The Stars Apart

Chapter 2

She's in a cream-colored dress that slides against her skin as she walks. Heels are loud on marble. The smell of perfume, the taste of champagne. Piano notes.

She's in a sleeveless sky blue cloak. She's hugging the steel ladder that clings to the side of a speeding train. The wind is sharp enough to snatch away the tears in her eyes.

She's in a coffin but it has no lid and all she can see are the stars, brighter and more of them than she's ever seen before.

She's in a black leather jacket, there are feathers at her mouth. She's sitting on the edge of a rock watching the waterfall rise, and the stars are out, and she's not alone.

She's in a cream-colored dress that matches the marble floors. She points one finger to the sky and begins to walk. The waltz is familiar.

Roxina's eyes open suddenly, and she inhales, gripping the seat handles.

"Morning, Princess. Geez. You'd think the first time on a Gummi Ship would be a big deal, but no, you fell right asleep. Like a baby." Axel is at the controls, shifting gears and pushing buttons as he teases her.

Roxina cradles her head. "Forgot where I was for a moment."

Axel, shifting a gear into place that causes the words AUTOPILOT to flash onscreen. His arms go behind his head. He leans back, eyebrows raised. "What did you dream about?" His green eyes are sharp, curious.

Roxina purses her lips, trying to package her words correctly. "I was…I was in a lot of places…there were so many stars," she finishes lamely. "And…I was dancing."

Axel says nothing, only hmmm. Roxina knows him well enough to know that this is his noise for when he has thoughts he won't share.

Roxina strokes the feathers on her pinwheel, which leans against her chair. "I think it might have been a memory," she adds, hoping the comment will cause her companion to speak. "Do you think I might be remembering the life I had before?" She bites her lip, then dares: "Do you remember your past life, Axel?"

The redhead adjusts his leather gloves, stands, taps a few keystrokes on a panel above their heads. "Yes."

"Oh." Roxina clasps her hands between her knees shyly, studying her black-booted feet. She watches his profile, traces the black tear tattoo with her eyes. She waits for him to say more.

Silence.

Axel settles back down and presses a button on the side of his chair. It reclines. He throws a toothpick arm across his eyes. "We'll be there in a few. My turn for a power nap."

Roxina leans forward, pokes his arm. "That's it?"

"That's it," Axel mutters.

Roxina sticks out her tongue at him, pleased that he can't see it. "Well then…a few what? Minutes? Hours? Days?"

"Minutes. Now shut up."

"Do you actually have fun being so callous?" she lilts.

No answer. Just one (very fake, very loud) snore.

"Fine."

Roxina settles back in her chair, drums her fingers against the armrest. Outside the window, a world passes by, one that is a beautiful ocean blue. Quickly followed by one vibrant green, wild, tangled world. What color would this Hollow Bastion be? She glances at Axel. Then, satisfied that he is (truly) snoring, she reaches into a pocket of her cloak.

Not out loud this time—to respect her friend—but still, she can't help a small whisper…

"I want no world, for beautiful you are my world, my true."

The stars dart by as they move, casting lines of light across the interior of the Gummi Ship. Roxina's eyes draw away from the page to watch the sky.

The piano tune (at least, she thought it was a piano—Demyx had taught her a keyboard duet, once, and said pianos were similar) had been so familiar. Maybe She was a piano player, Before? Or maybe She would know the words to the waltz (and what was a waltz, anyways?).

Memory belonged to the soul and the body, even if the heart was gone.

"And it's you are whatever a moon has always meant, and whatever a sun will always sing is you."

What did poetry belong to?

A screeching groan, and a sharp jerk. Roxina's seatbelt digs into her collarbone as she gasps for air. "A-a-axel!" She gropes for her friend as the lights in the Gummi Ship flicker. Her poem slips through her fingers as the room began to spin.

"Hold on, Princess!" Axel struggles against his seatbelt, grips the steering wheel in both hands. Flashes of red, flashes of stars, the room spins. "This world's gravity—brace yourself!"

