New chapter guys! I couldn't stop writing this last night! So I was like let me finish this chapter today and upload it :D
There isn't any diary report from Roxas in this chappie. This chapter doesn't really focus on him that much!
Enjoy reading!
Chapter 4 – Castle Oblivion
Lira flew the gummi ship across the worlds. Mickey remained silent contemplating everything that had happened over the years. How could he have been so blinded by doing the right thing that he completely forgot that Master Xehanort was still around?
Something caught the tiny king's eye. "Lira! Stop the gummi ship!"
Lira immediately halted the traveling ship. She saw that the ship was hovering over Castle Oblivion.
"Why are we stopping here?" Lira asked curiously. "It doesn't seem like much, Your Majesty."
Mickey jumped out of the ship with his keyblade in hand. Lira followed the king's lead.
"Sora and Riku are here," Mickey told her. "So are Donald and Goofy! I know it!"
"Donald and Goofy?" Lira repeated and smiled lightly. 'If only you could see how awesome and strong I've become Donald!' She thought remembering how in her younger days Donald used to constantly complain about her lack of training. She looked at the king. "If our friends are here, we should definitely help them!"
Mickey nodded. "Right!" He agreed and the two ventured into the castle.
The moment the two walked into the castle, the two started to lose some of their memories.
Lira held her head light. "W-Why does my head hurt…?" She thought out loud.
Mickey looked at the older woman in concern. "Are you alright, Lira?" He asked her.
Lira shook the pain from her head. "Yeah…" She replied.
The small king observed the castle. 'Riku's gotta be here somewhere.' He thought. He looked at Lira. "I think we should split up."
"Are you sure about that Your Majesty?" Lira asked. "We barely know anything about this place."
Mickey smiled brightly at her. "Dontcha worry Lira!" He reassured her. "Just because we're far away from each other, our hearts are still close."
Lira smiled at the tiny king before her. Despite Mickey's failed attempts to stop the darkness, he always wanted to help out a friend no matter what.
"Just be careful." Lira told him.
Mickey nodded holding his keyblade in hand and running off into the castle.
On the tenth floor of the basement of Castle Oblivion, while Sora, Donald, and Goofy were exploring the castle from above, Riku was investigating the bottom.
"So you're Riku." Vexen had been lying in wait for Riku, who had just arrived on the floor.
'If we did things according to my research, it would theoretically be possible to transfer memories and abilities to a doll without the power of the witch.' Vexen thought dismissively wondering what the other members above the castle were doing with Namine.
'Yes—according to my replica project.' The Chilly Academic mused.
"Who are you—a friend of Ansem's?" Riku glared at the man before him.
"A friend of Ansem's—that's half right, I suppose," Vexen replied. "But I'll tell you this, he's different to the Ansem you know," He continued on. "But then he's not… that is to say, he's 'nobody'." Vexen closed in on Riku.
'I can sense a mighty dark power in Riku,' Vexen thought sensing the power of darkness inside Riku's heart. The power which the continued to haunt the boy. 'Perhaps that power could exceed even that of the Keyblade Hero.'
"He's a nobody?" Riku scoffed and then sneered at Vexen." Hmph—I'm in a really bad mood right now. Be clearer." The boy demanded.
"A being that walks the twilight, belonging to neither darkness nor light?" Vexen cackled "…Have you noticed?" He taunted. "That's right, just like the one in this realm between darkness and light; you. I'm the same. In other words, we are fellow similar beings."
"—Maybe."Riku casually leveled his Soul Eater keyblade. "So what? You're going to say 'join me', or something? Like you said, there's dark power left in me. But the darkness is my enemy! And you're reeking of darkness!" He shouted.
"You should learn to control that power of yours and that mouth!" Vexen spat back. "But I have hope! Keep me company!"
'A battle is a way to obtain Riku's powers,' He thought raising his shield. 'I am primarily a researcher, and the odds are against me, but—there's no other way.' The researcher of the Organization continued on with his thoughts. 'If I can only draw out his maximum power while he's right in front of me, which will suffice,' He watched as Riku advanced raising his Soul Eater keyblade. 'If I could mass produce replicas, the Organization would acquire even more power than the present hearts from the Heartless that are weaving to make Kingdom Hearts.'
Riku swung the Soul Eater down, which Vexen deflected with his ice shield.
"Show me your rage—and the power of the darkness within you!" Vexen forced Riku to fight him.
'With every swing of his blade, his power and memories are being accumulated—as data.' Vexen thought with a smirk.
"I'm—I'm…!" Riku struggled with himself as the darkness inside his heart started to take hold of him again. Just like before, when he was forced to become Ansem Seeker of Darkness, Xehanort's Heartless puppet.
"You still cannot stop yourself from using your dark powers—let go." Vexen taunted.
