithered forward again, grinning as he put an arm around Roxas, pulling the boy closer. Then he leaned in to get a taste. Closing his eyes to savor the human's flavor he licked Roxas's cheek. "Mmm, very yummy, can I have? Please?" He grinned at Axel.
Axel shut the barn door and led the chocobo back. "Hmm, well thought about it, and no." said Axel flatly. "Now quit traumatizing him."
Demyx shrugged. "Whatever, so do you still want my help with those things?" He gestured to the chocobo.
Axel shook his head. "Nah, I think the human will be more useful." He looked at Roxas and ordered. "Get the chocobos lined up."
Roxas nodded, and got to work. The birds knew him, and trusted his touch, easily moving where he guided. However, they weren't used to naga, and were already worked up from all the noise tonight and the smell of smoke. A younger one who was always slightly skittish darted when he tried to line it up. Demyx moved to block it, and the panicked bird bit him one the arm before Roxas could get a hold of it.
Demyx yelped loudly, glaring at Axel. "Dude, your fucking birdbrain bit me!"
Roxas bit his tongue to keep from laughing as Demyx yowled.
Axel just rolled his eyes. "You're a snake, dumbass. They don't like snakes." he went over to the bird, patting its crest and cooing "Don't worry, buddy, I won't let the big scary naga eat you."
Though he'd managed to suppress his laughter, Roxas couldn't help but smile as he watched Axel comfort the chocobo. This really wasn't what he expected from naga.
However, his smile instantly vanished as another naga arrived, and glared down at him. The naga's skin was a dark tan color, and his hair was a silvery gray. Like Demyx, his scales were also inky black. The naga held himself with an air of authority. As he entered the naga's instantly grew silent and Demyx stood straighter. His gaze made Roxas's heart feel like ice and his breath catch in his throat.
The newcomer shifted his gaze from the human to Axel. "You were sent to gather spoils, not take prisoners. We are not interested in taking prisoners or leaving survivors. If you want him as a prize, then you're welcome to eat him. However, I think you are old enough to understand you cannot take in this...thing...like some stray. It's young, but it's still a human, and my orders are no survivors."
Roxas looked from the silver haired one to the redhead, hoping his captor would try to convince the older one, and not simply listen.
Though Roxas was frightened, Axel seemed un-phased. He simply smirked, resting an arm carelessly on Roxas' head. "Yeah, yeah, Xemnas."
The naga cleared his throat.
"Alpha," Axle corrected, "I know my orders, and I do have spoils."
Roxas stayed frozen, though, strangely, having Axel rest his hand on his head was comforting. Cloud used to do that. Oh...Cloud...he was gone wasn't he? And mom and dad were gone too. Tears began to form behind his eyes, but he fought them, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Fortunately, neither of them paid him any mind.
"They had a ton of birds, see." Axel continued. "But it'll be hard to get 'em all back. They don't take to most naga if they aren't used to them. Dem has the bite marks to prove it. This guy," he poked Roxas," was one of the chocobo handlers. His skills are what I want, at least until we get back. Then I guess I'll either eat him or keep him as a pet. I mean come on! He's so cute and all alone, can't I keep him? If not, at least don't make me eat him now, I don't want to make the whole trek back with a full stomach, and I'll bet he'll be tastier once I get home, I'll be hungrier then."
Roxas couldn't help gulping nervously when Axel mentioned eating him once they got back wherever it was they came from. Hopefully he was just saying that for Xemnas's benefit.
Xemnas for his part was silent for a moment, considering, and looking over the birds. "He will prove useful in moving these along, if you need help managing them, and I honestly don't care what you do with him before you eat him. However, this pet business…." he fell silent. "This battle was waged to address a loss we all suffered, you perhaps more than most, Axel. However, it was Sephiroth who vowed revenge. Offer him the boy. If he wants to kill it, that's his right, otherwise, it's yours. Demyx, will you get the General please, he must see to this matter."
"On it!" Demyx said, taking out a piece of parchment and a charcoal, from his belt. "Find Sephiroth, inform him of the situation and bring him back here." He said aloud as he wrote, before slipping the paper back inside a pouch, and leaving.
Xemnas shook his head and sighed, before continuing. "Well, if you are allowed to keep the thing, slave labor could prove useful as well, but do not forget what it is: a human, prey, and possibly kin to the one who murdered Zack. Make your case for its life to Sephiroth if you will, though. Now I have other matters to see to." With that he turned, leaving them.
"Hey," said Axel, looking at Roxas. "I think I should tie you up, just for looks. I know you're not going to run, but Seph might not like that I'm letting you run loose, you know." He took out some of the rope. "Here, hold your hands out in front of you."
