Disclaimer: Enlightened Life does NOT own Kingdom Hearts.

Busyness is such a b**** D:!!! I'm sorry for not updating recently, or responding to messages or anything... x_x *sadness*

But here is the update! :O Roxiri.. xD I would never write this if it wasn't going towards a good... person.

REVIEW REPLIES:

E Muja EN: YES! Roxas is such a little thief... :O Don't worry :P The story will hopefully become more clear.

Emmy Black Rose: xD I'm always far too lazy to reread what I write. Hoping you still alive to keep reading now. :]

Unfortunate Events: Heh, I'm not one for the pairing much either but it's... growing on me, maybe I can get you addicted. Thanks for the review! :D Oh, oh, and you do? ;O -really needs to keep track of messages-

Now... ON WITH THE CHAPTER!


Empathy and Apathy

Chapter 2

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((( KAIRI POV )))

"Kairi, I can seriously not believe that you got caught!" Karine was standing in the middle of my room, looking completely dumbfounded as to the fact that I had just been escorted back to the castle by three over sized guards. Still, it was partly her found. Karine is a terrible liar; she couldn't lie her way out reading a book, let alone me being absent from the grounds. I had to admit it though, looking at her facial expressions while she practically generated her own earthquake with how much she was shaking was very amusing. I giggled a little at her and she pouted.

"Kai, how did they find you? The town has like five districts, all pushed off each other with huge diagonal walls. You were supposed to be keeping a low profile," she tried to sound calm but the fear was cracking at her voice with it's whip. Aunt Agatha would not take too well to the news, or to being within 500 yards of her when we had to see her. I sat on my bed in frustration. Too much was happening all at once. I had almost forgotten about my Keychain again, and how that stupid boy stole it.

"Karine, I'll be going into the town again very soon." Sounding way too calm for my own good, my hand moved to my hair to act 'nervous'. I looked up at her to see an look of pure and utter fright.

"No! She'll lock you in the dungeons! You're just the HEIR, Kairi. She can do whatever she wants with you until you have to become queen!" Her voice was so weak. It made me feel sad and more than a little scared but that chain and charm were the world to me. I had to get them back, no matter what the cost.

"Karine.. I have to." I pleaded with her.

"But why? You're so much safer in the castle and you have everything you need-"

"Not everything." She shot a glance towards my creamy colored pillow in understanding and then looked at me.

"Where is it now?"

"Some boy in the first district stole it," I smiled sheepishly when remembering how he lingered about while I was searching for it, "Him and a man with strange hair. It was red and wildly spiked, kind of like a porcupine." I looked at Karine and as if on cue she stifled a laugh.

"And the younger boy? I doubt he was too unacceptable for you to remember him." She said slyly, causing my cheeks to burn brightly.

"No! No- he... uh... had blond hair... it was like a um..." I described him as the first thing that popped into my head, "A chocobo..." and I instantly regretted it. Karine was obviously imagining him as she once again almost fell to floor in giggles.

"I.... can't... breathe!" She said between large intakes of royal air before finally calming down and staring at me. "You should draw him for me!"

"... What?" Is she serious?

"Kairi, come on... you used to love drawing!"

"That was a long time ago... back when she was around." I said sadly.

"She taught you lots about drawing, I mean, you were best friends." Karine mused out loud, equaling my sadness.

"I miss her so much." I collapsed onto my bed and stared at the baby pink ceiling. "I wonder what she's doing right now... if she's safe or not. Happiness? Love? Friends? Does she remember me at all?!" Not noticing how my voice was rising I cut off quickly and stared at the door. "Sorry... maybe I should go for a walk..."

"I'll come."

I raised one thin brow at her. "You're acting... different recently. You're even talking to me a lot more."

She smiled sweetly and then suddenly became very timid. "I... want to be a little different. It feels good to rebel... sometimes." I could tell she was unsure by the awkward echo in her voice. She was the good girl who obeyed the rules, not the black sheep in a herd of white. She wanted to be different, which was something I was never able to comprehend properly. I liked how I was, but what I didn't like was the life I was living. Karine seemed to be my one and only friend now. Life is so unfair sometimes.

"Hey, Kairi?" Karine knocked me out of subspace gently, "I'm pretty sure that Namine misses you."