Facing Riku, Vexen moved in to a suitable proximity, and swung his shield down. Riku handled the attack with ease.
"Excellent!" Vexen yelled, unconsciously.
"…So this is part of your plan," Riku said, looking displeased, still holding out the Soul Eater.
"Thanks to your hot headedness, I was able to take useful data for my research. Many thanks, Riku," Vexen said, and disappeared, leaving a loud laugh behind him.
'Now all I have to do is plant these memories into that doll, for a start…' Vexen thought.
Riku balled his fists. 'How could I have been so stupid?!' He thought banging his fist on the marble white floor. "I'm letting the darkness get to me..," He said out loud. "I won't let the darkness take me, not again."
Riku stood up and continued proceeding through the castle.
"It looks like Sora's memories have started to take root, right on target." Larxene giggled, watching Sora in the crystal ball.
Axel also looked up, looking at Larxene with a slight smile. "The plan continues, then. Let's see how far he goes."
'The fake memories have started to take root inside Sora,' Axel thought. 'In order for Sora to move the way the Organization wants him to, his memories are being repainted little by little, the real ones being lost. Fragments of memory are awfully vague things. They waver at the slightest chance. Being able to make them waver, and weave new ones, is Naminé's power. But, that too is something planned under the power of the Organization.'
"Better go cut the next deal." Axel said with a sly smirk.
"Wait—you had your fun on the first floor, didn't you? That makes it my turn now," Larxene asserted, with a bewitching smile.
"…Don't break him," were the words that slipped unconsciously out of Axel's mouth.
"What a soft thing to say." Larxene sneered.
"He's half one of us," Axel said, but for a second he wondered—what that actually meant.
'Was I talking about Sora, who we're about to use, or half of him—no, Sora's Nobody—Roxas?' Axel thought dismissively.
"You don't trust me, do you. I'm not so stupid as to play with the toy until it breaks," Larxene shrugged.
'That reminds me—I'm still not sure who the traitors are.' The red head thought as he continued to watch Larxene.
"Just making sure, you know. That kid's a brat, you know—one we need to take control of the Organization," Axel laughed, setting a trap.
'We—I wasn't definitely talking about Larxene and I. But, Larxene might interpret it as 'us'. Not lying.' Axel mused.
And then, Larxene answered— "Aren't you saying too much? Keep the real target a secret until the final moment, you know."
Saying only that, Larxene disappeared. She had headed off to where Sora was.
"You're the one who says too much, Larxene." Axel, murmured alone in the room. It had been that easy to find evidence on a traitor.
Alone in a dim research room, Vexen's unwavering gaze was fixed on a crystal ball in the basement's eighth floor. In the crystal ball, two boys with the same face were facing each other.
Riku, and the Riku Replica—the fruit of Vexen's research, a doll.
There were many in-progress dolls. Many methods of inputting data in order to copy shape and movement were also being prepared. It was still in experimental stage, however, it seemed to Vexen, looking at the Replica in the crystal ball, that it had reached completion.
In the crystal ball, the Replica was thrown back by Riku.
"Hey, fake—didn't you say 'you can't beat me'?" Riku spat at his clone.
Riku walked casually up to the Replica, pressing the Soul Eater into its throat.
"Hmph—I was only just born," Repliku scowled at his weaker half. "I'll only get stronger from here. I'll even top you, soon. The next time we fight will be your last." the Replica bragged.
'That's right—the replicas grow. Experience is necessary for growth,' Vexen mused watching the two. 'It is necessary to make it fight with an even stronger being.'
Staring at the crystal ball, Vexen smiled thinly.
Lira continued wandering each floor of Castle Oblivion. A small sigh touched her lips. 'I never even got the chance to ask the king about Zack?' She thought worriedly. Another thought struck her as she held her head again. 'Zack? Who is that?' She thought. Her thoughts were disrupted as she heard voices nearby.
"I bet you work with Axel!" Donald roared at Larxene who was in front of them waving his staff at her.
Lira saw Donald, Goofy, and the keyblade's chosen one Sora. She saw Goofy with his shield and Sora wielding the Kingdom Key keyblade. They were really here. 'Guess the king was right all along.' Lira thought smiling.
"You're too clever." Larxene smirked. She crossed her arms across her chest. "So are you enjoying your stay at the castle?" She sneered at them disgustedly. "I'll bet it feels real nice to peel away all the worthless memories you have locked up in that tiny little head of yours!"
"Worthless…memories?" Lira thought to out loud. 'Does this place erase memories.' She wondered.
Hearing Lira's voice Donald and Goofy turned around.
"Do we know her?" Goofy pondered scratching his head.
"I…," Donald began. "Think so…"
"Donald! Goofy!" Lira called out to them. "It's me!"
"She seems to know you guys." Sora told his friends.