Spots in her vision. The world screams and is black.

The world that rises to meet Axel is approaching too soon. He grits his teeth against the controls, trying to block out Roxina's screams. When they stop, he knows without glancing over that she has gone unconscious—so that means he definitely can't bow out at this time.

For a brief instant, Axel can see the Rising Falls, then everything is evergreen trees against groaning Gummi metal. The ship lands (eh, crashes) on a ledge between the Rising Falls and the Waterways that snake out like a ribbon across the landscape below. The window is flooded with engine smoke.

"Well. Aren't we off to a rousing start."

Axel gathers his chakrams, storing them away in a quick pop of light. He kicks fallen equipment back into the corners of the cockpit, only pausing once to rub at a sore shoulder. He turns over boxes and bins, trying to find what Saix intends for him to use. He needs to get it together fast—inhabitants will have noticed the crash.

He crosses past Roxina to check a storage bin above the chair behind her. Axel pauses at her sleeping face, studying the smooth eyelids, the rosy lips, and the hollow at the base of her exposed throat. He takes her head in both hands carefully, studying her scalp for any head wounds. He scans the rest of her body—seems to be in shape. His hands release her, fingers brushing light against her hair.

"Wake up, because I don't want to carry you," he sneers. "He might have been willing to carry your sleeping ass across this world once, but I'm certainly not."

There's a slip of paper on the floor of the cockpit by her foot. Axel stoops to pick it up. He scans the page and chuckles. He folds up the paper and slips it into Roxina's cloak pocket.

"For a Nobody, you've sure got a soft spot."

Axel digs through the cabinet and withdraws the Heartless radar, a gadget that is Zexion's pride and joy. He pockets that and continues to dig until he finds the intended capture weapon. A Bangle Net Rifle. Stupid name. It is somewhat like a crossbow, somewhat like a gun. Its ammo, if Saix is to be trusted, is an expandable MP reduction net that would render any magical attacks as harmless. And Axel hopes it's truly expandable, because the gun is still small enough to strap across his back, and it's supposed to capture—it's supposed to hold—

The Gummi console beeps and stutters. Saix's voice comes across the static, and the static disperses to reveal his face as well.

"Eight, do you copy? Eight, do you copy?"

Axel jams down the green button. "Loud and clear, Boss Junior."

"Your ship disappeared from the Castle scanners. Have you arrived at the destination?"

"Yes. We had a 'creative landing', one might say." Axel jerks a thumb towards Roxina, even though he knows Saix won't see her onscreen. "Roxina's out like a light. I told you she wouldn't be useful." He crosses his arms. "She doesn't remember how to fight, and it's not like her Other was very good at it, either," he adds huffily. "She might die from a Heartless before I can even get down to it. If she's powerless to help herself, how's her power going to help out any of us?"

"If I didn't know any better," Saix responds calmly, "I'd say you have feelings for our housekeeper. What, can't bear to let another friend go?"

Axel rolls his eyes. "We. Don't. Have. HEARTS!" He slams a fist on the monitor, which begins to smoke.

Saix chuckles, and Axel is annoyed that he's let the berserker ruffle his feathers. "Look," he continues, more calm, "I'll find Leonhart and take him out. Then I'll find Sora and take him out. Then I'll go find all those other princesses of heart and take them out too. Roxina is barely necessary. I'm just trying to point out areas where we as an Organization can perhaps be more efficient. That's all." He sets his jaw in a hard, straight line.

Saix pinches the bridge of his nose. "You and I both know that there's no other way. The bangle net rifle on your back is for her."

Axel's lips disappear into a narrow frown line. His eyes dart over to his companion—she's still fast asleep.

"Your job is to make Roxina reach her limit. The Heartless I've planted is powerful, so it will happen." Saix crosses her arms. "That Bangle Net is for her. We want her captured in Angel Wing form. And if you've got Roxina strung up like bait at Hollow Bastion, Squall Leonhart will fall at your feet, and the rest of Hollow Bastion with him. This is the final and only plan."