"What makes you think that?" I didn't need her to answer because I already knew it. I started towards the door, making sure to take quick glances at each picture. They were the happiest moments of my life. I stopped at one photo and focused in on it. It was taken about 2 years ago just outside the Caverns of Twilight. They were naturally sculptured just near the shore of the city but not many people were allowed out there. The area was off limits to most people, but the Royal Family was decreed access under the high court, especially after the rare discovery of my link or as they called it 'affinity' with the Keyblade and anything related. It's kind of funny actually, since they believe the caverns are also linked with that strange weapon. The entire ceiling is covered in a strange crystal which some people say reflects a shape somewhat like a splintered heart at night and rumor has it that one of the chains for a Keyblade bore that exact same shape. I didn't know what to make of it all... until that day. The day this photo was taken, and the day Namine was taken away from us.

"Because, you miss her." Karine said it so bluntly that I almost gave way at how much my eyes burned.

"Namine... where are you?"

-----------------------------------------ExL----------------------------------------

((( ROXAS POV )))

"So I met a Princess... stole from a Princess... angered a Princess... and could end up beheaded for...?" I motioned my hand in a slice over my neck and grinned at the somewhat furious pyromaniac a few feet away.

"Don't get cocky, Roxas. You're not exactly out of the woods yet." Axel's tone was monotone and he wouldn't even make eye contact. "In fact, I'd say you're stuck at that little cabin in the center where the wicked witch wants to put you in a Roxas-messed-up-so-much Soup." Now, it was his turn to grin.

I groaned at the many different punishments that came to mind at the mention of a 'wicked witch'. After all, we were pretty much ruled by one. "Okay, I guess I should return this..."

I got up to leave but Axel block aided my way. He held out a long twig lit brightly at the edges with a burning crimson flame. I eyed him irritably and continued to stride forwards, and towards his bluff. I soon regretted it when the flame began burning through my attire. I looked at Axel again, but he didn't seem at all interested in what I was doing. "Uh... can I get past?"

"Why would you need to go out at this time of night?" Axel asked in an unamused manor. I had never seen him this serious...

"To return this." I said sternly, gesturing to the strangely shaped object in my clenched fist.

"Oh? Here I thought you weren't all that stupid, Roxas." He stood up and I gaped widely at him.

"Stupid? This wasn't supposed to be stolen, Axel. I accidentally stole it from that girl-"

"Princess." Axel corrected.

"Fine, Princess. It's all the same. Just because I want to return something doesn't make me stupid."

The redhead face palmed. Hard. "I never said it was your morals that made you stupid. What I meant was that you wanting to walk into the palace with that," He looked at me properly not and sighed, "is stupid."

Finally beginning to get what he meant, my eyes grew much wider. "What exactly is this?"

"Even I can't tell you that, exactly. I still want my head, unlike a certain someone."

My head, speaking of which, now felt like it was on fire. "Okay! OKAY!" I vented loudly and Axel looked at me, utterly amused. "How do I find out?"

"Books."

"You're kidding me..."

"Not in the least, B-O-O-K-S. Got it memorized?"

I rolled my eyes at him and his so called intelligence before he continued.

"Hey, Roxas, maybe you can learn how to spell and finally be like me?"

I jumped slightly at the comment. "Why in the world would I want that?"

His grin grew much, much wider. "Because then you'd do something right."

"Okay, how do I get into the library? It's off limits to anyone below Noble statures..."

"Oh yeah, because everyone sneaks in that place at this time of night." Axel said sarcasitically. Did he really expect me to go during the day?

"Don't you think I'm in enough trouble without sneaking into a peasant-free-zone?" My voice sounded worse then I felt. "Can't you just tell me?"

"No!" Axel roared, making the hairs on my neck stand on end. I stared at him questionably, hoping for more then one word or some kind of explanation for his reaction but when none came I let out a heavy sigh and moved over to my bed. Lying down, I pictured the Princess again, and her face when I stole the object she would gladly search the grubby streets for. I moaned in guilt and rolled over with my back turned to Axel.

"Giving up already, Roxie?" I didn't even need to turn around to realize a smirk was splashed across his face.

A few moments passed without any reply from me. I pressed my face into the pillow to crush my next words. "P-pretty mu-ch." I laughed at the pronunciation a little before feeling Axel's movement shook me again. Then he surprised me by laughing.

"Alright. Since the libraries out of the plan why don't we just look in this?" I turned over to see what he was referring to and my eyes grew wide.