The knight and mage walked up to Lira. They looked at her closely.
"I can't believe you two forgot all about me!" Lira pouted at them.
Donald quacked. "Lira!" He beamed at her.
"Gawrsh, is that really you?!" Goofy asked.
Lira smiled making her sword and shield appear. "Who else would have to help you guys out in a fight?" She said cheekily and was suddenly flung to the ground as Goofy and Donald hugged her.
Sora watched the small reunion smiling lightly. "Is she a friend of yours?" He asked.
"Sora, this is Lira." Goofy introduced Lira to the keyblade wielder.
"We helped her train," Donald added. "She's the king's warrior to help fight the darkness."
"Really?!" Sora beamed at Lira. "I'm Sora!" The boy said proudly.
"Nice to meet you, kid." Lira greeted the boy.
"Aw isn't that adorable…" Larxene sneered. "You've been reunited with your friend," She made her knives appear in her hands. "Too bad you won't be alive much longer!"
Lira glared at the blonde woman in front of them. "You can't bully us around like this!" She declared holding her shield and sword in her hand.
"Oooo," Larxene taunted. "This little girl thinks she can beat me?"
Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched as Lira charged at Larxene. Donald's jaw almost dropped to the floor as he saw Lira matching Larxene's moves perfectly. Wherever she was training it definitely paid off.
Lira casted blizzaga on Larxene's knives and kicked her hard against the wall. She aimed her sword at Larxene's throat.
Sora watched in anticipation as Lira closed in on Larxene. "Wait! Stop!" He told Lira.
Lira turned back the keyblade wielder. "What for?" She asked. "She's your enemy isn't she?"
"Yeah but..," Sora protested. "She knows something…" The boy told her. "About a girl…what was her name…?"
Larxene snickered getting up. "That's such a shame," She cackled. "You forgot all about her."
"That poor girl," Larxene dramatically continued. "She'll be so heart broken when we tell her you've forgotten all about her.
"Poor girl?" Sora asked. He held his keyblade tightly. "Do you know her?!" He demanded.
Larxene cackled. "Of course silly boy," She teased causing Lira to glare at the woman. "We're holding her captive here in the castle. You're the hero aren't you? You're supposed to save her, right?" She lunged at Sora knocking the boy down. A star shaped trinket fell out from Sora's pocket. It wasn't a wayfinder. This was a lucky charm which was special to Sora.
"Sora!" Goofy gasped.
"Are you ok?!" Donald asked.
Lira raised her sword pointing it at Larxene. "That's enough you little harpy!" She yelled.
Larxene smugly looked down at the keyblade wielder lowering Lira's sword with her arm brushing passed her.
Lira growled at angrily wishing she had the chance to destroy her.
"Think carefully Sora," Larxene told the boy picking up the star-shaped trinket off the ground. "Who is the most special person inside that little heart of yours?"
"Na…," Sora began to say a name. "…Namine."
'Namine…?' Lira thought. 'The king never mentioned that name before.'
"So you finally remembered her name?" Larxene taunted. "That's right, she's the one who gave you that tacky little good luck charm," She smirked. "But you didn't even bother to remember her name. Guess that means this pathetic trinket is worthless to you. I should just destroy it!"
Anger boiled inside Sora. He swung his keyblade at Larxene causing her to drop the lucky charm. Sora caught the star-shaped necklace in his hand holding it tightly. "Namine gave me this!" He declared. "It's important to me!"
Larxene glared angrily causing lightning to rise from her fingertips breaking the ice barracaing her hands. She held her knives tightly and sneered, "It's important to you?! Ten seconds ago you didn't even know what it was!"
Sora and Lira raised their weapons ready to fight.
'Larxene lost to Sora,' Axel thought as he watched the fight from a crystal ball. 'She says she'd intended to lose from the beginning, but it was a clear retreat. However, because of Larxene's actions, Sora's memories of Princess Kairi and Naminé the witch were mixed up, and he's started thinking that Naminé, who he's never even met, is very important to him,' Watching Sora's movements he started to remember Roxas. 'Watching the hero move, I think of Roxas. Of Roxas' movements—'Axel thought anew about the connection between the Nobody and the true form.
Vexen's doll looked completely different to the shape he had seen when he'd investigated the basement, now taking the shape of a silver-haired boy—probably Riku.
'I've definitely heard that replicas gain powers depending on memories,' Axel thought. 'But I'll bet no one but Vexen would have been able to tell that such an elaborate thing was a replica.'
"How shameful, to have been driven back by such a lowly person. A disgrace to the Organization." Axel teased as Larxene returned.
Larxene ignored him. She saw Vexen nearby. "What do you want, Vexen. Your post is the basement, isn't it?"