Axel sucks his teeth. "Fine," he says. "Then so what about this Heartless?"

"Kill it, catch it," Saix mutters dismissively. "Either way is fine. It's just a pawn in the game."

Sick and tired of all this chess crap, Axel wants to mutter. Instead, he just pushes the green button with no remark, and the connection with Saix is severed. He stumbles on his way back to the pilot's chair and looks down at the offending obstacle. Roxina's weapon. It shed a few feathers in the crash, but overall, the crossbow is unharmed.

It's been ten minutes too long and Roxina is still asleep.

Axel sighs, strapping her Shooting Star across his back too. The feather tickles the nape of his neck. He unbuckles her from the chair and lifts her, bridal style. Her head lands against his chest, and those chains and zippers are going to leave a nasty cheek imprint. Her hand curls around his cloak in a gross, sappy way. "Lose some weight," he tries to sneer.

He elbows hit the switch to open the Gummi Ship door. Dappled sunshine hits them through the forest trees. The smell of pine, the ice water taste of cold air. The smoke from the engine has stopped, but pieces of Gummi are strewn all over the forest floor. To be repaired…later. Above the tree line, the highest parapets of the tower touch the sky.

"Hollow Bastion," he murmurs, chin on her head. "But the real name is Radiant Garden. Got it memorized…Rinoa?"

No answer from the limp figure. They set out towards the Rising Falls, where hopefully some cold river water will awaken Sleeping Beauty.

Rising from the cavernous purple depths, Leon grunts as he swings himself over another ledge. Approaching Hollow Bastion from the opposite side as the Rising Falls is a more perilous ascent. He's been picking his footing carefully, and can only now stand at castle level. The sun is high in the sky.

Out of the Cavern, the churn and rustle of Heartless is less prominent. Hollow Bastion always carries a cold, empty wind, and Leon listens to the whistle with a touch of apprehension. What did the wind belie?

The area fills with the groaning roar of Griever—chillingly familiar. Leon's neck prickles at the sound. He widens his stance, steadying himself against the shaking ground.

Suddenly a bright light in the sky draws him. A flash of red and a thick trail of black engine smoke—a Gummi Ship careens into the forest by the Rising Falls. Leon isn't positive, but he thinks that he recognizes the white insignia on its side as an Organization XIII logo.

He withdraws the phone from his pocket and dials. The phone rings three times, then Aerith's soft voice says, "Hello, Cid's Shop?"

"Aerith, it's me."

"Leon!"

"There's a Gummi Ship crash at the Rising Forest. I don't recognize the ship. Go check it out, but don't go alone. Take Yuffie. I'll meet you as soon as I can."

"Cloud's here, you know."

Leon sighs, covering his eyes with one hand. Usually with Cloud came trouble. "Okay, well, take him too. I think it could be the Organization."

"Got it. Be careful, Leon."

The ground shakes with another roar.

"I will."

She is sitting in a field of flowers with a green-eyed girl, whose name rests at the tip of memory's tongue.

She is in a cream-colored dress, and he waltzes with her until the lights go down and the fireworks start.

She is walking through the market and suddenly darkness closes, yellow beaded eyes surround.

She releases Shooting Star and he swings a blade and she screams it—she almost has it.

Almost.

She almost has his name.

Squ—

Roxina splutters, swiping at her cold wet face. Axel is laughing.

She propels herself forward and shoves him right in the chest. "You meany!" she cries. Because her face is cold. Axel barely falls backwards and is still laughing.

Roxina blinks against the bright rays of the mid-morning sun. She swivels her head, looks around. Stone platforms and ledges are arrayed across the space. She and Axel sit at the bottom of waterfalls that are going up. She reaches out a hand towards the closest water, watching as her fingers make spaces in the flow that go up. "How unusual," she breathes.

Axel crosses his arms. "Coincidentally, they're called The Rising Falls," he lilts teasingly.

"Whatever," and Roxina is puzzled by this word she's chosen to use.