"You had that all along!?!" I quickly jumped off the bed to snatch the book from his grasp but my much taller room mate lifted his hand high enough for me not to reach. "Give it!" I silently gasped at how eager I was to learn about a simple object. Somebody elses object at that. "Please..."

"One more step and I'll burn it!" I stopped as if he commanded it and slowly he anchored the prize.

Axel laughed slightly as his fingers slid under the decaying seal. "Shall we?"

-----------------------------------------ExL----------------------------------------

((( KAIRI POV )))

"Kairi! Please, don't!" I could hear Karine from atop the stairs. I didn't blame her for being worried, after all, I was not only sneaking out of the castle (again) but also taking a huge risk by the way I was going. I felt the ground beneath me squelch against my shoes. Gasping lightly, I looked closely at the water and remembered back to what the towns streets were like. This could only get worse. The tunnels seemed to get darker with each turn, and I could of sworn the water was getting deeper. The air was strangely dense; making my throat clog up every so often and forcing me to take in and exile deep breathes. I stopped for a moment, examining a fork in the route. Neither of the choices had light resonating from them so it was impossible to tell for sure. I sniffed the air a little, hoping for a whiff of something other then the turmoil in the water. Nothing out of the ordinary. I sighed loudly.

"Why should I even have to do this?" Backing up against the wall, I stared down at the dark water. Despite it being dark, my reflection was still vividly clear and I laughed slightly. I was a complete mess. My head leaned back up to face the rounded ceiling. In my mind, I had clearly decided that the towns were worse then this, and still are. Frowning at the not-so-fond memory, my shoulder sagged a little and I began humming to myself. I felt my self stiffen all of a sudden as something scurrying across my foot. As I looked all, the last I saw was a moving lump in the water and a long pink tail. My voice couldn't contain itself and let out a loud, high-pitched bellow. It was stopped short when the sound of moving water caught my attention. Someone was coming.

"Well, isn't this convenient." An unfamiliar voice slurred through the tunnels, making me forget the rats instantly.

"W-who... whos there?" I placed a finger to my mouth in shock. Was I really that scared?

"Like I'd honestly, tell you," The figure emerged from the tunnels with a few followers before scanning me and sneering, "Your Highness."

I looked at her carefully. She was quite tall and clean, wearing a long black robe which dropped into the water. She didn't seem displeased by this though, as her small pixie type face was looking at me with a certain glint. I winced as she as suddenly hoisted my wrist against the wall with a sharp scrape. She used her free hand to push back her short blonde hair into it's usual spot and neaten up two strange looking locks which stuck out from the rest. I could feel her turquoise eyes boring into my back as she continued to stare me down.

"L-let... let me go!" My voice was extremely feeble and she must have noticed. The stranger rammed her knee into my back forcefully, puncturing a cry of pain from my lungs. My eyes were closed tight to try and fight any and all tears but it only became harder as I felt my face slowly dropping down the side of the bricks, taking a few pieces of my cheek with it. I couldn't stop the tears now, and soon the other strangers were laughing from the background. The profoundness of their laughter made way for me to assume they were males. My thoughts suddenly shot into fear and I desperately began barging backwards into the woman invading my personal space.

"Let go!" Courage seemed to overwhelm me now as I kept barraging into her thin frame.

"You stupid girl! How dare you?!" She was much stronger then me. I internally winced once more at the anger which filled her cry.

"Please... let me go!" I tried once more, feeling her feet kicking into my ankles, I intoned a yelp. My body was suddenly flipped over so my back was now facing the hard wall. As I looked straight forward, I could finally see the infuriation in her eyes. If it wasn't so dark, half of me would have been curious if they were red. The other half, however, was ready to give way any second and be ready to face an impending doom. I tried to look away from her to the other figures. They were all in the same attired but had they hoods shadowing their faces. The only things I could perceive through my now fuzzy auditory were slight murmurs.

"She- Princess? No... Rox- no..."

"Key? Hall- no, no... Heart-"

"Light- Heartless... takeover?"

"Of course- Heart- why? That can't- she- Namine?"

My heart would have stopped right there and then. I had heard that right, I know I had. "What? What do you know about Namine?!" My yell echoed loudly at the 3 strangers and they immediately stopped conversing. They all seemed to glare in my attention with a few seconds without replying before they all starting backing up in the way they came. "Please! No, wait! Tell me what do you know about Namine!?" I asked again, more desperately, but I didn't notice the weight that was forcing my hand against the wall disappear from my wrist.