Originally, Axel would have wondered why Vexen, who should be in charge of the basement, would come upstairs, suspicious that perhaps he wanted to test the replica's performance. However, Axel himself also felt like seeing the replica perform.
"I came to lend a hand," Vexen told them. "That hero you think so highly of—I personally can't imagine he's of any use. Is he really of value…? Experimentation is necessary."
"Pfft, that's so like you," Larxene replied in a detested tone. "To cut it short, you won't be satisfied until you've done your experiments, am I right?"
"That is the instinct of a scientist." Vexen said.
To the side of Larxene and Vexen's exchange, the Replica was watching the crystal ball. It showed Sora and his gang. The new visitor to the castle was indeed a hassle for them. They didn't know anything about Lira at all.
"I don't really mind, but, you know. While you test Sora, you want to test out your own servant, don't you." Axel said, glancing at the Replica.
"He's not a servant. Let's call him a product of research." Vexen replied.
"You mean a toy, right?" Larxene said, cutting across Vexen.
"Humph, such impudence from one who cannot comprehend." Vexen retorted annoyed by Larxene's words.
"Whatever, it's fine. You came all this way for us. I'd like you to have a little fun, too," Axel told him. "A present to my senior. Use these, and the show gets even more interesting. Use this card." Axel threw a card to Vexen. Vexen was higher above Axel in the ranks of the Organization.
"Witty, aren't you," Vexen told the red head. "Well then—I shall put this to use…. Come."
Vexen beckoned the Replica to the center of the room, and went to cross it.
"That's just a card, isn't it? What can you do with that?" Repliku asked, mingled cynicism in his tone.
"Memories of the place where Sora and Riku were born are hidden in that card," Axel explained, looking closely at the Replica's face.
"Using that card and Naminé's power, you could have the real Riku's same memories for yourself. You could even get to forget that you were a fake. In other words, we'll do you a favor and remake your heart, so you're the same as the real Riku," Larxene said, happily.
"Wait a minute! Remake my heart? Riku's a weakling, afraid of his own darkness. I don't want that guy's heart!" Repliku yelled.
'A portion of Riku's memories must already be copied to the Replica,' Axel thought eagerly. 'If those limits are pushed even higher, he'll probably get even more powerful.'
"So it's fine, then? Vexen. Didn't you come to use Riku to test Sora's true power?" Axel asked.
Vexen folded his arms, and thought for a bit. Then he said, "It must be done."
"What?! So you'll betray me, Vexen!" Repliku pressed on.
"I thought I said it. That you'd be useful to me." Vexen declared, coldly.
"It's okay. It probably won't hurt that much." Larxene said snidely.
"Don't make fun of me!" Repliku barked at Larxene angrily.
The Replica slashed at Larxene, but she sent him flying instead. "Silly! There's no way a fake could ever beat me. But don't worry. Naminé will erase the memory of me crushing you," Larxene told him "And what's more, she'll plant lovely memories into your heart. Even though they're lies!"
"Stop—" Repliku screamed. Even for a doll full of someone else's memories and emotion this creation of Vexen was showing true fear.
Repliku went to stand up, and Larxene charged, landing another blow. He hit the wall, and fainted.
"Well then, now it's your turn, Naminé—" Axel called out to the girl sitting quietly in the corner.
"Okay…" Namine said quietly.
"Though, it's possible to transfer memories without witches and the like." Vexen said, taking the Replica up in his arms.
"Uh, no. She doesn't just transfer memories, she rewrites them. I don't reckon anyone but a witch could rewrite memories. Isn't that right? Naminé?" Larxene looked down at the girl.
Naminé nodded slightly at Larxene's words.
"Sora and this doll will come to love you, if you rewrite their memories. Aren't you happy?" Larxene teased the tiny girl.
Naminé didn't answer.
The Replica's memories were being rewritten—just like Sora's.
"That's a pretty awesome power you got there, Naminé." Axel murmured to the girl standing next to him, as he watched the Replica sleep in a pod that looked like a flower bud.
"But—all I can do is rearrange fragments of memories. I can't rearrange things that aren't already there." Namine told him.
"You mean, as long as the data's there, you can make anything you like from it?" Axel. asked
'I'm sure the Organization already has the technology to turn memories into data.' Axel thought.
"And on top of that—just like the things you Nobodies do are controlled by your memories, maybe the same thing will go and happen to the Replica." Namine explained.
"What do you mean?" Axel asked.
"The heart…" Namine simply answered lowering her head.
Just when Naminé seemed about to say something, Vexen entered the room.
"Haven't you finished rewriting the Replica's memories yet?" Vexen asking, pressingly.
Naminé turned to him.
She cast her eyes down. "I'm still not finished. If the spiral of memories collapses halfway through, perhaps the Replica will also collapse…" She told him.
