Chapter Three
Dating and Memories Regained
One Year, Four Months and Two Weeks Later...
Nick woke up feeling something large and warm move in his arms. Opening his eyes, he saw the cause of the shift: Rina. She had her eyes already open, and was squirming in order to get out of his arms. "Hey, Rina." Nick said, smiling at his girlfriend of about seven months.
"Hey. Can you let me go? I have to go to the bathroom."
"Oh, yes, go ahead. Sorry." Nick agreed, loosening his grip on the other fifteen year old (They've both gone through two birthdays).
"Thank you. I'll come back in just a minute, unless you want to just get ready and we'll begin our day?"
"I think beginning our day would be for the best." Nick said, sitting up.
Rina nodded and put on her Organization coat. "I'll see you in a bit, baby." She said, coming over to Nick and kissing him gently.
"Yeah. Meet you down in the dining hall for breakfast?" Nodding, Rina left Nick's room to go get ready in her own room.
A while later, the two teenagers were down in the dining hall, eating silently. Suddenly, Rina gasped, causing Nick to look at her. "What's wrong, babe?"
"I... I remember everything, Nick. I remember why the name Sora seems so familiar, and how I know so much about some of the members before we had even seen them use weapons and all that. I remember it all. I'm... I'm Sora's sister. And you... You're Riku's brother, one of three siblings. You have a sister and brother other than Riku. We knew so much about the Organization beforehand because Sora and Riku would tell us stories before we... Before we were taken by the Darkness and sent here.
"Nick, I... I want to go home. I want to see my family. I want to see Lightning."
Nick's eyes widened as the name Lightning triggered something in his own brain. "Oh, shit. You're right. We have to find a way home, but how? We can't just create a Corridor of Darkness and wind up back in the Realm of Light. Babe, come here, let it all out." Nick said, opening his arms as the girl threw herself into them, sobbing uncontrollably.
Outside the dining hall, Axel and Larxene were standing right next to the open door, hearing everything. Larxene leaned against the wall and slid down, stopping once she was sitting. "Axel, they remember. What are we going to do with them now, Lea? There's no way we can just take them back with us when we go to give our report to Ansem. They're still needed here, aren't they?"
Axel sighed. "I know, Larxene. You're right, we can't take them with us. They aren't ready yet. But, Relena, we have to confirm their suspicions. Only then can we be at ease about this. We have to tell Ansem, Sora and the others when we go back. Plus, it's not only us. Lumaria and Ienzo can go back as well. Come on, let's get going. We'll take them out to the Shadow Destiny Islands tomorrow to make it up to them and hopefully cheer them up as well. Come on. Ansem isn't going to be patient for much longer.
"I guess you're right. Let's go. I can't take hearing Rina cry anymore. We'll get Zexion and Marluxia and take them with us this time." Axel nodded and created a Corridor of Darkness to take his to Marluxia's garden, where the Graceful Assassin would undoubtedly be. Larxene created another Corridor of Darkness that would lead her to the library, where Zexion would be waiting.
Realm of Light, Radiant Garden...
Ansem the Wise looked up as he heard the sound of a Corridor of Darkness (Light, in this actual case) and saw Axel and Larxene enter. "Ah, I was wondering when you both were going to show. So, has anybody else been able to come back as of yet?"
"I think you'll be surprised. They should be here momentarily." As if on cue, Zexion and Marluxia entered through their own Corridors of Light, both nodding to Ansem the Wise.
Ansem looked at Zexion and his eyes widened. "Ienzo? Is that you?"
"Hello, Master Ansem. How are you?" Zexion asked his former mentor.
"My god, it is you. You've certainly grown up. Now, what is your report about Nick and Rina, and why exactly are you reporting here first instead of reporting to Sora and Riku and them, because they are worried sick without having you all report in."
"Well, you see, we thought you would appreciate having your old gardener and your youngest apprentice back for a day." Axel said, motioning towards Marluxia and Zexion.
Ansem looked at Marluxia, realization coming to his eyes. "Lumaria? They got to you, too? Damn it, was no one in the Castle sacred to Xehanort's twisted mind?"
"I wasn't a part of your staff, sir," Larxene said, speaking up for the first time in Ansem's presence. "I was a... a friend of Lea's back then, and after Lumaria turned, Axel came and found me. He was the one who brought me into the Organization."