"Please! I-" I stopped at the sound of a loud smack. The tears flowed freely, adding to the dirty water as they dripped down my red cheek. My free hand moved to it and I streamed my fingers over what I imagined was a large mark. It certainly felt that way. Finally looking back at my attacker, I noticed her looking at me in an amused manner before finally blurting into a hysterical laughter, wiping 'clean' the hand she had used to swipe me with. As if on cue, her group followed suit and began murmuring again. I stood there, now utterly terrifying. The tunnels were a bad idea after all. I decided to run.

"Where do you think you're going?" The pulse in my wrist jolted as it was gripped once more. As my body went half-limp, the surroundings went blurry and foggy. In that instant, I became very scared.

"Please... I have to-... to..." I sounded as monotone as I felt, "to get... it... back..."

I could nearly hear the grin creep back across her face as she came to hit me again. "You, silly girl, will do as you're... told!" The air made a whooshing noise as he hand came crashing down again but I suddenly felt a swelling of relief when she didn't make contact. My eyes grew even wider when I noticed another hand stretched out just above me, blocking the blonde's assault.

I felt so lost when he finally spoke. "Larxene! That's enough!"

"Enough?! These royals have destroyed everything about us! They deserve to be destroyed in the exact same way," I met her eyes for a second before looking away and hearing her add, "slow and painful."

"Even so, it's not in our nature, or your's in particular to take it out on every royal you find, and better yet, in such an repulsive place." The man seemed to slur it words through an accent. It was quite opulent and gave off a hint of knowledge. I smiled a little, hoping he would be a lot nicer then 'Larxene' but she didn't seem phased by him when she began somehow sending small voltages into my body. Instantly, my frame began to shake rabidly, having no control over anything whatsoever. I looked back at her through my tear shredded vision. She was smiling widely. My hand fell free from her grasp and my body slammed into the wall. All my bones were aching as they twisted and turning with the rest of my being. My knees gave way and ground down the ridged surface, making a ripping noise as holes were made in my clothes and fresh blood seeped through. I screamed in pain as the cuts were made deeper and deeper, slicing new layers of skin with each second.

"Larxene! Stop!" The figure called out again, not to tend to me but to stop her doing whatever it was that was hurting me so compellingly. My entire existence bathed in joy when it finally stopped.

I heard Larxene mutter, "Like a puppet on a string." before looking straight at me and saying more loudly, "Whatever." She tutted a little before trotting back down the tunnels laughing manically and hollering 'Lets get a move on, slackers!' but the other men didn't move. Instead, they began conversing, again.

"What shall we do with her? If she dies, the heat will instantly fall onto us."

"We'll..." The second stranger spoke for the first time, and he sounded very worried for their sake.

"We'll bring her with us." The third said with confidence. The other two seemed to study him under a moment before whispering to one and one and walking over to me.

"Upsy daisy!" He spoke again, still sounding all too sure for my liking.

Him and one of the two hoisting me up by my wrists again, obviously not bothering about my condition as they began dragging after the blonde with anger issues. "Let me go..."

"No can do. We can't have you telling the world you were thrown against a wall by a crazed Nobody."

"Xigbar..." The posh one spoke again, his voice withering a hole through my heart. "You've said too much."

"N-no... body?" I studied the word to myself for a moment, feeling a strange familiarity.

"Nothing for you to be concerned about. Just the word you royals class us normal people as."

Xigbar scoffed. "Ha. Normal."

"Hush up, the both of you. We have to get her out of here before those scary guys come looking!" The figure who wasn't carrying me spoke up. His voice was slightly high pitched, giving off the instant impression of immaturity. I ignored their conversation and pondered.

"Why... why do you... hate... me?" My words were deep between breathes.

The strange one was the first to speak up. "Why, we don't hate you, we just don't want you-"

"No Demyx, we do hate her." He looked at me with a dark impression. "We hate you, your parents, your heart, your everything." I felt a ting hit me deep inside. My heart? What was wrong with my heart?

"I don't understand." That was all I could say.

"It's better that way."

The last thing I heard was the sound of bricks moving and a menacing laughter before I, finally, fell unconscious.


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