"But, unfortunately, Larxene says that Sora has arrived on the floor." Vexen tapped on the keyboard in front of the pod. The pod door opened slowly, and the Replica awakened.
Naminé watched Repliku fight Sora, right until the end.
"The heart goes out to him, doesn't it?" Axel asked, from behind her.
Naminé lifted her face, and looked at Axel. A light that made him sense her own will was beginning to form in her eyes.
'What is she planning to do…?' Axel thought.
Axel stared right back at her. "Stop that. We nobodies can never be somebody!" He warned.
Naminé looked down. She was gripping a sketchbook in her hands.
'Marluxia, who is planning to manipulate the hero, is doing it right,' Axel thought to himself. 'And the basement crew, who have brought out this Replica in order to compete, aren't doing it wrong either. If so, then which one should I, who doesn't belong to either, make the best use of? In particular the Replica, or the Hero? On top of that, over anyone else, if I don't make use of Naminé, control of this castle will be impossible. I'm pretty interested in what Naminé was saying in front of the Replica just before.'
"Hey Naminé—there isn't anything else you can do, is there?" Axel asked her looking down at the tiny girl.
Naminé turned her face up to Axel, looking frightened.
"Hey—Fake… no, Riku." Axel called out to the Replica.
Axel appeared in front of the Replica, who had lost to Sora once again.
'He doesn't have any memories of being a replica any more. He's so sure that he's Riku.' Axel thought.
"What do you want?" Repliku sneered.
Sweat ran down his forehead.
'He even sweats, even though he's a doll.' Axel thought.
"The Hero was strong, wasn't he?" Axel smirked, putting a hand on the Replica's shoulder. "Naminé says that strong is her type, too."
The Replica looked down, biting his lip.
'Just like a human boy, with a heart.' Axel thought watching the Replica's movements and actions.
"What do you think, Riku? Do you want to try getting even stronger?" Axel asked in a friendly tone.
"What do you mean?" Repliku looked at Axel with suspicious eyes. Axel threw a card to the Replica. It hit him in the chest, and fluttered to the ground.
'That doesn't have anything to do with memories; it's the key to a room in Castle Oblivion,' Axel thought. 'If a card is held up to a door, a new world opens up. It's only connected to the room Sora is in. From now on, I'll guide the Replica, in order to make it a piece under my control, rather than have Vexen pulling the strings.'
"If you use this card, you can get even stronger." Axel told him.
"Why are you helping me," Repliku asked, staring at the card on the floor.
"Cause I wanna see the Hero defeated too." Axel simply replied.
'Even a replica could probably see through a lie like that,' Axel thought looking at the doll 'But, I don't care. A replica planted with fake Riku memories should want power, no matter what. Because, that's what gives this replica's existence meaning.'
"Well, let's go—Riku." Axel continued pressing the doll's right buttons knowing that his plan would definitely work.
Seeming to have made up his mind, the Replica picked up the card.
The state of affairs was opposite to how it had been after Larxene's fight with Sora. This time, Larxene was scolding Vexen.
Even as he paid attention to the situation, Axel was watching Naminé, sitting frightened in the corner.
'I wonder how much Naminé understands about that Replica.' He thought looking at Namine. He then looked at Vexen. "What are you going to do, Vexen? You said Riku would listen to you, but where has he gone now? What's he doing?"
The Replica had gone missing after his fight with Sora. Well, in reality, he had fought Sora, lost, and then disappeared after Axel's sweet-talking. There was no way Vexen or Larxene knew this, though.
"He's hidden on purpose in order to lure Sora. Larxene, you should know this!" Axel said.
Larxene clapped her hands together joyfully. "Ohhh? Of course! I didn't realize!" She said sarcastically. "Excuuuuse me. I just can never work out whether Vexen's research is any use or not, you know." She jeered.
"Shut it!" Vexen was nearly trembling with rage.
"You're just cranky because it's true. It's so simple to everyone else, you know!" Larxene continued taunting the scientist.
Vexen's shield appeared in his hand.
"If I may say a word—"
Just then—Marluxia, who had disappeared off somewhere for a short while, appeared before them, breaking them up.
"Stop." Marluxia ordered.
Larxene and Vexen stopped moving.
"Vexen, the fact is, your strategy failed. It's over. Do not disappoint us again!" Marluxia stated, looking down at Vexen.
Axel lightly smirked watching the friction among the ranks. His plan was indeed working well. 'At least, after seeing the resulting Replica, I think Vexen's strategy—or rather, his project—was completed, but I guess they don't need a doll that won't do what the Organization wants.'
"Disappoint you—it's gone to your head!" Vexen roared. "In this Organization, you are number XI. I, Number IV, won't stand for being dictated to by the likes of you!" Vexen clutched his shield.
"However, I am the one who has been entrusted this Castle, and Naminé. To oppose me in this place will be considered treason against the Organization." Marluxia glared at Vexen.