Roxas obeyed, and the naga bound his hands together at the wrists, and then tied a rope around that as a make shift leash. "When we leave, I'll have to keep you on a lead. And don't worry, you will be leaving with me. I'll convince him not to eat you…somehow." He bunched up the rope and placed it in the human's palm. "The rope's not too tight, right?"
The blonde shook his head, "No, it's fine." His tone was quiet and distant as a question burned in his mind. Roxas looked up at Axel. "Are…are you…really going to eat me?"
Axel looked at the boy, opening his mouth to answer when he was cut off by the sound of his name.
"Axel,"
The both turned to see a new comer slither into the barn. He was tall, and strong, his hands currently occupied with wiping blood from a very long blade. The naga sheathed the blade, and then pushed long strands of moonlight colored hair away from his catlike green eyes.
"Sephiroth," greeted Axel. "Thanks for coming. So did Dem fill you in?"
"Yes," he said, looking at the small human, his lip curled. "And tell me, why should I let you keep it?" His voice was soft and deadly, but somehow, sounded heartbroken inside.
Axel looked at him, his acidic eyes knowing now, no longer teasing. "Because...when I was all alone in that nest, with no family save a bird...Zack saved me. I may be a naga, but I wasn't kin to either of you. I'm not even the same species, probably. There are some who would have eaten me just as quickly as you'd eat this human. Zack didn't though, he took care of me, and I don't think that this is what he would have wanted." Axel looked daringly into eyes that mirrored his own. "He never wanted blood, and if I can repay his spirit by sparing a life, any life at all...I think he'd be proud." he turned away. "However….if you need your pound of flesh…here." He pushed Roxas forward.
He trembled as Axel pushed him forward. The boy looked at the ground for a moment, then up at Sephiroth, shoulders inward, cringing.
"If you want him, take him." said Axel. "But remember that Zack would have never wanted any of this." He waved a hand to the charred and skeletal remains of the village which lay beyond the wide open barn doors. "All this fear and hate...Zack loathed it."
Axel turned and smiled a little sadly as the Black chocobo that pulled the munitions cart was led up to the barn by a auburn haired female naga.
Cissnei, his mentor, smiled in greeting at her apprentice, and handed him the reigns. "Nice job today, Axel, you did good," she said, before moving off. Axel smiled at the praise, and patted the chocobo who warked and began mouthing his hair.
Sephiroth looked at Axel, and sighed closing his eyes. "Do what you want with him."
Roxas immediately scrambled to return to Axel's side, and get away from Sephiroth. He hadn't understood all of what was said, but he knew Sephiroth had a reason to want him dead. Roxas didn't know who this Zack was, but apparently he'd been killed by someone in this village, and Sephiroth wanted to make the whole village pay.
Roxas resented that Axel had practically offered him to Sephiroth, but Roxas had to admit, Axel was pretty bold, speaking so frankly to the other, almost berating him for the whole attack.
Sephiroth looked at Axel. "Little brother," he sighed again, shaking his head, "You're right you know," He slithered closer, suddenly looking dangerous, "Which is the only reason you're not dead."
Axel smiled sadly. "Just...whenever you need to talk, Seph. I know Zack never stopped."
Roxas felt like he shouldn't have been there, like this conversation wasn't for him to hear. He actually felt sorry for Sephiroth, for them both, even though it was Sephiroth who had led this attack. Roxas didn't know what to think, and in the end was too exhausted to really consider anything.
Sephiroth slithered off, and Axel took the rope he'd tied to the bonds around Roxas's wrists, and led the boy away, grabbing the lead birds halter.
"Stay put, I'm getting them tied together." Axel said before getting to work herding the chocobo into a line, using rope he'd taken from the barn to tie them together in a caravan.
He then returned to Roxas. "Here." he lifted the boy, setting him on the lead bird, and placing the reigns in his hands, though he kept Roxas bound. "Lead the birds, just follow Dem." he motioned to the rest of the naga's who had returned; ready to begin the march home. Some had brought goods, more spoils looted from the village, which they loaded alongside what was left of the munitions.
Once everything had been loaded, and they were all gathered, someone called. "Move out!" and they began to move off.
The boy looked back at the line of chocobo. There was no way he could try to get away on this one if they were all tied together. Besides, Axel had made it clear that if he tried anything he'd be killed. Even if Axel actually wouldn't, none of the others would hesitate to end him if he tried anything.
Better to count himself lucky to be alive and give his new...master, no reason to harm him. Was master the right word? He supposed he belonged to Axel now, that he was a slave. Livestock just like the chocobo, a beast of burden, but better that than livestock to be eaten. Still, he didn't expect to be treated well; he was just an animal to them.