"And I apologize to you every day for it." Axel said, hugging Larxene around her waist, the blond looking up at him and smiling. "Don't forget, though, that Marluxia took you as his sister after you were taken into the Organization. So, about Nick and Rina..."
"Yes, go on..." Ansem said, eagerly waiting for good news.
"They've remembered who they are. We left after hearing them talk about it. Combat-wise, they're above Xemnas' level, and he has a Keyblade Master's Heart. It is sad to say, Aqua, that Terra's Heart has not yet resurfaced, but Xemnas expects that his body will split into the two separate halves eventually. Until then, however, he would like you to be patient," Axel said as the blue-haired Keyblade Master entered the room, hearing the words Keyblade and Master. She nodded towards the red-haired pyro.
"Also, I wanted to know how Ventus' recovery was coming along? And if Sora's alright as well."
"Ventus is up and about now. Surprisingly, he has all of Roxas' memories as well as his own, so he hasn't really missed anything these years he has not been around. Sora, however, still has Roxas, but it's a little hard living with a Nobody that now has a twin. You know what Ventus said when he first woke up and saw Sora?"
"No, what did he say?" Axel inquired, curious.
"He asked why he had brown hair, saying that the Vanitas he knew had black hair."
"He called Sora Vanitas?" Aqua asked, surprised before laughing. "That actually sounds plausible. I mean Vanitas looked exactly like Sora, but with black hair. At least they're both thinking straight, or at least as straight as they can. Axel, if you would like to see Ventus, I could take you to the room we put him in to recover?"
"I would like that." Axel said, following Aqua out of the room, Larxene glaring daggers at the back of Aqua's head.
Ansem saw this and chuckled. "Don't worry about him, Larxene. Axel only has eyes for you, just like Aqua has eyes only for Terra, who she is waiting for very faithfully, I might add. Now, would you three like some tea to pass the time?"
"Yes, please. Thank you, Master Ansem." Marluxia agreed, sitting down at the desk across from Ansem.
Ventus' Room...
Aqua knocked on the door, opening it. "Ven? There's someone here to see you."
The blond, basically identical twin of Roxas looked towards the door as Axel walked in, smiling at his long-lost friend. "Hey there, Ventus." He said, making a short wave.
Ventus looked at the newcomer as his eyes widened a little bit. "Lea? Is that you?"
Axel smiled, nodding. "Yeah, Ven, it's me."
Later That Day, Castle That Never Was...
Axel, Marluxia, Zexion and Larxene all came out of the Corridor of Darkness to find Nick and Rina sitting on a bench on the balcony they happened to appear on. Nick was sitting up, stroking a sleeping Rina's hair as she slept peacefully, content with hearing her boyfriends' heart beating under her. Upon noticing that the other four had finally returned, Nick glared at them. "Where the hell have you all been? Rina was looking for Larxene or Marluxia all day, trying to calm down a little more than what I could do for her."
"We're sorry, Nick. We were just a little busy, that's all. Tomorrow, Larxene and I decided to take you and Rina out to the Destiny Islands for a day of relaxation. How does that sound?"
"I guess that sounds good enough for now. But don't you want to know why she's been so upset?"
"Of course we do, Nick," Larxene spoke up. "Let me take her talk to her own in my room. Tonight, neither of you is to sleep in the others' room, alright? Tonight just sleep separately. And Axel," Larxene's man looked at her. "Talk to Nick about it, alright?" Nodding, Axel came up to Nick.
"Meet me down on the steps going up to the door of Memory's Skyscraper and we'll talk. There's something you have to know." Nick nodded before Axel created a Corridor and walked through it, leaving Marluxia, Zexion, Larxene, himself and Rina still there.
Taking their leave, the Graceful Assassin and Cloaked Schemer left as well, leaving the Savage Nymph alone with the two teenagers. "I'm sorry, Nick. Here, let me get Rina for now." Nodding, Nick got up slowly and carefully brought Rina into the Lightning-wielder's arms, allowing him to meet Axel outside of the Castle That Never Was.
Memory's Skyscraper...
Nick came out on the steps to the large skyscraper, his eyes in a permanent glare directed at his mentor. Axel sighed as Nick came closer. "So, what happened today to get Rina and you so riled up?"
"I think you know what happened, you just want to play dumb about it." Nick said, his control over ice making even Axel shiver at the lowered temperature.