"And traitors are destroyed. Those are the rules~" Larxene said happily, standing beside him.
'That's right; the Organization does not leave those that turn against us alive,' Axel thought watching silently. 'Those are the rules.'
"I speak in the name of the Organization!" Marluxia roared at his subordinate member. "Your strategy failed. Let us inform the Superior of this blunder."
"Wha—wait, for only that! Surely you can forgive such a small thing!" Vexen begged, with enough force that he seemed about to fall to his knees. Seeing that, Larxene's mouth twisted into a smirk. Vexen, head down, wouldn't have been able to see that smile.
"There is one condition." Marluxia reluctantly said.
Vexen looked up. "A condition?"
"Destroy Sora by your own hand." Marluxia ordered.
"What?!" Vexen half-shouted, and stopped moving.
Axel noticed the surprise look in Vexen's face. 'Vexen probably couldn't have imagined an order like that.' He then looked at Larxene who was surprised as well. 'Larxene looks a little surprised, too.'
"Are you complaining?" Marluxia pressed, an elegant smile rising on his face.
"No—but… why… you really don't mind?" Vexen stammered.
"No more arguments from you." Marluxia said, cutting down Vexen's uneasy question. Silence stretched out in the tense atmosphere.
"You serious about this?" Larxene asked, breaking the silence. However, Marluxia didn't answer. Perhaps taking Larxene's reminder as an opportunity, Vexen disappeared.
"If you threaten him like that, he's gonna seriously destroy Sora, you know." Axel said.
'Marluxia probably issued the command in order to get Vexen, not Sora, destroyed,' Axel guessed. 'Marluxia isn't that stupid.'
"And that is an outcome no one desires," Marluxia said, walking to a corner of the room.
Naminé looked up in surprise, her shoulders trembling.
"So, what will you do?" Marluxia bent down looking at the tiny girl. Namine's eyes were filled with so much fear. "Your hero will be destroyed, if nothing happens. But I believe he made a certain promise to you. Didn't he, Naminé?"
"…Yes," Naminé answered, in a small, thin voice.
Vexen took a blow from Sora, and fell to his knees.
"We did it!" Sora pumped his fist.
Lira caught her breath. She was aiding Sora, Donald and Goofy in the fight. She was able to knock Vexen into submission casting tornado and meteor.
"You were really fantastic!" Sora told her. "If it wasn't for you, we would've been goners for sure!"
Lira lightly smirked.
"Not quite—"Vexen muttered, getting slowly to his feet. "I cannot, of course, be disposed of that easily," He stated, breezily, even though his face was twisted in pain.
"You can actually keep going?" Donald shouted, from behind Sora.
"I wonder? Haven't you noticed? That I was searching through your memories while we fought. And so… I found it! A card, made from memories from the sealed other side of your heart. If you want to fight me for real, step into the world born from this card!" Vexen threw a card to Sora.
Larxene, watching the events in the crystal ball, looked up at Marluxia. "What's he mean?" She asked.
"That's… Twilight Town," Marluxia muttered; the name written on the card thrown to Sora.
Axel raised an eyebrow, deliberately.
"What is that guy trying to do," wondered Larxene.
"Maybe he thinks fighting in a world he knows well will pay off?" Axel answered, folding his arms.
"Uh oh, has too much blood rushed to Vexen's head? What you gonna do, Axel. It'd be terrible if Sora knew about his 'other side', wouldn't it?" Larxene taunted.
'I wonder which side is really the 'other' one,' Axel thought. 'Is Sora the 'other side' of Roxas, the Nobody? Or is Roxas the 'other side' of Sora? Which is the true 'other side'?' He thought and continued to watch the events unfold on the crystal ball. 'And, I wonder what Vexen intends to do. Does this have something to do with his experiment? What is he trying to do by interfering with Sora's memories? Why is Twilight Town in Sora's memories?'
"If he only passes through, we can trick him somehow. But—"Axel said.
"I shall make a deal with Naminé. Axel, you go, too. You know what to do." Marluxia ordered.
'There's no longer room for doubt as to what Marluxia is saying.' Axel thought.
"I don't get you. I want to hear it from your lips." Axel grinned, looking at Marluxia.
"Dispose of the traitors." Marluxia stated, like it was nothing, and gave a put-on laugh.
"No taking that back, you know," Axel confirmed one-sidedly, turned his back on Marluxia, and walked out of the room without using a dark corridor.
He headed down the hallway, towards the floor on which Sora was.
"Dispose of the traitors, hmm." Axel thought for a moment. 'The traitors to the Organization have just been made crystal clear. Marluxia and Larxene are going to betray the Organization. Vexen's position is only respected because of his stupid research, and I don't think research has any meaning in the power games within the Organization. There's still the basement crew, but it's too soon to judge just yet. Now's not the time to think about whether it's right or wrong to take care of Vexen.'