Roxina studies the forest behind them, the castle before them. "You carried me here?"

Axel shrugs. "Yeah."

Roxina studies his profile for a beat then, with little hesitation, wraps her arms around his way too skinny waist. "Thanks."

Axel pries her away immediately, as she knew he would. "Hey, now, Nobodies—"

"—don't hug. I get it." Roxina clasps her hands behind her back.

"Yeah well, get it memorized and don't do it again."

Then both are silent, because really, why would Roxina even deign to reply to that?

The silence is disrupted by a deafening groan, a roar that is both animal and machine and sends the proverbial chills down Roxina's spine (yet, she tells herself, as Axel said, Nobodies don't feel scared, right?). It booms across the Rising Falls, shakes the ground in its fury. Roxina stumbles.

"W-what was that?"

Axel is holding out some small black box, studying the green blinking image. "Probably a Heartless," he replies flatly. "We might see some on the way to find that Mushroom. Be ready."

He unbuckles a strap at his shoulder and holds out Shooting Star, a peace offering.

Roxina straps it on her wrist with self-assurance. She smiles at Axel. The two of them begin to leap from platform to platform.

"I had another memory dream," she shares, between jumps. "I think it will help me fight with Shooting Star."

Another jump. Rocks crumble beneath her boots, a satisfying crunch.

"But another Other was with me. I think" (jump) "I think I'll always need someone with me, if I have to fight."

Jumps again, and this time tweaks her ankle, looses a small yelp. Axel pauses to let her rest. They are at the top of the Falls now, on a ledge with a crumbling set of columns. She sprawls on the stone ground, and he settles on a column stump.

"If I had a heart, I'd be really grateful that you were fighting with me, Axel." She rests her hands on her knees and smiles up at him.

Green eyes narrow. His proud nose turns up to the castle.

"You're the only Nobody I know that bares all of your secrets," he mutters.

Roxina chuckles, massaging her ankle with a gloved hand. "Secrets belong to the heart, but the soul should be transparent," she retorts. "Got it memorized?" She throws in that last mimic on a whim.

Axel sighs exasperatedly, scratches his shoulder lightly with one point on the chakram. "Now where'd you get an idea like that?"

"From a book," she retorts cheekily. "Or maybe I just know it to be true."

Axel scoffs. "Yeah right. A transparent soul, sharing all of itself with others? That's one heck of a high hope. Especially when you don't have a heart."

"It just takes practice," Roxina replies softly. "To give away pieces of yourself." She fixes him with a piercing gaze, steady on her feet once more. "And to keep doing it, even if the ones you've shared with disappear."

Axel sneers, and she knows he understands her meaning. "Roxas and Xion haven't disappeared," he asserts. "They're…temporarily misplaced."

Griever's bone-chilling roar pierces the sky once more, louder and fuller than it was at the base of the Falls. Roxina's balance is shaky, and she grasps Axel's wrist to steady herself as a moving platform approaches them.

Axel pulls from her grip, brow furrowed. She follows him onto the moving platform. The harsh wind puts tears in her eyes, but Axel faces it head on, unflinching, arms crossed. The red spikes flutter, and Roxina shoves a piece of black hair away from her face. She peers over the ledge. She regrets it. She inches closer to Axel.

"Very well."

His voice is low, tender, and dark. A tone Roxina has never heard from her fellow Nobody before.

"Here's a little secret of my own. A little morsel of truth from your Uncle Axel," he adds flippantly.

Then his gaze rests squarely on her.

"Trust what you remember, seek what you forget, and you will find someone very special." Axel's nostrils flare slightly, and his eyes dart back to the castle, creamy stone against the lavender sky. The platform glides forward.

Roxina can only nod, chewing on the words that haven't been given lightly. In the distance, Griever roars once more. Roxina can see the darkness that this monster is attracting. Heartless are crawling all over the balconies of the approaching castle.

"Or at least, maybe you'll find someone who likes your lame poetry," Axel adds, and didn't that just ruin the moment.

"MEANY!"

8 Acres East