Better to make sure he was a useful one. Roxas clicked his tongue, and squeezed his legs together to get the bird moving, following the group of naga.
It was dawn when they reached the outskirts of a village. He could see the village itself in the distance, and was actually surprised by how much it looked like his old home. So they didn't just live in the woods like animals, they were just like…like people.
The sun was not yet risen, but the world was tinged with golden twilight, and it was in this light Roxas caught sight of stables, the first building they reached. They came to a halt, and naga came to unload the wagon, carrying off the spoils to be sorted. Then the rest of the naga continued on towards the village, but Axel slithered up beside Roxas, and took the reins from him to lead the line of birds toward the barn.
Roxas blinked at him sleepily. He had nearly fallen asleep where he sat on the bird, but fear of falling off kept him awake.
"You'll get to rest soon." Promised Axel as he led the line in, closing the door. "Here we are." he said, looking up at the chocobos. He then turned to Roxas, and untied his hands before lifting him off the bird to set him down. "We're in the loft," he pointed, "but let's get these guys bedded down."
Roxas stretched, glad to be untied, and yawned as he did so. "Okay."
He helped Axel put the chocobo in the stalls. There wasn't quite enough room; they had to put two or three to a stall in some cases. He supposed they weren't prepared for more livestock, but would probably add on. Once that was done, he went the naga's side, and looked up at him.
He owed the naga his life, but wasn't sure how to put into words what he wanted to say. Then he wondered if he should speak at all, or just keep quiet until spoken to. "Hey, um, thanks...for saving me." He fidgeted, looking down, and then asked. "Oh, and, my name's Roxas, what's your name? Or… do I have to call you master or somethin'?"
"My name's Axel. Got it memorized?" he asked smiling. "Master leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You aren't a slave. I mean, I'm not going to beat or anything. I just had to give them some reason for keeping you. Can't look like a total softy, right? Besides…I… really...you remind me of someone." he said, pushing his hair out of his face. "My...my dad, if you want to know the truth."
"You're dad?"
"Zack," Axel explained. "Well, we weren't related, but Zack really did raise me..." he smiled, picking Roxas up and slithering up the pole that led to the hayloft.
He set Roxas down, and the boy saw that the place was Axel's bedroom. It wasn't much, only a small bed in the corner and a set of belongings, but seemed cozy.
Roxas nodded and was silent for a moment, but he had to say something. "He…he sounds like he was great person…I'm sorry." He was silent for a moment, and then asked the question which had been weighing heavily on his mind all night. "My parents, they're dead too aren't they? Everyone in the village?" He was suddenly overcome with grief, and began to weep uncontrollably.
Axel wrapped his coils around him in naga hug. "It's okay, little one." he said softly, simply holding him.
"I…I want my mom."
"You're mother can't be with you any longer," Axel said solemnly, "but I'm going to look after you. I can't replace what you've lost, but I'll be your friend."
Roxas looked at him, surprised, before hugging him tightly. "Thanks, I was honestly worried you'd end up eating me at some point. You're really nice, though. I didn't know naga were."
Axel shrugged, moving to bed down for the night. "We're plenty nice, just usually not to food."
Roxas cringed at being referred to as food.
"Sorry," said Axel at once, "I didn't mean it like that. You aren't going to be food, these are special circumstances. You can trust me. As to being nice to you, maybe I'm just strange. I'm...not exactly one of the villagers myself, you know." He looked down at his tail, chuckling. Its color and pattern was radically different than the solid black or silver scales the other naga had and visibly marked him as an outsider. "A chocobo found me before I hatched; I guess when my own home was lost. It brought me to the forest near here."
"A chocobo?" he asked, "really?"
"Yeah," said Axel, "they aren't the brightest birds sometimes, hatching a naga and treating it like a chick. Then, Zack found me and he took me in, brought me up. More than anything I want to be like him, do what he would have done."
Roxas nodded in understanding. "Well I'm glad Zack found you, and I'm glad you found me. I owe you big time." Maybe it was just because he was practically asleep on his feet, but despite everything, he felt, all right, kind of warm inside.
Axel smiled, drawing him down, and wrapped his coils around him. "You're warm." he said softly, smiling. "Here...sleep. We have a free day tomorrow."
Snuggling into him like a teddy bear, eyes closing, Roxas began to drift to sleep. He was in the arms of one of the creatures who'd destroyed his village, but this naga was also his friend, the only one he had. Everyone else was gone, and so was home, but he couldn't help but feel like maybe he'd found a new home now, here with Axel. As he slipped into unconsciousness, feeling completely safe in the coils of the predator, Roxas couldn't help but think that everything would be all right, somehow.