Axel continued looking for Sora. Sora was definitely like Roxas.
'That's all I can do if I don't want to get into a disadvantageous position with Marluxia and Larxene. If I think of it as self-defense, it's just something that can't be helped. Even so, I wonder why Vexen would go to the trouble of making Twilight Town appear.'
He saw Vexen's creation heading into the false Twilight Town that was created in the castle through the cards.
'If worse comes to worst, and Sora finds out about Roxas, I wonder what'll happen,' He thought about Roxas.' He wondered what his friend had been up to while he was here the entire time. 'What would a human do, if they found out about their own Nobody? If Sora is destroyed, Roxas will probably also be destroyed.'
Axel balled his fists. He would eventally lose his best friend one day if Sora was ever destroyed. Something ached inside his chest if he had a heart.
'There's no way around that.'
And so, Axel stepped onto the floor—Floor 11 of Castle Oblivion, Twilight Town—where Sora was waiting.
This was Twilight Town—or rather, the town in Sora's memories. However, it was absolutely no different from the town Axel knew. From the rows of shops and houses to tiny things such as the shade of the flagstones in the road, everything was the same.
"It's… incredible, this castle." Axel mused.
Admiring anew the power of the white rooms to change form according to memory, Axel walked through the forest leading to the haunted mansion.
'I can't see the Replica, but he's probably somewhere in this town,' He thought dismissively. 'I'm sure Sora and the others are there.'
Vexen's voice could be heard coming from the edge of the forest. Axel concealed himself in the shade of a tree, furtively studying the situation between Vexen and Sora. 'It will probably be easier to dispose of Vexen after he's fought Sora, whether he wins or loses.'
"Sora, I'll ask but one question. That 'familiarity', or your memories of Naminé—which one is real to you?" Vexen asked.
"Naminé, of course!" Sora answered with all his might. "This feels familiar, but… it's just an illusion you set up, of course!"
'I wonder what that means. Sora feeling that this world is familiar, I mean. What the hell is happening to the connection between Roxas and Sora's memories? Were the two always connected?' Axel wondered.
"Memories are cruel things," Vexen cackled. "They don't only fade and get forgotten, they warp and bind people's hearts." Vexen still had leeway, standing before Sora, who gripped his keyblade. With Donald and Goofy by his side holding their staff and shield. Lira was next to the keyblade wielder holding her sword tightly ready to take on the researcher again.
"I'm sure I said it. That, this world was made of your other memories. Memories of this place exist on the other side of your heart. Your heart knows this place." Vexen stated.
'Vexen must know something—about memories, and Sora, and Roxas—and how this relates to the heart.' He then looked at Lira. His green eyes staring at her for a long time. 'Who is that? There's no information about her from the Organization.'
"Liar! Memories like that don't exist!" Sora waved his Keyblade.
"Bound by the chains known as memories and not believing your own heart is the same as throwing your heart away," Vexen sneered. "If so, Sora, you're no longer a Hero; just a doll, manipulated by memories. Yes… just like my Riku. No value in your existence in this world."
'In other words, Riku—that Replica—is just a doll being manipulated by memories.' Axel thought.
"Your Riku…? No value…?" Sora growled. A displeased wrinkle formed between his brows. "Don't mess around! You mean you're saying you changed Riku!"
" Changed?" Vexen's loud laughter echoed.
"What's so funny!?" Lira spat at the older man.
"That's right—perhaps it could also be phrased that way, that I changed him. But—the familiar feeling you get from this world is real. Are you not able to believe your own feelings of familiarity?" Vexen intoned, dispassionately, contrasting with Sora's angry voice.
'He's saying too many extra little things.' Axel thought, holding his breath for the right timing.
"Everything you say is a lie!" Sora lifted the keyblade up over his head, and attacked with force. But, Vexen sent him flying with his shield.
"You are no longer—a hero. You're just a doll, who has thrown away your hero heart." Vexen taunted the small boy.
"I haven't thrown away my heart! I'll defeat you, and help Riku and Naminé! That's… my heart!" Sora declared.
'What on earth is a heart—' Axel thought dismissively.
"You fool—get lost!" Vexen shot lumps of ice.
"Fira!" Donald and Lira simultaneously yelled.
However, the ice was melted by their magic.
"You'll be in trouble if you forget about us!" Donald shouted.
'If you think of it as four against one, Vexen's at a disadvantage,' Axel continued watching the fight. 'If he is defeated by Sora, my own troubles will decrease.'
At that moment, a shadow jumped out just in front of Axel.
It was the Replica.
Sora and Vexen still hadn't noticed that the Replica was there. And, it didn't seem like the Replica noticed Axel, standing in the shade of a tree.