"So it's like Relena and I thought: You and Rina have regained your memories from before your arrival here. Well then, I guess it's alright to tell you then that your siblings just want you both to keep safe. We didn't tell them about you two dating or anything personal like that, although I think I want to stay away from that pink-haired chick."
"That would be Claire. She's like an older sister to me, and her little sister Serah would be a year younger than I am, so she would be fourteen. She's also very protective of me, so I can see how she'd try to kick your ass. So, you and Larxene went to the Realm of Light, and left Rina and I here?"
"We can't bring you back, Nick. You've noticed that Larxene, Zexion, Marluxia and my own Corridors of Darkness are a little different than they were before, but yours and Rina's are exactly the same, so there would be no way of you two returning home yet. One day, you will, at least that's what Ansem the Wise told us today. I'm sorry, Nick, but you and Rina are just going to have to wait it out."
Nick kicked out in anger and rage, a wall of fire erupting from his foot and roaring across the rain-drenched street that lay before the massive tower. "It's not fucking fair, Axel! What makes Rina and I so special that the Darkness chose to take us from our home?"
The way Nick emphasized 'home' sent a pang of hurt through Axel's Heart, but he understood. "I don't know, Nick. But, Ansem has a theory, although yours and Rina's siblings would rather that not be the case, although it would be the most logical."
"What is the theory, Axel?" Nick yelled, a small yet fierce fiery aura surrounding the teenager's body.
"Well, Ansem the Wise seems to think that you and Rina were chosen. I don't know exactly how, but it might have something to do with Kairi's ability to sense Darkness within other individuals. You and Rina? No Darkness in your Hearts whatsoever, so Ansem thinks that you and your loved one were chosen to become Keyblade Wielders of Twilight, which Master Yen Sid has told us that Twilight Wielders are so rare that the Universe needs them only in the most dire of times, which means that there's going to be a big battle. When, where and if we're going to be prepared, we have no fucking clue.
"So, it's only because you and Rina were chosen to be Twilight Keyblade Wielders that you even wound up here. And, apparently, the Darkness will bar you from returning to your true home until it deems you worthy, which in all honesty I would like to see Darkness in some kind of form other than a dark cloud, you know? Maybe show us some kind of human form, right?"
"I guess so. I'm going to go back, see if Rina is alright and then I'm going to bed." Nick said, creating a Corridor and stepping through it.
"Alright. I really am sorry, Nick. I wish it didn't happen to you both, you're such wonderful kids, but you can't choose the hand you're dealt, as Luxord would say."
Nick chuckled. "Of course you can, it's called rigging." Axel laughed as well as Nick's Corridor closed, leaving Axel alone under the perpetual rain that befell the entire City That Never Was.
Castle That Never Was...
Nick appeared in front of Rina's bedroom. Taking a breath, he knocked slowly, calling out. "Rina? You there babe?"
"You can come in, Nick." Came Rina's voice.
Entering the room, Nick saw Rina and Larxene sitting on Rina's bed, Rina laying into Larxene chest in a very relaxed pose. Nick walked over and extracted Rina, bringing her close to him. "You feeling better now?"
Rina nodded, smiling at her boyfriend. "Yeah, I'm alright now. Did your talk with Axel go alright?"
"I think so. I might have gone off on him a little too much, but he'll get over it. I just came to check on you before bed. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" Rina nodded, letting Nick leave the room and go to his own to sleep for the night.
A/N: Finally finished this chapter. Took a long time, but I'm writing like a million non-fan fiction stories at the same time as this one, plus with no Internet and TV I have all the time in the world. So now Nick and Rina are together and know of Ansem's theory as to why they were even brought to the Realm of Darkness, not to mention that little tidbit about them being the Disney Universes' only hope at salvation (heavy, much? Lol). I was going to put in the trip to the Shadow Destiny Islands, but I think that'll be an omake bit at the end of the next chapter, although how long it will take me to write that one is anyone's guess.
Next Time: Time Skip! Nick and Rina are now 18, so it's the end of the five-year leave in the Realm of Darkness, and they finally find their way back home. But, unfortunately, they can't just figure out how to get back to the Realm of Darkness. Also, some new members of Organization XXVI make an appearance before they go back to the Destiny Islands, where all kinds of chaos ensues due to them looking so different than they did when they left. Until next time.