"What, you here too—Riku," Axel called, and the Replica turned.
"What the hell is happening," Repliku returned. "Besides, you said I'd get stronger if I came here—"
"Did I say that?" Axel smiled, meaningfully, and he folded his arms.
"Did you trick me?" Repliku glared at the red head in front of him.
"No—let's watch and see, Riku." Axel pointed at Sora, who was fighting. While speaking with the Replica, Sora had dealt Vexen sound damage.
"That guy's strong, isn't he?" Not reacting to Axel's words of admiration, the Replica watched Sora silently.
Sora's Keyblade sliced through the air and Lira stabbed his shoulder flinging her shield smacking the scientist in the face/
"Ugh—for you to have this much power, even though you are bound by memories… you're definitely dangerous!" Vexen panted, curling in on himself.
"Whatever! Put Riku back the way he was!" Sora jabbed the Keyblade into Vexen's throat.
"The way he was? Fool… you don't understand a thing. There's nothing for that Riku but to fall into the nothingness of darkness. Same for you, Sora!" Vexen scoffed. "If you go on being charmed by Naminé, you will be bound by memories, lose your heart, and finally become Marluxia's tool!"
"Marluxia?! Does that person have something to do with Naminé—" Sora wondered.
'To let the Replica hear that plan, and to let Sora hear that plan…' Axel had to make his move now.
"Wasn't counting on that," Axel laughed, and put his hand on the Replica's shoulder.
"What do you mean?" Repliku asked, and Axel grinned, yanking on his shoulder. The Replica, pulled backwards so hard that he almost fell over and was instead propelled into a dark corridor leading to Castle Oblivion.
And so, Axel appeared in front of Sora. He threw a chakram at Vexen right then. It wasn't that powerful, but it could kill in one hit if it got a vital point.
"Gah?!" Vexen fell to the ground.
"Hey, Sora. Did I come at a bad time? My bad." Axel turned his back on Sora, looked down at Vexen, and stabbed him in the back with the chakrams again.
"Guuuh… Axel… what are you…" Vexen groaned in pain.
"You prattle on forever, so I'll wrap it for you. Your existence, that is." Axel smirked down at his superior member.
Vexen groveled on the ground, looking up at Axel. "Hey… wait, please…"
"We are 'nobodies', who barely exist. But right here, your memories and existence end. Aren't you happy?" Flames lit up in Axel's hand.
'It's after his fight with Sora and his friends,' Axel stared down at Vexen emotionlessly. 'Vexen has barely any strength remaining. Destroying him is easy.'
"S… stop… I don't want to vanish…" Vexen pleaded.
"Later, senior." Were the last words Vexen ever heard from Axel's mouth.
Vexen's body was wrapped in the flames Axel had fired. He burned for a moment, then disappeared.
Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Lira watched horrified Vexen was struck down and killed. Lira couldn't take it and she glared at Axel with hatred.
"What's with you… what are you?!" Lira yelled gripping her sword tightly.
Axel looked at Lira. "Just making your job easier," He told her before disappearing.
'No turning back now…' Axel thought. 'Whoever that new addition to Sora's little party doesn't seem like much of a threat. I need to find out more about her.'
"Good job, Axel. It's a great load off my mind, having that annoying guy destroyed." Axel had returned to the room, and met Larxene. Ignoring her, Axel walked towards Marluxia.
"Marluxia… did you throw Vexen at Sora to test his power?" Axel asked.
Marluxia remained silent.
"Not just Sora, but you too," Larxene said, cheekily, snuggling against Axel. "We were testing whether you were prepared to dispose of your fellow Organization comrades. Well, you passed. You can join us. With the three of us together, taking over the Organization will be a breeze."
'Jeez—they're underestimating the Organization, and me.' Axel thought staring at his comrades.
Axel shrugged. "And for that, Sora…"
"Yep. He wants to meet Naminé, so let's let him." At Larxene's words, Marluxia finally smirked, and walked slowly over to a corner of the room. Naminé, who had been listening to the three speak, gripping her sketchbook, looked up.
"Be happy, Naminé," Marluxia told the small girl tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "The time when you will meet the Hero you've waited for is near."
"I'm… happy," Naminé answered, in a faint voice.
"I'll say it now: don't do anything cruel like disappoint Sora's feelings, you know." Larxene said, happily, finally separating from Axel.
"…I understand." Namine whispered flinching at Marluxia's touch.
"You may bring up the thought from layered memories," Marluxia told Naminé, glancing at Larxene.
And then, Marluxia and Larxene—disappeared.
"Naminé…" Axel called, in a quiet voice, but Naminé didn't move.
Ugh freaking Marluxia you creeper xD
:D So who else thinks Replica Riku and Vanitas would make bad ass evil bros?
Review :)